Open Mike 22/08/2017

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 22nd, 2017 - 106 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

106 comments on “Open Mike 22/08/2017 ”

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  1. AsleepWhileWalking 1
    22 August 2017 at 6:31 am

    “You have a higher chance of being crushed to death by a vending machine.”

    Speaking of terrorism, Simon Black points out that we don’t demand governments spend millions protecting us from vending machines

    https://www.sovereignman.com/debt/you-stand-a-higher-chance-of-being-crushed-by-a-vending-machine-22312/?inf_contact_key=be8836cbb094a7c5ff27867c340c7100b1d1ca94927b091f4ecc1cccc172b389

  2. ScottGN 2
    22 August 2017 at 6:44 am

    Bill English is DRONING away on Morning Report.

    • marty mars 3.1
      22 August 2017 at 9:02 am

      Yep righties always try to upset the applecart – yawn. Must be scary seeing all the pervert ponytailpuller created falling away. Bill fluffing as usual – gnats heading to their worse election ever. panic abounding from horrible hooton on down. The red election is here and the bodies piled up along the route prove it.

    • Muttonbird 3.2
      22 August 2017 at 9:49 am

      You might think with such a big change in policy around charging and exclusive rights, the owner of the market and National Party voter, Paul de Jonge might have announced the changes to all political parties at the time rather than when they came to book.

      I suspect he did let the National Party know, just no-one else.

      Anyway, a nothing story now promoted by DP Farrar which illustrates how desperate National are becoming.

  4. Eco maori 4
    22 August 2017 at 7:34 am

    I have filed for my personal information request through the Privacy commission x2 to the justice department.And 1 to MPI when they send my information I will sue for breaches to my Human rights and privacy rights here hopping

  5. ScottGN 5
    22 August 2017 at 7:35 am

    And then there was Jacinda on the AM Show…

    • Bill 5.1
      22 August 2017 at 10:58 am

      And the beginnings of a rudimentary sketch for a technocratic nightmare.

      There is no reason whatsoever as to why NZ Labour cannot lay out its values or goals with regards tax before us in the same way Jacinda Ardern stated they intend to do for the unelected and unaccountable “group of experts” whose advice they will be acting on.

      • weka 5.1.1
        22 August 2017 at 11:11 am

        Alternatively, she’s pacing a roll back from Little/Labour’s avowed position that there will be no tax increases.

        I don’t understand what’s wrong with them doing the tax review they’ve been talking about for a couple of years, and not committing to things before then. And why having people from various areas be involved in that would be a bad thing. I also seem to remember that when they invited NZers generally to help develop direction and policy last year they got a lot of ridicule and bashing.

        By values and goals do you mean things like ‘we believe that tax is a good for society and we will use it to distribute wealth fairly including via govt services to all the people’ kind of thing?

        • Bill 5.1.1.1
          22 August 2017 at 11:25 am

          She pulled that piece of the tax regime behind the wizard’s curtain.

          There was nothing about what parameters and/or goals would be set out for the “group of experts” and no reason for those things not to be made available to us now.

          So a group of hand-picked “experts” will go away and come back with policy that NZ Labour can then claim to be implementing from “arms length” on the grounds that it’s “good for New Zealand” and “what the experts” say.

          That’s technocracy – the removal of public policy from public scrutiny. And that, under a liberal regime, tends to come back to the public as “unfortunate but necessary” legislation.

          • adam 5.1.1.1.1
            22 August 2017 at 11:29 am

            And we all know we seen TINA before.

          • weka 5.1.1.1.2
            22 August 2017 at 11:32 am

            “So a group of hand-picked “experts” will go away and come back with policy that NZ Labour can then claim to be implementing from “arms length” on the grounds that it’s “good for New Zealand” and “what the experts” say.”

            It’s a risk, but she didn’t actually say that’s how they would do it (on Morning Report at least). And as I said, Labour asked NZ to get involved last year and the response here was to bash them.

          • weka 5.1.1.1.3
            22 August 2017 at 11:33 am

            “There was nothing about what parameters and/or goals would be set out for the “group of experts” and no reason for those things not to be made available to us now.”

