Open mike 28/04/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 28th, 2016 - 86 comments
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86 comments on “Open mike 28/04/2016 ”

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  1. Tautoko Mangō Mata 1
    28 April 2016 at 7:27 am

    This clear, unambiguous messaging from Bernie Sanders appeals to the young because it clearly makes sense to them.

    “That is why this campaign is going to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia with as many delegates as possible,” Sanders continued, “to fight for a progressive party platform that calls for a $15 an hour minimum wage, an end to our disastrous trade policies, a Medicare-for-all health care system, breaking up Wall Street financial institutions, ending fracking in our country, making public colleges and universities tuition free, and passing a carbon tax so we can effectively address the planetary crisis of climate change.”

    http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/27/fourteen-go-sanders-set-transforming-nation

  2. Tautoko Mangō Mata 2
    28 April 2016 at 7:52 am

    TPP- the current status of the TPP ratification in US according to Sr Jeff Sessions

    • ianmac 2.1
      28 April 2016 at 8:05 am

      Echoes of the Key effort to flush it through with an omnibus Bill before Christmas. It was clever to have a treaty so fullsome and so legalised that we ordinary folk are effectively locked out.

    • Tautoko Mangō Mata 2.2
      28 April 2016 at 8:37 am

      TPP- upcoming livestream
      Rules, Rights and Resistance: The battle over TPP and TTIP
      April 29 2016, 9am-6pm (New York Time)
      Joseph Stiglitz, Lori Wallach, Celso, Amorim, Bill McKibben + others
      -a daylong exploration of what is at play in the struggle over “trade agreements”:
      what they portend, the resistances they have generated and the horizons for rewriting and implementing alternative rules.
      http://livestream.com/TheNewSchool/rules-rights-resistance

  3. weka 3
    28 April 2016 at 7:54 am

    Cats acting out the centre left after 30 years of neoliberalism dilemma,

    https://mobile.twitter.com/MeetAnimals/status/725409445212200960

  4. North 4
    28 April 2016 at 8:02 am

    Sadly the answer to Rachel Smalley’s question is ‘Yes’.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11629968

    Wherein the oppressed have become the oppressor. And wherein it is scandalous to weep the biennial murder of hundreds and hundreds of children in the postage stamp area of land Titirangi to Glendowie down to Manukau; Gaza.

    Gaza with a population close to two million – fish in a barrel the prey of the IDF, annually militarily funded to the tune of $US3,000,000,000 by the US.

    “Ssssshh. Don’t say anything. Anti-semitic”.

    • vto 4.1
      28 April 2016 at 9:17 am

      Israeli bastards.

      Build a wall.
      Imprison an entire population.
      Apartheid policies.
      Killers.

      The UK MP was definitely onto it in suggesting that Israel relocate to the US, which has the exact same features.

      nasty nasty people

      • James 4.1.1
        28 April 2016 at 4:29 pm

        Even Corbyn agrees that the comments were far from appropriate – thats why she has been suspended.

        The UK press have some articles about the concerns about the level of anti-Semitic comments from the left. Seems from your comment that this is alone and well down under as well.

        • swordfish 4.1.1.1
          28 April 2016 at 4:54 pm

          And yet apparently quite OK for a whole swathe of Israeli society, leading Israeli politicians and an even greater number of Israeli apologists throughout the West to not only (1) support the violent ethnic cleansing of Palestinains from their own land but also (2) demand that they “re-locate” to Jordan.

        • North 4.1.1.2
          28 April 2016 at 5:53 pm

          So James you’d be another of those Khandallah bastards sitting back on your lounge sofa watching kids getting murdered by US funded air to ground missiles, going “Tut tut tut……they will keep firing those antique Skuds that kill no one……and throwing fucking stones……that kill no one !” ?

          Well fuck you you Nazinetanyahoo dog ! May you meet an appropriate karma.

    • Heather Grimwood 4.2
      28 April 2016 at 9:58 am

      to North at 4: ” the oppressed becomes he oppressor” was the exact contention of Frere’s pleas so many years ago. Granddaughter has my political library but think he flourished end of ’60’s or early ’70’s. His message was that the oppressed when having overcome, must show the maturity NOT to fall into the behaviour patterns of their erstwhile oppressors ( comparable to the immature eye- for- eye tooth- for- tooth developmental stage in which such a huge proportion of humankind is stuck).
      I can only suggest the solution of education,education,education in the widest sense.

