General Debate 24 October 2019

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Yvette

One of the two proposals being considered by the Government – a joint venture between the New Zealand Super Fund and Canada’s CDPQ Infra group – could cost $10 billion or more.

The unsolicited bid from NZ Infra was dismissed by then-interim-chair of the NZTA, Nick Rogers, who reportedly described it as nothing but a six-page PowerPoint presentation.

Twyford said Cabinet asked NZTA to consider both the NZ Infra-Super Fund unsolicited proposal and look at other options, but they didn’t, so Cabinet has now given the responsibility to Treasury and the Ministry of Transport.

The truth however lies in the appeal of –
“We have a proposal that would use the NZ Super Fund so that every time a passenger used it, it would be a contribution to superannuation.”
Twyford agreed, saying people would be “disappointed if we didn’t give serious consideration to a proposal that would allow our country’s retirement savings to invest in modern transport infrastructure and grow our country’s biggest city“.

There – if the New Zealand Super Fund invested in enough major roading projects, we could consider lowering the qualifying age for superannuation down to perhaps 55.
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October 24, 2019 8:02am
- KevO'Brien
  
  How if the NZSF “invests” in roading projects, other than toll roads, can pensions be paid out? Effectively the NZSF is being taken over by the COL as a money box, a free source of funds. Pensions will still fall to be paid out of future govt budgets.
  
  The presence of the Canadian Fund suggests there must be toll roads involved as how else can they get any reward?
  
  This is govt borrowing by stealth–off balance sheet and outside prudency controls. A resource of the devious or ignorant. (COL?)
  ☑️☑️
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:53am
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  Madness.
  
  So if we invest our savings in risky projects with really low rates of return we are going to improve our future retirement income – how?
  
  Is this really what passes for policy analysis these days?
  
  I suppose the polish on this turd will be that it is another “strategic investment”. Much like the one on moving Ports of Auckland to Whangarei which apparently also got the seal of approval despite being a whole heap of shit assumptions stitched together by a consultant who, I hope, charged double for selling his soul!
  
  Well done Nick Rogers, for telling the truth and acting professionally. Of course he got fired for telling the truth…
  
  In only 2 years this government has managed to completely break the system. Wow!
  
  On the other hand this is another exhibit on the wall of why small sectoral agencies are a waste of space. They can’t build any skills, and if they ever get brave, they get steamrolled, and a “safe pair of hands” is helicoptered in to ensure it never happens again.
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:54am
  - sooty
    
    Don’t let Twyford in the same building as it!
    Everything he touches turns to shit!
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:12am
  - ISeeRed
    
    The modern use of “invest” by governments is just Orwellian newspeak.
    
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    October 24, 2019 10:54am
- Tony Norriss
  
  The logic put forward by Twyford is stupid.
  
  The obvious counter-argument would be, that if the Super-fund is going to invest in light rail at all, then why not do so in a country where the population density is greater, and hence a greater potential return.
  
  Then we will have people from another country investing in our retirement every time they ride on a train at a better return.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:20am
  - Yvette
    
    Tony Norriss – Then we will have people from another country investing in our retirement every time they ride on a train at a better return.
    
    So, not only would our overseas investment be contributed by a greater population base, but it would not be New Zealanders paying in traffic tolls for their own superannuation.
    
    Kiwibuild was also based on a revolving fund – $2 billion to construct house to sell to finance more houses.
    Don’t I remember from eons of history ago – science classes in school – that the only thing perpetual in any perpetual motion scheme was that they don’t work, always because of friction or fiction.
    
    Why does Twyford have to be so bloody clever – just build what he is asked to build, and leave finance to those who must be better at it – and anyone must be. Anyone but Ardern.
    
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    October 24, 2019 10:54am
    - david
      
      “Why does Twyford have to be so bloody clever ..”?
      Simple, he learnt his “trade” by taking other people’s money and giving a portion to others while keeping a margin on the way through. (Otherwise known as the charity trade) He knows no different and is perfectly suited to the “business” of Government especially now that he is taking his funding by force (taxation)and with the force of law behind him while his personal rewards are a multiple of anything he could claim to be worth in any other sphere of activity.
      
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      October 24, 2019 2:06pm
- chaos
  
  Don’t the rail networks in Auckland get government top ups because they are not running a profit? If that is still happening the pension fund should not go anywhere near this project, they will lose money
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:33am
  - Ruahine
    
    I understand over 25% of the rates in Auckland go to fund public Transport. Rail gets the most.
    
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    October 24, 2019 12:18pm
- slightlyrighty
  
  In Australia, we are seeing billions of dollars sunk into Public Transport to keep it afloat. In Victoria alone, the bill is up to $10 BILLION dollars.
  
  In Sydney, Public Transport subsidies are expected to be 9.6 Billion by 2028, EVERY YEAR!
  
  And the government want to invest OUR superannuation fund in this turkey?
  
  Stop the rot now. Save our super fund from these idiots.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:51am
  - Tony Norriss
    
    To be fair, in those large cities an argument of “if not, then what?” could be applied.
    
    I have traveled on a lot of public transport in the likes of Melbourne, London, Paris, etc. In those cities, the congestion is already quite bad, even allowing for the public transport. In those cities, public transport is much more appealing than using cars, especially in the city centres.
    
    In those cities, I think there is a big picture to be considered. So, subsidising public transport may be the least expensive option.
    
    So, if it wasn’t for the public transport the city would likely grind to a halt. Or there would need to be huge investment in other infrastructure.
    
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    October 24, 2019 11:35am
- srylands
  
  ““We have a proposal that would use the NZ Super Fund so that every time a passenger used it, it would be a contribution to superannuation.””
  
  I don’t understand. So this light rail is going to produce a commercial return from fare paying passengers? That is not the experience of other public transport in New Zealand
  
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  October 24, 2019 10:05am
  - Jack5
    
    Some overseas superannuation funds seeking long-term safe assets put money into NZ forests, but Labour would rob our superannuation fund for light rail! Next it will be for social housing.
    
    Labour and the Melon Greens don’t so much love light rail as they hate cars. They want us all biking or sitting in light rail vehicles. Their hatred of cars is quite irrational. Affordable cars have been one of the great developments of modern times. We do things when we want to, where we want to, and live easily where we want to.
    
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    October 24, 2019 11:48am
- Graham Sharpe
  
  Bob Jones predicted years ago that super funds paid in by income earners would all end in tears. This proposal justifies his fears.
  
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  October 24, 2019 11:39am
Maggie Pie

My partners mum tweets….

“Soros puppet doesn’t reGreta thing.”

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EHae6ObX4AQ2_yi?format=jpg&name=900×900
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October 24, 2019 8:03am
- Brian McDonald
  
  reGretta are you better?
  are you well, well, well?
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:52am
oldpark

The greatest story ever told. There in NZs Parliament yesterday was everybodys friend,that nice wee man and very very popular Winston Peters voting for Euthanesia.The mind boggles.
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October 24, 2019 8:07am
- G152
  
  Peters for the first time in his life wants and votes for what every-one else wants.
  No more Peters
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:11am
- sooty
  
  His “Rugby” injury is playing up and wants the option!
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:14am
- yossarian
  
  Pure politics from ‘what’s in it for me’ Peters. He’s probably got a heads up about the number of old people who want Euthanasia, so by making it a referendum vote it will get more old folk out on voting day… And they’re his bread and butter.
  
  This is why the Green party has pushed for the cannabis referendum, so hopefully the dope smokers get out of bed on polling day
  
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  October 24, 2019 3:41pm
Tricati

Well done to the Fire Fighters in Auckland dealing with the Convention Centre fire – Always there and ready so a big ‘Thanks’.
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October 24, 2019 8:10am
- ISeeRed
  
  Let’s say it like it is: FireMEN. Doubt any wimyn demanding pay equity and equal representation turned up.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:09am
  - chaos
    
    Plenty of woman in our paid and volunteer fire service.
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:35am
  - niggly
    
    Except to say Women Fire Fighters were/are there fighting the fire, let’s not do them a disservice.
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:40am
  - ISeeRed
    
    Yeah nah. Probably 1 or 2% if that. Let’s face it: if females were committing 98% or 99% of all suicides, we wouldn’t just be talking about “suicide” and chastising anyone who mentioned the overwhelming gender imbalance.
    
    I question why it’s wrong to say firemen, policeman, businessman etc., but still acceptable to say gunman, conman, manhunt, straw man etc. It seems it’s still OK to use gendered language only when it reflects badly on men, not if they act in any way positive.
    
    Something to think about.
    
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    October 24, 2019 10:40am
    - Batman
      
      Uhh, because you’re comparing a collective ‘men’ versus a singular ‘man’
      
      Policewoman, businesswoman,gunwoman, conwoman.
      
      Man hunt and straw man refer to humans, not a man of the male gender.
      
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      October 24, 2019 11:07am
      - ISeeRed
        
        Uhh, firemen, businessmen etc. were once used as collective nouns as well, so that doesn’t hold. Gendered language is either OK or it isn’t.
        
        PS No one says “conwoman” or “gunwoman”. My browser underlines them as misspellings when I type them.
        
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        October 24, 2019 11:52am
    - ISeeRed
      
      Even if you could argue “man” is only being used neutrally as a collective noun for “human” (also considered doubleplusungood by many nowadays), think about the impression it makes on young boys who can’t make this subtle grammatical distinction. We’re meant to be so concerned about how gendered language might possibly perhaps potentially influence young girls to think only boys can become heroes or leaders when they grow up with words like “businessman” or “fireman”. Young boys, however, knowing one day they will grow up like daddy, see and hear the word MAN, MAN, MAN used again and again in the media, entertainment and popular culture only in relation to crime, sociopathy or anything negative, yet won’t be affected in the slightest in terms of their self esteem and future aspirations? This fashionable but malignant form of linguistic programming now extends to gendered insults like “man flu” (women actually take more sick days and go to the doctor more often than men), “mansplaining” (as if women never talk condescendingly to men or other women) as well as more traditional insults like “deadbeat dad”. Or are the boys just meant to “man up” and not become whiny “manbabies” while the girls get endless consideration and support and protection from howwible manly-man words? That is plainly sexist as it assumes female fragility and male invincibility.
      
      Again, try to think a little deeper.
      
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      October 24, 2019 12:25pm
    - GoVege
      
      How often is there a “womanhunt”, or a “gunwoman” on the loose?
      Its just not part of the female psyche to go shooting up workplaces, etc.
      Just like female stalkers are a rarity.
      Men are more action oriented.
      Probably why their suicides are more successful, because they use more lethal methods, sadly…
      
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      October 24, 2019 2:28pm
Simon

The noose tightens. The testimony is damning and of course Trump should be impeached and convicted.

https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2019/10/the_noose_tightens.html

Lol – the noose tightens – is that you Jussie? hacked kiwi blog?

Is Jussie Smollett also running the impeachment case against Trump? Apart from all the other holes in the case there is the one that Trump would be concerned about running against Creepy Joe Biden. That just doesn’t wash. Old bleeding eye forgetful Joe. Trump would bury him in 2020.
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October 24, 2019 8:16am
- Fletch
  
  Yep and according to both Reps. Devin Nunes and Kevin McCarthy, Rep. John Ratcliffe “destroyed” Taylor as a witness in just 90 seconds.
  
  https://twitter.com/RealSaavedra/status/1186886135630315520/video/1
  
  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7604241/Republican-John-Ratcliffe-destroyed-impeachment-testimony-envoy-Ukraine-90-seconds.html
  
  Oh, but we’re not allowed to be privvy to that bit as they won’t release his entire testimony. We’re only allowed to know the bits the Democrats leak to the media to strengthen their case.
  
