General Debate 12 April 2018

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NZpatriot

Expect the Russians, Venezuelans, and Saudis to celebrate. As NZ bans new exploration, corrupt nations with poor standards will just produce a bit more to sell to our former customers, and kiwis continue to import it! No reduction in global emissions – bad deal!

Oil is produced to meet demand, so only DEMAND-SIDE interventions will reduce emissions (such as an ETS, like we have). Supply-side interventions such as bans achieve nothing except to mean someone else will produce it instead. Bad deal for the economy and global environment.

New Zealand is a small producer on the world stage making up 0.014% of global oil supply. If we cease exploration and stop producing, that would easily be made up by other markets. Stopping production here won’t increase prices either, because NZ is a price taker.

Global demand for oil and gas is growing. NZ can provide this and gain the economic benefits.
• Oil and gas are forecast to continue to make up around half the world’s energy needs by 2040.
• Natural gas demand is expected to grow 45% by 2040 (IEA).

The economic contribution from oil and gas in NZ is significant.
• up to 11,720 jobs, including 7,070 in Taranaki.
• average salary of $105,000 – twice the New Zealand average of $50,000.
• 2.5% of GDP
• pays around $500 million per year in royalties and taxes

Will the Govt ban new agriculture, other emissions-intensive industries, or petroleum CONSUMPTION? Or is it a market-led transition for some sectors, and virtue-signalling bans (which won’t reduce global emissions one iota) for others?
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April 12, 2018 8:00am
- cmm
  
  But feelz.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:07am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    Butt feels, more like.
    
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    April 12, 2018 12:39pm
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Fucking idiots. Just displacing the exploration and production to less efficient and less environmentally conscious locations, run by despotic, oppressive, misogynistic arseholes.
  
  But as long as we can’t see it out our window it’s all wonderful and worth the many billions in additional overseas revenue we will now have to find to pay for it.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:18am
- Steve (North Shore)
  
  The COL Govt will ban anything that enables a business to make a profit. They are in the business of putting businesses out of business. Look at the health and safety bullshit – all it does is keep stupid people alive – future leftie voters.
  (reposted, edit function broken)
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:23am
  - septic skeptic
    
    Surely it’s a bit of a stretch to blame the COL for the health and safety bullshit.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:40am
    - Steve (North Shore)
      
      Non productive jobs in the Swamp. They will always be there no matter who is in Govt. The COL could drain the swamp, but that means job loss, not good for them
      
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      April 12, 2018 9:12am
      - KiWombat
        
        Drain the swamp Steve? That would require several layers of conversations and investigations. More jobs. Brilliant idea !
        
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        April 12, 2018 9:29am
- Justitia
  
  This is an act of economic sabotage. The government should be challenged through the courts. This ban was not part of their election manifesto, nor was it consulted. Princess airhead has put the country’s future wellbeing at risk to please the Greens and their mentally defective supporters. This pack of lunatics must go.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:26am
- hullkiwi
  
  The original commie moron (Russell Normski) was on Red Radio before 7.30am saying this is a decision to be celebrated. However, he felt they hadn’t gone far enough, in that they were still issuing permits for onshore exploration. He then went on about how this was an important action in the universal fight against global warming etc.
  
  Just a minor question to Normski, Taxcinda, Woods, Twitford, Sage, JAG, and Mummies Boy,
  
  WTF, currently NZ doesn’t get all its energy from renewable sources. So, are you dumb asses now formulating NZ’s energy policy on the basis that we (as a country) are prepared to sacrifice ourselves on the alter of international markets/forces to ensure we keep industry, the Transport network and our homes supplied with energy?
  
  BTW, those dumb asses I listed above (along with Goofy) may not realise it, that even before this week’s storm, Auckland’s electricity grid is in need of a major overhaul in order to support Goofy’s policy of moving to an all electric bus fleet and building those bloody tram lines!!!!
  
  So, how is stopping exploring for oil going to help NZ?
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:45am
  - hullkiwi
    
    An after thought, it might make Shanz’ West Coast waste to energy plant viable. At a bloody long stretch!
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:49am
- Rich Prick
  
  An industry that requires capital to be committed to a long term plan can only react in one way. And it won’t be in a good way. What is it with these job-hating airheads running the shop? Oh, and where was the “conversation” you lot are so fond of?
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:45am
- rangitoto
  
  “• average salary of $105,000 – twice the New Zealand average of $50,000.”
  
  Well that’s your answer. Rich Pricks earning that much must be punished unless they are party elite.
  
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  April 12, 2018 10:27am
  - Nigel Kearney
    
    Even so, you have to allow them to earn that income before you can take it off them.
    
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    April 12, 2018 12:44pm
- Surely Knott
  
  The government said there are only 3900 jobs directly in the industry and “the transition will be slow enough that other, greener jobs will emerge in their place.” So they don’t have a plan, and there is no sign of this unnamed green industry yet, but 3900 green jobs paying an average salary of $105k mainly in the regions will just “emerge”. Magically like a money tree – good to know. *Unicorns*
  
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  April 12, 2018 3:06pm
- Surely Knott
  
  Paula B. smashes it in her speech in parliament! “Regions blindsided by the govt today and deeply let down by NZfirst who has rolled over for the greens and despite all the talk about the regions has let our regions down. ” https://www.facebook.com/paulabennettUH/videos/1021971231288677/
  
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  April 12, 2018 4:34pm
Right of way is Way of Right

I’d like to put a couple of points across to Dr Megan Woods.

Oil exploration is a huge revenue stream for the Government. Should a search be successful, it will generate billions of dollars worth of royalties for the Government, which is seriously strapped for cash.

Oil exploration is a future focused industry, and where they are not welcome, they will quickly bugger off where they don’t feel like pariahs.

Billions of Dollars will help finish rebuilding Christchurch, fix some hospitals and allow nurses to be paid more.

Oil exploration is a growth industry in the regions, and thousands of jobs are now at risk!

Has she talked to Shane Jones about this?
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April 12, 2018 8:01am
- holysheet
  
  Don’t panic, that oil and gas is not going anywhere.
  When this clusterfuck govt is chucked out, it will be back to normal.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:10am
  - Steve (North Shore)
    
    Saving our reserves for a rainy day? Meanwhile loss of revenue just means they will TAX us more
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:26am
  - Maxx
    
    But the people and companies who can get it out of the ground can and are unlikely to stick around on the off chance another Government gets in, nor will they be willing to continue the investments they make until LAB/GRN come back into power again.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:27am
  - Keeping Stock
    
    The problem with that Holysheet, is that even if a future National government reversed this ban, the damage has been done. International investors will have lost confidence in New Zealand, and will take their capital elsewhere.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:54am
    - holysheet
      
      Nah I don’t think so. Our oil and gas reserves are fairly easy to get at compared with some other countries. These multi nationals will be back if they can see a dollar in it for them. They don’t come here for our benefit.
      
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      April 12, 2018 12:17pm
- stigie
  
  That’s ok, the minister for cheese rolls and fine dining will be gone by 2020 !~
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:17am
  - RF
    
    Yes but she will have time to stuff many pork pies down her gob.
    
    Followed by cream buns….
    
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    April 12, 2018 12:00pm
EAD_TWO

This is probably the most heroic thing I’ve ever seen on television – Tucker Carlson of Fox News being that rare voice of reason while the talking heads of the MSM call for “regime change” and “making country xyz safe for democracy”

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-09/tucker-carlson-goes-epic-rant-against-war-syria
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April 12, 2018 8:04am
kowtow

Dear Don

Don’t whack Assad . You’re being set up by the “rebels” and no one needs WW3 over a set up outrage where no evidence exists as to who dun it.
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April 12, 2018 8:04am
- EAD_TWO
  
  Indeed Kowtow – we’ve had enough:
  
  http://nwioqeqkdf.blogspot.com.nz/2018/04/no-more-wars-for-israel.html?m=1
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:31am
sooty

Stupid commnuist bitch. How thick can you get. Leave and have your baby and never come back.
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April 12, 2018 8:04am
- Salacious Crumb
  
  Hmmmm whats that smell? Smells like a ONE TERM GOVERNMENT.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:06am
  - Chris R
    
    Has NZ ever had a government which has hated this country as much as this lot? I use the term “government” in a very loose sense. This lot really are “hit and run” merchants.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:12am
    - sooty
      
      They must have spent 9yrs eating at Bellamys and bugger all else. They just proved they were not ready to be a goverment.
      
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      April 12, 2018 8:15am
      - Chris R
        
        I don’t disagree Sooty but ask you this: Is their intention to destroy prosperity in NZ treasonous? There is a constitutional case for the G-G to intervene when a “government’s” ineptitude evolves into deliberate destruction of the country. I confess to having real difficulty describing the CoL as a government…how about fools/criminal wasters/idiots/ dreamers??? (To top it all off they’re giving the despicable Hager an audience.)
        
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        April 12, 2018 8:21am
      - holysheet
        
        You forgot they are wankers, dickheads and fuckwits.
        
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        April 12, 2018 8:27am
      - Paulus Gnome
        
        That was a given and probably didn’t need a mention but I am with you, saying it out loud is immensely satisfying!
        
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        April 12, 2018 10:32am
    - Rich Prick
      
      Cindy and her mob are hated for the way they were installed and every clusterfuck that has flowed as a result. I’ve noticed a distinct attitudinal change with people usually ambivalent about politics.
      
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      April 12, 2018 8:51am
      - Chris R
        
        The one thing the Ardern idiot has achieved is keeping the lid on the identity of the sex pervert who attended Labour’s sex/booze camp in February. That would be her sole achievement and its nothing for even an amoral idiot to boast about. If the identity revelation ever occurs and it is established that the offender is a well known party member I only hope Bridges has the stomach to apply a blow-torch.
        
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        April 12, 2018 8:55am
      - Rich Prick
        
        There was a photo of the kids drinking doing the rounds recently. One of the faces was blurred out and that had me wondering whether he was the perp. I could make out a scraggly beard, but that doesn’t narrow it down much these days.
        
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        April 12, 2018 9:13am
      - sooty
        
        Just compare it to one from another source and ask your self is that the sexual deviate. Then ask questions as to whos kid it is?
        
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        April 12, 2018 1:25pm
  - simo
    
    Hoping for 1 year actually…todays ballsup is the beginning of the end for this government.
    
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    April 12, 2018 9:34am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  JAG, have you thought about how much oil is used in the manufacture and maintenance of a BIKE?
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:36am
  - hullkiwi
    
    Captain, you are asking her to have a thought, from what we have been seeing that would be a first.
    
    Given JAG has a post graduate degree, I am starting to see why Bob Jones was very avowed that he would never hire a university graduate. She is an embarrassment those of us with post graduate university education.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:57am
Spam

The dangerous thing about this oil (and gas!) exploration ban is that even if National promise to reverse it, what international company would take the risk to invest here, with the threat that an incoming Labour govt could choose to destroy their investment at the stroke of a pen?
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April 12, 2018 8:05am
- brett68
  
  Yep, very much like when National allowed private ACC providers and Labour destroyed it.
  
  No chance of private ACC ever happening again
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:08am
- cmm
  
  They fucked sabotaged the partial asset sale, costing us billions of dollars. They’d do the same to the oil industry in a heartbeat.
  
  But once oil is pumping and tens of thousands are employed, not even Labour would be stupid enough to try shut them down. And if they did, it would cost them votes.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:11am
- nasska
  
  The oil will get drilled for sooner or later. We can do it now & pay the country’s bills or we can wait until our international creditors foreclose & do it for us.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:13am
  - KiWombat
    
    Right on the money nasska.
    
