“If Winston Peters is part of a Labour-led government, his party won’t support plans to introduce new taxes, like the planned water tax”
If Winston Peters is part of a Labour-led government, his party won't support plans to introduce new taxes, like the planned water tax pic.twitter.com/WBAYz4G13C
To be fair though micky Labour need to shoulder some of the blame for this. They should have been expecting the attacks over tax and had it all shut down before the campaign started.
I’m struggling with the criticism. Basically your premise is they should have anticipated National would make shit up and should have been ready to reply. Parties should be punished for making shit up, not rewarded.
On the other hand with the crazy way the polls have been going we can expect equally mad swings in the final Newshub-Reid poll when it comes out. That one will have Labour up 7 from 37 to 44 and National down 7 from 47 to 40 or something like that.
They’ll also reverse the Green/NZF vote percentages.
Does anyone understand what is going on?
What kind of demented troll stalks a left leaning website at 6.01pm to gloat in unhinged and delirious glee at others’ potential misfortune? You should be ashamed of yourself and go book an appointment with a shrink
Not really. It puts them 1 percentage point ahead of Labour + Greens. Given the margin of error, that could just as easily be reversed. If National happen to be just a bit lower, and especially if NZ 1st don’t get in, they lose.
Having said that, the enrolment stats could equally mean that National will effectively poll higher. This poll really only says that it’s mighty close.
Don’t know 7% , Declined 6% , margin of error?
It’s One news Poll, they’ve been consistently 4 to 6% out with final poll versus Votes cast over the last 3 elections.
Kiwis are far thicker than Morgan could possibly imagine, if they elect a National government after their display of incompetence throughout this campaign.
Kiwis are far thicker than Morgan could possibly imagine, if they elect a National government after their display of incompetence throughout this campaign.
OK. I think CB is landline only. Few youth votes will be recorded except the tory twitletts still living at home with mummy and daddy. Add to that the Nat campaign of lying, cheating, deceiving, corrupt behaviour… and the moribund and ignorant voters fall for it yet again. As for the shallow, witless james’ of this world… karma will sort them in due course.
Sorry, stages of grief and all that, but you can’t keep smashing the voters like that and then expect them to vote for you.
IF (big if) the poll is realised on Saturday and we end up with English & Co back in charge again, then Labour have to think pretty hard about why it happened. Sneering at the electorate as ‘moribund and ignorant’ isn’t going to help.
You have to think why (if) they opted for National. After all, last week they were smart and engaged because the CB showed them supporting Labour.
Nah. Supporters of both parties are always calling each other idiots on no uncertain terms, and it’s nothing new. Unless they hold office or are running to do so, I don’t think it makes a blind bit of difference.
There’s a big problem with the “young people don’t have cellphones” argument – it ignores the fact that young people have ALWAYS been hard to reach for opinion polling, even before cellphones became commonplace.
The polling companies have had to deal with low response-rates amongst young people for many decades, and adjust their weightings and strategies accordingly. Cellphones probably make an already big problem a bit bigger, but if thats the main defence the left is going to rely on for polls today, it’s probably going to be a tough night on Saturday.
You’re entitled to be skeptical of whatever you want to be skeptical of, but the fact remains that the track record of polling companies in New Zealand, for at least the last couple of decades, has been pretty good.
Polling is hard, but these are experienced professional companies that have every incentive to be right (as in correct) not ‘right’ (as in skewed).
All I will say is this; if your belief that the left is going to win the election relies on believing polling is skewed against the left then, on balance of probabilities, you should prepare for a bad election night.
I may as well concede now. I knew this would happen. And it was the farmers wot won it.
Labour has some serious shit to sort out starting Monday. And the Greens can pay themselves on the back all they want about rising to 8%, they are still going to be in opposition.
All this poll shows is that thing are still really unstable. I would not give up yet. Besides Labour/Greens are neck and neck with National. Even on these figures there is everything to aim for.
Yep … It’s deflating – no question about that – but it sure as hell aint over.
Chin up, my bully-boys*. Jacinda’s got the vile sausage-sucking Tory Hun on the run ! Keep Fritzie in panic-mode and I’m sure we’ll all be in Berlin by lunchtime !
If the poll is right it would be the lies that National is telling which tip the balance. Fear and anxiety implemented by unscrupulous people seem to win in NZ.
If the poll is right.
We will do it yet!
Labour has some serious shit to sort out starting Monday,
The shit is: Labour don’t stand up and give back as good as they get. All this relentless positivity doesn’t work. The voters see it as a weakness. The majority of them are self promoting bigots and its time Labour woke up to reality. I’ve been banging on about it for years and so have plenty of others but they… just… won’t… listen.
Oh, and they are still producing policy that’s way too complex. In statistical terms, half the voters have an IQ that is below the average but they seem unable to take that into account. Helen Clark understood and produced the simplistic pledge card in 2005 was it? Whatever, It saved her bacon.
If Labour loses it’s because Labour fucked it up.
Nothing about not attacking or been too nice, it will be because you’re trying to change too much stuff all at once and have spooked the horses.
Have to agree here. Positivity in this neoliberal race to the top goes part way. Sadly, the soft vote wants (as Hosking might say “rightly or wrongly”) cuthroat displays of strength. Jacinda will need to attack to beat those that are expert in the craft of bullshitting soft voters. Meanwhile, those most affected will suffer more. Sorry to be pessimisstic.
Well, I for one Welcome our new National Party Overlords !
And I can assure Fräulein Bennett and Herr Joyce that I’m prepared to sing like a Canary, wildly naming names like an accused Communist at a 1951 McCarthyite Senate hearing.
Normally I’d be a lot more positive about this but my political antenna seems to be a bit wonKey at the moment however its probably not a good sign for Labour
I just hope Labour can keep it seemly and not go to desperate measures over the next couple of days
Full resilts:
1 News Colmar Brunton poll:
NAT 46% (+6),
LAB 37% (-7),
GRN 8% (+1),
NZF 5% (-1),
TOP 2% (NC),
MAO 1% (NC),
ACT 0.3%
Don’t know 7%, Refused 6% (+1). Fieldwork conducted 16-19 September
Oh, certainly not giving up – according to this poll, National’s on 46 % and Labour/Green on 45%. Only a mug would think they could pick the winner at this point.
Yup…..13% is a lot to play for…..who would be most inclined to refuse to say?
Don’t lose heart people….get on the phone and talk to someone and convince them to vote.
The Labour Party certainly don’t avoid it, do they?
They have parroted on most of the year on how National supposedly cut the expenditure on health below what Labour had been doing. It was a clever lie but it was a lie for all that. They did it by taking the first year of the National Government as the base line, rather than taking the last year of the Labour Government.
That way they could pretend that the massive increase in the 2009-2010 year never happened.
They have parroted on most of the year on how National supposedly cut the expenditure on health below what Labour had been doing. It was a clever lie but it was a lie for all that.
His analysis, carried out with the ASMS, indicated the health system’s publicly-funded mental health services in 2017/18 would receive just $18 million in extra funding. That’s an increase of about 1.2%, which works out to a cut in real terms. A 7.3% funding increase is needed in 2017/18 just to maintain the mental health services we already have, given client numbers are increasing at about 5% a year – and more money is needed if the Government wants to improve access to services.
You really can’t help yourself in your defence of National psychopathic policies can you? Typical authoritarian follower. You’re one of the sheep that National relies upon not only to not question them but to defend them and you do it without fail.
I have no idea what the situation is in this part of the health budget.
What I looked at was the total budget and what the Labour Party claims were.
They were false.
I don’t really have the time or inclination to look at this bit of the budget and the figures you are referring to, and you will note that I wasn’t talking about just this facet of the situation.
I was more interested in the whole picture.
The effect of this is to pretend that the first year of the National Government was the norm rather than comparing their numbers with the final year of the Labour Government.
The first year of the National government would be the last year of the Labour government’s final budget.
“The first year of the National government would be the last year of the Labour government’s final budget”
That is quite true. National was in Government for most of that year. However it wasn’t that year they used as the base, normal, year
The 2008 election was on November 8 2008.
The last year of the Labour Government was the 2008-2009 year. It covered the year from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009. http://www.treasury.govt.nz/government/financialstatements/yearend
That was not the year they used as their base though. They used the expenditure in the 2009-2010 year which was the first year that the National Party budget of 2009 was in operation.
If you take the last Labour year as the base you find that the Health expenditure did rise under a National Government above the values for the end of the Labour one.
There was a very large increase in the 2009-2010 year even after you include inflation and demographic changes. National deserve the credit for that surely? Because of the way Labour requested the calculations all this increase was ignored.
Cunning isn’t it?
I didn’t actually claim that the Green Party had done that.
What I said was that they didn’t appear to like the environmental effects of the pipeline.
I also said that they were in favour of using coastal shipping to move goods around.
The Maori Party will win at least two seats, via Te Ururoa Flavell and Howie Tamati, who was 13 points ahead of Adrian Rurawhe a couple of weeks ago. They may get enough party votes to get Marama Fox in as well, but at this stage I would guess not.
If NZFirst don’t make it on those numbers there would be 7% wasted vote which would probably be enough for Nat/Act to govern alone. A sobering thought.
Everybody is better off if NZ1st don’t make it! Then nobody has to deal with Winston.
But in terms of who forms the government, that depends on whether Nats plus clingons or Labour/Greens get more of the votes above the threshold. The Maori Party may end up the deciders.
So if you’re tossing up whether to vote Nats or Winnie, go for Winnie. If you’re tossing up Labour or Greens vs Winnie, then Labour or Greens.
A phrase coined by my old friend Bob in our glory days at Stirling University in the 90s. He was trying to express his disapproval of Ecstasy, because it made you “Dance like a jalopy to really stupid music.”
Bob had a way with words, usually unintentionally.
Both participants in that conversation are now dead – the raver had some sort of bad reaction to E (Bob didn’t think to warn him of that) and Bob himself died a couple of years ago from blood poisoning in India.
.. all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more.
Ah, mortality! But at least Bob’s curious genius will live on a little longer.
Seeing it would immediately require an immediate SAN check. Failure would result in the loss of 1d100 San points, and even those passing would still lose 1d10 SAN.
And aliens could actually invade and enslave us into their galactic empire, but I’m picking neither of those highly unlikely events is going to happen in the near future.
“sometime late Saturday night”.
In terms of the election night result we will have a pretty good idea by about 8pm. There are so many early votes that will be counted before 7pm, and they tend to be similar to the final result.
With the closeness of these numbers though I think we may be sitting around wondering for another couple of weeks. There are all the specials and the overseas voting to come after that.
The official results aren’t due until 7 October. There could be a seat or two swinging then.
In the last few elections National has typically lost a seat to the Greens with the recounts and overseas votes. That could be crucial this time round.
Yes, the Green Party do have a unique pattern of results.
They have polling numbers of X% before the election. Then the drop to about 0.8X on election day. Then they go back up to 0.85X with the specials.
NB I haven’t actually calculated the multipliers but the pattern is accurate.
“That rather diminishes Labours chances as their only coalition party can be the greens.”
Really! – when NZ First is so needed to form a labour lead government rather than a sellout Government?? The last time Labour come to power in 1999 it was a coalition of labour greens/NZ First so you are way out there.
Didn’t you watch what Winston said at his interview with John Campbell the other night? – It was when John asked Winston if he could work with the greens – he said, “everythings negociable”.
I’m afraid your memory is failing you.
The Government after the !999 election was comprised of Labour and the Alliance. Neither New Zealand First nor the Green Party were part of the Government.
I am afraid you are way out there.
Is it possible to have James banned for at least two weeks. His empty triumphalism doesn’t add anything to the discourse. I don’t see why he should be able to sort of start a flame war, and be politely allowed to dance around on our hopes for the future of NZ. So please mods can he be revued and take his tap dancing off to Kiwiblog!
All the trolls seem to be creaming themselves tonight… Based on what? Yet another MSM Poll …
“In this month’s issue of Personality and Individual Differences, a study was published that confirms what we all suspected: internet trolls are horrible people.”
