General Debate 29 January 2020

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Captain Mainwaring

TV3/Reid Research are polling. They called me last night (first time ever).
I think you know what I told them.
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January 29, 2020 8:03am
- RalphT
  
  How much you love Jacinda and what a great job you think she’s doing? Or was it something else?
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:09am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Polling at end of no-news summer holidays tends to favor govts.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:14am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    If it gives the CoL false confidence then I don’t mind.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:09am
    - sooty
      
      She was losing to National on the radio poll!
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:21am
      - Gazza the Giant
        
        How badly ?
        
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        January 29, 2020 2:59pm
- MCos
  
  There’s a war on, you stupid boy!
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:17am
- RW Capitalist
  
  vote now
  https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2020/01/poll-who-would-you-prefer-to-be-prime-minister-after-the-election.html
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:18am
  - Ruahine
    
    Bridges is leading at the moment, 8.30 am. I guess the bludgers are still in bed.
    
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    January 29, 2020 8:32am
    - MCos
      
      No, I was out of bed by then.
      
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      January 29, 2020 8:48am
      - Tall Man
        
        Yeah but are you awake?
        
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        January 29, 2020 9:07am
    - Tall Man
      
      My thoughts exactly.
      
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      January 29, 2020 8:49am
  - alex Masterley
    
    Thank you. I have voted. Simon still leads.
    
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    January 29, 2020 8:54am
    - hullkiwi
      
      Simon still leading at 9.20am. Even on TV3, you have to ask, where is Jacinda’s fan club? Still in bed or is it another myth Tova?
      
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      January 29, 2020 9:20am
      - GT Build
        
        Simon still in front at 10.20am
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:25am
      - toby1845
        
        Maybe Tova was still in bed….or interviewing a source……or something.
        
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        January 29, 2020 3:28pm
    - Aliog
      
      Ditto
      
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      January 29, 2020 9:35am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      10:19 Simon by 17%+
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:20am
      - Ruahine
        
        Poll has been taken offline. Obviously the wrong result.
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:45am
      - Aliog
        
        Poll is still there – I just voted again on another device to make sure 🙂
        
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        January 29, 2020 11:42am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        Ruahine
        https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2020/01/poll-who-would-you-prefer-to-be-prime-minister-after-the-election.html
        
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        January 29, 2020 3:22pm
    - Paulus Gnome
      
      10.00 pm in Adelaide and it is 52 to 48, not to her toothiness . . .
      
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      January 29, 2020 11:31pm
  - John Warren
    
    Simon might get more traction if he categorically ruled out working with NZ First and the old weasel that controls it. Equivocating and saying “wait and see” is disturbing me.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:26am
    - Ross Jones
      
      Reasons Bridges shouldn’t make a deal with NZ First.
      1) Winston Peters
      2) Shane Jones
      3) None of the NZF MPs have anything to contribute in a Cabinet post.
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:22am
      - Ruawai
        
        There is a high chance NZ first won’t even get 5% so won’t be an issue anyway.
        
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        January 29, 2020 11:45am
      - Max
        
        Winston only went with National just once in 22 years, and that was a failure. Don’t expect him to change now, another reason why Simon Bridges/Goodfellow should tighten up support with Act and NC, after all there is a vacancy for a North Shore ‘safe seat’ :-).
        
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        January 29, 2020 11:59am
    - sooty
      
      Too early in the election cycle to say that.
      Leave it till a month out and then dump it on him!
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:24am
    - Paulus
      
      No but “wait and see” will piss off Peters.
      There is a time to play your cards and now is not the time.
      
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      January 29, 2020 1:36pm
  - madamezucchininz
    
    Simon still leading at 10.24am
    
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    January 29, 2020 10:24am
    - Colville
      
      And still at 10.55
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:56am
      - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
        
        Still at 11:22 46% to 54%
        
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        January 29, 2020 11:22am
      - Billy Collins
        
        Still leading.
        11:38am
        
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        January 29, 2020 11:38am
- Hacked-Off
  
  Well done that Man,
  
  I got asked the other day on a Computer Poll I subscribe to the same thing and gave the same answer.
  
  National all the way.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:24am
- chaos
  
  Sorry wrong number?
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:45am
- barnacle bill
  
  Did you shove it up em, just like you did when you were in Dads Army, Captain ?
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:03am
  - krazykiwi
    
    Cold steel ….
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:17am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Aha!! So expecting the poll results this weekend or may be next Monday. My guess will be Cindy’s CoL will be back in lead again.
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:04am
Hugh Pavletich

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
GREATER CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND … THE DEAD CENTRE OF THE MOST AFFORDABLE AND FASTEST GROWING LARGER NZ CITY …

As Greater Christchurch (being the local authority areas of Christchurch, Waimakariri and Selwyn) is growing by about 10,000 people per year currently, and is the fastest growing larger city in New Zealand at 2% (Auckland 1.5%), and its most affordable, the ‘dead centre’ of Christchurch has a woeful base of just 6,000 residents, as TV One News at 6pm illustrated last night …

Calls for more affordable housing as council promotes central city Christchurch living (VIDEO) … TV One News

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/calls-more-affordable-housing-council-promotes-central-city-christchurch-living?auto=6127114633001

The former central area of Christchurch resident population base of 6,000 with the total Greater Christchurch area being about 500,000, represents just 1.2% of the resident population base of Greater Christchurch. Refer …

Estimated population up in all regions … 22 October 2019 … Statistics NZ

https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/estimated-population-up-in-all-regions

Auckland based Property Editor of The New Zealand Herald, Anne Gibson, explained the expanding affordability advantage of Greater Christchurch, at the time of the release of this years 16th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey ( http://www.demographia.com/ ) 20 January …
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January 29, 2020 8:04am
Hugh Pavletich

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
WHAT LESSONS ARE BEING LEARNED FROM GREATER CHRISTCHURCH ? …

New survey ranks NZ’s most and least affordable cities … Anne Gibson … NZ Herald

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12301144

Tired of the traffic hassles and back-to-work blues? Thought of moving to Christchurch to get a better life and lifestyle? That city turns out to be by far our most affordable when incomes are compared to house prices.

