Open Mike 03/05/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 3rd, 2018 - 144 comments
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144 comments on “Open Mike 03/05/2018 ”

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  1. Sacha 1
    3 May 2018 at 6:38 am

    Well, well. Ignored 2010 DHB report includes photo of shit leaking inside hospital building: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/356501/middlemore-problems-highlighted-in-2010-report

    • tracey 1.1
      3 May 2018 at 7:43 am

      Which is odd when the recently dismissed board member said the feces was one incident in 2014…

    • mickysavage 1.2
      3 May 2018 at 7:45 am

      Someone tell Matthew Hooton. He thinks it is all a big political beat up

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12031349

      • tracey 1.2.1
        3 May 2018 at 7:53 am

        It irks me that Hooten’s sign off says PR and Excelcium not former National Party staffer etc etc.

        He may be miffed that this latest revelation makes him look a little foolish.

        To sugest that Clark and Wall not knowing equates to every Nat Health Minister and DHB Chair not knowing since 2010 is disingenous at best.

        Of course the hospital is still operating. How could it not? It serves the largest population catchment in Auckland and that catchment contains many over representated in illness stats.

        Were they supposed to close and send the patients to Colemans new employers private hospitals? At private rates paid for by the taxpayer?

        Does the cost to fix include the cost of relocating the services within the building being repaired?

        • Rosemary McDonald 1.2.1.1
          3 May 2018 at 8:37 am

          “Were they supposed to close and send the patients to Colemans new employers private hospitals? At private rates paid for by the taxpayer?”

          Of course.

          (Although they might be a tad on the busy side with the potential of thousands of Ngati Whatua privately funded patients joining the queue…https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/ngati-whatua-orakei-announces-free-private-health-insurance-hapu-members )

          Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?

        • miravox 1.2.1.2
          3 May 2018 at 9:02 am

          Speaking of former NActs, the greatest skill of Tony Ryall (Simpson Grierson’s head of pubic policy, Minister of Health 2008-2014) was putting in place health the targets and budget stretching that bedevil the public health services today, and walking away before the sh-ortages hit the fan.

          • greywarshark 1.2.1.2.1
            3 May 2018 at 9:49 am

            Tony Ryall – I remember a political commentator saying that he had been adept at keeping health on low profile while he was Minister. Managing down, austerity reigns, that will get you a good outcome when you step down as a pollie.

            This illustrates the awful moral hazard that faces the citizens with business reigning over us. There is no desire for government to see that anything is done well or goes well for the mass of the citizens, because there is a private company that can profit from undertaking the remedial work. It’s a factory chain of robotic ‘wealth creators’ (euphemism), and we are being passed from one work station to another.

            But the work done for and on us does not have to conform to any excellence except what shows on the surface. There are no solid regulations that are practical and have teeth and are monitored and activated.

            Every breath you take I’ll be watching you.
            Every move you make ” ” ” ”
            Oh can’t you see
            You belong to me…………
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOGaugKpzs

            No, or few regulations on business, but yes for citizens. Every step and breath that citizens take is being regulated by business through their servant entity, government. So sneer at the promise of a brave new world of neoliberalism, freemarketing and freebooting (now add freebotting).

            The rights and opportunities we had achieved for us all have been given away and we are left with nothing positive just being exploited! We have swopped our magic beans for a cow! Go climb that beanstalk Jacky and steal back our golden future from the giant, and good luck to you pilgrim.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.2.1.1
              3 May 2018 at 10:28 am

              No, or few regulations on business, but yes for citizens. Every step and breath that citizens take is being regulated by business through their servant entity, government. So sneer at the promise of a brave new world of neoliberalism, freemarketing and freebooting (now add freebotting).

              QFT

              I’ll add this bit from Why we can’t afford the rich:

              Though it never admits it, neoliberalism is a political-economic movement that seeks to legitimise widening economic inequalities and defend rentier interests above all others. Rentiers can live off others regardless of their gender, race, sexuality and so on.


              The majority of us are slaves to keeping the rich wealthy. That’s how capitalism is designed.

            • tracey 1.2.1.2.1.2
              3 May 2018 at 10:36 am

              No wonder Bridges skipped ANZAC Day… they have eroded so many things those folks died for

            • miravox 1.2.1.2.1.3
              3 May 2018 at 5:55 pm

              I love a good rant grey, especially when it’s so much better than I could have done. An excellent point on our regulatory environment and the differences in it for businesses and citizens.

              And some people still think politics doesn’t affect them. Only when enough citizens pay attention, will the politicians change that neo-liberal regulatory environment instead of just stitching up the fraying edges.

              • greywarshark …
                3 May 2018 at 6:03 pm

                miravox
                There was some point before one of the elections that Key denied the seriousness of some criticism saying that the naysayers were making politics out of it whatever it was. We are so green that we are like spirulina if we don’t understand that everything done and said is political and has effects on all the citizens – Politics’R US!

                Wikipedia
                political
                adjective: political
                1.
                relating to the government or public affairs of a country.
                “a period of political and economic stability”

                Way to go – Participatory democracy – Everyone start studying politics as it is taught, so you are knowledgable when the time for making good future decisions comes.

      • DH 1.2.2
        3 May 2018 at 9:28 am

        Hooten is probably right. DHB heads might be compelled by the Nat Govt to hide that sort of information from the media but they can’t keep it out of the books. Building depreciation and deferred maintenance is financial information with an absolute requirement it be reported in the annual accounts.

        The Audit Office signed off the annual report of CMDHB, if anything was deliberately missed out I’d expect to see the Audit Office descend on that DHB like a plague of locusts. Politicians might get away with bullshitting about financial matters but accountants and senior managers sure can’t (not when they’re discovered anyway).

        It still surprises me that so many people can report on an issue like this without any of them even bothering to take the time to read the annual reports of the party in question. It should be the first thing interested people do, the annual accounts of all Govt departments are a free download for anyone to peruse.