  This is nothing but a Star Chamber, with testimony being held in secret, the Republicans not allowed any of their own lawyers present, without being given the right to cross examine witnesses, to have access to evidence etc. Completely one-sided. This isn’t even an official impeachment process, with STILL no House vote on the floor.
  
  About 30 Republicans stormed the impeachment hearing in protest and refused to leave – good on them
  
  https://www.businessinsider.com.au/house-republicans-stormed-closed-door-impeachment-hearing-2019-10?r=US&IR=T
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:49am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    This is almost civil war.
    But what’s it all about?
    
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    October 24, 2019 8:58am
    - Tall Man
      
      The left, which in the US is our right, can’t accept that hillary the crook was beaten or trumped by Trump.
      
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      October 24, 2019 10:01am
    - The Proper Ghandi
      
      One side wants authoritarian Leftism (hence the attempted soft coup) and the other one doesn’t. As they say, demographics is destiny and Trump may well be the last Republican president, if the country continues to be flooded with both legal and illegal Big State-voting immigrants, to add to the generation(s) of successfully Marxist indoctrinated locals. Love him or hate him, Trump is a bulwark against that incoming tide. Hence, they must take him out by fair means or foul.
      
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      October 24, 2019 10:09am
    - Komata
      
      KevO’B@0858
      
      Re: But what’s it all about?’
      
      ‘What’s it all about’ is an attempt by the Dems to re-write history and to reclaim what they firmly believed was theirs as of right; the 2016 election which President Trump won.
      
      At one level the election had been pre-rigged and pre-ordained heavily in favour of Hilary; to the extent that she was so confident that she had ‘won’ that she celebrating BEFORE the results were announced.
      
      In her mind (and based on the heavily-biased information presented before-hand), she was ‘Divinely Appointed’ to win; no one else was even going to come anywhere near her. She was a shoe-in and it was going to be a landslide.
      
      And as for the ‘Deplorables’ and that ignoramus Trump?? They were so far below contempt that they weren’t even worthy of thought.
      
      Except that apparently 2300,000 ‘Deplorable’ voters decided otherwise and via the Electoral College were influential-enough to do the unthinkable; allow a rank, unqualified outsider to win!
      
      HOW DARE THEY!!
      
      This was totally unthinkable and unacceptable and since then the ongoing war (because that is what it is) has been conducted ruthlessly with but one intention: To somehow, by any means available, both legal and supra-legal remove this ‘Outsider’ and restore things to their rightful place; with the Democrats firmly in charge.
      
      And when the Dems resume their ‘rightful place’ the Deplorables are to be punished; severely!
      
      This war has been fully and willingly assisted by 99.98% of the US MSM of all persuasions, yet (and to the Dems total bafflement), all attempts have come to naught; to the extent that their efforts have become increasingly desperate. The president is , effectively, ‘Teflon Don ‘ (TM) and nothing they do sticks! Such is the state of frustration that has now been now reached that for the Dems nothing is now too outlandish to try; with the latest ‘Shiff-led’ effort being yet another version of the ‘Must get Trump somehow; at any cost’ narrative.
      
      There is however another aspect which is at play; the role of outside ‘vested interests’ in the process. These ‘interests’ (usually identified as ‘Gobalists’, with George Soros being the public face of the group) view the continued existence of the USA as an independent nation, as the largest impediment to their plan for world control, with Hilary and the Dems being their intended (and very willing) tool to destroy this obstacle to their hitherto-successful plans. Financially, the group has invested very heavily in the Democratic Party, and, not unexpectedly, were somewhat ‘upset’ at the outcome, especially as they believed the result was in the bag and that with Hilary in control, they US would be ‘defeated’ and the ‘One World’ agenda be speedily implemented.
      
      They are now ‘leaning’ on the Dems in all sorts of ways and this is also having an influence on what that party is doing.
      
      Rest assured that the ‘intent’ is always to destroy and overturn, and on that basis (and as with all wars) this latest incident is merely the latest of an ongoing series.
      
      So far the majority of the American populace has tolerated what has been happening, but the indications are that their patience is becoming a little bit strained, and that disenchantment with both the Dems (and their associates) and their MSM mates is setting in.
      
      How things will turn out is still unknown, but no-matter which way things go, it is highly likely that the Democrats will be the losers, and that the MSM (as the ‘propaganda’ arm of that party) will also suffer severely.
      
      Time, of course, will tell.
      
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      October 24, 2019 1:14pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        “Hilary…blah blah…Electoral College… blah blah…Globalists…blah blah…George Soros…blah blah…plan for world control…blah blah…One World agenda…blah blah”
        
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        October 24, 2019 2:04pm
      - KevO'Brien
        
        Thanks. An irrational claiming the right to rule because she says so and used a body double to hide her neurological ailments.
        
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        October 24, 2019 3:27pm
  - Simon
    
    Yep Taylor is yesterday’s news already. Orange man bad just aint good enough. MSM know it and have moved on.
    
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    October 24, 2019 8:59am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    I’m just wondering how Rep Ratcliffe was able to ‘destroy’ Taylor’s testimony when, acording to you, that testimony was given in a ‘Star Chamber’ where the Republicans could not cross-examine witnesses.
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:07am
    - Batman
      
      These days Mike, you don’t have to actually destroy a testimony, you just need your faithful lapdogs to parrot that you did.
      
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      October 24, 2019 9:18am
      - Tall Man
        
        “lapdogs”……… You mean like the twits that continually post on here about the “mighty coalition or our “wonderful pm”?
        
        If that’s the standard of anti Trump people it’s no wonder he is looking more like a winner in 2020 than the bleaters….
        
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        October 24, 2019 10:03am
      - herb1
        
        Yes Batman. The left have been doing that ever since Trump was elected. Sorry , before Trump was elected . I’m sure even you must have noticed
        
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        October 24, 2019 10:41am
      - Batman
        
        I anticipated this exact reply from someone, so congrats, you don’t win a prize.
        
        That’s politics, and history will disinfect this whole period and I am confident that I won’t come out of it looking like a shill. Can you?
        
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        October 24, 2019 11:04am
  - slightlyrighty
    
    So 30 republicans storm the hearings, Do they not know that there are Republicans on the committee? The same Republicans who “Destroyed” Taylor as a witness (Allegedly)?
    
    Methinks they doth protest too much…
    
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    October 24, 2019 4:09pm
- Scott
  
  Good points Simon. It may be that the house will vote to impeach Trump? They seem intent on doing it since the day he was elected.
  
  But the Senate is very unlikely to hold a trial and unseat the president. He is very popular among the Republican voters with over 90% approval. Actually given the US economy is booming, wages are rising and unemployment is at a 50 year low you would think he would be getting better press than he is?
  
  It really is a continuation of Trump/Russia, we now have Trump/Ukraine. They are both nonsensical. I don’t think Trump has serious concerns about Joe Biden in the 2020 election. He wanted to get to the bottom of Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election. Which the media previously wanted him to do.
  
  I predict that Trump will survive this latest attempt to unseat him. The real purveyors of the Trump/Russia hoax will be brought to justice by the John Durham investigation. And barring major economic catastrophe I predict that Trump will be re-elected easily in 2020.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:12am
  - Batman
    
    The Constitution states that the Senate shall hold a trial.
    
    Have you even read it? Clearly not.
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:35am
    - Scott
      
      Batman – I think the Senate will hold a trial. I just don’t think they’ll will find him guilty of high crimes and misdemeanours. Seeing as there is no real evidence that he committed any high crimes and misdemeanours. It’s all a bit of a made up witchhunt really? If we are really honest with ourselves that’s all it appears to be?
      
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      October 24, 2019 9:54am
      - Batman
        
        Hahahahahaha
        
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        October 24, 2019 11:30am
    - backster
      
      But only if due process has been followed by Congress.
      
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      October 24, 2019 9:55am
    - Tall Man
      
      It’s not here… who cares.
      
      Worry about what ardern and her sycophantic idiots are doing top your own country.
      
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      October 24, 2019 10:04am
      - Batman
        
        That’s always your response when you don’t like the facts.
        
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        October 24, 2019 11:28am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Maybe that detail is in one of the constitution’s ‘phony’ clauses.
      
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      October 24, 2019 10:17am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      The Dems are also obliged to have some form too. At present they are running a defacto inquisition.
      Hilary must be on standby to be picked up to answer for her misdeeds.
      
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      October 24, 2019 12:24pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Yes, it’s about time there were some investigations into Whitewater, Uranium One and Bengahzi, and not forgetting buttery males…
        
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        October 24, 2019 12:50pm
    - DJ Ward
      
      You missed that is it gets run but a Supreme Court Judge. Which is when it will all fall apart.
      
      Can I have some non 3rd party evidence please?
      
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      October 24, 2019 1:04pm
    - Fletch
      
      The Constitution, Article I Section 2, also states “The House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeachment.” This does not mean the House Democrats. It means the entire House. Pelosi refuses to have a floor vote, which means that it is only a handful of Democrats trying to impeach Trump. The House is supposed to represent ‘the people’ of America. The House is made up of the State representatives the people have chosen and it is the people who decide whether to go forward with impeachment.
      
      Therefore, the Senate in no way should hold a trial as it gives what the House Democrats are doing legitimacy, and they aren’t going about this in a lawful way.
      
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      October 24, 2019 2:21pm
      - Batman
        
        Fletch that’s a fucking bullshit argument and if the GOP controlled the House I would bet every dollar I have that you wouldn’t be using that argument.
        
        The house is always controlled by one side or their other. That’s how the founders designed it.
        
        I cannot believe you are actually arguing that angle. Besides, to actually impeach based on articles, they need a majority of the house which they obviously vote on.
        
        This is hilarious.
        
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        October 24, 2019 3:15pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Stymied on the clear facts, the Trumpistas are falling back on transparently ludicrous quibblng about process.
        
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        October 24, 2019 3:24pm
      - KevO'Brien
        
        No respect for the law is no law. Pelosi is in deep water without a life jacket.
        
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        October 24, 2019 3:30pm
      - Fletch
        
        Batman, you go and look how House Democrats treated Bill Clinton when he was being impeached. They made it VERY fair. They went back to the Nixon lawyers and found out how it was done and gave Clinton every right.
        
        You go back to 1998 and see what the GOP led by Henry Hyde put forward.
        
        “It is the intention of the Committee that its investigation will be conducted in all respects on a fair, impartial and bipartisan or nonpartisan basis. In this spirit, the power to authorize subpoenas and other compulsory process is committed by this resolution in the first instance, to the Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member acting jointly.
        
        “If either declines to act, the other may act alone, subject to the right of either to refer the question to the Committee for decision prior to issuance, and a meeting of the Committee will be convened properly to consider the question.
        
        “Need for the resolution, because the issue of impeachment is of such overwhelming importance. The Committee decided that it must receive authorization from the full House before proceeding on any further course of action.”
        
        “Because impeachment is delegated solely to the House of Representatives by the Constitution. The full House of Representatives should be involved in critical decision making regarding various stages of impeachment.”
        
        You see how Bill Clinton was treated by a Republican House of Representatives, by a Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, a Republican by the name of Henry Hyde.
        
        “Also a resolution authorizing an Impeachment Inquiry into the conduct of a President is consistent with past practice. According to Hind’s Precedents ‘the impeachment of President Johnson was set in motion by a resolution authorizing a general investigation as to the execution of the laws.”
        
