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October 27, 2017 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 27 October 2017

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General Debate

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Yvette

Why is Andrew Little now the Minister in Charge of Pike River?

It was Andrew Little who claimed that there was “nothing unusual about Pike River or this mine that we’ve been particularly concerned about” – Herald, November 22, 2010

“Every mine on the West Coast takes great care when it goes into production and I don’t think Pike River is any different from that. They’ve had a good health and safety committee that’s been very active. So there’s nothing before now that’s alerted us to any greater risk of this sort of incident happening than at any other time.” – Morning Report, also on November 22, 2010

As national secretary of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU – now E tu) Little jumped to the defence of Pike River Coal management, even though the EPMU represented approximately half of the 140 strong workforce at Pike River.

The general view is that Pike River was a disaster waiting to happen. But the conditions for the disaster were created by both National and Labour governments whose deregulatory zeal severely undermined [sick] health and safety measures that had been put in place at the mine.
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October 27, 2017 8:02am
- Prince
  
  Blood on his hands, seeking redemption.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:27am
- VicParking
  
  The left never look back. They march forward towards that brave new socialist world carrying the red flag high and proud lead by comrade Taxcinda our Supreme Leader.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:29am
  - sooty
    
    Angry’s thrown under the bus. You stuffed up, you fix it. Trouble been the boss he can hid it.
    
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    October 27, 2017 8:36am
    - RF
      
      Can we expect to see Grumpy – one of the 7 dwarfs,
      tooth fairy and angry walking up the drift holding hands and singing Hi Ho Hi Ho it’s off to work we go.
      
      Fat chance…….
      
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      October 27, 2017 3:54pm
- KevOB
  
  Pike River was doomed by the decision to put an underground coal mine on a known gas producing fault line.
  
  “Welcome to re-entry Executive Council, NZ needs a quick change of Government.”
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:25am
  - PhilBest
    
    Not just Pike River and its disaster, but a whole potential export-income sector has been doomed to oblivion by the decision to disallow open-cast mining anywhere – on neo-pagan religious grounds (the Gaia Earth Mother would be wroth).
    
    If Christian fundamentalists need to keep out of thing like the definition of marriage, I fail to see why pagans shouldn’t likewise keep out of purely secular, rational policy areas like resource management.
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:32am
    - treadingthemill
      
      In a democracy everyone who votes gets to have a say on government policy, and that includes people who may have a spiritual approach to issues. You can’t ring fence any policy issue off from some voters merely because they have a different approach to policy analysis than you. That is not how democracy works. My way of looking at issues is inclusive of both my spirituality and reason. As a Pagan I am not a friend to Christian fundies, but they get a vote and a say just as much as myself or you.
      
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      October 27, 2017 10:01am
      - PhilBest
        
        But do you see the inconsistent standard? G K Chesterton said “when people stop believing in God, they start believing in anything”, and the sheer irrationalism of so much policy now sure illustrates that.
        
        Ironically the medieval papal theocracy was probably less of an obstacle to progress and prosperity than modern Green-ism.
        
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        October 27, 2017 2:35pm
      - treadingthemill
        
        But do you see the inconsistent standard?
        
        Perhaps. If you mean that some very hardcore left wingers in the Green party might balk at Christian fundies having a say on marriage, while also voting according to their own spiritual values, then yes, that is a double standard. But that is not all pro-green people. Or all Pagans. But I understand their fears of any hint of Christian theocracy. I just try myself to have a little perspective and tolerance, and to remember that democracy means everyone gets a say, even if I disagree with what they say.
        
        and the sheer irrationalism of so much policy now sure illustrates that.
        
        I am unsure as to which policies you are referring to.
        
        the medieval papal theocracy was probably less of an obstacle to progress and prosperity than modern Green-ism.
        
        I certainly hope so. Progress and prosperity cannot come at the expense of the earth and her well being. This is the only home we have. If we destroy it, then we will have neither prosperity or progress. We have to redefine what those words mean if our species and the planet are to survive the next century.
        
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        October 27, 2017 3:01pm
      - SJM
        
        “In a democracy everyone who votes gets to have a say on government policy”
        
        It would be more correct to say that in a politocracy every one who votes gets to have a say on past policy failure, and the promise of policy that may or may not be implemented according to circumstances in the future.
        
        It is accurate to say that the public does not have a say in policy, as that is a function reserved to politicians, not the public. Were the public to have a say in policy the demos would have kratos instead of politicians and you would then have actual democracy instead of politocracy.
        
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        October 27, 2017 3:17pm
  - david
    
    If Cabinet accepts a proposal from Andy, they will all be liable thru Cabinet Collective Responsibility. Could be interesting if anything turns to custard.
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:01am
    - Keeping Stock
      
      Only the Labour and NZF Ministers will be responsible. The Greens have remained outside Cabinet, and in this case, that’s sensible.
      
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      October 27, 2017 11:31am
    - Viking2
      
      Labour take responsibility!
      
      Contradiction in terms.
      
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      October 27, 2017 12:26pm
    - rangitoto
      
      If anyone dies, Andy and Taxinda should be charged with Criminally Negligent Manslaughter.
      
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      October 27, 2017 1:43pm
- Forrest
  
  To demonstrate the government’s resolve to show action in their first 100 days, Andrew should announce an entry into the mine as soon as possible.
  It should be an expeditionary party, led symbolically by both Jacinda and Winston.
  Preferably both carrying gas lamps.
  November the 5th could be an appropriate date.
  
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  October 27, 2017 11:03am
  - Viking2
    
    He should line Winston up for first in. Isn’t Winston first.
    
    WASN’T THAT HIS PROMISE?
    
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    October 27, 2017 12:27pm
  - rightoverlabour
    
    Oi
    
    I got a bloody strike ( my first ) for making suggestions like this. And All I did was indicate I wouldn’t shed a tear.
    
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    October 27, 2017 12:44pm
  - MH
    
    with a Green Parrot nailed on his shoulder.
    
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    October 27, 2017 1:23pm
- Yvette
  
  Many are aware of rather nasty conspiracy theories online regarding Pike River, one being drawn to kiwiblog reader’s attention by Penny Bright, through some supposed “whistle-blown” connection, being named MURDER AT PIKE RIVER, and – regardless of that being dastardly absolute rubbish, or not – comments reveal that the Pike River families are also aware of such conspiracies.
  
  The question is : To what extent does Winston believe this material, since he has a seeming almost obsessional fix when it comes to the subject, as if it is another Wine-box affair.
  
  And in view of that –
  Why is Andrew Little now the Minister in Charge of Pike River?
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:17pm
Paulus Gnome

Peter Lyons teaches economics at Saint Peter’s College in Epsom and has written several economics texts and shares with us in the renowned chip wrapper:

‘If a cleaning company has to pay higher wages to its workers it may be able to pass this higher charge to its customers.

The owners may end up making lower profits. The owners may find more efficient methods of production with fewer workers. The irony in that case is that a higher minimum wage has led to improved productivity.
Or the business may fail. Those workers may then find better paid jobs in other sectors of the economy that have benefited from increased demand due to the higher minimum wage.’

And the worker may win lotto, the owner may decide they have had enough and close so no one has a job, the unicorn may not be delivered as promised by Princess Feelz and then may followed by meaningless pap you care to insert.

An awful lot of ‘may’s’ for someone writing from an economics point of view.

If the government fails to meet it’s economic targets, it may not be their fault! Ffs

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11936966
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October 27, 2017 8:03am
- Southern Raider
  
  All that is going to happen is that companies will bring forward automation and robotic plans as Labour has just increased the ROI on these projects.
  
  I predict Labour will be talking about formal introduction of a minimum income payment within 12 months to counter the massive loss of jobs
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:06am
  - DifferentPerspective
    
    Very close, but the holy grail of socialism is the introduction of a universal basic income (UBI).
    
    It’s an extraordinarily hard thing to bring in, given it’s such a deeply fiscally irrational thing to do. The faux promise is that all benefits get removed and replaced by the UBI, which all sounds fair enough. On the face of it. The problem is that once it is introduced it is the key that unlocks the destruction of capitalism (yes the very self-same capitalism which isn’t ‘caring’ enough according to Taxcinda). Once a UBI is introduced it (like it’s forebear WFF) is very, very politically unpalatable to remove and it can be ramped up to the point where it makes the system unsustainable it is basically a form of pyramid scheme (ie too few payers of tax to support the ever increasing number of dependents) and then you get a Venezuala-like breakdown of social order – leading to the un-opposed totalitarianism that socialists love so much.
    
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    October 27, 2017 8:25am
    - waikatogirl
      
      Cindy, the Bernie Madof of NZ. ?
      
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      October 27, 2017 8:33am
      - hullkiwi
        
        Yes WG, the unwritten truth of Keynesian economics, it is a ponzy scheme. Problems are we have a small finite pool in a global world world, and NZ earns its income trying to sell primary products to that global world. Not a good base to pay for the pipe dreams of the left.
        
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        October 27, 2017 8:47am
      - oldpark
        
        Waikato Girl @8,33am
        Whatever the three quarters of the cabal do that is Greens/ Labour/ CTU/ Latest entrant to come aboard. Everything be it CGT, Social engineering ,fiddling the books, cancelling legislation giving tax cuts, and fixed income pensioner superanuation increase they wont get. or any other dastardly act. Every step they take,every move they make,on a negitave sense,will be the fault of the person known as Winston Peters.
        The other quarter of the gang of four,will be classed as culpable. Peters Party defacto leaders of NZs Government. Why should Peters a low rent politician and morally bankrupt, with his betrayal of many of his supporters,think that his back street gutter decision to potentially bust the stability and security of NZs well being,will go unnoticed.
        
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        October 27, 2017 11:54am
    - Odakyu-sen
      
      The trouble with the UBI is that it does not reward good things such as initiative, risk and hard work; nor does it penalize bad things such as laziness, lack of study, or careful planning.
      
      Economic growth need a climate that fosters the former set of qualities, not the latter.
      
      How would a UBI system be funded in an aging society where the demographic pyramid is inverted?
      
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      October 27, 2017 11:26am
    - Liberty
      
      This is what you get when Dickheads try and be clever dick by voting for a charlatan knowing full well the end result is a septic government.
      
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      October 27, 2017 12:42pm
      - DifferentPerspective
        
        This is what you get when your choice is between:
        – awful
        and
        – awful
        and enough vote for chaos because awful is not good enough.
        
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        October 27, 2017 9:47pm
  - VicParking
    
    They will tax automation in relation to the number of union members layed off.
    
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    October 27, 2017 8:30am
    - UrbanNeocolonialist
      
      don’t joke ‘robot’ taxes are already being introduced in some countries.
      
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      October 27, 2017 9:09am
  - SPC
    
    Bring forward automation – Oz has and still will have a higher MW than us and have yet to do it (and the cost of importing automation tech is cheaper in their currency)
    
    Massive loss of jobs in the next 12 months – raising the MW to 16.50
    1April 2018-2019 instead of 16.25 under National will change nothing.
    
    Having it at 17.50
    1 April 2019-2020 instead of 16.75 …
    
    Having it at 18.75
    1 April 2020–2021 instead of 17.50 …
    
    Having it at 20.00
    1 April 2021-2022 instead of 18.25 …
    
    At this stage the issue might be whether reduced compliance costs, eased tax for small business, and apprenticeship training support has improved the economic environment so the higher MW is not a problem.
    
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    October 27, 2017 7:20pm
    - nasska
      
      …..”reduced compliance costs”…..
      
      Under a Labour Government?
      
      You’re out of your head!
      
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      October 27, 2017 7:27pm
  - Piniwi
    
    But SR the some of the solution for the employers has been seen with the recent change of employee status in a retirement home. They have separated the big earning care staff from the lesser graded facility staff. Or those who provide client care directly and those that do all the menial tasks. Those unintended consequences (Fool Factor) kicking in again.
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:14pm
- cmm
  
  “Peter Lyons teaches economics at Saint Peter’s College in Epsom”.
  
  A union member teaching about economics???
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:07am
  - GazzaW
    
    How do you know that Peter Lyons is a union member? I’m informed that less than 50% of teachers belong to a union so the odds are that he isn’t a member of the PPTA.
    
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    October 27, 2017 8:14am
    - holysheet
      
      Not for much longer comrade. Chippy and jackson will make sure all teachers are members of the union
      
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      October 27, 2017 8:25am
      - GazzaW
        
        I doubt that hs. Younger teachers don’t want a bar of the unions and there’s one hell of a teacher shortage currently. Teachers are also in very short supply in Australia and with a starting salary $22k higher than NZ neither Chippy nor Willie are really in a position to demand very much. I’ll bet that charter schools will still be with us come 2020 albeit with a different name.
        
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        October 27, 2017 8:38am
      - SPLOOGE
        
        Peter Lyons is an opinionated twat.
        Always has been, always will be.
        
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        October 27, 2017 9:04am
    - VicParking
      
      Read this and tell me he is not in the union..
      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11317432
      
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      October 27, 2017 8:33am
      - Tarquin North
        
        Those that can do, those that can’t teach.
        
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        October 27, 2017 8:35am
- Simon
  
  What really happens is that with high minimum wage small business stops hiring or attempting to expand
  
  It’s generally ok for existing employees but it becomes to risky for business owners take on new people. Hence there will probably be subsidies for taking on new staff.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:09am
  - Lance
    
    Not to mention that The Hydra will cancel 90 day trial periods
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:03am
    - Southern Raider
      
      Yep you not only get stuck with a bad employee but also one that is costing you a lot
      
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      October 27, 2017 12:15pm
  - Rachael Membery
    
    Like there are now?
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:33am
  - Piniwi
    
    Perhaps Simon but there will big increases in contract workers full time or as required. Keep costly employee numbers to a minimum but still grow the business. It is also a great way for somebody to start their own enterprise. Take what contract work they need as the build it up.
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:22pm
- kowtow
  
  Those may be the types of companies that employ foreign ” students” on fraudulent contracts.
  
  They’ll pay them fuck all and the “students” will say fuck all because he desperately needs the employer to provide him the fraudulent letter to give to the Immigration Dept so they can fraudulantly obtain residence.
  
  We will be enriched by the diversity that both the employer and employee bring us……
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:00am
- Albert_Ross
  
  Or the business may fail. Those workers may then find better paid jobs in other sectors of the economy that have benefited from increased demand due to the higher minimum wage
  
  If there were better paid jobs that a low-paying business’s workers could go to, they could go to them anyway – No need to drive their employer out of business first.
  
  This would then open up opportunities, in the first business, for other, less well qualified workers needing a first step on the ladder into employment.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:11am
  - flipper
    
    It all reverts to their projected increase in GDP.
    
