Open mike 20/05/2021

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 20th, 2021 - 52 comments
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52 comments on “Open mike 20/05/2021 ”

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  1. Jester 1
    20 May 2021 at 6:39 am

    It's budget day. Should be interesting though Grant cant please everyone.

    • Sabine 1.1
      20 May 2021 at 8:51 am

      He only has one person to please, himself. The rest will have to do with what ever they get.

      I doubt that dear Grant gives a dime about pleasing 'us' the people.

    • millsy 1.2
      20 May 2021 at 9:18 am

      Apparently benefits are on the way up. Not too sure by how much though.

      I guess we will see.

      • Sabine 1.2.1
        20 May 2021 at 10:47 am

        57 NZD over the next three years for those on the Unemployment Benefit.

        https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/05/carmel-sepuloni-promises-massive-boost-to-jobseeker-benefit-but-won-t-say-when.html

        Carmel Sepuloni told Newshub Nation on Saturday morning she was "confident" the Government would reach the $315 target set by the Welfare Expert Advisory Group for a single person on the Jobseeker benefit.

        But she wouldn't be drawn on how soon the hike would come.

        "We will be addressing income adequacy this term, but I'm not going to rule in or out what will be in the Budget… I cannot talk about what might be in or out of the Budget before the 20th of May. We'll just have to wait until then."

        btw, that ‘target’ was an increase demanded by the Welfare Expert Advisory Group set in 2019 and as a full immediate increase.
        So they are already two years behind, and per this announcement think it will take three years to roll out. But i guess it passes at doing something at some stage.

        and last, if this increase is on the main benefit, pretty much any other fringe benefit will go down and some people will probably be worse off. Details, Details.

        • Bob 1.2.1.1
          20 May 2021 at 4:53 pm

          Gee, reading your posts , it seems your not a very grateful person?

          R u comfortable where u are in life?

          [your approved user name is Bob, so please use this if you want your comments to go through]

          • Sabine 1.2.1.1.1
            20 May 2021 at 5:16 pm

            I don't have to be grateful. I am not on a benefit. 🙂

            and as i said, better late then never

    • I Feel Love 2.1
      20 May 2021 at 8:35 am

      Haere ra Mike!

    • Anker 2.2
      20 May 2021 at 9:12 am

      Mikes leaving for Oz. What did Muldoon say about raising the IQ of both nations.

      if mike does leave it will one of Labours greatest achievements.

    • millsy 2.3
      20 May 2021 at 9:55 am

      They will love him over there. He might even get his own show in Sky News Australia

      • AB 2.3.1
        20 May 2021 at 10:15 am

        His right-wing narcissist precursor Paul Henry didn't do so well over there I recall. Aussies' superior mental toughness means they have no time for vain puffballs with an unconcealed agenda.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 2.3.2
        20 May 2021 at 10:23 am

        Posturing…probably his contract negotiations are coming up and as a 53 yr old trying to pretend hes 33 doesnt have a lot bargaining chips left
        And they have a new hire for the Wellington ZB breakfast show and christchurch cant be far behind

        • Jimmy 2.3.2.1
          20 May 2021 at 11:24 am

          I wouldn't say he "doesn't have a lot of bargaining chips left?".

          If the statistics are correct, love him or hate him, I think he has the highest rating breakfast show in NZ.

          • McFlock 2.3.2.1.1
            20 May 2021 at 3:18 pm

            Highest rating commercial breakfast radio show. Whether most listeners tune in for him, would be happy with some other generic dickhead, or are primarily interested in the actual news is also an interesting question.

            Paul Henry found that one out the hard way.

  3. Adrian Thornton 3
    20 May 2021 at 8:20 am

    Here is a voice rarely heard in western media…an Hamas official from the legally elected representatives of the Palestinian people the Hamas party…. Dr. Basem Naim who heads of the Council on International Relations in Gaza for Hamas, and former head of Gaza's Health Ministry.

    • Jenny how to get there 3.1
      20 May 2021 at 9:18 am

      @ 15:04 minutes

      We willl say it again, the United States is a direct participant in the crimes against our people.

      Why?

      We are asking ourselves, why?

      What is the fault, what is the sin we have done?

      That the Americans are supporting the crimes against our people.

      The Americans are dealing with Israel, as a state above the law.

      Is this the way to peace and justice?

      This is the law of the jungle.

      We are not attacking anyone. We are seeking freedom and dignity and independance.