        “The impeachment investigation of President Nixon was explicitly authorized by the full House during debate of H.Res. 803 in 1974.” Chairman Rodino, then Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary stated, quote, “We’ve reached the point when it is important that the House explicitly confirm my responsibility under the Constitution. We are asking the House to authorize and direct the Committee on the Judiciary to investigate the conduct of the President of the United States.”
        
        He further says, “Such a resolution has always been passed by the House.
        
        The Committee has voted unanimously to recommend that the House of Representatives adopt this resolution. It’s a necessary step if we are meeting our obligations.”
        
        President’s procedural rights also in this resolution, respecting the Impeachment Inquiry into Bill Clinton. “Prior to the October 5 Committee Meeting, some raised concerns about procedural fairness and encouraged the Committee to adopt rules similar to those adopted by the Committee in 1974 investigating Nixon, which were provide the President with certain procedural rights.”
        
        “After voting on the Hyde resolution, the Committee adopted, by voice vote, a number of protections for the President.” President being Clinton.
        
        “The President and his counsel shall be invited to attend all executive session and open committee hearings. The President’s counsel may cross examine witnesses. The President’s counsel may have objections regarding the pertinency of evidence.”
        
        “The President’s counsel shall be invited to suggest that the Committee receive additional evidence. Lastly, the President or the President’s counsel shall be invited to respond to the evidence adduced by the Committee at an appropriate time.”
        
        “The provisions will ensure that the Impeachment Inquiry is fair to the President.”
        
        https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/levin-nancy-pelosi-and-her-politburo-have-gone-rogue-and-are-trying-to-run-roughshod-over-president-trump
        
        Wow, so they went to great pains to make sure it was fair to both the Democrats and to the president. Totally different with Trump. He hasn’t been given any rights. He doesn’t even know the name of his accuser, only that he/she works for the CIA and had a working relationship with Biden in the White House (which should raise alarm bells). Also, the person has no firsthand knowledge – it’s all hearsay.
        To add to which, these inquisitions are being held in secret. The only thing released is what the Dems leak to the media. Full transcripts are not available. This whole thing is a sham.
        
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        October 24, 2019 5:03pm
      - Batman
        
        Great bit of Fox News heroin for you there.
        
        As if inviting the incoherent president, who is his own worst enemy, and staff to defend him on an inquiry they have vowed not to cooperate with, would be any use.
        
        If the White House had cooperated, then it could be a bi-partisan process to an extent.
        
        Instead you’ve got the D team in the White House and they’re slowly digging themselves a giant hole of contradiction and confessions.
        
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        October 24, 2019 5:19pm
      - Fletch
        
        It’s not “Fox News heroin”. It is quoting the exact documents from 1998.
        
        https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/105/hres581/text
        
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        October 24, 2019 5:40pm
      - Vory v zakone
        
        How dare you Fletch! You cannot use actual facts on constitutional and congressional precedent, from Fox News. You MUST get your #OrangeManBad talking points from the conspiracy theory and fake news outlets like CNN and MSDNC. You know the ones with the bush lawyer “Legal Analysts” and Democrat Operatives pretending to be “Constitutional Scholars”.
        Ironically they are all contributing to the GOP regaining the House and Trump’s 2020 re-election
        
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        October 25, 2019 1:10am
  - Simon
    
    “It may be that the house will vote to impeach Trump? ”
    
    Political suicide for Dems. They are so badly run they might.
    
    Mueller report / Russian collusion crashed and burnt bigly they had to scrabble something together. So have got their secret hearings underway. Complete basket case much like the Dems, MSM & Nevertrumpers.
    
    Taylor was 24 hours fake news and the fever swamp bought into it. Bigly.
    
    That blog post about the noose yesterday was just sad. Along with all the people who believed it with all their might.
    
    If you thought Trump was toast because of a Dem leak of a single partial transcript take a step back and think a little. Learn something from your mistake yesterday. Because you have got another 5.5 years to go.
    
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    October 24, 2019 10:14am
    - Batman
      
      You mean the 18 page opening statement for a career diplomat who served under Republican Presidents?
      
      Minimise all you like but all of this stuff is grist for the impeachment article mill.
      
      3 14
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      October 24, 2019 11:25am
      - KevO'Brien
        
        It may also be the base of a sedition call against Dem activist promoters.
        The USA at present is without a functioning government.The Dems have subverted the process. and continue in their attempt.
        The personal merits of Trump are irrelevant compared to the targeted irregularity of attempting to wreck constitutional government.
        
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        October 24, 2019 3:35pm
      - Batman
        
        Bahahaha Kev have you huffed too much Hannity this week or something?
        
        Sedition?
        Without a functioning government?
        Wreck a constitutional govt?
        
        Seek help man, or read some different news outlets for balance.
        
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        October 24, 2019 3:43pm
      - Vory v zakone
        
        You mean the 15 page opening page statement full of 2nd and 3rd hand (and in one case 4th hand) accounts that Taylor was “disturbed” by. That’s what is hahaha Batty ??
        With no evidence of quid pro quo the demtard Kangaroo Court have nothing.
        
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        October 24, 2019 10:55pm
  - MCos
    
    ‘He wanted to get to the bottom of Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election.’
    
    Sure
    
    2 5
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    October 24, 2019 10:18am
- Inandout
  
  And while the Dems fixate on ‘impeachment’, LA and San Francisco descend into Gotham City type rubbish dumps. Huge rats gorge on excrement left by druggies camped on the footpaths.
  
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  October 24, 2019 10:19am
- rangitoto
  
  2023. The dims swear they will impeach Trump. We’re gunna get im this time. What’s the next bullshit scandal we can make up.
  
  4 2
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  October 24, 2019 12:59pm
- JibberJabber
  
  I`ve got you now Drumpf.
  
  https://twitter.com/EddieZipperer/status/1187165578299170818
  
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  October 24, 2019 3:30pm
The Proper Ghandi

It is heartening that, contrary to the usual irrational positions and non-arguments sprouting forth from the Left, some of them have some ability to objectively and fairly assess the dreaded facts, even if they conflict with the purported axioms of that side of the fence. Good on you Mr Trotter.

https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2019/10/chris-trotter-paying-for-our-pakeha.html
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October 24, 2019 8:16am
- Frank Thomas
  
  I don’t often agree with Cris Trotter, but you cannot deny he knows his history. Good on him for sticking up for Cook and judging him as a man of his times, not through some 21st century woke lefty lense.
  Cook was NOT a coloniser, he was an EXPLORER, a Yorkshireman from a humble background, considered firm but fair by his crew.
  I can only hope that when NZ history is compulsory taught in NZ schools this is highlighted. I’m not holding my breath…….
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:59am
  - Frank Thomas
    
    If NZ ever becomes a republic (probably after the Queen passes away and we have jug ears step up to the plate) we should give serious consideration to replacing her face on the $20 with Cook, not some champion of the left that hardly anybody’s heard of.
    Just a thought…..
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:39am
    - The Proper Ghandi
      
      “White guilt” is simply a shakedown: pay up, or we will incessantly label you a racist/bigot/white supremacist/Nazi etc. Rinse and repeat. No evidence at all required. In fact, this can only work if they (the Leftists) know that their target is objectively none of those things. Racists don’t care if you call them a racist – they are.
      
      Dinesh D’Souza sums it up nicely thus: “Nobody ever accuses me of being an Indian.”
      
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      October 24, 2019 9:52am
      - Michael
        
        good point.
        
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        October 24, 2019 1:32pm
  - Ruahine
    
    NZ History in schools is likely to be the new history not the true history.
    If the tribes that had the muskets had not gone around killing and enslaving the ones that did not there would have very likely never have been a Treaty of Waitangi which was largely if not primarily led by the Church Missionary Society and if there was not the Kupapa that joined the British Colonial forces and fought with them against opposing Maori it is unlikely that the Colonial forces would have been as succesful in seizing Maori lands in the Waikato and the Taranaki- Wanganui .
    
    Some of you may find this an interesting read.
    https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1t64/te-rangihiwinui-te-keepa
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:48am
    - Tall Man
      
      The truth does seems to hurt the luvvies..
      
      12 0
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      October 24, 2019 10:05am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Would you categorise the biographies at Te Ara as ‘new history’ or ‘true history’?
      
      1 16
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      October 24, 2019 10:19am
- KevO'Brien
  
  “White guilt” now is being manipulated for a never ending source of gain. Pakeha miss the Maui in Maori. Pulling the wool over people’s eyes by them to get something is OK.
  
  “Full and final” treaty settlement? Has anyone calculated the present price of the goods exchanged in the past? They come out at millions of dollars.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:04am
  - DigNap15
    
    All treaty settlements from now till the last one should read
    Full, Final, and Forever!
    (and don’t fucking come back ever)
    
    16 1
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    October 24, 2019 11:05am
- niggly
  
  Excellent article from Trotter – he may be Left but so what, the man knows history and knows when history is being re-written.
  
  I would though, like to see Trotter (and others) write about the 1980’s reinterpretation of the TOW and that of “partnership”, which I think is the root cause of the woke left/activist/sovereignty movements attempts to re-frame the TOW to support their narrative that the Crown “invaded Aotearoa and imposed colonialist structures” etc to the so-called detriment of “Maori” (in inverted commas because most Maori do not think that way but are stereotyped that way thanks to the activist left and woke msm)!
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:32am
  - Ruawai
    
    Trotter will just be labelled another privileged straight pale stale white middle aged male not part of any victim group.
    
    30 0
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    October 24, 2019 9:37am
    - Frank Thomas
      
      Yep, a class traitor who must be denounced . Don’t you just love the left.
      
      24 0
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      October 24, 2019 9:48am
      - Tall Man
        
        Denounced?
        
        De platformed……………….
        
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        October 24, 2019 10:06am
  - ISeeRed
    
    I refuse to say “Maori” when referring to Maoris. I’m speaking English and will use English grammar conventions for forming plurals.
    
    But hey, if it’s about mutual respect, sure, I’ll call you what you want if you call me what I want. And it ain’t “Pakeha”.
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:48am
    - Tall Man
      
      I’d rather they called me from a long way away.
      
      4 1
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      October 24, 2019 10:07am
    - DigNap15
      
      Yes I’m a European New Zealander.
      Pakeha is the a maori word for us.
      Just like “natives” were our word for them
      
      Lets start calling them natives or horis until they stop calling us Pakeha!
      
      13 4
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      October 24, 2019 11:07am
      - Paulus
        
        I think you would find that Maori could be called “Aboriginal” too.
        Look it up in a decent dictionary.
        
        3 0
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        October 24, 2019 1:45pm
    - John Warren
      
      Please note, advertisers, TV presenters, everybody – I do NOT have a “whanau”.
      
      17 0
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      October 24, 2019 11:39am
    - Frank Thomas
      
      My brother lived and worked in an Aboriginal community in outback Australia for nearly 20 years. Whenever he came home to visit he would refer to them as “black fellas”. I always thought this was him being a bit of a redneck until it was explained to me that this is how the aboriginals referred to themselves and white people as “white fellas”. My brother couldn’t understand what the problem was. I have now noticed that on his last couple of trips back even he now refers to them by the PC vernacular.
      Boy some of the things that happened there are pretty scary, not quite the Crocodile Dundee image of Australia the average Aussie thinks it is.
      
      11 0
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      October 24, 2019 1:00pm
      - John Warren
        
        My best mate spent a couple of years skippering the boats that delivered government largesse to the Torres Strait Islands. Not quite a tropical paradise there either.
        
