I probably wouldnt jump for joy at BE’s announcement that there will be no more asset sales.
There are other ways to skin a cat.
One is to shut down a state owned company and pass on its work to the private sector, ie Learning Media.
Two is to have the company sell off its assets bit by bit, ie KiwiRail selling the Hillside foundry and AgResearch and Landcorp their farms.
Or you could do what Solid Energy does and contract out the operation of its mines to the private sector, so they are pretty much privately run anyway.
Or simply run it down and provide a completely crap service to such an extent people give up on it and go private – think EQC in Christchurch. Absolutely abysmal and rage-inducing. So much so that many people who work for them have been subjected to personal abused outside of their work which has had other effects within our small communities.
The history of the Christchurch recovery by Brownlee and his band of goons is well painted by now and I don’t think the history books will be kind to him.
The Let Down tenants echo the Occupy movement, which for a brief moment reminded us all that the banks have probably cost us more through the crash, subsidies and tax avoidance than they have contributed in tax revenues. Wealth trickles up to the 1%, not the other way around.
The rich are the ones that cause poverty through their financial system that rewards being rich and punishes working hard.
which for a brief moment reminded us all that the banks have probably cost us more through the crash, subsidies and tax avoidance than they have contributed in tax revenues.
These guys need to get with the programme. Between 2008-2010 the banks lost more money than they had made in their entire history. A clear sign that their record profits in the ten years leading up to the GFC were entire illusory – or fraudulent.
The movie last night “Salute” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAHsYmaodkA was a fantastic movie. Very inspiring movie which not only highlighted USA’s problems with racism but also Australia’s.
Yep – Maori TV News at 7pm (with subtitles for those who don’t know te reo) is a “must view” – especially on the mining and drilling issues, and the land issues which are still a problem for Maori today …… despite Waitangi T. settlements. Another side of Aotearoa many of us don’t see.
When selling off 20% of Air NZ, wouldn’t you have to balance the books by subtracting the cost of buying the airline in the first place against the “profit” of the sale this week?
You are turning an asset on your balance sheet (the ownership stake) into cash. So no.
BTW this is similar to what all private sector companies do when they run down recently purchased public assets. They slowly degrade the assets or get rid of them, transforming the balance sheet into cash that they distribute to themselves.
Tranzrail be one of the best examples, when “Sir” Michael Fay put the order to the GM to haul all possible cash out and do nothing about maintenance and upgrade.
Key has already told the party elite he wants out. He was forced to stay. This isn’t Key’s wish. This is his worst nightmare! Someone up there hates him.
I liked the other joke: ” He promised that the next time Mr Key visited, he would get a book on his own visit – although the laughter indicated he wasn’t necessarily telling the truth.”
Unbelievable … or maybe not given our corporate culture of greed for themselves and austerity for others. A Cleveland Wal-Mart has been asking for donations from customers to pay for some of their employees Thanks Giving celebrations.
Walmart only made US$3.70B dollars last financial quarter. If they were to give every one of their “associates” a $25 Thanksgiving voucher they might go broke…
(2M employees = $50M cost, = US$0.05B reduction in profit for the quarter = unacceptable)
That is where it starts to get a bit murky: wealth is carried in all forms, not just money…..land, art, property, shares, bonds etc.The basic principle is to prevent abnormal accumulation and to redistribute wealth. There are some basic contradictions here…capital is required for investment / reinvestment, so it helps if it accumulates (unless we find a better way of funding enterprise). If we tax the capital we also get into an investment prevention conundrum.
I don’t see the Waltons as much as a rich in liquid terms (they might be but who knows), but what they have is enormous control and consequently power. It does not appear healthy for any society for any small group to have outrageous power and influence.
There are some basic contradictions here…capital is required for investment / reinvestment
However, a lot of the uberwealthy aren’t using this capital for investment/reinvestment in productive ways. They are investing in paper financial assets and real estate, for instance, helping to fuel speculative bubbles but creating fuck all jobs. The classic example is JP Morgan. This bank currently holds US$50B in excess reserves at the Federal Reserve, collecting a couple of billion a year in interest.
You would think that the job of a bank would be to loan this excess money out to corporations and SMEs so that they could invest/re-invest in their enterprises.
But no, it’s easier just to take the interest free ticket clip, especially when there is no expectation of economic growth or increased consumer spending in western countries any time soon.
If we tax the capital we also get into an investment prevention conundrum.
How so? Is building a hydrodam, an electrified train network, researching the next generation of wood processing technologies not “investment”? These are all things which can be done by the tax dollar, and particularly in areas that the private sector aren’t interested in because the payoff cannot be easily and quickly extracted.
It does not appear healthy for any society for any small group to have outrageous power and influence.
At the level of wealth they have, they can, and do, challenge sovereign governments in order to further their own private interests.
Yes the ultra wealthy don’t reinvest in the US or here……maybe, I suspect they do. The job problem in the first world in probably got something to do with under-investment…Marx among others predicted the diminishing rates of return / profit. More recently this problem gets addressed by offshoring production to the third world etc. That of course does not last.
Then the lack of investment despite bank “deposits”…borrowing is at record lows but there are few takers, profits are ltoo low and risk is too high…for both lender and borrower. What a mess. As you say it stays in the bank but something has to pay the interest…usually more debt created out of thin air.
I don’t think spending tax dollars on infrastructure from a diminishing tax base is very useful when it wont lead directly to real investment in consumption, which in turn will drop the tax base. It is the classic problem with Keynes, he got away with it by virtue of cheap expanding energy supply.
No easy answers, what I do think though is that if we can minimize the disparities of wealth retention between top and bottom we are in a better position.
The job problem in the first world in probably got something to do with under-investment…Marx among others predicted the diminishing rates of return / profit. More recently this problem gets addressed by offshoring production to the third world etc. That of course does not last.
The job problem is the critical one to analyse IMO. We are not getting it right and the result is destroying our social capital and our people in the process. As a society we are missing out on the valuable output of creativity and production that we could be enjoying from these under utilised people (the so-called “output gap”).
Offshoring production to the third world has done little for the global economy other than to shift income share away from workers towards owners in an exercise of wage arbitrage. Yes us privileged types in the western world who still have strong incomes get the benefits of product/service price deflation (how on earth you can make and ship a 42″ LCD TV for $300 wholesale is beyond me but apparently it can be done) but that lovely price deflation comes at the cost of income deflation to a lot of workers who lost decent paying jobs.
And then this is the kicker: we’re talking about insufficient paid employment in society. Yet when we look around there is shit loads of work which society needs to get done, which we would all benefit from, but which is not being done. And then there are a lot of unemployed and underemployed people.
So we end up with this situation: a lot of useful, beneficial, productive work for society which could be done. A lot of motivated, capable people who want to enter work, or go from part time work to full time work.
And a political economic system which is so fucked up, it can’t put one and one together to make two – and in some instances, actually thinks that it is a good thing that good people rot in unemployment (as a buffer stock to control inflation, keep wages low, etc).
are they going down hill fast?
Maybe the cuts to food stamps is cutting sales?
Not that it should make paying wages any harder seeing as the staff salary is so low the staff are on food stamps too… the cut in food stamps means their pay has gone down hence the charity drive.
The majority of Walmart employees reportedly make less than $25,000 annually, and many of them rely on food stamps. A case study compiled by the Democratic staff of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce found that employees in one Walmart location received between $96,007 and $219,528 in food stamps over the course of a single year.
When are people going to realise that a corporation like this os not doing them a favour when they hire them?
Wow, we made $ 365 million with AIRNZ. Here is my comparison with some other lump sumps floating around out there such as the $ 13 Billion JP Morgan has to pay in fines for it’s role in the 2008 mortgage scam and the illegal foreclosures which cots thousands of Americans their homes.
$13 billion….hmmm small change compared to the scams….a mere trifle. Also, JPs are banksters, they probably paid by doing some fractional money creation….another scam.
If you can afford to rent or pay a mortgage then you shouldn’t be in a state house because there are other families or people worse off who need the accomadation
Elsewhere on the site, McDonald’s encourages its employees to break apart food when they eat meals, as “breaking food into pieces often results in eating less and still feeling full.” And if they are struggling to stock their shelves with food in the first place, the company offers assistance for workers applying for food stamps.
If a business can’t afford to pay their workers enough so that they aren’t living in poverty then that business should close.
Yeah and McDonalds can go get lost. Fast food chains do nothing but destroy environments (palm oil production/loss of native forest/loss of food sources and livelihoods to those who live in them and loss of wildlife) destroy workplace well being and job security and create health problems (if their products are consumed in excess)
Instead for ultimate nutrition and happiness for everyone:
Remove GST off everything but if it has to be just one essential, take it off all food
Abandon the global corporate food model – we are it’s slaves, not its customers.
Re introduce large scale food production co-ops and in turn introduce large scale grocery retail co-ops to challenge the supermarket industry.
Uncover questionable practices in the supermarket industry and regulate so that suppliers and customers aren’t disadvantaged.
Review food safety standards and improve where necessary. Bring in G.E food labelling
No more advertising nonsense (eg, Countdown feed four for $15)about “food on a budget”, Time we moved on from WW2 mind sets about decent food availability. No one should have to scrimp and save for an essential.
Finally if there’s a special occasion, a birthday, anniversary or celebration everyone has the means, due to afforable housing, food, bills and having well paid jobs, to go a decent restaurant if they chose to.
Rosie’s food for all mandate. Not brought to you by Fonterra, Unilever, Nestle or anyone else.
I thought I would check out how shares in our partially sold assets were going today.
Well ….
Air NZ shares have dropped so far today from $1.65 at opening to $1.580* … with a massive 34 million shares traded in 498 transactions. The big players are having a field day.
* now up slightly to $1.60
Meanwhile:
Meridian – oh dear. Having opened at $1.02, they are down to $0.995. Think this is the first time they have fallen below one dollar. .
Another day, another right-wing hero exposed for what he really is …
Allan Titford has been convicted of multiple crimes, including rape and arson.
Allan who? Google the name, and check out the websites cheerleading for him … “One New Zealand” (sic), E-local (a nasty rag, in your mailbox), “one law for all” (sounds familiar, Brash-fans?).
He’s the hero of 3 a.m. talkback saddoes and Kiwiblog t/rolls – the kind that pop up here all too often. They must be proud today.
Titford is being sentenced in the Whangarei District Court today after he was convicted by a jury on 14 charges of assault with a weapon, seven of assault, four of male assaults female, three of assault on a child, three of sexual violation, two of arson, and single charges of using a document with intention to defraud, threatening to kill, assault using a weapon, perjury, attempting to pervert the course of justice and discharging a firearm.
The sexual offences were committed against his former wife Susan Cochrane who in an unusual step waived her right for name suppression so Titford could be named.
[…]
His former wife Susan read her victim impact statement to the court, saying Titford had kept her “as a slave” for 22 years.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Cochrane said she had been kept as a slave by Titford for 22 years, and was a victim of his sexual offences.
Ms Cochrane was diagnosed with depression in 1995 and had thought of committing suicide numerous times over the last 20 years. But a “special bond” with her children stopped her.
At the High Court in Whangarei, he was sentenced to 16 years’ jail on rape charges and violent assaults on his wife. Judge Duncan Harvey said he had subjected his wife and family to repeated violent abuse in a reign of terror that dated back to 1989.
The court heard victim impact statements from his former wife, Susan Cochrane, and three of his children who said they had lived in fear of daily beatings from Titford and were made to work like slaves on the farm.
