Open mike 18/02/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 18th, 2022 - 90 comments
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90 comments on “Open mike 18/02/2022 ”

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  1. tsmithfield 1
    18 February 2022 at 7:17 am

    Which is worse here?

    One group protests by setting up a camp at parliament and clogs up a few streets with cars because their freedoms have been restricted, and for some, their livelihoods have been destroyed through government mandates.

    Another group, with a different form of protest, threatens to withdraw vital health resources during a dangerous pandemic.

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/02/17/10000-health-workers-vote-to-strike-as-omicron-wave-hits/

    • ghostwhowalksnz 1.1
      18 February 2022 at 7:59 am

      Their choice about their job as possibly infecting other people with a serious illness risk was too high for their employer or general public

      Those health strikes are usually minimally disruptive- deliberatly and dont involve abusing people for wearing masks or other vile threats

      • tsmithfield 1.1.1
        18 February 2022 at 8:47 am

        ''Their choice about their job as possibly infecting other people with a serious illness risk was too high for their employer or general public''

        Maybe in the past, but debatably now there is little more infection risk than vaccinated people who can also infect others.

        "'Those health strikes are usually minimally disruptive- deliberatly and dont involve abusing people for wearing masks or other vile threats''

        Time will tell how disruptive if it goes ahead. But if resources are already stretched to the limit, then this action could be the straw that breaks the camels back.

        Actually I support nurses and associated staff getting paid what they are worth. It is the only way to stop losing staff to Australia and other countries.

        But, whatever you think, the threatened strike action has the potential to have a national impact compared to a very localised impact that the protesters at Wellington are having.

        So, if people can support the health workers in their protest, how can they not also support the protesters when the protesters are having a much more localised impact.

        • gsays 1.1.1.1
          18 February 2022 at 9:03 am

          "So, if people can support the health workers in their protest, how can they not also support the protesters when the protesters are having a much more localised impact."

          Tribalism mainly. Once you have put a stake in the ground, it's hard to move it when the evidence changed.

          That, and 'nazis'. /sarc

          • Robert Guyton 1.1.1.1.1
            18 February 2022 at 9:20 am

            The health workers' strikes are timetabled to last 24 hours, then cease.

            The "plague campers" occupation "will continue till we get what we want!!"

            That's why someone might support the former, not the latter.

            • gsays 1.1.1.1.1.1
              18 February 2022 at 9:50 am

              That is another take.

              We have come a long way since the wharfies did their thing in the '50's.

              Twas before my time but there seemed to be a lot of deep divisions created or entrenched back then.

              Another observation from the front lines of the last couple of nurses strikes. It was that the short-24 hour strikes were largely ineffective as management could reasonably easy cover the shortfalls. Bringing in some office folk, putting off procedures etc.

              A longer, 72 hour, or indefinite period would be more effective as it hit the PTB in the balance sheet. The place where it has a noticeable effect, one of the metrics our neo-liberal managers and governance worship.

        • mikesh 1.1.1.2
          18 February 2022 at 9:42 am

          So, if people can support the health workers in their protest, how can they not also support the protesters when the protesters are having a much more localised impact.

          They are having no effect on the government, which, after all, is the main purpose the protest. I suspect that the government will remain firm on this. The protesters might as well go home since all they are doing is disrupting Wellington traffic and businesses.

          Apart from that they don't really have a legitimate cause. No-one is forcing the unvaccinated to accept the jab, while the "freedom" lovers are, in fact, denying the employer's freedom to refuse employment to an unvaccinated person in the interests of protecting his staff.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 1.1.1.3
          18 February 2022 at 9:44 am

          Infection risk of vaccinated compared to non vaccinated

          https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/31/the-new-omicron-subvariant-is-more-contagious-but-vaccinated-people-are-less-likely-to-spread-it-study-finds.htmlc

          Also mandates apply to super spreader type jobs

          As a side issue Denmark is reporting 46,000 new cases per day. ( jan 31 2022) A country the TV1 News highlighted over its almost complete removal of covid restrictions.

          Didnt think that number 46 k infections per day was mentioned, but TV1 story played to its brand by only talking to or about hospitality workers yet again.

