I think it’s reasonable to assume that in many cases the family moving into the 800k Kiwibuild homes will have sold their $450k home to do so or freed up a rental.
The price isn’t as important as the supply.
The Auckland market has pulled back 8.2% in 12 months, I think that’s more than noise.
I think the people buying Kiwibuild houses will be those with a good bit of equity in $500k houses.
Yes, that was the pitch but I think first home buyers are unlikely to move into homes priced in the upper quartile, they never have. It’s an unrealistic expectation.
“I know that as Leader of the Opposition I’m supposed to complain about everything.
But that’s not my style.”
No no no no no! A thousands times no! Ten thousand thundering typhoons and billions of bilious blue blistering barnacles this makes me angry!!!!!
Part of the reason Labour went through so many leaders and were in the doldrums for so long was (apart from being generally poo) because they opposed absolutely everything, everything National did was wrong, if National had said the grass was green Labour would said no its blue
We (ok me) don’t want National to oppose everything because not everything Labour, NZFirst or the Greens will say is wrong (sure its mostly wrong but even a stopped clock is right twice a day) I want National to oppose that which needs opposing and supporting that which should be supported because that’ll show National are actually taking note of whats going on and not just running on auto pilot
Its now National who is opposed to everything even when they previously said they supported/ would consider some issues.
We saw that on very first day of parliament when the reduction in Mps on select committees which they and labour worked for in last parliament became ‘hell no we wont go lower’
National will oppose everything that Labour/NZGreens and NZFirst do because it’s against their ideology of giving all state assets to the already rich and empowering the already rich over the poor.
BTW, Labour did support a few things National did. Sometimes that was because it was right but, more often than not, because Labour are still following the failed neo-liberal ideology.
This government’s adopted National’s Social Security (Legislation Rewrite) Bill pretty much in its totality – complete with sanctions – after it said it would oppose it. Good on you, Labour – you can always be trusted to do what you think is right.
Our local National Party MP, Sarah Dowie is leading the charge! She complains about everything! . She even complains about things the Government might, at a stretch, vaguely consider perhaps doing a bit of. Her press releases and letters to the editor are a constant bore; other writers of letters to the editor have labled her a “show pony” and accurately accuse her of always wanting to be noticed. The National Party are following the Dowie prescription and squawking at every passing zephyr. It’s eroding their support but they can’t see it. The polls might declare a high following, but deeper down, they’re losing support by the yap yap day.
The double face palm reminds me of the triple hand shake. Hasn’t Jacinda done well; she’s not fallen off the stage and broken her arm, made an exhibition of herself camping it up on the catwalk, made soap or cannibal jokes nor yanked anyone’s hair; seems odd not to have a sociopath for a PM.
Well shanking a whole industry without any consultation at all could be considered slight sociopathic given how many lives are going to be, at the very least, disrupted
Also not sure if its narcissistic or just plain vanity to take nice, pr positive pics with school kids before closing their schools down
Well shanking a whole industry without any consultation at all could be considered slight sociopathic given how many lives are going to be, at the very least, disrupted
Considering the damage that that industry is doing – no it couldn’t.
Knowing the damage and yet trying to keep it going is the sociopathic action and it’s what National does all the time across many industries.
What would of been the point consulting ? The oil companies would have rallied their supporters and lunched a massive fight back . We elect leaders to lead . The on it’s knees Nat pack don’t know the meaning of the word
Ear to the ground, Pucky, ear to the ground – don’t you know nuttin”? In any case, your claim that the industry is ended is, sadly, not the case. Leaders have to “make the call” sometimes and this one is a minor one, despite your biggering.
You know like how National stated before the election it was going to partially sell off some of the power company shares
They didn’t start a conversation on that at all. They simply said that they would sell them off and did so despite the majority (~70%) being against them doing so.
If they were honestly having a conversation and listening to the owners then they would have stopped the sale.
“they said what they were going to do”
But they hadn’t asked New Zealanders if that’s what they wanted to do. When they did and New Zealanders said, NO, they did it anyway! Pucky??
Or they could have not got enough votes to win the election which meant while people didn’t want them to do the partial sell down it wasn’t a big enough deal to change their votes
It is a bit of a head scratcher, the nurses union recommending the latest proposal.
I wouldn’t hold my breath over the nurses accepting the pay offer.
For RNs (the majority of nurses), the offer has delayed the final proposed two steps, other than that, no change.
The difference in the ‘new’ deal is that it includes senior nurses and health care assistants.
The latest offer considerably reduced what I would have received under the rejected offer. I have no inclination to now accept less. All the NZNO have done by recommending acceptance is fuel anger, its not for a paid union official to try and sway the membership. The feeling among Nurses is one of having been shafted by both the employer and Union.
Have you put up your hand to join the negotiating team at Nurses Union or work on the background in your specialty for the lead negotiators ? How about being a local rep ?
So well within one generation most these “affordable houses” will have just become part of our obscene national obsession of using our homes as commodities, while working class families will never have that security.
Not sure what planet you on, but the spiteful levels have dropped measurably. I know you love your spite, but the rest of us like the break from it.
As for hard ideology, you get your lot destroyed peoples live to score cheap political points. I guess you never had to deal with anyone who was kicked out of their home over the P lie.
It will take a long time to get even close to Key levels of lying, a long, long, long time.
As for lying well I’d point out the TPP, sorry the CPAPTPP or whatever its called but I can’t because there were so many conflicting press releases on what Labour was, or wasn’t going to do
I’d also point out what the current government parties said they’d do pre-election vs post-election but apparently its ok now because you have to wait for the negotiations to see whats really going to happen
James has a peculiar fascination with this event. He nearly wet himself with excitement over the potential for partisan political point-scoring at the time (implying that the Labour Party enabled a sexual predator), and eventually copped a ban.
Whereas, if an evidence-based ranking of organisations that enable sexual exploitation in NZ was constructed, I reckon that the legal profession, the police, the military and the National Party would all out-rank Labour. “Look to your sins.”
or children being sexually attacked at a youth camp
….or appointing the chair of the law and order select committee, despite your knowledge of a police inquiry into the alleged behaviour of a prominent New Zealander….
So people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, roast busters. May I remind you, that your mate Key said “boy’s will be boy’s” about that crew of rapists, and effectively stomped on an enquiry.
Yep the gnats pretended there was no issue and watched families living in cars – laughing and mocking the poor then and blaming them now imo. That is why the gnats are disliked so much and why there no name team will fade into oblivion.
‘So if you take the average wage a a production worker ($38000) + the average wage of a full time cleaner ((35,000) total $73000 figure in rent and two children…..”
