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 !!!
This might be the longest delay between reading (or in this case re-reading) a work, and actually writing a review of it I have ever managed. Indeed, when I last read these books in December 2022, I was not planning on writing anything about them… but as A Phuulish Fellow ...
Kia Ora,I try to keep most my posts without a paywall for public interest journalism purposes. However, if you can afford to, please consider supporting me as a paid subscriber and/or supporting over at Ko-Fi. That will help me to continue, and to keep spending time on the work. Embarrassingly, ...
There was a time when Google was the best thing in my world. I was an early adopter of their AdWords program and boy did I like what it did for my business. It put rocket fuel in it, is what it did. For every dollar I spent, those ads ...
A while back I was engaged in an unpleasant exchange with a leader of the most well-known NZ anti-vax group and several like-minded trolls. I had responded to a racist meme on social media in which a rightwing podcaster in the US interviewed one of the leaders of the Proud ...
Hi,If you’ve been reading Webworm for a while, you’ll be familiar with Anna Wilding. Between 2020 and 2021 I looked at how the New Zealander had managed to weasel her way into countless news stories over the years, often with very little proof any of it had actually happened. When ...
It's a long white cloud for you, baby; staying together alwaysSummertime in AotearoaWhere the sunshine kisses the water, we will find it alwaysSummertime in AotearoaYeah, it′s SummertimeIt's SummertimeWriters: Codi Wehi Ngatai, Moresby Kainuku, Pipiwharauroa Campbell, Taulutoa Michael Schuster, Rebekah Jane Brady, Te Naawe Jordan Muturangi Tupe, Thomas Edward Scrase.Many of ...
Last year, 292 people died unnecessarily on our roads. That is the lowest result in over a decade and only the fourth time in the last 70 years we’ve seen fewer than 300 deaths in a calendar year. Yet, while it is 292 people too many, with each death being ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob HensonFlames from the Palisades Fire burn a building at Sunset Boulevard amid a powerful windstorm on January 8, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The fast-moving wildfire had destroyed thousands of structures and ...
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.The Regulatory Standards Bill, as I understand it, seeks to bind parliament to a specific range of law-making.For example, it seems to ensure primacy of individual rights over that of community, environment, te Tiriti ...
Happy New Year!I had a lovely break, thanks very much for asking: friends, family, sunshine, books, podcasts, refreshing swims, barbecues, bike rides. So good to step away from the firehose for a while, to have less Trump and Seymour in your day. Who needs the Luxons in their risible PJs ...
Patrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the Auckland City Centre Advisory Panel and a director of Greater Auckland In 2003, after much argument, including the election of a Mayor in 2001 who ran on stopping it, Britomart train station in downtown Auckland opened. A mere 1km twin track terminating branch ...
For the first time in a decade, a New Zealand Prime Minister is heading to the Middle East. The trip is more than just a courtesy call. New Zealand PMs frequently change planes in Dubai en route to destinations elsewhere. But Christopher Luxon’s visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, January 5, 2025 thru Sat, January 11, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
The decade between 1952 and the early 1960s was the peak period for the style of music we now call doo wop, after which it got dissolved into soul music, girl groups, and within pop music in general. Basically, doo wop was a form of small group harmonising with a ...
The future teaches you to be aloneThe present to be afraid and coldSo if I can shoot rabbits, then I can shoot fascists…And if you tolerate thisThen your children will be nextSongwriters: James Dean Bradfield / Sean Anthony Moore / Nicholas Allen Jones.Do you remember at school, studying the rise ...
When National won the New Zealand election in 2023, one of the first to congratulate Luxon was tech-billionaire and entrepreneur extraordinaire Elon Musk.And last year, after Luxon posted a video about a trip to Malaysia, Musk came forward again to heap praise on Christopher:So it was perhaps par for the ...
Hi,Today’s Webworm features a new short film from documentary maker Giorgio Angelini. It’s about Luigi Mangione — but it’s also, really, about everything in America right now.Bear with me.Shortly after I sent out my last missive from the fires on Wednesday, one broke out a little too close to home ...