Down south, the house prices are low but the incomes are high and out of eight areas just surveyed throughout New Zealand, Christchurch house-buyers have by far the best deal financially. … read more via hyperlink above …

… WHEN CAN PEOPLE EXPECT TO GET A ‘FAIR GO’ ? …

Whakatane teacher feeling impact of housing unaffordability ‘threat to middle class’ … Susan Edmunds … Stuff New Zealand

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/118924598/whakatane-teacher-feeling-impact-of-housing-unaffordability-threat-to-middle-class
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January 29, 2020 8:07am
- Hugh Pavletich
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  The National governments former Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee, with the truly idiotic Blueprint, strangled land supply with the ‘frames’ to artificially jack up land prices, so the place was reserved for the elites …
  
  And too … shutting down the central area for 2 years. Households and businesses have no intention of returning … potentially being locked out again if the Alpine Fault fractures …
  
  Lawrence Arabia: Christchurch CBD lacks interesting businesses … Vicki Anderson … The Press
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/the-rebuild/119105276/lawrence-arabia-christchurch-cbd-lacks-interesting-businesses
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:18am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Turn the broken record over Hugh
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:30am
    - Colville
      
      That is one recording that needs to be chucked out of the car window into oncoming traffic.
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:57am
    - WaveyDavey
      
      No chance, he’s got some wildly inaccurate survey to pimp to the gullible media
      
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      January 29, 2020 11:25am
      - Hugh Pavletich
        
        Do check out the results of the IPSOS Issues polling …
        
        Ipsos NZ Issues Monitor November 2019
        
        https://www.ipsos.com/en-nz/ipsos-nz-issues-monitor-november-2019
        
        Housing affordability has consistently been the major public concern … by a country mile.
        
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        January 29, 2020 12:28pm
Yvette

Parliament’s Speaker Trevor Mallard is being taken to court for claiming a rapist worked on the parliamentary precinct last year.
Newshub understands defamation papers have been served, but everyone involved is remaining tight-lipped, including Mallard, his lawyer and the man’s lawyer.
All are refusing to comment or confirm anything. [1]

Is there not legislation relating to improper outside pressure on the proceedings of Parliament, which is what this may constitute, until it is defined with the detail of who is accused of doing what to whom.
Otherwise does not “a rapist worked on the parliamentary precinct” become “the Speaker of the House is an alleged but unspecified defamer”?

[1] https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/01/speaker-trevor-mallard-sued-for-defamation-over-claims-a-rapist-worked-at-parliament.html
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January 29, 2020 8:12am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Much as I want Mallard to go down in a ball of flames it’s a bit hard for someone who’s name is unknown to claim defamation.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:40am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    It will be known within Parliament – his workplace, as he was made to stand-down from work and Mallard stated that Parliament was now free of the rapist.
    
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    January 29, 2020 8:50am
    - JimBobJoe
      
      exactly Maggy – this was not some generalised discussion Trevor was commenting on a specific subject and person who was readily identifiable in Parliament and around the Wellington Beltway…
      
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      January 29, 2020 9:08am
    - igm
      
      Dead right, it was common knowledge amongst even the cleaners at Parliament, also the Backbencher, where there is more information than too be gained than the halls of the now fastly growing farcical joke and disgrace to democracy.
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:18am
  - Tall Man
    
    To be fair, all his colleagues and personal friends may have made the connection.
    
    I think Batman has a better handle on the situation.
    
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    January 29, 2020 8:51am
- Tony Stuart
  
  How can Mallard continue on in the role of Speaker now? He made a statement arising from an inquiry he had ordered, which resulted in a man loosing his job, without providing any evidence whatsoever to support his allegation.
  
  It’s going to be increasingly different to accord Mallard any of the respect the role of Speaker normally enjoys. There must now be serious questions over whether he enjoys the confidence of the House. He should stand aside until this defamation action is settled, and Anne Tolley should become the Acting Speaker.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:43am
  - igm
    
    Under Key, or even Clark, Mallard would be in the dole queue.
    
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    January 29, 2020 8:54am
- G152
  
  Mallard said it, papers reported it.
  WTF is ‘alleged’
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:37am
Maggy Wassilieff

Oh Grief…another 3 years of public broadcasters
posturing/jockeying for relevance:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/408355/new-details-revealed-as-cabinet-agrees-on-rnz-tvnz-public-broadcasting-decision
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January 29, 2020 8:13am
- Yvette
  
  Maggi – 3 years of public broadcasters posturing/jockeying for relevance
  
  … posturing/jockeying for relevance, starting now in an Election year
  
  Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has offered political support to Three following his scathing comments about the sale of MediaWorks’ TV arm.
  Appearing on Monday’s episode of The Project, the New Zealand First leader reiterated he is “seriously sorry” about his comments at the party’s annual convention in Christchurch on Saturday, which included a harsh “good riddance” to certain MediaWorks staff.
  https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/10/winston-peters-offers-political-support-to-mediaworks-tv.html
  
  Winston Peters is pledging support for NZME’s bid to purchase Stuff, under a “Kiwishare” arrangement that would protect Stuff’s editorial operations.
  Peters, the Deputy Prime Minister, also launched an attack on the current state of journalism in New Zealand, saying it’s “not trending well”.
  The New Zealand First leader confirmed in a press conference that he has been lobbied by NZME – the owner of the New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB – to further its chances
  https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/12/winston-peters-pledges-support-for-nzme-s-proposed-purchase-of-stuff.html
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:27am
  - Ruahine
    
    It is a slimey deal for slimey people.
    
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    January 29, 2020 8:58am
  - RoboRob
    
    There is your election threat to Media works.
    