    If we have oil in the ground whilst the rest of the globe is running short, do GangGreen really believe that a talkfest will prevent – say – Japan, coming to get what we have stored away?
    
    Have a glance at MarineTraffic.com – how many Japanese fishing vessels are in New Zealand waters right now extracting this resource from the oceans around NZ.
    
    We will need significant investment into our Navy to repel them in any meaningful way – and that ain’t going to happen, is it !
    
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    April 12, 2018 9:40am
- Poppa
  
  So where is simple Simon telling us how National will reverse this madness?
  
  Oh that’s right I forgot he is all for electric cars, in fact I think he owns one.
  
  God I wish he would grow a pair
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:35am
  - brett68
    
    Simon Bridges is completely dickless and risk adverse.
    
    Very much like his mentor and idol John Key
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:42am
  - Wangas Feral
    
    Mate, he could grow a pair and still wouldn’t have enough for one.
    
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    April 12, 2018 10:10am
  - Paulus
    
    Simon has a Petrol Electric car.
    
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    April 12, 2018 1:41pm
  - mic
    
    He has said that the Nats WOULD reverse this decision if the become Govt.
    
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    April 12, 2018 3:40pm
Inandout

Should make a difference to polls, but then again the voting brain dead…..
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April 12, 2018 8:06am
- brett68
  
  Your average Kiwi is a tuned out fucking moron, if it’s not on their facebook feed it dosen’t exist
  
  There’s just as much chance of Labour increasing in the polls.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:12am
  - kowtow
    
    Yep , our MSM , acting as gatekeepers and opinion shapers, ensure the really important things like cricket cheats and netball form , are what most people will concern themselves with .
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:31am
- kowtow
  
  Universal franchise is extremely dangerous.
  
  As has been said so many times before….
  
  “When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic.”
  B Franklin
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:32am
holysheet

I was at the pub and this stunning girl was by herself at the bar, wearing a very tight little dress. I thought with her being dressed this way, perhaps something could “go off,” so I went up to her and asked, “Would you sleep with me for $300 ?” She replied, “Absolutely,” and we both soon left the pub and got in my car and drove off…
Honestly I’m not sure where I went wrong, but she instantly lost interest in me and demanded I take her back just because I stopped at an ATM so she could get $300 out of her account !
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April 12, 2018 8:06am
Dave Mann

This stupid corrupt incompetent virtue signalling ‘government’ looks set to ban new offshore oil and gas exploration this morning.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12030723

What the hell is happening to our country? Surely the catastrophic power outages of the last few days in Auckland demonstrate a modern society’s dependence on energy and there are areas off our coast (especially off Taranaki) which are abundant in gas to generate electricity and oil to drive our cars.

OK, do maybe in 1994 a dolphin stubbed his nose on a drilling pipe….. but how would any sane person think that’s a reason to shut down a huge energy resource for a country?

These people are dangerous lunatics and they need to be stopped.
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April 12, 2018 8:07am
- Monique Watson
  
  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12030723
  
  Mother fucker, titty sucker, two balled Bitch.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:16am
  - Steve (North Shore)
    
    What a bunch of dropkicks. Why are they not at work?
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:47am
    - mara
      
      Steve, would you employ them? Thought not.
      
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      April 12, 2018 11:11am
      - Steve (North Shore)
        
        Exactly
        
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        April 12, 2018 12:45pm
nasska

The begging has started:

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-anti-corruption-whistle-blower-penny-bright
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April 12, 2018 8:08am
- holysheet
  
  What would happen if I and a few others went there, donated all the money she wants and then come payment time said Nah, I changed my mind?
  Do you pay money up front?
  Never been to these sites before. What is the procedure?
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:14am
  - yomcat
    
    You can either pay up front or use a Conditional Pledge (see https://givealittle.co.nz/content/howgivealittleworks/terms) that you can cancel any time up until she gets to her goal (though they do pre-charge your credit card).
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:36am
- stigie
  
  Any chances of you giving her a little Nasska..?
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:24am
  - nasska
    
    The chances vary between slim & remote stigie. 🙂
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:28am
  - holysheet
    
    She looks like she needs more than just a “little bit”
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:30am
- peterwn
  
  I cannot believe that there has never been any rating sales in the Auckland Council region except last year’s Manurewa one and Penny’s forthcoming one. Admittedly the only rating sales that have occurred have generally been because of uncontactable owners expecially where properties have little value (eg in towns that are almost ghost towns). Seems virtually all owners in Penny’s situation would sort things well before a rating sale is threatened by if need be selling the property.
  Seems surprising that in doing a rates strike she has not set aside the money needed to pay rates so she could pay them when her ‘demands’ were met. She probably assumed that the Council would never seek a rating sale and instead assumed the day of reckoning would only come when she finally sold up.
  She now realises that she has to stump up $20k to avert a rating sale (I thought it was $34k so the Council seems to be very generous here).
  What she should be doing too is to get friends around for a working bee this weekend to tidy up the property inside and outside and invite Barfoots to take a fresh photo. She should also allow Barfoots to show prospective purchasers around the property and undertake to go quietly at settlement date. This will greatly increase what people will bid in their tenders. If she does not, it would go for a knock-down price and someone will get a real bargain.
  I see it is the rear part of a cross leased lot. If I was the owner of the front lot I would be sticking a tender in since I would then have a 3/16th acre block that could be developed into town houses.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:37am
- Steve (North Shore)
  
  “The reason I have set up this Give a Little….”
  Stop right there Spray and Walk Away.
  The reason is you are a bludger – full stop
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:52am
- Rich Prick
  
  So after leaching Council services off other ratepayers, she wants other people to … pay her rates. More front than Brighton.
  
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  April 12, 2018 10:39am
- cas
  
  But what will happen if she gets the $20,000. Will she pay any rates in the future? Yeah – nah
  
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  April 12, 2018 10:41am
  - peterwn
    
    The process will probably repeat itself. However the Council will ensure they get things right. It seems a tall order to try and raise $20k within the next 12 days via Give-a-Little. She now faces the serious reality that her house will be sold on the 24th at a knock down price and will be wondering what has happened.
    
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    April 12, 2018 11:53am
- Nostradamus
  
  From Penny’s GiveaLittle page:
  
  Altogether, I am seeking $21,000 on this Give A Little Page, $20,000 to cover outstanding rates (excluding legal fees and penalties), and $1000 to cover the Give A Little 5% service fee.
  
  The High Court sale process will proceed unless Penny pays all outstanding amounts – not just the outstanding rates. The outstanding amounts will include, at a minimum, the Council’s legal and administrative costs, accrued interest, and the High Court’s administrative costs.
  
  Funds raised will go towards the $20,000 in outstanding Auckland Council rates to be paid once ‘the books are open’. In any event monies collected for outstanding Auckland Council Rates, will be paid by the 20th April 2019 – it will be held in escrow till this time.
  
  Good grief – Penny seems to think she’ll still be living in her home and writing “open letters” to Auckland Council this time next year.
  
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  April 12, 2018 2:48pm
  - fernglas
    
    The judgment against her was for well in excess of $34,000, so even if the $20,000 was paid over, it would not be enough. But she won’t pay it until her demands are met, they won’t be so she is in exactly the same spot as she is now.
    The High Court rules impose an obligation on her to co-operate with the sale process, so if she doesn’t, she will find herself being dragged out, yet again, probably kicking and screaming.
    
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    April 12, 2018 3:31pm
  - peterwn
    
    I hate to accuse people of insanity (after being told as a schoolkid that I should ‘go to Kingseat’), but this is surely a case where a visit by the men in white coats is warranted to try and save her from her insanity.
    Not only are the above ancillary costs payable, but she would also have to the purchaser’s costs of evicting her (court hearing and bailiffs) – the successful tenderer would ask for $100k to be held back for this. Anyway she or a friend would need to be there 24/7 or the buyer (AFAIK) if no one is at home is entitled to break in and change the locks.
    She better start looking at ads for cheap Papakura flats.
    
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    April 12, 2018 4:17pm
oldpark

What an indictment. The self appointed Dictator Peters and his appointed “Coalition of Corruption and Chaos” have struck again.
With his off sider a wee girl called “Commie Chic Comrade” Ardern have shut down all potential oil exploration in NZ.
Seems with a potential earnings of almost two to three billion dollars for NZ economy and 11,000 jobs that is not enough to save the industry.
With such a unilateral announcement and with out a mention to the whole Industry the decision is absolute and final.
NZs should be afraid very afraid of what the Peters selected Government can or will do. Who is to say their next movecould be or will be on the Australian owned Banks.
Maybe keeping ones money under the mattress may not be such a bad idea after all.
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April 12, 2018 8:10am
- kowtow
  
  Don’t keep money at home this gubmint has said they won’t send crims to gaol.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:35am
kowtow

World gone mad.

Dog with history of aggressive behaviour kills 7 month baby and more than 250 000 have signed an online petition to save the dog from extermination.

https://www.thelocal.de/20180410/family-dog-bites-infant-to-death-in-hessen
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April 12, 2018 8:10am
srylands

I wonder if anyone has told the government that natural gas is essential to make fertilisers, without which we would all starve? Well not all but about 6 billion people would literally starve to death if we could not make nitrogenous fertilisers. And the only way to make them is with natural gas.
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April 12, 2018 8:11am
- Swifty
  
  Well said srylands.
  
  I think the average Greenie and Labour pollie or supporter would be stunned to know how and to what extent natural gas is used in our country and economy.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:56am
  - waikatogirl
    
    Cindy, I hope the movers are coming in today to remove your desk chair and the comfy office couch, the foam of which is made from petrochemicals.
    
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    April 12, 2018 9:01am
    - namron
      
      To carry on further, Waikato, also every bit of plastic in your house – which is likely to include many of the plastic accoutrements you have for the baby.
      With over half of all crude oil being used to make the 6000+ plastic items we take for granted in our lives.
      
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      April 12, 2018 3:34pm
- rangitoto
  
  Yep. The Haber process is one of the all time great inventions. I rate it up there with the wheel and the flush toilet. I suppose you could collect the required methane from cow farts but the Gweens want to ban cows co no luck there. The only other realistic source of the hydrogen needed for the Haber process would be the electrolysis of water but that is frightfully expensive compared to steam reforming of methane.
  
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  April 12, 2018 10:43am
peterwn

If the Government is going to receive and act on on-line petitions then surely people should be able to ‘downtick’ a referendum.
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April 12, 2018 8:11am
Albert_Ross

So – not oil and gas production, not films, not farming, not selling land or houses to foreigners, not mining, not tourism.

How exactly does the Government intend for New Zealand to make its living?
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April 12, 2018 8:11am
- Steve (North Shore)
  
  TAX. It is that simple
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:59am
  - Fletch
    
    Yup. The govt should check out the Laffer Curve though. There’s only so much you can tax people before revenue starts going backwards.
    
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    April 12, 2018 11:39am
- Harkman
  
  Just watch government bonds slowly drift upwards.
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:11am
- Nermal
  
  Don’t you know money grows on trees? Wait for an announcement from Shane Jones on the new species he’s planting
  
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  April 12, 2018 11:58am
Andrei

While we are distracted by trivia the armies are gathering at Armageddon

Who besides me watched that farce at the UN yesterday?

