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October 4, 2018 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 4 October 2018

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General Debate

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krazykiwi

CEOs, in describing Shane Jones:

“politics at its worst”.
“pathetic populist posturing”.
“he is a bully”.
“appalling”.
“short-sighted political point scoring”.
“he’s a grandstander”.

Jones later defended his comments on Fonterra, saying they were just a joke.

“I’m a politician, I’m a retail politician,” he said.
“You want a hefty payout, I want 5 per cent at the next election”.

There folks, in a nutshell, is what’s wrong with MMP. Self-serving abuse of elected privilege writ large.

I hope Jones is right about the retail thing though. In retail if you abuse, rather than serve your customers you go out of business pretty damn fast. New Zealanders have a ballot-box opportunity to ensure this particularly narcissistic ‘retail’ politician, and others like him, are invited to try another occupation, far, far away from the public trough they’ve been wallowing in.
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October 4, 2018 8:00am
- dave_c_
  
  What an arrogant self serving prat.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:04am
  - Komata
    
    KK
    
    The problem is that the MSM won’t make any mention of it.
    
    Until they do….
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:43am
- stephieboy
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Baaaah!
  Sorry, seems like this page doesn’t exist.
  Not to worry, you can get back on track by heading to our homepage or other sections of the New Zealand Herald website below.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:07am
  - krazykiwi
    
    Sorry, munged my html. Try here.
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:08am
  - VicParking
    
    At work early this morning Stephie
    For you: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-45643154/these-goats-work-for-the-government
    Wont happen in NZ as they would all end up in cabinet.
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:14am
    - krazykiwi
      
      … or in Stephie’s case, being held against the cabinet 🙂
      
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      October 4, 2018 8:16am
      - dubya
        
        He prefers to do it on the top of a cliff, that way the goat pushes back.
        
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        October 4, 2018 9:31am
  - softail 1450
    
    septicboy,, barnyard septic ,back to your partner now, pan pan is missing you.
    
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    October 4, 2018 10:17am
- KevOB
  
  Jones is auditioning for chief of Nga Puhi. They seem rudderless and still haven’t been able to settle treaty claims.
  Do we want the Harawira’s back?
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:20am
  - sooty
    
    No bloody way!
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:24am
    - Paulus Gnome
      
      Almost right. This is Hone country doncha know. It will be ‘no motherfucking way!’
      
      You’re welcome.
      
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      October 4, 2018 8:51am
- artemisia
  
  Mr Jones is playing to his constituency, especially in Northland (he hopes). If it is working for him, that is a sad state of affairs.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:38am
- Keeping Stock
  
  You can see why Shane Jones has never won an electorate contest, in either a Maori or General electorate. He’s too busy speaking in ways the average bloke can’t understand, looking for opportunities to sup from the trough, and generally doing what’s best for Shane Jones.
  
  In that latter area he is just like Winston Peters, but without the charisma, the smile and the political smarts.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:41am
  - Woz
    
    I’ve figured out why he has uncoordinated eyeballs – one of them is permanently fixed on the main chance.
    
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    October 4, 2018 10:02am
  - Paulus
    
    But think of the money Jones and Peters have to spend (koha) to get a seat in Northland.
    
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    October 4, 2018 1:43pm
- Viking2
  
  Many a true word is spoken. That some overpaid lazy CEO’s are challenged makes them snowflakes does it not.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:55am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  CEOs, in describing Shane Jones:
  
  “politics at its worst”.
  “pathetic populist posturing”.
  “he is a bully”.
  “appalling”.
  “short-sighted political point scoring”.
  “he’s a grandstander”
  
  And of course off the record:
  “wanker”
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:32am
  - Garbageman
    
    Lats not do a disservice to all males UN lets make sure its called publicly funded wanking if only the rest of us were so lucky to score a gig like that eh
    
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    October 4, 2018 11:25am
- Rich Prick
  
  Or simply, he’s a wanker.
  
  Edit: as another observes.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:37am
  - Paulus
    
    But Jones does not, like Peters, care one stuff what anybody think of them.
    Easy !
    
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    October 4, 2018 1:44pm
- rockape
  
  I dont see him being given another well paid job like National gave him last time.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:55am
Steve (North Shore)

Trump not a self made billionaire?
Some bearded soft cock professor from Auck Uni says it is the media’s job to bring Trump down. Wrong shithead, the media’s job is to REPORT THE NEWS, nothing more. Fuck off
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October 4, 2018 8:03am
- krazykiwi
  
  Remember, if a Rep is self-made he got there by eating babies, but if it’s family money he’s lazy and entitled. The same rules do not apply for Dems.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:11am
  - Harkman
    
    So true FDR and JFK were old (extremely) dirty money. Kerry used Heinz money. Most Democratic senators are bought and paid for. As for Obama he “drank heavily and did drugs” in high school (heaven forbid) but somehow got into a top college, oh and he was brought up by his wealthy white grand parents. I bet Obama is steering clear of the Kavanaugh circus for obvious reasons.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:21am
    - Tauhei Notts
      
      And that is why Democrat senators are regarded as honest. It is because once they are bought, they stay bought.
      
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      October 4, 2018 9:31am
    - Woz
      
      Obama was a well-documented first order rooter too, and I bet he had his share of groping knock-backs which, were he a Republican, would by now be very loud sexual assault claims.
      
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      October 4, 2018 10:05am
      - igm
        
        He was definitely a wanker!
        
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        October 4, 2018 10:42am
    - softail 1450
      
      Harkman,in Chicago Obama was known as”bath house Barry” and is a bisexual ,you never hear anything about that on MSM,but they want to stop Trumps pick for the supreme court because he threw ice on somebody when he was 18 FFS.
      The media here aren’t much better it makes me laugh when the vacuous bimbo on TV3’s breakfast show laughs every time Trump is mentioned as does that cucked soyboy hack tame on TV1, both of them are fuckwits.
      
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      October 4, 2018 10:32am
      - Harkman
        
        “bathhouse Barry” and “bisexual” ? too funny Softtail.
        
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        October 4, 2018 11:51am
- VicParking
  
  Trump loaned 3 million by father. Turned it into 3.1 billion. Not bad
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:16am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    Even after the NYT’s careful investigation and forthright reporting, snowflakes like Vic will still swallow any lie from Trump.
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:22am
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    Trump has done some things that look like they might be good for America – he seems genuinely motivated to improve US in ways that seem right to him and I think he may turn out to have been a good thing for USA (and perhaps world). Particularly in taking on hegemonic ambitions of China.
    
    But let’s not pretend he is some kind of financial (or any other kind of) genius. He has a lifetime of fuckups, frauds and failures behind him, he has only just barely survived in business through screwing people, risk taking and bluster. And certainly he has made a small fortune by starting with a far larger fortune.
    
    What he does have is insane confidence in himself (doesn’t know when to shut up), good survival instincts, a talent for manipulation of masses, and a far greater willingness to take risks than most. But he is fundamentally a bullshitter – makes shit up all the time and doesn’t even bother to remember the lies he tells.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:44am
    - Notsofast
      
      Accurate commentary. China is dangerous for New Zealand, when they understand MMP it’s over for the European era. Trump is playing an important hand even at the expense of the world economy.
      But he is a crap businessman, reading that NYT report, which is bound to be dead accurate, shows what an incorrigibly self deluded moron is beneath that signature hair.
      
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      October 4, 2018 10:14am
      - softail 1450
        
        notsofast, he must be the luckiest business man in the history of the world, FFS dont blame him because he’s got $3000,000,000 and a beautiful mrs and you live on the benefit in your mama’s basement
        you jealous POS.
        
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        October 4, 2018 10:39am
      - Notsofast
        
        heh, you belong here just fine.
        
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        October 4, 2018 11:09am
      - freethinker
        
        NYT as accurate as my calendar that shows Christmas falling on 31st February
        
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        October 4, 2018 5:48pm
- G152
  
  This constant anti Trump crap from the fake news is going to cost the democraps.
  In the long term all these tricks and attempts to bring Trump down will be used against them…
  And then listen to the wails and gnashing of dentures
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:19am
  - KevOB
    
    An English law Lord, Simons, has stated very plainly that it’s a right for citizens to arrange their affairs to minimise the effects of tax. His judgement has been persuasive in NZ.
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:23am
    - peterwn
      
      Except that this has been watered down to some extent. The taxpayer generally needs to point to some reason in support of the ‘arrangement’ other than an objective to avoid tax. Also the evolution from ‘black letter’ interpretation of the law (where a judge interprets the text alone) to ‘purposeful’ interpretation (where purpose, background, Select Committee reports and Hansard records etc also contribute to interpretation) has tended to close off various avoidance schemes reliant on a ‘black letter’ interpretation.
      
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      October 4, 2018 8:50am
      - krazykiwi
        
        What is the legal distinction between tax minimisation, and tax avoidance? I had thought the former was legal, and a taxpayer right, while the latter is illegal
        
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        October 4, 2018 9:42am
      - starboard
        
        Tax avoidance/minimisation is legal in NZ.
        Tax evasion, is not.
        
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        October 4, 2018 10:49am
      - Classic Liberal
        
        I understand the difference is between tax avoidance (legal, basically minimisation), and tax evasion (illegal).
        
        But let’s face it, since our current government wants to tax any ‘rich prick’ with a wealth tax or CGT, that will include anyone daring to invest in a rental or a few shares. While we’re all meant to be investing in shares under kiwisaver. Difficult bringing in a communist agenda while persuading people to still bother investing in anything!
        
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        October 4, 2018 10:52am
      - Ed Snack
        
        The point being that one must have some intent other than simply tax minimization in order to arrange ones affairs in specific ways. But if there are 2 options and one results in less tax, then it is acceptable generally to select the method that pays less, all other things being equal.
        
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        October 4, 2018 5:24pm
    - KevOB
      
      Lord Simon’s dicta has been controversial for the Revenue. Ultimately it depends on who is on the Bench.
      
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      October 4, 2018 6:06pm
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    ‘listen to the wails and gnashing of dentures’ with the smell of piss soaked adult nappies first thing in the morning; a disturbing image this early in the day . . .
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:54am
  - Steve (North Shore)
    
    Even when Trump loses, he still wins. The Dems just don’t get it
    
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    October 4, 2018 10:16am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Can’t wait to see Styxhexenhammer’s take on this. He’s proven right with most predictions so far, because he just calmly analyses instead of being partisan.
    
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    October 4, 2018 10:55am
- igm
  
  Steve: That unfortunately, is the belief of Fairfax and APN hacks here. Anything that is not progressive socialism is bad . . . and think they can use any subterfuge to help failures such as COL. When they are out of work these scum will realise they were wrong.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:37am
  - Steve (North Shore)
    
    That Professor pissed me off. It serves me right for watching the TV1 commies on Breakfast. I was glad to go to work
    
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    October 4, 2018 10:18am
    - Lance
      
      TV3’s AM wasn’t much better.
      They seemed to wheel in one far left talking head after another.
      No criticism of CoL , just mocking Simon Bridges and general drivel.
      
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      October 4, 2018 11:17am
- Jules99
  
  So it’s the media’s job to undermine the democratic process? Directed, no doubt, by academics who think they should be running things even though they can’t get any votes, e.g. Gareth Morgan.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:47am
- BananaLlama
  
  So is it the medias job to bring Jacinda down or prop her up. Getting real fucking sick of Universities spreading their cancerous opinions everywhere off the back of the body politic when no one elected them.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:41am
DigNap15

When will the MSM report on the IER Quarterly Business Confidence Survey
I want to see the Flashing Neon Lights and the Fireworks in Ardern’s Office
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October 4, 2018 8:04am
- riffer
  
  The biggest problem with the Business Confidence surveys is that they’ve cried wolf whenever Labour are in for so long that they’ve become viewed cynically. Besides, business confidence is only one measure of a country’s (or government’s) performance. If we mandated that all workers should have a 50% pay cut immediately business confidence would fly through the roof. However the economy would turn to shit. Business confidence is an interesting indicator, but by no means a accurate measure of future direction. Sometimes it is; most times it’s 50/50 at best.
  
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  October 4, 2018 10:59am
- Steve (North Shore)
  
  No room in her office – there is an elephant in there
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:26pm
stephieboy

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
“Report obliterates myth of Donald Trump as ‘self-made man’

Tony Schwartz, who as the co-author of The Art of the Deal, helped Donald Trump cement his reputation as a man of economic acumen and moxie, said in an interview today that a New York Times report documenting the financial assistance Trump received from his father obliterated for good the idea Trump is a self-made man……”

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12136414

Now, why we shouldn’t be surprised!
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October 4, 2018 8:04am
- DigNap15
  
  Its common knowledge that he got started via his Dad.
  What’s new?
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:05am
  - stephieboy
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    DigNap15 , that’s not the story he told Schwartz when ghostwriting The Art of the Deal for the President!
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:11am
    - sooty
      
      You don’t tell your church congregation that you shag goats either!
      
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      October 4, 2018 8:27am
    - Harkman
      
      He was already a billionaire before this happened. What in the 1990s?
      
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      October 4, 2018 9:26am
    - lilman
      
      Really?
      He became POTUS,if that isn’t the deal of the century, after all the shit thrown his way.After all the comments and stories that should have sunk any other candidate , you still believe he can’t sell the deal?
      Goats aside, even you messing around with children as brides must believe you are taking shit.
      
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      October 4, 2018 10:05am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    What is common knowledge now, is that instead of his oft-repeated lie that he turned a $1 million loan from his father into billions, Trump inherited, via scams and tax dodges, most of his father’s millions and that he is probably less wealthy, now, than the total he was given.
    Like many second-generation rish, he is a net drain on family wealth.
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:25am
    - Paulus
      
      You mean like the Clintons and the Kennedys !
      
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      October 4, 2018 8:37am
      - Harkman
        
        Roosevelt, John Kerry’s wife, there is/was a Rockefeller in the Democratic party until recently.
        
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        October 4, 2018 9:24am
      - UrbanNeocolonialist
        
        Bill and Hillary have been hugely financially successful – worth maybe 50 million now after being in significant debt when leaving Whitehouse. Both came from relatively humble middle class families.
        
