Open mike 24/02/2020

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, February 24th, 2020 - 54 comments
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54 comments on “Open mike 24/02/2020 ”

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  1. Sacha 1
    24 February 2020 at 8:08 am

    Useful explanation – the Winston First foundation is all about his control freakery: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/119702717/the-real-purpose-of-the-nz-first-foundation-control

    • Jimmy 1.1
      24 February 2020 at 9:18 am

      Yes I think NZF could be in a bit of trouble. Ardern needs to take a leaf out of Helen Clark's book and act decisively against Winston else Labour are going to be tainted by association.

      • Sacha 1.1.1
        24 February 2020 at 10:02 am

        The difference is that last time Winston was directly involved in the fundraising in question.

        A PM acting because the opposition want her to is not 'strong' in anyone's book, despite their bleating.

        • Psycho Milt 1.1.1.1
          24 February 2020 at 11:33 am

          A PM acting because the opposition want her to is not 'strong' in anyone's book, despite their bleating.

          Just felt like the above bears repeating, because fuck yes. Ardern doesn't need any lessons on leadership.

          • Sacha 1.1.1.1.1
            24 February 2020 at 11:38 am

            Yet all we get in media is silly old fossils like John Armstrong regurgitating what he learned on his pappy's knee about what a real leader acts like. Growl at villagers, kill bear with bare hands, etc.

            • McFlock 1.1.1.1.1.1
              24 February 2020 at 11:58 am

              It's interesting how the longer she resists the pressure from the media and opposition, the more they call her "weak".

              It's as if they don't know the meaning of the word.

  2. WeTheBleeple 2
    24 February 2020 at 8:45 am

    Does anyone know where I go to find out who owns a local business?

  3. mosa 3
    24 February 2020 at 9:29 am

    Some interesting discussions on a possible brokered convention in July.



    • Peter 4.1
      24 February 2020 at 3:35 pm

      There's a nice sort of parallel there.

      We have a National government which helped create all sorts of problems with housing in NZ. They denied there was a crisis and complain that someone else hasn't been effective in sorting the problems out. And then give us the grand solution: vote for National because they can sort out our housing problems.

      Now what sort of virus would you have to have had eating your brain out to go with that sort of logic?

  5. greywarshark 5
    24 February 2020 at 10:08 am

    If you are interested in better social conditions there is a forum in Porirua on the 4th of March in the morning for people at the grassroots giving and needing help, to talk over the issues and how to get traction.

    The People’s Voices forum is a unique event where people who often feel let down or unheard by the system will share their stories and ideas for change – on their own terms.

    If your job involves making decisions that affect the lives of others, this forum is for you. A selection of whānau who often experience a range of hardships will be talking directly to policy makers and others who work in systems designed to help those who are struggling.

    Organised by Wesley Community Action, with support from the Honourable Justice Sir Joe Williams and Children’s Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft, the People's Voices forum will give funders, policy makers, decision makers and the media a chance to listen, with the agenda set by the people themselves.

    Link with info and to register. I don't know the cost – they were calling for help with costs through givealittle. This is affirmed by the Celia Lashlie Trust ongoing work.

    https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/peoples-voices-forum-tickets-91267448395

  6. Sacha 6
    24 February 2020 at 10:33 am

    Graphed actual traffic figures for NZ's highway and motorway network shows what a la-la land the moar roads chumps are living in: https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2020/02/24/thinking-about-expressways/

  7. RedLogix 7
    24 February 2020 at 11:04 am

    I heard this hypothesis about COVID19 from my Chinese source (this person is highly educated, credentialed and credible) a week ago; now it is published.

    There is rock solid evidence and papers published in Nature that show work was being undertaken at the Wuhan research institute to combine the original SAR's and a novel bat coronavirus.

    There is every reason to think that instead of destroying research animals when they were no longer needed, someone was selling them in the wet markets instead. This is not preposterous, there has already been a convicted case of this at large scale.

    Or someone working there got infected accidentally and it escaped that way. This is highly plausible. I first-hand know of two separate incidents where people working in this type of lab have had this happen to them.

