John Key discovers the usefulness of Yellow Peril

Written By: - Date published: 7:26 am, February 12th, 2013 - 146 comments
Categories: im/migration, jobs, racism - Tags: ,

Bad jobs numbers and a succession of collapses of major businesses weighing your government down? You need: distraction! How about an old classic from the New Zealand politician’s playbook – the Yellow Peril!

Passed on by Richard Seddon and Winston Peters, Yellow Peril’s now being wielded by John Key as he talks of vague, unsubstantiated threats that boatloads of Indonesians are heading for our shores (no, I’m not sure what terrors are meant to eventuate when they land, either).

Of course, the closest any boat people have actually come to reaching New Zealand was when our mates, the Aussies, thought about helping them…

Never mind that Indonesia is literally 1/6th of the world away,* John Key wants us to know the ‘threat’ from boat people, threat of what I don’t know, is very real and something we should all be worried about. Far more worried than we should be about, say, the threat of losing our jobs.

(* At nearly 4,000 miles the distance from the closest parts of Indonesia to New Zealand is the distance from Europe to North America and back. Most boat people make trips from Indonesia to one of Australia’s offshore islands, a journey of a couple of hundred miles. So, we’re being asked to believe that boat people are planning, for no apparent reason, to make a journey 20 times longer and over colder, rougher, open seas in the Tasman, when Australia’s right there, literally in the way – doesn’t seem like a profitable business venture for the people smugglers for a start, 20 times the operating costs.)

146 comments on “John Key discovers the usefulness of Yellow Peril ”

  1. kiwi_prometheus 1

    Of course its a big lie.

    Thanks to our “Open Flood Gates to 3rd Worlders” immigration policy, why would any of those teeming billions need to do the sneaky boat thing to get to NZ?

    The Aussies should tow the boat people back out into international waters. In the long run it would save more lives. Letting them in just encourages more – and there are literally BILLIONS of them wanting in.

    • fatty 1.1

      Thanks to our “Open Flood Gates to 3rd Worlders” immigration policy,

      I’ll ask you for the 3rd time KP, can you share your numbers with us. How many from the 3rd world come in to NZ, what should be the number, and why.

      BTW, another preemptive statement from you about being accused of racism will also suffice – it will mean my assumption of you is justified

      • Colonial Viper 1.1.1

        I suppose KP wants to stop farmers from importing cheap foreign labour from South East Asia. Good on you KP!!!

      • kiwi_prometheus 1.1.2

        The number should be zero.

        Because we have 20% youth unemployment.

        Because they do not share our Western values.

        By the way fatso, maybe if you weren’t so greedy and stuffing your cake hole there would be more food to go around for 3rd worlders and you would be reducing your big fat carbon foot print.

        • mickysavage 1.1.2.1

          Wow someone give KP a pillow case with holes for eyes cut out, a wooden cross and some petrol and a match.

        • pollywog 1.1.2.2

          Guess what kp?

          Pasifikans, inclusive of Maori, don’t tend to share your western values either and we were here first.

          • Colonial Viper 1.1.2.2.1

            I thought you might make this point so I left it in your capable hands 😉

          • Rogue Trooper 1.1.2.2.2

            very capable

          • kiwi_prometheus 1.1.2.2.3

            “we were here first.”

            So? You think that entitles you to what exactly?

            “Pasifikans, inclusive of Maori, don’t tend to share your western values”

            True, for example, Democracy, originating from Western Civilisation first in Athens then later in Britain, the USA and Europe – founded on Western philosophy. Democracy has really struggled anywhere else.

            • mickysavage 1.1.2.2.3.1

              KP you are sounding more and more like Richard Prosser. Samoa had a functioning democracy 4,000 years ago at a time the English were still dressed in furs.

            • One Tāne Huna 1.1.2.2.3.2

              Memo –

              From: Management.

              To: Chip.

              We would like to apologise for the overpopulation problems on KP’s shoulder. We will relocate you to a less crowded shoulder the moment one becomes available.

            • pollywog 1.1.2.2.3.3

              So? You think that entitles you to what exactly?

              Restecp 🙂

              So tell me about these great western values we should hold dear to?

          • vto 1.1.2.2.4

            “we were here first”

            ha ha ha

        • fatty 1.1.2.3

          Youth are unemployed because of immigrants? Can you expand on that…if that was true, wouldn’t we see immigrants in our apprenticeship scheme? (we don’t)

          Because they do not share our Western values.