“In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting quarrels or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[2] or of otherwise disrupting normal, on-topic discussion,[3] often for the troll’s amusement.”
About that troll definition. If you get a coven of any gender and say something that doesn’t fit their rigid ideas, it can upset them like hell. Like an innocent insect getting caught in a web you suddenly get attacked so – 1 can invoke an irrational response also 2, and some acceptable etiquette and display of manners is called for before rushing to invoke Rule 109 section 32 (a)(i) or similar in the in-group’s exposition.
When the nuisance is repeated then irritation is justified.
On the other hand…perhaps it is better he is here, where we can keep an eye on him, rather than him roaming the streets getting up to all sorts of evil doings.
Cheer up folks….its a poll…and by definition
.
a hornless animal, especially one of a breed of hornless cattle.
She could have said the same thing in a different way and she’d still be (and the Greens would be on at least 15%) instead they might not even make it back and the parties image is forever tarnished
If she’d something like “I did this a long time ago and I’m sorry I felt I had to do it, I appreciated the support I received from the taxpayer and I paid the money back once I became a lawyer, I’m coming forward now to make sure no one else in my position has to do the same because something needs to change”
Instead she came off as unappreciative and somewhat flippant, perception is everything
interesting. For me she came across as standing her ground in solidarity with beneficiaries. Not saying she didn’t make any mistakes, but that this was more important than appeasing the so called middle NZ.
Paying the money back is very problematic. She wouldn’t have know how much it was, she could have been charged with fraud and had her law career put at risk. She still had a young child at that point. I think you’ve missed some critical parts of the story.
She should have got that stuff sorted before she went public.
The fact that she didn’t is the reason she’s now out of politics, she’s an idiot and the countries far better off not having her in any sort of position where she could have power over others.
What the hell is that about? You are totally out of line making such a comment. You should withdraw and apologise.
[lprent: Please spare me your unintelligent indignation. Please read his comment. There are many possible meanings to OAB’s statement.
It could just be his opinion of Judith Collins that if she is dealing with anything it will be dodgy as fuck. You only have to read Dirty Politics to come to that conclusion.
But certainly her orders as Minster or Energy have disrupted travel. For instance she could have put the priority on aircraft kerosene rather than 91 octane petrol and diesel. It is legitimate to query why a politician she would have done it this way.
It could also deal with the renamed Oravida operation around Ruakaka with a reputation for playing fast and loose with rules that uses diggers to dig Kauri stumps, the one that would be a prime suspect if a digger did damage and she has a family connection to it is another. I’d question if she should be involved in any enquiry myself.
That her husband operates Oravida and for whom she is known to have done what I consider amounts to a sales trip on the taxpayers dime for is another.
Now these are all legitimate political questions that will be raised.
I am sure that in the latter two that when the election is over and in the caretaker government that as a lawyer Judith Collins will see that she will properly recuse herself to allow a real investigation to take place as to the cause of the economic disaster of having the sole fuel line to Auckland cut.
If you had half a brain, you would have figured that out yourself, and not wasted my time. OAB specialises in doing the needle intelligently and so he doesn’t get banned. You could do well to study his opaque technique for revving up simple minded right wingers into defending against what their guilty consciences feel that he must have been meaning.
Keeping Stock -you were flushed out this time last election as an active player in National’s Dirty Politics campaign, to the extent that you had to kill of your own blog and scramble into damage control in your own community.
Why are you here now? What do you hope to achieve by commenting on The Standard at this point? Do you think readers here don’t know about your close association with Farrar and Slater?
Remember that National’s best ever result was 47.3% under Key in 2011. So we’re led to believe that after another 6 years and without Key, National has lost only 1%? I do admire the optimism of some Tories.
I’m not sure that the Labour Party is spending it’s advertising money very wisely.
I just had a look at KiwiBlog to see if Farrar had any comment on this result.
The first thing I got was an ad for the Labour Party.
I don’t think that there are really many votes Labour is going to gain from ads running there.
Oh, it’s well spent alright – how I laughed when I saw it! That phrase about capitalists being willing to sell you the rope you plan to hang them with came to mind.
I miss all the real funny hard case Kiwi comedians like Tui Teka and Billy T James The Laughing Samoans Eteuati Ete and Tofiga Fepulea Fred Dagg / John Clarke OUR Kiwi comedians like them bring a tear to my eyes and I get a sore face.
I’m just wondering why I have not seen these types of comedians on National TV in the last 8 years or so. Tammy Davis /Munter off Outrageous Fortune would make us laugh like them I’m sure there are many more out there Taika Waititi would be fucken funny but he is to busies . Maybe Taika could champion this cause to promote It. I’m sure Taika would have the influence to accomplish this.
The soon to be Queen Knows that we all have sorrows in OUR hearts for her loss we just don’t want to bother her or put her off her campaign.
I’m not even going to talk about what was first on the news as we all Know that come Saturday we will be celebrating a Labour Greens win so chin up I say everyone. Sorry I can not support Tops his policys don’t match my Ideals.
I follow Waititi on twitter, which is intermittent but humorous. Don’t have a TV so not sure what passes for Kiwi humour these days. I guess they’re all doing stand up somewhere. Or have their own whatever show that’s not straight comedy.
One would think that they could put a temporary fix on that pipe I have used them on water and kerosene is not that flammable WTF you just wrap it and band it up seen this fix many times It just has to be a fix till alternative supply is set up. There should have been a plan for this scenario. Some one needs to be sued over this because that is the only way we will find the truth on this fuck up.
Its not rocket science!!!!!!!!!
Yes, they spent lots of money on a web redesign to make it worse, and then refused to listen to complaints about how it was worse. It’s standard practice for state sector organisations these days.
Fancy that, a couple of days out from the election National gets a massive poll turn around signalling to the voters they now have a chance. Utter billshit.
Oh, come on. You can’t blame everything on the Malevolent Right Wing Space Lizards. Maybe a lot of New Zealanders just prefer the idea of Bill English being in charge of stuff?
Just using my intuition. You stated you haven’t voted Labour since the China FTA. This seems to be the crucial policy you have voted on for a decade or more yet you still back National’s import of Chinese capital.
You are anti-Labour, end of story. How do you propose to effect any social change in New Zealand while being so anti-Labour? You are fighting yourself.
I am not ‘anti-Labour.’ I don’t vote for them because they don’t match my politics. And I criticise them when they make mistakes, which – alas- they do with depressing frequency. And I have no time at all for mindless cheerleaders and naive fools.
Still waiting for you to evidence the claim that I am “back National’s import of Chinese capital.” Or were you just making shit up on the internet?
I’m going by your posts which are unfailingly critical of Labour policy. Given the importance of Labour to changing the government, the only logical conclusion is that you are against changing the government.
I imagine your argument will be the argument of all pretend lefties – ‘it’s complicated’
Back to ‘unfailingly critical,’ even though I’ve already disproved that claim.
Since you’re recycling your doggerel, I’ll recycle mine.
I am not ‘anti-Labour.’ I don’t vote for them because they don’t match my politics. I criticise them when they make mistakes. Given people hereabouts like to view their mistakes as brilliant strategic moves (“Let’s make Cunliffe the leader!”) I’m rather busy.
By some obscure alchemy, you seem to construe that that as support for National. That’s your problem. Maybe you’re not as clever at comprehending things, and your intuition is not as good, as you like to think.
Ardern’s worst debate performance.
Just when she needed to be seen fighting the good fight, she looks flat.
When asked about winston not supporting her water tax, why did she not counter about his super position and how that affects the nats?
Most of the pundits Carolyn_nth accept that the Mana/Internet Party/Dotcom Moment of Truth debacle pushed a couple of percent National’s way in the last days.
Probably. I’m not disputing the poll tonight really. It shows what we’ve always known – Lab/Greens pretty much equals National. The unknowables are what happens after that.
What an odious comment you made imodioum shame on you.
National have truly fucked up this country by conducting a mean arsed austerity scheme as bad as the Ruth Richarson black budget was damaging us then by copying that same style of mean cruel inhumanity where the poor are pushed to the gutter to die hungry and sick.
Pretty evident Hosking and English vs Adern.
Least balanced nz debate ive seen
English flat out lying re 11 billion dollar hole and not pulled by Hosking. Dirty politics, possibly working in the polls so he’s doubled down.
Here are some other intriguing headlines on NZ Herald.
NEW ZEALAND
Fake names: Chief referred to Solicitor-General
20 Sep, 2017 5:37pm
Ministry of Social Development found unlawfully using fake names on legal documents
and
NEW ZEALAND
Beneficiaries short-changed by millions
20 Sept 5.58 pm
Introducing e-therapy digital counselling. Bill’s answer to fixing mental health. No one knows what it is but its new, and more internet time will somehow address kid’s mental health.
Well anyone in NZ can call themselves a counsellor so robots it is.
Serves them right for fucking around and failing to ensure their profession is registered as health practitioners by doing something as basic as agreeing.
mauī; – It’s callled in the old fashioned term we all know as ‘Brainwashing’
National are so tied to the control of the mind as we have seen when they removed all our Public affairs programs like ‘close-up’ and they cousins as they were to focused on the negative stuff the current government was doing .
Radio NZ ‘National’is now a trumpet for the ‘National Party’ so on it goes until they will have us alll bowijng to the ‘National God’ himself.
Greatest one liner
” we can never afford poverty”
Responding to bill “now we can NOW afford to help due to government surpluses” , with jacindas response … priceless.
Mike excelled himself. Given his right leaning and anti left he was very impressive
Jacinda won that debate. Thank goodness for that.
As ex Min of Finance Bill can quote facts and figures for ever. Jacinda less so. But this time Mike didn’t allow Bill to run away with his usual Shouty Bill. Jacinda was concise and was able to express politely her concern about after 9 long years and about the “misleading” information that Bill has used.
Herald poll would disagree….I only saw about the last 5 mins….turnout will still be determining factor…..the 80% (?) of relatively disinterested will decide this
Yes. The Herald Poll had it 60% Bill, 34% Jacinda.
It was closer on the Stuff website though.
They had it Bill 56% and Jacinda 37%.
Don’t worry though. Labours little lovie on Stuff, Tracy Watkins, says that Jacinda won so that is all right.
It is hardly surprising the Stuff papers are going down the tubes.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/97025359/live-three-days-to-go-till-the-election
English says “we can make the positive choices now” because there’s been a couple of years of surplus and now they have the money. Ardern says “we could never afford poverty” and under National the situation has slid.
Magic one liner from J.A. In response
Sad for a govt to say that they can only make positive social choices when we are in surplus 🙁
“Filthy waterways, dying patients denied their pain relief of choice, and working families forced to live in their cars, these are some of the big issues that have got New Zealanders fired-up. They’ve also been the focus of political campaigning in the run up to the election. As voting day draws ever closer, we’ve gathered together some of our recent Insight podcasts, to help you get clued up on the big issues before you put pen to ballot paper.”
The list of undone work by Gnashional just makes it seem that they are incompetent or frozen and unable to make decisions for the good of the country. Constipated and can’t get off the pot. The long days till the main voting day only increases their unpleasant persona and aroma.
They are facing off the weight of ridicule and disgust at their connivance and sly lies to satisfy their backers and voters who are either soaked in past-its-date business theory or smarmy wealth craters with no scruples. With a fair unpwind they will be freed from their circular prison to go and dump in someone else’s yard like the poor and drugged derelicts already on the streets.
“Working families with young children and babies are being left homeless and sleeping in cars in Auckland, as they struggle to get into emergency housing, and are turned off or away from Housing New Zealand. Parents say even with accommodation supplement benefits, their wages can’t cover rising rents, and living in garages or spending nights on floors of friends and family are the only options they have.”
Bill and Jacinda stand on the same stair of a flight of stairs.
Bill : “Jacinda are you taking one step up?”
Jacinda: “No, I’m staying where I am.”