    Give Winston bad publicity and his support is gone. Expect all media organisations to be very careful not to be over critical of Winston.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:43am
- Komata
  
  Maggie@0813
  
  The propaganda arm must ALWAYS be strengthened so that it can persuade the komrades (serfs / us) and the breathlessly-waiting world that the glorious New Zealand government has done glorious things for the glorious cause of socialism / communism.
  
  The continuously-playing radio in Patrick McGoohan’s ‘Prisoner’ DID come to mind…
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:31am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    and who is #1?
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:03am
    - Komata
      
      Maggie@0903
      
      ‘You are No. 6’…. etc. etc. etc.
      
      (You know the rest; it still applies IMHO, and is probably even more relevant today).
      
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      January 29, 2020 9:58am
  - curry4me
    
    They could call the new entity Pravda Aotearower. Or maybe NPC News Aotearower.
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:13pm
- niggly
  
  Journos needs to be careful for what they wish for – mergers usually means job loses!
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:36am
- tf78
  
  Maggy does that mean we will have to compulsorily listen to broadcasts by “Dear Leader” each morning.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:47am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    Owning the entity that preaches your message doesn’t sound very democratic to me.
    Must be a Labour thing.
    
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    January 29, 2020 8:54am
  - Komata
    
    tf78@0847
    
    We’re halfway there already.
    
    ‘Here are two announcements…’ (Some will know).
    
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    January 29, 2020 10:08am
woodburner

And like clockwork, the Ihumatao shambles sets a whole new ballgame for land claims. Would make me think twice about buying any land in Waikato or Taranaki….

https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/01/29/1005548/after-ihumtao-maori-party-calls-for-overhaul-of-treaty-process
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January 29, 2020 8:20am
- Prince
  
  I may have missed it while on holiday, but ‘After Ihumatao’ ? Has there been a resolution ? I have read about rumours, but no official announcement.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:32am
  - MCos
    
    You’re right up to date.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:15am
Maggie Pie

Too soon?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EPX1spHWoAAl6jM?format=jpg&name=900×900
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January 29, 2020 8:21am
- Simon
  
  Didnt know who he was until he died.
  
  Apparently BBC run a clip on him with the wrong basket ball player. A lot of Americans upset but not sure how well known outside of Merica he was.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:36am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Other people on that helicopter dies. Who were they? Crickets
    
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    January 29, 2020 8:46am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      died* ffs
      
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      January 29, 2020 8:46am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      But a helicopter crash in LA killing nine would hardly make world headlines had someone famous not be aboard.
      
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      January 29, 2020 8:53am
  - Billy Collins
    
    He’s like the Ronaldo of basketball, in terms of recognition.
    
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    January 29, 2020 11:48am
Nukuleka

The antics of Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe at The Australian Open are beyond childish. Navratilova and McEnroe symbolise the hypocrisy of all those who espouse ‘diversity’ of opinion and lifestyle and yet seek to shut down such ‘diversity’ whenever another person’s opinion doesn’t match their own. Their attack on Margaret Court is beneath contempt and demonstrates that both are vicious, sad individuals.

And, as long-time readers of Kiwiblog will know, I say this is a a gay man who, like Margaret Court, has voiced opposition to the concept of gay ‘marriage’. I guess Navratilova and McEnroe would call me a ‘homophobe’ as well!
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January 29, 2020 8:21am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  They feel strongly about Court’s hateful views, and their opinion is that the arena should be renamed after a hero, rather than such a divise figure.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:39am
  - Tall Man
    
    I resent your slur on Margaret Court.
    
    Her views are not “hateful”. They are her views and from my memory I have never seen her behave in a “Hateful” manner to anyone.
    
    She is a minister of a conservative religion and her views are similar to Nukuleka and they are both entitled to hold and express them.
    
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    January 29, 2020 8:56am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      Sure.
      Margaret Court on apartheid: “South Africans have this thing better organised than any other country, particularly America.”
      Margaret Court on Martina Navratilova: “a great player but I’d like someone at the top who the younger players can look up to. It’s very sad for children to be exposed to homosexuality.”
      
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      January 29, 2020 9:15am
      - Tall Man
        
        So she should be stopped in your mind? What about you and your comments. At the rate they are down ticked they are obviously not popular so should you be deplatformed?
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:15am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Where did I say she should be ‘stopped’?
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:43am
      - Tall Man
        
        mikey, sanctioning someone is a method of control as is threatening to do so. As far as I am concerned that us tantamount to “stopping” the source of the comments but I do concede that you may see it differently.
        
        I have no problem reading your crap and have not asked that you be deplatformed or even sanctioned. That does not seem to me to be the way many on the left feel. Not only do they want to “stop” her comments they want to use it as a way of erasing her from history or sight.
        
        I always thought the arena was named after a tennis superstar not a religious zealot, if you see my point.
        
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        January 29, 2020 4:39pm
  - JimBobJoe
    
    I find your views frequently hateful – should we stop you uttering them and then target you in the media… and if you are of any prominence (which I doubt), should we then target any standing you have in the community, remove any awards received or public recognition given for any of your outstanding deeds of a civic or sporting nature?
    
    Seriously you are such a dick now Mike and rarely contribute anything worthwhile – why do you bother, are you that bitter?
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:13am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      No one has stopped Margaret Court from venting her hate.
      