    The Peters/Ardern regime shills claim that all will be A-Ok because, they say, Peters/Ardern will increase GDP growth by 5% per annum.
    If you believe that bullshit, I have two bridges (as in Peters/Ardern)(One used and in need of demolition, the other new, but untried) for sale at a best prices.
    But as Flipper posted late last night:
    
    Pray tell us, if you are sober and have not drunk the Peters/Ardern regime Kool-Aid, where will the 5% come from/
    From planting zillions of trees that take 25 years to mature?
    Will it come from reverting back to the days of Major Douglas, Cracknell, Beetham, or if you like the little flag man, Wussel Norman?
    Will it come from rejecting all that foreign investment currency?
    Will it come from increased salaries paid to so called teachers, health functionaries, paper shufflers and more?
    Will it come from borrowing and spending, not on infra structure but on living costs?
    Will it come from a regressive tax regime and broken tax promises?
    Or will it result from the Tooth Fairy waving her stardust wand?
    
    The interesting thing is that when Trump said he wanted 3% per annum (about what NZ has had recently and what is currently predicted) left wing economists like Krugman said it was an impossible target, and that about 1.75%pa was the max. Given that growth in the US in six months to June 30 was more than 2.5% and rising, Krugman has since kept his trap shut on this. It should remembered that the Obamination borrowed and spent for 8 years. Every economic indicator went into high speed reverse. Obama, like Krugman, like Peters, like Ardern, like Grantie and Shaw, are just talking crap.
    Now to return to the minimum wage….
    The Greater Seattle, Wa. Council recently scored a massive own goal when, having mandated such an increase, found to their “surprise”, a massive increase in lower paid unemployment.
    Of course they immediately sought an academic study to “prove” otherwise. But one of the honest academics turned into a whistle blower.
    Grantie and the Peters/Ardern regime will not find The Treasury as easy to prostitute!
    The MSM however, will continue to blow stardust.
    Pity about the nation.
    
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    October 27, 2017 10:55am
  - Sideoiler
    
    …..This would then open up opportunities, in the first business, for other, less well qualified workers needing a first step on the ladder into employment
    
    And yet the govt legislates a barrier to deny some that very opportunity.
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:43am
- PhilBest
  
  Actually Peter Lyons isn’t a bad bloke, and I detect at least a hint of satire in those lines.
  
  EDIT: I know of teachers, all older, who still hold sensible views on economics. I know of no younger ones.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:33am
- KevOB
  
  Has reduced employment been banished by wishful thinking? Increased productivity means less people with more output–exactly what ~~kiosks~~ robots do. Not all displaced employees can find suitable work particularly as it is also being rapidly upskilled or gone to a robot or AI computer code.
  
  Unions may fight to keep employees on a payroll but the unions do not pay them but are fee takers. The displaced will land up on benefits and bankrupted employers likewise.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:49am
Southern Raider

How much new spending will be announced by Labour today. They seem to be tracking at one big announcement a day at the moment.

There must be a big pot of cash somewhere as I see there is even smaller spending also constantly going on like raising the payment to Tena Poura which Andrew Little has just announced.
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October 27, 2017 8:03am
- Paulus
  
  Reported yesterday by Taxinderella that there might have to be an urgent special Budget.
  Ha – what a laugh – MIGHT – 100/1 in favour as they stuffed their projections by at least $11 Billion.
  Hypocrite, and only on day one.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:23am
  - KevOB
    
    There will have to be a budget to clarify, at least, what payments pensioners will get.
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:53am
  - Poppa
    
    I know Robbo was meeting with treasury so no doubt he will have gotten a lesson about his previous attempt at a budget.
    
    It was always going to happen that his 4%GDP growth was going to be exposed for what it was. Utter crap.
    
    I wonder how big the hole really will be? Never mind you can always bridge it with borrowings
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:49am
    - Maxx
      
      Cullen’s legacy was a decade of deficits. Will this be Robo’s as well?
      
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      October 27, 2017 12:18pm
- doggone7
  
  There will not be announcements every day about new spending.
  
  Every single day though there will be concern expressed about the possibility of it. And every day there will be inane, scare-mongering, disdainful, pathetic, wailing about this government.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:39am
  - KevOB
    
    Wait till the GFC starts to bite deeper. Then the Government will be complaining too. They will wish they had not been so rash and go that job.
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:54am
  - marcw
    
    But there will be a new tax announced every day. This COL has already broken some sort of record – a new tax even before they were sworn in! Other Local Government leaders are already clamoring: Me Too!
    
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    October 27, 2017 12:37pm
cmm

Of course it is Jacinda’s money to do what she wants.

The government printed all the money, so it is theirs. She is in charges so she should say how it gets used.
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October 27, 2017 8:04am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  I loved her statement yesterday aimed at school leavers: “Your next year is on me”.
  Oh, the sense of entitlement with other people’s money.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:08am
  - alloytoo
    
    To which a lot of recent university graduates should be asking, what about last year?
    
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    October 27, 2017 8:13am
    - cmm
      
      To which she can only say: National are meanies. Ask your parents why they voted for such mean people.
      
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      October 27, 2017 8:46am
  - alloytoo
    
    In addition, what’s really stupid about this policy is that there is no incentive to finish, and or get a job.
    
    Rather she should be considering rebates or discounts on folks who actually graduate and get employment.
    
    Contributing 50c for every dollar repaid will achieve the same “Feel good” result, cost less and incentivise study that is actually useful.
    
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    October 27, 2017 8:17am
    - holysheet
      
      I was discussing this with a former employee. She asked what happens at the end of the first year if she decides she doesn’t want to continue in her selected study in the first year. Can she go and do another course at another place and get another free years study?
      
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      October 27, 2017 8:29am
      - alloytoo
        
        None of that will factor into the initial offering, a year later some poor sod will be tasked to make it workable.
        
        My suggestion on the other hand at least rewards the employable.
        
        This just deepens the fiscal hole.
        
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        October 27, 2017 8:41am
      - Random T Person
        
        I’m pretty sure the policy applies only to people who have not studied before. People like me. I disagree strenuously with the policy, but if it is introduced, I will take advantage of it and study for a year for free. I hope this applies to trade studies, as I would like to study something construction related, carpentry maybe, or plumbing, or HVAC, or electrical.
        
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        October 27, 2017 9:57am
      - Maxx
        
        It makes you wonder the extra cost of bureaucracy that will have to go into the checking if someone has studied before and is entitled to it.
        
        It’s ok. It’s only money.
        
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        October 27, 2017 12:21pm
    - lifesgood
      
      Great opportunity to stuff around for a year socialising at uni, get $50 a week allowance, live at home with mum and dad for free…sweet!
      
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      October 27, 2017 8:33am
      - KevOB
        
        That’s why the student loans came about–NZ’s already gone through this before. The Uni’s had to increase enrollment requirements to ease the burden.
        
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        October 27, 2017 9:59am
    - Classic Liberal
      
      “rebates or discounts on folks who actually graduate and get employment.”
      
      Only for a small number of people doing exactly what NZ needs. I have degrees in things that interest me and I have had relevant employment/self employment, but I would not claim that they are things NZ desperately need.
      
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      October 27, 2017 1:03pm
    - cmm
      
      ” there is no incentive to finish, and or get a job.”
      
      Because they are then counted as unemployed.
      
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      October 27, 2017 3:08pm
  - Scott
    
    Yes I too love that sentiment – “the next years on me!” Actually the next year is on me and other taxpayers who have to actually pay for this. We were going to get tax cuts but now those tax cuts have been cancelled so we can pay for university students to have their first year free. Great!???
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:31am
    - Evadne
      
      Of all things this government has pledged to do, this one really gets my blood boiling.
      
      Whichever way you look at it, this is bad policy. With other things, you can at least see the ideological, social or economic rationale behind it – there’s at least some consistent concept behind it, even if it’s ill-thought out, naive or stupid.
      
      But this is just bad policy. On all fronts. There is nothing behind it except a blatant bribe for votes.
      
      There is no need to do it, no rationale to do it, no money to do it. And it creates so many problems for no gain.
      
      Except votes for Labour.
      
      And that tells you the quality and character of this government.
      
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      October 27, 2017 9:57am
  - Keeping Stock
    
    Indeed Captain. We should all be going into colleges around the country, engaging with Year 13 students, and telling them “Your next year is on ME, the long-suffering taxpayer. “
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:41am
Inandout

The new government may allow depressive Prozac users to join the Police, of course on a ‘case by case basis’. This will of course partly solve the number of extra Police needed for the new government promise. Case scenario: ‘Officer I have just been burgled and all my electronics have been stolen’. ‘Please don’t cry officer, I am insured’.
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October 27, 2017 8:06am
- Southern Raider
  
  Depressed people with access to guns. That will work just as well as it does in the USA
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:09am
  - VicParking
    
    Fake news
    
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    October 27, 2017 8:35am
- kowtow
  
  I can see it now.
  
  The police emplyed me knowing I was a nutter.
  
  Cos I’m a nutter they want to sack me.
  
  Compo.
  
  And like all their other , many fuck ups , we’ll foot the bill.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:51am
- Classic Liberal
  
  So what do you think about the fact that Police work is hard, requires difficult hours and that Police officers, like everyone else, can have problems in their life and might need counselling and even medication? Presumably you don’t want them to have to leave the Police or even try and hide their problems?
  
  Or is your concern only about depressed people joining the Police?
  
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  October 27, 2017 1:13pm
All_on_Red

‘You’re all good with a few extra Taxes aren’t you Comrades?’
@ComradeJacinda
#LetsTaxThis
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DNC8HzlVQAAhHSo?format=jpg&name=medium
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October 27, 2017 8:11am
Viking2

Take the money. 😆
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October 27, 2017 8:11am
- RalphT
  
  …and run (away on a spending spree; gee thanks Jacinda).
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:20am
JasonJohns

scott brown bringing trump’s sexual energy to samoa
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/26/scott-brown-more-complaints-surface-over-behaviour-of-us-ambassador-to-new-zealand
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October 27, 2017 8:17am
- Brito
  
  What a crock! “He starred at my body when I was introduced to him.” He was looking at your heart dearie- not his fault your tits are in the way.
  
  Female Peace Corp! Read this as self entitled SJW who has come to matronise the poor natives and talk about why they should rise up against their male overlords.
  
  Fuck!
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:29am
  - lifesgood
    
    I have zero respect for the peace corps. I had a friend who worked in Samoa for many years who told me hair raising stories about the PC. They are a bunch of entitled brats who spend most of the time partying, smoking dak, having sex and seem to think that because they are American they rule the world.
    
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    October 27, 2017 8:36am
    - Brito
      
      Exactly right.
      
      JFK’s biggest cock up. Second biggest. Hang on let me think about that for a bit.
      
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      October 27, 2017 8:41am
    - kowtow
      
      In West Africa “Peace Corps” was local slang for “dirty” , as in the shitheads you just described.
      
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      October 27, 2017 9:04am
    - KevOB
      
      NZ had VSA in Samoa. One VSA was worth 100 Peace Corp. Kiwis get things done.
      
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      October 27, 2017 10:02am
rightoverlabour

Anyone any wiser if negative gearing on rentals is going or not? If it is, are rents going up to offset this? Or will there be a firesale of rentals by small time investors with one or two rental properties? Having to absorb a $10,000 income cut does not particularly impress me.
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October 27, 2017 8:18am
- srylands
  
  There will be a fire sale of rentals.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:27am
  - Nigel Kearney
    
    There may be, but every landlord will be in the same boat and people need a place to live so I would expect you can increase the rent to make up the difference and still get tenants.
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:06am
    - PhilBest
      
      No, that isn’t an option – rentals in an already distorted market, are already “as high as tenants can stand”. The difference that negative gearing makes, is that it widens the disparity between potential rental income and house prices, because specufestors take everything into account when bidding up the price of houses. Abolishing NG most likely will take pressure off house prices, but the urban planning distortions will still keep them at least twice as high as they should be regardless.
      
      The whole point of NG, was rightly motivated, back in the days of property markets not distorted by urban planners, no-one was in it mostly for capital gains, and NG meant that you could be in it for the modest rental returns, and have reduced risk. In other words, it incentivised the supply of rental property and suppressed rents, in the context of an overall market that was already pretty fair and had high prospects of home ownership.
      
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      October 27, 2017 9:48am
  - KevOB
    
    I agree. It’s liquidity driven.
    
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    October 27, 2017 10:04am
- oldpark
  
  Yes check out http://www.interest .co. Good luck. Blame Peters Party.Right over labour good luck
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:11pm
- artemisia
  
  It’s only temporary. The tax loss will be carried forward and at some point applied against positive rental income.
  
  Recent rental property purchasers will feel the heat worst, but if they can hang in there they will be reasonably* OK later. Meantime they can increase rents as much as the market will bear, terminate any existing tenants who are not looking after the property to the highest standard, reduce maintenance to the minimum, fire the property manager, harder line on requiring as much as possible to be withheld from bonds, no Christmas pressie for the tenants….
  
  And also not buying or building any more rentals.
  
  * Only ‘reasonably’ due to the time value of money.
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:26pm
Paulus

The Petrol 10c plus GST is not a tax – it is a Levy.
Watch all the other Councils follow this Levy !
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October 27, 2017 8:18am
- alloytoo
  
  This is without mandate.
  
  Lets limit it to Labour Wards shall we.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:24am
- Maxx
  
  I’m sure we’re about to see a “Capital Gains Levy” as well. And then a “High Income Royalty”. It’s not a tax!
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:40am
  - alloytoo
    
    Again, lets limit it to labour wards.
    
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    October 27, 2017 1:52pm
- waikatogirl
  
  Dave Cull, Dunedin has already put his hand up, stating Dunedin has much needed infrastructure to build and rates are too low to cover the cost.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:44am
  - Albert_Ross
    
    Which of those statements do you disagree with?
    
    – does Dunedin not in fact need to build infrastructure? or
    
    – are rates in fact high enough to cover the cost?
    
    4 3
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    October 27, 2017 9:14am
    - waikatogirl
      
      Whichever way you look at it AR, Dave Cull expects his ratepayers to pay extra tax for infrastructure.
      
      No new taxes, pfffft!
      
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      October 27, 2017 9:44am
  - howitis
    
    So JAFA and Dunny councils that have both in recent times declared oil is evil and they won’t have investments in such a dirty product (despite using motor vehicles, cleaning products, plastic items like computers, and lots and lots of PVC piping) are happy to tax their ratepayers and citizens who use the evil product.
    
    That is ethical investing to a smelly commie, folks!
    ‘Do as I say Comrade, or else there is plenty of room in our Siberian salt mines …and we still pay the living wage to dissidents coz we are ethical commies’.
    
