Open mike 05/06/2020

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 5th, 2020 - 48 comments
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48 comments on “Open mike 05/06/2020 ”

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  1. adam 1
    5 June 2020 at 6:13 am

    Torture, well I suppose you have to expect it when you expose war crimes. This is ugly use of power by the US government

    https://thegrayzone.com/2020/05/14/american-sheldon-adelsons-us-spy-julian-assange/

    and it's looking more and more like those show trials they put on the third world or the former soviet union.

    https://thegrayzone.com/2020/05/29/british-court-assanges-physical-deterioration/

    Mind you, if they keep treating him like crap they may get their wish, and he will die.

    Just remember don't speak out, stay at home and do nothing, obey your masters they know best. Nothing to see here, scroll on.

    • Molly 1.1
      5 June 2020 at 6:52 am

      Thanks for posting, Adam.

      An informative read, first thing in the morning, but an important one.

      I can only think of this as the true state of American politics and interference being exposed. Disturbingly, it also exposes the true state of the 'free' press and journalism, in how it has been reported.

    • bruce 1.2
      5 June 2020 at 8:41 am

      Or just speaking out can be quite dangerous for some

      https://prachatai.com/english/node/8561

      So it goes

  2. Molly 2
    5 June 2020 at 6:36 am

    Thanks for posting, Adam.

    An informative read, first thing in the morning, but an important one.

    I can only think of this as the true state of American politics and interference being exposed. Disturbingly, it also exposes the true state of the 'free' press and journalism, in how it has been reported.

  3. Muttonbird 3
    5 June 2020 at 8:33 am

    Poor Dunc. He was blubbering into his microphone again this morning about the state of the National Party.

    And look, he's taken to quoting David Farrar's new paywalled polling and research data. That is a cosy relationship.

    Remember, Farrar is in the Simon Bridges camp and will have been devastated by the change of leadership.

    He and Garner have thrown in the towel and are now actively reducing public expectation for National’s performance in September.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/06/opinion-how-is-mr-nothing-to-see-here-todd-muller-going-to-beat-jacinda-ardern.html

    • observer 3.1
      5 June 2020 at 2:42 pm

      That is a really poor piece of writing. I wouldn't publish it in a school magazine. It's not even writing, it's a talkback call full of cliches.

      Basic factual errors too. In no way is Muller "liberal". His voting record is 100% conservative. But Duncan Garner is too lazy and/or stupid to check or care.

      • I Feel Love 3.1.1
        5 June 2020 at 9:16 pm

        That's what I thought Observer, I feel dumber after reading that. He got to mention that Labour are useless though, but yes what an utterly pointless piece, glad I didn't pay for that!

  4. Sacha 4
    5 June 2020 at 8:43 am

    Old goat puts "sanctity of contracts" above wellbeing of small businesses in a global emergency. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/418254/new-zealand-first-flexes-coalition-muscles-over-commercial-rent-deal

    After hammering out a deal over commercial rents with Labour, New Zealand First is now publicly criticising some of the measures its coalition partner had been pushing for, and which it ended up blocking.

    …

    Peters acknowledged some businesses had been struggling with fixed costs, but said making fundamental changes to contract law was not the answer.

    …

    He was dismissive of questions over the delays, instead saying that was because "some things take time".

    • Sacha 4.1
      5 June 2020 at 11:29 am

      On undermining govt. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/418328/week-in-politics-ardern-under-pressure-as-peters-fuels-opposition-attacks

      Throughout the week, Ardern played down the differences between Labour and New Zealand First, explaining away Peters' outspoken demands for an early move to level 1 as simply a difference of opinion within a Cabinet that acted through consensus.

      Peters' strange rationale was that he couldn't be accused of criticising Labour because both parties were in Coalition. It should be seen as "criticism of process".

      • Ad 4.1.1
        5 June 2020 at 11:36 am

        This government needs hard political critique because it's not getting any from the Opposition.

        Winston is pretty good at it.

        • RosieLee 4.1.1.1
          5 June 2020 at 12:17 pm

          Winston is treading a very fine line. He and Jones have had a pretty cushy number as a part of this government, but the patience of the government and the voters may wear a bit thin if he's not careful. Maybe it's time to call his bluff. Get with it or get out.

  5. Gabby 5
    5 June 2020 at 12:02 pm

    Police haven't been making too flash a job of recording armed response callout info apparently. Apparently there aren't going to be cameras on fishing boats as a matter of course for a fair old while. Just as well we have a dynamic, inspiring minister of police and an honest reliable minister of fisheries to get this shit sorted.

    • Sacha 5.1
      5 June 2020 at 12:13 pm

      Not much of a 'trial' when they refuse to collect data. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/418308/armed-response-teams-trial-bizarre-holes-in-callout-data

      Auckland University professor of biostatistics Thomas Lumley said this level of reporting damaged the integrity of the data.

      "Having a low response rate like that, to forms that were supposed to be filled out 100 percent of the time, and where the police were the ones who had made the choices as to which forms were filled out, completely undermines this as an evidence-based summary of what was happening in the trials," Dr Lumley said.

      "If they're going to choose which ones are reported, they might selectively report ones where they felt that having armed police there was helpful. They might be less likely to report ones where they didn't feel it was helpful, or ones where they didn't think it was relevant, like traffic stops, but where the other people involved might have thought it was relevant that the police had guns."

      In addition to the general lack of data, the vast majority of the most attended jobs – vehicle stops – were categorically ignored.

