Open mike 15/03/2024

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, March 15th, 2024 - 45 comments
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45 comments on “Open mike 15/03/2024 ”

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  1. Res Publica 1
    15 March 2024 at 7:39 am

    The actual fuck?

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350212958/green-mp-suspended-amid-migration-exploitation-claims

    I'm an enormous believer in increasing POC and Maori representation in Parliament, but who the hell is vetting the Green Party's candidates!?

    In the last two parliamentary terms we've had a isolation queue jumper (Mendez-March) a COVID rule breaker and flat out bully (Kerere), a shoplifter (Gharaman) and now a modern slave owner.

    Add to that Metirias enormous political misjudgement that tanked the 2017 election and it's clear the Greens have a deep rooted institutional problem with how they select and vet the members of the parliamentary party.

    What's the point in paying membership dues and working our asses off in the provinces if our MPs turn out to be entitled, arrogant, or just plain criminals from the major centres?

    • Peter 1.1
      15 March 2024 at 8:30 am

      Similar sentiments were probably expressed about Barbara Kuriger.

      In a slightly different vein the Simon Bridges/Asian election candidates/donations/membership of the party thing was disappeared. Yes, the same Simon Bridges recently appointed chairman of the NZ Transport Agency.

      • Res Publica 1.1.1
        15 March 2024 at 8:43 am

        I've got plenty of sentiments about the misuse of an MP's power and position in general, and Barabara Kuriger in particular.

        However, bothsidesing isn't really a valid counterargument to repeated failures to either select candidates that are prepared for the rigours of public life, or vet them with enough thoroughness to pick up any minor issues like egregious labour exploitation.

        The voting public simply don't care.

        We're supposed to be the party of ideas and ideals: A shining beacon of progressive politics and proof that in a world populated with cynical neo-liberals and intellectually bankrupt corporate shills that there is a better,kinder way to do politics.

        Every scandal, every little peccadillo, every ill-thought out public utterance undermines the party brand, the public's trust, and the decades of hard work thousands of party members have put in to get the party to where it is.

        I don't care how badass a wahine toa you are: If you are a crook, or think you are bigger and more important than the party or the values it stands for, you have no right to be a Green Party MP.

    • KJT 1.2
      15 March 2024 at 9:12 am

      Meteria was following Green party principles.

      The fact that some in the party threw her under the bus was not a good look.

      Golriz was clear mental health issues. I would be sympathetic to anyone in that case regardless of party. I didn't join the approbation against Todd Muller either. His, and Golriz' experiences may well have made them better and more empathetic MP's.

      I don't expect MP's to be squeaky clean in the past. No one would run.

      No excuse for migrant exploitation or mis-treating stock. And those obviously looking for personal benefit. Selling policy for retirement directorships, for example.

      • Jimmy 1.2.1
        15 March 2024 at 9:33 am

        But Todd Muller didn't let the stress get to him so much that he then went out and stole from shops several times. Hopefully the stress doesn't cause Chloe to crack as without her the Greens may struggle to exist.
        Perhaps the problem is the vetting of candidates as all parties have had issues. In fact National probably more than most but they get rid of them.

        • CharlieB 1.2.1.1
          15 March 2024 at 5:00 pm

          Umm.. no they don't.

          Uffindel is still there.. Kuriger is still there.. and Mitchell isn't exactly a shining example of principal for either his private security work or his dodgy practice becoming am MP in the first place.

    • Ad 1.3
      15 March 2024 at 9:38 am

      Who is next on the Green list?

    • Obtrectator 1.4
      15 March 2024 at 10:17 am

      Agree totally, Res. The Greens (and other centre-left parties) can't afford any more f***-ups of this sort. Even if Ms Tana is eventually exonerated – and properly, not just on some legal technicality – enough mud will have been slung in the meantime for some of it to irretrievably stick.

  2. Drowsy M. Kram 2
    15 March 2024 at 8:42 am

    From the 'Feeds panel':

    Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    [14 March 2024]
    More than anything, the Great Landlords Handout undermines the government’s alarmist talk about the state of the country’s books. The more that Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis bewail the economic “mess” they claim to have inherited, the less responsible the landlord’s giveaway tends to look.

    Building a passive income with a 2nd dwelling [14 March 2024]
    Dr Peter Kim defines passive income as “income that is not proportional to the time you physically put into acquiring it.” Typically, the work is done up front, with minimal ongoing efforts so that over time, you get out much more than you put in.

    Cue property investment!

    https://www.geniushomes.co.nz/blog/building-passive-income-with-property

    Passive income – the path to financial freedom – productivity genius! As for the path to financial freedom for tenants – well, that’s obvious.