So soon just after you've goneMy senses sharpenBut it always takes so damn longBefore I feel how much my eyes have darkenedFear hangs in a plane of gun smokeDrifting in our roomSo easy to disturb, with a thought, with a whisperWith a careless memorySongwriters: Andy Taylor / John Taylor / ...
Can we trust the Trump cabinet to act in the public interest?Nine of Trump’s closest advisers are billionaires. Their total net worth is in excess of $US375b (providing there is not a share-market crash). In contrast, the total net worth of Trump’s first Cabinet was about $6b. (Joe Biden’s Cabinet ...
Welcome back to our weekly roundup. We hope you had a good break (if you had one). Here’s a few of the stories that caught our attention over the last few weeks. This holiday period on Greater Auckland Since our last roundup we’ve: Taken a look back at ...
Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partnerSometimes I feel like my only friendIs the city I live in, The City of AngelsLonely as I am together we crySong: Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith, Flea, John Frusciante.A home is engulfed in flames during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area. ...
Open access notablesLarge emissions of CO2 and CH4 due to active-layer warming in Arctic tundra, Torn et al., Nature Communications:Climate warming may accelerate decomposition of Arctic soil carbon, but few controlled experiments have manipulated the entire active layer. To determine surface-atmosphere fluxes of carbon dioxide and ...
It's election year for Wellington City Council and for the Regional Council. What have the progressive councillors achieved over the last couple of years. What were the blocks and failures? What's with the targeting of the mayor and city council by the Post and by central government? Why does the ...
Over the holidays, there was a rising tide of calls for people to submit on National's repulsive, white supremacist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, along with a wave of advice and examples of what to say. And it looks like people rose to the occasion, with over 300,000 ...
The lie is my expenseThe scope of my desireThe Party blessed me with its futureAnd I protect it with fireI am the Nina The Pinta The Santa MariaThe noose and the rapistAnd the fields overseerThe agents of orangeThe priests of HiroshimaThe cost of my desire…Sleep now in the fireSongwriters: Brad ...
This is a re-post from the Climate BrinkGlobal surface temperatures have risen around 1.3C since the preindustrial (1850-1900) period as a result of human activity.1 However, this aggregate number masks a lot of underlying factors that contribute to global surface temperature changes over time.These include CO2, which is the primary ...
There are times when movement around us seems to slow down. And the faster things get, the slower it all appears.And so it is with the whirlwind of early year political activity.They are harbingers for what is to come:Video: Wayne Wright Jnr, funder of Sean Plunket, talk growing power and ...
Hi,Right now the power is out, so I’m just relying on the laptop battery and tethering to my phone’s 5G which is dropping in and out. We’ll see how we go.First up — I’m fine. I can’t see any flames out the window. I live in the greater Hollywood area ...
2024 was a tough year for working Kiwis. But together we’ve been able to fight back for a just and fair New Zealand and in 2025 we need to keep standing up for what’s right and having our voices heard. That starts with our Mood of the Workforce Survey. It’s your ...
Time is never time at allYou can never ever leaveWithout leaving a piece of youthAnd our lives are forever changedWe will never be the sameThe more you change, the less you feelSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan.Babinden - Baba’s DayToday, January 8th, 2025, is Babinden, “The Day of the baba” or “The ...
..I/We wish to make the following comments:I oppose the Treaty Principles Bill."5. Act binds the CrownThis Act binds the Crown."How does this Act "bind the Crown" when Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which the Act refers to, has been violated by the Crown on numerous occassions, resulting in massive loss of ...
Everything is good and brownI'm here againWith a sunshine smile upon my faceMy friends are close at handAnd all my inhibitions have disappeared without a traceI'm glad, oh, that I found oohSomebody who I can rely onSongwriter: Jay KayGood morning, all you lovely people. Today, I’ve got nothing except a ...
Welcome to 2025. After wrapping up 2024, here’s a look at some of the things we can expect to see this year along with a few predictions. Council and Elections Elections One of the biggest things this year will be local body elections in October. Will Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Canadians can take a while to get angry – but when they finally do, watch out. Canada has been falling out of love with Justin Trudeau for years, and his exit has to be the least surprising news event of the New Year. On recent polling, Trudeau’s Liberal party has ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Much like 2023, many climate and energy records were broken in 2024. It was Earth’s hottest year on record by a wide margin, breaking the previous record that was set just last year by an even larger margin. Human-caused climate-warming pollution and ...