          You perception is blurred by the now non-existent 1950s white is right ideology that you are obsessed with…we now call that racism.
          NZ is bicultural, not Western.
          Your ideological fixity is amusing, especially when you try to pigeonhole other people.

          So let me get this right, its for two reasons.
          1 – they took our jobs
          2 – they don’t share NZs pre-1980s values that NZ no longer subscribe to – apart from a few simple people.

          By the way fatso, maybe if you weren’t so greedy and stuffing your cake hole there would be more food to go around for 3rd worlders and you would be reducing your big fat carbon foot print.

          Feel better?

    • felixviper 1.2

      “Thanks to our “Open Flood Gates to 3rd Worlders” immigration policy, why would any of those teeming billions need to do the sneaky boat thing to get to NZ?”

      Because you just made that policy up,of course.

      • kiwi_prometheus 1.2.1

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10864809

        “Quan, a 20-year-old student visa holder from Vietnam, works up to 50 hours a week in a retail shop and gets paid $7 an hour.

        The business diploma student knows he is breaching his visa conditions”

        Visa breach? Ta ta, good bye little Vietnamese person, off you go, don’t come back. Tell your comrades when you get back not to bother.

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10864817

        Indian migrant Padma, who spoke to the Herald on condition her full name wasn’t used, gets $20 a day working from eight to 10 hours as a kitchen hand at an Indian restaurant.

        [ Yep its their own kind fucking them in the arse – typical. Yet whitey always gets the blame for being “colonialist” and “racist” – sigh ]

        The couple are sleeping on mattresses and living in a rented garage in Mt Roskill, which they share with two other Indians. [ no doubt breaching their visas too. ]

        “Our immigration agent told us it would be really easy for my husband to find a job here, even if he was on a student visa, but after we came, we were told we had to pay to get him the job,” said Padma…My visa doesn’t allow me to work and my husband can’t find a job. What do we do when we have no money?” she said. “If not for this job, we’d probably be sleeping on the streets.”

        Go back where you came from – why is she here?

        One comes over under false pretenses “Me student!”, next thing their bloody family thinks they have the right to be here.

        Her husband is here as a student, so why does she rock on up to town – she knows he hasn’t got a job. She knows she is not allowed to work here. Stupid bitch.

        She will get pregnant next and use our crumbling health system – which to her would still seem like a 5 star hotel compared to the sewerage flooded slum she comes from.

        Send them back along with the rest.

        Shut down the whole immigration rort.

        • Colonial Viper 1.2.1.1

          These people are in our country now KP. We have responsibilities to them.

          You’re too fond of putting people on the rubbish heap. It might make you feel powerful and righteous but its highly unethical.

          • kiwi_prometheus 1.2.1.1.1

            “These people are in our country now KP. We have responsibilities to them.”

            Are you talking about refugees? – I’m fine with that, that guy from Algeria who flushed his passport down the airline toilet, I was on his side – I lost count of how many heated arguments I got into with people who hated him.

            Don’t tell me we have responsibilities to the above kind though. They come here looking for an ‘in’. They milk the system once they are ‘in’.

            SEND THEM BACK.

            Visa violation problem solved, worker exploitation solved. Burden on tax payer – minimal.

            Shut down the immigration rort.

        • felixviper 1.2.1.2

          Nothing in your thinly veiled racist tantrum has anything to do with immigration policy at all k_p.

        • Rogue Trooper 1.2.1.3

          shameless

        • North 1.2.1.4

          Oh KKK…….sorry, I mean Hey Hey Hey, KP, just stop it…….silly person.

    • Dr Terry 1.3

      How fortunate you are kw that fate decided you should not be one of them. You sound like John Key vastly magnified! (I “love” your compassionate references to “of those” and “of them”).

  2. vto 2

    I wonder what a longish conversation with John Key, on pretty much any subject, would be like? I get the feeling that the shallowness he shows constantly, the deception and lies, the sheer lack of even basic wisdom and understanding of humankind would render any conversation useless and very boring. And the conversation would turn to the corruption of boxing and Sonny bill williams, and money (with a heap of mention of the numbers all the time). That would be about it.

