Open mike 21/07/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, July 21st, 2019 - 201 comments
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201 comments on “Open mike 21/07/2019 ”

  1. Andre 1

    Why settle for just Crimea? Looks like Pootee might be setting the stage for a grab at the rest of Ukraine.

    https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/putin-russians-ukrainians-are-one-people/ar-AAEC5Q8?li=BBqdg4K&ocid=mailsignout

    • Morrissey 1.1

      Yes, you're quite the Russian scholar. However, I note that your carefully considered theory about those evil masterminds controlling the puppet Trump has yet to be backed up with evidence.

      Продолжайте в том же духе, мой друг!

    • johnm 1.2

      President Putin only speaks the truth. The Ukraine was part of the USSR. It's eastern half are Russian speaking. When the Ukraine became independent in 1991 Russia had an historical agreement to use the port of the Crimea. Western Ukraine is nearer to Berlin than Madrid. During WW11 there was a strong fascist group who welcomed the German invaders. The last legitimate government was pro Russian but was toppled by a CIA funded insurrection. If Russia had wanted to it could have taken over the Ukraine in 24 hours. MH17 was shot down by Ukraine fascist forces not the Russians or the independent Russian east of the Country. The Crimea voted democratically to become part of Russia and is now so.

      • joe90 1.2.1

        The Ukraine was part of the USSR.

        Ukraine was invaded by the Soviets.

        TIFIFY

        • In Vino 1.2.1.1

          Liberated from German Nazi occupation by the Soviets. Re- FIFY.

          • joe90 1.2.1.1.1

            Reoccupied by the same totalitarian Stalinist regime responsible for the genocidal, man-made famines that cost between 4 and 8 million ethnic Ukrainians their lives.

            • In Vino 1.2.1.1.1.1

              True, but many Ukrainians who had at first welcomed the Nazis, after getting to know them, did actually appreciate being 'liberated'. The lesser of two evils, believe it or not. But rabid anti-communist, pro-Western propaganda always pushes the meme that Stalin was 'worse than Hitler'. To my mind he was equally evil, but in different ways. The Ukraine was an unlucky country, a bit like Poland, which itself was never the ideal democracy for which Britain professed to go to war.. We are lucky to have been born here rather than there, if you are as old as I am..

      • Psycho Milt 1.2.2

        President Putin only speaks the truth.

        I was pretty sure the rest of your comment wouldn't be able to top that for obvious wrongness, but it was a surprisingly close-run thing.

      • Stuart Munro. 1.2.3

        Have you any evidence of this "CIA funded insurrection"? Comparatively few former Soviet satellites want to return to being Russian clients – something to do with quality of governance.

        Austria too had "a strong fascist group who welcomed the German invaders", will you be cheering Putin if and when he decides to annex them, or are they allowed to exercise their democratic franchise without his permission?

        • higherstandard 1.2.3.1

          It's young Ed…….I humbly suggest DNFTT as I did with Moz upthread.

          [Prove that johnm is a sockpoppet of Ed and address the topic instead of guessing the identity of a commenter and playing the DNFTT game; I have warned so many times about leaving sockpoppets to the moderators but it seems to fall on deaf ears. If not, I offer you a three-week ban – Incognito]

          • Stuart Munro. 1.2.3.1.1

            If it's Ed he's learned to be a bit less over the top, which is all he needed to do.

          • Morrissey 1.2.3.1.2

            You fed me, and you fed me well, me ol' cobber!

            • Gabby 1.2.3.1.2.1

              Many many countries yearn for warm embrace of Mother Russia comrade morpisski. Is only matter of time.

              • Morrissey

                I have no problem with people being anti-Russian, Gabby—I'm no fan of Putin and his cronies, either. What I am concerned about is this nonsense about Russians—and those dastardly masterminds the North Koreans as well!— controlling Trump as some sort of Manchurian Candidate. Any outlet that repeats these lies, not just once or twice, but daily, weekly, monthly, every single day since Trump got his disgusting carcass into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue can not taken as a serious or credible news organization.

          • Incognito 1.2.3.1.3

            See my Moderation note @ 4:30 PM.

          • higherstandard 1.2.3.1.4

            اذهب يمارس الجنس مع نفسك

            [Thank you for your most obliging response that avoided any doubt or confusion. Your efforts to lift The Standard to a higher standard are much appreciated and in return, I give the promised three-week ban plus another three for using a language that is not one of the three official languages of Aotearoa-New Zealand – Incognito]

            [I checked your history here and it was only early this year that you were given amnesty from a permanent ban. You also seem to have missed out on a three-month ban by Lynn, which somewhat ironically was about bad language: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21-06-2019/#comment-1630221, but I will now correct that oversight – Incognito]

  2. Andre 2

    An interesting look at electric vehicle production scale-up around the world.

    https://cleantechnica.com/2019/07/19/european-electric-car-market-news-triple-the-number-of-models-more-battery-factories/

    Down the bottom there's a graphic about the motivations to change to electric in different parts of the world. Very little of it is about greenhouse gases and climate change, but air pollution is a big factor along with regulatory compliance. China's economic interest is shown by two of their big motivations being developing an electric vehicle export industry and reducing dependence on oil imports.

    • Graeme 2.1

      There was one, or maybe two, options missing off that list of motivations,

      • Because electric gives a better vehicle
      • Because electric is cheaper to run and maintain

      The focus on mandated change is a bit ICE centric, the switch will happen because electrics are better vehicles on so many practical grounds.

      Just like you don't see as many extension leads on building sites now, so much is battery tools now.

      • Andre 2.1.1

        Yeah, that better driveability is a big one. Pretty soon people that enjoy driving will be going electric because it's so much better. It'll only be genuine petrolheads that live their lives with an extended middle finger left on the dino-juice.

        When it comes to cars, I have zero shame about what I'm seen in and I'm a reasonable bush mechanic, so my usual habit is to buy an oldish car and drive it into the ground. Flash cars just don't do it for me anymore, I scratched that itch once long ago and it's never come back. But jeez I'm getting tempted by an i3.

        That cost of ownership will also be a big one. In most US markets, the 5 year cost of ownership for a Tesla Model3 is probably already below cars like Corollas, Camrys Accords etc. Won't be long before the cost of batteries drops enough that the initial purchase price of electric is lower than dino-mobiles.