      • North 4.2.1
        28 April 2016 at 6:21 pm

        Yes. And there is no education in ‘sand nigger’. Which is the very essence of Zionist racism and its apartheid expression.

        Do do do shut up however. You know, Anti-Semitism.

  5. Jenny Kirk 5
    28 April 2016 at 8:45 am

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11629753

    Great story in today’s Herald about the Tampa refugees 15 years on.

    • Hami Shearlie 6.1
      28 April 2016 at 10:02 am

      About time too – Joyce etc are terrified of Cunliffe when he asks them questions in the House!

      • Pat 6.1.1
        28 April 2016 at 10:07 am

        one of Labour’s many mistakes methinks….hindsight is a wonderful thing

        • North 6.1.1.1
          28 April 2016 at 6:42 pm

          Pat @ 6.1.1 – re Cunliffe. His crucifixion a terrible mistake I believe. For me there is now no “Labour” in Labour. That’s bad. My first vote 1969. Fourteen triennial votes since then, all Labour. I don’t blame Little. I blame the careerists. The political cargo cultists and power lusters. As scummy and shallow as any of the dicks you’ll find on the other side. My political renaissance – Northland 2017 – Winston, candidate and party. I’ve been left no choice.

      • Puckish Rogue 6.1.2
        28 April 2016 at 10:49 am

        “terrified” 🙂

      • Eyre 6.1.3
        28 April 2016 at 10:53 am

        Sorry, but I really did laugh out loud

      • Naki man 6.1.4
        28 April 2016 at 12:37 pm

        “Joyce etc are terrified of Cunliffe”

        What a crack up, Thats hilarious.

        • framu 6.1.4.1
          28 April 2016 at 12:44 pm

          well they did launch a hit job on him via the herald based on complete lies

          • Paul 6.1.4.1.1
            28 April 2016 at 12:47 pm

            Naki man knows that.
            He’s just shilling for his masters.

          • Puckish Rogue 6.1.4.1.2
            28 April 2016 at 12:57 pm

            He was the leader of the opposition so of course he had to be taken out, I mean d’uh and the fact that he was so easy to take out (hat tip to Grant Robertson…possibly) means fearing him is a joke

            • McFlock 6.1.4.1.2.1
              28 April 2016 at 1:00 pm

              another go at spreading discord, pr?

              Trouble is, anyone with a brain knows your tricks, and anyone inclined to believe you probably already thinks it anyway. Preaching to the chior is the low-hanging fruit for propagandists. You’re experienced enough as a bullshitter to do better than that. Have the recent polls hurt your confidence?

              • Puckish Rogue …
                28 April 2016 at 1:50 pm

                You mean the poll that had National drop 3.5% and Labour drop 2% with most of it going to Winston?

                Does this mean Roy Morgan polls are now taken as gospel or is it only when National drops? 🙂

                • McFlock …
                  28 April 2016 at 2:05 pm

                  lol

                  so if it’s not the polls, is it blowback from an unfair performance review?

                  You used to really be able to get folks riled up – it was quite impressive.

                  • Puckish Rogue …
                    28 April 2016 at 2:35 pm

                    I know right…guess I’m just too comfortable, lost that fire in my belly

                    *sigh*

            • framu 6.1.4.1.2.2
              28 April 2016 at 3:13 pm

              “he was so easy to take out ”

              well the herald did oblige – so in that regard it was easy

              but that only means it was easy to fool the public (and the labour caucus) by – drum roll – being dishonest and corrupt

              what a shame they had to resort to that to take out cunliffe aye

              • Puckish Rogue …
                28 April 2016 at 3:25 pm

                Lets be honest here I don’t think you really believe that the Labour caucus were fooled by National into helping take The Cunliffe out

        • Puckish Rogue 6.1.4.2
          28 April 2016 at 12:51 pm

          Although to be fair its looking like Littles going to do an even worse job as opposition leader then The Cunliffe so maybe National do fear The Cunliffe coming back

          Or not 🙂

      • MARY_A 6.1.5
        28 April 2016 at 1:13 pm

        @ Hami Shearlie (6.1) … yes, and the main reason he was crucified by a corrupt partisan msm prior to the last election! FJK, Joyce and a few other nasty NatzKEYS felt threatened by Cunliffe’s intelligence and directness and they still do.

