Open mike 24/10/2023

25 comments on “Open mike 24/10/2023 ”

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1. SPC 1

   24 October 2023 at 9:16 am

   What is needed in the parties outside of the next government is a restatement of their purpose (aspiration) – as to where New Zealand should be/what there should be.

   This to identify where the "looming" coalition agreement falls short of what the opposition stood for in 2023 and wanted to realise for the country.

   That is Labour Greens and TPM should pose the alternative and critique the performance of the government for failing to even try to match it.

   In terms of

   incomes and working conditions

   affordable housing, both to rent or to own

   fair taxation

   etc

   The loyal opposition role of critiquing government action is too barren an approach to removing this lot in one term (even if they pose as inviting a target as agent orange to the US talk shows).
   • bwaghorn 1.1

     24 October 2023 at 11:44 am

     Show us a netter tomorrow, !!

     Gonna be hard to counter in a nz back on a sugar fueled house prices cheap labour economy ,paper over the cracks courtesy of the nats
     • bwaghorn 1.1.1

       24 October 2023 at 11:52 am

       Came back to fix the comment but edits having a fit
2. SPC 2

   24 October 2023 at 9:44 am

   The IRB is one step away from causing South Africa a major problem for the World Cup final contest.

   There are only two hookers in the South African squad, and so if one is suspended – there is no replacement for the other. Which means he would have to play the entire 80 minutes, or upset Ox Nche by reducing the game to oldies scrums.

   PS Three of the AB's are from Fielding High School (a team so feared by PNBHS, they do not play each other) who play goldies scrums against Scots college (known as team turtle because of their inability to come out with a full squad of front row forwards).

   What could Bambi say to TimTamTom (Curry) that would want him to make a complaint … anyhow … white rice and curry, Morris dancer …
   • bwaghorn 2.1

     24 October 2023 at 11:46 am

     Curry shoulda sorted it old school what the front row coming to ffs🤣
   • Binders full of Women 2.2

     24 October 2023 at 2:19 pm

     He didn't swear and wasn't a raaaaycist. He said 'white side" in Afrikaans– meaning the ball was out of the ruck/maul and it was time to set defence.
   • tsmithfield 2.3

     24 October 2023 at 2:32 pm

     I think South Africa might be in trouble anyway. Two tough, draining matches in a row. One day's less rest and recovery time than the ABs. In contrast, the ABs had a bit of a cakewalk in their last game. Plus, the South Africans may have peaked early.

     Anyway, here is some friendly advice so you will be happy whatever the result. South Africa is paying 2.10 for the win on the TAB. Better than the odds for the ABs at 1.67.

     So, put a hundy on SA to win. Then, what ever the result, you will be happy.
3. Barfly 3

   24 October 2023 at 9:45 am

   Well I won the foolish old man award this morning – a big bloke stealing a basket of meat from the supermarket – tried to stop him…lol he had about 30kg weight advantage..but hey I'm at least 30 years older so that makes up for it right? No injuries but sitting on the ground I realise I've got to stop caring about stuff like that and got to stop having emotional reactions – as Red Foreman would say "you dumbass".
   • Tiger Mountain 3.1

     24 October 2023 at 10:20 am

     You might better expend such efforts Barfly on physically tackling bankers and finance capitalists leaving their buildings–after all they steal from the NZ working class day in day out!

     My attitude is stronger than the physique these days so I have to watch it a bit in public. Used to personally tackle motor bike riders in protected sand dunes, scabs in industrial disputes, and butt up against coppers in the front row…how the mighty have to adjust…
     • Peter 3.1.1

       24 October 2023 at 11:01 am

       Someone rips others off to the extent of hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars.

       My observation is that often very little public umbrage is expressed.

       A couple of young people perpetrate some property crime and or threaten others, and social media and the zb mafia goes crazy.

       Well done Barfly. The common rip off merchants seldom face the sort of direct instantaneous assistance and feedback you offered.
       • Descendant Of Smith 3.1.1.1

         24 October 2023 at 2:28 pm

         There is a sense of irony in that those who come here as migrants who then sell addictive products to New Zealanders in poor communities, extort workers, extort tenants and rip off IRD and then commence complaining about the government not protecting them well enough.