        • Pat 2.1.1.1

          Quick search shows EVs in US are exempt from VED (currently)…the lifetime cost comparison calculation is impacted by that fact

          • Andre 2.1.1.1.1

            A bit like here, a mix of federal funding, state and local taxes. There is a federal fuel tax, but it's much lower than here and applies equally to diesel and petrol. The federal fuel tax doesn't come anywhere close to covering the cost of national highways (unlike here), the federal component of funding gets a hefty top-up from other taxes.

            There's no RUCs on light vehicles anywhere, but I'm fairly sure there's some kind of system like RUCs for heavy vehicles that varies at state levels. You used to see trucks with many different state number plates (don't remember if that was still the case last time back five years ago).

            • bwaghorn 2.1.1.1.1.1

              The government needs to signal when rucs will be put on evs. It will have to happen eventually so why not decide now .

              • Pat

                they have i believe…2021 I think but that may change depending on uptake…I think there is a fleet percentage tipping point

            • Pat 2.1.1.1.1.2

              yes apologies …after asking the question a quick search revealed the answer….hence the change of comment.

              Not that it changes many of the advantages of EVs but it should be remembered that current running cost calculations will not continue to apply

              • alwyn

                There was an interesting article on the subject of EV costs on page F3 of yesterdays DomPost.

                I can't find a link to it online at the moment unfortunately.

                What he suggests is that, if you allow for RUC at the existing rate, and can't get by with charging at home it will cost more to run a Leaf than a Corolla. Even if you can get by with the limited recharge potential and don't pay any RUC it will take you 150,000 km to recover the extra cost. If you include RUC you will have to drive the EV for 500,000 km to save the extra capital cost to drive the thing.

                There are other reasons besides saving money for buying an EV. It is the saving in fuel that most people I have talked to seem to rave about though. If RUCs come in, as surely they must there certainly won't be any fuel savings there to justify people paying for an EV though, will there?

                Just why do EVs cost as much as they do. Having looked at the motor in a Leaf, and compared it to the beast under the bonnet in a friends new Honda Civic Type R, which costs the same amount, it can't be the motor that costs money. What do the battery packs really cost?

                • Andre

                  Last article I saw on battery pack costs were that Tesla expected to go under USD100/kWhr at the cell level later this year, then under USD100/kWhr at the pack level next year. Tesla seem to be widely reputed to be way lower in battery costs than anyone else, even the Chinese.

                  When EVs become widespread, the whole RUC/excise tax heavy/light vehicle cost split really will need to be looked at. There's some petrol cars already on the market where the petrol cost/km is fuckall more than RUCs for light vehicles.

                • Pat

                  that would appear roughly correct…assuming a newish 1500cc corolla averaging their claimed 4.5l/100k, however as Andre has noted once the EV fleet increases the whole system of RUC (and fuel taxes for that matter) will have to be reviewed…or I guess we could toll roads,or pay 100% from general taxation….whatever way its cut there will be noise.

      • Sacha 2.1.2

        you don't see as many extension leads on building sites now, so much is battery tools

        Also driven by the change in health & safety standards to require electrical cord testing and tagging every few months. Less cost and interruption if you only use batteries.

        • Graeme 2.1.2.1

          The H&S aspect isn't all that different to the emissions issue with vehicles, a move to a better environment, I was pretty much over getting lit up regularly, and there’s also that battery tools are as effective, and in a lot of cases more effective, than mains powered gear

    • Bearded Git 2.2

      Interesting, especially the fact that China is going to dominate world EV battery production by 2023 with Europe and the USA far behind.

  3. Ad 3

    Angela Merkel celebrates Klaus von Stauffenberg's plot to kill Hitler in 1944

    She called him and his conspirators "true patriots".

    I've never seen a leader of a country celebrating an attempt to kill her predecessor. Theresa May hasn't memorialized Cromwell, nor Macron celebrated Sieyes.

    https://www.dw.com/en/germany-merkel-commemorates-hitler-assassination-plot-75-years-after-operation-valkyrie/a-49660510

    Angela Merkel has class.

    • Anne 3.1

      She's going to be sorely missed after 2020.

    • CHCoff 3.2

      The better the democratic structure/environment, the less it has to be pointing out the blindingly obvious to the blind in the hope of improvement, rather than just moving on to the better know how.

  4. Lprent: the site feed is featuring posts from a blog called "An Average Kiwi," which read like the blog should actually be called "An Average Wingnut." Just mentioning it as it doesn't seem like the kind of stuff we'd usually see in the feed.

    • Robert Guyton 4.1

      Looked at the three posts earlier and thought, "Rubbish!"

    • Incognito 4.2

      Yes, I saw those last night shortly after they appeared and left a message for Lynn at the back-end. Could have been written by a regular here who calls themselves a “skeptic of climate alarmism”. Anti-CC and anti-CE messages seem be ramping up and although I’m not a conspiracist it does suggest some kind of coordination behind it.

      • Andre 4.2.1

        ISTR "An average kiwi" has been a sidebar regular for a long time. But a look at their site looks like all the old stuff has been deleted since they've gone on this denial binge.

        While it's rare, it's not wholely unheard of for someone to be mostly rational, but hold some waaaaayyyyy out there views on some topics. Ken at Open Parachute being an example from the sidebar.

        • Incognito 4.2.1.1

          Ta, good to know that the ‘system’ hasn’t been hijacked then.

          • Andre 4.2.1.1.1

            "An average kiwi" may have been hijacked or suffered a substantial blow to the head. But I don't think it's a sign of a problem at The Standard.

        • Psycho Milt 4.2.1.2

          Oh, right – I saw there were only a few posts on there and figured it was a new arrival on the feed.

  5. Observer Tokoroa 5

    About Bernard Hickey

    I have no doubt that the Accountant above is talented and knowledgeable. But he delivers his words very fast.

    So that persons of my motor speed – maximising at about an illegal 170 Kph on state highway 1, deliberately I slow the car down. While Bernard heads toward supercallerfragerllisticoutterstreaks. He is flying in the Nether Nether Land.

    I think he feels that Grant Robertson is not Spending enough money. His words scrabbled.

    But Crikey, The Bloody Great Fonterra Building at Lichfield – running on Coal to purify Milk of all things – is in nasty trouble …

    Fletchers Mighty Constructions have slunk back to sucking peppermint lollies – and have cancelled any major buildings. I think they might being doing Letter boxes. But there is not much call for those.

    Sir John Key is managing Five Big Businesses and unknown numbers of Blonds.

    Cadburys have moved off into darkness.

