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March 7, 2018 9:58am by David Farrar

General Debate 07 March 2018

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Right of way is Way of Right

I see Winston Peters is being as gracious as ever following the resignation of Stephen Joyce. Winnie must be running out of tinfoil for hats!
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March 7, 2018 10:01am
- KiWombat
  
  Somewhere I have a signed photo of National MP’s – including WeeWinnie – from one of the terms he served as a National MP.
  
  He was “Wynston” back then – don’t know why he changed it !
  
  How the tide changes – now he bites the hand that feeds him !
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:14am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    The man is a complete arsehole, and the idiots who voted for him are in the same category.
    
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    March 7, 2018 10:19am
    - VicParking
      
      Yes sir captain sir. Although misguided not arseholes. I reserve that for Robbo.
      
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      March 7, 2018 10:22am
    - graphite
      
      I voted for Peters in the 2015 by-election and that result is the most pleasing of any election I’ve been involved in . . . and I cast my first vote in 1966, so I’ve ticked a few boxes.
      In that by-election, National ran the most inept campaign it’s been my misfortune to watch — highlighted by ridiculous photo-ops of Key, Joyce and other luminaries banging in billboard supports, pork-barrel politics focusing on one-way bridges, and a complete refusal to discuss changes to the Snapper 1 Fishery. Those and other mis-steps were all topped by the worst candidate, in my experience, ever presented to a constituency. This waste of space, whose name I forget (if it ever did register), made Gerry Brownlee look like Twiggy’s twin brother and had the command of language about on a par with a lisping Trappist monk. He’d obviously been told to keep his cakehole shut and let the grown-ups do the talking . . . so he trailled along behind Key and co like a dog on a string, nodding at the appropriate moments when the big guys spoke and never once allowing the stupid grin on his dial to fade.
      And I’m an arsehole and an idiot because I wouldn’t vote for this nonentity, this yesman, this cipher?
      Just for a change, try thinking when puzzling why people cast their votes in a different direction than you deem sensible.
      
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      March 7, 2018 12:43pm
      - Gravelroad
        
        I am not particularly impressed by the National Party candidate/MP in my electorate either- in fact I thought long and hard about giving them my vote last year.
        But, you’ve got to look at the bigger picture.
        I tried to keep personalities, appearances etc out of the equation and voted for the candidate and party, who in the end, would most competently represent the interests of the constituents in my area and the country as a whole.
        Voting for Peters in that by-election allowed the then National Government to renege on its promise to repeal sections of the RMA. I don’t think that was in the best interests of NZ – as the would-be house builders and tree planters are now finding out.
        
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        March 7, 2018 1:07pm
      - ztev
        
        National hasnt stopped tinkering with the RMA through its entire 9 years. They knew it was an ongoing basis, and a good way to keep milking party donors each election.
        
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        March 7, 2018 1:56pm
      - graphite
        
        “But, you’ve got to look at the bigger picture.”
        ++++
        I did look at the bigger picture, Gravel, and the bigger picture was that National had held Northland with a massive majority since forever and had subsequently treated the place with contempt.
        Under MMP, you vote for the candidate who will best represent your electorate in Parliament and give your party vote to whomever you want to form the government. That’s the theory, anyway.
        That by-election would have been the first time, apart from the annual Waitangi Day nonsense, that more than two ministers had been in the area at the same time. And if they are treating me and my fellow Northlanders with contempt, I’d be some sort of doormat to endorse their behaviour with my vote.
        As Peters turned National’s 2014 margin of 9000 into a 4000 deficit, you’d have to imagine that plenty of my fellow voters felt the same way. Unless, of course, as Capt Mainwaring believes, twin epidemics of idiocy and arseholery broke out in the region — 6500 cases in all, apparently.
        
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        March 7, 2018 3:00pm
      - KiWombat
        
        “And I’m an arsehole and an idiot because I wouldn’t vote for this nonentity, this yesman, this cipher”
        
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        March 7, 2018 3:13pm
      - VicParking
        
        Graphite so its all your fault. Not a very sharp pencil were you
        
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        March 7, 2018 4:19pm
      - KiWombat
        
        “And I’m an arsehole and an idiot because I wouldn’t vote for this nonentity, this yesman, this cipher?”
        
        “And I’m an arsehole and an idiot because I wouldn’t vote for this nonentity, this yesman, this cipher?”
        
        “And I’m an arsehole and an idiot because I wouldn’t vote for this nonentity, this yesman, this cipher?”
        
        We rarely see such auto-acknowledgement graphite, thought it worth repeating for you !
        
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        March 7, 2018 9:33pm
    - rightoverlabour
      
      You are far too kind. An alliteration on the letter C is more apt for our Pol Pot Peters. I can forgive misguided voters. Duplitiocious lying is unforgivable.
      
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      March 7, 2018 7:06pm
  - peterwn
    
    Before he went off the rails, Winston was being touted as a future National Prime Minister. Perhaps it is as well he went off the rails and got kicked out of National’s caucus. If he was more patient and restrained he could have been National PM for a reasonable term, knighthood, honour of first Maori PM (AFAIK) and gained a positive place in NZ history. Instead he seems a bitter old man as these achievements have not come to pass.
    
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    March 7, 2018 12:03pm
    - ztev
      
      Bill English moved the motion to kick him out of caucus did he not?
      And yet look who will be acting PM this year and who will be looking over job offers ?
      
      Just a stroke of luck mean English had a short stint at the top when Key unexpectedly dipped out early
      
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      March 7, 2018 1:59pm
      - peterwn
        
        If it was not Bill, it would have been someone else who would have moved that sooner or later. His attitudes and behaviour were becoming unacceptable.
        
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        March 7, 2018 2:09pm
      - Swifty
        
        English will always have ‘Prime Minister of NZ’ on his resume. Winston never will.
        
        Bill can also now go on to his next fruitful career.
        
        All Winston is headed for is the knacker’s yard.
        
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        March 7, 2018 2:10pm
- niggly
  
  Nobody does bitter, better, than Winston Raymond Peters!
  
  Joyce was obviously quite effective to get under Winnie’s skin! Silly Winston!
  
  Anyway trouble ahead for Winston First, I hear on Morning Report the Greens will release their MP’s diaries (to be transparent eg with lobbyists etc).
  
  Expect Winston First will dig his heals in when the MSM start asking why aren’t they supportive of being more open and transparent too!
  
  Fractions, fractions, fractions!
  
  Righty-ho, off to the races now after my feed of scampi!
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:41am
  - Right of way is Way of Right
    
    Why is Winston Peters is like a charter school under a Labour Government?
    
    They’re both completely classless!
    
    (Badum-tish, grabs hat and coat “Thank you, I’m here all week, try the fish!”)
    
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    March 7, 2018 12:02pm
- Viking2
  
  Watch the space.
  
  Whiny has just appointed a new whatever diplomat to Tonga. Before the lady with the big laughing gear arrived or knew.
  
  The PM of tonga and the Chief wallawalla were away in China.
  Lady WITH THE BIG LAUGHING GEAR WILL NOT BE IMPRESSED.
  
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  March 7, 2018 12:37pm
  - VicParking
    
    Nobody at home. Photo shows her shaking hands with he guy who pushed the steps up to the plane
    
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    March 7, 2018 4:23pm
    - GoVege
      
      You used to be funny, Viking.
      Now you’re being catty.
      
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      March 7, 2018 10:50pm
- Ace
  
  I wish someone would throw a bloody dildo at Winston.
  
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  March 7, 2018 4:27pm
EAD_TWO

These past few days have been a classic case study of the shrill MSM hysteria as they “slam” Trump for increasing Tariffs on imported goods.

In case you didn’t know, tariffs made up 95% of the US government’s revenue until 1913 which is of course the year Congress created the Federal Reserve, at which point they switched to gaining money through taxing people’s labour.

http://investmentwatchblog.com/in-case-you-didnt-know-tariffs-made-up-95-of-the-us-governments-revenue-until-1913-at-which-point-they-switched-to-gaining-money-through-taxing-you-its-no-coincidence-that-this/

I wonder why the MSM and the lackey Economists don’t want you to know about that? ????
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March 7, 2018 10:02am
- dave_c_
  
  Because the MSM know that it was 1913 when the Federal Reserve was created. That changed things from a successful paradigm, to one that only benefitted the bankers and the elites.
  If the mainstream population understood this, things might have been different for those elites
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:09am
- stephieboy
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  EAD TWO, the world has changed a great deal since 1913 .
  
  Or haven’t you noticed ?
  
  Taxation as revenue gatherer has been with us from time immemorial as this Gospel writer reminds us ,
  
  “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.”
  
  Luke 2: 1
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:09am
  - Harkman
    
    There are other parts of the Bible that refute this and view Roman taxation as bad.
    
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    March 7, 2018 10:22am
  - dave_c_
    
    Stephie boy, you have absolutely no idea do you. There is STILL No Law in the US requiring the payment of income tax (by wage and salary earners) – this was a consequence of the 1913 change, and one of the biggest forms of scam fomented against the population, ever.
    Income tax is only required to be paid on gains made by business enterprises (in terms of profits etc)
    
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    March 7, 2018 10:24am
    - Ed Snack
      
      And companies don’t actually pay taxes, only people do. So the profits are a proxy for the owners incomes; but the taxes also impact customers and staff.
      
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      March 7, 2018 11:14am
      - stephieboy
        
        What we might call taxes that are not taxes ?
        
        Get off the grass . How does the US pay e.g for its military expenditure ?
        
        Voluntary donations ? Tax right offs !
        
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        March 7, 2018 12:51pm
    - ztev
      
      Its you that has no idea:
      The United States Constitution, Article 1,
      Section 8, Clause 1, states,
      “The Congress shall have the Power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States.“
      
      Taxes ?..hmmmm and if that was specific enough
      
      The Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution,
      ratified on February 3, 1913, states,
      “The Congress shall have the power to lay and
      collect taxes on income, from whatever source
      derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.”
      
      Taxes on income ….hmmmm
      
      All the Details are covered by laws passed by Congress, as allowed by the Constitution, generally known as ‘Title 26 US Code.
      
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      March 7, 2018 1:41pm
      - Johnboy
        
        Wonderful research ztev! What a shame no one reads it or even gives a shit but keep up the good work old chap! 🙂
        
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        March 7, 2018 1:45pm
      - ztev
        
        hardly research ? The US IRS has a whole page devoted to tax myths, I just Ctrl C and CTRL V
        
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        March 7, 2018 2:02pm
- SPC
  
  You must know that it was the emergence of income tax (also 1913) that reduced the proportion of other revenues as a proportion of government receipts.
  
  Just as GST here, reduced the proportion of government receipts from income tax.
  
  With newly applied tariffs come initial inflation and then higher cost. Those losing markets as a result lay off workers, the nation then is less able to buy – thus the global market will contract.
  
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  March 7, 2018 7:43pm
stigie

Was just thinking how we have enjoyed low vehicle registration thanks to National, i remember it being $308 under the last Labour government.
This is now an area where the tax working group lead by Micheal (Rich Prick) Cullen can shaft the public once again to try and cover up Sweet Cheeks 11.7 billion dollar hole ( or is it more )..?
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March 7, 2018 10:02am
- KiWombat
  
  Suspect you may be right stigie, he’ll be looking at every avenue possible.
  
  Of course many will claim ignorance and just not bother paying rego at all until they get caught !
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:21am
  - fernglas
    
    By the time they eliminate the family home, the land on which it sits and Kiwisaver there will be nothing left to tax. If we have to have a wealth or capital gains tax, let it be across the board, as with GST. That’s the only way to be fair. Otherwise, money will flood into family homes, driving up prices and still further distorting the market.
    
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    March 7, 2018 10:54am
- ztev
  
  Most of the ‘registration’ actually covers the ACC levies.
  By about 2015 we had ended the dual levies system where we moved from pay as you go to pay and invest for future claims.
  We now have the income for ACC vehicles claims structured differently, part is from fuel tax to account for high mileage drivers and now vehicles themselves are rated, so some pay the minimum while other cars pay much more.
  
  No magic old frog, just watch the magicians sleeves
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:47pm
Captain Mainwaring

Christie Marceau, an 18 year old with her whole life ahead of her, was tragically murdered by a mentally ill misfit who was out on bail after trying to kill her about a month previously. He was bailed to an address within a 10 minute walk of her house, and his relatives at the house to which he was bailed didn’t have much idea about what was going on.
A result of this was ‘Christie’s Law’ a proposed tightening of the bail laws, set in motion under the previous Government as a result of a petition started by Christie’s mother.
Today we see the new Minister of Justice, one ugly, newly- bearded idiot by the name of Angry Andy, suggesting that the provisions contained within ‘Christie’s Law’ might have to be relaxed somewhat because it’s going to put too much pressure on the jails.
OK Angry, when the next Christie happens, are you going to be happy to be charged with accessory after the fact?
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March 7, 2018 10:02am
- G152
  
  Why wasn’t the ‘bailing’ judge prosecuted as abetting the murder?
  And as for angry andy doing a lag I feel he’d not go down well
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:07am
  - backster
    
    And why did it take a coroner 7years to come up with a waffling conclusion that it was everyone but the Judge who contributed to this appalling decision.
    There were matters covered up (suppressed ) concerning the recent Duckmanton killing by an illegal alien. One can only speculate if that also concerned bail.
    