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      January 29, 2020 9:16am
      - G152
        
        A new idea for you.
        Freedom of speech.
        You dont have to agree with some-one elses opinion as they dont have to agree with you
        
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        January 29, 2020 9:40am
      - mandk
        
        What hate?
        You might disagree with Margaret Court but, given her views are sincerely held, she is expressing deep concern for others, i.e. love.
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:13am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        I’m sure she thinks she is expressing Christian love. People like Martina Navratilova, who Court thinks children should not be exposed to, won’t see that as ‘love’, will they?
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:42am
      - Bell-47
        
        Once again, being outraged on behalf of others. Unless you are a gay, black African, what on earth does it have to do with you? It’s just one woman and her views. Being outraged by her “hate” as you term it, is wholly subjective. Why not just not listen to her? Lastly, most in the Muslim world hold the same views.. is that also “hate” or just religious beliefs? Ask yourself..
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:53am
      - JimBobJoe
        
        oh the side step…”and their opinion is that the arena should be renamed after a hero, rather than such a divise figure.” you, by posting the piece I quote obviously are implying support for stripping her name from the stadium.. which my post quite clearly questions…
        
        refer my closing paragraph to reaffirm my estimation of what you have become Mike… your little ‘water on a hot griddle’ debating jump tricks are poor ‘slight of hand’ tricks which frankly are boring and of little value…
        
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        January 29, 2020 11:22am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Yes, I obviously support changing the name of the arena.
        
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        January 29, 2020 11:48am
      - hmmm82
        
        A Reply to Bell-47 would be interesting.
        
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        January 29, 2020 1:01pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        I’m not outraged on anyone’s behalf. In fact, I’m not outraged at all.
        
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        January 29, 2020 2:23pm
- Biscuit
  
  Nuku, I deplore the ‘Gays will burn in Hell’ rants, selectively chosen from a two-thousand-year-old collection of tales, by bigots like Margaret Court and Israel Folau.
  
  But demanding that a sport ‘strip’ former greats of honours they won, or earned, during their careers because of later ‘indiscretions’ sets things on a very slippery slope.
  
  How long, e.g., before the ‘Kobe is a Saint’ eulogies get countered by reminders that, for a while, at least, Kobe was anything BUT a saint?
  
  And can any of us truthfully say that, were we good enough to at a sport to have a stadium or arena named after us, we might be similarly shot down in flames for ‘indisretions’ of our own, whether before, during or after our careers in that sport?
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:56am
  - JimBobJoe
    
    Kobes brush with the law arising from an encounter he had with a young lady was trotted out on twitter by a political journo for one of the big US Media outlets within hours of his death…
    
    Kobe wasn’t convicted but issued an apology of sorts and paid a settlement arising from a civil suit…
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:15am
    - Biscuit
      
      Ah I missed that, JBJ.
      
      Thanks.
      
      8 1
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      January 29, 2020 9:51am
      - JimBobJoe
        
        And she has now been punished by her employer The Washington post
        
        https://www.thewrap.com/welcome/4905585/single/~washington-post-suspends-reporter-after-she-tweets-about-kobe-bryant-rape-case~/
        
        Which seems an emotive reaction by the WaPo but probably reflects their desire to protect their ad revenue…
        
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        January 29, 2020 11:24am
    - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
      
      A very big payola, and a very carefully worded apology…. interferes with the preferred narrative somewhat. Whatever happened to #metoo, or #believeallwomen?
      
      Do they only apply to less “popular” people.
      
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      January 29, 2020 12:35pm
- Nigel Kearney
  
  I don’t agree with Margaret Court and it’s good that people are criticising her. But the arena should not be renamed. Sports should include people of all religious beliefs.
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:07am
UrbanNeocolonialist

Corona virus cases in China are skyrocketing, this is going to be a pandemic that will kill 10’s of millions. We need to quarantine anyone arriving from China for two weeks starting now.
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January 29, 2020 8:24am
- ronsegal
  
  At the private school where my wife teaches there are a large number of Chinese children. Some are just returning from holidays in China. So far all of the parents have been acting very responsibly, volunteering to keep them home for 2 weeks. The school is also requesting the same. Should be happening in schools throughout NZ.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:37am
- chaos
  
  Too late, it will already be in nz. There are thousands and thousands of Chinese already in nz.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:49am
- alex Masterley
  
  If you have been in a country where there has been incidents of Corona virus schools are asking for confirmation that a student is not affected. Our exchange student is going through this process even though her visit was to Melbourne and contact with persons recently travelling from China to Melbourne was nil.
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:00am
- emmess
  
  There are 4500 confirmed cases which are doubling every two days or so, the disease incubates for ten days without symptoms. If we believe the official figures this means there could be more than 100,00 cases already with a death rate close to 50%. This is scary shit.
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:14am
  - NoCash
    
    Where did you get the death rate close to 50% from?
    
    As for the accelerated increase of confirmed cases is normal and expected in an outbreak, the hockey stick.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:35am
    - emmess
      
      I wouldn’t take it as gospel but it was a figure Styxhenhammer mentioned – https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=styxhexenhammer666
      
      Because it is so new and people have not had time to recover yet, it is the ratio of deaths/ (deaths and recoveries) not deaths/cases
      
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      January 29, 2020 11:32am
      - NoCash
        
        Isn’t he a well known conspiracy theorist?
        
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        January 29, 2020 12:09pm
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    death rate seems way off. 2-3% closer to mark. Still 10’s of millions likely to die.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:46am
  - projectman
    
    The death rate at this stage is nothing like 50% – more like 3%.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:48am
- MrTips
  
  Stop and think. China is reporting a death rate of ~2.5%. Yeah, I know China and data and all that ….but….
  
  there are over 60 cases outside China. If the death rate was high (eg. SARS was 10%) we would know by now outside China. Plus, the thing with viruses is, if easily transmissible (ie. infectious, which this seems to be), they have to trade off with lethality, you can’t transmit from a dead host as easily.
  
  At the moment, I am struggling to see how this is much, much worse than the normal flu (which has a death rate of approx 1% in the over 65’s which is the population dying from 2019-nCOV).
  
  So by all means avoid it, but 10s of millions dead? Don’t think so by current numbers.
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:38am
  - chaos
    
    Yeah, take precautions, which people should always take, good hygiene. The panic buying of masks is out of hand.
    