Titford is well-known for his 20-year campaign against the Waitangi Tribunal and the Treaty of Waitangi after the Roroa land claim led to the sale of his farm to the Crown in the 1990s.
He was also found guilty of burning down his homestead at Maunganui Bluff – an arson he blamed at the time on Maori.
Judge Harvey said Titford attempted to gain sympathy with the public by sabotaging his own bulldozer and burning down the homestead in a bid to gain more compensation from the Government.
“You attempted to burn down your homestead on one occasion, and on the second occasion you succeeded – all the while by blaming local Maori.
“These incidents received nation-wide publicity and, as a result of your actions, the local Maori people earned the anger of many people in New Zealand who sympathised with you because of what they saw as a grave injustice. It is time for the people of New Zealand to learn the truth.”
the local Maori people earned the anger of many people in New Zealand who sympathised with you because of what they saw as a grave injustice. It is time for the people of New Zealand to learn the truth.”
His supporters included (former) ACT people like Muriel Newman, and local newspaper editors.
Incredibly dignified and restrained comments by local Maori (Nathan? didn’t catch) on RNZ Checkpoint.
It should be compulsory listening for every bigot who has been regurgitating anti-Maori poison – and the media who played their part in ignoring the REAL story, and were scratching the Orewa race itch instead.
And we’re only learning the truth because his ex-wife chose to lift name suppression. She has more courage than a hundred right-wing bloggers and ranters.
Radio NZ news bulletins today have continually referred to Titford as “the anti-Treaty activist”. Fact is: he is an anti-Māori activist, a fervent hater of Māori culture, and a dyed-in-the-wool racist. His supporters have included such notorious race-baiters as John Ansell, Muriel Newman, Rodney Hide, Paul Holmes and Kyle Chapman.
Yet Radio NZ keeps referring to Titford as if he is some kind of political thinker, rather than a crude and violent bigot. I guess the script that these hapless newsreaders are obliged to follow is written by the same person who instructs Radio NZ newsreaders to describe the bloodthirsty S.S. leader Garth “The Knife” McVicar as a “victims’ advocate”.
While I recognise the point you’re making, Moz, Radio NZ were correct. He was an activist against the treaty. His motivation may have been racist, but that description is quite literally the fact of the matter.
Glad to see him gone though, and thanks for reminding of us of the names of his smug and supine supporters who I hope are all cringeing at what their backing of him actually allowed him to get away with.
He was an activist against the treaty. His motivation may have been racist, but that description is quite literally the fact of the matter.
You are, strictly speaking, correct. However, to credit his violent and relentless hatred of Māori as political is like crediting Kyle Chapman as a political analyst, or Garth McVicar as a justice analyst, or science-denier Leighton Smith—another Titford supporter by the way—as a science analyst. All of these are true, in a narrow sense.
Equally, I am an automobile expert, because I can inflate a tyre and pump in gas occasionally.
I don’t see anyone calling him an expert or an analyst.
He was treated as a noble, persecuted battler by (amongst others) North and South magazine, Paul Holmes, ACT, the National Party, numerous sympathetic television interviewers and the New Zealand Herald. His choleric and ignorant opinions were treated with respect and sympathy; while Titford lacks the polish and the social cachet of people like Michael Bassett and David Round, his “analysis” was, and is, about as rigorous as theirs.
Yesterday’s hourly repetition (on Radio NZ) that he is an “anti-Treaty activist” only further adds to the misleading perception of this violent, cynical, racist criminal.
Still, I don’t see anyone calling him either of the words you chose.
Fair enought, felix. You are correct. Maybe I mistook Titford for one of his rabid supporters, like Muriel Newman or Michael Bassett or Rodney Hide, all of whom speak like him, and all of whom ARE treated with (entirely unwarranted) respect.
Fact is he is an activist. Whether you or I agree with his activism is neither here nor there.
I agree with you. Titford is a racist anti-Maori activist who uses redneck dissatisfaction with the Treaty as a tool. He is absolute scum and lucky that Te Roroa are very gentle people. He was a Kyle Chapman in gumboots, with an unhealthy dash of sex criminal in the mix.
Titford is a racist anti-Maori activist who uses redneck [sic] dissatisfaction with the Treaty as a tool.
Murray, I love your description of Titford as “Kyle Chapman in gumboots”!
But please avoid abusing the term “redneck” by applying it to people like Allan Titford. Many hard-working and enlightened outdoor workers and farmers are thoughtful and intelligent people; the term you should use is “bigot” or “racist” or “reactionary” or “National Party supporter”.
Most of the really vile racists who infest our media—Larry “Lackwit” Williams, Leighton Smith, Michael Laws, Sean Plunket, Kerre McIvor, John Ansell, Nevil “Breivik” Gibson, Garth The Knife McVicar, David Round, Michael Bassett, Muriel Newman, Rodney Hide—enjoy indoor employment with no danger of physical harm, and minimal or zero responsibility. Other than Smith, who occasionally potters around in his vineyard, not one of them has a red neck from working outside.
That’s called ‘chutzpa’…..explained in terms of someone in the U.S.A.who had just been convicted of murder… after killing his parents but whose lawyer asked the judge for leniency because he was now an orphan.
Yes it does adam. Independent food production, in agriculture especially is becoming more of a threat to the global corporate food giants as this method of production gains popularity. It would seem, that corporates have a level of control over govt regulation. Hows that for a surprise! Corporates influencing govt!
Whats the bet that something like the Canadian equivalent of Fonterra (and I wonder does Fonterra in fact have a stake in the Canadian market?) are behind that influence in this case. Maybe not overtly, but they will be there.
Remember when Health was the portfolio that always hurt the government? Annette King is just making no impact at all on Ryall. She is looking exasperated.
Agree, King needed to go when clark did. She was health minister so it’s an epic fail on her.
plenty of material such as the way shifty has played with the wait lists via reclassification and done the classic money to private but risk stays public.
It requires effort to get it and discretion as health’s a small area with gov’t as the single employer virtually….there’s the issue, she’s past it let someone fresh like David Clark at it.
DC will reshuffle, gotta give the old guard a chance, respect for your elders etc
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 16.1.1
He already got fined for showing the suppression orders to be a farce, didn’t see anyone from the left dipping into their pockets to make the same point
Michelle Boag refers to the Legatum Institute praising our country…to suggest that no-one should be complaining about the state of New Zealand. The mentions Kazakhstan by comparison..saying we have nothing to complain about compared to them.
Mora fails again to question this strawman argument as usual…
It is also significant that she chose Kazakhstan as her example of a country where children fear being bombed. Of course, a more obvious and more appropriate example would have been Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen or Palestine. But Boag, being the right wing ideologue that she is, would never ever make that mistake; she quite cleverly kept the implied criticism to an official foe—Russia.
Unfortunately, while she is clever and always on the job, Brian Edwards and Jim Mora are neither; they simply let her comment go unchallenged and unmodified.
Man beats sister for being an ‘egg’
by JIMMY ELLINGHAM
When he thought his sister was being an “egg”, a Palmerston North beneficiary hit her in the face. On October 14, Michael Walker, 25, was at home, where he lived with his mother, sister and nephew.
When Walker and his sister argued over cleaning their mum’s vehicle, he went to the car, pulled out the car jack and smashed a window. His sister confronted him and he punched her in the face three times.
“He stated his sister was being an egg but then refused to explain his actions,” police prosecutor Sergeant Stu Oram told the Palmerston North District Court yesterday.
Walker admitted charges of assault and wilful damage.
The should just begin to quietly reacquire the shares cheaper, announcing at the last moment that they are doing so causing a rapid price spike, ensuring that the Government’s stake is worth more than ever before.
Or maybe I’m talking about what Goldman Sachs would do.
Maybe it goes down Te Atatu Rd, on second look, Not Hepburn. Still looks small, but lots of big households there due to economic constraints.
I see lots of grown kids moving back home or families moving back together, one house at $600 pw rent is better than two at $420. Three generation families..
Avondale and the sea side of Kelston are very popular with young families, still reasonably priced in Auckland with estuary views and close to transport.
Nats bright idea to gift the new Auckland seat to Colin Craig looks to be in a bit of trouble. TV3 is reporting that Bennett has called a crisis meeting of her electorate officials.
Except that the new Upper Harbour seat looks like a marginal at best for both National and Labour and likely to be Labour leaning in a swing year (which next year could easily be).Its a pretty dodgy prospect for them if they want to ensure that Craig wins a seat. So that leaves them with the option of turfing out a sitting Nat MP in a North Shore seat to accommodate Craig and so it gets messy. As for Bennett, sure she could go in on the list but losing her Westie base would be a pretty big blow.
McCully moves onto the list and Craig runs in East Coast Bays:
“East Coast Bays is also home to the City Impact Church, a multi-million dollar operation run by senior pastor Peter Mortlock and a potential Christian power-base for the Conservatives.”
That’s the most likely outcome. The only problem for Key is that it leaves him open to attack that he’s so desperate to get elected next year he’s prepared to turf out a sitting Nat MP.
She’ll want to go for Upper Harbour. So much for her Westie claims. On the other hand she may be told she can’t have it. Reserved for ‘The Teeth’ (Colin Craig) . She’ll have to go on the list. Poor wee Benny girl. My heart bleeds for her.
Actors aren’t actually the characters they play, though. Sheryl West was the Westie. Where Robyn Malcolm came from was irrelevant. Paula pretends she is the character she plays. If they decided to give her Epsom, she’d start eating cucumber sandwiches.
Fuck you asshole, it was in the Chch Press (yeah the paper edition) today…solo mum and bene buys 7 grand car so the welfare system can’t be too shabby huh
The fuck part of “in the Chch Press (yeah the paper edition) today” don’t you understand? Solo mum/bene has the money to buy a 7 grand car so she can obviously manage her finances enough to not only live on but also buy her dream car
So what? The solo mum can buy a (more than) decent car on the money shes given so isn’t that the main thing…oh sorry it doesn’t play into the “living wage” garbage
Have you tried to buy a second hand car lately? It took me a month or two to get my latest one. Old cars are not as cheap as they once were, and there’s not a lot going. In terms of reliability, it’s probably not worth buying anything much under $5-6 thou – and that’s taking a chance.
So why not go down to the smelter and tell the workers why it was a bad idea and see what reception you get?
However its a nice attempted distraction from the main point which is a solo mum on a benefit manages to buy a 7 grand car when all you hear from labour/greens is some whining and bleating about how bad the benes have it
Thats funny I’m absolutely stoked that a solo mom on a benefit can afford her dream car, it shows that National are quite generous whereas the looney left would have you believe National are miserly
Benes shouldn’t have dreams or be ashperashunal. They aren’t even allowed chocolate biscuits when belts are being tightened. And they should know their place, head down, over a bucket probably.
Given a chance to run down someone on a benefit without knowing all the details, the average RW will push any facts or understanding aside. Everybody knows that benes are not playing ‘The Game’ and get into an opposition huddle all turning and spitting at the same time. It leaves watchers on the left gobsmacked.
Maybe a NAct cabinet minister paid her off for not taking a sexual harassment case against him? Of course, I have as much evidence for this as you do for your version, but why worry about facts when we can take our prejudices for a walk?
What the story does show is that NAct voting car dealers are scum, following the moral and ethical prescriptions of your leader.
Yes, our generous tax payer donation of $ 1.7 billion to South Canterbury Finance was a bit ott, wasn’t it?
