Open mike 25/05/2020

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 25th, 2020 - 116 comments
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116 comments on “Open mike 25/05/2020 ”

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  1. Sacha 1
    25 May 2020 at 7:03 am

    Party releases actual list. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/121610675/election-2020-green-party-list-promotes-hello-boomer-chloe-swarbrick

    The Green Party candidate list reveals the membership is happy with its current MPs and that a small group of left-wing party members did not have much influence.

    • Sanctuary 1.1
      25 May 2020 at 7:33 am

      The "small group" need to now be expelled from the Green party – their disruption was clearly designed to damage their own party and as such they fail the most basic tests for party discipline. Their should be consequences for that and expulsion is the most obvious.

      Labour need to do a deal to give Chloe Swarbrick a clear run at Auckland Central. A victory for the Greens there would give them a lifeboat, and the Labour + Green vote would have a great chance of turfing out the National Party's deputy leader.

      • Sacha 1.1.1
        25 May 2020 at 7:54 am

        Is that the safest seat they could do a deal on?

        • Sanctuary 1.1.1.1
          25 May 2020 at 8:21 am

          There and Nelson, getting rid of Nikki Kaye and Nick Smith, what is not to like?

          • Andre 1.1.1.1.1
            25 May 2020 at 8:25 am

            Why Nelson? Just do the simple arithmetic of adding up the leftish party votes and rightish party votes to see if there's any chance at all of making a deal work. Not a chance of making it happen in Nelson.

            It will be tough enough getting a few Green voters to vote strategically to turf out Smith, let alone trying to get almost all Labour voters to vote for the Green candidate.

            • Cinny 1.1.1.1.1.1
              25 May 2020 at 9:16 am

              It will be tough enough getting a few Green voters to vote strategically to turf out Smith

              Not necessarily. Last year the Greens received a large donation on the condition they used it to try and unseat dr. custard (aka nick smith). This year it will be different, there will be strategic voting. The Nelson race will be close, but I'm predicting nick will lose his seat this time to Labour, if only by a slim margin. Looking forward to it 🙂

              • The Al1en …
                25 May 2020 at 9:20 am

                I read the other day after his candidature was announced, the new geologist candidate (name forgotten), state he was focussing on the party vote in Nelson.

              • Andre …
                25 May 2020 at 9:25 am

                Yeah. Last time Boyack plus Lawrey was around 22k votes, vs 17k for the Nat candidate (what was his name?). So it wouldn't take much strategic voting to install a Labour candidate into that seat. Plus, haven't there been boundary changes that should be favourable to Labour?

                • Cinny …
                  25 May 2020 at 9:32 am

                  Yes, the boundary change, good point. Nelson electorate has lost Brightwater (Dr custard's old stomping ground). Brightwater has now moved to the West Coast-Tasman electorate, and that will make a difference.

                  Dr custard was gutted about the boundary change.

                  • lprent …
                    25 May 2020 at 9:47 am

                    That is a good thing. But getting back to the topic of electorates, is that likely to pull in more Green voters or Labour or NZF voters into the electorate.

                    • Cinny …
                      25 May 2020 at 10:01 am

                      Brightwater is a blue town, with a bit of red. I'm guessing nick will lose out on up to 1,000 votes with the boundary change. Enough to make a difference on the night.

                      At a guess those blue person votes from Brightwater will be split between maureen pugh and Damien. Damien has quite a bit of respect from national party voters, it's not uncommon in West Coast-Tasman for national voters to vote Labour for the person (Damien).

                      I'd be really surprised if NZ 1st stood a strong candidate in Nelson or the WC-Tasman seat, they haven't in the past.

                      It will be a straight out red v's blue for Nelson re the person vote. With a strong Green party vote.

                  • swordfish …
                    25 May 2020 at 10:37 pm

                    Brightwater is a blue town, with a bit of red. I'm guessing nick will lose out on up to 1,000 votes with the boundary change. Enough to make a difference on the night.

                    I've had a quick look & I'd say losing Brightwater will shave off less than 400 from Smithy's majority. Would only make a difference in an extremely tight race.