Can anyone explain to me why countries like Great Britain are outraged by obvious faked images of gassed children and have nothing to say about the real dead children in Yemen – is that because Britain just concluded a massive arms sale to the Saudis who have been delgated the task of destroying Yemen?
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April 12, 2018 8:11am
- Simon
  
  GCC, Israel & US gonna learn Putin some manners so that Russia can join the real world instead of supporting the mullahs and Animal Assad.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:30am
  - Simon
    
    Russian technology. Lol. Iranian forces & Hezbollah are fleeing from Syria. Animal Assad and his family have bugged out, Russian warships have fled.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:35am
  - kowtow
    
    And Turkey occupies parts of northern Syria , is a NATO member and EU aspirant with barely a peep from the same western gubmints who want to attack sovereign Syria over an alleged chemical attck of unknown origin.
    
    Manners be damned , who needs WW3?
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:38am
    - Simon
      
      WW3? Its already over. Trump/US, GCC & Israel have already learned Putin real good. He gets it.
      
      MSM are abut 10 days behind what is going on.
      
      The rest is mopping up.
      
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      April 12, 2018 8:55am
      - Andrei
        
        What the fuck have you been smoking Simon?
        
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        April 12, 2018 9:12am
- VicParking
  
  I agree the video look faked. The kids looked more shocked by being sprayed by water than anything else. So do the videos of the Palestinians carrying injured. One guy being carried but in the next video he is seen running beside another injured man being carried. It seems the Arabs play the MSM like fish. The killed reporter also looked suspect. He was shot in the stomach and there was blood everywhere except on his bullet proof vest which was placed on to of his chest. Horrible things are happening in the Middle East but the Arabs and the MSM have a lot to answer for in regards to their reporting.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:35am
  - kowtow
    
    The actors treating the “casualties” were washing and wiping them with ungloved hands . They knew the “victims” had no dangerous chemicals on them.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:40am
  - Twinkletoes
    
    Apparently he was a Captain in Hamas.
    
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    April 12, 2018 10:45am
Catons

They have plenty of plans to spend money but no plans to make money except tax tax tax
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April 12, 2018 8:15am
- Lance
  
  It’s OK
  Cindy has a cunning plan…………….. the govt will tax it’s way to universal wealth, it’s a winner.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:20am
Lance

All you half half-wits that voted NZ First to teach National a lesson………. well done, you did this.
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April 12, 2018 8:18am
- starboard
  
  Unfortunately National had the 3rd term stench about it and started to suffer from entitilitis. We all know the COL is a one termer, let us hope they don’t fuck the place in the mean time.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:32am
  - VicParking
    
    Give them a chance they have only had six months. It takes them that length of time to find their offices in the beehive.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:37am
    - Right of way is Way of Right
      
      I can only hope it takes them at least that long to find their way back out of them again!
      
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      April 12, 2018 9:10am
- stigie
  
  Yes, i use to think the same Lance but with Winston going with Labour has potentially saved National from any fiascos..?
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:32am
- septic skeptic
  
  I abstained. Would need a full lobotomy to vote Winston First. But I was REALLY rooting for NZF to go with Labour. My hope is to get a right wing government for the first time in over 20 years next time.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:57am
  - kowtow
    
    Who fits that bill now , Notional certainly isn’t “right wing”.
    
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    April 12, 2018 9:20am
- Harkman
  
  Good call.
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:12am
oldpark

Latest joke if it was not a joke. The news that “Commie Chic Comrade “Ardern fresh from cruzifying NZs way of life and well being is off to London to hob nob and big note with the Muslim Lord Mayor called Khan and another wee effeminate clown called Trudeau..
“Commie Chic “will tell them how it is done.
Of course she might come a gutser as her puppet master and self appointed Dictator Peters will not be there to hold her hand.
Maybe her off course substitutes could fill in for Peters. Clark and Simpson from the coven will front.
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April 12, 2018 8:20am
- VicParking
  
  It will be interesting to see if she has an audience with her hero Jeremy Corbyn.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:22am
- Monique Watson
  
  It’s a junket. She’s hammered one of NZ’s important economies and fucked off to CHOGM, For a Baby Moon. Whatever the fuck that is. Back in the day we yopped out our titties and weren’t precious. We just got on with the laundry and cleaning the shitters. Fed babies and mowed the lawns.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:53am
- KevOB
  
  She will offend as usual. I wish her well at CHOGM– so many more all together to preach to. Some will have “converations” with her others can be studiously silent.
  
  I have been at a CHOGM.
  
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  April 12, 2018 12:55pm
  - sooty
    
    She’s just going baby shopping on our dame!
    
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    April 12, 2018 1:38pm
VicParking

Red Radio has had the call by Robbo to push doom and gloom. Their response was to interview a number of Snake Oil salesmen about the price of snakes. Economic gloom is on the horizon by Jeremy Corbyn’s economic advisor and Auckland’s house prices by a Realestate Salesman. Another day another enquirer run by an ex Labourite (Geoffrey Palmer). It seems that Labour politicians have no Super schemes so they need handouts by the government.
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April 12, 2018 8:21am
- Harkman
  
  Yes, UK Labour’s solution is 1960s slum apartment blocks that even inhabitants want to burn down.
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:14am
- Rachael Membery
  
  Jobs for the boys doesn’t seem to meet the cronyism test that labour continually applied to national.
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:19am
Monique Watson

So there was this dyslexic guy who walked into a bra.
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April 12, 2018 8:23am
- G152
  
  He needed to.
  Breasting the bar and all that
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:32am
- Awww C-mon
  
  Was that the same dyslexic guy who sold his soul to Santa?
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:20am
Paulus

It has been suggested that the arrogant twits opening up the military to derision in accordance with the Hagar motto is part of Winston Raymond Peter’s UTU against the National Government.
Supported by the Communists Greens and Calamity Cindy. Probably in the Labour NZF agreement, which is secret.
What is Hagar going to say when there is insufficient evidence to his and some other blokes assertions, as apparently may be shown on the US video, which will not be available to the so called enquiry.
Hagar’s books are now down to $1 at any book sale.
What a farce.
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April 12, 2018 8:27am
- RalphT
  
  I’ll buy when the price drops to 50 cents; then it will be cheaper than toilet paper, which is all it’s fit to be used for.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:53am
  - KiWombat
    
    I’ve seen them in The Warehouse on the 50c table Ralph. Wait a month or so and they’ll offer you $1 to take them away !
    
    Pages are not easy to rip out though !
    
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    April 12, 2018 9:47am
- Rachael Membery
  
  They will be hoping for an increase in sales.
  
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  April 12, 2018 12:58pm
Keeping Stock

I have a couple of friends who own businesses in Taranaki. Both specialise in providing engineering support to the oil and gas industry.

The government may argue that the industry only employs a thousand or so people, but that ignores many thousands more who and employed by businesses providing services to oil and gas. My mates are now faced with losing a significant part of the revenue, and when that happens, they will have to lay off staff; who wins then?

This is a terribly short-sighted decision by Ardern and Woods. It will cause an almost immedate cessation of foreign investment into anything related to the oil and gas industry, it will cost jobs, it will hurt communities, and worst of all, it won’t make a blind bit of difference to climate change.
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April 12, 2018 8:32am
- dubya
  
  Don’t forget that Taranaki also has the highest median income in NZ, thanks to oil and gas.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:42am
  - simpleton1
    
    A tall poppy always has to be cut down, particularly by the ilk that support this government.
    Just can not have a region looking too successful, as it will show up the other areas.
    
    Like the West Coast was doing ok, harvesting trees, timber mills, mining, dairying and sure some things could be fine tuned and improved. Just chuck the baby out with the bath water.
    
    The real issue it would be showing that it had an independence from central government.
    
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    April 12, 2018 9:03am
- Inandout
  
  Labour don’t care, they have their virtue signalling to keep Wussell Norman happy, and thereby the Greens. Cindy refuses to acknowledge that oil reserves could make this country as rich as Bahrain. But well paid people don’t vote Labour.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:51am
- Piniwi
  
  True KS but your friends might also have told you that even though the industry spends enormous amounts they are tough to deal with. Good relationships with them have been established with a lot of hard work from back in the day when they first arrived. Don’t expect the COL to understand this significant aspect since few if any have ever been “exposed” to real jobs.
  
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  April 13, 2018 12:35am
lifesgood

Any idea why Richard Griffin is refusing to release Clare Curran’s voice message?
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April 12, 2018 8:35am
- waikatogirl
  
  Richard Griffin said something like, the tone of the message by Curran is inappropriate and he won’t release it out of respect for the message being from an MP.
  
  “Pale, stale old white man” respects journalistic standards?
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:38am
  - Rich Prick
    
    It sounds like Curran attempted to rip Griffin a new one and quite possibly brought his pedigree into question. She has the classlessness for it.
    
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    April 12, 2018 9:17am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    I read that he didn’t think that it pertained to the correcting the record issue. As a separate issue it should be treated as such. He seeed to think that releasing it would worsen the relationship with the minister, my goodness that wouldn’t make the minister very professional would it .?
    
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    April 12, 2018 1:06pm
  - Piniwi
    
    Or waikatogirl perhaps he wants to be reappointed when his tenure ends soon? Or since the House will again be recess long enough for it to blow over since Curran will avoid further questioning till it starts again.
    
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    April 13, 2018 12:44am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Jacinda has told us that there is nothing more to be heard .
  Clare has said sorry.
  Its over, move on.
  “I think ultimately really though the matter has come to an end, the minister has apologised, admitted her mistakes, Richard Griffin has made his position clear, I’m not sure there’s much more to be gained.”
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:44am
  - Keeping Stock
    
    All in all it’s good news for Ardern’s opponents that she has thrown in her lot with Curran. The hapless Minister is bound to screw up again, and when she does, Ardern’s credibility goes further down the gurgler.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:59am
    - kowtow
      
      Yes, but do the little old ladies who said “I normally vote National , but now that lovely young thing is in charge of Labour , I’ll vote for her”, really get what’s going on? Of course not . They vote for an image ,not substance.
      
      The universal franchise is a frightening thing.
      
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      April 12, 2018 9:39am
      - KevOB
        
        It can be returned to the elder males who ceded it.
        
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        April 12, 2018 1:03pm
  - oldgolfer
    
    Oh yes there is, Cindy. There is much to be gained.
    She can’t protect the dozy woman for ever.
    
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    April 12, 2018 10:45am
- doggone7
  
  Because by refusing he gets publicity and stories about something sinister can fester?
  Because if he releases it Curran is off the hook as it’s not bad for her?
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:58am
- Nigel Kearney
  
  He is not legally required to release it, and he has to work with Curran in the future. The desire to make the government look bad is a reason for us to want it released but not for him.
  
  Anyway, isn’t it traditional when something like this is not released that somebody just puts out a fake recording that is even worse, and claims it was hacked off the person’s phone?
  
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  April 12, 2018 12:55pm
mandk

You couldn’t make this stuff up:
https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/105631/un-watchdog-slams-appointment-of-syria-to-head-chemical-weapons-forum/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email#ugZpubFJrbd8HcHh.97

That’s right – you bomb kids in your country with toxic gas, and then you get appointed as chair of a UN Conference on Disarmament and lead discussions about stopping the use of chemical weapons.

“Having the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad preside over global chemical and nuclear weapons disarmament will be like putting a serial rapist in charge of a women’s shelter”
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April 12, 2018 8:35am
- EAD_TWO
  
  https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-11/former-uk-ambassador-syria-syrian-chemical-weapons-attack-was-staged-islamic-jihadi
  
  The former UK Ambassador to Syria, Peter Ford, told BBC Radio Scotland regarding the alleged Douma chemical weapons attack:
  
  – The Syrian government is probably not guilty
  
  – The sources claiming there was a chemical weapons attack are pro-Islamist jihadi propaganda outlets
  
  – The incident was probably staged, and it is likely that no one actually died
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:38am
  - EAD_TWO
    
    edit:
    
    mandk – I find it curious that you’re believing the Jihadis version of events….
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:46am
    - mandk
      
      I find it curious that you are buying into Baathist propaganda.
      
