Open mike 15/01/2025

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 15th, 2025 - 30 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

30 comments on “Open mike 15/01/2025 ”

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  1. Ad 1
    15 January 2025 at 6:49 am

    Waitangi Day this year is going to be an old school full-throated Opposition revival. Attending any event will read like protest.

  2. thinker 2
    15 January 2025 at 7:53 am

    … And Luxons strategy is 'best not to have that discussion '..

    • Tiger Mountain 2.1
      15 January 2025 at 8:13 am

      What I can tell you is…in the recent Sunday Star Times, Andrea Vance’s column was headed “Luxons not a ‘drop nuts’– he just has nothing to say at Waitangi”.

      Vance basically squiggled around the various angles quoting Natzo supporters saying “no votes in it for him etc.”, but did note that as PM he should be representing all NZers on our national day, not just those that voted for him.

  3. Stephen D 3
    15 January 2025 at 10:57 am

    The Regulatory Standards Bill.

    Isn’t it anathema to everything NZ1 stand for? And if so, what are the chances of Winnie not voting for it?

    • Craig H 3.1
      15 January 2025 at 11:54 am

      Probably not something that makes it through this term I would have thought.

    • Subliminal 3.2
      15 January 2025 at 12:24 pm

      It is clearly stated in the Nact coalition agreement that the RSB is to be passed in this term.

      Part of the NZ 1st agreement is to support all of the governments legislation. While it is not out of the realms of possibility, given Winstons animosity towards David, opposing the passage of this legislation would likely wreck the coalition.

      • Subliminal 3.2.1
        15 January 2025 at 12:34 pm

        Edit:

        The Coalition Agreement between the ACT and National Parties commits to: “Legislate to improve the quality of regulation, ensuring that regulatory decisions are based on principles of good law-making and economic efficiency, by passing the Regulatory Standards Act as soon as practicable.” This refers to passing, not just introducing

        Item 20

        https://melanienelson.substack.com/p/jane-kelsey-submission-on-the-proposed

      • Subliminal 3.2.2
        15 January 2025 at 12:38 pm

        Edit 2:

        New Zealand First is committed in its Coalition Agreement with National to support ACT Party initiatives in National’s Coalition Agreement.

        Item 21, same reference

        • Stephen D 3.2.2.1
          15 January 2025 at 1:08 pm

          With luck it might be the issue Winnie decides to make a meal of. Differentiation time heading into 2026.

    • Incognito 3.3
      15 January 2025 at 1:18 pm

      There’s a very good write-up today on Spinoff: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/15-01-2025/whats-all-the-fuss-about-the-bill-to-regulate-regulations

      What happens next?

      According to a proactively released cabinet paper, Seymour will report back to cabinet by February on the outcome of consultation and to “seek agreement to policy decisions”. The bill will be introduced to parliament in the first half of the year, and will be open to public submissions at select committee stage.

      As another commenter has already pointed out Jane Kelsey thinks NZFirst will support the Bill.

      Brian Easton wrote about it on 30 Nov 2023: https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/forward-to-2017 [not the same piece as cited in the Spinoff article]

      There is a commitment to pass the Regulatory Standards Act as soon as practicable. I have cautioned that an Act in its form of the 2021 Regulatory Standards Bill is unworkable. Even so, it is the one really innovative proposal in the two agreements, which are otherwise unremittingly back to 2017.

      If the RSA is passed, it is likely to be watered down. Even so, to pass it requires the support of NZF. Their agreement with National proposes a number of policies which would increase regulatory interventions in a way that is anathema to ACT. Will there be a standoff?

      The agreements are clear that standoffs can happen. ‘As provided for in the Cabinet Manual, the Parties can “agree to disagree” in relation to matters on which the Parties wish to maintain, in public, different positions’ and ‘no Party is obliged to support another Party’s Members’ Bills’.

      As it turns out, the proposed RSB is not watered down although the reference to a referendum has been removed from the latest version. But this is just a new starting point (aim high).

      I don’t think it will come to a ‘standoff’ though; there will be more negotiation, building on those held to form the Coalition in the first place, between the coalition partners. In my view, NZFirst will support improvements to regulation and cutting red tape, so there’s fertile soil here for ACT and Seymour to work with.

    • Mike the Lefty 3.4
      15 January 2025 at 4:54 pm

      Moral stands are not something you associate with this CoC.

      The "baubles of power" are strong.

