Open Mike 14/09/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 14th, 2018 - 153 comments
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153 comments on “Open Mike 14/09/2018 ”

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  1. Andre 1
    14 September 2018 at 6:51 am

    About the alleged Skripal poisoners and how they fit into Russian media management…

    https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/13/opinions/russia-is-better-than-us-at-propaganda-opinion-intl/index.html

    • Anne 1.1
      14 September 2018 at 9:39 am

      So, they came all the way from Moscow (or from wherever they left), stayed overnight, and then went to Salisbury to see the cathedral. What about all the other equally famous cathedrals in Britain? Lot of money to spend on visiting just one of them and then flying back to Russia poste haste.

      And don’t they have a bit of a military look about them.

      Sounds to me like… pull the other one.

      • Bill 1.1.1
        14 September 2018 at 11:59 am

        Because no-one ever traveled to Paris for a day to take in Notre-Dame. No-one ever flew into New York for a day to take in the Twin Towers or the Empire State Building. No-one ever traveled anywhere out from a major city for a day trip to take in a tourist attraction…

      • Siobhan 1.1.2
        14 September 2018 at 12:07 pm

        To start with it all sounded bizarrely ridiculous, till I actually read their story.
        From what I can see, and reading between the lines, they run a dodgy Health and Fitness Company and were in the UK to investigate some new sources of dodgy supplements/steroids..a situation complicated by their cosy sleeping arrangements…

        People lie and tell dodgy tourist stories for all sorts of reasons other than being Russian spies..at this point I couldn’t in all conscience convict them in a court of law if I was on the jury, let alone the court of public opinion.

  2. marty mars 2
    14 September 2018 at 6:51 am

    Lol – coaching from the stands – fault – point UK

    “In the interview, the men confirmed they were the people in the CCTV images, indicating Russia was no longer planning to deny the veracity of video evidence released by Scotland Yard, but to argue it had been misinterpreted.

    Boshirov said the two had gone to visit Salisbury Cathedral, “famous not just in Europe, but in the whole world. It’s famous for its 123-metre spire, it’s famous for its clock, the first one [of its kind] ever created in the world, which is still working.” ”

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/sep/13/spy-poisoning-suspects-interview-an-insult-to-publics-intelligence

    Edit snap 😊

    • Andre 2.1
      14 September 2018 at 7:22 am

      Whoever was the first TS commenter to mention the cathedral or Stonehenge as a possible reason for the two to be in Salisbury should win a chocolate fish for their crystal ball skills.

      • Ed 2.1.1
        14 September 2018 at 7:26 am

        Craig Murray investigates the case.

        “It is in fact absolutely true that, if the two had gone down to Salisbury on 3 March with the intention of going to Stonehenge, they would have been unable to get there because of the snow. It is therefore perfectly possible that they went back the next day to try again; and public transport out of Salisbury was still severely disrupted, and many roads closed, on 4 March. Proof of this is not at all difficult to find.”

        https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/09/the-strange-russian-alibi/

        • Ad 2.1.1.1
          14 September 2018 at 7:38 am

          Two Russian spies who can’t deal with snow.
          Spare me the horseshit of the paranoiac left.

          • Ed 2.1.1.1.1
            14 September 2018 at 7:45 am

            Christopher Hitchens was a hero of the left.
            They he sold out to the neocons.
            Supporting perpetual war in support of the neoliberal cult.
            History will judge the traitors to the Labour movement .

            • Andre 2.1.1.1.1.1
              14 September 2018 at 8:12 am

              Craig Murray was a hero to Uzbeki nightclub dancers.
              Then he sold out to gather internet clicks from nutters.

          • francesca 2.1.1.1.2
            14 September 2018 at 8:47 am

            Ad
            “Two Russian spies who can’t deal with snow”
            They were relying on public transport.
            Seems it was the British busses and trains that were unable to deal
            The Beast from the East disrupted many services.
            Or did you expect they would trudge the 9 miles…. 15 kms plus on foot from the train station, through the uncleared sludge(it was starting to thaw) in ordinary shoes?

          • Bill 2.1.1.1.3
            14 September 2018 at 9:35 am

            There’s a big difference between snow and slush Ad. Slush, depending on your footwear, fucks you up with cold. The two guys say they went back to London after an hour or so. They bought new shoes for or on the next day (snow in London had melted) because (presumably) the ones they had been wearing on the 3rd were soaking wet.

            Watch the interview.

            https://www.rt.com/news/438350-petrov-boshirov-interview-simonyan/

            The guy on the left is fucking scared – beside himself. He’s displaying shit I’ve seen before in people who are stressed as fuck by a situation that’s beyond them…eg – obsessing on relative irrelevancies.

            From some of his defensiveness (going out of his way on a couple of occasions to say he’s not gay) I’d speculate they may be gay, or if not that, then enough people have made the suggestion as an accusation and so they feel they have to defend themselves.

            They say their business is body building supplements. They say they go to Europe on business (to scope supplies) – as well as for pleasure.

            They state they had no idea what to do, and had thought about dumping a video on line. They (obviously) don’t know how the media works. They aren’t exactly happy that their images are all over Russian media. They want to be left alone.

            They want their lives back, but mention the public knowledge (in Russia) that some guy (name gone for the moment) has offered a free trip to Europe for anyone who brings the guys to him. And yes, they say when they heard Putin saying he’d like them to approach media, it acted as an impetus and they chose to do that, rather than a video post.

            Arse-wipes in authority have trashed a couple of ordinary guys for the sake of political bullshit.

            I said it before – the UK had to name someone, had to come up with something for public consumption and attempt to draw a line under things.

            I maintain they already have the courier of the substance used in Salisbury in their care (Julia Skripal). But they can’t exactly say so, given the bullshit they’ve spun and the shit they’ve created.