        • Drowsy M. Kram 1.1.1.4
          18 February 2022 at 10:26 am

          In Australia rates of vaccination against COVID-19 are high, and the number of active cases in their Omicron wave peaked (at ~835,000) about one month ago. Going by the Australian response, imho it's unlikely that NZ vaccine mandates will be eased before we are well over our Omicron wave. Anti-mandate protest events and the associated travel will accelerate increase infection rates slightly.

          Qld health chief upbeat but mandate wary [12 February]
          Queensland’s health chief is “personally reluctant” to repeal a venue vaccine mandate before the end of winter and says it could in fact be the very last pandemic restriction ditched.

          Judge savages lawyers for police, health workers fighting vaccine mandates [14 February]

          Queensland COVID-19 restrictions from masks to vaccine mandates 'under review' as Omicron wave subsides [15 February]
          A decision on whether to extend or scrap mask and vaccine mandates in Queensland is due by the end of the month.

          New case data shows the power of the booster shot [14 February]

          Third dose mandate may still be needed to counter winter COVID threat [18 February]
          Mr Andrews said unvaccinated Victorians will continue to be barred from restaurants and entertainment venues.

          “The future of the vaccinated economy … is about balance,” he said on Thursday. “It’s about the proportional benefit that comes from it. It won’t be there forever.”

          SA unions, political candidate and immunisation advocate call for vaccine mandates to be eased [15 February]
          Chairman of the Immunisation Coalition Rod Pearce said there needed to be ways for unvaccinated members of the community to still be productive.

          "There are circumstances when someone [who] is not vaccinated should be considered part of the community and can still be working, can still be treated, still be given that respect," he said.

          "Australia has always had a position that it's preferable to have an educated community that does vaccines because they want to and see the benefits.

          "I am comfortable to work with SAPOL, with the union, to say let's get people working, let's understand that, while they may not choose to have a vaccine — it may not be a position we necessarily support — wouldn't it be good if we could keep them productive, working safely."
          …
          Ms Williams said police had "an obligation" to provide a service to the community and "have people in the workplace able to do the job".

          "At the moment, in terms of reducing transmission, their personal safety and the safety of the public and other officers, they're not able to come to work," she said.

          Premier Steven Marshall said the state had "very few mandates" in place.

          "Vaccination is our pathway to reduce restrictions in SA," he said.

    • Gypsy 1.2
      18 February 2022 at 6:17 pm

      I'll tell you what isn't good…when the Minister of Health finds out from the media about the strike.

  2. ghostwhowalksnz 2
    18 February 2022 at 7:55 am

    I notice Stuff is reporting an unreliable poll from Horizon

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/127808790/parliament-protest-new-poll-shows-30-per-cent-of-kiwis-support-antimandate-protest

    They dont use random selection, instead have online panels and offer prizes to their subscribers/panellist for participating with the subject matter promoted in emails

    • put you in our next quarterly draw for $1,000 cash and the latest iPad Pro worth $1,199! Or you can take the lot in cash: $2,199!

    Often their polls are sponsored by pressure groups as well

  3. gsays 3
    18 February 2022 at 8:03 am

    C'mon Andy, get angry about this family's plight.

    The extensions talked about will not make a difference, the beds in MAPU are used by people who have to go through ED. The EDOA beds are similar.

    The hospital is too small and the staffing levels and experience are dire in the ED.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/health/127796196/24hour-wait-for-hospital-bed-highlights-urgency-for-ed-upgrade

    • ghostwhowalksnz 3.1
      18 February 2022 at 8:52 pm

      Arent the one of the worst DHBs in Palmy for not doing anything urgency even when money for upgraded or new facilities is secured for them

      This is one a the main reasons the separate DHBs are being abolished as their have their own little silos and move at their own pace even on projects that have the go ahead

  4. gsays 4
    18 February 2022 at 8:06 am

    I thought it was suspect, 30 per cent is way too low.

    We can't have that many elderly and 'work from home class.

  5. Blazer 5
    18 February 2022 at 8:24 am

    A very plausible analysis of the U.S-Russia-Ukraine situation and the motives driving it.

    The Crisis in Ukraine is not about Ukraine. It's about Germany, by Mike Whitney – The Unz Review

    • ghostwhowalksnz 5.1
      18 February 2022 at 9:48 am

      I had thought that too much earlier . The new Social Democrat led government is being railroaded into supporting the Nato nuclear carry weapons for its Luftwaffe.