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    March 7, 2018 11:42am
    - fernglas
      
      The Coroner specifically, and correctly, said that she could not, as part of a Coronial finding, pass any judgment on the exercise of a discretion by a District Court Judge on bail. That could only have come from a higher court on review. There seems to have been a certain amount of confusion by a number of people, including the media, into whether this was some sort of commission of inquiry, which it was not.
      
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      March 7, 2018 12:15pm
  - peterwn
    
    Judges have immunity against prosecutions and lawsuits arising out of their duties (corruption etc would be an exception). The correct way to challenge a judge’s decision is through an appeal, but there would be a high legal threshold to successfully appeal against a DCJ’s decision to grant bail. Alternatively a complaint could be made to the Judicial Conduct Commissioner but this would apply to peripheral matters (whether a judge should recuse him/herself, unfairly criticising a victim or witness etc) rather than the actual decision. Perhaps a judge who made a string of nonsensical bail decisions could be called to account.
    
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    March 7, 2018 12:17pm
    - ztev
      
      Coral Shaw ?
      
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      March 7, 2018 1:50pm
    - Chuck Bird
      
      Peter, you are right about the legality of this judge’s grossly negligent decision. However, do you think this is acceptable – I don’t?
      
      If the judge knew he could be held to account for gross negligence do you think he would have granted the kidnapper bail?
      
      I do not think the justice system would fall apart if judges could be held to account for gross negligence.
      
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      March 7, 2018 1:51pm
      - rangitoto
        
        Forget negligence. Just change the law so that the judge is personaly liable for any crimes committed by the person bailed and ditto for parole boards with respect to parole. that will sharpen up their thinking.
        
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        March 7, 2018 4:10pm
      - peterwn
        
        A greater value would be placed on judicial independence than an ability to hold a judge to account through mechanisms other than the appeal procedure.
        Anyway this is becoming moot as Andy plans to relax bail laws.
        
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        March 7, 2018 5:25pm
      - Chuck Bird
        
        rangitoto, thank would not be reasonable. Bail must be allowed. However, judges must use common sense.
        
        This judge and others have been responsible for victims deaths. There have been 23 people killed in a 5 year period by people on bail.
        
        I would not want to see every man denied bail for minor domestic violence or breach of a protection order. However, in cases of gross negligence judges should be held to account like doctors are.
        
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        March 7, 2018 7:48pm
      - Kimbo
        
        …great, Chuck. Now just to clarify, “the wisdom of hindsight” does not count as “common sense”, just as the inability to exercise clairvoyance is neither “negligence”, either “gross” or otherwise, much less a failure for which a judge is “responsible”. ?
        
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        March 7, 2018 7:56pm
      - Chuck Bird
        
        Kimbo, I have trouble understanding the point you are trying to make. Are you trying to say the judge was not grossly negligent in granting bail to the killer?
        
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        March 7, 2018 8:29pm
      - Kimbo
        
        Not when he had no way of knowing he was going to kill, and there wasn’t necessarily a reasonable indication he would do so. When it comes to human behaviour, much less potentially criminal, there are no guarantees.
        
        So, based on the information available to the judge at the time, and the likely shortage of spaces in remand, why do you think he was grossly negligent?
        
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        March 7, 2018 8:42pm
      - Chuck Bird
        
        Akshay Chand and Christie Marceau had first met each other while attending Williow Park Primary School in the North Shore suburb of Hillcrest where they both lived.[4] After they both left Willow Park at the end of 2003, the two remained out of contact with each other until September 2010, when they met again while working at the same North Shore supermarket. In the following year, Chand and Marceau became friends, but the relationship was largely characterised by the naturally kind and generous Marceau providing emotional support for Chand.[8] By the end of August 2011, Chand was no longer working at the supermarket and was unemployed.[4]
        
        On the morning of 6 September 2011, Marceau received a phone call from Chand, demanding that she come over to his house or he would kill himself. Concerned about Chand’s well-being and fearing the worst, Marceau subsequently went to Chand’s house nearby. Once she arrived, she was greeted by Chand and invited into the living room, while Chand locked the door behind her.[9][10]
        
        Sitting in the living room opposite Marceau, Chand began to talk about personal issues, before becoming agitated. At this point, he pulled a 20 cm long kitchen knife from his waistband and demanded Marceau’s mobile phone. Forcefully taking her phone, he subsequently told her “If you don’t obey me, I will knife you. If you scream, I will knife you. If you try to escape, I will knife you.”[9] He then demanded her to take her clothes off, which after further threats of violence, Marceau complied and subsequently stripped down to her underwear.[10]
        
        Chand then confessed that he had intended to rape her, but had changed his mind and handed Marceau back her clothing and mobile phone, and allowed her to get dressed. As she was about to leave, Chand threatened that he would kill himself by swallowing crushed tablets (which were later revealed to be vitamin tablets), and while still terrified, Marceau attempted to dissuade Chand from attempting suicide. Marceau subsequently returned home, and after telling a family member, was taken to a local police station to report the incident.
        
        This is the first quote from Wikipedia
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Christie_Marceau
        
        Chand was arrested by Police later on 6 September. In a statement to Police, he admitted detaining Marceau against her will, threatening her with a knife with the intention of raping her and threatening to stab her. He was subsequently charged by Police on three charges: kidnapping, threatening to cause grievous bodily harm, and assault with intent to sexually violate.[12] Chand first appeared in court the following day, and was remanded in custody. On 9 September, his application for bail was declined.[9] Following the decision to decline bail, Chand wrote to the court, expressing deep remorse for what he had done and wanted to make amends.[5][13]
        
        On 5 October, a hearing on Chand’s second application for bail was heard at the North Shore District Court before Judge David McNaughton. The Police filed their opposition, fearing tampering with witnesses (namely Marceau and her mother), and the mention during the police interview on 6 September that the attack was “revenge” against Marceau for not helping him. A letter from Marceau herself expressed concern for her own safety, noting that the house where Chand, his mother and aunt lived and was to bailed to was only 300 metres from her own home, and the fear that he could attack her again going about her daily routine.[5][14]
        
        Despite the opposition, Judge McNaughton allowed bail on strict condition. Chand was bailed to his mother’s house with a 24-hour curfew, with him not being allowed to leave the house except for medical or legal appointments, and only accompanied by a designated person.[5]
        
        With his admissions to the police and the high likelihood, he would be convicted of very serious crimes the judge was grossly negligent of granting him bail full stop and if that was not enough to grant him bail 300 metres from his victim’s house. It did not matter if he was mad or bad of a combination of both.
        
        I say there was a very high likelihood he would harm the victim.
        
        I knew the judge a little when he was a lawyer. I do not think he was a stupid person or a bad person. I say he made a very serious error of judgment that I would class as gross negligence. I say he should be held accountable by an independent body just as a doctor is for a wrong diagnosis.
        
        It is hard to argue with Peterwn. He thinks a greater value would be placed on judicial independence than an ability to hold a judge to account through mechanisms other than the appeal procedure.
        
        I think judicial accountability trumps judicial independence.
        
        Do you think the judge in this case is blameless?
        
        I would be interested in what others think on this issue without bringing personalities into the argument.
        
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        March 7, 2018 9:15pm
      - Kimbo
        
        The judge placed strict conditions on Chand, and given the circumstances, the fact it was his first encounter with the law – albeit a serious one – and he was placed with family who should have done their part, And without the benefit of hindsight, no I don’t think he was wrong, much less responsible. As with the awful death of Blessie Gotingco (and that was worse, as there was more of a criminal history in that case, although I seem to recall Corrections couldn’t keep her murderer, Tony Robertson in prison for ever), there are no guarantees. Is a sad fact of life whenever you have to balance public safety with the fact that remand should be the exception, not the rule. Or at least the way we fund remand facilities determines that must b so. And rightly to, due to “innocent until proven guilty”.
        
        Unless you can prove gross negligence in the process that led to the granting of bail, and irrespective of what you know happened less, then no, neither a judge nor a parole board is not responsible. Is SST moonshine to keep people donating them money. The person who commits the crime is…
        
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        March 7, 2018 9:30pm
      - Chuck Bird
        
        Is a sad fact of life whenever you have to balance public safety with the fact that remand should be the exception, not the rule. Or at least the way we fund remand facilities determines that must b so. And rightly to, due to “innocent until proven guilty”.
        
        Kimbo, I doubt if you could get one National MP to agree with you.
        
        Why do you not vote Labour?
        
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        March 7, 2018 9:45pm
      - Kimbo
        
        No, and I think you will find that the murders of both Christie Marceau and Blessie Gotingco took place while a National government was in power, and they did indeed seek to balance those competing, sometimes conflicting priorities.
        
        I also think you will find that reducing prison numbers was indeed a National Party position while they were last in power too, including Judith Collins who placed a large store on improving rehabilitation resources when she was Corrections Minister. Indeed, it is a laudable goal to reduce imprisonment numbers. The real issue is how.
        
        With that in mind I have some grave doubts about Little’s plans, but let’s see what the details are. I have little doubt National and Simon Bridges in particular will be looking to differentiate themselves. And at least he has credibility in the matter.
        
        Laura Norder is always a hot button issue, and one Opposition parties, or pressure groups like the SST use to hammer governments. Is also a useful means with which to motivate gullible floating voters. And as with promises to abolish Maori seats, or re-enter the Pike River Mine, some are more gullible than others.
        
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        March 7, 2018 9:57pm
      - GoVege
        
        Very true,Chuck.
        Two judges were brutally persecuted for a mistake over expenses some years ago, yet we do nothing about gross negligence by judges endangering and ending the lives of innocent victims like Christie Marceau.
        It was totally negligent to expect Chand’s family to keep him on the property 24/7.
        The judge was already warned by the victim and the police but ignored them.
        How much worse can it get?
        
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        March 7, 2018 10:19pm
    - rightoverlabour
      
      Are bullets out? Works well in Italy.
      
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      March 7, 2018 7:12pm
  - Jack5
    
    What about the murderer?
    
    He’s skulking in a psychiatric unit though not everyone seems to be sure he is mentally ill.
    
    Will this scumbag when he walks out of it be conviction free and immune from being deported?
    
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    March 7, 2018 3:21pm
    - Jack5
      
      This is part of what Dr Ajay Makal, the GP of Akshay Chand (the murderer), said about his examination of Makal after Makal was released on bail:
      
      “I did not identify any signs or symptoms of psychosis in my assessments of, or my interactions with Mr Chand nor was there anything in the mental health assessments conducted while Mr Chand was in custody that concerned me regarding his mental health status.”
      
      Forensic psychiatrist Ian Goodwin described Chand as “extraordinarily deceptive”. Goodwin said Chand deceived a number of psychiatrists and other assessors through the entire process, following the murder.
      
      He regarded Chand as a psychopath. This state is not a mental illness.
      
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      March 7, 2018 3:39pm
      - Chuck Bird
        
        Jack, the judge did not have to take any notice of doctors reports. He just had to look what he was accused of and the likelihood of the accusation being true.
        
        I met the judge when he was a lawyer and do not think he was or is a bad person but I say he was grossly negligent and this sort of thing should be investigated. Everyone should be held to account including judges.
        
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        March 7, 2018 7:55pm
    - Chuck Bird
      
      Jack, unfortunately, he is an NZ citizen.
      
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      March 7, 2018 9:30pm
- Right of way is Way of Right
  
  I knew Christie’s father many moons ago. this murder happened within sight of where I lived at the time. My son knew Christie. This still saddens me that so many people failed to realise that the bail laws existed for the safety of Christie, not the protection of the rights of the man who killed her! Andrew Little would do well to remember that!
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:10am
  - Keeping Stock
    
    This still saddens me that so many people failed to realise that the bail laws existed for the safety of Christie, not the protection of the rights of the man who killed her! Andrew Little would do well to remember that!
    
    I could not agree more. Unfortunately, Labour has come to power with Kelvin Davis going in to bat for New Zealanders being held in detention for serious crimes committed in another country, and Andrew Little now wanting less people in jail, regardless of the effect that has on the safety of everyday New Zealanders, such as the late Christie Marceau.
    
    I see Simon Bridges has today appointed Amy Adams to National’s Finance spokeswoman role, which frees up the shadow Justice portfolio. If Andrew Little is going to put the rights of criminals ahead of those of the law-abiding populus, who better than Judith Collins to oppose Little, in the interim, at least?
    