Of course they cant afford to rent and pay a mortgage… but thats not the intention but the mortgage replaces the rent.
And please dont wave LVRs of 20% as they dont apply to new houses.
Since when is there some sort of ‘left credentials’ now. Decided by you of course. Spare us the purity of your ideology .
this aint the ‘party line’ anymore
The purity of ideology is not a prerequisite for party membership or ammunition for attempted shaming of others for not being ‘pure enough’ ideologically. ??? Perhaps?
Oh look the argument of the weak of mind, “purist”. I don’t have a party or did you miss that memo. Anymore “red” baiting you wanna practice, or will you wait for your Tory mates to give you some more attack lines?
Socialism does have this annoying thing, where economics matters. It puts the economic interests of working people and poor first. I know bit hard for corporate liberal’s to comprehend, but some really good books out their that can explain it.
Stupid game that requires ‘penalty shootouts to decide a game’
if it was up to me , I would remove goal keeper from field for the extra time period to make goals easier. The other way is to make goal bigger for these sort of games or other rule changes like sending off for professional fouls or penalty goals
Extra time and sudden death. Then count up the number of corners awarded if need be, It’s how it used to be done.
This crap of penalty shootouts…why bother with all the preceding however many minutes?
Meanwhile, for the sake of ‘everyone’ in Wales and Scotland, and the insufferable bullshit they’d have to endure if England won this, any support I may be offering is for “anyone but”.
As a long suffering Fulham and England fan, you have to enjoy these moments and dare to dream for a day or two.
They are the highest ranked team on the bottom half of the draw. That does not guarantee anything, but there has never been a better opportunity since 66 to advance to the final.
as a long suffering though currently happy Burnley fan i felt a bit sorry for Colombia and their fans….couldnt beleve Southgate bringing Dier on rather than Rashford….too negative and so it turned out…still I too am starting to dream a bit
Yep his outrage is volcanic… when someone else has stuffed up. Maybe as mayor he should be FINANCIALLY penalised every time a beach closes due to excessive poos – all elected officials too and their managers.
Basically KIwibuild is little more than a government subsidy for developers.
And yes I know that some middle class families who rent because they are priced out of the house buying market will benefit by being able to “get on the property ladder”. That is not where the most serious need is. The most serious need is further down the income scale, where families don’t have any roof at all.
If the government wanted to address homelessness, (which if we were being honest, is not the purpose of Kiwibuild).
Instead of being put on the housing market, possibly better use might be made of these properties if they were nationalised and made state rentals.
This would make accommodation available at the bottom of the market, where it is most needed, instead of in the middle of the market, where people at least still have some other choices.
Just to remember another bold adventurer, Andrew McAuley R.I.P. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_McAuley Sea kayaking
In 2003, he made the first non-stop kayak crossing of the Bass Strait.[3]
In 2004, he kayaked across the Gulf of Carpentaria.
In 2006, he led an expedition in the Australian Antarctic Territory where they paddled over 800 km within the Antarctic Circle.[4]…
The documentary of McAuley’s journey, Solo, incorporated video footage recovered from one surviving memory stick in his camera, as well as interviews with people on his team during the expedition. It begins with the distress call he made on the evening of 9 February: “Do you copy? This is kayak one. Do you copy, over? I’ve got an emergency situation. I’m in a kayak about 30 kilometres from Milford Sound. I need a rescue. My kayak’s sinking. Fell off into the sea and I’m going down.”[9]
McAuley’s wife Vicki McAuley wrote a book, Solo, about him and his final voyage.[12]
In the same summer, a specially-constructed two-person kayak crossed the Tasman Sea at a more northerly route. The competitive spirit may have played a part in McAuley’s determination to make the journey when he did.[9] A song has recently been written about his final journey by Australian composers Paul Jarman and Phil Voysey, entitled “Towards Infinity”.
“New Zealand unquestionably needs maritime surveillance aircraft – we use them for maritime search & rescue, fisheries patrols, and damage assessment after tropical cyclones. But we don’t need high-tech sub-hunters, for the simple reason that we are not threatened by submarines. Seriously, where are these mythical submarines they are expected to find? And if this fantasised threat is expected to exist not now, but a decade or two in the future, then that suggests that we get the hugely expensive sub-hunting electronics (which makes up a huge chunk of the inflated cost of these aircraft) in that decade or two, not now.
Basicly, high-end military equipment in the absence of any real threat is a vanity purchase. All it does is allow generals to feel like they’re keeping up with the Aussies, while enabling them to get involved in more American wars. There are far better things we could be spending that money on, like schools, hospitals, and state houses, which will make far of a difference to the safety of New Zealanders than expensive, pointless sub-hunting electronics ever will. We should ditch this contract and buy something cheaper which actually serves our needs.”
IS
Where does your computer, phone or internet device come from?
How much does NZ exports go by ship?
How much does NZ imports come by ship?
How much wealth comes from NZ exports which pays for education, health, welfare etc?
What’s the best way to achieve the in-direct military approach attack when combined with direct attack on critical infrastructure, cyber and bio warfare (agriculture and horticulture).
How did the French spooks/ SF personal who bombed the Rainbow Warrior escaped by using a yacht and what else?
What’s the best way to attack NZ and maintain surprise and pauseable deinalability, the direct approach or the indirect approach?
What’s best way to sink a ship and stuff up NZ economy at the same time
Should we be more worried about the indirect military attack or the direct attack on NZ and which achieves the biggest amount of bang, but doing it with the economy of force?
Does globalisation leave NZ vulnerable to an indirect attack either in NZ or else where within the Asia- Pacific?
Resource thief in a Climate Change environment how you stop that when countries are give the current international rules base the two finger salute?
I’ll be back later after some gardening with some interesting trade facts IRT to shipping in the Asia Pacific and current tends.
A “couple” of questions, Ex?
More like a cluster 🙂
Okay: Noel Leemings, lots, lots, plenty (but there are other ways), sneaky means, cunningly, sneakily, wiv a bomb?, no, yes, tricky!
“K”?
So, we’re screwed, right? Gotta play the game and muscle up? Is that what you think, KiwiF?
Or maybe, just maybe – we could put our collective dicks away for a while, and sort out real problems – rather than tacitly support this continuous war that has been happening globally for the last thirty odd year.
Point I’m trying to make is since the start of this Neo Liberalism / Goblalisation B/S has left NZ quite vulnerable as NZ is an export base economy. So if NZ doesn’t want to or can’t maintain it Sea Lanes Of Communication (SLOC) then NZ’s economy turns to shit rather fast because if you can’t import, then it is highly unlikely that you will be able to export which in turns leads to some sort of economic downturn or collapse etc.
