Open mike 20/07/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 20th, 2023 - 77 comments
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77 comments on “Open mike 20/07/2023 ”

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  1. tWiggle 1
    20 July 2023 at 6:34 am

    ABC asks about the opaqueness and unaccountablity of the Big Four consultantcy firms which have 'infiltrated' Australian governments (15 min).

    Their consultancy contracts have 'hollowed out the Public Service, which is one of the pillars of the Westminster system'.

    The questions that Australian legislators raise are ones NZ government should be asking here and now. Part of their slipperiness is that tey are not corporations, but set up as massive partnerships.

    • SPC 1.1
      20 July 2023 at 4:41 pm

      Presumably to obstruct democratic representation of the people by those in parliament, by providing advice contrary to the manifesto.

      • tWiggle 1.1.1
        20 July 2023 at 5:36 pm

        More mundane than that: making moolah for themselves coming and going. There seems to be breakdown where they contribute to legislation, while on-selling insider info to big corps (also their customers) affected by the laws/policy under development.

        Much of their government income is inaccessible, hidden inside things like the Defense budget spend on AUKUS. The openly-accessible contracts suggest $10bi of government income in the past 10 years.

        And they've become the ticket clipper for Aussie organisations needing to interface with government (entry to money talks requires a big4 financial case).

        Plus they write their own contracts and deliverables, and you can guess what that means.

  2. Dennis Frank 2
    20 July 2023 at 6:36 am

    Much more muddling thro the middle: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/the-front-page-why-have-our-major-parties-become-so-risk-averse/C7FGUURER5BUZCXWFL4NUNSGTQ/

    Victoria University of Wellington politics professor Dr Lara Greaves tells The Front Page podcast as parties grapple for swing voters, they’re unlikely to do anything that might spook those in the centre.

    Sheeple milling around in the middle of the paddock do get spooked by those seeking to deviate them. Consequently, doesn't matter how many global crises start to happen, they just keep on circling. To impress these centrists, the Nat/Lab duopoly must pretend no crises are actually happening, and issue policies accordingly. Bland + bland = ok.

    “Studies like the New Zealand election study have shown that the group that tends to be less committed partisan and more likely swing voters are women. There’s some motivation kicking around there and around trying to appeal to those.”

    She doesn't even mention the Women's Party. Perhaps she's not a woman? Just pretending? Being an academic locked into a silo could explain it – no idea what's happening in the big wide world outside your comfortable niche in there.

    What this means is that voters looking for bold or radical changes to the current status quo are unlikely to find what they’re looking for in anything that’s being offered by the main parties right now.

    Gosh, you mean things will stay the same as usual? Folks will be surprised. Changes come & go constantly, but democracy keeps sheeple stuck in the same rut forever. All good, because their mental health depends on it. More smoke from the Nats, more mirrors from the Labs, more sameness will persist. Avoid all progress!

    • Dennis Frank 2.1
      20 July 2023 at 6:50 am

      Labour's mirroring of National's ram-raid policy initiative has gotten interesting: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/132572766/new-ram-raid-law-to-charge-12-year-olds-new-offence-with-up-to-10-years-jail

      Putting 12-year-old ram raiders in jail is obviously exciting stuff for Labour folk. One can imagine them jumping up & down with glee in anticipation. Tough on crime!

      • SPC 2.1.1
        20 July 2023 at 4:48 pm

        I suspect the purpose of the policy is otherwise.

        It's to be able to bracelet home the 11-12 year olds if they ram raid

        Basic psychology.

        Hone notes Johnny next door is housebound for ramraiding, so he refuses an offer to ramraid for a gang the next week.

        • Dennis Frank 2.1.1.1
          20 July 2023 at 5:33 pm

          You mean Labour are being disingenuous? Pretending to imprison them while knowing judges will never act in accord with an act of parliament and make it happen? I suppose one would call that the judicial subversive theory of democracy. Could spice up the campaign if journos tell it like it is!

    • Dennis Frank 2.2
      20 July 2023 at 6:58 am

      And this from a progressive kind of person who'd likely vote Labour:

      Chief Children’s Commissioner Judge Frances Eivers says she is “frustrated” to see the Government’s plans to build more “prison-like facilities” for young offenders – the exact opposite of what she and successive commissioners before her have called for

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/youth-crime-crackdown-childrens-commissioner-frustrated-at-government-plans-for-more-youth-prison-like-facilities/THLTRX6JJFCI5E2YSOCT2HGTIU/

      She may feel frustration, but it won't stop Labour copying National! No way. Centrist sheeple will nervously eye the two packs closing in on them from either side. Just the slightest gap between them, and the sheeple will instantly transform into bolters and shoot thro the gap to freedom…

      • Sabine 2.2.1
        20 July 2023 at 7:52 am

        Did the Childrens Commissionaire not got axed?