Submissions on National's racist, white supremacist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill are due tomorrow! So today, after a good long holiday from all that bullshit, I finally got my shit together to submit on it. As I noted here, people should write their own submissions in their own ...
Ooh, baby (ooh, baby)It's making me crazy (it's making me crazy)Every time I look around (look around)Every time I look around (every time I look around)Every time I look aroundIt's in my faceSongwriters: Alan Leo Jansson / Paul Lawrence L. Fuemana.Today, I’ll be talking about rich, middle-aged men who’ve made ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 29, 2024 thru Sat, January 4, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Hi,The thing that stood out at me while shopping for Christmas presents in New Zealand was how hard it was to avoid Zuru products. Toy manufacturer Zuru is a bit like Netflix, in that it has so much data on what people want they can flood the market with so ...
And when a child is born into this worldIt has no conceptOf the tone of skin it's living inAnd there's a million voicesAnd there's a million voicesTo tell you what you should be thinkingSong by Neneh Cherry and Youssou N'Dour.The moment you see that face, you can hear her voice; ...
While we may not always have quality political leadership, a couple of recently published autobiographies indicate sometimes we strike it lucky. When ranking our prime ministers, retired professor of history Erik Olssen commented that ‘neither Holland nor Nash was especially effective as prime minister – even his private secretary thought ...
Baby, be the class clownI'll be the beauty queen in tearsIt's a new art form, showin' people how little we care (yeah)We're so happy, even when we're smilin' out of fearLet's go down to the tennis court and talk it up like, yeah (yeah)Songwriters: Joel Little / Ella Yelich O ...
Open access notables Why Misinformation Must Not Be Ignored, Ecker et al., American Psychologist:Recent academic debate has seen the emergence of the claim that misinformation is not a significant societal problem. We argue that the arguments used to support this minimizing position are flawed, particularly if interpreted (e.g., by policymakers or the public) as suggesting ...
What I’ve Been Doing: I buried a close family member.What I’ve Been Watching: Andor, Jack Reacher, Xmas movies.What I’ve Been Reflecting On: The Usefulness of Writing and the Worthiness of Doing So — especially as things become more transparent on their own.I also hate competing on any day, and if ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by John Wihbey. A version of this article first appeared on Yale Climate Connections on Nov. 11, 2008. (Image credits: The White House, Jonathan Cutrer / CC BY 2.0; President Jimmy Carter, Trikosko/Library of Congress; Solar dedication, Bill Fitz-Patrick / Jimmy Carter Library; Solar ...
Morena folks,We’re having a good break, recharging the batteries. Hope you’re enjoying the holiday period. I’m not feeling terribly inspired by much at the moment, I’m afraid—not from a writing point of view, anyway.So, today, we’re travelling back in time. You’ll have to imagine the wavy lines and sci-fi sound ...
Completed reads for 2024: Oration on the Dignity of Man, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola A Platonic Discourse Upon Love, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola Of Being and Unity, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola The Life of Pico della Mirandola, by Giovanni Francesco Pico Three Letters Written by Pico ...
Welcome to 2025, Aotearoa. Well… what can one really say? 2024 was a story of a bad beginning, an infernal middle and an indescribably farcical end. But to chart a course for a real future, it does pay to know where we’ve been… so we know where we need ...
Welcome to the official half-way point of the 2020s. Anyway, as per my New Years tradition, here’s where A Phuulish Fellow’s blog traffic came from in 2024: United States United Kingdom New Zealand Canada Sweden Australia Germany Spain Brazil Finland The top four are the same as 2023, ...
Completed reads for December: Be A Wolf!, by Brian Strickland The Magic Flute [libretto], by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Emanuel Schikaneder The Invisible Eye, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Owl’s Ear, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Waters of Death, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Spider, by Hanns Heinz Ewers Who Knows?, by Guy de Maupassant ...