    • fenderviper 2.1

      Yes he’s a real lightweight imo and for someone so well travelled he seems rather unworldly. But thats what we get when planet key inhabitants sneak in with the humans.

    • Rodel 2.2

      VTO
      Very well said…a succinct analysis….. but I worry that you might be suggesting that he’s an average kiwi…. Hence his appeal to the average voter. If so..it’s sad and should provide food for thought for opposition strategists.

    • TheContrarian 2.3

      @vto – I have seen/heard and engaged with John Key a couple times and he isn’t anything like you mention.

  3. I am not sure if the story will pan out the way Key wants either.

    I was at the Avondale Market collecting no asset sales petition signatures and a few people made comments about Key agreeing to allow 150 extra refugees into the country. They thought that he was being too generous.

    The intricacies of NZ’s obligations to accept political refugees or the illegality, not to mention inhumanity, of Australia’s treatment of refugees did not register with them.

    Key’s actions are a bit bizarre. He is almost begging Australia to house a few refugees on our behalf so that he can appear to be tough on refugees.

    But it is such a stretch …

    • kiwi_prometheus 3.1

      How many political refugees are there in the world?

      Everyone not living in a democracy is at the very least potentially transformed into a political refugee overnight.

      How many coming into NZ would you draw the line at, mickysavage – 10, 1000, 1000000, 100000000?

      • mickysavage 3.1.1

        NZ has a legal obligation to accept 750 refugees a year which I think is the minimum they should agree to. In terms of NZ’s population this is a drop in the bucket.

        Besides KP the chances of boat people reaching NZ are approximately, give or take and allowing for all possibilities, zero.

        This is a manufactured crisis to divert attention from real issues.

        • kiwi_prometheus 3.1.1.1

          750 is ok.

          But you make this statement:

          “the illegality, not to mention inhumanity, of Australia’s treatment of refugees”

          From the OP:

          “Most boat people make trips from Indonesia to one of Australia’s offshore islands, a journey of a couple of hundred miles”

          That’s right 1000000000000000000000000000000 or so 3rd worlders desperate to get in, right on Aussies door step.

          How many more Cronullas do you want occurring?

          [lprent: I think that your numbers lack a certain sense of proportion. Maybe you’re counting the number of dust particles in the entire solar system? 😈 ]

          • felixviper 3.1.1.1.1

            Some of your numbers are a bit off.

          • ordinary_bloke 3.1.1.1.2

            What’s wrong with Cronulla ?

            • McFlock 3.1.1.1.2.1

              It’s in Aus.

              • Snakeoil

                “That’s right 1000000000000000000000000000000 or so 3rd worlders desperate to get in, right on Aussies door step.

                How many more Cronullas do you want occurring?”

                I think he is referring to Enoch Powell’s nightmare of being swamped by undesirables
                from the third world, ironic coming from a Pasifika.

                .. and it’s bullshit. I know Cronulla, and people who live there. It is the one beach in Sydney with an adjoining railway station, so less wealthy people from the large western hinterlands – often from backgrounds more complex and interesting than Anglo surfies – turn up in ‘westie’ gear with bogan manners and are derided by the locals and wealthy coastal property investors.

                It’s a bit sad to see “kiwi_prometheus” buying into the myth. He has a long way to go to live up to his namesake ..

                “Prometheus (Greek: Προμηθεύς) is a Titan, culture hero, and trickster figure who, in Greek mythology, is credited with the creation of man from clay and the theft of fire for human use, an act that enabled progress and civilization. He is known for his intelligence, and as a champion of humanity.[1]”

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

          • North 3.1.1.1.3

            K Peeee is just angreeee ! Grains of salt all round please.

        • David H 3.1.1.2

          Yeah true the Tasman sea keeps them out of this part of the world all 1200 miles of it.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasman_Sea

        • Fortran 3.1.1.3

          Perhaps it is not the 250 refugees that can come via the Australian system but the number of family relatives which will automatically follow.
          It is quoted that Ahmed Zhaoui has 27 relatives now in New Zealand. This figures sounds high to me but obviously a large number.

          • One Tāne Huna 3.1.1.3.1

            You do realise that they would be part of the 750 quota, don’t you? Perhaps it would reflect better on you if it turned out that you were ignorant of this fact, which would make your comment a demonstration of ignorance rather than a dog whistle.

            So, which is it, ignorance or malice?