    • Michael Scott 2.1
      15 March 2024 at 9:44 am

      I agree Drowsy that building passive investment is a great life goal.

      Passive income gives the freedom to do what truly matters to you.

      I am very grateful that my family taught me the principle at a young age.

      • Drowsy M. Kram 2.1.1
        15 March 2024 at 10:54 am

        Yes Michael, financial freedom is great, provided one avoids the trap of pursuing wealth for its own sake – love of money and all that.

        Three great forces rule the world: stupidity, fear and greed. – Einstein

        We don't know how lucky we are, and were. What an even more wonderful place Aotearoa NZ, and indeed spaceship Earth could be (or have been) if more people like yourself were actually incredibly focussed on the goal of financial freedom for all.

        Why poverty in New Zealand is everyone's concern
        Liang describes poverty as a "heritable condition" that perpetuates and amplifies through generations: "It is also not hard to see how individual poverty flows into communities and society, with downstream effects on economics, crime and health, as well as many other systems. Loosen one strand and everything else unravels."

        A Kete Half Empty
        Poverty is your problem, it is everyone's problem, not just those who are in poverty. – Rebecca, a child from Te Puru

        Greed, alas, trumps need.

      • weka 2.1.2
        15 March 2024 at 10:55 am

        test

      • AB 2.1.3
        15 March 2024 at 5:25 pm

        Indeed Michael @2.1. Passive income can give people financial freedom. However, in the case of residential rental properties, this passive income is partially extracted from someone else, and it increases property prices through the demand for this lucrative asset class. In effect, it makes other people less likely to achieve even meagre financial security, let alone develop a stream of passive income for themselves.

        If your financial freedom is an impediment to other people's financial freedom, it poses an ethical problem – or at least it should do.

  3. Joe90 3
    15 March 2024 at 9:06 am

    A man walking the talk.

    .
    @chefjoseandres

    As @WCKitchen mission continues and our partner NGO @openarms_fund boat keeps getting closer, our Jetty construction continues. Already almost 60 meters! My heart goes to my brother Sam Block…and all the Palestinian teams, giving this heart to this mission..#OperationSafeena a second boat is getting ready in @CyprusMFA

    https://twitter.com/chefjoseandres/status/1768001809912566074

  4. Res Publica 4
    15 March 2024 at 9:58 am

    I'd argue that Metiria threw the party under the bus rather than the other way around.

    It wasn't even the WINZ fraud thing: it was not doing her homework, paying it back beforehand, and having a clearly thought-out plan for dealing with the blowback.

    Brave last stands are cool and all. But also pointless unless they achieve something.

  5. Progressive Kiwi 5
    15 March 2024 at 9:59 am

    Does anybody know any left-leaning agencies/people who do CV/cover letter checks and/or mock interviews?

    My CV has left-leaning experience and I am applying for a left-leaning job.

  7. Michael Scott 7
    15 March 2024 at 11:29 am

    Yes Drowsy I agree that financial freedom is great and have spent the last 20 years able to follow my passion of helping young people start, run and grow businesses.

    I agree that we need to avoid – the "love of money" – but find generosity is the best antidote for greed.

    Many people dislike their jobs – trading their time for money – and never realise that it is entirely possible, with planning, to trade money for time.

    • Drowsy M. Kram 7.1
      15 March 2024 at 5:03 pm

      Yep Michael, for some people luck in the 'grace of god' department, plus maybe a little work, is all it takes to gain financial freedom, so kudos to you for helping. A few more like you and perhaps the trend in Kiwi home ownership might reverse.

      First-home buyers ‘are rich people’ [15 Feb 2024]
      “Those who are buying homes are those on higher incomes or who already have wealth. Why we have seen the trend of home ownership fall is not that housing is unaffordable and we’re spending more and more of our income – we are, but more people are being locked out of home ownership.”
      …
      He [Equab] said there were signs of improvement but there was a sense that the system, was “so broken” that no one thought it would be fixed soon.

      And for those, like you and I, who have attained said freedom, with any luck it will have been without overly limiting the opportunities of others to do the same.

  8. Anne 8
    15 March 2024 at 11:35 am

    The reply 'button' is not working for me.

    In reply to Res Publica (and others):
    There is a wee smell about this latest Greens scandal. There may be something in it, or it is the latest example of DP politics – courtesy of Atlas trained opponents. In the meantime it would be wise to refrain from passing judgement until the actual facts have been determined:

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/511756/green-mp-darleen-tana-suspended-amid-migrant-exploitation-claims

    “Hoff-Neilsen told RNZ he was aware of the allegations, but that it was not clear exactly what he was being accused of.
    He said he had not seen any documents relating to the allegation and believed the lawyer raising the issue may be "stirring".”