Got a comment on that..or are you bene bashing over 7k
Just wondering…..
I don’t think labour or National should have done what they did, I think they should have been left to go under and rather then bashing benes I’m praising National for being as generous as they are…as should you lot
Left debating 101: Ignore the main point and try to refocus the arguement on a different matter
Who cares what you think chris73, the party you support pulled together $1.7B for rich SCF investors no probs yet $3M for dead workers families and its deep pockets short arms syndrome.
left debating tactic: emotional arguments are used when failing to argue case
This is about how generous National are to benes ie they can afford to buy decent cars
What National is or isn’t doing for the miners families is a seperate issue, which you are more then welcome to start a thread about but has no relevance here
I’m not bashing benes (although her utter stupidity does make it tempting) I’m using her as an example of why the benefit system isn’t as bad as the posters on here make out
and for the record I’d agree to the govt to hire people (and pay them accordingly) to specifically target companies that don’t pay their taxes
You mean bennie-like too lazy and indolent to get on with peeling those spuds aye Piss ? Sitting on your bellicose arse waiting for others to do it all for you ?
Sad for Mrs Piss-Ford if those scummy no-pay Maccers people missed the Maccers sweet-and-sour dipping sauce.
The boundary changes. Some NAT MPs might be fucked off. That on top of low internal polling might have some people quietly counting numbers in their heads.
“The economy is set to grow 3.6 per cent next year, putting New Zealand in the top six developed countries according to an OECD report.
The forecast rate would put New Zealand well above the OECD average of 2.4 per cent forecast for next year, and ahead of Australia on 2.7 per cent.”
– Another reason why National will be returned to power and why there’ll be another series of “why didn’t the people vote for Labour” on this site after the election
Aha, greed and posing. “It’s all about my penis substitute!” Compensating much? I’ve been told that style matters more than size, though the two are hardly exclusive.
And there we see just how much empathy chris73 really has – an earthquake is simply a political opportunity. Let us all thank him for his honesty, though his idols might be embarrassed.
7000 grand can buy you a decent car but when your requirements for a decent are: purple paint job and (I’m assuming) rims then you probably will be dissappointed
But doesn’t change the fact she could afford a 7 grand car on what the government gives her so well done National for being so generous
Right debating points: try to bash bennies as bludgers and try to divert attention away from the real bludgers who siphon off way more of taxpayers money.
There was nothing in that article that said she was on a benefit. And besides, she could have been working part time, and scrimped and saved, begged and burrowed.
And anyway, if the dealer is going to sell an unwarranted car to someone, then it speaks more about him than anyone else.
My father has been a car dealer for 40-odd years, and he has never sold a car that was unwarranted to anyone.
Well whatever he is or isn’t he’ll get a gifted\seat and probably drag in 4% of votes with him as he seems to be averaging around 2.5% of the vote since the last election…imgine what it’ll do when its announced what seat he’ll run and win…
Probably get more votes then Peter Dunne and Mana combined
Ooh, homophobia! How quaint! FWIW, I’m both straight and taken, sorry.
So why do you masturbate while thinking about an 80-year old woman you’ve never met? You are one sick puppy, I have to say. If I had any perversions like yours, I wouldn’t advertise them.
Well, I just got “chris73” with his rape fantasy to show what rape culture is – it’s all about shaming people – both the women who are victims and the men who are the “owners” of women. His weird, perverted fantasy about raping my elderly mother shows just what he and his ilk practise.
Sorry ropata, I’m not going to watch that video. I know too many rape victims and trigger warnings apply to me too.
Debate using reason and evidence.
Don’t insult, use slogans, distract or derail.
Time for bed, I sense.
I know youngsters able to debate using less puerile arguments.
Watching TV3. Can’t believe the stupid Campbell Live programme on nonentity Crazy Colin shopping for broccoli and his ‘greetings card ‘philosophies’.
What a waste of TV time. Unbelievable that this person could be remotely regarded as one of our ‘leaders’. I thought Banks was about as low as we could get in idiocy but I was wrong.
It was like a Jon Stewart parody on Fox News or a Stewart joke based on Toronto’s experience
but they were serious1
Campbell tried unsuccessfully to mask his contempt for Craig but he and the camera people must be so ashamed of presenting us with this rubbish TV. .At least Gower wasn’t involved but still a new low in TV!
A regular little Martha Stewart. Like Brian Edwards’ bestie Michelle Boag who some months ago on Mora’s Flanel waxed long about her devilishly clever $1.59 purchase of half a head of cauliflower. Lasted three meals !
But National’s plan is (apparently) to parachute Craig in, so he becomes a Nat-substitute. So then he wouldn’t be a fringe candiadate, but a “mainstream” 50 percenter.
When/if there’s a post on all this, I’ll list Top Ten ways that Gower is wrong – and Epsom is not a model that can easily be followed. Too busy right now.
In America, they need parodists like John Stewart and Steven Colbert… in New Zealand, Colon Craig Rat Boy and Banks seem to render parody redundant… but in fact they make it more necessary.
I understand the Boundaries Commission have released the new boundaries.
I heard something on radio as a comment and it was suggesting that Bennets seat was to be combined with Upper Harbour. Cannot find anything on line about this. Anyone have more details
I did but cannot see any thing about the announcement. I would have thought the Electoral Commission would have it on their web site its of interest to quite a few people I would have thought. But nothing there nothing on TV3 or NZ Herald or Stuff
Someone must have the details but where?
Ron, scroll up the Open Mike page. There’s a link to the 3 News report on it. [22.1.1.1]. It’s not going to be announced officially til tomorrow. 3 News leaked it tonight. they are the only source.
Thanks should have scrolled up further. AS I am in East Coast Bays electorate it might prove interesting either way. Think I would emigrate if Craig wins this seat. Oh well back on street campaigning for me
Mate apparently the boundary changes were leaked to Patrick Gower today (which is interesting in itself). I imagine the official announcement will still be made tomorrow by the Electoral Commission.
Yes. It seemed like a Nat leak as all the focus was on Craig and National. Probably trying to prepare the way for McCully to move on & Craig to move in.
There should have been more focus on Labour’s options – so the coverage was telling.
If you’re correct and the boundary changes were leaked to Gower by the PMO, presumably as a way of furthering the narrative they’re trying to build around Craig’s electoral prospects next year (when the reality is that the new Auckland seat is most likely Labour leaning and not really suitable for Craig) then that is pretty shabby politics. You’d like too hope that the Electoral Commission can get on and do its work without politics and spin interfering.
What a great effort from All Whites 3-1 down and managed to get another one. Great comeback. It seemed that everyone expected Mexico to do well despite them having had a dip recently. The crowd were loving it. Sounds like it was a good game to watch.
3 degrees of insanity, is Paula Bennett appearing on my TV decrying the rack renting ‘holiday park’ in Her electorate,
What exactly does this abysmal Minister think happens when the State in the guise of the National Government She is a Minister in sells off State Houses by the 100 and only replaces 30 of every 100 they flick off,
They found in Arizona that tents were quite satisfactory for housing their unpopular malefactors. The people in the State love it, or at least some vocal ones. The rest can’t make themselves heard. And I think it is a lot cheaper, and that is what matters to those whose minds, ethics and standards have been gained by readings from mail order catalogues and supermarket brochures and of course watching well-groomed horses neighing on television.
Anyone know where the Geranium Lady, the useless TV gardening show one, where she sits in all of this ? Maybe ShonKey’ll jack up gifting her safe Tory seat to the Weirdo ?
North
You may as well prattle children’s rhymes about the geranium lady, just replace Mary with Maggie.
Wikipedia says this version dates from 1744 so the matters exercising our minds and enthusing our actions continue down the ages.
Mistress Mary, Quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With Silver Bells, And Cockle Shells,
And so my garden grows.[1]
I’ve inserted a tidbit and rumours section1. Colonoscopy wait times increase, procedures drop under NationalWait times for urgent, non-urgent and surveillance colonoscopies all progressively worsened last year. Health NZ data shows the total number of publicly-funded colonoscopies dropped by more than 7 percent.Health NZ chief medical officer Helen Stokes-Lampard blamed ...
Three billion dollars has been wiped off the value of New Zealand’s share market as the rout of global financial markets caught up with the local market. A Sāmoan national has been sentenced for migrant exploitation and corruption following a five-year investigation that highlights the serious consequences of immigration fraud ...
This is a guest post by Darren Davis. It originally appeared on his excellent blog, Adventures in Transitland, which we encourage you to check out. It is shared by kind permission. Rail Network Investment Plan quietly dropped While much media attention focused on the 31st March 2025 announcement that the replacement Cook ...
Amendments to Indonesia’s military law risk undermining civilian supremacy and the country’s defence capabilities. Passed by the House of Representatives on 20 March, the main changes include raising the retirement age and allowing military officers ...
The StrategistBy Alfin Febrian Basundoro and Jascha Ramba Santoso
Donald Trump’s philosophy about the United States’ place in the world is historically selfish and will impoverish his country’s spirit. While he claimed last week to be ‘liberating’ Americans from the exploiters and freeloaders who’ve ...
China’s crackdown on cyber-scam centres on the Thailand-Myanmar border may cause a shift away from Mandarin, towards English-speaking victims. Scammers also used the 28 March earthquake to scam international victims. Australia, with its proven capabilities ...
At the 2005 election campaign, the National Party colluded with a weirdo cult, the Exclusive Brethren, to run a secret hate campaign against the Greens. It was the first really big example of the rich using dark money to interfere in our democracy. And unfortunately, it seems that they're trying ...
Many of you will know that in collaboration with the University of Queensland we created and ran the massive open online course (MOOC) "Denial101x - Making sense of climate science denial" on the edX platform. Within nine years - between April 2015 and February 2024 - we offered 15 runs ...
How will the US assault on trade affect geopolitical relations within Asia? Will nations turn to China and seek protection by trading with each other? The happy snaps a week ago of the trade ministers ...
I mentioned this on Friday - but thought it deserved some emphasis.Auckland Waitematā District Commander Superintendent Naila Hassan has responded to Countering Hate Speech Aotearoa, saying police have cleared Brian Tamaki of all incitement charges relating to the Te Atatu library rainbow event assault.Hassan writes:..There is currently insufficient evidence to ...
With the report of the recent intelligence review by Heather Smith and Richard Maude finally released, critics could look on and wonder: why all the fuss? After all, while the list of recommendations is substantial, ...
Well, I don't know if I'm readyTo be the man I have to beI'll take a breath, I'll take her by my sideWe stand in awe, we've created lifeWith arms wide open under the sunlightWelcome to this place, I'll show you everythingSongwriters: Scott A. Stapp / Mark T. Tremonti.Today is ...
Staff at Kāinga Ora are expecting details of another round of job cuts, with the Green Party claiming more than 500 jobs are set to go. The New Zealand Defence Force has made it easier for people to apply for a job in a bid to get more boots on ...
Australia’s agriculture sector and food system have prospered under a global rules-based system influenced by Western liberal values. But the assumptions, policy approaches and economic frameworks that have traditionally supported Australia’s food security are no ...