    Northland – has decided to stop all work

    The Teachers are on the streets begging for $300 a day for 6hrs a day work. For Auckland has very special cars, very special Streets, very special houses, very special water, very special toilets, very special toilet paper, very special alcohol, very special bottoms and so forth.

    Their children are on drugs – keeping out of mischief – apparently.

    The Farmers are suiciding. But they always have. They blame it on the Cities.

    Grant Robertson is holding some Money for a rainy day. He is not a Hickey Lotto Bloke.

    Onya Grant ! You are sane ! Thank Heavens.

  6. johnm 6

    In this episode of teleSUR's Days of Revolt, Chris Hedges interviews economist Michael Hudson on the history of classical economics and explores Marx’s interpretation of capitalism as exploitation

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4ylSG54i-A

    • johnm 6.1

      In this episode of Days of Revolt, Chris Hedges continues his discussion with UMKC economics professor Michael Hudson on his new book Killing the Host: How Financial Parasites and Debt Bondage Destroy the Global Economy. Hedges and Hudson expose the liberal class’ allegiance to the predatory creditors on Wall Street and their indifference to real economic justice.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMuIoIidVWI

  7. Ad 7

    Alexandria Ocazio-Cortez wants a commission into the separation of families in the UNited States, through their border services:

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jul/20/ocasio-cortez-911-style-commission-migrant-family-separations

    We should invite her over here to check the results of the three inquiries we've got going into Oranga Tamariki.

  8. Incognito 8

    We seem to have had a little glitch.

  9. The Chairman 10

    Ardern says the Government has made some moves in their direction – the families package, for instance.

    "But I accept there are people who feel those policies may not have touched them in the same way. We know there's that constant pressure on them. It's something as a Government that we're giving continual thought to."

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/114369999/jacinda-ardern-has-some-unfinished-business

    In other words, they have no ideas as yet. But I see Jacinda is using the old families package line again, although it is wearing rather thin considering the increase in hardship.

    • Robert Guyton 10.1

      "In other words, they have no ideas as yet"

      "It's something as a Government that we're giving continual thought to."

      Continual, Chairman: "continuing indefinitely in time without interruption"

      That's clearly what's required and what Ms Ardern said the Government was doing, yet your re-wording tells a different, your (rhymes with Eeyore), story. Pure dark-cloud speculation on your part. As usual.

      • The Chairman 10.1.1

        If they had an idea of what they were going to do they wouldn't still be thinking about it (ie giving it continual thought) they would be announcing it, Robert.

        • Robert Guyton 10.1.1.1

          So you propose, seemingly unable to factor-in some quite simple factors such as; incomplete data, test results pending, advice yet to be received, etc. It's little wonder people here tease you for being one of the Soggy Bottom boys, Chair!

          • The Chairman 10.1.1.1.1

            Not at all. But again, if they had done all that ground work they'd be announcing their plan, not still be thinking about it.

            Clearly, you fail to see the void batting away a CGT has created. Now they are struggling to fill it.

            They will be hard pressed to replace such a revenue generator such as that was going to be.

  10. alwyn 11

    I see that Ron Mark is proposing that our leader really shouldn't be using the old Air Force 757s and should charter planes. Out of curiosity I had a look at what it would cost to charter Peter Jackson's private jet, a Gulfstream.
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12251315

    There was an estimate that it would cost just over $90,000 to take 10 people on a 2 day trip from Wellington to Fiji. That is about the same distance and time of Ardern's trip from Auckland to Mebourne.

    Why can't she simply travel, in Business Class to be sure, instead of having to pretend that we need our own pretend version of an Air Force 1? If the PM is going somewhere where there are only very limited commercial flight taking an Air Force jet. Auckland to Melbourne is just a joke. There are any number of flights available and we commoners don't really smell that bad that she can't travel in the same plane surely?

    • Morrissey 11.1

      Peter Jackson should provide at least a couple of jets gratis to the government, considering a large part of his wealth springs from that shabby blackmail deal that his Warner Bros. controllers foisted on us.

    • McFlock 11.2

      1: how many people travel with the PM on these trips?

      2: Mark seemed to be proposing this because the jets might not be fit for purpose and tend to break down, rather than it not being an appropriate use.

      • alwyn 11.2.1

        I'm quite sure that Ron Mark thinks it is appropriate to use the Air Force as private transport for pollies.

        After all his Boss, Tsar Winston has also got into the habit. How long do you think Ron would survive if he said it was a total waste of money? Doesn't it make it sensible or a good way of spending the taxpayers money though, does it?

        • Incognito 11.2.1.1

          Who is the boss of Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence?

          • alwyn 11.2.1.1.1

            The Boss if the Hon Ron Mark is, as I am sure you are very well aware, The Right Hon Winston Peters.

            Do you realise that Winston Peters, or Tsar Peters as those familiar with him say, is the only person in the current New Zealand Parliament who is a member of the Privy Council? That is the group of advisors to the person who is our Head of State. He is the only one.

            He may, in theory, be responsible to Ms Ardern but in practice he, and the other Ministers in the New Zealand First Caucus, are beholden only to Winston.

            Seriously, can you really imagine Jacinda sacking him without Winston's say-so? If you do I would have to say that you are dreaming.

            • Incognito 11.2.1.1.1.1

              Are you familiar with Winston Peters?

              • alwyn

                Hmm. When I check the dictionary meaning of the word I would have to say that I did not choose my word wisely.

                The dictionary offers, as an adjective

                "in close friendship; intimate.

                synonyms:close, intimate, dear, near, confidential, bosom"

                and as a noun

                "a close friend or associate."

                So no, I would have to say I am not. I have had quite a lot of dealings with him in the past but I certainly wasn't a close friend.

                I'm not quite sure what the right word would be but it isn't "familiar" when I consider the definition. I certainly wasn't one of his mates at after working hours visits to the Green Parrot.

                • Incognito

                  No problem, Alwyn, but in that case you may want to stop referring to the Right Hon Winston Peters as “Tsar Peters”? Just asking.

                  • alwyn

                    I see. I am, although not an Initiate of the Peters cult, using some of the things reserved for those of you who are? That nickname is reserved for his closest friends, drinking buddies and for members of his racing partnerships I take it.

                    Or is it like the Russian use of diminutives for names, where the name used by strangers differs from the one used by very close friends of very close relatives?

                    Or am I releasing the secrets of the Lodge. Is use of the nickname like someone learning and using the secret handshakes used, at least apocryphally by Masons. Whatever the cause does it upset you that I am using nicknames that I am not supposed to?