      Like his brother Baathist, Saddam Hussein, Bashar al-Assad has shown no hesitation in killing his own people.
      
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      April 12, 2018 10:27am
  - KevOB
    
    This has happened previously. There is even footage of a news event being staged in another country.
    
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    April 12, 2018 1:06pm
- VicParking
  
  “Women’s Shelter”, what have you heard about the Green Party.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:45am
- kowtow
  
  Quite apart from how ridiculous the UN is , where is the evidence Assad done it?
  
  Where is the evidence Putin poisoned that spy ?
  
  There’s far too much virtue signalling going on and very little hard facts.
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:42am
  - fernglas
    
    The evidence that Russia poisoned the ex-spy is that there is no evidence that Russia poisoned him. Had anyone other than Russia done it, there would have been evidence that Russia had done it.
    
    It is different with the thing in Syria. The evidence that Assad did it is that there is evidence that Assad did not do it. Had someone other than Assad done it, there would be evidence that it was done by Assad. Evidence of Russia’s collusion is found in the fact that Russia denies collusion in the event that there is evidence that Assad did it, but has not denied involvement with someone other than Assad.
    
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    April 12, 2018 10:04am
    - All_on_Red
      
      Defense Sec. Mattis reveals U.S., allies “still assessing the intelligence” on suspected chemical attack in Syria, says “We stand ready to supply military options, if they’re appropriate, as the president determines.”
      From this morning
      
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      April 12, 2018 10:40am
      - kowtow
        
        Assessing the intelligence.
        
        Like what they used to invade Iraq or obliterate Libya.
        
        Have they learned nothing from those humanitarian disasters they have created.
        
        Stay out of it.
        
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        April 12, 2018 12:26pm
    - kowtow
      
      Inquest in the UK into another Russian poisoning case.
      
      The media knows it , so so does the UK gubmint.
      
      These poisonings appear to be business rivalries taken to extremes. It just happens that business , corruption and the state are so tied up in the former Soviet Union that it’s hard to work out what’s what.
      
      ‘The Russian whistleblower allegedly assassinated outside his Surrey mansion was being ruthlessly pursued by a company linked to Alexander Litvinenko’s killer, his inquest has heard.
      
      Alexander Perepilichnyy had been sued for millions by a company founded by Dmitry Kovtun, the former KGB agent said to have poisoned Mr Litvinenko in London using Polonium 210. ‘
      
      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/10/russian-dissident-poisoned-outside-surrey-mansion-pursued-assassin/
      
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      April 12, 2018 10:49am
  - KevOB
    
    The signalling lacks virtue. Much is based on lies. Some people are actively promoting war.
    The Saudi’s obliterate Yemen with American and British help without a tut tut. The Saudi’s are now co-operating with Israel.
    The US dollar is under attack within and without. There are limits to internal spending and the latest budget round breaks all sensible economic rules. The world cannot afford to hold USD if the US cannot control spending. That could be the reason for the US push to war.
    
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    April 12, 2018 1:15pm
Swifty

Russel Norman was interviewed on RNZ this morning about Labour’s oil and gas exploration announcement.

He was asked about the fact that if we continue to consume oil and gas products, but cannot supply to our own needs, won’t the supply just be filled by other countries? And with worse techniques, safety records, etc?

He didn’t even attempt to answer the question – let alone answer it poorly. He just wanked on about ‘think globally, act locally, people power!’ etc etc

Here, for those interested:

https://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018640258

Years ago I never would have imagined that NZ would end up being governed by such people. This is poor, poor, thinking. Economic sabotage, as NZpatriot discussed well above.
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April 12, 2018 8:41am
RF

I have been ranting and raving to my wife about the latest stupid decision made by our temporary Govt.

She reminded me that there is one person you can blame for all our troubles …… Peters.

So true.

Watching him at question time yesterday. Bad tremors in his left hand. Come on Father Time. Do your thing..
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April 12, 2018 8:51am
- Inandout
  
  RF, I doubt Peters will make PM.
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:02am
Than

On yesterday’s thread about the Greens moving left, stephieboy was gloating about the “socialist” Greens getting far more votes than Act. Except it’s not that simple.

At one time Act (running on similar policies to what they still have today) was a 5-10% party, maintaining that vote share over several elections. And conversely, the socialist Alliance, Progressive, and Internet-Mana parties (with policies similar to today’s Green party) dropped to under 1% in the last elections they contested, before disappearing entirely.

The simple reality is that it’s much easier for small parties to lose votes than to gain them. Just ask the Alliance, United Future, the Maori Party, and yes, Act. This is particularly true when they are in government – in opposition you can make all the promises you like, but once in power people start expecting you to actually deliver. It’s also particularly true when the major party on their side is doing well. Act got 5-10% when National was at it’s low point between 1999 and 2005. Once National’s vote started to recover part of this came at the expense of Act.

All of which should have the Green party worried.

Under Jacinda Ardern Labour’s polling has gone from mid-high 20’s to mid-high 30’s. They’re also implementing a far-left agenda that will appeal to many Green voters. Their transport policy in particular will have gone down well, as will the announcement of ending oil/gas exploration. So there is every possibility of some Green voters switching to Labour. And the Greens can’t afford to lose many votes. Without the lifeline of an electorate seat even dropping 1.3% from their 2017 election result would see them out of parliament. Its happened to plenty of other small parties before, and there is absolutely no reason it couldn’t also happen to the Greens.
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April 12, 2018 9:10am
- Right of way is Way of Right
  
  Well, they won’t be getting many votes down Taranaki way!
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:13am
  - Harkman
    
    Yes so much for “helping the regions.”
    
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    April 12, 2018 9:18am
  - KevOB
    
    No region will be voting green or labour.
    
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    April 12, 2018 1:17pm
waikatogirl

Peters warned us that “the economy is going to tank, but don’t blame us”.

Well, I do blame you and your chosen CoL of losers Winnie. Purposely grinding the economy into the ground by passing excruciatingly stupid policies is nobody else’s fault but this poor excuse for a government.
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April 12, 2018 9:14am
- Humble Capitalist
  
  Don’t blame us but we’ll support policies that put huge numbers of Kiwis’ jobs at risk.
  
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  April 12, 2018 12:45pm
Manolo

Will Mueller do it?
https://newrepublic.com/article/147937/robert-muellers-nuclear-option

If Trump fires him, the special counsel should reveal everything he’s discovered in the Russia investigation.
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April 12, 2018 9:15am
- Inandout
  
  Oh not the Russian collusion thing again. CNN have virtually destroyed their viewership over that falsity.
  The Democrats are praying that they can accuse Trump of causing a diversion by attacking Syria, but the wily President may be a step ahead on that one.
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:39am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Trump can pardon his lawyer, so prosecutors may not be able to effectively threaten him.
  
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  April 12, 2018 11:34am
- KevOB
  
  So? Mueller appears 2/3.. or more faced. He should be rigorously investigated by the Inspector General.
  
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  April 12, 2018 1:19pm
Awww C-mon

No Troll school for Stephie’s yesterday and sadly tomorrow is marginal as I will be travelling for work.

Today’s topic is our second, have a plan and a theme

While being a disagreeable twat could be considered a plan and a theme, it is not one that will cause others to consider their actions and/or change their point of view. So if you are just here to be a disagreeable pain in the arse you are accomplishing your plan, however if there is some aspect of wanting to have a debate and influence others then you need to have some goals around accomplishing that.

Explaining why Alt-right thinking is detrimental to society and debating the benefits/negatives of a political philosophy is going to be better received than the current squawking like a cockateel on uppers.

So point 1 was know the rules, point 2 is have a plan and a theme.

No don’t thank me, It’s a pleasure…
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April 12, 2018 9:17am
KiWombat

If the government is hell bent on closing down our reliance on oil and gas, then by default it is also hell bent on closing down its second largest revenue stream.

New Zealand needs energy – energy of some sort. If GangGreen shuts down the revenue stream obtained from petrol and ancilliary energy products, it will have to shift that burden to whatever energy source it intends to replace oil with. At the moment this would appear to be electricity.

So expect energy taxes to increase in line with the oil related shortfall. We are talking billions of dollars here !

New Zealand will then have a need to construct several new power stations to fill the void. Indeed we are presently looking down the barrel of a new power station RIGHT NOW to provide electrical energy for electric fleet, trains and light rail. Who will build them, and who will invest more billions into this? The taxpayer no doubt !

GangGreen will oppose each and every new power station proposal, they are fundamentally opposed to any interference with the national estate – and that is the only available platform available in NZ for hydro energy supply. I have not noticed any wind generating plant being constructed on GangGreen offices through the country, so they are hardly leading by example.

Which leads us right back to having to consider the Nuclear debate once again. Nuclear energy is clean and green – should suit GangGreen down to a tee. And unless they are able to offer any form of suitable alternative, then they – by default – may well be leading us in this direction.

JAG – time to turn brain on before putting mouth into gear !
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April 12, 2018 9:22am
- Harkman
  
  If we look, currently the OCR in 1.75% and 10yr bonds are like 2.8%, if they shift just a small amount to 3.5% and 4.2% the country will have a fiscal crisis.
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:29am
Harkman

So last night on TV there a Warehouse Stationary ad about writing more letters and postcards, “You could write to the Prime Minister” well here goes:

“Where’s my tax cut?”

Or

“You do realise that you are an Airhead?”

Or

“We all know that you’ve got no confidence in Kelvin”

Or

“This is all going to end very badly.”
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April 12, 2018 9:24am
- sooty
  
  Nah, not at the price of stamps!
  
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  April 12, 2018 1:43pm
MrTips

I think our Govt going off their head en masse has arrived…consider the following:

– Curran lies to Parliament and the issue now comes down to SC evenly vote split at 5:5 and the Speaker (who purportedly had an escapade with Curran in the past) being arbiter of whether or not a recording should be released. Well then…
– Labour has the cloud of sexual assault hanging over it. It doesn’t seem to care.
– Labour has the sweatshop intern debacle fresh in its past. It really doesn’t care.
– Shane Jones has been shafted by Cindy in screwing over the regions via oil exploration. Where’s his venom now eh?
– Winston is apparently still live in his charges of privacy breach against Nat MP’s. What a dick.
– The Budget is going to be a turd. Just like all the turd Labour is now desperately trying to fling as its going to be obvious they can’t count.
– Nelson is still waiting for help after the storm. The Solly’s are happy though: that nice Cindy gave them money.
– The whole business of Clarke Gayford mentioned on here. Is it true?
– The MidgetPrick™ is about 6 weeks away from having to peer around the side of a podium weekly and explain stuff. Will the media get stuck into him like they should? Doubt it.
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April 12, 2018 9:34am
- kevn
  
  @Mr Tips… Wheres Wally, I mean winnie, anyway?
  Getting a blood transfusuion to clear his mind in readiness of greatness and adoration from NZF voters?
  
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  April 12, 2018 10:02am
Kimbo

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald peddles a false dichotomy. Something can be deemed hate speech (although admittedly, MacDonald’s bar is very low!), and free speech at the same time:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12030476

Kyle MacDonald: Why Israel Folau’s gay comment is hate speech.

…Earlier this week, Folau, known as a devout Christian, tweeted that gay people were destined for hell “unless they repent of their sins and turn to God”.

