Open mike 28/02/2025
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6:00 am, February 28th, 2025 - 39 comments
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In recent months, I have garnered copious amusement playing Martin, chess.com’s infamously terrible Chess AI. Alas, it is not how it once was, when he would cheerfully ignore freely offered material. Martin has grown better since I first stumbled upon him. I still remain frustrated at his capture-happy determination to ...3 hours ago - Indian Summer
Every time that I see ya,A lightning bolt fills the room,The underbelly of Paris,She sings her favourite tune,She'll drink you under the table,She'll show you a trick or two,But every time that I left her,I missed the things she would doSongwriters: Kelly JonesThis morning, I posted - Are you excited ...9 hours ago - Bernard’s Soliloquy for the week to March 23
Long stories shortest this week in our political economy: Standard & Poor’s judged the Government’s council finance reforms a failure. Professional investors showed the Government they want it to borrow more, not less. GDP bounced out of recession by more than forecast in the December quarter, but data for the ...11 hours ago - Making sense of it all
Each day at 4:30 my brother calls in at the rest home to see Dad. My visits can be months apart. Five minutes after you've left, he’ll have forgotten you were there, but every time, his face lights up and it’s a warm happy visit.Tim takes care of almost everything ...15 hours ago - A Response to ACT’s MRA-Style Rant
On the 19th of March, ACT announced they would be running candidates in this year’s local government elections. Accompanying that call for “common-sense kiwis” was an anti-woke essay typifying the views they expect their candidates to hold. I have included that part of their mailer, Free Press, in its entirety. ...1 day ago - Spread a Little Happiness
Even when the darkest clouds are in the skyYou mustn't sigh and you mustn't crySpread a little happiness as you go byPlease tryWhat's the use of worrying and feeling blue?When days are long keep on smiling throughSpread a little happiness 'til dreams come trueSongwriters: Vivian Ellis / Clifford Grey / ...1 day ago - Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Saturday, March 22
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ACT up the game on division politicsEmmerson’s take on David Seymour’s claim Jesus would have supported ACTACT’s announcement it is moving into local politics is a logical next step for a party that is waging its battle on picking up the aggrieved.It’s a numbers game, and as long as the ...2 days ago - Jam tomorrow, butter next week
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- Worming Through Dangerous Times
2 days ago - Why is the Govt so afraid of borrowing?
Mōrena. Long stories shortest: Professional investors who are paid a lot of money to be careful about lending to the New Zealand Government think it is wonderful place to put their money. Yet the Government itself is so afraid of borrowing more that it is happy to kill its own ...2 days ago - The future of the Combined Space Operations initiative
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- Dave’s Cats
Ooh you're a cool catComing on strong with all the chit chatOoh you're alrightHanging out and stealing all the limelightOoh messing with the beat of my heart yeah!Songwriters: Freddie Mercury / John Deacon.It would be a tad ironic; I can see it now. “Yeah, I didn’t unsubscribe when he said ...2 days ago - Friday 21 March
The PSA are calling the Prime Minister a hypocrite for committing to increase defence spending while hundreds of more civilian New Zealand Defence Force jobs are set to be cut as part of a major restructure. The number of companies being investigated for people trafficking in New Zealand has skyrocketed ...2 days ago - Weekly Roundup 21-March-2025
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Open access notables The severe 2020 coral bleaching event in the tropical Atlantic linked to marine heatwaves, Rodrigues et al., Communications Earth & Environment: Marine heatwaves can amplify the vulnerabilities of regional marine ecosystems and jeopardise local economies and food resources. Here, we show that marine heatwaves in the tropical ...3 days ago - Elbridge Colby’s vision: blocking China
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- Pressure grows for commonsense correction on safe local speeds
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- Maybe there’s a connection?