        God I wish Cunliffe would come back as leader. He wouldn’t hesitate to cull the neo libs and ABCs in Labour. They contributed to his demise as leader as well.

        Cunliffe is the only MP there in the party, who is able and competent enough to get Labour back on track to serve it’s constituents as it should, by returning to its core values and principles!

        Cunliffe is doing a very good job at present keeping NZ’s involvement in the Panama Papers out there. Be interesting to see how long msm will keep publishing his findings, because what he’s exposing now, could stir up a hornet’s nest, stinging FJK hard! Good.

        • Puckish Rogue 6.1.5.1
          28 April 2016 at 1:52 pm

          Something about rose-tinted glasses springs to mind 🙂

        • ankerawshark 6.1.5.2
          28 April 2016 at 8:10 pm

          100+ Mary.

        • North 6.1.5.3
          28 April 2016 at 9:20 pm

          Right on MARY_A ! I can’t ‘believe’ in now.

        • Incognito 6.1.5.4
          29 April 2016 at 12:30 am

          I’ve always admired Cunliffe’s intellect. DC had to fight on two fronts: National/Key and the MSM. At the same time he had to watch his back for flying daggers.

          His marriage ended and I think that it is a mark of the man that he’s still on the team and playing a good hard game.

          That said, AL is a non-polarising leader who has brought relative stability back to NZLP.

    • Magisterium 6.2
      28 April 2016 at 3:06 pm

      Cunliffe wasn’t suggesting there was evidence anything illegal had occurred…

      Wow, Cunliffe comes out swinging. Step back everyone, this man means business

  7. Pat 7
    28 April 2016 at 9:27 am

    “EQC this morning signed a joint statement with the EQC Action Group, and Canterbury Claimants says it is clear that EQC will have some explaining and extra work to do.
    “Despite years of EQC instructing their staff and contractors that their ‘job is to repair a claimant’s home to return it to the way it was before the earthquakes, as quickly and efficiently as possible’2 today EQC have admitted they were wrong,” says Canterbury Claimants spokesperson Cameron Preston.
    EQC’s obligation is, and always has been, to reinstate to a “when new” condition, not to “Pre-earthquake Condition”, says Mr Preston.
    He says that despite EQC attempting to avoid the cost of consequential reinstatement works such as rewiring houses, today they have now confirmed such works are covered at their cost.
    And despite EQC and Private Insurance companies relying for years on a Government issued and mandated “guidance” on floor levels which we believe was to avoid capturing earthquake damage to foundations, today EQC have admitted they were wrong to rely on this.”

    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/125997072/Canterbury_Claimants_Congratulate_EQC_Action_Group.pdf

  8. Tautoko Mangō Mata 8
    28 April 2016 at 11:36 am

    Have I missed something or has the Herald completely ignored the latest Roy Morgan poll? Audrey? Claire?

    • Paul 8.1
      28 April 2016 at 11:49 am

      The msm often ignore news unfavourable to their masters.
      Witness the Sun and the Times recent failure to publish the Hillsborough judgement.

      • ScottGN 8.1.1
        28 April 2016 at 12:04 pm

        Extraordinary that The Times was shamed into putting a picture of the grieving families on the front page of the second edition of the paper (and apologising for the omission) by its own journalists.

        • Paul 8.1.1.1
          28 April 2016 at 12:18 pm

          Extraordinary is not the adjective I would use. Actually it’s quite ordinary for people like Murdoch to treat people disgracefully.

          My selection of adjective would be ‘repulsive’.

    • MARY_A 8.2
      28 April 2016 at 12:46 pm

      @ Tautoko Mangō Mata (8) yes, I noticed the same. NZH completely doing it’s three wise monekeys act on the RM poll … “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” … and I will add one more … will not publish such evil either, for fear of informing the masses!

    • Magisterium 8.3
      28 April 2016 at 1:05 pm

      I’m not sure why you’d want to draw attention to Labour support falling to 26%.

  9. Nessalt 9
    28 April 2016 at 12:11 pm

    Whats happening with Niue? i thought the corruption would be apparent 4 days after the smear was launched? it was pretty much settled by the commentors at the standard that it had happened. yet there has been not a peep since the weekend? DP fail

    • McFlock 9.1
      28 April 2016 at 12:30 pm

      We have to have the whitewash “investigation” first. I believe it has been referred to the Auditor General by leader of the opposition?