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        October 4, 2018 9:52am
- Jules99
  
  LOL – NYT can’t even find a crime. I wish all leaders were this squeaky clean.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:51am
  - Shaun the Sheep
    
    How very NYT-esque to be trying to invent a scandal involving a man who died last century!
    And NZ Herald just can’t help themselves but climb aboard.
    
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    October 4, 2018 1:14pm
- softail 1450
  
  septicboy , the human being most infected on the planet with T D S, It’s that bad he can no longer keep a post on KB for more than 6 minutes and it’s gone, but he battles on like some warrior of the left.
  He’s so thick that he doesn’t realize he’s KBs biggest clown who is continually ridiculed yet he soldiers on
  like a good lefty troll…..LOL.
  
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  October 4, 2018 10:53am
Hugh Pavletich

CHRISTCHURCH – CENTRAL: International consortium’s $900m development plan, backed by Chinese investment, collapses … Stuff NZ

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107551005/international-consortiums-900m-development-plan-backed-by-chinese-investment-collapses?cid=app-iPad

An international consortium has failed to deliver plans to develop the $900 million Peterborough Quarter in central Christchurch, leaving authorities hunting for replacement developers to take on the project. … read more via hyperlink above …
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October 4, 2018 8:04am
- dave_c_
  
  Probably just as well – We don’t need yet another project being started, and then failing.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:06am
  - dubya
    
    I’m just astounded that Hugh only used two paragraphs and one hyperlink…
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:13am
    - sooty
      
      Must be sick today.
      
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      October 4, 2018 8:28am
      - Hugh Pavletich
        
        Australia …
        
        Off-the-plan apartment pain as property prices fall … Australian Broadcasting Corporation
        
        http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-04/off-the-plan-apartment-pain-growing-as-prices-fall/10334204
        
        Buying an apartment off the plan can be very appealing. You get a brand new apartment, often in a building with amenities like a pool and gym and, maybe best of all, you have time to save for it because you won’t have to hand over the full purchase price until construction is complete.
        
        As Australia’s housing market made its way higher and higher, buying off the plan was an attractive choice for many people because it gave them a property, but also the window to save more money for the down payment.
        
        But with national dwelling prices now down 2.7 per cent in the past 12 months, the environment has completely changed. … read more via hyperlink above …
        
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        October 4, 2018 8:42am
      - Paulus Gnome
        
        But wait, there’s more! Ginsu knives next!
        
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        October 4, 2018 8:56am
- cmm
  
  The whole idea was completely screwed.
  
  These inner-city projects are, perhaps, fine in large cities but don’t work in places like Christchurch.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:52am
holysheet

The Vatican announces that Pope Francis is making a trip to New Zealand. So Cindy contacts him and invites his Holiness to take a cruise with her on the Auckland Harbour aboard Jethros borrowed launch.The Pope agrees and he and Cindy are soon taking in the natural beauty and quiet serenity the harbour is well-known for.

But suddenly, and out of nowhere, a strong breeze comes up and blows the Pope’s skullcap overboard into the water. Ever the gracious host, Cindy climbs over the rail of the launch, walks across the water and retrieves it. She then climbs back onboard and returns the slightly wet but otherwise undamaged hat to the Pope, who thanks her profusely.

Within a matter of minutes CNN, TVNZ, Newshub and Stuff are all reporting the details of the incident with the same headline:“ Cindy Can’t Swim!”
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October 4, 2018 8:05am
- softail 1450
  
  holysheet, more likely “so Jesus was a woman after all”.
  
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  October 4, 2018 10:58am
- Nermal
  
  A catholic priest and an Anglican minister regularly went fishing in the Manukau. After some misgivings, they let Bishop Tamaki come along. After being anchored at one spot for an hour, the priest decides to stretch his legs, so he steps off the dinghy and walks around a bit before getting back in. Then it’s the minister’s turn. He steps out , walks around a bit, stretches a few times, then gets back in.
  
  The bishop is in awe, and decides his faith is no less than the others, so he steps over the side, and promptly sinks under the water. After spluttering in the water for a while the other two manage to pull him back into the boat. Now, the Bishop is humbled (OK, this is fiction after all) and asks how they could walk on water while he sank.
  
  “Simple”, says the priest, “The sandbank is on the other side”
  
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  October 4, 2018 2:55pm
The Virgin

The Virgins = lifetime Blue voters.
Simon Bridges = “Dead Man Walking”; do the right think and stand down at the close of Parliment for Xmas recess.

I will never vote left, rather cut my right arm off but National are stumbling. We should have been all over Liarbor but we weren’t and now it’s water under the bridge. Sorry but the current National leadership are not up to it.
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October 4, 2018 8:07am
- lifesgood
  
  Ok think about this. Did you appreciate the constant carping and downright nastiness from the lefties and the msm while National were the government? Did it make you hate the government or despise the lefties? There’s your answer. Bridges is playing the long game and letting Labour destroy itself while giving no cause for the left to attack National. Softly, softly catchee monkey.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:17am
  - Nick R
    
    Never mind the long game, Bridges will be lucky to make the end of the year at this rate
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:25am
  - Justitia
    
    The monkeys are shitting all over us while Bridges plods along in a fug of incompetence. He has the mental agility of a sponge.
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:32am
  - Chris R
    
    Life: I do see the merit in your suggestion but for it to be 100% plausible it would require the National leadership (not solely Mr Bridges) to be consistent in their dealings and representations to Parliament. They are not being entirely consistent. I see Bridges barking indiscriminately at passing cars, I see a bored Brownlie, a flakey Paula Bennett and cannot see any rising stars from the back benches. The few victories enjoyed by National this year were easy ones…the destruction of Curran and the shaming of Labour over its sex-camp events. An absolute lambasting of Twyford on his idiotic Kiwibuild to an extent that his proven lies cause him to resign, or due to his misinformation regarding the Taranaki economy would be severe and resounding wins. National need to launch repeated attacks rather than simply watching the Losers self-destruct.
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:36am
    - dubya
      
      Bishop and Lee have been impressive. Honourable mention to Nick Smith, too.
      
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      October 4, 2018 9:38am
- KevOB
  
  What are National supposed to do: buyout the media or call out the army? No Opposition is being allowed a voice. Has tyranny arrived?
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:29am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    More and more people are on the internet. National needs to set up its own channel. Bugger it: if the MSM are going to be so left-biased, set up your own channel with sensible interviews, correct data and National’s policies outlined.
    
    This is what the AfD had to do in Germany, because the MSM tried to either ignore them or label them as ‘far right’ (they are not – just sensible middle-conservative). They are now the second most powerful party in Germany.
    
    If the MSM is so full of far-left bias that it no longer can be called ‘reporting’ or ‘journalism’, create your own media!
    
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    October 4, 2018 11:08am
    - Nermal
      
      And this is also why Trump tweets regularly, to cut out the filters and pink coloured lenses of the MSM
      
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      October 4, 2018 2:58pm
    - Ross12
      
      Absolutely agree CL. I wrote to my local National MP after the election saying exactly that. They have to get a completely new, out of left field communications strategy.
      Steven Joyce must be looking for something to do. He has great radio experience. Get some rich National supporters to set up radio station , for a start. Leighton is “retiring” this year–give him a weekly slot. Give Karl du Fresne a slot. There are plenty of other experienced media people out there who would love say half a day a week to present something. Does not have to all talk back. Does not have to be all politics. The MSM radio management have left a gaping hole in the market.
      That is just radio. As you say set up a YouTube channel etc etc.
      Just do it !!!
      
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      October 4, 2018 11:04pm
  - riffer
    
    Oh hardly. Labour struggled to get a voice too when in opposition. I think it’s probably just the way of things – the government of the day get more air time, whereas the opposition must be careful and tactical about how they use the time they are given. At the moment they’re not doing that, so they look like they just hate everything the government does. And that definitely turns people off.
    
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    October 4, 2018 11:24am
    - Nukuleka
      
      riffer: trolling in the guise of a more benign and supposedly ‘reasonable’ version of septicboy and milkey is still trolling. We’re onto you, laddie.
      
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      October 4, 2018 11:42am
    - riffer
      
      Not trolling at all. More presenting a more nuanced opinion of the subject, from a point of view that’s neither left nor right. Sorry for my lack of tribalism.
      
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      October 4, 2018 2:25pm
    - KevOB
      
      What time are the Opposition given? Parliament is in recess too.
      
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      October 4, 2018 5:18pm
- Wired-one
  
  Yeah let’s go down the Labour path and turnover leader after leader, because that worked out for them right?. Ffs how could we be so stupid to follow that path. We all may as well log off for three terms, because if Bridges is rolled, that’s what will happen. Doesn’t help we’ve had a media who throws in Judith Collins inuendo at every turn, they have never given Bridges a chance. I’m frankly pissed off, because I can see the path we are on, and I know it means the opposition benches for years. Hope you all love Ardern and Robertsons new NZ.
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:05pm
  - KevOB
    
    This COL are so amazingly incompetent and self believing to the point of fraud they will not survive. We dare not let them.Boost the opposition against them.
    
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    October 4, 2018 5:23pm
Left Right and Centre

The coalition have kindly released prime examples of prospective suitable refugee candidate families able to be accepted as part of their proposed increased quota . . .

2nd cousins that married *check*. 18 kids *check*. Walk on all fours *check*

hahaha . . . crawling around a Z forecourt near you soon.
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October 4, 2018 8:11am
- holysheet
  
  Is this an early sign of what we can expect?
  Little steps, people…..
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsC4kf6x_Q0
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:18am
  - kowtow
    
    But remember that is Hollywoods attempt to portray whites negatively . Very successfully.
    
    Would they portray blacks so negatively.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:00am
    - riffer
      
      Yeah they did for quite a few years IIRC. ’tis the cyclical nature of things. This too, shall end.
      
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      October 4, 2018 11:24am
- stephieboy
  
  YouTube Pulp!
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:59am
  - softail 1450
    
    septicboy ,are you speaking of your 50 working brain cells?
    
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    October 4, 2018 11:06am
    - riffer
      
      Jesus, dude. Stop barking at every passing car. You sound like Bridges.
      
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      October 4, 2018 11:25am
secondcumming

Heading home from the gun club last night just after 11pm….. Bang & Olufsen at full vol…. listening to Mitch Harris on Radio Live.

He was saying something about *Judith Collins* being on the Ryan Bridge show today…….then I thought he said something about, “JC being a ‘fiscal conservative and that Jamie Lee Ross had leaked Simon Bridges expenses in the belief it would help Judith….”

Now I may have misheard…..or am I missing something??
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October 4, 2018 8:12am
- Keeping Stock
  
  I seldom listen to Harris, and certainly not by choice. He is a conspiracy theorist par excellence, and if he did make that direct accusation, he’d better have evidence to back it up.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:45am
  - Harkman
    
    Ever notice how he is really a far left hack? Always spins things to some far left world view.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:30am
Than

Supreme court math games – judicial numerical fun for the whole family!

Currently the Republicans have a 51-49 majority in the US senate, so if any two senators defect and vote with the Democrats they lose the vote. In the case of confirming supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, it seems likely that the vote will largely be along party lines. Never guaranteed of course, but that’s the prevailing assumption. But there are four Republican senators who are considered possible exceptions – Flake, Corker, Collins, and Murmanski.

For the sake of argument let’s assume that is the situation – the Republicans have 47 guaranteed votes Yes, Democrats have 49 guaranteed votes No, and we have 4 votes that could go either way. How likely is Kavanaugh to be confirmed?

Well, this scenario is easily modeled as simple binomial problem. We have 4 trials, X% chance of “success”, and we can work out the chance of getting N “successes”. To use this model we have to assume this probability is the same for all four, but it’s not like assigning a probability to each individual’s vote is more than a finger in the wind guess anyway. We also have to assume independence, which it’s arguable whether they are or not.

The numbers come out like this;
100% – 100%
90% – 95%
80% – 82%
70% – 65%
60% – 48%
50% – 31%
40% – 18%
30% – 8%
20% – 3%
10% – 0%

The column on the left is the probability each of the 4 swing senators (individually) votes yes to confirm . The column on the right is the probability Kavanaugh gets confirmed (i.e. at least 3 of the 4 senators vote yes), given that probability.

So for example, if you think each of the 4 swing senators is 60% likely to vote Yes, then there is a 48% chance that Kavanaugh is confirmed. If you think there is a 70% chance of each of the 4 voting Yes, then there is a 65% chance Kavanaugh is confirmed.

Bottom line – If Mitch McConnell calls a vote on Kavanaugh he’s taking a significant risk.
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October 4, 2018 8:12am
- Jules99
  
  I have heard a suggestion that with many polls favouring a Kavanagh appointment, a Dem or two might defect – not sure how accurate that is though. Also, the suggestion was made that appointment of a conservative supreme court judge was a significant draw for Trump voters. Some senators will be watching the polls closely.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:57am
  - Than
    
    You’ve been seeing different polls than I have. All the non-partisan polls I’ve seen on Kavanaugh (both simple approval ratings and direct “should he be confirmed” question) have had him in the single digits negative.
    
    But regardless, yes it’s certainly possible some Democrats might defect and vote for confirmation. In particular there are three red state Democrats (i.e. Democrats from states which Trump won strongly in 2016) who were considered potential Yes votes. But I’d say it’s pretty unlikely at this point.
    
    First, they will be coming under extreme pressure from their party to vote No (the words “primary challenge” could potentially have been uttered). And more importantly, they now have plenty of excuses they can use to vote No on Kavanaugh (his demeanor, his honesty, his partisanship) while claiming they would support a different conservative nominee. That argument may just be kicking the can down the road (if Kavanaugh fails to be confirmed Trump will just nominate another conservative candidate) but it gets them out of trouble for now.
    
    Good 538 article on the 7 most plausible swing votes here.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:16am
- Harkman
  
  Firstly Corker is a yes, I think Murkowski and Collins will likely vote yes. I have no confidence in Flake, something tells me he is now a Democrat or lined up a never Trump job at MSNBC or CNN. But if it is a tie, doesn’t the VP cast the deciding vote?
  
  The other thing you need to remember is that only days ago the key issue in Red states with Democrats seeking reelection was Healthcare, now it is the Supreme Court. Any Democrat that doesn’t vote for Kavanaugh is these states will lose their seats. Manchin will probably vote yes.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:40am
  - Than
    
    True, in the event of a tie Mike Pence has the casting vote. But we’re already included that rule when we say 2 defections sink the nomination. The senate is 51-49, so even just one defection makes it a 50-50 tie and Pence has to use his tiebreaker. Two defections make it majority No, and the tiebreaker doesn’t apply.
    
