Open Mike 25/05/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 25th, 2018 - 170 comments
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170 comments on “Open Mike 25/05/2018 ”

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  1. Jenny 1
    25 May 2018 at 6:23 am

    Using the same tactics as the fascist regime in Syria, (and even some of the same video clips), an Israel lobby group spreads hoaxes to whitewash Gaza massacre

    https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/david-cronin/israel-lobby-group-spreads-hoaxes-whitewash-gaza-massacre-0

    https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/05/22/broken-dreams-and-lost-lives-israel-gaza-and-the-hamas-card/

    Contrary to the Israeli and Western effort to reduce Hamas to a collective of essentially unschooled or unsophisticated foreign born so-called Islamists, nothing could be further from the truth. Hamas is a movement born of Palestine, composed of Palestinians who were raised on the very streets where the blood of their people and families, has been lost to the occupation terror imposed by Israel. For the many who suffer from a now decade old blockade of Gaza–with its lack of food, water, medicine and mobility–Hamas and their families have known the same isolation and paid a like price.

    • Ed 1.1
      25 May 2018 at 6:34 am

      Jenny I am with you on the Palestinian issue.
      Not so your standpoint on Syria.
      Do you realise that Israel and the Saudis support the head chopping Jihadis in their fight against Assad?

      • mauī 1.1.1
        25 May 2018 at 7:13 am

        +1

      • Wayne 1.1.2
        25 May 2018 at 8:19 am

        I presume your “head chopping jihadis” is a reference to ISIS. When has Israel ever supported ISIS?

        • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.2.1
          25 May 2018 at 8:23 am

          In the propaganda that dupes believe, it’s common knowledge. But Israel doesn’t need to support external fascism: it has its own.

          • Wayne 1.1.2.1.1
            25 May 2018 at 8:55 am

            OAB

            Plenty of information that Israel has supported Syrian rebels, zero evidence that Israel has supported ISIS.

            Though given your pro Assad sympathies, perhaps you think all Syrian rebels are ISIS.

            • Andre 1.1.2.1.1.1
              25 May 2018 at 9:05 am

              OAB has pro-Assad sympathies and has the overly simplistic view that all Syrian rebels are ISIS? Not that I’ve noticed. Perhaps you are getting him confused with someone else.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.2.1.1.2
              25 May 2018 at 9:09 am

              your pro Assad sympathies

              Are you on drugs Mapp? Beta blockers? Viagra*? Something that induces hallucinations?

              *”Some sildenafil users have complained of seeing everything tinted blue”.

              • OnceWasTim …
                25 May 2018 at 1:39 pm

                I hope you weren’t expecting the courtesy of an apology from Wayne @OAB – even tho’ you can see the timestamps show the irriot is still around, and even tho’ he’s at pains to present himself as a fair and reasonable sort of bloke -affably fair and balanced (almost) and very ‘nice’. Which is probably why the Sunday morning comfy media parachuted in to the studio see him as some sort of wise old sage they can depend on for some words of wisdom (going forward).
                He’s as big a ‘spray and walkaway’ spreader of his ideology as the all-purpose drench is to livestock.
                The Honourable Dr Wayne Mapp. No wonder we could be in the shit -the guy is as big a fossil to foresight and wisdom as a mizzz Boag is to the consumption of botox and image consultants.
                Both very shallow folk. Indeed they could probably set up their own veneer company with the good Doctor advising on the technicalities with Mish advising on the latest trends.

            • Stunned mullet 1.1.2.1.1.3
              25 May 2018 at 9:28 am

              Wayne you need to reread what oab wrote – he is no supporter of Assad.

        • Bill 1.1.2.2
          25 May 2018 at 9:27 am

          Nice straw man and diversion there Wayne.

          There are plenty of Jihadist groups going under various names that have a thing for chopping off heads. Al Nusra and Al Zinki come instantly to mind.

          And there is plenty of evidence that “western” governments have given material support to those groups. Should “western” include Israeli? I guess that’s somewhat of an open question.

          • Stunned mullet 1.1.2.2.1
            25 May 2018 at 9:31 am

            What’s The governments preferred method for execution in Syria Bill ?

            • Bill 1.1.2.2.1.1
              25 May 2018 at 9:36 am

              Insofar as there is capital punishment for some crimes in Syria, I’d guess that the “preferred” method for death would be by hanging. I could well be wrong – it’s only a guess.

              • Stunned mullet …
                25 May 2018 at 9:48 am

                I had a look on the amnesty site but couldn’t find it.

                https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/syria/report-syria/

                • Brigid …
                  25 May 2018 at 11:40 am

                  You quote Amnesty?
                  Hilarious

                  • Stunned mullet …
                    25 May 2018 at 11:43 am

                    Brigid I don’t find any of the information relayed by Amnesty International hilarious, if you do you have a very strange and dark sense of humour.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      25 May 2018 at 1:19 pm

                      As everyone knows*, Amnesty are headchoppers.

                      *terms and conditions apply.

                    • Stunned mullet …
                      25 May 2018 at 1:38 pm

                      Ah thanks for the clarification it’s so hard to keep up with who’s in whose bad books these days.

                    • McFlock …
                      25 May 2018 at 1:53 pm

                      Pretty simple, really.

                      Assad and Putin are Benevolent and Popular Leaders who distribute presents to children and kiss puppies, and this infuriates the evil Western Deep State who spread lies and crisis hoaxes to keep their own populations in fear. The WDS also fund Terrorist Head-Choppers to fight the BPL, and every person who opposes the BPL are THCs. The WDS and their THC puppets also randomly kill BPL political opponents (who are usually THCs or WDS operatives) and innocent civilians in order to make it look like the BPL are actually cruel and totalitarian dictators who do not shy away from torture (lies) and murder (fake news!).

                      Fortunately, we have amongst us visionaries who can see through the lies of the WDS-controlled Main Stream Media and nobly tell us how good the BPL really are.

                      lol

        • Brigid 1.1.2.3
          25 May 2018 at 1:15 pm

          That you don’t know Wayne, demonstrates your ignorance.

        • Brigid 1.1.2.4
          25 May 2018 at 1:31 pm

          Wayne, FYI
          Israeli Intelligence chief: We do not want ISIS defeat in Syria
          https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/israeli-intelligence-chief-not-want-isis-defeat-syria/

      • Gosman 1.1.3
        25 May 2018 at 9:38 am

        Why isn’t the Assad regime fascist?

      • Jenny 1.1.4
        26 May 2018 at 8:29 am

        Ed 1.1
        25 May 2018 at 6:34 am
        Jenny I am with you on the Palestinian issue.
        Not so your standpoint on Syria.
        Do you realise that Israel and the Saudis support the head chopping Jihadis in their fight against Assad?

        Hi Ed,

        It probably wouldn’t hurt if you put in some links to support your narrative. At the very least to give your comment some context linked to the real world.

