Open mike 20/10/2024

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 20th, 2024 - 27 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

27 comments on “Open mike 20/10/2024 ”

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  1. Mike the Lefty 1
    20 October 2024 at 8:08 am

    It was interesting to hear Andrew Bayly being truly put on the grill by Checkpoint's Lisa Owen yesterday.

    She put it to him that he was a bully because bullies usually seek to downplay their behaviour as "being lighthearted", as Bayly clearly did in this case. He denied this of course but Owen was right – that is exactly what bullies do, I know – I have been a similar target in the distant past and that is also how my oppressor justified himself.

    The only credit I would give to Bayly in all this was that he actually had the guts to appear live on the radio and submit to the questioning knowing he was going to be grilled. Most others would have bailed.

    I seem to recall that Bayly has been in trouble before about his behaviour towards people he sees more lowly than him (which is probably anyone who isn't rich and/or a farmer).

    He trades in on his no-nonsense tough guy rural bloke image who doesn't put up with any s…t. Probably has a dartboard with Jacinda Adern's picture on it at home.

    Just a typical National Party rural rich prick, nothing more nothing less. Insulting your inferiors is probably seen in the National Party as business as usual and will all be forgotten in another week.

    • tWig 1.1
      20 October 2024 at 3:23 pm

      The RNZ website has the text of the letters of complaint and the apology letters. While he was acting as an arse, he did apologise properly to the complainant in his personal letter to them.

  2. Joe90 2
    20 October 2024 at 9:33 am

    And people think that voting for this pig would put an end Israel's genocidal bloodlust.

    /

    @atrupar

    Trump says he's about to speak to Netanyahu and says, "Biden is trying to hold him back … he probably should be doing the opposite, actually.

    https://x.com/atrupar/status/1847354656273334780

    • Subliminal 2.1
      20 October 2024 at 12:28 pm

      I would be surprised if anybody who cares about Palestine thinks that. We all saw how he bent over backwards to keep Adelson's money tap open.

      The main point is that given what is currently occurring, how exactly can it get worse? If the 200 000 dead from direct armanents combined with starvation and disease given as the low end by the Lancet medical journal and estimates around 300 000 by other medical experts, is not enough to stop the flow of arms, nor to acknowledge a genocide in motion, then it is difficult to imagine how a democratic win will have any positive effect on the current efforts to eradicate the Palestinian population from North Gaza.

      So how on earth you expect people that care about Palestine to get excited about the US election is the biggest mystery.

      People like Blinken and that head honcho fella from Palantir, blame it on social media. I guess access to the unfolding of events as they occur is a real bummer for these people. Spinning the narrative their way is a lot harder now. War mongering democrats find it more difficult to hide behind state department "niceties"

      • joe90 2.1.1
        20 October 2024 at 2:16 pm

        I would be surprised if anybody who cares about Palestine thinks that

        Surprise surprise…

        .

        A recent poll from the Arab American Institute (AAI) 1received some much-deserved attention (if not enough) because it showed a massive decline in support for Democrats among Arab American voters because of White House support for Israel’s attack on Gaza. That decline could cost the Democrats several swing states.

        […]

        To explore the impact of this shift on swing states, I put the AAI’s new polling numbers into a spreadsheet, cross-tabulated them with the total number of eligible Arab American voters in swing states, and used past Arab American voter participation rates to estimate the shift in votes,

        (Note: The AAI was kind enough to provide one data point for this effort, but the consultant in me demands that I point out a) that these are approximations based on available data, and that b) that any errors are mine alone.)

        That said: There are more than 750,000 Arab Americans of voting age in swing states. Based on AAI’s polling shift, Democrats could lose between 115,000 and 130,000 Arab-American votes in these states.