It’s not about the size of one’s dick or the size one’s tits etc, but about having an independent Defence, Trade, Foreign Affairs and Aid Policies within the recognised International Base Rules Principles. If NZ can’t and isn’t prepared to defend, protect these Principles then what does NZ stand for?
And if you think unarmed Neutrality is going to protect you then good luck with that because it aren’t and if it’s a one state nation that comes knocking then your basic human rights are toast, which I know is a fact from my time in East Timor in 99-00 Peacekeeping at what the TNI did from 1975.
Way to miss my point. In a big way – so you support the war machine, for the war machines sake? Ever done any reading on the collapse of the economy’s of the fascist states of Europe? Here a short summary, war economy has a limited life span, before it effectively bankrupts itself and leaves it’s population in abject poverty. Spain and Portugal have never really recovered. Italy is still a basket case, and Germany got lucky, it got the Marshall Plan.
We need to work out how to do this smarter, otherwise we really are in the crapper.
Exkiwiforces the US generally makes more reliable military equipment with a long life the C130 and p3 orion are testament to that.
If a war started how long would it Take to be operational from order date.
5 yrs plus by then it will be over?
Depending on the threat matrix at the time, if you have already have level of full operational capability (FOC) then the usual time fame would be around 2-3yrs tops as you won’t run down existing capability until the last 2-3 aircraft has been delivered.
What happen to the ACF is that The No Mates Party started to rundown the A4’s before the F-16’s arrived and when that got caned, the cost for regeneration of A4’s become a sticking point for the incoming government when ET turned to a shit fight. The plan was to keep the Macchi’s flying to maintain a IOC level which will be then be able to force generate an ACF SQN with initial IOC within 18 mths and a full operational capability with 18- 24mths later. But to regenerate the ACF will now take between 5- 10yrs at minimum.
The one’s that got caught were the recon/ logistics team not the direct action team (DAT) who escaped by yacht which they later scuttle half way between Norfolk Is and New Caledonia where they were picked by a French boomer which the RN had asked NZ to find when it didn’t turn up on station. That’s when the penny dropped for some people high up and anyway from what I’ve heard over the yrs is that P3 guys found the boomer and ask permission to drop a few a depth charges but someone brink.
To R G at 10 : Sad that this common-sense approach has taken so much energy
over the decades yet still needs propounding . Many thanks for bringing it to notice again.
Heather, in the ideal world I wish there was not a cent spent on a Nations Security budget as I know what war is and it’s effects, but in the real world in which I live unfortunately we have to spend money on a Nations Security and for a nation like NZ it economic wealth is heavily dependent on open and free Sea Lanes Of Communications which can vulnerable to sub- surface and surface interdiction.
The last two World Wars has seen Foreign Nations attempt to interdict our SLOC through the use of Submarines, Armed Merchant ships disguised as tramp ships conducting surface attacks and laying Sea mines, in modern times a Direction Attack in NZ using a yacht and submarine and then we have the RNZN Frigate Canterbury F421in East Timor during the INTERFET operation chasing one, possibly two type 209 subs from the TNI Navy inside ET’s 12 mile limit. God only knows what they will do when we finally kick the assholes out of West Papua, but going on their form guide from ET it will be an ugly operation of undertake and at least a Chap 6 Mission.
And I will refer back to my comment https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-04-07-2018/#comment-1499639. That the indirect attack is more likely to happen to NZ than a direct attack aka an over the beach, air assault attack which requires an awful lot of manpower, equipment and a bloody long logistical nightmare where as an indirect attack requires bugger all manpower and equipment which requires a bugger logistics foot print. It doesn’t mean it has to be in NZ waters which accounts for 10% of the worlds surface water for an indirect attack, it can be at the Singapore hub/ the South China Sea, the North Asia box, the MER Sea Lanes etc.
Then we throw in Climate Change which is going to bring a whole host of other problems as well.
The indirect attack is the most likely and dangerous to NZ interests than a direct attack as a lot of things need to fall into place before its a goer and even then there is no guarantee of success.
I don’t why the left is so fixated on the direct attack/ approach when the indirect means is a lot easier to achieve, but then again they probably don’t study Military tactics, Military logistics , Military History and future Military tends within the Asia/ Pacific Region at University.
I have listened to many of the arguments and justifications for the announced details of Kiwibuild eligibility but sadly can only conclude how out of touch with reality Twyford (and Cabinet) appear with this decision…..it increasingly appears that the Minister is struggling with this key policy area for the coalition, but more importantly for the electorate.
The only way for Kiwibuild not to be a shambles is for a reboot of the old MOW and a return of the old Housing Corp mortgages. The government knows this but knows there will be a political fall out.
That may be an option but they have really sent the wrong message with the criteria for this particular policy….the question is why?..are they so out of touch with real life that they are incapable of seeing how it will be viewed by the average punter or is there some twisted logic behind it?..either way it dosnt provide for those it purports to be targeted at and yet provides for those that dont need it, as if we have a surfeit of housing FFS
Good morning The AM Show I say tasers are a better tool for the police than guns the police have to deal with sycophants people whom have not control on there actions every day and these people put the police lives at risk at least with a taser the person has more chance of serviving the incident.
Sunny Nelson its warm during the summer and very cold in the winter Queen Town has a big lake to ballance out the temperature fluctuations.
Duncan it would be nice if ECO MAORI got paided for all the hits to my post the courts will be dealing with this in the near future. I’m not anti police just anti courpt police.
I see trump got a lesson from the Norwegian Prime Minister he does not mince words just how Eco Maori likes it do what you say and say what you do a link is Below on trump.
We do have a shortage of skilled workers you know who is to blame for this national I say make sure that the workers you import skills cannot be found in the local work force.
You see I hear of stories about foreigns coming here and they are shearmilking in one season you see a lot of people have more respect for Foreigners than they have for Tangata whenua and that’s stuffed up eco Maori can see this behaviour a mile away.
Ka kite ano
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Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
The LIVE Recording of A View from Afar podcast will begin today at 12:45pm May 6, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, 8:30pm (USEST). In an analytical essay titled ‘A moment of friction’ political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan wrote how we are living within a decisive moment of ...
Asia Pacific Report A group of 65 Auckland University academics have written an open letter to vice-chancellor Dawn Freshwater criticising the institution’s stance over students protesting in solidarity with Palestine. They have called on her administration to “support” the students who were denied permission to establish an “overnight encampment” by ...