      And is it so recent that everyone has forgotten these predictions from all the US intell agencies. naturally then as now the 'consensus' supports the political view rather than reality on the ground.

      'Four U.S. Intelligence Agencies Produced Extensive Reports on Afghanistan, but All Failed to Predict Kabul’s Rapid Collapse'

      https://www.wsj.com/articles/four-u-s-intelligence-agencies-produced-extensive-reports-on-afghanistan-but-all-failed-to-predict-kabuls-rapid-collapse-11635415201

    • Subliminal 5.2
      18 February 2022 at 11:16 am

      Or its about a number of things all relevant to irreversible loosening of the stranglehold that the US military has been able to apply to the economic structure of the world. Again we are faced with war hysteria of the same ilk as that from Collin Powell, Bush and Blair. Russia continues to assure that they have no invasion plans. So why the hysteria. Definitely German ability to gain access to cheap Russian gas is one thing but there is also a crisis in US politics as outlined by a past Russian Ambassador, Jack Matlock

  6. Blazer 6
    18 February 2022 at 8:30 am

    Another record …broken!

    Housing affordability in New Zealand has deteriorated to the worst level on record, with the average property worth 8.8 times the average income at the end of last year, a property analyst says.

    That ratio was up from 8.3 just three months earlier, and from 7.0 in the last part of 2020, according to CoreLogic’s latest housing affordability report.

    It was significantly higher than the long-term average of 5.9, and than previous cycle peaks of 6.1 in 2007 and 7.0 in 2016 to 2017.

    The generally accepted definition of “affordable” was house prices of three times the median income.

    'Drastic fall' in NZ housing affordability takes it to worst level on record | Stuff.co.nz

  7. Molly 7
    18 February 2022 at 9:08 am

    Of interest to those that were wondering (Herald):

    "Amid a fast-widening Omicron outbreak, rates of Delta are holding steady – prompting concerns the nastier variant could keep causing hospitalisations here.

    The latest data from ESR showed up to seven per cent of cases being genomically sequenced in New Zealand were Delta, which was still making up the majority of sequenced hospital cases.

    …While researchers are still learning about what long-term problems Omicron infections might cause, successive studies have backed early predictions that a given case was typically less severe.

    One pre-print study out of the Imperial College London suggested that, compared with Delta, Omicron cases carried an average 15 to 20 per cent lower risk of any hospitalisation – and a 40 to 45 per cent lower risk of actually being admitted.

    …Otago University virologist Dr Jemma Geoghegan said contact tracing services should give any detected Delta cases priority – although that wouldn't be so easy with Omicron spreading our resources more thinly.

    …In New Zealand, the Ministry of Health doesn't publish variant-specific hospitalisation data."

    • lprent 7.1
      18 February 2022 at 12:19 pm

      The mandates were put in primarily to target Delta because it has such a large impact on health resources. It is also the variant that will spreads in confined close spaces – like workplaces and entertainment venues.

      So far there are no indications that Omicron is pushing Delta out of the initial communityinfections – which figures. Delta target the lungs first. Omicron targets the throat and nasal. It would not surprise me that people can catch both at the same time.

      As your quote says, Delta is still in the NZ community, and is probably still being restricted largely by vaccines and mandates.

      Until it is medically known to have been swept aside by omicron, it'd be as foolish as a NSW liberal politician to remove mandates. Having two local epidemics running at the same time is a known route to medical hell.

      • Molly 7.1.1
        18 February 2022 at 12:32 pm

        Just reporting on the article, as I couldn't find data re the strains currently present on the Ministry site.

        My partner's co-workers are being contacted after fairly long delays (up to five days after exposure) to go and get tested. It makes me think, as suggested in the article that they may be prioritising getting in contact with Delta infections as they are currently still a significant portion of our daily positives. I'm all good with that approach, it makes sense to me.

        (Copied to dedicated post to move discussion).

        • lprent 7.1.1.1
          18 February 2022 at 12:49 pm

          I couldn't find data re the strains currently present on the Ministry site.