                    Or is it perhaps something as simple as people who get upset by references to the Prime Minister as Jacinda, rather than The Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern MP?

                    • Incognito

                      Alwyn, despite your attempts to deflect, the fact is that only you use this term and I, for one, would be quite pleased if you stopped it. IMO, it is on par with the sloppy use of the (denigrating) terms “woke” or “simple Simon”, for example. Just saying.

                    • alwyn

                      OK Just for you I'll do it.

                      Out of curiosity what do you think of phrases like "ShonKey" and "Soiman".

                    • Incognito []

                      Much appreciated and funny that you need to ask.

                    • Muttonbird

                      Accurate.

                      Shonkey adj. – not entirely trustworthy, of shady character, ill reputed.

                      Soimon It's what he calls himself – who are we to argue?

                    • alwyn

                      You weren't actually included in this conversation.

                      Can I refer to you with a variation on your name? It seems appropriate and accurate, given the dictionary definition, to refer to you as "muttonhead".

                      From https://www.dictionary.com/browse/muttonhead

                      "noun Informal.

                      a slow-witted, foolish, or stupid person; dolt."

                    • Incognito []

                      But Alwyn, this is Open Mike where everybody is free to join in. Of course, Muttonbird could have asked your permission to join in but instead gave their unsolicited opinion. I think we should update the policy to make it a bannable offence to respond to a comment or post for that matter without explicit permission or personalised invitation. What are people thinking? How rude!

                    • Sam

                      Pfft. The 757s will be replaced some time late 2020z. Probably by secondhand AirNZ planes. Wtf are you guys on about?

        • McFlock 11.2.1.2

          The 757s aren't just for ferrying vips around. We use them for disaster response, as well. Not often, but we need them occasionally. Especially the sorts of jobs where the charterer might go "you want to take our plane where? OK, but the danger money is $$$".

          So then the question is "if we have the pilots and the plane anyway, surely the 'cost' is largely an internal accounting issue".

    • Sam 11.3

      economically it only makes sense to charter if you earn over $60m per year. So if you can load up a plane with $60m in salaries then go for it. Otherwise it would make more sense to travel business class. If you can’t Justify air travel then your using the same amount of carbon on an one way to Melbourne than the average person accumulates in a year which is a waste.

      Flying a charter works out to be about 3hrs of saved time by not having to go through customs, baggage handling, stop overs ect. Y'know at $6kp/h or $60mp/a this is where it starts to make sense to charter. So first you need the 60m salary and have traveled more than 200hrs a year to justify a buy a Global 7500 business jet with 14hr flight times and upto 18 passengers or just lease.

    • Exkiwiforces 11.4

      I'm surprise they haven't charted an AirNZ Airbus for such Flt's across the ditch? Be a lot cheaper than a B757 Flt and some free PR for AirNZ or take a leaf out of the Queen/ Royals who fly's in the odd BA aircraft.

      • alwyn 11.4.1

        If you charter a plane you have to pay with it in a way that shows up in the Government accounts. Then people can see how much they are wasting just to give them a boost to their ego. That way they can pretend they are like the Donald.

        Using one of the Air Force planes is covered up as being training and they would have done the flight anyway in order to keep the flight crew current on their flying time. Thus they pretend it is free.

        Of course if you really believe that line of b*s I have a bridge between Manhattan and Brooklyn that I am sure you will be interested in buying.

    • Gabby 11.5

      How did Sirponyboy travel wally?

  11. The Chairman 12

    The minister will be taking a paper to Cabinet at the end of the year that will lay out next steps in the "overhaul".

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/07/greens-call-out-labour-over-failure-to-increase-benefits.html

    Lets hope they get it right this time around, ensuring they put in place a vast pay increase in core benefit rates. Especially for those deemed to be in long-term need, such as the ill and disabled.

    • Drowsy M. Kram 12.1

      Thanks for that – good news and good move by the Green party, wouldn't you agree?

      • The Chairman 12.1.1

        A long awaited move by the Greens and the Government.

        AAAP got the ball rolling, the media has run with it, so it was about time the Greens got in there, even the opposition had a go.

        Everyone just needs to keep the pressure on.

        • Drowsy M. Kram 12.1.1.1

          Yes, it was "a long awaited move", "about time", etc., but that's not what I asked.

          Do you, The Chairman, agree that this move by the Green party to apply pressure on the Government (as per your linked news item) is a good move?

          • The Chairman 12.1.1.1.1

            Of course. It was a good, long awaited move.

            • Drowsy M. Kram 12.1.1.1.1.1

              A good move by the Green party – great. smiley

              • The Chairman

                Interesting there is no mention of it on their news feed on their website.

                A sign of how important an issue it is to them?

                • Robert Guyton

                  "The Newshub-Reid Research poll had the worst outlook for National, slipping to a 14-year-low of 37.4 percent – well behind Labour, who leapt to 50.8."

                  Crikey, Chair! Time to celebrate!! Pin on your Labour Party rosettes and let's party!

                  • The Chairman

                    For a moment there I thought that may have been a new poll perhaps indicating a polling trend.

                    That was one of two polls at the time with wildly differing results.

                    Old news, Robert.

                    Trying to distract from what's absent in the Greens news feed?

                    • Robert Guyton

                      Chair, this "wot wosn't in the Green feed" is the weakest ploy from you yet, and there have been a number that have been dishwater-feeble. I'll not even bother, but regarding the stale poll, Labour, 50.8!!

                      News like that never gets old! 3 chairs for Labour!!

                    • Drowsy M. Kram

                      Three Chairs for Labour” – love it. Here are three quotes that will no doubt bring a tear to The Chair's one eye.

                      "we just want them to go, like Maureen Pugh is ***king useless" – Simon (I forget his surname, but he's the current leader of the opposition National party)

                      "It dawned on me, ‘I know this script, I helped write this script.’ At that point, I felt bad for what I did to Todd. But that’s the modus operandi of the National party – when people become a liability you push them out the door." – Jami-lee Ross, former National party senior whip (Oct 2018)

                      "I felt that the National party deployed everything they possibly could to stop me and they turned dirty and nasty. They were doing all they knew how to with the skill set that they had." – Jami-lee Ross (Feb 2019)

                      Dirty Politics: How attack politics is poisoning New Zealand’s political environment

                  • alwyn

                    It's good to see that you, even based in the deep South, seem to be able to keep so up to date on the news.

