Open mike 25/02/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, February 25th, 2019 - 150 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 …

150 comments on “Open mike 25/02/2019”

    • Pete George 1.1
      25 February 2019 at 7:37 am

      The Colmar Brunton question is loaded – “Would you Support or Oppose the Capital Gains Tax if there was a Cut in Personal Income Tax ?”

      That’s a bit like asking “would you like to pay less tax and someone else pay more tax’?

      Even them only 46% supported “the Capital Gains Tax’ – something that is not even defined yet let alone agreed on by Government parties.

      • lprent 1.1.1
        25 February 2019 at 7:50 am

        Well it was exactly the tradeoff that tax group suggested. They wanted to extend the lowest tax bracket @10.4% from its current level of 14k up to between ~22 or ~30k. That gives a tax reduction to everyone paying personal income tax.

        So I wouldn’t say that the question was loaded, it is exactly what is on the table.

      • swordfish 1.1.2
        25 February 2019 at 8:03 am

        Meanwhile … the Feb 2019 Newshub Reid Research Poll question asked “Do you Support or Oppose the Government imposing a Capital Gains Tax”

        (shades of the frequent use of Tax Burden as a deliberate rhetorical device laden with negative connotations)

        (Note: client Newshub – rather than pollster Reid Research – devise the questions … as does One News rather than Colmar Brunton)

  2. Pete George 2
    25 February 2019 at 7:34 am

    A simple question – what does Jacinda Ardern actually stand for? Can you explain that?

  3. AB 3
    25 February 2019 at 7:35 am

    How long before NZ’s idiotic ‘adventure tourism’ industry gets such a bad Health & Safety reputation that it goes bust?
    Apart from the lost jobs, I wouldn’t be sad to see it go. Nothing more irritating than oblivious fools compelled to race across the landscape and jump off bits of it, rather than being content to merely be in it.

    • Gosman 3.1
      25 February 2019 at 7:52 am

      What a typical leftist view of the World – “I don’t like what other people want to do with their free time so I want them to stop it despite it providing tens of thousands of jobs that pay more than anything I’m
      offering as an alternative.”

    • bwaghorn 3.2
      25 February 2019 at 7:56 am

      Evolution made the young (especially men) into risk takers . The riskiest thing most get in their day to day lives is crossing the road . That is the y of adventure tourism .

    • Molly 3.3
      25 February 2019 at 12:17 pm

      Was surprised to find out when the fatality at Tree Adventures took place a few years ago, that they don’t have to be reviewed on safety procedures to start operations.

      Something I was not aware of at the time.

  4. Gosman 4
    25 February 2019 at 7:55 am

    Killing people for trying to bring in humanitarian relief supplies. Bravo Venezuelan Socialism.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/23/venezuela-border-latest-maduro-guaido

    • Sanctuary 4.1
      25 February 2019 at 8:27 am

      Weaponising humanitarian aid is killing people. Bravo USA, bravo.

    • Shadrach 4.2
      25 February 2019 at 9:14 am

      Perhaps the Venezuelan government is getting advice from Hamas.

      https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/feb/06/gaza-un-aid-hamas

    • cleangreen 4.3
      25 February 2019 at 11:23 am

      Gosman your right wong lot will get your chance to plunder very soon now;

      Global Debt is now 200% worse than when the last GFC came in 2008.

      We are now on the edge of the financial cliff that is about to crumble.

      https://www.businessinsider.com.au/global-debt-levels-hit-an-eye-watering-215-trillion-last-year-2017-4

      World total debt now stands at $250 trillion dollars and we can never pay this amount back.

      “Global debt levels soared over the past decade, with the vast majority accumulated by emerging market nations.
      According to figures from the Institute of International Finance (IIF), global levels of debt held by households, governments, financials and non-financial corporates jumped by over $US70 trillion in the past decade to a record high of $US215 trillion, equating to 325% of global GDP.
      Here’s what that increase looks like, looking back not only over the past decade but also to the decade before.”

      Read more at;

      https://www.businessinsider.com.au/global-debt-levels-hit-an-eye-watering-215-trillion-last-year-2017-4

    • adam 4.4
      25 February 2019 at 12:24 pm

      More propaganda from Gosman.

      Any chance you can explain why the opposition keep killing black Venezuelans in their violent night protests? Or can you explain why the opposition keeps violently attacking security forces and police?

      And more importantly, why do you personally oppose a democratically elected President?

      Maduro has said they will have new election and has asked the opposition to participate.