Following Trump’s tariff announcement, US stock values fell by the most ever in value terms (US$6.6 trillion). Photo: Getty ImagesLong story shortest in Aotearoa’s political economy this morning:Donald Trump just detonated a neutron bomb under the globalised economy, but this time the Fed isn’t cutting interest rates to rescue ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 30, 2025 thru Sat, April 5, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
This is a longer read.Summary:Trump’s tariffs are reckless, disastrous and hurt the poorest countries deeply. It will stoke inflation, and may cause another recession. Funds/investments around the world have tanked.Trump’s actions emulate the anti-economic logic of another right wing libertarian politician - Liz Truss. She had her political career cut ...
We are all suckers for hope.He’s just being provocative, people will say, he wouldn’t really go that far. They wouldn’t really go that far.Germany in the 1920s and 30s was one of the world’s most educated, culturally sophisticated, and scientifically advanced societies.It had a strong democratic constitution with extensive civil ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Mars warming? Mars’ climate varies due to completely different reasons than Earth’s, and available data indicates no temperature trends comparable to Earth’s ...
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...
I was interested in David Seymour's public presentation of the Justice Select Committee's report after the submissions to the Treaty Principles Bill.I noted the arguments he presented and fact checked him. I welcome corrections and additions to what I have written but want to keep the responses concise.The Treaty of ...
Well, he runs around with every racist in townHe spent all our money playing his pointless gameHe put us out; it was awful how he triedTables turn, and now his turn to cryWith apologies to writers Bobby Womack and Shirley Womack.Eight per cent, asshole, that’s all you got.Smiling?Let me re-phrase…Eight ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The S&P 500 fell another 5.6% this morning after China retaliated with tariffs of 34% on all US imports, and the Fed warned of stagflation without rate cut relief.Delays for heart surgeries and scans are costing lives, specialists have told Stuff’s Nicholas Jones.Meanwhile, ...
When the US Navy’s Great White Fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour in 1908, it was an unmistakeable signal of imperial might, a flexing of America’s newfound naval muscle. More than a century later, the Chinese ...
While there have been decades of complaints – from all sides – about the workings of the Resource Management Act (RMA), replacing is proving difficult. The Coalition Government is making another attempt.To help answer the question, I am going to use the economic lens of the Coase Theorem, set out ...
2027 may still not be the year of war it’s been prophesised as, but we only have two years left to prepare. Regardless, any war this decade in the Indo-Pacific will be fought with the ...
Australia must do more to empower communities of colour in its response to climate change. In late February, the Multicultural Leadership Initiative hosted its Our Common Future summits in Sydney and Melbourne. These summits focused ...
Questions 1. In his godawful decree, what tariff rate was imposed by Trump upon the EU?a. 10% same as New Zealandb. 20%, along with a sneer about themc. 40%, along with an outright lie about France d. 69% except for the town Melania comes from2. The justice select committee has ...
Yesterday the Trump regime in America began a global trade war, imposing punitive tariffs in an effort to extort political and economic concessions from other countries and US companies and constituencies. Trump's tariffs will make kiwis nearly a billion dollars poorer every year, but Luxon has decided to do nothing ...
Here’s 7 updates from this morning’s news:90% of submissions opposed the TPBNZ’s EV market tanked by Coalition policies, down ~70% year on yearTrump showFossil fuel money driving conservative policiesSimeon Brown won’t say that abortion is healthcarePhil Goff stands by comments and makes a case for speaking upBrian Tamaki cleared of ...
It’s the 9 month mark for Mountain Tūī !Thanks to you all, the publication now has over 3200 subscribers, 30 recommendations from Substack writers, and averages over 120,000 views a month. A very small number in the scheme of things, but enough for me to feel satisfied.I’m been proud of ...
The Justice Committee has reported back on National's racist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, and recommended by majority that it not proceed. So hopefully it will now rapidly go to second reading and be voted down. As for submissions, it turns out that around 380,000 people submitted on ...
We need to treat disinformation as we deal with insurgencies, preventing the spreaders of lies from entrenching themselves in the host population through capture of infrastructure—in this case, the social media outlets. Combining targeted action ...
After copping criticism for not releasing the report for nearly eight months, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released the Independent Intelligence Review on 28 March. It makes for a heck of a read. The review makes ...
After copping criticism for not releasing the report for nearly eight months, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released the Independent Intelligence Review on 28 March. It makes for a heck of a read. The review makes ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Donald Trump has shocked the global economy and markets with the biggest tariffs since the Smoot Hawley Act of 1930, which worsened the Great Depression.Global stocks slumped 4-5% overnight and key US bond yields briefly fell below 4% as investors fear a recession ...
Hi,I’ve been imagining a scenario where I am walking along the pavement in the United States. It’s dusk, I am off to get a dirty burrito from my favourite place, and I see three men in hoodies approaching.Anther two men appear from around a corner, and this whole thing feels ...
Since the announcement in September 2021 that Australia intended to acquire nuclear-powered submarines in partnership with Britain and the United States, the plan has received significant media attention, scepticism and criticism. There are four major ...
On a very wet Friday, we hope you have somewhere nice and warm and dry to sit and catch up on our roundup of some of this week’s top stories in transport and urbanism. The header image shows Northcote Intermediate Students strolling across the Te Ara Awataha Greenway Bridge in ...
On a very wet Friday, we hope you have somewhere nice and warm and dry to sit and catch up on our roundup of some of this week’s top stories in transport and urbanism. The header image shows Northcote Intermediate Students strolling across the Te Ara Awataha Greenway Bridge in ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and Elaine Monaghan on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s tariff shock yesterday; and,Labour’s Disarmament and Associate ...
I'm gonna try real goodSwear that I'm gonna try from now on and for the rest of my lifeI'm gonna power on, I'm gonna enjoy the highsAnd the lows will come and goAnd may your dreamsAnd may your dreamsAnd may your dreams never dieSongwriters: Ben Reed.These are Stranger Days than ...
With the execution of global reciprocal tariffs, US President Donald Trump has issued his ‘declaration of economic independence for America’. The immediate direct effect on the Australian economy will likely be small, with more risk ...
The StrategistBy Jacqueline Gibson, Nerida King and Ned Talbot
AUKUS governments began 25 years ago trying to draw in a greater range of possible defence suppliers beyond the traditional big contractors. It is an important objective, and some progress has been made, but governments ...
I approach fresh Trump news reluctantly. It never holds the remotest promise of pleasure. I had the very, very least of expectations for his Rumble in the Jungle, his Thriller in Manila, his Liberation Day.God May 1945 is becoming the bitterest of jokes isn’t it?Whatever. Liberation Day he declared it ...
Beyond trade and tariff turmoil, Donald Trump pushes at the three core elements of Australia’s international policy: the US alliance, the region and multilateralism. What Kevin Rudd called the ‘three fundamental pillars’ are the heart ...
So, having broken its promise to the nation, and dumped 85% of submissions on the Treaty Principles Bill in the trash, National's stooges on the Justice Committee have decided to end their "consideration" of the bill, and report back a full month early: Labour says the Justice Select Committee ...
The 2024 Independent Intelligence Review offers a mature and sophisticated understanding of workforce challenges facing Australia’s National Intelligence Community (NIC). It provides a thoughtful roadmap for modernising that workforce and enhancing cross-agency and cross-sector collaboration. ...
OPINION AND ANALYSIS:Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier’s comments singling out Health NZ for “acting contrary to the law” couldn’t be clearer. If you find my work of value, do consider subscribing and/or supporting me. Thank you.Health NZ has been acting a law unto itself. That includes putting its management under extraordinary ...
Southeast Asia’s three most populous countries are tightening their security relationships, evidently in response to China’s aggression in the South China Sea. This is most obvious in increased cooperation between the coast guards of the ...
In the late 1970s Australian sport underwent institutional innovation propelling it to new heights. Today, Australia must urgently adapt to a contested and confronting strategic environment. Contributing to this, a new ASPI research project will ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital waiting list crisis just gets worse, including compelling interviews with an over-worked surgeon who is leaving, and a patient who discovered after 19 months of waiting for a referral that her bowel and ovaries were fused together with scar tissue ...
Plainly, the claims being tossed around in the media last year that the new terminal envisaged by Auckland International Airport was a gold-plated “Taj Mahal” extravagance were false. With one notable exception, the Commerce Commission’s comprehensive investigation has ended up endorsing every other aspect of the airport’s building programme (and ...
Movements clustered around the Right, and Far Right as well, are rising globally. Despite the recent defeats we’ve seen in the last day or so with the win of a Democrat-backed challenger, Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, over her Republican counterpart, Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, in the battle for ...
In February 2025, John Cook gave two webinars for republicEN explaining the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change. 20 February 2025: republicEN webinar part 1 - BUST or TRUST? The scientific consensus on climate change In the first webinar, Cook explained the history of the 20-year scientific consensus on climate change. How do ...
After three decades of record-breaking growth, at about the same time as Xi Jinping rose to power in 2012, China’s economy started the long decline to its current state of stagnation. The Chinese Communist Party ...
The Pike River Coal mine was a ticking time bomb.Ventilation systems designed to prevent methane buildup were incomplete or neglected.Gas detectors that might warn of danger were absent or broken.Rock bolting was skipped, old tunnels left unsealed, communication systems failed during emergencies.Employees and engineers kept warning management about the … ...
Regional hegemons come in different shapes and sizes. Australia needs to think about what kind of hegemon China would be, and become, should it succeed in displacing the United States in Asia. It’s time to ...
RNZ has a story this morning about the expansion of solar farms in Aotearoa, driven by today's ground-breaking ceremony at the Tauhei solar farm in Te Aroha: From starting out as a tiny player in the electricity system, solar power generated more electricity than coal and gas combined for ...
After the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, and almost a year before the Soviet Union collapsed in late 1991, US President George H W Bush proclaimed a ‘new world order’. Now, just two months ...
Warning: Some images may be distressing. Thank you for those who support my work. It means a lot.A shopfront in Australia shows Liberal leader Peter Dutton and mining magnate Gina Rinehart depicted with Nazi imageryUS Government Seeks Death Penalty for Luigi MangioneMangione was publicly walked in front of media in ...
Aged care workers rallying against potential roster changes say Bupa, which runs retirement homes across the country, needs to focus on care instead of money. More than half of New Zealand workers wish they had chosen a different career according to a new survey. Consumers are likely to see a ...
The scurrilous attacks on Benjamin Doyle, a list Green MP, over his supposed inappropriate behaviour towards children has dominated headlines and social media this past week, led by frothing Rightwing agitators clutching their pearls and fanning the flames of moral panic over pedophiles and and perverts. Winston Peter decided that ...
Twilight Time Lighthouse Cuba, Wigan Street, Wellington, Sunday 6 April, 5:30pm for 6pm start. Twilight Time looks at the life and work of Desmond Ball, (1947-2016), a barefooted academic from ‘down under’ who was hailed by Jimmy Carter as “the man who saved the world”, as he proved the fallacy ...
The landedAnd the wealthyAnd the piousAnd the healthyAnd the straight onesAnd the pale onesAnd we only mean the male ones!If you're all of the above, then you're ok!As we build a new tomorrow here today!Lyrics Glenn Slater and Allan Menken.Ah, Democracy - can you smell it?It's presently a sulphurous odour, ...
US President Donald Trump’s unconventional methods of conducting international relations will compel the next federal government to reassess whether the United States’ presence in the region and its security assurances provide a reliable basis for ...
Things seem to be at a pretty low ebb in and around the Reserve Bank. There was, in particular, the mysterious, sudden, and as-yet unexplained resignation of the Governor (we’ve had four Governors since the Bank was given its operational autonomy 35 years ago, and only two have completed their ...
Long story short:PMChristopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...