                    You did notice, I hope, that because of the prevailing Southerlies and therefore the very cold weather we have been having over the last couple of months the story you link to was from about six weeks ago? Carrier pigeons really don't like having to hasten through cold winter storms do they.

                    Does it really take so long for information to get to you? Perhaps in another month or so you will see something from the same time about another poll from TV1 which disagreed with your story. May the Blizzard be with you in the meantime.

                    Snap. While I was typing this I see The Chairman responded in a similar vein

                    • Muttonbird

                      It is the latest poll. What other information is one supposed to use?

                      Until the next poll comes out, National are sub 40 and dropping.

                      Not a great place to be, I'm sure you'll agree.

                    • Robert Guyton

                      I didn't notice that, Alwyn, leaving me looking a right duffer! Never mind, I was only playing with the Chair. As for the delay we experience in getting live news, it's a blessing really; I wonder who the next POTUS will be: I've tired a little with Obama.

                      smiley

                    • alwyn

                      @Muttonbird.

                      You could look at the TV1 Poll from the same day. Of course I doubt if you really want to see National having risen and Labour having dropped and National back in the lead. It would probably put you right of your feed.

                    • alwyn

                      @Robert.

                      I am tempted to tell you but I hate to spoil your anticipation as you follow the 2016 Presidential Campaign. I'll give you a hint though. It isn't another Bush. As Barbara Bush said. Two is enough. Past that I will not go. You are just going to have to wait.

                      smiley

                    • Robert Guyton

                      I just hope to God they don't elect an idiot.

                  • The Chairman

                    Ploy you say?

                    This is no ploy, Robert. Just telling it how it is. The news feed is lacking. And it sends the wrong message.

                    It took this long for them to comment on the issue and they don't even cover it on their own news feed. Can you believe it?

                    So much for them putting the pressure on.

                    • Robert Guyton

                      Digging your daft hole deeper, Chair? You seem to lack self-awareness but worry not, help is at hand; we'll tell you when you stray into trite territory, make a Wally of yourself and flog that dead horse of your own creation too far. You're claiming that something that doesn't exist "sends the wrong message". Given that there are an infinite number of things that don't exist, your head must be ringing with wrong messages – hang on! I've cracked it, your malady; a head-full, wrong messages clamouring for your attention! No wonder you can't think straight.

                      No need for any thank-yous, Chair, just be kind to yourself, press your inner reset button and have another go tomorrow when you're feeling rested.

                    • Robert Guyton

                      When asked if The Greens actions were good, the Chair was uncharacteristically unequivocal:

                      "Of course. It was a good, long awaited move."

                      BUT shortly afterwards, he reverted to type;

                      "The news feed is lacking.

                      And it sends the wrong message.

                      It took this long for them to comment on the issue and they don't even cover it on their own news feed.

                      Can you believe it?"

                      That the Chair is Eeyore?

                      Never doubted it.

                  • The Chairman

                    It's not just something that doesn't exist, Robert. It's coverage of an important news item (that's meant to be leveraging pressure on the Government) that is actually missing on their own news feed. So, of course it sends the wrong message.

                    They are either slack at updating their news feed or they don't see it as being that news worthy.

                  • The Chairman

                    It's still absent from their news feed, Robert.

                    https://www.greens.org.nz/media

                    Why do you think that is? They don't want to rock the boat too much?

                    • Robert Guyton

                      Still absent, Chair!!!

                      This is even more outrageous than when it was simply absent; no wonder you've your knickers in a painful twist!

                      I only hope, for the sake of your circulation, the newsfeed isn't empty again, later today! Three-times as empty as when you first declared it empty! I doubt The Greens have any chance at all now, of being part of the next Government! Three times empty!!

                      I have to commend you, Chair, you certainly have an eye for empty and an ability to fluff-up something from nothing! You're the King of Empty, in my book, the Great Vacuum, the Viceroy of Void.

                      I wonder what else you'll discover isn't there, oh Dedicated Supporter of the Left?

                    • Incognito []

                      ex nihilo nihil fit

                    • Robert Guyton

                      Yes and I apologise to anyone who might have tried to follow the descent into the void; I take full responsibility for giving The Nothing any oxygen at all. My final word on the non-matter smiley

                    • Incognito []

                      Ouch! The true Left and ‘more left than most’ collectively seem to regard you as a “frickin clown”, according to their spokesperson. One wonders what they’d call you when you not just not disapprove of the (absent) newsfeed of the Green Party but also not raise some really serious concerns about their perceived abysmal PR and communication on core issues; the mind boggles.

                    • The Chairman

                      Dedicated supporter of the left indeed, Robert.

                      And we on the left consider core benefit increases a major issue.

                      Therefore, compounded by the fact it took so long for the Greens to break their silence on this issue, not covering it on their own news feed is another slap in the face for their support base on the left.

                      They aren't even doing enough to show their own support base that they care, let alone putting pressure on Labour.

                      And supporters like you commenting as you are don't do them any favours. In fact, I was just asked by a visitor (who looked at your comments) who is this frickin clown.

                    • Robert Guyton

                      You direct your visitors to look at your pointless, substance-free comments on a political blog???

                      What a strange person you are, Chair.

                      "Quick, Delores, come see what I jus' writ!"

                    • Sam

                      You sound like McTrash, Robert.

                    • Robert Guyton

                      You have a finely-tuned ear, Sam.

                    • Sam

                      i just don't think the woke have nearly as much support as they claim.

                    • Incognito []

                      If you can point to their “claim” of support, maybe then I can figure out whom you’re referring to. As it stands, it all sounds so vague

                    • Robert Guyton

                      Your favourite word, sam! Oh how you love to use it. It's well and truly a cliche now; perhaps you like to use an equivalent, or at least define what exactly it is you mean by "woke"? Then you might find we can understand what you are attempting to convey; words are like that; they need to be understood by both deliverer and receiver.

                    • Muttonbird

                      Soimon's using it too, in radio interviews. That puts him, the confused Sam, and bearded Bomber Bradbury in special company together.

                    • Sam

                      The woke over inflate Green polling by at least 1%. Come election results there true power is revealed – It's all spin, bullshit, virtue signal, bluster, genital issues, depression, mental illnesses, economic illiteracy, so on and so fourth.

                    • Incognito []

                      You said:

                      i [sic] just don’t think the woke have nearly as much support as they claim. [my bold]

                      Then you say:

                      The woke over inflate Green polling by at least 1%.

                      So far, I’ve only seen claims by you and I still don’t know whom you’re talking about.