      Also the UN special envoy found no humanitarian crisis in Venezuela

      https://chicagoalbasolidarity.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/un-report-on-venezuela-and-ecuador-alfred-de-zayas.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2V_GVz6O7hF2E403rHokyK1crm5s3tH0dnpuPg_SI2UPSNKf9h_B50fgQ

      You need more proof – or you going to keep up your B.S. Gosman and spreading lies.

      https://www.unspecial.org/2018/09/successful-un-mission-to-venezuela/?fbclid=IwAR0WxhfcbNMBovNGgZz5Bi-DhTv4TbtscIE4gmqVJaNJ26J5isGNygs2TCM

      • Gosman 4.4.1
        25 February 2019 at 12:33 pm

        Maduro is not the democratically elected President of Venezuela as his election did not meet the criteria set down for a free and fair democratic election.

        • Sam 4.4.1.1
          25 February 2019 at 12:38 pm

          Are you by any chance Venezuelan or have you even been to Venezuela in the last 3 years? Just trying to establish your credibility for making such an unsubstantiated claim.

        • adam 4.4.1.2
          25 February 2019 at 1:53 pm

          Wow Gosman, all you got is lies. What he won exactly the same percentage of votes as Obama, in a system way more honest than the US one. So I’m going to say Bullshit on your statement or what normal people would call it – a lie.

          Caught out on your lying again, how about you do the world a favour and stop lying.

          • Gosman 4.4.1.2.1
            25 February 2019 at 2:16 pm

            A system way more honest than the US – Really???

            https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44187838

            “Under the Venezuelan constitution, the CNE is the official independent body responsible for overseeing and guaranteeing the transparency of all elections.

            The opposition says it is dominated by Maduro allies. It is made up of five members. The opposition alleges that four of the five are government stooges and therefore does not trust the body to be independent.

            Luis Emilio Rondón, the one CNE member which has been critical of the government, said he did not recognise the results because “Venezuelans’ freedom to vote” had not been respected.”

            The one member of the so called “independent” electoral body that is not a government appointed stooge called the election not free and fair. Was there something similar in the US during the last election?

            • adam 4.4.1.2.1.1
              25 February 2019 at 2:35 pm

              “The opposition says…”

              The same ones who have staged how many coup attempts now?

              I put the UN link above it also proves the elections are robust and fair. But facts are an inconvenient truth to you ah gossy.

              • Gosman …
                25 February 2019 at 2:41 pm

                Funny that the only one of the so called “independent” electoral body that wasn’t appointed by the Maduro regime was the only one that had a problem with the election don’t you think adam?

              • Gosman …
                25 February 2019 at 2:43 pm

                Do you believe electoral bodies should be regarded as independent by the political parties in the country or do you think the government of the day can appoint anyone they like without reference to the opposition? I’m just asking next time you complain about a National lead government appointing someone to say the board of RNZ.

    • Gabby 4.5
      25 February 2019 at 3:15 pm

      Weren’t they trespassing gozzer? You’d think they could’ve left the supplies at the border to be picked up. I guess Guiado wanted to play Santrump.

    • mikesh 4.6
      25 February 2019 at 4:02 pm

      The UN and the Red Cross were also opposed to the US backed ‘humanitarian’ relief effort, seeing it as a political gimmick.

    • Tamati Tautuhi 4.7
      25 February 2019 at 11:25 pm

      Evidently the US have been flooding Venezuela with weapons to effect some kind of Civil War ?

      Cuba have traditionally been one of Venezuela’s main trading partners, Cuba supply Venezuela with Doctors in exchange for oil to get around the USA embargo on Cuba which has been in effect since 1959 when Castro & Guevera took back Cuba after it was annexed by the USA in 1900.

      • Gosman 4.7.1
        25 February 2019 at 11:29 pm

        Wrong on so many levels.

        • Sam 4.7.1.1
          25 February 2019 at 11:49 pm

          You ducking or did you concede earlier?

          • RedLogix 4.7.1.1.1
            25 February 2019 at 11:56 pm

            In general Gosman conducts himself with a great deal more dignity and intellectual consistency than almost everyone here who berates him like children having tantrums …

            • Sam 4.7.1.1.1.1
              26 February 2019 at 12:00 am

              Oh certainly, he’s a real sweetheart

              • RedLogix …
                26 February 2019 at 12:25 am

                I didn’t say you had to agree with him, or even like him …

                • Sam …
                  26 February 2019 at 12:38 am

                  Suppose I could be a little more concrete then. Venezuela seeks to repatriate $550 million of gold from Britian>>> https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-gold-exclusive/exclusive-venezuela-seeks-to-repatriate-550-million-of-gold-from-britain-sources-idUSKCN1NA1Q7

                  The forces collapsing Venezuela are coming from outside, not from with in its domestic economy. Venezuelas food production is privately owned. There is nothing that would support gooies ideoical possesion.

                  Never though it possible until now but I just gave less of a fuck about what gooie has to say. You didn’t catch any more feelings or reasons did you logic?

                  • Gosman …
                    26 February 2019 at 6:15 am

                    Wrong.