            • Dennis Frank 2.1.1.1.3.1
              14 September 2018 at 10:21 am

              Well-reasoned, Bill. I’m agnostic on this one. Merit on both sides. It’s a classic alarmist/denier polarity, the BBC fronting as back-up conspiracy theorist to the UK govt. Funny, eh? 🙄

            • marty mars 2.1.1.1.3.2
              14 September 2018 at 11:10 am

              Why is the Russian line any more believable than the United Kingdom line? Honestly I can’t see it – is there bias at play perhaps? I can’t stand any authoritarians and both display attributes of that but still – that story is ludicrous. Scared.? Yeah I bet they are – thrown to the wolves springs to mind.

              • Bill …
                14 September 2018 at 11:55 am

                What “Russian line”?

                It’s the two guys who are in the firing line who are speaking. You may choose to not believe them or their authenticity. You may choose to do that on the basis of what governments and media have been ramming down our gullets these past months. That’s your prerogative,

              • Professor Longhair …
                14 September 2018 at 12:58 pm

                Why is the Russian line any more believable than the United Kingdom line?

                Britain has a long and dishonorable history of official lying. Perhaps you are familiar with the lies told by one Tony Blair and his gang of homicidal liars (Campbell, Straw, Hoon, et al.) and their role in the destruction of Iraq?

                Have you heard of Julian Assange? Are you aware of the British regime’s lying campaign against him and other truth-tellers?

                Certainly, Russia is no paragon of justice or truthfulness—but compared to Britain, it almost is.

        • Andre 2.1.1.2
          14 September 2018 at 7:39 am

          Did you see any familiar names or personality profiles in the CNN piece above?

      • marty mars 2.1.2
        14 September 2018 at 7:55 am

        I think bill was onto Stonehenge wasn’t he.

    • mauī 2.2
      14 September 2018 at 10:51 am

      It certainly was an unfortunate time and place to be a couple of strapping Ruskie lads wandering around checking out some spires 😆

      • Anne 2.2.1
        14 September 2018 at 3:09 pm

        Incredible coincidence isn’t it. Fly in the day before the poisoning occurred. Have a look at a church spire on the day of the poisoning. Then fly out the day after the poisoning.

        My goodness, what appalling misfortune. 😈

        Can’t wait for Emmerson’s take on it.

    • The Al1en 2.3
      14 September 2018 at 12:03 pm

      Speed tourism is a thing now. In and out within 2 days.
      Doesn’t matter if the Russians, from Russia, where it snows a lot, get put off by slush and go home. Lol

      Putin and his apologists must think we’re as thick as they make us out to be.

      And hello MM, coming to a town near you soon 😉

  3. Ed 3
    14 September 2018 at 7:12 am

    McCarthyism alive and well amongst commentators on this site.
    Dr Stranglelove anyone?

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vuP6KbIsNK4

    • Morrissey 3.1
      14 September 2018 at 7:24 am

      What is striking about the government-instigated “outrage” about these Russian assassinations is to contrast them with the coverage of Israeli assassinations of political dissidents. A few years ago when an Israeli team of assassins was caught on a Dubai hotel’s CCTV murdering a Palestinian man, it was treated with levity and/or admiration. Some TV coverage even used jaunty Pink Panther music to make sure that the audience got the moral of the story exactly: that Israel can murder at will, and it’s all good fun.

      Similar light-heartedness characterized the commentary around the United States’s attempts to murder Fidel Castro: it was all a bizarre and hilarious Matt Helm movie.

      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/dubai/7251960/Dubai-Hamas-assassination-how-it-was-planned.html

  4. Dennis Frank 4
    14 September 2018 at 7:26 am

    The Herald has an explanation by Winston of his waka-jumping bill: “There are two major factors which grant the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill its legitimacy and necessity.” He fails to specify the electoral contract while invoking it.
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12124364

    “A wealth of empirical evidence suggests motivations for dissension are more often rooted in intra-party dysfunction and frustrated ego… Alamein Kopu and Frank Grover of the Alliance, Ross Meurant, Hamish MacIntyre and Gilbert Myles of National, and Gordon Copeland of United Future serve as a few examples. All of these members acted against the interests of the voters who elected them, by abandoning the parties whose ticket they were elected on”.

    “The oft-cited example of the Green Party’s 1997 inception, as part of the dissolution of the Alliance, is a perhaps the most disingenuous of all. Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald signed pledges to resign as MPs if they left the Alliance. As Dr Jack Vowles has observed, “If the Green Party has strong principles opposing such a requirement, they were not apparent then”.” If you check out the opposition to Winston by the GP, Jeanette Fitzsimons and Keith Locke, expect to find that they carefully ignore this point.

    “Apart from the empirical evidence, more fundamental is the second factor of proportionality. The composition of Parliament should be preserved to best reflect the wishes of voters at the last election.” “New Zealand First is not, and nor will ever be a “one man band”. Like every other self-respecting party in Parliament, all decisions are brought to and decided upon by a caucus of peers.” Technically correct, but lotsa folk will burst out laughing…

    • Ad 4.1
      14 September 2018 at 7:40 am

      If a Green Party member sheared off and started voting as an independent, the Party and the new independent would be toast. If you don’t like that principle, I have others …..

      • Dukeofurl 4.1.1
        14 September 2018 at 10:15 am

        The Alliance as its name suggest was an Alliance of PARTIES. The Greens werent the only existing party to join up under the Alliance umbrella in 1991.
        New Labour, Manu Motuhake and The democrats were the other existing parties in this federation. A splinter from national with 2 MPs the Liberals came onboard later.

        When they said they would contest the next election under their own name ( The Greens had remained as a distinct entity) rather than Alliance name they remained in the Alliance caucus right up till Parliament dissolved . So there was disruption to the MMP numbers.