                      Yesterday, another commenter got quite shitty with me when I asked to back-up their comment and it ended with that commenter taking a break from the site. It is tiring to have to ask people repeatedly to back-up their statements of fact or to make it clear that they are making up their opinions on the fly because to refuse so would be dishonest at best.

                    • Drowsy M. Kram

                      Wonderful comment at 10:14 am (22 July) Robert – top form.

                      The King of Empty; The Great Vacuum; The Viceroy of Void

                      Might I add (humbly): The Sovereign Sultan of Soggy cheeky

                      The Chairman is seemingly imprevious to mockery, and going negative plays to their strength. So go positive, the Ardern way.

                    • Sam

                      I knew the kool aid was strong around here but I didn't know it was this thick.

                      How about you do your own polling instead of trying to get me to do it for you.

                      The Greens poll higher than there election results. That's not difficult to do as they're now on 6% support.

                    • Robert Guyton

                      What's "woke" and why does its use cause Sam to behave like a sugared-up 5 year-old?

                    • Sam

                      Your wokeness has found some support, incognito. Well done. Green Party polling ought to surge way above there talents now!!! Amazing.

                    • Incognito []

                      I’m so woke that they made me a Moderator here 😉

                      Did you the surge in the polls when that happened?

                      How about you back-up your claims?

                    • Sam

                      No. That the Greens consistently poll higher than their election results needs as much explaining as NZFirst polling consistently lower than there election results. It's so common you'd have to be a genius to be able to ignore it.

                    • Incognito []

                      So, you cannot back-up your claims and you now appeal to common sense, which is a weak rhetorical tool at the best of times. It wasn’t even entertaining this time; what a waste of my time 🙁

                    • McFlock

                      The polls consistently get the Green vote correct to within about 1%? That must be a byproduct of single to low teen populerity levels, given that it's not unusual to for different polls for the 35-50% parties to have 6-9% between them.

                      Even so, I'm impressed at how accurate the polling of the Greens "consistently" is, according to Sam.

                    • Sam

                      Youd have had to have skulled hard on the kool aid to have so much confedience in popularity polling after BREXIT, Trump, May, Balsinaro (The Brazilian President) Australian Labour. There are so many examples of pollsters drinking there own Kool aid and you just want to drink more. Pfft

                      what ever. The Greens went from 10% to 6% and they don't have an electorate seat or the brains to do a deal for an electorate seat.

                    • McFlock

                      The Greens took a massive hit in the campaign from one decision and still got over the threshold.

                      The people saying the Greens are in trouble also reckoned NZ1 were done in 2008. Winston isn't the only one who can say "boo".

                    • Sam

                      Well I never said Winston was done. In fact apart of my claim that National had no mates was obvious when John Key started ruiling out a coalition with NZFirst.

                    • McFlock

                      what did you think in 2008?

                    • solkta

                      Had he been born in 2008?

                    • Sam

                      Based on US Fed Res actions I thought the gold price would halve, stocks would rally and Obama would be the first black president. And that NZFirst had a lot of dry powder. I wouldn't rule out Labour stepping aside in Northland to give NZFirst a clean run in the Northland electorate. Wish the Greens had the brains for something like that.

                      And [deleted and your last warning – Incognito] off silky

                    • Incognito []

                      See my Moderation note @ 10:40 PM.

                    • Sam

                      What did your mentor call me once. He was trying to make some sort of computer programming joke out of me by claiming I was a some sort of dildo. Y'know I'll make this real simple for you incognito. [deleted] off hypocrite.

                    • Incognito []

                      Drinking the Kool-Aid again? I have never had a mentor.

                    • The Al1en

                      A dildo named Justin

                    • Sam

                      Well what do you call lprint ? Boss, pal, Lynn. Something.

                    • Incognito []

                      I call him Lynn or sometimes Sysop; he’s not my boss, pal, or mentor.

                      You might want to take your finger off that button.

                    • McFlock

                      wow

                    • The Al1en

                      Not a one inch strap on like I just called you.

                    • Sam

                      So you speak calculus as well Alien (sorry if I misspelled your anonymous handle. It doesn't mater that much.)

                    • The Al1en

                      I'm not anonymous. I am a hideous triumph of form and function.

                    • Robert Guyton

                      Incognito asked Sam: "How about you back-up your claims?"

                      Sam replied, "No".

                      How rude!

                      Sam's taking a well-earned break now?

                    • Incognito []

                      Not yet. I decided to give him a chance to chill down and engage his brain. It’s up to him to push the self-destruct button or not.

                    • Robert Guyton

                      Sam defines "woke" as ,

                      " all spin, bullshit, virtue signal, bluster, genital issues, depression, mental illnesses, economic illiteracy, so on and so fourth".

                      He's slandering/bad-mouthing supporters of The Greens and Labour here with seeming impunity, getting away with it because few would want to engage with his menacing persona (Muttonbird's, "What's wrong with you?" summed up the discomfort Sam's comments create; what is wrong with Sam?

                    • Incognito []

                      Good morning, Robert. I assume that comment was (mainly) for me?

                      Do you have a link to the quoted text by Sam? I could find it myself but if you have it, handy that would be handy.

                      I cannot comment on what is wrong with Sam but I do know he can be a tricky customer commenter and (some) people react to his comments like a bull to a red flag; this doesn’t help.

                      I’m not happy either about the discomfort Sam might be creating here but it would set a very low bar if moderators would act upon this, wouldn’t you agree?

                      On this note, there are a few other commenters who regularly create a bit of ‘an atmosphere’ but as long as they don’t break the site’s policy rules we’ll have to learn to live with them – ignoring can be a good and often the best (!) course of action.

                    • Robert Guyton

                      Hi Incognito

                      Here: 22 July 2019 at 5:26 pm

                      I'm not suggesting Sam be banned at all, just trying to define the nature of his comments for the sake of greater understanding.

                      I see you've placed him on "final warning" and that's appropriate, I reckon. Being a tricky customer, Sam'll do something with that, no doubt. Perhaps he'll woke up smiley

                    • Incognito []

                      Thanks Robert, I value your genuine comment.

                      When I used the word/verb “act”, I didn’t mean “ban”. I see banning as the last resort of moderation when (all) other options for modification of behaviour and self-moderation have been exhausted or when the Moderator’s patience has run out. There are exceptions, of course, such as deliberately putting the site at (legal) risk and blatant violations of the policy, which can result in an instant and permanent ban.