        • tracey 1.2.2.1
          3 May 2018 at 10:37 am

          Did Hooten say the Nats forced the DHB Heads to hide stuff?

          • DH 1.2.2.1.1
            3 May 2018 at 12:41 pm

            No that was what I saw as the initial brouha tracey; that the Nat Govt was (allegedly) pressuring DHB heads to defer maintenance and keep quiet about it in order to make their own books look better.

            The claims that have been made about costs should be in the annual report. I scanned through a few of them and saw few surprises there. The possible existence of asbestos in old buildings, for example, has been acknowledged for years in their books. They just state they’ won’t make provision for it as a liability until if/when it’s discovered and needs addressing. That’s fair enough.

            The annual reports are worth reading IMO. They can contain a lot of fluff in the intro but the financial statements contained within the reports are a serious business, they make a statutory declaration on the truthfulness of those.

    • Draco T Bastard 1.3
      3 May 2018 at 10:21 am

      All of these issues result from one aspect of our society: Our desire to do everything on the cheap.

      It’s why we have shoddy infrastructure, why our economic development has slowed and why farming is still a major industry.

      Things is, it will cost us far more in the long run. More environmental damage by the farms and more for repairs on substandard houses and infrastructure.

      But it does allow the RWNJs to cut taxes for the rich.

  2. Ed 2
    3 May 2018 at 6:42 am

    Audrey Young showed her true blue colours yesterday when she attacked those using the term Dirty Politics to describe the behaviour of right wing scum trolls who have attacked Clarke Gayford.
    She is either an incompetent journalist or a dishonest one.

    • tc 2.1
      3 May 2018 at 6:50 am

      Audrey’s an enabler like the hosk etc. Shes attacking the rhetoric rather then the issue of deliberately placed malicious content for political advantage, who and why ?

      That’s not even journalism of any sort that’s pushing an agenda…..removal of the term from the narrative that’s interwoven in many minds with the national party.

      They really don’t like the truth or it being played out in public as that’s going to hurt further at the polls.

    • Stunned mullet 2.2
      3 May 2018 at 6:56 am

      Didn’t take you long to fall off the wagon.

      • mauī 2.2.1
        3 May 2018 at 9:44 am

        Ed doesn’t need your snarkiness, thanks very much.

      • Draco T Bastard 2.2.2
        3 May 2018 at 10:31 am

        Is dirty politics Dirty Politics or not?

      • Ed 2.2.3
        3 May 2018 at 5:51 pm

        Stunned
        I did not read the Herald.
        I heard about Young’s comments on this site.
        You will notice I have not linked .

        By the way, as a right wing troll, were you part of the rumour mill about Clarke?

        • Stunned Mullet 2.2.3.1
          3 May 2018 at 8:31 pm

          I thought you were ignoring my comments Ed – that’s a double fall off the wagon. What are the rumors about Gayford ?

    • Ffloyd 2.3
      3 May 2018 at 7:08 am

      At Ed.Yep! Incompetent and dishonest.

    • OnceWasTim 2.4
      3 May 2018 at 7:45 am

      She reminds me of the MSM’s stern old Ward Matron of yesteryear who is always right and has her pet patient.

    • Incognito 2.5
      3 May 2018 at 7:50 am

      DP operates at two levels. At the sinister level it aims to drag all politics down to gutter politics with associated gutter ‘journalism’ and similar (and worse) shit in MSM and social media, respectively. You cannot fight it easily without falling in this trap, which is why DP is so insidious and effective! Lefties have particular difficulty with tackling DP and are very prone to becoming victims of it because they like to take and come (down) from the ‘moral high ground’. Of course, this makes the Left the ideal target of DP, in fact the only one; the Left cannot turn the tables despite RWNJs arguing otherwise.

      • tracey 2.5.1
        3 May 2018 at 7:56 am

        … and money. Arms length Nat elves seem to have more money to help keep sources protected

    • Grantoc 2.6
      3 May 2018 at 10:56 am

      You’re spinning it Ed.

      Young suggested that when Ardern used the phrase ‘dirty politics’, Ardern was deliberately sending a dog whistle to conspiracy theorists on the left (like you) to assume it was the Nats who were responsible for the Gayford rumours and to put the boot in.

      It worked a treat; just about every man and his dog (after being whistled) on this site yesterday did just that.

      You were played Ed. You ended up no better than the original rumour mongers. But you served Jacinda’s purpose.

      • Sacha 2.6.1
        3 May 2018 at 11:03 am

        “no better than the original rumour mongers”

        Nice false equivalence you have there. Where did you read it?

        • lprent 2.6.1.1
          3 May 2018 at 11:19 am

          It has been a meme being pushed. Probably the most notable proponent (and probable originator – it has his style) was Hooten.

          But it has been interesting watching the attempts to push the “reverse black ops” meme all over the place. Entirely done in those hushed “I have a little secret” tone that the alt-ridiculous seem to love.

          Oh well I guess it makes them feel like they are in the know. And makes the suckers feel bigger than they really are

          • tracey 2.6.1.1.1
            3 May 2018 at 11:27 am

            And allows them to excuse their part in sharing the rumour with friends and family

      • tracey 2.6.2
        3 May 2018 at 11:26 am

        Riiiiiight grantoc, better she said nothing and just let the rumour die… oh wait is wasnt dying it was spreading, like all the dirty little rumours that swirled during Clark’s leadership.

        Past behaviour is a good predictor of future etc etc

        Nats and their arms lengthers have form. You are the one spinning.

        Paracetamol for grantoc please.

    • Bewildered 2.7
      3 May 2018 at 11:24 am

      Scum is dehumanising word that adds nothing to a discussion or arguenrnt left or right, using it simply lowers you to level of Clarke attackers

      • tracey 2.7.1
        3 May 2018 at 11:29 am

        What do you mean Clarke attackers? Who are you talking about?

        Actual ” take the moral high ground” is something of the same strategy of these DP ers… first they swirl the rumour and watch it grow, then when someone responds, they join the chorus of vouces saying “turn the other cheek”, cos they know they win twice cos the rumour keeps swirling into more and more ears.