        Ah, i see it is a new and improved childrens Commisioner.

        https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/childrens-commissioner-no-more-as-new-oversight-children-and-young-peoples-commission-launches/FZRQYYLOEJAJFO4SAWMW6UOCEE/

        The new Children and Young People’s Commission comes into being today, replacing the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and taking on the role of standing up for and advocating for the rights of children and young people.

        The move follows a controversial law change last year on oversight of Oranga Tamariki facilities, including taking sole responsibility away from the independent Children’s Commissioner, which critics said meant young people will feel less comfortable coming forward with complaints.

        The move was opposed by all parties aside from Labour,

        well, so as long as these new facilities don't promote under age fight clubs.

        • SPC 2.2.1.1
          20 July 2023 at 4:45 pm

          Judge Eivers has been appointed chairwoman and Chief Commissioner until October 31 this year.

          She will help provide a smooth transition to the new commission before her planned return to the judiciary, Sepuloni said.

          Dr Claire Achmad will become chairwoman and Chief Commissioner from October 31 and will hold the role of deputy chairwoman until then.

          Achmad has a PhD in international children’s law and was recently chief executive of Te Pai Ora o Aotearoa – Social Service Providers Aotearoa.

    • gsays 2.3
      20 July 2023 at 7:15 am

      "What this means is that voters looking for bold or radical changes to the current status quo are unlikely to find what they’re looking for in anything that’s being offered by the main parties right now."

      You can't vote for a revolution. Witness Douglas's reforms of the '80'’s.

      Foolishly, it has taken a while for me to come to this conclusion too. Neo-liberalism and it's handmaid, incrementalism is far too familiar and comfortable for these pollies and our Public Servants.

      We need a significant change where resilience and self reliance, as a nation, are encouraged, where there is no need for welfare for working people, housing is decent and rents are linked to wages, not seen as an investment vehicle and foodbanks are a thing of the past.

      How far further do we have to fall?

      • Sabine 2.3.1
        20 July 2023 at 7:55 am

        Until we again feel hunger, cold, and fear.

        So far the corporate owned identitarians (of all faith and leanings) and other Aunt Lydia's have succeeded in making enough people believe that they are safe from such unpleasantness so as long as they believe and invest heavily in hopium and copeium. Both readily available online, and please tick all the appropriate boxes for the suits and their enforces to be re-selected as deliverer of hopium and copeium.

        Vote 2023.

      • Dennis Frank 2.3.2
        20 July 2023 at 8:00 am

        How far further do we have to fall?

        We don't have to. There's absolute necessity to provide a positive alternative. That's why I put up my website (alternative Aotearoa) after the gfc when it became obvious that neither the left nor the right were willing to learn the resilience lesson.

        A global financial crisis is insufficient to shake mainstreamers out of their mental lethargy. Likewise the global climate crisis. Sheeple aren't problem-solvers. They always need someone competent at solving problems to engage on their behalf.

        Political parties all agree that problem-solvers are troublemakers, therefore the system must be made to discriminate against them. It's the only sure way to protect the system and ensure that its dysfunction continues.

        So you can see why the native rebel thing is escalating both here & in the USA. Just heard ex-presenter (Morning Report) being interviewed by Corin Dann about the Disinformation Project. It has been exploring the sub-culture & seems to have produced some kind of report. I'll see if I can find it.

        Ah, that wasn’t hard: https://thedisinfoproject.org/

      • Dennis Frank 2.3.3
        20 July 2023 at 8:07 am

        Founded in February 2020, the Disinformation Project helps organisations, journalists, academics, policy makers, and civil society to identify, understand and meaningfully respond to information disorders. Read more about defining disinformation.

        Bomber yesterday anticipated a Ministry of Truth. Any minister could easily find that job to be quite a hot seat, eh? I advise postmodernism as the default position for any such Labour minister aspiring to be a role model of truth: "We in Labour believe in make it up as you go along. Consequently the truth is whatever seems to be in the common interests of our members at the time. It's called democracy."

        • SPC 2.3.3.1
          20 July 2023 at 5:20 pm

          Alternative (on-line) media want the status of MSM without the responsibility – their freedom of speech.