    • Chuck 4.2
      14 September 2018 at 9:49 am

      It is pretty simple…

      Winston Peters has fallen out with approx. 50% of his MP’s over the years.

      He needs the waka jumping bill to mask his inability to manage people.

      • Dennis Frank 4.2.1
        14 September 2018 at 10:11 am

        There’s that. However the examples he cited were sufficient to establish the common-interest basis of the law.

      • Dukeofurl 4.2.2
        14 September 2018 at 10:18 am

        Other small parties havent had fall outs ?

        The Alliance had a split or two apart from greens leaving.
        ACT has had its blowups
        Maori Party had a split up when Flavell took over leadership and when they pushed out Harawira.

      • veutoviper 4.2.3
        14 September 2018 at 10:30 am

        Please provide proof of your 50% claim – names and dates, number of NZF MPs at the time.

        You made the claim – you prove it.

        • Chuck 4.2.3.1
          14 September 2018 at 10:43 am

          Here you go veutoviper…

          Tau Henare
          Tuku Morgan
          Rana Waitai
          Tu Wyllie
          Tuariki Delamere
          Ann Batten
          Peter McCardle
          Jenny Bloxham
          Deborah Morris
          Neil Kirton
          Robyn McDonald
          Gilbert Myles
          Dail Jones
          Andrew Williams
          Richard Prosser
          Brendan Horan
          Denis O’Rourke
          Asenati Taylor

          • veutoviper 4.2.3.1.1
            14 September 2018 at 12:27 pm

            Still doesn’t prove that they represent “approx 50% of his MPs over the years” as you claimed!

            But thanks, it has saved me looking for the list. LOL.

          • Enough is Enough 4.2.3.1.2
            14 September 2018 at 2:44 pm

            What that list also shows is how undemocratic the party is. It is Winston’s party and you serve in his party at his pleasure. This Act preserves that.

            Is there any other political party in the Western World that has had the same leader for 25 years?

            It just would not happen anywhere else. As popular as John Key and Jacinda Ardern are/were, their party’s would insist on a democratic coup at some stage to bring in new ideas and leadership.

            • veutoviper 4.2.3.1.2.1
              14 September 2018 at 3:12 pm

              The Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill (it is not and will not be an Act in its own right) doesn’t actually do that in the way you describe. I suggest you read it.

              And how many small parties such as NZF have actually survived 25 years – never mind under the same leadership?

              And IMO there is some good talent in the current NZF MPs – particularly Tracey Martin who is doing a great job. On top of her current load, she is about to take on Education as well while Hipkins is on parental leave for four weeks. Ron Mark is doing a good job in Defence, and much as I am no fan of Shane Jones, his role as Regional champion suits him down to the ground.

              As for Peters’ successor? Not Jones. Fletcher Tabeteau has been quietly trained and mentored for the role for years.

              • OnceWasTim …
                14 September 2018 at 3:49 pm

                +1 ….. agree
                I’ve never voted NZ1 and nor am I likely to, but it does have some decent folk in there.
                And as much as I think ‘Shane Shane hold the ladder steady’, is an egotistical piece of sleeze, I agree he, Tracey Martin (especially!), and even closet Green Ron are doing a good job.
                And not only is Winnie a sly old fox with an intense dislike of bullshit artists and wankers (mainly those in the gNatz), it pisses the right off that he didn’t fuck up whilst on Prime Ministerial relief.
                I hope they “stick phat” with the coalition as it stands. At least NZ1 have a better understanding of how MMP and coalition gubbamints are supposed to work than our MSM or those heartbroken gNatzis who still think they have a majority (because “they got the most” ).

              • Enough is Enough …
                14 September 2018 at 7:54 pm

                NZ First has always had decent folk in their ranks, and they still do.

                None of them amount to much because it is not a democratic party. If they disagree with Winston they are out. It is as simple as that.

          • Dukeofurl 4.2.3.1.3
            14 September 2018 at 3:41 pm

            Where was Dail Jones forced out of NZF ? he just seemed to be an MP on the level of being just in /just out of parliament. He previously had been a national electorate MP.

            That seems to be just a list of former NZ first Mps with some who did leave party while in Parliament

    • Jenny 4.3
      15 September 2018 at 3:13 am

      Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts [coalition governments] absolutely

      Why the dictatorial and anti-democratic Waka Jumping Bill must be defeated!

      The Coalition Government’s credibility and/or survival is at stake

      The Waka Jumping Law will give Winston Peters the power to trash the coalition even against the wishes of his own MPs and grass roots Party members.

      Winston Peters needs the Waka Jumping law so that he can more successfully blackmail the Coalition Government to do his bidding, knowing that if any of the NZ First Caucus ignore a command from him to trash the Coalition, he will have the power to expel them from parliament.

      Related Posts:

      Unions worried by NZ First’s ‘dominance’ in Jacinda Ardern’s Government’

      Peters ‘tidiest’ option

      • solkta 4.3.1
        15 September 2018 at 9:01 am

        The Waka Jumping Law will give Winston Peters the power to trash the coalition even against the wishes of his own MPs

        …he will have the power to expel them from parliament.

        What bollocks. After all this time trashing the bill you should really spend some time to see what it says. A two thirds majority of a party’s caucus is required to invoke the act and expel an MP. Winston can do f all on his own.

  5. Dennis Frank 5
    14 September 2018 at 7:40 am

    Garner said his Beehive sources told him the PM’s sunday speech will be a significant repositioning of the coalition govt. And this: “Ms Ardern’s chief press secretary told Newshub Nation on Wednesday the Prime Minister would not be appearing on the show because he got the date of the interview wrong.” https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/09/prime-minister-pulls-out-of-newshub-nation-and-q-a-weekend-appearances.html

    “There’s been bit of a diary issue in my team. There’s no question I remain very much available for any issue of the day,” Ms Ardern said on Thursday. “This was a simple diary issue.” Simple staffers with simple minds simply can’t cope.

