Open Mike 20/10/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 20th, 2018 - 182 comments
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182 comments on “Open Mike 20/10/2018 ”

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  1. Dennis Frank 1
    20 October 2018 at 6:50 am

    Tze Ming Mok is a writer and social researcher specialising in race and ethnicity, whose parents are from Singapore and Malaysia. His contribution to our multicultural analysis illuminates the dangers of over-generalising. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12144581

    “The more the CCP tries to insert its agenda into wider New Zealand Chinese spaces while claiming to speak for all overseas Chinese, the more private animosity there is towards Mainlanders among the non-Mainland-born, even as we try to maintain our own “united front” against racism.”

    • Firepig 1.1
      20 October 2018 at 7:42 am

      Tze Ming Mok – “He” is a “She”

      • Dennis Frank 1.1.1
        20 October 2018 at 8:28 am

        Thanks for that info – not evident on the Herald page I quoted from.

      • RedLogix 1.1.2
        20 October 2018 at 8:30 am

        Love the handle … on that basis maybe I should change mine to WoodenGoat 🙂

      • Dukeofurl 1.1.3
        20 October 2018 at 11:42 am

        is that the Tze Ming Mok who writes about NZ from London ?

        Its clear she doesnt know enough about circumstances , except to take potshots at labour
        “Putting aside whether Mr Zhang (MNZM, gonged by Labour)”

        Zhang was recommended by National party figures and Goff- thats how it works, its not just the gift of the government.

        Seems to me you cant write about life in NZ- from London. especially this
        “It’s endlessly irritating and insulting that both Labour and National have lazily assigned Chinese communities as the fiefdoms of politicians openly backed by the Chinese government.”

        What is even more irritating is being lectured to from London.

        • Firepig 1.1.3.1
          20 October 2018 at 4:18 pm

          She was born and educated in Auckland, so I suppose she is as entitled as anyone to express an opinion. http://www.tzemingmok.com

          • Muttonbird 1.1.3.1.1
            20 October 2018 at 4:29 pm

            She seems to be making a call for Chinese New Zealanders to stand up and identify as a group separate from the CCP.

            Good luck to her, but she will probably be silenced.

            • Katipo 1.1.3.1.1.1
              21 October 2018 at 12:33 am

              Liked her last paragraph…
              “New Zealand needs to be the unicorn that can resist CCP influence as a way to uphold the rights of its own Chinese populations to political independence. We deserve better than to be trapped between knee-jerk racists and Xi Jinping Thought. Abandoning us to this fate is racism too.”

        • Rosemary McDonald 1.1.3.2
          20 October 2018 at 7:24 pm

          “Its clear she doesnt know enough about circumstances , except to take potshots at labour
          “Putting aside whether Mr Zhang (MNZM, gonged by Labour)”

          Zhang was recommended by National party figures and Goff- thats how it works, its not just the gift of the government.”

          One does not have to look far to find a pic of our current PM cuddling said gentleman. Literally…he has his arm right around her. Didn’t see no gun.

          Put aside your partisan prejudices and read her piece entire.

  2. Dennis Frank 2
    20 October 2018 at 6:58 am

    “Jacinda Ardern’s actually right. We need a better kind of politics in New Zealand.” JLR to Herald reporter yesterday, explaining that his motivation is accountability. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/video.cfm?c_id=280&gal_cid=280&gallery_id=199619

    “There’s some rotten, awful things that have happened in the National Party over a long period of time. They should be exposed.” “I think I have a responsibility to keep doing that.”

    • Incognito 2.1
      20 October 2018 at 10:37 am

      As above, so below

      For a long time, National has been able to cultivate the myth of a unified party while fully engaged in practicing DP to take political all enemies down. Obviously, these two carefully crafted faces, or personae rather, of the National Party were mutually inconsistent if not contradictory but thanks to MSM this incongruence did not take hold in the public and with the voters; it resonated strongly with many people’s beliefs and personal biases. To be clear, this doesn’t make National voters bad or stupid; it simply shows how easily consent can be manufactured and public opinion can be manipulated, with a little help of ‘friends’.

      DP (and MSM) operatives have known this for a long time and some have made it their business.

      • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1
        20 October 2018 at 1:03 pm

        There’s my comment here that covers the manipulation of advertising and, of course, Noam Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent

        The simple fact is that we’re manipulated into thinking what the rich want us to think.

    • cleangreen 2.2
      20 October 2018 at 10:51 am

      Yes Denis;

      This is my problem that National are seen as covering their own tracks now and hiding any truth now and the media is lax at going at national for the truth.

      The media and National caucus leadership are both negligent in their duty to come clean as at present, because their own honesty is wanting.

      Let us see the time capsule here beginning from last monday when Jamie Lee Ross said he was going to the police;

      At 1pm Monday 15th October 2018; – after the meeting was confirmed with them; – to take his evidence of Simon Bridges conducting illegal activities over a Chinese investor donation of $100 00.

      By 16th October 2018; – when the confirmation was made for his evidence delivered of illegal activities of a $100 000 donation,

      We heard a series of reports from National Caucus leaders; including;
      Simon Bridges,
      Judith Collins,
      Amy Adams,
      Paula Bennett,
      Mark Mitchell’
      Lawrence Yule.

      All said; – there was no evidence found of a “$100 000 donation was ever made to the national Party relating to the allegations made by Jami Lee Ross.

      Judith Collins said clearly that it was a “fictitious claim just made up by Jami Lee Ross”.

      From the 16th October 2018 the National Party caucus had expelled Jami lee Ross without learning the truth of the truth and existence of the $100 000 donation.

      From 16th no retraction/correction of apologies has ever been forthcoming by either National Party caucus, nor any media error of reporting false stories of “no evidence found of a “$100 000 donation was ever made to the national Party relating to the allegations made by Jami Lee Ross.”

      So we have sen both the national Party lying and the Media backing those falsely quoted allegations.

      The voting public demand honestly and integrity here so we hope the police get the true facts straight now for the NZ Public, and it shows national were releasing the “fictitious claim just made up by (them and not from) Jami Lee Ross”.

      National – un-trustworthy.

  4. RedLogix 4
    20 October 2018 at 7:08 am

    Lifted from Scoop. Celia Lashlie is a kiwi hero; I admire her guts and honesty intensely:

    Celia Lashlie “(is).. not suggesting poverty or lack of advantage justifies crimimal behaviour:“…but…it has often occurred to me that the people who dismiss any link often do so from a position of relative wealth. They have no idea about what its like to live hand to mouth, to see no hope of changing that way of life on the horizon and to want better for your children. It seems that as the gap between rich and poor has widened in our society, so too has the arrogance of the ‘rich’ grown in terms of the views they hold about how everyone else should live.”

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1810/S00091/the-journey-to-prison-celia-lashlies-writing-revisited.htm

    • Stunned Mullet 4.1
      20 October 2018 at 9:57 am

      She was fabulous – a huge loss to NZ

    • Molly 4.2
      20 October 2018 at 10:56 am

      Alongside financial poverty is poverty of opportunity, and alternate choices.

      When you have a “wealth of choices” available to you, at little differing cost, then it is sometimes hard to recognise how difficult it is for those without diverse experience or relationship contacts, to make changes or take chances.

      Poverty can make every decision fraught with anxiety – because the ‘wrong’ choice can result in even higher levels of deprivation.

      • Jenny 4.2.1
        20 October 2018 at 1:50 pm

        “Poverty can make every decision fraught with anxiety – because the ‘wrong’ choice can result in even higher levels of deprivation.”