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    March 7, 2018 12:16pm
    - ztev
      
      Little has to speak to his constituency in the labour party – or virtue signal as you would say.
      
      Any changes to bail laws still have to be passed by parliament and arent in any coalition agreement with NZF- Greens and Labour alone dont have enough votes to pass it- so unlikely to even come up.
      
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      March 7, 2018 1:53pm
- DigNap15
  
  Just yesterday there was an armed robbery of a service station in Hamilton committed by a guy out on bail
  
  36 1
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  March 7, 2018 10:29am
  - fernglas
    
    I’d be interested in people’s suggestions as to how the current bail laws could be improved to make the community safer from offending on bail.
    
    8 1
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    March 7, 2018 12:16pm
    - Chuck Bird
      
      One way as I said above is to be able to hold judges to account for gross negligence.
      
      In the case of Christie Marceau I do not accept the argument that is is easy to wise in hindsight.
      
      Akshay Chand kidnapped her at knifepoint and forced her to undress. His admitted he had considered raping her and decided against it. The police opposed bail. Christie wrote to the judge. What could Judge David McNaughton been thinking?
      
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      March 7, 2018 2:02pm
- GoVege
  
  Do you have to spoil a reasonable post by getting naaasty?
  
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  March 7, 2018 12:59pm
Shaun the Sheep

Such is the depth of the drunken dwarf’s bitterness, I’m concluding that he did not choose to annoint Labour but National told him to FO.
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March 7, 2018 10:05am
- Right of way is Way of Right
  
  Well, it’s a good way to play the long game, associate Winnie with the coalition of the losers, consign NZ First to irrelevance, and scoop up the disenfranchised voters who certainly didn’t vote for a Labour led coalition.
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:07am
  - Shaun the Sheep
    
    If part one of your statement was a strategic move, they’d better get moving on part two.
    
    16 1
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    March 7, 2018 10:17am
    - KiWombat
      
      He will walk shaun. He is very good at numbers, and how much he can stuff into his back pocket – always has been.
      
      This time next year his Parliamentary pension will be based on previous 12 months earnings, so that will include a base of DPM salary and a proportion of Acting PM salary. Will never get any better than that, so he will take the bucks and run.
      
      Along with that is the golden handshake he is entitled to (as he was in Parliament pre 1993) so he’ll end up with millions more of our money.
      
      Not bad for Parliament’s biggest loser !
      
      He’ll be able to buy a couple of Cindy bungalows and still have lots of spare change !
      
      24 1
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      March 7, 2018 10:28am
      - RF
        
        I predict he will not enjoy his wealth as Father Time will have other plans….
        
        16 1
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        March 7, 2018 10:33am
      - KiWombat
        
        Another few cases of Scotch will help ease the pain !
        
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        March 7, 2018 10:45am
      - Keeping Stock
        
        I’m sure he can arrange a diplomatic mission to the highlands of Scotland, especially the Speyside region, before his tenure as Foreign Minister ends. That way he could stock up for retirement direct from the distillery door 😀
        
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        March 7, 2018 12:19pm
      - KiWombat
        
        KS Some of those fine establishments permit you to remove as much free product as you are able to carry. Only proviso being – you have to carry it inside !
        
        It would be possible to develop a diary visiting 30 or so such establishments on a rolling basis – should suit him down to a tee !
        
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        March 7, 2018 3:28pm
  - RF
    
    Hopefully gone by Xmas…….
    
    An ugly old coot who mumbles.
    
    11 1
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    March 7, 2018 11:38am
Manolo

Fake-news CNN plumbs new depths:
https://news.grabien.com/story-cnn-travels-thailand-speak-prostitute-who-claims-have-dirt-t
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March 7, 2018 10:07am
- G152
  
  Strange how its always Trump did this from the fake news.
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:10am
- stephieboy
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Manolo I would have thought Anastasia Vashukevich as a self described sex coach would have real common ground with he US President .
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:22am
  - VicParking
    
    Morning Stephie, what bridge did you crawl out from under this morning. ??
    
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    March 7, 2018 10:33am
  - Don the Kiwi
    
    To think that just a few days ago, we thought we detected a hint of change in stupidboy’s commenting style. He gave a sensible and reasoned response to another comment.
    But alas, disappointment comes with another partisan, stupid, barely understandable comment. I suppose the plus side is, that there is no inane question there , followed by a pointless LOL.
    
    Hope springs eternal.
    
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    March 7, 2018 11:07am
    - VicParking
      
      He must of been having a Sleep in with his Fav goat and another Troll was allocated by the Labour proletariat to run the Stephie login
      
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      March 7, 2018 5:21pm
  - freethinker
    
    Talking about Clinton I assume?
    
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    March 7, 2018 12:28pm
- RF
  
  This is what Fat Tony from the Labour Party tried. A trip to Aussie to dig up dirt on JK.
  
  Low life bastard.
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:30am
  - Happychappy
    
    RF: And his partner in crime Pete Hodgson and they say dirty politics was a National specialty.
    
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    March 7, 2018 11:57am
    - RF
      
      Ah… skull Hodgson from Dunedin.
      
      An evil POS who is now involved in the plans to build a new hospital in Dunedin.
      
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      March 7, 2018 2:06pm
holysheet

Go Trump
Stand up to despots bullies and dicktakers and suddenly they want to talk to you. North Korea has finally said they will talk with the USA.
Can you imagine this happening under that useless black man Obuma?
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March 7, 2018 10:13am
- stephieboy
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  holysheet , I think the truth is North Korea’s proxy China has put in a hard word .
  
  And there is a long . long way to go .
  
  The former President lay solid foundation to bring this to fruition
  
  I take it that the colour of the Korean leaders skin is as important as the former President ’s ?
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:18am
  - DigNap15
    
    No it was Trump’s tough sanctions and the fact that he kept ratcheting them up (along with the UN) and the fact that quietly he told China that they have to help.
    Obama did NOTHING!
    
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    March 7, 2018 10:31am
    - waikatogirl
      
      And Trump sending the US Navy to patrol in numbers off the coast in a show of USA military strength. Some accused Trump of bully-boy tactics, but his one-up-manship with Fat Boy has had positive effects. Perhaps these talks will even result in a better life for all those starving North Koreans…
      
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      March 7, 2018 11:31am
      - stephieboy
        
        The President has just thanked China for their role in bring its satellite to heal
        
        Kim Jong un will no doubt be dismantling its Nuclear program only if the US gets out of the region .
        
        That wont happen !
        
        Back to square one .
        
        Mark my words !
        
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        March 7, 2018 12:57pm
      - Kiwi Dave
        
        Mark my words !
        
        As you wish.
        
        Sentence one
        ‘…thanked China for their role… its satellite…’ Use either a singular or plural possessive pronoun for China, but not both.
        ‘…in bring…’ You can’t use a bare infinitive here; after that preposition you need a verbal noun/present participle, ‘bringing’.
        ‘heal’ is the wrong homophone; try ‘heel’.
        Where is the full stop?
        
        Sentence two
        Capital letter needed for ‘un’ – it’s part of his name.
        There is no antecedent for ‘its’.
        Why have you used a capital letter for a common noun? Write ‘nuclear’.
        Why is there a space in front of the full stop?
        Kimbo might question your use of ‘no doubt’, but you are probably being ironic. Still, the use of an unequivocal adverb here, followed by a qualified conditional, ‘only if’, seems awkward and confusing to me.
        
        Sentence three
        An apostrophe is needed; write ‘won’t’.
        Why is there a space before the exclamation mark?
        Does ‘That’ refer to the entire previous sentence, or just the second clause?
        
        Sentence four
        Apart from the unnecessary space before the full stop, well done! (Some pedants might object to this sentence because it lacks a verb, but I’m not one of them.)
        
        Apart from some free, private tuition to some friends’ ESL children, I haven’t taught English since 2012, and the ten years before that were overseas, so I don’t know what would be an appropriate mark these days in NCEA, but back in the day I would have been a bit concerned if you were one of my senior students. However, if you’re writing on a mobile phone then, IMO, typographical errors are inevitable.
        
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        March 7, 2018 5:26pm
  - Ross12
    
    Al Gore doesn’t agree with you stephieboy and I don’t think he is a fan of Trump.
    
    “I think it’s only fair to point out he inherited this crisis,” Gore told Newsweek on Friday. “The previous three presidents were not able to find an adequate solution, so he can’t be blamed for all of this.”
    
    http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/346239-al-gore-trump-cant-be-blamed-for-tension-with-north-korea
    
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    March 7, 2018 10:32am
  - Justitia
    
    Nonsense Stephieboy, absolutely nothing to do with Obama. The Chinese are really worried Trump will follow up on his threat to strike North Korea, unlike the spineless Obama (remember his “line in the sand” on chemical weapons in Syria). They have given their North Korean client state a tug on the leash because they are afraid they are not yet in a position to foot it militarily with the US. Meanwhile their build up in the South China Sea continues as Xi Jinping becomes dictator for life and plays the long game.
    
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    March 7, 2018 10:35am
  - All_on_Red
    
    Ah Stephiebile makes his first stupid comment of the day.
    Won’t be the last.
    Fascinating watching his defence of Hitler on last nights thread.
    Say, he wouldn’t be Alt Right would he.
    
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    March 7, 2018 10:52am
    - Justitia
      
      Hitler was a socialist, as were Mussolini, Stalin, Chairman Mao and Pol Pot. It is no coincidence the leader of the British Fascist movement, Moseley, served in a Labour government. The Nazis invented the “peoples’ car” and sucked up unemployment with massive construction schemes like the autobahns. They were also the original left-wing identity politicians. This involved the pre-eminence of the German Volk and the Aryan race from which they argued it sprang.
      
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      March 7, 2018 11:04am
      - All_on_Red
        
        Tell that to Stephie.
        He uses the Alt Right tag as a way to smear people as Nazis.
        
        10 1
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        March 7, 2018 11:25am
      - UrbanNeocolonialist
        
        Yep, the philosopher at foundation of fascism was mostly just correcting what he saw as a few errors in Marx’s theories:
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Gentile
        
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        March 7, 2018 12:43pm
      - stephieboy
        
        Hitler a socialist ? Only in name only . An expedient term to gain the working class vote .Thence in 1934 he destroyed the left faction with his party !
        Then sought favour and support of Industrialists to rearm
        
        Fact !
        
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        March 7, 2018 1:04pm
    - stephieboy
      
      All on Wed , comprehension problems ?
      
      Where did I exactly say I supported Hitler ?
      
      It’s not so much about agreeing but understanding the world .
      
      You’re hopelessly incapable of doing neither !
      
      And a serial fibber ot boot !
      
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      March 7, 2018 1:01pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        You’re a racist too Stephie.
        You actually forget all the crap you write don’t you.
        Sad.
        
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        March 7, 2018 2:24pm
- Ross12
  
  Even Al Gore is reported as saying President Trump was given ” a hospital pass” ( or some similar expression) with regards to the North Korean situation, holysheet.
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:20am
- 4077th
  
  I’d agree normally but having seen 3 generations of this family of loons from NK my senses tell me this is nothing more than some kind of political posturing..to what end..who knows? Perhaps the destructions of some aluminium tubes, the confiscation of some weapons grade uranium and a hollow promise to shut down the program all the while allowing him even more time to spend with Iranian nuclear scientists behind closed doors? Nothing that comes out of that deranged fool Kim’s fat cake hole has any truth or value.
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:26am
- Scott
  
  Yes it’s called peace through strength. Obama was so weak on foreign policy that it actually made conflict more likely because people thought they could kick the United States around and they would do nothing to retaliate.
  Now Trump is actually doing something about North Korea and projecting strength then North Korea is having to come to the bargaining table.
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:02am
  - 4077th
    
    You accept the word of a man who killed his own brother and countless other relations for merely thinking about disagreeing with him? People have short memories when it comes the the ideology of “peace talks”.
    
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    March 7, 2018 11:08am
  - stephieboy
    
    Scott , bollox!
    