      • Draco T Bastard 2.7.2
        3 May 2018 at 11:45 am

        Accurately describing people helps understanding.

        Failing to do so doesn’t.

      • AB 2.7.3
        3 May 2018 at 2:43 pm

        Scum is something that floats to the top, is mostly unpleasant in nature and if not removed spoils the flavour of the wholesome stuff underneath. As a metaphor I’m not sure it’s so badly chosen. It is somewhat inflammatory though…

      • Gabby 2.7.4
        3 May 2018 at 6:16 pm

        Is ‘lying sacks of shit’ more or less dehumanising than ‘scum’ beewee?

  3. tracey 3
    3 May 2018 at 7:47 am

    Tracy Watkins opines on the dirty politics claim. She notes Clark was subject the relentless rumours while in office and Key to rumours when he left. Ardern subject in office… via her partner. Despite the pattern being

    Labour rumours in office
    National rumours post resignation

    She concludes it isnt a strategy by a political party…

    She tried to write a balanced article but that last sentence or so…

    We know Nats rarely dish the dirt themselves and have a history of using arms length folk to do it. And yes it is proven james

    • Ed 3.1
      3 May 2018 at 6:28 pm

      She knows the pattern.
      But it’s her job to speak do the bidding of international finance.’
      Must be hard to sleep at night.

  4. Sanctuary 4
    3 May 2018 at 7:52 am

    The defining characteristics about the aging dinosaur media like Soper, Young, and O’Sullivan is chronological decrepitude, intellectual morbidity and a resulting torpid professional lassitude.

    The chronological and intellectual decadence of that generation of journalists means they are much more inclined to treat dirty politics as a useful source of reliably controversial copy that relieves their aging brains of the need to think or investigate, and they can rationalise their complicity with a world weary cynicism that masquerades as sophistication for so many of our not half as clever as they think they are aging senior journalists.

    I’ve thought recently that one of the more interesting pieces of meta data of a “youth-adjacent” Jacinda’s elevation to power is the sudden revelation of the creeping atmosphere of defeatism and nihilism that comes with a population that is losing it’s virility as it ages. I remember a particular conversation in the media when the previous government was asked if we could take the Manus Island refugees. The boomer minister responded with a bewildering list of reasons for why it was all just so hard and complex. Next up on the radio was Golriz Ghahraman, who immediately launched into a back of the envelope planning session on how you could squeeze the refugees into the various centres around the country. For her, the question wasn’t if we could take them, it was how we could manage them when they got here.

    The difference between age and youth has seldom been so starkly illustrated. Much the same issue infests our establishment media. Far, far to many journalists are out of place and out of another time yet cling to senior jobs like shipwrecked sailors to a mast in a storm tossed sea whose movements they no longer understand or anticipate.

    The real trick to getting old gracefully is knowing when to hand the reins over to the youngsters, and be relaxed and confident that the future is in safe hands when you do so.

    Clearly none of our ancient brigade of senior journalists possess this skill.

    • tracey 4.1
      3 May 2018 at 7:59 am

      Great piece Sanctuary… add in Armstrong and Roughan, the increased use of former politicians and former party hacks to write pieces. I see Hooten described a trained journalist at the herald as his colleague. Not really Sir.

      The Nats are enacting their 2005 template. DP has started. Leader is saying he doesnt approve. We are on a John Key loop

      • greywarshark 4.1.1
        3 May 2018 at 11:44 am

        By thunder Sanctuary – you really spell it out well when you get going – as here.

        The defining characteristics about the aging dinosaur media like Soper, Young, and O’Sullivan is chronological decrepitude, intellectual morbidity and a resulting torpid professional lassitude.

    • Gabby 4.2
      3 May 2018 at 9:09 am

      The defeatism is just a mask for antipathy sanky. It wouldn’t do to come out and say we don’t want them here.

    • JanM 4.3
      3 May 2018 at 9:13 am

      Wonderful piece, and so true – thank you, Sanctuary.

    • OnceWasTim 4.4
      3 May 2018 at 10:03 am

      Exactery! Some of the old hacks would be funny if they weren’t so bloody dull

      • patricia bremner 4.4.1
        3 May 2018 at 4:29 pm

        OnceWasTim, “Would be funny if they weren’t so dull….. no no .. dangerous.!!”

        They confirm memes and attitudes. Soper and Duplicity Allan particularly.

        Audrey is nasty and her body language when she “interviewed’ Jacinda ahead of the election was “disbelief she could be PM.”

        When anyone on the Left queries their writings, they are accused of “over reacting,”

        I have said several times that “memes were being repeated and the writing was unbalanced”. Micky proved that!!

        I also felt the appearance of key phrases showed collusion of some type, or an echo chamber follow the leader team tag.

        They are dangerous because they poison discussions and create traps.

  5. DB Brown 5
    3 May 2018 at 8:04 am

    Cambridge Analytica to shut down.

    Not sure if I’ve got this?

    The real crime (to me) was installing a President by fraudulent means. The fix should at least start with all involved going to court.

    Shutting down the company seems necessary but impotent. There are people involved in every bit of corporate shenanigans, somehow the ‘company’ gets told off, scapegoats are fired, but no one responsible really seems culpable? The social damage (wealth shift now to the corporate/wealthy via a fraudulently elected leader = massive theft) will be enormous, let alone the psychological damage of undermining the safety and rights of women and minorities, and encouragement of various dictatorial styled leaders…

    Zuckerberg’s still a billionaire with obscene power. Three steps removed mate. Corporate trickery again.

    And… Facebook is a dating agency now:

    Obscenity, meet shame.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1
      3 May 2018 at 10:37 am

      That is how capitalism is designed. It protects the guilty from the consequences of their immoral actions – if they’re rich.

      • greywarshark 5.1.1
        3 May 2018 at 11:46 am

        DTB
        You could add that capitalism finds ways to make profit from all popular movements of whatever kind. Politics, religion and so it goes.