                    [That’s the Candidate Vote margin … in terms of the Party Vote profile – the Nats take 50%., while the Govt Bloc Parties as a whole take 45% … so i would have to say a relatively Pale Blue sort of a town]

      • Andre 1.1.2
        25 May 2020 at 8:17 am

        Why Auckland Central? The combined Labour and Green party votes weren't much more than the Nat vote. Trying to divert Labour voters to Swarbrick is more likely to split the vote and let Kaye win again. Anyways, better to turf her out cleanly without any hint of dodgy deals.

        Whereas Wellington Central and Dunedin North have a combined Labour and Green party vote nearly double the Nat party vote.

        • Sanctuary 1.1.2.1
          25 May 2020 at 8:21 am

          What about after a 18% swing to the government?

          • Andre 1.1.2.1.1
            25 May 2020 at 8:52 am

            Ok. In 2017 the party votes in Auckland Central were: Nat 11773, Lab 11340, Green 4170, TOP 944, Winston1st 1165. (Note that Kaye's personal vote was 13198; she picked up a lot of non-Nat personal support)

            Let's make the heroic assumptions that 10% of the Nat party vote swings to Labour (20% swing to Labour), that 1/2 of Labour voters will "take orders", the Green and NZ1st vote share holds, all TOP goes to Labour, half NZ1st goes to the Labour candidate.

            For party votes that will be 10600 ish to Nat, 13500ish to Labour, 4200ish Greens plus rats and mice.

            Divvy those up among the candidates as wildly optimistically fantasised above, and Kaye gets 11000 ish votes (Nat plus ACT, no NZ1st vote, no personal loyalty vote to Kaye), Greens candidate 10900ish votes, Labour candidate gets 7000ish.

            Whereas, assume a small swing to Labour and that a decent chunk of Greens party voters use their heads and vote for the Labour candidate, then Kaye is solidly a list MP rather than an electorate MP. Which would do wonders for her cred as deputy leader.

            https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2017/electorate-details-01.html

          • Peter 1.1.2.1.2
            25 May 2020 at 10:57 am

            I think the 18% swing to the Government will happen just after I win Lotto for the third time.

        • ScottGN 1.1.2.2
          25 May 2020 at 8:41 am

          We’re talking about electorate candidate votes though aren’t we?

          • Andre 1.1.2.2.1
            25 May 2020 at 9:03 am

            Yes. But an electorate deal to persuade Labour party voters to strategically vote for a Greens candidate to give the Greens party a lifeboat is more likely to be successful where there is already a very strong Greens party vote, and an overwhelming Labour plus Greens dominance over the Nats.

            Those conditions are not met in Auckland Central or Nelson, but they are met in Wellington Central and Dunedin North.

      • mauī 1.1.3
        25 May 2020 at 8:30 am

        The Green Left are absolutely correct, Shaw, Swarbrick and Sage need to be replaced. One of the many reasons, Dennis and I are now former Greens…

        • Andre 1.1.3.1
          25 May 2020 at 8:56 am

          Replace Shaw, Sage and Swarbrick, and the Greens would no longer be green. And would then travel the route of other "activist left" parties such as Alliance, Mana etc.

          • Herodotus 1.1.3.1.1
            25 May 2020 at 5:00 pm

            Of those on the Green list only Eugenie Sage is ranked in the top 10 with any "Green" credentials. Not sure how you include the other 2 when it is not even important enough to include in the bio any. Not a mention of anything "Green" in Chloe Swarbrick's background !!! So who in the party is concerned with environment ?? Perhaps those who have left ??

            https://www.greens.org.nz/our_people

      • lprent 1.1.4
        25 May 2020 at 9:00 am

        Labour need to do a deal to give Chloe Swarbrick a clear run at Auckland Central.

        You must be joking. Trying to herd voters simply doesn’t work unless there is a already a 3 way split because a small minority will either heed the advice or decide to do it themselves. The Green vote in Auckland Central was ~2.3k odd last time. Labour was ~11.5. National was ~13k.