        Your use of emotive words like “head choppers” to denounce the Syrian people in revolt against the Assad regime. Is at best a generalisation, and at worst a broad smear. Of course Isis has executed people, (and probably innocent people) by chopping off their heads. This is a matter of factual record. But to generalise that to smear the whole opposition to Assad, needs more evidence than you have ever produced.

        The fact that some rich and eccentric Saudi princes have funded the fundamentalist parts of the opposition is a matter of public record. As a result, the fundamentalists are the only part of the armed opposition that has ever received much material aid of any sort. While the liberal and progressive forces have been starved of all support. (a fact which has helped the growth of the more extremist Islamist groups).

        Your other conjecture Ed, is that Israel is opposed to the Assad regime.

        Again you should supply some proof to back up your conjecture. Just saying it, doesn’t make it so.

        There is a lot of evidence,( contrary to your conjecture), that leading members of the Assad ruling dynasty have had a close working relationship with the Zionist state over several decades.

        https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/features/2015/8/17/exclusive-assads-sanctions-busting-ties-to-israeli-business-tycoon

        As the above link details, much of the Assad dynasty credibility as Arab nationalists, rests on their on their supposed anti Zionist and anti-imperialist position, a position that doesn’t bear much examination.

        During my time spent in the refugee camp in Latakia, at any mention or discussion of the Assad regime, the Palestinian refugees that I met expressed open derision at the idea of Assad being opposed to Israel. The Palestinian refugees in Syria told me that the Assad acted as a protector of Israel’s northern border, and that they did not consider the regime to be a genuine supporter of the Palestinian people.

        The Assad regime much like the Sadat/Mubarak regime in Egypt had made their peace with the Zionists.

        Though this relationship has been strained by the civil war, particularly by the Assad regime taking military support from Israel’s enemy Iran, the links will still be there. Personally I find it uncanny how the Israeli airforce can precisely target Iranian missile shipments to Hezbollah without the regime forces ever taking casualties.

        The regime’s Arab nationalist anti-imperialist credentials don’t bear much examination either. As well selling off and privatising its public assets in the early 2000s at the behest of the World Bank and the IMF, (a sellout to Western imperialism that regime insiders also took a cut of), the Assad regime supplied 19,000 troops to support the US in the first Gulf War against Iraq. The Assad regime also worked closely with the CIA to help the CIA torture suspects flown to Syria under the CIA program of extraordinary rendition.

        Ed, in past comments, I have provided you and others with the links to disprove your conjecture that Assad is an anti-imperialist Arab Nationalist. I won’t this time, because you obviously don’t read them, or even bother to open them. Because you have adopted a shallow narrative that such facts just don’t fit into.

        In your mind Assad is some sort of Ho Chi Minh or Fidel Castro fighting the evil Yankee imperialists, as such we can afford to overlook or ignore his other faults, like genocide, and mass detention and torture in Nazi like death camps. Links that again I have supplied, (facts that you never challenge, instead that you choose to willfully ignore). In willfully overlooking these massive crimes against humanity, (as the necessary acts of a Nationalist leader defending himself against a foreign invader), as a result Ed you have become, wittingly or unwittingly an apologist and party to genocide.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQni3qn6GIU

    • Jenny 1.2
      25 May 2018 at 6:45 am

      Don’t support fascism.

      It really shouldn’t have to be said.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 1.2.1
        25 May 2018 at 7:18 am

        I think it needs to be said over and over again, to the people who support fascism because they’ve been duped by fascist propaganda. Mention Assad, they start screeching about ‘headchoppers’ (another bunch of fascists, as though it needs saying). Mention Trump, they start blithering about her emails.

        You can fool some of the people all of the time. Here at The Standard we have real world evidence that Lincoln was right.

        • Macro 1.2.1.1
          25 May 2018 at 8:42 am

          So very true aob

        • Gosman 1.2.1.2
          25 May 2018 at 9:23 am

          What is your definition of fascism? Some people claim the Bathist regime in Syria is Fascist. It certainly is a totalitarian State that promotes a strong government and Syrian nationalism. Those are usually the cornerstone of Fascism.

        • Bill 1.2.1.3
          25 May 2018 at 9:33 am

          I think it needs to be said over and over again, to the people who support fascism because they’ve been duped by fascist propaganda.

          I think that’s far too narrow a focus and ought to be broadened out to include those who are unwitting supporters of fascistic tendencies because they believe Liberal propaganda.

          Actually, on brief reflection, this “fascist” propaganda you speak of – who exactly are the fascists propagating it and that people are listening to?

        • mauī 1.2.1.4
          25 May 2018 at 9:33 am

          Duped by fascist propaganda, from the likes of decent journalists like Pilger, Bartlett, Beeley and others. Hmm..k.

          Sure you haven’t been duped by CNN, MSNBC, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights working out of his house in the UK?

          • Gosman 1.2.1.4.1
            25 May 2018 at 9:36 am

            Pilger supports the Chavista regime in Venezuela. Enough said.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 1.2.1.4.2
            25 May 2018 at 9:43 am

            Beeley and Bartlett are decent journalists? 😆

            Edit: I wonder why The Intercept doesn’t appear in your list of news sources that I’m allegedly duped by. No, wait, I’m lying: I know exactly why that is 😆

            • Bill 1.2.1.4.2.1
              25 May 2018 at 9:53 am

              I don’t suppose you’ve ever bothered to wonder why Eva Bartlett wasn’t subjected to the level of opprobrium she’s attracted for her coverage of Syria when she was reporting on Palestine from Gaza?

              Maybe she just “lost the plot” somewhere along the line, or then again, maybe she’s consistent, and it’s just that her reporting from Syria doesn’t fit in the same nice comforting box as her reporting from Palestine?

          • reason 1.2.1.4.3
            25 May 2018 at 11:32 am

            To bloody right maui … and we could add Fisk, Jeremy Scahill , Seymor hersh and others who have to find a outlet in our media landscape …

            And what a warped landscape it is …. Here’s the results of some google searches I did ….

            Skripal+poison+russia About 863,443 results

            Yemen+siege+u.s.a+famine+2018 About 270 results

            Syria+gas+Assad+2018 About 2,859,015 results

            Yemen+siege+Britain+2018 About 15 results

            Russia+”war crime”+Syria+2018 About 30,358 results

            Israel+”war crime”+Gaza About 3 results

            Corbyn+Anti-Semite bout 21,479 results

            “Israeli terrorists”About 3,430 results

            “Palestinian terrorists” About 24,209 results

            Shaping opinion …. manufacturing consent

            • One Anonymous Bloke 1.2.1.4.3.1
              25 May 2018 at 11:50 am

              So I just did a Google search for “Israel + ”war crime” + Gaza” (note the syntax – spaces between terms) and returned many pages of results – Google says “about 250k results”. I don’t think much of your “findings”.