        If the losses were proportional to the voting-age population by state, Democrats could lose:

        • 50,000 votes in Michigan
        • 10,000 votes in Pennsylvania
        • 50,000 more in other swing states

        That’s 100,000 swing-state votes lost because of the ongoing U.S. support for carnage in Gaza.

        https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/will-gaza-cost-democrats-election

        • SPC 2.1.1.1
          20 October 2024 at 3:15 pm

          Not voting Democrat as a protest, is one thing (albeit IMO counter-productive), but voting GOP would be a form of collective self-harm.

        • Subliminal 2.1.1.2
          20 October 2024 at 3:42 pm

          Your article makes the same point that I am trying to make:

          a massive decline in support for Democrats among Arab American voters because of White House support for Israel’s attack on Gaza. That decline could cost the Democrats several swing states.

          Of couse there is a massive decline in support for the Democrats. This does not mean they will vote for Trump nor support him in any way.

    • weston 2.2
      20 October 2024 at 12:34 pm

      Surely noone would be unclear about Trumps leanings by now would they?

      The perennial question for me is always how can such persons as Kamala and Trump remain so seemingly indifferent /ignorant so bereft of factual knowledge as neither can see the utter carnage /genocide going on in front of their eyes and be unaware of the primary offenders Do they not get briefed ?Do they make all their decisions based on what they see on corporate media cnn an msnbc ?? or is it just that they are stupid fundamentally ? Perhaps its that cognitive dissonance is enforced by virtue of the particular power play each is engaged in .

      Its extreamly unfortunate for the Gazan's and the Lebanese in particular that BOTH pres candidates appear to be competing for the title of who is supporting the TERROIST STATE OF ISRAEL the most !!!!!

  3. Dennis Frank 3
    20 October 2024 at 10:04 am

    A status quo of mindless posturing continues to feature in the primary western democracies, with competitive banalities issued by both left and right pretenders being the reliable way to capture headlines. The tacit consensus shared by left and right is that saying anything intelligent is the kiss of death. Thus Luxon & Hipkins.

    The further today’s plutocratic reality diverges from the grand egalitarian theories of liberal justice, the weaker liberalism becomes, with an increasing number of voters openly sceptical of democracy. https://unherd.com/2024/10/without-socialism-liberalism-will-die/

    The point here is that the Nordic model has produced the world’s highest quality of living for decade after decade. In large part, Oslo, Helsinki and the rest achieved this by dovetailing strong liberal-democratic institutions with redistributive economic programmes, similar to the philosophy advanced by Wollstonecraft or Paine. The connection to liberal socialist theory is even clearer given how Nordic governments integrated “co-determination” into the workplace. Offering workers a strong say on the boards of large companies, theorists such as Rudolph Meidner have even advocated giving staff shares in their employers, with the ultimate aim of making firms completely worker-owned.

    The basic principle of increasing equity by design is just as evident now as it was when it emerged in the Greens 30+ years ago. Those pretenders in parliament still don't promote that, of course, having been captured by trad leftist hypocrisy. Dunno why leftists continue to front as though stakeholder psychology is too hard to comprehend. Obviously it is the key to being progressive in politics, because it catalyses a focus on common interests, and real progress is always grounded in the commons.

  4. PsyclingLeft.Always 4
    20 October 2024 at 10:41 am

    Tory Whanau and that NACT1 Govt Intervention. Is it media driven ? A rightwing beatup by some with agenda? The usual suspects intent on diversion attack ? All of the above ?

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/mediawatch/531304/wellington-city-council-intervention-claims-run-ahead-of-the-facts

    Seems so.

  5. Descendant Of Smith 5
    20 October 2024 at 11:50 am

    Even the PSA is buying into Jacinda's COVID assistance view that workers who lose their jobs should be treated better than existing beneficiaries. Deserving poor and underserving poor. Fuck Wagstaff and Labour.

    Maybe if you and other unions hadn't caved in and negotiated away redundancy clauses etc workers might be better off.

    Just pay benefits at a decent rate as per WEAG. That should be the starting point.