        The Labour candidate is White who got that vote – who will have been doing the electorate work and face-to-face since becoming a MP off the list – which is essentially how you win electorate seats. I hadn’t noticed Swarbrick around much. That is a problem when dealing with a electorate seat. Kaye has been maintaining her usual level of work in the electorate. But it hasn’t been anything to write home about.

        Basically you’re must be dreaming. Usually the maximum number of people shifting will be a few thousand at best unless there is a pretty piss-poor candidate. All a ‘deal’ in Auckland central will do is to increase Kayes majority. There is a good chance that a swing to Labour generally will flip that seat anyway.

        The probability of neither Labour nor the Greens winning the seat will rise massively in the event of the type of deal you’re looking for. The Green vote would go up to something like 3.5-4.5k – well short of majority. It will consist almost entirely of Green split voters who party voted Green last time and electorate voted Labour.

        You need to look at electorates that have a 3 way split. Offhand, I don’t know of an electorate. Even Nelson isn’t good for a Green electorate seat: Smith ~16.7k, Boyack (candidate again) ~12.4k, and Lawrey trailing well way behind at 9.7k. The Green party vote was only ~3.1k so it is likely that the split voting was pretty intense.

      • KJT 1.1.5
        25 May 2020 at 11:17 am

        Green party members and voters, in general, will not be as accepting of "deals" as Epsomites.

        • froggleblocks 1.1.5.1
          25 May 2020 at 12:43 pm

          You reckon they'd turn their nose up at a gaurantee of getting back into parliament?

    • lprent 1.2
      25 May 2020 at 9:17 am

      … a small group of left-wing party members did not have much influence.

      Indeed.

  2. Sanctuary 2
    25 May 2020 at 7:54 am

    Is the Chinese government a client of Exceltium PR? I only ask because I want to know if Matthew Hooton, the $2 dollar store Dominic Cummings to the watered down ScoMo, is getting paid by China to tell Toddy what to do.

    • RedBaronCV 2.1
      25 May 2020 at 1:14 pm

      I have certainly wondered that-particularly after the recent Herald article by him that was pounded on social media.

  3. pat 3
    25 May 2020 at 8:12 am

    First retrograde step for National?

    Gerry Brownlee tipped to be campaign manager

  4. ScottGN 4
    25 May 2020 at 8:16 am

    Nikki Kaye is on Morning Report just now. She’s not very good really.

    • ianmac 4.1
      25 May 2020 at 9:37 am

      Nikki didn't seem very assertive during Question Times.

      She avoided answering the question this morning of when she and Toddy started planning.

      An awful lot of Simon-like padding in her non answers.

      A poor start Nikki.

    • patricia 4.2
      25 May 2020 at 11:53 am

      Yes I started to count the number of times she said "Look".

  5. pat 5
    25 May 2020 at 8:26 am

    Excellent piece by Chris Trotter….misogyny and religious fundamentalism at the core of Nationals woes

    https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/105183/chris-trotter-argues-todd-mullers-backers-have-rejected-radical-conservatism

    • lprent 5.1
      25 May 2020 at 9:15 am

      That was rather good.

    • ianmac 5.2
      25 May 2020 at 9:51 am

      Those far right Christian zealots remain in the National Caucus. Will they fall into line or will they grumble?

    • millsy 5.3
      25 May 2020 at 10:18 am

      People go on about Labour and the Greens being killjoy wowsers, but you have Paulo Garcia, who think sex should only be for making babies, and having any pleasure from it is verboten.

      And how many creationists are in there? No wonder there was such a huge support for charter schools, it was all about giving young NZers are creationist diet and purging any mention of Darwin from large parts of the education system, along with the perodic table, etc.

    • Anne 5.4
      25 May 2020 at 11:08 am

      Good one Trotter.

      Muller hasn't made a good start though. Methinks the MAGA cap might disappear from the display cabinet in due course. 😉

  6. Sacha 6
    25 May 2020 at 9:14 am

    Simon's junketing ambitions thwarted. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12334370

    The Herald has learned that Bridges was originally offered the justice portfolio, but has rejected it and instead asked for foreign affairs.

