Open mike 21/05/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, May 21st, 2019 - 178 comments
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178 comments on “Open mike 21/05/2019 ”

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  1. Tony Veitch [not etc.] 1
    21 May 2019 at 7:16 am

    A little pearl of wisdom from one of the regular contributors:

    "Belief in the threat of climate change is what people think they are supposed to support, so they do, to pollsters. Belief in business as usual is what people depend on, so they vote accordingly."

    Dennis Frank – Daily Review, 20th May, 2019.

    He was talking about the Oz election, but the problem is universal. I'm afraid the man in the street, Joe Bloggs, will not take climate change seriously until it bites him on the bum.

    But by then, I fear, it will be far too late.

    • WeTheBleeple 1.1
      21 May 2019 at 7:54 am

      That's where leadership is meant to step in, but they're too scared of corporate ire.

      Shallow from being hollowed out.

      Some muddy the waters to appear deep.

      They're not.

      • OnceWasTim 1.1.1
        21 May 2019 at 8:25 am

        "That's where leadership is meant to step in, but they're too scared of corporate ire"

        Hold it right there WtB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

        There'll need to be several "pieces of work" and a number of consultative "conversations" with "officials" before anything can proceed "going forward". When those "conversations" are complete and "resonations" reached, we can probably proceed on a path of transformation and compassion

      • bwaghorn 1.1.2
        21 May 2019 at 8:44 am

        Na you’re wrong . This government has in very short time got most people excepting climate change as fact . And is progressing in the right direction . Move to fast and the push back will mean failure.

        Of course if we had started in 1958 it would have been better . But today is the next best time.

        • OnceWasTim 1.1.2.1
          21 May 2019 at 9:00 am

          "This government has in very short time got most people excepting climate change as fact "

          So that's an achievement is it? I 'spose it is (in a really miniscule sort of way – even though most of them knew in the first place but were just coming to terms with the long term rather than keeping their loifsoyles taday and ta morra)

          The bleeding bloody obvious springs to mind. A shame it doesn't extend to other ussues going forwid.

          Megan and the sure rinse

          Iain and Krus ummigrayshun and the feks of currint polsee

          etc.

          I'm thinking we need to have a conversation

    • Incognito 1.3
      21 May 2019 at 8:28 am

      There’s an element of truth in that but elections are not single-issue polls and a poll is just a poll.

    • Sabine 1.4
      21 May 2019 at 8:32 am

      its easy to not understand if your job depends on it.

      that is what i lay at the feet of government anywhere.

      i don't so much have an issue with joe and jane sixpack but i have an issue with those that have the power to chance (all of them – no matter party affiliation) but do nothing.

  2. UncookedSelachimorpha 2
    21 May 2019 at 8:00 am

    If a Kiwibuild house is bought by the government after not selling – will it become a state house? Good if it did.

    Unsold kiwibuild houses bought by government

    I see the purchase price of 'bought-back' kiwibuild houses is not disclosed as 'commercially sensitive'. This is total bollocks – it is public money. What happens when you are locked to the religion of having a private business taking a cut of all things delivered by the state.

    • Adrian Thornton 2.1
      21 May 2019 at 8:10 am

      @ UncookedSelachimorpha +1 "What happens when you are locked to the religion of having a private business taking a cut of all things delivered by the state."

      That religion is called free market liberalism, which just sunk the Australian Labour party and was the reason NZ Labour only scrapped in by the skin of it's teeth after three terms of disgusting and destructive National leadership.

      Turn Labour Left!

      • greywarshark 2.1.1
        21 May 2019 at 10:06 am

        This is part of a critique by Chris Trotter on the Oz Labour win that wasn't. (BEOT Big End of Town)

        Simple enough, one might have thought, but one would have been reckoning without the extraordinary tone-deafness of the post-Hawke/Keating Labor Party. Instead of interpreting the poll data as evidence that, if they played their cards right, a win might just be possible, Shorten et al regarded it as proof that, since a loss was impossible, they could play their cards any damn way they pleased.

        “We’ll never get a better chance to do all the things we’ve been promising ourselves for the past decade than this”, Labor told itself. “So, come on Comrades, this time we can quite safely bet the whole farm!” Which is pretty much what they did: promising to raise taxes and increase spending like it was going out of style. (Which, of course, it has been for the best part of three decades.)

        Not only did they ignore the fact that the BEOT has untold billions invested in the farm, but they also thought it would be good politics to construct their campaign narrative around the idea of putting the inhabitants of the BEOT in their place. Unsurprisingly, the BEOT had a better idea.

        https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/99754/chris-trotter-says-bill-shorten-will-go-down-australian-political-history-labor-leader

        • Adrian Thornton 2.1.1.1
          21 May 2019 at 10:52 am

          I don't agree with Trotters analysis or his 'three objectives to winning an election..

          "Winning a general election requires a political party to achieve three critical objectives: 1) Convince the voters that, economically-speaking, your team has got the right solutions. 2) Convince the voters that your opponents haven’t got a clue what the right answers even look like. 3) Convince the voters that, unless they do something to stop them, your opponents have a better-than-even chance of winning the election. In just three words: Reassure. Undermine. Terrify."

          I will offer my opinion on winning elections a bit later, but must get off and do some work now.

          • greywarshark 2.1.1.1.1
            21 May 2019 at 12:02 pm

            Right AT add your thoughts later and I'll look foir that. You might like to see on the Billionaire post #13 from Dennis F. and Red Logix.

            • Sam 2.1.1.1.1.1
              21 May 2019 at 12:10 pm

              Heuristic: if someone that hasn't learnt anything new in the past 5 years tells you that something new sucks, then their opinion isn't worth dog shit.

              Too many woke people get credit for losing years ago.

        • AB 2.1.1.2
          21 May 2019 at 5:56 pm

          I think Chris Trotter paints himself into unfortunate corners sometimes.

          You absolutely have to rein in the BEOT if you want a society that works OK for everyone. But if you can't defeat the BEOT electorally, because they can outspend and out-message you, plus you face a populace where the psychological hegemony of neoliberal ideas runs very deep after 40 years of propaganda – what then? Despair?

          It is much easier to gloomily describe this predicament than suggest ways of painting out of the corner. (I plead guilty on this one too.)

    • Herodotus 2.2
      21 May 2019 at 9:28 am

      the prices the govt paid should be disclosed as LINZ captures all sales data. All realestate agents have access how else would they be able to have data on local sales .

      • UncookedSelachimorpha 2.2.1
        21 May 2019 at 12:25 pm

        Good point! You wouldn't normally be able to get around LINZ / valuation records.

    • greywarshark 2.3
      21 May 2019 at 10:03 am

      Yes I wondered about that. Why not keep it as a state house and put in tenants who would appreciate it and look after it and be part of a community that was probably working and functional. Good house, good possibilities for lifting oneself out of the doldrums. Go for it Twyford, but choose your tenants right.

    • Gabby 2.4
      21 May 2019 at 10:29 am

      Don't hold your breath waiting for a reporter to ask for an explanation of the commercial sensitivity.

      • greywarshark 2.4.1
        21 May 2019 at 12:03 pm

        Gabby Yes. I think that we hear understand a lot of the sensitivities though.

  3. Cinny 3
    21 May 2019 at 8:04 am

    The bullying in parliament report comes out today. Hang on to your hats, I predict this will be damning for both the major parties. Very pleased it's happening, it's long overdue, thanks to Trev and the government for initiating it.

    • Anne 3.1
      21 May 2019 at 9:37 am

      Thanks for bringing it up Cinny. I think it is going to be a shock to most people just how toxic the place is.