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This is a guest post by Peter Bisley. It previously appeared on his substack, and is republished here by kind permisison. How can active transport connections maximise City Rail Link benefits City Rail Link successfully ran a test train last month on the 3.45km line under central Auckland, ahead ...5 days ago
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What've I gotta do to make you love me?What've I gotta do to make you care?What do I do when lightning strikes me?And I wake up and find that you're not thereWhat've I gotta do to make you want me?Mmm hmm, what've I gotta do to be heard?What do I ...6 days ago- Bernard’s Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Tuesday, March 18
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Australia, Britain and European countries should loosen budget rules to allow borrowing to fund higher defence spending, a new study by the Kiel Institute suggests. Currently, budget debt rules are forcing governments to finance increases ...6 days ago- Feedback on work with engineered stone and materials containing crystalline silica
The NZCTU remains strongly committed to banning engineered stone in New Zealand and implementing better occupational health protections for all workers working with silica-containing materials. In this submission to MBIE, the NZCTU outlines that we have an opportunity to learn from Australia’s experience by implementing a full ban of engineered ...6 days ago- Big deal
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I have been trying to figure out the logic of Trump’s tariff policies and apparent desire for a global trade war. Although he does not appear to comprehend that tariffs are a tax on consumers in the country doing the tariffing, I can (sort of) understand that he may think ...6 days ago- France is prominent in efforts to shape Syria’s future, again
As Syria and international partners negotiate the country’s future, France has sought to be a convening power. While France has a history of influence in the Middle East, it will have to balance competing Syrian ...6 days ago- “Capital poor”
One of the eternal truths about Aotearoa's economy is that we are "capital poor": there's not enough money sloshing around here to fund the expansion of local businesses, or to build the things we want to. Which gets used as an excuse for all sorts of things, like setting up ...6 days ago- Pictures Tell The Story
National held its ground until late 2023 Verion, Talbot Mills & Curia Polls (Red = Labour, Blue = National)If we remove outlier results from Curia (National Party November 2023) National started trending down in October 2024.Verion Polls (Red = Labour, Blue = National)Verian alone shows a clearer deterioration in early ...6 days ago- High-impact climate risks, low-probability? Think again
In a recent presentation, I recommended, quite unoriginally, that governments should have a greater focus on higher-impact, lower-probability climate risks. My reasoning was that current climate model projections have blind spots, meaning we are betting ...6 days ago- Daddy
Daddy, are you out there?Daddy, won't you come and play?Daddy, do you not care?Is there nothing that you want to say?Songwriters: Mark Batson / Beyonce Giselle Knowles.This morning, a look at the much-maligned NZ Herald. Despised by many on the left as little more than a mouthpiece for the National ...6 days ago- Monday 17 March
Employers, unions and health and safety advocates are calling for engineered stone to be banned, a day before consultation on regulations closes. On Friday the PSA lodged a pay equity claim for library assistants with the Employment Relations Authority, after the stalling of a claim lodged with six councils in ...6 days ago- Luxon announces start of India trade deal talks
Long stories shortest in Aotearoa’s political economy: Christopher Luxon surprises by announcing trade deal talks with India will start next month, and include beef and dairy. Napier is set to join Whakatane, Dunedin and Westport in staging a protest march against health spending restraints hitting their hospital services. Winston Peters ...6 days ago - A Palate Cleanser
- Release: Govt’s continued lack of action on Gaza condemned
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...2 days ago - Release: National at sea over Defence jobs
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...3 days ago
- Release: National standards returning by stealth
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...3 days ago
- Release: Kiwis still struggling as economy stumbles along
Kiwis aren’t feeling any better off despite figures showing a very slight growth in GDP in the December quarter. ...3 days ago
- Greens call for compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...4 days ago - Another failed ETS auction, another indictment on the Govt’s climate credibility
The ETS auction’s failure today is yet another clear sign that the Government is failing us all on climate action. ...4 days ago
- Release: Luxon quick to give away principled position on nukes
Christopher Luxon seems to have thrown New Zealand’s principled anti-nuclear advocacy under a bus. ...4 days ago
- NZ must act on Israel’s slaughter of children
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...4 days ago
- Release: Still no certainty for disability communities
One year on from the Government’s abrupt and callous changes to disability funding, the community still has no idea what the future holds. ...5 days ago
- Green Party backs volunteer firefighters in their call for ACC recognition
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...5 days ago
- Stand Up for Palestine: A Call to Action Against Israels Treacherous Attack
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...5 days ago
- MP Views: Living Strong, The Economy, Servicing Our Nation, The Golden Egg, and 4 Year Terms
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...6 days ago - Shane Jones has no shame