          • McFlock 3.1.1.3.2

            Takes it up to roughly 5000.
            Still not making up for the emigrants we lose thanks to shonkey’s brighter future.

          • Snakeoil 3.1.1.3.3

            “It is quoted” .. where ? Could you be more precise ?

      • Dr Terry 3.1.2

        Really, kw, would you not be better to avoid showing yourself up in the way you seem intent upon doing?

  4. BM 4

    We haven’t been pulling our weight and taking in our allotted number of refugees per year.
    Thought you guys wouldn’t have a problem with this?

    As for the distance comment, how do you think the Maori got here?,4385 miles from Hawaii to NZ.
    How about Cook or Abel Tasman?

    • vto 4.1

      You could probably answer that yourself BM… how did they do it?

      • BM 4.1.1

        They did it,”Drum roll” BY BOAT.
        And they did it 100’s of years ago.

        • vto 4.1.1.1

          silly egg. if they did it by boat then why do so many others on boats today (not even 100s of years ago) not make it? what is the difference?

          • BM 4.1.1.1.1

            I would say, not a lot of difference.
            There were a few sinkings back then as well, pretty dangerous situation being on a boat.

            • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.1.1.1

              Maybe you think refugees would have more success if they went back to hollowed out tree trunks?

        • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.2

          And yet people still drown in dinghies 100m offshore.

    • Lightly 4.2

      they didn’t come from Hawaii to New Zealand

    • lprent 4.3

      Maori didn’t start for NZ from Hawaii.. I beleive you are confusing mythic names with locations.

      • vto 4.3.1

        Yeah, and don’t forget the fair-skinned red-haired people before them, referred to in history. As well as the Spaniards and even the Norwegians who today have ancient maps of our fair lands. (blasphemy I know….)

        How did they all get here?

        And what about us? Maybe we should all get on boats and head for america…

        • One Tāne Huna 4.3.1.1

          No rat bones, no artefacts, no evidence. Not just a homophobe then.

          • vto 4.3.1.1.1

            youre onto it lightweight fool

            • One Tāne Huna 4.3.1.1.1.1

              What a compelling argument. With persuasive powers like that you’d walk into a job as an ACT policy guru.

              • vto

                you still haven’t looked up the definition of homophobia have you.

                you set your bigotry onto onlt selected targets and let loose. there is no consistency in your approach. you have no credibility.

                • One Tāne Huna

                  Attack me at your weak spot, that’s the way.

                  • vto

                    have you looked up the definition of homophobia?

                    go on, back yourself.

                    • One Tāne Huna

                      No need. We covered this extensively a while ago, and everyone else who commented thinks you’re a homophobe. Now have a little cry and get over it.

                    • vto

                      So, unable to back yourself up.

                      You just make shit up with no reference to facts or evidence. And no application of facts or evidence to accepted definitions to support your unsubstantiated allegation.

                      You didn’t do it last time and now you refuse to do it again.

                      Your loss wanker.

                      And if you need the backup of “everyone else” to make you feel better then that only further makes you a shallow weak arsehole unable to stand on your own two feet.

                      But feel free to explain, with evidence and definition and support, otherwise. I’m all ears and eyes.

                      edit: oh look, a link has appeared post-comment. You’re like a child in the playground ha ha.

                    • One Tāne Huna

                      “…no reference to facts or evidence….”

                      Fact: absence of rat bones other than kiore.
                      Fact: absence of artefacts left behind by anyone other than tangata whenua.

                      I’ve already argued the point about your homophobia: I have no inclination to repeat myself just so that you can squeal some more.

                    • vto

                      For fucks sake you’re weak

                    • One Tāne Huna

                      Weak, with facts and evidence to back up my argument, which unlike me is robust and well founded. What’s yours?

                    • vto

                      You have no facts or evidence to fit the definition of homophobia accusation that you made. Yet you claim you do. You are lying now and you know it. Feel free to point out where you have made your robust argument. I am still waiting.

                      Come on bigot, where are the facts and evidence which fit the definition of the accusation you have made?

                      Where?

                      Where is the homophobia? Where is it? What is the definition? What are the facts that fit that?

                      You are a liar.

                    • One Tāne Huna

                      Well, I can’t claim all the credit for the argument that your comments against gay marriage amounted to homophobia; but it can be found in the link I provided above. I am not the only one persuaded by it, as can also be seen there.