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/328652/auckland-council-bans-investment-in-weapons,-tobacco
    
    https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/dcc-quitting-its-fossil-fuel-shares
    
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    October 27, 2017 10:01am
- KevOB
  
  Councils don’t have power to tax.
  
  4 1
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  October 27, 2017 10:05am
  - Paulus
    
    It’s not a Tax – it is a Levy.
    Taxinderella will legislate like Auckland CC to allow all Councils to do whatever they want.
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:14am
- SPLOOGE
  
  I just gassed up $1.67 a litre.
  A few ks down the road. $1.89.
  
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  October 27, 2017 10:19am
  - cha
    
    $1.63, today.
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:59pm
- Classic Liberal
  
  So surely the $.77 per Km one can claim for work related driving must be increased?
  
  2 0
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  October 27, 2017 1:25pm
- MH
  
  don’t take your Chevvy to the Levy
  
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  October 27, 2017 1:34pm
JasonJohns

winners keep winning as they get gods blessings! losers whinge
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/oct/26/worlds-witnessing-a-new-gilded-age-as-billionaires-wealth-swells-to-6tn
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October 27, 2017 8:19am
VicParking

Housing Minister Phil Twyford has revealed His new Kiwi Build scheme to build 100,000 houses.
Already he has said its going to take three years to kick in and would only produce 1,000 per year up till then. That is the amount that the last government was building and the amount each week he lambasted National that it was a failure.
When pressed for details he could only say he was going to expand existing National schemes. These are the schemes that each week in question time he said would not work and were destined to fail.
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October 27, 2017 8:23am
- chris
  
  Easy to criticise when in opposition… Not so easy to “fix” problems when you are actually the government.
  
  But then they can use the classic trick governments of all shades use: blame the previous government for years.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:33am
  - VicParking
    
    And/or rebraind the previous governments sucesses and call them your own.
    
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    October 27, 2017 8:38am
Paulus

Not sure where the builders are going to come from and will they build small, substandard houses – the future slums.
What no four bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, double garage designer kitchen, and a swimming pool.
Builders do not build small now – no money in it.
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October 27, 2017 8:27am
- Inandout
  
  Jacinda has a wand.
  
  17 0
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  October 27, 2017 8:34am
  - VicParking
    
    And Clarke Gayford waves it around.
    
    16 1
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    October 27, 2017 8:41am
- Harriet
  
  “….Builders do not build small now – no money in it….”
  
  Hardly, it depends on quality.
  
  Builders, block layers and fabricated kitchen installers are far different to carpenters, masons and cabinet makers.
  
  NZ has this mentality that everyone is entitled to ‘cheap stuff’ – and then complain that people don’t want to work – well who the fuck would in a first world country if they are going to remain on the same wage for ever and a day?
  
  Simply put — progress has always been about quality!!!
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:35am
- Rich Prick
  
  Yeah, good luck with that. Saying it shall be thus doesn’t make it so. We still can’t build expensive houses that don’t leak, so heaven knows what will be wrong with the “affordable” ones.
  
  9 0
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  October 27, 2017 11:11am
  - MH
    
    relatively high rise apartments could be precast as in China that is a floor of 12-20 units per day.
    
    2 1
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    October 27, 2017 1:37pm
    - Johnboy
      
      The bamboo scaffolding when we erect them would save shitloads too! 🙂
      
      5 1
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      October 27, 2017 1:39pm
JasonJohns

Cabinet of provisional alternative government of NZ to be unveiled tonight and convene for first time at…

Delta Tavern Ngaruawahia 7pm sharp

JJ will bring news live to Kiwiblog
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October 27, 2017 8:32am
- chris
  
  Will it be made up with all those Haitians you were talking about the other day?
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:36am
  - JasonJohns
    
    No Haitians, no Masons, no Monks
    
    8 4
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    October 27, 2017 8:38am
    - VicParking
      
      With dirt between their toes, callus’s on their hands and a straw between their teeth.
      
      6 0
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      October 27, 2017 8:43am
      - SPLOOGE
        
        ….and a sheep in the bedroom.
        
        4 5
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        October 27, 2017 8:51am
- waikatogirl
  
  JJ, sounds like the NZ version of the old comedy “Hello, hello”…
  
  Remember Chucky lives in Ngaruawahia. If he joins your “Cabinet” careful what you say he’s a huge supporter of Winnie. He may be the one dressed as a policeman who says “good moaning”.?
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:51am
  - JasonJohns
    
    Chuck Bird is a goddamed legend in Ngaruawahia. Down at the Delta he is known affectionately as Charlie Parker. If we could persude him to take a cabinet post it’d be a huge boost. Will work on it tonight.
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:14am
Inandout

Our news media is on to this..aren’t they?

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/10/25/hillary-clinton-is-right-must-get-to-bottom-russian-influence-buying-especially-hers.html
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October 27, 2017 8:33am
- fernglas
  
  I thought it was widely reported when the dossier first became public that it had initially been commissioned by a Republican opponent of Trump, and then picked up and paid for by the Democrats.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:39am
  - Inandout
    
    If that is true, and the Republicans are involved, the MSM would be reporting it.
    
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    October 27, 2017 8:42am
    - fernglas
      
      From the Guardian in January 2017:
      
      In this case, the request for opposition research on Donald Trump came from one of his Republican opponents in the primary campaign. The research firm then hired one of its sub-contractors who it used regularly on all things Russian: a retired western European former counter-intelligence official, with a long history of dealing with the shadow world of Moscow’s spooks and siloviki (securocrats).
      
      By the time the contractor had started his research, however, the Republican primary was over. The original client had dropped out, but the firm that had hired him had found a new, Democratic client. This was not necessarily the Hillary Clinton campaign or the Democratic National Committee. Opposition research is frequently financed by wealthy individuals who have donated all they can and are looking for other ways to help.
      
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      October 27, 2017 8:47am
      - Fletch
        
        You say oppo research, I say collusion with Russia.
        
        4 1
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        October 27, 2017 11:05am
  - Ross12
    
    That is true fernglas, but the GOP person ( current betting is on Jeb Bush) dropped early it on in the primary race apparently.
    But the interesting point about the mess is the FBI picked up the payments after the election.
    The top people (past and present) are trying to run a mile from the issue.
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:08am
    - Ross12
      
      Sorry . That should be top DNC people…..
      
      4 0
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      October 27, 2017 11:48am
- Scott
  
  This is just getting better and better! There definitely was Russian collusion in the 2016 election and it was the DNC and the Hillary campaign funding the smear allegations dossier about Donald Trump. Now this has been reported not only in Fox News but also was initially reported by the Washington post who is hardly a member of the right-wing conspiracy.
  
  Add to this the uranium one scandal where the Clintons were complicit in giving away 20% of America’s uranium to Russia in exchange for over $100 million donation to the Clinton foundation and a speaking engagement for Bill yielding $500,000. Now that is a scandal involving Russia!
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:35am
Maxx

So I hear that Shane Jones has been tasked with having a look at a work for the dole scheme – something I support.

I didn’t realise that this would fall within the purview of his portfolios and I have to wonder if this is at the direction of NZF and not Labour / Greens as it doesn’t sound like something they would support.
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October 27, 2017 8:35am
- chris
  
  Gosh, I thought work for dole schemes were the ultimate evil, from everything Labour and the Greens have said about them in the past.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:38am
- Tarquin North
  
  That’s why they gave it to Jones – nothing will ever happen, he has never done anything.
  
  25 1
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  October 27, 2017 8:40am
- VicParking
  
  Its a major job for these dead beats to get out of bed in the morning and light the first joint of the day.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:45am
- waikatogirl
  
  Winnie has always supported working for the dole. Only fair for those receiving the benefit to contribute to society.
  
  But, as we know Winnie’s word is his bond.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:09am
- KevOB
  
  Work for the dole: return to the 1930’s and work camps? The horrors of those years were etched on my parents memories.
  The unemployed are an embarrassment to any government. Organising work has proved too expensive and would the unions agree? In recent years the unemployed have become “jobseekers” and pushed into training, suitable or unsuitable. Even the disabled are being forcibly trained.
  
  However robotisation is here. The expectation is for further job losses including middle level qualified work like accountants. Law is under threat too. The argument that all can be re-directed into education programs or find suitable higher skilled work ignores basic intellectual ability. Societal IQ’s do not start at, say. 135.
  
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  October 27, 2017 10:28am
  - marcw
    
    Kev, I find it unusual when you claim “robotisation is here. The expectation is for further job losses including middle level qualified work like accountants.”
    
    To me, robotisation/computerisation in accountancy is just a tool. Anyone can type values into a program, but it’s getting some useful value into those figures which is the part which good accountants perform and add significance. You can’t assign that work to a robot.
    
    This allows accountants to add other value to their roles – which is why firms such as KPMG and EY are no longer just accountancy firms. They are business consultants with many specialties and sub-specialties employing staff who previously were “just” accountants.
    
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    October 27, 2017 12:58pm
  - artemisia
    
    Our very own Xero is investing heavily in AI (and also in big data analysis). Not so much to remove accountants from the picture but to free them for more valuable activities. They reckon around half of accounting activities can be freed up by AI.
    
    That is not trivial.
    
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    October 27, 2017 2:22pm
- Surely Knott
  
  Good article on Libertas Digital about work for the dole idea and the opposing policies and ideologies of Greens and NZ1. And now herald is saying the Unions are opposing work for the dole. Oh dear NZ1’s conservative policies are going to prove a problem for his friends. Let the ructions begin. https://www.facebook.com/libertasdigitalnz/
  
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  October 27, 2017 1:38pm
  - Maxx
    
    Maybe some waka jumping before the law is passed
    
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    October 27, 2017 5:01pm
JasonJohns

can oldpark please get in touch with me urgently thru fb
interested in offering her/him posts of Minister of Commuication and Minister of Young Women’s Affairs in new govt
Cut off time for appointment 5pm sharp
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October 27, 2017 8:37am
- Nukuleka
  
  What kind of meds is this guy/ girl/ trans/ intersex on? Does anyone make sense of these illogical ramblings?
  
  10 4
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  October 27, 2017 8:45am
  - JasonJohns
    
    What I am about Nukuleka is the very serious and solemn business of forming a government that will unite all of the grassroots forces that do not recognise the legitimacy of the regime in wellington.
    
    so are you with us or are a you a labour man?
    
    and waht’s with your weird name?
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:16am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      For shame, JasonJohns!
      
      Don’t you have any knowledge of the foundation of Polynesian Culture?
      http://www.pnas.org/content/98/20/11829.full.pdf
      
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      October 27, 2017 9:58pm
- VicParking
  
  Can I be Minister of entering Pyke River, I have a death wish
  
  12 0
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  October 27, 2017 8:47am
  - waikatogirl
    
    Chuck has that one in the bag Vic.
    
    9 0
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    October 27, 2017 9:10am
    - JasonJohns
      
      I would like Charlie Parker to be Minister of Patriotic Fluids
      
      5 1
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      October 27, 2017 11:20am
  - RalphT
    
    Yes, better to get it over quickly than having to put up with three years of the MSM gushing over Jacinda.
    
    11 0
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    October 27, 2017 9:12am
  - JasonJohns
    
    If you have the guts to enter the Delta on a Friday night after 7, when the beers and the urinals are flowing and the pool tables are full and the various factions are at the bar in their leather jackets, then I’ll know you have the guts for Pike River.
    
    See you after 7:
    https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=W3Lpgr9S&id=065826CEE168601B8B0A5F1A8CD9BEF34A6A3014&thid=OIP.W3Lpgr9SlgFWeVV_3UuBogEsDI&q=delta+tavern+ngaruawahia&simid=608044655158100426&selectedIndex=0&ajaxhist=0
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:23am
Captain Mainwaring

It’s interesting that since the drunken dwarf appointed the Government we haven’t heard from ztev, marquess, ross001 and a couple of others.
I’m guessing that as Labour staffers they now have real jobs to do.
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October 27, 2017 8:40am
- alloytoo
  
  Judging by the quality of their comments and time on their hands I assumed they were Labour Back Benchers, with the poor staffers making their coffee.
  
  Now of course they’re cabinet ministers
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:48am
  - sooty
    
    And have to do a days work. Don’t you just love OIA’s.
    
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    October 27, 2017 12:06pm
- lifesgood
  
  Or have they just changed names. There seems to be an awful lot of new tosspots on here lately.
  
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  October 27, 2017 2:52pm
dime

lots of talk about the minimum wage. which is fair enough.

i think these leftist pricks at the top get to feel better, while some people starting out or at the bottom will feel pain. but the elites dont give a flying fuck about that.

whats bugging me more is the idea of them ditching 90 day trial periods. once they go, Dime will just stop taking any chances when hiring.

We created 4 full time jobs (package of 70-80k each) because of that law. we knew we could take a punt. once its gone.. no more punts.
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October 27, 2017 8:44am
- Harriet
  
  So you are going back to employing people on merit then Dime? 😎
  
  If Cindy does get rid of trial periods, place the prospective employee on the minimum wage with large pay increases monthly if they work well. The useless ones will soon fuck off if you don’t pay them more. It’s pretty basic stuff Dime.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:05am
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    Sounds like what you are proposing is grounds for a constructive dismissal case.
    
    6 3
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    October 27, 2017 9:19am
    - Harriet
      
      “….Sounds like what you are proposing is grounds for a constructive dismissal case….”
      
      Hardly. Minimum wage is the law and monthly bonuses are seen as being one of the best ways to pay staff as they can take into account many factors….attendance and attitude being just 2……sales, revenue and profit 3 more.
      
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      October 27, 2017 10:02am
  - dime
    
    “So you are going back to employing people on merit then Dime?”
    
    not merit as such, just safer.
    
    but it really is more about creating a job.
    
    say i need an extra person in our warehouse.. ill be thinking twice. we arent a huge company, one bad egg can mess with company culture. better to just get casuals in when needed.
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:41am
    - Don the Kiwi
      
      Alternatively, make the initial employment contract for only 3 months.
      
      3 1
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      October 27, 2017 11:06am
Huevon

Is it really the role of the government to be “kind”?

Is our PM projecting unfulfilled maternal instincts into her role?
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October 27, 2017 8:47am
srylands

I heard a guy on the radio this morning wailing about the high proportion of children in families with incomes below the median.

This is not surprising. As women become more educated, their incomes increase and they have fewer children. So unfortunately we are always going to see low income families having more children than high income families.

There is of course much research on this. One interesting conclusion I spotted in the research at the link is this… If low income families get a windfall gain, there is empirical evidence that quite a number respond by having MORE children. So if, for example, you increase benefit levels, instead of improving the welfare of their existing children, they have another one. Which of course, negates the objective of the policy.