        Molly

        Indeed Molly

        At the Tenants vs Landlords debate at Uni last Wednesday, it was a surprise to me to discover that the preponderance of the 22 strong audience were mostly made up of landlords.
        Speaking with one of the Tenants advocates later. He explained why this might be; saying, ‘What the Landlord advocates don’t realise is that most tenants live with fear and are unlikely to turn up at public events like this, whereas the landlords (and their advocates) don’t know any fear or hesitancy in attending, or putting their point of view across publicly.

  5. Dennis Frank 5
    20 October 2018 at 7:39 am

    Alex Braae is the author of The Bulletin – a daily wrap of New Zealand news and politics from across the media. “Throughout this week, rogue National MP Jami-Lee Ross has shown himself accomplished at the marathon press conference. Tonight, he revealed a hitherto unknown media talent – the train-crash one on one interview. He decided to go head to head with Heather du Plessis-Allen on Newstalk ZB. It was astonishing on the radio. On video, it was something else.”

    “the by-election could still go ahead though… They could always invoke the newly passed waka-jumping bill, thus entirely proving Winston Peters right about the value of the law. It won’t necessarily be being used to stifle political dissent – though Ross claims he’s being pushed out for challenging the party hierarchy – it will be used to get rid of a guy who has thrown Molotov cocktails through the caucus room windows.”

    “And those will keep coming. Ross says there’s a deep rot in the National party, hinting at stories about the various hits he’s been asked to carry out. “But you were the rot!” protested HDPA. He might have been following orders, and it’s probably worth listening to what he says. But it’s unclear why following orders absolves him from the responsibility of carrying them out. National of course argued vehemently against the waka-jumping legislation, but at this stage of the story, Simon Bridges could easily just say fuck it and force him out.”

    Shoot the messenger. Use of the Nuremberg defense viable? Didn’t work for the top Nazis. For many this will prompt the Trumpian reflex condemnation. However, once you factor in political psychology, the nuances come into play. Power morphs human nature. Someone can be well-intentioned, then when a political party puts them in a position of power, they discover they feel good when using it. Like any hormone-trigger, addiction can lead to abuse. Don’t rule out redemption.

  6. JohnSelway 6
    20 October 2018 at 8:09 am

    Jamie-Lee Ross is saying “there’s a lot of bed hopping in parliament” which makes me want to vomit in my mouth a little

    • mac1 6.1
      20 October 2018 at 8:23 am

      It won’t be, as someone wrote here yesterday, just a few husbands afraid to ask the question as to what Jami-Lee Ross does, but a lot of wives as well asking about whether what he says is true.

    • mauī 6.2
      20 October 2018 at 8:32 am

      This is what I think I heard Jamie Lee Ross say in yesterdays duplicity Allan interview, Oh boy…

      The way in which we now play politics is that we lift the bed sheets and start getting into that detail…”

    • Incognito 6.3
      20 October 2018 at 10:46 am

      I’m actually gobsmacked that people appear to be shocked about these revelations about the sex lives of MPs. These are the so-called ”corridors of power”, after all. Are we a prudent lot, naive, or just a tad hypocritical? Perhaps the only real ‘surprise’ is how long they have managed to keep it out of the limelight …

      • Draco T Bastard 6.3.1
        20 October 2018 at 1:15 pm

        These are the so-called ”corridors of power”, after all.

        And power has always been the greatest aphrodisiac.

      • McFlock 6.3.2
        20 October 2018 at 6:06 pm

        To hell with power, people are working long days together in jobs with highs and lows and a certain bunker mentality. Lange wasn’t a one-off by any means.

  7. RedLogix 7
    20 October 2018 at 8:15 am

    Important by-election across the ditch today; Turnbull’s old seat Wentworth is up for grabs and the Liberals could well lose their one seat majority.

    One of the great things about Aussie politics is the sheer diversity of parties on offer:’

    https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/byelection-expected-in-wentworth-to-replace-malcolm-turnbull/news-story/67422a697c4681e6ee7758bb04dceb91

  8. SaveNZ 8
    20 October 2018 at 8:17 am

    From No Right Turn, “Reminder: Saudi Arabia kidnapped people from New Zealand

    You have to wonder what our government did about this, should have been an international incident, but I guess when trade is more important than human rights and principals and international law and our government is openly for Sale….

    “Earlier this month, journalist Jamal Khashoggi visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. He was then beaten, drugged, and dismembered – apparently while still alive – by a 15-man Saudi kill team who had been specially flown in for the purpose. Its a horrific act, and one which should make Saudi Arabia an international pariah. But Khashoggi is not the only victim of the Saudi regime. As Stuff reminds us, in 2014 they apparently kidnapped a refugee from New Zealand:

    Friends of Khalid Muidh Alzahrani, who they called Daniel, know what the Saudi regime is capable of.

    Four years ago, the refugee disappeared from his sparse flat in Redwood, Christchurch, and they haven’t spoken to him since. They fear he’s been executed.

    Daniel had converted to Christianity – a crime in Saudi Arabia – and his friends believe he was forcibly repatriated, possibly with his family’s help.

    The original media stories are here and here. And as this story makes clear, Alzahrani wasn’t the only one: in May 2013 an unnamed Saudi refugee was apparently snatched off the street in Auckland and rendered to Saudi Arabia, where he was reportedly tortured.”

    http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2018/10/reminder-saudi-arabia-kidnapped-people.html

  9. Treetop 9
    20 October 2018 at 8:20 am

    Bennett according to JLR was involved with what was going on in Barclay’s electorate office. Bennett probably was the broker between the electorate worker and Goodfellow. The electorate worker received a payout from a fund which Key had, due to being tapped by Barclay without her knowledge. A confidentiality clause was signed.

    JLR was sent to Barclay’s electorate office as matters were starting to stink for English and Bennett was not shutting the stink down.

    Now there is a situation involving JLR and a woman and a confidentiality clause between the woman and JLR, which occurred 2 years ago, (I would like to have a precise date for this). There has been no mention of a payment to the woman.

    Bennett is throwing mud at JLR, she was sneaky over the Barclay issue, she worked with JLR to protect English, JLR tried to get rid of Barclay but could not once it was revealed tapes existed.

    Now Bennett seems to be the front person for Bridges to take JLR down using affairs JLR has had in recent years.

    Bennett appears to be an insider for the National Party cover up brigade. JLR is no longer an insider for the cover up brigade, he now appears to be a whistle blower.

    How loud his whistle will blow is unknown and the response from those he has in his sight is yet to be established.

    • alwyn 9.1
      20 October 2018 at 11:30 am

      Ross’s problem is that he seems to be under the delusion that he is the dark-haired reincarnation of Julian Assange.
      He actually makes Assange seem a good person by comparison which is something of a miracle.

      • Dukeofurl 9.1.1
        20 October 2018 at 11:51 am

        So Bridges has gone to the countrys political editors and threatened them with defamation laws.

        Ross isnt the only one going full ballistic as even the normally compliant Tracy Watkins is warned with being cut off for being ‘too hostile’

        • alwyn 9.1.1.1
          20 October 2018 at 1:02 pm

          Full Ballistic?
          I’ll tell you what full ballistic is.

          Just go back a couple of months to when Ardern’s baby was born. Trevor Mallard, that pillar of bullshit and shit throwing threatened the Gallery journalists that if they ever accidentally took a photo of the baby in the public areas of Parliament, including the area where TV interviews are normally done, and did not immediately delete it, he would kick them out of the Press Gallery.