      I would love to see a commission of inquiry into bullying in the Public Service generally and that it include retrospective cases. That would enable me to come forward and tell my story. It is something I've wanted – indeed needed – to do for a very long time but have been unable to due to the lack of a safe and secure environment.

      • Cinny 3.1.1
        21 May 2019 at 4:54 pm

        Hugs Anne. I so understand what you are saying. May the day come, when you will feel safe and secure enough to share your story. Much love to you.

    • dv 3.2
      21 May 2019 at 12:06 pm

      Will we ever see the names of the MPs etc accused of bulling?

    • Rosemary McDonald 3.3
      21 May 2019 at 1:48 pm

      The full Report is available here…

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/389696/serious-bullying-rife-at-parliament-report

      A seriously Grim Read which flatters our Halls of Power not at all.

      Shame.

      • Rosemary McDonald 3.3.1
        21 May 2019 at 2:00 pm

        “Just because it’s politics and people are passionate doesn’t mean any of us can behave like arseholes around this place. It’s a privilege to serve here, and the people who put us here expect us to lead and want to respect us as leaders.”

      • Cinny 3.3.2
        21 May 2019 at 4:56 pm

        Thanks for the link Rosemary, it can be a rather vile environment for some who work there. It's the self entitlement of some MP's that's the worst.

    • Wensleydale 3.4
      21 May 2019 at 1:48 pm

      Apparently parliament is a toxic environment awash in bullying, harassment, entitled behaviour, verbal abuse and positively teeming with massive, unrestrained egos.

      Well I never!

      Also, the Press Gallery behave in 'unacceptable' ways.

  4. WeTheBleeple 4
    21 May 2019 at 8:07 am

    Stuff has 4 – FOUR articles on Game of Thrones ending this morning, as if it was important. It's good TV, but important? As part of a picture it is.

    Bread and Circuses aka violence conditioning for the masses. Producers/writers seem to delight in trying to outshine each other in their propensity to dream up horrors.

    "a way to kill compassion to ensure the brutalization of Roman civilians and thus their compliance (or at least their complacency) vis-à-vis Imperial expansion and domestic policing"

    Have we learned to not give a fuck yet? Are we entertained by all these stabbings?

    There'll be awards, red carpet, gushing interviews, tears…

    • Bearded Git 4.1
      21 May 2019 at 10:22 am

      Game of what? Never ‘eard of it.

    • alwyn 4.2
      21 May 2019 at 2:10 pm

      You ask whether "Have we learned to not give a fuck yet? Are we entertained by all these stabbings".

      From the fact that the series appears to have been very popular I suppose the answer to the questions has to be yes. If nobody watched it they certainly wouldn't have bothered spending a fortune on making it. One must simply suggest that everyone who watched it was in fact entertained.

      So says he who, immodestly, says that he had never heard of the series until recently and has never seen a single episode. The most I have seen was snippets in the news in the last few days.

      So, if you don't approve of what they are showing the only thing to do is don't watch it. It is like the people who claim that "I never vote. It just encourages the bastards". If you watch the program, and the ads, you are just encouraging the people who make it to go even further next time.

  5. Cinny 5
    21 May 2019 at 8:09 am

    Re the Crusaders…. who would think that a bunch of drunk rugby heads playing away from home would hassle and abuse gay people?

    Far out, how they are playing it down is shocking, that kind of behaviour by rugbyheads has been going on since year dot.

    Abuse and booze, that's NZ rugby culture, tell me I'm wrong.

    • mauī 5.1
      21 May 2019 at 8:30 am

      What political statement will the Crusaders make next? First they offend religion, now sexuality. Not bad for a non-political group who just play a game.

    • bwaghorn 5.2
      21 May 2019 at 8:47 am

      Do you have proof it happened.?

      • gsays 5.2.1
        21 May 2019 at 8:59 am

        Hi wags, on RNZ this morn a local woman claimed a player spat beer at her and pinched her bum.

        She 'found pig's it was Richie Mounga, 'social mediad' him with her allegations. His response was part apology, part denial. Didn't sound good.

    • Sabine 5.3
      21 May 2019 at 8:48 am

      let's ban booze, its a gate way to shitty manners and violence.

    • tc 5.4
      21 May 2019 at 8:53 am

      Booze and abuse is ingrained in many codes fans. Scottish football is back to it's bad old ways because it never left.

      Society's ugly side comes out after a few beersies

    • Jimmy 5.5
      21 May 2019 at 8:58 am

      Sounds like you've already decided they are guilty then. There is two sides to every story you know.

      • mauī 5.5.1
        21 May 2019 at 9:15 am

        One story is coherent and detailed, the other is evasive and defensive.

      • Cinny 5.5.2
        21 May 2019 at 5:01 pm

        Sure there is always at least two sides to every story, and often one involves lies to protect reputations, especially when it comes to the national sport.

        How many of us here have seen drunk rugby players act like arseholes? Heaps I'd say.

        Update, there is to be an investigation….

    • Muttonbird 5.7
      21 May 2019 at 9:56 am

      George Bridge named as one of the players struggling with their sexuality involved in alleged homophobic incident.

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12232758

    • greywarshark 5.8
      21 May 2019 at 10:15 am

      Listening to the interviews this morning I believe the other fellows who complained and not the Crusaders denial and great innocence. It's a reflection I think of the brutal way that things get splattered on Facebook, the no-respect for others, the arrogant 'I'll do it my way, you lowlife (applies to whoever is chosen for disdain). This type of abuse has been going on for years and so many sportspeople give themselves an edge by harassing others in opposing teams, or the public. That's our society these days folks, authority is prepared to allow shit to happen to others, bystanders even, as externalities to the really important goal, whatever that is.

    • James 5.9
      21 May 2019 at 6:41 pm

      no presumption of innocence at cinny? ESP as independent witnesses have backed their side of events ?

  6. Adrian Thornton 6
    21 May 2019 at 8:48 am

    If it wasn't already obvious to everybody in the world, the US have completely lost any interest in disguising the fact that they are prepared to attack or bully any country that stands in the way of their hegemony out in the open.

    Their hostile and dangerous actions against Venezuela and Iran.

    Their attack on Huawei.

    The US war on whistle blowers and persecution of Assange.

    The US compliance and support of apartheid in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel.

    Their compliance and support of the humanitarian tragedy in Yemen.

    The US arming and legitimizing the despotic terrorist state of Saudi Arabia.

    The list could go on, and on.

    Lets just hope that Bernie Sanders gets the nomination, takes out Trump in the rust belt, and restores at lest a semblance of sanity to US foreign policy.

  7. Jimmy 7
    21 May 2019 at 9:04 am

    I see there is another teens fleeing from police crash in Te Atatu on the Stuff web site this morning. When are these idiots going to learn when police signal you to stop…..you stop! At least they only injured themselves so that's all good. they will be off the roads for a while which makes it safer for everyone.

    • mauī 7.1
      21 May 2019 at 9:10 am

      You never did anything stupid as a youth?

      You enjoy seeing people injured… nice one.

      • Gabby 7.1.1
        21 May 2019 at 10:35 am

        I never did something stupid that got me killed weewee. You only get to do that once.

        • McFlock 7.1.1.1
          21 May 2019 at 1:15 pm

          I came close once or twice.

          Many (maybe even most) teens do. Pushing too hard, failing to do risk assessment, not seeing warning signs, getting carried away, not realising how drunk they are…

          Google told me there was an OIA request on police chase statistics last year: seems that a little over half of pursuits are abandoned (probably includes "called off for safety" as well as "lost 'em"). So some of these kids' peer group probably have escaped pursuit before.