      We are a people under occupation, and we have the right to defend ourselves……

      @ 23:15 minutes

      …….Look today the international community, the whole countries of the world are calling for a Security Council session, or meeting to call for a ceasefire.
      I am sure that the Security Council will not come and support Hamas, or support the resistance. They will call for both parties to stop the escalation, and firing, and so on, and on.

      What was the response of the Americans?

      They have blocked the meeting four times…..

      • Adrian Thornton 3.1.1
        20 May 2021 at 9:39 am

        No wait you forget, Biden/Harris are the lesser of two evils…oh that's right I forgot, that is a position we can only take from our safe living rooms, because USA is not an active terrorist in their relationship with our country as they are with so many countries all round this world of ours..including of course the terrorized Palestinian people…….and then just two days ago, this big fuck you with the middle finger well and truly waving in the worlds face to peace in the Middle East by way of the lesser of two evils Democratic Party this outrage…..

        Biden administration approved $735 million arms sale to Israel

        https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/biden-administration-approved-735-million-arms-sale-israel-sources-2021-05-17/

        ….and most of the worlds western governments/media have the fucking gall to target Hamas as a terrorist organization!!!

        • Ad 3.1.1.1
          20 May 2021 at 9:54 am

          Yup agree selling precision guided munitions to Israel at this time is about as tone deaf as it gets.

        • greywarshark 3.1.1.2
          20 May 2021 at 10:17 am

          In this great contest between caring about people and caring about profit the winner is…..PROFIT (of all sorts not just money, power etc.) It just makes sense – money and profit are the measures that chop clean-edged through all other agitations to a clear decision. /sarc

    • Jenny how to get there 3.2
      20 May 2021 at 10:34 am

      @ 16:50 minutes.

      ……By the way.

      At the time that Israel was recognised as a member of the United Nations in 1949, this was conditional on two things.

      Israel is a full member of the Unitied Nations, if two conditions are fulfilled; The independence of a Palestinian state, and the right of return for all Palestinian refugees.

      As long as these two conditions are not fulfilled, Israel must not be a member of the United Nations, of the international community.

      It is strange that this is only on paper.

      Therefore in the 21st Century, we can not accept having an occupation for more than 70 years backed up by the United States.

      I have heard Hamas officials say this many times.

      I recall one Hamas official saying, "We don't care what you call the country, Israel or Palestine, or whatever. We just want equal rights, including the right of return for all those Palestinians expelled by Israel in 1948 and since.
      And we will never give up this demand.

      Because of this principled stand by Hamas, Israeli officials have accused Hamas of wanting the destruction of Israel as a Jewish state and so therefore a terrorist organisation.

      From that blinkered point of view, Hamas demand for the right of return, (A right by the way enjoyed by any person of the Jewish faith), would of course mean the end of the state of Israel as an ethno-religious apartheid state with separate laws that discrimate on race and religion.

      (Under pressure from Israel and the US, the P.A., Palestinian Authority, which rules in the West Bank has officially dropped the demand for the right of return.
      As reward for turning their backs on the millions of Palestinian refugees, the PA which is the inheritor of the PLO, was taken off the US terrorist list, and given limited autonomy in the West Bank, in part collaboration with the Isreli occupier)

      It might also might be worth mentioning here that Hamas as well as being the democatically elected government of Gaza, also carried the democratic vote in the Westbank, but the result was overturned by the PA

      When Biden says he is having discussions with both sides. He means Israel and the PA.

      Hama as a designated ‘terrorist organisation’ is not included.
      This bad faith bargaining is no recipe for de-escalation.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Palestinian_legislative_election

  4. Sacha 4
    20 May 2021 at 8:22 am

    Love to know who convinced Cabinet against expert advice to vaccinate the highest-risk ethnic groups younger. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/covid-19-coronavirus-govt-rejected-expert-advice-to-vaccinate-160000-maori-and-pasifika-earlier/56FWQAES2P5W4LNN2X66FPCXMU/

    "The higher proportion of cases among Māori and Pacific peoples linked to the August 2020 cluster demonstrates the significant risk of infection and transmission in these communities," said a paper which Cabinet considered on March 1

    "The rate of infection during the second wave was six people per 100,000 for Māori (47 cases) and 32.3 people per 100,000 for Pacific peoples (104 cases), compared to rates of 1.3 for European/other and 2.2 for Asian per 100,000.

    "Officials recommend that in the roll-out of Tier 3 to older people, a risk-adjusted age
    factor of 15 years (younger) is to be explicitly applied to Māori and Pacific peoples."