            Have you looked to see what they said when they announced the tax review?

            • Bill 5.1.1.1.3.1
              22 August 2017 at 12:18 pm

              I listened to the radio interview that was being sign-posted by the original comment and commented on the content of the interview.

              If you’re suggesting that NZ Labour are actually being more forth-coming than what was evinced by that interview, then by all means throw the evidence out here.

              edit – In answer to your other comment at 5.1.1.1.2 above. First up, there’s no way on earth that any politician would front up with an intention to cynically foist something on society. And second up, I used the word “can” not “will” – ie, I signalled a possibility or probability, not a definite fact.

              • weka …
                22 August 2017 at 12:26 pm

                Actually you used the word ‘will’,

                So a group of hand-picked “experts” will go away and come back with policy that NZ Labour can then claim to be implementing from “arms length” on the grounds that it’s “good for New Zealand” and “what the experts” say.

                *

                If you’re suggesting that NZ Labour are actually being more forth-coming than what was evinced by that interview, then by all means throw the evidence out here.

                What I heard in the interview was JA saying, we’re having a tax review, we want to get some expert advice, apart from a couple of things I’m not going to commit anything until we’ve seen the books and gotten some advice. I actually prefer that to Labour going Oh, we’re going to do this x, y, z. Especially if they open up again to engaging with the public like they did last year.

                • Bill …
                  22 August 2017 at 12:39 pm

                  jeesus wept Weka.

                  Is it not obvious the possibility/probability refers to that part of my comment concerned with future NZ Labour actions around the area of CGT? (I think it’s really obvious) ie – how they will play out the recommendations around CGT (that may not be a CGT) that will come back from their hand picked panel of experts who will have received guidelines (that NZ Labour are being coy to the NZ public about) as stated by Ardern in that interview?

                  The personal tax rate is something else again and I consciously didn’t include anything about that in my comments until now. As said in the interview, the books are open tomorrow and some statements will be made afterwards. So there’s nothing to say atm.

                  • weka …
                    22 August 2017 at 12:44 pm

                    tbh, I read your original comment 3 times to understand it and still wasn’t sure so went with what I though. It’s a conversation 🙂

                    I guess I don’t understand some things. One would be what the problem is with using experts. The other would be what is the problem with using experts that can work within Labour’s values and framework?

                    I don’t think Labour are being that coy, unless Ardern is moving significantly away from what Labour have been saying in the past 2 years. I think they’re being cautious about imposing something without the books open to them and without taking time to think it through and seeing what can be done.

                    • Bill …
                      22 August 2017 at 1:08 pm

                      Nothing is wrong with using “experts”
                      Nothing is wrong with providing them with guidelines.

                      Everything is wrong with pulling that away from the public domain to the extent we aren’t even being told what those guidelines will be.

                      That’s the mark of a technocracy. And that’s not a good space for a society to occupy.

                      The books you refer to only have a possible impact on personal tax rates (given proposed expenditures and undertakings around so-called “fiscal responsibility”) but have next to nothing to do with the formulation of a tax framework around property.

                    • marty mars …
                      22 August 2017 at 1:14 pm

                      They are formulating their ideas to release to the public – why would they go early before they have sorted them. A new leader gets the ability to do that surely. And with all the naysayers going off at her I think it is a sound strategy. You are a green voter arent you – why do you even care what labour does.

                    • Bill …
                      22 August 2017 at 1:25 pm

                      No marty. Listen to the interview. On property tax, they are not “formulating ideas to release to the public”. When Andrew Little was leader, that was the plan. But Jacinda is quite explicit that the ideas will be formulated out of sight by a panel of “experts” and then implemented – not presented.

                      You think I shouldn’t “care” what any party other than the Green Party does? You implying that any comment or opinion I have on anything political other than Green Party related stuff is illegitimate on the basis that I’ll probably throw a vote at the Greens?

                      You think I should apply that same arbitrary nonsense to any comment or opinion you throw up here (Mana, wasn’t it?) and – oh, I dunno – maybe remove any comments you make that I can’t connect back to Mana?