                    “In 2010, the government nationalised the farm supply business. Agropatria is now responsible for supplying farmers with everything from seeds to pesticides.”

                    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-latin-america-42398814

                    • Sam …
                      26 February 2019 at 7:14 am

                      Your own linked article states Venezuela imports 70% of it’s food yet you want to claim Maduro is responsible for the actions of private companies being dicks with Venezuelan food, you fake. What’s even more distasteful is how any one would stick up for you, let alone allow your fake news bullshit opinions to go unchallenged just pisses me off to no end (is there no one here with a set of balls?)

                      Since at least 2002 after the failed military coupe against Chavez, America has issued Terrorism-Related Sanctions, Drug Trafficking-Related Sanctions, Trafficking in Persons Sanctions, Targeted Sanctions Related to Antidemocratic Actions, Human Rights Violations, and Corruption, Sanctions on Holding Companies, Additional Financial Sanctions. None of which has any evidence, just concerns from Whitehouse spokespeople who’ve never set foot in Venezuela in there life’s.

                    • Gosman …
                      26 February 2019 at 7:28 am

                      Correction: The link stated Venezuela used to make 70 % of it’s own food BEFORE Chavez took over and did stupid things like nationalise the agricultural inputs businesses. Did you not read the article?

                    • Sam …
                      26 February 2019 at 7:44 am

                      Your questions are insulting. Now you blame Chavez for foreign interests meddling in the affairs of another nation during a military coup but what ever.

                      Maduro is in charge.

                    • Gosman …
                      26 February 2019 at 8:01 am

                      You obviously did not read the link I posted in any depth.

                      “In 2010, the government nationalised the farm supply business. Agropatria is now responsible for supplying farmers with everything from seeds to pesticides.

                      Timing is crucial and producers say the government is not delivering.

                      Corn is a government staple, meaning farmers have to sell it at regulated prices

                      This year, Ronald did not get fertiliser in time for his corn crop, so it suffered.

                      The corn he does grow he has to sell at regulated prices because it is a government staple. He can only just keep the farm afloat.

                      “We have to go it alone to try and make things better but the situation is so bad,” he says. “The country’s financial situation and what we have now is tough.” ”

                      In 2010 Chavez was still in power. It was his decision to nationalise the Agricultural supply company.

                      This decision has contributed mightily to the collapse in farming as did the decision to impose price controls and the hyper-inflation caused by excessive government spending.

                    • Sam …
                      26 February 2019 at 8:09 am

                      You ignore countries forign to Venezuela meddling in there affairs, organising military coups and basically being shit bags because of what the largest oil reserve nation in the world, Venezuala, may one day represents a threat to U.S interests by virtue of economic sovereignty and standing on there own to feet. Still amazed at how you could gender such love from a self professed left wing site as the Standard. Amazed and angry self proffered smart people can’t even see it.

                    • Gosman …
                      26 February 2019 at 8:22 am

                      I don’t ignore them. I discount them because by far the biggest damage to the Venezuelan economy was done by the Chavista regime. This is what YOU are ignoring in your attempts to place the blame anywhere but on left wing policies.

                    • Sam …
                      26 February 2019 at 8:31 am

                      Blaming policy is the gospel of liars, thieves, con-artists, and imbeciles who can’t handle the fact that forign policy is beyond them.

                    • Gosman …
                      26 February 2019 at 8:47 am

                      Ignoring the effects of bad policy is the domain of the moronic.

                    • Sam …
                      26 February 2019 at 9:04 am

                      So Chavez was elected in 1999, and was succeeded by his deputy Maduro. That’s about 20 years, and, nope, still zip nada skeletons in the closet. The numbers are just not on your side.

              • Tamati Tautuhi …
                26 February 2019 at 3:18 am

                Gossie is a lovely little boy, he is a real little sweetie his mum tells me.

    • KJT 4.8
      25 February 2019 at 11:34 pm

      US, relief supplies come with guns.

      Ask Argentina….

  5. patricia bremner 5
    25 February 2019 at 8:15 am

    The sharp cold snap will have horticulturalists out with the smudge pots and other tools to defeat frost on crops, some not quite ready yet. Thought of you Robert and your grapes etc Hope you were ok. We too had rain last night Cinny, and were delighted after a long dry spell has sent the younger trees to autumn colour early.

  6. mauī 6
    25 February 2019 at 8:45 am

    Venezuelan socialism seems to be working just fine. Perhaps our resident Venezuelan reporter or Dick Brandson will be able to explain the humanitarian crisis over there lol.

    • Stunned Mullet 6.1
      25 February 2019 at 9:28 am

      😆 Yes the exodus of people from Venezuela must just be due to their holiday season.