          As we have discovered of course his leader uses the baby as a draw card for the women’s magazines. So much for protecting the baby from publicity.

          Kicking people out of the Press Gallery for accidentally showing a baby in the background of a public area.
          Now that was really going ballistic. Bridges is simply pointing out the truth to the fools in the fourth estate.

          • Muttonbird 9.1.1.1.1
            20 October 2018 at 1:05 pm

            alwyn. You can defend Bridges ringing journalists and threatening them for being too negative.

          • Treetop 9.1.1.1.2
            20 October 2018 at 1:25 pm

            Any baby or child is entitled to privacy.

            Ringing up the media to warn them to comply is over stepping the mark. Especially when you are embroiled in the situation you are trying to prevent the media reporting.

            This is not the way to shut down/control the issue.

            JLR is leading the race with coming clean.

            I really hope that any new issues are not stacked on the pile.

            At the end of the day all the actual facts will not be known, those involved will be tarnished or ruined.

            Maybe honesty is the policy National need to be working on now.

            • alwyn 9.1.1.1.2.1
              20 October 2018 at 2:15 pm

              JLR coming clean? You really are joking, aren’t you?

              Really. Have you ever compared what Ross claims he is doing with the “evidence” he produces?

              Look at the claims he made about there being a $100,000 donation that the National Party are supposed to have covered up.
              It turns out, when he releases a tape, that the party officials actually acted completely within the law. There was no $100,000 donation. There were a number of donations that Ross collected on the parties behalf and that the party official went to some trouble to identify exactly who they were and that they existed.

              Ross really seems to have lost his sense of reality. He simply makes up stories which are never justified by the information he produces. Sooner or later the journalists are going to accept that they have been played. A few of them may then start to tell the truth about Ross.

              Ross is following in the steps of that unlamented ex-MP Meteria Turei. Fantasies about how she had to lie and defraud the taxpayer to feed her baby. Finally, of course it got to much for the family of the baby’s father and they told the truth to John Campbell. Bye-bye Turei. The same thing will happen to Ross.

              • Ankerrawshark …
                20 October 2018 at 2:30 pm

                Alywyn…..let’s wait and see what the police find. Too early to tell.

                Candidates for donations implied in the recording

                Cover up of people by Goodfellow reporting abusive behavior,

                • Treetop …
                  20 October 2018 at 3:35 pm

                  I agree early days yet.

                  Speaking out is the first step. Who you believe is the last step.

          • Compass Rose 9.1.1.1.3
            20 October 2018 at 3:57 pm

            Leave the Prime Ministers’ baby out of this National party shitfest please. Nothing to do with her. How low can you go?

            • Ankerrawshark 9.1.1.1.3.1
              20 October 2018 at 5:16 pm

              Compass rose 100%

            • marty mars 9.1.1.1.3.2
              20 October 2018 at 5:34 pm

              Alwyn can go lower I assure you. He’s a real mix of envy and inadequacy. Sad loser.

              • Muttonbird …
                20 October 2018 at 5:38 pm

                This is the problem RWNJ losers like alwyn have.

                No-one at all accepts their attacks on the baby except other deranged RWNJs.

              • JanM …
                20 October 2018 at 7:22 pm

                I do hope he’s not the Alwyn in the education sector

            • alwyn 9.1.1.1.3.3
              20 October 2018 at 5:37 pm

              Don’t be so silly.
              I was comparing Trevor’s threats to the whole of the Press Gallery to Bridges’ fairly mild warning to people in the MSM.
              It was Trevor who went totally over the top.
              You will have noticed that I never once mentioned the baby’s name or sex or said anything about her at all. I only mentioned her mother.
              Jacinda Ardern does not get the same consideration.
              Stop trying to divert the debate into irrelevancies because you cannot justify Trevor’s behavior.

              • Muttonbird …
                20 October 2018 at 5:42 pm

                I just don’t understand why you hate babies so much.

                • marty mars …
                  20 October 2018 at 6:04 pm

                  Hating babies is one thing – vile attacks are completely ott. It is a sign he’s really gone burger – a seedy wee man smacking his keyboard with hateful strokes and all against a defenceless wee baby.

                  • alwyn …
                    20 October 2018 at 8:18 pm

                    You have clearly never read what I said.
                    You are merely exhibiting the truth of the dictum
                    “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”.

                    You have proved that you are not only a fool but a miserable specimen of humanity in your irrational attacks on what I actually said.

                    Stick to the point you silly boy. Can you really consider that Bridges has gone ballistic when compared to Mallard’s totally over the top threats to the Press Gallery?
                    You aren’t going to answer that question of course. To tell the truth would earn you an attack from you foolish friends. To tell a lie and claim that Trevor was simply giving a measured response will make you a laughing stock to all except the one-eyed left leaners.

                • McFlock …
                  20 October 2018 at 6:18 pm

                  The crackiling is great, but Alwyn just can’t get the seasoning right.

                • alwyn …
                  20 October 2018 at 8:09 pm

                  Aren’t you the person who was demanding to know the names of the women that Ross claimed to have had affairs with?
                  Why is it any of your business? Do you just want to make more trouble?
                  You should have stopped your sentence at the end of the word “understand”
                  Saying “I just don’t understand” is an accurate statement on your part. The rest of it simply exhibits your stupidity.

                  • Muttonbird …
                    20 October 2018 at 8:12 pm

                    Oh dear, the baby hater just doesn’t understand why people would push back against his position.

                    • alwyn …
                      20 October 2018 at 8:24 pm

                      There, there, muttonhead. Have another go at the P.
                      Have any kids yourself? You certainly sound like a smelly old billy goat so I suppose it is possible.
                      Then try, although I am sure you will find it very difficult, to discuss the point of the comment. If you can’t do that give up and let the adults talk. Your stupidity simply illustrates the general intellectual dishonesty of your cabal.

                    • Muttonbird …
                      20 October 2018 at 10:17 pm

                      alwyn. You are the troll here.

                      You offer nothing worth of debate. What you do offer is cantankerously juvenile. It is anti-family and curmudgeonly.

                      You are like an depressed old man who has nothing left to offer the world except mean barbs.

                      Why don’t you get off the child hating gig and enjoy what limited time you have left?

                    • alwyn …
                      20 October 2018 at 11:35 pm

                      @muttonhead
                      I suppose that to a 12 year old like you I must seem old.
                      Never mind. You might, and I have my doubts, become older and wiser some day.
                      Meanwhile I suppose you will continue to post your ridiculous comments because you are unable to debate the facts.
                      Sad, really. You are more to be pitied than laughed at, as my Irish friends would say.

                  • Skinny …
                    20 October 2018 at 8:48 pm

                    Most impressed Ross is a whale rider lol.

        • Gabby 9.1.1.2
          20 October 2018 at 9:17 pm

          I hope they recorded him.

      • Treetop 9.1.2
        20 October 2018 at 12:10 pm

        The situation has got so out of hand because JLR cannot go through the usual channels an MP would use when they are being warned.

        You do not go to your boss if the boss is seen to be dodgy by you, even if you are dodgy.

        Bridges has inherited the mess Key and English left behind that JLR was involved in. Then Bennett and Bridges have used affairs and inappropriate behaviour against JLR.

        I would like to see the issues dealt with separately because there is so much contamination that no one involved is THINKING straight.

        JLR, Bridges and Bennett need to take leave for a couple weeks.

        Bridges expenses was the spark and the fire is raging.

        It is not hard to do a list of the issues and for the issues to be dealt with separately and independently by those with the proper skills and those slinging shit at each other to have a truce.