          There won't be much at present. M0H announced back in late Jan (from memory – I didn't take a link) that they would stop looking at variants during routine community testing. I think they're still doing it at the MIQ and for hospitalisations.

          The PCR testing is enough to determine that there is covid-19, but takes much more resources to determine variants. Resources that can't be spared as the amount of tests increase.

    • weka 7.2
      18 February 2022 at 12:29 pm

      I put up a post.

  8. Stephen D 8
    18 February 2022 at 9:43 am

    Where can you get Ukraine news from an unbiased perspective? All the usual suspects, our media, Politico, Guardian, anything from USA, all have a bias.

    Al Jazeera?

  9. Molly 9
    18 February 2022 at 10:16 am

    Considering a comment from weston a couple of days ago, questioning the impact of gender ideology on lesbians, I thought about how disconnected we all are – myself included – from other peoples experiences.

    Happy heterosexual that I am, when all's said and done I can't help but love the lesbians. When they see a need, they organise, and do it well.

    An academic from the US, describes her journey in academia and the pushback and obstacles put in place for researching and speaking about homosexuality and lesbianism in that sphere (Substack article):

    I spent years telling myself that academia could change, that my dream career as a research-focused, evidence-collecting, logic-loving professor could still be possible. I’ll be frank: giving up on that dream was the most painful thing I’ve ever done. But I had to do it, to make way for something new.

    The concept for Lesbians United began when I left the ivory tower and sat down with a fairly new group of friends to kick ideas around. What could we do to get our community back? What could we do to help fellow lesbians who are suffering, and to prevent future generations from suffering the same?

    Our answer was to create an organization diametrically opposed to the postmodernist institutions that have done so much damage to the lesbian community. They revel in ignorance; we have reams of research. They refuse to define their terms; we use clear language. They lie; we tell unmistakable truths. They play purity politics to keep the public distracted; we’re a laser-focused, single-issue organization that takes lesbians of all stripes.

    Here in NZ, LAVA formed in 1988, publishes research and writes on issues to do with the impact of gender perspectives on lesbian women, and offers support to female detransitioners.

    They are at least attempting to fill the gaps left by other organisations, such as Rainbow Youth in the wider community, that either ignore or superficially mention detransition. (Actually a Rainbow Youth site search for either 'detransition' or 'lesbian' comes up with no results. Apparently, no lesbians in our Rainbow Youth.)

    LAVA is a large group of lesbians¹ in their 20s to their 80s. We come in all shapes and sizes and from very different backgrounds. What we have in common is a commitment to working towards lesbian¹ visibility and sex-based women’s rights.

    LAVA is decidedly partisan, unashamedly biased in favour of lesbians¹, and fiercely protective of women’s rights.

    We don’t IDENTIFY as lesbians¹ – we ARE lesbians¹.

    Lesbians¹ are women = adult human females. We are not “queer” or any of the +variations. We reject the word “cis” as derogatory.

    We make no apologies for being an exclusive space for lesbians¹.

    If you like statements without equivocation, then this will appeal, whether or not you subscribe to their content. You know where they stand.

    There's good information there looking at the impact of the updated 'queer' movement.

    • Horace Cope 9.1
      18 February 2022 at 10:30 am

      Oh dear. I came back to The Standard after a long time away to see what content was on it and whether the comments section had improved from the bigoted cesspool it was.
      And straight away we see transphobic terf shit. I guess The Standard is still a shitty cesspool.

      [if I see you using terf as a slur again on this site I will ban you. Only warning. Reread the Policy and ask if you don’t understand – weka]

      • weka 9.1.1
        18 February 2022 at 11:10 am

        mod note.

        • Horace Cope 9.1.1.1
          10 March 2022 at 1:04 pm

          I thought this was supposed to be a left-wing progressive website. But here we have an openly bigoted transphobic far right mod. I guess the standard has been captured by the same far right shit as has infected other purportedly left wing blogs.
          In short, you're a fucking disgrace, the whole lot of you terfs who go around pretending like you have the remotest conception of how to be progressive or left wing. Sort out your fucking bigotry, and stop pretending to be left wing.