    Now for any other supreme court nomination just the possibility of having to use the tiebreaker would be a major talking point in itself. Use of the tiebreaker to confirm a supreme court justice is extremely rare (possibly even unprecedented), and there’d be much talk about whether it tarnishes the legitimacy or the credibility of the appointed justice. But in the hyper-partisan environment of this nomination it doesn’t even get mentioned.
    
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    October 4, 2018 10:03am
  - softail 1450
    
    Lets wait for the FBI report ,if he’s cleared he will be a supreme court judge ,anybody voting against him will be signalling they have no confidence in the same organisations they are hoping will hammer Trump on the Russia investigation and be seen as hypocrites of the highest order.
    
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    October 4, 2018 11:13am
oldpark

Makes one wonder what is going on in NZ. When the waste of space Aussie Clown Russel Norman and one of his so called Charity pay no tax Greenpeace mates were able to shut down the Maui platform a few days ago . Yes the Maui Gas industry which has been operating for Forty years was forced to shut down for a short time by the eco terrorists Greenpeace. Obviously a NZ protected bunch of sickos,see that as a threat to their lunatic vile ideas of gas and oil production in NZ.
Seems it is no point in arresting and charging Norman and his eco terrorists mates . Last time that happened ,when they appeared in Court with attacking an oil ship with reckless actions,causing many thousand of dollars costs to the oil company., Guess what happened the wee tame judge let them off scot free. Think he was concerned with the hurty feelings that Norman’s tax free so called Charity Greenpeace had to endure.
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October 4, 2018 8:12am
cmm

Yesterday DG asked the question how many trees would have to be planted to offset PriNZess’ travel footprint.

Complicated question: Let’s just focus on one trip: the trip to Nauru, that she didn’t need to go on, except for the photo ops.

That flight clocked up something like 108 tonnes of CO2.

That is more CO2 than the average driver will emit in their whole life driving.

So how much CO2 does a tree soak up? Many of the footprint calculators work on the average of 22 kg per tree per year, but that is a way oversimplification for many reasons:
* Different trees grow differently in different climates, so there is no magic number.
* Trees put on most of their growth in wood (ie soaking up CO2) when they are larger. Growth in a young tree is very slow.

So, on average, a tree going to 30 years might soak up around 600 kg of CO2. Considering many trees won’t make that (including heaps that fall over while still saplings), the average is probably closer to 100kg.

So that single trip needs the whole lifetime of 1000 trees to offset it. If she planted 1000 trees today, that one trip will be wiped clean by about 2050.

Since trees absorb most of the CO2 later in their life, it will be about 2045 until those 1000 trees have absorbed half the CO2.
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October 4, 2018 8:15am
- sooty
  
  Has Shane gone past 99 trees yet?
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:33am
  - alwyn
    
    Yes, and he has marked off his territory by pissing on every one of them.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:49am
    - lilman
      
      Lol love a laugh and that was a good one.
      
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      October 4, 2018 10:11am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I get a more optimistic calculation…
  
  according to MPI’s C-accumulation tables, 10 year old stands of Pinus radiata are sequestering about 300 tonnes/ha… So at a stocking rate of 1000 stems/ha… You could offset the plane trip to Nauru with a third of ha in pine within 10 years.
  
  The Tables estimate it would take about 10 years for 1ha of native plantings to accumulate about 108 tonnes of CO2.
  
  Carbon Look-up Tables for Forestry in the Emissions Trading … – MPI
  https://www.mpi.govt.nz/…/4762-a-guide-to-look-up-tables-for-forestry-in-the-emissi…
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:37am
Souvlaki

Yeah….they do seem a bit moribund. A plethora of Labour cockups, week after week….all seem to get far better analysis in discussions on this blog than the Nats offer up. Lamentable…but true.?
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October 4, 2018 8:15am
MT_Tinman

I will never vote left, rather cut my right arm off but National are stumbling.

Except when the Great Ruth held sway National have been of the left for at least the last 60 years – just not as left as the other lot.

Should we call you “Lefty”?
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October 4, 2018 8:16am
secondcumming

mary: now you have sorted that hotel out?

joseph: yes, obviously, of course, stop fucking going on about it woman, god.
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October 4, 2018 8:17am
Liberty

Another lesson for the inept Government.
Banning land sales and making it very difficult for people with
Chinese sounding names to invest.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107551005/international-consortiums-900m-development-plan-backed-by-chinese-investment-collapses
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October 4, 2018 8:22am
- riffer
  
  Well, it’s possible that’s an influence here, but you also need to take into account that the Chinese government is forcing Chinese developers to exit overseas property developments, and Chinese banks are refusing to lend on them. You can hardly blame the cancelled $1B One Sydney project in Circular Quay, Sydney on Labour’s policies can you? The current Australian government is more like National than Labour. I think the problem lies closer to China than New Zealand.
  
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  October 4, 2018 2:32pm
Fletch

Longer snippet (2 mins) of veteran broadcaster Ted Koppel on the relationship between the media and Trump 😛

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZOgnHUQ_P8
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October 4, 2018 8:22am
- Harkman
  
  Gosh Brian Steltor is a moron. He is the George Costanza of news.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:46am
EAD_TWO

Is this another “Barbara Lerner Spectre” moment?

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/17/magazine/george-soros-democrat-open-society.html

‘Explaining his father’s motives, [Alex Soros] said, “The reason you fight for an open society is because that’s the only society that you can live in, as a Jew — unless you become a nationalist and only fight for your own rights in your own state.”’

Here is yet another admission that Jews promote ethnic division (AKA “diversity”) in our countries because it benefits them.

That’s it, in plain English (vs. the dishonest language used above where “Open society” is used euphemism for open borders).

PS: Just waiting for MM to tell us the New York Times is “Nazi propoganda”. ?
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October 4, 2018 8:28am
- stephieboy
  
  EAD TWO , where do the Jews in Trump’s cabinet fit into to all this?
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:01am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Yay Stephie, nice to be able to give you an uptick once in a while.
    
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    October 4, 2018 11:32am
Surely Knott

Spinoff’s period poverty outrage continues. Cost for an 18 pack of homebrand sanitary pads. $2
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October 4, 2018 8:31am
- sooty
  
  Tax would be?
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:35am
- Fletch
  
  There was a whole thing about it on the TV news last night, about how some girls started menstruating earlier and were using toilet paper, towels, staying at home, etc, etc, because they couldn’t afford it? Hello? Isn’t it up to parents to buy these for them?
  
  Then they went into this thing about how the tax was taken off these products in Australia. It really does seem like some feminist agenda is to the forefront.
  
  What about free razor blades for guys? We can’t stop stubble growing, you know, and they are hella expensive.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:36am
  - ross411
    
    Yes, where does it stop.
    
    Parents don’t feed their kids – news stories and outrage about hungry kids needing to be provided food at school. No mention of the parents.
    
    Parents don’t care for their daughters and pay attention – new stories and outrage about neglected kids needing to be provided sanitary products. No mention of the parents.
    
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    October 4, 2018 10:33am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    Probably not from 9, which I think was the impetus of that article. Poor kids getting it at that age.
    
    Yes, it isn’t new but if the incidence is increasing, then some research should be undertaken to see if the causes can be reversed or at least modified.
    
    I won’t even get into the ‘old enough to bleed, old enough to butcher’ narrative.
    
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    October 4, 2018 7:49pm
- Rachael Membery
  
  Not especially effective, one could say a waste of 2$.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:54am
- cmm
  
  What is the principle behind all the “period poverty” worries?
  
  It must surely be that this is a biological disadvantage. ie, due to menstruation, girls are disadvantaged and need the government to level the playing field.
  
  If that is the principle, then what about the biological disadvantages for males?
  
  For example, males need approx 600 more calories a day. That’s about an extra Big Mac or pie per day. So let’s call it $4 per day.
  
  If females should get a hand up for tampons (which cost, say $10 per month, or 30c a day), then surely a much bigger issue is ensuring our males, who suffer a biological disadvantage at least 10x as much, should also have their issues addressed?
  
  Of course this really has nothing to do with tampon costs. It is all about getting the state even deeper into our day to day activities.
  
  Having changes to our GST system that impact 30c a day transactions is grossly inefficient. The females will end up saving 5c a day, but the costs for society (extra accounting etc) are going to end up being much more than that. The girls will end up paying more in tax.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:11am
VicParking

All the KB’s who are slagging off Simon Bridges are not doing National any favours.
It shows their lack of intelligence. Like small childern they have no patience. The election is not this year, or next year. Why should National be putting stakes in the ground in regards to policy.
Slowly slowly, a thousand cuts. Why make statements and promises you might not be able to keep.
F*K the way the COL is going any policy named now might not be able to be funded by election time. The biggest need might be the printing of $1,000,000 notes so you can by bread.
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October 4, 2018 8:40am
- brett68
  
  Bridges was a poor choice, he’s hard to listen to, waffles, talks rubbish and his voter appeal is next to zero.
  
  He will get destroyed by Ardern in the election debates, it’s going to be endless word salads and weirdness.
  
  National has to get over 50% in 2020, they won’t with Bridges as leader, he just doesn’t naturally have what it takes
  
  2020 is make or break for NZ, National has to win otherwise we’re pretty much fucked.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:58am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    National will get over 50%, if the CoL last to 2020.
    Reason
    Petrol…$3-50/l
    Recession
    Unemployment….7%
    Interest rates…..11%
    Inflation 8%
    National will CONTINUE to promise to repeal Labour’s ridiculous acts.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:06am
    - cmm
      
      Far too complicated.
      
      Most people just look at the leader.
      
      Look how Labour support went up more than half just by pulling PriNZess from being Andy’s sidekick to standing at the front.
      
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      October 4, 2018 9:14am
      - DigNap15
        
        Yes I think you are correct many people just vote for the leader.
        Eg John Key was very charismatic
        
        And in NZ we tend to vote governments OUT, when we are tired of them.
        Eg Helen Clark’s oppressive Nanny State
        
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        October 4, 2018 9:17am
      - rockape
        
        No most people look at their wallets, they just are not smart enough to seriously look.
        
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        October 4, 2018 10:29am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        In that case, this might explain why they are over blowing Simon’s “mis speak”
        https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2018/09/poll-how-would-you-rate-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-s-performance-in-new-york-this-week.html
        47500 voted
        90% said her NY performance was P O O R!!!!!
        
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        October 4, 2018 6:23pm
    - DigNap15
      
      “National will CONTINUE to promise to repeal Labour’s ridiculous acts.”
      
      Have they?
      I hope they do
      And I hope they reverse just about every law and change that the COL has done…
      And double down on it
      Eg Ban unions
      Increase oil and Gas exploration
      Increase benefit sanctions
      Ban cycle ways in cities
      Build more roads of National significance
      
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      October 4, 2018 9:15am
      - Paulus
        
        I see no more electric cycles on so called cycleways.
        Should be more targets on the roads now then.
        
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        October 4, 2018 1:59pm
    - brett68
      
      If those numbers eventuate yeah, they’re in trouble and a goat could lead National to victory in 2020.
      
      Thing is though, even if National wins with Bridges in charge is he really who you want running the country?
      
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      October 4, 2018 9:19am
    - Odakyu-sen
      
      There is absolutely no way that the New Zealand government will allow interest rants to rise significantly, as this will break the backs of so many over-leveraged voters (especially the younger ones).
      
      … What’s that you say? US 10-year treasuries are spiking? https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=US10Y
      
      … Reaches for tin-foil hat.
      
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      October 4, 2018 5:43pm
      - freethinker
        
        NYT as accurate as my calendar that shows Christmas falling on 31st February
        
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        October 4, 2018 6:23pm
  - Dave Mann
    
    Sadly I have only one uptick available for your excellent comment brett68.
    
    And to answer those here who think it’s bad form to criticise this man and his party’s performance, I say ‘Welcome to the People’s Socialist Republic of Aotezuela”.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:18am
  - VicParking
    
    Brett you have nothing to back that up.
    He hard to listen to because his words have more than four characters so you struggle.
    Name some waffle
    Name some rubbish
    By election time National will have strong policy and the COL poor record to talk about.
    Explain why they wont get over 50%. What magic ball have you got.
    Platitudes will convince nobody, you talk crap.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:25am
    - geoff3012
      
      Sucking up to climate change crap
      
      8 1
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      October 4, 2018 10:28am
    - brett68
      
      Appearing on Jono and Ben tonight
      
      5 1
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      October 4, 2018 10:45am
  - cmm
    
    Bridges is losing because he’s trying to play PriNZess at her own game.
    
    He’s trying to be the Justin Trudea of the South Pacific. That is not going to work. PriNZess owns this space.
    
    PriNZess is playing the Bridgett Jones play-book: goofy woman in her 30s making a mess of life, but somehow stumbles along in an almost enchanting way.
    
    The only way forward is to not try counter PriNZess and play her game. Just offer something completely different (strong leadership, strong economy,…). Simon does not look like the person for the job.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:44am
    - Odakyu-sen
      
      cmm,
      
      That’s it! I knew I had seen that boyish visage somewhere before.
      
      Simon Bridges is our very-own Justin Trudeau!
      
      Hard times make for strong men, so I think things have got to get a lot harder in NZ before anything changes…
      
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      October 4, 2018 5:49pm
  - Liberty
    
    Brett
    You are talking rubbish. Bridges constantly has Arden on the ropes. At question time.
    More than once has her buddy Mallard got her out of trouble by restricting debate.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:55am
    - Tricati
      
      Unfortunately Liberty, the MSM don’t cover Question Time with any objectivity, therefore SB’s wins don’t get to resonate with the public at large
      
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      October 4, 2018 10:37am
      - Liberty
        
        Tricati
        You are correct.MSM don’t cover Question Time.
        MSM are protecting a shambolic Government by failing to keep
        The public informed. Which is censorship by the state.
        An censorship is what socialist states are renown for.
        
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        October 4, 2018 11:11am
      - VicParking
        
        The tide will have turned by 2020. You can see the MSM wavering already. These knoooo all Reporteters will back the winner and then tell everybody “I told you so”. Currently them are holding back polling because they realise its shifting. They can only do that for so long.
        