          All fun and games until someone gets hurt. But if there's nothing else to do, or no real hope for advancement, teens gonna do stupid shit.

          • Wensleydale 7.1.1.1.1
            21 May 2019 at 1:51 pm

            I once went 100kph through a massive puddle in a Honda City.

            That didn't end well.

            • The Al1en 7.1.1.1.1.1
              21 May 2019 at 1:57 pm

              Must have taken you a couple of days to get up to that speed lol

              • Wensleydale …
                21 May 2019 at 2:32 pm

                Heh. Yeah. And a couple of seconds to stop.

                Always wear your seatbelt, kids. And don't drive your Dad's Honda City through puddles at excessive speed. It's a terrible idea.

                • McFlock …
                  21 May 2019 at 2:45 pm

                  Went flying off a 50cc a couple of years back. Straight over the handle bars, instinctive forward roll, worst problem was a tear in my pants from where I hit the key in the ignition with my thigh. God bless lower speeds.

                  Rear end panel damage to the car cost more than my scooter did new (which had a jiggle at the garage but was otherwise fine).

                  That was me worrying about what guy on the left was going to do, to the detriment of forward observation. #imadickhead

      • Jimmy 7.1.2
        21 May 2019 at 10:42 am

        So you think that stealing cars, driving dangerously and endangering the public is all ok and just a bit of youthful silliness? These idiots put innocent people on the roads in danger.

        Yes I did some stupid things as a teen but I never once stole a car, and never once ran from police.

        • greywarshark 7.1.2.1
          21 May 2019 at 11:46 am

          Jimmy you good little lord fauntleroy, you sound a bit preachy there. You are probably too old and was always in the wrong class to appreciate the great attraction of stealing cars and joy riding. If you can be so proud of not having stolen a car, what is it that you did when you were being naughty? You seem to take pride in not having had to run from police in a stolen car. So what did you do?

          The joyriders might be from a background that would understand and enjoy 'Boy'. Have a look at the trailer, and I bet it will show a different way of looking at the dynamics of life Jimmy than you have experienced.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwqfR8g-Qow

        • mauī 7.1.2.2
          21 May 2019 at 12:40 pm

          So you still don't give a shit that kids actually got injured, but there was a chance that you could have been. Oh the humanity!

          Keep up the middle class moral outrage, one day you might come down from the ivory tower and figure out why Remuera kids aren't doing this stuff or tagging from dusk till dawn.

          • Jimmy 7.1.2.2.1
            21 May 2019 at 1:30 pm

            No I don't give a shit that these kids got injured. They made the choice and got injured due to their own actions. However, I am greatly concerned (and give a shit) that while they are on the road hooning around they are putting my kids and other innocent people in danger.

            How would you feel if they drove in to your wife / daughter /son trying to evade the police?

            • McFlock 7.1.2.2.1.1
              21 May 2019 at 1:52 pm

              How would you feel if they were your kids?

              • Andre …
                21 May 2019 at 2:08 pm

                I'd feel like I seriously screwed up my responsibilities as a parent.

                There's plenty of ways to have loads of fun scaring yourself shitless with speed, heights, freefalls, explosions etc that don't involve putting strangers at risk. Anything to do with public roads and vehicles are particularly important to take responsibly and seriously, not something to get your jollies with. Because the consequences to strangers can be so severe.

                That's the attitude I think I've successfully just given my eldest (easy, he's that way inclined anyway) and I'm about to start trying to get my twins to take on board (hmm, gonna be more of a challenge, they're somewhat more neurotypical teenage boys).

                • McFlock …
                  21 May 2019 at 2:32 pm

                  I was more on Jimmy's idea that we needed to imagine a personal relationship to give a damn.

                  To me, hooning is one of those things where the negligence is there, but they're still kids. Kids make mistakes.

                  Contrast that with a court news thing I saw a while back where the hoon was basically in his late thirties – donuts, excess speed, failing to stop, ISTR it was the full trifecta. That dude, I'm totally with the "lock him up" crowd. Teens, even early twenties? I'm more ambivalent.

              • Jimmy …
                21 May 2019 at 2:53 pm

                You mean my kids driving and running from police? I would be seriously disappointed with my parenting skills, and seriously disappointed with them. I hate to think what my old man would have done to me if I had ever not stopped for police when told to.

                I don't know the statistics, but I am seriously wondering if there would be less of these terrible instances if it was advertised that the police will chase you as these young people with the nothing to lose mentality are simply putting their foot down knowing police will pull out of the chase.

                • McFlock …
                  21 May 2019 at 3:10 pm

                  You'd also be sad they got injured, no? Don't forget that bit.

                  Here are the stats. The trouble with your plan is that sometimes the offenders get away – lose the cops in back roads, get enough distance to bail, whatever. You just change the rules into more of an "all or nothing" situation. Same with stiffer penalties – that just increases the panic from an initial poor reaction.

                  The psychology and practicality of vehicle pursuits for both offender and police officer is interesting – did some reading on it about ten years ago. ISTR that if aerial unit was involved it basically doubled the chances of a successful stop. But then of course that gets limited by finance and controlled air spaces.

                  • Jimmy …
                    21 May 2019 at 3:36 pm

                    Maybe I'm too old to think like them, but if I knew the police would relentlessly pursue me I would be less likely to run as even if I initially got away they would eventually catch up to me. At the moment they know they have probably a 50% chance? of getting away and unfortunately they take the chance often with tragic results.

                    • McFlock …
                      21 May 2019 at 3:40 pm

                      The 50% includes legitimate escapes and bails.

                      And it's not a cost-benefit analysis. Kids get carried away.

                • Siobhan …
                  21 May 2019 at 3:38 pm

                  As the mother of three, and the child of a veritable gaggle of parents and step parents…let me assure you that children can be very very disappointing. It doesn't necessarily make them bad people, and sometimes they grow up to be even better than you, as a parent, deserve.

                  You clearly lack the imagination to understand that the whole point of the chase, the adrenaline rush, is from being chased..being caught is no more of a factor in the decision to flee, than the idea the cops will stop chasing. In fact its probably slightly disappointing when the cops do pull back. The whole point is these kids are not thinking, they are simply reacting to stimuli.

                  • Jimmy …
                    21 May 2019 at 4:38 pm

                    If the adrenaline rush is what they are after, then I have even less sympathy for them when they "roll the dice" and lose. They put countless innocent people at risk simply for a "high" ….very selfish.

                    I do feel sorry for the police as they are often in a no win situation.

            • mauī 7.1.2.2.1.2
              21 May 2019 at 9:30 pm

              If that did happen I'd probably feel a lot better about it knowing a sane policy was in place that didn't involve risky police chases and naughty teens that endangered more lives.

    • Adrian Thornton 7.2
      21 May 2019 at 9:37 am

      When they are 'young,dumb and full of cum', combined with whatever the fuck else has shaped their usually totally dysfunctional and violent lives, I don't think these young guys are really in a psychological space of mind to 'learn when police signal you to stop…..you stop!'

      The problems for most of these 'idiots' are far more systemic and complicated than that, that much I do know, how to fix it, that question is probably well above my pay level.

      • WeTheBleeple 7.2.1
        21 May 2019 at 10:11 am

        For an informative view on how a good place turns shitty and youth go to the pack watch all series of The Wire.

        It starts in the street but moves on to the working class supplying the street and then a larger focus with the dodgy dealing political and business class all in on their various games.

        It is startlingly profound in retrospect.