          [thanks for making my job easier. I already warned you of a ban, and now you are also attacking an author and mod as well as thinking the site is a person (the site Policy is clear on this). Permanent ban because I see little room for respecting this place and contributing to it – weka]

          • weka 9.1.1.1.1
            10 March 2022 at 1:21 pm

            I will however stop and address the accusations of being right wing. This is a gender identity activism trope, designed to undermine gender critical feminists and is tied to No Debate. You are either too stupid to think beyond the talking points you have been given, or you know full well what the trope is and still chose to use it.

            The cutting edge of gender critical feminism is in the UK, it's primarily a movement of left wing women. This is abundantly clear to anyone paying attention and who isn't trying to obscure what is happening. Most left and centre left women want trans people to be ok and to be allowed their right to take full part in society just like everyone else. The beef is with where there is a conflict of rights, and that's not a rw position, it's just bog standard feminism. Women get to have our own politics. That's progressive.

            Terf is a weapon used by ideologues and has very clear connections to misogynistic behaviour towards women.

            https://terfisaslur.com/

          • weka 9.1.1.1.2
            10 March 2022 at 1:21 pm

            mod note for you.

      • Molly 9.1.2
        18 February 2022 at 11:41 am

        Hey, Horace.

        I understand perhaps Twiitter use may inhibit ability for discourse, but did you have a discussion point?

      • bad politics baby 9.1.3
        18 February 2022 at 2:33 pm

        Can that also apply to 'Woke' as a slur too?

        • weka 9.1.3.1
          18 February 2022 at 3:38 pm

          not as the term 'woke' is generally applied here on TS.

          'Terf' on the other hand is associated with extreme misogyny, rape threats, death threats, threats of other violence, lesbophobia, targeted and generalised abuse and harassment, dehumanisation of women especially gender critical feminists, sexism, female ageism and body shaming.

          https://terfisaslur.com/

          This is why when Twitter got called to front up at a Human Rights Committee session of the UK government, the word 'terf' was part of questioning why twitter was so bad at safeguarding women on the platform from harassment, threat, and hate. Twitter acknowledged this and since then it has in fact upheld complaints against the kind of tweets you can see in my link above.

          Anyone aware of that and using the term 'terf' is imo well outside the TS policy, and anyone not aware of that needs to educate themselves (and still can't use the term as a slur on TS). At this point in the war, I consider it a wilful ignorance from people that are aware enough to use the word like it was used above.

      • Gypsy 9.1.4
        18 February 2022 at 6:11 pm

        Sigh. You disagree with someone, so you label them with ignorant insults. Perhaps if you tried engaging with Molly like an adult, you might learn something.

    • gsays 9.2
      18 February 2022 at 11:28 am

      I listened to an interview where the point was made that all sorts of prejudice was not condoned eg racism, ageism, religious intolerance etc.

      Who you were attracted to, or more accurately, not attracted to, was an acceptable and legitimate prejudice. The latter part of the last century till now, it would appear some want that to change.

      • Molly 9.2.1
        18 February 2022 at 11:58 am

        "…it would appear some want that to change."

        Yes. However, it's not a small movement. Indicative of how far this message has penetrated I return to Stonewall's CEO, Nancy Kelley:

        Yet now it has emerged that months before the article appeared Stonewall’s chief executive Nancy Kelley wrote to the editorial director of BBC News to denounce Lowbridge’s work in an apparent attempt to get her piece stopped.

        In her email, Kelley suggested that the BBC article would end up being ‘transphobic’ because it represented trans women as ‘sexual predators’, which was a ‘central anti-trans argument’.

        She further complained that the ‘highly toxic’ cotton ceiling issue was ‘analogous to issues like sexual racism’.

        …

        And although she acknowledged that in sexual relationships ‘consent is paramount and we all want who we want’, she added that ‘structural oppression can influence who we want’.

        Which is to say that social bias, in this case against those who say they are trans, can affect even our most private thoughts.

        It is understood that it took many months of editorial discussions before the article was published on October 26.

        Stonewall has appeared to confirm that changes were made to the original piece, although it remains unclear whether this was as a direct result of the leaked email, sent in September 2020.

        This email exchange between Stonewall and the BBC was an attempt to stop publication of this article by Caroline Lowbridge:

        'We're being pressured into sex by some trans women'

        I can only view this perspective of sexual attraction, promoted by Kelley, as regressive. Particularly harmful for homosexuals and lesbians.