                      Indeed, in this instance (with Sam) it is really about clarification of meaning, purpose, and intention of his comments. That was my original angle and I was acting as a commenter rather than a Moderator. However, others object to his use of the term “woke” in a disparaging way. I stepped in/up as a Moderator when Sam started to swear again despite having been warned about that by MS earlier that day. That was what my “last warning” was about.

                      In the end, I gave him a chance to chill down and come to his senses; his use of “woke” is obviously not going to change and sooner or later he might be pulled up for that, just like he got pulled up for swearing, but I rate as relatively low on the scale of ‘offences’ and more as a ‘nuisance’ rather IMHO.

                      I hope this makes some kind of sense. BTW, I’m speaking for myself and not for the other Moderators who may have very different views …

                    • Sam

                      See. It does not hurt to acknowledge basic assumptions. We assume many things. We assume we speak the same language. We assume New Zealand is 1200ks in length. We assume many things so we don't have to knit pick and disrespect people by demanding they search for bleeding fucking obvious facts and basically doing your homework for you.

                    • Incognito []

                      Assumptions are often implicit and rarely checked and validated.

                      We may think we speak the same language but that still leaves many interpretations, which is a beauty and a curse of language. Unfortunately, some people feel the need to re-define or twist words.

                      What might be an obvious fact to one may be a complete surprise to another. Often ‘facts’ are, in fact, factoids or even just opinions. Fact checking is crucial in order to separate wheat from chaff.

                      It shows good faith, respect, and honesty to oblige when asked to reveal one’s assumptions and sources for one’s facts. When one makes claims, it is only natural that one backs them up when asked. If one becomes defensive, aggressive, or outright abusive when challenged it creates a bad atmosphere that spoils it for others. This, in turn attracts the attention of moderators.

                    • McFlock

                      If a fact is all that obvious, it shouldn't be difficult to point to it's source.

                      And links are wonderful things.

                    • Sam

                      Yknow the Standard authors team are like top 4, I don't think any one would place them lower, most likely 3rd. Yknow really knowledgeable, really smart on a bunch of stuff. And lots of commenters that are really cleaver Y'know. So I'm not going to win pretty against them, it's not going to happen.

                      Me personally if I was outside of myself watching what I was saying I'd be shocked at what I'd be able to say. So I just want to say a couple things. Y'know I do think that political correctness leads to communism which is a totally failed left wing project. The other thing to me is that when people say the correct things, to me. That people recognize in particular, they recognize the intensity of the struggle and really that's the one. That people recognize how much of a struggle it is for both me and who ever says no I'm incorrect for this or that reason.

                      Now this is what I really want to talk about. There's a relatively small group of people that talk about the left and they talk about me. For the most part when people talk about it it doesn't really bother me unless you're actually the Prime Ministers or some one really noteworthy. I just feel that the debating community is for fighters and winners. And the thing that just sickens me is when people complain, and whine, and talk about land, people and politics, and they speak about these things in away that embodies a type of weakness that just makes me sick.

                      So for example when people (when woke people) try and talk about The Greens and try and box it in, and try and imply that The Greens shouldn't fight till the end. That to me is sickening.

                      You're given an opportunity on this planet to fight until death rips you from this planet, and everything is a metaphor, politics is a metaphor. It's a metaphor for how you want to live your life. Y'know certain people may want to live by certain rulz or codes but in the end all that maters is survival. I promise you you will survive if you want to fight and this is what we see in the debating chamber. You see people use fighting words until they are ripped out of there.

                      So when I see people of a certain caliber, people who have authority, a bit of power, people who've created a body of work and a reputation. When I see these woke people imply that you shouldn't go to the line or imply that you shouldn't do everything humanly possible to win, it makes me want to puke.

                      Just consider this. Jacinda Ardern is reaching as many if not more people than the All Blacks. We are a population of 4 million and some social media accounts of her views at 10, 20 million or more. John Key started the social media PM and Jacinda kept it up. So it's a reality, the debating community is a reality, it's about fighting till the end. There is nothing cowardly about any debating technique. There's nothing cowardly about making a comment. The only thing cowardly is not being proud of your country and refuse to fight for it.

                      Y'know I'm convinced that all political correctness does is make people feel in touch with themselves. The thing is internal experiences do not manifest in reality. So this rant is just for the voices that Iv heard. Not often do I get words of support from members of the standard, it happens but it happens more else where, this rants for you. You're not actually going to die in the debating community for real, let it teach you.

                    • Incognito []

                      That was indeed quite a rant, Sam. You seem to be saying that you have a physical reaction to what you read here, which explains the nature of some of your comments. Sometimes, your comments are great, but other times you get carried away with hostile and aggressive comments.

                      I think very highly of authors and commenters here; they are a bunch of good people who are generally, but not always, considerate and respectful of others. I also think that not many come here to ‘fight and win’, but some do. Quite a few come here to debate in good faith, learn, find common ground with others, have a bit of a joke and a laugh, share good, bad, and sad stories, ask for advice, et cetera. At least, that is how I see it.

                      Asking you to back up your claims and challenging you is not saying you are incorrect or fighting you, it is not about winning, but that is what you think it is and that is how you respond. And then people react to your fighting words and win-lose attitude and before you know, we have ‘fisty cuffs’ here. It turns off many people, which is a problem.

                      You talk a lot about fighting for a (good?) cause, which I find hard to reconcile with your other comment today @ 7:15 PM in which you said that you couldn’t be bothered to put any effort into your comments and that you’re only interested in mocking us; your overuse and abuse of “woke” is a case in point.

                      You’re a conundrum, Sam, and I cannot decide whether you fit into the TS community or whether you’re a disruptor. Which shall it be, Sam?

                    • Sam

                      Nah, I stopped putting any effort into writing up comments on the standard when Lynn and other authors moved my comments into open mic for attacking the author or some shit.

                      you see when I see the opinion piece and then the proceeding comments are overwhelmingly to one side like with the great free speech war or the great Russia gate war. That's when I like to bring it with the facts bring it with the facts and so on. And Lynn especially simply doesn't like it when I do that so I just don't bother anymore. Now I'll just moch you remorselessly for being low IQ, lo low energy, low intellect, as well as being physically and emotionally challenged.

                    • Incognito []

                      When you attack an author, you usually receive a ban instead of just being moved to OM. The latter is more for OT comments.