      • Gosman 6.1.1
        25 February 2019 at 9:51 am

        Yes and the fact that an average meal costs over 12,500 Bolívar Soberano and that this is tied to the USD officially at a rate of 60 to 1 must mean that Venezuelans are doing wonderfully well to afford a lunch worth over 200 US dollars.

        https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/country/venezuela

        http://fortune.com/2018/08/22/venezuela-redenomination-sovereign-bolivar/

        • Tuppence Shrewsbury 6.1.1.1
          25 February 2019 at 10:33 am

          200usd will buy two people an all they can eat Sunday buffet from the top hotel in Hawaii and will cover the tip as well.

          Bloody USA, weaponising Aid so that it’s neighbours can eat for less than the price of weekly rent in small town
          America.

        • mauī 6.1.1.2
          25 February 2019 at 10:51 am

          Perhaps you can report back from Venezuela how the millions there can afford $200 dollar lunches? Sure you’re not getting confused with how much you spend for lunch down at the Viaduct?

      • adam 6.1.2
        25 February 2019 at 12:31 pm

        The US should invade NZ, as we have had more kiwis leave these shores (as a percentage) than people who have left Venezuela. Just following your logic stunned mullet.

        • Stunned Mullet 6.1.2.1
          25 February 2019 at 2:33 pm

          🙄 😆 🙄

        • alwyn 6.1.2.2
          25 February 2019 at 3:06 pm

          That was certainly true between 1999 and 2008 I suppose.
          On the other hand in 2008 we had an election that got rid of the incumbent lot of idiots and the flow reversed.
          The New Zealand Military accepted the result of the poll and didn’t, like the Venezuelan lot, keep the rejected junta in power.
          Lucky for that wasn’t it? Otherwise we might have continued with the massive exodus and been invaded.

          Gee isn’t this sort of history fun? I see why you indulge Adam.

          • adam 6.1.2.2.1
            25 February 2019 at 10:44 pm

            I love your ideological wankery alwyn. You’re consistent at least.

            As for the military keeping a junta in power – man you so detached from reality with that line, I’m going to suggest you put down the crack pipe. But I’m not sure you can.

        • Tamati Tautuhi 6.1.2.3
          25 February 2019 at 11:30 pm

          If John Key was still here I am sure we would have had a US Airforce Military Base here by now.

      • Tamati Tautuhi 6.1.3
        25 February 2019 at 11:39 pm

        USA have got their grubby little fingers in there somewhere.

      • Tamati Tautuhi 6.1.4
        26 February 2019 at 1:31 am

        Monsoon season in Venezuela they normally migrate down to Uruguay and Argentina for about six weeks until the rainy season finishes.

  7. jcuknz 7
    25 February 2019 at 8:51 am

    If I heard correctly on RNZ this morning that there is a suggestion that all rental properties should heave a heater to bring them up to 18C ????
    Franly a silly suggestion however well intended..
    The trouble people, some idiots, seem to think you can swan around in light clothing as they see in Hollywood etc movies.
    I am a house owner and over the years I have double glassed a house I built which was insulated to start with … I also wasted money on a heat pump which rarely gets run as I am a firm believe in “personal’ as opposed to ‘general’ heating and from an experiment learnt that using the heat pump would reduce or cripple my life style so I keep warm with personal heating.
    I guess that is only what an adult can do and difficult for children, or safe for them to be near heaters
    Some ti,me ago the suggestion was 16C now its is 18C …. how high will these folk want it to go?.
    I can only guess where this suggestion comes from which helps to confirm my opinion that they are hopelessly impractical and a menace to the well-being of the country.

    If this government wants to improve conditions they should build and run more state houses so that everyone can have a good basic standard of accomdation and only have to ‘private rent’ if they want better for themselves and are prepared to pay for it.

  8. jcuknz 8
    25 February 2019 at 9:01 am

    Further to my last point … my son has central heating in the States where he lives these days but I remembering his wife telling me hat the price of electricity is much less there.
    I do not know the details but it seems to me that Govt should reduce the price of power rather than gouging folk with current high prices.

    • cleangreen 8.1
      25 February 2019 at 11:59 am

      jcuknz

      Yes I lived in Canada and US for a decade and today the price of power is half the cost of NZ still.

      Today we are now being robbed by extortionists called ‘power companies’ here in NZ now and it must stop!

    • Gabby 8.2
      25 February 2019 at 3:22 pm

      They arranged for their suited smootharsed mates in the private sector to do the gouging jucky.

    • alwyn 8.3
      25 February 2019 at 5:38 pm

      It is probably not surprising really that their power is cheaper in the USA.
      Did you know that 32% of US electricity is generated using Natural Gas, which is a clean method of production?
      And that 30% is by coal?
      And also that 20% is from Nuclear power plants?
      https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.php?page=electricity_in_the_united_states

      Now who was it that won’t let us explore for natural gas anymore?
      And has demanded that any coal fired stations be shut down?
      And never allowed us to have nuclear power, which is probably the greenest of all the electricity generation methods?

