Open Mike 05/07/2017

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 5th, 2017 - 91 comments
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91 comments on “Open Mike 05/07/2017 ”

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  1. Ed 1
    5 July 2017 at 6:49 am

    I see that Nick Smith thinks housing affordability is ‘in the eye of the beholder’
    I am sure most Zealanders will like being told this by a rich political trougher.

    These people claim to represent us.
    They don’t.
    They represent the few, not the many.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/334454/housing-affordability-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder-minister

  2. Sanctuary 2
    5 July 2017 at 8:03 am

    Question:

    Should Mike Hoskings be pulled from Seven Sharp until after the election?

    • James 2.1
      5 July 2017 at 8:06 am

      No.

      • Cinny 2.1.1
        5 July 2017 at 8:33 am

        Why not please James? What is it that you like about him, apart from his opinions?

        • james 2.1.1.1
          5 July 2017 at 10:38 am

          Actually – I dont watch him. I only use Netflix and haven’t watched normal TV for years.

          Simply put – I believe anyone is entitled to their views – and to be held accountable for them if they are stupid. Which is normally a matter of perspective.

          Why do you think his views should be censored from TV – apart from you not liking his opinions?

          • Kevin 2.1.1.1.1
            5 July 2017 at 12:22 pm

            Because the same broadcaster does not offer a differing opinion.

            As he is on NZ’s public broadcaster there is an obligation to give both sides of a political argument. They are not there to be a mouthpiece for the government of the day.

          • Cinny 2.1.1.1.2
            5 July 2017 at 3:55 pm

            James, you don’t watch him either? Funny. I’m hearing you re censorship.

            However I strongly agree with Kevin.

            But then again globally many government run media outlets have their own version of Hosking. Or a country’s leader broadcasts their own propaganda show.

            Interesting audio examination from 2015 when Hosking had his head up Keys arse. Even more interesting because his opinions of the future are now in our past.

            http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201767468

            Off topic James, any series you can recommend on the Netflix please? Am looking for something new to watch. Thanks 😀

    • garibaldi 2.2
      5 July 2017 at 8:10 am

      He should be permanently pulled from all public exposure full stop.

      • James 2.2.1
        5 July 2017 at 8:13 am

        Must stop opposing views – stifling free speech – removing a guy’s income all because you don’t like what he says.

        The caring and fair left you are not.

        • Robert Guyton 2.2.1.1
          5 July 2017 at 8:16 am

          “caring and fair” – a fan-boy’s view of Hoskings.

          • james 2.2.1.1.1
            5 July 2017 at 10:39 am

            Not a fan boy – dont actually watch him (see above).

            But dont believe that he should be pulled from TV because some dont like his views.

            • Cemetery Jones 2.2.1.1.1.1
              5 July 2017 at 3:02 pm

              Censoring Mike Hostking is a terrible reason to suggest his removal. However, I must admit, there is a certain humorous undertone to the notion of removing him from state broadcasting on philosophical grounds –his philosophical grounds.

              Since he hates leftism and statism so much and thinks so highly of the market and an expanded role for the market in roles traditionally ascribed to the state in commonwealth systems, it would only be right to make sure he never compromises himself by pocketing a salary out of public money, etc.

              Hyperbole for sure, but then that’s his stock in trade, right?

        • Gabby 2.2.1.2
          5 July 2017 at 7:35 pm

          I’d settle for a station disclaimer after every time he opens his gob.

      • greywarshark 2.3.1
        5 July 2017 at 10:43 am

        These paras are from Robert G’s link.

        And to prove all of this, here are some numbers that expose the lie around public transport. The Transport Outlook: Current State report, yes that’s called, as released by the government tells us the following, 53% of us drive a car, 26% of us are passengers in a car, 17% walk, 1% cycle – so that shows you what a waste of time cycleways are, 1% are on motorbikes. Now add up all those numbers and how many do you have left for public transport, 2%. So, we are wrecking roads, hijacking the majority for what, 2%, it’s a scandal.

        The report he refers to is the one we highlighted yesterday and the first thing to note is that the report actually says PT is at 3%. This adds up to 101% due to the rounding on some of the other modes. Regardless, when it comes to talking about this subject, he couldn’t have picked a more irrelevant number.

        The 3% based on PT use across the entire country, that’s as irrelevant to the discussion of PT in Auckland as arguing that New York doesn’t need its subway because of how many people use PT in Wyoming.