          They couch it as our "freedom of speech", because we can comment on their sites – and there is a new regime proposed whereby they have to moderate hate speech and have annual reviews as to their more effective management of this.

        • tWiggle 2.3.3.2
          20 July 2023 at 5:47 pm

          More importantly, listen to Suzie Ferguson's new RNZ podcast series Undercurrent to understand why we as a society need to monitor online 'free speech' forums around NZ political life.

    • lprent 2.4
      20 July 2023 at 8:34 am

      She doesn't even mention the Women's Party.

      I can't recall that showing up in recent polls. Oh right, "Women's Rights Party"?

      I can't see that it is registered for this election. It must be heading up towards the deadline to get on the ballot. Ummm timetable. They probably have until

      Noon, Friday 15 September Nominations close for candidates

      At that point they print the ballot. However a party needs to do everything before that because they have to have things like a logo gazetted, minimum number of members, officers elected etc.

      That seems a more likely reason about why she didn't mention it.

      Incidently we have a few new party changes.

      Applications to register a political party and logo

      DATE OF APPLICATION PROPOSED
      PARTY NAME &
      ABBREVIATION      		 PROPOSED LOGO STAGE OF APPLICATION PUBLIC CONSULTATION
      21/06/23 Democratic Alliance Processing Not open
      06/07/2023 Animal Justice Party Aotearoa New Zealand;
      Animal Justice Party      		 Processing Not open

      Applications to change a party name or logo

      DATE OF APPLICATION CURRENT PARTY NAME PROPOSED
      PARTY NAME,
      ABBREVIATION
      OR LOGO      		 STAGE OF APPLICATION PUBLIC CONSULTATION
      12/07/23 ONE Party NewZeal
      		 Processing Not Open
      • Sanctuary 2.4.1
        20 July 2023 at 8:36 am

        Animal justice has an extremely paw logo. And “NewZeal”, for those with long memories, was the name adopted once upon a time for the political project of now US domiciled ex=ACT vice president, aging crackpot and conspiracy theorist Trevor Loudon – the ZAP inspired ground zero of NZ cookers.

      • Dawn Trenberth 2.4.2
        20 July 2023 at 6:09 pm

        The party applied on the 11th July and the application is underway.

  3. Sanctuary 3
    20 July 2023 at 7:23 am

    Poorly promoted, an uncompetitive national team, a general lack of interest, and the opening match to be likely played in pouring rain in a half empty, gloomy and out of date Eden park because Auckland inexplicably still lacks a modern 25,000-30,000 seat indoor stadium – FIFA must be regretting giving NZ co-host rights for the woman's soccer world cup. Let's look into the looming debacle.

    Poorly promoted because the whole tone of the promotion of this tournament is NZ fans should be grateful and turn up, and if they don't it is the fans fault and because of some sort of misogynistic reason. But as women's rugby showed, a team that engages with its fans, is humble and – above all – is competitive then the fans will come out. The lack of a decent indoor stadium to replace Eden park for league, union and soccer in Auckland – where it has just rained more or less continuously for nine months – is a disgrace. New Zealanders don't go to stadium events much anymore because the stadium experience is stuck in the late 1990s (that includes the terrible music, presumably signed off by a boomer executive). Going out to sport is a habit. Like many things to do with rugby union (the main users of stadiums) arrogance, greed and complacency has killed their audience.

    Don't be surprised if all matches are switched to Australia at short notice.

    • Sabine 3.1
      20 July 2023 at 8:04 am

      Some expensive suit in Australia just cancelled the Common Wealth game cause it costs to much. Maybe in reality people just don't have money to go to Auckland and watch soccer. Maybe soccer really is not on the top list of peoples mind atm.

      Any other town has that fabulous stadium that you talk of? If so, the question is not why did Auckland rate payer not pay for another stadium, but the question is why is the Opening Game held in a bad venue when NZ has better, and above all why should the Auckland Rate Payer fund private venture when the town is broke.

      • Sanctuary 3.1.1
        20 July 2023 at 8:21 am

        The bickering over a long, long overdue stadium to replace Eden Park & Mt. Smart is beyond belief. Major projects of any sort in Auckland appear to always get bogged down in ridiculous resets. But that isn't the fault of NZ Soccer.

        the “expensive suit” BTW was the premier of Victoria.

        • Visubversa 3.1.1.1
          20 July 2023 at 8:43 am

          Part of the problem is that while Mt Smart is owned by the Ratepayers of Auckland, Eden Park is not.