Predictably – and appropriately – many were outraged. However a subsequent “conversation” with the Australian Rugby Union has lead the ARU to back Folau’s right to his views, framing it as a matter of free speech.

It isn’t: it’s hate speech.

…and right there is the false dichotomy.

Look at it this way: if he’d spoken out about Aboriginal Australians, framed their spiritual views as heresy, and exclaimed that they would all go to hell unless they repented and converted to Christianity, would we still be having the same conversation?

Er, yes we would. And some/many Christians, historically anyway, and including indigenous Christians themselves, have regarded many indigenous beliefs and practices as pagan, and subject to God’s judgement. You don’t have to agree, but nonetheless, as with the condemnation of homosexuality in Paul’s letter to the Romans, 1:18-32, paganism is the subject of divine wrath. So how does MacDonald deal with this?:

Free speech isn’t a get out of jail free card to say harmful things. Even less so if you’re a role model, as international sportsmen are. It doesn’t mean he can’t hold those views – he can think what ever he likes – but expressing them in ways that can lead to harm is the very definition of hate speech, and he should be censured, not encouraged.

…which is what happened. Folau exercised his free speech, but it was not without a similar free-speech response, and there were consequences for Folau, including a discussion with his employer, and a warning that a repeat could result in termination of his lucrative contract. Problem sorted. But notice that low and amorphous bar again for defining hate speech, saying “harmful things”. MacDonald then illustrates what he means in practice:

At the root of the problem, of course, is the acceptance by some that being “against” homosexuality is still a reasonable view.

Maybe. But then if we are talking “free speech”. who gets to decide what is a “reasonable view”. much less define what being “against” means? One may not agree with “love the sinner, hate the sin”. but in the main, that is what conservative Christians such as Folau try to preach and practice.

Irrespective, MacDonald continues:

And if you’re wondering what harm such views can do, look no further than the disproportionally high suicide, self harm and mental health rates of young LGBTI people.

Imagine yourself a young gay man who loves rugby, is struggling to come out and come to terms with your sexuality and then hearing one of your idols proclaim your very existence is an offence to his God.

Because underlying this abhorrent and ignorant view is the dangerous idea that sexuality is somehow a choice. When we understand that it isn’t, we see that to attack someone’s sexual orientation is to attack the whole person: it is the same as attacking their gender, their skin colour or their culture.

And there it is. The suspect fallacy that unless the world adapts to their desires…they somehow cannot be at peace, and indeed anything and everything that challenges that is potentially harmful, and therefore…hate speech.

And that’s how they take away liberty of thought, conscience, speech and action, by claiming to defend the weak and do good.

Alternatively MacDonald could guide his patients into pathways where they don’t give a shit what Folau thinks and says. Would make for more robust, less suicidal people, including young LGBTI.

As a regular attendee of All Blacks versus Wallabies games at Eden Park, I’m not ashamed to say I’ve given Quade Cooper a fair raspberry along with everyone else, and that was just for having the temerity to high tackle Richie once. Although being a Kiwi playing for the Wallabies didn’t help.

So, I wonder what kind of reception Folau will get this year? Should we boo him, or as someone suggested to me on Twitter perhaps we should shed the usual black garb and make Eden Park a rainbow test. I like this, because meeting hate with love – not more hate – seems like a good idea. Even in a Bledisloe game.

OK, seems more constructive than the arguably “hateful” response of trying to get Folau sacked from his job…playing rugby! Which, btw, was fair enough – Folau is responsible in part for the corporate image of the Wallabies. But let’s not disguise the fact that conservative Christians, some of whom need very little excuse, will soon be wringing their hands, and accosting us here on Kiwiblog wailing “hate speech not free speech” in response to that rainbow.

So maybe, just maybe “being offended” is too low a bar for “hate speech”. 😉
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April 12, 2018 9:49am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  At the heart of how we are to regard hate speech or PC thought is Popper’s Paradox of Tolerance.
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance
  
  Mr Folau has expressed a view that many now find repugnant (but less than a life-time ago was mainstream in this country).
  Many of us would disagree with his beliefs but respect his right to express them – but no more than that.
  But the tide has turned: some of those that belong to the camp that experienced hurt and discrimination now want to suppress any expression of views contrary to their way of thinking.
  
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  April 12, 2018 10:14am
  - Kimbo
    
    Yep. Is the same issue that was faced during the Cold War distinguishing between genuine communist subversives who used the freedoms of the west to undermine it by espionage and treason, compared to just belonging to the Communist party. Or today with being a jihadist prepared to use terror, or a conservative Muslim wanting to see sharia adopted as the law of their land…but by peaceable and lawful means.
    
    But those are at the margins. I’d argue Folau’s views are so far away from the borderline as to be almost innocuous. I mean, come one! Who, be they gay, straight, smoker, drinker, swearer, pork eater, or just plain ordinary hasn’t heard a message from a religious conservative of any stripe or description that condemns them or their life style in some way?! And the sensible among us just shrug our shoulders, decide the cap doesn’t fit,…and carry on.
    
    So in this context at least, the likes of MacDonald present a far greater threat of intolerance.
    
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    April 12, 2018 10:26am
- Longknives
  
  “or as someone suggested to me on Twitter perhaps we should shed the usual black garb and make Eden Park a rainbow test. I like this, because meeting hate with love”
  
  Oh God please do!! And have Laurel/Gav Hubbard carry the ball out as well…
  
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  April 12, 2018 11:35am
  - Kimbo
    
    So have you taken that bet with mikewasmild at 5 to 1 that Hubbard will carry the NZ flag at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony? ?
    
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    April 12, 2018 12:41pm
noskire

I had the most bizarre dream last night. Stormy Daniels was my dentist – it was the best root canal I’ve ever had.
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April 12, 2018 9:58am
Holly Roggerz

Regarding the Category 3 Hurricane in Auckland:

Its most dissapointing, that a category 3 Hurricane (which is being incorrectly reported as a category 2, despite wind speeds qualifying it for a category 3) which took out upto 2/3rds of the powersupply for our largest cities households, about 1mn people or 20ish % of the national population with no official Civil Defense alert beforehand telling people to prepare themselves…

And that since then there has been no official response by the National or Local Council government, no decleration of a state of emergency, no comments from the PM or Deputy PM or Simon Bridges (other than to incite rural peoples against the cities), no policemen controlling any intersections, just complete and utter carnage on the roads!

And at some point you start to wonder, what are we paying these ‘civil servants for’, they don’t provide anything in return, I can’t say that the police are doing a stellar job of protecting our most vulnerable communities, dairies, liquoud stores and the like…. Same thing for Auckland Civil Defense, we have the first actual emergency in 20 years, and Civil Defense does nothing, they may as well not exist…

And the Mayor doesn’t berate these useless moneywasters, he doesn’t declare a state of emergency, simon bridges doesn’t criticize this complete and abject lack of response and support… It’s as if not a single one of these civil servants or elected officials gives one damn about auckland. And based on what Simon Bridges has been saying lately I can’t say he is being inconsistent!

Compare this to the response under national for many regional disasters, even hick towns in the middle of no where, where no one has ever heard off before, and where no one really lives had far more support…

Yet 2/3rds of our largest city is rendered without power, and there is no emergency decleration, no national level assistance, no support, and you have all of the left-wing media talking about how ‘the people were not prepared’ and running with the ‘the people should have known/done better narrative’….
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April 12, 2018 10:24am
- kevn
  
  @holly… Aklders were prob too busy pecking away on fakebook to listen to the radio.
  
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  April 12, 2018 10:54am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    Their phone can get alerts if given.
    
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    April 12, 2018 1:52pm
- VicParking
  
  What the f*k has it to do with Simon Bridges. Where was Kristopher John Faafoi is the Question you should be asking
  
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  April 12, 2018 1:16pm
Tom Barker

How’s that big, beautiful wall coming on, Donnie? Got the foundations in yet?
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April 12, 2018 10:35am
- Nostradamus
  
  Tom Barker:
  
  Talking to the POTUS on Kiwiblog and hoping he’ll respond. Is everything ok upstairs?
  
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  April 12, 2018 2:38pm
Herodotus

We deserve better than what we have in Wellington, but we also deserved better than what preceded it !!
“Speaking to the Australian Financial Review this week, Sir John revealed his biggest regret was not being able to change the New Zealand flag.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12026932
really the Flag. No wonder the country is self steering itself into a mess.
What we have now is a function of the last govt, and its inaction into leading NZ into a better place than it is in. We have missed a few opportunities to do this since the ’99 govt.
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April 12, 2018 10:40am
Postitrote

Well it turns out the Counties Manukau DHB knew about the hospital rot back in 2012, claimed surpluses for 3 years in 2015 and underfunded building maintenance at the same time.
F**king incompetents putting their careers before patient safety.
https://www.noted.co.nz/health/health/middlemore-hospital-former-current-health-ministers-given-warnings/
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/353123/hospital-rot-health-minister-demands-answers
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April 12, 2018 10:46am
burt

I’ve heard a rumor that the reason Griffin won’t release the message from the Minister of secret meetings is that it also included a warning not to run the story on Gayford being charged with cocaine related offences.

Anyone know if this is true ?
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April 12, 2018 11:20am
- waikatogirl
  
  I can believe brainless Curran would be stupid enough to leave a voice message commenting on info she doesn’t want broadcasting.
  
  What’s the golden rule, never put anything in writing that you don’t want to be revealed. Or it seems leave unwise voicemail messages.
  
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  April 12, 2018 11:50am
- noskire
  
  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11961685
  
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  April 12, 2018 11:59am
  - rangitoto
    
    That’s last year. The alleged secret hearing was supposed to be in the last couple of weeks.
    
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    April 12, 2018 12:37pm
    - KevOB
      
      The truth here is important. It is possible if Gayford uses cocaine the PM’s possible use could be questioned too.
      
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      April 12, 2018 1:25pm
      - cha
        
        Yeah, the truth is important. It is possible that you blow goats so your wife’s penchant for goats could be questioned too.
        
        /
        
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        April 12, 2018 1:37pm
    - mic
      
      Last week – Millionaire businessman who pled guilty and was fined for possessing a class A drug was given permanent name suppression as it could affect his family!
      
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      April 12, 2018 3:47pm
- doggone7
  
  Just this morning I heard a rumour that she’d made scathing blasphemous references to her critics on some blog sites calling them half-witted, nasty fuckwits.
  Apparently she wasn’t concerned about the blasphemy but the inaccuracy – the claim of them being as much as ‘half’ wits.
  
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  April 12, 2018 1:27pm
- Paulus
  
  But but everybody does coke -didn’t you know ?
  
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  April 12, 2018 1:53pm
- Rich Prick
  
  Well, that would explain what Griffen meant by an “inappropriate message”. Let’s face it, Curran holds herself in sufficient regard to do such a thing.
  
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  April 12, 2018 3:58pm
Andrei

“Most importantly, I am safe and feeling better as time goes by, but I am not yet strong enough to give a full interview to the media, as I one day hope to do. Until that time, I want to stress that no one speaks for me, or for my father, but ourselves

Statement issued on behalf of Yulia Skripal– in other words Scotland Yard speaking for Yulia Skripal not her speaking for herself

Something stinks here
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April 12, 2018 11:50am
- VicParking
  
  The only thing that Stinks is your warped logic
  
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  April 12, 2018 1:19pm
mandk

RNZ is subject to the OIA, and recorded messages and conversations are official information, so what is to stop a request for a copy or transcript of the conversation between Clare Curran and Richard Griffin being made?
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April 12, 2018 2:19pm
Komata

mandk

Re: ‘…So what is to stop a request for a copy or transcript of the conversation between Clare Curran and Richard Griffin being made?’