        Kindergarten kids are better at settling a dispute and have better negoiating skills.

        • Chris 9.1.2.1
          20 October 2018 at 9:27 pm

          What’s Ross got to gain by doing that?

          • Treetop 9.1.2.1.1
            20 October 2018 at 10:07 pm

            The identity of the leaker into Bridges expenses was inconclusive. There now has to be a further process to either confirm it was JLR or someone else. Or to concede and drop the issue.

            Using an affair against someone is blackmail. Two things could be done about inappropriate behaviour, a police complaint or a a work dispute complaint. Had this initially occurred something constructive would have happened. Instead inappropriate behaviour went unchecked and there were no proper consequences.

            As for the 100k donation the police are currently investigating and will need to verify who and what was donated.

      • Incognito 9.1.3
        20 October 2018 at 10:11 pm

        Ross’s problem is that he seems to be under the delusion that he is the dark-haired reincarnation of Julian Assange.

        Yes, truly delusional, Alwyn, because Julian Assange is not dead yet.

        • alwyn 9.1.3.1
          20 October 2018 at 11:29 pm

          I would have to agree that Assange is still alive and that it would have to be delusional of Ross.
          Does Ross understand that though?
          He doesn’t seem to understand that the tapes he is producing support Bridges and make Ross look foolish.

          • Incognito 9.1.3.1.1
            20 October 2018 at 11:59 pm

            Alwyn, I’m not getting you here; JLR is not “producing” tapes, he’s “providing” them, isn’t he? Are you saying they’re doctored? I also don’t understand the binary thinking about what’s been played out at the moment with SB and JLR as the two focus points at the moment.

  10. ScottGN 10
    20 October 2018 at 8:40 am

    D-Day in Malcolm Turnbull’s old seat of Wentworth in Sydney’s eastern suburbs today. It has always voted Liberal so a loss for Dave Sharma, a former Ambassador to Israel (the seat has Australia’s largest Jewish population) would be historic and strip ScoMo of his majority in the House of Reps.
    Economically conservative but very progressive socially there are signs that voters in the seat are losing patience with a Liberal Party that they feel has been overrun by the Christian Right and big money Coal and Mining interests. Climate Change and getting the kids off Nauru are touted as the main issues on the minds of voters. Add to that the fact that they are mightily pissed at the way their popular MP, Malcolm Turnbull was treated by his party and it’s possible that independant candidate Dr Kerryn Phelps, the first LGBT woman to become president of the Australian Medical Association, could prevail.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/we-made-it-impossible-for-sharma-senior-liberal-on-wentworth-vote-20181019-p50ar5.html

  11. Gosman 11
    20 October 2018 at 8:55 am

    A brilliant and detailed article on the background to the current situation in Venezuela.

    https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/south-america/2018-10-15/venezuelas-suicide

    • RedLogix 11.1
      20 October 2018 at 9:10 am

      Yes, skimmed through it quickly, looks like good read for later. More nuanced than usual; the roots of the collapse are complex, but clearly an example of what happens when socialism degenerates into totalitarianism.

      If there is one apparent omission, it underplays the role outside actors, especially the USA and Colombia.

      • WILD KATIPO 11.1.1
        20 October 2018 at 11:10 am

        … [ If there is one apparent omission, it underplays the role of outside actors, especially the USA and Colombia. ] …

        Oh yes,… but they are always loathe to mention that fact, aren’t they…

        • RedLogix 11.1.1.1
          20 October 2018 at 11:22 am

          Take that into account, but it doesn’t necessarily invalidate everything else being said. As articles go it’s well informed, well written and reasonably even-handed. It has it’s bias, but then so does everyone; which is why I try and read from a range of sources.

          I know this is Gossy playing his usual ‘whaddabout Venezuela’ game … but this linky is worth reading.

          • JohnSelway 11.1.1.1.1
            20 October 2018 at 11:37 am

            Yeah some people are so set on the idea the USA must have done it they fail to see how completely inept and corrupt the leaders of Venezuela are

            • greywarshark 11.1.1.1.1.1
              20 October 2018 at 9:51 pm

              Those are probably people who have difficulty viewing the USA pimples in close-up.

  12. Jenny 12
    20 October 2018 at 9:06 am

    ‘

    Is Christchurch the only New Zealand city with too many houses?
    Michael Wright – Stuff.co.nz, October 20, 2018

    For a long time National and ACT, acting as advocates for the property sector have been complaining of a lack of supply as the root cause of the housing crisis.

    With over 30,000 empty houses in Auckland alone. The problem is not lack of supply, it is lack of affordability.

    Overseas examples are a warning of what is about to occur unless the government acts to prevent it.

    As the current building boom reaches its peak, all political effort must be put into making sure that we don’t let the developers and speculators use the excuse of “over supply” to let empty homes rot, (eventually having them demolished en mass).

    We have been warned: As long as there one homeless family left unhoused, the government must not let this happen in this country. (Even if we have to nationalise these homes at no recompense to the developers to prevent them leaving these homes to fall into disrepair or be left unfinished)

    Demolished, the brand new housing estate that’s NEVER been lived in

    • solkta 12.1
      20 October 2018 at 9:16 am

      Confiscating assets without compensation? Nah, we only do that to Maori in this country.

      • Jenny 12.1.1
        20 October 2018 at 9:24 am

        Is Christchurch the only New Zealand city with too many houses?

        The answer sadly is no. That is if you qualify the question as, are there too many unafordable houses.

        The Ebert collapse is another early warning.

        “Destroying new homes”

        “It is sad to watch actually, knowing that someone could have lived in these homes”

        This must not be allowed to happen here

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ilayp2ykts

        • SaveNZ 12.1.1.1
          20 October 2018 at 10:39 am

          @Jenny, regarding ‘oversupply in Chch – I guess when Brownlee is recreating the city in his own image, and it’s become a hot bed of corruption and people can’t actually rely on council and building regulations to guarantee the quality of housing in the desperation to build something nobody wants (something that will come back to bite all the other cities in particular Auckland) then yep, nobody wants the houses.

          Although just as likely people want to buy the houses but can’t afford them on their low wages and the banks won’t lend on their insecure jobs and their pay outs from the earthquake and the fake recovery on the back of lazy migration and deals for Natz pals, were never going to be a long term fix.

          If you fake a recovery and building is not local but just a way to make a profit before moving on, then long term you probably are not creating a healthy longevity community.

          Saying that, this article is probably fake news to generate sales and corporate welfare, and the houses cost a bomb, and are overpriced.

          • SaveNZ 12.1.1.1.1
            20 October 2018 at 10:42 am

            @Jenny, regarding the US link – Why neoliberalism is crazy. US has massive homelessness but destroys new houses to keep prices up?? Dysfunctional financing routs!

        • AsleepWhileWalking 12.1.1.2
          20 October 2018 at 10:44 am

          Confiscation is definitely preferable to demolition.

          More US resources being wasted is unsurprising.

      • greywarshark 12.1.2
        20 October 2018 at 10:12 pm

        Thanks Jenny for that housing item and great photographs of the Irish result of the no regulation, sleazy credit decade. Capitalism unfettered – business is not always right or to be trusted. Can we have our country and economy back now please?

        But now demolition has begun on some of the last of the remaining ghost estates, built during the economic boom of ‘Celtic Tiger’ years but now deemed ‘not economically viable’.

        Between the mid-1990s and 2007, Irish developers flocked to build new homes, spurred on by the easy availability of credit, cheap labour from eastern Europe and a vibrant Dublin property market….