                      Demanding that it be copied and pasted onto this thread makes it no less compelling.

                      In any case, back on topic, I am implying that your belief in pre-Polynesian settlement of these islands amounts to “indigenophobia” too, so I can sense another round of abuse coming on. After all, you’ve got no evidence beyond apocrypha.

                      Where are the rat bones? Where are the other bones? Where are the artefacts?

                    • vto

                      Fail on the homophobia front oth. Through the thread that the thread you link to refers I ask right throughout that for you to show the facts which fit the definition of the accusation. And you don’t. You refused like you refuse now.

                      You reference to others is just pathetic. Mob rule ha ha – weak.

                      As for pre-maori occupation, that is a very large subject which hopefully gets more fully explored over the following years and decades. But as to your “facts” – what a load of tosh, claiming that because something hasn’t been found it proves it doesn’t exist. I don’t even need to go into the entire proving a negative idiocy.

                      Let me provide just one fact in return as I have to fly… Waitaha refers in its history to a fair-skinned earlier people. And the deeply held animosity in te tai poutini over various histories runs deep. The story will not die no matter how much the victors try to re-write history and shout down the minority. Check in again in a hundred years, ye of closed mind and bigotry.

                      Out.

                    • One Tāne Huna

                      Like I said, apocrypha ≠ evidence.

                      As for your homophobia, I find Populuxe and McFlock’s arguments quite compelling. along with the evidence so amply provided by your good self.

                      No-one is trying to shout you down, poppet. We just want to see the evidence of your fantastical claims before we go rewriting the history books or handing out research fellowships.

                    • vto

                      ok oth, lets agree to disagree. Sometimes I think we all get so wound up and lost in our internal divisions the big pictures and good debates get lost in unnecessary acrimony and name-calling which doesn’t assist with anything.

                      I stand by my points, as no doubt you do too. Let us carry on and continue to thrash out the ideas and compounded histories and futures and craziness of human madness on our wobblingly spinning planetary body.

                      Onwards …..

      • BM 4.3.2

        I’m not too fussy on details, Hawaii, Hawaikii.
        it was more about demonstrating that it’s quite feasible for some of the “yellow peril” to make the journey to NZ.

        Just say a boat load did arrive, what would we do?, I think the idea behind what Key is doing is by taking a few(up to our quota) off the Aussies, we can just pass them back to OZ and let them deal with them, no need for detainment camps etc, not a bad insurance plan when you look at it like that.

    • Dr Terry 4.4

      Bm – and what planet did you descend from? The distance is unimaginable!

    • Trickledrown 4.5

      Bullshitting Mytholigist Polynesians didn’t come from Hawaii they came from Rarotonga the gathering place they were the greatest navigators on the earth for many millenia the seas between raro and here are relatively open and easy to navigate capt Cook was an extraordinary navigator.
      A criminal capt of a clapped out pile of rust which is only a coastal trading boat is not going to make it to NZ in the next millennium!

  5. Wairua 5

    >Of course, the closest any boat people have actually come to reaching New Zealand was when our mates, the Aussies, thought about helping them…

    Umm .. no. It were people whose descendants today call themselves ‘Maori’
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polynesian_navigation
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_people#Naming_and_self-naming

    .. although their ultimate origin is changing to Sulawesi rather than Taiwan based on recent findings.

    Their route, however, was via the eastern Pacific, using the prevailing winds of that time.

    That aside, you are right.

    Anyone who has sailed the Tasman would appreciate the sheer difficulty of the task,
    but to do it from Indonesia would be an extraordinary feat of seamanship.

    Anyone who can manage that – rather than the confected exercises of the Americas Cup – should
    be put up there with David Lewis.

    As for John Key, would his Mum approve ?

  6. s y d 6

    Lets not get distracted…

    “Australia has considered using a naval vessel to shepherd a boat of asylum seekers across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, Prime Minister John Key revealed yesterday, but he is now assured they won’t after agreeing to take 150 of their refugees.”