        Note that: the 2% Hosking quotes to back up his inconveniences in his city, is a measure drawn from use across the country, it is irrelevant to his argument.
        The raving loonie is merely saying what all the RWs are thinking, which of course is nothing at all. Thought costs in time and money so they don’t waste time on anything unprofitable to them.

        I made a joke yesterday about Blinglish stating the new social policy as being data-driven. Bwahahahahahah – where would it be driven to I ask? When you don’t want to know things, do they get lured up an alley and garrotted or taken for a midnight ride and dumped on the roadside. Poor dead-duck-data, RWs want to believe what their Mega-phone tells them, their Hosking Bullhorn.

    • Ma Rohemo 2.4
      5 July 2017 at 8:21 am

      At the very least Hosking’s salary should be included in National’s election advertising total allowance.
      It should also include GST as it is obviously a service to them.

      • alwyn 2.4.1
        5 July 2017 at 8:58 am

        Are you really sure you want a policy like that?
        You would have to include the whole RNZ news budget in the Labour Party costs.
        They would already be over the limit for expenditure allowed in the last 3 months wouldn’t they, with only a couple of weeks gone?

        • In Vino 2.4.1.1
          5 July 2017 at 8:39 pm

          I fully agree with you, Alwyn. National Radio are totally biased, and support the Labour party by having them shown as light National by such right-leaning commentators as Josie Pagani, whom they misrepresent as ‘Left’. Utterly disgusting. Then every so often they reveal an unpleasant truth – this is obviously an anti-National campaign. National Radio should be annihilated by renaming! I know – RNZ!

    • Cinny 2.5
      5 July 2017 at 8:32 am

      Get rid of him now I say, how many kiwis can relate to him… not many, if any.

      • james 2.5.1
        5 July 2017 at 10:39 am

        His ratings are pretty good – which would indicate you are wrong.

        • jcuknz 2.5.1.1
          5 July 2017 at 11:24 am

          Just shows how many idiots watch TV…. both left and right wing twits.
          Thank goodness for Netflix.

        • Cinny 2.5.1.2
          5 July 2017 at 3:22 pm

          Someone knocked on the door not so long ago, wanting to know if we would take part in TV ratings, many questions were asked, even household income etc.

          They said they would be in touch if we were deemed the type of household that they could give a ratings monitor device to. Almost felt like they screened anyone whom they wanted to generating ratings information from, it didn’t appear random at all. They were even sent to selected houses, nah it wasn’t a scam, was the real deal. I was rather surprised ratings were gathered in that manner.

          James do you know if ratings are collected in any other way please?

    • Enough is Enough 2.6
      5 July 2017 at 10:37 am

      Absolutely not.

      You don’t defeat bigots like Hosking by silencing them. You defeat them by debating them and offering an alternative view point.

      What kind of society do we want where people with opposing views are not permitted to speak them?

      • james 2.6.1
        5 July 2017 at 10:40 am

        ^ Comment of the day and agree 100%

      • Barfly 2.6.2
        5 July 2017 at 11:19 am

        So where is the opposing view to Hosking on free to air TV ? … not provided by management.

        • garibaldi 2.6.2.1
          5 July 2017 at 11:32 am

          Comment of the day Barfly. Hosking should not be on free to air TV.

        • Enough is Enough 2.6.2.2
          5 July 2017 at 11:46 am

          Umm Street opposed his demented view before he had even finished preaching it.

        • McFlock 2.6.2.3
          5 July 2017 at 11:59 am

          That’s the issue for me – he’s an out-and-out propagandist. He lies, he rants, he is completely unchallenged, and he is always pro-nact. If the state broadcaster must pay for a pro-government propagandist, what about an opposition one of similar shameless insanity, too?

          Oh – might be too difficult to find. May as well just fire the fucker, then.

          • weka 2.6.2.3.1
            5 July 2017 at 12:35 pm

            It is kind of interesting to consider who the left might put up that would be the Hosking equivalent though 😈

          • Robert Guyton 2.6.2.3.2
            5 July 2017 at 3:01 pm

            “an out-and-out propagandist” – in a nut-shell, McFlock. How best to counter an unfettered propagandist, that’s the question. Railing against him, calling for his head, seem reactions designed to feed the pyre, rather than quench the fire. Let’s get smarter. The problem isn’t hard to describe; yours’s perfect, the effective response though, that’s the challenge.

            • McFlock 2.6.2.3.2.1
              5 July 2017 at 4:21 pm

              Maybe there is no effective response.

              Can’t call for his firing, can’t sink to his level, can’t out-yell him, reasoned rebuttal just legitimises his absurdities with recognition.