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...1 week ago
- Release: National botches health funding numbers
Health Minister Simeon Brown’s claim that the Government has put $16.68 billion into the health system over three years is wrong. ...1 week ago
- Government tramples on the rights of disabled migrant children
The Green Party is condemning the Government’s move to tighten access to visas for disabled children. ...1 week ago
- Release: Auckland needs second harbour crossing
Labour supports Minister Chris Bishop’s call for input on the second Waitematā Harbour crossing. ...1 week ago
- Speech: Barbara Edmonds’ speech to NZ Investment Summit 2025
I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak to you today about how we make overseas investment work for all New Zealanders. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour does not support PPPs for prisons
Labour does not support the private ownership of core infrastructure like schools, hospitals and prisons, which will only see worse outcomes for Kiwis. ...1 week ago
- Dunedin Futures report should be a wake-up call
The newly released report on the South Dunedin Future Programme must be a wake-up call for our Government. ...1 week ago
- Release: Members’ Bill makes wage theft a crime
Workers will now be able to go to the Police and report their employer if they are not being paid wages they’re owed. ...2 weeks ago
- Missed opportunity to stop the stealing of Māori land
The Green Party is disappointed the Government voted down Hūhana Lyndon’s member’s Bill, which would have prevented further alienation of Māori land through the Public Works Act. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports sanctions against Israel’s illegal occupation
The Labour Party will support Chloe Swarbrick’s member’s bill which would allow sanctions against Israel for its illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt procurement plan cuts wages and trashes the environment
The Government’s new procurement rules are a blatant attack on workers and the environment, showing once again that National’s priorities are completely out of touch with everyday Kiwis. ...2 weeks ago
- Procurement proposals pose risk to people and planet
The Green Party is concerned by the impact the Government’s proposed changes to procurement processes could have on people and planet. ...2 weeks ago
- Just six Government MPs needed to pass Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill
With Labour and Te Pāti Māori’s official support, Opposition parties are officially aligned to progress Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in Palestine. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour’s approach to Māori economy benefits all
Under Labour, the Māori economy went from strength to strength according to the latest report released by MBIE. ...2 weeks ago
- 20 Years of Success Down the Drain: Govt Gut Whānau Ora
Te Pāti Māori extends our deepest aroha to the 500 plus Whānau Ora workers who have been advised today that the govt will be dismantling their contracts. For twenty years , Whānau Ora has been helping families, delivering life-changing support through a kaupapa Māori approach. It has built trust where ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party launches petition to allow Pacific whānau visa-free access
The Green Party is launching a petition calling on the Government to extend visa-free travel to visitors from Pacific Island nations. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour welcomes reinstatement of Heath NZ board
Labour welcomes Simeon Brown’s move to reinstate a board at Health New Zealand, bringing the destructive and secretive tenure of commissioner Lester Levy to an end. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ’s Public Health system dealt yet another blow
This morning’s announcement by the Health Minister regarding a major overhaul of the public health sector levels yet another blow to the country’s essential services. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Chris Hipkins’ State of the Nation address
Ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa It is a great pleasure to be here with you this morning. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ First Introduces Bill to Remove Woke ‘DEI’ Regulations from Public Service
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will ensure employment decisions in the public service are based on merit and not on forced woke ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ targets. “This Bill would put an end to the woke left-wing social engineering and diversity targets in the public sector. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour outlines priorities of next Govt
The next Labour Government will prioritise jobs, health and homes so Kiwis and Kiwi businesses have the opportunity to thrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Refreshed team to drive Labour’s 2026 priorities
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has unveiled a new economic team as part of a caucus reshuffle. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for end to police referrals to Destiny programmes
Police have referred 20 offenders to Destiny Church-affiliated programmes Man Up and Legacy as ‘wellness providers’ in the last year, raising concerns that those seeking help are being recruited into a harmful organisation. ...2 weeks ago
- Good Riddance: Prebble Resigns from Waitangi Tribunal
Te Pāti Māori welcomes the resignation of Richard Prebble from the Waitangi Tribunal. His appointment in October 2024 was a disgrace- another example of this government undermining Te Tiriti o Waitangi by appointing a former ACT leader who has spent his career attacking Māori rights. “Regardless of the reason for ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls on Govt to condemn Israel’s aid blockade
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This idea has merit – PEOPLE POWER – the power of the consumer not to consume.