    You could also argue for minimum redundancy clauses for all employers who have to establish trust accounts to hold the redundancy payments as they accumulate – keep the cost where it belongs with the employers who asked for tax reductions and got them so they could play their employees more and then didn’t pay them more. Or increase the employer contribution for Kiwisaver up to 12% or more like Australia so employers are contributing while you work for them. Or fight for inflation adjusted annual pay increases for all workers so wages don't lose value (and businesses would have to consider the impact of profiteering and price inflation knowing if excessive it would also lift their wage bill – a perfect loop). Stop trying to shift the costs of doing business from the employer to the state.

    “It is also becoming clearer by the day just how foolish it was to scrap plans for an income insurance scheme that would have helped tide workers over until they found new work,” said Wagstaff.

    https://union.org.nz/government-must-support-workers-following-smithfield-closure/

    • SPC 5.1
      20 October 2024 at 4:23 pm

      It was Don Brash who said that the unemployed should be able to work for less than the MW (so they could get any new job going ahead of a person who was already in work) job). This was in the 1990's (while RBG). He was trying to lower the labour cost of new job creation. At the timer the National government approach was limited if any MW increases, and this after the ECA destroyed the old employment regime and also the loss of many well paid jobs.

      I don't have any problem with Wagstaff's comments – he is calling out NZF – claiming to be pro working class (for higher MW etc) and having a focus on the provincial economy.

      The trend we are seeing in terms of the loss of manufacturing jobs in regional communities is going to have a long-term negative impact on regional economic development and on the health and wellbeing of whānau and communities.

      “Every forecast tells us that unemployment is going to rise, but nothing is being done at the government level to address it. What we are seeing is a total failure of leadership.

      “The Government is happy to underwrite private building construction but will do nothing to underwrite workers incomes.

      “We need to learn the lessons of the past and not throw workers on the scrap heap when the manufacturing sector is under pressure. Government has a responsibility to support workers with retraining and pathways into employment.

      This is stock standard union advocacy.

      “It is also becoming clearer by the day just how foolish it was to scrap plans for an income insurance scheme that would have helped tide workers over until they found new work,” said Wagstaff.

      In this, he is also quite right. Unemployment Insurance – part employee and part employer paid is not a bad idea (the problem is introducing it when workers are struggling to meet costs and when unemployment is rising – when it lacks money in the "kitty").

      That said in some cases there are redundancy payments – as per Timaru (more relevant to longer term staff).

      For mine though, the priority at this point in the economic cycle is first the right of a couple to have access to a year of JSB support if one loses a job (this is vital to sustain rent and mortgage payments). This allows the unemployed person to intern/retrain (while doing some paid casual – we now allow those on JSB to earn more money).

    • Craig H 5.2
      20 October 2024 at 11:42 pm

      PSA? Isn't that a CTU site and media release?

      • Descendant Of Smith 5.2.1
        22 October 2024 at 12:10 am

        My mistake – my thicker neural pathways still had him associated with the PSA. Point remains – unions should be buying into this. More cost shifting from employer to worker.

  6. tWig 6
    20 October 2024 at 3:38 pm

    I also felt very uncomfortable about a national unemployment insurance scheme vs redundancy payments. Because the onus shifts to workers from industry, as you point out, and more importantly, because it gives an excuse for later governments to withdraw an unemployment benefit from the list of social supports..

    • SPC 6.1
      20 October 2024 at 4:52 pm

      Redundancy payments are useful to longer term workers (often those in provincial areas), the UIS would operate more widely.

      I would prefer an up to 12 month JSB support system (for couples) in lieu of, then an interim introduction of one where the payment was a standard MW amount for 6 months (not based on a % of the wage as ACC). The reason, it unlike ACC, is designed to be a short term support, until new work is found. It allows the pay in to be a lower amount (and thus less impost on lower paid workers many not much more than MW in their pay).