The Student Volunteer Army is on the march, generating approximately 1.6 million hours of volunteering from roughly 35,000 secondary school students in just five years. For Rebekah Brown, the pathway to volunteering started with her singing coach. With a passion for the arts, the suggestion to volunteer at Acting Antics, ...
Keeping up with online communication can be exhausting, so Fran Barclay enlisted the help of Meta’s new ‘intelligent assistant’ to respond to all her messages. Could her mates tell the difference? For centuries, technology has ruled the ways in which we communicate. From the dawn of written language, to the ...
Jamie Arbuckle, a councillor who has become an member of parliament, says he has settled into having two roles so comfortably he's going to keep both pay cheques. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luis Gómez Romero, Senior Lecturer in Human Rights, Constitutional Law and Legal Theory, University of Wollongong Fifty years ago, Australian feminist Anne Summers denounced “the ideology of sexism” governing over so many women’s lives. Unfortunately, sexism is as lethal today as it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez, Senior Researcher in Architecture, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images The COVID-19 pandemic and the hybrid work patterns it fostered have changed the way we think about office space, and central business districts in general. While fears ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dale Boccabella, Associate Professor of Taxation Law, UNSW Sydney There’s a good reason your local volunteer-run netball club doesn’t pay tax. In Australia, various nonprofit organisations are exempt from paying income tax, including those that do charitable work, such as churches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marina Deller, Casual Academic, Creative Writing and English Literature, Flinders University NetflixComedy is opening up spaces for silences to be broken and trauma stories to be told. In 2018, Hannah Gadsby started a revolution with Nanette, asking audiences to rethink ...
The workplace can be a minefield of bad comms and passive aggression. Kinksters can help you navigate it. A friend and colleague recently gave me a compliment I loved. They told me I’d always been good at emotional communication and making people feel comfortable. “But I feel like it’s really ...
Even if some students are now just texting on their laptops. Stewart Sowman-Lund writes in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
Councils from Horowhenua, Kāpiti, Wairarapa, the Hutt Valley, Porirua and Wellington City will meet this Friday to work together on a plan for a Greater Wellington region water deal. ...
Renowned musician, advocate, and proud born and raised daughter of Tauranga, Ria Hall, is announcing her candidacy for Mayor of Tauranga and Pāpāmoa Ward for the upcoming election on July 20th. ...
The new Aotearoa histories curriculum is rich with potential. There’s still work to be done, but the education minister’s criticisms about ‘balance’ miss the mark, argues primary school teacher Jessie Moss. In 2015, Ōtorohanga College students presented to parliament a petition signed by more than 10,000 people calling for a ...
For too long our so-called national bird has maintained its stranglehold on the economy of regional New Zealand. Thanks to the fast track legislation, we will have our revenge. Theories abound on what ails New Zealand’s economy. National leader Chris Luxon has posited that we’re negative, wet, whiny, and inward-looking; ...
Late one afternoon in March 1860 a man in a thin green velveteen jacket and a wide-awake hat arrived on foot at a sheep station named Glenmark, about 65 kilometres north of Christchurch. The man was in his mid-fifties but he looked older. Several people who met him that day ...
If building one of Auckland’s possible waterfront stadiums was funded privately, it would need to hold a sold-out Ed Sherran concert every weekday for 25 years. That’s Rob Hamlin’s finding – he’s a senior marketing lecturer at the University of Otago. “It’s not going to happen; forget about it,” he ...
Comment: The debate over the future relationship between news and social media is bringing us closer to a long-overdue reckoning. Social media isn’t trying to kill journalism, because social media has never really cared about journalism. Social media is resolutely in the attention business. News propels some attention — perhaps ...
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For the past 12 years, Georgia-Rose Brown has balanced on the brink of making an Olympic Games – but always landed gracefully on the wrong side. Reaching the Olympics is a dream the gymnast has harboured since she was a six-year-old; a dream that would dwindle every four years, yet ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A new Commonwealth Prac Payment will provide students with $319.50 a week when they are on clinical and professional placements. The payment will be means tested and start from July 1 next year, which ...
Asia Pacific Report About 500 people honoured Palestinian journalists in the heart of the New Zealand city of Auckland today for their brave coverage of Israel’s War on Gaza, now in its seventh month with almost 35,000 people killed, mostly women and children. Marking the annual May 3 World Press ...
The Government Communications Security Bureau denies hosting a foreign spying capability flagged by the watchdog, differentiating it from the system recently criticised. ...
RNZ News A group of academic staff at New Zealand’s largest university have expressed concern at the administration’s move to block a protest encampment that was planned to take place on campus calling for support for the rights of Palestinians. This week, the University of Auckland warned that while it ...
Genterwocky After a hard days marching, Sir Doocey calls in at the Village Tavern For a pint of ale and a pork pie. The grim villagers stare at him. “Do not be travelling on the forest road,” warns a crusty old beak. “And why is that, antique peasant?” Grins Sir ...
Political conferences after a party returns to power are usually a chance for some healthy, even unhealthy backslapping. Yet National Party president Sylvia Wood’s address to its mainland representatives on Saturday hardly contained the unalloyed delight that one might have expected following National’s escape from the wilderness of opposition. Yes, ...
Comment: Almost half the world is voting in national elections this year and artificial intelligence is the elephant in the room. There are genuine fears AI-generated or AI-edited deepfakes will potentially manipulate election outcomes not just in the US and UK, but critically in countries such as India. For that ...
Ahead of the reality franchise’s return to New Zealand, allow us to introduce the eight brides and grooms. Chuck on a veil and tie back your man bun, because it’s time to say “I do” to a new season of Married at First Sight NZ. The reality TV “social experiment” ...
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The cure got high prices IS high prices.
Kiwibuild assists wealthy couples, foreign buyers, interfering with natural market response which collapses from the top down.
WHY?
NZ Resident is a foreigner imho
I think it’s reasonable to assume that in many cases the family moving into the 800k Kiwibuild homes will have sold their $450k home to do so or freed up a rental.
The price isn’t as important as the supply.
The Auckland market has pulled back 8.2% in 12 months, I think that’s more than noise.
Kiwibuild was originally only for 1st time home buyers – But that has now changed as has the price range. “KiwiBuild homes will only be sold to first home buyers”
https://www.labour.org.nz/kiwibuild
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/361025/kiwibuild-eligibility-couples-can-earn-up-to-180-000
But where are we to find in Auckland 50,000 buyers able to qualify to purchase a “kiwi build” ?