    Just now the President acknowledged a deep debt to China
    
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    March 7, 2018 1:06pm
    - Shaun the Sheep
      
      Diplomatic speak for “About bloody time”
      
      Refer to Justitia’s comment at 10.35am
      
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      March 7, 2018 1:27pm
- Scott
  
  Also Trump is winning with regard to immigration. Finally we have a fair-minded court that ruled that Daca has to end. And although the judge makes his personal opinion is clear he realises that on the law Trump is correct.
  When we see so many overreaching judges it is good that we have one judge that actually rules on the merits of the law and exercises judicial restraint.
  Incidentally those who thought that “Trump is Hitler” have had to change their mind. Trump is restoring Congress to their proper function of actually legislating things like immigration. He is also going through the proper channels regarding the courts.
  It’s called winning and Trump is doing a lot of it – excellent!
  http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2018/03/a-victory-for-the-law-maryland-judge-upholds-daca-phaseout.php
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:06am
- Gravelroad
  
  “Dicktakers”?
  Holysheet, bedder alert CNN that Trump is standing up to dicktakers.
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:15am
Maggy Wassilieff

Bryce Edwards exposes the hypocrisy of Wellington’s media luvvies.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12007466
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March 7, 2018 10:16am
- Poppa
  
  Coming from Bryce that is very surprising being the raging lefty that he is
  
  We all know he is right though
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:21am
- Rachael Membery
  
  It must be worse than we thought then,
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:06am
- Happychappy
  
  Someone said below that arguably he is the most qualified political commentator around, obviously they socialize in different circles than me as most I know say he is a qualified arsehole.
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:52am
- Shaun the Sheep
  
  Sadly “Bryce Edwards exposes the hypocrisy of Wellington’s media luvvies” and the Herald buries it on page …?
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:30pm
Chris R

In past years I have enjoyed listening to “The Farming Show” (now “The Country”) most lunchtimes. Unfortunately since the start of 2018 the programme has become chatty and less than incisive. The interviews have become routine and pander to the interviewees; notably Taxinda, Damien O’Connor and Grant Robertson. If this is intended to provide NZ with a strong rural voice it has ceased to do so. What I find most galling is the female presenter who speaks so fast her burblings are indecipherable. Years ago, Lindsay Perigo noted that females in the media are taught to speak from the backs of their throats which is intended to garnish their voices with more resonance, depth and authority. The outcome is none of the above, their voices are rendered to a farmyard quality akin to a throttled quack. The Farming Show has definitely seen better days. (Does anyone know what happened to Dom Boy George?)
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March 7, 2018 10:18am
Happychappy

This is about Barry Sopers Column ‘why Collins won’t get finance job and one of ztev favorite quotes is headlined in Sopers work. Here is a quote from Soper from the column that is quite often used by ztev on kiwiblog, but what would seem to be appropriate qualifacations aren’t always a measure of the job as zooligist Joyce proved with 11 economic papers he took at Massey, failing eight of them through insuffient grades, or failing to complete tbem. So I would like to ask this question is Barely Sober one of the many ztevs on kiwiblog or is he one that supplys the information that he has gained in Journalism to try and embarrass National.
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March 7, 2018 10:19am
- Poppa
  
  I am wondering if Sober is sleeping on the couch these days, his Mrs seems to have moved more into the centre while Barry is still out left
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:27am
- Gravelroad
  
  Well he’d certainly be moany and negative enough
  to be on the ztev roster.
  Knows everything and does nowt.
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:58am
- VicParking
  
  Ztev must be Barry’s doppelgänger
  
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  March 7, 2018 5:25pm
Lance

That nasty shit Duncan Garner on the AM show spent the entire interview with Steve Joyce bringing up perceived scandals under his time in parliament, no concept of balance or fairness.
What a tit
Steven took it with good humour but FFS.

The only saving grace was the woman stepping in for Mark Richardson said “on a positive note you achieved this Steven…”
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March 7, 2018 10:22am
- Harkman
  
  So on here yesterday somebody said that they could guarantee the MSM play the dildo incident over and over again that night. Sure enough One did. I can’t recall them playing Hulun Cluck tipping over during the 2008 campaign when she left, and boy did she look like an incompetent goofball at that very moment. What about when she balled her eyes out at Waitangi? Or when she ordered her motorcade to speed through South Canterbury to get to a rugby game, and she organised a Police cover up afterwards? Lefty arsehole media.
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:32am
jcuk

My daughter-in-law asked me this …
What did the fish say when it swam into the wall?

… Dam!!!! …
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March 7, 2018 10:23am
RF

Whilst the Beverley Hillbillies are sweeping through the Pacific islands handing out our money, beads & blankets giving MSM great photo opportunities spare a thought for good people in Westport.

They have been forgotten and shafted by this Micky mouse Govt as the promises concerning their new hospital has been put in the too hard basket.

A public meeting was not attended by any of the Govt stooges including the retread Damian O’Connor.

There were calls for the PM to put up the money that was promised and no more conversations.

I don’t care if she believes she is royalty.
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March 7, 2018 10:26am
- KiWombat
  
  RF Westport will be the welcome recipients of the first KiwiBuild houses – three duplexes. They’ve just turned the first sod, so expect to see them in about 6 months.
  
  Westport has not been forgotten !
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:34am
  - RF
    
    That all very nice however,…..
    
    During the election Ardern on the 14th September rubbished a proposal by National to build a new Family Health Care Centre and promised $20 million to rebuild the hospital.
    
    Guess what… Labour have now scrapped the rebuild and now going to provide what National intended…. a Family Health Care Centre.
    
    More broken promises and lies by the PM.
    
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    March 7, 2018 11:59am
  - VicParking
    
    Not forgotten by National. They were a National initiative.
    
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    March 7, 2018 5:27pm
- wombatge
  
  The Comrades fly on in their quest to share the spoils of Nationals financial success in the last decade.
  Samoa looks like they were short changed at just $3 million on the first stop.
  Niue came up trumps, 5 Million for more Solar power.
  https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/nz-niue-solar-power-mb0492/
  Meanwhile, the 757 at $9,000 an hour has made its way to Tonga for another cash drop and photo op.
  The government could have made the announcements from Wellington, and allocated the savings to Cyclone victims in NZ.
  I will take a guess, there will be 50 in the roadshow, at $1,000 a person a day, plus the flight, there is some serious money to help Kiwis in trouble at home from the same weather event.
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:20am
  - wombatge
    
    I may have over quoted the entourage.
    Looking at this photo at link below, there are at least a dozen journos following the tour, but in reality this will be 2 dozen, I guess they are paying their fares and expenses?
    http://www.maoritelevision.com/sites/default/files/styles/news_article_full/public/news_article/jc.jpg?itok=etrIWvH9
    
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    March 7, 2018 11:45am
  - Piniwi
    
    But Wombatge they “felt” the need to make a public appearance in some forlorn hope of offsetting what China has contributed to the PI region. The old PM of Tonga was very coy about putting a figure on how generous China has been claiming too old and no longer Finance Minister. Bet not much of that was delivered by hand though.
    
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    March 8, 2018 1:14am
EAD_TWO

Quelle Surprise – with the ink barely dry from the ballot box, the MSM is launching another co-ordinated attack on Russia as they blame them for influencing Italy’s election.

It’s just unbelievable how anti-slavetic the MSM is as they single out blame on just about all of the world’s conspiracies on just one ethnic group. They are all literally ~~Leiba Davidovich Bronstein~~ Trotsky who we know hated the Russians with a passion:

“We should turn Her (Russia) into a desert populated with white Niggers. We will impose upon them such a tyranny that was never dreamt by the most hideous despots of the East. The peculiar trait of that tyranny is that it will be enacted from the left rather than the right and it will be red rather than white in color.

Its color will be red literally because we would spill such torrents of blood that they will pale all human losses of the capitalist wars and make (the survivors) shudder. The largest overseas banks will cooperate with us most closely………

We will show (to the world) what real power means. By way of terror and blood baths we will bring the Russian intelligentsia into a state of total stupor, to idiocy, to the animal state of being….

And so far our young men dressed in leather – the sons of watch repair men from Odessa and Orsha, Gomel and Vinnitza – oh, how beautifully, how brilliantly do they master hatred of everything Russian!

With what a great delight do they physically destroy the Russian intelligentsia ~ officers, engineers, teachers, priests, generals, agronomists, academicians, writers
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March 7, 2018 10:26am
Maggy Wassilieff

Sri Lanka in a state of emergency
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-06/sri-lanka-declares-state-of-emergency/9520118

Doesn’t interrupt the cricket, tho’.
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March 7, 2018 10:28am
- DigNap15
  
  I hope the Buddhists there push them into the sea, like Myanmar is doing.
  
  Muslims belong in muslim shit holes.
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:34am
  - stephieboy
    
    DiNap15, very deep in thought there ?
    
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    March 7, 2018 1:11pm
  - Johnboy
    
    You can text your name to MSF to save the Rohingya refugee’s if you really wish to feel good stephie! 🙂
    
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    March 7, 2018 1:59pm
Manolo

Battle of the daughters:
http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/376920-chelsea-clinton-criticism-of-ivanka-is-fair-game
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March 7, 2018 10:28am
- Fletch
  
  The bitch doesn’t fall far from the tree.
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:35am
  - stephieboy
    
    Fletch , was that attitude of your confirmation classes ?
    
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    March 7, 2018 1:12pm
  - AgentBallSack
    
    Hit every fucking branch on the way down too by the look of her
    
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    March 7, 2018 3:46pm
- Harkman
  
  Chelsea is a crook, stealing $3-5m from a charity for her wedding.
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:35am
- fernglas
  
  What she said was:
  
  “I think anyone who works for the president should expect to be scrutinized for whatever decisions not only he or she is making, but whatever decisions the White House is making on any given day.”
  
  Substitute Prime Minister for President, and government for White House, and isn’t that what we would expect here?
  
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  March 7, 2018 12:22pm
- dime
  
  fuck chelsea is dog ugly.
  
  the thing is – thats her made up for a tv show. yikes!!!
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:10pm
  - stephieboy
    
    dime , if you say so handsome !
    
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    March 7, 2018 1:13pm
    - dime
      
      stephie – i actually dont think many people are ugly.
      
      its more – ok looking/average and then moving to good looking.
      
      about 2% of the population are fucking ugly though and she is one of them. like, for real ugly. not a bad day ugly or could drop a few pounds ugly.
      
      actual, dog shit ugly.
      
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      March 7, 2018 1:31pm
      - stephieboy
        
        dime , thank goodness ( I shudder about your tastes ) beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder !
        
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        March 7, 2018 1:53pm
      - dime
        
        stephie – you find me someone who thinks chelsea is good looking, and ill show you a blind man or a fag
        
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        March 7, 2018 2:06pm
      - Swifty
        
        She’s had lots of work done too….
        
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        March 7, 2018 2:50pm
Maggy Wassilieff

30 years since Cyclone Bola
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/cyclone-bola-strikes
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March 7, 2018 10:31am
- realityczech
  
  Nonsense Wiggles.
  
  Storms are a recent thing and are caused by big business and Trump.
  
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  March 7, 2018 12:26pm
Hugh Pavletich

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
NEW ZEALAND’S NEW LABOUR – LED GOVERNMENT ON HOUSING … A WRECK ALREADY ?

Posted at … https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2018/03/links-7-march-2018/#comment-3062920 … and … https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2018/03/lets_tax_everything.html/comment-page-1#comment-2155281 … with further posts …

Phil Twyford: The man tasked with fixing Auckland’s housing woes – NZ Herald

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12005827

… extracts …

Every pundit for the last five years has a view on why the housing prices and supply got so out of whack, not just in Auckland, but also in other growing cities around the country. Despite his transport hat, Twyford is firmly of the ‘bob-each-way’ school of development that Auckland should be allowed to grow both up and out.

“We really need to intensify. On the fringes, it’s expensive to build the infrastructure — and people want to be close to the jobs. Given the housing choices and the lifestyle choices, a young family wants an affordable place that’s not three-quarters of an hour drive on the motorway. They don’t want to spend the weekends on mowing and gardens.”

He echoes the vision of urbanists around the world, of apartment or terrace housing that is part of a walkable community, five minutes from transport hub with frequent service, density done well, high-quality builds . …

… He is inspired by cities such as Hong Kong where the transport authority builds housing above the transport hubs, or Perth which used transport to drive the development of that city. … read more via hyperlink above …

… Repeating the mistakes of the British … another idiotic bureaucratic disaster ? …

Inquiry. The Great British Housing Disaster (Adam Curtis, 1984) – YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch5VorymiL4

… New Zealand Labour Housing Policy …

Housing – New Zealand Labour Party

http://www.labour.org.nz/housing

… extract …

… Remove barriers that are stopping Auckland growing up and out

Labour will remove the Auckland urban growth boundary and free up density controls. This will give Auckland more options to grow, as well as stopping landbankers profiteering and holding up development. New developments, both in Auckland and the rest of New Zealand, will be funded through innovative infrastructure bonds. … read more via hyperlink above …

1. What date are the Auckland urban limits to be removed ?

2. What date is the bond financing of infrastructure nationally to be introduced ?
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March 7, 2018 10:32am
- KiWombat
  
  It does make sense to extend the urban boundary along the rail corridor. The zone between Swanson and Kumeu is still relatively close to the city, and well within Auckland boundaries.
  
  They should foster housing intensification along established transport corridors – rather than building new suburbs, then putting the necessary infrastructure in later !
  
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  March 7, 2018 10:41am
  - Hugh Pavletich
    
    Earlier report … 25 February 2018 …
    
    Doubts over KiwiBuild’s affordability | Newshub
    
    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/02/doubts-over-kiwibuild-s-affordability.html
    
    The Government’s flagship policy to deliver low-cost homes to first time buyers could be a fail on the affordability front, according to its own ministry officials.
    