              Edit: “Yemen + siege + u.s.a + famine + 2018” (note the syntax again) returns “about 253k results”. 🙄

              • reason …
                25 May 2018 at 7:54 pm

                Thanks OAB … can you fact check this for me

                Marco the other day ( I think )made a good post containing and accurate statement about ‘farm sewerage

                Labour has been attacked for a cow cap / cull based on excessive nutrient levels in our rivers ….. Nutrients don’t sound to bad and I’d swim in them … hell, do I get some vitamins with my nutrients in the river water ??….

                But ‘Farm sewerage’ … I’m not going to swim in raw animal shit … it sounds very unhealthy swallowing and bathing in fecal matter …

                “farm sewage” +”New Zealand”+river+excessive+safe About 38 results

                nutrients +”New Zealand”+river+excessive+safe About 18,781 results

                Framing the argument …. shaping opinion

                Labour can easily win the excessive farm sewerage argument ….

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  26 May 2018 at 7:47 am

                  “farm sewage” + ”New Zealand” + river + excessive + safe: “about 253 results”.

                  nutrients + ”New Zealand” + river + excessive + safe: “about 899k results”.

                  This is the last time I will try and educate you about syntax: add spaces between your search terms.

                  M. Bovis might just give the government space to initiate some “disaster Socialism“, and I’m not holding my breath.

        • Daveosaurus 1.2.1.5
          25 May 2018 at 4:26 pm

          OAB: absolutely true. One of the most poisonous and pernicious fallacies in contemporary politics is ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’. That’s what causes otherwise sane people to support crooks and despots like Trump (‘buh, buh, but, her emails, and yuck, icky icky girl cooties’) and Assad (‘buh, buh, but the Russians like him, and we like the Russians because…’ see previous). It’s stupid now, and it was stupid 35 years ago when that senile old fool Reagan was duped into supporting the most evil political movement of the second half of the 20th century.

      • reason 1.2.2
        25 May 2018 at 8:02 pm

        What Is the difference in a nazi / facist who does this … http://ahrp.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Ravensbruck-Emaciated_Children-.gif

        And the people who do this https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/yemen-civil-war-crisis-conflict-udai-faisal-starving-children-malnutrition-saudi-air-strikes-aid-a6958096.html

        The children die the same way ….. But the disgusting Mays / Camerons / Trumps / Obamas are sick hypocrytes to lecture anyone about “humanitarian values” …

        the United States and the United Kingdom are backing the Saudi-led coalition, and while calling for an end to the war, they continue along with Spain, France, Canada, Australia, and Italy, to sell billions of dollars’ worth of weapons and military equipment to parties to the conflict.

        over the past 1,000 days:

        Nearly 5,300 civilians were killed
        Three million people were forced to flee their homes
        Nearly one million people are suspected of contracting cholera in the world’s worst outbreak ever recorded

        Oxfam said all that all parties to the conflict bear responsibility for these huge levels of human suffering and all are responsible for violations of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law.http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/08/the-united-states-is-complicit-in-the-destruction-of-yemen.html

        https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/yemen-saudi-blockade-un_us_5a04678fe4b0f76b05c3d4f1

  2. Sanctuary 2
    25 May 2018 at 7:03 am

    Poor old National party. The classic five stages of grief are on full display.

    1 – DENIAL – Period suffered: Election night to budget day

    Politics became meaningless. Parliament makes no sense. National were in a state of shock and denial. They were numb. Some pretended they were still minister, issuing decrees and orders that were ignored by tearful ex-staffers moving their boxes out of their Beehive offices. Awkward. Others wondered how they could go on, why should they go on. Many, many couldn’t go on and resigned. They tried to find a way to simply get through each day, going on diets, appearing on reality TV dancing shows.

    2 – ANGER – Period suffered – Budget day to present.

    National’s anger seems endless. But the more National truly feel it, the more the anger will begin to dissipate and the more they will heal. The truth is that Tory anger has no limits. It can extend not only to the speaker but their friends, the civil service, and silly little girls everywhere. Judith Collins, in her daily prayer session with Cameron Slater probably asks, “Where is God in this?” Underneath the anger is their pain. It is natural to feel deserted and abandoned by the electorate. Anger and fear are National’s strength and anchor, giving them temporary structure to the nothingness of their existence.

    Still to come:

    BARGAINING

    DEPRESSION

    ACCEPTANCE

    • cleangreen 2.1
      25 May 2018 at 8:27 am

      Sanctuary 100%

      A good wrap on the shonkey way National mussles in to crash Parliament now as they are such sore loosers arent they just.

      They still dont accept defeat because they oppose MMP and believe they still have the right to Govern.

      Sad folks National Party are really.

      • Gosman 2.1.1
        25 May 2018 at 9:26 am

        I’m not sure how you expect an opposition to behave. If memory serves me correctly I believe people like you were almost demanding Labour and the rest of the Opposition parties oppose the last government far more vigorously. It was as if not doing their utmost to stop them would be a betrayal of the nation. Now you think National should somehow become compliant. It makes little sense.

        • mac1 2.1.1.1
          25 May 2018 at 10:55 am

          Gosman, don’t confuse opposing ‘far more vigorously’ with petulant and pre-planned disobedience. They have the entitlement of their questions allocated by the Clerk according to their numbers in the House. They should learn to ask questions properly.

        • Stuart Munro 2.1.1.2
          25 May 2018 at 12:55 pm

          You’re confusing form with content.

          The Key kleptocracy’s innumerable rorts, failures and shortcomings were sufficient to keep a vigorous opposition busy for decades.

          Having nothing comparable to criticize, the wretched Gnats are reduced to picking fights with the speaker. Had they the sporting chops to which Key so often pretended they’d realise that slagging off the Ref is a great way to excuse failure, but a lousy tactic if you actually mean to win.

    • Stuart Munro 2.2
      25 May 2018 at 8:53 am

      “Where is God in this?”

      More like “Great Cthulhu, blight my enemies.” Until recently her real enemies were on her own side of the house, but it must be hard to consider B&B a threat.

    • Anne 2.3
      25 May 2018 at 10:18 am

      Aha… I was planning a bit of a dissertation along the same lines but yours is – as usual – better Sanctuary.

      I think they’re almost done with the ‘Bargaining phase” (at least for the time being because Bridges won’t see the term out) and they’re moving into the ‘Depression’ state. Hence the tears of frustration and imagined victimisation by the Speaker. They’re causing it themselves but won’t ever admit it. This is likely to last until the end of the term with occasional outbursts of denial and anger thrown in for good measure.

      I’m lovin it. 😀

  3. Ad 3
    25 May 2018 at 7:03 am

    President Trump.