      And you act all surprised that our electricity is more expensive than in the US?

      • Stuart Munro 8.3.1
        25 February 2019 at 11:38 pm

        We’re not surprised at all.

        Our power assets were stolen by incompetent, venal scumbags – who can’t run the companies efficiently, and don’t want to anyway.

        The coalition seems to be considering a few steps other than the lameass populism the Key kleptocracy embraced to try to stay in power at any cost. Reform of the power companies would enjoy a strong mandate, particularly if it includes significant punishment for non-performing PPPs that lie about outcomes to steal public assets.

        Without that reform, rental landlords and employers will face another round of controls, because NZ’s poor cannot save for housing while being simultaneously rack rented and squeezed by utility companies.

        • Tamati Tautuhi 8.3.1.1
          25 February 2019 at 11:42 pm

          Max Bradford told us that privatizing our Electricity Companies was going to bring down power prices, lying thieving c&%t ?

          • Stuart Munro 8.3.1.1.1
            25 February 2019 at 11:57 pm

            Yes, both he and the companies should face some kind of consequence for their lies, and for their professional irresponsibility.

            In Korea, PPPs know they’d better deliver what they promise – or their CEOs will be in jail, and the companies will be restructured until they deliver, or sold off to make good on the penalty provisions that were part of the agreement.

      • KJT 8.3.2
        25 February 2019 at 11:42 pm

        Yes, it is surprising, considering most of ours is generated by hydro power stations that were fully paid for, from taxation, decades ago.

        With a free energy input.

        The fact we are paying twice, is because ideological idiots, gave them away in a fire sale.

        And we are having to pay back the private sector borrowing, to buy them.

  9. Adrian Thornton 9
    25 February 2019 at 9:20 am

    Formal Complaints
    Formal Complaint Submitted

    STANDARD 9 – ACCURACY
    9e
    whether the broadcaster sought and/or presented comment, clarification or input from any relevant person or organisation
    STANDARD 8 – BALANCE
    8c The assessment of whether a reasonable range of other perspectives has been presented includes consideration of the following, where relevant;
    -whether the programme was narrowly focused on one aspect of a larger, complex debate
    -the nature of the issue/whether listeners could reasonably be expected to be aware of views expressed in other coverage, including coverage in other media (eg, is it an ongoing topic of debate, such that listeners can reasonably be expected to have a broad understanding of the main perspectives on the issue)

    ”Venezuela: Growing condemnation of Maduro’s aid refusal’ RNZ Morning Report 25/02/2019 7.30am

    This segment, does not inform the public of the following information in regards to aid/Venezuela, thereby misinforming the public through an lack of accuracy and balance in it’s reporting.

    1. Both the Red Cross and the UN have declined to participate in the US/Lima Group aid programme, in large because of the politicized nature of the aid programme.

    Alexandra Boivin, ICRC delegation head for the United States and Canada, said Friday that the ICRC had told U.S. officials that whatever plans “they have to help the people of Venezuela, it has to be shielded from this political conversation.”
    https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/red-cross-warns-u-s-about-risks-of-sending-aid-to-venezuela

    https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14316
    https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/red-cross-warns-u-s-about-risks-of-sending-aid-to-venezuela
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-un/un-warns-against-politicizing-humanitarian-aid-in-venezuela-idUSKCN1PV2GF

    2, The fact that Aid has been delivered from other country’s was (and is) never mentioned
    http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/aid-wars-in-venezuela-russian-medicine-arrives-as-maduro-blocks-us-aid-141387
    https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuela-Receives-933-Tons-of-Medical-Aid-From-Allies-Abroad-20190214-0025.html

    Please also note that RNZ, as far as I know, have never included this information in any of it’s reporting on this subject.

    • cleangreen 9.1
      25 February 2019 at 11:38 am

      Adrian I am with you there, RNZ is useless now.

      The right wing are in control of RNZ now, ever since the Labour Coalition Government took over in 2018, National moved to install their own CEO to control RNZ.

      That CEO has damaged the brand beyond repair now, and forced John Campbell out after that right wing CEO was installed there .

      Claire Curran did much of the damage as she fucked the whole RNZ system up for good.and should have removed him from CEO immediately.

      We placed an official complaint with the RNZ after Labour took it over in november 2017 and got a dismissive letter back from Curran saying she would not dismiss the National appointed CEO.

      Claire Curran is public enemy number one now, for her causing our loss of free speech.

  10. Jimmy 10
    25 February 2019 at 9:21 am

    There is a good example of CGT and how it would effect a small business owner on Kiwiblog today.

    • Muttonbird 10.1
      25 February 2019 at 10:16 am

      That is a good example of how a CGT would affect a hypothetical business owner with no relevance to how small business (or any business) works. It is a terrible example of real life.