      Then there is the matter of sickness and disability (which should be no less than the super rate and those with working partners able to continue to receive support)). Should a person losing a job because of sickness (say cancer treatment, or heart attack recovery etc) be under a job layoff regime (they may return to their job – 3/6/12 months later etc) or ACC regime – or a separate system?

      https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/consultation-begins-income-insurance-scheme-protect-workers-benefit-businesses

      • Descendant Of Smith 6.1.1
        22 October 2024 at 12:18 am

        Why 12 months? Older people in particular have a torrid time finding work – esp in rural areas. Many will never work again if laid off in their 50's.

        60 to 64 year olds once got super. Super also once allowed you to include younger spouses – Labour removed that only recently.

        Why would you condemn people to further poverty after 12 months?

        Keep it as an employer cost and ensure it must be held in trust. Employers have had massive tax reductions in the last 40 years. Least they can do is put some of it into redundancy payments.

        • SPC 6.1.1.1
          22 October 2024 at 12:47 am

          As Laile Harre put it, when I questioned parental leave for working women and nothing for those not working when they had a child – one good thing can be followed by more good things (WFF tax credits and other payments since then for those with children under 5).

    • Craig H 6.2
      20 October 2024 at 11:46 pm

      Redundancy compensation isn't always paid out when a company goes bust so while I agree that redundancy compensation is part of the solution, it can't be the only or primary solution.

  7. bwaghorn 7
    20 October 2024 at 7:20 pm

    Word on the street is that the sawmill out of ohakune has been bought and will be back working soon ish!?

  8. dv 8
    20 October 2024 at 7:56 pm

    WON THE CRICKET!!!!

    • gsays 8.1
      21 October 2024 at 6:30 am

      Amazing the difference the top 2 inches makes.

      Conway is clearly a good batsman who looked like he had broken a form slump. After getting whacked on the glove, he was hopping round like a cat on a hot tin roof. Bumrah was bowling superbly.

      Enter Ravindra and from the first ball he never looked troubled.

      Great win. One up in a three test series.

  9. joe90 9
    20 October 2024 at 7:58 pm

    43 years ago Patrick Moore and co tried to clock THHGTTG as traditional literature.

    Oct 19, 2024

    Astronomer Patrick Moore, sports journalist Julie Welch and playwright Alan Plater join Ludovic Kennedy to review the BBC television adaptation of Douglas Adams' science-fiction comedy, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Does this latest incarnation of THHGTTG hold a candle to the original radio series? Clip taken from Did You See…?, originally broadcast on BBC Two, 14 February, 1981.

  11. SPC 11
    20 October 2024 at 8:49 pm

    Kiwis in Oz becoming Australians.

    More Kiwis in Oz.

    Normalising dual citizenship.

    Outcome – Project 7th state – 1901-2040?

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/10/20/trans-tasman-tide-tens-of-thousands-of-nzers-claim-aussie-passports/

  12. joe90 12
    20 October 2024 at 8:53 pm

    Republican states suing to ban abortifacient drugs because reducing unwed teen pregnancies would diminish their political representation and receipt of federal funds is straight out of a Margaret Atwood book.

    .

    But their moral ground for pushing the ban was seemingly less focused on protecting children’s health than it was on actually creating more children, with the suit detailing the (apparently) unfortunate ramifications that abortion access has on an (apparently) desirable conundrum: teenage pregnancy.

    “This study thus suggests that remote dispensing of abortion drugs by mail, common carrier, and interactive computer service is depressing expected birth rates for teenaged mothers in Plaintiff States, even if other overall birth rates may have been lower than otherwise was projected,” the suit reads on page 190.

    And that could lead to cataclysmic losses for the Republican states, whose legal counselors quietly noted that a diminished population could cost them as much as a seat in Congress.

    “A loss of potential population causes further injuries as well: the States subsequent ‘diminishment of political representation’ and ‘loss of federal funds,’ such as potentially ‘losing a seat in Congress or qualifying for less federal funding if their populations are’ reduced or their increase diminished,” the suit continued.

    https://newrepublic.com/post/187326/new-abortion-pill-mifeprisone-lawsuit-teenagers-pregnant