          Eden Park is owned by a private Trust and is supported by very rich and powerful sporting type people with excellent political connections. The Trust has a voracious appetite for ratepayer and taxpayer funds and the political clout to extract them.

          Over the last 30 odd years Eden Park has grown from a daytime sporting venue to a massive entertainment complex. It sits in the middle of a largely heritage zoned residential area. It has good public transport links which is its main redeeming feature, but it still requires massive road closures to manage crowds for a big event.

          Eden Park will want to hang on to this investment and privilege so any attempt to replace it will be extensively (and expensively) contested.

          • Belladonna 3.1.1.1.1
            20 July 2023 at 9:42 am

            Eden Park is also set in the middle of a host of powerfully politically connected NIMBYs – who hobble any significant development.

          • Peter 3.1.1.1.2
            20 July 2023 at 10:36 am

            It's easy to simply say Auckland should have a modern 30,000 seat stadium. And imagine it. Only 30,000 when the (few) big matches at Eden Park attract 50,000?

            There seem to be simply too many competing interests for such a new stadium. Getting everyone on the same page seems impossible. Of course there is the accommodation of a desired rectangular area for football sports and a circle/oval for cricket.

            We want the stadiums and consequent environments, experiences and events we see overseas.

            Arsenal Football Club, London; 19 home games a year, average attendance 60,000.

            Green Bay Packers in Wisconsin USA, a state of nearly 6 million, with Milwaukee the biggest city with 600,000. 10 home games average attendance 76,000.

            A sports stadium as a social facility, a generator of commercial and economic activity, a viable financial investment, a 'nice to have'? We want a Ritz de la Ritz stadium experience? Eden Park is a dump?

            Auckland could have a modern international quality stadium. All it needs is the chief proponents to come up with a couple of billion. Ratepayers obviously need to be out of that demand loop.

        • bwaghorn 3.1.1.2
          20 July 2023 at 12:06 pm

          Auckland is a joke , shit stadiums that are hard to get to, no rail to the airport, a bridge that gets shut due to wind , sewage filling its harbours.

    • Bearded Git 3.2
      20 July 2023 at 8:32 am

      You must be a rugby fan Sanc-a bit too negative mate, you will be rivalling Ad soon.

      I'm going to a couple of WC games in Dunners (at the excellent roofed newish stadium) and looking forward to the soccer very much. I think there are many people in the same boat. More kids play soccer than rugby at school now.

      I don't think you can blame NZ for the weather. They play Premier League soccer in driving snow sometimes in England.

      But you are right about Auckland and its stadiums. A mate of mine texted me yesterday saying how pissed off he was that the two cricket tests against Australia will be played outside Auckland. (I invited him to come and watch with me at Hagley Park). But this is because there are wonderful cricket grounds in Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Napier, Alexandra, Tauronga and so on while Eden Park is a terrible cricket venue, and, as you say, is not that impressive as a rugby/football venue.

      (BTW I don't like Queenstown as a cricket venue due to the perpetual noise from aircraft. That will change when they build Tarras International Airport)

    • Phillip ure 3.3
      20 July 2023 at 11:06 am

      Fact check:

      Most boomers aren't into late 90 music..

      They stopped listening to new stuff 10-15 years before that..

      It's the mob that came after them you should be directing your ire at..

      And rnz reported the opening kick is before a full house..

      • Bearded Git 3.3.1
        21 July 2023 at 9:43 am

        Yeah but my kids are 28 and 33 and they have been telling me about the odd new band for many years.

    • SPC 3.5
      20 July 2023 at 6:09 pm

      Sure it could have been better promoted, as a rare chance to see top level football locally. And it will be, once it gets going.

      And it is a pity the FF are not as good a team as they have been (competitive as 2011, 2015 and 2019), and we have a poor record with coverage of the sport here (only recently a Phoenix women's team and is there any media coverage of the provincial football league as they do with women's rugby…I got to watch WH and SG play at local club level – Central League).

      AE would be back for another go (rather than at Louisville) if they were on the ascent rather than decline.

      FIFA would see this as promoting the game down under.

      But the idea of having and using a smaller indoor stadium because it might rain … what if a larger stadium was sold out …

      • SPC 3.5.1
        20 July 2023 at 9:31 pm

        And it is a pity the FF are not as good a team as they have been

        So they had better not get complacent, just because they beat a team ranked higher than Philippines and Switzerland (apologies to the needle for borrowing his motivation method).