        It touched briefly upon further meddling from on high. Were the focus to enlarge further there'd be the 'philanthropic' (the PR face of the billionaire class) types behind the scenes encouraging class warfare via deals to influence money-centric law.

        • greywarshark 7.2.1.1
          21 May 2019 at 10:41 am

          Just thinking this morning about how money is just a set of formalised, legalised promises. We talk about it as if it is real and substantial, Donald Duck's Grandpa had gold coins in a pile that he used to jump into. But gold is just a token within the money system that is carefully managed as to its daily value for buying some real thing – hamburgers have been used as a standard for instance.

          If we thought in our minds when we say money, that we are talking of fairydust we would be closer to understanding the real thing we speak of. And economists have worked out how fairydust is transferred and added value to and relates to real, physical things and real work either physical or mental.

          And a Kiwi economist has made it big in his field and is speaking on Radionz about why we don't have to worry about robots and their effect on our degraded society. Get ready for some beautifully delivered fairydust tales for the political nursery school.

          10:05 Kinley Salmon : Debunking the "robocalypse"

          With all the talk of artificial intelligence and machine learning – does the technological revolution really mean that robots are knocking on the door to take many of our jobs? New Zealand economist Kinley Salmon says there is so much hype, it's hard to think straight. In his new book Jobs, Robots and Us, he argues that more people than ever are in work in New Zealand, technology isn't something that just happens to us, and that the future of work is in our own hands.

          Audio later

        • francesca 7.2.1.2
          21 May 2019 at 2:14 pm

          We The Beeple
          The Wire was set in the time when crack cocaine was flooding the ghettoes of the US courtesy of Reagan;s covert war against the Sandinista govt in Nicaragua.

          Gary Webb broke the story, only to be shunned by his fellow journalists (remind you of anyone?)vilified and discredited .Later he was vindicated, too late to save his life . He committed suicide..if shooting yourself twice in the head is a thing.

          https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu//NSAEBB/NSAEBB2/index.html

          • joe90 7.2.1.2.1
            21 May 2019 at 2:27 pm

            During the first series the FBI guy talks about how things have changed since the towers fell and heroin being sold on the street is branded WMD and Bin Laden. So it's probably set around 2003.

            • McFlock 7.2.1.2.1.1
              21 May 2019 at 9:36 pm

              It's pretty much contemporary with the time of filming. It's not a period piece.

              Great characters. Really sophisticated plots. Amazing lines and scenes (my personal favourite was the scene examination conducted purely with the word "fuck"). And Idris.

  8. A 8
    21 May 2019 at 9:36 am

    Ford has announced it will lay off 7,000 workers worldwide. Pretty shocking. That's a small town out of work.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12232788

    • alwyn 8.1
      21 May 2019 at 10:19 am

      I imagine that a lot of the people who read and comment on this site will applaud. Ford, after all, make those evil cars and trucks that are, at least in Greenies view, destroying the world. Get them all off the road. Let people go back to the 19th century and take a train or walk

      At least I imagine what our resident idiot MP Genter would say. The only cars that should be allowed on the streets of Wellington will be her beloved Beemer Limo's.

  9. cleangreen 9
    21 May 2019 at 10:06 am

    smileyAll correct WTB and Not TV.

    "We are stting in a leaky boat without an oar"

    Why? – as Jacinda's policy to tackle climate change has evaporated sady for her generation and her offspring's..

  10. adam 10
    21 May 2019 at 10:10 am

    So arresting journalists and handing down prison terms is the new norm. Thanks censorship crowd.

    https://www.thecanary.co/feature/2019/05/15/today-a-nato-country-sentenced-this-woman-to-nearly-two-years-in-jail-for-journalism/

  11. Rosemary McDonald 11
    21 May 2019 at 10:10 am

    Ring the bells! Sound the trumpets!

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12232792

    The Government will provide almost $40 million in funding for ambulance services in a bid to relieve the pressure some of the providers are under.

    But speaking to media this morning, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters gave a strong hint the Government was planning to fully fund St John in the near future.

    "I very confident that we can look forward to a day, and not very far from now, where 95 per cent of the needs of St Johns is funded from central Government."

    Although he was confident, he said he was not speaking for "the whole Cabinet, at this point in time".

    Having taken a ride in a ambulance a few weeks ago and chatting with the paramedic (over the awful clattering of the vehicle as it negotiated the bends of our sealed but twisty rural roads) I am very, very happy about this.

    I'll be positively orgasmic if Cabinet agrees to fund at least 95% of the service…Winston might be forgiven a few of his sins if he can pull this off.

    Well done.

    • greywarshark 11.1
      21 May 2019 at 10:27 am

      Sounds great Rosemary.

      • Gabby 11.1.1
        21 May 2019 at 10:37 am

        As long as it doesn't end in further cuts to rural services greysie.

        • greywarshark 11.1.1.1
          21 May 2019 at 10:48 am

          No that would be bad Gabby. Is the idea that the funding will be made available from reducing services elsewhere? Rural people need more, not less for sure.

          • Gabby 11.1.1.1.1
            21 May 2019 at 10:52 am

            The idea would be that once central government controls the finances it'll decide where it gets the biggest bang for its buck.

    • alwyn 11.2
      21 May 2019 at 10:42 am

      I see why the Winston First Party survives. People like Rosemary, after 40 years of disappointment, still believe Winston's lies.

      Actually it would be very easy to provide the full cost of running the New Zealand Ambulance services. All that is needed is to stop the taxpayer funding Winston's hobby of horse-racing. In order to keep the finances of the NZF party healthy, and to keep Winnie happy with his part ownership of racehorses, the taxpayer is throwing ever more money at all weather tracks.

      Originally it was just one track in the Waikato, probably at Cambridge. Now he has wound the ante up to 3 tracks, at Cambridge, at Awapuni and in the South Island. The largesse will come out of the Peters/Jones $3 billion slush fund. If we spent the money, which is probably up to $40 million for horses by this time, we could pay the full cost of ambulance services immediately.

      Let's do it.

      https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/sport/other/ardern-says-new-10m-all-weather-horse-racing-track-protect-significant-losses

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12091937

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12231683

      • observer 11.2.1
        21 May 2019 at 11:07 am

        Hmmm …

        Now: " it would be very easy to provide the full cost of running the New Zealand Ambulance services."

        Then:

        "PM Bill English told The AM Show on Monday ambulance operators are "not asking for full funding, we're not promising full funding … The proportion of funding is fairly high, and as I understand it has been steady over the years. When you visit the ambulance services they have got pretty good gear these days. Their staff are very well-trained."

        (May 2017)

        It's amazing how many "easy" things National never got around to doing, isn't it?

        • Wayne 11.2.1.1
          21 May 2019 at 12:56 pm

          Full funding is a pretty cheap promise and relatively easy to do. All that is true.

          Bill English was right. The Ambulance service in NZ is pretty good. Modern equipment and well staffed with people who are expert at their job. In recent years all the St Johns equipment has gone through a huge level of upgrade.

          The main reason why St Johns has not wanted full funding has been to preserve their independence. Total full funding makes that difficult. Even a small amount of donations (relative to the total cost) has helped preserve their independence.

          It will be interesting to see if St Johns will be able to continue to be independent as they have historically been.

          • Sabine 11.2.1.1.1
            21 May 2019 at 4:16 pm

            The Ambulance service in NZ is pretty good

            thanks heavesn for fundraising, volunteer work – aka unpaid work, bake sales and that stuff so that government actually ahs got nothing else to do but pay your wages and perks right?

            and i for one am sure you will want that ambulance service the day you keel over and need one. would be too bad if they showed up in a vehicle from the fifties.