It is due to happen today (NZ) tomorrow in the US. I hope not, but it’ll probably fizzle.
Which will be a pity!
https://bsky.app/profile/bulderihulderi.bsky.social/post/3lj5iytp4h22o
The Feb 28 (US time) Economic Blackout of major retailers appears to be a genuine grass roots initiative…
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/what-is-the-february-28-economic-blackout-and-who-is-behind-it-here-are-all-the-details-including-what-is-closed/articleshow/118604275.cms?from=mdr
Boycotts can work as Starbucks and McDonalds found out around the world when “BDSed” for supporting the IDF butchers in Gaza.
Non consuming from major capitalists has to be a tactic to consider on an ongoing basis.
More top down "hands on" behaviour from those who just…feel they can.
This is highly relevant considering what the organisations concerned represent !
The mind boggles at ACC's blase attitude. Just another example of at all costs, protect "management" !
Yea. I also note….Health NZ "nothing to see here"
Meridian energy has profit loss !
Soon to
retiremove on, head Neal Barclay plays his small sympathy violin…Looking further in though…
Ok. the swings and roundabouts. However those who are aware, remember this…
I do not trust any of the power companies to have NZ, its people and its Environments best interests at "heart". Some who do…
Remember, NZers own 51% of Meridian. What's the bets the majority shareholder, the Energy or SOE Minister, told them to up returns to the government last year, to plug some fiscal holes?
"Meridian spilled water to hike electricity prices – Authority ruling" is mentioned by PLA.
Do you think that this was the reason they had for the time that they were accused of spilling water?
It seems possible. At the time the 51% shareholder was desperate for cash so they could have ordered it. Do you agree?
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=652812787261564&set=a.172274801982034
WORLD'S MOST PROSPEROUS
COUNTRIES 2023
nz is 10th of the 34 on the list
Above Britain, USA, Australia, Japan, Singapore for eg
The average age of cars in New Zealand is about 15 years. That means they are much less safe, and much more polluting than a modern vehicle would be.
That average was 11.5 years in 2000, 13 in 2010 and 14 in 2015. Cars last longer than they used to but they are now getting very, very old.
https://www.ehinz.ac.nz/assets/Factsheets/Released_2022/Average-age-of-motor-vehicles-0727.pdf
https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/69074190/average-age-of-new-zealand-cars-passes-14-years
I have an 18 year old car that I bought new. Providing the tyres suspension steering and brakes are serviced well such a car is safe.
Cars built 20 plus years ago were less safety conscious.
How bad things are, and how the only way out is to cut government and to cut taxes and to let in foreign money to buy our assets.
I can think of many cheaper ways to dump your girlfriend than blowing her up on a rocket.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/feb/27/blue-origin-all-woman-crew-flight
Big Hairy News interviews (from 9 min) journalist Paula Penfold, journalist of the Stuff article about recent resignations from the Covid inquiry, where top level people have resigned. This is due to concerns about the way the add-on inquiry pushed by NZF is being run. The resignations are from people with serious legal and inquiry kudos.
So the CoC is asking if we want a 4-year term.
But it seems that it isn't really a 4-year term, its a 3+ year term.
So the fourth year might be just one long long year of campaigning. I'm sure the Atlas Institute will appreciate the extra time to get their Goebbels machine into action.
So half-arsed, why am I not surprised.
More about this later, I am sure.