    – Pulled out of Paris Climate Accord
    – Pulled out of CPTPP
    – Pulled out of Iran
    – Obliterated Palestinian peace dialogue
    – Killed historic talks with North Korea

    But delivered tax reform for corporations and very wealthy people, and increased funding for the military.

    Worst US President in my lifetime.

  4. Jenny 4
    25 May 2018 at 7:18 am

    In the face of Donald Trump’s saber rattling and veiled threat about the size and power of the US nuclear strike capability.

    Will South Korea and Japan defy the US and continue to seek rapprochement with North Korea?

    South Korean president ‘perplexed’ at Trump’s decision to cancel North Korea summit
    JULIA MANCHESTER – 24 May, 2018

    http://thehill.com/policy/international/389219-south-korean-president-holds-emergency-meeting-after-trump-scraps-summit

    Japan has reportedly reached out to North Korea for a summit meeting

    http://www.businessinsider.com/japan-summit-with-north-korea-2018-3/?r=AU&IR=T

  5. Jenny 5
    25 May 2018 at 7:33 am

    Has Donald Trump torpedoed the proposed peace treaty between North and South Korea to officially end the Korean War?

    https://www.businessinsider.com.au/north-and-south-korea-agree-to-pursue-signing-a-peace-treaty-2018-4?r=US&IR=T

  6. Ffloyd 6
    25 May 2018 at 7:38 am

    Judith Collins says Jacinda weak by not accepting Twyfords resignation. Yet here she still is. .

    Unfortunately.

    • Puckish Rogue 6.1
      25 May 2018 at 9:40 am

      Jude doesn’t actually want Twyford to resign from anything as shes having far too much fun pointing out why Twyford has been promoted above his capabilities

      • alwyn 6.1.1
        25 May 2018 at 10:27 am

        “shes having far too much fun”.
        Don’t you feel just a bit sorry for Twyford?
        Question time has Phil looking rather like a mouse that a domestic cat has caught. There is the little rodent Twyford squeaking away in his state of terrified befuddlement.
        Mind you, as someone who lives in the country that he claims to have some control over I would be only too happy to see Collins put him out of his misery and that he be replaced by someone with at least a skerrick of ability.

        • Ffloyd 6.1.1.1
          25 May 2018 at 10:50 am

          Oh for goodness sake Alvin. Go and change your pants. You are way to excited about chest beating Collins. Bet your dreams are full of Collins, black leather, thigh high boots and whips and handcuffs. Have i missed anything?

          • Puckish Rogue 6.1.1.1.1
            25 May 2018 at 11:01 am

            Thats quite a detailed description there Ffloyd 🙂

          • alwyn 6.1.1.1.2
            25 May 2018 at 11:42 am

            That is called Psychological Projection isn’t it FFluffy?

            “Psychological projection is a defense mechanism people subconsciously employ in order to cope with difficult feelings or emotions. Psychological projection involves projecting undesirable feelings or emotions onto someone else, rather than admitting to or dealing with the unwanted feelings”

            Is that how you feel about Ms Collins? It certainly not something that ever occurred to me. Just don’t try and put your fantasies into practice.

            • Ffloyd 6.1.1.1.2.1
              25 May 2018 at 12:29 pm

              So funny Alvin. You’d better sit down your projection is showing.

              • alwyn …
                25 May 2018 at 12:47 pm

                My God, FFluffy.
                More Projecting on your part.
                You identify as being an exhibitionist as well. You know you should be ashamed of yourself so you try and pretend it is other people who do the things that are the flaws in your own behaviour.
                Sad. Really sad. Keep away from Primary Schools until you learn to control yourself.

        • Puckish Rogue 6.1.1.2
          25 May 2018 at 11:04 am

          I don’t feel sorry for him at all, he was part of the group that stated time and time again how bad NZ was, how bad National were, how Labour were so much better well hes got his chance and now hes showing just how competent he really is

          The longer Jude toys with him and makes him look like the incompetent he really is the better, hes sort of representative of Labour really

          Take Cindy away from Labour and all you have is people like Twyford

          • patricia bremner 6.1.1.2.1
            25 May 2018 at 11:27 am

            Funny, I seem to remember Judith Collins as one of the ‘”what housing crisis?” mob. Phil Twyford is doing OK. Don’t believe all the MSM bleats.
            Collins was sacked for taking advantage of her position, so why is she so good? Oh your opinion.??

          • alwyn 6.1.1.2.2
            25 May 2018 at 11:50 am

            @PR.
            True. When you really look at him he isn’t worthy of sympathy.
            I personally think that Grant Robertson is about all the CoL has going for it. He has surprised me with the way he seems to have started getting a grasp on his portfolio. When you look back at his mucking about a couple of years ago with his blathering about things like a UBI and so on he has got much better.
            I suppose it is because he has been house-trained by Treasury.

            Ardern remains a major disappointment in my view. Perhaps she will learn in the future but she shows no signs of having any grasp of her job to date. She has been pretty much a glove-puppet for Tsar Winston so far.

            • McFlock 6.1.1.2.2.1
              25 May 2018 at 2:25 pm

              Your assessment of ardern is praising with faint damnation.

              • adam …
                25 May 2018 at 3:42 pm

                I thought the casual sexism from alwyn was the standout silliness, but I can see what you’re saying McFlock.

              • alwyn …
                25 May 2018 at 5:28 pm

                “praising with faint damnation”.
                Sounds a reasonable interpretation of my opinion.
                I simply don’t think she is up to the job. She simply doesn’t know enough about the problems and isn’t prepared for it..
                I want someone competent in that job, and she simply isn’t the one.
                Of the Labour leaders since Clark, who was up to the job, the only one who seemed to be capable of filling the role was Shearer. Why did the Labour Party stab him in the back?
                And, for your mate adam, it has nothing whatsoever to do with her sex.
                But he knows that doesn’t he?

                • McFlock …
                  25 May 2018 at 5:54 pm

                  lol

                  Obviously sowing discord and fanning paranoia in Labour is a perishable skill.

                  A solid seven years of Labour fighting itself left you incompetent at doing the job yourself.

                  Putting the Shearer barb aside (which is just disappointingly weak), Ardern consistently nukes shouty&co in the House, her ministers are getting results, and all in all they’ve stepped into their new roles with ease and competence. But then it doesn’t take much to improve on the last batch of ministers, anyway.

                  • alwyn …
                    25 May 2018 at 6:07 pm

                    Ardern, in the House, simply doesn’t answer the questions. Still, she has got Mallard to protect her doesn’t she.

                    Look at this extract from Hansard. It was Question 1 last Tuesday.
                    “Hon Simon Bridges: What extra funding did the Budget provide to fulfil her promise to pay early childhood education (ECE) centres more for employing 100 percent qualified staff?