      Winston can change direction quicker than an agitated compass.

  4. joe90 4
    15 January 2025 at 11:48 am

    Keeping their offensive bigotry bottled up was so hard…poor babies…

    Corporate America embraces a new era of conservatism under Donald Trump

    […]

    To some on Wall Street, the shift is a breath of fresh air.

    Bankers and financiers say that Trump’s victory has empowered those who felt they had to self-censor or change their language to avoid offending younger colleagues, women, minorities or disabled people.

    “I feel liberated,” said a top banker. “We can say ‘retard’ and ‘pussy’ without the fear of getting cancelled . . . it’s a new dawn.”

    https://www.ft.com/content/973421a3-c96a-4038-96c6-725af5aa6124

  5. francesca 5
    15 January 2025 at 12:29 pm

    One day left for submissions to the Foreign Interference Bill

    https://thestandard.org.nz/foreign-interference-bill-repressive-tool-to-intimidate-public-former-minister/

    https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2501/S00022/foreign-interference-bill-prepares-new-attacks-on-democratic-rights.htm

    The bill is a template being rolled out in all 5 Eyes countries and to my mind is reminiscent of the Soviet Union's attempts to stifle dissent

  6. tWig 6
    15 January 2025 at 12:42 pm

    Marina Hyde at The Guardian rips into the tech bros sucking up to Trump in achingly acidic style.

  7. Ad 7
    15 January 2025 at 4:38 pm

    When is this lot going to start improving the economy?

    Isn't that what they were put in there for?

    • Incognito 7.1
      15 January 2025 at 4:52 pm

      Before GE-2026.

      No.

    • James Simpson 7.2
      16 January 2025 at 3:52 pm

      They were put in there to:

      • Change Waka Kotahi's name to NZTE;
      • End 3 Waters;
      • End co-governance; and
      • Put Maori back in their place.

      I am being facetious in part, but I also think it was that BS that got them into power.

  8. joe90 8
    15 January 2025 at 6:25 pm

    Better late than never.

    .

    WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden notified Congress of his intent to lift the U.S. designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, the White House announced, as part of a deal facilitated by the Catholic Church to free political prisoners on the island.

    Senior U.S. administration officials, who previewed the announcement on the condition of anonymity, said ”many dozens” of political prisoners and others considered by the U.S. to be unjustly detained would be released by the end of the Biden administration at noon on Jan. 20.

    The U.S. would also ease some economic pressure on Cuba, as well as a 2017 memorandum issued by then-President Donald Trump toughening U.S. posture toward Cuba.

    https://apnews.com/article/biden-cuba-terrorism-designation-a0e2f003ce7100e6a845ef7ed6e96a1b?

  9. joe90 9
    15 January 2025 at 6:34 pm

    Damn kids and their music…

  10. Hunter Thompson II 10
    15 January 2025 at 6:47 pm

    Local government minister Simeon Brown (according to media reports) wants to cut red tape and get Auckland projects done and dusted, one being a second harbour crossing. Apparently this sort of thing will improve quality of life.

    Do these clods never learn? The harbour crossing is just one small part of the puzzle. Where the traffic goes once it hit the shore on either side is never discussed, probably cos there will be a huge bottleneck.

    Cars should be kept away from Auckland central altogether.

  11. Stephen D 11
    15 January 2025 at 7:26 pm

    Joined up thinking, especially in infrastructure and transportation is not New Zealand politicians’ long suit.

    In response to HT above.

    • Binders full of women 12.1
      15 January 2025 at 8:09 pm

      The best one is still. Lads buy Nan a new mattress in Israel. But where's the old one? she demands. "at the dump". They found it and inside it was – I can't remember- either 100k or 1 mil. Go Nan!!

  14. SPC 14
    15 January 2025 at 11:05 pm

    Thiel claims that the internet*** has resulted in an era of truth and reconciliation (via the election of Trump in 2016 and 2024).

    The rich oligarch with the money tells the online mob they have all the power now, and they receive their truth/apokálypsis/revelation online. And now they reign in place of the mainstream liberal elite that has fallen, just like the pre democratic aristocracy.

    https://archive.li/fp0cH#selection-2487.0-2487.409

    The age of printing resulted in more books in more places, but then pampleteering and discord, contention over governance.

    This end of history nonsense is the hubris of the oligarch – bread and circuses on-line and the big lie narrative for crowd control – all while the wealth disparity grows.