I think the people buying Kiwibuild houses will be those with a good bit of equity in $500k houses.
Yes, that was the pitch but I think first home buyers are unlikely to move into homes priced in the upper quartile, they never have. It’s an unrealistic expectation.
So why did Labour imply that they would be?
“The Auckland market has pulled back 8.2% in 12 months”
Not Kiwibuild homes – they are over 8% from their promised price even before one has been built.
Kiwibuild house prices will be subjected to market forces.
I think labour was pretty clear on the “sale” cost of them in their promises. Of course – its not whats happening now.
“I know that as Leader of the Opposition I’m supposed to complain about everything.
But that’s not my style.”
Simon Bridges
https://www.national.org.nz/speech_to_fieldays_on_climate_change
“I know that as Leader of the Opposition I’m supposed to complain about everything.
But that’s not my style.”
No no no no no! A thousands times no! Ten thousand thundering typhoons and billions of bilious blue blistering barnacles this makes me angry!!!!!
Part of the reason Labour went through so many leaders and were in the doldrums for so long was (apart from being generally poo) because they opposed absolutely everything, everything National did was wrong, if National had said the grass was green Labour would said no its blue
We (ok me) don’t want National to oppose everything because not everything Labour, NZFirst or the Greens will say is wrong (sure its mostly wrong but even a stopped clock is right twice a day) I want National to oppose that which needs opposing and supporting that which should be supported because that’ll show National are actually taking note of whats going on and not just running on auto pilot
Arrgggh, Hulk smash puny National strategists!!!!
I didnt see National out there complain about the TPP when Labour signed it.
And that was a biggie.
Thats nonsense.
Its now National who is opposed to everything even when they previously said they supported/ would consider some issues.
We saw that on very first day of parliament when the reduction in Mps on select committees which they and labour worked for in last parliament became ‘hell no we wont go lower’
and more
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/360621/domestic-violence-bill-unfair-to-small-businesses-national
Man, you’re delusional.
National will oppose everything that Labour/NZGreens and NZFirst do because it’s against their ideology of giving all state assets to the already rich and empowering the already rich over the poor.
BTW, Labour did support a few things National did. Sometimes that was because it was right but, more often than not, because Labour are still following the failed neo-liberal ideology.
This government’s adopted National’s Social Security (Legislation Rewrite) Bill pretty much in its totality – complete with sanctions – after it said it would oppose it. Good on you, Labour – you can always be trusted to do what you think is right.
Even when it’s been proven wrong.
Our local National Party MP, Sarah Dowie is leading the charge! She complains about everything! . She even complains about things the Government might, at a stretch, vaguely consider perhaps doing a bit of. Her press releases and letters to the editor are a constant bore; other writers of letters to the editor have labled her a “show pony” and accurately accuse her of always wanting to be noticed. The National Party are following the Dowie prescription and squawking at every passing zephyr. It’s eroding their support but they can’t see it. The polls might declare a high following, but deeper down, they’re losing support by the yap yap day.
“The polls might declare a high following, but deeper down, they’re losing support by the yap yap day.”
IMHO its less that and more this:
https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-a35af10f8d87a3bf953f4dee9141e4df
The double face palm reminds me of the triple hand shake. Hasn’t Jacinda done well; she’s not fallen off the stage and broken her arm, made an exhibition of herself camping it up on the catwalk, made soap or cannibal jokes nor yanked anyone’s hair; seems odd not to have a sociopath for a PM.
“seems odd not to have a sociopath for a PM”
Well shanking a whole industry without any consultation at all could be considered slight sociopathic given how many lives are going to be, at the very least, disrupted
Also not sure if its narcissistic or just plain vanity to take nice, pr positive pics with school kids before closing their schools down
Considering the damage that that industry is doing – no it couldn’t.
Knowing the damage and yet trying to keep it going is the sociopathic action and it’s what National does all the time across many industries.
So ending the industry without any ideas of what the people working, or supporting, it will do is all good with you?
Good job that they didn’t do that then isn’t it?
And if they had done that I’d expect them to make training and support available so that those people can change careers.
But, then, I think such support be permanently available as industries are often taken over by new knowledge.
With 30 years advance warning? Fine by me.
What would of been the point consulting ? The oil companies would have rallied their supporters and lunched a massive fight back . We elect leaders to lead . The on it’s knees Nat pack don’t know the meaning of the word
Because when its such a contentious, and important, issue you’d think there’d absolutely be a positive conversation about it
You know like how National stated before the election it was going to partially sell off some of the power company shares
You know as well as I do the sell off hated by most . And in no way was the reason the nats got elected.
Nd I have not heard a single person in my sphere complain about the oil shut down
Yet they still announced prior to the election rather than simply waiting to be elected and then running it
“We elect leaders to lead”
– So you’ll have no issues when National gets back in and decide to make some changes, without consultation of course
It would be their right if they got elected wether i like it or not is irrelevant.
And the stopping of oil exploration permits was indicated before the election. No matter how much National want to lie about it.
To bwaghorn, ok fair enough
To Draco, when or where was it indicated?
Ear to the ground, Pucky, ear to the ground – don’t you know nuttin”? In any case, your claim that the industry is ended is, sadly, not the case. Leaders have to “make the call” sometimes and this one is a minor one, despite your biggering.
In their policies leading up to the election as you’re quite aware of.
https://thestandard.org.nz/who-gives-a-hooton-about-climate-change/
https://thestandard.org.nz/government-blocks-off-shore-oil-and-gas-drilling/
They didn’t start a conversation on that at all. They simply said that they would sell them off and did so despite the majority (~70%) being against them doing so.
If they were honestly having a conversation and listening to the owners then they would have stopped the sale.
Pucky don’t care. His mind is made up.
Bollix, they said what they were going to do if they won the election. Labour dropped this after they won the election, big difference.
“they said what they were going to do”
But they hadn’t asked New Zealanders if that’s what they wanted to do. When they did and New Zealanders said, NO, they did it anyway! Pucky??
Or they could have not got enough votes to win the election which meant while people didn’t want them to do the partial sell down it wasn’t a big enough deal to change their votes
Not that. The “partial sell down” was a crock, as most NZers recognised. Do you, Pucky, hold that it was wise?
And the majority of people said, after National won the election, that they didn’t want National to sell state assets.
But National did anyway. This was, of course, fully undemocratic.
This is supposedly a democracy where the will of the people is actually taken into account.
It was in their election policies. So, no, they didn’t drop this after the election.
Who says Slick doesn’t have a sensa yuma?
It is a bit of a head scratcher, the nurses union recommending the latest proposal.