  4. Dennis Frank 4
    20 July 2023 at 8:18 am

    AM Show just now, looks like a cop's been shot in downtown Ak:

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-responding-to-unfolding-incident-in-britomart-auckland/VU72UD5WX5GZJB4T6VX4AOKHEY/

    Up a high-rise there was a report of someone with a gun, 13th floor (unlucky) construction zone mentioned by a reporter.

  5. Sanctuary 5
    20 July 2023 at 8:30 am

    The constant refusal of the MSM to note the partisan political links of Sunny Kaushal when seeking commenting on crime has gone from wilful ignorance to downright conspiratorial.

  6. Nic the NZer 6
    20 July 2023 at 9:18 am

    Analysis of how (in Australia) cash rate increases promote energy price increases and further inflation. The idea that cash rate increases have promoted rental price hikes has taken hold in Australian political commentary as well.

    https://billmitchell.org/blog/?p=60991

  7. Sanctuary 7
    20 July 2023 at 9:39 am

    Golly, just got a first hand account of the downtown incident this morning from my God daughter and niece – she was walking to work and was right outside when it happened. Had to take cover and hide until armed police escorted them away. Astonishing stuff.

    • Anne 7.1
      20 July 2023 at 11:34 am

      David Seymour can't resist trying to 'foreshadow' blame on the government for the tragedy while at the same time pretending to be responsible about… not jumping to conclusions.

      https://www.facebook.com/davidseymourACT/posts/811644743666139?ref=embed_post

      There will be a time to ask how such a thing could happen, how it could have been stopped, and what should happen to stop it happening again. That time is when all the facts are known, and carefully analysed. Rushing to conclusions often makes things worse.

      What a creep!

      • AB 7.1.1
        20 July 2023 at 11:55 am

        (Sotto voce) "soft on crime, soft on crime"

      • tWiggle 7.1.2
        20 July 2023 at 12:03 pm

        A gun register's a good start. And a watchdog for online threats.

      • bwaghorn 7.1.3
        20 July 2023 at 12:09 pm

        You can bet more gun control won't be on acts agenda

      • Peter 7.1.4
        20 July 2023 at 12:30 pm

        The questions posed by Seymour are perfect for a rabid crowd he wants to appeal to and the incident, tragedy, is an ideal vehicle to stir them up. It would be terrible for everything in the country to be calm, peaceful and settled.

        On one festering cesspool online blog site they're into it. Naturally Arden is dragged in with scorn and blame. And crime and punishment, and all sorts of opportunistic racist stuff is being chucked round.

        Mark Mitchell will be planning his attack for today and while making out it's about 'informing the public' he'll be trying to maximise his chance to grandstand and rouse more neanderthals.

        • Anne 7.1.4.1
          20 July 2023 at 1:28 pm

          Yes. Its sickening. I have the same level of disdain for Mark Mitchell as I do Seymour.

        • observer 7.1.4.2
          20 July 2023 at 1:34 pm

          Seymour wants offenders to be able to have legal access to weapons which kill many more people, like semi-automatics, instead of shotguns. That is literally ACT's policy, and demonstrated by Seymour's votes in Parliament, opposing gun reform.

          That works just fine in the USA, right?

      • Patricia Bremner 7.1.5
        20 July 2023 at 1:41 pm

        How Seymore behaves is called "Passive aggression". Nasty as if he is called on it he will feign innocence.angry

  8. adam 8
    20 July 2023 at 9:50 am

    So the far right are having fun in Ukraine.

    And before you say they are only a small part. 2 battalions of neo-nazi's in the Ukraine army is 2 to many. That's not even pointing out the Wagner group or other Russian far right groups.

    Let's not forget when this is over – weapons in the hands of these people is going to be a problem for years to come.

    But sure lets pretend that far right are not a problem.

  9. dv 9
    20 July 2023 at 12:18 pm

    He had a monitor bracelet.

    Are they not suppose to report if he went away from his home detention location?

    • Muttonbird 9.1
      20 July 2023 at 1:28 pm

      Saw one media outlet say monitored home detention can include a designated place of work. Edit: Coster has apparently just confirmed this?

      Also saw a comment on another forum (not verifiable) that he'd been fired from the job at the construction site.

  10. tWiggle 10
    20 July 2023 at 1:25 pm

    Police Commissioner Costner says he was a 24 yo with a home detention sentence, for primarily domestic violence, but with an exemption to work at the construction site. He did not hold a gun licence.