      How, for instance, is leaving $600K of profit in the bank over 20 years reinvesting in the business? Her accountant would advise her against this.

      • Jimmy 10.1.1
        25 February 2019 at 11:45 am

        Yes with CGT coming in there will be a high demand for good accountants to structure affairs to avoid as much CGT as possible.

        • Muttonbird 10.1.1.1
          25 February 2019 at 7:46 pm

          No, Farrar’s think-piece is not based on any practical example. The businessperson in the article spent nothing at all on new equipment or vehicles and because all profit went to the bank. So she finished with the same tools and van she started with 20 years earlier. That is so hard to believe that the entire premise lacks any kind of validity whatsoever.

          • lprent 10.1.1.1.1
            25 February 2019 at 9:24 pm

            Farrar – almost always lies by omission of pertinent facts. The resulting trash gets gobbled up by the same old morons who can’t think.

            They have about the same discrimination as stray dogs eating garbage.

            • David Mac 10.1.1.1.1.1
              25 February 2019 at 9:53 pm

              Yeah, ‘blog blinkers’, tasty chestnuts plucked from the whole story.

              I like the toleration of a contrary view here, albeit a thick-skin required, I think it fuels interesting debate.

              Quality journalism used to be about ‘This is the ‘for’ argument and this is the ‘against’ argument. Make up your own mind.

              Farrar’s blog of ‘Feel this way or be necklaced’ does little to make NZ a better place to live. I think this blog does, thank-you lprent.

  12. Ad 12
    25 February 2019 at 11:22 am

    Deputy Leader issues a direct challenge to Corbyn to improve the internal conflicts within Labour. Not pretty:

    https://www.politico.eu/article/tom-watson-uk-opposition-in-crisis-deputy-leader-admits-jeremy-corbyn-anti-semitism/

    • CHCOff 12.1
      25 February 2019 at 9:32 pm

      They seem to be thinking the decades of their free market financial neo-liberalism has something to do with the marked state of societal decline, which is obviously a cover for rabid anti-semitism.

      The other end of the street, fortified by surveiliance and private security, are more like if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, while they embark on a grand destination of hard power and expansion, & the league of nations last century didn’t exist yet their colonies do!

  13. Andre 13
    25 February 2019 at 2:54 pm

    Just a reminder, this guy was considered one of the serious, responsible Repug contenders in 2016.

    https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/marco-rubio-tweet-qaddafi-gaddafi.html?via=homepage_recirc_recent

  14. Tamati Tautuhi 14
    25 February 2019 at 4:15 pm

    Two more Chinese Methamphetamine Importers caught bringing in the substance into NZ in Golf Carts do we really need this breed of people in NZ ?

    JK’s & National Party new imports no doubt ?

  15. Nick 15
    25 February 2019 at 5:22 pm

    I automatically laugh when I see a photo of soimon bridges in an article. I don’t bother reading it, because of his mind numbing “I will say anything to get elected” drivel contained within. Anyone else?

  16. Eco Maori 16
    26 February 2019 at 10:11 am

    I seen this story on Stuff website at first it looks like a positive spin for The big 2 fertiliser companys Eco Maori totally agrees with the video on most points but big money has limited the positive data on Organic farming price will be a bit higher but if the whenua is worked correctly prouduction need not drop .The video do my mahi for me
    Greenpeace wants to ban nitrogen fertiliser
    Ka kite ano links below
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/110844298/nitrogen-fertilise-is-not-a-fundamental-part-of-nz-dairy-farming

  17. Eco Maori 17
    26 February 2019 at 1:02 pm

    Its a illision that New Zealand is one of the least corrupt countrys in the world if they can standby and let the cops break all my and my whanaus rights interfering in my grandchildrens futures playing games with my children getting people to play with my wife her psychologist is in on the game trying to tell her to do dumb shit for a 52 year old grandpearent because some cop from Gisborne Gisborne man has a big chip on his sholders because this savage is not stupid like he has stereotype me as has the whole justice system of the world at his disposal . Every time I go some were these clowns have a play in action WTF THE positive thing is I,m Not stupid and they are gracing Eco Maori with Mana and they are scared of me and te tangata can see with there OWN eyes that the systems are corrupt so they will keep out of the SHIT Lost his marbles try to intimadate Eco Maori he was a dirty RAT that one he got what he deserved he restated the Eco Maori man hunt framing me with his lies P.S I can thank the FOOLS FOR the Mana that I have now LOL One would be supprised at the amount of undercover cops they have spieing on KIWIS They swarm thats why they get the name sandflys

  19. Eco Maori 19
    26 February 2019 at 2:21 pm

    Some Eco Maori Music for the minute .P.S They won`t beable to break my Wairua.