Well, it’s the last day of the year, so it’s time for a quick wrap-up of the most important things that happened in 2024 for urbanism and transport in our city. A huge thank you to everyone who has visited the blog and supported us in our mission to make ...
Leave your office, run past your funeralLeave your home, car, leave your pulpitJoin us in the streets where weJoin us in the streets where weDon't belong, don't belongHere under the starsThrowing light…Song: Jeffery BuckleyToday, I’ll discuss the standout politicians of the last 12 months. Each party will receive three awards, ...
Hi,A lot’s happened this year in the world of Webworm, and as 2024 comes to an end I thought I’d look back at a few of the things that popped. Maybe you missed them, or you might want to revisit some of these essay and podcast episodes over your break ...
Hi,I wanted to share this piece by film editor Dan Kircher about what cinema has been up to in 2024.Dan edited my documentary Mister Organ, as well as this year’s excellent crowd-pleasing Bookworm.Dan adores movies. He gets the language of cinema, he knows what he loves, and writes accordingly. And ...
Without delving into personal details but in order to give readers a sense of the year that was, I thought I would offer the study in contrasts that are Xmas 2023 and Xmas 2024: Xmas 2023 in Starship Children’s Hospital (after third of four surgeries). Even opening presents was an ...
Heavy disclaimer: Alpha/beta/omega dynamics is a popular trope that’s used in a wide range of stories and my thoughts on it do not apply to all cases. I’m most familiar with it through the lens of male-focused fanfic, typically m/m but sometimes also featuring m/f and that’s the situation I’m ...
Hi,Webworm has been pretty heavy this year — mainly because the world is pretty heavy. But as we sprint (or limp, you choose) through the final days of 2024, I wanted to keep Webworm a little lighter.So today I wanted to look at one of the biggest and weirdest elements ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 22, 2024 thru Sat, December 28, 2024. This week's roundup is the second one published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, ...
We’ll have a climate change ChristmasFrom now until foreverWarming our hearts and mindsAnd planet all togetherSpirits high and oceans higherChestnuts roast on wildfiresIf coal is on your wishlistMerry Climate Change ChristmasSong by Ian McConnellReindeer emissions are not something I’d thought about in terms of climate change. I guess some significant ...
KP continues to putt-putt along as a tiny niche blog that offers a NZ perspective on international affairs with a few observations about NZ domestic politics thrown in. In 2024 there was also some personal posts given that my son was in the last four months of a nine month ...
I can see very wellThere's a boat on the reef with a broken backAnd I can see it very wellThere's a joke and I know it very wellIt's one of those that I told you long agoTake my word I'm a madman, don't you knowSongwriters: Bernie Taupin / Elton JohnIt ...
.Acknowledgement: Tim PrebbleThanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work..With each passing day of bad headlines, squandering tax revenue to enrich the rich, deep cuts to our social services and a government struggling to keep the lipstick on its neo-liberal pig ...
This is from the 36th Parallel social media account (as brief food for thought). We know that Trump is ahistorical at best but he seems to think that he is Teddy Roosevelt and can use the threat of invoking the Monroe Doctrine and “Big Stick” gunboat diplomacy against Panama and ...
Don't you cry tonightI still love you, babyAnd don't you cry tonightDon't you cry tonightThere's a heaven above you, babyAnd don't you cry tonightSong: Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin“Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so”, said possibly the greatest philosopher ever to walk this earth, Douglas Adams.We have entered the ...
Because you're magicYou're magic people to meSong: Dave Para/Molly Para.Morena all, I hope you had a good day yesterday, however you spent it. Today, a few words about our celebration and a look at the various messages from our politicians.A Rockel XmasChristmas morning was spent with the five of us ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). 2024 has been a series of bad news for climate change. From scorching global temperatures leading to devastating ...
The Green Party welcomes the extension of the deadline for Treaty Principles Bill submissions but continues to call on the Government to abandon the Bill. ...
Complaints about disruptive behaviour now handled in around 13 days (down from around 60 days a year ago) 553 Section 55A notices issued by Kāinga Ora since July 2024, up from 41 issued during the same period in the previous year. Of that 553, first notices made up around 83 ...