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        October 24, 2019 1:51pm
BobbyS

So according to what I heard on Hosking this morning, the head of CRL can only do so much, his contract with the Govt won’t allow him to offer straight out compensation which most of the retailers want
Therefore Cindy & Twatford really need to stump up and face these business owners, not wait for someone else to fix the mess they created
Why does it not surprise us that where Twatford is involved everything turns to shit!
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October 24, 2019 8:18am
- Simon
  
  Cindy and Goff need to have another hug. The feelz will drift down to the business owners and they can take some that Cindy stardust to the bank.
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:51am
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  I heard that too, refreshingly honest guy. Must be either a genuine expert, and therefore indespensible, or he’s had enough of being blamed for shit that isn’t his problem.
  
  Either way, one to keep an eye on, a truth-teller in senior leadership. Rare experience.
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:58am
- DigNap15
  
  We all knew Ardern and Twyford were both lying about “negotiations” with those poor businesses.
  
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  October 24, 2019 11:08am
Tall Man

https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/10/24/875033/aucklands-light-rail-decision-housing-or-transport

Seriously, either or?

With twitford and this idiotic coalition it will be neither nor.
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October 24, 2019 8:20am
- chaos
  
  Neither, need the money now to extend the labour youth camp to host APEC
  
  13 1
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  October 24, 2019 9:37am
  - Paulus
    
    Cinderella emphatically said yesterday that APEC will remain in Auckland.
    I assume that she believes that she will be at the Auckland APEC in 2021 or sulking in Sandringham with Bubba.
    
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    October 24, 2019 10:56am
Tauhei Notts

The betting markets show that there has been significant support, overnight, for Joe Biden.
I wonder if Elizabeth Warren will follow Kamala Harris out the back door.
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October 24, 2019 8:21am
- trout
  
  And what seems more than just a rumour; that Hilary Clinton will put herself in the race (apparently there are no other ‘worthy’ candidates). Given that she has been campaigning ever since she ‘lost’; the last election). More popcorn please.
  
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  October 24, 2019 10:20am
  - Batman
    
    Nobody on this blog has yet taken up my $500 bet that she won’t run.
    
    So that is enough confirmation for me that the people saying this are just being dishonest.
    
    2 4
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    October 24, 2019 10:43am
mikenmildagain

Happy United Nations Day!
5 29
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October 24, 2019 8:22am
- sooty
  
  United Muslim day
  
  10 3
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  October 24, 2019 9:16am
stephieboy

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Skip the the WP report if need be and read the all important report by Ambassador William Taylor with his damning revelations of the US President’s and his cronies perfidy in the Ukraine . Among other things making light of the vital security importance of Ukraine in formulating US foreign policy. But I don’t expect the MAGA mob will be amenable do any kind of reason in respect of this massive act of deceit

“Trump made Ukraine aid contingent on public pledge to investigate Bidens and 2016 election, U.S. envoy says he was told”

William Taylor arrives to testify in impeachment probe

In a 15-page opening statement, obtained by The Washington Post, Taylor repeatedly expressed his shock and bewilderment as he watched U.S. policy toward Ukraine get overtaken by Trump’s demand that newly elected president Volodymyr Zelensky “go to a microphone and say he is opening investigations of [Democratic presidential candidate Joe] Biden and 2016 election interference

“ ‘Everything’ was dependent on such an announcement, including security assistance,” Taylor said he was told by Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the European Union.
A seasoned diplomat, Army veteran and meticulous note taker, Taylor told lawmakers that former national security adviser John Bolton and other officials from the Pentagon, the State Department and the CIA tried unsuccessfully to get a meeting with Trump to persuade him to release the money — nearly $400 million intended to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia.
But Trump’s hold on the aid extended well into September, and Taylor said he found himself considering resignation. “I could not and would not defend such a policy,” Taylor said.

The blockbuster testimony came hours after Trump escalated his attack on the impeachment inquiry, tweeting that it was a “lynching” and drawing swift condemnation from Democrats and some Republicans for equating the constitutional process with the barbaric killing of African Americans….”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/diplomat-who-raised-alarm-about-withholding-aid-to-ukraine-testifies-in-impeachment-probe/2019/10/22/086fb850-f436-11e9-8cf0-4cc99f74d127_story.html

The 15 page opening statement is here ,

https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/opening-statement-of-ambassador-william-b-taylor/6b3a6edf-f976-4081-ba7f-bce45468a3ff/
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October 24, 2019 8:29am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Is this another publication to be “withdrawn”?
  How can the report of a secret hearing have any credibility?
  If it is a leak what’s it validity except as political activist fiction and possible treason against the present administration?
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:13am
  - stephieboy
    
    Kev O’ Brien ,
    
    Read it and focus on it intently ,
    
    The 15 page opening statement is here ,
    
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/opening-statement-of-ambassador-william-b-taylor/6b3a6edf-f976-4081-ba7f-bce45468a3ff/
    
    2 18
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    October 24, 2019 9:56am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      I don’t read the Washington Post or so called excerpts from it. The fact that they claim to publish output from a secret hearing speaks for itself.
      
      11 1
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      October 24, 2019 12:27pm
      - Batman
        
        Well there you go, Kev. You’re never going to read information that isn’t favourable to Trump so you end up with a hopelessly skewed view of the world.
        
        That’s your own problem.
        
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        October 24, 2019 12:37pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Are you also going to complain about media reports that a republican representative ‘destroyed’ Taylor’s testimony at that same ‘secret hearing’?
        
        2 4
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        October 24, 2019 12:47pm
- ISeeRed
  
  Why aren’t you condemning what Biden did? You can’t be THAT partisan, surely?
  
  14 2
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  October 24, 2019 9:20am
  - stephieboy
    
    IseeRed, what did Biden do precisely that would be regarded as a serious misdemeanour ?
    
    2 19
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    October 24, 2019 9:57am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      Try: Biden exposed himself and his family to allegations of corruption.
      
      12 2
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      October 24, 2019 12:30pm
Maggie Pie

Green’s List MP & Assoc. Minister of Heath Julie Anne Genter calls for complete ban on Plastic surgery. Suggests move to eco friendly Papier-Mache.

😀
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October 24, 2019 8:30am
- Tall Man
  
  So what can they do about gender changes….
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12018636
  
  I mean, a paper mache one could look the part… but would it stand up to a little beating…..
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icFSL40Igjw
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:52am
- Ruawai
  
  Instagram has today banned filters that change your image to having had plastic surgery and I think it is in Iran they arrest women who have had plastic surgery, my thoughts are that this is some global UN/muslim lefty trend.
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:55am
  - Batman
    
    Or just that it could be damaging to young people to have them applying face-altering filters. It’ll give them body dysmorphia and a complex about getting their face changed.
    
    5 10
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    October 24, 2019 8:58am
    - Fletch
      
      Some of the people at work are teenagers, and it’s like they are obsessed with image. We had a work group snap (just a spontaneous photo), and one of the young guys took a photo on his phone and immediately started altering his face, reshaping his arms, whitening his teeth etc, using FaceTune before posting it to Facebook. ?
      
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      October 24, 2019 9:06am
      - Batman
        
        Exactly, I’m not even that old and I would never do such a thing. I have face smoothing firmly turned off on my phone.
        
        There is a small cohort who are very susceptible to such image issues, sadly.
        
        7 2
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        October 24, 2019 9:21am
      - Maggie Pie
        
        My partners mum had a complete Rhytidectomy last year.
        The only major effect it’s had on her has been more of a financial nature, she no longer presents her SuperGold card.
        
        14 1
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        October 24, 2019 9:35am
      - Ruawai
        
        Most family photos taken in the 70’s would suit these young people well as many snaps had peoples heads cut off with bad camera angles.
        
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        October 24, 2019 9:41am
      - Paulus Gnome
        
        Face smoothing!? Is it some sort of iron I can get from Harvey Norman or something?
        
        Ffs, I have enough trouble with fat fingers on a phone that lead to an apology here at least once a week!
        
        How do you think I am going to get on with ‘face smoothing’?
        
        Actually, don’t bother asking, I really really don’t care.
        
        10 0
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        October 24, 2019 9:45am
    - Tall Man
      
      FFS… seriously?
      
      Are you chasing the “woke” award or something?
      
      2 3
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      October 24, 2019 10:08am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Perhaps you are be so offended that you will stop using Instagram. It’s not compulsory to use its services, you know.
    
    5 13
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    October 24, 2019 9:09am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  That’s crazy talk; they would never do anything to threaten the superficial lifestyles of the affluent female leafy green suburb vote.
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:57am
- Frank Thomas
  
  I hear eco friendly straw is really good……just ask the Sky City Convention Centre.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:09am
  - kevn
    
    @Frank.. At least the cladding wasn’t flammable.
    I gather the straw stuff was protected/fireproofed from the floors below but… not from above.
    
    14 1
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    October 24, 2019 9:31am
    - Colville
      
      yeah the engineer who designed it said there was no conceivable way it could catch on fire from above.
      
      He obviously hasnt hung out with the knuckle draggers who build buildings 🙂
      
      (I wore overalls on sites for 20 years)
      
      15 0
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      October 24, 2019 11:08am
      - John Warren
        
        I still do, half the week. I’m very keen to hear what knuckle-dragger managed to conceive the inconceivable, and how.
        
        3 0
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        October 24, 2019 1:53pm
- alloytoo
  
  How many trees must die for your facelift?
  
  9 0
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  October 24, 2019 11:11am
- John Warren
  
  Let me guess – JAG doesn’t want any woman looking better than her. Sets a very low bar, but there you have it.
  
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  October 24, 2019 12:20pm
burt

The sentencing of the Labour Youth camp predator who was protected by the Labour Party is just over a week away. Will he get permanent name suppression to hide why he was protected so strongly ?
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October 24, 2019 8:38am
- srylands
  
  You betcha
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:41am
- Happychappy
  
  Of course he will it only happens when you have a Labour Government and the corrupt media haven’t got the balls to do anything else than except it. If this was National still in Government there would be headlines right up until the decision was made, the left like to hold everyone else except themselves to a standard and sexual assault is not a part of that standard when it involves Labour.
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:56am
- Bobba Fret
  
  Will he get permanent name suppression……of course he will.
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:58am
  - Michael
    
    Woodn’t bet on it….
    
    Where are the “woke” metoo journos.
    
    2 0
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    October 24, 2019 6:16pm
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  Course he will. We can’t have a young man with such a promising future (and such important parents) harmed by one (well 4) youthful exuberant acts, can we?
  
  Although, as a white guy, he probably is guilty of privilege, so you never know.
  
  Nah, who am I kidding, he probably went to the same school as the Judge’s kids.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:01am
- Greg Ettridge
  
  It is called very strong connections that need to be protected at all cost.
  We may all be surprised, there maybe a transparent end to this sordid saga, but I doubt it.
  I don’t see this deviate appearing back on NZ Labour Party site anytime soon, he has digitital cleanseing as though he no longer exists.
  It’s just his victims many journalists and politicians continue to follow and monitor.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:08am
  - igm
    
    Time his name was posted on a few local notice boards . . . to hell with the outcome.
    
    18 3
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    October 24, 2019 9:15am
- Positan
  
  But far, far greater questions hang over the “investigation” of the Beehive’s 9th Floor sexual predator. Surely, given the number of women he groped, it would have taken any average unemployed law-student about 20 minutes to ascertain ALL the necessary facts to effect a prosecution. Yet Jacinda’s appointed “neutral” QC is said to have needed more than two months to prepare and submit her “report.” How many additional thousands of women did she expect she would have to interview?
  