    “It’s the third time the Prime Minister has pulled out of a scheduled interview with Newshub Nation in the past year. The other interviews were planned for August and February. The Government is dealing with fall-out from Clare Curran’s resignation, the inquiry into Meka Whaitiri allegedly assaulting a staff member, and apparent ructions over employment law, the refugee quota and Crown-Maori relations. National Party leader Simon Bridges will appear on Newshub Nation in Ms Ardern’s place.”

    • Ed 5.1
      14 September 2018 at 7:47 am

      If I were PM, I’d never appear on Garner’s show.
      And nor would my Ministers.

      • Halfcrown 5.1.1
        14 September 2018 at 8:02 am

        +1

      • Andre 5.1.2
        14 September 2018 at 8:02 am

        So you’d only front up to media you thought would be friendly? Where’d you get your media training? Trump University?

        • Gabby 5.1.2.1
          14 September 2018 at 9:38 am

          The Ponyboy Academy of Fine Hair Arts?

          • Dukeofurl 5.1.2.1.1
            14 September 2018 at 10:23 am

            Garner never pushed Key …ever

            He had a funny style of raising the ‘hard issues’ but putting them in the third person.

            It was clear to me Garner had a Key as a back door source to what was going on in Parliament and ‘issues of the day’
            Garner had a need to keep Key on side as his price for the continued leaks from Key

        • Ngungukai 5.1.2.2
          14 September 2018 at 10:28 am

          Well that eliminates most of the MSM options in NZ as most are aggressive little trolls with anger management issues ?

      • Wayne 5.1.3
        14 September 2018 at 8:10 am

        Ed

        How many other news outlets would the PM also not appear on?

        Hoskings and Williams on ZB? TV3 generally?

        Would she only appear on approved “friendly” stations?

        It is a good thing she doesn’t take your advice. PM’s have to appear on a wide variety of news media shows, friendly or otherwise. Its called democracy.

        As for Garner, he is a pretty fair interviewer. Not obviously biased one way or the other. Based on what I hear on Radio Live, I don’t believe you could tell how he votes. Unlike say Mark Richardson.

        • Stuart Munro 5.1.3.1
          14 September 2018 at 8:21 am

          Interviewers need to be as smart as Stephen Sackur. Garner is dumber than most of the trolls here – a waste of space on his best day.

          • Wayne 5.1.3.1.1
            14 September 2018 at 9:25 am

            Actually Garner is pretty good among the range of New Zealand radio and TV interviewers. He does test both Ardern and Bridges on their weekly appearances.
            Not many interviewers anywhere in the world are as good as Sakur. His is literally a global superstar among TV interviewers. It is like saying all rugby players should be as good as Bowden Barrett.

            • Professor Longhair 5.1.3.1.1.1
              14 September 2018 at 12:50 pm

              A barely literate, blithering old goat bleated the following pieces of old rubbish:

              Actually Garner is pretty good….

              Wrong.

              He does test both Ardern and Bridges…

              Wrong.

              Not many interviewers anywhere in the world are as good as Sakur. [sic] His [sic] is literally a global superstar….

              Stephen Sackur lacked the courage and wit to effectively challenge even the lightweight John Key. He is not as unpleasant as Duncan Garner, and not as demonstrably stupid, but he’s not much better as an interviewer.

              It is like saying all rugby players should be as good as Bowden [sic] Barrett.

              What?

              It is a concern that someone so lacking in judgment was allowed to serve as a Cabinet minister. It is, more fundamentally, an indictment on the National Party and its lack of talent.

            • OnceWasTim 5.1.3.1.1.2
              14 September 2018 at 4:10 pm

              Oh Wayne …… you really are an old fuddy duddy aren’t you.
              He’s about as rehearsed and plastic as some of his worshippers and little protoges who even try and ape his hand and arm movements (going forward)
              Most of them are so fundamentally full of shit and over-inflated egos you could grow a decent crop of organic mushrooms on them to go with a few Ponsonby Road smashed avocados on rye with Olivani.
              Christ….. Peddy Gear, Tovie, …………. (and a decade plus ago, during an E-spinner’s salad days and search fortrue self), a Gee-on

              It’s good to see though @ Wayne, that you’re a loyal old soldier. (apparently a man of principle in your own mind)
              You’re in the Club ….. alongside Peter the Dunne.
              I lerv watching the both of youse guys as panelists on all those ‘INCISIVE’ raisin affairs programmes on te telly

            • Morrissey 5.1.3.1.1.3
              14 September 2018 at 4:37 pm

              Actually Garner is pretty good….

              I formally nominate this epic by poor old “Wayne” for the Dumbest Post of the Year Award.

      • Stuart Munro 5.1.4
        14 September 2018 at 8:17 am

        Key did that – It was shameful.

        Better to restructure Mediaworks so they hire some actual journalists.

      • james 5.1.6
        14 September 2018 at 8:50 am

        Ed as PM (God forbid), would only turn up on George Galloway cat videos.

        • cleangreen 5.1.6.1
          14 September 2018 at 9:51 am

          Media sources all use the policy of ;

          “tell them enough times and it becomes the truth”

          Very little is ‘truth’ noways we are sorry James.

      • Tuppence Shrewsbury 5.1.7
        14 September 2018 at 9:38 am

        Fine. Give the opposition all the airtime they can handle. Which is all of it

    • Gabby 5.2
      14 September 2018 at 10:01 am

      Slick Britches needs all the talking like a grownup practice he can get franky.