      Thanks for keeping tabs on this issue, though – the appearance of government corruption needs to be avoided in order to maintain the integrity and legitimacy of the system. It’s the duty of every government to be squeaky clean!

    • framu 9.2
      28 April 2016 at 12:48 pm

      “DP fail”

      no – thats you trying to claim that a public political attack that is no different to what parties have done for eons is the same as running a secret smear machine out of the PMs office.

      either you know that they arent the same or you dont – deceit or ignorance

      or you can explain exactly how that case is dirty politics – while comparing it back to JKs secret smear machine at the same time. That should be fun

    • Magisterium 9.3
      28 April 2016 at 1:08 pm

      And there was that Panama thing, what happened with that?

  10. Stuart Munro 10
    28 April 2016 at 12:37 pm

    Not a word in the press, but isn’t it true that Key has crawled back into New Zealand without any pandas? He must have lost his touch.

    • Hanswurst 10.1
      28 April 2016 at 2:50 pm

      Can’t get a cycleway built, can’t buy a panda, can’t maintain the surplus that is his marquee policy, can’t build affordable homes in Auckland, can’t rebuild Christchurch, can’t formulate credible land-tax policy, can’t remember 1981, can’t speak English, can’t wield a hammer or resist a ponytail… honestly, is there anything the man actually can do?

      • Puckish Rogue 10.1.1
        28 April 2016 at 4:14 pm

        Well he can win three consecutive general elections AND gain more votes each time in an MMP environment so that’s not bad going if you’re a politician 🙂

        Labour, if you’re interested, has gone downhill

        • Hanswurst 10.1.1.1
          29 April 2016 at 8:16 am

          Well he can win three consecutive general elections AND gain more votes each time in an MMP environment so that’s not bad going if you’re a politician

          That wasn’t Key, that was Lynton Crosby. He’s even got a knighthood to prove it.

  11. greywarshark 11
    28 April 2016 at 1:08 pm

    British police castigated over Hillsborough deaths are anxious to indicate to the public that they are turning the other way and making people live longer, whether they want to or not. They broke down the house door of a sick old woman who had bought drugs to assist her in dying to confiscate them and save her life. These commonly used for ending life have been made illegal, so giving the state the opportunity to play Bad Nanny, a strange choice for Britain RW pollies who usually don’t seem to care about citizens’ at all.
    This is from the International Business Times; either it’s regarded as bad for business, or a bad business!
    http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/pro-euthanasia-group-leader-warns-members-police-crackdown-after-avril-henry-found-dead-1556289
    and
    http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/21/academic-kills-herself-after-importing-euthanasia-kit-illegally

    Aged 81 this university professor had decided that her multiple conditions were leading to a miserable period of incapacity with no enjoyment of life, and had chosen euthanasia. But no, like the Spanish Inquisition of Monty Python they burst in without jokes or irony, bringing a psychiatrist. Who is mad in this case?
    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WJXHY2OXGE
    Imagine the Brit cops in red but not as much panache, just the ache left.
    edited

  12. MARY_A 12
    28 April 2016 at 1:52 pm

    During a time of austerity (obviously only for some though), these self serving MPs spend up large on our money! Absolutely no justification for such outrageous expenses!

    Have a read of this one folks. Revolution anyone?

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/79395660/how-much-have-mps-been-spending-this-year

    • Chooky 12.1
      28 April 2016 at 2:08 pm

      +100…thanks MARY_A

      …it is easy to see how New Zealand politicians become corrupted and remote from their New Zealand constituency

    • Naki man 12.2
      28 April 2016 at 3:58 pm

      “During a time of austerity (obviously only for some though), these self serving MPs spend up large on our money! Absolutely no justification for such outrageous expenses!”
      “Have a read of this one folks. Revolution anyone?”

      Who are you refering to, all MP’s or National MP’s?

  13. Chooky 13
    28 April 2016 at 2:05 pm

    ….meanwhile there is some glimmer of hope for the USA and peace?…I would prefer Trump over warmongering Clinton any day

    Trump on foreign policy:

    ‘America First’: Trump lays out foreign policy vision in Washington speech’

    https://www.rt.com/usa/341156-trump-foreign-policy-speech/

    …”Trump also reached back to early US history, echoing the famous line delivered in 1821 by Secretary of State and future president John Quincy Adams.