I wouldn’t hold my breath over the nurses accepting the pay offer.
For RNs (the majority of nurses), the offer has delayed the final proposed two steps, other than that, no change.
The difference in the ‘new’ deal is that it includes senior nurses and health care assistants.
The latest offer considerably reduced what I would have received under the rejected offer. I have no inclination to now accept less. All the NZNO have done by recommending acceptance is fuel anger, its not for a paid union official to try and sway the membership. The feeling among Nurses is one of having been shafted by both the employer and Union.
Have you put up your hand to join the negotiating team at Nurses Union or work on the background in your specialty for the lead negotiators ? How about being a local rep ?
didnt think so
How do you know that I dont ?.
My reaction upon hearing the latest offer and the unions recommendation to take it, was not flash.
I do not understand the union’s stance.
Perhaps the strike is the way, sends an expensive message to DHB and is a great way to unify and empower a workforce.
Affordable houses with a $180,000 cap or in other words a couple earning $3500.00 p/w that they can sell within 3 years…what a fucking joke.
So if you take the average wage a a production worker ($38000) + the average wage of a full time cleaner ((35,000) total $73000 figure in rent and two children…they will never be able to afford an “affordable home”
https://www.payscale.com/research/NZ/Job=Production_Worker/Hourly_Rate
https://www.payscale.com/research/NZ/Job=Cleaner/Hourly_Rate
So well within one generation most these “affordable houses” will have just become part of our obscene national obsession of using our homes as commodities, while working class families will never have that security.
It is a disgrace.
Thats Labour and this coalition for you.
Just like national, but not as cruel about it.
I think its mores just like National, but not as upfront about it.
It is nice to not have the spitefulness, hard ideology, and lies though.
Let me know when we have a government like that
Not sure what planet you on, but the spiteful levels have dropped measurably. I know you love your spite, but the rest of us like the break from it.
As for hard ideology, you get your lot destroyed peoples live to score cheap political points. I guess you never had to deal with anyone who was kicked out of their home over the P lie.
It will take a long time to get even close to Key levels of lying, a long, long, long time.
Red this and tell me it isn’t spite or ideology thats causing it: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?
c_id=1&objectid=11946622
As for lying well I’d point out the TPP, sorry the CPAPTPP or whatever its called but I can’t because there were so many conflicting press releases on what Labour was, or wasn’t going to do
I’d also point out what the current government parties said they’d do pre-election vs post-election but apparently its ok now because you have to wait for the negotiations to see whats really going to happen
spite causes broken links?
Well shit…
lol I know the feeling only too well
One point, and then you missed Willy Jackson’s take on it. The whole Maori caucus take on the issue for instance – or did you do that on purpose?
As for you not understanding MMP, that really is your problem. That said, some of us remember the broken promises of the 4th national government.
“I guess you never had to deal with anyone who was kicked out of their home over the P lie.”
or children being sexually attacked at a youth camp
Idjit.
James has a peculiar fascination with this event. He nearly wet himself with excitement over the potential for partisan political point-scoring at the time (implying that the Labour Party enabled a sexual predator), and eventually copped a ban.
Whereas, if an evidence-based ranking of organisations that enable sexual exploitation in NZ was constructed, I reckon that the legal profession, the police, the military and the National Party would all out-rank Labour. “Look to your sins.”
Too complex, Drowsy, if you want to reach James, keep it simple! !
IF… He’s beyond my ‘reach’, but keep up the good fight!
….or appointing the chair of the law and order select committee, despite your knowledge of a police inquiry into the alleged behaviour of a prominent New Zealander….
So people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, roast busters. May I remind you, that your mate Key said “boy’s will be boy’s” about that crew of rapists, and effectively stomped on an enquiry.
Yep the gnats pretended there was no issue and watched families living in cars – laughing and mocking the poor then and blaming them now imo. That is why the gnats are disliked so much and why there no name team will fade into oblivion.
the $180K is a cap not a floor.
‘So if you take the average wage a a production worker ($38000) + the average wage of a full time cleaner ((35,000) total $73000 figure in rent and two children…..”
Of course they cant afford to rent and pay a mortgage… but thats not the intention but the mortgage replaces the rent.
And please dont wave LVRs of 20% as they dont apply to new houses.
This is what happens when your committed to hard right economics, even as you espouse your left credentials cap in hand.
Since when is there some sort of ‘left credentials’ now. Decided by you of course. Spare us the purity of your ideology .
this aint the ‘party line’ anymore
What do you mean..”this aint the ‘party line’ anymore”?
The purity of ideology is not a prerequisite for party membership or ammunition for attempted shaming of others for not being ‘pure enough’ ideologically. ??? Perhaps?
Oh look the argument of the weak of mind, “purist”. I don’t have a party or did you miss that memo. Anymore “red” baiting you wanna practice, or will you wait for your Tory mates to give you some more attack lines?
Socialism does have this annoying thing, where economics matters. It puts the economic interests of working people and poor first. I know bit hard for corporate liberal’s to comprehend, but some really good books out their that can explain it.
En-ger-land
Football is coming home
Big call to make with a few games to go.
Stupid game that requires ‘penalty shootouts to decide a game’
if it was up to me , I would remove goal keeper from field for the extra time period to make goals easier. The other way is to make goal bigger for these sort of games or other rule changes like sending off for professional fouls or penalty goals
Get rid of the offside rule.
Extra time and sudden death. Then count up the number of corners awarded if need be, It’s how it used to be done.
This crap of penalty shootouts…why bother with all the preceding however many minutes?
Meanwhile, for the sake of ‘everyone’ in Wales and Scotland, and the insufferable bullshit they’d have to endure if England won this, any support I may be offering is for “anyone but”.
3-0
3-0 what ?
England beat Colombia by only one penalty goal? I didn’t realise Colombia played rugby…
Ask James.
“Big call to make with a few games to go.”
3-0 was the big (and incorrect) call I made on the AB / Lions tour.
Called the election wrong too. Patterns.
Reckoned The Greens were toast. Wrong!
Thought meat-eating had a future. As above.
Voted blue/yellow – ewwww!
2 ticks blue !
It 100% does.
as they are hovering just above 5% – I might well be right on that one.
I did indeed.
But I only got the last one wrong. More right than wrong on that front.
You’re so often wrong, James – I wonder if you’ve ever been right!
OK – that made me laugh.
As a long suffering Fulham and England fan, you have to enjoy these moments and dare to dream for a day or two.