Upon which Bill takes one step down and exclaims “Hey Jacinda, I see you’ve taken one step up!”
It is difficult to have respect for a leader who clearly has scant respect for the most basic straight talk and truth.
Gower’s piece should make headlines in all our papers.
The poll must’ve gone well for National. It’s on Kiwiblog within an hour of being broadcast. The Great Informer has been nowhere near as quick when the story hasn’t suited him.
Marama Fox is all about “strategic voting”….’cos that’s what folk are telling her.
” “Since the weekend it’s almost like the bigger issues have started to take a side-step to the strategic voting as an issue. People are not talking to me about homelessness anymore. They are not talking to me about poverty.
“They are talking to me about who can form government and which is the best way to vote in order to make that happen.””
She pins her colours clearly to the mast…
” She said voters were starting to see the “holes” in Labour, including not making te reo Maori compulsory or moving to entrench the Maori seats. Personally, she was quietly confident she would return to Parliament.
“I know everywhere I speak I turn the entire room. I know people are starting to question the ability of Labour’s Maori MPs to affect any change inside their party.”
“We recognise the mood for change … there are Maori voters, a majority of when you are knocking on doors, who have said they want change, but they want us there.”
Ahem, Marama, after nine years snuggling up to National, supporting them to increase poverty and homelessness….. how’s that change going?
Stated earlier, but it seems like you’d like to have the last word James…
Persistent with your personality perhaps …
“In this month’s issue of Personality and Individual Differences, a study was published that confirms what we all suspected: internet trolls are horrible people.”
“In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting quarrels or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[2] or of otherwise disrupting normal, on-topic discussion,[3] often for the troll’s amusement.”
Our National-led government has been undermining New Zealand’s sovereignty and public service for 9 years, and they know what they’re doing – helping NZ millionaires, both established and newly minted, realise assets, including public assets.
How much did Key sell part of his Parnell property for, and who stumped up the cash?
The fact that you made that ridiculous comment James means that you know darn well that she will go the distance and be there when this pack of wankers leaves town and she will be there to make sure they do !!!
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Postmodernism has long been looked upon as an indecipherable ideology and a source of amusement. In 1996 Alan Sokal, a physics professor at New York University, had a hoax article published in ‘Social Text’ an academic journal of postmodern cultural studies. In ‘Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Anew study in Nature Sustainability incorporates the damages that climate change does to healthy ecosystems into standard climate-economics models. The key finding in the study by Bernardo Bastien-Olvera and Frances Moore from the University of California at Davis: The models have been underestimating the ...
In a recent interview with RNZ (14th of January), NZ Council of Civil Liberties Chair Thomas Beagle, in response to Simon Bridges condemnation of the post-Trump Twitter purge of local far Right and other accounts, said the following: “Cos the thing about freedom of expression is that it’s not just ...
Let’s be clear: if Trump is not politically killed off once and for all, he will become a MAGA Dracula, rising from the dead to haunt US politics for years to come and giving inspiration to his wretched family of grifters and thousands of deplorables well into the next decade. ...
Since its demise as an imperial power, and especially its deindustrialisation under Thatcher, the UK's primary economic engine has been its role as a money laundry, using its network of overseas territories as tax havens to enable rich people around the world to steal from the societies they live in. ...
Last month OMV quit the Great South Basin and surrendered its offshore exploration permits outside of Taranaki. This month, Australian-owned Beach Energy has done the same: Beach Energy Resources New Zealand has decided to abandon all of its oil and gas exploration permits off the South Island coast, including ...
The new Northland case has been linked to the South African strain of Covid-19, one of a number of new, more contagious Covid variants. Here’s how they emerge and why. Let’s start with the basics. The genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for Covid-19 is a strand of RNA ...
MARVIN HUBBARD, US citizen by birth, New Zealand citizen by choice, Quaker and left-wing activist, has been broadcasting his show, "Community or Chaos", on Otago Access Radio for the best part of 30 years. On 24 November last year, I spoke with him about the outcome of the 2020 General ...
This is a guest blog post by Daniel Tamberg, Potsdam, co-founder and director of SCIARA GmbH. The non-profit organisation SCIARA is developing and operating a flexible software platform for scientific simulation games that allows thousands of players to explore, design and understand possible climate futures together. Decision-makers in politics, business, ...
Yesterday's Gone: Cold shivers are running up and down the spines of conservatives everywhere. Donald Trump may have gone, but all the signs point to there being something much more momentous in the wind-shift than a simple return to the status quo ante. A change is gonna come. ONE COULD ...
Is it possible to live and let live in the post-Trump era? The online campaign to vilify Christopher Liddell, ex-White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant to Trump, makes for an interesting case study. Liddell is a New Zealander whose illustrious career in corporate America once earned him plaudits ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 17, 2021 through Sat, Jan 23, 2021Editor's Choice12 new books explore fresh approaches to act on climate changeAuthors explore scientific, economic, and political avenues for climate action ...
This discussion is from a Twitter thread by Martin Kulldorff on 20 December 2020. He is a Professor at Harvard Medical School specialising in disease surveillance methods, infectious disease outbreaks and vaccine safety. His Twitter handle is @MartinKulldorff #1 Public health is about all health outcomes, not just a single ...
The Treasury forecasts suggest the economy is doing better than expected after the Covid Shock. John Kenneth Galbraith was wont to say that economic forecasting was designed to make astrology look good. Unfair, but it raises the question of the purpose of economic forecasts. Certainly the public may treat them ...
Q: Will the COVID-19 vaccines prevent the transmission of the coronavirus and bring about community immunity (aka herd immunity)? A: Jury not in yet but vaccines do not have to be perfect to thwart the spread of infection. While vaccines induce protection against illness, they do not always stop actual ...
Joe Biden seems to be everything that Donald Trump was not – decent, straightforward, considerate of others, mindful of his responsibilities – but none of that means that he has an easy path ahead of him. The pandemic still rages, American standing in the world is grievously low, and the ...
Keana VirmaniFrom healthcare robots to data privacy, to sea level rise and Antarctica under the ice: in the four years since its establishment, the Aotearoa New Zealand Science Journalism Fund has supported over 30 projects.Rebecca Priestley, receiving the PM Science Communication Prize (Photo by Mark Tantrum) Associate Professor ...
Nothing more from me today - I'm off to Wellington, to participate in the city's annual roleplaying convention (which has also eaten my time for the whole week, limiting blogging despite there being interesting things happening). Normal bloggage will resume Tuesday. ...
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weaponscame into force today, making the development, possession, use or threat of use of nuclear weapons illegal in international law. Every nuclear-armed state is now a criminal regime. The corporations and scientists who design, build and maintain their illegal weapons are now ...
"Come The Revolution!" The key objective of Bernard Hickey’s revolutionary solution to the housing crisis is a 50 percent reduction in the price of the average family home. This will be achieved by the introduction of Capital Gains, Land, and Wealth taxes, and by the opening up of currently RMA-protected ...
by Daphna Whitmore Twitter and Facebook shutting down Trump’s accounts after his supporters stormed Capitol Hill is old news now but the debates continue over whether the actions against Trump are a good thing or not. Those in favour of banning Trump say Twitter and Facebook are private companies and ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Democrats now control the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives for the first time in a decade, albeit with razor thin Congressional majorities. The last time, in the 111th Congress (2009-2011), House Democrats passed a carbon cap and trade bill, but it died ...
Session thirty-three was highly abbreviated, via having to move house in a short space of time. Oh well. The party decided to ignore the tree-monster and continue the attack on the Giant Troll. Tarsin – flying on a giant summoned bat – dumped some high-grade oil over the ...
Last night I stayed up till 3am just to see then-President Donald Trump leave the White House, get on a plane, and fly off to Florida, hopefully never to return. And when I woke up this morning, America was different. Not perfect, because it never was. Probably not even good, ...
Watching today’s inauguration of Joe Biden as the United States’ 46th president, there’s not a lot in common with the inauguration of Donald Trump just four destructive years ago. Where Trump warned of carnage, Biden dared to hope for unity and decency. But the one place they converge is that ...
Dan FalkBritons who switched on their TVs to “Good Morning Britain” on the morning of Sept. 15, 2020, were greeted by news not from our own troubled world, but from neighboring Venus. Piers Morgan, one of the hosts, was talking about a major science story that had surfaced the ...
Sara LutermanGrowing up autistic in a non-autistic world can be very isolating. We are often strange and out of sync with peers, despite our best efforts. Autistic adults have, until very recently, been largely absent from media and the public sphere. Finding role models is difficult. Finding useful advice ...
Doug JohnsonThe alien-like blooms and putrid stench of Amorphophallus titanum, better known as the corpse flower, draw big crowds and media coverage to botanical gardens each year. In 2015, for instance, around 75,000 people visited the Chicago Botanic Garden to see one of their corpse flowers bloom. More than ...
Getting to Browser Tab Zero so I can reboot the computer is awfully hard when the one open tab is a Table of Contents for the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, and every issue has more stuff I want to read. A few highlights: Gugler et al demonstrating ...
Timothy Ford, University of Massachusetts Lowell and Charles M. Schweik, University of Massachusetts AmherstTo mitigate health inequities and promote social justice, coronavirus vaccines need to get to underserved populations and hard-to-reach communities. There are few places in the U.S. that are unreachable by road, but other factors – many ...
Israel chose to pay a bit over the odds for the Pfizer vaccine to get earlier access. Here’s The Times of Israel from 16 November. American government will be charged $39 for each two-shot dose, and the European bloc even less, but Jerusalem said to agree to pay $56. Israel ...
Orla is a gender critical Marxist in Ireland. She gave a presentation on 15 January 2021 on the connection between postmodern/transgender identity politics and the current attacks on democratic and free speech rights. Orla has been active previously in the Irish Socialist Workers Party and the People Before Profit electoral ...
. . America: The Empire Strikes Back (at itself) Further to my comments in the first part of 2020: The History That Was, the following should be considered regarding the current state of the US. They most likely will be by future historians pondering the critical decades of ...
Nathaniel ScharpingIn March, as the Covid-19 pandemic began to shut down major cities in the U.S., researchers were thinking about blood. In particular, they were worried about the U.S. blood supply — the millions of donations every year that help keep hospital patients alive when they need a transfusion. ...
Sarah L Caddy, University of CambridgeVaccines are a marvel of medicine. Few interventions can claim to have saved as many lives. But it may surprise you to know that not all vaccines provide the same level of protection. Some vaccines stop you getting symptomatic disease, but others stop you ...
Back in 2016, the Portuguese government announced plans to stop burning coal by 2030. But progress has come much quicker, and they're now scheduled to close their last coal plant by the end of this year: The Sines coal plant in Portugal went offline at midnight yesterday evening (14 ...
The Sincerest Form Of Flattery: As anybody with the intestinal fortitude to brave the commentary threads of local news-sites, large and small, will attest, the number of Trump-supporting New Zealanders is really quite astounding. IT’S SO DIFFICULT to resist the temptation to be smug. From the distant perspective of New Zealand, ...
RNZ reports on continued arbitrariness on decisions at the border. British comedian Russell Howard is about to tour New Zealand and other acts allowed in through managed isolation this summer include drag queen RuPaul and musicians at Northern Bass in Mangawhai and the Bay Dreams festival. The vice-president of the ...
As families around the world mourn more than two million people dead from Covid-19, the Plan B academics and their PR industry collaborator continue to argue that the New Zealand government should stop focusing on our managed isolation and quarantine system and instead protect the elderly so that they can ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 10, 2021 through Sat, Jan 16, 2021Editor's ChoiceNASA says 2020 tied for hottest year on record — here’s what you can do to helpPhoto by Michael Held on Unsplash ...
Health authorities in Norway are reporting some concerns about deaths in frail elderly after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. Is this causally related to the vaccine? Probably not but here are the things to consider. According to the news there have been 23 deaths in Norway shortly after vaccine administration and ...