Long story short:PMChristopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Progressing a holistic strategy to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s geothermal resources, possibly in applications beyond energy generation, is at the centre of discussions with mana whenua at a hui in Rotorua today, Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is in the early stages ...
New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I directed Building Consent Authorities to begin providing quarterly data last year to improve transparency, following repeated complaints from tradespeople waiting far longer than the statutory ...
Increases in water charges for Auckland consumers this year will be halved under the Watercare Charter which has now been passed into law, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The charter is part of the financial arrangement for Watercare developed last year by Auckland Council ...
There is wide public support for the Government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed public consultation on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the submissions show that people understand the importance of having a strong biosecurity ...
A new independent review function will enable individuals and organisations to seek an expert independent review of specified civil aviation regulatory decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Director of Civil Aviation, Acting Transport Minister James Meager has announced today. “Today we are making it easier and more affordable ...
The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed. “I am delighted that a solution has been found to ensure Napier residents will continue to ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey attended a sod turning today to officially mark the start of construction on a new mental health facility at Hillmorton Campus. “This represents a significant step in modernising mental health services in Canterbury,” Mr Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed confirmation the economy has turned the corner. Stats NZ reported today that gross domestic product grew 0.7 per cent in the three months to December following falls in the June and September quarters. “We know many families and businesses are still suffering the after-effects ...
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge – one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country – has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today. “We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from ...
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed changes to international anti-money laundering standards which closely align with the Government’s reforms. “The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) last month adopted revised standards for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism to allow for simplified regulatory measures for businesses, organisations and sectors ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register. “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New ...
The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “To date, the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has received more than 250 ...
The government plans to pump billions into the Defence Force, but there are questions around just who it is the government thinks we might end up using the upgraded equipment against. ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a married 29-year-old living in the city explains his approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Male. Age: 29. Ethnicity: 100% authentic Kiwi-born ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacquelyn Harverson, PhD Candidate, School of Psychology, Deakin University Alex Segre/ Shutterstock Once upon a time, children fought for control of the remote to the sole family television. Now the choice of screen-based content available to kids seems endless. There ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology Zigres/Shutterstock About 14% of Australians experienced personal fraud last year. Of these, 2.1 million experienced credit card fraud, 675,300 were caught in a scam, 255,000 had their identities stolen ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Knowles, Lecturer, Western Civilisation Program, Australian Catholic University Getty The New York Times Connections game asks players to categorise 16 words into four groups of four. For example, in one collection of 16, a category included “blow”, “cat”, “gold” and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ritesh Chugh, Associate Professor, Information and Communications Technology, CQUniversity Australia berdiyandriy/Shutterstock You’re about to recycle your laptop or your phone, so you delete all your photos and personal files. Maybe you even reset the device to factory settings. You probably think ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Strating, Director, La Trobe Asia, and Professor of International Relations, La Trobe University Much of the world is finding out it’s a very difficult time to be a friend and ally of the United States. That includes the major parties ...
It’s been delayed, debated and revised. Now the defence capability plan is here, and it’s huge, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.Big risks, big shift With the world hurtling toward a new era of geopolitical volatility ...
A lawyer working on climate and sustainability says Denmark promised its farmers it would pursue EU-wide emissions pricing, and the farmers agreed to a price on their agricultural emissions from 2030. ...
Alex Casey unravels a durational mystery on local streaming services. Every now and then, one gets an email that makes the hairs on the back of one’s neck stand on end. “Good morning,” this particular email began. “I have a potential pitch of a story idea. Perhaps you think it’ll ...
It lays out a new framework for how Wellington can address a trio of socio-ecological crises. But what’s missing? Windbag is The Spinoff’s Wellington issues column, written by Wellington editor Joel MacManus. Subscribe to the Windbag newsletter to receive columns early. My theory of the 2022 local body election was ...
When I was in my early 30s I fell stupidly in love with the drummer from a popular New Zealand band. I use the word ‘stupidly’ because my behaviour around him did not so much resemble the actions of a normal person in love but more like someone who had ...
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I probably wouldnt jump for joy at BE’s announcement that there will be no more asset sales.
There are other ways to skin a cat.
One is to shut down a state owned company and pass on its work to the private sector, ie Learning Media.
Two is to have the company sell off its assets bit by bit, ie KiwiRail selling the Hillside foundry and AgResearch and Landcorp their farms.
Or you could do what Solid Energy does and contract out the operation of its mines to the private sector, so they are pretty much privately run anyway.
Or simply run it down and provide a completely crap service to such an extent people give up on it and go private – think EQC in Christchurch. Absolutely abysmal and rage-inducing. So much so that many people who work for them have been subjected to personal abused outside of their work which has had other effects within our small communities.
The history of the Christchurch recovery by Brownlee and his band of goons is well painted by now and I don’t think the history books will be kind to him.
No more asset sales. So that’s all right then? Bolted door stable horse etc
Boris comes to the rescue of the super-rich!
The rich are the ones that cause poverty through their financial system that rewards being rich and punishes working hard.
These guys need to get with the programme. Between 2008-2010 the banks lost more money than they had made in their entire history. A clear sign that their record profits in the ten years leading up to the GFC were entire illusory – or fraudulent.
Thank you to The Maori Channel.
The movie last night “Salute” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAHsYmaodkA was a fantastic movie. Very inspiring movie which not only highlighted USA’s problems with racism but also Australia’s.
Yep – Maori TV News at 7pm (with subtitles for those who don’t know te reo) is a “must view” – especially on the mining and drilling issues, and the land issues which are still a problem for Maori today …… despite Waitangi T. settlements. Another side of Aotearoa many of us don’t see.
When selling off 20% of Air NZ, wouldn’t you have to balance the books by subtracting the cost of buying the airline in the first place against the “profit” of the sale this week?
You are turning an asset on your balance sheet (the ownership stake) into cash. So no.
BTW this is similar to what all private sector companies do when they run down recently purchased public assets. They slowly degrade the assets or get rid of them, transforming the balance sheet into cash that they distribute to themselves.
Tranzrail be one of the best examples, when “Sir” Michael Fay put the order to the GM to haul all possible cash out and do nothing about maintenance and upgrade.
Scum
Another day, another vomit-inducing sycophantic garbage piece in the NannyState Herald:
Monk tells Key of an eternal future at political helm
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11159738
What teh monk failed to mention is that Key will come back reincarnated as a shit eating beetle.
Yup that’s what we need. A dicktatorship.
Oh, wait…
On the other hand it could have the opposite effect? The kiss of death like sports commentators saying the team cannot loose this match from here.
Key has already told the party elite he wants out. He was forced to stay. This isn’t Key’s wish. This is his worst nightmare! Someone up there hates him.
Monk – Key – there’s a joke here somewhere
‘Golden-bellied capuchin’.
I liked the other joke: ” He promised that the next time Mr Key visited, he would get a book on his own visit – although the laughter indicated he wasn’t necessarily telling the truth.”
‘Apocalyptic’ Storm

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11159535
Unbelievable … or maybe not given our corporate culture of greed for themselves and austerity for others. A Cleveland Wal-Mart has been asking for donations from customers to pay for some of their employees Thanks Giving celebrations.
Walmart only made US$3.70B dollars last financial quarter. If they were to give every one of their “associates” a $25 Thanksgiving voucher they might go broke…
(2M employees = $50M cost, = US$0.05B reduction in profit for the quarter = unacceptable)
Where did you get that stat? The linked article says that in 2012, Wal-Mart’s profit was $15.7b.
Or are they going down hill fast? And a drop to $3.65b profit means they will go broke?
Quarterly profits vs annual profits, Karol
Ah, OK. A slight drop then.
Also the Walton family collectively are personally worth $100B or more = the same wealth as the bottom 50M or so Americans.
That is where it starts to get a bit murky: wealth is carried in all forms, not just money…..land, art, property, shares, bonds etc.The basic principle is to prevent abnormal accumulation and to redistribute wealth. There are some basic contradictions here…capital is required for investment / reinvestment, so it helps if it accumulates (unless we find a better way of funding enterprise). If we tax the capital we also get into an investment prevention conundrum.
I don’t see the Waltons as much as a rich in liquid terms (they might be but who knows), but what they have is enormous control and consequently power. It does not appear healthy for any society for any small group to have outrageous power and influence.
However, a lot of the uberwealthy aren’t using this capital for investment/reinvestment in productive ways. They are investing in paper financial assets and real estate, for instance, helping to fuel speculative bubbles but creating fuck all jobs. The classic example is JP Morgan. This bank currently holds US$50B in excess reserves at the Federal Reserve, collecting a couple of billion a year in interest.
You would think that the job of a bank would be to loan this excess money out to corporations and SMEs so that they could invest/re-invest in their enterprises.
But no, it’s easier just to take the interest free ticket clip, especially when there is no expectation of economic growth or increased consumer spending in western countries any time soon.
How so? Is building a hydrodam, an electrified train network, researching the next generation of wood processing technologies not “investment”? These are all things which can be done by the tax dollar, and particularly in areas that the private sector aren’t interested in because the payoff cannot be easily and quickly extracted.
At the level of wealth they have, they can, and do, challenge sovereign governments in order to further their own private interests.
Yes the ultra wealthy don’t reinvest in the US or here……maybe, I suspect they do. The job problem in the first world in probably got something to do with under-investment…Marx among others predicted the diminishing rates of return / profit. More recently this problem gets addressed by offshoring production to the third world etc. That of course does not last.
Then the lack of investment despite bank “deposits”…borrowing is at record lows but there are few takers, profits are ltoo low and risk is too high…for both lender and borrower. What a mess. As you say it stays in the bank but something has to pay the interest…usually more debt created out of thin air.
I don’t think spending tax dollars on infrastructure from a diminishing tax base is very useful when it wont lead directly to real investment in consumption, which in turn will drop the tax base. It is the classic problem with Keynes, he got away with it by virtue of cheap expanding energy supply.
No easy answers, what I do think though is that if we can minimize the disparities of wealth retention between top and bottom we are in a better position.
The job problem is the critical one to analyse IMO. We are not getting it right and the result is destroying our social capital and our people in the process. As a society we are missing out on the valuable output of creativity and production that we could be enjoying from these under utilised people (the so-called “output gap”).
Offshoring production to the third world has done little for the global economy other than to shift income share away from workers towards owners in an exercise of wage arbitrage. Yes us privileged types in the western world who still have strong incomes get the benefits of product/service price deflation (how on earth you can make and ship a 42″ LCD TV for $300 wholesale is beyond me but apparently it can be done) but that lovely price deflation comes at the cost of income deflation to a lot of workers who lost decent paying jobs.
And then this is the kicker: we’re talking about insufficient paid employment in society. Yet when we look around there is shit loads of work which society needs to get done, which we would all benefit from, but which is not being done. And then there are a lot of unemployed and underemployed people.
So we end up with this situation: a lot of useful, beneficial, productive work for society which could be done. A lot of motivated, capable people who want to enter work, or go from part time work to full time work.
And a political economic system which is so fucked up, it can’t put one and one together to make two – and in some instances, actually thinks that it is a good thing that good people rot in unemployment (as a buffer stock to control inflation, keep wages low, etc).
are they going down hill fast?
Maybe the cuts to food stamps is cutting sales?
Not that it should make paying wages any harder seeing as the staff salary is so low the staff are on food stamps too… the cut in food stamps means their pay has gone down hence the charity drive.