    • Sabine 4.1
      20 May 2021 at 8:53 am

      I guess we only have so many doses in t he country currently and its Triage time.

  5. Bearded Git 5
    20 May 2021 at 11:05 am

    Did anyone else hear the lady who commutes regularly on the new Hamilton-Auckland train being interviewed on Jesse Mulligan's show (RNZ) just before 2pm yesterday?

    She loved the service and said it was much more relaxing than driving. She also said it was running at 80% plus capacity. Ye of little faith in these columns.

    Given this success the next move is obviously more Hamilton-Auckland train services and a better/faster section into central Auckland.

    (apologies if somebody posted similar yesterday)

    • greywarshark 5.1
      20 May 2021 at 11:12 am

      Good to hear. A lot of people can't cope with anything that doesn't solve 95% of problems in one application. Perhaps delivered by cleanser Handy Andy, et al (I don't have a particular al in mind).

    • Sabine 5.2
      20 May 2021 at 11:28 am

      I guess you are talki ng about this one? Frances Cook?

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018796114/te-huia-train-service-on-track

      One of those using the train is NZ Herald journalist and podcaster Frances Cook, who lives in Hamilton

      Any train is better then a car. That does not mean people can't voice their objections or fears considering how public transport is treated in NZ.

      And considering that public transport is often set up to fail or to be run on a minimum, i think it is ok for people to be apprehensive of this in the long term to be again to little too late and not enough after that.

      So lets see next year.

      and there is reason to be 'apprehensive' :

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/441720/doubt-raised-about-sustainable-house-scheme-in-waikato

      Meanwhile, WDC was concerned continued spending on passenger trains by the WRC would increase the rates of rural residents.

      The district council voiced its concerns about the potential for "rates creep" in submissions on the regional council's long-term plan, now open for public feedback.

      In a decision on Tuesday the WDC cautioned the WRC about extending the service to include additional inter-peak services on Wednesdays and extend the service from Papakura into Auckland.

      The council said the uptake of the existing Te Huia service was unknown and the district council was concerned about potential rates creep into rural district councils to support service between two metro centres.

      The Te Huia passenger service between Hamilton and Auckland is supported by $12.8m of money from local authorities, plus $85.8m from the government.

      The cost over the first three years of the proposed plan would fall on Hamilton ratepayers.

      The estimates are $400,000 for the 2021/22 year, $100,000 for the 2022/23 year, and $3.005 million in year 2023/24.

      Hamilton city rates increases to pay for it are said to be 53 cents per $100,000 of each ratepayer's property's capital value in year 2021/22, 13 cents per $100,000 of capital value in year 2022/23 and $1.61 per $100,000 of capital value in year 2023/24.

      • Bearded Git 5.2.1
        20 May 2021 at 11:54 am

        Yes that is the one Sabine-thanks.

        I don't think this service has been set up to fail-it is an excellent first step; may there be many more.

        • Sabine 5.2.1.1
          20 May 2021 at 11:56 am

          I hope that you are correct. I would love trains to go everywhere. I love them. But i can see rates not being a good way to finance – even part finance – a public utility.

          And i can see rates increases for that to be a point of contention in the future.

  6. greywarshark 6
    20 May 2021 at 11:08 am

    When you get tired of political double-speak here is someone who goes on and on about things we might like to know, unlike pollies.

    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnR5k8Kdxls

    This is Who are the hoi polloi which is announced with – Google makes us all seem clever. As he rambles on with general facts and informed comment on them, it is very restful even quite funny. It is good for a mind break, and a switch from listening to people who are always trying to impress us with, they know best, while we try to get our poor minds to understand the latest panacea.

  7. greywarshark 7
    20 May 2021 at 12:02 pm

    Gordon Campbell on Scoop has a piece on the times of the future Governor-General and how that will encompass the change to the UK throne from Queen Elizabeth to the reign of her deeply uncharismatic son.

    I don't think he is at all. Naturally different because of his age. He seems a pleasant man who has an interest in organics and managing his estate well. And has a settled life with his wife after big trauma. Gordon says he is 'deeply' uncharismatic. Could it be that Gordon is still in allegiance to the past beautiful woman?

  8. gsays 8
    20 May 2021 at 12:32 pm

    In a rare moment of weakness, I watched the 6pm news.

    There was an item about the sanctions beneficiaries face if they do not turn up at court. It featured footage of Ardern getting stuck in to Bennett about the injustice.

    Best part of 1 and a half terms later no change in this punitive stance. Sepuloni had a sound bite along the lines of when in power, there are lots of things to do…

    • weka 8.1
      20 May 2021 at 12:36 pm

      it's so hard to understand this from Labour.