There are quite a number of children in New Zealand living in dire circumstances. However, fixing it is not simple. It will be interesting to see how the Government goes about trying.

https://ifstudies.org/blog/how-income-affects-fertility
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October 27, 2017 8:48am
- Prince
  
  This is an easy fix.
  First you increase the minimum wage. Employers either automate, or combine jobs wit those on slightly higher wages.
  So the minimum-waged go on the benefit.
  Now, you remove restrictions on benefits so they are not required to look for work or upskill.
  So now you have increased unemployment, and more people relying on the Gummint paying them a benefit.
  The next step is, um, very important, and I’ll come back to you on that soon.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:55am
- KevOB
  
  Family production seems to be related to social groups and behavioural norms.
  
  High intellect parents may limit their potential because of a preference for raising a high performing family–a blessing to world. That means an acceptance by them of a lower level of living in exchange for their want to have children and mold them into functioning adults.
  
  Another group is young fertile Maori women outside a high family status. These are frequently starting at 16 on having multiple children. They seem to be destined to be child bearers regardless of income.
  
  Affluent society can look down on those producing multiple children but that monetary judgment ignores that these people are replacing the population instead of them. They are providing a greater input into the future gene pool than our now affluent drop-ins into cafe culture.
  
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  October 27, 2017 10:59am
  - howitis
    
    Executive summary:-
    
    =Lowering the average IQ
    
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    October 27, 2017 1:33pm
  - howitis
    
    Then IQ measure gets recalibrated to the new average of the pool and voila – society is getting dumber but it is being hidden.
    Great days!
    
    In essence, social welfare has for the first time in tens of thousands of years enabled mankind to go backwards in average intellect of the pool by paying the weaker elements of the species to outbreed the more intelligent.
    How smart is that?
    Not a lot when you think about it.
    
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    October 27, 2017 1:41pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Well how clever was it for the Roman Catholic Church to demand that their brightest become celibates?
      
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      October 27, 2017 10:02pm
  - realityczech
    
    This due to the cult of child worship which is really just a cover for giving money to women. The tired old meme of “think of the children” is designed to appeal to emotion and divert attention from who is really benefiting. Its women.
    
    We pay women to fuck and pretend its about child welfare. It’s not.
    
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    October 27, 2017 10:12pm
- Paulus
  
  But the increase in the Minimum Wage will pay for the Auckland Petrol “Levy” as the vehicles in South Auckland are invariably high petrol users as they are never serviced and are old.
  Not much change any week, if even to get to Winz.
  
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  October 27, 2017 11:21am
- Piniwi
  
  No problem srylands but it is destined to increase very rapidly with the new Baby Bonus in the family package due to kick in on April fools day. Seeds can be sewn now to get in early and they won’t need to worry about making the stallion pay.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:56pm
peterwn

Labour has moved very fast on Mr Pora and will allow his compensation to be inflation adjusted. I think this is the right thing.
I just cannot understand what Amy Adams was doing resisting this adjustment. If the then Government thought the guidelines were too generous in hindsight then Cabinet should have re-set the policy on this and made the reasoning public.
In summary too, any confession extracted from someone with mental health issues or with an abnormally low IQ should be viewed with a very jaundiced eye. This probably did not come to light until sentencing time by which time it was too late. It was unfortunate that it had to go as far as the Privy Council to be sorted. Alarm bells should have been ringing with the police and Crown Law when Mr Pora lodged an appeal and they should not have been so bloody minded to press ahead on the basis of a dubious confession.
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October 27, 2017 8:49am
- SPLOOGE
  
  The police acted with malice here.
  It’s time the police were held to account for their shoddy behaviour.
  Everyone knew he didn’t do it and yet they continued to support his incarceration.
  This isn’t some despot African country. This is a despotic South Pacific country.
  Now….. David Tamihere….put your hand up lad, you’re owed at least 3 million.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:57am
  - srylands
    
    You should go visit some countries that are run by despots. New Zealand is not one of them.
    
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    October 27, 2017 9:01am
    - rangitoto
      
      The jury is still out on Taxinda.
      
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      October 27, 2017 9:32am
    - VicParking
      
      No quite yet
      
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      October 27, 2017 10:09am
    - SPLOOGE
      
      Well no sylamb, not since yesterday.
      
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      October 27, 2017 10:22am
      - srylands
        
        Don’t be stupid.
        
        5 0
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        October 27, 2017 10:39am
  - peterwn
    
    I do not know why this has attracted so many down-ticks. I think sometimes the Police are pretty bloody minded, it seems to be traditional ‘cop culture’. Police tend to see things as ‘black and white’ – society is far more complex than that.
    I do wonder whether the adversarial basis of criminal justice is still appropriate in the 21st century. Similarly with jury trials. It could be in the Mr Pora case that a tribunal of a judge and expert assessors could have seen through the ‘confession’ fairly quickly and challenged the police to prove the case ignoring the confession.
    Personally if I was charged with a serious crime I did not do, I would far rather have the case dealt with by a skilled tribunal than by a jury. With a jury trial everyone has to pussy-foot around beforehand to ensure the jury does not hear things they are not supposed to and a group of people not experienced in such matters have to make up their mind after hearing conflicting evidence and submissions. Defendants may elect in some circumstances not to have a jury trial but even in such cases a jury trial could be deemed appropriate. Personally I consider an optional alternative method should be set up and this could reduce stress and the cost burden on defendants who did not commit the crime they are accused of.
    
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    October 27, 2017 2:45pm
- Inandout
  
  You will have noticed of course the Police may soon take in recruits with ‘mental health issues’, and they will be required to give evidence. In Pora’s case he will not see much of that extra hand out.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:57am
  - MrLovebucket
    
    I thought it was already mandatory.
    
    5 3
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    October 27, 2017 9:31am
- Jack5
  
  “MR” Pora? “MR”?
  
  Sounds like a post from one of Pora’s lawyers.
  
  It’s a high probability that, but for his prison term, Pora would have died years ago after a life of crime and the misery that goes with that.
  
  He deserves to be made a millionaire, and then to have his payout inflation-proofed?
  
  Goes with the philosophy that wants prisoners taught to drive and given free university education. Great message for poor kids: if you want to get ahead join a gang and go to prison.
  
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  October 27, 2017 1:40pm
  - realityczech
    
    “Goes with the philosophy that wants prisoners taught to drive and given free university education.”
    
    No dickwad. It goes with the philosophy that we don’t lock up innocent people.
    
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    October 27, 2017 10:15pm
- Notsofast
  
  There are reasonable grounds to believe that Mark Lundy will have his conviction quashed, and the crown will be unable to mount a case for retrial. This means 2 things
  1. The police should look for the killer or killers. There are people armed with the information they need.
  2. Compensation is pro forma, and look at Jacinda, her firece lobbying for Pora, her relationship with Helen Clarke, and Helen’s ties to international tribunals.
  
  How much should he be paid?
  Down ticks will show compromised IQ, below room temperature or Mr Pora’s.
  
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  October 27, 2017 3:52pm
Paulus

Is it true that yesterday some of the Press Gallery Illuminati were asked to consider not taking any Press releases from the National Party unless it it Bill English’s resignation ?
To the Gallery the National Party are now irrelevant as Cinderella is the only important think – like Helen Clark.
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October 27, 2017 8:54am
- Albert_Ross
  
  Asked by whom?
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:41am
starboard

Maybe they could now look at the Peter Ellis case?
19 3
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October 27, 2017 8:55am
- Inandout
  
  And revisit AAThomas?
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:59am
- Brito
  
  The Peter Ellis case was part of the international feminist hysteria which was felt world wide. There is a book called ‘A City Possessed’ which all men should read. It’s frightening and the horror this poor guy faced (and still does) should offend (and warn) all men.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:47am
SPLOOGE

He was gay so that’s OK.
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October 27, 2017 8:58am
- starboard
  
  ..and white
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:04am
DifferentPerspective

Any reason DPF not covering Hillary colluding with the Russians

After all the TDS posts we’ve had here, I’m a bit confused now that there is so much evidence about the lying, despotic behaviour of Hillary in colluding with the Russians, similarly nothing about the fact that Hillary’s campaign funded the fictional pee-pee russian hooker Trump dossier that the FBI used as a basis for wire-tapping the Trump campaign (Watergate x10 style).

This is so much worse than any of the faux CNN attacks on Trump that it’s kind of amazing that it isn’t getting any airtime on Kiwiblog given the ongoing interest in US politics.
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October 27, 2017 8:59am
- Inandout
  
  Our media will probably wait until they can’t hold back any longer. It is like getting blood out of a stone, unless of course it involves Trump, then it is all on. It must be a story that has fact otherwise WaPo wouldn’t have carried it.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:02am
- Manolo
  
  Simple: DPF chose Hillary over Trump as a candidate.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:17am
  - DifferentPerspective
    
    He was wrong about Hillary, was he equally wrong about Billary? After all Bill is only once micron away from claiming he won the election (just like Hillary)
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:17am
- dime
  
  i thought the same thing. especially when i saw a headline about it in… the washington post!!!
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:42am
- UpandComer
  
  Haha fair call!! Its not like this is even new behaviour from the filthiest most corrupt politician ever. Her and her rapist husband pioneered dark money in US politics from foreign sources. Christopher Hitchens was the only leftie with the balls to cover their nuclear secrets for laundered cash scam I’m the 90s and 00s where hundreds of people fled the US or took the fifth or just disappeared during the Senate investigation.
  
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  October 27, 2017 10:27am
Lance

I had the displeasure of seeing whats his face Lees-Galloway smugly blurting out that the Hobbit law will go but it’s no big deal as the big Hollywood movies were (and are) always going to be made here. they will flock to our shores even though they will get better deals elsewhere.
Peter Jackson… pfft.. what has he ever done, and what does he know?
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October 27, 2017 9:15am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Will help to free up accommodation in wellington for all those extra civil servants they will be employing.
  
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  October 27, 2017 9:23am
- Poppa
  
  We certainly wouldn’t want another Hobbiton in this country – it is far too successful. Labour hates success.
  
  They would far rather tear something down than build it up.
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:01pm
Manolo

Will comrade Miss Ardern follow the example?
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/north-korea-cracks-down-on-dissidents-with-little-respect-for-kim-jong-un-and-it-could-be-his-undoing/ar-AAu5Cm6?li=BBqdg4K&ocid=mailsignout

The North Korean government has ordered security forces to keep a close watch on monuments and paintings of the Kim dynasty, as they fear “hostile elements” within the country may vandalise them, according to South Korea’s Daily NK.
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October 27, 2017 9:15am
Sir Cullen's Sidekick

I advise all the oldies sitting at home and watching Coronation Street to enrol in University, enjoy life and once the first year finishes drop out. There is no age restriction for any one to enrol. Tooth Fairy is going to rue this promise for ever.
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October 27, 2017 9:21am
Manolo

Chalk another triumph for socialism:
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/26/venezuela-radio-silence-a-day-before-key-debt-payment-rattles-market.html

Concern spread through the market on Thursday as Venezuela’s state oil company offered no sign that it will make a critical debt payment due Friday.
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October 27, 2017 9:32am
Monique Watson

Wanna get drunk?
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October 27, 2017 9:35am
- Tauhei Notts
  
  It’s Friday. Of course I do.
  
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  October 27, 2017 10:02am
  - RalphT
    
    Why pick out Friday?
    
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    October 27, 2017 10:18am
Brito

Interesting listening to Tony Cock-shorn (Mayor of Grey District) salivating about how he was going to have a crack at the billion dollar lolly scramble for the regions.

Now this might be a good plan, (or not) however, in 2001 the Labour Government stopped the logging of native timber on the West Coast. To assist in new initiatives they created the West Coats Development Board and seeded them with $92 million dollars.

Their recent public report outlined that the total after 16 years now stands at $125 million. Whether you think that’s a good rate of return or not isn’t the point.

How can Cock-Shorn (sorry can’t resist spelling it this way) have the gall to go with his hand out to the Govt when they already have $125 million sitting there for the development of the West Coast region?
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October 27, 2017 9:43am
- Nermal
  
  So is the government going to build the new Ministry for Pike River office in Greymouth or Blackball?
  
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  October 27, 2017 11:17am
  - Brito
    
    I think somewhere along the drift would be a good location.
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:36am
andretti

The Uranium 1 scandal is going to be huge,its possible that after its done and people are in prison watergate will be forgotten.Uranium 1 will be the biggest story next year,even the top Dems are now realizing they need to distance themselves (if they can)from this,its going to be huge.It will come to pass that the Obama presidency was the most corrupt of all.
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October 27, 2017 10:09am
UpandComer

Grants looking a bit pale. I wonder what the December Treasury report will say?
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October 27, 2017 10:23am
- Digmen1
  
  As minister of sport, maybe he will go for a walk around the block!
  
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  October 27, 2017 10:44am
- Viking2
  
  Reckon that he can’t see the balancing of the budget getting done.
  
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  October 27, 2017 4:00pm
Jack5

The new Minister of Justice, Andrew Little, could score early runs if he did something to remove the injustice inflicted on Peter Ellis by the Christchurch creche hysteria.
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October 27, 2017 10:39am
- sooty
  
  Yep! Angry with the runs!
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:12pm
Rodney Randall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ofeUHydHAs&feature=em-uploademail

Bullsh*t ‘Russian Collusion’ Narrative Collapses
Paul Joseph Watson

The only ones who colluded with Russia were the DNC, the Obama administration & Hillary.

http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/356630-fbi-watched-then-acted-as-russian-spy-moved-closer-to-hillary
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October 27, 2017 10:47am
- Ross12
  
  A good summary of the progress so far re the dossier and the Uranium deal. They are effectively linked because the same players are involved.
  
  https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/10/26/hillary-clinton-claims-she-didnt-know-she-was-paying-for-dossier/
  It is interesting to the that Steele did not get involved until after the DNC took up the “opposition research” the GOP person had collected. Steele was formally a UK MI6 Russia desk analyst.
  The Gateway Pundit is doing a good job of keeping the updates rolling out.
  If nothing else it shows how the “swamp” works to protect each other.
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:19pm
Digmen1

I had to laugh listening to Shane Jones this morning.

I kind of like him.

He said he will get his rellies out of bed planting trees!

So he is going to force benes to work (a good thing) and the greens are going to remove sanctions! and Labour is going to give free tertiary education!
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October 27, 2017 10:47am
- rangitoto
  
  Wonder where they will get all the seedlings
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:07pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Not difficult to germinate millions of manuka seedlings
    https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/h/p/f/u/l/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620×349.1hpgyk.png/1488999520348.jpg
    
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    October 27, 2017 10:05pm
- Maxx
  
  You have to wonder what species of “trees” his rellies in the north planting.
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:28pm
Brito

This is one aspect I agree with from this coalition government (vomiting noises and hair pulling could be heard).