    • chris73 5.3
      14 September 2018 at 12:47 pm

      Newshub could make it easier for Jacinda to do interviews, like maybe doing them at a school, where Jacinda Ardern feels most comfortable or maybe have school kids asking the questions instead of Duncan Garner

      Then Newshub could interview the leader of NZ (Winston Peters) at the same time and everyones happy 😉

  6. SaveNZ 6
    14 September 2018 at 8:23 am

    We already have a problem with violence and crimes against women in this country, but wait instead of solving it, we seem to be giving away residency to callous scams and doing nothing and attracting more and more here…. NZ government is totally burying their heads in the sand on what sort of place NZ is going to become with people able not only to freely extort tens thousands of dollars for marriage and keep doing it, but also will probably qualify for Kiwibuild and have the deposits (from the dowry scams to be able to afford one), and encouraging more and more low life criminal types gaining quick and easy residency to build their scams here .

    Immigration marriage and dowry scams on the rise, says charity

    “A special needs 18-year-old Kiwi woman with the mental age of 7 is targeted by a much older Indian national for marriage in order to get permanent residence.

    An Indian woman who paid thousands of dollars in dowry to marry a Kiwi Indian is now in a safe house after the husband absconded with all her belongings.

    Hundreds of South Asian men are entering into sham marriages for NZ residency and then using their status to extort dowry from women in their home countries, Auckland group Bhartiya Samaj Charitable Trust says.”

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12123831

    • SaveNZ 6.1
      14 September 2018 at 8:34 am

      It’s about time there is a 10 – 15 year (at least) wait until new residents qualify for permanent residency and they have to fulfil some sort of criteria such as having good behaviour, not running scams, and paying real taxes and a real social contribution here, actually live here, etc to make the final transition and become a permanent resident or citizen.

      They certainly should not be getting Kiwibuild, free health care, free education, VOTING rights after 2 years of living here while Kiwis live in tents and cars, struggling miles outside of towns and being the ones to pick up the petrol taxes…

      There should also be no relative/marriage rights, each application should succeed on it’s own merits and it takes 10 – 15 years to become a permanent resident – so that people running dowry scams and the like or Kiwis being scammed in what they may believe is a real relationship have to last a real period of time to show it is real and not a scam from one individual to another.

      • SaveNZ 6.1.1
        14 September 2018 at 8:46 am

        NZ is an absolute haven for many qualified people who are experienced and skilled in their careers, IT could be one avenue for success in NZ for example and attract world class migrants and more importantly retain world class Kiwis and encourage them to stay here and are proven to be absolute innovators and idea makers (America cup tech, Xero, Weta etc) … but until our government wants to vote for quality rather low waged burger or liquor store attendants, manual farm workers and low level construction workers who our ‘esteemed” business industry seems to be lobbying for relentlessly, or the “ask no questions” from the Meth imports and growing scandals of corruption in government areas (cash for driving licences etc), we are rocketing into a sub class of criminal and ‘trader’ type and commodity industries.

        The situation with Fletchers and Fonterra who have gotten massive help from the government in allowing their dreams of cheaper workers and offshoring and blind eye to pollution effects has backfired. Our top industries have become dinosaur fat cats who can’t do their own jobs in booming times and are actually less competitive with the low wage, low regulation, zero innovation, fat cat approach.

        • cleangreen 6.1.1.1
          14 September 2018 at 10:03 am

          100% SaveNZ;
          And;
          Banks.
          ‘America’s cup’
          Insurance industry.
          Aluminum smelters.
          Media – Radio-Works was loaned $27m for expansion when Steven Joyce was having trouble selling it.

          Rorting = National.

          • alwyn 6.1.1.1.1
            14 September 2018 at 12:49 pm

            “Media – Radio-Works was loaned $27m for expansion when Steven Joyce was having trouble selling it.”
            Absolute rubbish, like so many of your comments.
            Prove it or admit you are talking balderdash again.

  7. corodale 7
    14 September 2018 at 9:10 am

    Watching the Florence climate porn on Austrian TV. But their reporter was standing in gentle rain. Big flop. The storm off the coast of the Philipines it bigger. Can check for yourself:

    https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-77.83,%2031.88,%203000/loc=-68.676,%2030.097

    After the Florence porn they interved a dude/Professor about climate action in Europe, with shamelessly leading questions. How we might save the elderly, by eating small low sugar meals. Even the pollen is going to be killing us now. And it’s all the fault of GHGs! The Professor was wearing a very stylish grey suit with coloured trim on the collar.

  8. ianmac 8
    14 September 2018 at 9:19 am

    Further to the publicity given to “the NZF is in charge” story, Jack Vowles writes this reminder:

    “…the Key government could not get its changes to the Resource Management Act through Parliament, because it lacked the support of the United Future Party.”
    So not unique to Labour Lead Government?

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/@future-learning/2018/09/13/235790/op-ed-jack-vowles?preview=1

    • Chuck 8.1
      14 September 2018 at 10:06 am

      From the link, you posted:

      “Commentators are also correct in suggesting the Government has a problem of political management. If there are disagreements within the coalition, they should be dealt with before they become public, and when they do become public they should be presented in the best ways possible.”

      Not much chance of that when you have Shane Jones and Winston Peters to contend with. Its all about keeping NZF relevant and above 5% come 2020.

      • Dukeofurl 8.1.1
        14 September 2018 at 10:27 am

        NZ First speaking out is part of their coalition agreement with labour.

        Its been a while now but the best equivalent was ACT in the first years of Keys government.
        They were opposed to a lot of Nationals policy then as they wanted much harder economic policy.
        It lead to the Party splitting

  9. Chuck 9
    14 September 2018 at 10:21 am

    Clare Currin strikes again.

    “Derek Handley says the Government has reneged on a commitment to appoint him as New Zealand’s first chief technology officer and paid him three months salary, and costs, as compensation.”

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107080064/derek-handley-receives-compensation-after-being-dumped-as-chief-technology-officer

    First Currin cost Carol Hirschfeld her job, now Handley along with a nice little payout via NZ taxpayers.