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        October 4, 2018 11:25am
    - brett68
      
      Pointless, only a handful of people watch question time, even less than those god awful shows like Q & A and The Nation.
      
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      October 4, 2018 10:47am
- DifferentPerspective
  
  Vic. Exactly the strategy employed by Labour in the past. Bridges is a dead set failure as leader. Same as English… how did that strategy work out in 2017. Gotta voice concerns or National will assume all is good. And it ain’t!
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:38am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    If Bridges has a problem with the way he pronounces some words, doesn’t the same apply to Cindy?
    And how did the pompous-sounding and totally boring Holyoake manage to win four elections on the trot?
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:52am
  - lifesgood
    
    English was not a failure. He held National’s vote and, in case you are forgetting, National had the majority…if it wasn’t for the drunken dwarf he’d be PM.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:55am
    - MCos
      
      There’s a world of difference between ‘most’ & ‘majority’.
      
      5 5
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      October 4, 2018 11:31am
  - Liberty
    
    DP
    How is your mate Winston? Is the sun still shining out his arse?
    Or are you disillusioned with the charlatan?
    
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    October 4, 2018 10:04am
- Kabull
  
  In reply to VP at 8.40, and to Brett as well. You need to watch Bridges in general debates, not just QT. The QT approach is ‘prosecutorial’, while his performance in debates is powerful and critical. I agree totally with VP that the Nats will gain nothing by throwing lots of paper at this stage. They need to keep alert to the rapidly changing situation this country is finding itself in, so that pre-election policy will be relevant to the times. And Bridges did put a line in the sand the other day in General debate, when he stated very specifically what the Nats would do to wind back CoL policies.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:46am
  - Piniwi
    
    Kaboom Kabull it is amazing that so many are swayed by the Media party targeting Simon Bridges to draw attention away from the COL who are falling apart. This is standard Labour MO as they still struggle to move from opposition mode where they struggled even more to gain any traction. The COL are banking heavily on the recess to get past all the disasters they carried out of the last session so are trying desperately to attack their biggest concern. A strong, unified team on the opposition benches responding to the new style of leadership from personality politics to a far more effective approach. Beyond the team through their expansion of the team strength it is being further expanded with a massive increase in direct dialog with the voters. Not a meaningless conversation or even fended off to some “committee” but a clear direct line to being heard. Anybody not aware of this must have put themselves outside the loop and need to get on-board to avoid being just part of the silent majority. Good, bad or indifferent makes no difference but if you have the need to tick them off now is the time to make those keystrokes count to add even more weight to your Two 4 Blue when it is needed. The key to winning is not to play their game but to play a better wining game. Remember they got where they are by losing so they know losing well individually and collectively.
    
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    October 4, 2018 3:34pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Simon Bridges could benefit from some professional Media training…. especially in relation to the 20-40 year old set.
  
  IMO.. he needs a bit of speech therapy.. (not drastic stuff.. but needs to check enunciation and register…he often has a whiney tone).
  
  We need to see him out of a suit at times…doing some ordinary Kiwi stuff…his running/some home DIY/ watching his kids or a local school team on sports field…
  
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  October 4, 2018 10:33am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Yes. Didn’t such training work for Maggie Thatcher?
    
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    October 4, 2018 11:41am
  - Nermal
    
    Someone please hide his hair product!
    
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    October 4, 2018 3:10pm
  - Rachael Membery
    
    I thought his wife was media savvy?
    
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    October 4, 2018 7:31pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Yep,
      She was a BBC Producer and Editor of Fashion Mag Simply You.
      
      Sometimes you need a completely disinterested POV.
      
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      October 4, 2018 7:38pm
- Komata
  
  VP
  
  Concerning your comment that ‘The election is not this year etc.’
  
  Under normal circumstances, I would agree, but current circumstances are anything but normal, so it is reasonable to expect an election sooner than 2020.
  
  Should that be the case, is Simon prepared? Casual observation would seem to indicate that he isn’t, to the extent that he is apparently planning to contest 2020 but nothing before.
  
  That is the sort of thing that Labour did, and we know what that result has been.
  
  This lack of concern /complacency/ unpreparedness is what concerns many Nat supporters.
  
  We have yet to be shown that our concerns are unfounded.
  
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  October 4, 2018 7:25pm
Swifty

The ‘truth’ according to the PSA:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/107572046/understanding-pay-equity-requires-robust-rigorous-analysis

That piece has holes of principles, logic and analysis big enough to drive a truck through.

And for the thousandth time a piece from the left gives no thought to downsides nor unintended consequences.

The ‘truth’ my arse.
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October 4, 2018 8:41am
- Classic Liberal
  
  Oh, FFS, I couldn’t read further than this lie: “To put it simply, the skills, expertise, professionalism, risks and responsibilities of jobs held primarily by women are undervalued by employers, by communities and frequently even by those undertaking the work.”
  
  No, Amypie, the *market* values skills, expertise, professionalism, risks and responsibilities. I’ve worked in professions that used to be male dominated. When women did the training and started working in those fields, they made the same money.
  
  Nail-painting won’t be paid the same as house-painting, unless more taxes are stolen from us to pay for such lunacy.
  
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  October 4, 2018 11:48am
BeaB

Just because the media don’t report it doesn’t mean the Nats aren’t doing a good job in Parliament. Just listen to Melissa Lee questioning Curran, Nick Smith patiently chipping away, Simon’s own questions and hits.
No government leaves itself wide open. Oppositions have to wait for the gaps to show, ease them open and attack when they can.
It’s sad to read people on this site following the Aussie path of chucking out the leader. This is a long game and we should, if we want a National Government, be supporting Simon and his team.
He already has the lefty media against him.
If some here had their way we’d be doing what Labour did – give everyone a go at the leadership and end up at the bottom of the barrel with stardust and no substance.
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October 4, 2018 8:41am
- Poppa
  
  I hear what you are saying, but the sad fact is nobody I have spoken too, and some I don’t even really know, have no time for Simon.
  
  That is just the way it is, he is not leader material, and certainly not PM material. Nor is Cindy for that matter, but we need a point of difference
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:51am
  - lifesgood
    
    “Nobody has no time for Simon”… that’s good!
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:53am
  - VicParking
    
    Explain yourself Poppa.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:27am
    - Poppa
      
      Sorry my bad.
      
      Let me put it another way, I have spoken to many people around the traps some of them I know well, & others not so much. Nobody is keen on Simon. They all say that they don’t know why that is, but he doesn’t cut it as far as they are concerned.
      
      To me that is a worry
      
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      October 4, 2018 9:34am
      - brett68
        
        First impressions.
        
        Simon doesn’t give a good first impression and that’s deadly in politics.
        
        Cunliffe was the same.
        
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        October 4, 2018 10:53am
      - Classic Liberal
        
        The funny thing is that he seems very ‘likeable’ but somehow it doesn’t translate into much leadership charisma.
        
        I’m with the idea that he needs some intense media training.
        
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        October 4, 2018 12:07pm
      - Nermal
        
        You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.
        
        PS Fat fingers – accidentally reported Poppa & Brett68. Mods Please ignore
        
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        October 4, 2018 3:14pm
      - Wired-one
        
        Nobody was interested in Trump too apparently…
        
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        October 4, 2018 5:32pm
- lifesgood
  
  Well said, BeaB. The trouble is that the msm never report the good hits from Nat that happen in Parliament. The nay sayers should start watching question time on tv. There is some amazing stuff coming from national that the msm cannot ignore, fudge, gloss over, whatever, because it is Parliament broadcast live.
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:52am
  - VicParking
    
    Agreed, if you watch the interviews and question time instead stting in front of the 6pm news on TV with your third beer in hand you might get a different point of view.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:29am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Then National need to put out vigorous press releases each time it happens.
    
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    October 4, 2018 12:08pm
    - KevOB
      
      Who is going to report such press releases?
      
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      October 4, 2018 5:35pm
  - Piniwi
    
    Right lifesgood also the number of times they rattle the COL in the debating chamber significant enough that the Media party can not ignore it. The best they can do is feature some lame quip from old Winston First which only served to highlight his struggled efforts. The OQT performance has been honed as well as having more competent members having a chance to show their ability to let the COL expose their failings. They have counteracted Mallards interference’s by pointed, persistent questions to the point of him instructing the ducking Minister to “address the question”. Then when it gets too hot the seek refuge in the witless protection program. Best example is the Curren/SLG/Hardley communications still being withheld even after direct instructions from the Speaker. Left to sweet cheeks to test the Speaker’s resolve even further. They needed time to purge all those messages that were NOT recorded from being discovered. They needed it deferred to the OIA process so just kept stalling only to be thwarted by Handley getting pissed off.
    
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    October 4, 2018 3:58pm
  - Wired-one
    
    All over the world conservatives are losing their voice in the media. Most of the news outlets and commentators are lefties, that will never change. Throw in social media and companies like Google, and we are up against it.
    
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    October 4, 2018 5:35pm
- waikatogirl
  
  To be fair, Simon did almost have a direct hit on Cindy when he tied her in knots in QT over her lying about the texts and emails between her and Handley. However, this week he shot himself in the foot with the JLR ’embarrassing’ comment. Is Simon losing his footing and on a slippery slope or can he regather? His mistakes have been minor compared to Cindy’s inexperienced and ill-thought-out decisions which directly affect us all.
  Time to step it up Simon. Leave being progressive to the left and show the fire you have in your belly.
  Good luck!
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:16am
  - Dave Mann
    
    The problem is that almost nobody in the real world watches or listens to Parliament. The public forum is where the votes are won or lost and in the public forum this man comes across as an out-of-touch waffler at best, and an idiot at worst.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:24am
    - waikatogirl
      
      Nobody watches QT, and the msm fail to report or carry through on the juicy story. If it had been a National leader uncovered lying to the House the media would have been howling, but Cindy flouncing into her seat after being caught out has died like whimpering road kill. ? Simon’s questioning was targetted and specific. He did an excellent job.
      However, I’m just still not sure he has the charisma to do the job??.
      
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      October 4, 2018 9:29am
    - BeaB
      
      I guess an Oxford degree is what you give to idiots these days.
      
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      October 4, 2018 9:48am
  - VicParking
    
    Cindy makes ten stupid comments every time she is interviewed but they are not reported
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:31am
  - BeaB
    
    The embarrassing thing is a beat-up. It may be the media know it was Jamie-Lee or his office staff who leaked the expenses info and are on the hunt.
    Or it may be that Bridges meant it is embarrassing that anyone has to explain their personal health issues to the public.
    Whatever.
    Mistakes in opposition are part of the learning process. Mistakes in government have an impact on all of us that can take years to fix. Yet the media are still so besotted with Jacinda they haven’t even followed up the extravagance of our princess having her own team of photographers, partly as she said, for campaign photos.
    Was there a hairdresser too?
    A stylist? No to the last one because a drab colour and baggy coat seem to be her uniform. Imagine how Helen Clark would have been ridiculed if she had appeared at the UN looking like a lipsticked hobbit.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:45am
    - Classic Liberal
      
      “Mistakes in opposition are part of the learning process. ”
      
      He can’t afford that. We can’t afford that. Simon’s learning process should be happening in media training and rehearsals, not in front of the public.
      
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      October 4, 2018 12:11pm
      - KevOB
        
        The COL should all have had their training too before acceptance.There are going to have to be qualifying tests introduced to prevent such a collection of incompetents ever getting near Parliament again.
        
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        October 4, 2018 5:40pm
    - Piniwi
      
      Right BeaB it is a typical nice guy consideration that having to make public you NEED to address personal health concerns by taking extended time out would be embarrassing for any politician of public figure. Unfortunately it provided the Media party with more fuel for their support of the attack on Simon Bridges kicked of by old Winston First playing the man again as he does so well. The old drunk is very worried as much about the unity Simon Bridges has generated in his team as they ramp up preparing for an election anytime it happens. Taking it to a personal level is the only option he has to try and undermine the mechanism that is running at full steam ahead. His internal polling must be very bad to get him so aggressive while trying to get the heat of their COL problems. This his standard MO that so many will recognize. Winston just being the same old Winston starting fires and running fore cover.
      
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      October 4, 2018 4:17pm
- Keeping Stock
  
  I concor BeaB. Yes, Bridges could and should have chosen his words more wisely when talking about JLR, but in the overall scheme of things that’s small beer.
  
  It’s a long time until any election, unless the coalition falls over itself. Bridges will learn from his mistakes, and anyone watching Parliament during the last four weeks will have noticed that he has adopted a different strategy when questioning Ardern or Peters. Instead of asking lengthy questions, he has been asking tight, concise and direct primaries and supplementaries. That’s a sign that his style has changed, and he has certainly been more effective, getting both the PM and Peters to lose their cool a couple of times.
  
  In the meantime, unlike Labour with a pretty limited talent pool, Bridges has filled his front bench with experience, even including some of his competitors for the leadership. Judith Collins has loved taking the fight to Twyford on Housing and Transport, the number of patsy questions on finance is indicative that Amy Adams’ questioning is getting to him, Nick Smith has been outstanding on the waka-jumping legislation, and back benchers like Melissa Lee and Brett Hudson has shown their teeth.
  
  Labour’s big problem is its lack of death. If another Minister was to fall, they will have to go to the new intake because neither Rino Tirakatene nor Louisa Wall in ministerial material and they are the only returning MP’s left without jobs.
  
  Labour may have the advantage of incumbency for now, but as the cock-ups continue to mount, and as people start to hurt from rising costs, they will have to fight off more and more negative sentiment, and that can be very destabilising. National needs to keep the pressure on, without falling into the trap of attacking the government on every minor issue.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:21am
  - Elaycee
    
    KS: Labour’s big problem is its lack of death…
    
    Haha…. they’re doing their best! 😀
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:34am
    - Keeping Stock
      
      Whoops!
      
      Before the likes of Morrissey, Muttonbird and mikenmild pile in, obviously, that should have read “lack of DEPTH”.
      
      I may dislike Labour’s politics, but I wouldn’t wish an early grave on any of them 😀
      
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      October 4, 2018 9:52am
  - Nermal
    
    Labour is like the old Public Service, where promotions are a reward for time served and arse-licking, rather than performance or talent
    
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    October 4, 2018 3:21pm
- VicParking
  
  As I said before in politics a 1000 cuts with a razer blade is better than a chop which is quicly forgotten.
  