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11937307

When will we realise that the ‘special’ relationship the Aussie’s say they have with us, actually never existed? Time we just do to the Aussie’s exactly what they have done to NZ’ers over there.

Why are we so scared to offend these people?
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October 27, 2017 10:59am
- Jack5
  
  Brito asks of the Australians: “Why are we so scared to offend these people?”
  
  Because NZ needs Australia a helluva lot more than Australia needs NZ. Like Canada needs the United States.
  
  Without entry to Australia (and Britain) where are we gonna go for working holidays? Fiji? Western Samoa? Tonga?
  
  CER is still one of our two most important trade relationships. Where do most of our tourists come from? In which country outside NZ do most white and Maori New Zealanders have relatives?
  
  What country with high level sport can we cheaply (travel costs) have international competition with?
  
  What country apart from Britain and America do we have deepest traditional defence ties with?
  
  Which large nearby country has English for its main language, and legal and educational and other traditions based on Britain’s?
  
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  October 27, 2017 11:02am
  - Brito
    
    Got to go both ways Jack. It’s all one way currently.
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:10am
    - Albert_Ross
      
      No, it doesn’t “got to go both ways”. Australia is far larger, more economically powerful and internationally influential than we are, and they don’t need our support and goodwill as much as we do theirs. If we get into a tit for tat contest with them, we will very rapidly discover that their tit is a great deal larger than our tat.
      
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      October 27, 2017 11:25am
      - Brito
        
        Right, then they can’t have our butter. Fuck em!
        
        2 5
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        October 27, 2017 11:38am
    - UpandComer
      
      Australia’s going to go be divided up between the muslims and the Chinese. All the whites in Sydney who care about these things are relegated to the North Shore and little enclaves like Leichardt and Mosman. Once Shorten comes in I think Ardern will be surprised at how easily the Australia Labour people will jettison her. At the same time, they will provide her all manner of assistance and interference to repay the stunt over Barnaby.
      
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      October 27, 2017 11:26am
  - Odakyu-sen
    
    “Without entry to Australia (and Britain) where are we gonna go for working holidays? Fiji? Western Samoa? Tonga?”
    
    There are always the English teaching fields of China, Japan, South Korea and other similar nations.
    
    Go West young Kiwi, to the East!
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:33am
  - marcw
    
    Where will our feral families go for “overseas travel” to lift them out of poverty?
    
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    October 27, 2017 1:10pm
- srylands
  
  They won’t be “offended” if we remove their access to Tertiary Education. They wont care at all. Why do you want to discourage high achieving Australians coming here?
  
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  October 27, 2017 11:31am
  - Brito
    
    Because they leave just as quickly with a cheap education. Go to your local Uni and ask those who are about to graduate, where they intend to work. Ain’t here. You can get your stats from the Student Unions if you ask nicely.
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:40am
Manolo

This explains stephieboy’s absence:
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1183166/saudi-arabia

A humanoid robot took the stage at the Future Investment Initiative yesterday and had an amusing exchange with the host to the delight of hundreds of delegates.

Sophia made global headlines when she was granted Saudi citizenship, making the kingdom the first country in the world to offer its citizenship to a robot.
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October 27, 2017 11:04am
- Nermal
  
  Did Sophia have to wear a niqab?
  
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  October 27, 2017 11:20am
Fletch

This is what happens to an American pizza company that is lauded for paying the “living wage” to its employees…

After two years it shuts down, even though it was very popular. Funny how that goes, ey?

http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/pizza-parlor-shutters-doors-after-fair-wage-plan-bombed
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October 27, 2017 11:17am
Fletch

You better open your wallets now that Labour is in power –

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503459&objectid=11937153
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October 27, 2017 11:18am
- Manolo
  
  I am very happy for them. Reality bites!
  
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  October 27, 2017 11:28am
- Maxx
  
  So the extra regional spending money won’t actually go to the regions for them to spend, but instead, fund projects that Labour announced would get big spending increases. The honesty is strong with this one.
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:32pm
gump

Another one of Trump’s self-written letters to the editor has resurfaced. This one was sent to the New York Magazine in 1992.

https://i.redd.it/794ayvylk7uz.jpg
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October 27, 2017 11:19am
UpandComer

We need a detailed critique of Labour’s free education policy. The NZ Institute did a pretty good job on showing the real cost of the interest free student loans and their net effect of simply adding one extra year to pay off the average loan (so unnecessary) whilst costing way more then Cullen said it would (of course).

What we need is an analysis of their costing assumptions, and valid extrapolations of what it will actually cost and what will be the net benefits to the economy.

For example – Labour are saying it’s going to result in heaps more tradies. Scotland and England shows what actually happens is people grab at the highest qualification they can – which is a university education.

It might actually help in a perverse way by bringing back ‘elitism’. In Scotland they simply didn’t have enough places. They hadn’t factored in massive capex to build entire new universities. So what happened was massive competition for free places. Only the smartest students (who tended to have rich parents) were able to get over the threshold. The poorer kids got punished. So it did the opposite (as always) of what they said it would. But they still pay for the system.

It’s going to be fun tearing this shit to pieces – Labour members think they are the smartest people in the universe and everyone else is not only wrong, but purposefully evil. Well all their pet theories are on a tick tock for being exploded. It’s a matter of time, as we all know. I’m betting it will be this term. But at the absolute maximum it’s 5 years. 5 years before it all turns to shit and there’s no way to spin it even for the Pravda media, like it did when they inherited +5.5% growth and left -0.3%.

So we should all have some fun. Get everyone you know to get one years free university in whateverthefuck and get that student allowance. If I was a beneficiary I’d be getting my PS3, sound system, KFC route, Durry’s and the latest Call of Duty release primed and ready to roll.
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October 27, 2017 11:22am
- gump
  
  According to Treasury figures, the NZ economy grew by 2.3% in 1998 (the year before Labour came into power).
  
  It’s somewhat amusing that you’re referring to the “Pravda media” while spouting lies yourself.
  
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  October 27, 2017 11:36am
  - UpandComer
    
    I’m referring to 1999 Gump. Obviously.
    
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    October 27, 2017 11:51am
    - itstricky
      
      I’m sure it had absolutely nothing to do with The GFC.
      
      1 4
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      October 27, 2017 12:58pm
      - UpandComer
        
        The GFC never happened remember. Labour would have spent huge amounts more money for less debt, and whilst nationalising all the things.
        
        Also -0.3 was 2008. The seminal events of the GFC only really started from September 08. Labour got -0.3 actually before the impact of the GFC really kicked into gear. We were in recession in 2007.
        
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        October 27, 2017 1:48pm
      - itstricky
        
        OK, let me rephrase then.
        
        I’m sure that had nothing to do with The GFC; the 2007 drought or the 2007 increase in fuel & food prices.
        
        http://www.treasury.govt.nz/economy/overview/2010/04.htm
        
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        October 27, 2017 2:12pm
  - itstricky
    
    while spouting lies yourself.
    
    And trying to encourage people to rout the system just for a personal vendetta.
    
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    October 27, 2017 12:55pm
    - Brito
      
      Sticky boy, I think rout is something which happens to an army when they get a bit of cold steel up em.
      
      Maybe rort? To be deceive, to be false – verb: rorting. Is that where you’re going? Are you being false?
      
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      October 27, 2017 1:28pm
      - itstricky
        
        Yes. Thanks.
        
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        October 27, 2017 2:13pm
starboard

Overheard recently from the 9th floor…

“Right, let’s do this guys”

“What are we doing JA”?

*Awkward Silence*……….. *Blank stares*…………..*tumbleweeds*

*rattlesnake*
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October 27, 2017 11:26am
- Brito
  
  “Hang on just trying to read the chicken entrails. Umm, err, I think it says tax, levy, surcharge, tariff.”
  
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  October 27, 2017 11:42am
- rangitoto
  
  Certainly the case when Skippy was asked what they were replacing National Standards with.
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:14pm
  - doggone7
    
    The question was a bit like “What are you replacing cancer with?”
    
    What the hell did you expect him to say?
    
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    October 27, 2017 12:25pm
Inandout

Look, Trump colluded with Putin, look everywhere, it is true. But didn’t Hillary invent that story? No look Trump and Putin, look everywhere, and anyway the FBI can be trusted to nail Trump.
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October 27, 2017 11:27am
publicwatchdog

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
I have persistently and consistently opposed an Auckland regional fuel tax.

Here’s what I said over 4 years ago:

Press Release from Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright:

“The ‘Conned Senseless’ Building Group report on Auckland transport funding options is fundamentally and fatally flawed”.

16 July 2013

http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/newseventsculture/OurAuckland/News/Pages/keepaucklandmoving.aspx

“Over the next 30 years, the number of people living in Auckland is expected to increase by up to one million – mostly due to natural population growth. Along with this comes the need to expand and improve Auckland’s transport system.”

“MYTH ONE: Here we go again, this ‘million more people’ myth and urban legend is now being regurgitated as a primary underpinning reason to expand Auckland transport infrastructure,” says Auckland Mayoral candidate, Penny Bright.

“No disrespect, but are / were all the members of this ‘Conned Senseless’ Building Group, aware that the use of the Department of Statistics ‘high’ population growth projections, ( the one million more people coming to Auckland in the next 30 years), instead of their recommended ‘medium’ population growth projections, is now being investigated by the Social Services Select Committee?”

http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Presented/Petitions/5/0/5/50DBHOH_PET3157_1-Petition-of-Penelope-Mary-Bright-requesting-that.htm

Petition of Penelope Mary Bright

Requesting that Parliament declines to proceed with the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Bill until the lawfulness of the reliance of Auckland Council on the New Zealand Department of Statistics’ “high”population growth projections, instead of their “medium” population growth projections for the Auckland Spatial Plan, has been properly and independently investigated, taking into consideration that both Auckland Transport and Watercare Services Ltd, have relied upon “medium” population growth projections for their infrastructural asset management plans.

Petition number: 2011/64
Presented by: Holly Walker
Date presented: 30 May 2013
Referred to: Social Services Committee
__________________________

‘Supplementary Evidence’:

http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Housing-Accord-and-Special-Housing-Areas-Bil-Supplementary-Evidence-13-Juna-2013.pdf

__________________________

“MYTH TWO: The only sources of monies available for ‘improving Auckland’s transport system’ are: road tolls, or higher rates and fuel taxes’,”

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10898450

” How about checking with a ‘fine-tooth comb’ EXACTLY where Auckland Council (and Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) rates monies are currently being SPENT, and cutting back rates SPENDING?”

“No disrespect intended, but are / were all the members of this ‘Conned Senseless’ Building Group, aware that Auckland Council ‘books’ are still not open, and citizens and ratepayers do not know exactly how much public rates monies are being spent on private ‘piggy-in-the-middle’ consultants and contractors?”

“No disrespect intended, but are / were all the members of this ‘Conned Senseless’ Building Group, aware that in an an Auckland Council Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) reply dated 21 November 2011:

(QUESTION)

“1) Is the Auckland Council, in a truly ‘open, transparent and democratically-accountable’ way, going to ensure that citizens and ratepayers of the Auckland region are going to be given the
‘devilish’ detail, so we can see exactly where our rates monies are being spent on private sector consultants and contractors?

2) a) .Are the names of the consultants/contractors; the scope, term and value of these contracts going to be published in the Auckland Council Annual Report so that they are available for public scrutiny?

b) if not- why not?

(ANSWER)

Not at this stage. There are 5,000, contracts related to 12,500 suppliers. To collate and pub!ish these would be a major exercise logistically and cost~wise. ….. ”

[See Item 6 ]

http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/OCCUPY-AUCKLAND-APPEAL-APPLICATION-BY-APPELLANT-BRIGHT-TO-ADDUCE-NEW-EVIDENCE-pdf.pdf

“I checked today on the Auckland Council website, and can still find no such publicly available details of ‘contracts issued’”

http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/HowCouncilWorks/Pages/working_with_council.aspx

“Did the ‘Conned Senseless’ Building Group investigate how much public money could be freed up to serve the interests of the public majority, (including Auckland transport funding), by CUTTING OUT THE CONSULTANTS and PRIVATE CONTRACTORS, and returning core Council services ‘in-house’?

“If there is no ‘cost-benefit’ analysis which proves that private provision of Council services is more cost-effective for the public majority, then as an Auckland Mayoral candidate, I believe that this long-term corporate welfare must cease forthwith.”

” My recommendation is that citizens and ratepayers in the Auckland region do your own ‘cost-benefit’ analysis. Since this so-called Auckland ‘$upercity’ was forced upon the Auckland region, have YOUR rates gone up or down?”

“See? The public majority of the Auckland region have been ‘CONNED’ by the CONsultants, and the CONtractors, and those who serve their interests – arguably the NZ Property Council and the Committee for Auckland,”

“As an Auckland Mayoral candidate – this is where I stand:

NO road tolls/ fuel taxes or rates increases to fund Auckland transport infrastructure.

Open the books.

Cut out all the consultants and contractors who are effectively on ‘corporate welfare’.

Get rid of these ‘corporate-controlled’ CCOs, with their appointed Boards of arguably self-serving business people.

Bring core Council services back ‘in-house’, and employ Council Officers who have a ‘public service’ background and ethos, not private sector functionaries who are now running Auckland Council as if it were their own private company.

Take back public ownership, operation and control of Auckland passenger transport.

Why should the public subsidise what we no longer own?

Change the uniforms and the business cards, and Auckland Council take back operation and management of Auckland Rail, from French multinational Transdev, (formerly known as Veolia Transport Auckland)

Use public monies for the benefit of the public majority, not the private sector, particularly multi-national corporations.”

Penny Bright

‘Anti-corruption, anti-privatisation’ campaigner

2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
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October 27, 2017 11:34am
- RalphT
  
  Well, if Penny opposes a regional fuel tax, that settles it; it will never go ahead.
  
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  October 27, 2017 11:53am
- Steve (North Shore)
  
  See?
  I Spray And Walk Away
  Rubbish Stays
  I walk away
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:06pm
  - sooty
    
    Save auckland, pay your rates.
    
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    October 27, 2017 12:15pm
- Dafixeruppa
  
  Now if everyone in Auckland paid their rates on time, they would not need a regional fuel tax to fund things.
  Anyone know a bludger that refuses to pay their rates?
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:31pm
- thedavincimode
  
  Don’t forget, with your welding experience you could cut into the local gas station supply and pinch some – just like when you tapped into the water supply for a spot of free-loading. I expect that the 5th of November would be a propitious day for such a jolly lark.
  