      • alwyn 8.1.1
        20 May 2021 at 12:59 pm

        The only thing I find difficult to understand is that so many on the left seem to be surprised. Did they really expect anything different?

      • Poission 8.1.2
        20 May 2021 at 1:03 pm

        My assumption would be it would be unlawful to provide funds,that would enable a miscreant with a warrant for arrest(for not attending court) to evade capture.

        • gsays 8.1.2.1
          20 May 2021 at 1:47 pm

          Far better for some miscreant to have a few extra crumbs than a provider go without because of sone legitimate reason for not attending.

          The point was well made that it is children that beat the brunt of this heartless, indiscriminate policy.

      • gsays 8.1.3
        20 May 2021 at 1:50 pm

        Especially after seeing the footage of an impassioned Ardern 'giving' it to Bennett in the (largely empty) House.

      • Sabine 8.1.4
        20 May 2021 at 2:25 pm

        Why? Honestly Weka?

      • Louis 8.1.5
        20 May 2021 at 4:15 pm

        Hopefully its removal is part of this work "Continuing to remove ineffective sanctions that negatively impact individuals and families. We have already started this by removing the harmful section 192 sanction which punished women for not naming the other parent of their child, and we will remove the subsequent child policy in 2021 to ensure parents are not penalised for having an additional child while on a benefit"

        https://drive.google.com/file/d/13uhcVrn8HUXEoWoPQgkJYjHX_d_Za-O0/view

    • greywarshark 8.2
      20 May 2021 at 12:42 pm

      Oh blah. Have to run it past roly-poly genial Robertson first I suppose.

      And this failure – to adjust tax rates. People tend to forget most of us pay 15% on most things we trade in or services, as well as income tax, (also beneficiaries pay some income tax on their benefits). I note that the IRD is calling the winter heating payments, a wage or some word, that sounds as if they want to tax it though the official gummint has said it's not taxable.

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018795948/shaking-up-the-tax-system-in-this-year-s-budget
      Average income earners are paying more tax than 12 years ago because thresholds have not been adjusted, a tax specialist says.

      Terry Baucher has just written a piece for The Spinoff arguing that our tax system is "broken".
      The tax thresholds were last set in October 2008, Baucher told Jesse Mulligan.

      Good on Terry if he has written a full informative piece. I haven't time to read it – have forms to fill out for some services with personal information that could end up on the web through some hacker. The web is soooo efficient, we mere mortals in authority can't be bothered to even speak to us and we don't speak to our friends, too busy looking at our hand-held portals to the world.

  9. Sabine 9
    20 May 2021 at 3:32 pm

    oh boy.

    when technology so runs your world that you can't even pay your staff without it.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/125190923/waikato-dhb-staff-members-go-unpaid-as-cyber-attack-woes-continue

    ome health workers have been left unpaid by a cyber-attack that has crippled Waikato District Health Board’s computer systems.

    And they’ve been told they won’t be paid for another two weeks.

    The cyber attack has been plaguing the DHB since Tuesday morning, when it blocked all information technology (IT) services except email in Waikato, Thames, Tokoroa, Te Kūiti and Taumarunui hospitals.

    The incident has now created a massive payroll issue, with some staff members only receiving part of their pay, while others didn’t get paid at all.

    Another person who works for the Waikato DHB confirmed the pay issues, and said it sounded like everyone had been affected.

    Waikato DHB was approached for comment on Thursday morning and was yet to respond.

  10. McFlock 10
    20 May 2021 at 3:40 pm

    OK, gonna spoil a joke for all the freeze peach advocates here who reckon there's no right to protection from being offended by speech.

    The racist who was filmed being racist in a store during the Christmas break? Cops cranked the wheel of justice slowly, but she's made a court appearance.

    […] charged with using insulting words while being reckless about whether any person was alarmed or insulted by those words.

    (my emphasis).

    Section 4 of the summary Offenses Act was last amended in 1998, to adjust the value of the fine. Another subsecton includes the word "offence".

    Looks like causing offence and insulting people in public has been illegal for decades, with no inexorable slide into woke dictatorship.

  11. Ad 11
    20 May 2021 at 4:25 pm

    Great to see that anti-worker a-hole CEO Gibson resigning from Ports of Auckland.

    • Gabby 11.1
      20 May 2021 at 6:06 pm

      No idea why Michael Barnett is so butthurt, unless it's just reflexive class loyalty.