They are the highest ranked team on the bottom half of the draw. That does not guarantee anything, but there has never been a better opportunity since 66 to advance to the final.
as a long suffering though currently happy Burnley fan i felt a bit sorry for Colombia and their fans….couldnt beleve Southgate bringing Dier on rather than Rashford….too negative and so it turned out…still I too am starting to dream a bit
Any arsehole dumping oil should be named, shamed and put out of business and get 10000 hours community service imo
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/361041/illegal-oil-dumping-case-goes-to-court
Goffle comes to the party with his indignation plate please. Quietly ignoring the poo on the beach.
Yep his outrage is volcanic… when someone else has stuffed up. Maybe as mayor he should be FINANCIALLY penalised every time a beach closes due to excessive poos – all elected officials too and their managers.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/105221856/kiwibuild-registration-more-people-than-homes-within-hours
“The Government is only expecting to build 1000 of its 100,000 affordable homes before July 2019 as the build programme ramps up.”
Sure they will…
I am still to see any evidence that 1 of those houses is a house that would have not have been built without kiwibuild.
You could quite possibly be right about that EiE
Basically KIwibuild is little more than a government subsidy for developers.
And yes I know that some middle class families who rent because they are priced out of the house buying market will benefit by being able to “get on the property ladder”. That is not where the most serious need is. The most serious need is further down the income scale, where families don’t have any roof at all.
If the government wanted to address homelessness, (which if we were being honest, is not the purpose of Kiwibuild).
Instead of being put on the housing market, possibly better use might be made of these properties if they were nationalised and made state rentals.
This would make accommodation available at the bottom of the market, where it is most needed, instead of in the middle of the market, where people at least still have some other choices.
Great that kayaker Scott Donaldson makes it across Tasman on his second try.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/105168174/Trans-Tasman-kayaker-Scott-Donaldson-nears-Taranaki-beach
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/nation-world/article214180639.html
(Good coverage and image from Idaho Statesman.)
Donaldson was forced to abandon a previous attempt in 2014 when he was within sight of the New Zealand coastline after he was hit by a storm.
Just to remember another bold adventurer, Andrew McAuley R.I.P.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_McAuley
Sea kayaking
In 2003, he made the first non-stop kayak crossing of the Bass Strait.[3]
In 2004, he kayaked across the Gulf of Carpentaria.
In 2006, he led an expedition in the Australian Antarctic Territory where they paddled over 800 km within the Antarctic Circle.[4]…
The documentary of McAuley’s journey, Solo, incorporated video footage recovered from one surviving memory stick in his camera, as well as interviews with people on his team during the expedition. It begins with the distress call he made on the evening of 9 February: “Do you copy? This is kayak one. Do you copy, over? I’ve got an emergency situation. I’m in a kayak about 30 kilometres from Milford Sound. I need a rescue. My kayak’s sinking. Fell off into the sea and I’m going down.”[9]
McAuley’s wife Vicki McAuley wrote a book, Solo, about him and his final voyage.[12]
In the same summer, a specially-constructed two-person kayak crossed the Tasman Sea at a more northerly route. The competitive spirit may have played a part in McAuley’s determination to make the journey when he did.[9] A song has recently been written about his final journey by Australian composers Paul Jarman and Phil Voysey, entitled “Towards Infinity”.
Oh – might get some action now – be good if all churches and Christians in the US did this.
‘Baby Jesus ‘detained’ in US immigration protest’ – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-44704580
Not the baby Jesus!
I know, could be too soon.
“New Zealand unquestionably needs maritime surveillance aircraft – we use them for maritime search & rescue, fisheries patrols, and damage assessment after tropical cyclones. But we don’t need high-tech sub-hunters, for the simple reason that we are not threatened by submarines. Seriously, where are these mythical submarines they are expected to find? And if this fantasised threat is expected to exist not now, but a decade or two in the future, then that suggests that we get the hugely expensive sub-hunting electronics (which makes up a huge chunk of the inflated cost of these aircraft) in that decade or two, not now.
Basicly, high-end military equipment in the absence of any real threat is a vanity purchase. All it does is allow generals to feel like they’re keeping up with the Aussies, while enabling them to get involved in more American wars. There are far better things we could be spending that money on, like schools, hospitals, and state houses, which will make far of a difference to the safety of New Zealanders than expensive, pointless sub-hunting electronics ever will. We should ditch this contract and buy something cheaper which actually serves our needs.”
IS
Nothing wrong with having inter-operability with our allies and having high-end equipment allows for more options so I’m not against this purchase
Goose 🙂
Just a couple of questions Robert?
Where does your computer, phone or internet device come from?
How much does NZ exports go by ship?
How much does NZ imports come by ship?
How much wealth comes from NZ exports which pays for education, health, welfare etc?
What’s the best way to achieve the in-direct military approach attack when combined with direct attack on critical infrastructure, cyber and bio warfare (agriculture and horticulture).
How did the French spooks/ SF personal who bombed the Rainbow Warrior escaped by using a yacht and what else?
What’s the best way to attack NZ and maintain surprise and pauseable deinalability, the direct approach or the indirect approach?
What’s best way to sink a ship and stuff up NZ economy at the same time
Should we be more worried about the indirect military attack or the direct attack on NZ and which achieves the biggest amount of bang, but doing it with the economy of force?
Does globalisation leave NZ vulnerable to an indirect attack either in NZ or else where within the Asia- Pacific?
Resource thief in a Climate Change environment how you stop that when countries are give the current international rules base the two finger salute?
I’ll be back later after some gardening with some interesting trade facts IRT to shipping in the Asia Pacific and current tends.
A “couple” of questions, Ex?
More like a cluster 🙂
Okay: Noel Leemings, lots, lots, plenty (but there are other ways), sneaky means, cunningly, sneakily, wiv a bomb?, no, yes, tricky!
“K”?
So, we’re screwed, right? Gotta play the game and muscle up? Is that what you think, KiwiF?
Or maybe, just maybe – we could put our collective dicks away for a while, and sort out real problems – rather than tacitly support this continuous war that has been happening globally for the last thirty odd year.
Point I’m trying to make is since the start of this Neo Liberalism / Goblalisation B/S has left NZ quite vulnerable as NZ is an export base economy. So if NZ doesn’t want to or can’t maintain it Sea Lanes Of Communication (SLOC) then NZ’s economy turns to shit rather fast because if you can’t import, then it is highly unlikely that you will be able to export which in turns leads to some sort of economic downturn or collapse etc.
It’s not about the size of one’s dick or the size one’s tits etc, but about having an independent Defence, Trade, Foreign Affairs and Aid Policies within the recognised International Base Rules Principles. If NZ can’t and isn’t prepared to defend, protect these Principles then what does NZ stand for?