    Gerry Brownlee is expected to keep that portfolio, and Muller turned Bridges down. It remains unclear what Bridges will now get – if anything.

    • gsays 6.1
      25 May 2020 at 9:39 am

      So The Herald 'has learned'.

      Is that what you say when it is leaked to you?

      These folk are leakier than a colander full of thin water. They would want to get on top of the internal discipline or else we may run low on popcorn.

  7. Cinny 7
    25 May 2020 at 9:23 am

    Jacinda was live. giving an interview when the quake struck, she remained positive, up-beat, unrattled and calm. She was awesome and impressive.

    After which mark richardson had a crack at her, because she wasn't scared and she kept it together.

    Now the herald are reporting nats at the beehive scrambled and hid under a table.

    Everyone behaves differently during a crisis, some keep it together and re-assure others and some hide under a table. Earthquake responses this morning by our politicians spoke volumes.

    • Westykev 7.1
      25 May 2020 at 10:08 am

      To be fair Cinny, if the roles were reversed you would be having a go at the Nats for not following Civil Defence guidelines with respect to earthquakes.

      • Cinny 7.1.1
        25 May 2020 at 11:06 am

        I hear what your saying, but too be fair, I've always been impressed when people hold it together to keep others calm in a crisis, emergency etc.

        Some people panic, some don't.

        That's where I'm coming from, re my comment above.

  8. pat 8
    25 May 2020 at 9:53 am

    Muller just interviewed by Kathryn Ryan…considerably better than Bridges but nothing to write home about….he will need to improve to make inroads…the same old attack lines and no substance

    • Dennis Frank 8.1
      25 May 2020 at 10:36 am

      I felt similarly, but view it as natural caution. Can't go wrong adhering to the established party line. If that rumour is correct (that he only won by a single vote) then he will be aware that he has to win support for any new National plan before sketching that in public.

    • ScottGN 8.2
      25 May 2020 at 11:42 am

      His main theme seemed to be “trust us we’re National”. That and bagging Cabinet Ministers under Ardern. Kaye was banging on along the same lines so definitely a pre-organised attack line. I suppose we should be pleased they’ve finally figured out that belittling the PM isn’t going to wash.

    • mary_a 8.3
      25 May 2020 at 7:03 pm

      I listened to that broadcast as well Pat. At just after 9am, Kathryn Ryan asked a basic question re when did Muller first consider challenging the Natz leadership. It took her three attempts to get some sort of a response from him, even then Ryan caught him out in a lie. To me Muller seemed to be more interested in promoting himself than answering questions.

      At this rate, Jacinda should have a field day during the election leaders' debates.

      • Peter 8.3.1
        25 May 2020 at 7:52 pm

        You reckon Hosking will be out to get her in those debates? He's been out to get her for 2 and a half years. Or will they use a staffer?

  9. anker 9
    25 May 2020 at 9:57 am

    Jacinda must have nerves of steel. She was smiling and posed. It was a very big shake and the Beehive shakes more in EQ.

    Also heard her talking positively and compassionately about National. Its so soothing the amygdala…….she's a winner.

  10. Dennis Frank 10
    25 May 2020 at 10:46 am

    Toby Manhire reviews the Green Party list here: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/25-05-2020/the-greens-list-ranking-revealed-can-this-group-lift-them-over-the-threshold/

    "It is a very different picture to that memorable North & South front page of just over three years ago. Half of the high ranking candidates on the cover are gone. The magazine itself is gone, too." John Hart, the farmer, gone. Alienated by leftists, I bet.

    Hayley Holt, gone. I was sorry to see a brief media report recently that she'd lost her baby – had wondered at her disappearance from the TVNZ breakfast show – so wish her a speedy bounce back from that trauma.

    "Perhaps more of a time warp, however, is the cover line: “Is the once ‘loony left’ ready to rule (and should we be afraid)?” For plenty of Greens – voters, members, and even some in caucus – the question is have they been loony, or at least loud, enough?"

    "The Greens: we are the only ones that can achieve a true transformative tilt." Yeah, valid for the party as a whole but not for our parliamentarians, who continue to shirk that task.