Politics old Chap, ‘Politics’…
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April 12, 2018 2:23pm
- mandk
  
  How?
  Given that RNZ is subject to the OIA and the conversation was official information on what grounds could a request be denied?
  Political expediency is not a basis for refusal within the Act.
  
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  April 12, 2018 3:01pm
  - fernglas
    
    Nothing can stop you from asking, mandk. Getting an answer might be more difficult.
    
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    April 12, 2018 3:40pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Dr Death is the nickname attached to the SS Doctor/Torturer of Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp infamy – Aribert Heim.

– I’ve reported your inappropriate comment to DPF.
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April 12, 2018 2:52pm
- Muttonbird
  
  Don’t be so precious. And don’t forget about free speech.
  
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  April 12, 2018 3:10pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Why shouldn’t I be?
    
    Are you really trying to equate the actions of the murderous Aribert Heim with that of a NZ MP ?
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aribert_Heim
    
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/4524580/Son-of-Dr-Death-Aribert-Heim-to-escape-charges-for-concealing-Nazi-fathers-existence.html
    
    All a big joke, eh?
    
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    April 12, 2018 3:19pm
    - Nostradamus
      
      Maggy:
      
      Muttonhead has previous form when it comes to pushing the boundaries.
      
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      April 12, 2018 3:35pm
    - fernglas
      
      Doctor Death was the name of a Marvel Comics villain who first appeared in 1939. It is also a nickname for Jack Kevorkian, the assisted suicide advocate.
      The problem with Muttonbird’s appropriation of the soubriquet to Coleman is not that it is particularly offensive, but that it lacks any redeeming wit.
      
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      April 12, 2018 3:38pm
    - Muttonbird
      
      I think you are looking for things that aren’t there in an attempt to censor me.
      
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      April 12, 2018 3:39pm
virtualmark

No comments here on Paul Ryan’s retirement announcement?

Trump’s destruction of the Republican Party is well underway. November 6 is going to be a bloodbath. But hey, who cares if the Republicans are locked out of power for the next 10 years … he built a wall! And Hilary’s locked up!
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April 12, 2018 4:13pm
virtualmark

@realDonaldTrump on 29 August 2013:

Why do we keep broadcasting when we are going to attack Syria. Why can’t we just be quiet and, if we attack at all, catch them by surprise?

@realDonaldTrump on 11 April 2018:

Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!”

Yep, he’s a very stable genius that one …
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April 12, 2018 4:17pm
- MrLovebucket
  
  He’s 100 times better that what we are stuck with here in NZ
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:20pm
EAD_TWO

Eventually the truth outs (but just don’t expect the MSM to give it much coverage as they cheerlead for war)

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-11/there-wasnt-single-corpse-russia-claims-white-helmets-staged-syria-chemical-attack

Russia claims that the reported chemical attack in Syria last Sunday was staged by the “white helmets,” a US-funded NGO lauded by mainstream media for their humanitarian work, while long-suspected of performing less-than humanitarian deeds behind the curtain.

Speaking with EuroNews, Russia’s ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizov, said “Russian military specialists have visited this region, walked on those streets, entered those houses, talked to local doctors and visited the only functioning hospital in Douma, including its basement where reportedly the mountains of corpses pile up. There was not a single corpse and even not a single person who came in for treatment after the attack.”

“But we’ve seen them on the video!” responds EuroNews correspondent Andrei Beketov.

“There was no chemical attack in Douma, pure and simple,” responds Chizov. “We’ve seen another staged event. There are personnel, specifically trained – and you can guess by whom – amongst the so-called White Helmets, who were already caught in the act with staged videos.”

Its incredible isn’t it – an unverified and almost certainly staged attack on Islamists and the Dogs of War get unleashed yet in South Africa, the atrocities that have killed tens of thousands get nary a mention.

Where is the talk of invading South Africa to stop the slaughter and disposition of White Farmers?
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April 12, 2018 4:24pm
- virtualmark
  
  Is it starting to get summer-y in St Petersburg comrade?
  
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  April 12, 2018 4:41pm
  - EAD_TWO
    
    How’s the weather in Tel Aviv (or Washington DC perhaps)?
    
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    April 12, 2018 7:18pm
lifesgood

This morning I asked if anyone knew why Richard Griffin refused to release Clare Curran’s voice mail message and I notice there has been a bit of discussion about it. In my opinion he is a fool. To my mind it makes him look as if he is either lying or hiding something he is guilty of. I thought his contract was expiring so he has nothing to lose, why would he protect that loathsome woman? Maybe he has been threatened, this govts already tried that tack. Until such time as he releases it everyone will think it is he that is lying about the nature of the call,
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April 12, 2018 4:35pm
- Kimbo
  
  Or maybe he is an honourable man who, unlike Curran knows where the improper lines of improper interference and politicisation of the public service lie, and he wants to honour his responsibility to keep Radio NZ non-political.
  
  Hence the reason he sought to reappear before the Parliamentary select committee was for one purpose, and one purpose only – to set the record straight regarding the previous misleading of Parliament as a result of the passing on of Carol Hirschfeld’s false information. As answering questions about Curran’s phone call was outside that purpose, and to do so would open him to the accusation he was acting in a political way, for the sake of Radio NZ he refused.
  
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  April 12, 2018 5:26pm
  - lifesgood
    
    “Keep Radio NZ non-political”! You must be joking.
    
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    April 12, 2018 5:29pm
    - Kimbo
      
      To the extent that he can, including and especially doing his best dealing with an incompetent minister who doesn’t know where the lines of real and perceived political interference lie, he’s done his best. That’s what his job entails.
      
      Believe it or not, for some people the most important thing hey have to do is staying true to themselves and their commitments. And Griffin has always struck me as that sort of guy. But if you live your life without honour, I can understand your cynical skepticism.
      
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      April 12, 2018 6:00pm
      - nasska
        
        I can accept that Griffin is an honourable man but to suggest that Red Radio isn’t a partisan nest of Labour suckholes is ridiculous.
        
        He may have been one man against a legion of arseholes but if his job is to keep them on the straight & narrow he’s failed…..dismally!
        
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        April 12, 2018 6:34pm
      - Kimbo
        
        @ nasska
        
        No, I’m not suggesting that. Although despite their editorial setting, they are still doing a pretty good job of holding the current dysfunctional government to account. Sometimes even the odd Kiwiblogger gives them grudging respect. ?
        
        But my observation about Griffin related specifically to the non-partisan way he has dealt with the ridiculous decision of Clare Curran to leave a voicemail message advising he didn’t need to front in person to set the record straight, and coming as it did on the heels of the Hirschfeld meeting, resignation and misleading Parliament saga. After all, that was lifegood’s original point.
        
        But then I note when lifesgood received a rebuttal/answer to his speculations, he defaulted to “yeah, but they are Red Radio”, just as mikewasmild chimed in from the opposite end of the political spectrum with “Yeah, but Griffin was appointed by a National Government”. Uh, huh, so that means we are out of any decent reasons to question Griffin’s honesty and judgement, or alleged inability to carry out his duties in an apolitical manner… ?
        
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        April 12, 2018 6:47pm
      - nasska
        
        …..”Sometimes even the odd Kiwiblogger gives them grudging respect”…..
        
        I would grudge giving any one of the pieces of shit a gun to shoot themselves with if they were being eaten alive by mad dogs.
        
        But as Xaviera Hollander once penned, “different strokes for different folks or Wall St & me”. 🙂
        
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        April 12, 2018 6:59pm
  - mikewasmild
    
    But he has told everyone what his interpretation of the message was, so how does not backing up his claim protect anything.
    He was a political appointment, like most government board members. His masters’ political opponents (now in office) have no need to maintain any fiction of neutrality when dealing with him and he doesn’t need to retain his previous facade either.
    
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    April 12, 2018 5:32pm
    - Kimbo
      
      Because he as asked. And the reason he was asked was because, in a move designed to, yet again, protect himself and Radio NZ from the appearance of being influenced by political interference, he let it be known that the Minister had contacted him, and that astounded him. As it has many others. Even if thee message was as Curran described it, she should not have called. Non-interference also includes avoiding the possibility of being seem to interfere, whether by word or inference.
      
      Also, a difficult notion for some to grasp, especially Labour tribalists (who are the most tribal of all), but just because one is a “political appointee”, i.e., appointed by a government, it doesn’t mean he is incapable of discharging his duty in an apolitical manner. Indeed, as that is meant to be the setting of Radio NZ, Griffin deserves the benefit of the doubt.
      
      He sure deserves a fuck of a lot more than Curran, around whom all manner of confusion swirls. Due to her self-admitted “naivety” and poor judgement she’s already helped to drag Hirschfeld’s reputation through the mud. Not a prospect Griffin wants to repeat, so he was entitled to take the action required to protect himself and Radio NZ from the Minister’s incompetence. But then that to could have been avoided if Ardern had sacked Curran…
      
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      April 12, 2018 5:50pm
      - lifesgood
        
        I absolutely accept your point that Griffin is an honourable man, and it sounds from your comments that you know him personally, maybe even work with him in RNZ, who knows, however my point remains, it does look very shifty of him to be hiding the conversation, whatever his reasons. Maybe he should explain his reasons clearly. My work colleagues were discussing the issue today and were all bemused by his attitude and I think you will find that opinion is wide spread. Surely if he was requested to hand them over at a committee hearing then he could do so without losing his integrity. And my opinion of National Radio won’t change until it becomes truly balanced and that doesn’t mean 90% left 10% right. 50/50 would do just fine.
        
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        April 12, 2018 7:31pm
      - Kimbo
        
        @ lifesgood
        
        Fair enough. No, I don’t know Griffin, but have observed him over many years, including on the Ralston Group. Always struck me as a very fair-minded man, irrespective of his politics. And I think they have been over-rated.
        
        Yes, leaving aside your displeasure with what you perceive as Radio NZ’s bias and maybe the passing up of the perceived opportunity this Curran recording presents to “do something about it”
        
        …you are right, at first glance it may seem that Griffin is trying to hide something. But he has clarified why he has not released the recording, and as far as I am aware it is as I explained – he rightly views it as his job to keep himself and Radio NZ out of potential political entanglement. His reappearance at the select committee was for the purpose of setting the record straight about Radio NZ inadvertently misleading Parliament. Answering anything else, including handing over Curran’s message risked further entanglement. After losing a quality news editor like Hirschfeld in such a needless way, he is drawing clear lines of demarcation to get the moron of a Minister, who has done everything she can to entangle herself yet again in the day-to-day running of Radio NZ, out of his scope of responsibility. Quite rightly, his point, irrespective of what Curran did or didn’t say was…she should never have called him in the first place. And that’s where, in his judgement the matter should end. That Melissa Lee or Clare Curran or Paul Eagle or whoever wants it out in the public domain is not his problem. Indeed, as they are political motivations, in his mind he is doing all he can to stop Radio NZ being dragged in again by refusing to release it. And if it never sees the light of day, speculation aside, that’s where it ends. Until Curran blunders again! ?
        
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        April 12, 2018 7:54pm
      - mikewasmild
        
        Defying a select committee is never a good look. Griffin was a senior press secretary for goodness’s sake. He should really understand the ‘optics’ as they say. Instead, it really looks like because he is leaving anyway he feels like he can be snippy and defiant.
        The select committee process is often messy, and grandstanding etc is common, but the MPs represent us, the taxpayers who fund RNZ, and they are entitled to get the information which Griffin himself has brought into the debate.
        Claire Curran has shown an amazing degree of foolishness, indeed wilful stupidity. Griffin seems determined to match her.
        