                    Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As the member will know, Budget 2018 included a 45 percent increase in education funding. The fact that we could put 45 percent more into education—new funding—and still have additional needs that we need to meet demonstrates just how bad things were for the education sector.”

                    When it was pointed out that there had been no attempt to answer the question Trevor came out with,
                    “Mr SPEAKER: Well, it was very clearly addressing the question.”
                    You call that “nuking”?

                    “her ministers are getting results”. Really?
                    How many of the billion trees have been planted?
                    How many of the 100,000 homes have at least been started?
                    How many pensioners are getting their $700 heating allowance this year?

                    • McFlock …
                      25 May 2018 at 6:12 pm

                      maybe after a few years more practise you’ll get the hang of it.

                    • alwyn …
                      25 May 2018 at 6:41 pm

                      “after a few years more “.
                      You may be right. Of course after a few more years the answers to my 3 questions will still be the same.
                      Trees planted. ZERO.
                      Kiwibuild affordable homes started. ZERO
                      Pensioners getting $700 heating allowance in 2018. ZERO.
                      Have a nice day y’all.

                    • McFlock …
                      25 May 2018 at 6:48 pm

                      I would bookmark that prediction, but in two years we’ll probably have plenty of more recent examples of your grief-ridden disconnect with reality.

                    • Gabby …
                      25 May 2018 at 10:36 pm

                      That addressing the question malarkey is bollocks isn’t it wally. Whose bright idea was that?

        • Anker 6.1.1.3
          25 May 2018 at 9:42 pm

          Alywyn and PR if you are feeling excited that Judith blew the whistle on pt use of the cell phone you are desperate. It is a minor misdemeanor and only serves to compare and contrast what happened with Gerry and airport security. No conquence for Gerry. Phil stands down on a very minor part of his workload(probably glad to get rid of it)………jacinda looks good. The majority on an on-line poll thinks phill didn’t need to stand down……..is this all national have got? Rather pathetic

        • Gabby 6.1.1.4
          25 May 2018 at 10:29 pm

          It’s those godawful butchered eyebrows that terrorise the poor man wally.

    • Daveosaurus 6.2
      25 May 2018 at 4:31 pm

      That’s nothing to do with Twyford. That’s Collins declaring open war against Brownlee – because any discussion of Twyford’s actions inevitably broadens to include Brownlee’s own error of judgement.

      It’s almost sad to see how the Nats have begun tearing themselves apart after their election loss. Even Labour in 2008 weren’t that bad.

    • Daveosaurus 6.3
      25 May 2018 at 4:34 pm

      (The system is telling me this is a duplicate comment – but the original comment was lost in cyberspace – admins feel free to delete one or t’ other)

      That’s nothing to do with Twyford. That’s Collins declaring open war against Brownlee – because any discussion of Twyford’s actions inevitably broadens to include Brownlee’s own error of judgement.

      It’s almost sad to see how the Nats have begun tearing themselves apart after their election loss. Even Labour in 2008 weren’t that bad.

  7. dukeofurl 7
    25 May 2018 at 8:42 am

    Uber autonomous car crash in Arizona investigation report is out

    The Uber car, a Volvo XC90 sport-utility vehicle equipped with Uber’s sensing technology, comes with an automatic emergency braking system from the manufacturer.
    But Uber disabled that function as well as other safety features to “reduce the potential for erratic vehicle behavior,” according to the report.

    While the person pushing the bike across the road had traces of P and marijuana in her system, its stunning to find Uber had disabled part of the vehicles emergency systems
    https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/24/technology/uber-autonomous-car-ntsb-investigation.html

  8. cleangreen 8
    25 May 2018 at 9:31 am

    micro plasma bovis spread – “Livestock transporters let down over effluent “- By Ken Shirley.

    This was an Interesting bit here; – from a National Party ally and ex MP in the Act party in coalition with the 1990’s era of the National Government.

    Ken Shirley is now talking about shifting the blame onto Labour now!!!!

    incredible it is when he was firstly an MP under Labour in the Langey government then under National Party as an ACT MP in 1990’s alongside National when they were in power!!!

    Ken Shirley couild have sung loud about road truck effluent spread then couldn’t he?

    “I see nothing” = Ken Shirley.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Shirley

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1805/S00364/livestock-transporters-let-down-over-effluent.htm

    SCOOP POLITICS

    Livestock transporters let down over effluent
    Thursday, 24 May 2018, 12:06 pm
    Press Release: Road Transport Forum
    24 May 2018

    Livestock transport operators are extremely disappointed in the way farmers, OSPRI and MPI have failed to implement and properly enforce stock movement regulations as is their responsibility under the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme, says Road Transport Forum Chief Executive Ken Shirley.
    “These regulations were put in place for a reason, as we are now finding out to the country’s considerable cost with the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak.”
    “Stock trucks are fitted with effluent tanks with a finite capacity that require frequent emptying. The act of disposing effluent, which in the past was difficult enough, has as a direct result of the fear associated with disease spread become a significant issue.”
    Many farmers have been remiss in not adequately standing stock off green feed prior to transport to reduce effluent production while local government and meat processing companies have been extremely tardy in providing access to effluent disposal facilities. Access to traditional disposal facilities is also now being restricted fearing disease spread.
    “With Mycoplasma bovis upon us greater demands are being put on stock transporters to wash and sanitise their vehicles but there has been no focus on the provision of adequate effluent disposal sites by the other parties.”
    “Farmers and meat processors are placing increased burdens and cost on stock transporters but steadfastly refuse to shoulder the additional costs and responsibility generated by their own tardiness.”
    “What if Mycoplasma bovis was an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease? In that nightmare scenario it would clearly not be acceptable to leave the burden of responsibility for effluent disposal solely with transporters, yet the primary sector doesn’t seem to appreciate that the principle here is just the same.”
    “Livestock transporters are more than happy to continue to play their part in the responsible movement of animals. However, MPI, councils, farmers and meat processors also need to help facilitate the appropriate disposal of stock effluent through better facilities and practices,” says Shirley.
    ends

    • dukeofurl 8.1
      25 May 2018 at 10:23 am

      The constant movement of stock will be a thing of the past now the disease is here. If you have a disease free herd you will want to keep it that way.

      by bye stock trucks. You wont be missed. ( other than to the works)

      • cleangreen 8.1.1
        25 May 2018 at 10:41 am

        here here; dukeofurl,

        We will not miss those rattling nasty smelling stock trucks as the smell is also the sign we are recieving water droplets of aerosols that can cause us many diseases we are warned constantly.

        Yes I operate a small farm but we keep our stock away from our home.

        We advocate using rail again to move our stock as rail is away from roads and our driving behind stock trucks is a health risk but trains we dont travel behind. so this is worth thinking abiout now.

        Besides the roads are falling apart with so many stock trucks on our rural roads now.