                      If you “stopped putting any effort into writing up comments on the standard” and you “just don’t bother anymore” because of some treatment in the past by Lynn and you just show up here to mock us “remorselessly for being low IQ, lo low energy, low intellect, as well as being physically and emotionally challenged” then why come here at all? Why don’t you do yourself a favour and go somewhere else where you don’t have that ‘burden of the past’?

                    • Muttonbird

                      Yo, Sam.

                      Since you ran down the Greens polling, they have jumped 3%.

                      Keep it up! 🤣

                    • Sam

                      You sound like a fresh Uni grad day one on the shop floor.

                    • Sam

                      Because woke identitarian fan girls of the Green Party is letting the whole squad down which makes me write, literally commen sense. LMFAO.

                    • Incognito []

                      You choose disruptor then? Still intent to continue using “woke” in the disparaging way you do?

                      A sure and short path to martyrdom, Sam, but I’m giving you the choice.

                    • Sam

                      if you feel that way then ban me because that's hella childish and lame. Lmao

                    • Incognito []

                      If you want to continue along the same lines and self-destruct that is your choice, not mine.

                      Make wise choices in life, Sam.

                    • Sam

                      Bro. You are. Almost, inspiring. Lmfao.

                    • Incognito []

                      🙂

                      No Bro.

        • Muttonbird 12.1.1.2

          You do know the AAAP hold these clinics regularly? There are always queues because lots of people need help with asking for their full entitlements.

          Out of interest, what was your take on Metiria Turei's speech and the fallout from it?

          • alwyn 12.1.1.2.1

            Out of curiosity where is the lady now? And did she ever pay back the money she defrauded from the taxpayer? I seem to remember she promised she would do so but I fear that promises from politicians, even disgraced ones, are seldom honoured.

            • Robert Guyton 12.1.1.2.1.1

              You can be so spiteful, Alwyn.

              I wonder why that is?

            • Muttonbird 12.1.1.2.1.2

              That's up to WINZ. I'm sure they'll be onto it.

            • Incognito 12.1.1.2.1.3

              That reminds me that you still have to provide an adequate response as to why you criticised and complained about Weka’s previous comments and moderation & banning of you with regards to your incessant questioning about the Electorate Offices of the Green Party.

              In the meantime, here’s a piece for your edification: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/114333975/after-a-dreadful-2017-can-the-greens-do-better-in-2020

              And if ever find yourself stranded outside Wellington and you need to contact the Green Party: https://www.greens.org.nz/contact

              • Muttonbird

                I read that Stuff piece by Stacey Kirk's replacement, Thomas Coughlan

                2017 was the year the Greens made government and are now part of big positive changes for New Zealand.

                Swing and a miss, Thomas.

              • Sam

                Days after the Greens got sworn into a coalition government Golriz goes and outs Andrew little for braking some law. That was the Greens first move as a coalition partner in a government. They are woke, inclusional, and they lost there bloody co-leader weeks out from an election. So, let's not shine warm fuzzy rainbows up each other. The Greens have a lot of appeasing to there base to do. Y'know there's like 3000 permaculture members, even less vegans, even less radical lefties and even less trannies. The rest are main fucking stream climate adapters. And I could care even less about free fucken speech or cunt, or even how delusion large your national campaign footprint is relative to the puny number of voters being signalled too. Y'know the big fucken green vote goes to the one who will literally go into bare knuckle fight, win while cleaning plastics and planting trees okay? Not fucken rainbows up everywhere.

          • The Chairman 12.1.1.2.2

            While AAAP hold these clinics regularly, the queues are growing. Just as they are at food banks.

            Moreover lots of people that need help getting their full entitlements aren't getting it without AAAP help, which was also meant to change.

            Metiria Turei's speech saw the Greens go up in the polls. Their management of it was their downfall. Things were uncovered that weakened their position.

            • Robert Guyton 12.1.1.2.2.1

              The Righteous Right got riotously het-up over that arrogant solo-mum Maori greenie and gave her the serve she so richly deserved. Aye.

              • The Chairman

                Not at first. Yet, when things were uncovered that weakened her position, indeed they did, Robert.

                • Robert Guyton

                  Indeed they did, like sharks in chummed-up water, their dead eyes fixed on their prey, their bellies aching with Righteous hunger. Oh, how they whipped themselves into a furious fever! Oh, how their long-held suspicions were confirmed. Best weeks of their lives, they just KNEW she was no good! Alwyn's heart still races at the memory smiley

            • Muttonbird 12.1.1.2.2.2

              How do you know the queues are growing?

              You haven't said what you thought of Turei's speech. I have to assume you agreed with what she said and that it was a good idea to say it. After all, she was batting for the very people you claim to bat for.

              • The Chairman

                How do you know the queues are growing?

                That is reflected in the massive increase in the demand for hardship grants and also the massive increase in emergency housing demand.

                Personally, I initially thought it was a good speech and it resonated with many, but as I said, it all unraveled when things were uncovered.

  12. joe90 13

    Hit Now to see what was going on with Apollo 11 exactly fifty years ago.

    https://apolloinrealtime.org/11/

  13. Morrissey 14

    The Dismal-crats and their ridiculous outlet MSNBC are paving the way for another term of Trump.

    Leading Dismal-crat analyst Donny Deutsch in the house! That's Zbigniew Brzezinski's awful daughter nodding her head gravely and vacantly as he rants….

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ4HGNiZRfs

    • alwyn 14.1

      Jesus. You really do try and spoil our Sunday evenings don't you?

      Please, please come to your senses America. To play with a variation on a 1968 theme. "Dump The Trump".

  14. Muttonbird 15

    Oh dear. There are now two asterisks next to England's CWC win**.

    One because there was no winner of the game. And the other because the umpires screwed up on ball 298 of 300.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12251485

    • The Al1en 15.1

      Two asterisks and a massive bucket of your tear soaked kleenex 😆

      • Muttonbird 15.1.1

        I did think twice about commenting on this, and another article a day or so ago on reports the MCC will review the laws which played such a significant part in this remarkable game.

        I thought twice about it because the other day you'd got a bit upset that people might question the outcome. You then went off on some sob story about starting from nothing and having nothing now. I didn't want to upset you further.

        Still, this is a major development and you are acting like a middle England twat again so I'm glad I did.

      • Muttonbird 15.1.2

        Also, this development has removed your only defence which was ambiguity around what constituted 'the act' beginning an overthrow.

        Good times.

  15. The Chairman 16

    And now, time for a music break
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltLhFu9xr_Q

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    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    7 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    8 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    11 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    12 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    12 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    12 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    13 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    14 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    16 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
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