And if you think unarmed Neutrality is going to protect you then good luck with that because it aren’t and if it’s a one state nation that comes knocking then your basic human rights are toast, which I know is a fact from my time in East Timor in 99-00 Peacekeeping at what the TNI did from 1975.
Keep up the Good Fight, Kiwiforcs ’cause it’s real.
Way to miss my point. In a big way – so you support the war machine, for the war machines sake? Ever done any reading on the collapse of the economy’s of the fascist states of Europe? Here a short summary, war economy has a limited life span, before it effectively bankrupts itself and leaves it’s population in abject poverty. Spain and Portugal have never really recovered. Italy is still a basket case, and Germany got lucky, it got the Marshall Plan.
We need to work out how to do this smarter, otherwise we really are in the crapper.
As for unarmed neutrality, who said that?
Exkiwiforces the US generally makes more reliable military equipment with a long life the C130 and p3 orion are testament to that.
If a war started how long would it Take to be operational from order date.
5 yrs plus by then it will be over?
Depending on the threat matrix at the time, if you have already have level of full operational capability (FOC) then the usual time fame would be around 2-3yrs tops as you won’t run down existing capability until the last 2-3 aircraft has been delivered.
What happen to the ACF is that The No Mates Party started to rundown the A4’s before the F-16’s arrived and when that got caned, the cost for regeneration of A4’s become a sticking point for the incoming government when ET turned to a shit fight. The plan was to keep the Macchi’s flying to maintain a IOC level which will be then be able to force generate an ACF SQN with initial IOC within 18 mths and a full operational capability with 18- 24mths later. But to regenerate the ACF will now take between 5- 10yrs at minimum.
Exkiwiforces the French escaped by paying $13million to the NZ govt.
The one’s that got caught were the recon/ logistics team not the direct action team (DAT) who escaped by yacht which they later scuttle half way between Norfolk Is and New Caledonia where they were picked by a French boomer which the RN had asked NZ to find when it didn’t turn up on station. That’s when the penny dropped for some people high up and anyway from what I’ve heard over the yrs is that P3 guys found the boomer and ask permission to drop a few a depth charges but someone brink.
To R G at 10 : Sad that this common-sense approach has taken so much energy
over the decades yet still needs propounding . Many thanks for bringing it to notice again.
Heather, in the ideal world I wish there was not a cent spent on a Nations Security budget as I know what war is and it’s effects, but in the real world in which I live unfortunately we have to spend money on a Nations Security and for a nation like NZ it economic wealth is heavily dependent on open and free Sea Lanes Of Communications which can vulnerable to sub- surface and surface interdiction.
The last two World Wars has seen Foreign Nations attempt to interdict our SLOC through the use of Submarines, Armed Merchant ships disguised as tramp ships conducting surface attacks and laying Sea mines, in modern times a Direction Attack in NZ using a yacht and submarine and then we have the RNZN Frigate Canterbury F421in East Timor during the INTERFET operation chasing one, possibly two type 209 subs from the TNI Navy inside ET’s 12 mile limit. God only knows what they will do when we finally kick the assholes out of West Papua, but going on their form guide from ET it will be an ugly operation of undertake and at least a Chap 6 Mission.
And I will refer back to my comment https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-04-07-2018/#comment-1499639. That the indirect attack is more likely to happen to NZ than a direct attack aka an over the beach, air assault attack which requires an awful lot of manpower, equipment and a bloody long logistical nightmare where as an indirect attack requires bugger all manpower and equipment which requires a bugger logistics foot print. It doesn’t mean it has to be in NZ waters which accounts for 10% of the worlds surface water for an indirect attack, it can be at the Singapore hub/ the South China Sea, the North Asia box, the MER Sea Lanes etc.
Then we throw in Climate Change which is going to bring a whole host of other problems as well.
The indirect attack is the most likely and dangerous to NZ interests than a direct attack as a lot of things need to fall into place before its a goer and even then there is no guarantee of success.
I don’t why the left is so fixated on the direct attack/ approach when the indirect means is a lot easier to achieve, but then again they probably don’t study Military tactics, Military logistics , Military History and future Military tends within the Asia/ Pacific Region at University.
to Exkiwiforces at 10.3.1: Your seeming condescension not welcomed. I well remember the ramifications of WW2 AND the world politics involved.
I have listened to many of the arguments and justifications for the announced details of Kiwibuild eligibility but sadly can only conclude how out of touch with reality Twyford (and Cabinet) appear with this decision…..it increasingly appears that the Minister is struggling with this key policy area for the coalition, but more importantly for the electorate.
The only way for Kiwibuild not to be a shambles is for a reboot of the old MOW and a return of the old Housing Corp mortgages. The government knows this but knows there will be a political fall out.
That may be an option but they have really sent the wrong message with the criteria for this particular policy….the question is why?..are they so out of touch with real life that they are incapable of seeing how it will be viewed by the average punter or is there some twisted logic behind it?..either way it dosnt provide for those it purports to be targeted at and yet provides for those that dont need it, as if we have a surfeit of housing FFS
New Zealand plays the intrusive bullying colonial busybody in the Pacific.
No such intrusive secret interception and spying against our other near Pacific neighbor, Australia has been revealed.
Why?
Is it because Australia is a white majority settler country like us?
Or is it because Australia are bigger than us and we might get called out on it?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/105220392/report-confirms-the-gcsb-was-spying-on-the-pacific–but-its-legal
Good morning The AM Show I say tasers are a better tool for the police than guns the police have to deal with sycophants people whom have not control on there actions every day and these people put the police lives at risk at least with a taser the person has more chance of serviving the incident.
Sunny Nelson its warm during the summer and very cold in the winter Queen Town has a big lake to ballance out the temperature fluctuations.
Duncan it would be nice if ECO MAORI got paided for all the hits to my post the courts will be dealing with this in the near future. I’m not anti police just anti courpt police.
I see trump got a lesson from the Norwegian Prime Minister he does not mince words just how Eco Maori likes it do what you say and say what you do a link is Below on trump.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/105248944/trump-pressed-aides-on-venezuela-invasion-us-official-says
We do have a shortage of skilled workers you know who is to blame for this national I say make sure that the workers you import skills cannot be found in the local work force.
You see I hear of stories about foreigns coming here and they are shearmilking in one season you see a lot of people have more respect for Foreigners than they have for Tangata whenua and that’s stuffed up eco Maori can see this behaviour a mile away.
Ka kite ano