  Before he resigned, the 9th floor sexual predator held a very high and important position in Labour’s hierarchy, but unlike the name of the Youth Camp predator (who’s believed to be the son of a Labour minister), his name is now well-known throughout parliament and in public. So the only reason a QC would need two whole months to do 20 minutes’ work would be to sustain the very forlorn hope that, after two months, public interest and outrage will have been somehow mollified and diminished.
  
  Some hope …
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:45am
  - Ruawai
    
    And by the time the report comes out everyone will be heading to the beach for xmas holidays.
    
    15 0
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    October 24, 2019 10:55am
  - Sacha
    
    Well if he’s so well known he should be ostracised by all his no doubt also well known contacts.
    And certainly they should tell him to keep his hands to himself.
    I’d tell him, for sure – and he’s never darken my door again.
    So there!
    
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    October 24, 2019 1:55pm
- Frank Thomas
  
  Does a bear s**t in the woods?
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:53am
kevn

@Bob… The CRL guy seemed a decent character, but hobbled by JA and twyfords unhelpful and untruthful utterances.
What couple of bullsh*tters.
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October 24, 2019 8:41am
AgainstTheFlow

Great Questions of Our Time:
How is Phil Twyford still a Minister?
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October 24, 2019 8:43am
- Bobba Fret
  
  How is Ian Lees Galloway still a minister?
  
  34 0
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  October 24, 2019 8:58am
  - Ruahine
    
    How can any of these people be in government. How did this happen?
    
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    October 24, 2019 11:31am
    - Bobba Fret
      
      Winston!!!!!
      
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      October 24, 2019 2:21pm
- oldgolfer
  
  A modern mystery.
  I fear history will not judge him well.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:35am
- chaos
  
  easy answer, look at the lack of talent in labour, who do you replace him with? There is no one. Big pond of talentless, no experience mps.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:40am
HemiT

I don’t think Chris luxon should be considered for national party leader until at least after the next election.
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October 24, 2019 8:45am
- Maggie Pie
  
  ‘L’
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:02am
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  I don’t think he should be considered at all. Perhaps he could, you know, try and earn it?
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:02am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Who said he was going to be?
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:03am
- mikenmildagain
  
  I should have thought that it was fairly unlikely that anyone will become leader of the National Party beforwe being elected to parliament at all.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:11am
  - MCos
    
    I see some people disagree.
    
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    October 24, 2019 11:26am
  - alwyn
    
    I suppose they could follow the example of the Green Party, couldn’t they?
    After all they managed to elect Russel Norman as their XY gender leader before he became an MP. Then they had to lean on a number of the Green Party members not to take their place in Parliament when Nandor was shown the door.
    
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    October 24, 2019 11:26am
- stephieboy
  
  Chris Luxon ? What poltical nous and savvy does he possess?
  
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  October 24, 2019 10:01am
  - sooty
    
    More than you!
    
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    October 24, 2019 11:45am
    - stephieboy
      
      sooty. and less than you?
      
      LOL
      
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      October 24, 2019 7:05pm
  - pentwig
    
    Heaps and heaps and heaps more than you steffie!!!
    
    14 2
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    October 24, 2019 12:07pm
  - Paulus
    
    Having been CEO of a Government 51% owned Company requires both political nous and savvy.
    
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    October 24, 2019 1:52pm
- Sacha
  
  @ HemiT : Or maybe the one after that –
  
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  October 24, 2019 1:56pm
- HemiT
  
  ‘l’ @Maggie Pie
  
  @Captain , Jkey said he is a“world-class candidate” mayb just speculation at the moment havn’t heard any1 say it outright. would be the same for any party leader when they first start
  
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  October 24, 2019 6:48pm
hullkiwi

On Tuesday Air NZ announced it is cutting its Auckland to London citing competitive pressures. In the modern world, and with Brexit coming one day this seems a very strange move on what is considered to be a key market.

With regards to this move, one phrase comes to mind, and it is Bul***it!

Air NZ claim the move is because of competitive pressures and lack of market share, but is it?

Yes, there are many choices Auckland to London, nearly all of them preferable to Air NZ’s offering (Akl to London via LAX). Indeed one of the preferable options Air NZ use to offer AKL to LHR via HKG) , but axed it after only after only a handful of years.

I can understand NZ to the US is important, but as transit stops it is a degrading experience.

We stopped flying with Air NZ on the route years ago for 2 reasons, these being price and transitting via the US (and in particular LAX) which after 11/09/2001 was never an enjoyable experience with family.

Air NZ claim they have low market penetration with only 7% market share and the reason for axing the service. Maybe this a hint at a wider swipe. Namely promotion of NZ in the UK market by NZ Tourism and other commercial and government interests (including Air NZ). Promotion of NZ in the UK and Europe has been poor to non-existent now for some 20 plus years and with such poor promotion it is no surprise that Air NZ fails to achieve market penetration in a competitive market.
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October 24, 2019 8:47am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  As someone who has done 100’s of long haul international flights; people almost all buy international long haul tickets based on price and timing availability – it’s not a regular thing for most. Air NZ garners most profit from other less popular routes with less competition
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:01am
  - hullkiwi
    
    So do all airlines. Qantas’ most profitable route is QF95/96 Sydney to Port Moresby return.
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:50am
    - Tall Man
      
      Is that because half the people that buy a return ticket never get out of the jungle……. 😉
      
      9 1
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      October 24, 2019 10:15am
      - John Warren
        
        Ha! They can oversell the return seats something chronic and get away with it. They should offer free shares to the cannibals as a reward.
        
        3 0
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        October 24, 2019 1:55pm
      - Tall Man
        
        My son was working 4o ks offshore and an angry local appeared looking for a guy that had offended him… in a 12 foot dinghy.
        
        That’s dedication.
        
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        October 24, 2019 8:46pm
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  Yeah I agree. You do have to admit that LAX is fucking horrible, I always transit via SanFran if I can, and Singapore by preference (I don’t like HK so never saw the attraction in moving the hub)
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:03am
  - Tall Man
    
    I usually try and grab a stopover rather than just a transit so I like a decent destination for a day or so.
    
    Hong Kong is one of those as it has plenty to do although the hotels are now approaching the Singapore price level.
    
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    October 24, 2019 10:17am
- Ruahine
  
  Perhaps people do not want to fly on those horrible Boeing 777 – 300s that they use.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:07am
  - Batman
    
    You mean the purchased new 300s that are less than ten years old and will soon be replaced by 787-10s?
    
    Sure, ‘horrible’
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:19am
    - Tall Man
      
      Do you struggle with the concept of “now” not “later”.
      
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      October 24, 2019 10:18am
      - Batman
        
        No, clearly you missed my point that relatively speaking, they’re not that bad… Unless one is having a very first world cry over it ?
        
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        October 24, 2019 11:24am
    - srylands
      
      The 777-300s are not being replaced by the 787-10. They are replacing the 777-200s. These are 12-15 years old now.
      
      There is currently no schedule to replace or retire the 777-300s.
      
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      October 24, 2019 10:43am
      - Batman
        
        Tip of the hat to you, Srylands.
        
        I’ve got my renewal schedules all outta whack!
        
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        October 24, 2019 11:01am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  There are so many other options rather than LAX. What about Chicago, San Francisco or Vancouver?
  But probably too late now given there are so many other airlines providing one-stop service to London, and all of them aren’t as expensive as Air NZ.
  Singapore, Emirates, Qatar, Korean, Thai, China Southern. Have I missed any?
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:08am
  - hullkiwi
    
    Captain, we’ve just spent a month in the UK/Europe. We flew Emirates (the jury is still out though). Our preference is Singapore Airlines. Others also include Qantas, Malaysian (my memories were that it is best avoided), American and I’ve done a combination of Air NZ and Japan Airlines via Narita.
    
    I do not know what it is like to transit via other US centres, but if the experience is like LAX, it is best avoided.
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:24am
    - Tall Man
      
      Haven’t done for a year or two but Malaysia was a good option as the hotel stopover in KL was included in the flight and we got a good overnight sleep then on to London the next day.
      
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      October 24, 2019 10:20am
    - Engelbert Humperdink
      
      Houston present is even worse than post-makeover* LAX – hard to believe but true.
      
      *Pre-makeover, LAX competed with West African destinations for idiocy in airport layout and bureaucracy.
      
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      October 24, 2019 10:25am
    - James Stephenson
      
      Singapore would be my first choice every time.
      
      Top tip: There’s a swimming pool at the transit hotel in the other terminal (short 2 minute train shuttle).
      
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      October 24, 2019 11:58am
  - kowtow
    
    ‘China Southern. Have I missed any?’
    
    The runway.
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:26am
  - reubee
    
    I think you missed a few. Air China, Cathay, China Eastern, China Southern, Emirates, Hainan, Korean, Malaysia, Phillipines, Qatar, Singapore, Thai, United.
    
    To Europe but not London: Latam and Sichuan.
    
    Seasonal: Air Canada, American, Qantas( via Perth).
    
    Two stoppers to London or Europe: China Airlines, Qantas, Tahiti Nui
    
    You see the competition Air NZ is up against just to London.
    
    Then for Europe: Many of those can offer one stop to several places in Europe whilst for Air NZ it was via LAX and LHR.
    
    It will be interesting to see whom Air NZ codeshares with to get to UK and places in Europe. Plenty of options in the Star Alliance.
    
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    October 24, 2019 1:11pm
  - david
    
    Cathay Pacific works for me. Went KAL via Inchon last time and have no complaints. Wouldn’t want to fly kimchee class though.!
    
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    October 24, 2019 2:33pm
    - hullkiwi
      
      Flew Cathy Pacific last year and thought they were over rated and living of their past reputation.
      
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      October 24, 2019 4:26pm
      - Tall Man
        
        I think they all have good days and bad days.
        
        Was doing the Emirates A380 and the stewardess poured herself an orange juice as I walked past so I asked for one. She grabbed another carton of a different orange and I told her the one she was drinking would be fine as it was full juice and her response….
        
        “that’s for crew only”…. obviously her bad day.
        
        Love the A380 though.
        
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        October 24, 2019 8:43pm
- Frank Thomas
  
  I fly Air NZ to Vancouver, then take Virgin Blue to London thus missing out all the LAX drama. Sure Canadian authorities can be a bit zealous but nothing compared to their US counterparts.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:14am
  - mark15
    
    Anywhere but China thanks
    
    8 1
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    October 24, 2019 9:27am
    - Tall Man
      
      Hong Kong and Malaysia have been fine.
      
      Haven’t tried Hong Kong recently though but a mate was there 5 weeks ago and it was a breeze.
      
      8 2
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      October 24, 2019 9:49am
      - Frank Thomas
        
        Have flown to London through Hong Kong once and swore I would never do it again. The whole layout of the place just doesn’t make sense to me and their lack of signs in english only adds to the confusion. Throw in jet lag and this old stale male was just about on the verge of tears. Never again
        
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        October 24, 2019 10:10am
      - Tall Man
        
        Yeah I get that Frank but if staying a day or two it worked well.
        
        Never tried it as a transit stop.
        
        6 1
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        October 24, 2019 10:21am
- Rich Prick
  
  Air New Zealand has two problems with the route. LAX and their pricing. I can usually get away with paying $1k or $2k BC return over other airlines, but not $4k, “traveller preference” only goes so far in our booking system.
  
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  October 24, 2019 9:40am
- srylands
  
  I use Air NZ where I can for the status points, but that has its limits. If I wanted to fly Christchurch to London it would be SIA on the A350 direct to Singapore and then on to London. By comparison, flying Air New Zealand via AKL and LAX would be crazy.
  
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  October 24, 2019 10:46am
- Michael
  
  yeah where is Mr Luxon when you need him to front up about ANZ regional shut downs and bonuses to executives….
  