              Just have to hope the self-inflated manchild eventually takes his sense of entitlement too far to warrant his continued presence, like Paul Henry did.

              • Robert Guyton …
                5 July 2017 at 4:45 pm

                We can rejoice in his naked greed and prejudice, measuring our own behaviour against his worst-practice behaviour. We can use his popularity as a measure of how much has to change in our society before it’s as we wish it to be. We can use reactions to him by people we talk to as a measure of their position and degree of discernment. We can use his continued existence in a public role as a measure of our ruling party’s methods and ethical levels. There is so much his performing offers us, aside from the obvious opportunities to lampoon and mock, both him and his sycophants. All in all, a useful chap, ol’ whatshisname.
                *confession time; I’ve never seen the guy perform as I have no television.

                • garibaldi …
                  5 July 2017 at 5:11 pm

                  “takes his sense of entitlement too far to warrant his continued presence”…. this is what he specializes in.

      • mpledger 2.6.3
        5 July 2017 at 11:52 am

        It would be alright if the opposing views got the same prominence but the small snippet I unavoidably watch last week had his offsider simpering all over him. Gross.

    • Chris 2.7
      5 July 2017 at 12:20 pm

      For every Hoskings there is a John Campbell

      Personally think everyone is entitled to their views, whether I agree or not.

      Would be a pretty boring place otherwise

    • tc 2.8
      5 July 2017 at 2:53 pm

      Nope leave him in place as an example of why tvnz need to be made a public broadcaster or scrapped as you would yesterdays technology.

      Most people know hes a nat sycophant and his smarmy arrogance cuts both ways

    • Ed 2.9
      5 July 2017 at 7:39 pm

      Yes and keep him off forever.

  3. dv 3
    5 July 2017 at 9:15 am

    Hosking is a useful window into RWing ‘thinking’

  4. gsays 4
    5 July 2017 at 9:16 am

    Further to my rant on Nick Smith housing handling…

    We, of the left, seem to be captured by the shenanagins of the Tories.
    Rather than debating a direction for our future.
    For example water, labour has talked about a levy charged per litre.
    Rather than a ‘Hell No’.
    Perhaps there is a middle ground.

    Housing, as I eluded to in the Nick Smith post, the opposition is failing to get traction with their tactics. Don’t want to upset landlords?

    Inequality? A bit hard to deal with. Unless we have a ftt and a ubi…
    Tad radical, think of the horses.

    Health funding, especially mental health and youth mental health. Where to start?

    Paula Bennett is alleged to behaved abhorrently, (I don’t doubt the accusations) and we are lining up to add our two cents.

    C’m on standardistas we can lift our game.

    Right, that’s better.
    I am off to work to have my promised 90 day performance review, albeit after 110 days.
    I am aiming to get a living wage for working in a busy kitchen after having practiced the craft for 30 years.
    What chance the youngsters in the industry, most of whom are grateful to be just above minimum wage.
    (I won’t be back at my phone till later as I am not allowed it at work)

  5. Ma Rohemo 5
    5 July 2017 at 9:18 am

    @ alwyn I wasn’t suggesting serious policy. It was a small joke at Hosking’s expense, but you sound serious about RNZ.

    RNZ as biased as Hosking? I think not.

    Do you consider the Herald a leftie rag too?

    • alwyn 5.1
      5 July 2017 at 11:56 am

      “the Herald”?
      Does that fish and chip wrapper still exist?

      I am just back from doing a little bit of work in France. We (the people doing the work) were provided with all the major UK newspapers.
      God it is wonderful to be able to read well written papers like The Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian and The Financial Times. It is about the only English language country left with decent papers. Even in the US they are rubbish including the old staples like The Washington Post and The New York Times.

      Here we have the Herald and the DomPost for crying out loud.
      The only decent paper in Australasia in The Australian. You don’t have to like Rupert Murdoch but he is just about the last of the great Press Barons who believed in printing the news properly that we have left.
      Here endeth the rant for the day.

      As for RNZ being biased? Yes I do. We will simply have to agree to differ.

      • In Vino 5.1.1
        5 July 2017 at 8:55 pm

        Alwyn, I agree with you about the range of quality reading available in the UK compared to here, but I would also have mentioned the Spectator, (and Punch, which, unfortunately, no longer exists). And Rupert Murdoch is the enemy of literacy, not its friend. He presided in the downward slide you lament, and you should know that, unless you are too young.