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  October 4, 2018 11:28am
flipper

TDS still exists in the feeble minds of all left leaning pricks.
Now ….. What about Soros?
What about Clinton’s $US500,000 speech in Moscow after the arch cover-up woman signed off on the Russian uranium deal?
The fact is that the great mass of US citizens do not give a shit about the NY Times …. even less about what his critics here have to say.

Get over it. He is here for at least the next two years, probably next 6 years.
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October 4, 2018 8:45am
- stephieboy
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  flipper,
  
  “What about Clinton’s $US500,000 speech in Moscow after the arch cover-up woman signed off on the Russian uranium deal?”
  
  Hans Christian Fairy tales p 15!
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:03am
  - DifferentPerspective
    
    Deny deny deny???
    
    17 1
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    October 4, 2018 9:39am
- MCos
  
  What’s the equivalent to TDS for Soros?
  
  1 15
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  October 4, 2018 9:06am
rightoverlabour

Special Post for Mikenmildagain and other Kavanaugh haters, He is finished. After this reveal, It’s all over folks.

ICEGATE

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/tucker-carlson-when-the-left-gets-desperate-the-search-for-justice-becomes-political-and-cynical
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October 4, 2018 8:55am
- stephieboy
  
  Now whatever happened to Merrick Garland President’s Obama’s nominee???
  
  https://www.npr.org/2018/06/29/624467256/what-happened-with-merrick-garland-in-2016-and-why-it-matters-now
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:09am
  - Ed Snack
    
    Garland was treated civilly but a vote to confirm or reject was never held. That is what happened to Garland.
    
    And not without precedent, back in the early 1990’s none other than Joe Biden proposed that a President should not be nominating a replacement member of SCOTUS in his last year as POTUS, with reference to Bush senior.
    
    I would hope that lying perjurers should be treated as they deserve, and that Ford spends a few years in the pen along with Feinstein, Katz, and Bromwich. Additionally Katz and Bromwich should be disbarred immediately for their unethical and misleading conduct as well as for the actions in encouraging and condoning perjury. But we know what will happen, consequences are only for republicans.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:30am
    - VicParking
      
      Unlike Kav… the GOP did not say Garland ate babies and raped 15 year old girls
      
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      October 4, 2018 11:30am
- fernglas
  
  Americans have never minded much about their overlords being flawed; Trump is a good example. But what they don’t like is hypocrisy. If Kavanaugh had just owned up to being an obnoxious little shit in his youth and said that he has grown up now, no-one would have minded. Pretty much everybody would have seen a bit of themselves in that. But to pretend virtue when it wasn’t really there is likely to bring him down.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:20am
  - Ed Snack
    
    But he wasn’t especially so. A great many students drink, and drink quite a lot. I would bet that possibly a majority of the senior engineers, lawyers, and other professionals (not accountants – too boring) would have had drinking sessions of some note in their student years. Kavanaugh has not denied any of that, he drank as a student some 35 or so years ago, they had keg parties and beach parties. Hell, would have been a bit of a piker from the sound of it amongst a number of people I know who went to Otago University.
    
    He has grown up, he’s a very distinguished judge with a long and very well regarded history on the bench with no reported history of drinking excessively in the past 30 or so years. It is very noticeable that the attacks have concentrated on his time as a student so long ago and there’s been no noticeable attempt to attack his judicial record. This shows that the attacks are entirely motivated by the dominant leftist emotions – spite, envy, and hatred.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:36am
Rachael Membery

Should Duncan Garner on the AM show say that his researchers should be shot, for giving the wrong information?

Did he misspeak? I do hope that he is going to flog himself as he seems to be flogging Simon at the moment. Maybe that should be the next poll?
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October 4, 2018 8:58am
RW Capitalist

EMail I sent to the AM show
Duncan
If all the rabidly pro Labour commenters, want Simon Bridges to shut down the search for who leaked the travel expenses.
Then that is exactly why he should expand it.
Expanding it shows, it is more than likely, NOT a National MP. No matter how hard the pro Labour people are grasping at trying blame Jamie Lee-Ross.

Me
Referring to Trotter
Wonder why he didn’t read it?
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October 4, 2018 9:02am
- Rachael Membery
  
  Plus it was Tova that ‘broke’ the story, if it was such a non event that they think isn’t important enough to follow through on, why did they broadcast it?
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:08am
secondcumming

I can *certainly* relate to this…….. 😎

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DoldHgmWwAAKzIk.jpg
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October 4, 2018 9:05am
- stephieboy
  
  secondcumming,
  
  Good sniffing?
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:10am
  - secondcumming
    
    stephieboy
    
    You’d be a better judge than me…. Bellend
    
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DoASUZYWkAATVDV.jpg
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:23am
    - stephieboy
      
      Ah, so you do collect filled doggy poo bags!
      
      1 18
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      October 4, 2018 9:31am
      - secondcumming
        
        yep….then i sneak out at night and poke them in other peoples letterboxes 🙂
        
        9 1
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        October 4, 2018 9:38am
      - sooty
        
        Set fire to the paper bags, hit the door bell and run.
        
        6 0
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        October 4, 2018 12:19pm
    - RW Capitalist
      
      He’s a “Knob end”
      
      3 0
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      October 4, 2018 6:30pm
lastmanstanding

The more of this omnishambles Government the more I believe Right thinking KBers have to campaign for all voters to have to pass an IQ test and a political knowledge test before that get hold of a ballot paper.

The concept is that voting should only be carried out by those who can prove that they have the required intelligence and knowledge.

Think of operating a motor vehicle or an aircraft or other such devices.
The operator is required to demonstrate their ability to do so.

So why shouldnt voting a task I consider as dangerous as those in the wrong hands not be subject to the same requirements.

Voting like those other activities is not a God given right it is a human given right so must carry a weight of responsibility for the good of all citizens.

Discuss.
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October 4, 2018 9:24am
- stephieboy
  
  “I believe Right thinking KBers have to campaign for all voters to have to pass an IQ test and a political knowledge test before that get hold of a ballot paper.”
  
  Your IQ ????
  
  Joking of course?
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:33am
- VicParking
  
  After all the stupid comments slagging off Bridges this morning half the KB’s would fail the test.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:35am
  - Poppa
    
    I guess that includes me Vic
    
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    October 4, 2018 10:02am
    - VicParking
      
      Peters is being played at his own game.
      
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      October 4, 2018 11:36am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Well, I’ve been upticking most of the comments – some criticising his performance, others saying it’s fine, other saying it needs to improve.
    
    Hope springs eternal: I’m hoping he does learn, and quickly, how to play the MSM as well as Taxinda seems to.
    
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    October 4, 2018 12:54pm
  - DifferentPerspective
    
    Supporting a moron because ‘no reason’ seems to be an instant fail of that IQ test
    
    2 0
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    October 4, 2018 1:28pm
- MCos
  
  New Zealand, belief it or not, staggers along pretty much as well as anywhere under the system that we currently use i.e. everyone gets a vote & a minimum of corruption.
  Sure, we could do better. Prison population, suicide rate, relative poverty could be better etc etc.
  However many different countries have tried all sorts of systems that usually involve taking away people’s rights in the belief that ultimately things will get better for everyone and they never work out that way.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:44am
  - Longknives
    
    Our high Prison population is a bloody good thing.
    It keeps my kids safer from those feral animals….
    
    Go on- Argue against my summation…
    
    23 0
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    October 4, 2018 9:50am
    - GoVege
      
      The main reason for our high prison population is because a certain sizable minority of the population are teaching their kids violence and other crime in the home.
      Not only are we doing very little to stop this, we are paying the worst offenders to have umpteen kids.
      
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      October 4, 2018 11:57am
  - DigNap15
    
    If we didn’t have our indigenous people our stats in all things would be right up at the top.
    
    19 2
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    October 4, 2018 10:45am
    - Captain Mainwaring
      
      Here’s an idea. Let’s split into two countries – New Zealand and Aotearoa. Then line up all the stats (crime, prison population, family violence, drug addiction, running from the cops etc.) and see how each country lines up against the rest of the world.
      
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      October 4, 2018 11:27am
- Garbageman
  
  Having a job or a fucking good reason why you dont would be my starting point LMS
  
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  October 4, 2018 11:52am
  - GoVege
    
    The work ethic is an alien concept to many of our people, G Man.
    Strangely enough, collecting bennies and supplementing them with begging or the proceeds of crime, are not. 🙂
    
    10 0
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    October 4, 2018 12:13pm
- Wired-one
  
  Many KB commentators would not get to vote them, as was shown when certain members here ticked NZ First…
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:52pm
Chris2

The first liquidator’s report on former maori MP Marama Fox’s failed company is out and she owes $160,000.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107586507/former-mp-marama-fox-owes-over-150k-after-affordable-housing-business-failed

A shining example of exactly the sort of person that should never have been an MP in the first place.

She was vocal in complaining about poverty, but by her own spend-thrift actions has put innocent businesses in to financial hardship – what she would call poverty.

Hypocrite.
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October 4, 2018 9:34am
- DigNap15
  
  And she has nine children!
  A great example in todays modern world
  (But I do kind of like her)
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:36am
  - GoVege
    
    Maori like this live in their own little bubble of ignorance.
    They don’t know/ care that the world is seriously overpopulated.
    Their mantra is “every child is a gift from God”.
    (Despite the stats that prove all these kids are definitely NOT treated like gifts from God.)
    Like most sexist, non-western cultures they don’t encourage independent thought that might challenge old beliefs that are causing harm.
    Everything is the colonizers’ faults.
    An easy out…
    
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    October 4, 2018 12:31pm
- MCos
  
  You may very well be critical of Fox for losing the sum of $160,000. Obviously she’s new to the game otherwise she’d be losing $50mil or whatever like the directors of Ebert Construction.
  I note Kelvin Hale is still sitting pretty in his $10mil house in Lower Hutt or somewhere, built for his family trust by Ebert Construction.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:54am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    The $10mil house is quite a bit more than that and it’s still not finished.
    Anyone want to bet that there might be a mysterious fire one dark and stormy night?
    
    8 3
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    October 4, 2018 10:06am
  - Chris2
    
    Kevin Hale is an arse too, but he did not sit in Parliament and appear on TV to regularly tell others how to live their lives and blame white people for all maori ills. Fox did.
    
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    October 4, 2018 11:09am
    - MCos
      
      Politics might be his next career move.
      
      2 4
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      October 4, 2018 11:41am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Shonly property developer to politician. Great back story!
        
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        October 4, 2018 11:54am
- GoVege
  
  But I’m sure those ripped-off businesses are all run by descendents of the hated colonizers…so that’s ok.
  Don’t you remember Marama saying during the last election debates that all Aotearoa belongs to Maori?
  Just evening the score. 🙂
  
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  October 4, 2018 12:21pm
  - KevOB
    
    all Aotearoa belongs to Maori?
    
    Maori stole it from each other. They have not forgotten or forgiven.
    
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    October 4, 2018 5:47pm
DigNap15

Fat chance
A better option would be to implement policies to stop breeding ferals and future left wing voters.
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October 4, 2018 9:35am
Stars And Stripes

So I have waited patiently for Chris Bishop to produce his evidence that Winston Peters phoned Wally Haumaha after the inquiry was announced and told him “everything will be alright”.
Well despite many commenters on here saying tomorrow will be fun in parliament and other similar comments he has come up with the big doughnut.
Looks like maybe you should join Peters and NZF Mr Bishop as they are specialists in unfounded accusations and general muck raking so you would probably fit in okay.
No actually on second thoughts just stick to saving kittens as you seem good at that.
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October 4, 2018 9:52am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Parliament is not sitting this week or next week.
  https://www.parliament.nz/media/4603/j005132-ooc-2018-a4-calendar_m111217_english.pdf
  Maybe there is more to come at QT.
  
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  October 4, 2018 10:04am
  - Stars And Stripes
    
    The accusation was made on September 26 and it is now October 4.
    I think if he had the goods to back up his shit flinging he would have struck while the iron was hot so to speak.
    The fact we are still waiting speaks volumes I think.
    
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    October 4, 2018 10:15am
    - Rachael Membery
      
      Shouldn’t something mentioned under parliamentary privilege be continued under it? I would consider speaking of it outside of parliament would be very foolish indeed.
      
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      October 4, 2018 10:29am
      - Stars And Stripes
        
        Look people may want it to be true because the hate Peters etc so give Bishop the benefit of the doubt but as I said the accusation was made on September 26 and parliament sat on 27 September but he produced nothing. Why?.
        The answer is obvious if we take the National Party goggles off for a while I think.
        
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        October 4, 2018 10:39am
      - Piniwi
        
        @Rachael Membery this is standard MO for the old drunk to open an issue as the session ends so it can simmer through the recess. It will not be going away from waiting for more follow up leaving old Winston First wondering. They are banking on their own problems being forgotten by the end of the recess while there might be some new ones waiting to be exposed.
        
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        October 4, 2018 5:35pm
    - KevOB
      
      The Govt have gone feral and have made a point in the House the intend to adopt the OIA for all their responses–even to questions in the House and have done so! Mr Speaker Mallard has not disagreed.
      
      Apart from Princess Authorised Announcements good luck in attempting to get serious information from this COL.
      
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      October 4, 2018 5:51pm
- VicParking
  
  Peters is being played at his own game.
  
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  October 4, 2018 11:32am
  - MCos
    
    Doesn’t make it right.
    
    2 6
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    October 4, 2018 11:43am
- Paulus
  
  Peters is in Indonesia is he not ?
  
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  October 4, 2018 2:08pm
softail 1450

Fox has been put forward by all in sundry to be a pillar of the Maori community ,someone to be looked up at and for Maori to aspire to.
Here is the truth coming out ,she was nothing more than a brown skinned thief who took advantage of her fellow Maori in a disgusting calculated way,here’s the question ,why do these sort of Maori always get into these high powered jobs?
This must be an embarrassment to the 95% of Maori that just want to get on with life like everybody else.
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October 4, 2018 10:12am
- KevOB
  
  What some consider deceit others consider the acquisition of advantage a right and proper.
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:54pm
RF

I see our commie chick has announced to New York media that she wore two pairs of Spanx when she appeared on the late show.