    • Belladonna 8.1
      15 March 2024 at 6:45 pm

      There's an awful lot of detail, here.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350212641/bike-shop-green-mp-and-alleged-migrant-exploitation

      And, evidence that Hoff-Neilsen has a past history of not paying staff appropriately (ERA decisions against him)

      What, or how much, Tana knew of the situation – remains to be seen. But her personal association with it (until 2019 she was a director of the company – during the period the alleged exploitation was going on), is doing the GP no favours.

      • weka 8.1.1
        15 March 2024 at 9:46 pm

        definitely a much better write up than the one this morning.

        One the face of it, it doesn’t seem credible that she didn’t know her husband had been involved in multiple employment disputes. Why was this not a red flag for the GP selection team?

  9. joe90 9
    15 March 2024 at 11:46 am

    She seems nice.

    .

    @KFILE

    NEW: Michele Marrow, the GOP nominee to run North Carolina’s public schools and its $11 billion budget has repeatedly called for executing Democrats including Joe Biden and Barack Obama (who she said she wanted executed PPV on TV).

    https://cnn.com/2024/03/14/pol

    https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/1768371682891255908

    edit:
    more craziness

    https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1768371682891255908.html

  10. SPC 10
    15 March 2024 at 11:51 am

    Russia has hypersonic-missiles. Russia has them. China and USA want them.

    The Houthi of Yemen claim they now have them, and yet Iran their supplier does not.

    The first to report this is the Russian media.

    If anyone has any doubt as to the purpose of the attacks on shipping (between Europe and Asia) – weaken Europe for supporting Ukraine, this dispels them.

    The other factor is reward to Iran for supplying drones to Russia – enabling the Houthi to pose as fighting Israel while Iran is not involved in the attacks on shipping (because Hamas did not ask permission to attack Israel).

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/15/red-sea-attacks-houthis-reportedly-have-hypersonic-missile/

  11. Gosman 11
    15 March 2024 at 11:51 am

    Except her story didn't stand up to scrutiny. When the media started asking her questions that should have been forseen and answers prepared she basically made up a story. She was asked about the family of the father of her child and why did she not ask them for support to help her. She threw them under the bus by stating they did not support her. This was not the case. This is what eventually led to her demise.

    [you narrowly escaped another ban, because I thought ‘she’ referred to the current GP MP. I’m also aware that the Reply buttons aren’t working properly.

    You’ve been moderated three times this year already, including a ban. Pre-emptive warning going forward: don’t troll, don’t do FB-esque reckons, and if you are going to make claims of fact, provide some evidence and decent argument not just RW talking points – weka]

  12. Visubversa 12
    15 March 2024 at 12:27 pm

    I don't recall ever hearing Metiria say that the child's paternal family did not support her. If she did – it was not true. The Hartleys bought the house at 27 New Bond St (that was the cause of the "electoral fraud" accusation) for Metiria and Paul. She chose to not live there which was her right, but the Hartleys would have given their last cent for their first grandchild.

    She blindsided the Hartleys absolutely with the revelations of benefit fraud. The Press pack were hiring helicopters to pursue them to Gt Barrier. Eventually, someone told John Campbell the truth and Metiria resigned.

    • Belladonna 12.1
      15 March 2024 at 7:12 pm

      Turei did indeed make the claim that the family support was 'not financial'

      Metiria Turei says the support she received from family while committing benefit fraud was not financial.

      She told Checkpoint: "I have always said I did have really fantastic support from friends and family and that Piupiu's family really supported me especially when I was in law school with things like you know, child care, stuff like that. Like the sort of stuff that you would expect.

      "But I was entirely financially responsible for myself and my daughter."

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/95624422/metiria-turei-says-support-from-her-childs-grandparents-wasnt-financial

      <

      p style=”margin-left:0; margin-right:0; text-align:start”>

  13. joe90 13
    15 March 2024 at 1:56 pm

    When fundies rule.

    .

    @freemancrouch This sign is in Williamson County, Texas, and I don't think this is the usual highway signage boilerplate. What the heck? Any theories?

    […]

    @thepoliticalcat@mastodon.social

    @freemancrouch The road is under the direct authority of the state, i.e., police are empowered to restrict any attempt to flee the state along this road. This is to prevent Texan women from using this road to flee authorities in search of abortion.

    https://mastodon.social/@thepoliticalcat/112095672531011171

  14. Stephen D 14
    15 March 2024 at 2:34 pm

    From the sidebar.

    https://www.kiwipolitico.com/2024/03/two-offenders-different-treatments/

    One half unreported by the msm, or have I missed something?