                    • marty mars …
                      22 August 2017 at 1:33 pm

                      Sorry angry bill I’ll not bother you again sheesh ffs some of the agro is well unwarranted imo.

                    • Bill …
                      22 August 2017 at 1:38 pm

                      Well marty, keep your passive aggressive ‘shut people down’ nonsense to yourself in future, aye? 😉

                      edit – I take it you think it would be a bad idea to follow your suggestion? I’ll take it that you think that.

                    • marty mars …
                      22 August 2017 at 1:47 pm

                      How about you get (delete abuse cos you aren’t worth it ya git) eh bill

          • Stuart Munro 5.1.1.1.4
            22 August 2017 at 4:53 pm

            Maybe – but the media plague rats would like nothing better than to beat up a tax story right now. Espiner’s choice of emphasis or Labour’s – of the two I’m leaning away from Espiner.

        • McFlock 5.1.1.2
          22 August 2017 at 11:44 am

          Alternatively, she’s pacing a roll back from Little/Labour’s avowed position that there will be no tax increases.

          From what I recall, Little’s position was that they weren’t planning on any tax increases because their sums added up, contingent on the budget and the pre-election fiscal thingee.

          A promise of no tax increases was all media spin.

          • weka 5.1.1.2.1
            22 August 2017 at 11:49 am

            interesting. In which case I guess she could be doing a paced roll back of the MSM’s spin 😉

            • One Two 5.1.1.2.1.1
              22 August 2017 at 5:38 pm

              Weka – there was not an obvious opening to post to..this response is not aimed at you..

              Until the conversation about money and debt is spoken about freely and openly…

              Obfuscation and outright lies are what will continue to lead the ‘official narratives’..

              Talking about tax policy is the quentessential definition of ‘trite’…

              Without the core subject of money/debt ‘what is it’ being a pre-requisite dependency of any discussion..

              How much longer will the lie continue to destroy all in its path..people, the environment etc…for what…

              Control!

  6. OncewasTim 6
    22 August 2017 at 7:54 am

    I wonder if Guyon Espiner has considered the fact that many of RNZ listeners might be interested in hearing the answers to questions rather than his constant interruptions.
    Ditto Lisa Owen.

    • marty mars 6.1
      22 August 2017 at 8:10 am

      Yep rude but JA easily dealt with it.

    • Carolyn_nth 6.2
      22 August 2017 at 8:33 am

      I just watched the video. I wasn’t bothered with Espiner’s questions. He was trying to get some definite answers on some points. I am OK with that if Espiner is equally tough with leaders from all parties.

      In the end, it did result in clarifying some points: eg. that Ardern is not going to be taking exactly the same line as Little on some aspects as taxation. though, I’d have thought if Ardern had been involved in developing such policies over a few years, she’d be ready to make her own decision on it, and not put it up for further investigation.

      It was interesting seeing the video, because Espiner was clearly listening very attentively to everything Ardern said.

      Ardern answered very assuredly. I was getting irritated by her repeating that she wanted to be “very clear”…

      • patricia bremner 6.2.1
        22 August 2017 at 8:47 am

        I think Jacinda wants to be certain her statements are not twisted or subverted.

        Hence the “very clear” openers.

        • Carolyn_nth 6.2.1.1
          22 August 2017 at 9:38 am

          I’m sure that was the intention. But signalling multiple times with the words I want to be “very clear”, starts to get counter-productive.

          On a visual presentation note, after watching the vid: Ardern with her hair up gives her more of the appearance of gravitas, than when her hair is down – maybe aided by the camera at side angles to her.

          Media appearances with her hair flowing free all the time may give the impression of being carefree, and hence the incorrect assumption she is light weight. Although, it can be a good thing to break the stereotype of dark suited masculine-style politicians – at least some of the time.

      • Ad 6.2.2
        22 August 2017 at 8:50 am

        Labour are getting weaker and less clear on tax every time I hear from them.

        National will mince them on this in the debates unless they can do better than “we’re going to form a committee.”