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  October 27, 2017 1:53pm
- softail 1450
  
  penny. NUTTER .?
  
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  October 27, 2017 2:37pm
UpandComer

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/98252840/small-words-big-goals-brave-hearts-new-kiwis-learning-the-language-of-home

Some of NZFirst’s new deserving refugees here. I think we need to take in a hell of a lot more – they all need free houses in Auckland and free education, health-care. If we do otherwise, we’re heartless colonialist abusers and oppressors. Good to know we’re looking after people who say they came from Syria and our own deprived are waiting their turn behind the more deserving.
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October 27, 2017 11:35am
Hugh Pavletich

Has a search party been organised to find National Party ‘values’ ?

Jacinda Ardern’s new government sworn in | Stuff.co.nz

https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98242220/jacinda-arderns-new-government-sworn-in

… concluding …

… (Former Prime Minister Bill) English would now be the leader of the Opposition.

Late on Wednesday night, English sent a letter to his supporters saying the final election result was “of course disappointing”, but it was important to accept the election result “which is entirely legitimate under MMP”.

“The job now is to pick ourselves up and begin the fight again for the values we all believe in.”

English was re-elected as leader of the National Party on Tuesday and planned to hold the post until the 2020 election. … read more via hyperlink above …

National Party ‘values’ cannot be found at http://www.PerformanceUrbanPlanning.org … particularly within the sections …

1. VIDEO … John Key – Housing Reform – 2007
2. The 5 Important Graphs
3. The GONE GONE GOING (now the GONE GONE GONE) section

‘Can – kicking’ and ‘cronyism’ are not values.

Crony Chronicles: I Want To Be A Crony – YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aO9tA5DWJM
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October 27, 2017 11:36am
- Prince
  
  What on earth is this post about ?
  Please read what you write before posting – this is totally incoherent.
  
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  October 27, 2017 11:44am
  - starboard
    
    Its an example of what happens when one loses the plot. Poor old Hugh. It’s very sad to watch.
    
    ” NURSE”…
    
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    October 27, 2017 12:01pm
    - thedavincimode
      
      This is what happens when he tries to type something while the nurse is changing his diaper
      
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      October 27, 2017 1:55pm
  - treadingthemill
    
    What on earth is this post about ?
    
    I couldn’t make any sense out of it either. And his style is rather like that Penny women’s. It’s not conversational, but like your being shouted at and lectured, or like spam mail. Very rude, and personally I think it’s a little abusive of David Farrar’s generosity in allowing us to comment here.
    
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    October 27, 2017 12:07pm
    - treadingthemill
      
      And I see Penny has another massively long post just above. Are she and Hugh a team?
      
      10 1
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      October 27, 2017 12:26pm
      - thedavincimode
        
        Don’t think so, its simply a case of them both being out patients.
        
        10 0
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        October 27, 2017 1:58pm
      - Johnboy
        
        The mental health system has never been the same since Lake Alice closed! 🙂
        
        9 1
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        October 27, 2017 2:00pm
      - thedavincimode
        
        JB, I believe the mad waterman welded the doors shut as she was discharged.
        
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        October 27, 2017 2:07pm
- Brito
  
  Hugh, please watch the following clip. There is a really wonderful comment at the very end which I think we can apply here.
  
  Have a day!
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c910pWbp5JY
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:04pm
  - Hugh Pavletich
    
    Brito … a ripper !
    
    … meantime … the search will continue for the National Party values.
    
    Paula Bennett has been proven correct. Bill is quite the comedian !
    
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    October 27, 2017 12:59pm
    - Brito
      
      Shit, don’t take the wind out of my sails!!!!
      
      3 0
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      October 27, 2017 1:23pm
      - Hugh Pavletich
        
        Hilliard MacBeth (@hmacbe) tweeted at 5:59 a.m. on Wed, Oct 25, 2017:
        Our very popular bubble chart with New Zealand added. Makes Australia and Canada look ordinary! https://t.co/6llk4QiEen
        (https://twitter.com/hmacbe/status/922900349756862464?s=02)
        
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        October 27, 2017 1:28pm
    - Hugh Pavletich
      
      Oh hell !!! …
      
      Auckland was the City of No Sales at this week’s main apartment auctions, where everything was passed in | interest.co.nz
      
      https://www.interest.co.nz/property/90576/auckland-was-city-no-sales-weeks-main-apartment-auctions-where-everything-was-passed
      
      It was a disastrous week at the main Auckland apartment auctions, with not a single property selling under the hammer.
      
      The week kicked off at City Sales auction room where just a single one bedroom unit in a new development on Scotia Place was on offer, but it was passed in without receiving any bids.
      
      Next up was Barfoot & Thompson’s main apartment auction where there was also just one unit on offer, a two bedroom penthouse unit in the Queens Lodge complex in Newmarket.
      
      About half a dozen potential buyers turned up at the auction and there was at least one phone bidder. … read more via hyperlink above …
      
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      October 27, 2017 5:08pm
UpandComer

Sorry I’m becoming prolific.

But what the fuck?

Has no one in the ‘business’ area read Labour’s fucking workplace relations policy?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/98262849/signals-are-encouraging-but-some-of-the-policies-could-be-a-problem

An entire article from the head of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, and not even a mention.

Why are they feigning ignorance?
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October 27, 2017 11:38am
- Ross12
  
  You are right UpandComer.
  It will eventually hit them like a ton of bricks. I find it amazing so little notice has been taken of it.
  
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  October 27, 2017 2:19pm
hullkiwi

Yesterday and the day before I joked about the make work schemes of Bill Birch in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Here was me thinking that nobody could possibly be that stupid amongst the new government to even think it, but how wrong could I possibly be?
Well I was completely wrong, Day 2 of the clusterf*** government and we have the outpourings of the Hon Shane Jones speaking on the radio this morning to Mike Hosking and now published on the Herald website.,.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11937352

I am truly lost for words, how stupid are these people….

Jones is circa my age, does he not remeber how bad these schemes were….
They do not work……
1. Unscrupulous employers sack employees;
2. Said employees sign on for the dole;
3. Employer needs workers, contacts WINZ;
4. WINZ send along people on dole;
5. Result employer has workforce paid for by taxpayer and workforce receiving only the dole.
Means dole then has to equal minimum wage, then unions get bent out of shape because their members are being put out of work because they are being undercut by workers on the dole.

It happened and should have been consigned to history, but no we now have Taxcinda’s cupboard (cabinet) of dimwits. You couldn’t make this up if you tried!!! Help!!!!
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October 27, 2017 11:39am
- KevOB
  
  Amateur & ignorant.
  
  I have said it before there was not a single person on the previous opposition benches fit for government.
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:46pm
  - labrator
    
    Wow, thanks for clearing that up. So helpful, I don’t know what the country would do without you.
    
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    October 27, 2017 1:05pm
    - labrator
      
      I have said it before there is not a single person commenting here that is fit to downtick me.
      
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      October 27, 2017 10:18pm
Prince

Couldn’t help but notice the Whiteness of Labour’s celebration yesterday.
Not a brown skin visible, as two blue-eyed blond children helped Cinders up the stairs to applause from the chardonnay socialists.
Very ‘Frozen’. Very Disney.
And no mention of Maori in the ‘100 days of Wonder’ shopping list Labour has issued.
Looks like 3 years on the shelf for the Maori MP’s and their electorates, after the (unrewarded) Treaty payouts, Whanau Ora and Charter School gains under National.
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October 27, 2017 11:57am
- itstricky
  
  I’m not saying you’re wrong but this seems like a funny place to mention it.
  
  That’s because if it had been the other way round there would have been calls for heads here, mutterings of ‘Treaty Gravy Train’, jokes about equal representation and jokes about ‘sorry for being a white man’
  
  Can’t win either way.
  
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  October 27, 2017 1:01pm
  - labrator
    
    “Pale, stale, male” was a Labour campaign point no?
    
    7 0
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    October 27, 2017 1:08pm
    - Brito
      
      I prefer PMS as an acronym if we are going to suffer that matronising put down, then we can have fun with it.
      
      6 1
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      October 27, 2017 1:22pm
    - ex-golfer
      
      Yet they were installed into power by a stale (and somewhat pickled) 72 yr old male.
      Oh the irony.
      
      Does the fact he is semi brown (ie: not pale) make it more accepting in their eyes?
      
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      October 27, 2017 2:00pm
      - doggone7
        
        Installed into power by a stale 72 yr old male and the 1,305,333 who voted for the parties which make up the Government.
        
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        October 27, 2017 6:54pm
  - Prince
    
    I agree, but it strikes me as hugely ironic.
    National burnt a lot of their voter goodwill trying to move those terrible stats for Maori, as evidenced by the displeasure shown on this blog.
    
    Not good enough for their partners the Maori Party, who turned rogue against the Nats during the election, and were wiped out themselves.
    
    Hobsons Choice was an attempt by the incompetent Brash to pull Nats into line, but only succeeded in pushing NZF above 5% and giving them the crucial votes to kill off the National Govt and elect Labour.
    
    All is well though, because now Labour shows every sign of ignoring Maori as much as they did in the 2000’s, and the efforts of National and the Maori Party will be consigned to the dustbin, right where those espousing ‘One law for all’ would like to see them.
    
    Politics – it’s a strange world.
    
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    October 27, 2017 2:47pm
Fletch

I see that on advice, Trump has decided not to release all the final documents pertaining to the Kennedy assassination. So we’ll most likely be none the wiser (not that we were going to be any way).
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October 27, 2017 12:10pm
- Kimbo
  
  All you need to know about the JFK assassination:
  
  1. Lee Harvey Oswald did it, and he worked alone.
  
  2. Nonetheless, the CIA covered-up in part to try and keep secret their plans and attempts to assassinate Castro. At the time they weren’t sure it wasn’t a Cuban-initiated reprisal/blowback.
  
  3. Also, the FBI covered up in part to try and keep secret the fact that Oswald was under less-than-sufficient-in-the-light-of-hindsight surveillance as a former defector. In mitigation, they had no idea, nor reason to suspect he would attempt the assassination of JFK, nor did they know about his attempt earlier that year to assassinate right-wing Texan political identity General Edwin Walker. Instead, as the motorcade went past the Texas School Book Depository where Oswald worked, it was a crime of opportunity and three-day planned impulse. Most likely because Oswald had been denied a visa to go to Cuba…so he was pissed and wanted to take it out on someone. Who better than the POTUS? Either way, J Edgar Hoover didn’t want his Bureau exposed to public criticism, especially as RFK had been trying to dump him for a number of years.
  
  4. Also the Secret Service covered up in part as the presidential detail body guards were out partying the night before. They also removed the body before an autopsy and contrary to Texas law because they suspected it may not be safe for LBJ to stay in Dallas, it may have been a Soviet plot to launch World War III (neither turned out to be the case, but they didn’t know that at the time), and no one was going to leave Jackie Kennedy in Dallas, maybe for days, until the body was released.
  
  5. Also the Kennedy family, particularly RFK covered up in part with the autopsy, to try and keep secret JFK’s illness and medication.
  
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  October 27, 2017 12:39pm
  - labrator
    
    Wrong. It was all a capitalist conspiracy to give Dallas a tourist attraction. All the signs are there, none so blind etc etc Where’s ead when you need a solid dose of conspiracy?
    
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    October 27, 2017 1:03pm
  - tom hunter
    
    I’m just reading the 4th volume of Caro’s LBJ biography and he goes into a fair bit of detail about JFK’s illnesses, most of which seems to have come out decades ago.
    
    While there would have been the usual political effort to cover up such things, it probably also happened because the journalists of those days just avoided subjects like that. Given the amount of pain he was in – constantly – and given how obvious it was to many people who were working with him on his House campaign in 1946 and the Senate seat in 1952 it’s hard to see how it could have been kept secret without that cooperation. Even his father, Joe, was pretty open to family friends about JFK’s condition – at one point even asking him to quit the Senate campaign, a very big call for a father who was determined to see his eldest surviving son in politics.
    
    But it also remained “quiet” (not secret) because Kennedy himself just constantly played it down, which in some ways is not surprising because he lived with that shit from an early age. He was not even properly diagnosed until the late 1950’s when he collapsed on a trip to Britain and the doctors there figured out it was Addison’s disease – hence the cortisone, not to mention the painkillers for his back, which was basically stuffed.
    
    I have my criticisms of Kennedy but a lack of courage is not one of them: going into combat on those PT boats was one thing – living with that sort of pain for decades? That’s quite something else.
    
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    October 27, 2017 1:09pm
    - Kimbo
      
      While there would have been the usual political effort to cover up such things, it probably also happened because the journalists of those days just avoided subjects like that.
      
      Good point – that would also include the womanising of the likes of JFK, LBJ and before them, FDR. Or Ike with Kay Summersby during WWII. At least Nixon didn’t cheat on his wife, or at least doesn’t seem to have! 😉
      
      With JFK it did get to be a national security issue as, among others he banged the girl friend of a mob boss, the highly unstable Marilyn Monroe,a nd in his younger days a possible Nazi spy…
      
      6 1
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      October 27, 2017 1:18pm
    - Kimbo
      
      …and the media of the time, seeing they cheated just as much, if not more on their spouses, obeyed a code of “honour among thieves”. Different from their hypocrisy today. OK, so it is in the “national interest” to know about the private lives and alleged perversions of politicians. Or at least right-wing ones such as Trump…whereas Bill Clinton’s impeachment was “just about sex”…not Paula Jones’ civil case and potential obstruction of justice. 😉
      
      So why not media, especially the owners like Rupert Murdoch? They are arguably more powerful than any politician, and have been since William Randolph Hearst…who tried to censor Citizen Kane in his day! But then as mutually-assured destruction would ensue, they don’t go there. Instead they peer through the curtains of politicians and celebrities..
      
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      October 27, 2017 1:32pm
Fletch

What is with the set that TVNZ has for the midday 1 News? It looks like Jenny-May is standing in front of a big screen TV that has been placed in the stairwell / lobby of a building, all echoing with people walking around behind etc. I hope the newsroom is being renovated and that it’s not something they think is cool and hip because it isn’t. It’s distracting as hell.
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October 27, 2017 12:34pm
Don the Kiwi

I wonder if those who accuse others of being ‘Alt-Right’ really understand what they are talking about.

https://www.prageru.com/courses/political-science/what-alt-right
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October 27, 2017 12:34pm
labrator

Not even a week of Ardern-Peters in charge and this is how our country looks to the rest of the world, fighting in supermarkets.