When are people going to realise that a corporation like this os not doing them a favour when they hire them?
Another example of a corporation using tax payers money to subsidise its low wages and boost its own profits. Like our McDonalds in NZ.
and macdonalds have come out with some advice for their wage-slaves in america…who don’t earn enough to be able to feed themselves..
..that advice is to ‘break their food into pieces’..
..’cos that will help those hungry-employees ‘to feel full’…
(this is not a piss-take..!..)
http://www.alternet.org/mcdonalds-advice-employees-break-food-pieces-keep-you-full
phillip ure..
/snap
Wow, we made $ 365 million with AIRNZ. Here is my comparison with some other lump sumps floating around out there such as the $ 13 Billion JP Morgan has to pay in fines for it’s role in the 2008 mortgage scam and the illegal foreclosures which cots thousands of Americans their homes.
$13 billion….hmmm small change compared to the scams….a mere trifle. Also, JPs are banksters, they probably paid by doing some fractional money creation….another scam.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9421177/State-house-for-life-no-longer
– A good move, about time the rules were updated
That type of move is, quite simply, psychopathic.
There’s nothing wrong with living in a state house for life.
There is when you dont need it and other families do
yeah, because who needs security in where they live…
it’s pretty basic to the hierarchy of needs. Security of shelter, makes a great difference to a range of behaviours unhelpful to society overall.
If you can afford to rent or pay a mortgage then you shouldn’t be in a state house because there are other families or people worse off who need the accomadation
Is this unreasonable?
Yes.
It is grossly unreasonable that there is a shortage of state houses.
It is unreasonable to give tax cuts to the rich and then kick people out of their homes so the poor can scramble over the crumbs that remain.
Not quite getting the point of course but thats to be expected
You could read it again and again until you get the point..
Alien concept to him.
When considering other people, tories are compelled to make decisions based on the cold logic of necessity, even when it’s not actually necessary.
He got the point, you didn’t.
McDonald’s continues to give advice to it’s employees about how to live in poverty:
If a business can’t afford to pay their workers enough so that they aren’t living in poverty then that business should close.
Oh they can afford it alright!
http://www.policymic.com/articles/61545/if-you-knew-this-unbelievable-fact-about-mcdonald-s-ceo-you-would-go-on-strike-too
McDonalds for you, Logan Brown for me.
Logan Brown for everyone!!!
Ahhhhh, a socialist after my own heart!!!
Yeah and McDonalds can go get lost. Fast food chains do nothing but destroy environments (palm oil production/loss of native forest/loss of food sources and livelihoods to those who live in them and loss of wildlife) destroy workplace well being and job security and create health problems (if their products are consumed in excess)
Instead for ultimate nutrition and happiness for everyone:
Remove GST off everything but if it has to be just one essential, take it off all food
Abandon the global corporate food model – we are it’s slaves, not its customers.
Re introduce large scale food production co-ops and in turn introduce large scale grocery retail co-ops to challenge the supermarket industry.
Uncover questionable practices in the supermarket industry and regulate so that suppliers and customers aren’t disadvantaged.
Review food safety standards and improve where necessary. Bring in G.E food labelling
No more advertising nonsense (eg, Countdown feed four for $15)about “food on a budget”, Time we moved on from WW2 mind sets about decent food availability. No one should have to scrimp and save for an essential.
Finally if there’s a special occasion, a birthday, anniversary or celebration everyone has the means, due to afforable housing, food, bills and having well paid jobs, to go a decent restaurant if they chose to.
Rosie’s food for all mandate. Not brought to you by Fonterra, Unilever, Nestle or anyone else.
I thought I would check out how shares in our partially sold assets were going today.
Well ….
Air NZ shares have dropped so far today from $1.65 at opening to $1.580* … with a massive 34 million shares traded in 498 transactions. The big players are having a field day.
* now up slightly to $1.60
Meanwhile:
Meridian – oh dear. Having opened at $1.02, they are down to $0.995. Think this is the first time they have fallen below one dollar. .
And MRP – opened at $2.15, now $2.10
EDIT
The Herald on the Air NZ price drop
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11160102
and Meridian
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11160157
and your point is? (I’m quite happy with the dividend payout for MRP by the way)
Depress the share price further so that Government can buy the shares back at a profit (it’s the free market way).
I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/11/18/13770/mess-gets-worse-hanford-s-nuclear-site?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=watchdog&utm_medium=publici-email
And were going to sign a free trade deal with these idiots.
Another day, another right-wing hero exposed for what he really is …
Allan Titford has been convicted of multiple crimes, including rape and arson.
Allan who? Google the name, and check out the websites cheerleading for him … “One New Zealand” (sic), E-local (a nasty rag, in your mailbox), “one law for all” (sounds familiar, Brash-fans?).
He’s the hero of 3 a.m. talkback saddoes and Kiwiblog t/rolls – the kind that pop up here all too often. They must be proud today.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9421979/Titford-sentenced-on-rape-and-arson-charges
Friends and supporters of Allan Titford … John Ansell and other crazies:
(Warning: link contains extreme racism, i.e. former National/ACT advisers)
http://blog.eternalvigilance.me/2013/05/treatygate-hamiltonintroducing-john-ansell/
Dodged a bullet in 2005, didn’t we? What was Helen’s great wrong again … something to do with a painting? That’s, like, totally worse!
urgh. Nice guy
3 News:
The Maori Land dispute: – which Titford is bitter about and claims he was treated unfairly.
RNZ calls it rape:
And shows how sexual violence, domestic violence and rape are accompanied by psychological/emotional torture.
the local Maori people earned the anger of many people in New Zealand who sympathised with you because of what they saw as a grave injustice. It is time for the people of New Zealand to learn the truth.”
His supporters included (former) ACT people like Muriel Newman, and local newspaper editors.
Time for some major apologies.
Yes. One of the websites I looked at had a older piece about Titford claiming victimhood at the hands of those nasty Maori.
Incredibly dignified and restrained comments by local Maori (Nathan? didn’t catch) on RNZ Checkpoint.
It should be compulsory listening for every bigot who has been regurgitating anti-Maori poison – and the media who played their part in ignoring the REAL story, and were scratching the Orewa race itch instead.
And we’re only learning the truth because his ex-wife chose to lift name suppression. She has more courage than a hundred right-wing bloggers and ranters.
+ 1 on that interview..
..dignity on a stick/to go..
phillip ure..
Radio NZ news bulletins today have continually referred to Titford as “the anti-Treaty activist”. Fact is: he is an anti-Māori activist, a fervent hater of Māori culture, and a dyed-in-the-wool racist. His supporters have included such notorious race-baiters as John Ansell, Muriel Newman, Rodney Hide, Paul Holmes and Kyle Chapman.
Yet Radio NZ keeps referring to Titford as if he is some kind of political thinker, rather than a crude and violent bigot. I guess the script that these hapless newsreaders are obliged to follow is written by the same person who instructs Radio NZ newsreaders to describe the bloodthirsty S.S. leader Garth “The Knife” McVicar as a “victims’ advocate”.
Meanwhile Stuff & NZ Herald have headlines about “sex and violence” charges.
While I recognise the point you’re making, Moz, Radio NZ were correct. He was an activist against the treaty. His motivation may have been racist, but that description is quite literally the fact of the matter.
Glad to see him gone though, and thanks for reminding of us of the names of his smug and supine supporters who I hope are all cringeing at what their backing of him actually allowed him to get away with.
He was an activist against the treaty. His motivation may have been racist, but that description is quite literally the fact of the matter.
You are, strictly speaking, correct. However, to credit his violent and relentless hatred of Māori as political is like crediting Kyle Chapman as a political analyst, or Garth McVicar as a justice analyst, or science-denier Leighton Smith—another Titford supporter by the way—as a science analyst. All of these are true, in a narrow sense.
Equally, I am an automobile expert, because I can inflate a tyre and pump in gas occasionally.
I don’t see anyone calling him an expert or an analyst.
I don’t see anyone calling him an expert or an analyst.
He was treated as a noble, persecuted battler by (amongst others) North and South magazine, Paul Holmes, ACT, the National Party, numerous sympathetic television interviewers and the New Zealand Herald. His choleric and ignorant opinions were treated with respect and sympathy; while Titford lacks the polish and the social cachet of people like Michael Bassett and David Round, his “analysis” was, and is, about as rigorous as theirs.
Yesterday’s hourly repetition (on Radio NZ) that he is an “anti-Treaty activist” only further adds to the misleading perception of this violent, cynical, racist criminal.
Still, I don’t see anyone calling him either of the words you chose.
Fact is he is an activist. Whether you or I agree with his activism is neither here nor there.
Still, I don’t see anyone calling him either of the words you chose.
Fair enought, felix. You are correct. Maybe I mistook Titford for one of his rabid supporters, like Muriel Newman or Michael Bassett or Rodney Hide, all of whom speak like him, and all of whom ARE treated with (entirely unwarranted) respect.
Fact is he is an activist. Whether you or I agree with his activism is neither here nor there.
He’s an arsonist, first and foremost.
I agree with you. Titford is a racist anti-Maori activist who uses redneck dissatisfaction with the Treaty as a tool. He is absolute scum and lucky that Te Roroa are very gentle people. He was a Kyle Chapman in gumboots, with an unhealthy dash of sex criminal in the mix.
Titford is a racist anti-Maori activist who uses redneck [sic] dissatisfaction with the Treaty as a tool.
Murray, I love your description of Titford as “Kyle Chapman in gumboots”!
But please avoid abusing the term “redneck” by applying it to people like Allan Titford. Many hard-working and enlightened outdoor workers and farmers are thoughtful and intelligent people; the term you should use is “bigot” or “racist” or “reactionary” or “National Party supporter”.
Most of the really vile racists who infest our media—Larry “Lackwit” Williams, Leighton Smith, Michael Laws, Sean Plunket, Kerre McIvor, John Ansell, Nevil “Breivik” Gibson, Garth The Knife McVicar, David Round, Michael Bassett, Muriel Newman, Rodney Hide—enjoy indoor employment with no danger of physical harm, and minimal or zero responsibility. Other than Smith, who occasionally potters around in his vineyard, not one of them has a red neck from working outside.
this appears Very interesting!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9422033/Mongrel-Mob-member-seeks-shorter-sentence-for-being-Maori
That’s called ‘chutzpa’…..explained in terms of someone in the U.S.A.who had just been convicted of murder… after killing his parents but whose lawyer asked the judge for leniency because he was now an orphan.
lolz Rodel
…and some flashing lights to go down on
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9421644/Prostitutes-claim-cop-made-them-flash
http://shropshiresheep.org/farmedanddangerous/
does this seem just stupid to anyone else
Yes it does adam. Independent food production, in agriculture especially is becoming more of a threat to the global corporate food giants as this method of production gains popularity. It would seem, that corporates have a level of control over govt regulation. Hows that for a surprise! Corporates influencing govt!
Whats the bet that something like the Canadian equivalent of Fonterra (and I wonder does Fonterra in fact have a stake in the Canadian market?) are behind that influence in this case. Maybe not overtly, but they will be there.
is michelle boag going to stand for act in epsom..?
..(you heard it here first..)
phillip ure..
Remember when Health was the portfolio that always hurt the government? Annette King is just making no impact at all on Ryall. She is looking exasperated.
Agree, King needed to go when clark did. She was health minister so it’s an epic fail on her.
plenty of material such as the way shifty has played with the wait lists via reclassification and done the classic money to private but risk stays public.