  10. logie97 10
    18 February 2022 at 10:42 am

    So, if you gain a knighthood that makes you a highly respected person.

    Apparently one such person is about to join the anti-mandate protest next week (hedging his bets there hoping that it might not be necessary for him to attend). And apparently he wants to stretch it to a protest for freedom – (we have become more and more limited in our freedoms).

    This from one who benefitted from sucking on the tax-payers nipple on several occasions – one verging on using blackmail "or we'll take our America's cup challenge overseas", and then having milked the Kiwi good will for all it was worth, eventually jumped ship and sailed for the opposition.

  11. Adrian 11
    18 February 2022 at 11:02 am

    Is the destabilisation on the Ukraine border possibly linked to the occupations in world capitals?. There are known links to the primary background agitators, QAnon, Bannon and Trump associates even, amongst others to the Russians, this type of agitation is very similar to Moseley and the Brownshirts in Britain and Il Duce and Blackshirts in Italy as well as right wing movements in other European countries in the late 30s. Asymmetrical warfare and the splintering of effort in opposing countries is very common in the lead up to aggressive invasions. Wouldn’t put it past the Kleputinomaniac- in- Chief.

  12. Ad 12
    18 February 2022 at 12:36 pm

    Bella Hadid just dropped an atomic publicity bomb of 49 million viewers onto those who attacked the Muslim girl at Otago Girls High School.

    US supermodel Bella Hadid shares support of Otago High School girl after attack – NZ Herald

    Very interesting to see how our PM reacts.

    • Blade 12.1
      18 February 2022 at 2:17 pm

      Yes, she no doubt will spout some obligatory words like she did regarding school kids being discriminated against for not being vaccinated.

      This from the OGH website:

      ''Vision statement

      Otago Girls' High School is committed to quality education for all girls in a safe, caring and inclusive environment.

      Inspire ~ Empower ~ Challenge~ Dream''

      Also there's woke diversity imagery fronting their website. That obviously is bs, too.

      You can find this crap on most school sites. And you can bet when it comes to bullying most schools suffer from the Cuddles Costa syndrome.

      This type of stuff infuriates me because as someone who has a real problem with Islamic culture in western society, we just get clobbered with this. No one is interested in a reasoned debate.

      The only good( I'm hoping) to come out of this situation is I'm ASSUMING, OGH, has a predominately European roll, therefore the chances favour the perpetrators not being Maori…for a change. frown

  13. joe90 13
    18 February 2022 at 1:12 pm

    And so it begins.

    Contact zero in a bubble at my SO's work was notified along with more the 100 others as being a close contact of a case who attended a happy clappy devil dodging super-spreader event while symptomatic.

    • lprent 13.1
      18 February 2022 at 1:20 pm

      That sounds like a quite irresponsible god-botherer. Probably thought that happy-clapping pheromones would keep the virus at bay.

      It is a pity that viruses just look at such events as being a good breeding site.

      /sarc

      BTW: for anyone who is interested, I am devout agnostic. Don’t know, don’t care, and find the idea of gods being interested in my bowel movements to be somewhat offensive.

      • Blade 13.1.1
        18 February 2022 at 1:49 pm

        ''BTW: for anyone who is interested, I am a devout agnostic. Don’t know, don’t care.''

        Maybe you should take the plunge and become a material fundamentalist – also known as an atheist? That way, should you ever have to face the big boss, after writing your last post, you can save time on having to explain yourself and reviewing your life.

        The big fella can then send you straight on to your second death to join the likes of Johnny Lennon and other non god botherers.

  14. Molly 14
    18 February 2022 at 2:53 pm

    It's hard to see this as anything other than emotional abuse – of other family and friends – and most likely, his ex-wife (Herald article: Missing since December: Ōtorohanga dad Tom Phillips still on run with three children)

    A King Country father and his three young children remain missing more than two months after they were last seen.

    Police today confirmed that enquiries were still ongoing to track down Ōtorohanga man Tom Phillips and his two primary-age daughters and son.

    Earlier last month, 34-year-old Phillips did not show up for a court date to face a charge connected to an earlier disappearance, with a judge subsequently issuing a warrant for his arrest.

    …

    Last month, Phillips' ex-wife appealed for the public to help find her missing children once more.