    Documents released to Newshub Nation under the Official Information Act reveal KiwiBuild apartments and houses to be priced up to $600,000 in Auckland could still be well out of reach of their target market.
    
    The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) briefing paper ‘Implementing KiwiBuild’ is dated last November and went to both Housing Minister Phil Twyford and the Minister for Building and Construction … VIEW & READ more via hyperlink above …
    
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    March 7, 2018 10:51am
    - Hugh Pavletich
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      Christchurch only part of NZ reporting house price fall | Stuff.co.nz
      
      https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/102016873/christchurch-only-part-of-nz-reporting-house-price-fall
      
      Regional New Zealand had the fastest house price growth over the past 12 months, new data from QV shows.
      
      It has released its statistics for February, which show national property values lifted 6.5 per cent over the year, to an average $672,645.
      
      But that figure masks a wide range of results.
      
      Prices fell 0.8 per cent over the year in Christchurch, lifted just 1 per cent in Auckland and shot ahead 16.5 per cent in Napier. … read more via hyperlink above …
      
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      March 7, 2018 11:26am
      - Happychappy
        
        I see that you have reverted back to recycling again Hugh haven’t Labour paid you this week.
        
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        March 7, 2018 11:41am
      - Hugh Pavletich
        
        Interest Co NZ report … 19 February 2018 …
        
        Housing Minister Phil Twyford says he’s planning a workshopping event for representatives of the finance community and players in the development and construction sector to help crack NZ’s problems around infrastructure financing | interest.co.nz
        
        https://www.interest.co.nz/property/92190/housing-minister-phil-twyford-says-hes-planning-workshopping-event-representatives
        
        The Government is planning to bring together players from the finance community with people representing development and construction interests to hammer out a plan to solve New Zealand’s infrastructure financing problems. … read more via hyperlink above …
        .
        .
        … and released Monday 22 January …
        
        2018 14th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey Media Release
        
        http://demographia.com/media_rls_2018.pdf
        
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        March 7, 2018 1:53pm
      - Hugh Pavletich
        
        Does Phil Twyford know he is the minister in charge yet? – Whale Oil Beef Hooked | Whaleoil Media
        
        https://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2018/03/phil-twyford-know-minister-charge-yet/
        
        Phil Twyford continues to act like he is in opposition:
        
        There is a critical shortage of public housing right across New Zealand, not just in Auckland, Housing Minister Phil Twyford says.
        
        His comment came as more than 1600 applicants were placed into public housing in the three months to December 31.
        
        However, this still left thousands more Kiwis on the national waiting list. … read more via hyperlink above …
        
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        March 7, 2018 2:42pm
      - KiWombat
        
        He fell out of the stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down.
        
        Twitford is proof that evolution can go backwards !
        
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        March 7, 2018 3:36pm
wreck1080

Isn’t it about time that we made it a criminal offence for intentionally trashing a rental property?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/101975725/renters-trash-christchurch-property-costing-owner-potentially-hundreds-of-thousands

Sometimes I think we should move toward a singaporean justice system.
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March 7, 2018 10:38am
- fernglas
  
  I would say that wilful damage would cover it.
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:03am
- Nigel Kearney
  
  It’s already illegal. Maybe we should make it a criminal offence for a reporter to write a story like this without naming the tenant?
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:43am
- DigNap15
  
  Or the Iranian one.
  A quick bullet in the back of the head.
  Cheap, permanent, and a great deterrent.
  
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  March 7, 2018 2:55pm
Jack5

Bryce Edwards is on the opposite side of political views to most of us who follow Kiwiblog, but he’s doing good work in bringing to light the overly close link between politicians and lobbyists in NZ.

The media is fairly close to them, too. Is Matthew Hooton a PR-lobbyist? And Radio NZ’s annointed voice of the Left, too? If so on the Monday morning political chat, you are listening to a couple of lobbyists in action.

Go Bryce, and I hope also he has begun the traditional transition that comes to many of us with age/maturity – the drift from Left to Right.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11998380
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March 7, 2018 10:41am
- stephieboy
  
  jack 5,
  
  “Bryce Edwards is on the opposite side of political views to most of us who follow Kiwiblog,..”
  
  Who could blame him!
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:15pm
  - Manolo
    
    Unfortunately, most NZ journalists (read hacks) and political analysts lean towards the left side of the spectrum. You know it, stephieboy.
    
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    March 7, 2018 1:21pm
Classic Liberal

About the Cullen Tax Threats:

Don’t forget that in the past Labour has threatened to tax any part of the family home used for home business. They kept it pretty quiet, but it was in their policies. CGT was the plan: if sell your home, you can’t afford a similar one because of the CGT, because so-called ‘capital gain’ is just inflation.

A Land Tax would be even worse: a small business can’t afford to pay that on top of rates.

It would also be double dipping, as Auckland Council has admitted that rates include a ‘Land Tax’ element.

This will totally destroy many people working from home, e.g.:
Semi-retired people, e.g. accountants.
Small businesses organised from home, e.g. electricians.
Business start-ups by young people and women getting back into work.

I’m sure you can think of many more examples in your community.

Don’t let Cullen and Taxinda pretend that this isn’t the policy: it has been in the past and will be again. The ‘family home’ is not safe at all.

In 2014 Labour’s website included this pdf : ‘Labour’s Fairer Tax System’.

“Business run from home

Dorothy owns a small gift shop. She owns

the building and lives upstairs with her store

taking up the bottom floor. 50% of the area of

the property is used for commercial

purposes, and 50% is her primary residence.

At 45 she decides to wind up the business

and sell the property. She makes a capital

gain on the property of $200,000.”

“The family home exemption means the

portion of Dorothy‟s property that is for the

family home will be exempt.

Dorothy is only liable to pay 15% tax on half

of the capital gain – as 50% of the area of

the property was her primary residence.”
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March 7, 2018 10:43am
Jack5

A new no-no: Linking skin colour with race! That’s colourism.

This is from a Leonie Hayden piece at the Spinoff blog – dated 2 March:

Say I have Māori ancestors. Does it matter what percentage I am?

Absolutely not. Blood quantum is a measure the New Zealand government once used to decide what electoral roll you could enrol on, but they ended that nonsense in 1975. It has only ever been used by colonial governments to categorise and control indigenous populations. From a Māori worldview, your ancestors are part of you, and you are linked to the mountains, rivers, seas and lands of Aotearoa through them. You can’t have a fraction of that connection, it exists no matter what.

But I’m white.

Some of te ao Māori’s greatest leaders, thinkers, artists and advocates have pale skin. How you self-identify is entirely up to you. Everyone else – Māori and Pākehā – should respect that. ‘Colourism’ is an issue that goes hand in hand with racism, and you may have to acknowledge your privilege in some respects, but be proud of who you are and try to use your privilege for good!

If you have whakapapa Māori and choose not to identify as Māori, that’s also fine.

https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/02-03-2018/cheat-sheet-how-to-tell-if-youre-maori/
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March 7, 2018 10:47am
- Odakyu-sen
  
  “From a Māori worldview, your ancestors* are part of you, and you are linked to the mountains, rivers, seas and lands of Aotearoa through them.”
  
  *Only the ones that benefit the Maori worldview.
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:49am
- Jack5
  
  Looks like these ~~colourists~~ colorists will be barred from Te Papa then (does it display art, or is it now 100% Disneylandish?).
  
  http://www.ideelart.com/module/csblog/post/104-1-colorist-painters-abstraction.html
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:58am
Justitia

Just watched Trump in a live press conference at the White House with the Swedish Prime Minister. Both were very impressive, answering each and every question put to them across a wide range of difficult issues. They didn’t ask to approve the questions beforehand, and they faced the cream of the world’s correspondents. Meanwhile our MSM give our appointed airhead PM a free pass on her Soviet-style demand to restrict and vet questions beforehand, and continue to spew anti-Trump propaganda. Days of shame for New Zealand…
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March 7, 2018 10:48am
- ztev
  
  Yes But Trump gets to choose from whom he will allow a question to be asked .
  
  For years national ministers refused to even be interviewed by Morning report ( until they found out how big an audience it had) as they percieved it to be ‘too critical’
  Hosking is just following in the same footsteps, why would you go on his show where he is ‘too critical’. he long ago gave up being a sort of nuetral and now largely follows all nationals talking points
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:33pm
  - Johnboy
    
    What’s “Morning report”? When is it on? Am I usually working by then so I can pay more tax to support the stay-a-bed socialist fucks that can have a good lie in to listen to the radio? 🙂
    
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    March 7, 2018 1:37pm
  - VicParking
    
    Ztev BULLSHIT
    
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    March 7, 2018 5:31pm
All_on_Red

Massive diplomatic success for Donald Trump and Rex Tillerson who have got Japan, Sth Korea and China on side to help effect the change.
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/south-korea-north-korea-is-open-to-denuclearizing-after-talks-2018-3
‘North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is ready to talk to the US about abandoning his country’s nuclear arms and pursuing peace with South Korea, according to the South Korean president’s office, the Blue House.

After historic between South Korean diplomats and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, North Korea is apparently open to denuclearizing, with Kim himself reportedly expressing a willingness to talk to the US about the touchy subject – something unthinkable mere months ago.

North Korea also said it would suspend provocations like nuclear and missile tests during negotiations, the Blue House said Tuesday.’

Nothing like having three US Carrier groups and Nuclear subs off your coast, having stealth bombers and fighters on your Border, having a lot stricter economic sanctions enforced, including actually identifying and punishing the Chinese companies who in the past ignored the sanction.
Having US Banks cut off those suppliers.
And of course having a Chinese Premier who understands that this time the US means business.
All this pressure has worked.
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March 7, 2018 10:48am
- 4077th
  
  So you are saying the little, fat, despot just grew a conscience and folded? Me thinks not… NK have a long history of this type of behaviour and the west falls for it every time. The most recent was the deal “Bill I did not have sexual relations with the womanClinton” setup in 1994 for the cessation of expansion and construction of a reactor facility that eventually fell over in 2002..mostly due to the US taking it’s eye off the ball and Kim Jong Mentally-Ill and his clandestine team were already firing up the reactor years before the deal fell over. So long as that fat little commie is in change the NK regime is not to be trusted.
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:03am
  - All_on_Red
    
    ‘So you are saying’…
    Can’t you read and understand what I actually said?
    They are having talks. They have called a halt to missile launches- over Japan.It’s a start. I think everyone is well aware that Nth Koreas record is poor.
    
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    March 7, 2018 11:28am
    - All_on_Red
      
      VP Pence said this six hours ago.
      ‘Whichever direction talks with North Korea go, we will be firm in our resolve. The United States and our allies remain committed to applying maximum pressure on the Kim regime to end their nuclear program. All options are on the table and our posture toward the regime will not change until we see credible, verifiable, and concrete steps toward denuclearization.’
      
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      March 7, 2018 11:32am
    - All_on_Red
      
      Why is people always use the “so you are saying’ phrase as a way to make assumptions of things which aren’t even stated?
      It’s a stupid way to have a discussion.
      Sheesh, they never did that in the 8063rd!
      ?
      
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      March 7, 2018 11:35am
      - 4077th
        
        Ok, ok, ok…cool your jets man. Check your ear for wasps..
        
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        March 7, 2018 12:38pm
      - stephieboy
        
        All on Red herring , as the poster timely suggests,
        
        “Check your ear for wasps “!
        
        And remember to remove those fly eggs from your snout !
        
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        March 7, 2018 1:57pm
    - stephieboy
      
      All on Wed , gullible Oaf !
      
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      March 7, 2018 1:58pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        St Albans know you are Stephieboy don’t they Ralph.
        Oh dear.
        
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        March 7, 2018 2:19pm
- DigNap15
  
  @All on Red
  Yes, you put it very well.
  
  And I wonder if the NK delegation to the Winter Olympics got to see much of South Korea, what the people have, and how they live etc.
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:19am
- freethinker
  
  I noticed Fatboy said denucleaistion of the Korean Peninsula in other words no US forces or nukes in the south. Fatboy is not irrational and it pays to listen carefully to the words he uses.
  
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  March 7, 2018 12:47pm
  - DigNap15
    
    Yes, well spotted.
    But has the US got any nukes in SK at the moment.
    I doubt it.
    But they have subs and carriers not far away!
    
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    March 7, 2018 1:50pm
- stephieboy
  
  All On Wed , hold on there with this effusive and gushing praise that your der leader is more than happy to give himself .
  
  First of all he rather uncharactersitcally thanked China for bringing Kim Jong un to the table .
  
  The latter and his forbears have had a history of duplicity when it comes to the real push and shove .
  
  For example Kim Jon un will ask in return that the US withdraws its military from the region .
  