            I used to work for the AA before i opened my business, the pretty good gear breaks down regularly cause it is not pretty good, just extremely well maintained by the unpaid staff, you arrogant do nothing know nothing.

          • WeTheBleeple 11.2.1.1.2
            21 May 2019 at 4:42 pm

            People don't have as much free time to donate to St John these days it takes more to make ends meet for everyone. We get a professional service we should pay for it.

            I recall my old man was attending the rugby every few weekends in season as a St John representative, he never got a dime but it was a windfall for us kids when we went: all the recycle soft drink bottles. Two cents each, two cents was money!

            Dad was never into rugby, but as a local St John guy he fulfilled his obligations. On top of helping loads of players he saved a few people after bad accidents in our village too.

            He never once appreciated that government took their service for granted, and it's been an awful long time.

            • Herodotus 11.2.1.1.2.1
              21 May 2019 at 6:46 pm

              From my understanding, if there are St Johns attending Saturday sport – St Johns are being paid by the sporting organisation.

              Sacred Heart (Auckland)has St Johns attending Saturday winter sport. The St Johns staff were called on the day 2 boys being knocked out and a broken bone and that was only the 9:00 games !!! – To cover the costs there is a coffee/Hot Chocolate stand and the old boys cover any shortfalls, great idea by the school, and I would recommend any to seek & support the coffee service.

              • WeTheBleeple …
                22 May 2019 at 8:48 am

                Thanks Herodotus. Back in the day the club might of donated to St Johns, but the actual officer didn't get paid. A free feed occasionally, but not expected. The public however were very supportive of Dad, their gratitude was obvious.

                It was even noted by some parents when he was at Te Aroha baths that they felt safer having their kids swim with him present. Then we nearly lost my brother in the same place – translucent water hid him at the bottom Dad's foot hit something and he hauled him out already unconscious.

                It must be hard being held in esteem, only to be human.

          • Sacha 11.2.1.1.3
            21 May 2019 at 4:48 pm

            What was their reasoning for wanting to be 'independent'?

      • Rosemary McDonald 11.2.2
        21 May 2019 at 11:16 am

        People like Rosemary, after 40 years of disappointment, still believe Winston's lies.

        I do?

        What lies is Winston telling that you are assuming I believe?

        Peters does nothing without a political motive and most of the time it is his privileged mates and supporters who benefit.

        This time, if his machinations pay off, we all benefit.

        Potentially.

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 11.3
      21 May 2019 at 12:30 pm

      Good stuff. The ambulance service should be a 100% public funded service, just like police etc. This 'charity' model is bullshit that only exists to allow the wealthy to avoid paying their share.

  12. greywarshark 12
    21 May 2019 at 10:44 am

    Mining our vanished past for fertiliser. Isn't that a great analogy of what is happening to us every day.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018695982/mining-company-we-have-good-motives-here

    A fossil Galaxias fish from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jon Lindqvist.

    Fossil leaves from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jennifer Bannister.

    A fossil leaf from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Tammo Reichgelt.

    A short section of core from the Foulden Maar deposit, showing annual layers (alternating yellowish and dark layers) along with underwater landslide events (thicker dark layers). Photo credit Bethany Fox.

    100x magnification of a 23-million-year-old leaf cuticle (Litsea calicarioides) from Foulden Maar, showing stomata (white) and epidermal cells (purple). Photo credit Tammo Reichgelt.

    A fossil flower (Fouldenia staminosa) from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jennifer Bannister.

    Getz Ice Shelf on the Antarctic coast Credit: NASA/Dick Ewers

    The overseas mining company seeking to expand its operation next to a fossil rich geological site of international significance in Otago, says it has good motives, and is surprised by the negative reaction. Plaman Resources is 50.9% owned by the Mayasian business Iris Corp, and 49% owned by two Australian businessmen. It has a permit to mine diatomite in Middlemarch at Foulden Maar – a 23-million-year-old crater lake at Middlemarch – and is seeking permission to buy the neighbouring property to expand the mine. The diatomite is brand named "Black Pearl" and sold as stock feed. The plan has run into strong opposition from some locals, concerned scientists and former Prime Minister Helen Clark. Kathryn talks with co-founder and CEO of Plaman Resources, Peter Plakadis.

  13. greywarshark 13
    21 May 2019 at 10:52 am

    On later on Radionz. Rod Oram first about tourism goals, which may be related to the next one on m/billionaires coming here for boltholes!

    11:30 New Zealand's billionaire doomsday preppers

    A new VICE documentary attempts to track down the overseas billionaires building boltholes in New Zealand. "Hunt for the Bunker People" follows freelance journalist Baz Mcdonald as he investigates why the super rich are looking to buy land in Queenstown as "apocalypse insurance."

    As Baz comes to terms with the causes of this paranoia, he considers the implication for Queenstown's shrinking middle class. He joins Kathryn to speak about the documentary and what he plans to do next with his investigation.

    Hunt for the Bunker People screens on VICE will be on SKY On Demand and SKY GO until May 23rd.

  14. greywarshark 14
    21 May 2019 at 11:07 am

    Insurance love it or hate it – need it.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018695812/earthquake-damage-insurance-dr-megan-woods

    Does earthquake insurance need a fundamental rethink as private insurers trim their books and EQC gets out of contents insurance?

    Kathryn Ryan speaks with the minister responsible for the Earthquake Commission, Dr Megan Woods.

    Changes to the Earthquake Commission Act come into affect on July 1st.

    They include an increase in the cap on EQC residential building cover from $100,000 to 150,000, a withdrawal of contents cover, and more transparency if earthquake claims have been made on a house in the past.

  15. Andre 15
    21 May 2019 at 11:44 am

    The Lord of the Great Grift is one step closer to getting exposed. A federal judge has ruled his accountants have to turn over his paperwork to Congress.

    https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/20/politics/mazars-trump-records/index.html

  16. joe90 16
    21 May 2019 at 12:15 pm

    Best not reveal anything that might undermine the narrative.

    Two left wing NGOs, Yesh Din and Emek Shaveh, filed a petition under the Freedom of Information Act to reveal the identities of archaeological sites and archaeologists working in the West Bank. According to Emek Shaveh, the High Court ruled to conceal the identities of the locations and archaeologists.

    https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/High-Court-rules-archaeologists-identities-and-digs-in-West-Bank-remain-undisclosed-590167

    Supreme Court rejects NGOs petition, arguing that publishing information publicly could expose archaeologists to academic boycott and undermine Israel’s position in future diplomatic negotiations.

    https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium-west-bank-archaeological-digs-must-not-be-made-public-israel-s-top-court-rules-1.7255369

  17. Muttonbird 17
    21 May 2019 at 1:07 pm

    Here’s the result of David Seymour’s incitement of violence toward Golriz Ghahraman the other day.

    Now she has to have a police escort to protect her from violent white supremacist RWNJs. This clearly proves it is far right creeps like David Seymour who are undermining the decency and safety of New Zealand society.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/05/golriz-ghahraman-gets-police-security-escort-following-seymour-menace-comments.html

    Happy now, David?

    • Sam 17.1
      21 May 2019 at 1:22 pm

      Rubbish. That's got zip nothing to do with counter terrorism operations. Fuck all to do with it, except to demonstrate how woke you are.

      • Muttonbird 17.1.1
        21 May 2019 at 1:25 pm

        Aww. Did joe90 get under your skin, sweetheart?

        • Sam 17.1.1.1
          21 May 2019 at 1:27 pm

          Your concern for Golriz lasted as long as your woke delusions.