  6. Bearded Git 6
    5 July 2017 at 10:03 am

    The headline on RNZ news this morning was “Auckland house price growth at 5 year low”. Let me show how it should have been reported:

    “Auckland house prices growing at $70,000 a year; average price is now over $1 million. Prices continue to grow at three times rate of inflation.”

    Someone at Radio NZ has been told how to report this issue so the government looks good.

    The government’s weakest issue in the upcoming election is housing affordability (not just in Auckland) so it is trying to portray this problem as solved, which is rubbish. Nick Smith was at it yet again in his RNZ interview yesterday. Lies and more spin.

    The Labour/Green bloc needs to get some clear stats out on housing affordability in its manifesto (and pledge card?) telling it as it is. In particular the fall in first time buyers and the rise in investors/multiple home owners needs to be highlighted.

    The expert they interviewed on this said “first time buyers are at their lowest ever”. That should have been the headline.

    • Bearded Git 6.1
      5 July 2017 at 10:22 am

      And following on from the above, in the Herald today:

      “House sales have made a mint in the first quarter of 2017, with $3.8 billion in profits.
      But it’s not all good news, with $24 million in losses recorded by those who made a bad bet on the property market.”

      Incredible numbers-profits of $3.8 billion in just 3 months, almost all non-taxable.

      As with the RNZ headline above, the article contains lots of spin, concentrating on the losses made by very few people, losses which are miniscule compared with the profits-$24m versus $3800m.

      It’s here:
      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11885935

      • The Lone Haranguer 6.1.1
        5 July 2017 at 12:03 pm

        The article does not comment on the profit split between home owners and between investors.

        And nobody (except me it seems) thinks ALL housing stock should be taxed upon sale.

        Gee, the Nats dont want to tax property gains, and Labour seem to think that the “personal residence” should be exempt. But where is the financial responsibility or tax fairness in that?

        Why should a person who lives in say Dunedin, have little to no capital gains – probably under $100,000 in this decade, and thats tax free, when an Auckland home owner may have a $500,000 tax free profit.

        And lets not discuss the poor buggers who dont own a house so have no chance to make a tax free gain.

    • alwyn 6.2
      5 July 2017 at 12:03 pm

      You are going to have a real problem on about the 5th of September.
      They will be reporting, absolutely accurately, that the rate of house price increases in Auckland for the 12 months ending August 2017 was ZERO.
      True, that is what they will be reporting. The Labour Party are going to have trouble with that don’t you think?
      Your numbers, like theirs, are simply out of date. They don’t reflect the reality of today. Sorry about that.

      • Bearded Git 6.2.1
        5 July 2017 at 5:19 pm

        @Alwyn One wonders why you don’t leave out the snide comments like “sorry about that” and simply argue your case. Maybe it is because you know you are on the wrong side of the argument given that the Gnats have failed catastrophically on housing policy.

        But you are right that, unless the Labour/Green bloc can win the debate in the media on this issue, it will not be the definitive issue it should be at the election. The fact that houses in Akl are now more than a million a pop and first-time buyers are at an all time low is the issue. If the Labour/Green bloc is smart they will highlight the latter especially.

        Under this government over the last 9 years it has become impossible for young people to afford to buy a house; there must be votes in this.

        • In Vino 6.2.1.1
          5 July 2017 at 9:02 pm

          Prices staying where they are is no solution, Alwyn. Too late for that – a significant drop is needed. Not something you will find palatable I suspect, and I can almost hear you screaming already about whether I want to destroy innocent people’s wealth by collapsing property values.

  7. savenz 7
    5 July 2017 at 10:57 am

    Something’s wrong with this picture

    Mad Butcher fundraising $15,000 for unpaid staff

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/07/mad-butcher-fundraising-15-000-for-unpaid-staff.html

    We also had Mondelez announcing earlier this year it would stop manufacturing Cadbury products in Dunedin in March 2018, with the loss of 350 jobs.

  8. Pete 8
    5 July 2017 at 11:27 am

    Apropos the article about Mike Hosking and bus lanes.
    https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2017/07/05/hoskings-idiotic-bus-lane-rant/

    How about having “busless, trainless days” in Auckland a la the old carless days, just for an experiment? It would be fun to see what happens. Do it for a week even.

    Thing is, Hosking would make sure that on those he won’t go to work or the week he’ll go to Hawaii on holiday.

    “We don’t like public transport, we like cars and cars need roads,” he says. We didn’t need this latest rant to have us think he’s a self-centred, short-sighted, up-himself cretin. Having him say that though is a nice little reminder.