The time it takes to process building determinations has improved significantly over the last year which means fewer delays in homes being built, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “New Zealand has a persistent shortage of houses. Making it easier and quicker for new homes to be built will ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is pleased to announce the annual list of New Zealand’s most popular baby names for 2024. “For the second consecutive year, Noah has claimed the top spot for boys with 250 babies sharing the name, while Isla has returned to the most popular ...
Work is set to get underway on a new bus station at Westgate this week. A contract has been awarded to HEB Construction to start a package of enabling works to get the site ready in advance of main construction beginning in mid-2025, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“A new Westgate ...
Minister for Children and for Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour is encouraging people to use the resources available to them to get help, and to report instances of family and sexual violence amongst their friends, families, and loved ones who are in need. “The death of a ...
Uia te pō, rangahaua te pō, whakamāramatia mai he aha tō tango, he aha tō kāwhaki? Whitirere ki te ao, tirotiro kau au, kei hea taku rātā whakamarumaru i te au o te pakanga mo te mana motuhake? Au te pō, ngū te pō, ue hā! E te kahurangi māreikura, ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says people with diabetes and other painful conditions will benefit from a significant new qualification to boost training in foot care. “It sounds simple, but quality and regular foot and nail care is vital in preventing potentially serious complications from diabetes, like blisters or sores, which can take a long time to heal ...
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour is pleased to see Pharmac continue to increase availability of medicines for Kiwis with the government’s largest ever investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the government,” says Mr Seymour. “When this government assumed ...
Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora e mua - Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead. Māori recipients in the New Year 2025 Honours list show comprehensive dedication to improving communities across the motu that ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is wishing all New Zealanders a great holiday season as Kiwis prepare for gatherings with friends and families to see in the New Year. It is a great time of year to remind everyone to stay fire safe over the summer. “I know ...
From 1 January 2025, first-time tertiary learners will have access to a new Fees Free entitlement of up to $12,000 for their final year of provider-based study or final two years of work-based learning, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Targeting funding to the final year of study ...
“As we head into one of the busiest times of the year for Police, and family violence and sexual violence response services, it’s a good time to remind everyone what to do if they experience violence or are worried about others,” Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence ...
While mediator Qatar says a Gaza ceasefire deal is at the closest point it has been in the past few months — adding that many of the obstacles in the negotiations have been ironed out — a special report for Drop Site News reveals the escalation in attacks on Palestinians ...
In our latest in-depth podcast investigation, Fractured, Melanie Reid and her team delve deep into a complex case involving a controversial medical diagnosis and its fallout on a young family. While Fractured is a forensic examination of this case here in New Zealand, the diagnosis that started it all is ...
While last year was termed the ‘year of elections’, 2025 will see some highly significant elections set to take place throughout the world that could have significant impacts on countries, their regions, and the wider global picture.AfricaThe presidential elections in Cameroon this October see the world’s oldest head of state ...
ANALYSIS:By Ali Mirin Indonesia officially joined the BRICS — Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa — consortium last week marking a significant milestone in its foreign relations. In a statement released a day later on January 7, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that this membership reflected Indonesia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Risk & Resilience, UNSW Sydney Imagine a gathering so large it dwarfs any concert, festival, or sporting event you’ve ever seen. In the Kumbh Mela, a religious festival held in India, millions of Hindu pilgrims come ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Motortion Films/Shutterstock You may have seen stories the Australian dollar has “plummeted”. Sounds bad. But what does it mean and should you be worried? The most-commonly quoted ...
Summer reissue: Lange and Muldoon clash, two days after the election. Our live updates editor is on the case. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gina Perry, Science historian with a specific interest in the history of social psychology., The University of Melbourne ‘Guards’ with a blindfolded ‘prisoner’.PrisonExp.org A new translation of a 2018 book by French science historian Thibault Le Texier challenges the claims of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Jordan, Professor of Epidemiology, The University of Queensland Peakstock/Shutterstock Many women worry hormonal contraceptives have dangerous side-effects including increased cancer risk. But this perception is often out of proportion with the actual risks. So, what does the research actually say ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kiley Seymour, Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Behaviour, University of Technology Sydney Vector Tradition/Shutterstock From self-service checkouts to public streets to stadiums – surveillance technology is everywhere. This pervasive monitoring is often justified in the name of safety and security. ...