        But then the bottom fell out and by 2010 there were an estimated 600 ghost estates in Ireland with an estimated 300,000 homes lying empty.

        Some unlucky buyers were caught in the middle of the crash and found themselves trapped living in dangerous, unfinished properties next to rows of empty buildings.

    • Rosemary McDonald 12.2
      20 October 2018 at 9:32 am

      That was a disturbing read Jenny….and damn near ruined an otherwise glorious dawn.

      There is something cold and close to sociopathic in the language used by the poor, distressed builders and developers.

      For some reason I was nearly brought to tears.

      Sad that this Current Mob’s model for addressing the housing crisis involves canoodling with these predators.

      • Jenny 12.2.1
        20 October 2018 at 1:33 pm

        I am sorry Rosemary to cause you distress. Yes it is enough to make you want to cry.

        Even the landlords are worried.

        The elephant in the room

        On Wednesday I attended a debate, between representatives of landlord and property investors on one side, and tenants and student advocates on the other.

        The background to the debate are the reforms to The Tenancies Act currently passing through parliament. The tenants advocates argued in support of more regulation of the housing rental industry, while the landlord advocates argued for less.

        Near the end of the debate, the question of over supply in Christchurch as related to falling rental returns due to oversupply, was briefly brought up by David Falkner near the end of the debate, at some obvious discomfort to him and the other Landlord Advocates.

        Debate – Landlords v Tenants: We need to fix renting!
        Motion: We need to fix renting: but do some or all of the RTA reforms go too far?

        Pro (yes) : Andrew King (NZPIF), David Faulkner (Real iQ) and Stephen Berry (ACT Party)

        Con (no): Robert Whitaker (Renters United), Peter Klein (TPA Auckland) and Helen Munro LLB (AUTSA Advocacy Manager)

        The Government is currently amending the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 to make life better for renters in NZ.

        Commentators say that the reforms are needed to stop escalating rents, ensure all houses are warm, healthy and dry to stop housing-related illness and generally give better protection for tenants.

        Other commentators have said the reforms go too far by unfairly punishing good landlords and driving them out of the renting market which could end up hurting tenants and drive up rents.
        · Hosted by The University of Auckland Debating Society and Renters United

        Maths & Physics Building – MLT1 303-G23 – University of Auckland

        Thankfully, most of the debate between the two sides avoided swapping the sensational horror stories about bad tenants and bad landlords favoured by the media in debates between landlords and tenants,, and instead got down to addressing the fundamental issues, of suitability, availability and affordability, and how these factors play out in a regulated and unregulated market.

        The Landlord advocates made a very compelling case of how they are losing money on a falling property market. The repeated common refrain from this sector over the last few years, and repeatedly echoed again here in this debate,  by the Landlord’s team was, ‘we need less regulation, so that we can increase supply, which according to them, ‘will increase affordability, in the rental and housing market generally’.
        ‘
        At the end of the debate, In the question and answer session; a property manager in the audience, generally rubbished the claim of lack of supply, she said she managed 50 properties, and media reports of bidding wars were nonsense, and that she was struggling to fill her properties at the current rents. She said that a number of the properties she advertised for rent, (she didn’t say how many), didn’t attract any inquiries at all, and were being kept empty.

        Renters vs Landlords debate @35:42 minutes last comment of the night.

        Un-named property manager speaks speaks out from the floor, (with some bitterness.)

        ….You wouldn’t believe it at the moment, I’ve been in the residential property market and rental market for twenty years. Prices are not likely to rise at the moment.

        “We are struggling to rent [out] properties at the moment.

        If you look on Trade Me Boardroom; Over the last three months, there might be like four thousand properties available. Of that four thousand, two weeks ago,after three months, two and half thousand were still empty.
        I’ve got a property, a one bedroom flat, recently reconditioned, $300 a week, empty.” 

        “So actually at the moment in the market, for the first time, we are seeing that the market, the renters, are saying enough is enough.” [Turning to address the Tenant Advocates] And so they [rents] are going down, we are having to drop some properties [rents] by $50 a week. And so you are winning at the moment…..”

        https://www.facebook.com/rentersunitednz/videos/2180961028581094/

        P.S. All care is taken, but due to the poor quality of the Smart phone recording I apologise in advance for any transcription errors. J.

        • Rosemary McDonald 12.2.1.1
          20 October 2018 at 2:29 pm

          “I am sorry Rosemary to cause you distress. Yes it is enough to make you want to cry.”

          Not you. I’d read that earlier this morning. I nearly posted, but knew someone close to the issue would pick it up.

          Respect to those on the frontline of tenants’ advocacy.

    • Dukeofurl 12.3
      20 October 2018 at 11:47 am

      I think you should make clear – the housing estate thats never been lived in is because of the standard of construction makes them unlivableas the building was so slip-shod

      Many of the half-finished estates lack basic amenities like lighting and schools and are deemed uneconomically viable

      Please dont leave out important facts

      • Draco T Bastard 12.3.1
        20 October 2018 at 3:24 pm

        The fact of the existence of the houses shows that such amenities could also be built.

        The problem isn’t if they’re viable or not but if the rich pricks are making a profit.

      • SaveNZ 12.3.2
        20 October 2018 at 4:45 pm

        I guess they deregulated the resource consent process, aka NZ style for in particular for transport… schools…pollution…hospitals…

      • greywarshark 12.3.3
        20 October 2018 at 10:17 pm

        Did it say that the building was slipshod? They were unfinished, so lighting had not been installed, and the lack of regulated planning meant that they were distant from amenities needed, like schools. That is the authorities’ fault.
        I can believe that the building may have been slipshod, but that was not made clear as the reason for demolition.

    • Draco T Bastard 12.4
      20 October 2018 at 12:47 pm

      That proves that the physical resources and capability are available to address these issues but that the people in charge want their pound of flesh.

      • Jenny 12.4.1
        20 October 2018 at 12:58 pm

        Just as you say Draco, rather than take their losses, they want their pound of flesh, and they intend to get it. Even on a falling market.

        History shows that if you leave it up to the landlords and speculators they will demolish new houses, or not finish half completed ones, to artificially limit the supply and keep house prices and rents up.

      • SaveNZ 12.4.2
        20 October 2018 at 4:47 pm

        Probably just a tax dodge.. and they can write off their losses and save $$$ somewhere else.

  13. Muttonbird 13
    20 October 2018 at 10:41 am

    Wow. Apart from the normal pro-National angle we are used to reading from Tracy Watkins, here she opens up on the simpering relationship she has with Simon Bridges.

    Bridges’ valve burst Wednesday evening when he phoned around political editors to warn them he had been defamed and his reputation damaged. In his conversation with me, he threatened to walk away from our weekly interview because I was too negative.

    Just think about that for a moment. Bridges has called all the political editors threatening to pull interviews unless they be kinder to him. What a big baby.

    And here Watkins duly obliges, fearful of losing her weekly slot with the only party in parliament she has good access to.

    Is that not common or garden blackmail?

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/107971088/the-jamilee-ross-saga–dirty-ugly-nasty-politics-with-no-end-in-sight

    Also in the same article she states:

    Someone in National needs to hold their nose and reach out to rogue MP Jami-Lee Ross to broker a cease fire before any more people are hurt.

    That’s how John Key’s National Party would have handled this problem – in-house, below the radar and the leaker dispatched by whatever means necessary.

    Talk about a lack of awareness! Key’s approach is what landed them in the shit in the first place. It was Key’s method which has cause the rot within the National Party, Tracy.