  11. The Al1en 11
    25 May 2020 at 11:14 am

    Just read on 3news website the government has announced a $500pw tax free payment, for 12 weeks, for those laid off between March and October. Comes in 8th June and not backdated, and you have to be looking for work or training.

    Cant link on this stupid IPad.

    Edit:

    What do you know? I can after all
    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/05/income-relief-payment-tax-free-weekly-payments-of-almost-500-announced-for-workers-laid-off-due-to-covid-19.html

      • Sabine 11.1.2
        25 May 2020 at 11:36 am

        could

        between

        for 12 weeks.

        Government still so timid.

        The wage subsidy should have shown clearly that the unemployment benefits for anyone on unemployement – not just hte current and growing expected wave of jobless – should get at the very minimum 585 $ (before tax 🙂 ) every week to maintain a semblance of normal life, i.e. pay rent, groceries and electricity.

        I guess its baby steps.

        • Molly 11.1.2.1
          25 May 2020 at 11:57 am

          Agree. Would have applauded any government that rebuilt from a solid base – from the ground up, rather attempting to provide support from the middle upwards. Doesn't look like I'll be clapping anytime soon.

        • Tiger Mountain 11.1.2.2
          25 May 2020 at 12:00 pm

          The $490 for certain Covid related unemployed is useful of course, but has just put off the day of reckoning for Labour with the institutional neo liberalism of WINZ/MSD. Those Depts are punishment mazes and the Govt. knows it. Newbies do not cope well, or necessarily get the miserly assistance they seek.

          Two tier unemployment payments, Covid and “Jobseeker” reinforce the “deserving/undeserving” tenet of state payments beloved of monetarist theory.

          • Cinny 11.1.2.2.1
            25 May 2020 at 1:31 pm

            Some employers refused to apply for the subsidy, instead they gave their employee's two weeks notice of their intention to use their employees annual leave for their wages over lock down. Some of those employee's may have or did have very little accrued leave and they suffered over lock-down as a result.

            Upon return to work, those employee's were told they were no longer tenable.

            This is good news for them, as it was to no fault of those employee's that their employers decided against taking the subsidy.

            And yes, benefits need to be increased. Living wage please and thank you.

            • Molly 11.1.2.2.1.1
              25 May 2020 at 3:06 pm

              AFAIK, the annual leave could only be used WITH the agreement of the employee. (My partner spent much of his first couple of weeks at home dealing with this issue, while working with the business owner in trying to maintain full pay for all the staff.) Those that agreed took annual leave in the final week of lockdown.

          • RedBaronCV 11.1.2.2.2
            25 May 2020 at 1:39 pm

            Yes they do need to streamline the WINZ//MSD . But look at the politics of it. The three months will be up for extension shortly before the election. Would Nact extend if they won – takes the election battleground to social welfare and gets its off tax increases for the wealthy.

          • greywarshark 11.1.2.2.3
            25 May 2020 at 1:40 pm

            Tiger Mountain "Punishment mazes" So apt. 😥

        • Craig H 11.1.2.3
          25 May 2020 at 1:43 pm

          I think this is a good small step towards a better social security system. I'd love this to be bigger and bolder, but it's still more than nothing.

          I also think this is very politically astute – start with a step that should be uncontroversial, extend later, go into the election with a bigger policy piece, win the election, and by the time National see the front bench again, it's the new normal.

  12. Dennis Frank 12
    25 May 2020 at 11:23 am

    Hosking: "The key here is, is there a magic? The X-factor? Is there something that transforms him from just another decent person who aspires to lead their party, and therefore their country, into a person who actually attracts votes, turns tides, explains things in a way people get? Is he something or someone that has that magnetic factor that marks you out as different from the rest?"

    Then fails to provides any answers. He would no doubt claim that the media does shallow, only, and answers go too deep. But then he does have a go at profound:

    "The polls will close, they always do." Usually at 7pm on election day. Something vaguely zen about that, eh? https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12334438

    • Peter 12.1
      25 May 2020 at 3:43 pm

      Hosking as usual going round and round the bowl at the first flush and inevitably like all waste, following all the crap that's gone before.