    • RedBaronCV 5.2
      5 June 2020 at 12:45 pm

      Pretty chilling – and not recording guns at traffic stops. Well what's the new commissioner going to do? This just reinforces the "police are out of control & don't think they have to answer to anyone"

    • Siobhan 5.3
      5 June 2020 at 2:17 pm

      Completely unacceptable..and not terribly 'kind'…luckily it happened in neighbourhoods that the nations Media and Politicians are collectively pretending can't really be helped..meantime..lets all look over at American racism and inequality as practiced by the police with the silent co operation of the political class..and tut loudly..incidentaly ..the Waikato Police have a nice image on their fb geared up and armed..time better spent doing the paperwork maybe

    • observer 6.1
      5 June 2020 at 2:21 pm

      In the NZ Herald report on the poll, this is the bit that really tells:

      "It is understood National's caucus is yet to be shown any of the National Party's internal polling by Curia since the leadership change. Two sets of polling will have been delivered since Muller took over on May 22."

      Simon has taught you well, Todd.

  7. McFlock 7
    5 June 2020 at 1:00 pm

    The armed response teams were disciplined enough to carry firearms all the time, but couldn't be arsed doing their basic paperwork.

    What's the point of having a rigid pseudo-military hierarchy if you can't even make them use an app?

    • greywarshark 7.1
      5 June 2020 at 2:13 pm

      This isn't precision-like Germany you know. This is cowboy NZ, yeehah, chase 'em boy – faster.

  8. Incognito 8
    5 June 2020 at 1:05 pm

    14 – 0 – 1

  9. francesca 9
    5 June 2020 at 1:17 pm

    This strikes me as being very premature and very dumb .Not only assuming that international tourism will bounce back to pre Covid levels, but can also acommodate new tourism ventures

    Really, time to take stock and get real .

    "The party's leader, Todd Muller, pitched the policy at Coronet Peak in Queenstown, on Friday afternoon, saying tourism operators needed "direct cash support" and confidence the industry would rebound.

    "Once the border re-opens we need to be ready to invite visitors back," he said, in a press statement.

    The cash would not be provided to businesses to cover their usual costs, but would fund up to 70 per cent of new projects that would drive new demand for tourism."

    • RedBaronCV 9.1
      5 June 2020 at 1:43 pm

      What a weird policy? It looks like a straight cash giveaway to "wealthy people with a minimal business plan" to start developing something " model farm stays perhaps" and then when the tourists don't eventuate it can go bust and all the new assets pass into the hands of the provider of the business plan.

      What rubbish – nor does it do anything to preserve existing tourist infrastructure. And when the overall tourist economic impact figures start coming in we may well find that a lot of the industry just simply wasn't worth having.

      I also think that Nact are seriously overestimating the public appetite for admitting anybody that may be carrying covid.So the border is going to remain pretty shut for quite a while I expect.

      Do I feel a lavender farm coming upon me???

      • greywarshark 9.1.1
        5 June 2020 at 2:24 pm

        What rubbish – nor does it do anything to preserve existing tourist infrastructure. And when the overall tourist economic impact figures start coming in we may well find that a lot of the industry just simply wasn't worth having.

        This Radionz link seems to fit your concerns here RBCV. This chap explains in easy to understand language, the problems he is having over high rent, and intransigent landlord, which explains what many are experiencing. He said he couldn't achieve a fairer lease, it seems you had to take what you were given. This is actually an Act of God that no-one could envisage and though there are many trying to prove Chinese activity, it still is a completely unexpected worldwide event.

        https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018749399/struggling-business-doubts-rent-arbitration-scheme-will-help

        • Sabine 9.1.1.1
          5 June 2020 at 6:16 pm

          Yes, that is one of the biggest – if not the biggest issue of the businesses that will go out of business. They can't get out of their leases. And they don't need 'rent arbitration' they need a legal way to break their lease or dissolve it before they loose everything they own to a landlord who can't be bothered working with their tenants because they don't have to. How many bankrupted ex business people does the country need and can afford?

          • Craig H 9.1.1.1.1
            5 June 2020 at 7:50 pm

            And will often have a personal guarantee, which is where the bankruptcy comes from – we need to ban those because they pierce the corporate veil.

      • francesca 9.1.2
        5 June 2020 at 2:40 pm

        "Do I feel a lavender farm coming upon me???"

        That made me laugh!

    • aom 9.2
      5 June 2020 at 1:52 pm

      The 'not so pretty communist' intends to throw other people's money at an exploitative sunset industry. Will Muller be able to get that past Winston if the unimaginable happens at election time since it hasn't got anything to do with horse racing of fishing?

  10. logie97 10
    5 June 2020 at 1:17 pm

    Sports Sponsorship and the pandemic.

    It seems that some people do not quite get that New Zealand appears to have dodged a bullet through the expert management of the pandemic. They seem to think that everything will be back to normal before we know it.

    It will be interesting to see how many prominent sponsors of sporting events who immediately laid off staff or who took the various subsidies available, will jump straight back into dealing out sponsorship for these sporting clubs and events.

    • RedBaronCV 10.1
      5 June 2020 at 1:47 pm

      The pandemic has really exposed the low quality of a large number of our upper private sector managers. Hands out for subsidies while they keep their own income up then utterly unrealistic decisions about the way forward.

  12. Stunned Mullet 12
    5 June 2020 at 1:40 pm

    Some fortunate proximity for NZ …

    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/csl-pledges-manufacture-uq-covid-19-vaccine-if-successful-20200605-p54zs4.html

    'CSL said it would use its allocation to supply Australians in the first instance and then look to its regional neighbours.

    Biotech giant CSL will produce the first batches of the University of Queensland's COVID-19 vaccine if it is shown to work, with the company throwing funding support behind the vaccine's development and saying millions of doses could be available by 2021.'

  14. Bob 14
    5 June 2020 at 10:07 pm

    Racism is a tool of division. Remember the divide and conquer strategy of ancient battles?