  Not someone I want to vote for, nor his party…..
  
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  October 24, 2019 6:19pm
  - Tall Man
    
    ardern is just so much better eh?
    
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    October 24, 2019 8:38pm
    - Michael
      
      Tall man
      stupid comment
      slow/small thinking from you.
      
      No ANZ is shite to the regions whilst making profits and paying big bonuses.
      Whats galling is they ANZ has protection as the “State Carrier” but still stiffs the regions.
      
      arseholes. shouldn’t be protected if they don’t keep the regions going.
      
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      October 24, 2019 10:58pm
Critical Thinker

“We THANK President Trump for his tireless efforts that stopped the brutal Turkish attack and jihadist groups on our people. “ ~ Leader of the Kurds
https://twitter.com/mustefabali/status/1187033970850123779

The Turkish incursion has ended. All parties have agreed on a permanent ceasefire. Turkey is still a NATO ally. The Kurds are still on friendly terms with the US. The SDF has agreed to continue securing the ISIS prisoners. ISIS are decimated. And the ISIS caliphate is no more.

This is unarguably a MASSIVE foreign policy win for President Trump and the US ?
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October 24, 2019 9:01am
- stephieboy
  
  “This is unarguably a MASSIVE foreign policy win for President Trump and the US”
  ???
  
  Whilst US troops twiddle their thumbs in Saudi
  
  BTW, what on earth made you chose your alias?
  
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  October 24, 2019 10:03am
  - Critical Thinker
    
    I’m confident that the US troops would much prefer to be twiddling their thumbs in Saudi Arabia, compared to being bogged down in the middle of an endless war between the NATO ally Turks, YPG communist terrorist militia, Russians, Syrians, Iranians and Jihadis.
    
    My profession entails a good amount of critical thinking. And I like to think of myself as someone that takes a critical eye to most things. Especially when it comes to the fake news media. That is absolutely endemic these days. In which most were salivating at the prospect of a massive war in Syria, and the scandal that would bring to the Trump administration if he had fallen into that demented TDS trap, that they were trying their very best to push the US into ?
    
    It really has shocked me to my core the lengths that the people inflicted with TDS will go to, in order to cure themselves of their sad condition. Which is worryingly only going to get worse when he is very most likely to be elected for his second term next year ?
    
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    October 24, 2019 12:53pm
    - stephieboy
      
      “Especially when it comes to the fake news media. ..”
      
      You must be thinking of Breibart and Pizzagate etc ,surely?
      
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      October 24, 2019 7:08pm
  - The King
    
    Aww poor Stephie didn’t get his genocide so he could orange man bad everyday.
    
    Tragedy.
    
    10 2
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    October 24, 2019 1:52pm
- alloytoo
  
  Nominate that man for a Nobel peace prize.
  
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  October 24, 2019 11:31am
the deity formerly known as nigel6888

…on the other hand, if by promotion in the UK we get more Pikey mini-crime waves, maybe we are better off without them?
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October 24, 2019 9:04am
- Tall Man
  
  Exactly, we’re breeding enough of our own here.
  
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  October 24, 2019 10:22am
Bobba Fret

So what will happen to the driver of the car? Will he get jail time for manslaughter?
I guess police will be blamed for chasing.
Consequences for the innocent victims friends and family last forever.
Consequences for the driver of the car……meh? He’ll get on with his life.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/116825060/passenger-in-fatal-pursuit-crash-speaks-from-hospital-we-all-nearly-died
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October 24, 2019 9:07am
- Tall Man
  
  Scum.
  
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  October 24, 2019 10:23am
- Andrei
  
  Of course it is the fault of the police – its damned if they do and damned if they don’t
  
  A girl I knew was killed by a drunk driver who failed to stop for the police who had pulled back from the chase
  
  Monday morning quarter backing the police after these events will only lead to the police being timerous in dealing with the seriously anti social drivers on our roads and wont solve the problem – just make it worse!
  
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  October 24, 2019 10:36am
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    Why not just impose a buyback of all cars more powerful than a Trabant and criminalize all existing drivers? That’s the NZ Police’s and Parliament’s proven strategy to deal with the aftermath of a fatal incident…
    
    / sarc (tagged, just in case St Jacinda & Hera Cook & Tim’rous Cahill think it could be An Actual Plan).
    
    10 1
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    October 24, 2019 11:22am
  - Sacha
    
    An acquaintance thinks that the Police should give the fleeing driver a minute to stop after the sirens start, and if there is no response, the chase should be on. And damn the consequences.
    
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    October 24, 2019 2:06pm
- Surely Knott
  
  5 Teenagers out joyriding in a car at 4 in the morning on a Tuesday. What will be the consequences for the driver and the drivers parents! Hard to imagine it’s the first time. Hard to imagine that they have been showing up regularly for school and work if that’s what they’re doing in the early hours of the morning.
  
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  October 24, 2019 11:38am
niggly

Well done to Gyon Espiner (and Kate Newton) for their well researched, balanced and factual story this morning – “Land Information Minister and Green MP Eugenie Sage has given a foreign-owned forestry company a free pass to buy thousands of hectares of New Zealand land without applying to the Overseas Investment Office (OIO)”.

It turns out Eugenie Sage (and Labour’s David Clark) have given personal approval for an overseas company to bypass the OIO to purchase productive farmland for forestry in order to seek “foreign forestry money to help meet its tree planting targets” (and no doubt as part of its anti-farming crusade).

Of course, with Greens (and Labour) involved, there is the issue of hypocrisy and double-standards, as of course the Greens’ default position is to be anti-foreign investment and land ownership. There is also the issue of secrecy, the Govt has kept this quiet.

Good to hear National’s Paul Goldsmith calling for Eugiene Sage’s resignation due to her ideological meddling but National needs to do more to bring this to wider attention.

Also good to hear a rural lobby group (50 Shades of Green) is being formed to counter the Govt’s “rush” to convert farmland to forests, causing the loss of jobs and “destroying” rural economies and communities.

So where does this leave the so-called champions of the regions, NZ First? They are enabling this Green/Labour dismantling of rural NZ as we know it. NZ First need to decide if they are really on the side of regional NZ or just paying them lip service in order to gain votes (and survive).

Finally looking to the future I would suggest the Greens (and Labour) need to be careful of unintended consequences, for if it is ok for the Greens/Labour to do this to productive farmland, why then shouldn’t a future National Govt, say for example, open up conservation areas for mining? (National now have the perfect excuse – we need the minerals for eg EV batteries, that of course EV’s, the Greens/Labour supposedly support etc)!

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/401655/govt-gives-japanese-owned-forestry-company-pan-pac-forest-products-free-pass-to-buy-nz-land

Audio: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018719109/foreign-owned-forestry-company-gets-free-pass-to-buy-nz-land
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October 24, 2019 9:24am
- Ruawai
  
  What happens in 20-30 years when these pine forests are harvested? They are cut down, transported and turned into paper and other wood products, in other words produce carbon so are not really carbon negative or carbon neutral but carbon stores for producing carbon at a later date.
  
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  October 24, 2019 10:58am
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    As long as Shane got to buy votes and wreak utu literally none of the present ‘elite’ still living then will know or care.
    
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    October 24, 2019 3:04pm
Tall Man

On Magic….

https://www.magic.co.nz/home/news/2019/10/gay-conversion-therapy-is-ultimately-harmful—auckland-pride-di.html

Drugs, alcohol, speed can all be harmful. There are some that think watching/listening to ardern too much is harmful.

I think we still live in a world where “free choice” exists for most things that aren’t illegal and maybe tacit approval for some that aren’t. Don’t we?

Now I have no knowledge of this type of therapy but if it is being performed at the request of the participant then the rainbows should butt out.

Peter Plumley Walker springs to mind about freedom of choice but I’ll bet he didn’t choose the “Huka” option.
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October 24, 2019 9:54am
- Engelbert Humperdink
  
  Huka… watersports? Lost in translation?
  
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  October 24, 2019 3:04pm
  - Tall Man
    
    These may help.
    
    https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/plumley-walker-039-s-accidental-death
    
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/76969412/flashback-the-umpire-the-dominatrix-the-falls-and-the-ill-timed-visit
    
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    October 24, 2019 8:35pm
ISeeRed

Oh my God! Why did no one tell me it was International Pronouns Day on October 21?!

https://pronounsday.org/

PS “Oh my God” is now my pronoun. Calling me anything else is an official hate crime.
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October 24, 2019 9:58am
Happychappy

Does this do a lot for a Government that can’t even obey the law when they are the Minister of Police, or does Stuart Nash think he is entitled.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/10/police-minister-stuart-nash-caught-driving-around-on-expired-rego.html
Fuck this is a Government that blames the previous Government for most of there problem including Transport and their Senior MP’s think it is right for them to break the law.
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October 24, 2019 10:26am
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  Sense of perspective please. Who hasn’t? With end-to-end licensing, it doesn’t matter anyway.
  
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  October 24, 2019 11:27am
- MCos
  
  Shock Horror
  
  1 2
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  October 24, 2019 11:37am
Captain Mainwaring

Is there no limit to the ineptitude of the arrogant CoL?

http://www.nzautocar.co.nz/autocar-news-app/police-minister-caught-driving-with-expired-registration

Do as I say, not as I do.
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October 24, 2019 10:26am
- mikenmildagain
  
  I saw Andrew Little walking across Lambton Quay yesterday, without using the pedestrian crossing. Is there no limit to their reckless lawlessness?
  
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  October 24, 2019 10:34am
  - DigNap15
    
    You had a great chance to rid us of him!
    You would have got a light sentence, you could have claimed many excuses.
    
    7 4
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    October 24, 2019 11:12am
    - Tall Man
      
      Ummm… not excuses…. Reasons 🙂
      
      3 2
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      October 24, 2019 1:39pm
  - kevn
    
    @mmmild… You are just making that up, little would be in a Govt limo to go anywhere.
    He might have to engage with plebs if he walked… “Pike River” questions and other misc. Plenty of subject matter to choose from.
    
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    October 24, 2019 11:19am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      I am shocked, shocked that anyone would accuse someone of making up stories on Kiwiblog.
      
      7 12
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      October 24, 2019 11:51am
    - Tall Man
      
      Probably more concerned about getting a thick ear a la shaw…………
      
      1 2
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      October 24, 2019 1:38pm
  - rightoverlabour
    
    Is there no limit to your reckless posting of inane drivel? It’s a mental health issue.
    
    7 3
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    October 24, 2019 11:34am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      You say inane drivel as though that’s a bad, or unusual, thing in blog comments.
      
      5 10
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      October 24, 2019 12:56pm
- Tall Man
  
  Definitely not a good look. I’m sure it will someone else’s fault and I would have pity for any cop that tried to ticket him.
  
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  October 24, 2019 1:41pm
Frankie Lee

General question. Is there anything more irritating than a stickler for procedure? Dosen’t matter the circumstances, or how little it matters to anyone, they’ll always dig in over the most trivial of matters.
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October 24, 2019 10:42am
- Tall Man
  
  Did you use “spellcheck”? 😉
  
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  October 24, 2019 1:37pm
Rodney Randall

TRUMP 2020

One can only imagine NZ having a leader such as Trump.

Instead we have shivers looking for spines to run up.
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October 24, 2019 10:57am
Maggie Pie

My partner got quite upset because I’d put Ginger in the curry.
He really loved that cat.
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October 24, 2019 11:02am
- chaos
  
  Oh thank god it was a cat, I thought it was Prince Harry
  
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  October 24, 2019 12:03pm
- Tall Man
  
  Next time…. shave the bloody thing Maggie.
  