I’d like the Ministry Against Public Brawling (headed by the Rt Hon Trevor Mallard) to immediately form a committee with the aim of giving these poor men and their children more money so they can learn to overcome their colonial oppression and use their brawling prowess for the public benefit in the form of protesting the National party. What say you Comrades?
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October 27, 2017 1:00pm
- Steve (North Shore)
  
  That is NOT a brawl. It is pussies slapping each other. Believe me, I have been in a few
  
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  October 27, 2017 5:15pm
Johnboy

Hamish is onto it. 🙂
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/98295758/rising-rent-costs-mean-poorer-households-face-much-higher-inflation
Note: “Rising rent and tobacco prices, and a fall in the cost of technology goods, mean the cost of living is rising much faster for poorer households than the wealthy.”

And: “Stats NZ consumer prices manager Matthew Haigh said poorer households faced a greater impact from rising costs of rent, insurance and the price of cigarettes and tobacco.
“Prices increased over the year for essential items like rents, food, and petrol, while they fell for some luxury items,” Haigh said.
“Households with more discretionary income have received the most benefit from cheaper high-tech products.”
In recent months, superannuitant households faced the biggest increase in the cost of living, with the September quarter coinciding with annual increases in council rates.
According to Stats NZ, superannuitants’ households experienced inflation of 0.9 per cent in the three months to September 30, compared to 0.6 per cent for all households.
“Nearly nine out of ten superannuitants own their own home, so they bear the brunt of rising home ownership costs,” Haigh said.”
Quite so. WHERE THE FUCK IS MY 26 BUCKS A WEEK I WOULD HAVE GOT FROM BILL EH? …… WINSTON/JACKASS???
🙂
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October 27, 2017 1:07pm
- Ross12
  
  I have never been a smoker so have never really taken much notice of costs etc. But my brother in law had a health scare recently and got told in no uncertain terms by the doctors to quit. To his credit he has just gone “cold turkey” and has stuck to it. He said his bank account likes it –he is saving $250/week !!! Put in those terms it really took me by surprise.
  But why do I see so many young people smoking?? Everyone knows the health issues, but you would think at that sort of cost they would stop and think.
  
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  October 27, 2017 1:33pm
Inandout

The man on ZB says Jacindamania is spreading like wildfire. Where?
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October 27, 2017 1:10pm
- Johnboy
  
  Orthodontist conventions? 🙂
  Show jumping competitions? 🙂
  
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  October 27, 2017 1:22pm
  - RalphT
    
    So, not a hit with the Wainui farming community, JB?
    
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    October 27, 2017 1:36pm
- thedavincimode
  
  Your pocket.
  
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  October 27, 2017 1:59pm
- Manolo
  
  The disillusion will be bigger than Ben Hur. It is only a matter of time.
  
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  October 27, 2017 2:12pm
Johnboy

I just noticed something missing from GD today!
Has milkey got a job? 🙂 🙂
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October 27, 2017 1:45pm
- Johnboy
  
  Blessed are the lefty governments for they shall look after their flock of willing paper clip sorters! 🙂
  
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  October 27, 2017 1:49pm
Jack5

The PC, Leftist Guardian has details of how the American ambassador to NZ, Scott Brown, allegedly upset folk at a party in Apia.

Apparently a couple of Peace Corps volunteers are doing the stirring (they wouldn’t be Democrats, would they?).

This is one of the things the ambassador is reported to have caused offence with:

One woman told the Guardian that Brown allegedly stared at her body when she was introduced to him. She did not want to be identified, but said: “The first time I met him, he looked at my chest immediately.” She alleged that another female colleague had a similar experience.

“I felt immediately uncomfortable and it didn’t feel right,” she added.

A male ex-peace corps volunteer described a strained atmosphere developing at the party as the ambassador shouted at guests to be quiet and listen to him. “It was very culturally insensitive,” said the man.

The Guardian recounts Brown lost his bid for a full term in 2012 to Elizabeth Warren (“Pocohontas”) in an ugly race in which he repeatedly questioned Warren’s claims to Native American ancestry. (The claims seem to be utter bullshit.)

To hell with the feministas and the PC mob, Brown sounds the sort of guy who would be popular with most ordinary Kiwis.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/26/scott-brown-more-complaints-surface-over-behaviour-of-us-ambassador-to-new-zealand
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October 27, 2017 1:55pm
- itstricky
  
  Brown sounds the sort of guy who would be popular with most ordinary Kiwis.
  
  Because ordinary Kiwis like to stare at breasts and don’t mind if someone stares at theirs?
  
  Or because ordinary Kiwis like to be shouted down?
  
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  October 27, 2017 2:19pm
  - Ed Snack
    
    Don’t worry itstricky, if he’d studiously ignored their breast and gazed at their faces he would have been pinged for that too. I bet she wouldn’t have complained had it been Bill Clinton – or if she did we’d never have heard about it.
    
    None of these people actually care about the charge or the those concerned, it’s simply a weaponization of “the feelz” to attack someone on the other side of politics. Which is why the left happily tolerated Weinstein for so long.
    
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    October 27, 2017 2:38pm
    - itstricky
      
      Hmmm, so…
      
      He has previous allegations of sexual misconduct (at Fox, no less); a dozen people reported inappropriate behavior (including males)’ and he likes to pose nude for public pictures. And we’re going to dismiss all of that with a swoop of the maybe-could-be-should-be-might-be-probably-will-be feminist dogs + generalised rants about some conspiracy you’ve formed in your head about woman happily accepting sexual misconduct.
      
      Righteo then.
      
      The guy deserves to be innocent until proven guilty but the reverse applies, as well.
      
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      October 27, 2017 3:17pm
      - Jack5
        
        Ītstrīckȳ posted at 3.17:
        
        The guy deserves to be innocent until proven guilty but the reverse applies, as well.
        
        Do you mean, Ītstrīckȳ, that he deserves “as well” to be guilty until proven innocent.
        
        Bit of a contradiction in those two statements, isn’t there, Ītstrīckȳ?
        
        This, from the blog, The Hill, spells out the accusation by former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros (she filed a suit against the Fox network alleging several Fox hosts and guests made made unwanted sexual advances or comments toward her, but she did not list any of them as defendants):
        
        “Brown made a number of sexually inappropriate comments to Tantaros on set, including, and in a suggestive manner, that Tantaros ‘would be fun to go to a nightclub with,’ ” the lawsuit claims. “After the show was over, Brown snuck up behind Tantaros while she was purchasing lunch and put his hands on her lower waist.”
        
        Tantaros recoiled and told Brown to stop, the suit says.
        
        Brown denied acting inappropriately towards Tantaros. Brown replied to the Boston Globe about the Tantaros accusation:
        
        Brown told the Globe that all of his interactions and contacts with Tantaros were in the New York studio, “and always in full view of all staff, personnel, and talent.” Any chance encounters at a restaurant or other public places were “professional and cordial,” he said.
        
        “In the three years I have been working there, I treat all people there the same, whether they be male or female,” Brown said. “In addition, I don’t go to clubs.”
        
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        October 27, 2017 3:55pm
      - itstricky
        
        Do you mean, Ītstrīckȳ, that he deserves “as well” to be guilty until proven innocent.
        
        No, I mean his accusers deserve to have their accusations held up until proven true or false. Not to be dismissed as “lefie commie femminists” just for mentioning something.
        
        And the Fox thing I mentioned as Ed seemed to think it was “all just politically motivated by lefties”
        
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        October 27, 2017 8:15pm
  - Jack5
    
    The comment reported by the Guardian was:
    “he looked at my chest immediately”.
    
    Perhaps the woman:
    
    1. Was a lot taller than Brown.
    2. Had cross-eyes and he wanted to avoid embarrassing her.
    3. ?Had truly colossal tits that took him by surprise!
    4. Was being checked for a clue as to whether she was LGBT, so Brown could then avoid offending this person by using a “wrong” pronoun. ?
    
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    October 27, 2017 2:42pm
  - labrator
    
    She was quite clear that he stared at her chest. In this day and age is it or is it not ok to look at another human beings chest? I thought we were after equality? I mean if all the self-sacrifice of the boobs on bikes equality protests were for nothing then why protest at all? Ever?
    
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    October 27, 2017 3:01pm
  - Rachael Membery
    
    Because we are real and didn’t used to be so precious.
    
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    October 27, 2017 8:24pm
- Johnboy
  
  I hope she had decent tits. Personally I never stare at any tits smaller than 36D. 🙂
  Even then I prefer then to be properly displayed, preferably unsupported with adequate cleavage, well displayed of course when bending over to pick up (so the owner gets fairly pissed rapidly) a glass etc. 🙂
  
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  October 27, 2017 2:20pm
  - MH
    
    Vacancy at Hollywood pending. Interested? Pair o’Mount also seeking interviewers, but couched in low key PC advertising,if you know what I mean.
    
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    October 27, 2017 2:37pm
  - Johnboy
    
    I forgot to mention that prominent nipples tend to focus one’s attention more quickly as well! 🙂
    
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    October 27, 2017 3:30pm
    - Johnboy
      
      I really used to love cruising thru Welly on sudden chilly snaps in the seventies! 🙂
      
      6 2
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      October 27, 2017 3:32pm
  - Steve (North Shore)
    
    I feel left out. People were staring at my tits in Honolulu. 40 AA moobs!
    
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    October 27, 2017 5:20pm
- labrator
  
  Kind of reminds me of a comment NickR made yesterday…
  
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  October 27, 2017 3:07pm
thedavincimode

Now that rescindarella has put the Aussies in their place, perhaps she can now start saving the lives of the hundreds of thousands of children dying from poverty.
I suppose we have to accept that the 5,000 or 10,000 or so that will have died since last Friday are just an unfortunate consequence of a change of government and the need to shove it up the Aussies and draw down more debt for all that neat stuff that she says is “on me”.

To think, those babies died so that others might live. What more noble sacrifice could there be?
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October 27, 2017 2:05pm
MH

Any reports on Hone telling off Willie Jackson avec venom. The bottom line- Pass me a Macron pls.
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October 27, 2017 2:06pm
- MH
  
  Now you’re a dirty low down skunk. And you need a kick in the arse,” Mr Harawira said.
  
  “You need a kick in the arse for saying that our people don’t care about the foreshore and seabed being stolen,” he said.
  “We did then, we do now and we always will.
  “Anytime you want to argue that point, brother, anytime, any place, you give me a bell, you give me a bell brother, me and you.”
  Presenter Scotty Morrison, speaking Te Reo, had repeatedly tried to interrupt him and get the interview back on track, but Mr Harawira continued his tirade in English.
  The Maori Party and Hone Harawira’s Mana lost every Maori seat in last month’s election to Willie Jackson’s Labour Party.
  Who introduced Skunks into NZ ?
  
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  October 27, 2017 2:13pm
  - softail 1450
    
    MH,, those two in a punch up LOL,it would resemble a couple of gorillas bristling away at each other but both unwilling to throw a punch.
    they are both troughers of the highest order ,more so Jackson who’s never had a real job his whole bludging life ,union man would be the hardest graft he’s done.
    harawira isn’t much better, in his last year in parliament he spent over $80,000 on internal airfares for him and his mrs ,most weekends spent in Queenstown attending tangi in the best accomodation as well ,what a fricking joke.
    
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    October 27, 2017 2:27pm
  - Prince
    
    C’mon guys, take it to your nearest PakNSav.
    
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    October 27, 2017 2:36pm
Manolo

The Africans are running the show (and trying to rewrite history):
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/25/decolonise-cambridge-university-row-attack-students-colour-lola-olufemi-curriculums

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5018441/Cambridge-change-courses-elevate-white-writers.html
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October 27, 2017 2:27pm
- Johnboy
  
  At least the spy’s will stand out more easily Manolo! 🙂
  
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  October 27, 2017 2:31pm
- fylde
  
  Wrong there is simply a request for some balance
  
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  October 27, 2017 3:26pm
  - Jack5
    
    Balance? What rubbish. The call is for the English literature syllabus to be chosen on racial lines.
    These are the same sort of folk who want Rhodes’ statue pulled down, and have warned Oxford staff they may be racist if they don’t look a student “directly in the eye”, or asking someone where they’re from.
    
    This is the madness of Political Correctness.
    
    http://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/oxford-university-racism-students-warn-not-look-someone-in-eye-equality-diversity-free-speech-on-a7698866.html
    
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    October 27, 2017 4:26pm
    - Brito
      
      Fuck Oxford, go to Cambridge and enjoy real people.
      
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      October 27, 2017 9:57pm
lifesgood

Soooooo! During the elction campaign Labour managed to piss off all farmers, small business owners, land lords, car owners, um, have I forgotten anyone?, but that pretty much covers everyone anyway. So how in hell’s name are they now “running” the country. There must be an awful lot of pissed off people out there.
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October 27, 2017 3:05pm
- lifesgood
  
  And, of course they have now pissed off superannuitants who were looking forward to a modest increase, but, of course, bribes for uni drop outs are far more important.
  
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  October 27, 2017 3:07pm
- treadingthemill
  
  So how in hell’s name are they now “running” the country.
  
  The combined vote for change was greater than the combined vote for National. It’s that simple. There were not enough pissed off people out there to get National the win. Which suggests to me that there were not as many pissed off people in the groups you have listed as you surmise.
  
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  October 27, 2017 3:16pm
  - All_on_Red
    
    You’re making the assumption that everyone who voted NZF is a Labour supporter.
    As it’s a secret ballot onone can know how many were.
    And Winston did negotiate with both ‘sides’ instead of just going with Labour.
    So really you can’t draw a conclusion of a combined vote for change since 7% wasn’t definitely in the Labour camp but was negotiated there.
    
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    October 27, 2017 3:29pm
    - treadingthemill
      
      You’re making the assumption that everyone who voted NZF is a Labour supporter.
      
      No, that’s not what I meant. A vote for New Zealand First was a vote for a change, but was divided between those who wanted change by going with Labour, and those who wanted a modified status quo by going with National. But, both are a vote for change of some sort, and polls I saw prior to the election showed a majority of Winston voters desiring a coalition with Labour.
      
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      October 27, 2017 3:39pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Lol, you’re scrabbling with semantics now.
        Just give up on the Vote for change thing.
        Either way was going to be a coalition and NZF could have gone with the Nats if Bill had matched the bribes.
        NZF never campaigned on changing the Govt- as in getting RID of National as Labour and the Greens did.
        We’ll never know- until Winston writes a book when he retires.
        
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        October 27, 2017 3:54pm
      - treadingthemill
        
        Either way was going to be a coalition and NZF could have gone with the Nats if Bill had matched the bribes.
        
        Perhaps in some kind of abstract theoretical sense that is true. But anyone who did not know Peters would go with Labour was not paying attention to his campaign or the man himself. It was obvious to me that he would. Did anyone really think that he wanted his legacy to be propping up a fourth term National government just for a few baubles? His ego is far too big for that.
        