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    January 29, 2020 10:04am
  - The Return Of The King
    
    Largest quarantine of humans ever in history…
    
    “it’s just the flu bro”
    
    You won’t know for at least another 2 weeks, this virus has a long incubation period up to 1 month with no symptoms.
    
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    January 29, 2020 10:51am
    - NoCash
      
      Death rate close to 50%, long incubation period with no symptoms for up to a month…
      
      One thing is for sure that misinformation has spread much faster than the virus itself.
      
      6 2
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      January 29, 2020 11:30am
  - NoCash
    
    As we don’t have the infection spread among different age groups, I don’t think we can compare the 65+ mortality rate of the flu to the overall rate of the Wuhan virus.
    
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    January 29, 2020 11:43am
  - curry4me
    
    Yes, it’s just this year’s flu de jour. In a couple of months, there will be something else to panic over.
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:21pm
  - david
    
    CDC estimates 61,400 deaths from flu in 2019. So far the Coronavirus isn’t making a rounding error impact.
    
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    January 29, 2020 4:24pm
- Billy Collins
  
  Dude, people are dying in china because their healthcare sucks. Pretty much everyone dying is either really old or really young. If you are a regular person in a western country, you will be fine, even if you catch it.
  
  It’s an emergency in China, that’s all. Keep up basic hygiene and health and you will be fine.
  
  If you are this freaked out by the coronavirus, wait till you hear about this far worse one. It’s a bit secret, not much is known about it, but its killing hundreds of thousands of people a year across the world. People in the streets call it “the flu”.
  
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  January 29, 2020 12:02pm
- Ed Snack
  
  I’m starting to agree, we should ban all travel between here and China including on travel from other destinations until this epidemic is under control.
  
  The CCP figures are simply unbelievable. They wouldn’t shut down a whole city the size of Wuhan for a few thousand cases. There will be well over 100K acknowledged cases by early next week, and probably >1K acknowledged deaths. Worse, these will still be underestimates.
  
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  January 29, 2020 4:58pm
Simon

“Traumatic brain injuries and imprisonment linked, study suggests ”

Prisoners all or most have some sort of brain injury apparently. See prison scum are victims themselves.

“but offered a better understanding of why someone offended and how to prevent it in the first place.”

It doesnt offer too much. Assclown.

How about all those with brain injuries who aint in prison who dont commit crimes. Plenty of people with mental health and brain issues are not in prison or commit crime. (the overwhelming majority.)

Must try harder apologist for prison scum. Fucking useless.
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January 29, 2020 8:26am
- ronsegal
  
  Yeah, had to check this morning when he was speaking on Hosking that it wasn’t yet April 1st.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:48am
  - Tall Man
    
    Hey, it’s never too early for a labour twit to demonstrate that they are a twit.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:01am
- Nigel Kearney
  
  I’m skeptical that a person’s brain injury can significantly affect their ability to respect the rights of others. But even if it can, we need to be protected from those people just as much as from all the other criminals.
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:11am
  - Jack5
    
    This is part of the liberal-left push against imprisonment as punishment.
    
    The lefties know that a law-and-0rder stand by National would win it votes and they think this sort of stuff could slow a voter swing.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:16am
- Ruawai
  
  Probably all the drugs and alcohol have affected their brains doesn’t mean they should be let out though.
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:57am
- JamesP
  
  If their defective brain (un-fixable with current medical technology) is truly the cause of their offending then they should be locked up forever. After all, if a defective machine fails once it is likely to fail again for the same reason. If you disagree with me, don’t bother to respond. Your response is merely be the pre-ordanined outcome of your brain process, which my brain process has already rejected as flawed.
  
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  January 29, 2020 1:07pm
oldpark

Still trying to work out why Winston Peters was denied the right of announcing the date of the next election. After all it was he who selected the present bunch of no hopers masquerading as a Government .
There she was Ardern from small town Morrinsville filling in for Peters even though he is her boss .
Even worse today we will hear from the guy known as Grant Robertson another employee of Peters announcing the roading Plans of the previous Government National . Talk about “imitation being the greatest form of flattery”.
This time with a twist . Peters gang of no hopers have spent the surplus Bill English and National had earmarked for numerous roading and infrastructure projects.
Go figure this one . Yes no money . Labour/Greens/NZ First. What a bloody gang of ne’er do ‘wells. they have borrowed Twelve Billion Dollars($12,000,000,000) to fund the roading and infrastructure projects. Even worse they have the gall to attempt to bribe NZ voters with borrowed money financed by the NZ Taxpayer.A reminder for Peters and his gang of also rans.
A case of “Fool the Voters Once Shame on You” . “Fool the Voters Twice Shame on Us”.
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January 29, 2020 8:27am
- Nickc2
  
  Agree and it seems the decision to deprive Auckland of its Port has already been made. Included in the road transport spending is money for a four lane highway from Whangarei to Northport.
  Where was Phil Goof then this decision was made and why weren’t the owners of Ports of Auckland (Akld Ratepayers) afforded a chance to vote on the issue.
  So much for democracy in lil-olde-nz!
  
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  January 29, 2020 1:45pm
Old White Loser

Victoria University researchers are saying that by 2050 sea levels could be 20 meters higher.

If so then Wynard Quarter would be gone. Money well spent by the council. If the council was so concerned by climate change then they would not be developing the waterfront and wasting our money.

Here is the Newshub report along with maps.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/01/alarming-new-map-shows-the-devastation-rising-sea-levels-could-cause-in-new-zealand.html
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January 29, 2020 8:32am
- tf78
  
  That word “could” is a very handy word. I could be PM but I doubt it. Bernie could be POTUS but I doubt it.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:55am
  - freethinker
    
    The coalition of clowns could do something honest & useful , but I doubt it.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:33am
  - Nickc2
    
    Cindy’s government could be re-elected, but I hope not.
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:50pm
- RW Capitalist
  
  So…in 2050, congestion charges in the CBD will apply to boats?
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:09am
  - Ruawai
    
    The way I see it congestion charges will negatively affect the poor more than anyone else. They will still have to go to work at 8am when charges are highest and in most cases not have available public transport to get to work and can least afford it. People than can afford the congestion charge will still drive when it suits them or drive at other times. So basically just a tax and a tax that the poor cannot afford.
    