  20. Eco Maori 20
    26 February 2019 at 6:42 pm

    Kia ora Newshub That’s a cheap air fair price from Air NZ I still won’t be flying.???
    Wow the injustice system is hounding me and can’t even keep a REAL CRIMINAL in the country for prosecution Te muppets show.
    Mike its dry all right have not seen it this dry since 2013 I feel for those farmers and horticultural croppers affected by the drought in Tasman and down south island. It would be logical to have a walkway and cycle lanes under the Auckland Harbour Bridge surely the transport agency will pay those people who have invested so much in to designing the under bridge walking way and cycling Lane.
    That very unusual weather fish getting blown out of the the Wai and being caught mid air by people. The great lakes in Canada and America had a huge ice wall being blown on land I think it was about 3mtrs high it has happened before. I think that all the private contractors who lost money on the Mainzeal company going bust stinks.
    Mercury Energy creaming kiwis it is shocking how high power price are its not on that private house holders are paying a higher price for power than commercial consumers.?????.
    Ka kite ano

  21. Eco Maori 21
    26 February 2019 at 7:22 pm

    Kia James and Mulls from The Crowd Goes Wild.
    Congratulat to the coach.
    Nothing wrong with being nice
    I try not to sound like the open Mike houling person but the Tamariki Mokopunas and Wahine issues + the sandflys one has to hold it down but when one see what I see most people will break In a few weeks as I don’t tell you everything.
    That was a good catch by the dog 83 mtrs is that a record.
    Eco Maori could do with a hinaki I would catch all of the buggers
    Ka kite ano

  22. Eco Maori 22
    26 February 2019 at 7:30 pm

    That’s excellent Mana Wahine Ad boys Ka kite ano

  23. Eco Maori 23
    27 February 2019 at 8:32 am

    Kia ora The AM Show yea you must have a nice spun out lieing dirt file on me and its growing everyday.
    A America train stuck in the Snow for 2 days I wonder if trump can smell the Roses and change his neanderthal attitude towards climate change and stop backing carbon as it looks like he is the only one who has not figured out that the tipping point on climate change is here and now.
    The Auckland council is trying to get traffic jam sorted out you sound like a blue flag wavering person. The public transport problems is being minupulated by blue flags wavers to get one of there carbon Pro m8 in the Auckland Mayor’s office. We need to get people onto buses and trains to lower our carbon footprint .
    As for the cops carrying guns all the time a big Know.
    You cannot even make a complaint at a police station you need to get a lawyer who cost $20.000 to be able to get justice against the cops otherwise its impossible to
    lay a complaint why because they don’t want the public to know of all the dumb shit that they do to the common public you see they discrimination against the common people they intimidat they won’t go and break the rights of a person driving a $50.000 car they will get sued. The cops just want to use the fact if they get to carry guns as a intimidation device.
    They are crying foul that I am damaging there reputation. But know they are the ones breaking the laws of the land breaching my whanau rights. All they have to do is FUCK OFF and leave my Whanau alone but know they are like a HALFWIT who keeps pushing a button and they get a punch blood nose they are just to stupid to learn to stop pushing that BUTTON.
    A carbon tax is need Jamie yes the foolish neanderthal like duncan keep rubbishing any tax from the polluting people like him they think its OK that property owners make millions of untaxed money while the common people carry the tax burden.
    Wars are started by wealthy people they still have the cups of tea together play sports but the stupid Wars they start is fought by the poor common people doesn’t matter if we die.
    With your poll did the cops know the poll was run this morning polls are use to minupulate people into thinking that the majority think some thing is OK when in reality it is not a majority and most people are like SHEEP and will just follow the majority.
    What idiot takes his child out of a house on to a footpath to watch a car chase and put himself and his child in danger very foolish or A SET Up to get cops guns.
    Durr a house is accommodation I have said your small brain does not let you think about other people situation mark there is a housing crisis caused by national party so that people like you can cream the common people.
    All the big country’s of Europe have been control by big businesses they love most people to rent off them they get the rent and capital gains to for Equality we need more people to own houses or the rich will get richer and the poor will be milked dry by the wealthy.
    Ka kite ano

  24. Eco Maori 24
    27 February 2019 at 12:55 pm

    Here is the proff that global warming is here and now and still some neandathals keep there heads stuck in a pile of money blocking OUR True reality .
    The reality is if we do not change our ways asap our grandchildren are going to have a big MESS

    They were everywhere in London on the weekend. The people in short sleeves or sandals. The ones with sunglasses ostentatiously hanging from the front of their shirts or balanced on top of their heads. The beer gardens and riverside pubs of the capital were heaving; corner shops ran out of ice-cream. Outside it was 17C (62F).
    Monday was another warm day, without a cloud in the sky, and in the late afternoon the light took on a magical, honey-coloured hue. It brought to mind one of those summer evenings you remember from childhood, when you’d be in the park all day and your parents let you stay out until bedtime, and you felt like you were doing something deliciously naughty just by being there.