A new suggestion, that's just popped up has been that there is an initial 4 year term (for the government to figure out what it's doing) – followed by 3 year terms if re-elected.
Allows the government of the day sufficient time to get the body of legislation underway – but recognizes that this shouldn't be needed if they are re-elected (they should know what they're doing by that stage).
I can't say that I'm particularly in favour of it, but it's an interesting take on the issue.
That four then three is a good idea…
..and the reasons for it stand up..
Throw in lowering the voting age to 16… and I'm there ..
Agree Phillip, though I have argued for 17 too…sixth form seems a time when well informed views would enable sensible voting.
Having said that 49.9% of over 18's voted for Trump.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/02/27/has-the-world-gone-mad/
Something that should have been pointed out long ago.
Except the Warsaw Pact nations wanted into the EU and NATO. Why? The emergence in Russia of a Putin. They will feel vindicated by the 2014 and 2022 actions.
For 7 years Germany refused to increase defence spending from 1 to 2% – the 2024 NATO rule. Instead they went for gas pipelines with Russia. After Feb 2022 their SDP and Green coalition immediately declared for 2% defence spending and a move away from Russian gas. Why?
The new German Chancellor, CDU, has already said Europe cannot rely on the USA and will have to be able to defend itself. Why?
Trust in the word of Putin no longer exists in Europe.
Starmer has had King Charles III write a letter, signed by himself, inviting POTUS 47 to Balmoral. And hand delivered the special letter to the White House inmate (a 4 year work release programme for felons).
The inhabitant of No 10 Downing Street, invites him to Dumfries House. There a second state visit (reprise of the one when POTUS 45) will be organised.
The two acts are calculated insults to all Scots, as if they are to blame for that MacLeod woman of the Hebrides who bore DJT.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/king-charles-invites-donald-trump-to-balmoral-plans-historic-second-uk-state-visit/WGG55AUVSBCNVCYVIFJVO6UDBI/
Starmer and Trump have a lot in common, one was formerly a Public Prosecutor the other was formerly publicly prosecuted.
Starmer and Trump deserve each other.
Here's the copy of the letter that legal firm Franks Ogilvie sent on behalf of Inflection Point to gender medicine clinicians in NZ (and their insurance companies I think).
https://www.webworm.co/p/theletter
It seems unorthodox for NZ, but I'm not seeing a huge problem with it, so am curious what others here who have been following think.
If I strip out the politics (IP and FO being right wing) the letter reads as relevant, but mostly because I agree that gender medicine has far outstripped ethics and has done so because of ideology (and in the case of the US, money).
It's also a challenge for the left. Do we uphold medical ethics and child protection or do we say doctor knows best (or in this case, children know best)? Women have a history of being harmed by medical ethics being ignored, so feminists have a particular interest in this as well.
I'm not comfortable about Inflection Point, but I will just keep pointing out that the liberal left ran No Debate so successfully that the narrative is now dominated by conservatives, including in NZ. Can't really complain about that lefties, it's a massive own goal.
Well, I guess it could be seen as a threat. It's certainly intended to put some pressure on gender affirming medical practitioners.
However, NZ is also a difficult country to have any kind of discussion about the details of what happens during transitioning. So how to encourage any kind of meaningful discussion about what actually happens as a result of surgical and medical transitioning? Furthermore detransitioners, given prominencce in the letter, hardly get any coverage at all by our politicians, media, or LGBT+ organisations. Detrans people are not mentioned at all in the RNZ article on the letter.
Our media tends to only present a selective view of transitioners, with the usual talking points, emotive embracing of victimhood, etc that we have got used to seeing here and internationally.
How else to try to get any kind of mainstream debate on the details of the results of transitioning? A letter to The Minister of Health, a press release? They would likely not have been picked up by the media as this letter did, albeit in a negative way.
yes and it's not like people haven't tried other ways eg the work done on the MoH's PB page. The letter looks like political activism to me, and for the first few days when there was no copy of the letter available, the liberal reaction was all about how threatening it. I don't see how it's threatening. Challenging for sure, but what is wrong with that in politics? Maybe I'm missing something. There was talk in OM in the past few days where people thought it was bad, but I'm not entirely sure why.