    While it's wrong to call this virus a bioweapon (it has all the wrong characteristics), I believe it is definitely synthetic. It's established in South Korea, Iran and Italy … and it is proven to have incubation or non-symptomatic periods in excess of 24 days. (No-one really knows what the upper limit is. Numerous people have now done 14 day quarantines and then later shown positive.)

    The good news is that an Australian team may be able to produce a decent vaccine within a few months. They've done it before and believe they can repeat this; if they do it will be a bloody miracle.

  8. WeTheBleeple 8
    24 February 2020 at 11:11 am

    The dinosaurs are not dead, they live on in Southland. A stunning display of ignorance, obstinacy and entitlement. Whitebaiters, or white baters?

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/119740324/whitebaiters-eye-court-action-if-government-proposals-get-greenlight

    • Alice Tectonite 8.1
      24 February 2020 at 11:32 am

      Not only dinosaurs, but sexist dinosaurs.
      "chick scientists"
      Its the 21st century FFS.

    • Cinny 8.2
      24 February 2020 at 1:37 pm

      Whitebaiters don't care about the species, the only thing they appear to be worried about is that their tax free income is going to disappear.

      • cricklewood 8.2.1
        24 February 2020 at 4:21 pm

        Nah that's an over reach, sure some are wankers most are not… I know plenty who care about and work to improve the waterways that provide the habitat for whitebait.

        I'd also say the urban development, industrial usage, Dairy, hell even flood protection works have done far more to damage Whitebait habitat and stocks than the catch it's self.

        Look at the state of our harbours and urban streams, filled with literal shit, garbage, oils, tyre rubber and god knows what else.

    • AB 8.3
      24 February 2020 at 2:01 pm

      It seems that the best defence against scientific evidence is to start a culture war. That, plus the locals always think they know better than the scientists because last time out they saw heaps of [insert endangered species here]. A bit depressing – but it doesn't help to write them off as 'deplorables' because that's playing the culture war game too.

      • Cinny 8.3.1
        24 February 2020 at 5:01 pm

        Maybe ken cochranes' excuse to ensure a tax free, no quota income from whitebait is to start a culture war.

        He's on the Fish and Game Council, I wonder how they feel about his behaviour?

        • Graeme 8.3.1.1
          24 February 2020 at 6:10 pm

          Fish and Game are all about the protection and enhancement of introduced predators. Conservation has little to do with their remit.

          F & G also came out the wrong end of a recent Environment Court judgement, it's a bit of a read but interesting how Judge Jackson builds his argument. If Jackson's reasoning is allowed to stand it's pretty much the end of F & G's statutory protection and role.

          Expect to see lots more outbursts like this as they drift off into irrelevancy alongside the gun nuts and Fuck 1080 lot

          • weka 8.3.1.1.1
            24 February 2020 at 6:30 pm

            what's going on there? The ORC set minimum flow, and irrigation take, and the EC lowered the minimum flow and raised the irrigation take, presumably at the behest of farmers. How is F & G in the wrong here to challenge that?

            https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/fish-game-appeal-over-lindis-flows

            "Fish and Game are all about the protection and enhancement of introduced predators. Conservation has little to do with their remit."

            That's harsh. Not all river care (conservation) is about native species.

            • Graeme 8.3.1.1.1.1
              24 February 2020 at 7:30 pm

              F& G have taken a very hard nosed approach to water take consent renewals and have let their passion get in the way of reason. I've had a recent interaction with them renewing consent for a small scheme I manage and found them obstructive and confrontational in their dealings. It took a lot of effort to convince them that there were no issues with the consent.

              It looks like the same attitudes were prevalent in the Lindis appeal the Judge didn't seem to have much time for Fish and Game's arguments. ORC's minimum flow regime has been in trouble as well and they are having to redraft the Regional Water Plan. In the end Judge Jackson, thought the irrigator's science had more merit than ORC's.

              High Court appeal will be interesting. Fish and Game will be fighting for their lives, if Jackson is upheld their statutory protection is over and DOC will have more say in freshwater management. One thing that came out of my recent experience is that DOC (who were brilliant to deal with) and F & G aren't on the same page.

  9. Sacha 9
    24 February 2020 at 11:23 am

    More dodginess within right-leaning political parties: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/02/sustainable-nz-leader-vernon-tava-accused-of-ordering-membership-records-doctored.html

    The party's former secretary Helen Cartwright has told Newshub she was asked to doctor membership records so the party could be registered.