I did not have a clue what that was so asked my wife.

Apparently they are a tight body hugging undergarment worn by females with big thigh / hips. It makes you look slimmer.

So our Cindy was wearing two pairs…. has she got a big arse problem ?

Last year I remember a photograph of her in a red dress in parliament and there were some strange looking bulges under it. Comments were made on here and Whale about it.

Maybe our political journalists should get to the “bottom” of this…..

I will get my hat……….
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October 4, 2018 10:15am
- cmm
  
  Yet another lie…
  
  3 3
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  October 4, 2018 10:25am
- Inandout
  
  Helen had a rather large backside, but Peter was skinny as.
  
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  October 4, 2018 10:41am
- DigNap15
  
  Could we ask Clarke Gayford for his professional opinion on her figure…
  
  7 6
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  October 4, 2018 10:43am
- Longknives
  
  I feel ill just thinking about Ardern under her clothes..
  
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  October 4, 2018 12:17pm
- Rachael Membery
  
  And the need to know basis was….?
  
  10 0
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  October 4, 2018 12:38pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Well said, Rachael. Fight back agasint the double standards applied to Jacinda Arderns or Thersa Mays, but not against fat and ugly male politicians.
    Is it just me, or is Simon Bridge looks a lot more fleshy aroud the face since he took up the stressful role of temporary National Party leader?
    
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    October 4, 2018 1:29pm
  - RF
    
    Jeez Rachael… you have to keep your foot on her throat otherwise she will have you for dinner.
    
    This is war……
    
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    October 4, 2018 5:40pm
- Piniwi
  
  Noted RF they prefer to show the thin head that we know is thick but carefully limit exposure of her full length as it is thickening up from the belt line. Like body language there is also some strong wardrobe language that gives off other signals. Adding a jacket that looks like an op shop special is to conceal the thickening lower regions. Likewise opting for a trouser suit that is anything but complimentary is not helping the image.
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:45pm
DigNap15

Very sad to read about those young “girls” that killed the man in Hamilton why they were trying to steal his car.
What will they get?
What do they deserve?
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October 4, 2018 10:46am
- Stars And Stripes
  
  What will they get?
  Answer: An in depth analysis by the judge of the effects colonialization have had on them and how it led to them committing this crime.
  What do they deserve?.
  Answer: Cannot say on here without risking Strike 3.
  
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  October 4, 2018 10:54am
- GoVege
  
  That was shocking, Dignap.
  What the hell were young girls doing out on the streets at night, let alone committing robberies and killing people?
  The NZ people surely have a right to know if these kids were a product of our stupid social welfare system paying professional criminals/ gang members/ teenagers to drag up abused and neglected kids on public money.
  
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  October 4, 2018 12:09pm
Hugh Pavletich

AUSTRALIA: Banking royal commission could trigger biggest housing bust in three decades, economists warn – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Posted at … https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2018/10/links-4-october-2018/#comment-3196487

Banking royal commission could trigger biggest housing bust in three decades, economists warn – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-03/banking-royal-commission-could-trigger-house-price-collapse/10333150

… extract …

… Mr Eslake said first-time buyers may get that support from royal commission recommendations and possible further independent rate rises from the major banks that could produce property price declines of as much as 20 per cent from peak to trough.

Not if, but by how much

Housing forecasts have gone from disagreement over whether home prices will fall to debates about how much they’ll decline.

“I don’t think the decline in property prices is as bad news as it’s often portrayed,” he argued.

“For those who own property it’s obviously not a good thing, but for the growing number of Australians who’ve been locked out of the property market over the last 25 years a decline in prices of the order of 10 to 20 per cent over a two or three year period, especially if happens without any significant increase in interest rates, could be the most promising thing that’s occurred for more than 25 years.”

The Grattan Institute’s chief executive John Daly agrees. … read more via hyperlink above …
.
.
Homeowners slash prices by up to 16 per cent as ‘fear’ grips Hong Kong in wake of prime rate hike … South China Morning Post

https://www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/2166076/homeowners-slash-prices-16-cent-fear-grips-hong-kong-wake?utm_medium=email&utm_source=mailchimp&utm_campaign=elnz-property&utm_content=20181003&MCUID=19eb6fad92&MCCampaignID=cbb91afe90&MCAccountID=3775521f5f542047246d9c827&tc=1 .
.
About 12 months ago veteran (now 81 years of age) ‘asset value specialist practitioner’ Sir Ron Brierley made it clear on an Australian Broadcasting Corporation programme, that rising interest rates would trigger major asset prices corrections …

30 years on, Lessons of the 1987 share market crash with former PM Paul Keating (and others) … ABC The Business 18 October 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhiE_zXAxx8

Sir Ron Brierley …

Ron Brierley – Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Brierley
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October 4, 2018 10:46am
- Harkman
  
  Come on Hugh this is identical to yesterday’s post.
  
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  October 4, 2018 11:59am
  - Hugh Pavletich
    
    Yesterdays post … access …
    
    https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2018/10/general_debate_2_october_2018.html/comment-page-1#comment-2323885 … and … https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2018/10/links-3-october-2018/#comment-3195763
    .
    .
    … Something from Zerohedge … (note what Sir Ron Brierl;ey said in the ABC programme of 12 months ago … link within post above ) …
    
    Vancouver Home Sales Crash 44% As “For Sale” Inventory Soars | Zero Hedge
    
    https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-02/vancouver-home-sales-crash-44-sale-inventory-soars
    
    What happens when prices rise so high that a chasm forms between bids and asks? The market grinds to a halt.
    
    That’s what happened in Vancouver housing in September, when according to the Real Estate Board of Vancouver (REBGV), residential property sales tumbled by 17.3% from August 2018, and a whopping 43.5% from one year ago. In fact, a total of only 1,595 transactions took place as both buyers and sellers continue to sit on their hands amid confusion whether the recent torrid price gains will continue or whether the housing bubble has burst.
    
    Sales of detached properties in July was just 508, a decrease of 40.4% from the 852 recorded in September 2017, and the 812 apartments sold was a 44% drop compared to the 1,451 sales in September 2017. … read more via hyperlink above …
    
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    October 4, 2018 12:06pm
Jack5

The case for private hunters helping control of tahr in the Southern Alps is put today in the Southland Times by National MP Sarah Dowie.

Good article, Sarah!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/107561689/recreation-under-assault
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October 4, 2018 10:49am
- Longknives
  
  Does Sarah refer to Hunters as ‘Cunters’?
  Or is it only the Left who resort to such pathetic name calling?…
  
  10 1
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  October 4, 2018 12:16pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/10/conservation-minister-eugenie-sage-drops-c-bomb-on-live-tv.html
    
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    October 4, 2018 12:23pm
  - godruelf
    
    Poor old Cunners used to get a hard time with his name
    
    7 0
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    October 4, 2018 12:51pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Here’s David Norton – Prof of Forestry – on the tahr debate
  
  https://sciblogs.co.nz/guestwork/2018/09/28/some-thoughts-on-the-current-tahr-debate/
  
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  October 4, 2018 12:21pm
  - Rachael Membery
    
    They have a season for Wallaby down there too, why is it different, I am sure hunting permit monies well targeted would help all sides of the argument.
    
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    October 4, 2018 12:35pm
    - RF
      
      Overseas hunters pay huge money to shoot trophy bull thar. You would not believe just how much they are prepared to pay.
      
      Wallaby in the Hunter hills are like rabbits and not a trophy animal.
      
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      October 4, 2018 9:33pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Good summary, Maggy. Shoot as many of the pests as practicable.
    
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    October 4, 2018 2:15pm
starboard

Oils up..76 a barrel
NZ dollars tapping .64 cents
Tightening sphincters all round…
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October 4, 2018 10:54am
- Poppa
  
  If oil keeps on rising, which seems likely, it is going to have a big impact on our economy there is no doubt about that.
  
  What a great decision Cindy made to can exploration
  bloody stupid bint
  
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  October 4, 2018 11:23am
  - DigNap15
    
    I call Ardern bloody evil for doing that, with no warning, no consultation, no evidence, no compensation.
    Yes our dollar is steadily falling, and the COL keep lumping extra taxes and levies on petrol.
    Higher petrol prices take money out of our spending power, and put the cost of transport up.
    Buses, taxis, trucks, groceries.
    
    26 0
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    October 4, 2018 11:29am
    - VicParking
      
      What worries me is will I have enough Gas in my car to get to the bank to raise my mortgage so I can afford to drive home.
      
      20 0
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      October 4, 2018 11:35am
    - backster
      
      Dig…More kids in poverdy too.
      
      11 0
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      October 4, 2018 12:26pm
    - Rachael Membery
      
      Plus, I find it quite cynical to time the increase at the start of the school holidays. They did know when they started right?
      
      Surely the teachers told them during their negotiations?
      
      8 0
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      October 4, 2018 12:29pm
    - Paulus
      
      Am told by Manager at Countdown when questioned as to why their prices are sliding up – most of their food comes from South Auckland Main Depot so they pay the Auckland fuel surcharges.
      So everybody pays.
      
      15 0
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      October 4, 2018 2:12pm
- stephieboy
  
  starboard, out with your recondioned penny farthing!
  
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  October 4, 2018 12:42pm
  - starboard
    
    I’ll be in Auckland at Xmas shariaboy…would love to meet up…give you a gift.
    
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    October 4, 2018 2:57pm
- Piniwi
  
  But starboard that is the WTI price while Brent Crude is US$86 with most OPEC suppliers well into the 80 dollar range as well. Look how quick the Kiwi dropped from .66 to below .65 into the .64 range on the back of the continued slump in business confidence as well as dairy is heading into some heavy competition.
  Transitional? Their virtue signalling policy path is going to prove very costly especially to those who can afford it least. Businesses large and small will all be tightening their belts with shrinking margins moving into survival mode as the failure rate goes up faster than the balance sheet. Seasoned operators who have seen and felt it all before will survive but a lot of others are in for a shock. The best is yet to come as the COL “do THIS”
  
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  October 4, 2018 6:21pm
krazykiwi

EU economic affairs chief says

The European Union (EU) must bring an end to national sovereignty over finance with the creation of a “eurozone budget” in order to kill off populist politics within the euro region, according to the Commission.

Yeah, because those ‘popularists’ are incensed that the process of handing sovereignty to unelected UE bureaucrats is taking far too long /sarc
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October 4, 2018 11:01am
- DigNap15
  
  The EU bureaucrats are going to have a fight on their hand there with the rise of popularist policies all over the EU
  
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  October 4, 2018 11:22am
DigNap15

The National Party have a dream, and asked me to support them again.
I am still waiting for the refund of my contribution last year time that they spent on that useless adverting agency.
I told them I will contribute when I hear some concrete policies and when they say what they will cut back on.
And when they get a new advertising agency like the one Labour had that had Ardern all over the tv at just the right times!
I also told them My Dream included a NZ free of muslims and with far less student visas for pizza delivery and supermarket checkout and shelf fillers.
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October 4, 2018 11:26am
- BeaB
  
  This is exactly how Labour wins.
  
  13 0
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  October 4, 2018 11:36am
- VicParking
  
  Give your donation to Labour to pay for the Baby Photos
  
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  October 4, 2018 11:37am
- jcuk
  
  From what has come to light following them loosing office I do not have much hope that they will be any better than the current mob but that is not to say I will not give two blue ticks next time.
  
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  October 4, 2018 2:34pm
Inandout

Imagine if this prick was a Judge in the US Supreme Court? Well it could have happened if Hillary was President.

https://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2018/10/he-compared-women-to-cat-meat-but-has-been-reappointed-grand-mufti-of-nz-and-australia/

Cindy would have much sympathy for this mufti.
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October 4, 2018 11:27am
- stephieboy
  
  Inandout, yes indeed anything to stir and churn Slater’s and your paranoid fantasies!
  
  Caliphate NZ here we come!
  
  LOL
  
  2 19
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  October 4, 2018 12:40pm
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Well, women (and men who care about them) should certainly consider whether it’s safe to visit caliphate Paris. A friend of mine was groped in full daylight at the Sacré-Cœur by a bunch of laughing Arab youths. Just one of several incidents she reported. And that was several years ago.
    
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    October 4, 2018 1:07pm
    - stephieboy
      
      Classical Liberal, a dubious off the cuff anecdote if there ever was one.
      
      Much like no go Mt Roskill” stan”
      
      “Several years ago “??
      
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      October 4, 2018 1:55pm
      - Classic Liberal
        
        About 2005.
        
        It’s obvious you’re a misogynist twit when it comes to people on the right pointing out ‘Metoo’ concerns about islamists.
        
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        October 4, 2018 7:55pm
  - Inandout
    
    Do you sleep with a mufti stephie?
    
    7 1
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    October 4, 2018 1:51pm
  - Rachael Membery
    
    No laughing matter in my opinion.
    
    7 0
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    October 4, 2018 1:56pm
Niz

Seems that Sage has been around Marama too long…
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/10/conservation-minister-eugenie-sage-drops-c-bomb-on-live-tv.html
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October 4, 2018 11:47am
- Rachael Membery
  
  Was it embarrassing?
  
  5 0
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  October 4, 2018 12:23pm
- Right of way is Way of Right
  
  Freudian slip much?
  
  7 1
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  October 4, 2018 12:32pm
sooty

Sorry teachers, there is no money left!
Winny has given a shit load to the islands and now 5 mill to the tusnami.
There’s bugger all left for you!
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October 4, 2018 12:09pm
- Rachael Membery
  
  Of course they all gave to us for our earthquakes.
  
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  October 4, 2018 12:23pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    We received considerable overseas assistance after the Canterbury earthquakes. Your point was?
    
    3 10
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    October 4, 2018 2:17pm
    - Rachael Membery
      
      Was any of it from Indonesia? Oh wise one. A bit like organ donation, he who gives shall receive.
      
      12 0
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      October 4, 2018 2:23pm
      - Rachael Membery
        
        I didn’t think so.
        
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        October 4, 2018 3:30pm
    - jcuk
      
      I do not know what his point was but I see it as a sound comment on the irresponsible lashing out of money by the current govt on ‘nice’ ideas rather than sensible ones.
      