    • garibaldi 8.1
      5 July 2017 at 11:52 am

      “Self-centred, short sighted, up-himself cretin”. That describes most of the right wingers I know. The rest of them are women!

      • In Vino 8.1.1
        5 July 2017 at 9:03 pm

        Are you suggesting that women cannot be cretins, or that the rest of women are?

        • McFlock 8.1.1.1
          5 July 2017 at 9:07 pm

          I think a woman can’t be “up himself”. She’d have to be up herself.

  10. Draco T Bastard 10
    5 July 2017 at 1:31 pm

    Currency-issuing governments can keystroke their outstanding debt into oblivion

    In other words, a currency-issuing government can always absorb any outstanding liabilities (public debt) if it chooses, and, effectively, never have to repay the obligation.

    It can do that by purchasing these liabilities in secondary bond markets, and then just ignoring the maturity obligations, and with the stroke of a computer keyboard set the value to 0.

    Alternatively, it is obvious that such a government is never in danger of defaulting on any outstanding liabilities which remain in the non-government sector until maturity and presentation for repayment.

    Alternatively, what this clearly demonstrates, is that such a government never has to issue debt in the first place.

    Say it again out aloud – “central banks are ultimately owned by governments”.

    Say it again out aloud – any public bonds on central bank balance sheets amount to the government owning its own debt. One computer keystroke turns the positive accounting balance for that debt into a zero balance with no consequences of importance whatsoever.

    Which is basically what I and many other have been saying for quite some time.

    A government that issues it’s own money never has to go into debt even when running a deficit. Done properly it could even get rid of the so-called Business Cycle and fully develop the economy while eliminating the need for exports and imports.

  11. Ad 11
    5 July 2017 at 1:55 pm

    Has anyone seen Win The Future?

    https://winthefuture.com/set-agenda

    They are seeking to change Democratic Party policy with crowdsourcing.

    On the other hand the founders of the effort are Silicon Valley billionaires.

    I would love to see The Standard evolve into something similar though.

  12. Ad 12
    5 July 2017 at 2:03 pm

    Italian Police have just raided an apartment for drugs, so they get the perfect headline:

    “Vatican Rocked: Police raid drug-fuelled gay orgy at cardinal’s apartment”.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11886097

    Historic sex crimes have already got Cardinal Pell.
    Hopefully the Police get to go through the whole of the Cardinals.

    A further excellent opportunity for the current Pope to not merely sound good, but to clean house and act.

  13. james 13
    5 July 2017 at 2:21 pm

    http://politik.co.nz/en/content/politics/1133/?ct=t(POLITIKToday_07_10_2016_10_6_2016)&mc_cid=2b2600b050&mc_eid=6dd3d7f03f

    Two times labour candidate leave Labour and Joins National.

    Apparently he is well respected in his local community and his move is indicative of a lot of feeling in the Kiwi Indian community.

    Time will tell – but cannot see this as be bad for National in the slightest.

    I wonder if Labours anti immigration campaign will come back to bite them?

    • McFlock 13.1
      5 July 2017 at 2:27 pm

      Candidate swaps parties after low list ranking, justifies low list ranking. Gives law and order as reason.

      James tries to blame immigration policy. [Slow clap]

      • james 13.1.1
        5 July 2017 at 3:11 pm

        So you are saying you believe he jumped to Nation just because of his low list ranking?

        • McFlock 13.1.1.1
          5 July 2017 at 4:18 pm

          No, although his political affinity with the nats certainly justifies the low placing.

          I wouldn’t be surprised if his placing contributed significantly to his decision, though.

          • The Fairy Godmother 13.1.1.1.1
            6 July 2017 at 6:34 am

            Definitely contributed. Leaving Labour happened just after he lost the nomination for Papaura to an excellent young candidate of Indian ethnicity and received either a low list placing or no list placing.

    • Cemetery Jones 13.2
      5 July 2017 at 3:19 pm

      So for a second election campaign in a row, National are buying the loyalties of disaffected self-appointed ‘leaders’ of ‘communities’ to turn them from Labour and we’re supposed to take that as a sign of a shift in attitudes within that ‘community’?

      I mean, call me cynical, but my general impression of these people is that they usually aren’t ‘leaders’ at all – except in the eyes of gullible white people trying to buy the votes of said ‘community’ from above instead of winning them from below with good policy and solid face-to-face connections. Are we all really so racist that we think everyone with dark skin is part of a ‘community’ which has ‘leaders’ who are able to tell them how to vote? That doesn’t bode well for democracy if true!