      • weka 6.2.3
        22 August 2017 at 8:59 am

        People on twitter are saying he asked tough questions. I didn’t think they were tough, they sounded normal to me, and she answered them well. Like you, I learned some useful stuff about where Labour are at (sounded promising).

        The way he asked the questions was a bit annoying though. I agree with Tim, and if you ask a question why not let the person actually answer it. I know they’ve got limited time, but he was literally talking over the top of her before she even finished her first sentence.

      • Oncewas... 6.2.4
        22 August 2017 at 11:53 am

        wasn’t aware there was a video of Morning Report.
        Point being, if one were to run a stop watch over the time Guyon asked questions and interrupted compared with the time Jacinder was given to actually answer, the times would almost go against her.
        I hope to Christ he actually goes back and listens to himself at times.
        Next up was Suzy and Mr Choice. Compare the two interviews timewise and re interruptions.
        Actually I don’t like Suzy’s chances with a used car salesman, but Guyon wouldn’t let him get a word in edgwise.

      • rod 6.2.5
        22 August 2017 at 5:05 pm

        Espiner certainly likes the sound of his own voice. His questions at times sound like a party political broadcast on behalf of the National Party.

    • Sans Cle 6.3
      22 August 2017 at 9:23 am

      I was amused Espinor brushed off talking about Gareth Morgan in his “serious” questioning of Jacinda around taxation, saying something to the effect of “let’s not go there, or talk about GM”…..(and I thought “great”: a substantive interview)….but less than a minute later, at the close of interview, Espinor couldn’t stop himself asking her about Gareth Morgan, as a cheap parting shot. So much for getting away from sensationalism.

    • Tamati Tautuhi 6.4
      22 August 2017 at 2:05 pm

      The guy has no ears and an empty space between them ?

  7. Eco maori 7
    22 August 2017 at 8:01 am

    The Rock is a down to earth Kiwi radio station just like Gareth Morgan is a down to earth straight shooting KIWI

  8. Bearded Git 8
    22 August 2017 at 8:43 am

    The Nats have just lost the election-listen to the RNZ discussion here:

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201855608/election-2017-three-leaders-in-three-weeks-analysis

    Thank you Peter Dunne-you left your greatest impact till the end.

  9. patricia bremner 9
    22 August 2017 at 8:46 am

    I think Jacinda wants to be certain her statements are not twisted or subverted.

    Hence the “very clear” openers.

    • Bearded Git 9.1
      22 August 2017 at 8:56 am

      She does say it a bit too much…

      • mac1 9.1.1
        22 August 2017 at 11:53 am

        Commenting on Jacinda Ardern’s delivery, how refreshing to hear a politician with a free-flowing expression of ideas, clearly enunciated and virtually free of ‘ums’, ‘aahs’, ‘so’s’, ‘going forwards’, ‘like’s’and ‘ekshully’s’.

        I can forgive her the odd extra call for clarity. God help us, we need more of that in our political discourse.

        Her insisting on “let’s be clear about this” might also be a verbal ploy to arrest Espiner’s interruptions, as such a request is calling for more than an incomplete first sentence before the interviewer’s repeated badgering begins.

        Maybe with experience these interviewers might just realise that Ardern will give them fulsome answers which are not always fudged, deflective and obfuscatory, and allow her more room to elaborate.

  10. ianmac 10
    22 August 2017 at 9:23 am

    Key was an expert in not answering questions and interviewers have to be pretty persistent in getting politicians to actually stick to the question. If the politician is one of “ours” we say he/she did well. If one of “theirs” we say he/she is Dodgy Dodger.

    • Sans Cle 10.1
      22 August 2017 at 9:50 am

      I agree. Key got away with not answering policy questions in any detail. He was a master at that. I think the country is ready for change, and Ardern as contender for PM, needs to have a clear and simple message about what that change will look like. I think a combined Labour and Green government would take NZ to a better future. I am liking their combined policies, and think there is substance underneath their policies. However, not every one reads policy, and it is Ardern’s job to have clear and simple sound bites ready, that support a change of government.

  11. Ad 11
    22 August 2017 at 10:19 am

    If the Australian Federal courts decide that the current Australian government must fall, will this rehabilitate Hipkins?