It requires effort to get it and discretion as health’s a small area with gov’t as the single employer virtually….there’s the issue, she’s past it let someone fresh like David Clark at it.
DC will reshuffle, gotta give the old guard a chance, respect for your elders etc
..and doesn’t Shearer look so much more comfortable in Foreign Affairs.
Name suppression didnt defeat the rumour mill up north. Did wail slick breach the suppression order to protect the women and children of the north??
He already got fined for showing the suppression orders to be a farce, didn’t see anyone from the left dipping into their pockets to make the same point
I like how you’re always speaking for him.
yet he has “never met the guy”
We all save the best for our bucket lists.
Michelle Boag refers to the Legatum Institute praising our country…to suggest that no-one should be complaining about the state of New Zealand. The mentions Kazakhstan by comparison..saying we have nothing to complain about compared to them.
Mora fails again to question this strawman argument as usual…
It is also significant that she chose Kazakhstan as her example of a country where children fear being bombed. Of course, a more obvious and more appropriate example would have been Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen or Palestine. But Boag, being the right wing ideologue that she is, would never ever make that mistake; she quite cleverly kept the implied criticism to an official foe—Russia.
Unfortunately, while she is clever and always on the job, Brian Edwards and Jim Mora are neither; they simply let her comment go unchallenged and unmodified.
Man beats sister for being an ‘egg’
by JIMMY ELLINGHAM
When he thought his sister was being an “egg”, a Palmerston North beneficiary hit her in the face. On October 14, Michael Walker, 25, was at home, where he lived with his mother, sister and nephew.
When Walker and his sister argued over cleaning their mum’s vehicle, he went to the car, pulled out the car jack and smashed a window. His sister confronted him and he punched her in the face three times.
“He stated his sister was being an egg but then refused to explain his actions,” police prosecutor Sergeant Stu Oram told the Palmerston North District Court yesterday.
Walker admitted charges of assault and wilful damage.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9421303/Man-hits-sister-for-being-an-egg
PSA: Family violence is a workplace issue – it impacts on work. In Aussie provisions for coping with family violence are included in some collective agreements.
Has Airnz share price fall taken more off the Govt balances than they got in cash? It’s got to be close.
The should just begin to quietly reacquire the shares cheaper, announcing at the last moment that they are doing so causing a rapid price spike, ensuring that the Government’s stake is worth more than ever before.
Or maybe I’m talking about what Goldman Sachs would do.
Holy shit! Waitakere electorate gets split into Upper Harbour & Kelston – Would Bennett be Kelston? That would most likely be my electorate!
Mine too!
I doubt she’ll have a chance in hell. Last time won by a nose.
On 3 news, did you manage to see where the Kelston boundaries are?
PS: Hi neighbour!
looks like it starts at Heron Park on Gt North Rd, Boundary follows Ash and Rata, Gt North up to and finishes at Hepburn in Glendene.
Everything facing the sea included.
Paula Bennett looked pissed. He he.
2.09mins into video
http://www.3news.co.nz/Boundary-changes-could-swing-the-election/tabid/1607/articleID/322149/Default.aspx#.UoxGtuLe58F
Thanks, Andy. That looks like quite a small electorate – and I am in that area.
Maybe it goes down Te Atatu Rd, on second look, Not Hepburn. Still looks small, but lots of big households there due to economic constraints.
I see lots of grown kids moving back home or families moving back together, one house at $600 pw rent is better than two at $420. Three generation families..
Avondale and the sea side of Kelston are very popular with young families, still reasonably priced in Auckland with estuary views and close to transport.
I miss the smell of the mangroves..
Watching that they mention the new Kelston seat but fail to mention what happened to the rest of the Waitakere seat.
Hello there, unfortunately not, googling didn’t help much either.
Nats bright idea to gift the new Auckland seat to Colin Craig looks to be in a bit of trouble. TV3 is reporting that Bennett has called a crisis meeting of her electorate officials.
Colin Craig in as MP with 4% of the vote and Bennett loses her seat and goes in as a list MP…not bad (for National :))
Except that the new Upper Harbour seat looks like a marginal at best for both National and Labour and likely to be Labour leaning in a swing year (which next year could easily be).Its a pretty dodgy prospect for them if they want to ensure that Craig wins a seat. So that leaves them with the option of turfing out a sitting Nat MP in a North Shore seat to accommodate Craig and so it gets messy. As for Bennett, sure she could go in on the list but losing her Westie base would be a pretty big blow.
McCully moves onto the list and Craig runs in East Coast Bays:
“East Coast Bays is also home to the City Impact Church, a multi-million dollar operation run by senior pastor Peter Mortlock and a potential Christian power-base for the Conservatives.”
Sounds like a good play by National to do this
That’s the most likely outcome. The only problem for Key is that it leaves him open to attack that he’s so desperate to get elected next year he’s prepared to turf out a sitting Nat MP.
…and smuggle in a truly weird fundy who makes Key’s last neanderthal toy-boy John Banks seem like a normal 21st century kiwi.
Desperate indeed.
She’ll want to go for Upper Harbour. So much for her Westie claims. On the other hand she may be told she can’t have it. Reserved for ‘The Teeth’ (Colin Craig) . She’ll have to go on the list. Poor wee Benny girl. My heart bleeds for her.
Didn’t she grow up down by Taupo and move to Auckland’s North Shore? She’s about as bloody Westie as I am.
She’s about as westie as Robyn Malcolm.
Actors aren’t actually the characters they play, though. Sheryl West was the Westie. Where Robyn Malcolm came from was irrelevant. Paula pretends she is the character she plays. If they decided to give her Epsom, she’d start eating cucumber sandwiches.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/9420765/Costly-lesson-after-buying-car-without-WOF
– What a generous benefit system we have in NZ when a solo mum can afford to buy a $7000 car…
Fuck off moron, nowhere in the article it says she’s a solo mum or on benefit.
Chris is just running desperate distraction because he doesn’t want to talk about Titford and his right-wing fan club.
Who?
Fuck you asshole, it was in the Chch Press (yeah the paper edition) today…solo mum and bene buys 7 grand car so the welfare system can’t be too shabby huh
Or maybe you’ve read it on Whalespew, that truthful and reliable news source for right wing idjits, who ironically, is a beneficiary himself.
The fuck part of “in the Chch Press (yeah the paper edition) today” don’t you understand? Solo mum/bene has the money to buy a 7 grand car so she can obviously manage her finances enough to not only live on but also buy her dream car
Although it’s the corporate welfare system this Government runs which is the most generous – by far.
So what? The solo mum can buy a (more than) decent car on the money shes given so isn’t that the main thing…oh sorry it doesn’t play into the “living wage” garbage
Have you tried to buy a second hand car lately? It took me a month or two to get my latest one. Old cars are not as cheap as they once were, and there’s not a lot going. In terms of reliability, it’s probably not worth buying anything much under $5-6 thou – and that’s taking a chance.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/CategoryAttributeSearchResults.aspx?search=1&cid=268&sidebar=1&rptpath=1-268-&5=&14=&15=&18=0&18=4000&24=0&24=0&searchRegion=16&sidebarSearch_keypresses=0&sidebarSearch_suggested=0
– 941 listings for used cars for sale under 4 grand from Canterbury
She didn’t pay 7 grand to get a decent car, she spent 7 grand to get her “dream car” theres a big difference
I agree with you Chris.
Another bene living the high life off the back of the NZ tax payer, disgraceful.
chris73, when you come up with 4,5000 more cases of car buying sprees, please let us know as it will equal the social welfare for Rio Tinto.
So why not go down to the smelter and tell the workers why it was a bad idea and see what reception you get?
However its a nice attempted distraction from the main point which is a solo mum on a benefit manages to buy a 7 grand car when all you hear from labour/greens is some whining and bleating about how bad the benes have it
So have you come up with another 4,500 similar cases yet chris73?
Sounds like you are making the case for government stepping in and keeping more industry alive in NZ?
I’d back that.
I’m absolutely disgusted that society is providing a mother and her children with a modest, reasonable vehicle.
What’s wrong with this country? Next we’ll learn they didn’t have noodles for dinner every night last week.
Thats funny I’m absolutely stoked that a solo mom on a benefit can afford her dream car, it shows that National are quite generous whereas the looney left would have you believe National are miserly
Which is why John Key will be returned to power
one $7000 car per ten years is cheaper than one $3,500 car per five years, if you knew anything about living on nothing.
what a shit dumb story.
tell me chris73, how much did the average horse cost, as a chunk of wages, before cars came along?
“it shows that National are quite generous whereas the looney left would have you believe National are miserly”
Ah I see. So if I find one example of a rich guy with a nice car that would prove that taxes are still way too low.
Got it.
Benes shouldn’t have dreams or be ashperashunal. They aren’t even allowed chocolate biscuits when belts are being tightened. And they should know their place, head down, over a bucket probably.
Given a chance to run down someone on a benefit without knowing all the details, the average RW will push any facts or understanding aside. Everybody knows that benes are not playing ‘The Game’ and get into an opposition huddle all turning and spitting at the same time. It leaves watchers on the left gobsmacked.
Maybe a NAct cabinet minister paid her off for not taking a sexual harassment case against him? Of course, I have as much evidence for this as you do for your version, but why worry about facts when we can take our prejudices for a walk?
What the story does show is that NAct voting car dealers are scum, following the moral and ethical prescriptions of your leader.
Beautiful to watch Piss73 under pressure and getting all hoha.
Try living the life which comes with the bennie in the vast majority of cases, Piss arsehole you saviour of all that is right and proper.
Would be a richly deserved case of Tit-For-Tat-Ford.
Yes, our generous tax payer donation of $ 1.7 billion to South Canterbury Finance was a bit ott, wasn’t it?
Got a comment on that..or are you bene bashing over 7k
Just wondering…..
I don’t think labour or National should have done what they did, I think they should have been left to go under and rather then bashing benes I’m praising National for being as generous as they are…as should you lot
Left debating 101: Ignore the main point and try to refocus the arguement on a different matter
Who cares what you think chris73, the party you support pulled together $1.7B for rich SCF investors no probs yet $3M for dead workers families and its deep pockets short arms syndrome.
left debating tactic: emotional arguments are used when failing to argue case
This is about how generous National are to benes ie they can afford to buy decent cars
What National is or isn’t doing for the miners families is a seperate issue, which you are more then welcome to start a thread about but has no relevance here
Hahhahahah – as if bennie bashing isn’t emotive and not based in a rational approach to society or the economy!!!!
I’m not bashing benes (although her utter stupidity does make it tempting) I’m using her as an example of why the benefit system isn’t as bad as the posters on here make out
and for the record I’d agree to the govt to hire people (and pay them accordingly) to specifically target companies that don’t pay their taxes
You guys seem really desperate today. What’s up?
Got home early and waiting for wife to arrive with dinner
Nah you’re flustered. What do you not want to talk about?
You mean bennie-like too lazy and indolent to get on with peeling those spuds aye Piss ? Sitting on your bellicose arse waiting for others to do it all for you ?
Sad for Mrs Piss-Ford if those scummy no-pay Maccers people missed the Maccers sweet-and-sour dipping sauce.
Failed asset sales
Poor internal polling results
The stand off with Andarcko
Probably one of these
The boundary changes. Some NAT MPs might be fucked off. That on top of low internal polling might have some people quietly counting numbers in their heads.
You’re using an anecdote. The thousands that are getting pushed off benefits and generally being screwed over tell a different story.