    • Incognito 13.1
      20 October 2018 at 10:51 am

      It’s my Party and I’ll cry if I want to …

      [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbOrjHBaDzQ&w=560&h=315%5D

      Edit: as you can tell, I haven’t figured out yet how to embed those video clips 🙁

    • Treetop 13.2
      20 October 2018 at 11:05 am

      Who is the best male in the National Party a generation older than JLR to have a sit down with JLR.

      Any other volunteers from another political party or a retired MP.

      If anyone really cared about JLR they would reach out to him.

      It is not about him being the loudest, it is about his self preservation and holding his ground appropriately.

      JLR is in a lonely place in parliament, for attempting to expose the many years of rot within the National Party.

      • Anne 13.2.1
        20 October 2018 at 11:13 am

        Actually his apparent back-ground lends itself to some sympathy for him. Doesn’t know who is father was… mother incapable of looking after him (don’t know why but drugs perhaps) and brought up by his grandmother. No father figure to guide him during his teenage years.

        • Treetop 13.2.1.1
          20 October 2018 at 11:28 am

          Being or feeling abandoned or rejected in childhood and not having a male role model would have been tough on him.

          Obviously no good role models for him in the National Party.

          What were Key and English thinking when they used him to sort out Barclay and other mess.

          Both Key and English have nothing to say.

          I did not realise JLR is only 32. Too young for what he was asked to do.

        • veutoviper 13.2.1.2
          20 October 2018 at 11:55 am

          When I first saw his background on Wikipedia long before the present situation, I read the mother bit differently – mh rather than drugs but the two can be well be interlinked – they are not mutually exclusive.

          But I just found this article from a couple of days ago, which throws more light on his family background and childhood.

          https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12143225

          In reality he has achieved a lot in his 32 years – more than many others from more privileged backgrounds and/or much higher educational qualifications.

          It is hard to see much likeable, honourable etc etc in him at present and a lot of people are writing him off for the future, but with that history of achievement I actually believe that he is quite capable of “picking himself up, shaking himself off, and starting all over again”.

          Who knows, perhaps he has really had a Road to Damascus moment. There are not many people who would come out as he has done and admit adultery etc etc …

          • Treetop 13.2.1.2.1
            20 October 2018 at 12:29 pm

            Current behaviour may well have a link with his childhood.

            There are so many adverse effects children can have due to parental separation, (anger, mistrust, low self esteem, relationship issues in adult years).

            I am no counsellor but I had serious detachment in my childhood, more so with my mother than my father.

            Once I learnt how to manage my anger without directing it at people, I felt more at peace within my self.

          • Draco T Bastard 13.2.1.2.2
            20 October 2018 at 12:41 pm

            Who knows, perhaps he has really had a Road to Damascus moment.

            It’s possible. I’ll be more inclined to believe it if he leaves the National Party of his own free will rather than being pushed and what he does afterwards.

          • Dennis Frank 13.2.1.2.3
            20 October 2018 at 7:53 pm

            I agree. I’m staying with Jekyll & Hyde. No evidence that Nicky Wagner is right (“psychotic”). So the dark side is bullying, abusive sex, etc, applied coercion.

            On the bright side I’ve been seeing the moral crusader from the start. I agree his complicity makes him seem part of the problem, but I had a professional career in television commercial editing before editing news & current affairs stories, and the management practice of applying coercion to make individuals conform to organisational requirements that I experienced in both media often forced me to act against my conscience, and not in the public interest. I expect he suffered the same learning curve. Enough of that shit in the Greens too – easy to imagine it was at least ten times worse in National.

            So that bit about taking on Len Brown as a youngster & defeating him to achieve accountability for misuse of council funds rings true, especially as he cited it as his motivation in trying to hold his party accountable. I agree that a positive male role model as mentor would be a great help. Not easy to find these days, eh? Especially in National (and Labour). Can’t see Lusk serving that purpose!

            Oh, and the other part of the bright side I forgot to mention is the likelihood that he’s actually empathic to some extent. Not enough to be able to manage relations with partners well, obviously, but enough to suggest the narcissist thesis is invalid. He actually listens to people. His conversation is natural and flows easily. You see that both in his interviews & press conferences. Now a narcissist sees others as part of their interior psychic furniture, as objects. Their style of communicating is consequently to talk at people, rather than with them. No rapport possible.

            • Treetop 13.2.1.2.3.1
              20 October 2018 at 10:23 pm

              I really like your comment. It is balanced, thoughtful and mature.

            • Incognito 13.2.1.2.3.2
              20 October 2018 at 10:41 pm

              For some reason Norm Hewitt keeps popping into my mind as someone who could help JLR. I honestly have no idea where this is coming from so I just throw it out there …

  14. Tony Veitch [not etc.] 14
    20 October 2018 at 10:54 am

    National’s little spat has made it to RFA – Radio Free Asia

    https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/donation-10192018104953.html

    But, unlike the media in NZ, they focus on the most important and serious aspect of the affair:

    “It looks like a donation from a businessman, but who is that businessman, actually?” Chen said. “The Chinese Communist Party has been gradually making donations to political parties here and there via their agents in Western political circles.”

    “This is a very serious problem … and yet the government here in New Zealand doesn’t seem to be taking much of a stand,” Chen said. “The New Zealand’s relationship with China is too cozy, with a lot of vested interests tied up with it.”

  15. joe90 15
    20 October 2018 at 11:15 am

    When you bite the hand that’s feeding you, you’re losing.

    Julian Assange is to launch legal action against the government of Ecuador, accusing it of violating his “fundamental rights and freedoms”.

    The Wikileaks co-founder has lived in its UK embassy since 2012 after seeking asylum to avoid extradition to Sweden over a rape inquiry – later dropped.

    He was given a set of house rules by the London embassy this week, including taking better care of his cat.

    Mr Assange faces arrest for allegedly breaching bail conditions if he leaves.

    Wikileaks lawyer Baltasar Garzon is in Ecuador to launch the case, which the Press Association reports is expected to be heard in court next week.

    Wikileaks said the country’s government had threatened to remove the protection Mr Assange has had since being granted political asylum.

    It added that his access to the outside world had been “summarily cut off”.

    In a memo, it threatened to confiscate the pet if he did not look after it, it said.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-45915017

    • alwyn 15.1
      20 October 2018 at 11:42 am

      I commented at 9.1 above that I thought Ross was behaving as if he thought he was Assange.
      That was before I read your comment and the linked story. Now your link makes me even more convinced of it. Assange is behaving exactly like Ross as well. I’ll bet that Ecuador are sorry that they ever went near the guy, or more precisely that he let Assange get near them. Talk about lying down with a dog will get you fleas.

      • McFlock 15.1.1
        20 October 2018 at 6:35 pm

        As a bargaining chip, he’s losing value.

        And isn’t the UK looking for trade partners at the moment?

      • Dennis Frank 15.1.2
        20 October 2018 at 8:01 pm

        Years ago Assange was exhibiting his narcissism, now it looks like he’s actually lost his marbles. I don’t agree with your equation, however. The only common factors are them both taking a strong moral stand and having flawed characters. A combination that is no longer a christian monopoly.