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    January 29, 2020 12:01pm
    - RW Capitalist
      
      Congestion Charge. The Congestion Charge is an £11.50 daily charge for driving a vehicle within the charging zone between 07:00 and 18:00, Monday to Friday. The easiest way to pay is by setting up Auto Pay. … You’ll also need to check if your vehicle is affected by the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
      The mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, introduced the congestion charge at £5 a day in February 2003 with the aim of reducing traffic congestion in and around the charging zone.
      What if you get a penalty? If you don’t pay the Congestion Charge within the time limit (before midnight the following charging day) you’ll receive a penalty charge notice of £130, reduced to £65 if paid within 14 days. Congestion charging penalties are civil matters and are in effect debts.
      https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-big-question-has-the-congestion-charge-been-effective-in-reducing-londons-traffic-781505.html
      A sample of whats in the article.
      
      Has business in London suffered?
      
      Many retailers were hostile to the congestion charge from the start. John Lewis blamed the levy for a 7 per cent drop in takings at its flagship Oxford Street store in 2003, while the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported that 25 per cent of businesses were considering moving outside the zone.
      
      Colin Stanbridge, the chamber’s chief executive, said yesterday: “We are still of the view that the charge has had a really bad effect on retailers, particularly small retailers.” He fears its long-term impact will be to change the mix of shops in central London as shoppers look to out-of-town retail parks for their larger purchases.
      Comments
      1. Do the opposite of anything ‘red’ Ken does.
      2. London is city of about 9 million (not 1.4mill)
      land area of London 1600 sqkm (density 5600 per sqkm
      land area of Auckland 1100 sqkm (density 1300 per sqkm)
      Need for congestion charging, other to give Phillis Goofy more of your money to waste…..NIL
      Not to mention the added cost of goods and services delivered to the business’ in the charging zone…which include hotels and sky tower…more expensive for tourists….driving them away.
      
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      January 29, 2020 1:46pm
- Inandout
  
  Oh neat, so all seaside properties will drop in value…waiting…
  
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  January 29, 2020 10:23am
  - coge
    
    The smart money will continue to to buy water front properties. That’s my prediction.
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:25pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  They Vic “researchers” can scare who they like with a 20m higher prediction. They don’t have to live with it, as the Uni sits high on the hills at Kelburn.
  
  When are we going to take away grants for such scaremongering and jail “journalists” for spreading gross alarm?
  
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  January 29, 2020 10:33am
  - hmmm82
    
    Remember ‘Free Speech”?
    
    3 0
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    January 29, 2020 1:18pm
- JamesP
  
  I’d have more confidence in that story if they kept their big scary number consistent. Within 1 minute they go from “up to 20m” to “up to 25m”. But wait, there’s more…
  
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  January 29, 2020 1:15pm
- JackRabbit
  
  “An interactive map shows how high sea levels could rise by the year 2050 – and the results are alarming.”
  
  Note the word “could”.
  
  What a load of toss. At the current rate of sea level rise it will be year 15353, however we are due to go into another mini ice age in a few decades, so never.
  
  You ‘could’ say that an unmodified 1960’s Vauxhall Viva ‘could’ be the fastest car on the planet.
  
  The writer ‘could’ also be the richest man in NZ if he consecutively won every lotto for the next 80 years, and sire 748 children while doing so.
  
  Absolute idiot.
  
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  January 29, 2020 10:42pm
Maggie Pie

As you all know, I’m considered a bit of a ‘Social Media Influencer’
[Instagram @679 followers]
And hey – at least I stick to things that people can safely eat, like the Hot Crossies & KrispieKremes 😛

https://twitter.com/TheSun/status/1222215926663217153
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January 29, 2020 8:41am
- Tall Man
  
  Wow, 679! You’ll be retired soon I guess and we’ll never hear from you 🙁
  
  How will we ever be able to keep up to date with Millie and the rest of the nutjobs?
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:06am
- chaos
  
  Would people whinge if it was bear grylls
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:56am
- cmm
  
  Hi Maggie
  
  As an official influencer for KK, can you do some research to find out if the blue KKs really do have Viagra in their icing?
  
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  January 29, 2020 10:05am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    LOL – that is a total myth! 😛
    [Although i have heard, rather than just eating them, you can actually ‘insert the penis into the hole of the donut’ to prolong an erection]
    
    Hope that helps?
    
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    January 29, 2020 10:22am
    - chaos
      
      Isnt that how they make the hole in them
      
      8 1
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      January 29, 2020 10:56am
- curry4me
  
  Thank God for BP Connect at the Bush Inn who sell them. The glazed ones are best.
  
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  January 29, 2020 1:27pm
chaos

Dear bridges, stop being a dick, rule Winston out now or lose votes

* The National Party is keeping tight-lipped on whether or not it will consider working with New Zealand First.

On Tuesday, the Government announced the general election will take place on September 19 – in a vote like no other with two referendum topics on polarising issues.*

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/01/election-2020-national-leader-simon-bridges-tight-lipped-on-whether-he-d-work-with-winston-peters.html
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January 29, 2020 8:55am
- Tall Man
  
  Patience Grasshopper.
  
  Knowing “where” to strike is not as important as knowing “when”.
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:10am
- RW Capitalist
  
  Timing is everything.
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:10am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Bridges will make an announcement when he is ready, and at the most opportune time. He can only rule Peters out once, so he has to choose the time that will have maximum effect.
  
  At the end of the day, it’s his and his party’s decision to make, not the media or anonymous blog commenters.
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:13am
  - Nigel Kearney
    
    How do you know he will do it at all? Bill English never did.
    