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        April 12, 2018 7:57pm
      - Kimbo
        
        @ mikewasmild
        
        That’s sure the line that those running interference for Curran are peddling. And as you admit, they and everyone else on that select committee are grandstanding. So if that’s the case, then, despite the “optics” (of which Griffin is no doubt aware) according to his responsibilities to Radio NZ, he’s doing what he can to avoid entangling them further. Is an argument with some merit IMHO. Indeed, he may even have a legal opinion to back it.
        
        Will be interesting to see where it ends up, including whether the Speaker takes any action (I’m assuming Mallard is the key potential initiator), and what Griffin would do in response. I’m guessing he would hand it over, because if it got to that stage it would have some merit, rather than being what it is thus far…a fishing expedition that has the potential collateral damage of affecting Radio NZ’s integrity…which Curran and Hirschfeld between them have already undermined. I mean, fffs, mikey, as you yourself acknowledge, we all know Ardern should have sacked Curran. But now both political sides are doubling down because of Curran’s incompetence and Ardern’s gutlessness.
        
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        April 12, 2018 8:14pm
      - mikewasmild
        
        I don’t know what the committee has decided to do. In my view it would be very bad if they decided to ask the Speaker to subpoena the recording. Just a request from the committee should have been sufficient since Griffin himself described what he made of the message and Curran’s story is different.
        If Griffin wanted to protect RNZ, he should never have mentioned the message, as all his shenanigans now just make it seem like the recording might not back up his interpretation of it.
        This is no make or break issue for the government, or even Curran though. She will continue to be a liability.
        
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        April 12, 2018 8:24pm
      - Kimbo
        
        No, I don’t think the option of not mentioning the Curran message was an option for Griffin. If, somehow, anyhow (and given her incompetence Curran herself would probably have been the source!) the fact that it existed ever came out, then Griffin’s and Radio NZ’s independence would have been drawn into the same speculations and potential negative fallout that resulted from Curran’s meeting with Hirschfeld.
        
        So better for Griffin and Radio NZ to get the fact she called out there as a prophylactic measure.
        
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        April 12, 2018 8:29pm
      - Kimbo
        
        …but it highlights the point that if you have an incompetent for a Minister, who insists on blundering in where common sense, basic accountability and the need to preserve the reality and perception of independence should be obvious
        
        …then no matter what you do trying to work with or avoid that Minister will look suspicious! All the more reason Curran should have gone a long time ago.
        
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        April 12, 2018 8:38pm
Morrissey

“The world’s most moral army”

http://normanfinkelstein.com/2018/04/11/red-cross-praises-minister-bennetts-eloquent-defense-of-israels-legitimate-security-concerns/
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April 12, 2018 5:09pm
stigie

Maybe you could help Penny out Morris after the 24th of this month..?

https://dingo.care2.com/pictures/causes/3203/3202395.large.jpg
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April 12, 2018 5:15pm
- Morrissey
  
  At least Penny is not being targeted by snipers. Unlike the peaceful protestors in Palestine.
  
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  April 12, 2018 5:17pm
  - Nostradamus
    
    Morrissey:
    
    At least Penny is not being targeted by snipers.
    
    Could you have a quiet word with Penny? She thinks she’s being “unfairly persecuted and prosecuted as an ‘Anti-corruption whistle-blower’, for [her] persistent and consistent efforts to help get full transparency and accountability in the spending of public monies on private sector consultants and contractors”. I think she’s suffering from delusions of grandeur. She needs advice from someone who she can trust – and you seem like the man for the job!
    
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    April 12, 2018 5:54pm
    - Johnboy
      
      I offered to give her a couple of shots from my big bore 16″ barrelled job but she never responded! 🙂
      
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      April 12, 2018 6:12pm
      - Nostradamus
        
        Johnboy:
        
        my big bore 16″ barrelled job
        
        Most guys would be happy with 9″ – but if you’ve got it, then flaunt it, right? 🙂
        
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        April 12, 2018 6:16pm
      - Johnboy
        
        No old chap you exaggerate just enough so the Police don’t charge you with owning an illegal sawn off that you can conceal about your clothing! 🙂
        
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        April 12, 2018 6:22pm
cha

Another family values winner.

"I'm Eric Greitens, I'm a Navy SEAL, native Missourian and most importantly, a proud husband and father. Oh, I'm also an adulterer and I blackmail woman with whom I've had extramarital affairs."There, I fixed it for you! You're welcome.— markles (@shrillerthanyou) January 11, 2018

It’s the first time the public has heard sworn testimony from the woman at the center of allegations of misconduct against the governor.

The woman told lawmakers that in March 2015, as she tried to leave the basement of his St. Louis home, Greitens grabbed her in a “bear hug” and laid her on the floor. Then he started fondling her, pulled out his penis and coerced her into oral sex while she wept “uncontrollably.”

The woman told the committee that Greitens had led her down to the basement, taped her hands to pull-up rings, blindfolded her, spit water into her mouth, ripped open her shirt, pulled down her pants and took a photo without her consent.

He threatened to make the photos public if she ever told anyone about their encounter, and called her “a little whore,” the woman told lawmakers.

After her hands were freed, she said she felt she had no other choice but to perform oral sex if she was going to get out of the basement.

The woman and Greitens had several sexual encounters over the next few months in 2015, she testified. Some were consensual. Others were not.

On at least three occasions he hit her.

[…]

The committee – five Republicans and two Democrats – concluded that the woman’s testimony is credible.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article208375284.html
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April 12, 2018 5:32pm
- cha
  
  Oh joy!.
  
  NEW–> It ain't over folks: A second report on Greitens, one relating to his veterans charity, is on its way https://t.co/aSEQeYosMr— Lindsay Wise (@lindsaywise) April 11, 2018
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:35pm
- All_on_Red
  
  What an awful sordid tale. Not sure what the point is of you posting this. I’m sure we could play political ‘whataboutism’
  I guess you just get turned on by this sort of thing- which is real creepy.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:41pm
  - mikewasmild
    
    What a wanker you are. You love Trump, but deprecate sordid tales from American politics?
    
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    April 12, 2018 9:04pm
Johnboy

Oh dear oh deary, deary me. I see another fight on the barricades of political correctness looming! 🙂
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/103047708/fish-and-game-clashes-with-horizons-over-balance-between-trout-and-native-fish
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April 12, 2018 5:56pm
cha

I’m sure it was just an oversight.

Really, who doesn’t forget about $200K+ salaries and shit like that all the time.

/

CIA Director Mike Pompeo failed to disclose last year that he owned a Kansas business that imported oilfield equipment from a company owned by the Chinese government.

That omission, on the questionnaire Pompeo was required to fill out for Senate confirmation to lead the spy agency, could cause a problem for him in Thursday’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to be President Donald Trump’s secretary of state.

The issue with the Chinese company, which was confirmed in a series of documents obtained by McClatchy this week, never came up during his confirmation hearings last year. Many senators contacted Wednesday were reluctant to comment until they had more information.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., a committee member, said he was unfamiliar with the discrepancy, but said it was troubling. “If there’s an inconsistency in his questionnaire, that would be a matter of major interest,” Cardin said.

[…]

Last year the questionnaire he filled out for the Senate intelligence committee asked: “During the past 10 years, have you or your spouse received any compensation from, or been involved in any financial or business transactions with, a foreign government or any entity controlled by a foreign government? If so, please provide details.”

He answered “no.”

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article208630194.html
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April 12, 2018 6:15pm
- mikewasmild
  
  Well, he is hardly going to get along with the president unless he has some track record of lying.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:02pm
Johnboy

What a surprise! 🙂
Still our new (temporary) masters know that rural folk don’t vote for fuckwits like them! 🙂
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/103041867/future-of-rural-health-body-hangs-by-a-thread-after-funding-rejection
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April 12, 2018 6:58pm
Johnboy

I love this photo. It looks like Shane is horrified by a video he’s watching in slow motion! 🙂
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/103043172/shane-jones-says-ending-oil-and-gas-exploration-is-the-only-scenario
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April 12, 2018 7:01pm
- nasska
  
  Did you see the results of the Stuff poll JB?
  
  No one can accuse the CoL of seeking popularity…..the announcement has gone over like a cup of cold sick.
  
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  April 12, 2018 7:13pm
  - Johnboy
    
    Indeed nasska. Funnily enough I have always suspected that approx 1/3 of New Zealanders were fuckwits. The Stuff poll merely confirms that! 🙂
    
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    April 12, 2018 7:18pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  How about giving us a warning before we click on your links, Johnboy?
  
  I think Megan and Shane have frightened me into dieting.
  
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  April 12, 2018 7:50pm
- stigie
  
  The minister for cheese rolls and fine dining looks dejected. She’s probably hoping if there’s going to be any cream buns left over at morning tea !~
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:11pm
- lifesgood
  
  Those photos are hilarious….all of them look utterly miserable.
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:49pm
Scott Chris

GOP Congressman Rips Trump in Insane Tirade to Journo: ‘Evil, Really Fucking Stupid Forrest Gump’:

…“If we’re going to lose because of him, we might as well impeach the motherfucker,”…
He may be an idiot, but he’s still the President and leader of my party and he is capable of doing some things right,” he continued. “But dammit he’s taking us all down with him. We are well and truly fucked in November. Kevin [McCarthy] is already circling like a green fly circling shit trying to take Paul’s [Ryan] job because nobody thinks he’s sticking around for Nancy [Pelosi]. She’s going to f**k up the cafeteria again too. [Lord’s name in vain], at least I’ll probably lose too and won’t have to put up with that shit.”
“It’s like Forrest Gump won the presidency, but an evil, really fucking stupid Forrest Gump. He can’t help himself. He’s just a fucking idiot who thinks he’s winning when people are bitching about him. He really does see the world as ratings and attention. I hate Forrest Gump. I listen to your podcast and heard you hate it too. What an overrated piece of shit movie. Can you believe it beat the Shawshank Redemption?”
“Most of us [Republicans] would, I think,” he added. “If we’re going to lose because of him, we might as well impeach the motherfucker. Take him out with us and let Mike [Pence] take over. At least then we could sleep well at night.”

(And now for the grand f*cking finale:)

“I say a lot of shit on TV defending him, even over this. But honestly, I wish the motherfucker would just go away. We’re going to lose the House, lose the Senate, and lose a bunch of states because of him. All his supporters will blame us for what we have or have not done, but he hasn’t led. He wakes up in the morning, shits all over Twitter, shits all over us, shits all over his staff, then hits golf balls. Fuck him. Of course, I can’t say that in public or I’d get run out of town.”

lol.

https://www.mediaite.com/online/gop-congressman-rips-trump-in-insane-tirade-to-journo-evil-really-fcking-stupid-forrest-gump/
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April 12, 2018 7:14pm
- virtualmark
  
  Hard to know how much weight to put on that article, because the Congressman isn’t identified and it’s clearly not on the record, so there’s a non-zero chance it’s all made up. But then, if it were true then you’d expect that Congressman to not want to be on the record …
  
  Republicans won’t want to do anything until after their primaries. But once those are done then yes, I’d expect a lot of Republicans will be questioning whether impeaching Trump before November will be better for them than leaving him there for the next two years. And they’ll be trying to calculate whether two years of Pence might give them better odds of carrying the 2020 elections.
  