  6. Andre 6
    3 May 2018 at 8:05 am

    Cambridge Analytica is shutting down. Shine a light into a dark place and the rats gathered there scatter. I hope people are tracking where they’re scuttling off to.

    https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/02/politics/cambridge-analytica-closure/index.html

  7. esoteric pineapples 7
    3 May 2018 at 8:30 am

    Israel is ramping up its involvement in the Syrian conflict

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f52uTFkWDwU&feature=share

    Netanyahu is given the power start conflicts without the okay from the Israeli parliamement

    http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/netanyahu-granted-greater-war-powers-israeli-parliament-1557931233

  8. Rosemary McDonald 8
    3 May 2018 at 8:52 am

    Another worthy effort from Kirsty Johnston and Chris Knox in the Herald this morning. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12042963

    “According to current police data analysed by the Herald, as of 2016 up to 80 per cent of reported aggravated sexual assaults go unresolved. For the crime “male rapes female 16 and over”, that number is even higher, at 85 per cent. Rape cases are four times less likely to go to court in comparison with other types of physical assault, where only 24 per cent of offences are unresolved.”

    This is a feature article and deserves more than a passing acknowledgement of the headlines.

  9. Rosemary McDonald 9
    3 May 2018 at 8:52 am

    Another worthy effort from Kirsty Johnston and Chris Knox in the Herald this morning. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12042963

    “According to current police data analysed by the Herald, as of 2016 up to 80 per cent of reported aggravated sexual assaults go unresolved. For the crime “male rapes female 16 and over”, that number is even higher, at 85 per cent. Rape cases are four times less likely to go to court in comparison with other types of physical assault, where only 24 per cent of offences are unresolved.”

    This is a feature article and deserves more than a passing acknowledgement of the headline.

  10. Tricledrown 10
    3 May 2018 at 9:05 am

    Cambridge analytical word for word used exactly the same rebuttal as Trump.

  11. Reality 11
    3 May 2018 at 9:16 am

    The know-all Hosking is now pontificating on how Jacinta and Clarke wrongly handled the distressing rumour mill situation yesterday. It is astounding that he thinks he is so fabulously smart and right on every aspect of life and every other mere mortal simply has no idea. What are his qualifications to have these opinions, apart from giant sized ego and arrogance. Ugh.

    • Pete 11.1
      3 May 2018 at 9:21 am

      When God handed those tablets down to Moses did anyone ask “Who the hell are you? What’re your bloody qualifications?”

      Hosking just Is.

    • Anne 11.2
      3 May 2018 at 9:23 am

      The police made it clear they issued their statement without the knowledge of Ardern or Clarke. Typical of the Hosking twat… blame them even when it had nothing to do with them.

      He might as well add that it’s all their fault for existing.

      • James 11.2.1
        3 May 2018 at 10:04 am

        Someone, somewhere must have given an ok – else the police would. E breaking all sorts of rules – privacy for one.

        • tracey 11.2.1.1
          3 May 2018 at 10:39 am

          Hold on there james! Got proof to back that statement? Didnt think so.

          Did you miss the last 9 years? Privacy is so overrated and passe.

          • james 11.2.1.1.1
            3 May 2018 at 1:34 pm

            Fair point – no – you are correct I have nothing to back it up or any proof.

            It would be strange if they did it off their own backs and never mention it to anybody or sought any approval – but you are correct they very well may have done just that.

        • savenz 11.2.1.2
          3 May 2018 at 11:25 am

          Such a backlog of privacy complaints about police actions. Maybe intentional?

        • McFlock 11.2.1.3
          3 May 2018 at 2:46 pm

          Wasn’t it authorised by the commissioner?

          that gets around most of the rules. I’m sure the people involved can complain about the privacy breach is he wants, lol

          • solkta 11.2.1.3.1
            3 May 2018 at 3:40 pm

            Can’t see there is any privacy breach in saying that they are not nor have they investigated the guy.

            • McFlock 11.2.1.3.1.1
              3 May 2018 at 3:45 pm

              Well, if he was a rapper they might have ruined his street cred when they said he hadn’t been charged with anything, ever lol

              edit: his handle was MC Newspaper… because he’s a fish rapper 👿

      • alwyn 11.2.2
        3 May 2018 at 4:26 pm

        “The police made it clear they issued their statement without the knowledge of Ardern or Clarke”.
        Do you, or anyone else have a link to the Police Commissioner’s statement?
        I can’t seem to find the actual statement anywhere.
        I’d like to see exactly what he did say.

        • Anne 11.2.2.1
          3 May 2018 at 5:45 pm

          @ Alwyn,
          I can’t find it anywhere now but it was definitely on one of the online news sites late yesterday. I don’t recollect it being in the actual statement, but from memory Commissioner Bush was responding to a journalist’s question and he said something to the effect:

          No, I did not seek permission from the PM or her partner, Clarke Gayford about issuing the statement.

          I took that to mean the police made the decision to issue the statement independently of anyone outside of the Force.

    • Cinny 11.3
      3 May 2018 at 9:34 am

      media are milking it flat out for clicks/views/listeners, dirty old whale blubber is about to be on radiolive, spinning his own brand of shite on said subject.

      Dirty politics enabling media revenue what a freaking surprise.

    • James 11.4
      3 May 2018 at 10:03 am

      “ What are his qualifications to have these opinions, apart from giant sized ego and arrogance.“

      If you listened to the comment you would know. He was very clear about it and his personal experience being on the receiving end.

      • tracey 11.4.1
        3 May 2018 at 10:41 am

        You need a tshirt

        “Still loving Mike

        Since Forever”

        • james 11.4.1.1
          3 May 2018 at 1:35 pm

          and you need one that says

          “Ideologically blinded by hatred of mike”

      • Draco T Bastard 11.4.2
        3 May 2018 at 11:06 am

        Why are you so determined to protect Dirty Politics?