          • Muttonbird 17.1.1.1.1
            21 May 2019 at 1:28 pm

            You're angry. Go for a walk to clear your head.

            • Sam 17.1.1.1.1.1
              21 May 2019 at 1:36 pm

              My emotions have zip fuck all to do with your knowledge and skills of counter terrorism.

        • Incognito 17.1.1.2
          21 May 2019 at 1:28 pm

          Please don’t go down this path, you two.

          • Muttonbird 17.1.1.2.1
            21 May 2019 at 1:29 pm

            Being a good moderator you'll be able to see that Sam needs a break.

            • Sam 17.1.1.2.1.1
              21 May 2019 at 1:34 pm

              as the woke nutter whispers sweet nothings into people's ears.

            • Incognito 17.1.1.2.1.2
              21 May 2019 at 1:34 pm

              I’m a lousy moderator but I do like gifting holidays for couples …

              • Muttonbird …
                21 May 2019 at 1:36 pm

                Don't drag me into it. You'll notice I've not responded to Sam after your suggestion. Sam? Not so much.

                • Sam …
                  21 May 2019 at 1:38 pm

                  Why should I respect you, Incognito or anyone else's?

                  • Incognito …
                    21 May 2019 at 1:43 pm

                    Don’t respect me but please (!) respect my requests (plural) to cut out the personal shit. Pointless personal shit is just that. You’ve already taken too much of my time.

                • Incognito …
                  21 May 2019 at 1:39 pm

                  Appreciated.

                  • Sam …
                    21 May 2019 at 1:43 pm

                    what the fuck are you on about. This is like the 100th time you've threatened to ban me. Fuck me. You give a dork a little bit of power and it goes straight to there head.

                    • Incognito …
                      21 May 2019 at 1:48 pm

                      I quite happily let you ban yourself, if you like. You think you can handle the power, Sam? The only question might be: for how long?

                    • Muttonbird …
                      21 May 2019 at 1:51 pm

                      * their

                    • James []
                      21 May 2019 at 6:49 pm

                      i genuinely snorted my drink when I read that – very funny.

                    • Sam …
                      21 May 2019 at 1:59 pm

                      Look at the people around you, incognito. Some times it's best to just focus on the people who give a dam.

          • Sam 17.1.1.2.2
            21 May 2019 at 1:32 pm

            so asides from anything the woke Australian Green Party leader decided he'd lead a caravan up the Australian coast signalling the virtues of thrift and cleanliness. Net result was 4% swing to the liberals and then in NZ, more woke nutters.

            • Gabby 17.1.1.2.2.1
              21 May 2019 at 5:17 pm

              Who's wokey cuckysambam?

              [Given my earlier requests here on OM to cut out the pointless personal shit, this looks like a deliberate provocation of Sam who seems unable to control himself when provoked and you know it – Incognito]

      • greywarshark 17.1.2
        21 May 2019 at 6:57 pm

        I thought that you had received a ban Sam. Your abusive comments deserve abusive description – they are shit. And your abuse isn't even high-class stuff. You are lowering the tone of this blog and you haven't said anything of value except your own lame opinions. We have plenty of those ourselves, in our own rubbish bins, and yours belong in yours.

        • Sam 17.1.2.1
          21 May 2019 at 7:05 pm

          Depends if you desire to be a super moderator or a super debater because when it's moderated it's actually not debating, wonder if this place is still for robust debate anymore. Where I come from debates can turn into fist fights. Besides that I was under the impression that I had received a permanent ban at one point for breaking some code of behaviour or something rather than the content of what I was saying ie moderated for ideological reasons rather than causing harm to some ones fragile frame of mind.

        • Incognito 17.1.2.2
          21 May 2019 at 7:10 pm

          I don’t want to ban Sam or anybody else for that matter. I would like him (and others) to cut out the pointless personal shit and get on with robust debate. All it takes is a small change in online behaviour that will have large positive effects on the tone on/of this site.

  18. joe90 18
    21 May 2019 at 1:11 pm

    Charming.

    (google translation)

    Stockholm’s general shelters are in poor condition.
    In the event of a crisis or war, they could not be used, according to the real estate office.
    And there is no money to fix them.

    Stockholm city is responsible for 22 active shelters. But none of them meet the requirements – and they cannot fulfill their function as shelters in the event of a crisis or war, Mitt i [local free ‘zine] can now reveal.

    The protective shelters are used today as, for example, garages. But the city is obliged to be able put them in service within 48 hours, which is currently not possible. It appears from the real estate office’s budget for the years 2020-2022.

    What would happen if there was a crisis or war?

    – We can’t handle the 48 hour limit. It is a question of how to plan, says Thomas Schillén, property manager at the real estate office.

    In order to be able to use the protective shelters, good ventilation, shock wave doors and toilets are required. It would take many millions to be able to fix them, money missing from the budget.

    – We have got a tightening of the new majority and have not received any new funds. We are tightening our staff and have other projects that take a lot of money, “says Thomas Schillén

    https://mitti.se/nyheter/skyddsrum-oanvandbara-renovering/?omrade=hela-stockholm

  20. Rosemary McDonald 20
    21 May 2019 at 1:30 pm

    The government announced yesterday the appointment of five new Deputy Chairpersons to the Human Rights Review Tribunal. Legislation has been tweaked to allow these Deputy Chairperson to make and write up decisions.

    " This Government has acknowledged the unacceptable backlog of cases before the Human Rights Review Tribunal that developed under the previous National Government and we have taken action by establishing the Deputy Chairperson positions to help reduce the growing backlog,” says Aupito William Sio. "

    https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-support-human-rights-review-tribunal

    Unfortunately, one of these Deputy Chairpersons has proven herself to be less than impartial and has, over the decade she spent fighting against disabled people and their chosen family carers, chosen to engage in tactics that in my opinion bring the profession of lawyer in (further) disrepute.

    I have sat an listened to her deliberately misinform and misrepresent our situation and on more than one occasion has actually made statements that in any other venue would be considered lying.

    Martha Coleman markets herself as being a 'human rights specialist'.. and yes she has had much experience in arguing against claims brought under NZBORA and the HRA.

    In the case of family carers being paid to provide the disability supports an eligible person has been assessed as needing her tactics failed (in numerous venues) as the lawyers from the Office of Human Rights Proceedings won the case by simply telling the truth and presenting the facts to the Tribunal and the Courts.

    Reality will occasionally prevail.

    One aspect of Coleman's career that has always intrigued me is the fact that while she was being paid by Crown Law to prepare the case against family carers she was also a member of the National Advisory Council for the Employment Of Women who stated in their March 2008 report…

    NACEW supports a framework for family caring that is based on the following principles: •that the unique contribution of family carers is the provision of emotional and associative care and this needs to be recognised and valued as a priority •that formal care packages are comprehensive responses to the intensity of a client’s needs, and do not make assumptions about the family supports available •that a client and their family members can opt for greater family involvement in care arrangements and negotiate the basis of their involvement within the care package provided •that individual family members who are contracted into explicit service roles have similar protections and rights as other workers.

    https://women.govt.nz/sites/public_files/NACEW-Financial-support-for-family-carers-2008.pdf

    Yes, I get that lawyers have to be able to argue both sides of an issue convincingly…that's probably why so many end up in politics…but to have read the above, and listened to Coleman enthusiastically and with some malice argue against it, to me calls into question her suitability to participate in decision making for a Tribunal dedicated to upholding human rights.

    The fact that Coleman leveled some of her invective against me personally most certainly colours my view.