  13. Dennis Frank 13
    25 May 2020 at 11:44 am

    I googled "Greens candidate profiles 2020" to see if the GP had performed the elementary political requirement of allowing those interested to get to know those candidates better.

    No. No such link to the GP website exists as yet. So the clueless dork syndrome remains in control. Look on the bright side: they have four months to get their act together.

    The good news is I've read those profiles and they are available to members – and some of those people would make exceptional parliamentarians. Please don't hide them!

    • Herodotus 13.1
      25 May 2020 at 12:37 pm

      And this from Weka – The Green Party with an environmentalist ranked at No 11 in the new crop and will require 8.6% of the vote (Same as NZ1st)

      https://thestandard.org.nz/the-green-party-list-2/

      And only Eugenie Sage (ranked 6th) from the current crop background containing anything substantial regarding the environment. No wonder Gaia is screwed.

      https://www.greens.org.nz/our_people

      • Dennis Frank 13.1.1
        25 May 2020 at 12:53 pm

        I wouldn't go that far. If you read Lovelock's books you get a good sense of how resilient Gaia is – as a supersystem. That said, we have dislocated the Holocene, and that was the basis of the economy. Agriculture.

        Now that the supersystem is in transition from that stable state to another as yet unknown, we call the interim Antropocene. We will all live & die in that one. Comprehension of this relation between economy and ecology is non-existent – I never encountered anyone in the Green movement who even thought about it. Statism has everyone in a death-grip. Thus we still await an alternative to neoliberalism 30 years after it was obviously dead in the water!

        That the members of the GP persist in denial of this fundamental reality is due to human nature: gnosis is too hard, culture is trivial, we must therefore be trite, etc.

  15. ScottGN 15
    25 May 2020 at 12:12 pm

    Fairfax papers in Australia are suggesting the Federal government over there may allow travel between NZ and individual states, NSW and Victoria while borders between other states remain closed.

    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/border-friction-new-zealand-set-to-open-for-nsw-victorian-tourists-before-queensland-20200524-p54vwg.html

    • RedBaronCV 15.1
      25 May 2020 at 1:45 pm

      That's weird. Aren't victoria & NSW still battling outbreaks whereas NT & Wa are pretty much clean? Is NZ being used by slomo to shore up his political standing?

      • ScottGN 15.1.1
        25 May 2020 at 2:25 pm

        Probably more likely an effort by the federal government to get the state Labor government’s in WA and Qld to move on opening their borders to interstate travel. At any rate tv news in Australia is reporting Ardern’s comments here this morning saying that NZ was unlikely to open the border unless all of Australia was available for non-quarantined travel for NZers.

  16. Dennis Frank 16
    25 May 2020 at 12:12 pm

    "Kyle MacDonald is seeing more solar panels on the rooves of the electorate's million-dollar homes. That's a sign that Epsom voters are increasingly Green, he says." https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/119520709/a-poverty-agitator-a-climate-negotiator-and-a-psychotherapist-take-on-doomed-mission-for-the-greens?rm=a

    "MacDonald is a family man with two daughters, and has lived in the electorate for five years. His background is not that of a traditional Green candidate. He's been a psychotherapist for two decades, helping people with mental health issues and addiction through their troubles with talk therapy."

    "MacDonald gained a spot on radio's 'Nutter's Club' show, which has him talking to callers on-air about their problems. The show, started by comedian-turned-advocate Mike King, has a strong following of dedicated listeners. Between 60,000 and 80,000 tune in, which is the largest radio audience for the 11pm to 1am weekend timeslot, MacDonald says."

    "MacDonald also wrote a regular column about mental health and drugs, which ended three weeks ago when he announced his candidacy." At #14 on the list, a significant rebound will be required to get him in.

  17. AB 17
    25 May 2020 at 12:51 pm

    Good discussion on Novara with James Meadway on how to manage the increased government debt racked up during the COVID-19 crisis. I was getting alarmed to hear Bridges, shortly before his replacement, describe the debt as "$80k per household", and more recently Nikki Kaye claiming that young people were concerned at the thought of having to pay the debt back in future through increased taxes.