      • Reality 11.4.3
        3 May 2018 at 11:28 am

        James, Hosking is a radio ranter and former tv tugger of cuffs. That is all., which does not qualify him as a respected and wise person to look up to, or on a par with the the role of Prime Minister.

        • james 11.4.3.1
          3 May 2018 at 1:36 pm

          never said he was wise or on a par with the job – but the point he made is completely valid.

  12. Cinny 12
    3 May 2018 at 9:35 am

    What are everyone’s thoughts about the pamphlets given to high school seniors containing info about drugs etc?

    Personally, I think it’s brilliant.

    I often reflect if part of the drinking culture is due to a lack of information being given to teens, my generation was never schooled on responsible drinking, my parents didn’t talk about it, so as a teen when I tried alcohol I had no idea and ended up in some awful situations as a result.

    Not informing and educating people especially youth on drugs and alcohol hasn’t been working, this approach is fantastic, well done to Massey High and any other high schools involved.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/103554805/parent-outraged-after-methuse-guide-distributed-to-school-students?rm=m

    • veutoviper 12.1
      3 May 2018 at 10:24 am

      I am mostly in favour with a little bit of niggling reservation (but still trying to figure out why specifically).

      Did you hear the interview this morning on Morning Report with the Executive Director of the Drug Foundation Ross Bell? Well worth the five minutes imo. Here is the article with the link to the recording.

      http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018643262/meth-use-advice-at-massey-school-drug-foundation-responds

      PS – thanks for your support re the loss of my little troublemaker with a big T. He’s left a big hole but lots of wonderful memories.

    • OnceWasTim 12.2
      3 May 2018 at 10:25 am

      There’s probably going to be a fair bit of pearl clutching going on, but so far I’m in agreement with Mr Bell.
      I’m also pretty bloody sure most people don’t actually understand the extent of the problem.

    • Rosemary McDonald 12.3
      3 May 2018 at 10:35 am

      “…my generation was never schooled on responsible drinking, my parents didn’t talk about it, so as a teen when I tried alcohol I had no idea and ended up in some awful situations as a result.”

      Hard to discuss when its not clear which generation you’re from.

      I’m edging fast towards 60 and my oldest child is in their 30s.

      I learned about the potentially devastating effects of drug and alcohol use first hand from parents who blighted their children’s lives with their substance abuse.

      Although we almost never talked about it.

      Without the drug and alcohol abuse, at least one of my parents would have made a better fist of keeping us safe.

      Even today, discussions around child protection issues fail to put the substance abuse of the parents at the top of the list of risk factors leading to child abuse, neglect and parental failure.

      And it seems to me that ‘information’ such as the one in question fails as it seems to imply that there is a ‘safe’ and ‘responsible’ way of using meth.

      From the people I have met whose lives,and more importantly those of their children, have been devastated by this singularly hideous drug there is no ‘safe’ way of using. Odds are it will get you (and your loved ones) sooner or later.

      So, no. The pamphlet, as it stands, is a fail.

      • Draco T Bastard 12.3.1
        3 May 2018 at 11:13 am

        And it seems to me that ‘information’ such as the one in question fails as it seems to imply that there is a ‘safe’ and ‘responsible’ way of using meth.

        The article isn’t reporting the full context that the material is used in which is a health course about how to take care of yourself which includes all the negative effects of drug use.

        • tracey 12.3.1.1
          3 May 2018 at 11:31 am

          Exactly. Read some comments of students doing the clurse. They also learn how destructive drug use is. To the user their friends and families. The pamphlet has a context. By taking it out of context the “no sex ed in schools brigade” can shut this discourse too and leave our kids to the woolves

      • Cinny 12.3.2
        3 May 2018 at 2:19 pm

        I’m in my mid forties Rosemary 🙂 sorry should have added that,
        Generation X.

        Adults always drunk at bbq’s and family gatherings, never any violence or abuse (that I saw), a few ‘pearler’ moments when the adults were extra silly.

        So alcohol to me equated to fun and good times was never told or shown the contrary.

        If there’s article on the news about drunk teens, with footage of drunk chicks in skimpy clothing vomiting, falling over etc; I now make a point of showing the girls, so they begin to understand what ‘drunk’ looks like.

        • Rosemary McDonald 12.3.2.1
          3 May 2018 at 3:20 pm

          Oh God! Some of my best friends (etc etc) dreaded that ‘cops on the beat’ reality tv program in case it was their offspring featured sprawled vomiting in the gutter.

          Fortunately the kids made it to their mid twenties relatively un famous. 😉 🙂

          • Cinny 12.3.2.1.1
            3 May 2018 at 10:23 pm

            Lmao !!! 🙂 I say to them…. “no one wants to be ‘that’ girl”

    • Molly 12.4
      3 May 2018 at 1:03 pm

      I think it is the product of getting access to resources to use in this situation without putting it into context.

      The pamphlet is very appropriate for working with heavy users trying to manage the damage their drug use is causing in their lives, with a intent to reduce or eliminate drug use.

      As an information source for non-users it is both inefficient and ineffective at providing the information they need in order to make good choices when the situations they will face offers them the opportunity to indulge.

      Because the pamphlet was intended for drug users, the reasonable assumption was that those reading are already users – and gives information on how to accommodate that use into their lives. The damage of using, by those we would expect would participate in rehabilitation programmes would already have been experienced by those participants, and would in all their varied forms and effects would not have to be described. Their lived experience and involvement in rehab means the “conversation” about drugs, is picked up way down the line – at the management stage.

      For high-school students not familiar with drugs, or users – this pamphlet drops them into the drugs conversation without context or preamble, and seemingly gives legitimacy to experimentation and drug use. Not every student will have the maturity to discuss this academically, and not every student will have the environment around them to understand the difference.

      Having had a brief look at the website, I think the pamphlet was inappropriate for use for information sessions about drugs, a result of not aligning information with audience.

      In terms of working with heavy drug users and addiction problems, the information and advice provided is required to reduce and minimise further harm, and is appropriate for that use.