    At that stage she told Newshub the father and children hadn't been seen since December 10.

    "My babies are missing and there's no trace of them, this time it's been way longer and it's more of a worry. His truck hasn't even been sighted," she said.

    "I want people to keep an eye out, you know, they've been missing 34 days. Any pig hunters out there, anyone, if they see any sign of them please let us know."

    She added they could be anywhere in New Zealand, including the South Island.

    In December, police confirmed they were making inquiries to establish the location of a 34-year-old man and three children "following reports that the male has breached court-ordered conditions".

    "There are no immediate concerns for their safety at this time," police said.

  15. Barfly 15
    18 February 2022 at 3:37 pm

    It's a funny old world and coincidences can be surprising

    496 days since I drank alcohol and well things have been getting me down a little – the parliament protest, the right wingers here gleefully claiming to support the protesters (they support anything that can cause problems for the Labour Government) the anxiety and uncertainty over the covid pandemic because I have multiple co-morbidities et cetera.

    So as I was walking to the supermarket and very likely to be breaking my sobriety – a young scruffy unwashed bloke beckons me over on the footpath – I am mentally sighing as this is always followed with(it seems) "can you spare some change please?" I am reaching to my back pocket to get whatever change I had to give to him and he's "nah nah I got something for you" and he gives me three small nice buds!

    So I will not be breaking my no alcohol journey just yet surprise blush laugh yes

  16. weka 16
    18 February 2022 at 4:12 pm

    We're asking people to put comments about the protest under one of the dedicated posts. Would you mind reposting this and then I will delete this one? It keeps OM free for other discussions.

    https://thestandard.org.nz/convoy-protest-18-2-22/

  18. Blade 18
    18 February 2022 at 5:19 pm

    Brian Beattie, from the Royal College of Physicians (?) has BASICLY said we need to stop scaremongering about Covid, and learn to live with it.

    This is a big big hit for Jacinda.

    If things continue down this line, Labour's time in power is limited.

    • Barfly 18.1
      18 February 2022 at 5:36 pm

      Wot?

      Some bloke in the UK ?

      "This is a big big hit for Jacinda."

      Eh? Nah – Your dreaming mate

      "Labour's time in power is limited."

      Did anyone ever think that it would be infinite?

      • Blade 18.1.1
        18 February 2022 at 6:10 pm

        No, Noo Zealand I think. Didn't quite get the name.

        Sounds like you have had your first roach?

        • McFlock 18.1.1.1
          18 February 2022 at 6:29 pm

          RACP.

          There are 30,000 doctors in NZ. None of them seem to be called "Brian Beattie". Maybe he's Australian?

          I suspect the rest of your recollection is similarly reliable.

          • Blade 18.1.1.1.1
            18 February 2022 at 6:45 pm

            I had 150 kgs on the bar during a bench press. So excuse me for having a faulty memory.

            But, thanks to some help….I have a name. Dr Bryan Betty. No link.

            • McFlock 18.1.1.1.1.1
              18 February 2022 at 7:01 pm

              150? Oooo, you're ever so butch.

              So not even RACP, but RNZCGP.

              Anyhoo, seems you might be over-egging it when you talk "big hit" for the PM. Sure, he wants a change of mindset, but he's nowhere close to the parliament lawn jerks. For example he reiterates the govt lines on not testing if you're asymptomatic and vaccination. I still have issues with using sweden, uk and aus as justifications for cutting isolation times. Or anything covid-related, frankly.

              Not sure he even covered "mandates", might have missed it.

              • Blade …
                18 February 2022 at 9:40 pm

                I forgot I'm on a blog of effete liberals. I didn't mean to offend.blush

                My spotter can lift 210 kgs. And germane to this topic – Clint Rickards could lift over 200 kgs.

                Any guesses what that woke Cuddles Costa could lift. laugh

                You can spin it anyway you want and pick holes in my argument like:

                ''So not even RACP, but RNZCGP.'

                The fact of the matter is it's a huge change in the medical mindset of this country.

                Jacinda is losing control on a number of fronts.

                Early election looming?

                • lprent …
                  18 February 2022 at 10:12 pm

                  Early election looming?