  21. riffer 21
    21 May 2019 at 3:25 pm

    Waiting in anticipation for the report into National Party culture that was promised us once the report on Parliament culture was out. I can't seem to find it anywhere though. Wonder what's taking so long…

    • Cinny 21.1
      21 May 2019 at 5:05 pm

      Too true, didn't simon say it would be released after the parliament report?

      So that would be tomorrow then, should have been this afternoon.

  22. Dennis Frank 22
    21 May 2019 at 3:37 pm

    Stuff just reported this: "Speaking during the first reading of the bill, National leader Simon Bridges said his party was supportive of the principles of the bill but National had "real differences" and expected to see change in select committee. The Government's flagship climate change bill – technically an amendment to an earlier law – would force future governments to set a series of "carbon budgets" over the next 30 years, declining until all long-lived emissions reach net zero at 2050. It will pass first reading on Tuesday afternoon." https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/112890233/national-supports-climate-change-bill-through-first-reading

    "The proposed law is based on the United Kingdom's Climate Change Act. The bill would also set up an independent Climate Change Commission that would advise the Government on what these targets should be and how exactly governments should meet them. It would not have any independent power on its own. It's understood NZ First was particularly uncomfortable with talk about giving the commission Reserve Bank-like powers to set the emissions targets itself. Governments will also be required to set a plan for how they will respond to the various effects of climate change."

  24. Dennis Frank 24
    21 May 2019 at 3:54 pm

    Stuff: "MPs were "treated like gods" with a "master servant relationship". What about goddesses? Seems like it could be a case of unconscious sexism. Mistresses are sometimes into dominance too. There was a dominatrix in the headlines a while back, after the guy who had been paying to be dominated actually died.

    And if you call them public servants, is it really all that surprising that MPs treat them as such? What part of the residual patriarchy is so hard to grasp?

    Anyway, psychology aside, we will now have everyone carefully avoiding the implication that democracy creates toxic workplaces: "Parliament is a toxic workplace with a systemic bullying problem – Francis Review" – Andrea Vance https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/112865411/parliament-a-toxic-workplace-with-systematic-bullying-problem–francis-review

  25. Ad 25
    21 May 2019 at 4:00 pm

    Good to see National supporting Shaw's climate bill into Parliament through its first reading.

    They will protest the methane level proposed on behalf of stock farmers, so this is the limits of Shaw's persuasion.

    Not a bad result.

  26. OnceWasTim 26
    21 May 2019 at 4:19 pm

    Can you expand on your criticisms of Martha Coleman a little more for me @ RMcD?

    In what way has she spent "fighting against disabled people and their chosen family carers"? (for example).

    I'm not suggesting in any way that your assertions are incorrect.

    I'm just curious having known both Martha and brother Bruce in her formative years. Having seen how many of my peers have put comfy little lives over principle, nothing will surprise me, but I'm not yet ready to put Martha in that category.

    • OnceWasTim 26.1
      21 May 2019 at 4:35 pm

      btw @ lprent – not quite sure why this appears as 25, as opposed to 20.1 or 20.2. but it's possible I'm losing it
      Actually, assume the worst (I’m losing it) – I’d hate to have you obsessing over a potential bug that isn’t

      • Dennis Frank 26.1.1
        21 May 2019 at 5:33 pm

        Often happens to me. I think I hit the reply to comment button, then after I post it shows up at the bottom of the thread. Remedy is highlight what you wrote, ctrl C to copy it, then delete comment. Then hit the reply button to the comment you want to respond to, ctrl V to copy your response into the new window, post it and watch to ensure it does publish in the right place.

    • Rosemary McDonald 26.2
      21 May 2019 at 6:50 pm

      Coleman, working for Crown Law, was the lead in the defense for the Ministry of Health in 'Atkinson".

      One of the better precis of the case here…https://www.hrc.co.nz/enquiries-and-complaints/faqs/caring-disabled-adult-family-members/

      ….and over on Public Address here….https://publicaddress.net/access/paying-family-carers-what-was-all-the-fuss/

      As I admitted… The fact that Coleman leveled some of her invective against me personally most certainly colours my view.

      I am one of those family carers.

      I sat in on many of those hearings and watched her at work.

      I was part of the last group to be represented by the OHRP against the Crown and the Ministry, and up until the final straight Martha 'these people have a sense of entitlement' Coleman was the Crown appointed assassin.

      And oh, how she seemed to love her work.

      Yeah, yeah, lawyers are supposed to use every trick in the book to make the opposition look like shit…but come on…there are limits, surely?

      As I said…misinformation, malicious misrepresentation (well it seemed like malice from where I was sitting) and callous disregard for the people with disabilities who would die without appropriate hands- on care and those of us who provided that care…in many cases where the Ministry's own contracted providers refused to because the Ministry would not fund that level of care.

      Even after losing in Atkinson and Spencer, Coleman dug in when it came to our case (King). It beggared belief as for all intents and purposes we were the same as the Atkinson and Spencer cases. Arguably the level of complexity in the care required from and by the King plaintiffs was measurably higher than in the previous cases.

      In my particular case she argued that I was claiming to be paid for doing what 'every one else does for love'.

      The Ministry's own records show that at least 40 other spouses were being paid by the Ministry for providing care for their partner…and we had met some of these couples who couldn't understand why we were not given the same accommodation by the Ministry.

      However…Coleman knew this, must have gained at least a smidgen of an inkling what our lives are like…she sat through enough hearings and read enough of our submissions….you'd think, you'd hope, that at some point she'd actually back off and advise the Crown that the right thing to do would be to put the injustice and the discrimination right.

      But, no. And this time last year I was girding up my delicate bits to sit in a court room and listen to Coleman yet again argue a case she had already lost on more than one occasion.

      Orders came from Higher Up later last year that the Crown were to settle our case.

      Coleman et al suddenly disappeared from the opposition benches and new Crown Lawyers brought in to try and make nice.

      I occasionally fantasize that Coleman et al perhaps, in a fit of conscience, deliberately threw Atkinson and Spencer…but no. What they did do, and quite successfully, was to manage to stall any resolution for the rest of us so that National had time to concoct the Part 4 amendment to the PHD Act.

      http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2013/0022/latest/whole.html

      Bastards.

      Coleman played a significant role in a saga that has left many in the non ACC disability community, especially those with very high support needs who want to live in their own homes, feeling marginalised. And abused. And totally disillusioned with 'the system'.

      I'm sure she'll look back in pride at her work.

      • OnceWasTim 26.2.1
        21 May 2019 at 10:07 pm

        Such is the nature of the law and a good many in the legal profession (as we all know from the bullying and misogyny that's become public recently).

        I've known a few perfectly 'nice' people that turn into complete arseholes in a court room because its all about winning. If it were me, I'd be more pissed off with MoH – though not surprised given the state of much of our public service these days.

        But maybe she has turned into a complete bitch. It'd be a hell of a change over a lifetime though

        • Rosemary McDonald 26.2.1.1
          21 May 2019 at 11:09 pm

          I'd be more pissed off with MoH –

          Heh. I am pretty sure that Coleman's style perfectly complimented the Misery of Health's intent.

  27. greywarshark 27
    21 May 2019 at 10:33 pm

    Where do progressives go for comfort these days. In the USA they are almost up to two figures for shaming rape and sex between men and women if not married. Reading a book of Russian theory The Foundations of Geopolitics by Alexander Dugin there is this:

    Foundations engages with obscure strains in 20th-century fascism, relying heavily, for example, on theorist Julius Evola, who advised Mussolini and the SS and promoted extreme misogyny as well as racism for use by the Russian elite. All sex for Evola is rape and a woman outside the home “a monkey.” He and Dugin both sneer that modern men—not to mention gays, lesbians, and transsexuals—are “feminized.” In the Evola-Dugin playbook, sexual and racist anxieties lie at the root of today’s Russian fascism. And with but slight qualification, one can see Rob Porter, Steve Bannon (an Evola fan), Roy Moore, and Donald Trump as decadent facsimiles.