      • Cinny 12.4.1
        3 May 2018 at 2:27 pm

        Would be good if students had a variety of speakers who are recovering substance abusers to talk to the kids as well as handing out reading material, to add more weight and context to it all.

        They used to be an alcohol-free 3 day dance party, annually I would go to in my 20’s, along with your ticket there was a plethora of safe drug taking information etc etc included.
        Personally, I thought it was brilliant because it included much info about what could go wrong,
        I suspect it could have put some off about taking substances.
        It also allowed others to know what to do if something went wrong for themselves or another person.

        Loved going to that event, attended it for 5 yrs running, no sexual abuse or getting hit on by drunk guys, no booze, no worries, it was magic.

        • Molly 12.4.1.1
          3 May 2018 at 3:06 pm

          Discussion about drugs at this time is important, and as you mention, the involvement of former addicts would add personal impact to the message they share.

          However, if the discussion is around the use of the pamphlet, I think it was a resource fail in terms of not providing the right information for the right audience. Not a big deal, but a failure that should be recognised and acknowledged so that it is not replicated.

          My first job while at school was in the hospitality industry, and the dry academic language used at the time regarding drug use, had absolutely no relevance to me when I was in an environment where drugs (including alcohol) was readily available. There has been much improvement since then at secondary school level.

  13. Observer Tokoroa 13
    3 May 2018 at 10:06 am

    NZ’s forgotten boy

    Mike Hosking was busy explaining on that funny ZB station how he had rumours spread about him. Because he was a great celebrity. And how a marriage went pear shaped – yuk.

    Unusual for him he only made two mistakes. He appears to think he has the status of the PM and her Partner.

    Secondly he thinks the Police Stink. Because they had no negative information whatever on Clarke Gayford.

    What a pretty little citizen he is. If I were Mike, I would walk carefully because the thinking public have had enough of political maleficence. And ZB might find itself in a dispute with ordinary people who do not have the status of one named Michael Hosking. The same people who do not think the Police stink.

    • OnceWasTim 13.1
      3 May 2018 at 10:37 am

      @ Mike H darling. I don’t think it was because of rumours spread that a marriage went pear shaped – do you?
      Maybe it was that perm? No? Darling, I do understand though your need to clutch at anything that will portray you as the perfect specimen. Maybe darling, just be thankful you now have such a loyal and dedicated family support mechanism

    • tracey 13.2
      3 May 2018 at 10:43 am

      I dont recall his vitriol at the police over their illegal handling of the Hager raid

      • Cinny 13.2.1
        3 May 2018 at 2:28 pm

        ^^^ THIS ^^^

      • mary_a 13.2.2
        3 May 2018 at 4:03 pm

        @ tracey (13.2) … or the Dotcom raid either.

        And I bet the small minded Hosking would have certainly supported police intervention over the ridiculous tea pot tapes BS!

        Hosking is a first class no nothing, full of pissing importance twit of the highest order.

    • Ffloyd 13.3
      3 May 2018 at 12:26 pm

      Mike H. Is a voice in the wilderness. He’s old. He’s old hat. He doesn’t need to write his little missives anymore. Any of us could do that for him. He is THE most predictable hack there is. Oh. I forgot to say boring. So he’s out in the wilderness. If he utters a word in the wilderness does he make a sound?

        • McFlock 13.3.1.1
          3 May 2018 at 4:37 pm

          lol

          the digital info gave it away – 750k users, 3millon hours a month. Looks impressive.

          So a few thousand regular users nationally and a pile of barely-actives, otherwise every “listener” is dialing up for only a few hours every month. Maybe once a week if that, lol. And how many of them really want to hear hosking as opposed to background noise? 3 million listers hanging on his every word, my arse.

          I recall years ago an advertiser telling me that the half page ads in a student magazine were more expensive than a full page ad in a nationally-distributed publication. And worth it, because an outlet where you can be something to a few thousand is better than an outlet where you can be irrelevent to ten or twenty times that number.

          • ianmac 13.3.1.1.1
            3 May 2018 at 4:52 pm

            “..with listeners now hitting 3.39 million,..”
            Doesn’t make sense to me especially since National Radio has the biggest audience around 500,000 I seem to remember. But the Herald has to boost their ratings with a disregard for reality in a Donald Trump sort of way.

            • McFlock 13.3.1.1.1.1
              3 May 2018 at 5:05 pm

              That’s across all their radio stations. And if it’s picked by a survey going “which stations have you listened to in the past month?”, someone who owns half a dozen stations in the list is going to do well out of name rec alone lol.

        • Gabby 13.3.1.2
          3 May 2018 at 6:03 pm

          Facts in the hiddle jimbo? Novel.

        • Cinny 13.3.1.3
          3 May 2018 at 10:25 pm

          Lmao… James, that should never ever happen, but it just did. Crack up.

  14. savenz 14
    3 May 2018 at 11:23 am

    From Forest and Bird

    Northland’s sand dune lakes and peaty wetlands are a rare and special habitat. But valuable wetlands are being destroyed by swamp kauri mining, leading to polluted waterways and habitats laid to waste.
    Timber millers are currently exploiting a loophole by claiming wet slabs of wood are finished table tops. Miners are plundering native wetland ecosystems to make quick and dirty money.
    Northland Environmental Protection Society is going to the Supreme Court over the level of protection provided to swamp kauri. They are standing up for nature. It’s amazing what they are doing to fight for nature in Northland.
    90% of our wetlands have already been destroyed in New Zealand. Our nature has been up for grabs for too long. Northland Environmental Protection Society is working to protect their wetlands.

    https://www.facebook.com/NorthlandEPS/?fref=mentions

    (P.S. wasn’t swamp Kauri mining what caused one of the big outages of power leading up to the election… when a digger cut through the cable, not really talked about of course, because people like Judith Collins are all for profiting from this loophole of Kauri mining.)