    ”On the other hand there is a male Pakeha “senior political figure” in a rightwing party who during the course of a fraud investigation had people come forth accusing him of serial sexual offending. Eventually the number of victims grew to a half dozen or more. He resigned his senior party position once the fraud investigation heated up, and then he was charged with several sex offences. The offending is historical and related to a well known volunteer service organization in which he held senior leadership roles and was involved with young people in a mentoring role. The judge assigned to the case granted him and that of his party name suppression in 2023 because, among other things, disclosure of their identities might have a negative impact on his party’s chances in the 2023 election. The judge ordered that the suppression order be reviewed after the election.”

  15. Ad 15
    15 March 2024 at 5:29 pm

    Amazing to see Chuck Schumer the Senate Majority Leader go full out calling for Israel's voters to remove Netanyahu, and to make all future aid to Israel conditional.

    That's the primary Democleader after Biden breaking with AIPAC.

    Both utterly inconceivable 4 months ago.

    Very big ground shifting there.

  16. Michael Scott 16
    15 March 2024 at 6:27 pm

    Drowsy the comments are out of sync but if you see this I agree with you re our luck in the "Grace of God" department.

    More so perhaps as I am a follower of Jesus. I realise that I won the lottery being born in NZ with opportunities not afforded to those living in countries with poverty and without the freedoms we enjoy.

    The quote you provide about our young being locked out of home ownership is the biggest problem facing us. More important than education. We need more people OWNING homes and less renting or in social housing.

    We need a clear path for everyone who willing to pay the price to own their own home to be able to achieve their goal.

  17. Michael Scott 17
    15 March 2024 at 7:30 pm

    Hi AB you comment:

    "Indeed Michael @2.1. Passive income can give people financial freedom. However, in the case of residential rental properties, this passive income is partially extracted from someone else, and it increases property prices through the demand for this lucrative asset class. In effect, it makes other people less likely to achieve even meagre financial security, let alone develop a stream of passive income for themselves.
    If your financial freedom is an impediment to other people's financial freedom, it poses an ethical problem – or at least it should do."

    Of course the income is extracted from someone else. This is how capitalism works.

    Every product you purchase at the supermarket extracts income from you.

    Nearly 90% of all NZ houses are owned privately.

    There should be no ethical problem. We rent until we can save a deposit and purchase our own home. We need investors to provide rental accommodation as no government can afford to do so.

    The problem is that it has become increasingly difficult to save a 20% deposit for a house as house prices rise faster than peoples ability to save.

    Property ownership is the answer to poverty and should be the priority of every government and citizen.

  18. ianmac 18
    15 March 2024 at 7:48 pm

    From Stephen @ No 14. Luckily the "senior political" man is innocent unless proven guilty. Oh no!

    Unless you are in the Green Party whereby even an allegation is "proof" of a crime. Just as well David Farrar is busy pushing the guilt, otherwise we would have to wait for a possible exoneration. Farrar would have to dig into someone else. But damage done already.

  19. Anne 19
    15 March 2024 at 8:22 pm

    Yes. ianmac @ 18, It is interesting this story should break within a day or two of Golriz Ghahranan's day in court. Coincidental I am sure. (sarc)

    It seems like the Green Party is the target of the times. There will be no-one left at this rate.

    I watched Maiki Sherman laying into them on the TV1 news. You would think they were all guilty listening to her. The hypocrisy of the MSM is astounding.

  20. Anne 20
    15 March 2024 at 9:01 pm

    Further to 19 above:

    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/one-news-at-6pm/live

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/03/green-mp-darleen-tana-s-husband-denies-her-involvement-in-migrant-exploitation-scandal.html

    Note: Sherman accuses the Greens of hypocrisy. There's no right of reply to the accusation against the MP's husband,

    Newshub at least makes an effort to balance the story by interviewing the husband.

  21. Obtrectator 21
    16 March 2024 at 12:31 am

    Nothing much changes, does it? Almost 50 years ago there were two political scandals, one on each side of the spectrum, but with very different outcomes.

    1976: Colin Moyle, tipped by some as a possible future leader of the Labour party, gets hounded out of Parliament on the basis of what later turns out to be a false accusation of homosexuality. An unsubstantiated accusation – nothing more. (But I'll own that Moyle did himself no favours over the way he dealt with it.)

    1980: Duncan MacIntyre, senior cabinet minister, gets pinged for giving a substantial loan of government money to his daughter and son-in-law. Bang to rights – but he not only survives the inquiry, but gets a leg-up from the PM to become deputy PM. I heard at second hand that the general attitude among his colleagues was something like "poor old Duncan – how unfortunate he got found out".

  22. Eco maori 22
    16 March 2024 at 4:13 pm

    https://e-tangata.co.nz/comment-and-analysis/how-crime-news-harms-us-all/

    I totally agree with this article.

    I have also sounded my concerns about the reality of our media