Happy New Year! No, experts are not concerned that “…one of New Zealand’s COIVD-1( vaccines will fail to protect the country” Here is why. But first I wish to issue an expletive about this journalism (First in Australia and then in NZ). It exhibits utter failure to actually truly consult ...
All nations have shadows; some acknowledge them. For others they shape their image in uncomfortable ways.The staunch Labour supporter was in despair at what her Rogernomics Government was doing. But she finished ‘at least, we got rid of Muldoon’, a response which tells us that then, and today, one’s views ...
Grigori GuitchountsIn November, Springer Nature, one of the world’s largest publishers of scientific journals, made an attention-grabbing announcement: More than 30 of its most prestigious journals, including the flagship Nature, will now allow authors to pay a fee of US$11,390 to make their papers freely available for anyone to read ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gary Yohe, Henry Jacoby, Richard Richels, and Benjamin Santer Imagine a major climate change law passing the U.S. Congress unanimously? Don’t bother. It turns out that you don’t need to imagine it. Get this: The Global Change Research Act of 1990 was passed ...
“They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”WHO CAN FORGET the penultimate scene of the 1956 movie classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers? The wild-eyed doctor, stumbling down the highway, trying desperately to warn his fellow citizens: “They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”Ostensibly science-fiction, the movie ...
TheOneRing.Net has got its paws on the official synopsis of the upcoming Amazon Tolkien TV series. It’s a development that brings to mind the line about Sauron deliberately releasing Gollum from the dungeons of Barad-dûr. Amazon knew exactly what they were doing here, in terms of drumming up publicity: ...
Since Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration in 1953, US presidents have joined an informal club intended to provide support - and occasionally rivalry - between those few who have been ‘leaders of the free world’. Donald Trump, elected on a promise to ‘drain the swamp’ and a constant mocker of his predecessors, ...
For over a decade commentators have noted the rise of a new brand of explicitly ideological politics throughout the world. By this they usually refer to the re-emergence of national populism and avowedly illiberal approaches to governance throughout the “advanced” democratic community, but they also extend the thought to the ...
The US House of Representatives has just impeached Donald Trump, giving him the dubious honour of being the only US President to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans voted for impeachement, making it the most bipartisan impeachment ever. The question now is whether the Senate will rise to the occasion, and ...
Kieren Mitchell; Alice Mouton, Université de Liège; Angela Perri, Durham University, and Laurent Frantz, Ludwig Maximilian University of MunichThanks to the hit television series Game of Thrones, the dire wolf has gained a near-mythical status. But it was a real animal that roamed the Americas for at least 250,000 ...
Tide of tidal data rises Having cast our own fate to include rising sea level, there's a degree of urgency in learning the history of mean sea level in any given spot, beyond idle curiosity. Sea level rise (SLR) isn't equal from one place to another and even at a particular ...
Well, some of those chickens sure came home bigly, didn’t they… and proceeded to shit all over the nice carpet in the Capitol. What we were seeing here are societal forces that have long had difficulty trying to reconcile people to the “idea” of America and the reality of ...
In the wake of Donald Trump's incitement of an assault on the US capitol, Twitter finally enforced its terms of service and suspended his account. They've since followed that up with action against prominent QAnon accounts and Trumpers, including in New Zealand. I'm not unhappy with this: Trump regularly violated ...
Peter S. Ross, University of British ColumbiaThe Arctic has long proven to be a barometer of the health of our planet. This remote part of the world faces unprecedented environmental assaults, as climate change and industrial chemicals threaten a way of life for Inuit and other Indigenous and northern ...
Susan St John makes the case for taxing a deemed rate of return on excessive real estate holdings (after a family home exemption), to redirect scarce housing resources to where they are needed most. Read the full article here ...
I’m less than convinced by arguments that platforms like Twitter should be subject to common carrier regulation preventing them from being able to decide who to keep on as clients of their free services, and who they would not like to serve. It’s much easier to create competition for the ...
A growing public housing waiting list and continued increase of house prices must be urgently addressed by Government, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
A Waitomo-based Jobs for Nature project will keep up to ten people employed in the village as the tourism sector recovers post Covid-19 Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. “This $500,000 project will save ten local jobs by deploying workers from Discover Waitomo into nature-based jobs. They will be undertaking local ...
Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw spoke yesterday with President Biden’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry. “I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak with Mr. Kerry this morning about the urgency with which our governments must confront the climate emergency. I am grateful to him and ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta today announced three diplomatic appointments: Alana Hudson as Ambassador to Poland John Riley as Consul-General to Hong Kong Stephen Wong as Consul-General to Shanghai Poland “New Zealand’s relationship with Poland is built on enduring personal, economic and historical connections. Poland is also an important ...
Work begins today at Wainuiomata High School to ensure buildings and teaching spaces are fit for purpose, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. The Minister joined principal Janette Melrose and board chair Lynda Koia to kick off demolition for the project, which is worth close to $40 million, as the site ...
A skilled and experienced group of people have been named as the newly established Oranga Tamariki Ministerial Advisory Board by Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis today. The Board will provide independent advice and assurance to the Minister for Children across three key areas of Oranga Tamariki: relationships with families, whānau, and ...
The green light for New Zealand’s first COVID-19 vaccine could be granted in just over a week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today. “We’re making swift progress towards vaccinating New Zealanders against the virus, but we’re also absolutely committed to ensuring the vaccines are safe and effective,” Jacinda Ardern said. ...
The Minister for ACC is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to join the Board of ACC on 1 February 2021. “All three bring diverse skills and experience to provide strong governance oversight to lead the direction of ACC” said Hon Carmel Sepuloni. Bella Takiari-Brame from Hamilton ...
The Government is investing $9 million to upgrade a significant community facility in Invercargill, creating economic stimulus and jobs, Infrastructure Minister Grant Robertson and Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene have announced. The grant for Waihōpai Rūnaka Inc to make improvements to Murihiku Marae comes from the $3 billion set ...
[Opening comments, welcome and thank you to Auckland University etc] It is a great pleasure to be here this afternoon to celebrate such an historic occasion - the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. This is a moment many feared would never come, but ...
The Government is providing $3 million in one-off seed funding to help disabled people around New Zealand stay connected and access support in their communities, Minister for Disability Issues, Carmel Sepuloni announced today. The funding will allow disability service providers to develop digital and community-based solutions over the next two ...
Border workers in quarantine facilities will be offered voluntary daily COVID-19 saliva tests in addition to their regular weekly testing, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. This additional option will be rolled out at the Jet Park Quarantine facility in Auckland starting on Monday 25 January, and then to ...
The next steps in the Government’s ambitious firearms reform programme to include a three-month buy-back have been announced by Police Minister Poto Williams today. “The last buy-back and amnesty was unprecedented for New Zealand and was successful in collecting 60,297 firearms, modifying a further 5,630 firearms, and collecting 299,837 prohibited ...
Upscaling work already underway to restore two iconic ecosystems will deliver jobs and a lasting legacy, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. “The Jobs for Nature programme provides $1.25 billion over four years to offer employment opportunities for people whose livelihoods have been impacted by the COVID-19 recession. “Two new projects ...
The Government has released its Public Housing Plan 2021-2024 which outlines the intention of where 8,000 additional public and transitional housing places announced in Budget 2020, will go. “The Government is committed to continuing its public house build programme at pace and scale. The extra 8,000 homes – 6000 public ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has congratulated President Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States of America. “I look forward to building a close relationship with President Biden and working with him on issues that matter to both our countries,” Jacinda Ardern said. “New Zealand ...
A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mt Richmond will create jobs and help protect the area’s unique ecosystems, Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor says. The Mt Richmond Forest Park has unique ecosystems developed on mineral-rich geology, including taonga plant species found nowhere else in the country. “These special plant ...
To further protect New Zealand from COVID-19, the Government is extending pre-departure testing to all passengers to New Zealand except from Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific Islands, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The change will come into force for all flights arriving in New Zealand after 11:59pm (NZT) on Monday ...
Bay Conservation Cadets launched with first intake Supported with $3.5 million grant Part of $1.245b Jobs for Nature programme to accelerate recover from Covid Cadets will learn skills to protect and enhance environment Environment Minister David Parker today welcomed the first intake of cadets at the launch of the Bay ...
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown have announced passengers from the Cook Islands can resume quarantine-free travel into New Zealand from 21 January, enabling access to essential services such as health. “Following confirmation of the Cook Islands’ COVID ...
Jobs for Nature funding is being made available to conservation groups and landowners to employ staff and contractors in a move aimed at boosting local biodiversity-focused projects, Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan has announced. It is estimated some 400-plus jobs will be created with employment opportunities in ecology, restoration, trapping, ...
The Government has approved an exception class for 1000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions began. The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021. “Our top priority continues ...
Today’s deal between Meridian and Rio Tinto for the Tiwai smelter to remain open another four years provides time for a managed transition for Southland. “The deal provides welcome certainty to the Southland community by protecting jobs and incomes as the region plans for the future. The Government is committed ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed Anna Curzon to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). The leader of each APEC economy appoints three private sector representatives to ABAC. ABAC provides advice to leaders annually on business priorities. “ABAC helps ensure that APEC’s work programme is informed by business community perspectives ...
The Government’s prudent fiscal management and strong policy programme in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic have been acknowledged by the credit rating agency Fitch. Fitch has today affirmed New Zealand’s local currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook and foreign currency rating at AA with a positive ...
The Government is putting in place a suite of additional actions to protect New Zealand from COVID-19, including new emerging variants, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “Given the high rates of infection in many countries and evidence of the global spread of more transmissible variants, it’s clear that ...
$36 million of Government funding alongside councils and others for 19 projects Investment will clean up and protect waterways and create local jobs Boots on the ground expected in Q2 of 2021 Funding part of the Jobs for Nature policy package A package of 19 projects will help clean up ...
The commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Ruapekapeka represents an opportunity for all New Zealanders to reflect on the role these conflicts have had in creating our modern nation, says Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Kiri Allan. “The Battle at Te Ruapekapeka Pā, which took ...
By Lulu Mark in Port Moresby Papua New Guinea’s biggest hospital is straining to provide medical services to the growing population of the capital Port Moresby – with an estimated growth rate of 3 percent annually, a medical executive says. Port Moresby General Hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Nationals who attend Thursday’s memorial service in Tweed Heads for Doug Anthony, who died last month aged 90, may muse on the contrast between the state of their party when he led it and now. ...
Returning to quarantine-free travel in 2021 doesn't just need a vaccine, but a way to check whether arriving passengers are actually immune to the virus. A smart Kiwi science start-up is working with a global biometrics giant to make that happen. A deal signed between Kiwi research and development company Orbis Diagnostics, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlyn Forster, PhD Candidate, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney This summer’s wetter conditions have created great conditions for flowering plants. Flowers provide sweet nectar and protein-rich pollen, attracting many insects, including bees. Commercial honey bees are also thriving: ...
Lotto scratchie tickets featuring the pop band Six60 are being withdrawn after a public backlash. In a statement, Lotto NZ said there had been a mutual decision made with the band to remove the tickets from sale following the negative feedback, and it offered an apology. The band faced criticism, both ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Russell Dean Christopher Bicknell, Post-doctoral researcher in Palaeobiology , University of New England Shell-crushing predation was already in full swing half a billion years ago, as our new research published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B reveals. A hyena devouring ...
Vodafone has suspended advertising on the radio station amid calls for talkback host John Banks to be taken off air after yet another racist outburst. Alex Braae reports. In an alarming segment of talkback radio, former Auckland mayor John Banks endorsed the views of a caller who described Māori as a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Welch, Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland When a COVID-19 case was found in Northland last Sunday, Aotearoa’s second-longest period with no detected community case came to an end. ESR scientists worked late into Sunday night to obtain a whole genome sequence ...
He has the perfect moustache, an exceptional mullet, and he uses terms like ‘face hole’ on national TV. Who or what is Dr Joel Rindelaub?I was drawn in by the moustache, but it was the mullet that really kept me there. Watching TVNZ’s Breakfast yesterday morning I was fixated. Often, ...