    • R.P Mcmurphy 9.1
      14 September 2018 at 10:32 am

      hey thats life. if you get too excited over all this they will get you some pills to calm you down.

    • SaveNZ 9.2
      14 September 2018 at 11:06 am

      He deserves it for being mucked around by NZ government through no fault of his own! 3 months is nothing, the Fonterra and Fletchers bosses seem to be on million dollar salaries but somehow run their corporations into the ground with millions of losses…

    • Dukeofurl 9.3
      14 September 2018 at 11:27 am

      Hirschfeld cost her job herself. She repeatedly lied to her Chief executive and Board when their was no reason to about the meeting.

      “Curran said her office contacted RNZ twice after the select committee was told the meeting was a coincidence.

      “Hirschfeld had earlier repeatedly assured RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson a meeting with Curran on December 5 last year was coincidental, after she and the minister had bumped into each other in a Wellington cafe.”

      Curran had just left out the meeting from her schedule and Hirschfeld for some strange reason embellished the actual situation
      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12020873

      • Chuck 9.3.1
        14 September 2018 at 1:11 pm

        The question to ask is why did Hirschfeld feel she had to say it was “coincidental”?

        Unless Hirschfeld is a complete idiot (which I don’t) it suggests at some point in all this Hirschfeld was left out of a Curran memo…that our alibi has now changed from a “coincidental meeting” to, I forgot to record it in my schedule.

  10. R.P Mcmurphy 10
    14 September 2018 at 10:31 am

    the rarefied air on the Standard is a bit much for me sometimes with all the high falutin’ stuff but if you want to get down and dirty FB is the place to go.
    nationals party mp’s have started showing up all over but they never have a comments button on their pages.?
    they are getting drubbed on FB and they know it.
    wont name the best sites but just start your own observations and sooner or later you will find the way to the best site of them all. hehehehe.

    • Dukeofurl 10.1
      14 September 2018 at 11:31 am

      national has a dedicated FB operation – Dirty Politics redux

      part of their use is to harvest emails of those that follow it – FB allows that for its paid operations that business and political groups are.
      The other process is so they can insert paid items in particular news feeds.

  11. Ad 11
    14 September 2018 at 10:59 am

    Derek Handley got the job of Chief Technology Officer, then got it taken away from him.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12125093

    Claire Curran is the anti-Midas.

    • SaveNZ 11.1
      14 September 2018 at 11:09 am

      Great start, NOT (sarcasm) to get away from our low wage, low pay culture… think you need someone, not follow a normal process, recruit them, then change their mind and fire them???? Sounds like normal business in NZ though… but that is not a good thing.

      Saying that, the guy is not technical, so not really a CTO… so doh Clare Curren!!

      Poor guy though… getting caught up in this crap!

      No wonder they can’t retain Kiwis in NZ!

    • Dennis Frank 11.2
      14 September 2018 at 11:27 am

      He handled it well. Does rather imply that his appointment failed to achieve cabinet support, eh? Wonder why. Does it mean the govt was his employer?? So they’re effectively acting corporate, using the dis-establishment of role tactic because they don’t think he’s the right person, or do they now think the original decision to establish that role was wrong? If the latter, does it mean Curran decided to set it up like that & didn’t need cabinet approval to do so?

      Hard to disagree with the Nats calling it a shambles but they never say why, do they? If they explained whatever procedural problem was operating, or what design flaw doomed it from the start, they’d start operating at a level above college-kid mentality.

    • Alan 11.3
      14 September 2018 at 11:40 am

      Anti – Midas, very good

    • SaveNZ 11.4
      14 September 2018 at 2:02 pm

      The 90 day ‘fire for no reason’ employment legislation is why so many people in NZ can’t relocate for work, you can do so, but unless you can persuade your employer to compensate you in the contract if they change their mind (yes trying getting horticultural workers, farm workers, constructions workers to have this included in their jobs and I think you will find that the employers that ‘can’t find staff’ also are those that enjoy the “fire at will legislation” so they can hire, fire, hire, fire, etc) and of course over time you will get a dysfunctional workplace that we have in NZ and low productivity.

      Instead of fixing it, our government is keen to just let employment conditions get worse by allowing employers to hire paid foreign workers and then expect the NZ taxpayers to pick up the bills after 2 years when they become permanent residents… even worse the rise of ‘middlemen’ tricking migrants and exploiting them while the NZ government turns a blind eye, actually cuts immigration enforcement funding.

      We all know the Natz loved this type of thing, but Labour and NZ First seem ok with it too…

      The CTO is a perfect example of a dysfunctional employment situation where someone is dismissed through some sort of internal dispute… weird process followed by employeer that result in chaos and dysfunction and the person being let go through no fault of his own.

      The difference is, when you are on $400k you have enough power generally to have a clause in your contract or negotiate it to have your loses met by your employer… those on a fraction of that, have little say generally in what they can ask for… and their employers in NZ want all the power and control and low wages and poor conditions and willing and staff who do what they are told no questions asked… you just don’t get good results under those bad employment conditions and workers that put up with that (so good Kiwis leave) and NZ is a perfect example of a country that has low productivity because of that.

      • Chuck 11.4.1
        14 September 2018 at 2:19 pm

        “are those that enjoy the “fire at will legislation” so they can hire, fire, hire, fire, etc)”

        SaveNZ I don’t think you have been an employer? Otherwise, you would understand the amount of time/ effort/cost involved in finding and training new employees.

        • SaveNZ 11.4.1.1
          14 September 2018 at 2:38 pm

          yes I have been an employer, chuck… also have family the employ people. I understand both perspectives employer and employee…. but I also think that we are going the wrong way at both ends, dysfunctional employers and managers and dysfunction employees too.. the whole thing is a mess. Employment contracts bill has had side effects that need to be addressed… starting with making it difficult for employeers to simply rely on importing in foreign workers to their dysfunctional standards, in particular at the bottom end of the scale and filling the country with dysfunctional people who are all exploiting each other.