                  You read like some idiot from aussie where that kind of dimwitted political stupidity is rife. Let just assume that you are as thick as Queensland National party supporter who votes Pauline Hanson and has about the same awareness of actual civics as Trump supporter.

                  We have had 3 snap elections. 1951, 1984, and 2002.

                  The first one was purely political after the 1951 waterfront strike. That worked. It was also the last purely political one we had.

                  The second was probably legit because National couldn’t stop their MPs from crossing the floor and voting with Labour. The questions about it being booze induced may have been simple jealousy by the press gallery at the time. Felt more like desperation, and was rewarded as such.

                  The third was after a government coalition partner Alliance unallied itself like the Warsaw Pact and the USSR a few years later earlier There were questions about being able to pass legislation due to the multiplicity factions of one remaining in the aftermath. This resulted in a landslide to Labour.

                  Basically we don’t have many early elections because kiwis aren’t that stupid. It is bad enough having to have one every 3 years. Why would we want to speed it up?

                  Aussie has a snap election virtually every election. I believe that this has something to do with the infighting of the crimelords and corruption cartels who pay for the campaigns..

                  But hey, we are aware that aussies like underarm bowling. So I can see how snap elections for corrupt motives appeals to aussies. But please try to learn some actual NZ history.

                  /sarc

                  • Blade …
                    18 February 2022 at 10:57 pm

                    ''You read like some idiot from aussie where that kind of dimwitted political stupidity is rife.''

                    Yes, many people have told me that. I don't worry about such nastiness. I just keep proving them wrong.

                    The difference between you and me is you deal with dry facts and political history.

                    I deal with emotions and undercurrents of power. I'm try to talk things into existence.

                    See, the New Zealand political landscape is becoming as bone dry as the aussie outback during a drought.

                    And during this political drought people are becoming more confused, more fractionised and more discontented. Even politicians are acting like headless chooks. Law and order is breaking down.

                    It will only take one vacuous liberal reporter to innocently ask some politician if an early election is on the cards, and WHOOSH, we have a meme in the publics mind… a possible way out of the morass we are currently enduring. Something to make the pain go away.

                    Can I guarantee this, no I can't. But I believe anyone who thinks it's not a solid possibility is living in an alternate universe.

                    Just my musings.

                    ps- just imagine if ONE protester with a loud hailer stood in front of parliament building and called for an election? A opportunity goes begging.

                    • lprent …
                      19 February 2022 at 5:32 pm

                      ONE protester with a loud hailer stood in front of parliament building and called for an election

                      They'd just be ignored. There is simply nothing in it for the PM, and she is the only person who can call it.

                      Convincing the GG to allow it without asking the opposition parties would be a big ask as well. It isn't like Labour has a a problem getting a majority on passing legislation or votes of confidence.

                      I don't even think that the opposition parties would be interested. Maybe Act would because their vote is siphoning away back to National at present. But who listens to them anyway.

            • joe90 18.1.1.1.1.2
              18 February 2022 at 7:15 pm

              I had 150 kgs on the bar during a bench press.

              Before or after you turned the shit cannon on yourself?

    • McFlock 18.2
      18 February 2022 at 5:46 pm

      When? got a link?

    • Patricia Bremner 18.3
      18 February 2022 at 7:59 pm

      UK did so well/sarc.

  19. Gypsy 19
    18 February 2022 at 6:14 pm

    Meanwhile, away from the obsession with covid and protests, the government quietly goes about further making it harder to buy a house.

    • Blazer 19.1
      18 February 2022 at 11:19 pm

      That is nonsense..the banks know it…and so does anyone with an objective view.

      • Gypsy 19.1.1
        19 February 2022 at 9:47 am

        What is nonsense? Housing affordability being the worst in history, or the government making up rules without understanding the consequences?

  20. Blade 20
    18 February 2022 at 10:04 pm

    Where's Luxon in all of this. Why isn't he calling for Costa's resignation?

    When the liberal press turn on you, you know you have a problem.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300521443/what-the-police-fail-to-understand-about-camp-freedom

    In fact, the jobs of three people are on the line:

    1- Jacinda

    2- Costa

    3- Mallard.

    Later in the peace, MAYBE Luxon, James Shaw and the Maori guy with tats who loves grandstanding.

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