God, I hope that the left keeps using emotional arguments – care and compassion are far better than greed and ignorance.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9421266/Economy-set-to-beat-global-growth-OECD
“The economy is set to grow 3.6 per cent next year, putting New Zealand in the top six developed countries according to an OECD report.
The forecast rate would put New Zealand well above the OECD average of 2.4 per cent forecast for next year, and ahead of Australia on 2.7 per cent.”
– Another reason why National will be returned to power and why there’ll be another series of “why didn’t the people vote for Labour” on this site after the election
what sort of car do you drive chris73?
Grand Vitara, can’t afford the land cruiser vx just yet but I’m working on it
Aha, greed and posing. “It’s all about my penis substitute!” Compensating much? I’ve been told that style matters more than size, though the two are hardly exclusive.
chris why not a lexus you have to low asperations to be a defender of policies for your level of income.
“Working on it” aye Piss ?
Like mounting the engine a la Bowel Motion ?
What sort of ShonKey Python cargo-cult is this Piss ?
Grend Vitara to Maori Land Bruiser ?
How asprayshinal !
You mean that National was responsible for the Christchurch earthquake?
When life gives Christchurch lemons National makes a three term government or something like that…you gotta play the cards that you’re dealt much
And there we see just how much empathy chris73 really has – an earthquake is simply a political opportunity. Let us all thank him for his honesty, though his idols might be embarrassed.
It’s not a decent car, you moron. It’s a heap of shit full of problems. As with many sales pitches, the reality didn’t meet the ashprishun.
7000 grand can buy you a decent car but when your requirements for a decent are: purple paint job and (I’m assuming) rims then you probably will be dissappointed
But doesn’t change the fact she could afford a 7 grand car on what the government gives her so well done National for being so generous
That’s not how you spell “Oops, I’m a bigoted piece of shit and I’ve been caught lying again”
Right debating points: try to bash bennies as bludgers and try to divert attention away from the real bludgers who siphon off way more of taxpayers money.
There was nothing in that article that said she was on a benefit. And besides, she could have been working part time, and scrimped and saved, begged and burrowed.
And anyway, if the dealer is going to sell an unwarranted car to someone, then it speaks more about him than anyone else.
My father has been a car dealer for 40-odd years, and he has never sold a car that was unwarranted to anyone.
Stuff edited the web page after it had gone up but the story was in the Chch Press and it said she was a solo mum on a benefit
So maybe they got it wrong in the printed version, hence the editing of the online version?
Bullshit.
Bit of a shake in Christchurch 8 mins ago
3.8 on geonet.
Thoughts with all of you in Christchurch.
Colin Craig goes supermarket shopping on Campbell Live … oh dear. Wants a higher tax on alcohol as well! (Nats spin doctors groan …)
If he’s National’s lifeline, they’re dead and buried.
He only needs to win a (gifted) seat and bring in some fundies with him which looks like its going to happen
But he isn’t actually a fundie Christian. Just a pretend Christian.
Thats between him and his god…you know like two minute len
another right wing diversion.
Len hasn’t campaigned on his religion.
Neither it seems is Craig – Craig just like to seem a bit of an anti-fun ascetic – frugal and abstemious.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9341193/I-m-answerable-to-my-God-Brown
– Fair call but does make it easy…
Well whatever he is or isn’t he’ll get a gifted\seat and probably drag in 4% of votes with him as he seems to be averaging around 2.5% of the vote since the last election…imgine what it’ll do when its announced what seat he’ll run and win…
Probably get more votes then Peter Dunne and Mana combined
So how long is your dick? You say that measurements are what it’s all about.
Ask your mum
She’s 80. So you’re prone to gerontophiliac fantasies? That’s too much information, really. Nobody wants to know about your sexual perversions.
Yet you’re asking about my old fella…interesting
Ooh, homophobia! How quaint! FWIW, I’m both straight and taken, sorry.
So why do you masturbate while thinking about an 80-year old woman you’ve never met? You are one sick puppy, I have to say. If I had any perversions like yours, I wouldn’t advertise them.
Crudity warning … http://youtu.be/iZ6L8X5yRZc
Just wanted to take the subject to a new low
Well, I just got “chris73” with his rape fantasy to show what rape culture is – it’s all about shaming people – both the women who are victims and the men who are the “owners” of women. His weird, perverted fantasy about raping my elderly mother shows just what he and his ilk practise.
Sorry ropata, I’m not going to watch that video. I know too many rape victims and trigger warnings apply to me too.
Well done. (That goes for both ‘crates and Ropata)
He was so fucking easy that it was a bore. Still, if he shows up again, I’ll wave the “pervert” flag and see what happens.
just my humble attempt to derail.. nothing to do with rape IMHO
It was pretty funny…in a gruesome kinda way…
Don’t forget the Weirdo’s supported by Best Bling Rankin. That should make all the difference to the price of Weetbix. Yay, God’s World is saved !
I know plenty of real Christians, the kind who practise what they preach – love. Craig is full of hate doused in grease.
Debate using reason and evidence.
Don’t insult, use slogans, distract or derail.
Time for bed, I sense.
I know youngsters able to debate using less puerile arguments.
grumpy old fella
scolds a smelly troll on line
stink lands on us all
“a gifted seat”
As long as National think that’s what it will be, I’m very happy.
(A little research on Epsom pre-2011 would be a good idea, but hey I’m not here to help).
And goodbye to our sexual and social freedoms.
Pogrom for gays, first on the list.
Next burning books on evolution.
Banning holding hands in our schools.
We should all be worried.
Watching TV3. Can’t believe the stupid Campbell Live programme on nonentity Crazy Colin shopping for broccoli and his ‘greetings card ‘philosophies’.
What a waste of TV time. Unbelievable that this person could be remotely regarded as one of our ‘leaders’. I thought Banks was about as low as we could get in idiocy but I was wrong.
It was like a Jon Stewart parody on Fox News or a Stewart joke based on Toronto’s experience
but they were serious1
Campbell tried unsuccessfully to mask his contempt for Craig but he and the camera people must be so ashamed of presenting us with this rubbish TV. .At least Gower wasn’t involved but still a new low in TV!
Agreed. the bigger story is where will Paula Bennett be doing her shopping after the 2014 election?
Craig would have lost thousands of votes in just 5 minutes.
I hope he’s on TV all next year!
Jeez – sounds like I gotta see this
. Will check tvnz on demand in an hour or so.
A regular little Martha Stewart. Like Brian Edwards’ bestie Michelle Boag who some months ago on Mora’s Flanel waxed long about her devilishly clever $1.59 purchase of half a head of cauliflower. Lasted three meals !
Oh. I don’t agree. Some people will see Craig as down to earth, pragmatic and will lap up the abstemious lifestyle.
Sadly I think you’re right.Not the Tories but the gullible.
Sure, some will.
But National’s plan is (apparently) to parachute Craig in, so he becomes a Nat-substitute. So then he wouldn’t be a fringe candiadate, but a “mainstream” 50 percenter.
When/if there’s a post on all this, I’ll list Top Ten ways that Gower is wrong – and Epsom is not a model that can easily be followed. Too busy right now.
Don’t give too many hints away
What a spoiler.
In America, they need parodists like John Stewart and Steven Colbert… in New Zealand, Colon Craig Rat Boy and Banks seem to render parody redundant… but in fact they make it more necessary.
rhinocrates-
‘Colon’ Craig.Sorry I shouldn’t but, ‘hehehe”
he’s an enema allRight!
CC is an improvement on those slimy invertebrates Brash, Banks and Dunne. May they be consigned to the political dungheap ASAP
I suspect that Dunne and Hide are going to be far superior to CC on multiple measures.
I understand the Boundaries Commission have released the new boundaries.
I heard something on radio as a comment and it was suggesting that Bennets seat was to be combined with Upper Harbour. Cannot find anything on line about this. Anyone have more details
Look above you!
I did but cannot see any thing about the announcement. I would have thought the Electoral Commission would have it on their web site its of interest to quite a few people I would have thought. But nothing there nothing on TV3 or NZ Herald or Stuff
Someone must have the details but where?
Ron, scroll up the Open Mike page. There’s a link to the 3 News report on it. [22.1.1.1]. It’s not going to be announced officially til tomorrow. 3 News leaked it tonight. they are the only source.
Gower also has some comments on his Twitter feed
https://twitter.com/patrickgowernz
Link up the page is here
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-20112013/#comment-731624
Thanks should have scrolled up further. AS I am in East Coast Bays electorate it might prove interesting either way. Think I would emigrate if Craig wins this seat. Oh well back on street campaigning for me
Mate apparently the boundary changes were leaked to Patrick Gower today (which is interesting in itself). I imagine the official announcement will still be made tomorrow by the Electoral Commission.
Yes. It seemed like a Nat leak as all the focus was on Craig and National. Probably trying to prepare the way for McCully to move on & Craig to move in.
There should have been more focus on Labour’s options – so the coverage was telling.
If you’re correct and the boundary changes were leaked to Gower by the PMO, presumably as a way of furthering the narrative they’re trying to build around Craig’s electoral prospects next year (when the reality is that the new Auckland seat is most likely Labour leaning and not really suitable for Craig) then that is pretty shabby politics. You’d like too hope that the Electoral Commission can get on and do its work without politics and spin interfering.
BTW, the new Kelston electorate, carves a slice out of
Cumliffe’sCunliffe’s New Lynn electorate. How will that impact on his vote?I think New Lynn gains labour leaning neighbourhoods of what is now Waitakere. You might want to check spelling of Mr Cunliffe’s name Karol?
Alternate realities. The NZ news is all All Whites, live blogs. Sommet Sports had Germany and…. someone. Now I think they have France and Ukraine.
What a great effort from All Whites 3-1 down and managed to get another one. Great comeback. It seemed that everyone expected Mexico to do well despite them having had a dip recently. The crowd were loving it. Sounds like it was a good game to watch.
3 degrees of insanity, is Paula Bennett appearing on my TV decrying the rack renting ‘holiday park’ in Her electorate,
What exactly does this abysmal Minister think happens when the State in the guise of the National Government She is a Minister in sells off State Houses by the 100 and only replaces 30 of every 100 they flick off,
The ‘rack renters’ move in, that’s what happens…
paulo bennitto is going to give them tents next
Tents? Pah! Try cardboard boxes. (But with a waxy coating to make them a bit more waterproof – we wouldn’t want to be mean to poor people).
alternatively, there is the newspapers…
ok, ok, I’m going, sheesh!
They found in Arizona that tents were quite satisfactory for housing their unpopular malefactors. The people in the State love it, or at least some vocal ones. The rest can’t make themselves heard. And I think it is a lot cheaper, and that is what matters to those whose minds, ethics and standards have been gained by readings from mail order catalogues and supermarket brochures and of course watching well-groomed horses neighing on television.
?What exactly does this abysmal Minister think? 100% Paura, doesn’t.
Anyone know where the Geranium Lady, the useless TV gardening show one, where she sits in all of this ? Maybe ShonKey’ll jack up gifting her safe Tory seat to the Weirdo ?
For the good of “the party” you understand.
North
You may as well prattle children’s rhymes about the geranium lady, just replace Mary with Maggie.
Wikipedia says this version dates from 1744 so the matters exercising our minds and enthusing our actions continue down the ages.
Mistress Mary, Quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With Silver Bells, And Cockle Shells,
And so my garden grows.[1]