  I suggest you focus on keep lobbying the White House for you and your leaders dream for a Mexican border wall .
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:23pm
  - All_on_Red
    
    Showing you are an ignorant moron again Stephiebile.
    Trump gets on well with China so totally characteristic he should thank them
    Heck, contrast the welcome he got on his visit compared to Obama.
    You are sooo thick.
    
    Btw, Trump would be delighted to withdraw troops from Sth Korea. He’s already complained it costs the US a fortune.
    
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    March 7, 2018 2:29pm
  - DigNap15
    
    They’ve already started building it.
    
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    March 7, 2018 2:39pm
dime

the Trump tarrifs really upset some people.

Dimes understanding:

1) china subsidizes its steel production as a way of providing jobs (using a manufacturing process which creates a shit ton of pollution).

2) china exports steel at a loss (if you take out govt subsidies).

3) countries have to compete with the market and sell cheaper.

4) chinas oversupply is enough to fill US production 3 times over.

5) the yanks steel industry gets fucked.

now, trump comes along with his big swinging trump cock and says – enough!!!

whats the problem?

shouldnt a tenet of free trade also be thats its a level playing field?

ya cant say that China is just using resources better when they are subsidising the industy (and playing shit wages).

youll note china hasnt retaliated as they need the US more than the other way round.

the stock market took an initial hit but has bounced back.

this is solid policy and screams of trump saying – fuck, we need to actually look after americans for a change!!
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March 7, 2018 10:50am
- fernglas
  
  6) China supplies 2% of US steel imports
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:05am
  - DigNap15
    
    But it is fucking the rest of the world’s steel industries !
    
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    March 7, 2018 11:20am
  - Ross12
    
    Maybe that figure is the direct import figure but how much comes via a third or forth country ? This is why the proposal has to be a tariff on all steel imports irrespective of country of origin. But already Trump is indicating there could be controlled exemptions (eg. with Canada if he can get something in return from them—deal making)
    
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    March 7, 2018 11:23am
  - dime
    
    2% – thats direct from china to the US?
    
    apparently there is a lot of indirect importing of chinese steel.
    
    either way, its enough to fuck an entire industry in the US.
    
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    March 7, 2018 11:24am
    - All_on_Red
      
      Yes, through Canada. This Tariff is aimed at Canada. Trumps going after NAFTA.
      
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      March 7, 2018 11:29am
  - Jack5
    
    China’s Communist Government has been trying to dominate the world steel industry for years.
    
    The State controls the big steel players in China.
    
    Here’s an industry report from seven years ago outlining China’s strategy:
    
    https://industrytoday.com/article/china-deploys-state-power-to-dominate-global-steel-industry/
    
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    March 7, 2018 11:49am
    - Piniwi
      
      @Jack5 while Zimbabwe has gone the other way and shut down steel works that earned foreign exchange as well as supplying the local market. Only 5000 out of work with many ex steel workers do what ever work they can get living hand to mouth. So that industry joins the others that made it the food bowl of Africa.
      
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      March 8, 2018 1:24am
- Scott
  
  I’ll be really interested to see how this goes? Trump campaigned on looking after the steelworkers and reviving the so-called Rust Belt. He is making good on his promises which he made on the campaign.
  
  As can totally be expected Paul Ryan and other doctrinaire Republicans are against him on this issue. But he didn’t run as a doctrinaire Republican. He ran on a pledge to do something for the ordinary workers and that is what he is doing!
  
  It’s so refreshing to see a politician campaign on certain issues and then actually do what he promised when he is elected to office! I’m sure our New Zealand politicians can learn something from this epic phenomenon!?
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:09am
  - Piniwi
    
    True Scott it might also be that tariffs will be instrumental in getting the steel industry back to strength while being a handy tool in trade negotiations. Meeting election promises in a way that a deal maker would then letting the results help determine the political wisdom in this move.
    
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    March 8, 2018 1:30am
- DigNap15
  
  You are right.
  China has hundreds out outdated steel foundaries that it needs to subsidise or thousands will lose their jobs.
  
  Thats not Fair Trade.
  Go Trump!
  Make America great again!
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:24am
  - Piniwi
    
    Right DigNap even after China has had the WTO dumping statutes being flexed very strongly often.
    
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    March 8, 2018 1:32am
- Ed Snack
  
  The point is, the Chinese are actually paying the US to take their steel, so why is the US refusing that gift ?
  
  And also, although direct exports to the US are around 2% of the imports, a significantly larger amount enters through Canada and Mexico under NAFTA, both as products and as raw steel.
  
  The US doesn’t have a raw iron industry of significance now, most domestic demand is satisfied through recycled scrap plus imports. Cheaper and less polluting (in the USA that is).
  
  And just to point out, it is US consumers who actually pay the tariff by higher prices for goods containing steel.
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:29am
  - Jack5
    
    Everyone’s talking about the effect on steel, but what will US tariffs on aluminium do to one of NZ’s biggest exports – aluminium from Bluff?
    
    7 1
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    March 7, 2018 11:55am
    - Piniwi
      
      Noted Jack5 but it might open a door for them to quit an operation that has been troubled for too long. Their raw material has be imported to start with so they will be watching and waiting to hear what Tim Gosser was told. Think NZ auto assembly industry that have all vanished
      
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      March 8, 2018 1:48am
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    Chinese steel is unreliable shit. Might meet chemical composition standards but will then be randomly chocka with grit and dross particles and other impurities that weaken it dangerously. Even the chinese refuse to use it for critical stuff.
    
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    March 7, 2018 12:52pm
  - Piniwi
    
    Maybe Ed Snack but that is unlikely to be the case if the USA steel industry get their pricing right assisted by tax cuts and with the sign of intervention to artificially push wages up. Their disposable income just got so much better which is a concept that the COL fail to comprehend.
    While most understand the cost/wage/price spiral there is also an equation of more income/more spending/more tax simply because sales tax/VAT or GST are a consumer tax. Take note of where a big boost came from that lifted NZ tax take. The healthy surplus is proof positive that we DO NOT need more taxes. Or how much more the Commie Chick is spending from her better income. Now two houses.
    
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    March 8, 2018 1:42am
- freethinker
  
  Agreed but Chinas steel exports to the US are insignificant compared to others eg Germany who Trump hates with a vengence and Trump is hinting that as Germany imposes tariffs on US vehicles imported to Germany plus hefty VAT its time to reciprocate. The duplicitous EU with its executive of intellectual & Economic Pygmies thinks its Ok to impose tariffs and crazy rules on imports but squeals like stuck pigs when other do likewise, hopefully Italy will have a right wing anti EU coalition that will with Brexit topple the monster.
  
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  March 7, 2018 12:52pm
  - ztev
    
    VAT applies to all cars sold in Germany , not just imported ones. US jurisdictions have sales tax as well on new cars, although not as hefty
    
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    March 7, 2018 1:28pm
- stephieboy
  
  dime, the US imports the bull not its steel from Brazil and Canada .
  
  China is way down on the list !
  
  Fact !
  
  https://www.trade.gov/steel/countries/pdfs/2016/annual/imports-us.pdf
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:26pm
  - dime
    
    youre an idealogue. fact !
    
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    March 7, 2018 1:35pm
    - All_on_Red
      
      He’s a moron
      FACT
      
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      March 7, 2018 2:32pm
Lee C

Fascinating isn’t it that arguably the most qualified political commentator in the country (Bryce Edwards) can write ana article exposing Labour Party ethical misdemeanours, and also in a balanced way indicate that the reason it is not being pursued by National is that they were doing it too. So then I come to KB the ‘top’ political blog expecting to read about it, as like you know, it is a political issue, and was on the front of the Herald, and yet…..

There is nothing here about it.
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March 7, 2018 11:13am
- 4077th
  
  Perhaps there is some sort or armistice between political commentators?
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:18am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Some folks here have taken an interest
  https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2018/02/general_debate_21_february_2018.html#comment-2143724
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:45am
- Piniwi
  
  No surprise LeeC as most here know this Edwards is just other Edwards who have tried political commentating. Qualified? Yes sure as a leftie shill and could only be balanced if he carried a bull on his right shoulder to get some balance. No bull, no notice.
  
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  March 8, 2018 1:52am
Manolo

Art and imbeciles:
http://freebeacon.com/politics/democratic-governor-painted-polar-bear-on-a-collage-to-deal-with-stress-of-trump-news/

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D.) said Tuesday he recently made a collage and painted a polar bear to deal with the stress of news about the Trump administration.

Speaking to Politico, Inslee said he painted pastels before Donald Trump took office but has been more inspired to since he became president.
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March 7, 2018 11:29am
DifferentPerspective

Today is Soimon’s first real test:
– selecting AA in the Finance role shows he’s a soyboy moron
or
– putting JC up for the job shows he might have some balls after all.

My money is on Soimon the progressive Soyboy turning up with progressive Amy to seal the deal on Cindy’s 2020 win.
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March 7, 2018 11:37am
- DigNap15
  
  I hope not, we don’t want a progressive Finance Minister.
  
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  March 7, 2018 11:50am
- Happychappy
  
  You old men with as someone put the other day with a hard on for Judith Collins got let down again. How times have changed for those that wanted rid of Bill English and voted for Winston First to teach National a lesson. Likely another three years of listening to whinging of the unfaithful.
  
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  March 7, 2018 2:04pm
  - stigie
    
    Two i know of Happychappy, Dad and Chuckie….who else ?
    
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    March 7, 2018 4:04pm
Manolo

Even our Muslim resident would agree:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5470127/I-proved-right-Trump-tells-Swedish-PM-immigration.html

During a joint press conference with the Swedish prime minister, President Trump said he was right to say immigration created an uptick in crime in the Nordic nation.

‘Certainly you have a problem with the immigration that’s caused problems in Sweden,’ Trump began. ‘I was the first one to say it, took a little heat, but that was OK, because I proved to be right.’
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March 7, 2018 11:47am
DigNap15

I would say a HUGE uptick!

The Vikings would be turning in their graves.

Send them all back.

Long Live Myanmar, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.
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March 7, 2018 11:51am
- dime
  
  what are Myanmar up to?
  
  i thought that was just some hell hole?
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:08pm
  - DigNap15
    
    Well they are still encouraging Rohinga’s to leave and they wont be going back.
    So it will no longer be a shithole.
    
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    March 7, 2018 1:48pm
Jack5

DigNap15 says: “The Vikings would be turning in their graves.”

And yelling, “More mead! More mead!”
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March 7, 2018 12:01pm
Manolo

Trumps takes a hit:
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/trumps-top-economic-adviser-gary-cohn-is-leaving-the-white-house/ar-BBJX86N

Gary Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council and President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser, is leaving his post at the White House.

Recently, Cohn was unable to convince the president to forgo tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium.
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March 7, 2018 12:06pm
- Ross12
  
  I’m not sure it is Trump taking a hit Manolo. More like Wall Street doesn’t now have their man close to the President.
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:32pm
cmm

For stephie: The Native Land Act of 1913

I really disliked history as it was taught in schools in South Africa. It was bent to give the idea that whites and blacks both arrived simultaneously in South Africa, the starting whistle blew and there was a mad rush for occupying the land and the blacks got some and the whites got some. Clearly nonsense. Portugese shipwreck survivors in the mid-1500s walked the length of the Transkei/Natal coast and the lands were occupied by blacks the whole way. Indeed, some shipwreck survivors even decided to stay with the Xhosa people rather than make the arduous journey of about 900km.

However much of the modern narrative: that the land was thoroughly occupied by the blacks and white colonialists just forced their way in and took over is clearly nonsense too.

Actavists at both ends of the spectrum love to oversimplify history to support their ideology, but history is complicated and messy. As is generally the case, the truth is generally somewhere inbetween. For me this is an interesting exercise revisiting South African history without a government filter.

So let’s look at the Native Land Act of 1913 that stephie has raised as a bugbear. If you search Google, you come up with the first hit being SA History saying this took the best lands for the whites and left 7% of the arable land for the blacks. That would be truly shocking if it was true.

As shown previously, this number is utter nonsense. There is continuous tribal ownership over large swaths of traditional Zulu and Xhosa land. Even if we ignore all other lands, these account for far more than 7% of South Africa’s total land area (over 25% or the arable land). They are also the best lands for tribal agriculture (ie. no modern irrigation and commercial agriculture). We know this because that is where the Zulu and Xhosa people live and they have thrived there for well over 500 years. If there was better land they would have taken it.

For those that have never visited the areas, both Kwa Zulu Natal and Transkei (the Xhosa lands) are relatively lush. There is a saying that if an old man walks too slowly his walking stick will take root and sprout.

So rather than go to some website like SAHistory, we should rather go to the actual law document itself – without the commentary telling us to think: https://web.archive.org/web/20120323005902/http://www.polity.org.za/polity/govdocs/legislation/misc/nla1913.html

Stripped of all the waffle (both legal and normal boilerplate of blaah blaah if it pleases the King blaah blaah), the Native Land Act of 1913 can be summarised as follows:
* Whites can’t buy any more land from blacks.
* Blacks can’t buy any more land from whites.
* Blacks cannot be tenant farmers and sharecroppers etc on white lands (ie. They didn’t want an emergence of a feudal system).