    It seems that National not only poses a threat to public health by wanting to prematurely open borders, but also poses a threat to the economy because of ingrained tendencies towards austerity.

  19. McFlock 19
    25 May 2020 at 1:36 pm

    Children's Commissioner calls for all benefits to be on the same level of trust, equity and accessibility as the covid payments.

  20. Treetop 20
    25 May 2020 at 1:44 pm

    I would like to know what he says about a spike in Rheumatic Fever cases in Wellington.

  21. RedBaronCV 21
    25 May 2020 at 1:57 pm

    Stuff have been sold by nine. Be very interesting to see if they are going to try to be genuinely NZ or whether this is a front for a wealthy individuals. Hoping for the former, be wise for the government to now bung them a relief package ., heck I'd subscribe again if they stopped being a Nact mouthpiece

  22. joe90 22
    25 May 2020 at 2:10 pm

    Those busting at the seams airports have come back to bite them on the arse.

    https://twitter.com/gregpmiller/status/1264309638964617217

    Siebert arrived at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago three days later as the new U.S. restrictions — including mandatory medical screenings — went into effect. He encountered crowds of people packed in tight corridors, stood in lines in which he snaked past other travelers for nearly five hours and tried to direct any cough or sneeze into his sleeve.

    When he finally reached the coronavirus checkpoint near baggage pickup, Siebert reported his prior symptoms and described his exposure in Spain. But the screeners waved him through with a cursory temperature check. He was given instructions to self-isolate that struck him as absurd given the conditions he had just encountered at the airport.
    “I can guarantee you that people were infected” in that transatlantic gantlet, said Siebert, who tested positive for the virus two days later in Chicago. “It was people passing through a pinhole.”

    http://archive.li/nD49i

  23. ianmac 23
    25 May 2020 at 2:23 pm

    Just listened to the end of Stolid Todd's Media on the reshuffle of spoke persons.

    Amy Adams is back as No 3 and funnily enough she is far better at speaking than Stolid Todd. Succinct. Informed and credible up to a point of course.
    And after 25 minutes Todd looks a bit rattled.
    Live https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12334590

  24. Anne 24
    25 May 2020 at 3:50 pm

    David Slack – as always – comes up with a gem:

    David Slack

    You don’t often see things go this sideways when someone throws their hat in the ring.

  26. Adrian 26
    25 May 2020 at 9:37 pm

    Jack Tame looking stunned at how fucking stupid Todd Muller really is!

    • David Mac 26.1
      25 May 2020 at 9:41 pm

      Todd is new to being in the hot seat and gosh, it's hot.

      He is yet to learn the 5 go to sentences to parrot if you don't know what to say.

      • Anne 26.1.1
        25 May 2020 at 10:54 pm

        Jack Tame had him over a barrel when he asked the question about there being no-one of Maori descent in his Shadow Cabinet. He didn't see it coming and tried to cover up by extolling the virtues of Shane Reti who comes in at 16 on the list.

        How astounding that he didn't even consider how it would look having only pale, stale Pakehas in his line-up.

        • David Mac 26.1.1.1
          26 May 2020 at 12:06 am

          I don't think he's a nasty guy Anne….but yeah, he's among a crew with cards up their sleeves. "What Chinese donor?"

          I'm not sure if he is our next PM or a nightwatchman.

          But whatever his calibre, he's a Honda Step-thru racing a Katana.

    • observer 26.2
      25 May 2020 at 10:10 pm

      Q & A interview? Yeah, that was painful. Todd, toast.

      As I said on Friday, Muller did well in his first round of interviews on Day 1, but now we've got past the soft "introduce yourself" and moved on to "what are your policies?".

      His policy platform appears to be "saying Amy Adams a lot".

    • ianmac 26.3
      25 May 2020 at 10:18 pm

      Yes. Watching the whole of Todd;s responses to Jack's questioning and it was worse even than earlier speeches. I know I am biased but truly I was expecting Todd to be able telling us that since the Government is failing, he could offer a light on how he would rescue the Small Business owners. He could only repeatedly tell us how wonderful Amy Adams is but no specifics – at all. Jack tried but it was a no show.
      And these folk have been beavering away at this plan for months and should be ready to Wow.