    Thanks John, keeping the wrong types out since 2008…

    • Tim 6.1

      “Lets not get distracted…” (seems to be one of the hazards whilst rolling in for a visit aye – JK-like egos have to play themselves out in ‘fight to the death fashion” – they all so fucking smart I have to say)
      +1 In fucking deed! re the SYD comment
      That’s the reason Australia has such an appalling record with refugees and asylum seekers.
      Obviously signing up to U.N Treaties and taking obligations seriously (as the NActs and current-Labour would have the citizenry held to – all that “rights come responsibilities bullshit we’re fed”) DOESN’T extend to politicians’ responsibilities.
      NRT has some damn good analysis (including the use of Australian intelligence to support his stance). Australia’s reputation with asylum seekers has already been trashed. NAct are determined to do the same for NZ – all in the name of an egotist being able to suck up to a “world stage player” (Jooolya).

      IF we had a 4th Estate, there’d be journalists clamouring to look into this because JK is spinning shit again AND what’s more, he’s trying to con us that he has NZ’s intelligence agencies willing to provide him with the justification. (But then we already know he’s prepared to sacrifice anyone and anything in order to preserve his image as an Emperor with clothes). I fear we’ll have to let Australian journalists to hold him account. actually, now I think about it – there’s an idea! He can’t help wanking whilst overseas – next OZ visit, I think there could be some very specific questions lined up for the guy.

      And AS for John Key’s insistance of relying on good intelligence….FFS! Now I realise just how thick the guy actually is.
      Did anyone else watching 3 News of Monday detect bullshit bullshit bullshit as it spewed from the guy’s mouth?
      The cleverest attribute this man has is an ability not to blush when he’s mangling, spinning, and outright bullshitting.

      Anyway, some of you (TRP et al = those that continue to push shit uphil in responsel) are all gorgeous. Tim is now leaving the building. love you all – catch you in the ether
      muah muah muah
      Christ! NO WONDER ASYLUM SEEKERS wonder what the fuck they’ve gotten themsleves into!

  7. karol 7

    A couple of my grandparents & a couple of my great grandparents were boat people: didn’t need a passport, just a boat ticket to exit the UK/Ireland to head for a place on the other side of the world were the prospects were better for them. Most went to Aussie first then, after a time there, jumped on another boat to NZ.

    Boat people are in my blood.

    • kiwi_prometheus 7.1

      “didn’t need a passport, just a boat ticket to exit the UK/Ireland”

      That was when there wasn’t 7000000000 crowding out the planet and heading for 10000000000.

      “Boat people are in my blood.”

      Romantic, self indulgent nonsense.

      • vto 7.1.1

        It is most definitely not romantic self-indulgent nonsense kp. We are all recent immigrants who arrived by boat (until last 50 years when we flew). Our recent history is that of boat people escaping persecution and oppression mostly. We are just lucky (lucky only, nothing else) that either there were apparently no others here already so we could indulge in that fine human trait of first in first served, or we arrived in such numbers that we simply swamped those already here (also a fine human trait).

        Boat people are most definitely in our blood and we do ourselves a disservice when we take advantage of that ourselves then fail to extend the exact same advantage to others so caught through no fault of their own.

        There would be few NZers who do not have ancestry who has suffered / done this. Myself, ours suffered two persecution in europe and one in nz. We built our own boat and sailed away.

        We should remember our history and our humanity.

      • LongJohnSilver 7.1.2

        Leave Karol alone. We are all boat people, in one way or another.

      • Dr Terry 7.1.4

        kw – “Romantic, self indulgent nonsense”. Now this is something you would well understand, and this comment is what is known as “projection”.

  8. Machiavel 8

    Based on media reports, it sounds as though it is a quid pro quo for Australian authorities
    chasing NZ student debt, strange as that sounds. It cannot be high on their list of priorities.

    Oz-based NZ tertiary fee evaders can expect a formal letter of demand followed by a knock on the door by a private debt collection agency .. with increasing penalties for non-payment.

    If Tony gets in, they might be able to pay it off by breaking rocks in a quarry somewhere. What a waste ..

  9. Blue 9

    I’ve been wondering what John Key’s weird obsession with boat people is. He’s brought it up before and seems unnaturally afraid of these boats, despite the fact that we haven’t had any and are highly unlikely to.

    I suppose he finds it easier to look at mythical illegal immigration into NZ rathert than the vast number of Kiwis emigrating to Australia.

  10. Matthew Hooton 10

    Any Indonesian boat people with the ingenuity and sailing talent to make it to New Zealand should immediately be signed up by Team New Zealand.

    • fenderviper 10.1

      Or the National Partys sinking dinghy.