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  October 24, 2019 1:36pm
- Komata
  
  Maggie Pie@1102
  
  He’s not a fan of Korean food then?
  
  (Just asking).
  
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  October 24, 2019 1:49pm
  - david
    
    Nah, thats dogs in Korea
    
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    October 24, 2019 2:39pm
DigNap15

Put all the homeless, and those in State houses in caravan parks.
That is where they belong.
They made their choices, on education, partners, and children etc.
Let them be an example.
Too many big families that we are all paying for.
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October 24, 2019 11:11am
kevn

@Rod… I gather Trump doesn’t draw his POTUS salary. Key donated his PM salary to charity.
It’s about the role not the pay.
Can you imagine ‘anyone’ in this CoL doing the same, anyone at all.?
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October 24, 2019 11:15am
- MCos
  
  What about you, Kev, do you donate your salary to charity?
  
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  October 24, 2019 11:44am
  - Tall Man
    
    Irrelevant and you know it.
    
    10 2
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    October 24, 2019 1:32pm
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    Huge chunks of my salary are taken off me to pay for the feckless, the useless, the lazy and the feral. So yes, I do give to charity.
    
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    October 24, 2019 3:07pm
- chaos
  
  Bylaw the president has to accept a wage, he accepts $us1 a year
  
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  October 24, 2019 1:00pm
Jack5

Policeman fires 21 shots at man trying to drive over him – and misses!

From the Hooerald:

The officer fired multiple shots, intending to incapacitate the driver.

No one was injured during the incident.

We need sports shooting clubs, and a culture that isn’t in near-hysteria about firearms. From Victorian times, Anglo-style governments encouraged sports shooting as a defence measure. That was in the days when the bolt-action rifle was still important in national defence.

With our police edging towards universally carrying pistols (as they probably did in colonial New Zealand), we need to make pistol marksmanship commonplace for the labour pool from which the police draw.

Because it takes so many hours, the present police should be encouraged to join firearms clubs, where they can practise in their own time for enjoyment. The State should subsidise their ammunition, and pistol costs.

It’s dangerous for bystanders to give a pistol to someone not thoroughly trained in its use, and likely ignorant of how much practice is needed to be even a moderate marksman/markswoman/marksLGBTQ+. (Fuck it, they’re forcing us to say “marksperson.”)

In the meantime if a policeman fires a pistol, lie flat. There could be a hailstorm of misses and ricochets.

Twenty-one shots! I bet he wished there was a high-round magazine feasible for police. When I Googled for high-capacity Glock magazines (which I bet the policeman wished he had) and clicked on a suggestion, upon my screen came the sign, “Forbidden”!

Who is the censor?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12279299
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October 24, 2019 11:17am
- atomic drop
  
  “labour pool from which the police draw”
  
  What white guy would want to do the job any more? Legal system is now infiltrated with females and antiwhites – activist judges handing out sentence discounts to their fellow tribes people “because colonisation”, Golly Gee Wizz gets her druggie hood rat brown bruthas off the hook with spurious racism accusations.
  
  The law system is getting more and more feminised and brown.
  
  This is how your females reward you white boys for granting them “equality”.
  
  3rd World status here we go!
  
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  October 24, 2019 11:53am
  - stephieboy
    
    atomic drop, rest easy these mid 2018 Police college graduates indicate plenyt of palefaces among them,
    
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/105409016/the-right-stuff-23000-applied-to-be-cops-over-past-four-years-just-1500-made-the-cut
    
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    October 24, 2019 7:54pm
- cmm
  
  Effective firearms use, particularly pistols, requires continuous and ongoing training. 200 rounds a month minimum for police-level pistol competence.
  
  Even then, hitting moving targets in a high stress situation with a pistol is incredibly difficult.
  
  One of those challenges is that most humans are very reluctant to actually shoot at other humans. The use of “non-human” targets for training makes this worse.
  
  In South Africa in the 1980s a cop shot 2 mags of 9mm at a person running towards him with a machete. Approx thirty rounds fired from 20 metres to zero metres and the bloke with the machete was only stopped by another cop shooting him.
  
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  October 24, 2019 12:03pm
  - rockape
    
    Thats why I used to carry a 10mm browning on my hip. Ammo “supertallon” it would sit a crim on his arse 10 meters back from where he was shot.
    
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    October 24, 2019 3:09pm
    - cmm
      
      That cop actually missed with all but two shots right near the end. The main thing is to get rounds into the target. a miss with a 10mm is no better than a miss with a 9mm.
      
      As for Rambo Rounds that knock people flying backwards through swing-doors at the saloon, well, bullshit. Not even a 12ga slug will do that.
      
      A 10mm has less than 800 ft pounds of energy. Sure that is twice what a 9mm has, but it is not going to throw anyone backwards unless you also have a good special effects squad and a green room handy.
      
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      October 24, 2019 5:14pm
- mark15
  
  That means he reloaded at least once (17+1) and still missed.
  
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  October 24, 2019 12:10pm
Maggie Pie

ZB are reporting “…hundreds of vehicles parked in the basement of the Sky City Convection Centre are parked in water up to their windows!”

Sounds like Car Grooming companies will have a field day.
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October 24, 2019 11:42am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Sounds like dodgy insurance companies and used car dealers will also have a field day.
  Buyer beware !!!!!!!!
  
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  October 24, 2019 12:34pm
- chaos
  
  Didn’t know NZ had that many amphibious vehicles
  
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  October 24, 2019 12:58pm
  - Tall Man
    
    They do now.
    
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    October 24, 2019 1:29pm
- Fletch
  
  https://www.facebook.com/heatherdriveZB/photos/a.676427959497659/737733396700448/?type=3&theater&ifg=1
  
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  October 24, 2019 2:46pm
Jack5

Cricket fans! In case you missed this link posted by Swifty late on Tuesday – it’s to Kane Williamson speaking at the Oxford Union.

The Indian students are in awe of him.

Very interesting, even to a non-cricket fan such as me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPN3E_1Nqto
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October 24, 2019 11:54am
- Swifty
  
  I thought he spoke well.
  
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  October 24, 2019 3:20pm
atomic drop

NZ Herald says Aotearoa is a homeland for Islamic terrorists. In fact ALL former white countries are now homelands for Islamic terrorists.

Yep, thanks to Globalism your country is now an Islamic terrorist homeland ( plus you may have noticed the sneaky name change – its Aotearoa now.

And even better the NZ Herald informs us these “new Kiwis” (#TheyAreUs )after decapitating victims ( often Christians ) with a knife nice and slow like , can stroll back through Auckland international airport with an eat sh@t smile on their bearded faces.

And all our degenerate pollies do is bicker over how long they should be required to report to their local police station.
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October 24, 2019 12:04pm
Captain Mainwaring

Apparently nearly twice as many Justin Lester voters as Andy Foster voters cocked up their voting papers, thereby costing Jester the mayoralty.
Seems fair, not surprising that lefties are too stupid to understand voting instructions.
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October 24, 2019 12:32pm
Jack5

Some of the lawyers who lurk at Kiwiblog might enlighten us: do former judges retain the use of “Judge” (instead of Mr)? If so, is this some sort of common usage, or under which protocol?

On the Red Radio site that Becroft, the Children’s Commissioner, is described as Judge Becroft.

Becroft is a former district court judge, and then was principal youth court judge.

The latest mention is about his views on police chases of young folk (how the police will tell the age of those in a pursued vehicle he doesn’t explain).

Honorifics as a whole are under pressure with the heat on Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms is being extended to “Mx” meaning anything. In newspapers typically it’s surname only after first mention, but the wording often avoids having to use a bare surname for a female.

But I’m interested whether judges and politicians expect to be exempt from the PC tide against honorifics.

Becroft on police pursuits:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/401675/police-chases-avoid-pursuing-fleeing-youths-says-judge-becroft
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October 24, 2019 12:41pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  My partner was saying Leighton Smoth used to be a yuge fanboi of Becroft once. Although not any more apparantly from the tone of his podcasts.
  
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  October 24, 2019 1:07pm
- Tall Man
  
  Who cares what he’s called, he’s still a twat.
  
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  October 24, 2019 1:27pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Some Judges do keep that appellation. Judge Becroft is an honest thinker. He may be misrepresented by journalists who miss his inherent judicial character of seeing the multi-facets of his awareness colouring his opinions. He has a broad and fair view.
  
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  October 24, 2019 3:53pm
- Engelbert Humperdink
  
  Eff most of the judges. They re-expose us to serious threats so they can get good feelz about themselves. Eff ’em. Eff ’em all.
  
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  October 24, 2019 4:42pm
chaos

Sad, but most people expected the fear monger it would lead to this and suicides.

* A growing number of people in the United States, Australia, Canada and Britain are seeking out climate anxiety support groups as they come to terms with ominous scientific reports of global warming, according to support group leaders.*

https://play.stuff.co.nz/details/_6097040735001
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October 24, 2019 1:09pm
kevn

@Jack… Little boyracers all P’d up and fresh off Playstation don’t need police chasing them, to drive dangerously.
See it all the time in Rotorua. Carload of clowns in an old Falcon last night in town, must have been doing 100+kmph in a 50k area. Not a cop in sight.
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October 24, 2019 1:16pm
- The King
  
  Peak boomer hours.
  
  >all kids do is playstation, go outside and play
  
  >why are they off their playstations hooning on my street like we use to in the 70’s
  
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  October 24, 2019 2:54pm
- Tall Man
  
  And people think cops are silly………..
  
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  October 24, 2019 3:02pm
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    Yes, of course lowering all the speed limits will sort these guys out.
    
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    October 24, 2019 3:25pm
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  They don’t need to be young. Just had to get out of the way of a beaten-up Legacy on the Western Hutt Road who was right on my rear bunper at 100km/h. He then did the same to the next car he caught up to. then weaved between lanes before diving off left at a slip road to avoid a red light. Then came back on at high speed at the other end of the slip road and immediately crossed two lanes to get the right turn lane at the next lights.
  The stoved-in doors indicated that he was no stranger to this sort of driving. The prick looked about 40.
  Again, no cops anywhere.
  
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  October 24, 2019 3:23pm
alloytoo

another silly index, this one for quality of life.

https://www.numbeo.com/quality-of-life/rankings_by_country.jsp?title=2017

NZ has slipped from 4th to 9th under this government.
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October 24, 2019 2:13pm
Fletch

Acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor, who provided key testimony to the Democrats’ controversial impeachment inquiry yesterday, has evidenced a close relationship with the Atlantic Council think tank, even writing Ukraine policy pieces with the organization’s director and analysis articles published by the Council.

The Atlantic Council is funded by and works in partnership with Burisma, the natural gas company at the center of allegations regarding Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/10/23/who-william-taylor-impeachment-star-witness-longtime-relationship-burisma-backed-think-tank/

‘Nuff said… ?
You want to talk collusion? This has to be a good example.

And it turns out Taylor’s testimony is fourth hand hearsay …

https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2019/10/23/republicans-say-smoking-gun-impeachment-testimony-is-actually-fourth-hand-hearsay/
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October 24, 2019 2:37pm
- Batman
  
  Breitbart? The less-credible-than-the-failing-NYT Breitbart?
  
  Pull the other one. Zero journalism contained within that.
  
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  October 24, 2019 3:13pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    The guys reading Breitbart, RawStory, the Washington Times, ZeroHedge, etc, etc are also the ones that think the Washington Post, New York Times, etc are ‘fake news’.
    