We’ll never be royals with nearly a quarter of declined baby names featuring “Royal” in some form or another. Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs has released the list of names declined in 2020 by the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and ...
After a raft of inquiries delving into and recommending what should be done about the politically beleaguered Orangi Tamaraki, along with the briefing papers we suppose he has been given, we imagined Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis would have no more need for expert advice. Wrong. He has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Senior Lecturer and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University There’s a common assumption men take longer than women to poo. People say so on Twitter, in memes, and elsewhereonline. But is that right? What could explain it? And if ...
Just as sexuality is a spectrum, so too is asexuality. In Ace of Hearts, members of New Zealand’s asexual community talk about the challenges and misconceptions of identifying as ace.First published November 17, 2020.Ace of Hearts is part of Frame, a series of short documentaries produced by Wrestler for The Spinoff.“A ...
Sam Brooks wasn’t allowed to watch kids TV as a kid. Now, as a 30 year old man, he watches it for the first time.My mother’s approach to parenting was unorthodox. I wrote weekly book reports on top of my actual homework, I did maths equations in Roman numerals and ...
Pacific Media Watch newsdesk More leading Indonesian figures have made racial slurs against Natalius Pigai, former chair of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) – and all West Papuans, says United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) interim president Benny Wenda. “Since the illegal Indonesian invasion in 1963, Indonesian ...
“The Government’s failure to even conduct a standard cost-benefit analysis for the most expensive infrastructure project in New Zealand’s history is mind-bogglingly arrogant,” says New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke. “A ...
The Ministry of Health is today drawing backlash from the local New Zealand vaping industry following its release of proposed regulations for the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act. Vaping Trade Association New Zealand (VTANZ) President, ...
Sophie Gilmour and Simon Day are joined by special guest Hugo Baird, co-owner of Grey Lynn’s Honey Bones and Lilian, to talk about opening new pub Hotel Ponsonby.Auckland is a city of many bars but few really good pubs – the kind of places you’d be just as comfortable going ...
The appointment of an advisory board for Oranga Tamariki is welcome and should be a step toward a total transformation of the care and protection system to a by Māori, for Māori approach, Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft said today. Minister ...
Taking control of your financial wellbeing can have cascading positive impacts for your life and it can also be fun. With the help of the team at Kiwi Wealth, we’ve compiled some simple tricks for balancing your books in 2021. There’s something about the beginning of a new year, especially after ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kris Gledhill, Professor of Law, Auckland University of Technology As we know, getting into New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult. There are practicalities, such as high airfare and managed isolation costs. And there are legal requirements, including pre-flight testing, mandatory ...
New Zealand faces the risk of a generation being locked out of the housing market unless land is freed up and more houses built, National Party leader Judith Collins says. ...
On Sunday, Stuff published a months-long investigation by Alison Mau detailing allegations of harassment and exploitation within the local music industry.The piece, ‘Music industry professionals demand change after speaking out about its dark side’, includes allegations of inappropriate behaviour and abuse of power by male artists, international acts and executives; ...
“The Government is all at sea on timelines for Australia and New Zealand’s respective vaccine roll-outs, with the worst news coming from the mouth of Pfizer Australia CEO Anne Harris,” says ACT Leader David Seymour. “Yesterday, under increasing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Higgins, Senior Research Fellow, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW As a presidential candidate, Joe Biden promised the US would demonstrate “global leadership on refugees”. Once elected, he pledged to vastly increase refugee resettlement in the US. If history is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Baumann, Casual Academic, School of Social Sciences & Psychology, Western Sydney University Among the many hard truths exposed by COVID-19 is the huge disparity between the world’s rich and poor. As economies went into freefall, the world’s billionaires increased their already ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jan Lanicek, Senior Lecturer in Modern European History and Jewish History, UNSW On January 27 communities worldwide commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz — the largest complex of concentration camps and extermination centres during the Holocaust. This is the first year the International ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lorinda Cramer, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Australian Catholic University The summer break is over, marking a return to the office. For some, this ends almost a year of working from home in lockdown. Some analysts are predicting it might also mark an enduring ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for January 27, keeping you up to date with the latest local and international news. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nzOur members make The Spinoff happen! Every dollar contributed directly funds our editorial team – click here to learn more about how you can support us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato New Zealand has a strong history of protecting and promoting human rights at home and internationally, and prides itself on being an outspoken critic and global leader in this area. So, when the most ...
Good morning and welcome to the Bulletin. In today’s edition: Collins outlines the plan forward for National, no spread of Covid spotted yet in Northland, and students return for climate protest.In front of a Rotary Club at the Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, National leader Judith Collins yesterday set out her ...
*This articlefirst appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission. The tourism industry isn't holding its breath for a trans-Tasman travel bubble being in place after Australia temporarily closed its borders to New Zealand. New Zealanders could be waiting even longer for a full trans-Tasman bubble, with the ...
We continue our week-long examination of New Zealand writer Roderick Finlayson with an essay by Anahera Gildea on cultural appropriation Every night at 7pm sharp, my Irish Catholic father and his eight siblings would have to kneel on the carpet of the living room, facing the freshly polished nudity of ...
A Covid reset will force costly and inflexible cities to take a hard look at their planning systems, or people will vote with their feet. Broken urban planning systems make for misery even in the best of times. If land use and housing regulations prevent metropolitan areas from growing up or out as ...
Children's Minister Kelvin Davis will have independent eyes and ears across Oranga Tamariki over the next five months as the Government tries to change the work and practices of the ministry. The Government has created a Māori-led watchdog to oversee how the children's ministry, Oranga Tamariki, deals with parents and ...
When an Auckland school classroom went up in flames in December last year, exploding asbestos over neighbouring houses, five separate government agencies were involved. Yet stressed residents dealing with the aftermath on their homes say the response felt chaotic and uncoordinated; even local MPs who got involved couldn't get the information they wanted. Hundreds of thousands of ...
The pandemic has accelerated the trend of doing our banking online instead of in person. This rapid digital embrace has, in turn, sped up the closure of many smaller bank branches. But, as Mark Jennings writes, there are new branches springing up with a different look and purpose. Auckland’s Wynyard ...
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Updated enrollment stats released today
http://www.elections.org.nz/research-statistics/enrolment-statistics-electorate
Still low enrolment for the younger people 🙁
Young people aren’t necessarily apathetic. We need something like Momentum here.
Does this include people who have enrolled and voted at early vote booths?
New poll and final debate on TV one tonite …
“If Winston Peters is part of a Labour-led government, his party won’t support plans to introduce new taxes, like the planned water tax”
WAHOO !!!!!!
One news poll shows a great position for National.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/new-poll-national-takes-huge-lead-in-bombshell-1-news-colmar-brunton
Nats up 6
Labour down 7
SO SO SO SO HAPPY !!!
Full resilts:
1 News Colmar Brunton poll:
NAT 46% (+6),
LAB 37% (-7),
GRN 8% (+1),
NZF 5% (-1),
TOP 2% (NC),
MAO 1% (NC),
ACT 0.3%
Don’t know 7%, Refused 6% (+1). Fieldwork conducted 16-19 September
And One news have said that this is in line with internal polling by both Labour and National.
Do you agree that in politics telling lies should be rewarded?
To be fair though micky Labour need to shoulder some of the blame for this. They should have been expecting the attacks over tax and had it all shut down before the campaign started.
I’m struggling with the criticism. Basically your premise is they should have anticipated National would make shit up and should have been ready to reply. Parties should be punished for making shit up, not rewarded.
Covering increasing taxes using working groups was bullshit and labour got called
Won’t answer…
Bugger.
Bolger had it best
“Bugger the pollsters”.
On the other hand with the crazy way the polls have been going we can expect equally mad swings in the final Newshub-Reid poll when it comes out. That one will have Labour up 7 from 37 to 44 and National down 7 from 47 to 40 or something like that.
They’ll also reverse the Green/NZF vote percentages.
Does anyone understand what is going on?
What kind of demented troll stalks a left leaning website at 6.01pm to gloat in unhinged and delirious glee at others’ potential misfortune? You should be ashamed of yourself and go book an appointment with a shrink
A Tory troll, the most despicable of them.
I think your colostomy bag has burst.
A leak perhaps – but again I remain cautious for the actual results on the day.
But this is a very positive sign.
Not really. It puts them 1 percentage point ahead of Labour + Greens. Given the margin of error, that could just as easily be reversed. If National happen to be just a bit lower, and especially if NZ 1st don’t get in, they lose.
Having said that, the enrolment stats could equally mean that National will effectively poll higher. This poll really only says that it’s mighty close.
I just think your use of capitals is embarrassing. You seem to have the emotions of a child.
Agreed. Signs of juvenility spoil what could have been more convincing.
Really positive for the homeless
Really positive for the mentally unwell
Really positive for the poor
Don’t know 7% , Declined 6% , margin of error?
It’s One news Poll, they’ve been consistently 4 to 6% out with final poll versus Votes cast over the last 3 elections.
What is up with the Aussie politicians, they seem dead set on being the last country in the west to enact marriage equality.
If the AFL, not exactly a bastion of progressive thinking is supporting why the heck are their politicians dragging their feet.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/09/19/afl-gives-huge-yes-to-marriage-equality-with-new-sign-outside-headqaurters_a_23215736/?ncid=edlinkauhpmg00000003?benref=watoday
Great wee video if you have the time, from a former leader of the liberal party (Tory) in Australia
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/gay-marriage/poll-shows-dip-in-gay-marriage-public-support-as-postal-survey-campaign-continues/news-story/d1685f813cf2592c367f7acfa4ce18b9
Kiwis not as thick as Morgan thought
Kiwis are far thicker than Morgan could possibly imagine, if they elect a National government after their display of incompetence throughout this campaign.
Kiwis are far thicker than Morgan could possibly imagine, if they elect a National government after their display of incompetence throughout this campaign.
In your ever so humble opinion.
OK. I think CB is landline only. Few youth votes will be recorded except the tory twitletts still living at home with mummy and daddy. Add to that the Nat campaign of lying, cheating, deceiving, corrupt behaviour… and the moribund and ignorant voters fall for it yet again. As for the shallow, witless james’ of this world… karma will sort them in due course.
So what if its landlines only – apparently in line with internal polling by both parties.
Karma may be rewarding me – I will know Saturday night !
not if you need nz1.
Might take a few days…
Very true that.
Im not counting any chickens yet – Have said could very be a labour lead government come sunday.
Sorry, stages of grief and all that, but you can’t keep smashing the voters like that and then expect them to vote for you.
IF (big if) the poll is realised on Saturday and we end up with English & Co back in charge again, then Labour have to think pretty hard about why it happened. Sneering at the electorate as ‘moribund and ignorant’ isn’t going to help.
You have to think why (if) they opted for National. After all, last week they were smart and engaged because the CB showed them supporting Labour.
Nah. Supporters of both parties are always calling each other idiots on no uncertain terms, and it’s nothing new. Unless they hold office or are running to do so, I don’t think it makes a blind bit of difference.
The only party that’s ever done that is National and they keep getting voted back in on it. Hell, they’ve done it again this campaign by openly lying.
It’s the trend that matters, not the method of polling
There’s a big problem with the “young people don’t have cellphones” argument – it ignores the fact that young people have ALWAYS been hard to reach for opinion polling, even before cellphones became commonplace.
The polling companies have had to deal with low response-rates amongst young people for many decades, and adjust their weightings and strategies accordingly. Cellphones probably make an already big problem a bit bigger, but if thats the main defence the left is going to rely on for polls today, it’s probably going to be a tough night on Saturday.
… and adjust their weightings and strategies accordingly.
So they say. I’m not convinced. If they do anything at all its highly questionable whether it is accurate.
You’re entitled to be skeptical of whatever you want to be skeptical of, but the fact remains that the track record of polling companies in New Zealand, for at least the last couple of decades, has been pretty good.
Polling is hard, but these are experienced professional companies that have every incentive to be right (as in correct) not ‘right’ (as in skewed).