      3 0
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      October 4, 2018 2:28pm
DigNap15

The teachers are so stupid I wonder how they got their jobs.
If you are going on strike, go for a week all over the country at once.
None of this day here, day there business.
A full on strike would piss everyone off and make the government act.
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October 4, 2018 12:25pm
- burt
  
  Absolutely they are stupid, years ago they were well paid and respected professionals.
  
  Now after decades of trade unionism they are averagely paid and not respected much at all.
  
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  October 4, 2018 2:48pm
Nookin

I seem to recall that Noskire was to produce a startling revelation this week following an OIA request. Did anything ever happen?
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October 4, 2018 12:47pm
VicParking

NZ gives Indonesia NZ$5m. Indonesia’s GDP US$ 1,015 billion. NZ GDP US$186 billion.
This is just virtue seeking on Winstons part.
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October 4, 2018 12:50pm
- DigNap15
  
  We should send all of our unemployed there to help in the relief efforts.
  
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  October 4, 2018 12:57pm
  - DigNap15
    
    We should send the guy that punched the 80 year old guy (road rage) to there to help for a year.
    
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    October 4, 2018 1:22pm
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    “We should send all of our unemployed there to help in the relief efforts.”
    
    What use would they be? They wouldn’t be able to get out of their own way.
    
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    October 4, 2018 5:23pm
  - Steve (North Shore)
    
    They are too busy trying to start a revolution.
    Reality is, they can’t even start a fucking lawnmower
    
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    October 4, 2018 5:40pm
DigNap15

What if the guy the tried to pull the guy out of his vehicle had got him out, what would he have done then?
That judge should be sacked!
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October 4, 2018 1:24pm
Maggy Wassilieff

NZ’s primary industries being left behind in genetic development and technologies
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/367904/nz-needs-to-embrace-gene-editing-technology-scientist

Full reports here:
https://royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/our-expert-advice/all-expert-advice-papers/gene-editing-for-the-primary-industries/

Thanks, Greens
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October 4, 2018 2:06pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  I thought you didn’t like the Royal Society, Maggy. Aren’t you still a bit upset that it doesn’t adopt a ‘skeptical’ approach to climate science?
  
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  October 4, 2018 2:18pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    I’m not really a fan of any type of Royal Society.
    
    But why not look at each publication on its merits?
    
    Why try to personalise each issue?
    
    Is this just another chance to bully me into a position you can then declare is hypocritical?
    
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    October 4, 2018 2:26pm
    - burt
      
      He can only play the man when playing the ball he would be required to admit his entire ideology is rooted beyond belief and has never worked anywhere – ever.
      
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      October 4, 2018 2:43pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        I’m very disappointed that you can’t let go of your hate for Ernie Abbot, burt, and adopt the core tenets of pastafarianism – the eight ‘I’d really rather you didn’ts’.
        By not following those, you open yourself up to the same accusation atheists make of religions – hypocritical inability to follow the core beliefs.
        
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        October 4, 2018 2:58pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Ah, bullying. So sorry.
      The Royal Society, by its nature, generally represents the best of NZ science. So I’m always a teeny bit skeptical when people say yes to scientific consensus on vaccines, GM, pesticides, fluoride, etc, but somehow find fault with the same processes reaching a consensus on climate change.
      
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      October 4, 2018 2:55pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        It’s called groupthink, MMA.
        
        I try to look at each issue in relation to the evidence presented, not in relation to another topic.
        
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        October 4, 2018 2:59pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Do you have any theories about why groupthink should be so prevalent in climate science, but not in other areas of scientific endeavour?
        
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        October 4, 2018 3:21pm
      - burt
        
        Do you have any theories about why groupthink should be so prevalent in climate science
        
        It always has been, throughout history people have been sacrificed to the weather gods for good harvest etc. Nothing has changed really. BS group thinkers still claim consensus rules science.
        
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        October 4, 2018 3:53pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        @MMA
        I think you will find that many of the folks that want to smear Dangerous-Anthropogenic-Global-Warming sceptics with being anti-vaxxers, anti-GM, flat-earthers etc are followers of the Naomi Oreskes school of thought….
        
        Throw all the NASTY/NAZI denier labels at these folks.
        It was picked up by Stephan Lewandowsky.. in his psychology papers.
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephan_Lewandowsky.
        
        I note Griff and stephieboy have previously tried to link me to being anti-vaxxer… and now you have jumped on this same band-wagon.
        
        Is it really too difficult to comprehend that some folks can think for themselves ?
        
        (I have on at least two occasions written here as to why I am solidly pro-vaccination…. I lived through the last polio epidemic in NZ (1955-56) – one of my Castlecliff-school mates was permanently crippled from it.)
        
        Take your filthy smears somewhere else, MMA.
        
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        October 4, 2018 4:04pm
jcuk

From day one of the ‘leak’ saga I have wondered at the serious nature of leaking something two days earlier when it doesn’t involve anybody making money out of the disclosure.
Looks like a dam fool poly getting his knickers in a twist over little or nothing to me.
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October 4, 2018 2:20pm
burt

Precedent for the Labour Party Camp organisers.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/107565043/man-sentenced-for-giving-atrisk-boys-cannabis-alcohol
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October 4, 2018 2:42pm
Inandout

You bloody supermarket customers do as you are told now. But, but, sir the customer is always right. Fuck off, the supermarkets tell you what to do.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/107588769/new-world-rolls-out-food-in-the-nude-initiative-in-attempt-to-reduce-plastic-waste-but-shoppers-want-swifter-action

But, what about disposable nappies and milk containers and ice cream tubs? Come on guys, they vote mostly CoL so a ‘no go area’.
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October 4, 2018 2:59pm
- Rachael Membery
  
  Yes disposable nappies above all else.
  
  In 1978 when I had my first child, a kind neighbour gave me a pack, never looked back, if I recall correctly.
  Awful things, surely they can rot quicker.
  At least milk bottles and ice cream containers can be used for other things.
  
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  October 4, 2018 4:08pm
  - Inandout
    
    We use about 700 plastic light proof milk containers a year, so far too many to reuse. I prefer cardboard ones, but they don’t carry very well when opened.
    
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    October 4, 2018 4:55pm
Longknives

A Labour Party ‘acquaintance’ once told me that all Capital Gain from Property is ‘disgusting’ and ‘should go to the Homeless’…

I naturally assume one of the Wellington Charities is about to get a huge donation ?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107594294/annette-king-tipped-for-diplomatic-posting-puts-her-wellington-home-on-the-market

Ain’t Socialism grand?….
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October 4, 2018 3:00pm
- Inandout
  
  Does your acquaintance also clap his/her hands like he/she is rolling putty?
  
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  October 4, 2018 3:04pm
- godruelf
  
  Surprised Darren Hughes didn’t put in an offer and cut out the Estate Agent. Sure he has many fond memories of the House
  
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  October 4, 2018 3:34pm
  - Longknives
    
    Did he ever get his beloved Swiss Ball back?
    
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    October 4, 2018 3:58pm
    - sooty
      
      Deflated it and took it with him!
      If only it could talk!
      The tails it could tell at the arse of the world!
      
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      October 4, 2018 5:01pm
starboard

Why do I get a bad feeling about this…

Iwi’s new income stream –

“It has appointed Donna Awatere Huata as Māori Climate Commissioner. She’s a former activist and Act MP who was jailed for fraud in 2005, and has since had many other public roles. She said global warming would hurt Māori more than other peoples.

She welcomed moves to lift the $25 price cap on NZUs, because it will force polluters to pay the true price of their polluting.

Dame Tariana Turia is the patron of the foundation’s Māori Carbon Social Trust. She got involved to make the foundation more trusted, and also because the forests could earn money that will help her people.

“I want that investment to go into our whānau and hapū in things that will be really important for them. We don’t want to be forever in poverty. We want a resource that we can determine how it will be used,” she said.

The proposal is “the greatest opportunity we have been given,” she said, and also probably the first scheme from Pākehā who are not looking to get something for themselves. One aspect was worrying her.

“I have worried myself sick about the notion of growing pine trees. If we are looking for an opportunity to take us into the future, we do what we have to do,” she said.

Hone Harawira said the proposal has been examined by banks and policy people, and at Parliament on September 27.

“Not one of them has been able to find a flaw in this scheme.”

MĀORI CARBON FOUNDATION
• is a company set up to provide Māori voice on climate change, carbon
• six directors: Sir Mark Solomon, Hone Harawira, Michelle Boag, Murray McCully, Maruhaeremuri Nihoniho, Jevan Goulter
• advised by private business New Zealand Carbon Farming
• Dame Tariana Turia patron of its Māori Carbon Social Trust

MĀORI CLIMATE COMMISSIONER
• Donna Awatere Huata
• appointed and paid by foundation
• but completely independent”
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October 4, 2018 3:27pm
- Inandout
  
  Maori climate is different from pakeha’s.
  
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  October 4, 2018 3:37pm
  - burt
    
    Yes, the seas are rougher and harder to navigate now because of CO2. Hundreds of years ago a few people in a hand carved canoe could navigate the pacific now they can’t even cross a lake without tipping over.
    
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    October 4, 2018 3:56pm
- Jinky
  
  Not an inspiring group.
  
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  October 4, 2018 3:52pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  C-Credit forestry farming is big business..
  
  Since 1997, more than 70 state-owned forests have been returned to iwi in Crown Treaty settlements. Māori ownership of land, forests and renewable energy, and related value chains, will increase as settlements conclude and
  emerging Māori-owned businesses continue to fulfil their aspirations.
  p.14
  https://www.scionresearch.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/64310/Scion_strategy_4web.pdf
  
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  October 4, 2018 4:28pm
- DigNap15
  
  I’d like to see National commit to closing all of these Maori apartheid, gravy train organisations.
  And any organisation that has added the word Aotearoa to its name
  
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  October 4, 2018 6:53pm
starboard

Jevan Goulter..wasn’t he violated by liarbor party people when he was a teenager ?
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October 4, 2018 3:32pm
- Longknives
  
  And failed Pop singer.
  You Tube his ‘music’- If you dare….
  
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  October 4, 2018 3:33pm
Hugh Pavletich

AUSTRALIA: Banking royal commission could trigger biggest housing bust in three decades, economists warn – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-03/banking-royal-commission-could-trigger-house-price-collapse/10333150

… extract …

… Mr Eslake said first-time buyers may get that support from royal commission recommendations and possible further independent rate rises from the major banks that could produce property price declines of as much as 20 per cent from peak to trough.

Not if, but by how much

Housing forecasts have gone from disagreement over whether home prices will fall to debates about how much they’ll decline.

“I don’t think the decline in property prices is as bad news as it’s often portrayed,” he argued.

“For those who own property it’s obviously not a good thing, but for the growing number of Australians who’ve been locked out of the property market over the last 25 years a decline in prices of the order of 10 to 20 per cent over a two or three year period, especially if happens without any significant increase in interest rates, could be the most promising thing that’s occurred for more than 25 years.”

The Grattan Institute’s chief executive John Daly agrees. … read more via hyperlink above …
.
.
Homeowners slash prices by up to 16 per cent as ‘fear’ grips Hong Kong in wake of prime rate hike … South China Morning Post

https://www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/2166076/homeowners-slash-prices-16-cent-fear-grips-hong-kong-wake?utm_medium=email&utm_source=mailchimp&utm_campaign=elnz-property&utm_content=20181003&MCUID=19eb6fad92&MCCampaignID=cbb91afe90&MCAccountID=3775521f5f542047246d9c827&tc=1 .
.
About 12 months ago veteran (now 81 years of age) ‘asset value specialist practitioner’ Sir Ron Brierley made it clear on an Australian Broadcasting Corporation programme, that rising interest rates would trigger major asset prices corrections …

30 years on, Lessons of the 1987 share market crash with former PM Paul Keating (and others) … ABC The Business 18 October 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhiE_zXAxx8

Sir Ron Brierley …

Ron Brierley – Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Brierley
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October 4, 2018 3:48pm
- Hugh Pavletich
  
  AUSTRALIA: 6700 apartment projects across Australia blacklisted for loans by a major bank | afr.com … behind paywall
  
  https://www.afr.com/real-estate/6700-apartment-projects-across-australia-blacklisted-for-loans-by-a-major-bank-20181003-h1669d
  
  A major bank has a blacklist of 6700 apartment projects across Australia where buyers are refused loans or are offered reduced loan to value ratios (LVR), according to mortgage broker Home Loan Experts. Read more via hyperlink above (behind paywall) …
  
  Via …
  
  Off-the-plan apartments valuations plunge – MacroBusiness (behind paywall)
  
  https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2018/10/off-plan-apartment-crunch-valuations-plunge/
  
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  October 4, 2018 4:25pm
  - Hugh Pavletich
    
    Posted at … https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2018/10/macro-afternoon-501/#comment-3197056 … and …
    
    The Great Bond Sell – Off … Martin North of Digital Finance Analytics … Youtube
    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Duv0peMNFWU
    
    Google NZ Search ‘Australian Housing;
    
    https://www.google.co.nz/search?source=hp&ei=W7-1W46hLouJ8wXZlIfoAg&q=Australian+Housing&btnK=Google+Search
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:35pm
Rachael Membery

A consequence of the poor interpreters during the Curran debacle?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12136841
I realize that no one will admit such.
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October 4, 2018 4:02pm
- Rachael Membery
  
  Why don’t they just employ more people that can sign, ones that can sign clusterf..k for example.
  
  Now that would be a good use of government resources, you had to feel sorry for them translating Claire Curran but shouldn’t there also be people that can sign in Maori?
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:01pm
DigNap15

A consequence of our continued high wage rises….

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12136953

Labour and the COL and the unions think our workers are worth $20 an hour.
Yet overseas people are happy with $4 an hour!

Every hourly rate rise means more off shoring and more automation, and less jobs fro us or our children.
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October 4, 2018 4:20pm
- burt
  
  What you will normally find with these half witted people who claim increasing minimum wage won’t pump inflation or increase unemployment is that they’ll easily agree a quick rise in minimum wage of $300/hour would be a disaster. However when discussing the point where it changes from a good thing to a bad thing – it will never be less than it is today and the sweet spot will be whatever their favourite SJW campaigner is calling for. Too dim witted to even contemplate they are just followers not thinkers.
  