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-21/citizenship-chaos-threatens-rudderless-australian-government

    • McFlock 11.1
      22 August 2017 at 11:18 am

      “rehabilitate”?

      He’s not in Siberia…

      • alwyn 11.1.1
        22 August 2017 at 5:32 pm

        “He’s not in Siberia”.
        He is if he is campaigning in his electorate.
        It might be sunny in Wellington today but there is a bloody cold Southerly.
        I felt really sorry for the people going through the formal dissolution of Parliament out on the steps this morning. The spectators could be well wrapped up but the officials were all in their formal outfits.

  12. Cinny 12
    22 August 2017 at 11:46 am

    Re Camera’s on fishing boats and the following article on RNZ
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/337721/cameras-on-boats-an-invasion-of-privacy

    Claim…”We don’t have anything to hide … and we’re quite happy to take observers out from MPI to show them this.”

    Reality…. Fishermen go out of their way to get the observers seasick, as it keeps them in their cabins and out of the way.

    Claim… ”It’s just an invasion of privacy. We don’t think it’s acceptable that we should be videoed for 24 hours a day and then MPI tell us it’s going to cost you $20,000 to roll all of this stuff onto your boat.”

    Reality… Wouldn’t they just film when the net was shot and hauled, as well as in the factory? Did you know that many factories onboard have cameras in them already, so those in the wheelhouse can check on the progress before hauling in more fish. It’s not like they will be filming in the cabins or the ships mess, engine room maybe not even in the wheel house. For reals $20k a boat, MPI should be part funding the cost of equipment, especially for those with smaller inshore vessels.

    Claim… “Mr Black said he was worried this would threaten his livelihood because of the risk MPI might accidentally reveal his secret fishing spots.”

    Reality… this is a real LMFAO because with the current carbon copy system of recording fish, one has to write down the latitude and longitude of any hauls for MPI anyway, so they already know where the so called secret fishing spots are. Unless the fishers are already illegally misreporting/recording their fishing locations.

  13. weka 13
    22 August 2017 at 11:50 am

    Gareth Morgan triples down, but I think it’s pretty clear now that while yes Labour were the pig, Jacinda Ardern is meant to be merely the lipstick. They made a handy chart about it,

    https://twitter.com/NewshubPolitics/status/899773456782209025

    I don’t know how long it takes to print billboards, but these went up yesterday so it’s reasonable to assume the tweet on Sunday was deliberate.

    • marty mars 13.1
      22 August 2017 at 11:57 am

      Lol shows what a self absorbed knob he is. Back to your other vanity projects Gareth politics is over for you now.

      • weka 13.1.1
        22 August 2017 at 11:59 am

        It’s an odd billboard. For people that didn’t follow the news yesterday it won’t make much sense.

        • marty mars 13.1.1.1
          22 August 2017 at 12:15 pm

          True – but a nice big photo of Gareth to look at whilst reading the words lol

          He reminds me of dim trump looking up at the eclipse – the rules don’t apply cos I’ve got money type.

      • Tamati Tautuhi 13.1.2
        22 August 2017 at 2:09 pm

        He should stick to killing cats ?

    • One Anonymous Bloke 13.2
      22 August 2017 at 12:17 pm

      I think it’s a digital billboard. With a knob on it 🙂

      • weka 13.2.1
        22 August 2017 at 12:27 pm

        lol. So the ticks and crosses flash on and off or something? Or is there another screen that explains things?

        edit, oh right, the printing thing, heh. /oldschool.

        • Dspare 13.2.1.1
          22 August 2017 at 1:32 pm

          If it is a digital billboard, then hopefully it gets hacked. Transposing the words; “policy” and “pig”, would fix it.

          Seriously though, TOP’s policy is not their strong suit. They have some interesting notions (13 so far with a few more blank spaces to be filled “soon”), but otherwise just a lot of gaps with no overarching framework. Admittedly, they are a minor party whose influence would be limited to what they can negotiate with a coalition partner (in the increasingly unlikely situation that they get any MPs in the next parliament), so it good that their ideas are easily extractable. But even MANA is doing a better job at presenting a cohesive policy platform, and that is very much a work in progress (not having Dotcom money, or even an MPs salary to support them, it is a bit of a shoestring operation these days).