All I will say is this; if your belief that the left is going to win the election relies on believing polling is skewed against the left then, on balance of probabilities, you should prepare for a bad election night.
3 more years I guess. All over Rover.
I may as well concede now. I knew this would happen. And it was the farmers wot won it.
Labour has some serious shit to sort out starting Monday. And the Greens can pay themselves on the back all they want about rising to 8%, they are still going to be in opposition.
I wish it was all over, but really I dont think you can write off a Labour lead government just yet.
All this poll shows is that thing are still really unstable. I would not give up yet. Besides Labour/Greens are neck and neck with National. Even on these figures there is everything to aim for.
Yep … It’s deflating – no question about that – but it sure as hell aint over.
Chin up, my bully-boys*. Jacinda’s got the vile sausage-sucking Tory Hun on the run ! Keep Fritzie in panic-mode and I’m sure we’ll all be in Berlin by lunchtime !
* As in ‘John Bull’.
If the poll is right it would be the lies that National is telling which tip the balance. Fear and anxiety implemented by unscrupulous people seem to win in NZ.
If the poll is right.
We will do it yet!
No telling if they are right or wrong – but they are all saying about the same thing now.
Labour has some serious shit to sort out starting Monday,
The shit is: Labour don’t stand up and give back as good as they get. All this relentless positivity doesn’t work. The voters see it as a weakness. The majority of them are self promoting bigots and its time Labour woke up to reality. I’ve been banging on about it for years and so have plenty of others but they… just… won’t… listen.
Oh, and they are still producing policy that’s way too complex. In statistical terms, half the voters have an IQ that is below the average but they seem unable to take that into account. Helen Clark understood and produced the simplistic pledge card in 2005 was it? Whatever, It saved her bacon.
”In statistical terms, half the voters have an IQ that is below the average”, these are the people that vote for the left.
MB has just proven my point.
Yes, the commentators on TS are well known for their relentless positivity…..Anyway lets just get out there and vote eh.
If Labour loses it’s because Labour fucked it up.
Nothing about not attacking or been too nice, it will be because you’re trying to change too much stuff all at once and have spooked the horses.
Exactly. Horses are stupid.
Have to agree here. Positivity in this neoliberal race to the top goes part way. Sadly, the soft vote wants (as Hosking might say “rightly or wrongly”) cuthroat displays of strength. Jacinda will need to attack to beat those that are expert in the craft of bullshitting soft voters. Meanwhile, those most affected will suffer more. Sorry to be pessimisstic.
Because it was weakness. Labour had no solid policies till jacinda gave labour a bump.
Well, I for one Welcome our new National Party Overlords !
And I can assure Fräulein Bennett and Herr Joyce that I’m prepared to sing like a Canary, wildly naming names like an accused Communist at a 1951 McCarthyite Senate hearing.
Normally I’d be a lot more positive about this but my political antenna seems to be a bit wonKey at the moment however its probably not a good sign for Labour
I just hope Labour can keep it seemly and not go to desperate measures over the next couple of days
Full resilts:
1 News Colmar Brunton poll:
NAT 46% (+6),
LAB 37% (-7),
GRN 8% (+1),
NZF 5% (-1),
TOP 2% (NC),
MAO 1% (NC),
ACT 0.3%
Don’t know 7%, Refused 6% (+1). Fieldwork conducted 16-19 September
I just hope Labour can keep it seemly and not go to desperate measures over the next couple of days
Like National did with their smear campaign of lies, you mean?
Labour made it far too easy for National, only have themselves to blame
It’s always easy for people who flat-out lie to make you look bad.
I wouldn’t be giving up so easily because the way this election has been going theres probably still time for something else to happen
Oh, certainly not giving up – according to this poll, National’s on 46 % and Labour/Green on 45%. Only a mug would think they could pick the winner at this point.
I’m inclined to agree with you on that.
Quite a hefty 13% Don’t Know/Refused though.
Yup…..13% is a lot to play for…..who would be most inclined to refuse to say?
Don’t lose heart people….get on the phone and talk to someone and convince them to vote.
Agreed, and whilst Jacinda wanting to “have a conversation” about everything was initially hip, it soon became code for ‘lack of coherent policy’.
Maybe its time for another…wait for it…here it comes…”captains call”
Interestingly enough a captains call is defined as (well by urbandictionary):
A decision made unilaterally by a team leader without consulting colleagues, often a massive clusterfuck
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=captain%27s%20call
Another Captain’s call like the one little made you mean?
I think it really is a bit to late to have another change of leader.
nah, it might give the nats some energy if they replaced bill with… whomever.
Ben
How about you spend time on the Labour site and see all of the policy that is there and then come back and say there is a lack of poverty.
Why do people think that lying is a valid political weapon?
The Labour Party certainly don’t avoid it, do they?
They have parroted on most of the year on how National supposedly cut the expenditure on health below what Labour had been doing. It was a clever lie but it was a lie for all that. They did it by taking the first year of the National Government as the base line, rather than taking the last year of the Labour Government.
That way they could pretend that the massive increase in the 2009-2010 year never happened.
And that would be you lying – again.
So-called Budget mental health funding boost is a cut in real terms
You really can’t help yourself in your defence of National psychopathic policies can you? Typical authoritarian follower. You’re one of the sheep that National relies upon not only to not question them but to defend them and you do it without fail.
I have no idea what the situation is in this part of the health budget.
What I looked at was the total budget and what the Labour Party claims were.
They were false.
I don’t really have the time or inclination to look at this bit of the budget and the figures you are referring to, and you will note that I wasn’t talking about just this facet of the situation.
I was more interested in the whole picture.
No, you’re simply defending National’s failure to provide enough health service, their cutting of the health budget in real terms.
I commented on this back in January, and what Labour had done to get their conclusion.
Have a look at these two links.
The first is Labours figures.
The second is what is wrong with their conclusions when they claim that National has cut spending from the levels Labour would have provided.
https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/nzlabour/pages/3092/attachments/original/1438062842/Report_-_Estimated_Core_Crown_Health_Expenditure_(2).pdf?1438062842
The CTU do the same thing
http://www.union.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Did-the-Budget-provide-enough-for-Health-2016.pdf
The effect of this is to pretend that the first year of the National Government was the norm rather than comparing their numbers with the final year of the Labour Government.
The first year of the National government would be the last year of the Labour government’s final budget.
For DTB 12.06am
“The first year of the National government would be the last year of the Labour government’s final budget”
That is quite true. National was in Government for most of that year. However it wasn’t that year they used as the base, normal, year
The 2008 election was on November 8 2008.
The last year of the Labour Government was the 2008-2009 year. It covered the year from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009.
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/government/financialstatements/yearend
That was not the year they used as their base though. They used the expenditure in the 2009-2010 year which was the first year that the National Party budget of 2009 was in operation.
If you take the last Labour year as the base you find that the Health expenditure did rise under a National Government above the values for the end of the Labour one.
There was a very large increase in the 2009-2010 year even after you include inflation and demographic changes. National deserve the credit for that surely? Because of the way Labour requested the calculations all this increase was ignored.
Cunning isn’t it?
This sounds a lot like your lie about the greens wanting the oil pipeline to Auckland to be replaced by shipping.
You never actually supported that claim with evidence, either – you just put a link against oil and a link in favour of shipping freight together.
I didn’t actually claim that the Green Party had done that.
What I said was that they didn’t appear to like the environmental effects of the pipeline.
I also said that they were in favour of using coastal shipping to move goods around.
After a reference to the Rena, which involved a significant oil spill.
oil spill + disliking oil pipeline + in favour of coastal shipping to move “goods” = another disingenuous tory lie.
Um, no – National’s lying is to blame.
What happens if NZ 1st don’t make it?
Serious question
Who is better off?
Andrew Chen reckons if NZF doesn’t make it
That assumes the Māori Party win at least one seat. If they don’t then their party vote gets wasted too.
The Maori Party will win at least two seats, via Te Ururoa Flavell and Howie Tamati, who was 13 points ahead of Adrian Rurawhe a couple of weeks ago. They may get enough party votes to get Marama Fox in as well, but at this stage I would guess not.
Gawd, what an awful (or great) outcome that would be. Imagine a dirty deal in Epsom to a clearly very stupid David Seymour balancing NZ’s parliament.
yeah, but if the 1% off nz1 goes to Labour, it’s a hung parliament.
And don’t forget the margin for error – it could be lab40% nat 44%.
A few days out, it’s too close to call. I certainly didn’t expect that when Little stepped down, that’s for damned sure.
If NZFirst don’t make it on those numbers there would be 7% wasted vote which would probably be enough for Nat/Act to govern alone. A sobering thought.
“Who is better off?”
That is a very easy one to answer.
NEW ZEALAND is.
And yes, I do think that would be worth shouting about.
Everybody is better off if NZ1st don’t make it! Then nobody has to deal with Winston.
But in terms of who forms the government, that depends on whether Nats plus clingons or Labour/Greens get more of the votes above the threshold. The Maori Party may end up the deciders.
So if you’re tossing up whether to vote Nats or Winnie, go for Winnie. If you’re tossing up Labour or Greens vs Winnie, then Labour or Greens.
I try very hard to lament the undemocratic wasted vote while punching the air and and dancing like a jalopy.
Dancing like a jalopy?
https://giphy.com/gifs/car-ILmTS0fYgVFEQ
A phrase coined by my old friend Bob in our glory days at Stirling University in the 90s. He was trying to express his disapproval of Ecstasy, because it made you “Dance like a jalopy to really stupid music.”
Bob had a way with words, usually unintentionally.
Both participants in that conversation are now dead – the raver had some sort of bad reaction to E (Bob didn’t think to warn him of that) and Bob himself died a couple of years ago from blood poisoning in India.
.. all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more.
Ah, mortality! But at least Bob’s curious genius will live on a little longer.
Bob lives on.
Hey Lurgee,
Put it up on Youtube so we can learn that dance.
Oh by the way I never believe polls and the only poll that counts is the once Saturday.
We all said that the UK and the US election polls got it all wrong so it is quite likely that it will hapen here too.
Seeing it would immediately require an immediate SAN check. Failure would result in the loss of 1d100 San points, and even those passing would still lose 1d10 SAN.
And they call it democracy? Would prefer STV.
Glen
If nzf don’t win northland then Nats get in alone
National could actually end up governing alone, how crazy is that the apprentice does better than the master.
Having said that no one has any idea until sometime late Saturday night.
Peters will get over 5% though having come out against farmers getting stung with water taxes,
That rather diminishes Labours chances as their only coalition party can be the greens.
And you will still be crawling around in the sewer as always.
No Compadre?
Are you trying to speak Spanish or something?
Sewers already rented out.
National could actually end up governing alone…
And aliens could actually invade and enslave us into their galactic empire, but I’m picking neither of those highly unlikely events is going to happen in the near future.
Am I guessing you’d probably prefer galactic alien enslavement to an outright win for National?
Have to say, fuck that would be crushing for the left 4 wins to National each election the margin getting bigger.
Haven’t we already had that? Key never did satisfactorily explain that shapeshifting reptilian thing he had going.
I don’t see any difference between a National Government and alien enslavement.
Am I guessing you’d probably prefer galactic alien enslavement to an outright win for National?
That is a tough one, now you mention it.
National could actually end up governing alone, how crazy is that the apprentice does better than the master
Would you like to put your money where your mouth is? 🙂
If you seriously think National could end up governing alone, I suggest you buy a Lotto ticket.
“sometime late Saturday night”.
In terms of the election night result we will have a pretty good idea by about 8pm. There are so many early votes that will be counted before 7pm, and they tend to be similar to the final result.
With the closeness of these numbers though I think we may be sitting around wondering for another couple of weeks. There are all the specials and the overseas voting to come after that.
The official results aren’t due until 7 October. There could be a seat or two swinging then.
In the last few elections National has typically lost a seat to the Greens with the recounts and overseas votes. That could be crucial this time round.
Yes, the Green Party do have a unique pattern of results.