          If we need valuable skills, sure hire someone from overseas if they are best, BUT not at the lower end of the pay rate because what has happened in NZ is that cultural fit and non understanding has become a major problem. AKA Fonterra and Fletchers… NZ is not America, Canada or what have you… Fonterra and Fletchers became world class with Kiwi founders and managers and just swapping in the latest management or accountancy fad, is not going to get the results. It is the individual person’s ability that really matters.

          The global financial crisis showed the world that.

        • McFlock 11.4.1.2
          14 September 2018 at 2:40 pm

          When was the last time you were employed in a hospo or retail job? Because the vetting and training is frequently between “little” and “none”.

    • Dukeofurl 11.5
      14 September 2018 at 3:46 pm

      Happens on the ‘big jobs’ more than you think.

      Fonterra seemed to be looking for a new CEO and then wasnt and appointed a temp from inside the company.
      Same time the Chairman steeped down suddenly as it seems the board rolled him on his preferred choice of new CEO.

  12. Ffloyd 12
    14 September 2018 at 11:13 am

    Might be off topic but does anyone think a minor royal and his wife are worth a million dollars to NZ. What do we get out of it? Genuine question.

  13. The Al1en 13
    14 September 2018 at 12:09 pm

    @lprent

    You’re letting idiots like Ed post, why not me?
    Surely you’re a bigger man to let the water flow under the bridge than be that sort of hard arsed twat who keeps a grudge closer than his whiskey flask.

    Come on now, amnesty for The Al1en.

  14. Andre 14
    14 September 2018 at 12:23 pm

    Holy fuck! If this solar cell development is for real and can be commercialised at an acceptable price, it’s a real game changer.

    https://cleantechnica.com/2018/09/13/golden-sandwich-solar-cell-converts-85-of-sunlight-to-electricity/

    It means solar farms could be a quarter the size for the same output.

    One of the things that’s always bothered me about the 20% efficiency of current PV farms is an awful lot of the 80% incident solar energy that doesn’t become electricity just becomes heat. So I’ve kinda preferred the idea of concentrating solar thermal generation, which reflect most of the unused incoming solar energy rather than absorbing it. They can also store heat for generation when the sun isn’t shining. But if a PV cell is turning 85% of the incident solar energy into electricity, then the waste heat issue just goes away.

    • Dennis Frank 14.1
      14 September 2018 at 12:46 pm

      If they haven’t already lodged a patent claim, they’re fools. The petrochemical industry will call a crisis meeting of corporate heads as soon as this news reaches them, to start planning how to stop it. Traditional method is to commission a raid by competent undercover operatives to steal the technology and bury it. In a foreign country it would have to be espionage specialists hired. Probably simpler just to buy the university or institute that employs the scientists. But I’d expect the Japanese government to see this as a lifeline out of the economic doldrums, and they will know they have to prioritise protecting such a valuable resource!

      • Andre 14.1.1
        14 September 2018 at 12:56 pm

        The petrochemical industries still have the limitations of battery and hydrogen technologies protecting them. But it will really deliver a few more solid whacks to coal and gas.

        It might also turn gold into a material that’s actually valuable for its usefulness, rather than it mostly just being something shiny that’s attractive to magpies.

    • McFlock 14.2
      14 September 2018 at 1:05 pm

      Early days, but interesting.
      And the bit at the bottom about hydrogen generation was intriguing, too.

      • Andre 14.2.1
        14 September 2018 at 1:20 pm

        Yeah that was quite the teaser about hydrogen at the end. I still can’t figure out whether they’re hinting the gold nano-particle/titanium dioxide combo also works photocatalytically to split water, or something else.

        • Editractor 14.2.1.1
          14 September 2018 at 3:20 pm

          Says it in the abstract (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-018-0208-x):

          “Here we show that this modal strong coupling between a Fabry–Pérot nanocavity mode and a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) facilitates water splitting reactions.”

          “A key feature of our structure is that the Au NPs are partially inlaid in the TiO2 layer, which results in an enhancement of the coupling strength and water-oxidation efficiency.”

          • Andre 14.2.1.1.1
            14 September 2018 at 4:03 pm

            Thanks for that. I tried following the link a couple of times and once my confuser crashed and the next I got a weird message that was basically “computer says no”. Worked fine for me just now, tho.

    • chris73 14.3
      14 September 2018 at 2:50 pm

      They sorted out the efficiency of the battery storage?

  15. soddenleaf 15
    14 September 2018 at 12:38 pm

    Wallace commenting on Obama’s clemency of a traitor,implied that govt not the US courts had convicted her, and so made it rather confusing as to what the duly elected representative, the head of the us govt, the executive, President Obama had done. Why would we want a traitor here, but to find out why she was released surely. But hey, Australia wants to censor such free speech supposedly because she hasn’t yet be denied entry. So if Nat.Radio really wanted to, it could turn off the spin.
    Manning, has a excellent reason to be heard, whereas two right-wing spinners being denied the opportunity to waste Auckland ratepayer cash, like they don’t have the dosh, or connections to find a place to have a gig. As for Brash, when has he ever been stoped from getting a airing, so what if one university is fully booked. Come back when you are denied everywhere.
    I see Gandhi being welcomed in London, having to accept any meeting hall, due to a very real issue, quite unlike Brash, or those two Canadians, or even Manning, because he wasnt someone’s spin, or of interest, but had to really change minds.

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

  17. AsleepWhileWalking 17
    14 September 2018 at 3:17 pm

    Got home and checked the news. Boston is in flames with around 70+ homes exploding. Entire suburbs evacuated.