    • mac1 13.3
      22 August 2017 at 12:34 pm

      Gareth’s obsession reminds me of Organ Morgan in Dylan Thomas’s “Under Milk Wood.”

      “Organ Morgan goes to chapel to play the organ. He plays alone at night to anyone who will listen; lovers, revellers, the silent dead, tramps and sheep.”

      Baaa!

    • Carolyn_nth 13.4
      22 August 2017 at 12:34 pm

      So, Morgan wants a focus on policy not personalities, while putting photos of himself looking down on everyone in his billboards (those that I’ve seen in Auckland), like some big brother.

      They have a very Minority Report feel to me.

      • weka 13.4.1
        22 August 2017 at 12:39 pm

        I know, weird right? Like his ability to self-reflect is impaired.

        I did kind of feel sorry for him at the start of the press conference. Yeah, I know, but I would say this about him, his need to improve things seems pretty genuine. Unlike say National who just don’t give a shit. It’s a shame he chose politics because he could have set up something outside and used that to push policy.

        My compassion waned as the interview went on though, esp the bit about how TOP have consulted the policy experts in NZ and thus have not just the best policy but the right policy, so everyone else should be listening to him now. How he expects to work with others is beyond me.

      • OncewasTim 13.4.2
        22 August 2017 at 7:51 pm

        Has he had his mid-life crisis yet?
        Maybe this is it

    • Craig H 13.5
      22 August 2017 at 6:23 pm

      TOP mostly use digital billboards so they just have to be updated.

  14. indiana 14
    22 August 2017 at 12:03 pm

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11908367

    Don’t be surprised if rents rise before the rates increase get officially announced – and here I though Aucklander’s elected Goff to reduce inequality!

    • One Anonymous Bloke 14.1
      22 August 2017 at 12:14 pm

      What did you base that think on?

      Does the mayor of Auckland have the power to compel collective bargaining?

      • indiana 14.1.1
        22 August 2017 at 12:56 pm

        I based that thinking of the natural behavior of people – if you know you costs are going to rise, you need to think about where you will get the money from to pay for those increased costs. Landlords pay rates, funded by the rent they charge. If their rates increase, then naturally they raise their rent to cover it – fact of life.

        If the mayor has any consideration for reducing inequality, they would think very carefully about where they increase costs to rate payers.

        • McFlock 14.1.1.1
          22 August 2017 at 1:22 pm

          So would that be more based on your contempt for humanity, or merely the tory habit of applying supply and demand theory only when convenient to your ideology?

        • Carolyn_nth 14.1.1.2
          22 August 2017 at 1:26 pm

          My rent goes up each year by more than the amount the rates on the property rise. Basically, my landlord, who doesn’t increase the rent by as much as the rampant price gougers, is profiting from the escalation of the housing bubble.

          The rises in my rent is pretty modest compared to what is happening elsewhere with rental properties in Auckland.

          You are ignoring the greed of some, who will look for every way to enrich themselves, if the system allows it, even though their behaviour results in a negative impact on the lives of others.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 14.1.1.3
          22 August 2017 at 1:32 pm

          I though [sic] Aucklander’s [sic] elected Goff to reduce inequality!

          That was the reckon I was referring to.

          McFlock and Carolyn_nth covered the other one, so we’re done here.

        • ropata 14.1.1.4
          22 August 2017 at 3:12 pm

          If it becomes uneconomic to be a fucken housing speculating bastard or rent seeking parasite,
          then sell the damn place!

        • Draco T Bastard 14.1.1.5
          22 August 2017 at 3:26 pm

          Thank you for your clear explanation as to why private rentals are bad and need to be legislated out of existence.

          The people who own them are just ripping other people off.