They have polling numbers of X% before the election. Then the drop to about 0.8X on election day. Then they go back up to 0.85X with the specials.
NB I haven’t actually calculated the multipliers but the pattern is accurate.
“That rather diminishes Labours chances as their only coalition party can be the greens.”
Really! – when NZ First is so needed to form a labour lead government rather than a sellout Government?? The last time Labour come to power in 1999 it was a coalition of labour greens/NZ First so you are way out there.
Didn’t you watch what Winston said at his interview with John Campbell the other night? – It was when John asked Winston if he could work with the greens – he said, “everythings negociable”.
I’m afraid your memory is failing you.
The Government after the !999 election was comprised of Labour and the Alliance. Neither New Zealand First nor the Green Party were part of the Government.
I am afraid you are way out there.
To the drink,– the drink.
Is it possible to have James banned for at least two weeks. His empty triumphalism doesn’t add anything to the discourse. I don’t see why he should be able to sort of start a flame war, and be politely allowed to dance around on our hopes for the future of NZ. So please mods can he be revued and take his tap dancing off to Kiwiblog!
+100.
And others!
All the trolls seem to be creaming themselves tonight… Based on what? Yet another MSM Poll …
“In this month’s issue of Personality and Individual Differences, a study was published that confirms what we all suspected: internet trolls are horrible people.”
https://www.sott.net/article/286185-Internet-trolls-are-narcissists-psychopaths-and-sadists
“In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting quarrels or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[2] or of otherwise disrupting normal, on-topic discussion,[3] often for the troll’s amusement.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll
About that troll definition. If you get a coven of any gender and say something that doesn’t fit their rigid ideas, it can upset them like hell. Like an innocent insect getting caught in a web you suddenly get attacked so – 1 can invoke an irrational response also 2, and some acceptable etiquette and display of manners is called for before rushing to invoke Rule 109 section 32 (a)(i) or similar in the in-group’s exposition.
When the nuisance is repeated then irritation is justified.
Whoa. Why do you think his tap dancing would be welcome at Kiwiblog? It is a place for serious debate, not for whooping and childish behaviour.
You’ve missed your calling. You would make an excellent comedian.
Funniest comment of the night!
+100000000000
Ed That’s so childish! Just kidding and other witticisms. Got to keep up the irony factor.
On the other hand…perhaps it is better he is here, where we can keep an eye on him, rather than him roaming the streets getting up to all sorts of evil doings.
Cheer up folks….its a poll…and by definition
.
a hornless animal, especially one of a breed of hornless cattle.
I think we should be Friesian’ him out.
At some stage more people have to realise that lying works. Being honest and truthful are old fashioned notions.
Unless being sprawled on the road with the boots of liars stomping in your face is still seen as a noble position to be in.
How did Turei’s honesty serve her and her party? How did the lack of honesty and hiding of the truth serve others?
It wasn’t the honesty of Turie, it was how she came across that did the Greens in
it was still the right thing to do.
She could have said the same thing in a different way and she’d still be (and the Greens would be on at least 15%) instead they might not even make it back and the parties image is forever tarnished
What do you mean in a different way?
If she’d something like “I did this a long time ago and I’m sorry I felt I had to do it, I appreciated the support I received from the taxpayer and I paid the money back once I became a lawyer, I’m coming forward now to make sure no one else in my position has to do the same because something needs to change”
Instead she came off as unappreciative and somewhat flippant, perception is everything
interesting. For me she came across as standing her ground in solidarity with beneficiaries. Not saying she didn’t make any mistakes, but that this was more important than appeasing the so called middle NZ.
Paying the money back is very problematic. She wouldn’t have know how much it was, she could have been charged with fraud and had her law career put at risk. She still had a young child at that point. I think you’ve missed some critical parts of the story.
She should have got that stuff sorted before she went public.
The fact that she didn’t is the reason she’s now out of politics, she’s an idiot and the countries far better off not having her in any sort of position where she could have power over others.
Turei well and truly darwined herself.
Does the poll cover Judith Collins’ greed and corruption disrupting thousands of people’s travel plans?
OAB
wot?
What the hell is that about? You are totally out of line making such a comment. You should withdraw and apologise.
[lprent: Please spare me your unintelligent indignation. Please read his comment. There are many possible meanings to OAB’s statement.
It could just be his opinion of Judith Collins that if she is dealing with anything it will be dodgy as fuck. You only have to read Dirty Politics to come to that conclusion.
But certainly her orders as Minster or Energy have disrupted travel. For instance she could have put the priority on aircraft kerosene rather than 91 octane petrol and diesel. It is legitimate to query why a politician she would have done it this way.
It could also deal with the renamed Oravida operation around Ruakaka with a reputation for playing fast and loose with rules that uses diggers to dig Kauri stumps, the one that would be a prime suspect if a digger did damage and she has a family connection to it is another. I’d question if she should be involved in any enquiry myself.
That her husband operates Oravida and for whom she is known to have done what I consider amounts to a sales trip on the taxpayers dime for is another.
Now these are all legitimate political questions that will be raised.
I am sure that in the latter two that when the election is over and in the caretaker government that as a lawyer Judith Collins will see that she will properly recuse herself to allow a real investigation to take place as to the cause of the economic disaster of having the sole fuel line to Auckland cut.
If you had half a brain, you would have figured that out yourself, and not wasted my time. OAB specialises in doing the needle intelligently and so he doesn’t get banned. You could do well to study his opaque technique for revving up simple minded right wingers into defending against what their guilty consciences feel that he must have been meaning.
Please don’t waste my time again. ]
[deleted]
[be a bit more careful please – weka]
You have evidence of that?
Keeping Stock -you were flushed out this time last election as an active player in National’s Dirty Politics campaign, to the extent that you had to kill of your own blog and scramble into damage control in your own community.
Why are you here now? What do you hope to achieve by commenting on The Standard at this point? Do you think readers here don’t know about your close association with Farrar and Slater?
Muttonhead, think before you comment.
I’m sure lprent will be stoked have defamation papers served on him.
[lprent: It isn’t defamation. Read it again. Where did he state a fact that was defamatory. Please don’t waste my time with billshit ]
Collins and co have already threatened to do that to one who saw the digger at work.
The fellow who was driving past on Wednesday 06 Sept – has he been threatened?
MPI “found” the files.
So much for threats. I suppose the next tool in the box is a bleach attack.
Lol. Not an expert but that log in pic 2 looks no more than a few days old matching eyewitness accounts.
Remember that National’s best ever result was 47.3% under Key in 2011. So we’re led to believe that after another 6 years and without Key, National has lost only 1%? I do admire the optimism of some Tories.
But 4% went to the Cons last time around, and most of those have probably drifted back to the Nats.
We will know on Saturday.
Its either the optimism of the National supporters, or the delusion of he left to refuse to recognise it.
I’m not sure that the Labour Party is spending it’s advertising money very wisely.
I just had a look at KiwiBlog to see if Farrar had any comment on this result.
The first thing I got was an ad for the Labour Party.
I don’t think that there are really many votes Labour is going to gain from ads running there.
You getting those ads because you troll here. The computer thinks you are socially conscious.
lol, it’s not an ad “on” kiwiblog.They facilitate a platform to target you……and based on your internet usage…..Labour’s algorithm fits your Bill!
Oh, it’s well spent alright – how I laughed when I saw it! That phrase about capitalists being willing to sell you the rope you plan to hang them with came to mind.
I miss all the real funny hard case Kiwi comedians like Tui Teka and Billy T James The Laughing Samoans Eteuati Ete and Tofiga Fepulea Fred Dagg / John Clarke OUR Kiwi comedians like them bring a tear to my eyes and I get a sore face.
I’m just wondering why I have not seen these types of comedians on National TV in the last 8 years or so. Tammy Davis /Munter off Outrageous Fortune would make us laugh like them I’m sure there are many more out there Taika Waititi would be fucken funny but he is to busies . Maybe Taika could champion this cause to promote It. I’m sure Taika would have the influence to accomplish this.
The soon to be Queen Knows that we all have sorrows in OUR hearts for her loss we just don’t want to bother her or put her off her campaign.
I’m not even going to talk about what was first on the news as we all Know that come Saturday we will be celebrating a Labour Greens win so chin up I say everyone. Sorry I can not support Tops his policys don’t match my Ideals.
I follow Waititi on twitter, which is intermittent but humorous. Don’t have a TV so not sure what passes for Kiwi humour these days. I guess they’re all doing stand up somewhere. Or have their own whatever show that’s not straight comedy.
Well its not as good as the Kiwi humour we had a few years ago I don’t want to say to much as someone mite start crying
Hi eco, try auckward love. It’s a webseries and its on tvnz on demand.
I have also enjoyed ‘the katering show’ and ‘get krackin’.
They are ozzy but still funny. The language can be a little savoury.
Just catching up on the quakes in Invercargill and Wellington today. Is it just me or is the Geonet website not as user friendly as it used to be?
When were the quakes?
mid afternoon in Invercargill. The Wellington one was later.
Thanks.
One would think that they could put a temporary fix on that pipe I have used them on water and kerosene is not that flammable WTF you just wrap it and band it up seen this fix many times It just has to be a fix till alternative supply is set up. There should have been a plan for this scenario. Some one needs to be sued over this because that is the only way we will find the truth on this fuck up.
Its not rocket science!!!!!!!!!
gas build up makes it dangerous apparently.
eco Maori/kiwi, It could be contaminated though, and not suitable for aviation.
The pipeline pressure is ~3000psi/ 200bar.
Agreed Weka it’s a mess.
Yes, they spent lots of money on a web redesign to make it worse, and then refused to listen to complaints about how it was worse. It’s standard practice for state sector organisations these days.
fuck. Was just going to say to Adrian glad it’s not just me and I might give them some feedback, lol.
I think the ways the public service has been monkey wrenched in the past 9 years is one of the biggest hurdles for a new govt.
To Weka and others,
Try this website if you are having problems Geonet.
http://quakelive.co.nz/
Fancy that, a couple of days out from the election National gets a massive poll turn around signalling to the voters they now have a chance. Utter billshit.
Oh, come on. You can’t blame everything on the Malevolent Right Wing Space Lizards. Maybe a lot of New Zealanders just prefer the idea of Bill English being in charge of stuff?
You do. That is for certain.
I do not.
Your commentary suggests otherwise.
That’s down to your interpretation of my comments.
You are what other people see you as…
Perhaps you are not good at communication online?
Nah, you’ve developed an idée fixe and ignore contrary evidence.
Just using my intuition. You stated you haven’t voted Labour since the China FTA. This seems to be the crucial policy you have voted on for a decade or more yet you still back National’s import of Chinese capital.
You know there are more than two parties in New Zealand?
Why do you think I “back National’s import of Chinese capital”?
Because you unfailingly criticise the only alternative option.
‘Unfailingly’?
I praised Ardern’s commitment to an inquiry into abuse of children in state care.
Go on. You’re just getting started now.
You said ‘unfailingly.’
I showed that wasn’t true.
Perhaps you are not good at communication online?
You are anti-Labour, end of story. How do you propose to effect any social change in New Zealand while being so anti-Labour? You are fighting yourself.
I am not ‘anti-Labour.’ I don’t vote for them because they don’t match my politics. And I criticise them when they make mistakes, which – alas- they do with depressing frequency. And I have no time at all for mindless cheerleaders and naive fools.
Still waiting for you to evidence the claim that I am “back National’s import of Chinese capital.” Or were you just making shit up on the internet?
I’m going by your posts which are unfailingly critical of Labour policy. Given the importance of Labour to changing the government, the only logical conclusion is that you are against changing the government.
I imagine your argument will be the argument of all pretend lefties – ‘it’s complicated’
Back to ‘unfailingly critical,’ even though I’ve already disproved that claim.
Since you’re recycling your doggerel, I’ll recycle mine.
I am not ‘anti-Labour.’ I don’t vote for them because they don’t match my politics. I criticise them when they make mistakes. Given people hereabouts like to view their mistakes as brilliant strategic moves (“Let’s make Cunliffe the leader!”) I’m rather busy.