      I guess given that us white folks tend not to have ‘communities’ with ‘leaders’ who can influence their votes, maybe we’re gullible or racist enough to think that everyone else is a sheep with a shepherd, and if you win over that shepherd he’ll deliver you his flock at the polling booth. But me, I have my doubts.

      Ah well, let National spend their money being rainmade by wannabe mandarins. It says all you need about them and their attitude to democratic tradition.

      • james 13.2.1
        5 July 2017 at 3:42 pm

        “So for a second election campaign in a row, National are buying the loyalties of disaffected self-appointed ‘leaders’ of ‘communities’ to turn them from Labour and we’re supposed to take that as a sign of a shift in attitudes within that ‘community’?”

        Or it could be that people are giving up on Labour – as would be evidenced by their very low poll ratings (and Littles as preferred PM).

        “I mean, call me cynical, but my general impression of these people is that they usually aren’t ‘leaders’ at all – except in the eyes of gullible white people trying to buy the votes of said ‘community’ ”

        Yet Labour were happy to have him stand for them…. twice. Perhaps he actually is a leader in that community?

        “Are we all really so racist that we think everyone with dark skin is part of a ‘community’ which has ‘leaders’ who are able to tell them how to vote?”

        Its not racist – there are may leaders in the the community that indicate to their community about where they see the most benefit to their community. Ratana Church for example.

        • Cemetery Jones 13.2.1.1
          5 July 2017 at 5:49 pm

          Where did he stand for Labour? The seat where he stood or the placing he had on their list will tell all.

          Ratana Church isn’t comparable to individuals, it’s an institution with a unique place in NZ culture. I doubt there’s much at all you could compare it to.

          • Cinny 13.2.1.1.1
            5 July 2017 at 6:51 pm

            Pakaranga, just once, in 2011, it’s Maurice Williamson seat

            The following election he decided to only opt for the list, and the candidate that Labour stood in same electorate received around 700 more votes than the prior year when Kaushal stood….

            Then bums out when he gets a low list ranking for this election llolz, throws a wobbly and jumps ship.

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakuranga_(New_Zealand_electorate)

            Says the outgoing government are listening to his concerns re the massive number of dairy robberies. And it’s probably all they are doing.. listening.

            Maybe he has forgotten how much the price of tobacco has increased since national took office, and the flow on effects re robberies etc etc.

            Will he be standing for Pakuranga or just this list with national?

            Why are National waiting so long to release their list? Are they short on players?

            • Cemetery Jones 13.2.1.1.1.1
              6 July 2017 at 9:09 am

              Hahah I had his number right off then. Thanks for confirming! Knew this didn’t pass the sniff test, especially when it broke via Politik.

    • ianmac 13.3
      5 July 2017 at 3:31 pm

      So he was upset at Labour’s inaction re Law and Order. Those pesky Labour fellows should have set up a team of special police to bounce the thieves the instant a complaint came in.
      What’s that? You mean the National Party is the Government with the power to do something to appease the shop owners. And this candidate has joined the National Party to get action???
      That is ridiculous! Have they promised him a high ranking then?

    • Ad 13.4
      5 July 2017 at 6:03 pm

      If Labour are losing the central Auckland Indian vote they are in very serious trouble. Indian subcontinent voters have been incredibly loyal to this point.

      Sunny will take a lot of votes out of Mt Roskill, New Windsor, Avondale, Sandringham, and New Lynn.

      • james 13.4.1
        6 July 2017 at 7:53 am

        “they are in very serious trouble”

        They poll in the mid to high 20%’s – they are already in serious trouble – anymore drops it could well be terminal.

      • The Fairy Godmother 13.4.2
        6 July 2017 at 9:03 am

        Really? Shail Kaushal is a hardworking Labour member of the Puketapapa Local board and is on Michael Wood’s campaign team. Michael Wood and Jacinda Aden did really well in recent by-elections. I certainly don’t belive Sunny played a significant role in their wins. Sunny missed out on the Papaura selection to Jesse Pabla a young New Zealand born candidate of Indian ethnicity. Baljit Kauri is standing for Hunua. Priyanca Radhakrishnan is standing for Maungakieie and has a high place on the list. All these candidates of Indian ethnicity have strong Labour values.I think Labour is renewing itself with good strong Labour values. It must have been galling for Sunny to realise their is really no place in the party for an old right wing careerist like himself. He is an excellent fit for National.

    • Gabby 13.5
      5 July 2017 at 7:44 pm

      They still won’t get to keep shotties under the counter jimbo.