  11. ianmac 11
    20 July 2023 at 2:37 pm

    Alex Spence's column on Luxon is out on the Herald

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/christopher-luxons-self-help-path-to-power-next-stop-prime-minister/UFZA3TIWSNDMPC5KFCGHG6YB2U/

    The column does not paint a very glowing picture of a would-be PM.

    He points out that Air NZ had recovered from a bad period when Luxon took over. In Claire Trevetts book a colleague of Luxon is quoted:

    To be slightly unkind, maybe part of that

    was he didn't want a story of decline so he kept the music running

    A bit too long. And then got out,” the colleague says.

    The getting out before a slump is par for Luxon.

    In my opinion a person who is searching in Self-help books is searching for identity and this is to fill a vacuum which is his lack of authenticity.

    I hope Belladonna can find this in the Archives?

    • tWiggle 11.1
      20 July 2023 at 4:37 pm

      Have a go yourself at finding the archived copy.

      https://archive.is/cevKP

      I went to https://archive.is/, pasted in your nzherald address into the search function, and it pulled up the above cevKP link. Hopefully that works as a link in TS, as it's the first time I've had a go.

      Yup, appears to have worked just fine. Now to read on.

      • tWiggle 11.1.1
        20 July 2023 at 4:49 pm

        Well, I've got a bit more respect for Luxon and a lot more understanding of what makes him tick. He was a cypher before, possibly still is. Thanks for the link, ianmac.

      • SPC 11.1.2
        20 July 2023 at 5:38 pm

        A lot of effort to reassure us Luxon is not in politics as a social conservative, but as someone who merely wants more effective management of the economy.

        • Rosielee 11.1.2.1
          20 July 2023 at 5:45 pm

          Management of the economy — who for?

          • tWiggle 11.1.2.1.1
            20 July 2023 at 5:59 pm

            I read that Luxon's an OK, results-driven executive, trained at Unilever, renowned for their all-rounder exec training. He is warm with his work team, but worships at Mammon's altar (shareholder returns), and will sacrifice all to reach his target.

            He has an element of social consciousness developed by his upbringing, and by Unilever's holistic management approach.

            The thinness in Luxon's world view seems to be in his capitalist, growth-mentality position. He drank the 90's market cool-aid, and never grew out of that way of thinking.

            • tWiggle 11.1.2.1.1.1
              20 July 2023 at 6:06 pm

              When I inputted your herald address into the archive.is website SEARCH function (further down the page, not the archive dialogue box), it popped up with the cerKV link I put at the top of my comment. That should take anyone clicking on it to the archived article (if someone has bothered to archive it) – as it took me when I clicked on it on editing my comment after posting, as a check.

              I just meant, you can give this a go yourself when next bringing TS readers your tasty pay-walled treats.

  12. Drowsy M. Kram 12
    20 July 2023 at 4:10 pm

    Quite balmy in Palmy North today, for this time of year.

    ‘We are damned fools’: scientist who sounded climate alarm in 80s warns of worse to come [19 July 2023]
    “There’s a lot more in the pipeline, unless we reduce the greenhouse gas amounts,” Hansen, who is 82, told the Guardian. “These superstorms are a taste of the storms of my grandchildren. We are headed wittingly into the new reality – we knew it was coming.”

    He said the record heatwaves that have roiled the US, Europe, China and elsewhere in recent weeks have heightened “a sense of disappointment that we scientists did not communicate more clearly and that we did not elect leaders capable of a more intelligent response”.

    “It means we are damned fools,” Hansen said of humanity’s ponderous response to the climate crisis. “We have to taste it to believe it.”

    And speaking of damned fools:

    National vows to go back to drawing board on policy [3 May 2023]
    “I am here to get things done, I am sick of inactions, and I make no apology for that,” Luxon said.

    “It’s a case of slower to go faster. We have more coming out [on the ETS]. It’s a watch this space.”

    Real Solutions for the Environment and the Climate
    ACT will introduce a no-nonsense climate change plan which ties our carbon price to that of our trading partners.

    ACT was the only party to oppose the Zero Carbon Act.

    ACT getting real about climate change – yeah, right.

    Future Act MP held ‘climate hysteria skeptics’ meetings at high school
    [13 October 2020]
    David Seymour is quoted as saying Baillie would bring common sense to parliament.

    Baillie is currently ACT’s education spokesperson.

    Brownlee is currently the National party's Emergency Management spokesperson.

    • tWiggle 13.1
      20 July 2023 at 6:35 pm

      Sorry ianmac, posted my reply to you here at 11.2.1.1.1.1 by mistake. Hope all is revealed…