    • tracey 14.1
      3 May 2018 at 11:33 am

      But… but… but MONEY

      • Rosemary McDonald 14.1.1
        3 May 2018 at 12:58 pm

        But….but….iwi interests, AND Shane Jones….who also happens to be from that iwi…. AND Minister for Getting the Nephews in the Regions off their arses and into work…

        Activists will be pushing it uphill on this.

    • Rosemary McDonald 14.2
      3 May 2018 at 11:49 am

      There are two, maybe three distinct things going on here….

      Firstly, the extraction of swamp kauri logs which Fiona and team have been battling not only the damage done in the digging and extracting to the environment and the waterways, but also the illegal selling of unprocessed timber overseas.

      https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325665/bid-to-stop-swamp-kauri-exports-fails

      Secondly, they are reviving the kauri gum mining industry….which according to locals left the land unusable for years…..

      http://www2.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/article.cfm?c_id=16&objectid=12038405

      And thirdly, the rather alarming expansion of the avocado industry in the Far Far North. I was privileged to sit in on the consent hearing in Kaiatia weeks ago…some extraordinarily knowledgeable and dedicated locals committed to finding out the truth, the facts and educating those with poor understanding of the issues.

      https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/353022/avocado-growers-water-take-divides-northland-communities

      Linking all three of these things is the Kaimaumau Wetland….the second most significant remaining wetland in the country. DOC put up good arguments against the water extraction based on their studies and concerns about the Kaimaumau Wetland…but appeared to be backing away after a break in proceedings.

      https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/355644/iwi-in-peat-mining-venture-says-wetland-is-a-wasteland

      Strongest impression of the hearings was how awfully less than honest, open and transparent were the applicants. Thought the locals were all thick hillbillies and wouldn’t see through their BS. Much less investigate, gather their local experts and shout it from the rooftops…(or the street corner, as the case may be.)

      Long history of kauri in the far Far North…best told here…https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/swamp-kauri/

      • greywarshark 14.2.1
        3 May 2018 at 4:32 pm

        Years ago my father was involved with a hapu business in Northland digging clay. They wanted to utilise it, and used the profits for personal objectives like having an overseas trip, not a bad thing, but did not service their trucks and keep things in working order, thus running down the business. In the end I think they leased the business to someone else.

        It is easy for an iwi leader to say that they want business and to create jobs because that is what all developers say. How many jobs, for how long, what skills will be learned and is the business entity going to be a Maori trust with everyone taught business and development principles so the people understand the short and long term plans and can make informed opinions?

  15. Observer Tokoroa 15
    3 May 2018 at 11:32 am

    Marriage problems at Kellogs Time

    Mike has been used to snugging up against the behind of John Key – a truly magic man – sent down on earth to please and appease ZB inhabitants. Hosking, Soper et al.

    Yes, John Key – The magic man – also a fetish man – and a money man – and cafe maid bully man – and a Golf man – and an Obama man – with a fondness for very young blonde pigtails – is difficult to keep up with John Key. Poor Hosking.

    Especially with the mighty Farrar out the back of Kiwi Blog raving on about “Dykes” with a capital “D”.

    Our National Brethren are so fortunate to have many twisted – I almost said “bent” – personnel guiding the greedy of Aotearoa – and at the same time young Simon. Simon has to achieve only but one thing. Namely: Line his pockets. Like his beloved Colleagues.

    Even if he does have to take humiliating lessons from ChinaDoll Collins.

    It will be a Century before National ever appoints a straight “non pocket lining” MP.

  16. Ffloyd 16
    3 May 2018 at 1:02 pm

    What is the elderly Soper waffling on about now? Labour has orchestrated the last 24 hours he says. Want to know but can’t bring myself to click on.

  17. james 17
    3 May 2018 at 4:26 pm

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12044263

    Despite what some on here might think of him – Hoskings retains talkback crown for ninth straight year.

    • solkta 17.1
      3 May 2018 at 4:53 pm

      and why would that change what we think of him?

      Just tells me there are other people worthy of derision. Mike is the king though of course.

    • Barfly 17.2
      3 May 2018 at 5:22 pm

      And he’s rich, drives fancy cars and hates poor people – I am sure you are a fan James.

    • Fireblade 17.3
      3 May 2018 at 6:05 pm

      Hosking. The king of ZB blue radio. Where closed minded old farts love to moan and closed minded listeners believe everything they hear, because they struggle to think for themselves.

      I’ve met Hosking on many occasions through bussiness. He’s the most arrogant, self absorbed rude prick I’ve ever met.

      James must be of similar character, otherwise he wouldn’t have bothered linking to the story. James loves to shit stir, just because he can. He probably has nothing more constuctive to do with his time.

    • Pete 17.4
      3 May 2018 at 6:19 pm

      If he gets really good he’ll get closer to RNZ’s listening audience!

      He’s king of talkback? How many in an average morning are on his show in a ‘talkback’ situation? I don’t listen to him but he used to be on air from 6-8.30 am. There was a spell of about 10-11 minutes around the hour with ads and news there used to be quite a few other ads. Somewhere along the line he does some sort of monologue. Just wondering.

    • Ankerrawshark 17.5
      3 May 2018 at 9:10 pm

      Arhh talkback that doyenne of critical thought and intellectual pursuit.

      Alternatively mike and talk back listeners….like attracting like. Being the king of talk back hardly anything to crow about

  18. rod 18
    3 May 2018 at 4:41 pm

    When does Simonmania begin ? I can’t wait.

  19. greywarshark 19
    3 May 2018 at 5:54 pm

    Middlemore problems highlighted in 2010 report
    Radio New Zealand Thursday, 3 May 2018, 3:47 pm
    Article: RNZ

    The Counties Manukau DHB has said it was first alerted to leaking buildings in 2012 but, in fact, it was warned in early 2010.

    “The cladding system to the lower levels of the building appears to be failing,” the February 2010 report by surveyors Dalton said, after it took off cladding at five spots on the south wall of the Scott building, which also houses cardiac care.