        Shirey and his gangsrters should ppay to fix our rural roads then he may jion us and use rail again.

    • Graeme 8.2
      25 May 2018 at 10:26 am

      Not sure that he’s trying to “blame” Labour, rather a plea for everyone in the industry to work together sort the situation out.

      “Many farmers have been remiss in not adequately standing stock off green feed prior to transport to reduce effluent production while local government and meat processing companies have been extremely tardy in providing access to effluent disposal facilities. ”

      That’s a full on assault on farmers and the parties that should have been providing the effluent disposal and washing facilities. And coming from the stock transport sector who’ve made a considerable amount out of being a bus service to the livestock industry. But think Citybus rather than Tour Bus.

      What Ken doesn’t touch on, but which is freaking the transport sector, is transport becoming a party to NAIT. This way the stock will be tagged off the farm, onto the truck, off the truck, and onto the farm. So then there’s a record of the animals that have been on each truck. Easy to do but a considerable cost to the transporter, and will put the clammers on black / grey market stock movements. And that side of the business is where the money is. Ooooops

      • Robert Guyton 8.2.1
        25 May 2018 at 10:48 am

        Graeme! Wash, as the trucks have to be, your mouth out with soap! Such things you say! Calves, without ear-tags? Surely, no!

        • Graeme 8.2.1.1
          25 May 2018 at 11:01 am

          A stock truck pulls up to a farm loading ramp in the middle of the night, 10 cows get off, 4 get on, that’s after the same truck took a full load past the gate to the works that afternoon from a farm 100 km away.

          Then you’ve got RentaBull, guy down the road has several hundred for short term hire, along with NickaBull, (can get tricky getting him into the trailer in the middle of the road), and BorrowaBull (short out the fence with your cows in the boundary paddock)

      • Draco T Bastard 8.2.2
        25 May 2018 at 10:57 am

        What Ken doesn’t touch on, but which is freaking the transport sector, is transport becoming a party to NAIT. This way the stock will be tagged off the farm, onto the truck, off the truck, and onto the farm. So then there’s a record of the animals that have been on each truck.

        As it always should have been.

        Easy to do but a considerable cost to the transporter, and will put the clammers on black / grey market stock movements.

        Make it mandatory to have GPS tracking on all vehicles and road sensors watching and counting the vehicles.

        Also, go Cashless. It’s difficult to commit crime when it will be picked up automatically.

        • Graeme 8.2.2.1
          25 May 2018 at 11:14 am

          “As it always should have been.”

          Would love to see the decision trail around that. There would have been some intense lobbying to keep the truckies out of it and create a gap that the cash could flow through. Interesting that the most vocal opponents of NAIT were stock agents.

        • One Two 8.2.2.2
          25 May 2018 at 3:30 pm

          Cashless..

          There you go again, Draco..

          How do you see cashless playing out …really…

          Serious question…

          • Draco T Bastard 8.2.2.2.1
            25 May 2018 at 5:01 pm

            How do you see cashless playing out …really…

            Pretty well. We’re almost there already as I point out.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 8.2.2.3
          25 May 2018 at 7:53 pm

          It’s difficult to commit crime when it will be picked up automatically.

          No, it will simply require a little more coordination between organised criminals in the banking sector and those in the underground economy.

          • Draco T Bastard 8.2.2.3.1
            26 May 2018 at 1:55 pm

            The banking sector won’t actually have the money on them. It will be entirely stored in government servers.

    • Gabby 8.3
      25 May 2018 at 10:33 pm

      Shirley he’s not preempting some revelation about effluent disposal.

  9. Observer Tokoroa 9
    25 May 2018 at 10:09 am

    Gosman
    Puckish Rogue

    It gives me great Pleasure to announce the long awaited marriage between the above two tireless contributors to Drivel Inc . It is seldom that two blogees marry and produce happiness. We should be so grateful for their joint outpourings of hot crap.

    They are so well matched and mated.

    • Psych nurse 9.1
      25 May 2018 at 10:39 am

      No, they are too imbued in the concept of self pleasuring to be able to consumate a relationship.

    • Robert Guyton 9.2
      25 May 2018 at 10:46 am

      On the marriage of Gosman and Pucky; Jude will be seething!!
      Pucky’s hers!

      • Puckish Rogue 9.2.1
        25 May 2018 at 11:28 am

        Heres a poem i wrote that succinctly describes my feelings, what do you think?

        My life is brilliant
        My life is brilliant
        My love is pure
        I saw an angel
        Of that I’m sure
        She smiled at me on the TV
        She was with another man
        But I won’t lose no sleep on that
        ‘Cause I’ve got a plan
        Shes beautiful
        Shes beautiful
        Shes beautiful, it’s true
        I saw her face in a crowded place (parliament)
        And I don’t know what to do
        ‘Cause I’ll never be with you
        Yes, she caught my eye
        As we walked on by
        She could see from my face that I was
        Flyin’ high
        And I don’t think that I’ll see her again
        But we shared a moment that will last till the end
        Shes beautiful
        Shes beautiful
        Shes beautiful, it’s true
        I saw your face in a crowded place
        And I don’t know what to do
        ‘Cause I’ll never be with you
        La-la-la-la
        La-la-la-la
        La-la-la-la, la
        Shes beautiful
        Shes beautiful
        Shes beautiful, it’s true
        There must be an angel with a smile on her face
        When she thought up that I should be with you
        But it’s time to face the truth
        I will never be with you

        • alwyn 9.2.1.1
          25 May 2018 at 6:24 pm

          Hm.
          I suppose you are trying but I’m not sure you should give up your day job to chase your dream of becoming Poet Laureate/
          Mind you, when very young, I used to feel much the same way about Sophia Loren. That young lady, for some strange reason, seemed to prefer that old, bald, short chap Carlo Ponti. Very odd of her when you consider all I had to offer.
          After all, when she said “I do” she would have been entitled to half my bicycle.

          ps. Is that suitably ageist, sexist and racist to satisfy you adam?

        • Anne 9.2.1.2
          25 May 2018 at 8:14 pm

          lols.

          But I have to agree with alwyn. Don’t give up your day job.

        • AB 9.2.1.3
          25 May 2018 at 10:59 pm

          This is what famous literary critic Harold Bloom said about never writing poetry himself:

          ” It must have had something to do with the enormous reverence and rapture I felt about poetry, the incantatory strength that Crane and Blake had for me from the beginning. To be a poet did not occur to me. It was indeed a threshold guarded by demons. To try to write in verse would have been a kind of trespass.”

          Advice worth heeding Pucky.

      • adam 9.2.2
        25 May 2018 at 3:45 pm

        Jude is a big fan of casual racism and sexism, so I guess you’re right Robert Guyton – Gossy would not be a perfect fit.

    • cleangreen 9.3
      25 May 2018 at 10:46 am

      OT they are probably one of the same person; who knows?