          • Stuart Munro 14.1.1.5.1
            22 August 2017 at 8:14 pm

            I’ve seen systems where they work. In Korea, though there are taxation rules that make multiple apartment ownership expensive, there is some kind of carve out that lets folk build small apartment buildings and let them – typically they live on the top floor. These provide one of the main forms of student housing – because they’re cheap. Where private rentals go wrong is when governments fail to regulate – as NZ’s have for the last thirty years.

  15. Cinny 15
    22 August 2017 at 1:05 pm

    Al Jazeera reports on NZ Election.. Article is about the rise of Jacinda, worried Bill, Gareths lipstick stunt, Dunne exiting and a brief mention about Meti

    http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/jacinda-ardern-embroiled-sexism-row-170821065637886.html

    Awesomesauce

  16. Ad 16
    22 August 2017 at 1:18 pm

    From The Guardian: Dave’s top 15 funniest jokes of the fringe 2017

    “I’m not a fan of the new pound coin, but then again, I hate all change.” Ken Cheng

    “Trump’s nothing like Hitler. There’s no way he could write a book.” Frankie Boyle

    “I’ve given up asking rhetorical questions. What’s the point?” Alexei Sayle

    “I’m looking for the girl-next-door type. I’m just gonna keep moving house till I find her.” Lew Fitz

    “I like to imagine the guy who invented the umbrella was going to call it the ‘brella’. But he hesitated.” Andy Field

    “Combine Harvesters. And you’ll have a really big restaurant.” Mark Simmons

    “I’m rubbish with names. It’s not my fault, it’s a condition. There’s a name for it …” Jimeoin

    “I have two boys, five and six. We’re no good at naming things in our house.” Ed Byrne

    “I wasn’t particularly close to my dad before he died … which was lucky, because he trod on a landmine.” Olaf Falafel

    “Whenever someone says, ‘I don’t believe in coincidences’, I say, ‘Oh my God, me neither!’” Alasdair Beckett-King

    “A friend tricked me into going to Wimbledon by telling me it was a men’s singles event.” Angela Barnes

    “As a vegan, I think people who sell meat are disgusting, but apparently people who sell fruit and veg are grocer.” Adele Cliff

    “For me, dying is a lot like going camping. I don’t want G!to do it.” Phil Wang

    “I wonder how many chameleons snuck on to the Ark.” Adam Hess

    “I went to a Pretenders gig. It was a tribute act.” Tim Vine

    Ba-dup CHING!

    • tracey 16.1
      22 August 2017 at 2:54 pm

      Laughing @ trump couldnt write a book

    • Macro 16.2
      22 August 2017 at 3:39 pm

      I’m not a fan of the new pound coin either! They don’t work in the parking meters – or any other coin machine for that matter! Gezz you would have thought they would have don’t some research on that one! Was at Lindesfarne one Sunday afternoon and in the parking lot – there were about 5 of us looking for someone who had some old coins so we could legally park.

    • ianmac 19.1
      22 August 2017 at 2:34 pm

      Audrey Young looks sour at Jacinda’s enthusiasm and fluency. She wants to bring Jacinda down for her friends in the National team.

      • ropata 19.1.1
        22 August 2017 at 3:10 pm

        cynical old MSM shills looking for the next payday from their corp. masters

      • NewsFlash 19.1.2
        22 August 2017 at 10:24 pm

        Only problem for Audrey is that Jacinda is a whole smarter than she is, she shut her down very quickly on the TAX issues and gently reminded her how the Nats had introduced GST increases by stealth.

    • NewsFlash 19.2
      22 August 2017 at 10:01 pm

      ianmac, thanks for the link.

      Great interview, we haven’t seen a politico with this level of skill, enthusiasm and knowledge for some time, I felt that she dominated, roll on September

  20. tracey 20
    22 August 2017 at 2:52 pm

    Nats begin the attack Ads. See latest Ads attacking Labour. Odd when they dont do this cos they focus on their plans for NZ!!!!. I guess they have to do more of their own attacking with their attack dogs silence after 2014 election

  21. ropata 21
    22 August 2017 at 3:08 pm

    An event for political tragics + comic book geeks 🙂

    I'm talking about Captain America, fascism and Trump on Thursday. Everyone is welcome. pic.twitter.com/dk0W2OMyKa— Neal Curtis (@NealCurtis) August 22, 2017

    4:15 pm Thurs 24 August
    Room 201, Arts 1 building
    University of Auckland

  22. esoteric pineapples 22
    22 August 2017 at 3:32 pm

    Federated Farmers policy on global warming is that it is only the second biggest contributor (after CO2) that we should ignore it.