    It photographed advanced brown rot and light rot in wood frames it rated as “un-sound” and described “widespread incipient decay” caused by leaking.

    “The use of untreated timber and established decay at corners and sheet edges demonstrates that the [three] lower level storeys are at risk of real future failure.”

    Counties Manukau DHB acting chief executive Dr Gloria Johnson said that when she told the public in March this year that they were first alerted to the leaks in 2012, she was not aware of the 2010 report.

    The Dalton report includes a photo of a fece-stained first-floor sewage pipe, where leaking caused “serious damage” to framing. Board’s chair Rabin Rabindran, a board member Mark Darrow and the DHB itself have all said media reports of sewage leaks were overplayed. It’s now known there were at least four such leaks of raw sewage.

    (Labour introduced dodgy spray on protection for interior timbers and continued after leaky homes.)
    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0507/S00239.htm
    Labour fails homeowners in timber treatment scam
    Monday, 11 July 2005, 5:13 pm
    Press Release: New Zealand National Party

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10328966
    Battle over blame in leaky homes
    4 Jun, 2005 12:56pm
    …National MPs Nick Smith and Richard Worth are barking at the Government’s indifference in the absence of incoming Building Minister Chris Carter. It’s the first meeting of the Leaky Homes Action Group and a chance to score pre-election points – but everyone knows the rot started under National’s watch.

    https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/48HansS_20060905_00001352/smith-nick-standards-and-conformance-bill-second-reading
    5 September 2006 –
    (Nick Smith lays out his argument and concern about the dangerously light treatment of framing timber, amounting to shoddy and dishonest.

    Is this one of those cases when it’s a low-regulation neo-liberal government cock-up and Labour has fallen for it on this occasion though it could have happened to National if they had been in power at this period? And is Middlemore the putrid off-colour meat in the sandwich?

  20. patricia bremner 20
    3 May 2018 at 6:07 pm

    OnceWasTim, Somehow this has not attached as an answer… sorry.
    “Would be funny if they weren’t so dull….. no no .. dangerous.!!”

    They confirm memes and attitudes. Soper and Duplicity Allan particularly.

    Audrey is nasty and her body language when she “interviewed’ Jacinda ahead of the election was “disbelief she could be PM.”

    When anyone on the Left queries their writings, they are accused of “over reacting,”

    I have said several times that “memes were being repeated and the writing was unbalanced”. Micky proved that!!

    I also felt the appearance of key phrases showed collusion of some type, or an echo chamber follow the leader team tag.

    They are dangerous because they poison discussions and create traps.

  21. Jenny 21
    3 May 2018 at 8:35 pm

    ‘

    A public talk by acclaimed US/Palestinian author Ramzy Baroud

    Dr Ramzy Baroud’s NZ speaking tour itinerary – 18 to 24 May 2018. Hosted by the NZ Palestine Solidarity Network

    https://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2018/05/01/ramzy-barouds-new-zealand-speaking-tour/

  22. Observer Tokoroa 22
    3 May 2018 at 10:51 pm

    Out they Go

    Look I hate to tell James and sad sack Hosking – and tongue tied Simon – that Capitalism has failed.

    The tag along Audreys and money chasers – Capitalism has failed.

    You lot have dredged the money from the ordinary honest people, and stuffed it into your own piles – often in hidden accounts. You have condoned every dirty thing Key and English did.

    The ordinary citizen has no hope of owning a house . Nor much hope of paying your exorbitant Rents. You are theives. That’s what you Capitalists are.

    Your jacked up Panels; Your Corins; Your so called “Professionals”; Your Hootons are just shallow shaggers. Your Fletchers. Your Fonterras.

    Capitalism is Crime in action. The Banks you support are based in Australia. Criminals in Action. Yet you attack the ordinary struggling man and his family.

    You Capitalist Bastards.

  23. eco maori 23
    4 May 2018 at 9:55 am

    It was a late milking drying cows off so I missed my morning Am show post it a beautiful day in Putaruru bit of a frost I will put up more post later today Ka kite ano P.S. its taken 7 years to get bee killing pesticides banned from use in Europe thanks to the Avaazers movement

  24. eco maori 24
    4 May 2018 at 3:00 pm

    This is how men abuse the power they have bestowed on them using it to abuse people here’s the link.

    Four brave women

    OPINION: Allegations a trusted GP initiated sexual relationships with vulnerable patients bear all the hallmarks of a #metoo case.

    Ka kite ano P.S image how much stuff is hidden at the sandflys lair

    • eco maori 24.1
      4 May 2018 at 3:07 pm

      Here is another.

      ‘His DNA on toilet cam’

      51 min ago
      DNA found on an SD card links one of NZ’s former top naval officers to a camera in a bathroom, prosecution says.

      • eco maori 24.1.1
        4 May 2018 at 3:30 pm

        This is the future of cargo ships Ka pai Ka kite ano

        What will ships look like in 30 years? Yea

        • eco maori 24.1.1.1
          4 May 2018 at 6:48 pm

          Good evening Newshub I’m a bit late tonight we were watching the Mokopunas playing netball. That’s a shame that the people of Vanuatu have to leave their Island ECO MAORI gives all the best wishes for there move to another Island.
          Many thanks to our Labour lead coalition Government for helping all the homeless people. This is a problem cause by the previous Government.
          Many thanks to France and all there good people for there monument that houners the young men who fought for OUR freedom. Ka pai I have seen some of the French cultures and the way they run there society ECO MAORI is quite impressed Ka kite ano

          • eco maori 24.1.1.1.1
            4 May 2018 at 7:22 pm

            The Crowd Goes Wild good evening Makere weres WAI.?
            The Chief playing the Jaguar in Rotorua I’m on the farm at the minute is that were WAI is a watching the game it will be a good game I wish I was there ECO MAORI mite steal all the lime light lol yea right.
            Josh the wave breaks in Raglan are world renowned to a lot of surfers there is a awesome wave breaks At WAI piro Bay Te tairawhiti.
            Ka kite ano

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