It's horrible this is coming from the right, because it's going to tie into conservative ideas about gender and conformity. But that's not as bad as what is happening to detrans people. It IS a medical scandal and shame on the left for being in denial.
I agree that it's very frustrating that the left in NZ particularly seem to be averse to any in-depth discussion of the issues, including details about the 'gender affirming' surgical and medical changes to bodies. I also find it curious that given how many left wing people in NZ are critical of the strong tendency for a right wing bias in our media, have nothing to say about the extreme bias even the NZ Herald & Stuff have in reporting on trans issues.
On X today there was this thread with copies of a letter by a Welsh surgeon to the General Medical Council, about what he describes as a deception being practised by surgeons performing vaginoplasty and vulvoplasty on males.
The letter contains a long list of how the faux-vaginas & vulvas differ from female ones, plus some of the risks associated with the practices. Some of the aspects of the faux-vaginas and vulvas result in bacterial and fungal conditions, whereas natural female ones have built in ways of minimising such conditions.
The alleged surgically created vaginas are holes that bodies interpret as wounds, and try to close them. Consequently the recipient of the vaginoplasty needs to continually dilate the hole with an implement to keep it open, and scarring results.
that's an incredibly detailed letter and should be read alongside the Franks Ogilvie letter especially by anyone thinking doctors are somehow above scrutiny.
The BBC covers the South Pacific China move.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg559y0803o
This era reminds me of George Weigal who has long advocated for the USA to return to the 19th C.
JD Vance gets to the same point via adopting libertarianism and blaming the poor for their culture.
Trump imperialism and tariffs, walk back from progressive taxation and the Anti-Trust Act, and impact of the womens vote towards broligarchy.
A society less for all (extensive) to a gated community private realm elite with an intensive order regime over the rest.
This was the pre-democratic order founded when only men with property could vote. A constitutional re-boot of the earlier feudal system.
Being the descendant of a nurse I know how well she and others looked after patients. It is nice to be occasionally reminded of how well things can work in New Zealand.
The end of the post-1945 order. Donald Trump has begun a mafia-like struggle for global power.
https://www.economist.com/
A central government that is unwilling to fund (itself or) local government, provides an alternative.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/02/28/shake-up-of-council-infrastructure-funding-announced/
Value Capture Tax.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360597728/new-tool-chris-bishop-says-could-end-nzs-housing-crisis
The return of inheritocracy
https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2025/02/27/is-inheritance-becoming-a-surer-route-to-wealth-than-work
The tax changes to benefit landlords and their consequence.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/personal-finance/investment/property-investors-return-borrowing-almost-twice-as-much-as-a-year-ago-house-prices-expected-to-remain-in-check/RPH4KOK775H3ZF2Z2NYZBE4ZVM/
The podcast notes
1.that inheritance taxes are being reduced (where they are) – our estate tax was removed in 1993. Gift duty removed in 2012 (parents to children so they have the equity to buy property).
2.peak time for them (baby boomers) is 2035.
Thoughtful Guardian Opinion piece on Australian foreign policy in the T-world.
"Take the Anzus alliance: it doesn’t include an HQ, a commander, forces assigned or a mutual defence guarantee. It’s an 800-word essay. To be sure, the security ties are now wide-ranging but, if the treatment of our strategic cousins in Canada is anything to go by, this pact offers no assurance."
Author of Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea writes an opinion piece contrasting austerity in Argentina with Musk's attack in the US.
"In the US, if the goal is to dismantle the administrative state, austerity will work. But in a country where 53% of counties – most of them Republican-leaning – are dependent on government transfers for a quarter or more of their incomes, it may backfire badly."
Auckland makes a move on the golf course public domain land.
Part one – identifying if they can be used to reduce flood risk.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/golf/takapuna-golf-club-at-risk-as-auckland-council-propose-to-turn-af-thomas-park-into-wetland-and-flood-storage/FJ3NEP7LFFHAPGZWNP6I277P4U/