    3 5
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    January 29, 2020 9:37am
    - RW Capitalist
      
      and there lies the conundrum
      Never interrupt an enemy while he is making a mistake……Napolean
      too lazy to look up the Tzun Sue reference that applies. about striking at a time and place of YOUR choosing.
      
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      January 29, 2020 9:54am
      - JackRabbit
        
        Winston is quite capable of imploding on his own.
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:44pm
    - KevO'Brien
      
      We have solid evidence now of the unsoundness of Winston to be in any place other than in care.
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:35am
  - backster
    
    If Bridges makes that announcement Labour will be placed under pressure to give Peters a safe seat. Better strategy to leave it in the wind until it is too late for Labour to do so. That puts the tension and pressure on both Labour and Peters….. I won’t vote for any party that would partner with Peters.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:43am
    - Nigel Kearney
      
      They can’t just “give Peters a safe seat”. Epsom/Ohariu are unusual. You need a big majority, an alternative candidate that your supporters are relatively happy with, and voters smart enough to understand the situation and vote strategically. With Labour and Peters there is no electorate that meets those criteria.
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:08am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Kelvin Davis could “stand aside” for Shane Jones.
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:39am
      - hullkiwi
        
        So Labour/NZF will, do it in a seat like Northland, where NZF has a chance. The problem is the damage it does to NZF supporter base. It may lose them the soft vote who do not support Labour/Green and especially those who voted NZF to keep National honest.
        Understanding where NZF gets its votes are the key.
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:56am
      - sooty
        
        Give special K a list seat, or send him packing!
        
        3 0
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        January 29, 2020 12:51pm
      - yossarian
        
        Maggy. Shane Jones has never once won an electrate and he was woeful last time round. I suspect that Labour voters won’t vote for him, if instructed to do so.
        
        As an aside wouldn’t it be fun if Labour did try to step aside to let Jones in, and someone like JT jumps in under the Maori Party?
        
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        January 29, 2020 1:26pm
      - david
        
        WP could “discover “ his Maoriness and go for Te Tai Tokerau (spp?).
        
        3 0
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        January 29, 2020 4:31pm
    - rockape
      
      It has to be early enough to ensure the right of NZ First know vote Winston = vote Labour.
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:42am
    - Paulus
      
      Now is not the time for National to make any announcements except some policy perhaps.
      Leave Peters to stew.
      
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      January 29, 2020 1:46pm
      - JackRabbit
        
        That’s good advice. Perhaps ignore him entirely. Like a permanetly drunk loud mouth uncle at a wedding who will draw you into an argument if you talk to him.
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:47pm
    - Nickc2
      
      Gifting Whangarei with Auckland’s port would give Winston and/or Shane the seat(s) they so dearly desire.
      
      3 0
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      January 29, 2020 1:55pm
      - fernglas
        
        Why? It’s 40k south of Whangarei, there’ll probably be about 10 new jobs created and SH1 south of Ruakaka will be unmanageable despite all Peters’ garbage about trains. We from the North are not mugs to be seduced by a few bones from the table.
        
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        January 29, 2020 2:53pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    Realpolitik. It is much more fun to be in government than to be in opposition.
    
    I don’t see that Winston has done anything much to seriously piss off his support base … deluded though they may be ….. KB is not a reliable sample of national opinion here.
    
    Simon’s choice really – what and when he decides to announce about potential coalition partners prior to the election.
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:31pm
  - Faroffsound
    
    I hope he doesn’t leave it too much longer.
    
    It may be his and his party’s decision to make but as a floating voter it’s my decision to make on who I vote for and if there’s any likelihood that Winston will be calling the shots again I want to know asap.
    
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    January 29, 2020 2:41pm
- MCos
  
  The chances of the Nats working with NZF are low, as everyone knows.
  Everyone also knows that if the results are similar to last time Bridges would have Hobson’s choice. Work with Winston or oblivion, because he won’t survive as leader.
  Of course the Nats could be the first party, with a little help from ACT, to poll 50%+ since 1951.
  
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  January 29, 2020 10:09am
  - Ross Jones
    
    The best way to announce it would be to not rule it out, but make a big splash about making it clear the Greens are their preferred “first cab off the rank” after Act.
    
    6 4
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    January 29, 2020 10:27am
    - JackRabbit
      
      Or better still say nothing and work hard to get a much bigger surplus than Labour.
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:49pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    ☑️☑️Rout2020☑️☑️
    
    11 3
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    January 29, 2020 10:37am
  - Colville
    
    The chances of me shagging Beyonce are low….. I think you need a better descriptor to talk about the chances of Bridges sharing power with Winston.
    
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    January 29, 2020 11:02am
Jack5

Anyone see what conditions were put on Christchurch racism offender Arps on his release from prison today?

The Herald reported yesterday that the judge (the same as the one who passed a sentence that led to golf lessons for the Muslim teenager who planned a massacre) was yesterday to impose special conditions sought by the prison authorities.

Regardless of Arps’ views and behaviour, two wider issues are involved:

1. Freedom of speech. When do court-mandated restriction infringe rights?

2. Open reporting of courts. This is a problem with the shrinking of the print media. For example, I suspect the reporting of the sentence that led to golf lessons came from a private news contractor (who also had his own web site), but who now may have retired. Let’s hope the Arps conditions have been reported as well as can be reported.

The Herald report:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12303743
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January 29, 2020 8:56am
- Tall Man
  
  He doesn’t look much of a golfer to me.
  
  I’ll bet he isn’t a “shooter” now either 😉
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:11am
  - Jack5
    
    Tall Man: Arps wasn’t the person in the open sentence that led to golf lessons. That was imposed on a young Muslim who planned a massacre of Christchurch citizens by car and knife.
    
    Arps pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing the mosques massacres video, which was livestreamed on Facebook.
    