  10. adam 10
    24 February 2020 at 1:52 pm

    The man the DNC pushed for, so much for women's rights in the democratic party.

    https://theintercept.com/2020/02/18/mike-bloomberg-lp-nda-china/

  11. Gosman 11
    24 February 2020 at 2:44 pm

    I am always up for a debate Aaron. What is it that you think needs debating here? Is it that having a hard left radical (in the US context) like Sanders as the Democratic nominee for US President is likely to alienate moderate Dems thus increasing the chances Trump will be re-elected?

    [If you go back to that post’s thread with any more “in the weeds” bullshit, I’ll give you a fortnight or three to swirl around in whatever off-line weeds of your choice. – B]

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

  12. Eco Maori 12
    25 February 2020 at 6:29 pm

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    The poverty trap has been 40 years in the making.

    Climate change Sea level rising is a big problem for our Pacific Cousin.

    Keying A Tesla was the wrong thing to do.

    Ka kite Ano

  13. Eco Maori 13
    25 February 2020 at 6:53 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News

    It would be good to see benefit rates increase to the levels that will make our childrens lives better.

    Ka kite Ano

  14. Eco Maori 14
    26 February 2020 at 8:29 am

    Kia Ora The Am Show.

    ACC needs to be cleaned up they would rather spend money on consultancy than actual paying out money to people who are paying acc insurance fees.????.

    Child poverty is a mess in national party’s making. I won't raise gst. There is no housing shortage.

    We should be treating Wai as a Taonga and using minimal Wai as possible all THE TIME not just in dry seasons .???.

    Self awareness is a trait that humanity needs to embrace not denial.

    Plastic waste pouring in our environment carbon pouring into our environment and world leaders deniers this is having a negative impact on our environment. This his is a basic principle that we should be teaching our tamariki and Mokopuna not grown adults.????.

    I quite like bagpipes.

    Ka kite Ano

  15. Eco Maori 15
    26 February 2020 at 6:27 pm

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    Global warming how many years have we been warned about the consequences of this phenomenon.

    That will teach people to respect Wahine.

    Ka kite Ano.

  16. Eco Maori 16
    26 February 2020 at 6:52 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

    The Army is carting Wai for North land Towns that cool.

    Its quite dry in other district to.

    Porirua Iwi and council working together to provide clean Wai for Te tangata is cool.

    Ka kite Ano

  17. Eco Maori 17
    27 February 2020 at 8:42 am

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    That's correct unless you have good Internet skills and devices it would be very hard to access social services.

    Wai is A essential phenomenon hence it needs to be treated with more respect.

    Processed food has high rates of carcinogen propertys hence natural grass fed food is much safer to consume.

    Ka kite Ano

  19. Eco Maori 19
    27 February 2020 at 6:26 pm

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    Lower fuel prices will be great.

    Hauraki gulf Fisheries is in bad shape that is sad ban trawling there and set up more marine reserves to.

    Ka kite Ano

  20. Eco Maori 20
    27 February 2020 at 6:52 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

    Mana Wahine Dr Cook Wahine deserves equality it will be awesome for our society when that happens.

    Aotearoa needs to train more Maori and Pacific nurses it's good that plans are being implemented to achieve this.

    Cool that Titirangi Mounga has had 60.000 plus native trees planted.

    Good national campaign teaching people how to check the safety of their Waka. I never even checked the oil and Wai in my first few Waka.

    Ka pai to the new Maori Power company Nau mai ra Cool great idea. Yes Maori Culture used to be based on koha giving back to the tangata not many like that these days.

    Ka kite Ano

  21. Eco Maori 21
    28 February 2020 at 8:28 am

    Kia Ora The Am Show.

    Its good to highlight our native wildlife.

    There you go wealthy people are treated differently to the common person.

    Squawk squad cool digital environment educationing tamariki.

    There is a positive to be found in most situations.

    Ka kite Ano

  22. Eco Maori 22
    28 February 2020 at 8:51 am

    Looks like they are editing Eco Maori
    The new parade will be a flop

  23. Eco Maori 23
    28 February 2020 at 8:59 am

    If they would leave me and my whanau alone I will leave them alone