  16. OnceWasTim 16
    20 October 2018 at 12:13 pm

    The more I see of Scott Eady’s ‘sculpture’, the more I wonder whether it’s a pisstake tribute to the modern day National Party.
    The gold-plated turd with a bit of glittering atop a gNat blue column.
    I hope he was paid well. A fitting monument.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=scott+eady+philanthropists+stone&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=XfLX1i6Wf8zafM%253A%252Cw6CdN6R9JFDfuM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kSUFT2rdPDg4cRwsEPdAFk_KE6MyQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2_NmRz5PeAhUFPo8KHdIGAmoQ9QEwAnoECAUQBA#imgrc=XfLX1i6Wf8zafM:

    All it needs now is for Wellington’s homeless to camp out at its base

  17. Draco T Bastard 17
    20 October 2018 at 12:22 pm

    Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?

    The diamond invention—the creation of the idea that diamonds are rare and valuable, and are essential signs of esteem—is a relatively recent development in the history of the diamond trade. Until the late nineteenth century, diamonds were found only in a few riverbeds in India and in the jungles of Brazil, and the entire world production of gem diamonds amounted to a few pounds a year. In 1870, however, huge diamond mines were discovered near the Orange River, in South Africa, where diamonds were soon being scooped out by the ton. Suddenly, the market was deluged with diamonds. The British financiers who had organized the South African mines quickly realized that their investment was endangered; diamonds had little intrinsic value—and their price depended almost entirely on their scarcity. The financiers feared that when new mines were developed in South Africa, diamonds would become at best only semiprecious gems.

    A great example of how advertising manipulates us into false beliefs and positions that are detrimental to us.

  18. Muttonbird 18
    20 October 2018 at 1:02 pm

    This from Nikki Kaye on 03 October.

    It is really rare but again MPs are human and [Mr Ross] is obviously going through something and we just need to be really sensitive to that,” she said.

    “My heart goes out to him and I’m thinking of him.”

    Ms Kaye said going on leave can be tough and people need to respect Mr Ross.

    ‘It’s a challenging situation and I think we just need to be really respectful and thoughtful

    Was Kaye or the rest of the Nat caucus not briefed at all, or was it merely politically expedient to run this line at the time? Further evidence of the lack of morals and opportunism which has taken root in the National Party of New Zealand.

    If this is the level of ‘political management’ offered by Paula Bennett and Simon Bridges then the pair of them need to f**k off, pronto.

    I bet Nikki Kaye wishes she could take those words back.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/10/national-mps-stand-by-jami-lee-ross-over-taking-leave.html

  19. Muttonbird 19
    20 October 2018 at 1:14 pm

    Bryce Edwards steps up to the plate for National again.

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/369063/reality-bites-for-jami-lee-ross

    • Dukeofurl 19.1
      20 October 2018 at 3:24 pm

      They have to write it that way- Bridges has read the riot act to the editors about defamation. Even though as a politician its a very high bar, but he would have the party chiefs contacting the people who employ the editors and getting them to put the party first

      They allude to this by JLR staying in parliament to say ‘things under privilege’- which would keep the national partys lawyers at bay.

      It looks like National will rip out the still beating heart of its newest MP if it has to get rid of JLR from Parliament and its protections for what Mps say.

      The other approach may be to see if JLR would be tempted by ‘greenmail’ and take a golden parachute for what he could earn from parliament for 2 years

      • Muttonbird 19.1.1
        20 October 2018 at 3:51 pm

        I’m sure there are pleas for fundraising going out to donors right now with which to pay Ross off.

        That would be typical of the National Party who believe meeting someones price is the the ethical way to go.

        What really disappointed me about this latest Edwards fluff piece is that he claims in the opening sentence both Ross and the National Party are coming to terms with reality:

        There are signs that National’s civil war has forced a reality check for both the party and Jami-Lee Ross

        Perhaps I’m being naive but that to me suggested that Edwards was going to talk about Ross coming clean on all his own personal misdemeanours and also the toxic methods of the National Party. And it suggested that Edwards felt the National Party were beginning to take a look at themselves, finding their behaviour wasn’t up to scratch and that they were about to embark on a drive to clean out the party on malevolent influence.

        But no, it was about Ross suddenly realising he couldn’t win Botany and the ‘reality check’ for National wasn’t about them taking a look at themselves it was about their means of escape.

        How this clown Edwards is considered a mature and impartial commenter is beyond me.

  20. greywarshark 20
    20 October 2018 at 1:18 pm

    Eric Idle on the excellent interview this morning with Kim, said that the British press regularly taking down the Pythons, white-anting them were one of the reasons why they shifted to the USA. Also he commented that the Press in UK were probably behind the push for Brexit; something about the press barons living in tax havens and didn’t want new legislation that would cut their nirvana a notch. e&oe

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018667675/eric-idle-always-look-on-the-bright-side-of-life
    arts
    Eric Idle – Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
    From Saturday Morning, 8:10 am today

    Listen duration 45′ :56″
    Eric Idle is a comedian, actor, writer and musician, most notable for his membership of the Monty Python comedy troupe. His career in comedy began in earnest in 1968 when he began writing and acting in two series of a children’s TV hit, Do Not Adjust Your Set, with Michael Palin, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam.

    The success of this show led to four series of Monty Python’s Flying Circus for the BBC from July 1969 through 1973, with the addition of John Cleese and Graham Chapman. The group enjoyed great success on stage and screen until disbanding in 1983.

    After Python, Idle continued to work on radio comedies, write books, appear in movies and even on the opera stage. He has recently released a ‘sortabiography’ called Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – also the title of a song he composed for the closing of the movie Life of Brian – and one which has grown to become a signature tune for Monty Python.

  22. Dukeofurl 22
    20 October 2018 at 2:24 pm

    “After years on Nauru, 15 asylum seekers, all in families, flew to Australia on Monday. Three more families travelled on Tuesday. Yet more left on Wednesday. And another seven families on Thursday, according to a briefing that Immigration Minister David Coleman gave crossbench members of Parliament this week. All families, all with kids, all travelling on medical advice that they need treatment in Australia.”

    https://www.smh.com.au/national/progress-scott-morrison-doesn-t-want-to-advertise-20181019-p50arp.html

    Apparently the kids and their families are being resettled in US

    ” “Anyone with even a stubbed toe is getting approved” for treatment in Australia, he says.”

    means they can still say with a straight face- no change in the ‘policy’

    Thats when it gets really weird
    “Asylum seekers on Nauru are not in detention. They have been free to move and integrate into the community for two years now. They are classified as temporary residents of Nauru with 20-year visas. Under the terms of their visas, they need to get exit visas from the Nauruan government before leaving for Australia.

  23. Treetop 23
    20 October 2018 at 3:48 pm

    But they were on Nauru against their free will. Sort of like a political prisoner in detention. Can’t leave the island.

    At least there is progress for the children in particular.

    • Dukeofurl 24.1
      20 October 2018 at 4:23 pm

      It seems the ‘married MP’ who JLR referred to was one of the 4 women who anonymously gave their story to Melanie Reid.

      His push back and naming her makes sense ( to him) in that light.

      • Muttonbird 24.1.1
        20 October 2018 at 4:32 pm

        That would be very interesting if true because it adds to the theory that the Nats dumped the story on Reid in the last couple of weeks as per Ross’ allegation, rather than Reid’s own claim that she’d been working on it with these women for a year.

        Also, did the MP having given her anonymous story to Reid not believe she’d have to back it up at some stage?

        She needs to come out next week.

        • Ed 24.1.1.1
          20 October 2018 at 4:34 pm

          All very murky.

        • Chris T 24.1.1.2
          20 October 2018 at 4:59 pm

          “That would be very interesting if true because it adds to the theory that the Nats dumped the story on Reid in the last couple of weeks as per Ross’ allegation, rather than Reid’s own claim that she’d been working on it with these women for a year.”