South Islanders Alex Casey and Tara Ward reflect on their so-called summer break. Alex Casey: Welcome back to work Tara, how was your summer? Tara Ward: I’m thrilled to be here and equally as happy to have experienced my first New Zealand winter Christmas, just as Santa always intended. Over ...
Summer reissue: Five years ago, we voted against legalising cannabis. But what if the referendum had gone the other way? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a software developer shares his approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Male. Age: 34. Ethnicity: NZ European. Role: Software developer. Salary/income/assets: Salary ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Megan Cassidy-Welch, Professor of History and Dean of Research Strategy, University of Divinity Lieven van Lathem (Flemish, about 1430–93) and David Aubert (Flemish, active 1453–79), Gracienne Taking Leave of Her Father the Sultan, 1464 The J. Paul Getty Museum Travellers have ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian A. Wright, Associate Professor in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University Goami/Shutterstock On hot summer days, hitting the beach is a great way to have fun and cool off. But if you’re not near the salty ocean, you might opt for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Loc Do, Professor of Dental Public Health, The University of Queensland TinnaPong/Shutterstock Fluoride is a common natural element found in water, soil, rocks and food. For the past several decades, fluoride has also been a cornerstone of dentistry and public health, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ladan Hashemi, Senior Research Fellow in Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau PickPik, CC BY-SA Children with traumatic experiences in their early lives have a higher risk of obesity. But as our new research shows, this risk can be ...
Further interest rate cuts are coming, but why does everything still feel so bleak? Stewart Sowman-Lund explains for The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The year ahead: On a small boat in an oyster farm devastated by storms, ANZ’s boss learns about the importance of adapting to change The post Making the world your oyster appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Two key events in February will set the direction of New Zealand’s clean, green reputation for the rest of the year – and perhaps even many years to come.First, the Government must announce its next emissions reduction target under the Paris Agreement by February 10. Then, later in the month, ...
In our latest in-depth podcast investigation, Fractured, Melanie Reid and her team delve deep into a complex case involving a controversial medical diagnosis and its fallout on a young family. While Fractured is a forensic examination of this case here in New Zealand, the diagnosis that started it all is ...
To complete our series looking back at 2024 and gazing forward to 2025, we asked our big political commentary brains to nominate the three issues that will loom large in the year to come. Madeleine Chapman (editor, The Spinoff)The Treaty principles bill just won’t rest, and will start the ...
Summer reissue: There are fewer pokie machines in Aotearoa than ever, but they still rake in more than $1bn a year. So are strict council policies working – and do the community funding arguments stack up? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue ...
Opinion: The Economist magazine asks whether Mark Zuckerberg’s ‘Trump gamble’ of discontinuing fact-checking posts on Meta will pay off. We in Aotearoa should understand that good news for Meta’s bottom line could be a disaster for us.We live at a time when everything seems to be happening all at once. There is an incoming ...
Comment: With the right leadership, local government can be a genuine part of democratic community life. With a little effort, anyone can contribute to that. The post Don’t shrug your shoulders over local government appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 14 January appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia The world has watched in horror as fires continue to raze parts of Los Angeles, California. For those of us living in Australia, one of the world’s most fire-prone continents, the LA experience ...
Every story about the Ministry of Regulation seems to be about staffing cost blow-outs. The red tape slashing Ministry needs teeth, sure, but all we seem to hear about are teething problems, says axpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager James ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carmen Lim, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland Visualistka/Shutterstock A multi-million dollar business has developed in Australia to meet the demand for medicinal cannabis. Australians spent more than A$400 million on it ...
Summer reissue: The tide is turning on Insta-therapy. Good riddance, but actual therapy is still good and worth doing. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member ...
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”
https://twitter.com/NewshubPolitics/status/910320749264592896
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
https://thestandard.org.nz/the-labour-green-2017-campaign-launch/#comment-1293848
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 !!!