  They have no idea how adding $2/hour to every employee effects a company, but [insert SJW idol name here] says we’ll be better of so let’s do this.
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:27pm
DigNap15

We have never had a war on drugs
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October 4, 2018 4:20pm
krazykiwi

The Herald leading their homepage with…

Hair Salon Backs Charging Kids Adults’ Prices

And they think subscriptions will save them? Pfffft.
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October 4, 2018 4:59pm
- DigNap15
  
  Yes, because then I no longer need to buy the
  Womens Weekly.
  
  I actually emailed the Herald and told them I would be pleased to subscribe if they became a balanced newsite
  
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  October 4, 2018 6:51pm
Happychappy

Rachael if National had withdrawn sign language from Parliament or even suggested it their would be a uproar from the left.
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October 4, 2018 5:06pm
- DigNap15
  
  I’d like to remove Maori as an official language and change it to a ceremonial language for use on their Marae
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:09pm
- Rachael Membery
  
  Ain’t that the truth and if Simon says anything he will be accused of barking, how incredible the left are regarding the different standards that they hold people to.
  
  I am never more pleased that I do not lean that way.
  More jobs for people that can sign, surely a growth industry and more suitable to the virtue signalling left.
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:32pm
Niz

Can’t say I’m happy that Customs may now demand passwords for my phone (does that include app passwords btw?).
Apparently, refusal to divulge is, in itself, grounds for Customs to suspect you of criminal activity, which means they can confiscate devices.
It’s not just criminal activity that people want to keep private you know.
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October 4, 2018 5:24pm
- Steve (North Shore)
  
  Heaven forbid that they find out you are a hypocrite and a secret Labour voter!
  Yes, the liars are out there
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:32pm
- burt
  
  The reality will be innocent people have stuff on their phone they’d rather keep private and the organised crims will have clean phones linked to fake innocuous social media, email accounts etc.
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:32pm
- Niz
  
  Just wondering. If I have information bound by NDA on my phone, where do I stand?
  
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  October 4, 2018 5:49pm
  - wreck1080
    
    You will either be a criminal or a contract breaker.
    
    Although I suspect criminal law trumps civil law.
    
    But this is what happens when leaders make too many laws. They start to conflict with each other.
    
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    October 4, 2018 6:17pm
- wreck1080
  
  It’s a shit law written by shit people.
  
  I wonder how many people will not visit New Zealand now, because of this law which has been globally reported by major news outlets.
  
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  October 4, 2018 6:15pm
- waikatogirl
  
  They have to have grounds to require passwords. Only some small number 20? in the last year. When you think of the thousands of travellers I wouldn’t worry too much, unless you have reason to!?
  
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  October 4, 2018 8:29pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Thin end of the wedge though, isn’t it always? You can bet that number will rise exponentially over the years till checking everything on a visitor’s phone becomes a routine inquiry.
    
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    October 4, 2018 8:48pm
- Kabull
  
  Australian Border Force has been able to do this for years.
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:17pm
Steve (North Shore)

Backtrack to this morning with all of the leftie (envious) shit about Trump.
How many people does he employ? Not in Govt, I mean how many actually work for him?
Take as long as you like
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October 4, 2018 5:30pm
DigNap15

Today the police are looking for a Caucasian man who knocked a child over with his push bike.

Does this mean that under this new policy all other offenders the police will be looking for will be Maori, PI or asian, or eskimo all lumped together as not being identified!
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October 4, 2018 5:35pm
Odakyu-sen

“Today the police are looking for a Caucasian man who…”

Nga Taihu are understood to be very worried about this development…
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October 4, 2018 5:56pm
- nasska
  
  ….”police are looking for a Caucasian man”…..
  
  We have come to a sorry position when the police have to state the offenders ethnicity because everyone will otherwise presume him to be Maori or PI.
  
  How can we break this presumption? Must we encourage more young Caucasians to become vicious & violent criminals?
  
  Or could Polynesians drag themselves kicking & screaming into the 21st century? They could start by breeding less & parenting more.
  
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  October 4, 2018 6:52pm
- Jack5
  
  Maori necklaces will be worn for a while down south.
  
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  October 4, 2018 7:38pm
DigNap15

The prison population has gone down.
Andrew little has let some out.
And violent criminals who bash people will no longer go to jail, but will do communidy work and not pay their reparation, or do the work either.
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October 4, 2018 6:48pm
RW Capitalist

Govt. just announced, that all govt. contracts, will now REQUIRE the winner to train staff, as a component of that contract…..HAHAHA
Proof they have absolutely no idea what they are doing.
1. All small to medium sized business’ will be unable to quote. (do they know how expensive, this training is)
2. If the larger companies have enough staff to do the job now? They will have to hire trainees for the term of the contract and then not allowed to downsize afterward (this how you spell bankruptcy)
3. The large companies may be able to afford this, BUT with the extra expenses, of the extra staff and the reduced competition (due to all smaller companies, not even applying) adn the extra risk of too many staff after the contract is completed..
The PRICE quoted will go through the roof.
and NO, I am not surprises that this clown circus didn’t think of the negative impact.
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October 4, 2018 6:48pm
- nasska
  
  Don’t think of the negative impact……it felt good.
  
  And it’s the feelz that count!
  
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  October 4, 2018 6:57pm
- artemisia
  
  Under the Mana in Mahi programme the government is going to pay employers the equivalent of the dole to take on apprentices who are on the actual dole, plus some extra for ‘pastoral care’.
  
  Good luck with that, employers. Have fun.
  
  I have mentioned here before that a family member, a tradie apprentice, did a trades foundation course straight from school. Over 20 started out, 4 finished. Almost all the drop outs were made to go by WINZ. Some left after the first week.
  
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  October 4, 2018 6:59pm
  - Jack5
    
    Apart from employers poaching each others’ apprentices when they complete training, the biggest problem may be the country’s misdirection of tens of thousands of young people into university education for courses that don’t lead to employment.
    
    Youngsters who become tradies have a good chance of being better off than those who take poor courses and burden themselves with student debt (Labour’s largesse covers only year 1).
    
    But I thought the core of today’s announcements was that to qualify for government work, construction firms would have to employ a specified proportion of apprentices. I can’t see anything wrong with that.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:29pm
    - RW Capitalist
      
      and yet:
      Quoting for contracts, utilizes the SKILLED work force you have NOW.
      Trainees/apprentices are of no more value than unskilled labour, in the beginning.
      FORCING business to take on trainees, means excess staffing, which:
      with the cancellation of 90 trial period
      Increase of minimum wage
      and now this, will drive prices for govt. work through the roof (along with the factors I mentioned above.)
      Q: Since, to be considered for Govt. contracts you MUST have apprentices (under this proposal),
      what happens to the business’ that have taken on apprentices to make this quote and LOSE the contract?
      They are now grossly over staffed and have to replace this income to survive.
      
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      October 5, 2018 8:58am
- Viking2
  
  Well, in my business we have no option as there are about 5 of the kind in NZ and the rest don’t do what we do. Training is, always has been a part of what a business should do. Otherwise you are picking up everyone else’s castoffs. and all their bad habits.
  
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  October 4, 2018 7:53pm
starboard

The NZ dollar is now at .64 against the US.
Oh dear…wouldn’t wana be driving a V8.
Better dust off my 1973 Suzuki Fronte.
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October 4, 2018 7:02pm
- krazykiwi
  
  Our dollar has lost 9.2% since the COL began their shambolic term. My business has increasing USD revenues so we’re not crying.
  
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  October 4, 2018 7:42pm
  - Jack5
    
    It’s been overvalued for a while, Krazykiwi, if decades of negative balance of payments figures are an indication.
    
    It regularly swung up and down, but has been in a long upswing, partly on hot air from financial community folk, such as the dozy banker in Australia who said NZ had a rock star economy.
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:37pm
  - krazykiwi
    
    Only overvalued because we’re debt addicts!
    
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    October 4, 2018 9:59pm
Viking2

Today we have Swarbrick sheltering drug murderers and now we have Me Tu rearing her head.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/10/metiria-turei-beyond-politics.html
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October 4, 2018 7:37pm
- DigNap15
  
  The need to stop calling that shit “Synthetic cannabis”
  Does it look like Cannabis or smell liek it?
  
  That stupid b..h Swarbrick said that hard sentences don’t work. We don’t know as as we have never tried them
  Well she should go to Singapore and see how many drug dealers there are there!
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:26pm
  - Jack5
    
    I have a lot of time for Singapore, but I don’t see NZ accepting such a slightly less democratic regime.
    
    I remember once in Singapore visiting an old temple where very old, more or less licensed opium addicts, smeared some of the drug on the wooden gods’ lips.
    
    The most interesting country in the drugs battle, in my view, is Portugal, which has legalised them without becoming a failed narco state. It would be interesting to find more about the success or otherwise of the Portuguese drug regime.
    
    4 0
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    October 4, 2018 9:34pm
- Shaun the Sheep
  
  Dear Newshub,
  
  Let me know when we
  A) get our stolen money back, and
  B) see the green frog in Court.
  
  Until then who gives a rat’s arse what Meteria Turei’s life beyond politics is like.
  
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  October 4, 2018 10:35pm
stigie

Once you’re in the trough, Labour and the Greens make it real easy to stay there.
There’s enough rich pricks out there to pay for their policies and their fucking pet projects..? //
7 0
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October 4, 2018 7:45pm
Maggy Wassilieff

How to evade capture when you are on the run:

Prosecutors suspect Rédoine Faïd, who was in jail for murdering a police officer, used a burqa as disguise during his time on the run

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/03/french-bank-robber-who-escaped-jail-in-helicopter-recaptured
9 0
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October 4, 2018 7:51pm
Fletch

BREAKING – Based on the FBI report, the White House has cleared Kavanaugh of sexual assault –

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2018/10/us-judge-brett-kavanaugh-cleared-of-sexual-assault-report.html

The new vote will be on Friday –

I just filed cloture on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court. There will be plenty of time for Members to review and be briefed on this supplemental material before a Friday cloture vote.

— Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) October 4, 2018
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October 4, 2018 8:40pm
- Jack5
  
  Fox news coverage:
  
  https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-receives-fbi-report-on-kavanaugh-fully-confident-hell-be-confirmed
  
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  October 4, 2018 9:59pm
  - cha
    
    Quite the report.
    
    An FBI supplemental background investigation that did not include an interview of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford — nor the witnesses who corroborate her testimony –
    
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    October 4, 2018 10:07pm
    - Fletch
      
      Um, but NO witnesses corroborate her testimony….
      
      7 1
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      October 4, 2018 10:11pm
      - cha
        
        The witness named by the accuser wasn’t interviewed.
        
        1 7
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        October 4, 2018 10:22pm
Doubledimp

I was watching Flash Gordon today (while “working” from home), I noticed the heroine’s surname is Arden (without a second “r”), should we call her partner “Flash” Gayforde?
3 0
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October 4, 2018 9:36pm
- Fletch
  
  Good movie. When I was a kid, I won a poster from the movie by listening to the children’s radio show that Don Linden used to do on a Sunday…
  
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  October 4, 2018 10:18pm
KevinH

Sadly, the Herald is reporting that earlier this evening Penny Bright has passed away at the Mercy Hospital in Auckland.
Best wishes and condolences to her partner and family. RIP Penny.
8 1
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October 4, 2018 11:01pm
- meh
  
  I never agreed with Penny’s views but sad to see someone pass for cancer. Rest In Peace.
  
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  October 5, 2018 12:12am
Manolo

stephieboy is delighted:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/political_updates/prez_track_oct04

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 50% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Trump’s job performance. 49%) disapprove.
2 0
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October 5, 2018 6:12am
Viking2

RIP Penny.
Doing gods work now. No doubt there will be something to sort out up there.

Didn’t always agree with Penny but had and have a lot of sympathy for her crusade to get transparency into local govt.
Still a long way to go.

And despite all they say I have a lot of doubt this lot in Govt. will advance the cause much.
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October 5, 2018 6:31am
Viking2

In many ways Penny was like the early suffragettes fighting for a cause.

“She was a strong woman and a leader,” Julian said.

“Everything she did was because she believed it and would go to any extent to get the truth.”

Bright was always very driven and would work day in and out, 18 hours a day, seven days a week, he recalled.

She gave up her career, income, energy and time to follow her path and to help people.

“She would do all her research and make sure everything she said she could back it up.”

In an interview with Stuff last month in a room at Auckland City Hospital, the stoic campaigner declared: “This is not an obituary or a tribute interview.”

Bright was the long-standing thorn in the side of successive Auckland local bodies said her first campaign was when she was at high school in the 7th form.

While at Kuranui College in the early 1970s, she started a branch of HART – the Halt All Racist Tours movement, which opposed apartheid in South Africa.

And she stood unsuccessfully for the Auckland mayoralty and Parliament many occasions.

“Penny would say, ‘do something that scares you everyday’,” Julian said. “That is what she lived by.”
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October 5, 2018 6:34am
- Rachael Membery
  
  No doubt there will be a dedicated Penny Bright thread today, DPF?
  
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  October 5, 2018 6:52am
Manolo

A booming US economy:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/04/us-weekly-jobless-claims-sept-29-2018.html
0 0
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October 5, 2018 6:39am
- RW Capitalist
  
  and all he did….LOWER taxes
  What’s our govt. doing….raising taxes.
  
  3 0
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  October 5, 2018 9:02am
DigNap15

I get really annoyed when our news media and the tv shows in the USA always start each story on Trump as if it is a fact that he should not be the President and that every thing he does or says is wrong.

Where do these scum get off?

They need to realise that he was voted in with nearly 50% of the vote so a lot of people like him and what he stands for!

Make America great again!
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October 5, 2018 11:31am
DigNap15

I see that Labour have reduced the prison population by letting some out, not jailing some (attacker on 82 year old guy.)
But today two thugs were sentenced to 7 years at least for shooting a taxi driver and killing two drug dealers!
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October 5, 2018 11:59am
DigNap15

Sorry one of the guys was sentenced for life (min 20 Years) for brutally killing two drug dealers.

You see Andrew, if your government keeps breeding such nice people, you will need to keep locking them up to keep us safe.
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October 5, 2018 12:06pm
DigNap15

Wow – And Another One Andrew
This time a gang member shot a fellow gang member.
He was sentenced to a minimum of 15 years!
0 0
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October 5, 2018 1:32pm

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