          I have no idea what you are implying here

          That his behaviour to the women in question is made up?

          • Muttonbird 24.1.1.2.1
            20 October 2018 at 5:02 pm

            No. that the National Party of New Zealand held back the complaints but these women when it suited them and then dumped the complaints by these women on the media when it suited them.

            • Ed 24.1.1.2.1.1
              20 October 2018 at 5:04 pm

              That clearly happened.

            • Chris T 24.1.1.2.1.2
              20 October 2018 at 5:13 pm

              Well we don’t know that

              Except for the writer of the article who said they had been working on it for a year.

              I tend to go with their version given the lack of any other evidence

              But if you think

              National got all the different stories together, contacted the reporter and talked them into writing it, got the reporter to get all 4 women together and find background and quotes, her editorial team to double check all the sources, the madias lawyers to get together and check that there was no chance of defamation and double check it, the women to then agree with the draft of it being released nationally, all in the space of the 36 hours after his stand up, you have a higher opinion of these peoples skills than I do,

              • Muttonbird …
                20 October 2018 at 5:20 pm

                Don’t you find it remarkably convenient this story appeared right when National needed it?

                I’m sure these anonymous accounts were lined up ready to go when required.

                I know you don’t have much independence of thought and you take your cues from the National party machine but if you could at least make an effort to think for yourself once in a while?

                • Chris T …
                  20 October 2018 at 5:29 pm

                  What I would imagine is they just went with it earlier than planned as the subject of the investigation just became national news story of the year after his stand up and it would be stupid not to.

                  Eye-balls = $$

                • Chris T …
                  20 October 2018 at 5:32 pm

                  “I know you don’t have much independence of thought and you take your cues from the National party machine but if you could at least make an effort to think for yourself once in a while?”

                  Lol

                  I missed this

                  How about looking at evidence rather than your own need for conspiracy around every corner, for 2 seconds

                  • Muttonbird …
                    20 October 2018 at 5:34 pm

                    Well the National Party has created a fertile ground for all sorts of theories behind motivation. This has happened because they are crooked to the core.

                    • Chris T …
                      20 October 2018 at 5:39 pm

                      What we have is Ross making claims. You jump on them

                      His evidence doesn’t match his claims. You stop mentioning his claims.

                      Next we have a story of him being an arsehole to women. You jump on National for not doing anything to help the women

                      The women say National helped. You stop mentioning National didn’t do anything

                      Now you turn to not trusting the womens version…..

                    • Chris T …
                      20 October 2018 at 5:42 pm

                      For what it is worth

                      You could be right

                      National may have covered it all up, be as bad as you say.

                      I just doubt it from the evidence

    • SaveNZ 25.1
      20 October 2018 at 4:49 pm

      @Muttonbird – Nope. But he will give them 1/2 price MP’s – only $50k donation to make up…

      • Muttonbird 25.1.1
        20 October 2018 at 5:04 pm

        Bridges has been in a lot of photo ops with turban wearing men in the last few days.

        I wonder why?

    • Ed 25.2
      20 October 2018 at 5:03 pm

      Clearly no shame .
      Bridges has no principles he wouldn’t ditch for power.

      • Muttonbird 25.2.1
        20 October 2018 at 5:05 pm

        That’s the thing. His ambitions are to power and status rather than serving Kiwis.

        I’m surprised more of the voting public haven’t seen this yet.

        Bridges repeats in the clip that ‘we’re talking about one bad egg’ but it’s clear he was bosom buddies with that one bad egg for a decade and more.

        • Ed 25.2.1.1
          20 October 2018 at 5:11 pm

          Many members of the middle class don’t want to lose all that money they made through Key’s property Ponzi scheme.
          35 years of neoliberalism and we have in our midst a significant minority of the population who was incredibly selfish people.

          They won’t sacrifice their international holidays to solve poverty. Too many trips overseas in pampered resorts and on slave cruise ships has got them used to being treated as colonial masters.

          They want their flash Ute, forget the unemployed.

          They want.
          They want.
          They want.

          It all goes back to Roger Douglas.
          I hope I live to see the day he goes to trial.

    • Muttonbird 25.3
      20 October 2018 at 5:30 pm

      Who is advising him? The first thing he does after monetising Indian candidates in a taped conversation is to go get a red dot on his forehead.

      What the hell is he thinking?

  26. joe90 26
    20 October 2018 at 6:48 pm

    Oh dear.

    Indian Member of Parliament Kanwaljit Bakshi’s defence of his beleaguered leader Simon Bridges on his clear-as-daylight acquiescence to Jami-Lee Ross’ “Two Chinese would be more valuable than two Indians, I have to say” comment is, to say the least, abject.

    […]

    Blaming it all on Ross is fine but as a representative of Kiwi Indians, his constituents would have expected more from Bakshi than this pathetic fig leaf of a defence of his leader. For the question is not of Ross saying what he said. It is rather of Bridges’ acquiescence to what was said and his continuing the conversation about the “value” of ethnic MPs and their numbers and issues around accommodating more of them.

    https://www.indianweekender.co.nz/Pages/ArticleDetails/65/9947/Political/Indian-MPs-fig-leaf-for-beleaguered-National-leader

  27. Muttonbird 27
    20 October 2018 at 6:59 pm

    Well here it is in Bridges’ own words:

    We think (the Waka-jumping Bill) is repugnant to democracy. There’s centuries of thought and practice about what an MP is and their ability to be able to stand up from time to time and say we disagree with our party.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/107996313/waka-jumping-bill-could-come-to-the-aid-of-national-as-jamilee-ross-refuses-to-quit

    Farrar has tried to worm his way out of this by claiming the Nats only meant policy and not morals and action but quite frankly that will hold little or no water with the media nor the voting public.

  28. Muttonbird 28
    20 October 2018 at 7:53 pm

    Is it time someone from the government made a statement on the shambles that is the National Party of New Zealand?

    I feel the Nats implosion in all its enormity is beginning to overshadow the good things the government is doing.

    • Morrissey 28.1
      20 October 2018 at 8:04 pm

      Which bit of the media is either serious or fair-minded about this? They’re desperate to bail out poor old Bridges and his cronies. Various “wits” on RNZ National, for example, have been busy ridiculing Jami-Lee Ross and insisting that Bridges will survive this scandal.

      • Muttonbird 28.1.1
        20 October 2018 at 8:10 pm

        I know why Labour has left it for a week but the crux of the matter is about electoral integrity and the need to promote it with the voting public.

        JA could and should make a statement gently kicking the Nats in the arse but at the same time reassuring NZ that everything is being done to eliminate poor practice from politics.

  29. eco maori 29
    21 October 2018 at 6:34 pm

    Kia ora Newshub Conner I have been following the Wentworth byelection for a bit last nite I posted about it last nite.
    Larry Ellison is just a sore loser he lost to Team New Zealand If he was a Honorable person he would have entered a Yacht in the Americas Cup race.
    What he is doing he is trying to beat Team New Zealand buy cheating and stealing there competitors and audiences by starting a new competing Yacht race were else but New Zealand.
    I think Britain need to have a second vote on the Britexit I will tell what happened the EU told British bankers that they have to stop laundering the worlds corrupt money .
    The money people did not like being put into line so they set in motion Britexit as plan as day I see this.
    If Britain leaves the EU the bankers will make heaps while the common person will be young dumb and broke.
    Niki The League test was a good match the Tongans are good sports people kia kaha Tonga Ka kite ano

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