On the face of it, this is just the young South African parliament blowing the whistle and calling time out. They saw land ownership and such as a problem area and the first thing to do is just make everyone stand still for a while.

To understand where that came from, we need to travel back to 1913. The boer war had ended a few years before (1902) and the boer republics had been forced to join with the Cape Colony (British) to form the Union of South Africa in 1910. The boers were very reluctant subjects of King George.

There was still massive bitterness between the boers and the Brits and between the Boers and Cape Afrikaners and, of course tensions between the Boers, Brits and the various tribes. The British were also very distrustful of the motives of the Boers. I experienced that bitterness even in the 1980s, so it must have been raw just a few years after the war.

The British controlled Cape Colony has reasonably good protection for black people and limits on further white encroachment but these controls did not exist in the boer republics. The Native Land Acts can be seen as a way to extend those controls into the former boer republics.

So what was the Land Act intended to achieve? I wasn’t there, but I think the primary purpose was to reign in expansionism by the boers in two ways:
1) Stop the boers from buying and occupying more land in Native areas. This curtailed further encroachment by the boers.
2) Keep the boers tied to their lands in the North, thus preventing them moving to other areas

If the boers could have sold their lands in the North to blacks (or installed tenants and share cropper), then that could have mobilised them to move into the better Zulu and Xhosa lands.

That would have disrupted the relatively stable and peaceful kingdoms that the Union relied on for peace.

At the time this was widely seen as a pro-Native policy, especially by the Zulus and Xhosa who feared encroachment.

Of course different tribes were in different circumstances and had different relationships with the boers. I have little knowledge of the Northern areas where the majority of the boers were, but I suspect those areas had a very different take on the matter.
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March 7, 2018 12:08pm
- dime
  
  great read. cheers
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:07pm
- ztev
  
  Thanks for giving some background.
  The sceptic in me says the part about whites cant buy anymore black land cant have survived long into the era of the national Party of the Afrikaners (Herenigde Nasionale Party ) winning government in 1948, helped by a gerrymander
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:25pm
  - cmm
    
    For that you really want to fast forward to the Group Areas Acts (a series of 3 acts)
    
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_Areas_Act
    
    Now those were incredibly destructive as they basically screwed up the freemarket way of sorting out a lot of problems: allowing the emergence of two generations of middle-class blacks.
    
    The most notable areas where those caused damage were Sophiatown (Johannesburg) and the truly brutal District 6 (Cape Town).
    
    This was forced upon people of all races that did not want a bar of it. My grandparents were amongst those that had to move.
    
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    March 7, 2018 2:12pm
- rightoverlabour
  
  Hi, good stuff. The other thing that most who have not lived in SA don’t know is that for the most part South Africa has poorly developed soils, and one can virtually draw a vertical line down the middle, the 125mm isohyet. Except for Cape Town everything to the west of that line is arid. Doesn’t matter who owns it, it’s a huge desert good for virtually FA. (sprinkled with Diamonds, though).
  
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  March 7, 2018 7:34pm
  - Tauhei Notts
    
    The Karakul farmers of Namaqualand did okay on that arid land.
    
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    March 7, 2018 9:21pm
DifferentPerspective

Surely he was talking about Chicken Little Climate Change?

Sage words from one of the greatest minds and greatest science communicators of the 20th century …
”“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”

Carl Sagan surely was talking to the future about Chicken Little Climate Change. It would explain the religious fervour of the CC nutters and the emotional reaction any questioning of their faith elicits.
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March 7, 2018 1:03pm
- itstricky
  
  Carl Sagan surely was talking to the future
  
  He was. But not just about climate change, about all of science, and questioning everything that is otherwise considered truth.
  
  It would explain the religious fervour of the CC nutters and the emotional reaction any questioning of their faith
  
  Yes, but then, of course, equally it would also explain the fervour of the CC deniers and the emotional reaction to any questioning of their faith.
  
  PS. You probably should have checked out what comment(s) and essays on climate change he had made/produced/broadcast before you posted this…
  
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  March 7, 2018 1:23pm
  - realityczech
    
    The climate change nutters have recently been denying the science left right and center as they have portrayed a high tide and a storm as evidence of climate change, which is not what the climate scientist said. They said it was an isolated weather event combined with a high tide.
    
    Its was also pretty mild compared to other weather events many many decades ago.
    
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    March 7, 2018 9:25pm
cmm

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/102043387/new-questions-on-travel-to-education-and-house-mould–deciding-whats-in-the-census

So what’s the point of a census anyway? Surely it is to find out about changes in demographics etc for the long-term planning about public spending – and nothing else.

Apparently one proposed question that was proposed, then dropped, was sexual orientation.

What a stupid question. It had nothing to do with the government and has nothing to do with the expenditure of tax money or any social services since sexual orientation does not influence your needs (except as a secondary consequence of breeding – which gay people are also doing these days).

It would have been more important to ask about hair colour since gingerheads burn more and probably get more skin cancers.

So too the question on damp homes. That has nothing to do with any state function.

There seemed to be a huge concern about homeless people not having a phone and an address and thus not being able to get forms. Guess what sweetie – they were not going to fill out forms anyway.
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March 7, 2018 1:09pm
- rightoverlabour
  
  Census is a waste of time. Government and others know everything about us already. Thanks to Facebook, flybuys, eftpos, google….. ( and I am not a Tin Foil Conspiracist either.) Just analyse the ads that pop up in your browsing, they are not the same for everyone. My wife keeps asking me why I get so many Russian Bride ads…..LOL
  
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  March 7, 2018 7:40pm
noskire

First leaders’ debate 2017 – Questioned directly by moderator Mike Hosking whether New Zealand could be in for national strikes, Ardern had her most emphatic moment: “No. We. Will. Not.”
I must have misread then the article on Stuff about a last-chance mediation meeting to avoid what could be the port’s biggest strike in decades – https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/102041598/lyttelton-port-workers-call-off-strike–for-now–as-mediation-talks-start
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March 7, 2018 1:32pm
- itstricky
  
  Unless this is the demonstratively the result of recent Government law changes (which haven’t passed yet, AFAIK) then it’s moot.
  
  It means you have not misread the Stuff article, you have selected one sentence from Ardern’s comments in isolation and decided to misread that to carry more weight in the Ports situation than it actually has.
  
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  March 7, 2018 2:17pm
- cmm
  
  She has wriggle room: this is not a National Strike, just a regional one!
  
  And if all the bus drivers go on strike at the same time, well those are just coincidental regional strikes.
  
  Besides, nobody calls them strikes anymore… they’re now “work stops”…. so there!
  
  So please withdraw your scurrilous accusations directed at Our Mother. Life must be tough when you turn up in a little island nation and find your current boyfriend hasn’t packed your favourite footwear.
  
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  March 7, 2018 2:19pm
  - itstricky
    
    On the other hand, life must be really tough when you have to resort to selective extracts in order to get your jollies.
    
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    March 7, 2018 2:48pm
  - Piniwi
    
    Well cmm it is one example of how the COL is helping the regions as more of them are having strikes that though not being on a national scale will surely impact much further than each individual region.
    
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    March 8, 2018 1:58am
dime

england on track to score about 800 in todays ODI…

they are a fucking good team!
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March 7, 2018 1:36pm
- Keeping Stock
  
  Thanks for putting the mockers on them Dime; they’ve now lost six wickets in seven overs to be 288-7 after 44 overs.
  
  They WERE 267-1 in the 38th over, but have had the sort of collapse a New Zealand team would be proud of!
  
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  March 7, 2018 2:14pm
  - dime
    
    excellent
    
    will be hard chasing 335.
    
    i havent been watching so dont know what the pitch is like. fingers crossed.
    
    should have won the other night
    
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    March 7, 2018 2:54pm
    - Keeping Stock
      
      Pitch is an absolute belter; should be an excellent chase IF Munro and Guptill can get us off to a solid start. Having both Williamson and Taylor in the top order is good news.
      
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      March 7, 2018 3:01pm
      - AgentBallSack
        
        Taylor Williamson and Latham but mostly Taylor after a horror start. Saturday will be a hell game, no Taylor now I am guessing after that performance.
        
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        March 7, 2018 7:35pm
Gravelroad

Ztev has just arrived and, coincidentally, nearly every post has now been downticked!
Classic.
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March 7, 2018 2:06pm
Keeping Stock

Penny Bright on Twitter just now:

Penny Bright @PennyBrightNZ

Replying to @publicaddress

If our Occupy Garnet protest signs are (unlawfully) removed or destroyed – more complaints will be made to Police.
You have been warned …

Penny Bright, as reported on Whaleoil during the 2011 General Election campaign:

https://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2011/11/penny-bright-sign-vandal/

One of these things is not like the other, so lets have three resounding cheers for Our Pen; hyp, hyp, hypocrisy!
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March 7, 2018 2:11pm
- Longknives
  
  I discussed the blatant hypocrisy of the Left with my ‘Left-Leaning’ Schoolteacher friend recently.
  I asked him why it’s seemingly okay to throw stuff and rub poison on National MPs but if anyone dared touch Jacinda there would be a public outcry?
  
  “Because we (The Left) are fighting the good fight mate- We are the good guys” was his response…
  
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  March 7, 2018 6:09pm
  - Swifty
    
    Lefties can be very dangerous in my opinion, they believe their end justifies any means…..
    
    Righties are more principled and much, much nicer people in my experience.
    
    🙂
    
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    March 7, 2018 6:39pm
    - rightoverlabour
      
      Stalin was such a good guy. Only about 60 mil or so. Made Hitler look like an amateur.
      
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      March 7, 2018 7:42pm
RF

Just what we need …. a bloody big Toxic Chinese space station could be landing in our backyard in a few weeks.

The fallout could be fatal.

Tidal waves, cyclones, earthquakes, Labour Govt… a series of disasters so what’s next…..
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March 7, 2018 2:37pm
- Inandout
  
  Chinese space station may land in Howick.
  
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  March 7, 2018 2:57pm
  - Jack5
    
    And the senior office might commit suicide, panicking that he’d brought the ship down in the heart of Beijing.
    
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    March 7, 2018 3:41pm
  - Piniwi
    
    @Inandout You mean Chowich?
    
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    March 8, 2018 2:01am
stigie

We need 330 odd, im picking we will be lucky to get to 250, im happy to be corrected of course..?
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March 7, 2018 4:09pm
- Happychappy
  
  stigie bad call mate but what about Ross Taylor ah Hesson would be eating humble pie after that.
  
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  March 7, 2018 7:14pm
Ross12

I heard on the news earlier Simon Upton (Environment Commissioner and ex National Minister) wants action on Climate Change including having a UK style Climate Act to have us move to “zero carbon” economy/energy system ( I did not catch the exact word he used).
If National don’t strongly oppose this and the environment taxes Cullen has hinted at( probably water taxes) all the way then they can expect to be opposition for a long time and also expect a significant new centre right party to evolve, quite quickly.
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March 7, 2018 4:09pm
- All_on_Red
  
  Meanwhile, according to the UAH Satellite (the NASA one) data, the average global temp is back down below pre 2000 levels.
  
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  March 7, 2018 5:09pm
  - William of Ockham
    
    Wrong about the temperature and wrong that the dataset derived by Nasa. And wrong about the satellites measuring surface temperatures, they’re inferred. Fool.
    
    http://www.drroyspencer.com/2018/03/uah-global-temperature-update-for-february-2018-0-20-deg-c/
    
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    March 7, 2018 6:22pm
    - All_on_Red
      
      Hi Dennis
      Crashed lately?
      Isn’t 1998 before 2000?
      And before 2018?
      Fuck wit old man.
      
      Edit- thanks for posting the link which shows temps have plummeted.
      Hahahahahahaha, you’re so dumb.
      
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      March 7, 2018 6:26pm
      - rightoverlabour
        
        Yup, he posts a link to Roy Spencer. Go Figure
        
        To Quote Roy “This website describes evidence from my group’s government-funded research that suggests global warming is mostly natural, and that the climate system is quite insensitive to humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions and aerosol pollution”
        
        Thanks for agreeing with us.
        
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        March 7, 2018 8:27pm
    - rightoverlabour
      
      Fuck, who let you back? By the way how is it that this year is the warmest since 1934. I thought there was no global warming in 1934? Idiots
      
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      March 7, 2018 7:44pm
  - SPC
    
    As in above all pre 2000 levels, apart from 1998?
    
    Thus we are no longer in the post 2000 period where the global temps were above the 1998 level.
    
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    March 7, 2018 8:14pm
    - All_on_Red
      
      Sigh, look at the graph…
      The temp goes up, it goes down
      Mainly up due to El Niño
      And then after that, it goes down.
      Anyway, apart from that cycle we aren’t seeing acatastrophic trend of rises.
      Just continued warming as we recover from the Little Ice Age.
      Just to confirm, I’m a Lukewarmer, not a catastrophist like Dennis who reckons the temp will rise 6k by 2100
      Do you believe that too?
      