    ‘I can’t help but be concerned’: early spring worries UK readers
    Read more

    Except it isn’t early summer: it’s February. And the entire developed world has not so much been doing something slightly naughty as systematically attacking the global ecosystem over a period of decades, and that’s how we go into this mess.
    We should try to hold on to this fact as young, posh men the nation over develop a strange delusion that anyone would want to see their elbows; this is not supposed to be happening. Less than a month ago, there was video footage of extreme cold weather coming out of Chicago. Forks supported in midair by suddenly frozen noodles, water poured from kettles instantly freezing on its way to the ground: you know the sort of thing. OK, that was on the other side of the world, and was extreme and terrifying enough. But at least it was terrifying in the right direction.
    On Monday, though, the temperature hit 20.3C in Ceredigion, west Wales: the highest February temperature ever recorded in Britain and the first time the thermometer had breached 20C in winter. The BBC weather account tweeted it out with a gif of the sunshine icon and the same excitable breathlessness with which Springwatch would announce it had found a new type of vole. My response contained a single word, repeated seven times. It began with F. Ka kite ano Links below

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/26/terrified-warm-weather-global-warming-london

  25. Eco Maori 25
    27 February 2019 at 2:16 pm

    Some Eco Maori Music for the minute.

  26. Eco Maori 26
    27 February 2019 at 4:37 pm

    Eco Maori says people should unite across the World as the big companys here in NZ pay shit money no guarantee 40 hour week just enough money to servive but all one can afford to do is work and rest no money for leasure time we are acturly slipping backwards. When I was a young fellow any tep work no guaranted hours was payed 30 % more +holiday pay on top now that is not the case.
    The big companys should be forced to pay the people who make there money a living wage.
    It would be nice to know how much corporate welfare the BIG COMPANIES get in New Zealand besides family support that subserdizes there labour rates in the long run.
    Cities across America should unite against big corporations
    New York’s resistance to Amazon’s HQ2 is a model for a new kind of politics for cities to follow
    Julia Salazar and Shaun Scott
    We are from New York City and Seattle respectively. What unites us – and other major cities across the country – is that we are forced to make hard choices about equity, taxes, and jobs in the age of mega-corporations.
    Seattle is the birthplace of Amazon. The city government has catered to corporations by refusing to tax them in ways that could benefit working people. When the Seattle city council repealed the Employee Head Tax in June 2018, it said goodbye to $47.5m of revenue that could have gone toward deeply affordable housing. The people of New York City, on the other hand, chose a different path. Despite a full-court press from the mayor, the governor, and business interest groups, a grassroots movement of ordinary people defeated the richest man in the world. Amazon’s lauded HQ2, which would have allowed the company to usurp millions of dollars in public funds, was rejected by the people of Queens who correctly saw the deal as the blatant giveaway that it waS
    On one hand, Seattle’s actions were the latest act of political surrender to big business; on the other, activists across the country rightly took New York’s resistance as proof that a better world without capitalist extortion of public resources is possible.
    There was a time when organized labor underwrote the most socio-economically equal period in American history. From the end of World War II until the mid-1970s, trade and factory workers could count on stable pay and reliable benefits in places like Seattle. The federal government played a major part in this post-war prosperity by subsidizing both urban and suburban housing, so that working families could save money and get ahead. After a corporate backlash in the 1970s, the free-market philosophy of Reagan-era America combined with widespread deindustrialization to dismantle this redistributive policy framework.
    Using mass layoffs and casualized (“flexible”) labor, corporate America has kept the working class in a state of perpetual anxiety for the last four decades. The declining fortunes of working families is the result of capitalism’s war on organized labor, with the percentage of unionized workers in America dramatically decreasing from 33 percent in 1955, to 20 percent in 1983, to 10.7 percent in 2017. Meanwhile, federal housing investments have also declined sharply since since the 1970s. As professor Jason Hackworth wrote in his 2010 book The Neoliberal City, “gone are the days of the federal government providing direct subsidies to house the most acutely poor.” Stagnating wages combined with mounting costs-of-living have spelled doom for working people.
    If we stand firm, major corporations will have to change how they do business. They might have to discontinue the kind of union-busting activity that Amazon has been known for. Like Microsoft, they might increase the philanthropic contributions they make towards local housing solutions. Or maybe they’ll finally pay their fair share of taxes. As any labor organizer will tell you, direct action gets the goods. When cities stand up for themselves, they stand up for each other.
    We can live in cities that marshal public space and resources for the common good. To do so, we’ll have to band together. We’ll have to resist forfeiting the public trust for the private gain of a few. Ka kite ano Links below P.S Eco Maori Has these ultra wealthy people ————Ana to kai we just want a fair deal

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/26/cities-america-unite-against-big-corporations

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