    • LongJohnSilver 10.2

      +1

      • ordinary_bloke 10.2.1

        I think you are being a wee bit cynical there Matthew.

        Have you done any sailing ?

        • Snakeoil 10.2.1.1

          Nah, Team New Zealand are concentrating on racing around the buoys in San Francisco in craft which would not survive an area of unpredictable low pressure in the Pacific, the dangerous brainchild of a solypsistic software billionaire.

          The Volvo Ocean Race might be more like it, but after surviving Surabaya to Auckland (whichever way they went) it would probably be the last thing on their minds. A cold beer, clean clothes, terra firma, and – shock ! horror ! – a job, if they can get one, would be more like it.

    • Trickledrown 10.3

      stealing my lines mad hatter I said that several times last time Poncekey blathered on about boat people plaigerism!

  11. Wairua 11

    A lot of the refugee boats are pretty dodgy, to start off with .. and it is a long way. Any weaknesses will be cruelly exposed in the ocean.

    • Trickledrown 11.1

      not to mention navigating narrow passages coral reefs having enough fuel and water
      no wonder the irish bought into PonziKeys ML BS

  12. Ant 12

    Always thought Key’s BOAT PEOPLE!!1! fears were just something they were cultivating for rainy days when they need a distraction.

    Probably be handy to bust out when they veto releasing the hobbit emails.

  13. tc 13

    Are there some asset sales acts due soon ?

    • bad12 13.1

      This latest from Slippery the Prime Minister is simply a distraction from a Prime Minister of a Government that has no answer to NZ’s current economic malaise except to sit idly by as the larger edifices of NZ business begin to fall in a slow motion picture of chaos,

      The Queenstown meeting with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was of course a carefully created piece of theater, everything that was discussed and the out-comes of these ‘discussions’ were decided upon months befor the actual meeting took place,

      Given there is no good news Slippery is simply ‘creating’ some that has Him center stage where His obvious need to be the center of attention is massaged…

    • ak 13.2

      You’re onto it tc. Paula’s still on hols so there’s no one on bennybash duties, and the Waitangi Day slash was a fizzer, so it’s Chinkfears ‘r Us this week. Get granny to dress it up properly in concern, and wouldn’t surprise me if Slippery puts his hand up for pope……

      • ordinary_bloke 13.2.1

        In the old days the Pope would launch a crusade to sort out the situation in Syria. One ended up sacking Constantinople on the way to pay for Venetian transport by sea. Benedict has obviously decided to give this role to a younger man, but I can’t see John Key as Il Papa.

  14. NoseViper (The Nose knows) 14

    We’ve heard this before – not only the Chinese but the Russians flooding down and swamping our perfect country. That was the worry of we colonials, the Maori had already been swamped by us!

    On Radionz news today.

    Airline ban on young Muslim males wanted
    New Zealand First MP Richard Prosser is calling for young Muslim men to be banned from travelling on airlines run by Western countries.

    What about this from NZ First? Has this been passed by Winnie? What a stupid bloke – talking about banning all Muslim men from flying because so many terrorists are Muslim. Has he noticed that the terrorists are also mostly men. Ban all male passengers – such troublesome quarrelsome unreasonable uncivilised violent sh..ts they are. What a baby – how did such a simpleton get picked to be an MP?

    New chant – Richard Prosser is a tosser.

  15. Rogue Trooper 15

    the more refugees the better (You don’t have to live like a refugee) Breed the Wasp’s out!

  16. One Tāne Huna 16

    John Key has some pretty stiff competition for the racist low-life vote. I don’t understand what’s got Winston Peters all upset, though, surely Richard Prosser’s twisted bigotry is a perfect fit in the anti-Asian party.

    Edit: Noseviper got there first 🙂

  17. TightyRighty 17

    So it’s the yellow peril dog whistle when John Key talks about a few political refugees, yet not a yellow peril dog whistle when labour and the greens complain about farms being sold to the chinese, because they are chinese? It’s ok for white people to buy farms (james cameron, a big cheese in the hated movie industry), but not chinese farmers.

    Hmmmmm, another outstanding example of the hypocrisy and intellectual bankruptcy of the left.

    • One Tāne Huna 17.1

      It’s the brainless wingnut who keeps repeating the same bullshit. Plenty of left wing opposition to land sales other than that of Crafar farms, as noted many many times on this forum.