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      March 7, 2018 8:17pm
      - SPC
        
        It sure does and for various reasons. But there is a rising trend. And no “catastrophic rise”, as yet.
        
        The trend is a concern, but the forecasting is inexact and we are not even sure if there is not going to be another Maunder Minimum to complicate that forecasting all the more.
        
        I make no forecast as to the global temp 2100.
        
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        March 7, 2018 8:25pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        The measuring is inexact as well.
        There’s no doubt there’s possibly issues with this data set. Math…
        Even more with the land based Stevenson Screens though.
        The margin of error is from .5-2k
        They tried to cull them out and of course ‘homogenise’ the data, based on their choice of ‘method’
        Then there’s the scarcity of coverage. Arctic coverage is sparse for instance
        Not only on land but sea.
        Seriously 3338 Argo Buoys for 360 million sq kms of ocean?
        The way they apply smoothing is deceptive too.
        In the US they’ve started upgrading the instruments to more accurate thermometers.
        We’ll know in only 30 years!
        
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        March 7, 2018 8:36pm
- Manolo
  
  Yes, parasitical Champagne-socialist Simon Upton is another Labour lite role model, isn’t he?
  
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  March 7, 2018 5:42pm
Manolo

Nobody is free:
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2018/3/6/dominguez-to-retire/
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March 7, 2018 5:40pm
Inandout

Oh, bless him.
http://iforce.co.nz/i/gwj2r2uo.2la.jpg
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March 7, 2018 6:26pm
AgentBallSack

I hereto humbly apologise to Ross Taylor for everything I have said about him. Great stuff Rossco! A mental and physical struggle that is seldom seen!
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March 7, 2018 7:08pm
- Kimbo
  
  Hope he is ok for the first test in two weeks time. Winning the ODI series against England would be good, but who, even among cricket tragics, will remember the result in six months? Not so a test series, and yes, I think we can take them. Having Roscoe fit and firing would go a long way to doing that.
  
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  March 7, 2018 7:34pm
  - mikenmild
    
    I’m sorry, but I struggle to think of two tests as a series.
    
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    March 7, 2018 8:03pm
    - realityczech
      
      “I struggle to think”
      
      We noticed milky.
      
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      March 7, 2018 8:10pm
    - Kimbo
      
      Yeah, I know, I’m not bloody happy about, especially as NZC turned down the chance to play a third against England and in a season of five months, four different opponents and we only play four in total. Bloody shameful, especially as Kane Williamson is in his pomp, and we have our best test team since at lekast Stephen Fleming’s team was in its prime in the early to mid noughties. Still, it’s all that they’ve allowed for us sad purists, so I’m all booked in for my sixty hours test cricket fix.
      
      Plus the way you play it helps to make up for the lack of games. Put it this way, the 1-1 draw we got over there in 2015 in the two test series was one of the best series played in a while. Every day, indeed every session had something to offer. The Lords test we lost was outstanding.
      
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      March 7, 2018 8:13pm
      - mikenmild
        
        I didn’t realise that three were on offer. I suppose NZC thought they would lose money.
        
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        March 7, 2018 8:23pm
Fletch

Started to watch Thor: Ragnorok today but found it unwatchable. Had to stop after about half an hour. So much for our Kiwi director. It was bloody awful.
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March 7, 2018 7:24pm
- SGA
  
  meh – if what you wanted and expected was some mental candy floss, then it was a lot of fun (imho). If you were looking for an awarding winning display of acting with a thought-provoking script, then not so much 🙂
  
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  March 7, 2018 7:36pm
  - Fletch
    
    It’s just that it was basically played for laughs. It reminded me of the new film versions of Charlie’s Angels, Starsky and Hutch, Baywatch, CHiPS, 21 Jump Street, The Green Hornet etc. It’s like the director doesn’t really know how to treat the material seriously, so just decides to yuk it up.
    
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    March 7, 2018 7:59pm
    - mikenmild
      
      Because the original Charlie’s Angels was such a serious dramas.
      
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      March 7, 2018 8:02pm
    - SGA
      
      Fletch
      
      It’s like the director doesn’t really know how to treat the material seriously
      
      This is the movie with a large Green mutated creature called the Hulk and a Norse god called Thor coming together to save the universe? 🙂
      
      The action adventure/fantasy/comedy mix has done well at the box office lately – e.g., Guardians of the Galaxy. From memory, the last Thor movie didn’t do as well as it should in part because it took itself too seriously, and Wiatiti was given free rein to make the next Thor movie in that more silly style.
      He delivered – “It has grossed over $853 million, becoming the highest-grossing film of the Thor series and ninth highest-grossing film of 2017.” (Wikipedia)
      
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      March 7, 2018 8:19pm
  - mikenmild
    
    You surely know Fletch only watched the movie so he could moan about Taika Waititi.
    
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    March 7, 2018 8:00pm
    - Fletch
      
      No, it just came out on bluray, so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I was expecting it to be great. What I saw was almost a parody. Marvel movies always have a bit of humour but the movie (what i saw of it) was like a skit.
      
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      March 7, 2018 8:08pm
      - mikenmild
        
        Blame capitalism. Hasn’t it made like a billion dollars and been more successful than all the other Thor movies?
        Not my cup of tea really. I can’t really keep up with too many sci-fi ‘universes’.
        
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        March 7, 2018 8:13pm
      - SGA
        
        Fair enough, mm. I’ve more eclectic tastes.
        
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        March 7, 2018 8:29pm
      - AgentBallSack
        
        Stainless Steel Rat is one of the last best universes. They should make that into a series
        
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        March 7, 2018 9:17pm
      - SGA
        
        Slippery Jim fan, huh.
        Write to Netflix, it’s the sort of thing they’d fund. I reckon it would turn out a bit like sci fi version of Mission Impossible 🙂
        
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        March 7, 2018 9:19pm
    - AgentBallSack
      
      You surely know Taika Waititi only made a movie so he could moan about New Zealand mikey. Well his worst nightmare has come true, it’s rapidly becoming a tragicomedy shithole
      
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      March 7, 2018 8:56pm
      - SGA
        
        AgentBallSack
        
        You surely know Taika Waititi only made a movie so he could moan about New Zealand mikey.
        
        and make money. Lots and lots and lots of money.
        
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        March 7, 2018 9:00pm
Rodney Randall

https://youtu.be/o6tuQoXhOPQ
Imam Tawhidi face to face Tommy Robinson.
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March 7, 2018 8:40pm
nasska

I’ve just written an erotic novel aimed at the premature ejaculation market.

“She walked into the room, removed her dress to reveal see through black underwear, then she seductively took off her bra and panties and stood there naked”

The End
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March 7, 2018 8:41pm
- SGA
  
  Make a great movie – 1/4 of a Shade of Grey, perhaps. Admission, 50c. Might get the Oscar for best short feature (or shortest best feature, perhaps).
  
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  March 7, 2018 8:46pm
  - nasska
    
    Not just that!
    
    You’d be pushing your luck to eat your ice cream in the time allowed for the intermission. 🙂
    
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    March 7, 2018 8:52pm
    - SGA
      
      Intermission! When was the last time you went to the cinema, nasska? You need to get out of Eketahuna more.
      
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      March 7, 2018 8:54pm
      - nasska
        
        …..”When was the last time you went to the cinema”…..
        
        I just checked with the old cheese. Smokey and the Bandit at the Masterton Regent theatre in 1977.
        
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        March 7, 2018 8:59pm
      - SGA
        
        and the pair of you got asked to leave before the final reel, I’m guessing.
        
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        March 7, 2018 9:01pm
- stigie
  
  Brilliant Nasska, where does one come to pick up a novel such as this..?
  
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  March 7, 2018 8:59pm
  - SGA
    
    Just send him $20 and a self-addressed envelope.
    
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    March 7, 2018 9:02pm
    - Piniwi
      
      No doubt SGA it will be like old George Beeddle the chemist who would send mens goods in a plane brown paper wrapper.
      
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      March 8, 2018 2:06am
  - nasska
    
    Dad has the distribution rights stigie. You can contact him at the Christchurch branch of Shoes for Fatties. 🙂
    
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    March 7, 2018 9:03pm
AgentBallSack

He had stupidboys money as soon as she walked
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March 7, 2018 9:13pm
- realityczech
  
  As if females are your thing perv.
  
  [DPF: And that’s a Strike}
  
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  March 7, 2018 9:18pm
  - AgentBallSack
    
    As if reality is your thing cunt
    
    [DPF: And also a Strike]
    
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    March 7, 2018 9:51pm
    - realityczech
      
      Language! There might be kids around?
      
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      March 7, 2018 9:55pm
      - AgentBallSack
        
        Come on cunt put your money where your mouth is. You call me a pedo, a homo, a perv while hiding behind your keyboard still. Lets do it RC, come own your words you spineless little fuck
        
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        March 7, 2018 9:59pm
      - realityczech
        
        Hurts don’t it?
        
        Try this and have a lay down:
        
        https://www.luckyvitamin.com/images/Product/medium/156907_1.jpg
        
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        March 7, 2018 10:03pm
      - Kimbo
        
        Oh, hey, ABS. Meant to tell you. Kea is back. ?
        
        And I’ve already clarified with him my offer to be your second and negotiate the time and place for pistols at dawn on the shore of Port Nicholson still stands. Plus hold realityczech’s hat, because he is such a sad fuck with no friends to do it for him. ?
        
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        March 7, 2018 10:06pm
      - realityczech
        
        Hey Agent Bimbo is here !
        
        Time to break out the felching straws and swap photos I presume?
        
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        March 7, 2018 10:08pm
      - Kimbo
        
        Hmm, well as ABS did challenge you to a duel, you do get first choice of suggesting the preferred and favourite weapon. So thanks for clarifying your speciality, but – and I’m going to go out on a limb here, and make a negotiating decision without referring back to AgentBallSack – we decline your felching straw suggestion.
        
        How about bare fists? Given your tendency to get into fights around here, I’d take you for the type of sick puppy who creams his underwear while getting a beating. ?
        
        You’re probably rubbing your nipples right now at the thought, aren’t you? ?
        
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        March 7, 2018 10:17pm
      - realityczech
        
        Bimbo do you have to be so graphic about your twisted fantasies?
        
        I’m as liberal as they come, but you really don’t have to share every lusty thought.
        
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        March 7, 2018 10:31pm
      - Kimbo
        
        Hey, I’m not the one who lifted the lid on their private life, and forced the rest of us to reach for a gallon sized bottle of mind bleach by injecting the phrase “felching straws” into the conversation.
        
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        March 7, 2018 10:34pm
      - realityczech
        
        Yet you seem untroubled by your buddies refusal to condemn the rape of little boys, while attacking the messenger and creating strawman distractions.
        
        I wonder why someone would do that?
        
        Nah I don’t really….
        
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        March 7, 2018 10:39pm
      - Kimbo
        
        So quickly switching the topic away from your felching straws? I see what you did there… ?
        
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        March 7, 2018 10:44pm
All_on_Red

????????
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March 7, 2018 9:22pm
Hugh Pavletich

CHRISTCHURCH: A BUREAUCRATICALLY BUGGERED CITY … CONTINUED … THE PRESS REPORTS …

Posted at … https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2018/03/links-8-march-2018/#comment-3063757 … and…

New report blames Cathedral Square and red zone delays on planning set up | Stuff.co.nz

https://i.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/102057054/new-report-blames-cathedral-square-and-red-zone-delays-on-planning-set-up

Sorting out Christchurch’s Cathedral Square and red zone is taking too long because of the planning and consultation process, a new report suggests.

Regenerate Christchurch, the Crown and city council agency formed to lead the revival of key parts of the city, has missed targets for releasing plans for both sites. Regenerate is running several months late with designs for Cathedral Square. Its short-list of uses for riverside red zone land, due in mid-2017, is still not ready. … read more via hyperlink above…

… As a Christchurch citizen, two weeks following the first earthquake events 4 September 2010 I wrote …

Christchurch: A Bureaucratically Buggered City | Scoop News

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1009/S00237/christchurch-a-bureaucratically-buggered-city.htm

… with extensive further material accessible via my archival website PERFORMANCE URBAN PLANNING (particularly The Early Advocacy Years Section at bottom of front page) …

Performance Urban Planning

http://www.performanceurbanplanning.org/

… As this Fairfax / The Press article illustrates, the failed political and bureaucratic culture continues … as nothing is learned near 8 years on.

… The adjoining smaller local government units of Waimakariri and Selwyn ‘saved’ Greater Christchurch, as people and businesses understandably fled to avoid the never – ending Christchurch Council Area political and bureaucratic mayhem.
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March 8, 2018 5:00am

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