    • mac1 9.4
      25 May 2018 at 2:13 pm

      Yes. Felicitations to them both. They are well-matched.

      One has all the questions. The other has all the answers.

      And we get to critique both. 🙂

  10. saveNZ 10
    25 May 2018 at 10:52 am

    More hidden reports and zero action on industry from the Natz. But what is Labour going to do about it, give a free pass to industry?

    Fishing industry lies revealed in leaked report

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1805/S00160/fishing-industry-lies-revealed-in-leaked-report.htm

    • Cricklewood 10.1
      25 May 2018 at 6:24 pm

      Labour wont do shit because Winston.

      Fisheries in NZ is a disgrace.

    • Bill 10.2
      26 May 2018 at 7:02 pm

      But…but, Tony Hazlett (Head of Talley’s Nelson division) says the hoki fishery is healthy and will be for some time.

      They can still make money then. That’s nice. And they envisage making money “for some time” – that time being when the fishery is completely fucked which, as Hazlett has basically acknowledged, is what’s on the cards.

  11. cleangreen 11
    25 May 2018 at 11:29 am

    saveNZ,

    Now that National has declared on Labour the first casualty of this political war is truth.

    it seems that all Polititians seem to rush to cover themselves first and ignore the truth starring thwem in the face as we all see is there today,

    Labour so far have a better record onn admitting their faults than National ever had done.

    So we hope this increases and labour takes the ‘bull by the preverbial horn’ and gets in and fixes all these worrying issues so we can say “we did this”

    • saveNZ 11.1
      25 May 2018 at 11:45 am

      Yes Labour are better, but there is a massive mess left behind… like this one..

      More than 98,000 non-New Zealand citizens arrived in the April 2018 year. However, more than 30,000 non-New Zealand citizens left this country.

      The more important question might be, did the non NZ citizens leave after buying housing and assets in NZ and did they leave satellite families behind who qualify for government assistance?

      Should long term NZ residents and citizens be expected to pick up the welfare bill for asset rich people who have only been in the country for a few years?

      How will the government’s 1000 – 1600 new affordable houses help when 60,000+ new people arrived last year?

      Should there be an expiry date and controls on residency to people who are just using NZ as a cockoo lifestyle to raise their kids or care for their aged parents after gaining residency and heading back overseas to work?

      Should there be a minimum amount of time spent in the country (aka 75% of time spent in NZ over a lifetime of gaining residency) to be allowed access to free health care, education and super and voting if you come into NZ under the pretext of working or settling here permanently but then as increasingly the case, it’s leaving NZ after getting the paperwork through?

      Should there be a lot more safe guards with clearer controls on trusts and companies hiding assets like housing or small businesses which can then be used to mask or structure people’s wealth enabling rich people to legitimately claim welfare and accommodation benefits, tax write offs and WFF or straight benefits through loopholes and our very relaxed laws on companies and trusts holding assets.

      This is a serious issue facing the country as we have people who are born here or migrated here and working hard or just being a citizen who is also a beneficiary and genuinely poor and they are getting less opportunities.

      NZ is no longer the land of plenty, somehow we have gone from state houses to living in cars, as well as people who genuinely need secure work and opportunities at living wages… and the government is not doing enough to ensure to protect our system against abuse that has occurred under the National government’s decade reign of ‘rockstar economy’ aka widespread fraud and sell offs and trougher’s of all descriptions at the public purse.

      • Observer Tokoroa 11.1.1
        25 May 2018 at 3:20 pm

        @Save NZ
        An excellent article !

        Lend me your Ears
        We simply cannot admit any or every passport into NZ until we have housing, plumbing, sewerage, health, education and work for the owner of the Passport.

        National, namely John Key and Billy English and their handmaids being of low IQ, did not understand that. And they have created chaos. National will never rise again for what they did not do.

    • alwyn 11.2
      25 May 2018 at 6:34 pm

      “National has declared on Labour”.

      For those who follow the great game of Cricket I shall tell you the score at the time of the declaration.
      When they declared National had reached 987 runs for 3 wickets.
      Labour went into bat and when stumps were drawn due to bad light Labour had reached a score of 16 runs for the loss of 7 wickets.

      • mac1 11.2.1
        25 May 2018 at 8:26 pm

        National’s score of course took four days to compile; from 450 overs.

        At the end of the drawn game, National declared themselves the winner as they were the team that had scored the most runs.

        The series had of course been decided with Labour winning three of the five matches.

        National attacked the match umpires for obvious bias, and besides they had more players in their team.

        Team vice-captain, MS Bennett, who retired early, frustrated at not scoring any runs, alleged the umpires’ decisions were “dangerous for cricket”. Later cautioned for ball-tampering with the heavy roller, she said “Their decisions had become personal.”

        When the after-match commentators pointed out that the great majority of the National wickets that fell were either due to hit wicket or were bowled middle stump and obviously out, MS Bennett said that the decisions were flawed and anyway they hadn’t been quite ready.

        “The pitch was too green and the opposition’s ball was red,” she said.

  12. Herodotus 12
    25 May 2018 at 12:04 pm

    Next week we could see the end of Kiwibuild and the NZ dream for all of Home Ownership. If Auckland Council has its way lifting development contributions from $20-$25k/house to $70k/house for Greenfield developments. You can argue from both positions as to the justification of who incurs the financial cost of infrastructure.
    https://www.interest.co.nz/property/93235/auckland-councils-economists-argue-full-development-contributions-are-unlikely-result
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12043072
    “And a separate proposal could see developers on future greenfields sites paying as much as $70,000 per dwelling.”
    And would not the Unitec development be considered Greenfields as its current use is not housing ?
    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/353359/mt-albert-kiwibuild-homes-private-sector-needs-help-twyford
    “Forty percent of the houses will be part of KiwiBuild – available to first-home buyers at between $500,000 and $600,000.” Unfortunately there is even more pressure on the cost to construct and still be considered “Affordable”
    How sad for the young that owing a house is fast vanishing more most 🙁

    • saveNZ 12.1
      25 May 2018 at 8:49 pm

      The question is also ‘where has all the money going” that has been collected by Auckland council. They have outrageous water bills, actually not the water apparently which is free but for the pipes which actually seem to be a mess still after years of Metrowater, we have 54% of rates going to Auckland Transport which is also a mess and takes 5 times longer than a car for a 2 stage journey and costs 5 times the cost of petrol, while many areas have little to zero public transport at all, then we have our infrastructure and development costs which seem astronomical but somehow also seem to need to go up to $70k per development and not much sign of all the infrastructure being put in by council for all the new developments they took the contributions for over the past decade of contributions. And now a petrol tax, actually two taxes, a regional one and an Auckland one.