      That farting noise is the air passing through TightyRighty as he deflates.

      • TightyRighty 17.1.1

        But not by the leaders of the movement in the media. One can then only assume that the people leading the anti sales to foreigners movement are prejudiced against foreigners of a certain race. I mean, who in the wider world really gives a flying fuck about what commenters on the standard forum write. I don’t presume to believe that my opinion here carries any real weight IRL. Just not that arrogant.

        • McFlock 17.1.1.1

          Ah, it wasn’t on Good Morning or Seven Sharp, so it didn’t happen…

          • TightyRighty 17.1.1.1.1

            It wasn’t on Red Alert or any MP’s twitter feed either.

            • McFlock 17.1.1.1.1.1

              Funnily enough, down here in Otago there was quite a hooplah over I believe it was Shania Twain’s ranch purchase and related issues. Made the ODT front page a few times as I recall. But then she was only buying one farm, not a collection.

              • TightyRighty

                You mean the farm that was purchased 7 years ago now? under labour? that shania twain visits frequently? that hasn’t closed off access as direly predicted by the ODT? I was in dunedin when all that when down. I still visit frequently, queenstown too. shania twain is an asset to the area. providing jobs etc. like kim dotcom north of auckland.

                Got anything more recent?

                • felixviper

                  It’s funny how you don’t realise that bringing up the fact that Labour was in govt at the time actually weakens your position. Lefties were widely opposed to that sale, regardless of who Shania was or where she was from, and regardless of who was in govt.

                  So widely opposed, in fact, that years later you’re still defending it to lefties on the internet, even while you’re supposed to be arguing that they didn’t care about it.

                  Cheers for the morning chuckle.

    • Trickledrown 17.2

      Tighty allwhitey the Chinese don’t allow us to buy their land or play by wto rules facts over your fiction!

  18. bad12 18

    Slippery the Prime Minister is obviously enjoying Himself testing just how many lies it will take befor the adoring support fades into the distance,

    His first giant leap feet first in to the bovine excrement was to insinuate that He had been told that the Australian Navy had come close to shepperding a boatload of immigrants over to New Zealand waters as the people on that boat had indicated a wish to come to this country,

    The insinuation from the Slippery little Shyster was that He had been told this by the Australian Government, presumably as part of the recent tete a tete He had with Australian PM Jukia Gillard,

    Having had bullshit called on Him for having made such a ridiculous insinuation and knowing that it was highly likely that Gillard would also call bullshit on His claim the little Shyster has then as all compulsive liars are wont to do when found out simply concocted an even bigger pile of bovine defecation in which to wallow,

    The claim now is that ‘intelligence sources’ told Him of the Australian Navy plan to steer a boatload of refugees into New Zealand waters,

    What a crock, Slippery will get a dose of ‘intelligence’ when in November 2014 the people of New Zealand give this Slippery little Shyster the kick along with His government that hasn’t got a clue amongst themselves…

    • TightyRighty 18.1

      Where was his bullshit called on him? Who called him on it? Did he say it came from the person/s who “have” called bullshit on him?

    • phil 18.2

      I find myself agreeing with you, except for an inadequate use of bovine defaecation. Although organic material can be useful in the vege garden, and this ‘organic’ government obsfucation is not, and far more dangerous to our demockary.

  19. Lloyd 20

    When you analyse it, all Kiwis prior to the late 1940s and the majority until the 1960s were boat people. Most 2nd or third or more generation New Zealanders are the descendants of boat people.

    Boat people made this country.

    If we are to have more migrants maybe we should ONLY LET BOAT PEOPLE INTO THE COUNTRY. They would be our sort of people.

    They would be able to stand shitty conditions and accept what the criminal captain told them.

  20. Trickledrown 21

    legal immigrants who were welcomed to this country

  21. phil 22

    Ahmed Zouie, ( apologies for spelling) has 27 relatives in NZ? How many relatives does John Key have in NZ? Or Kim Dot Com? What a smoke screen.

  22. Nice informative post dear. now sharing some useful stuff about Newzeland Immigration Guide

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  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
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  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
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  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
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  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

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

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  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
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  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

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

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

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

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

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    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

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    24 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

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

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

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

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    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

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

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

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

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

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    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

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    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

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

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    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

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    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

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    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

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    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

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    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

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    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

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  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

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    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

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    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

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    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

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    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

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    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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