  18. veutoviper 18
    14 September 2018 at 4:29 pm

    ITS D DAY ON RNZ NATIONAL CHECKPOINT

    John Campbell’s last night on Checkpoint before going to TVNZ.

    That is if the “bug” currently taking out RNZ National staff has not struck him down. He was losing his voice last night.

    Apparently, Guyon Espiner is or was in hospital …

  19. Morrissey 19
    14 September 2018 at 4:43 pm

    NEWSFLASH!! They’ve dug up the deceased
    twin of that barking yenta Dame Margaret Hodge.

    http://normanfinkelstein.com/2018/09/13/sky-news-reports-that-deceased-twin-sister-of-dame-margaret-hodge-surfaces/

  20. Morrissey 20
    14 September 2018 at 6:06 pm

    “We’re a white bread group.”
    Mork goes to a National/ACT meeting.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWQEWhqLXss

  21. Monty 21
    14 September 2018 at 7:31 pm

    Interesting until today no New Zealand media outlet or here was even concerned that the biggest storm this year was heading to hit ASIA. Guess racism is ok so long as racism against Asia.

    • Enough is Enough 21.1
      14 September 2018 at 7:43 pm

      Maybe

      Is the fact that posters and commentors on here talk about the US and US politics alot, and rarely, if ever talk about Asian politics a sign that they are racist?

    • Exkiwiforces 21.2
      14 September 2018 at 7:43 pm

      Ah, give it a couple days Monty and the vultures will be all over it like a dead carcass.

      As they won’t report the reasons why or cause of this wee nasty beastie that’s about to hit those poor buggers as it’s too technical for them too understand.

    • Gabby 21.3
      14 September 2018 at 7:58 pm

      We know that Doodyturdy will shoot it or sutin monty.

  22. eco maori 22
    15 September 2018 at 8:12 am

    I thank OUR Great tipuna whos hard work paved the way for the revival of Tangata whenua O Aotearoa cultures and Te reo .This goal was there lifes work and we are now seeing the fruits of there hard labour . Rawiri Rangitauira & Whaimutu Dewes( Koro )
    Kia Kaha tangata whenua Ka kite ano link below.

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/09/13/235621/time-to-plan-for-a-bilingual-new-zealand

  23. eco maori 23
    15 September 2018 at 10:29 am

    Good morning Newshub Nation Privatization only serves the best interest of the % 00.1
    these people are selling the rest of people this lie about how a big state is bad for the economy so the greedy can line there pockets at the expence of the lower classes and OUR mokopuna future .
    These people are climate change deniers they worship money at the expence of Papatuanuku and humanity . You no the old saying many hands make light work.
    1080 is the tool now for controlling our forest pest for now but we need to talk about alternative ways to this we need to invest more money into this pest control problem .
    Publish the data and pear reviews we have the people to carry out the work pay a bounty on the pest instead of a huge price paid on Helicopters.
    That was a own goal to national on the leak of simon tiki tour expenses.
    Jacinda & Labour can play the long game with Winston enough said .
    Yes I call for The OIA reforms as The Official Information Act only works for the wealthy.
    I no this for a fact. Ka kite ano

  24. eco maori 24
    15 September 2018 at 12:35 pm

    Some Eco Maori muic to tangata whenua all around Papatunuku.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wtfhZwyrcc

  26. eco maori 26
    15 September 2018 at 1:48 pm

    Here you go the neo liberal capitalist % 00.1 will raise heaps of money and cheat the other classes out of democracy the Brexit vote leave the EU camp use this money on proper-gander companies like cambridge analytical to change the votes of some people to leave The EU the fake it till you make it people. This is happening all around Papatuanuku link is below. Ka kite ano

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/14/judges-brexit-vote-eu-referendum-vote-leave

  27. eco maori 27
    15 September 2018 at 4:10 pm

    The lawyers are sexiest & raciest so are the rest of the people in the Justice systems of Aotearoa link below.
    ka kite ano.

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/360856/being-an-intelligent-woman-of-colour-is-a-curse-nz-born-fijian-lawyer

  28. eco maori 28
    15 September 2018 at 4:36 pm

    The sanflys must have been given the clearance to play with there marbles/sirens everytime I put a post up that points out there flaws the sirens start going off they have something lodged up there noses the have the whole state at there disposal heaps of undercover people heaps of people blinded or to scared to tell them to—–off and they got nothing but there contracted lies that won’t stand up in court NOTHING .
    They insist on there Stupid game .
    What does Eco Maori have the gifts from my tipuna and my computer Ana to kai.
    ka kite ano P.S O & I’M INNOCENT Eco Maori life story will make a good book and will sell millions of copys around Papatuanuku

  29. eco maori 29
    15 September 2018 at 6:39 pm

    Good evening Newshub there are quite a few storms going on Papatuanuku at the minute we are mear specks compared to Papatuanuku Tangaroa & Tawhirimatea .
    Lets hope that gas explosions are human error .
    Surveys are tools used for one group to prove what they want to prove I take them with a grain of salt what was the criteria to be included in the survey.
    With the Wealthy people’s nuclear bunkers well money can achieve a lot keeping people’s mouth shut.
    As for the resource consent well if the councils hypothetically can not find them who need’s paper work a fill hip pocket works wonders what reason would the manufacture of those bunkers have to lie about this topic .
    Solar is the way to go I seen one spinning story about our journey to renewable energy transition giving a view that we could not achieve it the facts were distorted so oil money to blame.
    That was a short time to get the team set up 5 day before a test ??????.
    Ka kite ano

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    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
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    7 days ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
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    7 days ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
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    7 days ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
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    1 week ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
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    1 week ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
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  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
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  • Government backing mussel spat project
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  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
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    1 week ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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    1 week ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
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    1 week ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
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    1 week ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
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    1 week ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
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    1 week ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
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    1 week ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
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    1 week ago

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