  I also expect the Democrats might be happy to see him stay … in the same way the Nats here don’t want Curran to go. If the Dems get control of the House then they will spend the 2 years leading up to the 2020 Presidential election pulling out every piece of bad news from Trump’s past. They’ll subpoena his tax returns, investigate him and his family brutally, but draw it out as long as possible to completely end any chance he’ll win a second term. And meantime they will largely neutralise his platform (other than executive orders). So, perversely, I’m not sure the Dems will want to see him impeached.
  
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  April 12, 2018 7:24pm
  - mikewasmild
    
    The Democrats certainly don’t want to deal with President Pence. Arguably crazier than Trump, but more disciplined in advancing his bullshit agenda.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:16pm
    - virtualmark
      
      Partly agreed. Hard to say whether the Dems would prefer President Trump or President Pence.
      
      But I do wonder whether the Republican caucus might decide soon that President Pence gives them a better chance for the 2020 elections than President Trump would. The Rs know the Dems are going to spend the next 2 years picking Trump apart. That would reap a lot of collateral damage on the Republican 2020 House and Senate races. Better to get rid of Trump and avoid the collateral damage.
      
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      April 12, 2018 8:42pm
  - All_on_Red
    
    Meanwhile far far away from your lack of knowledge
    Wednesday April 11 2018
    The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Trump’s job performance.
    
    I’ve seen other Polls showing the Dems losing 5 Senate seats. I reckon the GOP may lose 2 of the remainder though.
    The math is against the Dems winning Congress too. Worst map for years.
    You’re ignoring Trumps wins ( economy!) and putting too much weight behind your own personal objections.
    But hey never say never.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:39pm
    - virtualmark
      
      Yes, Rasmussen is by far the most Trump friendly poll.
      
      But none of the other polling houses have Trump anywhere near so favourably rated. The fivethirtyeight poll of polls has had Trump sitting at 40% approval ratings for a long time now.
      
      https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/?ex_cid=rrpromo
      
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      April 12, 2018 8:44pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Rasmussen was the most accurate Polling company in the Election.
        538 is an aggregator Aggregate means average of best and worst.
        It’s meaningless if a couple are really wrong.
        Sorry but based on your comments you don’t seem very well informed.
        We will see indeed.
        
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        April 12, 2018 8:54pm
    - virtualmark
      
      Well, we’ll only know on the 7th of November. But all the recent election races in the US have shown *BIG* swings to the Dems.
      
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      April 12, 2018 8:46pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        True, history favours the non incumbent but the environment is different (economy!) and as I said, the map of this contest really favours the GOP.
        The best in years.
        Mind, if they put up shit candidates….
        Edit, if you could stop obsessing about Trump for a moment check out the Polling for people like Pelosi, Schumer even Congress.
        Way way lower than Trump.
        
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        April 12, 2018 8:56pm
      - virtualmark
        
        Agreed that Pelosi, Schumer etc aren’t high quality candidates. And don’t get me started on Bernie.
        
        The unattractiveness of the Ds candidates could well be the Rs saving grace.
        
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        April 12, 2018 9:02pm
  - Scott Chris
    
    Apparently Erik Ericson, the source of the article is a (arguably) well respected right leaning journalist not a tabloid hack. And to my ear at least, the ranting seems genuine.
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:39pm
    - All_on_Red
      
      Mediaite are hacks and well known for being full of shit. They have form for this sort of ‘reporting’.
      
      To your ear at least’
      Bwhahahahahahahahahahaha
      
      Look, GOP supporters would be glad to see him( whoever HE is!) and Ryan go.
      They haven’t reformed Obamacare (although Trumps killing it slowly) the budget was a farce and only 100 miles of new Wall is happening.
      Frankly the current GOP may as well be democrats.
      
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      April 12, 2018 8:47pm
    - Inandout
      
      Meanwhile CNN still hate Trump with a vengeance, keeping up with their 90% anti article stance. That in itself makes me smile.
      
      https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/12/politics/donald-trump-robert-mueller-syria-russia/index.html
      
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      April 12, 2018 10:22pm
- virtualmark
  
  Oddly then … Republicans will want Mueller to report back at the end of June, after their primaries are done. And the Dems might not care if he never reports, if they’re confident they’ll get to lead their own House investigation next year.
  
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  April 12, 2018 7:27pm
EAD_TWO

The new Ben Garrison cartoon – note the nose of the Skull❗

https://grrrgraphics.com/make-maga-not-war/

Garrison’s complained before after several of his cartoons have been altered by Wags so it’s quite significant that in spite of that he’s incorporated J awareness in an original work.

I saw it via his Facebook page and was surprised how massively and openly Jew wise the comments were. I’ve never seen so much awareness of the JQ or ”Zionism” in my lifetime.

What’s going on in Washington/Syria and the actions of the MSM are waking people up big time.
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April 12, 2018 7:28pm
- mikewasmild
  
  You wish, Nazi scum. We saw your lot off in the 1940s and you ain’t coming back.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:06pm
  - EAD_TWO
    
    Keep pissing into the wind Milkmaid – your lots mask of being a “shining light unto the rest of the world schtik” has well and truly been ripped off.
    
    Its so laughable that your media is attacking “Naaaaaaaaazzzzzziiisssss” for wanting to stop another Middle Eastern bloodbath of hundreds of thousands of brown people.
    
    https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-white-supremacists-call-syrian-chemical-attack-false-flag-operation-1.5988679
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:28pm
    - Scott Chris
      
      Actually I agree with you on that point Ead. Assad isn’t stupid enough to use chemical weapons when he has perfectly good bombs to kill his people with. Could be Putin creating a diversion for his puppet Trump or maybe rebel dissidents killing their own people cause they’re all arseholes.
      
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      April 12, 2018 8:48pm
cha

Trump’s nominated a pro-lifer who believes women who use birth control get breast cancer, cervical and liver cancers, and die violent deaths, to fill a federal district judge position.

Her husband was caught paying sex workers to dress him in nappies and he asked his piece on the side to have an abortion.

Family values!.

https://www.npr.org/2018/04/11/601323110/wendy-vitter-wife-of-d-c-madam-senator-faces-thorny-hearing-to-be-federal-judge
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April 12, 2018 8:30pm
- Scott Chris
  
  Perhaps a reflection of the barrel dregs who are still willing to accept a Trump tainted nomination.
  
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  April 12, 2018 8:34pm
  - cha
    
    He nominates his own kind.
    
    WATCH: During her confirmation hearing this morning (yes, this morning – in 2018), judicial nominee Wendy Vitter refused to say whether she agreed with the result in Brown v. Board of Education. #UnfitToJudge pic.twitter.com/RWroh0XUIC— The Leadership Conference (@civilrightsorg) April 11, 2018
    
    https://twitter.com/civilrightsorg/status/984135758440263702
    
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    April 12, 2018 8:38pm
    - mikewasmild
      
      Do we take it from that statement that she doesn’t know about Brown, or that she does know and thinks segregation would be wonderful?
      
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      April 12, 2018 9:08pm
      - cha
        
        The woman’s from Louisiana.
        
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        April 12, 2018 9:31pm
- Inandout
  
  And from the same site…Russia and NRA……OMG…..OMG….Russian collusion.
  
  https://www.npr.org/2018/04/11/601534305/nra-in-new-document-acknowledges-more-than-20-russian-linked-contributors
  
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  April 12, 2018 10:29pm
nasska

I’d never given “Givealittle” a look-see until the halfwit from Kingsland announced her intention to bludge her way back into home ownership.

I must have lived a sheltered life. Okay, there are some obviously genuine appeals from people suffering cancer & the like plus some down on their luck but what a pack of no-hopers the pages contain. There was an indigent Pom wanting a few grand to repatriate her stinking cat (fur baby) back to the UK & a college girl wanting to travel to the Vatican to save a Catholic indoctrination centre going by the name of Hato Petera College.

Then to top the lot there’s a hands out for $2500 to “to save two beautiful, loving cows from slaughter”.

Now there’s little to stop these freaks asking but in each case people with too much money & too little sense have actually supported these worthless causes.

And Penny’s scavenged $2325 to date…….I rest my case! ?
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April 12, 2018 8:47pm
- stigie
  
  Fuck me, she’s a long way off what she wants nasska but it is too late anyway…she’s fucked !~
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:02pm
  - nasska
    
    Eight days to go yet stigie. Odds are against the appeal netting more than five stacks as most of her supporters reckon that charity should be funded with other peoples’ money rather than their own. All mouth & no dollars.
    
    But it will be interesting to see how many genuinely want to save Body Odour Central. 🙂
    
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    April 12, 2018 9:09pm
- mikewasmild
  
  There’s also some desperate bastard wanting help to move from Eketahuna to the upmarket Cameron Block in Masterton.
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:10pm
  - nasska
    
    …..”help to move from Eketahuna to the upmarket Cameron Block in Masterton.”…..
    
    All bullshit Mike. We sold up the farm as of 30 June last year. The house & 40 acres was on a separate title which at the buyer’s request was deferred for a year but in the end they found the funds & we were out last September.
    
    Alas I’m still homeless. The original plans to buy a retirement home in Masterton have been altered to split the funds between a newish OYO there & a modest beach house in the Far North.
    
    There’s no rush…..we’re putting in low cash offers on anything we like & seeing what happens. With the CoL’s record to date cash is & will be king. 🙂
    
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    April 12, 2018 9:25pm
    - mikewasmild
      
      Hey, I didn’t ask for your life story…
      
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      April 12, 2018 10:09pm
      - cha
        
        Next up, ewes and bobbies, loved and lost…..
        
        4 1
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        April 12, 2018 10:14pm
      - nasska
        
        I thought you Lefties were suckers for stories about homeless old age pensioners Mike! 🙂
        
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        April 12, 2018 10:18pm
      - mikewasmild
        
        We have the most cosseted pensioners in the world, even before Winston gave them all free ferry rides.
        
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        April 12, 2018 10:25pm
DigNap15

I really despise this COL
They are taking NZ back by 50 years!
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April 12, 2018 8:51pm
noskire

That’s an understatement DigNap15. Try 200 years.
Renew your passport – these idiots are intent on destroying everything.
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April 12, 2018 8:59pm
Scott Chris

Well maybe you could send her a mad old goat to help keep her lawns trimmed?
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April 12, 2018 8:59pm
cha

That global homo/pedophile cult/conspiracy the devil dodgers talk about.

Seems they’re it.

Anti-gay pastor who claimed Orlando massacre victims got “what they deserve” is found guilty of eight counts of child molestation.

Pastor Ken Adkins, who had congregations in Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Brunswick, Georgia, was arrested late last summer on eight charges of child molestation and aggravated child molestation.

On Monday a jury found Pastor Adkins guilty on all charges. Adkins, 57, now faces life in prison. He will be sentenced on April 25.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2017/04/pastor-celebrated-orlando-massacre-found-guilty-child-molestation/#b23MpTBbGguM9ZlB.99
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April 12, 2018 9:38pm
- nasska
  
  It’s hard to know what goes on the heads of these Godbotherers. Either their likely straitlaced, joyless upbringings split their personalities or they’re deviants deliberately putting themselves in a position to molest trusting, obedient children.
  
  If anyone approaches you with a Bible or a Koran denouncing sin first check that your kids are not being molested.
  
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  April 12, 2018 9:48pm
  - Inandout
    
    Except with the Koran, well for Allah’s sake, just don’t sit on it. It may well be the last thing you ever touch.
    
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    April 12, 2018 10:31pm
Monique Watson

“I wasn’t that drunk yesterday.” “You think? You took the shower head in your arms and told it to stop crying.”

“Yeah I was upset about the cessation of ‘The Flying Doctors” If you missed it we got cunted in netball and now I’m hanging in for the hock’s to bring it home.
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April 13, 2018 12:48am

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