      The panel was much more illuminating.

      • anker 26.3.1
        25 May 2020 at 10:41 pm

        Wish I had of watched it! Have just listened to his interview with Kathryn Ryan this morning and what a bore he is. One of these "we could do it better" with no good evidence for why. And it turns out they don't have a plan. He will begin to sound very boring and arrogant soon……..How long will Amy think it ok to play second fiddle to him and and wait, what! more excitement… Simon's back! Happy days

      • David Mac 26.3.2
        25 May 2020 at 10:42 pm

        I guess Todd is obliged to give it a jolly good go but if I was him I'd find it hard not to feel like a caretaker, a guy to wave the flag until Florence Nightengale wanes.

    • Fireblade 26.4
      25 May 2020 at 10:48 pm

      The Q+A interview was disastrous for Todd Muller. Lots of waffle and no substance. Todd is a bumbling idiot under pressure.

      • Robert Guyton 26.4.1
        26 May 2020 at 6:31 am

        The question about the disappearance of Maori faces from his team slayed him.

  27. David Mac 27
    25 May 2020 at 9:55 pm

    I wonder if Jacinda has positioned us to be global destination darlings.

    We haven't found a vaccine for the common cold. We suppress Aids, we're yet to find a vaccine, I'm not holding my breath for the arrival of a Covid-19 job.

    Looking at the complexity of mutations to date, looks like a moving target to me.

    I think the healing component most likely to become fail-safe first are speedy accurate testing regimes.

    If we have none here and we have a speedy 100% accurate test at our borders. It's the 60+ that have big holiday $ to spend. The most Covid threatened.

    I think we could easily make it to the top of many dream destination wish-lists around the world. Not kids in a van pooing in our carparks. Those that pay $200 for a personal guided tour of a marae.

  28. anker 28
    25 May 2020 at 10:42 pm

    Wish I had of watched it! Have just listened to his interview with Kathryn Ryan this morning and what a bore he is. One of these "we could do it better" with no good evidence for why. And it turns out they don't have a plan. He will begin to sound very boring and arrogant soon……..How long will Amy think it ok to play second fiddle to him and and wait, what! more excitement… Simon's back! Happy days

  29. observer 29
    25 May 2020 at 10:56 pm

    Two TV interviews, two leaders, same location, same day.

    Todd Muller can't answer questions or keep cool during an interview.

    Jacinda Ardern answers questions and keeps cool during … an earthquake.

  30. David Mac 30
    25 May 2020 at 10:59 pm

    Everyone has nice scenery. We have lots of it but it's not special.

    What makes NZ unique is Maori.

    I think the rebuild of an elevated $ return per guest tourism industry should revolve around them. With a 60+ punter, they're over being drunk and chasing skirt, they want to taste the culture.

    I think it would be a nice way for us of a colonial extraction to say "Thanks for sharing."

  31. David Mac 31
    25 May 2020 at 11:18 pm

    First impressions count, an amazing kapa haka performance for every incoming flight and each performer paid $80k a year.

    Make the most of what we've got.

  32. David Mac 32
    26 May 2020 at 12:57 am

    Huawei are running utube videos featuring US executives that sing their praises.

    As the world slides over to 5G….

    The thrust of the argument being put forward by this American Huawei executive was "We are a private company, the Chinese government have nothing whatsoever to do with our business."

    A few weeks ago I watched an interview with the American manager of a 3M factory in China. They make masks for their parent company, the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. 3M, those guys on the board at Wall Street. They were visited and informed "All of your output will stay here in China."

    When the largest company in China says "Oh no, we have nothing to do with the CCP.",,,, oxymoron.

    Huawei + global 5G = all over everyone's shit.

    Aren't the Germans good at this stuff?

  33. ickey 33
    26 May 2020 at 10:09 pm

    hold on carmel sepuloni is reforming the welfare system.After the election,so in the mean time all you unemployed can look on the new unemployed with envy and imagine if the government treated everyone fairly.