By some obscure alchemy, you seem to construe that that as support for National. That’s your problem. Maybe you’re not as clever at comprehending things, and your intuition is not as good, as you like to think.
lurgee – I also see you as a conundrum. How do you want us to see you?
Tell you what Hosking is giving English a hard time in the leaders debate, I reckon he has had a recent epiphany!
Hes always been fair, in debates
Dont trust him. Hes only hedging his bets for his job.
Maybe WK but when did you last see this level of “hedging” from Hosking ?
Anyone watch Newshub? Gower gave an absolute slating to NAT. Comparisons with Trump and extreme in angle.
They won’t be used to that.
(Pity half the country’s voted, but oh well.)
Not quite half the country, more like a quarter.
Why doesn’t Hosking just ask English to leave and do the debating for National himself TVNZ – So biased.
Thank goodness we don’t have exit polls.
Ardern’s worst debate performance.
Just when she needed to be seen fighting the good fight, she looks flat.
When asked about winston not supporting her water tax, why did she not counter about his super position and how that affects the nats?
Final Colmar Brunton poll before 2014 election:
Nat = 45
Lab =25
GP = 12
NZF = 8
Con = 4.5
Maori = 1.6
ACT =0.6
Election result
Nat = 47.04
Lab =25.13
GP = 10.7
NZF = 8.66
Con = 3.97
Maori = 1.32
ACT =0.69
Most of the pundits Carolyn_nth accept that the Mana/Internet Party/Dotcom Moment of Truth debacle pushed a couple of percent National’s way in the last days.
OK. So then CB was pretty accurate.
Probably. I’m not disputing the poll tonight really. It shows what we’ve always known – Lab/Greens pretty much equals National. The unknowables are what happens after that.
My memory is that the final 2014 election result was pretty close between Government bloc (Nat-ACT-Mao-UF and Lab-Gp and NZF on cross benches.
So Lab-GP go into this election closer to Nats, and a lot depends on which way NZF swings – as has been indicated in polls all this term.
how so?
weka let’s not go there FFS. Shall we concentrate on the poll that’s coming up – not the one’s we’ve already lost.
A cynic would suggest they are one and the same.
ok. I just thought it was an interesting theory but didn’t really understand the rationale.
yes but there was the damaging moment of truth after that poll
I keep hearing how National have had 9 years to fix everything -this would imply everything was broken when they took over from labour????
No. That they started fucking it up from day one.
What an odious comment you made imodioum shame on you.
National have truly fucked up this country by conducting a mean arsed austerity scheme as bad as the Ruth Richarson black budget was damaging us then by copying that same style of mean cruel inhumanity where the poor are pushed to the gutter to die hungry and sick.
Bill the ‘ holey’ man , now , eh ?
Liar.
Hosking did well as the National spokesman.
Pretty evident Hosking and English vs Adern.
Least balanced nz debate ive seen
English flat out lying re 11 billion dollar hole and not pulled by Hosking. Dirty politics, possibly working in the polls so he’s doubled down.
Revealed: China’s network of influence in New Zealand – NZ Herald
http://www.nzherald.co.nz › Business
Here are some other intriguing headlines on NZ Herald.
NEW ZEALAND
Fake names: Chief referred to Solicitor-General
20 Sep, 2017 5:37pm
Ministry of Social Development found unlawfully using fake names on legal documents
and
NEW ZEALAND
Beneficiaries short-changed by millions
20 Sept 5.58 pm
Introducing e-therapy digital counselling. Bill’s answer to fixing mental health. No one knows what it is but its new, and more internet time will somehow address kid’s mental health.
Well anyone in NZ can call themselves a counsellor so robots it is.
Serves them right for fucking around and failing to ensure their profession is registered as health practitioners by doing something as basic as agreeing.
Bill doesn’t give a fuck for those in poverty, after all they don’t vote National.
mauī; – It’s callled in the old fashioned term we all know as ‘Brainwashing’
National are so tied to the control of the mind as we have seen when they removed all our Public affairs programs like ‘close-up’ and they cousins as they were to focused on the negative stuff the current government was doing .
Radio NZ ‘National’is now a trumpet for the ‘National Party’ so on it goes until they will have us alll bowijng to the ‘National God’ himself.
Greatest one liner
” we can never afford poverty”
Responding to bill “now we can NOW afford to help due to government surpluses” , with jacindas response … priceless.
For once Hosking has done a good job, and I rate Jacinda ahead of Bill on tonight . Well done.
Yep me too, and did you notice how smug English looked?
His paymasters certainly paid a lot for his cover of Crosby textor spin.
Bill’s smugness evaporated as time went on.
Why did Bill look a foot taller than anyone else on the show?
Me too garibaldi. I thought Hoskings did OK. And both leaders were fine too. It’s not going to make any difference really.
A few issues?
Bronwyn Hayward @BMHayward 37m
beyond shocked just angry at role Hosking & TVNZ playing in eroding public confidence in MMP democracy & the role of coalitions #decision17
Cameron Eade @cam_eade
Replying to @BMHayward
Watching Bill continue “$11b hole” lie, then Hosking saying “Let’s agree to disagree”, is astonishingly shameful for #nzpol 😠
Bronwyn Hayward @BMHayward
This was crucial- The host made one intervention then sat back as post truth politics was debated live in an otherwise managed interview
Hayward is a political science professor.
https://twitter.com/BMHayward/status/910414407636803585
Mike excelled himself. Given his right leaning and anti left he was very impressive
Jacinda won that debate. Thank goodness for that.
As ex Min of Finance Bill can quote facts and figures for ever. Jacinda less so. But this time Mike didn’t allow Bill to run away with his usual Shouty Bill. Jacinda was concise and was able to express politely her concern about after 9 long years and about the “misleading” information that Bill has used.
Jacinda 9 out of 10.
Bill 5 out of 10
Herald poll would disagree….I only saw about the last 5 mins….turnout will still be determining factor…..the 80% (?) of relatively disinterested will decide this
Yes. The Herald Poll had it 60% Bill, 34% Jacinda.
It was closer on the Stuff website though.
They had it Bill 56% and Jacinda 37%.
Don’t worry though. Labours little lovie on Stuff, Tracy Watkins, says that Jacinda won so that is all right.
It is hardly surprising the Stuff papers are going down the tubes.
meh…only 3 more sleeps and we will know
What the actual f**k? Tracy Watkins is the epitome of a National cheerleader. There is no NZ journalist who better qualifies for the description.
You have got the wrong one alwyn. Tracey is anti Labour and she is very pro National.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/97025359/live-three-days-to-go-till-the-election
English says “we can make the positive choices now” because there’s been a couple of years of surplus and now they have the money. Ardern says “we could never afford poverty” and under National the situation has slid.
Magic one liner from J.A. In response
Sad for a govt to say that they can only make positive social choices when we are in surplus 🙁
NEW ZEALAND
Debate: Ardern attacks ‘negative campaign from National’
20 Sep, 2017 7:42p
Latest from NZ Herald link above at 30
Jacinda was better than Bill tonight. He just spewed Bullshit.
Don’t you mean Billshit?
Unfortunately, it looks like New Zealanders are in the market for it.
“Filthy waterways, dying patients denied their pain relief of choice, and working families forced to live in their cars, these are some of the big issues that have got New Zealanders fired-up. They’ve also been the focus of political campaigning in the run up to the election. As voting day draws ever closer, we’ve gathered together some of our recent Insight podcasts, to help you get clued up on the big issues before you put pen to ballot paper.”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/insight/audio/201858527/your-big-election-listens-from-rnz-insight
The list of undone work by Gnashional just makes it seem that they are incompetent or frozen and unable to make decisions for the good of the country. Constipated and can’t get off the pot. The long days till the main voting day only increases their unpleasant persona and aroma.
They are facing off the weight of ridicule and disgust at their connivance and sly lies to satisfy their backers and voters who are either soaked in past-its-date business theory or smarmy wealth craters with no scruples. With a fair unpwind they will be freed from their circular prison to go and dump in someone else’s yard like the poor and drugged derelicts already on the streets.
Calm down everyone.
If Trump could win, so can Jacinda !
Roll on Saturday !
No. Jacinda wins on her merit. End of story.
Completely different.
Beneficiaries short changed by millions. MSD has known for a couple of years but did nothing
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11924050
Another of these WTF happened to NZ stories
“Working families with young children and babies are being left homeless and sleeping in cars in Auckland, as they struggle to get into emergency housing, and are turned off or away from Housing New Zealand. Parents say even with accommodation supplement benefits, their wages can’t cover rising rents, and living in garages or spending nights on floors of friends and family are the only options they have.”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/insight/audio/201787942/when-a-child-s-home-is-a-car
“Under my leadership there will be action …. no more autopilot.”
Great closing line from Jacinda . (TVNZ1 leaders’ debate tonight.)
Bill and Jacinda stand on the same stair of a flight of stairs.
Bill : “Jacinda are you taking one step up?”
Jacinda: “No, I’m staying where I am.”
Upon which Bill takes one step down and exclaims “Hey Jacinda, I see you’ve taken one step up!”
It is difficult to have respect for a leader who clearly has scant respect for the most basic straight talk and truth.
Gower’s piece should make headlines in all our papers.
The poll must’ve gone well for National. It’s on Kiwiblog within an hour of being broadcast. The Great Informer has been nowhere near as quick when the story hasn’t suited him.
If NZ First miss out (unlikely), Maori Party could end up with the balance of power.
Otherwise, even at 46%, the Nats can’t govern with just ACT and the Maori Party, so Winston gets to decide who the PM will be.
Marama Fox is all about “strategic voting”….’cos that’s what folk are telling her.
” “Since the weekend it’s almost like the bigger issues have started to take a side-step to the strategic voting as an issue. People are not talking to me about homelessness anymore. They are not talking to me about poverty.
“They are talking to me about who can form government and which is the best way to vote in order to make that happen.””
She pins her colours clearly to the mast…
” She said voters were starting to see the “holes” in Labour, including not making te reo Maori compulsory or moving to entrench the Maori seats. Personally, she was quietly confident she would return to Parliament.
“I know everywhere I speak I turn the entire room. I know people are starting to question the ability of Labour’s Maori MPs to affect any change inside their party.”
“We recognise the mood for change … there are Maori voters, a majority of when you are knocking on doors, who have said they want change, but they want us there.”
Ahem, Marama, after nine years snuggling up to National, supporting them to increase poverty and homelessness….. how’s that change going?
A vote for the Maori party is a vote for National. National will always be thier first choice.
IF National win the election – I wonder if Jacinda will bother staying on as leader for Labour.
Is it her choice – or does it go to the party to decide?
Stated earlier, but it seems like you’d like to have the last word James…
Persistent with your personality perhaps …
“In this month’s issue of Personality and Individual Differences, a study was published that confirms what we all suspected: internet trolls are horrible people.”
https://www.sott.net/article/286185-Internet-trolls-are-narcissists-psychopaths-and-sadists
“In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting quarrels or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[2] or of otherwise disrupting normal, on-topic discussion,[3] often for the troll’s amusement.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll
Yeah – I reckon she will quit. Jacinda won’t be leading labour into the 2020 campaign if she loses this one.
Are you an exhibitionist James? Revealing yourself like that! Not for the first time either.
WTF??!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11924169
and
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11924498
Thanks for those links, Pat – WTF indeed.
Our National-led government has been undermining New Zealand’s sovereignty and public service for 9 years, and they know what they’re doing – helping NZ millionaires, both established and newly minted, realise assets, including public assets.
How much did Key sell part of his Parnell property for, and who stumped up the cash?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/celebrity-homes/96673228/sir-john-keys-sprawling-parnell-mansion-sold-for-20m
They’ll (Thiel?) be right, Jack.
The fact that you made that ridiculous comment James means that you know darn well that she will go the distance and be there when this pack of wankers leaves town and she will be there to make sure they do !!!