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    October 24, 2019 3:28pm
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    Get back to the Batcave, buckwheat. The fungi on the wall wanna converse with you, again.
    
    7 2
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    October 24, 2019 4:43pm
    - Batman
      
      Very droll. Ad homs always win the debate…
      
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      October 24, 2019 5:20pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        He’s probably getting frustrated with your stupidity.
        I mean ok, you’re mainly trolling here but you have shown a consistent trend of being wrong and dumbly, you continue.
        Hmmm
        Burisma $ to Atlantic Council $ to Taylor.
        Nah, nothing to see here.
        Lol
        
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        October 24, 2019 6:07pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        What is it with Trumpistas and all the psychological projection?
        
        3 4
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        October 24, 2019 6:16pm
      - Tall Man
        
        I thought it wasn’t too bad.
        
        At least he didn’t you a fucking arsehole or……… a steffy 😉
        
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        October 24, 2019 8:26pm
      - Michael
        
        oh batman
        hahaha
        kettle pot black
        
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        October 24, 2019 11:08pm
  - Fletch
    
    Batman, tell me what you think is not factual then. Do you believe that Taylor did not work for Atlantic Council? You Google it and tell me I’m wrong. Oh, and read the whole link at Breitbart – you might learn something from looking at real journalism.
    
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    October 24, 2019 5:09pm
    - Batman
      
      An expert of Ukraine writing articles about Ukraine which has connections to Ukraine is not exactly some great discrediting story.
      
      If that level of purity is the bar then half of Congress should be ignored for various conflicts or expertise in various areas.
      
      I don’t see any proof of funding that would impact Taylor’s credibility. Even if you desperately want to discredit him to protect your orange man.
      
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      October 24, 2019 5:15pm
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    left wing media dying all over the place, mainstream unable to follow the popular shift right due to O’Sullivans Law (organisations steadily move leftwards over time because left wingers are intolerant of other views and won’t hire right wingers), so they are being supplanted by newer right wing players like Breitbart.
    
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    October 24, 2019 8:52pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  When secret hearings are held are published reports of “evidence” reliable? Is that journalism or click baiting?
  
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  October 24, 2019 3:42pm
chaos

I cannot stand it when politicians use a child as a political stunt, especially when they stand up in the debating chamber to ask a question holding their baby.
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October 24, 2019 2:42pm
chaos

Interesting article

* Justin Trudeau’s minority Liberal government victory has watered the seeds of major unity troubles in Canada’s East and West.

And the looming challenges may prove difficult for Trudeau to contain.

Westerners may be willing to put their money where their heart is.

Multiple conservative sources in Alberta have told the Star that there are new efforts to organize the separatist sentiments taking root in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

“I don’t know how much money or how organized they are but we certainly hear from them a lot. It’s real,” said one source.

“We’ve heard from very wealthy people, billionaires or just shy of that, who are talking openly about that or at least (funding) conferences or meetings to set the conversation.”

Another Alberta source independently told the Star the same thing, that there are “people with money” who are openly discussing if it is time to start a real movement.*

https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2019/10/22/across-canada-challenges-await-justin-trudeau.html
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October 24, 2019 3:08pm
- stephieboy
  
  chaos, just conservative sour grapes.
  
  This is the relevant one from your link,
  
  “Knives out for Scheer after disappointing election night”
  
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  October 24, 2019 5:45pm
  - chaos
    
    I really couldn’t give a toss what you think, if you reply to anything I post kindly don’t direct it at me.
    
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    October 24, 2019 6:25pm
    - Tall Man
      
      Don’t engage with her, it feeds her weird ego.
      
      5 1
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      October 24, 2019 7:19pm
      - chaos
        
        Yeah I know. I usually ignore her.
        
        1 0
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        October 24, 2019 9:14pm
Maggie Pie

BREAKING 😛

Waiariki MP Tamati Coffee entertains House with Ventriloquist act…

https://vimeo.com/368425536
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October 24, 2019 3:12pm
- stigie
  
  Call me old fashion but it’s a fucking work place for christ sake.
  This is virtue signaling of the highest order from a snowflake content with wasteful expenditure of taxpayer money !~
  
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  October 24, 2019 5:14pm
  - chaos
    
    And when listening to questions and answering the baby was crying it’s head off.
    
    8 0
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    October 24, 2019 5:29pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Thank goodness he wasn’t breast feeding 😛
    
    8 0
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    October 24, 2019 5:30pm
    - sooty
      
      Look at me! Look at me!
      I’m a woke wee jeesie!
      
      6 0
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      October 24, 2019 7:21pm
    - Tall Man
      
      In his mind he was…………….
      
      4 1
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      October 24, 2019 8:07pm
cmm

Russia are extending their influence in Africa and are currently holding a junket for African leaders.

Today two Blackjack bombers landed in South Africa after a non-stop flight from Russia. Amazing plane: over 14,000 km range (Russia to SA is less than 10,000km). Each bomber can carry, and launch, a dozen cruise missiles each of which itself has a range of a few thousand km.

By flying to South Africa they showed the whole of Africa that they can be “visited” and are a new colonial force.
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October 24, 2019 3:58pm
chaos

Does this prime minister ever have anything she claims happen

* In October last year Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was prepped to tell Auckland Mayor Phil Goff that Auckland’s light rail could be “construction ready” by September 2020, Stuff can reveal.*

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/116876284/jacinda-ardern-told-auckland-mayor-light-rail-could-be-construction-ready-by-2020
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October 24, 2019 4:36pm
- sooty
  
  She said that last year!
  That’ll come back to bite her on the arse!
  Will the twit put his job on it?
  
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  October 24, 2019 7:19pm
- cmm
  
  Which would be more stupid:
  A) PriNZess if she said that?
  B) Goof if he believed her?
  
  Morons, the lot of them.
  
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  October 24, 2019 7:53pm
Maggie Pie

My partner just Ubered home after a long lunch at the viaduct. He was saying one of the guys [a QS] was telling them the SCCC is stuffed and will ned to be rebuilt from scratgh. Along with everything visible to the casual observer, the plumbing and electrics are totally f~~ked. 🙁
12 0
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October 24, 2019 5:28pm
- nasska
  
  I wonder what they’ll use for roof insulation this time.
  
  10 0
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  October 24, 2019 6:23pm
  - cmm
    
    From the story of the three troughing piggies there’s still sticks and then bricks to be tried.
    
    8 0
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    October 24, 2019 7:56pm
- chaos
  
  Weird, I heard the same about Auckland, it’s f—led and needs to be rebuilt or abandoned
  
  8 1
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  October 24, 2019 6:23pm
  - nasska
    
    It contributes nothing to NZ. Plug the Puhoi Tunnels & dig a fortified trench across the Bombay Hills.
    
    They wouldn’t notice until they ran out of special milk for their lattes. 🙂
    
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    October 24, 2019 6:36pm
    - rangitoto
      
      I heard a rumour that there was something South of the Bombay Hills but it’s just a myth.
      
      6 0
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      October 24, 2019 7:46pm
    - Tall Man
      
      I see a future smuggling avocado…………….
      
      5 1
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      October 24, 2019 8:11pm
RW Capitalist

Apparently they need to get rid of the water from the sky tower car park.
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Trailer-type-RO-water-purification-treatment_60395158927.html?spm=a2700.7724857.normalList.2.37da70daDJFb89&s=p
Maybe the military already have one?
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October 24, 2019 6:40pm
stephieboy

Now back to issues that have some substance rather than the proceeding brain rot ,

The phone call that could get Trump impeached

Trump’s call with Ukraine, explained.

“..This phone call started as a routine conversation between world leaders. Trump was calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose party had just won the parliamentary election. But things took a turn when Trump asked Zelensky for a few favors. Most notably, he wanted Zelensky to dig up dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden, who is the leading candidate to challenge Trump in the 2020 election.

Simple enough.

But things get complicated when we dig into what Trump wants Zelensky to investigate — because it has to do with a conspiracy theory Trump has peddled.

The theory is that, when Biden was vice president, he pushed to get Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin fired. This much is true, and Biden says as much; Shokin did not crack down on rampant corruption in Ukraine, and US leaders — including the Obama administration, top Democrats, and several Republican senators — wanted Shokin fired. But Trump has a theory that Biden pushed for Shokin to be fired because Shokin was investigating a company called Burisma — a company Biden’s son, Hunter, worked for.

The very short version of this is: Ukraine’s top prosecutor was fired for not investigating corruption, but Trump is pushing a theory that he was fired for … investigating corruption.

Once we get through all the confusion Trump has introduced, we get back to the simple thing Trump did wrong: He asked a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent….”

https://www.vox.com/videos/2019/10/7/20901251/trump-ukraine-impeachment-phone-call-video
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October 24, 2019 7:17pm
Hugh Pavletich

NEW ZEALAND HOUSING: Healthy competition essential …

The crippling cost of bureaucracy … Dr Eric Crampton of The NZ Initative … Newsroom

https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/10/24/872556/the-crippling-cost-of-bureaucracy

Eric Crampton hopes that someday the Commerce Commission will use its market studies powers to investigate the anticompetitive effects of Government (and council) regulation on our land and housing markets, construction industry, professional services, and even the cost of pharmaceutical products. … read more via hyperlink above …
.
.
… Just reported by the United Kingdom The Telegraph …

Construction cartel fined £36m by competition watchdog … Simon Fox … UK Telegraph

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/10/23/construction-cartel-fined-36m-competition-watchdog/

Three construction firms have been fined more than £36m by the competition watchdog for price-fixing.

The Competition and Markets Authority said from July 2006 to March 2013, the three firms – Northern Ireland-based FP McCann, Derbyshire-based Stanton Bonna Concrete and Somerset-based CPM Group – agreed to fix or coordinate their prices, shared the market by allocating customers and regularly exchanged competitively sensitive information. … (behind paywall) … read more via hyperlink above …
.
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… New Zealand Local Governments recent encouraging public comments …

Property owners and developers want more councils to be directed by Government under new planning rules … Marta Steeman … Stuff NZ

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/116615782/property-owners-and-developers-want-more-councils-to-be-directed-by-government-under-new-planning-rules

… concluding …

… (Local Government New Zealand says …) … The real obstacles to development were a restrictive planning regime, too much risk on councils regarding building and the inability to open up land for development because of poor infrastructure funding and financing tools. Note Pavletich / Paulson comment at bottom of comments thread)
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October 24, 2019 7:24pm
rightoverlabour

WTF???

Instead of putting in bus lanes and fucking pedestrian crossings maybe some money could be used to ensure we have a 1st world Fire Department.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12278946

It’s premium but if you right click and select ” view page source” you can read the whole article. If you have access to dream wevaer you can use that. Else copy and paste the source HTML into YSB’s comments and it becomes instantly readable.
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October 24, 2019 8:00pm
Happychappy

Clare Robinson and The Speaker had words over the video saga today with Speaker Mallard using bulling tactics to get his way.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12279502
Like everything Labour and the Coalition do everything is everyone else is fault never them.
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October 24, 2019 8:10pm
- Batman
  
  The little wanker Mallard ?
  
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  October 24, 2019 8:11pm
  - sooty
    
    I hope the woke little jessie does not go to japan.
    He should stay and do his jo badly as normal!
    
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    October 24, 2019 8:38pm
  - chaos
    
    I didn’t want to know his member is little and what he was doing, tmi.
    
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    October 24, 2019 9:06pm
rightoverlabour

I see our Stoneage cuzzies cross the ditch are getting worked up about nothing.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50064572

It’s a fucking mountain. Get over it. Mountains are there to be climbed.
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October 24, 2019 9:15pm

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