      All this while reducing library services, making people mow their own berms and thinking we need a billion dollar stadium and giving themselves salary rises and new premises, more marketing people, more lawyers, more of everyone pushing paper around at great cost and with little practical reality coming out of it.

      Prior to having his heart attack Phil Goff was in China. This is an interesting article about how a Chinese strategy is to get countries to borrow money that they can’t pay back. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/15/warning-sounded-over-chinas-debtbook-diplomacy.

      Sounds like Phil and the Auckland council are hoping to bankrupt the city to join the government in borrowing money as fast as possible to put in development, which seems to be for the Ponzi scheme of importing in low skilled people needing welfare to top up their meagre wages, the higher skilled who leave after a few years to work after obtaining residency, while leaving behind children to be educated and the elderly to be looked after by tax paying Kiwis who now struggle to afford a house, or even to drive to work with the petrol taxes to pay for the folly.

      Prior to the last decade we had a normal level of people migrating here who stayed and made a life here, we did not have floodgates of people buying up assets and then leaving with non working family members living here in million dollar houses or with small businesses losing money while employing more and more overseas people into the country!

      What is going wrong with this picture?

      • saveNZ 12.1.1
        25 May 2018 at 9:02 pm

        Remember this, nobody held to account and the ratepayers forced to pay 25% rises of rates for the folly which mean’t many lost their houses….

        http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1208/S00196/commissioners-at-kaipara-council-a-sign-of-things-to-come.htm

        Detroit city council approves bankruptcy related water authority deal

        http://www.jurist.org/paperchase/2014/09/detroit-city-council-approves-bankruptcy-related-water-authority-deal.php

      • Gabby 12.1.2
        25 May 2018 at 10:46 pm

        Unfair, savey, unfair. The widespread misunderstanding of Goffles’ socalled secretiveness highlights the need for a massively expanded PR campaign. Obviously more management will be needed and managers cost money. Ratepayers will appreciate the effort and the jump in their property values.

        • saveNZ 12.1.2.1
          26 May 2018 at 10:14 am

          Ok I agree a bit unfair for Goffles, he inherited the problem, but he is going in the wrong direction by adding in more managers and listening to those already there who seem to have misdirected the money collected so far.

          Nope, ratepayers who actually work in Auckland are not happy unless they are cashing up and leaving, those left are paying more rates and now petrol taxes, but have nothing working ain’t happy. Even in 2015 it showed over 80% of ratepayers were not happy with the council. (The stopped public polling after that result).

          You can’t go to the beach because of sewerage, you can’t drive across town because of congestion, you can’t catch public transport because it doesn’t go there or takes even longer to get there…. nothing really being done about that, even though in places there are train tracks that the experts don’t want to use, You can’t even get a decent meal these days and in the legacy of having chefs and burger managers considered a ‘essential skill’ McDonalds has been in the news when pills have been found in the Sundaes and the famous French cafe has apparently been bought out and the joke being is it going to be renamed the French curry? Now that’s capitalism and globalism at work or maybe the fall of it, I’m not sure!

          Auckland council and COO thinking is from a money grab perspective, and still adding in more people. The poorer citizens are being advised by MSM to leave the city and go to the provinces, essentially surrender and just leave the neoliberals to sell off the city.

          What a legacy, bankrupting the city and purging it of poor and middle class people and leaving the rich, the rich who claim benefits, more and more fake, illegal or misleading businesses and a few refugees left. How Rogernomics.

  13. ianmac 13
    25 May 2018 at 4:20 pm

    Lip Reading the Royal Wedding. Very clever and very funny.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=211&v=SKV6h_5XFbk

  14. eco maori 14
    26 May 2018 at 10:14 am

    It’s a beautiful day in Putaruru Aotearoa at the minute.
    Io gave us another big bouncy baby boy yesterday and it our mokos birthday today she’s 3 our mokos in Auckland are all good here’s a link to some music ECO MAORI likes below.

    https://youtu.be/papuvlVeZg8

    Ka kite ano P.S Its Mataraki

  15. UpandComer 15
    26 May 2018 at 6:13 pm

    Hi standardistas. I know you have differences with people in New Zealand. But today a man in England was sentenced to death by the Tory government run by the Israeli interests in England for standing up for the working class girls of England.

    This is bipartisan issue. If a Tory government can arrest people and sentence and imprison them within the hour for speech in the United Kingtom for standing up for British working class girls who were raped under Labour we are in dire straights.

    Please stand up for free speech. Stand up for Tommy Robinson, defending the working class girls who were sacrificed to diversity.

    The working class in England should be marching in the streets. This is bipartisan, genuine fascism. You want to see real fascism? Here it is.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irhQtamQ6Mo

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRt-iFANWKg

    If Tommy Robinson dies in prison because he’s murdered by muslims, it’s time for bad things to start happening to the British ruling classes.

    The man was imprisoned over nothing, and then sentenced and imprisoned within the hour. No jury. No trial.

    https://www.menofthewest.net/the-murder-of-tommy-robinson-how-britain-became-the-kebab-archipelago/

    I’m going to be doing daily posts on Tommy Robinson.

    The British government and the overall British ruling class have no mandate by the British people. They have suspended their relations with the British people. They should be regarded as an illegitimate government ruling by force and their supposed authority should be suspended and they should be regarded as adversaries of the British people.

    The people of England need to start arming themselves with anything they can find. This is real. This is terrifying. And justice needs to be served.

    The rape of 1 million girls by the English ruling class deserves justice.

    I hope that justice comes for the English ruling class, whatever form it takes. The English ruling class are aliens to England. I won’t state why, but they are not English. They are of another group of people who have a different agenda to the English.

    Every day, I’m going to start writing about the English government and what it is doing.

    New Zealand needs to put pressure on this regime and start divesting ourselves of the relationship until they restore the rule of law and the freedoms of western institutions to England.

    God bless the English

  16. Eco Maori 16
    26 May 2018 at 6:36 pm

    Good evening Newshub Lloyd looks like Ireland is going to catch up with the times and give Lady’s the right to have a abortion the Mana Wahine = rights movement is strong. Lloyd do you miss Winston.
    Judge Andrew Becroft is a good fair Kiwi who ECO MAORI backs 100 %. Off topic my view is that Judith Collins the – – – – – – is at her worst paying someone to spy on Phil Twyford and slowly leak the the bad habits of Phil that’s is how nasty people like Judith Collins behave .
    Does that show te tangata what tech can be use for the tracking of visit to farms with the bovine virus is a good thing but there are many bad things that people can use tech for even the state.
    ECO MAORI Says there should be a total set net ban around the endanger Mauri dolphins habitat come on there are less than 60 of these beautiful creatures of Tangaroa left these fishmen can use long lines some how I think NZF are slowing down the process of a set net ban – – – – – – you Ka kite ano P.S people like Judith Collins can’t win fairly so they cheat

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  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
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    7 days ago

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