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-far-right-book-every-russian-general-reads

    • Jenny - How to get there? 27.1
      22 May 2019 at 7:12 am

      The Christchurch shooter has been charged with terrorism.

      What are the implications for all other white supremacists in New Zealand?

      Will they now, (finally), be put on the official terror watch list?

      Will their organisations now be ruled 'terrorist organisations' under the Suppression Of Terrorism Act?

      Will members and organisers of white supremacist and fascist groups face arrest if they try to hold triumphalist public parades and rallies?

      Will publicly displaying fascist regalia and flags become a crime, as it is in Germany?

      And if not, why not?

      Should specific amendments be made to Suppression of Terrorism Act to suppress and disrupt White Supremacist organisations?

      <a href="https://apnews.com/703d6b9cdd0d4da78e6ad0fc14f0ffa8&quot; rel="nofollow">https://apnews.com/703d6b9cdd0d4da78e6ad0fc14f0ffa8</a&gt;

  28. eco maori 28
    22 May 2019 at 6:29 pm

    Kia ora Newshub.

    seenothing any publisty is good publicity to some .

    I say the Skypath project for cycling and walking is awesome good that the project is going to start.

    M8 I'm going to pop the balloons of these new partys Tamaki don't you get the big picture you are going to help the people who have been disrespecting tangata whenua FOOL.

    I brought some cheap honey it didn't even have a sweet taste. Honey is has been a medicine for thousands of years and Maori tohunga have been healing tangata for thousands of years to.

    Tavita wahine is being lead around the mulberry Bush of the justice system if they were wealthy there would have been people paying for his death that's the system Whanau.

    I'm not even going to comment on that fool who can't see past his own faith fool in Britain.

    All I can say is I feel for the rabbit wahine in Christchurch I love my pets to maybe start a give a little page to help pay for your rabbits vacation

    Ka kite ano

  29. eco maori 29
    22 May 2019 at 6:50 pm

    Kia ora team ao Maori News.

    Tamiki is just going to help national float there toilet I have all ready give my view to not impress with him or Naro trying float his christen party to they both have egos that make them think te ra revolvers around them.

    The parliament staff problems is going to get sorted as for Tau what insults did he say to Trevor for that to happen

    Kia ora to Maori growing kiwifruit there are heaps of places in Te taiwhiti to grow kiwifruit it could easily be grown organically to big bucks.

    It's awesome that Ngati Porou are going to get the right we want from the crown
    For ower Coast and Tangaroa
    The Whana of the Pike river mine will be happy it is all finally coming to past and reveal what went wrong we know that the safety standards were dropped and that could have been the cause.

    Ka kite ano

  30. eco maori 30
    23 May 2019 at 8:21 am

    Kia ora The Am Show .

    The students strive is a awesome way to get Neanderthals attention the pollies around the Papatuanuku are pandering to money and not their children future money is the phenomenon that causes policy to be made that is good for the 00.1% that's a fact.

    A lot of consumer don't no the consumer laws but now days thanks to social media and Google we can check the laws.

    Bridget Davis I tell the mokopuna you are what you eat I think you book Bridgets Healthy Kitchen is awesome I say a healthy gute is a fact .I need to clean up my diet ma te wa

    In my view the poor commen tamariki are in a much better position with the Labour lead government if national was still in power poverty will still snowballing they would have a block on the subject and no one would be talking about it.

    I agree with Duncan Tamiki won't make the 5% threshold to get into Parliament remember he has had a few brain FARTs.

    Ka kite ano

  31. Eco maori 31
    23 May 2019 at 10:58 am

    Some Eco maori music for the minute

    https://youtu.be/jWhAoZZh8fcSl

  33. Eco Maori 33
    23 May 2019 at 11:55 am

    my devices are playing up

  34. Eco maori 34
    23 May 2019 at 12:44 pm

    Some Eco Maori music for the minute

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v2AC41dglnM

  35. Eco maori 35
    23 May 2019 at 2:36 pm

    Eco maori champions wahine equal rights the Women of Influence award is a great way to achieve that goal of more Wahine getting into managing our Papatuanuku .

    Nominations are open for the seventh annual Women of Influence awards, a celebration of change makers and inspiring women.

    Sponsored by Stuff and Westpac, the awards have previously recognised politicians, philanthropists, businesswomen and artists.

    Jackie Clark, of South Auckland social welfare charity The Aunties, won the supreme award last year. In 2017, former prime minister Helen Clark received the lifetime achievement award. Kate kite ano links below

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/women-of-influence/112888859/know-any-women-of-influence-awards-look-to-honour-change-makers

  36. Eco maori 36
    23 May 2019 at 6:29 pm

    Kia ora Newshub.

    Its is good that the IPCA has stated that the police chaser was at fault now that a problem has been admitted prosess can be put in place to minimize the losses of life.

    Bit of drama with the ambulances people wages.

    I have had a good flue it was Monday when I got it a week ago .

    Those Christians political parties will take us back 100years with their neanderthal views.

    Students strike is what is needed to get the common people view out there above the oil barons $$$$$$$$$$ it is there future we are stuffing NOW.

    I feel for the people who are in the atrocitie weather that is happening in America at the minute the common people will suffer the most.

    The Queen keeping up with technology the shopping kiosk are very good no need to talk to anyone I have a swarm of puppets following me around. Kate kite ano

  37. Eco maori 37
    23 May 2019 at 6:48 pm

    Kia ora te ao Maori news

    I have said that the 2 new Christian political party's will drag Aotearoa back 100years.

    It's awesome that Ngati Porou is finally getting our mana back to care for Tangaroa and his creation.

    Its better to have a Labour lead government helping tangata whenua than a national lead government that takes from the poor and gives to the wealthy FOOL not everyone is going to be happy its quite hard for that phenomenon in Maoridom

    Cool Maori art on display at the Auckland airport it gives Eco Maori a sore face to see all the interest in Maori culture and te reo now it was not like that just a few years ago.

    Ka kite ano

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    7 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Monday, Nov 27
    PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the new government’s policies of yesteryear
    This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on Friday Routinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    7 days ago

  • The New Government’s Agreements
    Last Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    7 days ago

  • How many smokers will die to fund the tax cuts?
    Maori and Pasifika smoking rates are already over twice the ‘all adult’ rate. Now the revenue that generates will be used to fund National’s tax cuts. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The devil is always in the detail and it emerged over the weekend from the guts of the policy agreements National ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • How the culture will change in the Beehive
    Perhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago

  • No More Winnie Blues.
    So what do you think of the coalition’s decision to cancel Smokefree measures intended to stop young people, including an over representation of Māori, from taking up smoking? Enabling them to use the tax revenue to give other people a tax cut?David Cormack summed it up well:It seems not only ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023.  Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chief  Exclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Some of it is mad, some of it is bad and some of it is clearly the work of people who are dangerous ...
    On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • “Revolution” is the threat as the Māori Party smarts at coalition government’s Treaty directi...
    Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website, Point of Order turned today to Scoop’s Latest Parliament Headlines  for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • The Good, the Bad, and the even Worse.
    Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • When it Comes to Palestine – Free Speech is Under Threat
    Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago

  • Thank you Captain Luxon. Was that a landing, or were we shot down?
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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