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        October 27, 2017 4:02pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        And yet Winston negotiated with National and has been in coalition with both parties before.
        He lurves baubles. Look what he got!
        Lol
        Short answer- you’re still making shit up.
        
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        October 27, 2017 5:21pm
  - labrator
    
    The combined vote for change
    
    I know you say you swing vote but this is pure nonsense. Find any voter, anywhere that says they intentionally voted for Labour & Greens & NZFirst to lead the country and I’ll show you a liar. In fact, National achieved the unprecedented highest vote for a 4th term. What actually happened is Dunne resigned and Māori decided they didn’t like the Māori Party anymore. “vote for change” is disingenuous garbage.
    
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    October 27, 2017 3:30pm
    - Ross12
      
      Agree labrator .
      The new Government won “fair and square” under the MMP rules but to call it a vote for change is rubbish.
      If you take the winning vote margin for the 2 MP seats lost plus Ohiriu it is about 4000 votes. Then take party vote difference between National getting the 61 seats vs not getting them and it is probably less than 15 -20 k all up ( someone better than me can work out the exact figure). That is not a vote for change in anyone’s language.
      
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      October 27, 2017 3:46pm
      - Shawn Herles
        
        Ross12,
        
        “That is not a vote for change in anyone’s language.”
        
        Yup. I don’t buy this whole vote for change thing. That’s a media creation. It was very close, and NZF could have gone either way. Fair enough as to the fact that we have a legitimate government under the current rules, that’s mmp. But a vote for a change? I don’t think so.
        
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        October 27, 2017 4:21pm
    - treadingthemill
      
      Find any voter, anywhere that says they intentionally voted for Labour & Greens & NZFirst to lead the country and I’ll show you a liar.
      
      Well I’m not lying, I did. I voted for Labour knowing that they would probably need both the Greens and New Zealand First to govern, as the Maori Party vote did not look solid. There is no way I was the only one. The polls showed that Labour would probably need both the other parties to form a government, so there must have been a lot of us who knew that and voted accordingly. Enough to get all three parties together a majority. The vote for an unmodified status quo, which meant National and ACT, was less than the vote for some sort of change.
      
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      October 27, 2017 3:47pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        More rubbish. If NZF went with National, then NZFs policy requirements would have meant change.
        I suspect the Nat leaning NZF supporters liked the idea of NZF forcing some change. So did many Nat supporters probably too.
        Both Lab and Nat needed other parties to form a coalition.
        It.was.obvious.
        
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        October 27, 2017 5:31pm
      - labrator
        
        I voted for Labour knowing that they would probably need both the Greens and New Zealand First to govern
        
        No you voted Labour on the pipedream that they could get into power. You might have accurately predicted (as per the polls) that their only remote possibility to get power was relying on Winston First but that’s not what you voted for.
        
        You voted for Labour to lead the show, but you can’t sensibly say that you wanted the Greens who want horse racing banned, and NZFirst who want to expand the horse racing industry, the Greens who binned their 1% of population policy as “racist” and the party their ex-co-leader called “racist” for their anti-immigrant stance. You can’t say that you wanted the party that calls the northern highway the “holiday highway” and the party that wants to pump billions into moving Auckland’s port up there. You can’t possibly say you voted for the party that tabled the Kermedec Ocean Sanctuary and the one sponsored by Talleys to keep it open season. I could go on and on but those two parties are at such opposite ends of the spectrum that the only way you could say that you wanted them to work together is if you have a split-personality or some sort of brain injury where Pepsi and Coke are the same thing.
        
        NZFirst and the Greens won’t even sit in the same room together and you can honestly say that’s what you wanted? I say you’re lying. You wanted Labour in power and you sold your soul to get it no matter what it cost but it’s not want you wanted. Lets be honest, we have no idea the actual cost but considering the billions splashed in the first few days, it’s going to cost a lot!
        
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        October 27, 2017 8:32pm
- Steve (North Shore)
  
  They are ‘running the Country’ out of money. It has only been 2 days ffs
  
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  October 27, 2017 5:23pm
  - realityczech
    
    They have not even gotten close to the billions National was going to spend on flash roads in Auckland to buy votes.
    
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    October 27, 2017 6:11pm
    - Steve (North Shore)
      
      You drive from Rosedale to Glenfield right? 70 minutes, but on sundays it is 8 minutes
      
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      October 27, 2017 7:01pm
      - realityczech
        
        10 billion dollars an hour is not bad. Good work if you can get it.
        
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        October 27, 2017 8:27pm
  - doggone7
    
    Look on the brightside, the country lasted longer than some said it would.
    
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    October 27, 2017 7:00pm
    - itstricky
      
      LOL
      
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      October 27, 2017 8:17pm
rangitoto

Cows are rebelling:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/10/26/farmer-dead-after-cow-rebels-against-him.html
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October 27, 2017 3:36pm
Fletch

In case you missed it, the Obama Justice Dept has admitted using the IRS to target Tea Party groups, who have now received payouts and an apology.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/10/26/trump-doj-settles-lawsuits-over-tea-party-targeting-by-obama-irs.html?cq_ck=1509026224093

With all we’ve learned this week, it’s looking like the Obama administration was one of the most corrupt ever. The Uranium One thing even eclipses Watergate.
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October 27, 2017 3:47pm
- Ross12
  
  Also Fletch the key thing that happened this week was the DOJ has cleared the ex FBI informant to talk to Congress. His lawyers says he has all the “goods” on the Uranium One deal and the corruption involved. ( I just hope he has very good security)
  
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  October 27, 2017 4:02pm
- realityczech
  
  Obama was the most ignorant and corrupt president in US history. His supporters are disgusting people.
  
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  October 27, 2017 6:09pm
- cha
  
  So, victims of vetting processes.
  
  /
  
  While the audit released Thursday by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration doesn’t discuss the political leanings of the additional groups it identified, the criteria used by the IRS to flag groups based on their names or policy positions included left-leaning organizations and causes like “ACORN Successors,” “Green Energy,” “Medical Marijuana,” and “Progressive.”
  
  They were among 17 additional selection criteria discovered by TIGTA going back as far as 2004. Some of the targeted groups waited up to four years for the IRS to decide whether to grant them tax-exempt status.
  
  https://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/05/audit-irs-scrutiny-liberal-non-profits-243497
  
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  October 28, 2017 12:07am
Manolo

The Kiwi ones only seem to come from the left of the political spectrum:
http://nationalinterest.org/feature/sebastian-kurz-the-rise-the-european-millennial-22918?page=show
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October 27, 2017 4:39pm
Digmen1

I think Jacinda mania will start to fall off pretty quickly once people see the retrogressive polices being enacted.

Unions back
No 90 day trials (less job opportunities)
Huge wage rises for everyone (not just minimum)
Free tertiary education – huge costs and waste
Light rail
Canceling major roads and replace with busways
No benefit sanctions – just break all the rules and we’ll pay you.
A child poverty ministry in New Zealand! where most children are obese
That’s just the start off the top of my head.
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October 27, 2017 4:48pm
- lifesgood
  
  I’m feeling quite sick. I can’t believe NZers actually want this marxist rubbish. God help us because nobody else will.
  
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  October 27, 2017 6:05pm
  - Steve (North Shore)
    
    They want this Marxist shit because the Govt is throwing them free stuff.
    The stupid bastards have no concept of where the Govt gets the money to pay, and they don’t fucking care.
    In 2 days I will now get no TAX breaks – AND there will be no Superannuation increase next year. Fuck, I only turned 65 in Sept and they shit on me already. Remember kiddies, you will pay my pension – and I plan to be around for at least 25 more years
    
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    October 27, 2017 6:43pm
Fletch

Look at this totally shameful behavior. An Israeli wins a gold medal at a competition in Abu Dhabi and they wouldn’t show his flag, play his national anthem or say where he was from. Instead they played the anthem and showed the flag of the International Judo Federation. He had to end up singing his country’s anthem to himself.

https://twitter.com/Yair_Rosenberg/status/923594619534958592/video/1
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October 27, 2017 4:50pm
waikatogirl

The 90 day trial period for new employees has been changed to include:
The employer must inform the employee under the 90 day trial WHY they are not suitable for the position. If the new employee disagrees with the reason given, the ’employee’ can challenge the decision with employment mediation resulting in a $5,000 payout if deemed approriate.

So the no fault 90 day trial period is gone. It is no longer a NO FAULT trial period.

Employers will not be taking the chance on marginal staffing decisions as it’s no longer financially viable to. $5k is apparently not much for those implementing the law change, but most business’ do not have spare money for such needless payouts.
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October 27, 2017 6:20pm
- realityczech
  
  You only have to read KB to see why we need these measures. We can not rely on human decency. Clearly.
  
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  October 27, 2017 6:26pm
- Johnboy
  
  Don’t be silly darling. Every socialist knows that the evil boss keeps $5000 in his back pocket just to cover incidental expenses at the pub or TAB. 🙂
  
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  October 27, 2017 6:27pm
  - realityczech
    
    I don’t think many people on KB will survive the approaching scrutiny of the – glorious peoples revolutionary commission of enquiry into capitalist activities – when the great uprising begins in earnest.
    
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    October 27, 2017 6:41pm
    - Johnboy
      
      I used to have great uprisings but now I’m happy just to get it up enough to grab it and pee in the toilet instead of all over the floor! 🙂
      
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      October 27, 2017 6:46pm
nasska

Labour voters are the reason we have to put directions on shampoo containers.
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October 27, 2017 6:26pm
- Johnboy
  
  I’m having a bit of trouble with those bloody upside down sauce bottles nasska. Any help appreciated! 🙂
  
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  October 27, 2017 6:31pm
  - nasska
    
    A light coating of a water based lubricant should do the trick JB. 🙂
    
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    October 27, 2017 6:34pm
    - Johnboy
      
      Well that’s as may be nasska but which way up do you store them in the fridge after opening?
      If you leave them on the lid end the first squirt is all watery and if you give them a good shaking the first squirt is all spurty. If you use the bottom end everything turns to shit! 🙂
      
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      October 27, 2017 6:44pm
    - stigie
      
      The same stuff that Reddy use to use JB..?
      
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      October 27, 2017 8:43pm
- Gabby
  
  They know ‘rinse and repeat’ is a shonky tory con nassty.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:49pm
softail 1450

I have a family member who is involved with road building ,as of today at 2.15pm the east west motorway from somewhere around mt Wellington out towards the airport is canned because of the labour parties agreement with the fucking greens,so much for progress ,,,,,,
break out the horse and cart or bicycle .
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October 27, 2017 6:28pm
- doggone7
  
  Information about it:
  https://thespinoff.co.nz/auckland/08-04-2017/a-ridiculous-road-to-the-past-the-east-west-connection/
  
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  October 27, 2017 7:29pm
fraze

Has any body worked out once we have a $20 min wage in 3 years whether you are better off with nationals policy (50 cent per year rises so say 17.25 by 2020) with the reduced tax rates, or current tax rates with $20 per hour. How close would it be On say a 40 hour work week?
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October 27, 2017 6:53pm
nasska

The Pope has been talking to astronauts on the International Space Station:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfootPcEKt8

The first time the silly old fool has spoken to something in the sky that actually exists.
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October 27, 2017 7:01pm
Nostradamus

Man who cut off 52yo’s testicle was just trying to help, court hears

In May 2016, Matthews’ then 52-year-old victim attended a Port Macquarie motel room after posting an advertisement on social media requesting assistance with a medical issue. The court heard the victim was seeking a gender reassignment from male to female.

Matthews responded he was “medically trained and had an extensive medical kit and happy to help to assist with your pathway”.

It turns out that “medically trained” and “extensive medical kit” weren’t entirely accurate claims:

Judge Jeffreys said it was clear Matthews offended at the request of the complainant and did not seek or receive any payment or favours. The court heard Matthews had first aid certificates and some vet experience and felt sorry for the victim.
The judge said Matthews was hardworking and a well-respected aircraft engineer and appeared to be genuinely motived to help with the gender reassignment.

Moral of the story: before you let someone chop off your crown jewels, ask to see their medical qualifications, just in case they’re first aid certificates!
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October 27, 2017 7:41pm
JasonJohns

In 1881 Emmanuel de Rodriguez developed superhuman powers, and used them, with the support of the Chilean Army, to win the current war with Bolivia and Peru. Following this he marched on Santiago and took control of Chile itself. As soon as he was firmly installed on the throne, Emmanuel began to eliminate all opposition, and by about 1885, after a few attempts to end his rule, he was in undisputed control of the country, calling himself El Libertador (The Liberator).

No-one outside the Chilean government knows the numbers of native-born Chilean superhumans. In reality all Chilean babies except for those of proles are genetically tested at birth for an active supergene. Those which test positive are removed from their parents and taken into the care of the government. Genetic samples are taken for use in genetic research and the child is then forced to develop its superpowers by exposing it to extremes of stress. This often involves members of the Elite whose tastes run in that direction. As far as anyone is aware no superhumans appear among the proles; in fact what happens is that they tend to killed by the security forces as soon as they exhibit obvious powers, and tissue samples given to the genetic researchers.

Depending on the child’s superpowers they are trained in their use and assigned to some part of the Chilean governmental machine. Those with subtle powers (invisibility, desolidification, shapechanging etc.) are generally employed by the Secret Police for internal security duties. Those with more offensive powers are usually assigned to special military strike teams, often after being ‘augmented’ with cybernetics of various kinds. The first and most prominent internal security superhuman is Poinsettia. She was the first of the ‘new crop’ of superhumans to be discovered by the Chilean government after widespread genetic testing was introduced, and because both she and her parents (ex-Nazis who had fled to Chile after WWIII) were fanatically loyal to El Libertador she willingly went to work for the government.
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October 27, 2017 7:41pm
- realityczech
  
  Has not done them much good JJ
  
  Africans are good athletes and look at the state of the place.
  
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  October 27, 2017 8:17pm
  - JasonJohns
    
    Trying to get in my head RC?
    
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    October 27, 2017 10:18pm
    - realityczech
      
      No but something has by the looks of it.
      
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      October 27, 2017 10:34pm
RF

Mother Teresa is getting right up my arse with her goody two shoes act.

It’s obvious that the MSM have fallen in love with her and will ignore / forgive any stuff ups that she will make.

I am prepared to wait and watch.
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October 27, 2017 8:30pm
Manolo

It had to happen:
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/27/spanish-prime-minister-sacks-catalan-government-after-independence-vote.html

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dissolved the parliament of Catalonia Friday, Reuters reported.

Earlier in the day Catalonia’s parliament voted to establish an independent republic.
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October 28, 2017 7:35am

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