         I do think many of them do as much damage to our society as the bankers whether it be alcohol, vaping, cigarettes or not so long ago synthetic cannabinoids. The nice, smooth innocent shop owner they like to portray in the media is just mind-fuckery of the highest sort.

         Dairy's near mental health units resulted in a near perfect circle of weeks of effort spent to get someone well undone by easy access to synthetic cannabinoids. turning back up at the unit within three to four days. Rinse and repeat.

         Harjit Singh but one example unashamedly calling one of his companies Liquor Tycoon and continuing his and his families behaviour well after being stripped of his licenses. Capitalism at its finest.

         https://www.companiesnz.com/company/1249099/nekita-enterprises-limited

         https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300913963/appalling-builder-lashes-out-at-delays-at-controversial-property-development
   • Patricia Bremner 3.2

     24 October 2023 at 5:33 pm

     Yes it pays to be careful Barfly. A friend heeded a "Stop thief " call from a shop owner, stuck out his leg to trip him up. He tripped fell and dropped the jewellery. Friend had six month recovery from a broken instep. Best to film a thief from a distance instead .
4. Tiger Mountain 4

   24 October 2023 at 10:44 am

   Intro to Bernard Hickey’s latest The Kākā subscriber newsletter

   “S&P's warning to National
   S&P (Standard & Poors) warns National repeal of Three Waters may hit council credit ratings; Inside National's social media-driven win; Dairy worker from Philippines on temporary visa for 10 years being forced out.

   There are often unintended consequences when Governments pursue policies with the aim of not addressing the core issues. Two examples today include:

   • the Labour and National focus on trying to push councils’ water assets off their balance sheets and councils’ balance sheets to avoid a difficult conversation with voters about higher taxes to pay for infrastructure needed for very -high population growth; and,
   • their focus also on jointly pursuing a high-population-growth-driven strategy but pretending this year’s population growth was a ‘one-off’ to cope with temporary shortages.

   These dual attempts to ignore the reality of high population growth without infrastructure spending has now led to a ratings agency warning of credit rating downgrades and a ‘temporary’ worker here for a decade with a happy employer being forced out to avoid any health issues costing taxpayers.”

   Bernard is pointing out yet again that the neo lib Emperor has no clothes. Natzos bought this election partly at least on the back of COVID grumpiness, but they will hopefully not get the next after the coming shit storm shows their true intent.
   • SPC 4.1

     24 October 2023 at 11:06 am

     The first problem will not be credit ratings, it will be the size of the rates bill (and water charges) because they have to spend on infrastructure but have limited ability to borrow (debt caps) and so will have to increase rates or sell assets or cut services.

     Labour was trying to deal with that problem, those councils that raised objections made their bed with National, and they now have to lie in it.

     The meeting between Brown and Luxon to resolve the issue is not one that will occur in the first 100 days, coz NACT has no plan. There might be a show event after which they’ll declare some review (or a working group) will occur …
     • Barfly 4.1.1

       24 October 2023 at 2:45 pm

       Sounds like a great opportunity to privatise water in nz.
     • pat 4.1.2

       24 October 2023 at 6:54 pm

       Credit ratings will indeed be a problem should they decline….as the likes of the rates bill will increase with that decline. It is also worth noting that the rating warning comes BEFORE the new government has any opportunity to implement or even define policy…that should tell you something.
5. Adrian 5

   24 October 2023 at 12:24 pm

   Why Hipkins did not push the poisoned water line during the campaign is beyond me. The roll call of Queenstown, Wellington, Auckland, Hawkes Bay and numerous others too small to mention, like just in Marlborough there is Havelock, Seddon, Renwick and Picton/Waikawa just about the sum total of all Marlborough towns with "Boil Water "notices which must be repeated in much of the country and the local bills here are astronomical to fix the problems of these communities of less than a few thousand which dont have a hope in hell of being able to afford to pay it.
   • aj 5.1

     24 October 2023 at 12:53 pm

     Why Hipkins did not push…

     And several other issues, notably free fares on buses, trains and ferries for children aged 5 to 12 and half price discounts for all passengers aged 13 to 24.