    “Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions should understand that not all greenhouse gases are created equal. Carbon dioxide is the dominant greenhouse gas from human activity, and is persistent in the atmosphere. Efforts to reduce emissions should continue to focus on reducing carbon dioxide over methane and nitrous oxide.”

    http://www.fedfarm.org.nz/FFPublic/Policy/National/Climate_Change.aspx?WebsiteKey=00ff782d-8ff5-4a81-ae69-785972132c32

    However, “Methane contributes to ozone depletion, plus acts as a greenhouse gas. It lasts about 10 years in the atmosphere before being converted mainly to carbon dioxide and water. The global warming potential of methane is rated at 72 over a 20 year time frame. It does not last as long as carbon dioxide, but has a greater impact while its active. The methane cycle is not completely understood, but the concentration of methane in the atmosphere appears to have increased 150% since 1750.”

    https://www.thoughtco.com/worst-greenhouse-gases-606789

  23. esoteric pineapples 23
    22 August 2017 at 3:37 pm

    Federated Farmers asking for financial contributions to fight the “water tax.”

    http://www.fedfarm.org.nz/FFPublic/Fundraising/WaterTax.aspx

    I wonder if they will start running attack adverts which are now allowed in New Zealand. While there are limits to how much political parties can spend on election campaigns, their supporters can spend as much as they like.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/89849345/andrew-geddis-open-slather-for-electionyear-attack-ads-by-individuals-and-wellfunded-pressure-groups

  24. Ad 24
    22 August 2017 at 4:01 pm

    Labour is promising to reverse the Kiwirail decision, and make them buy electric trains again:

    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/labour-warns-kiwirail-halt-move-switch-electric-trains-diesel-if-wins-election

    • Eco maori 24.1
      22 August 2017 at 4:34 pm

      Yes thats a start electric rail we need to go hard on renewable energy projects those Muppets that have been in power for 9 years had there heads stuck up there own ass they could not see reality

  25. Eco maori 25
    22 August 2017 at 4:53 pm

    If my wife heard we talking like this she would kick my ass

  26. MJH 26
    22 August 2017 at 9:46 pm

    Resubmitting here, working on the assumption Weka will censor my earlier comment [if you don’t, Weka, I apologise!]
    This is from the Lefties only post:
    And who decides who the “lefties” are?? Weka, weka, weka dear! As if your censoring of this site isn’t strong enough! [All those you’ve removed over the past year…and why is the pre-election debate so anemic?? Surely a coincidence??] Oh great arbiter of all that is, how do we approach you? Having been on the left for over 30 years, I’m not intimidated by you, nor do I care what what you’ll say…
    I know , you all think, I’m a troll, but I’m not… I want to change the government! Absolutely! Oops, but sorry, Weka, the party you’ll need is NZ First. NZ First is the only party that says absolutely no more NeoLiberal policy! Oh, but I must be right wing and racist for supporting NZ First…No I am not! Please others write in and support me!

    [lprent: Stop whining, you pathetic gutless and stupid excuse for a idiotic wimp.

    The trick is that you have to be able to argue, and that appears to be something that you are completely incompetent or just incapable of doing with any kind of intelligence. I can see about 9 comments from you. None have carried any kind of argument apart from ones whining about the way we choose to run our site or whining that other disagree with you. The remainder look like advertisements for media, without either a link to the media or an rational editorial comment about why others should go and look at them.

    I can’t see any contribution are you bringing to this site. Perhaps you should learn to project any good attributes you have rather than displaying your worst ones.

    I had a look at it last week. I actually ban more people for longer than weka does. Just like I will right now. So you can fuck off for 2 months on the basis that you are trying to tell us what to do – read the policy. ]