    “We do not go abroad in search of enemies,” he said, “We’re happy to see our old enemies become friends, and friends become allies.” “

  14. Jenny 14
    28 April 2016 at 2:10 pm

    The National Party in secret talks with the US government made a promise leaked to the public, that New Zealand’s anti-nuclear stance would be “Gone by lunchtime”.

    It has taken a wee bit longer than that, but John Key is still intent on honouring his party’s secret pledge to tie New Zealand back into the US global war machine.

    In November 2016, a US warship will be returning to Auckland Harbour for the first time in 32 years.

    In the same month the international merchants of death will celebrate New Zealand’s return to the nuclear fold with a weapons conference of 500 delegates at the Aotea Centre.

    Will the Watersiders refuse to tie up or provide any services to the US warships as they did in the ’80s.

    Is it time for the ageing members of the Peace Squadron to come out of retirement?

    Will they be joined by members of the new generation of Kiwi boaties in numbers sufficient enough to blockade our harbours against the return of the worlds biggest nuclear armed navy into our territory?

    Will New Zealanders protest outside the weapons conference in the numbers that once pushed Anti Nuclear and Peace issues onto the parliamentary agenda?

    An initial public meeting is being called in an attempt to answer these questions;

    If you are opposed to war and and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and you support the ideal of a free and peaceful independent New Zealand respected and admired around the world, put the following details in your diary and come along.

    Make sure to bring your flags to shame the traitors selling out this country’s hard fought for ideals.

    Date: May 12, 2016

    Time: 7pm

    Address: Unite Union offices, Western Springs Road

  15. Puckish Rogue 15
    28 April 2016 at 2:40 pm

    On a completely different subject:

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

    Stephen King could almost do a sequel

  16. mary_a 16
    28 April 2016 at 5:34 pm

    Is the The Daily Blog under attack again, almost a year to the day the same thing happened in 2015? Bit suspicious!

    Been unable to get into TDB site. Message comes up the site is unavailable and has timed out!

    Anyone know what’s going on with TDB this afternoon? I do not have a social network, so not able to see any messages posted there.

  17. North 17
    28 April 2016 at 5:38 pm

    Superbly written stinging stuff from Raybon Kan !

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/home-truths/news/article.cfm?c_id=1500914&objectid=11629740

    Turns out Fake Man Key was always but a puff of candy floss. Spun up by harpy Boag, the Business Roundtable, and Flossby Textor.

  18. North 18
    28 April 2016 at 7:05 pm

    Calling John “Resign!” Armstrong formerly of The Herald.

    Where are you when we need you John ?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11630367

    What?????????? Fucking What??????????

    The Prime Minister deputises his personal lawyer and friend to tell a minister of the Crown to put the heavies on the government department for which the minister’s responsible ?

    And the entitlement. Like you’d just do it in a discoverable format ??????????

    Is Ken Whitney The New Imelda ? I well remember the guy from Auckland days…….always struck me as somewhat gauche……..(strange, not)……..he’d be brill’ in stilettos that guy !

  19. Jenny 19
    29 April 2016 at 12:10 am

    Private investors (whatever their nationality or origin) under the cover of government policy and council inaction, have descended on the modest working class suburbs of Auckland into free firing zones for rent gouging and speculation.

    “Investors are running amok. In Otara 80% of sales recently went to investors. These people are struggling to be tenants in their own backyards.” DUNCAN-GARNER, Radio Live

    http://www.radiolive.co.nz/DUNCAN-GARNER-Suburb-cleansing-Working-poor-evicted-from-their-backyards/tabid/131/articleID/121213/Default.aspx

    State Housing, once kept a competitive lid on high rents in the working class suburbs of Auckland. With the government’s privatisation of the State Housing asset this safety valve has been removed, with predictable results.

    http://www.converge.org.nz/watchdog/39/07.html

    In countries that never had State Housing, one method used to control rocketing rents and enable low income families to be housed are rent controls imposed by local municipalities.

    In the US, the home of the ‘Free Market’, rent control is the favoured method used to prevent low income families being priced out of accomodation.

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

    The issue of rent controls needs to be on the agenda for the Auckland Mayoral and local body elections.