     More than 1.6 million Kiwis in total will now benefit from free or half priced public transport; with 774,000 additional children and young people now eligible for the Community Connect discount scheme. Free fares for kids under 13 could see savings of $30 a week for families with two children.
6. Bearded Git 6

   24 October 2023 at 12:54 pm

   Verity Johnson makes some good points here in relation to Labour's failure to get light rail going, but worse, Luxon cancelling the whole thing.

   https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/300994551/its-not-just-the-death-of-the-light-rail-its-the-death-of-hope

   There was a pro-PT guy on RadioNZ last week talking about a cheaper option where light rail would go from the central city down Dominion Road to where it linked with heavy rail. He said that a new heavy rail link could be built to the airport fairly cheaply (I think he said a couple of billion). This all sounded feasible to me.
   • Belladonna 6.1

     24 October 2023 at 2:10 pm

     The heavy rail option from Puhenui through to the airport – is an easy and relatively cheap win (it's across green fields – rather than existing roads/housing, and would link into the existing main trunk line).

     Yes there are issues (getting across the southern motorway is the biggest) – but none of them are insurmountable. And there is no doubt that it would be an order of magnitude cheaper and considerably less disruptive than the constantly ballooning estimated cost of the light rail.

     It would primarily be a freight line (getting trucks off the roads) – but no reason it can't have passengers as well.

     The main issue is that the government wanted light rail- which coincidentally ran through its heartland electorates. Now those electorates aren't heartland any more…. maybe that will change.

     You should also not underestimate the massive disruption that there has been to traffic in Auckland for things like the CRL and the NorthWestern busway. Not arguing that they are a bad idea – but options which do not require digging up main arterial roads are likely to be preferred by the people who live there.

     Nor the ballooning cost – the CRL is now one billion (and counting) over budget – and still not complete. It's sucked up every penny of the Auckland Fuel tax – and much, much more. Yes, you can blame Covid for some of that – but not all. People are very legitimately concerned over just how they are going to pay for major infrastructure projects (doesn't matter whether it's taxes or rates – the money has to come from somewhere).

     Also, I think Verity is out of touch with the traffic issues in Tauranga.

     And that all that time and effort and fury and mental justification for not moving to Tauranga hadn’t been wasted.

     https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plenty/300909599/worst-city-in-new-zealand-for-traffic-and-its-not-auckland

     Actually, the infrastructure initiative which I think will make the most difference, is the West Auckland busway – which is just about to come online (or may have already done so). We've seen the huge difference that the Northern busway made to Harbour Bridge to CBD traffic – and have every reason to belive that the WAB will have a similar impact, for the West Auckland to CBD traffic.
     • Bearded Git 6.1.1

       24 October 2023 at 2:57 pm

       Good points Bella. I guess the that the West Auckland busway can be credited as something that was done while Labour was in government, though it may be a local initiative?

       Perish the thought Labour should get credit for anything. The meme that Labour "did not deliver" seems to have become accepted fact in the MSM, yet I remember a massive list once published on The Standard that showed all the things they had done (despite Covid and very expensive cyclones in Akl and the East Cape).

       Can somebody publish this list again?
7. Anne 7

   24 October 2023 at 3:23 pm

   Two days ago I saw an article in the Guardian online about a crackdown on Israeli citizens reminiscent of Germany in the 1930s. The article did not make that comparison, but it did report that the Israeli police have been given powers to arrest and interrogate thousands of people after encouraging citizens to report anyone expressing "anti Israeli" sentiments. Most of them have done no more than express concern about the level of killing in Gaza and in particular children and babies. They are now losing their jobs and are the victims of thuggery and persecution.

   The article appears to have vanished but I found another one along the same lines:

   https://www.thenation.com/article/world/israel-cracks-down-on-critics-of-gaza-war/

   So, the wheel has turned full circle? Eighty plus years ago the Jewish people were the oppressed. Now they are doing the oppressing.
   • SPC 7.1

     24 October 2023 at 3:31 pm

     https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67181582
     • Anne 7.1.1

       24 October 2023 at 5:39 pm

       Thanks SPC. According to the Guardian article, the order came direct from Netanyahu, and applied to Jewish citizens as well as Arab Israelis. Madness and acute paranoia.
8. Adrian 8

   24 October 2023 at 5:36 pm

   Why does Gaza remind me so much of the Warsaw Ghetto? The Zionists have certainly learnt a lot from the Gestapo.

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