    The judge said Arps sent the video to 30 associates.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:24am
    - Tall Man
      
      I know that. Perhaps my sense of humour needs work ?
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:02am
    - chaos
      
      I downvoted you, didn’t like your comment.
      
      That sounds better than I’m on my phone and I hit the wrong vote icon ?
      
      Omg I’ve just won the election for labour. Online voting with tiny pictures to click on
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:45am
    - Jack5
      
      The judge has now set the conditions for Arps’ release:
      
      The conditions include Arps being:
      
      – Electronically monitored;
      – Banned from certain areas;
      – Prohibited from entering or going near any mosque in New Zealand; and
      – Barred from possessing or using any firearms and air rifles.
      
      The judge rejected a request from the prison authorities that Arps’ choice of employment to be approved by a probation officer.
      
      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/119112540/white-supremacist-philip-arps-to-be-released-from-prison
      
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      January 29, 2020 5:18pm
- Jack5
  
  .
  
  Wanted to delete this additional comment but delete command ain’t working.
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:12am
- mikenmildagain
  
  You think there are other conditions imposed that were not reported in the article?
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:12am
  - Jack5
    
    Do you know whether the conditions were imposed, Milky, and any reasons given by the judge for – or for not – imposing them?
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:20am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      I’m reliant upon the newspaper report. I was wondering why you might think there would be other, unreported, conditions.
      
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      January 29, 2020 10:44am
      - Jack5
        
        We’re waiting for the report of the judge’s decision on the conditions suggested by the prisons people, Milky.
        
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        January 29, 2020 11:16am
      - hmmm82
        
        ‘I’m reliant upon the newspaper report.’
        hmmm.
        
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        January 29, 2020 1:20pm
- Jack5
  
  While we’re discussing speech freedom, there’s a good opinion column in Stuff today on the topic.
  
  The column is by Dane Giraud, a comedy writer – and he happens to be a New Zealand Jew.
  
  Hooray for Jewish people like the philosopher Karl Popper, and Giraud, who, despite the viciousness and persecution that Jews have been subjected to, support freedom of speech.
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/119089031/who-exactly-would-speech-restrictions-be-protecting
  
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  January 29, 2020 10:02am
- The Return Of The King
  
  “Christchurch racism offender”
  
  Is Hone Harewera going to jail for saying he won’t let his daughter date White males?
  
  Or is this just a one way street.
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:12am
  - sooty
    
    What trough is he got his nose in, haven’t heard from him in yonks!
    Do you think he will contest this election for the dotcom party, he would look good in a startrek suit!
    
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    January 29, 2020 12:56pm
- Brian McDonald
  
  What? Not one objection to Arp’s release!
  
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  January 29, 2020 12:46pm
  - sooty
    
    No, should never have been in.
    Trumped up charges to make the commrade look good!
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:00pm
Biscuit

You’re probably a well-travelled lady, Maggie, and have likely seen this sort of thing in real life but, during my China trip in 2014, I went past – and, surprisingly DIDN’T stop at – stalls selling:

Deep fried locusts
Breadcrumbed scorpions
Battered ginormous spiders
Sweet and sour snake bits (hunks of snakemeat, I mean, not the ‘personal areas’ of snakes, heh heh)
Skewered bats

That was in Xi’an, a city most Keewees have never heard of but which is a megalopolis much like Wuhan of current infamy.

Oh yes, it became a regular occurrence, too, for us to come across parents, at rubbish bins in parks or curbs beside eateries selling the treats as above, holding up their toddlers (all in specially-split pants) so that the kid could take a sh*t, a p*ss or perhaps both, inches from passing bicycles and sputtering mopeds.

You had to think (as you promptly moved away from the ‘spectacle’, to say nothing of the odour) that SARS and Avian Flu, diseases still a big concern here, could easily soon be joined by Dysentery.
[And now Corona.]
And, turning a corner, I nearly tripped over a dead pig on the pavement.

Your Hot Crossies and Krispies sound heavenly by comparison with that!
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January 29, 2020 9:13am
- SGA
  
  but, during my China trip in 2014, I went past – and, surprisingly DIDN’T stop at – stalls selling:
  Deep fried locusts
  Breadcrumbed scorpions
  Battered ginormous spiders
  Sweet and sour snake bits (hunks of snakemeat, I mean, not the ‘personal areas’ of snakes, heh heh)
  Skewered bats
  
  Off the top of my head, I’ve eaten heaven knows how many different sorts of mammals (horse, beef, sheep, goat, pigs, kangaroo), birds (from emu to quail), fish (from swordfish to whitebait), crustaceans (various crabs, crays, and lobsters), and mollusk (from squid to cockles). And I’ve eaten bits of them (e.g., sweetbreads, liver, kidneys, tripe) that others find disgusting. What puts us off other things – e.g., insects, reptiles – is cultural familiarity more than anything (and I am not immune to that – I’d give guinea pigs a go in South America, say, but dogs or cats???). I’d give your deep fried locusts a go (probably very safe to eat – more likely to get sick from chicken at a dodgy street vendor), and probably a few of the others too (snake? Why not?)
  
  In general, the housing of live animals and the unregulated “processing” of the food in street markets is more likely to be the concern than the type of animals that they came from.
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:18am
  - hmmm82
    
    ‘I’ve eaten ….’ Many well travel people have and probably eaten more than they know, BUT… Eating is all in the preparation. I have been places that gave me dysentry for 4 months and 18 months later ate the street food. Same process again and again.
    Once your mouth, throat, stomach, gut, and arse have the local bugs, you can eat almost everything the locals do.
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:27pm
  - Biscuit
    
    SGA, I agree with your comments.
    
    The processing of the food – its preparation, like – is the important thing.
    
    And I’ll plead guilty to having a ‘cultural familiarity’ with the meats and seafoods you cite that sees me happily scoff those.
    
    Mind, I’m NOT an offal fan. My late Dad used to love the occasional Friday night meal of Tripe. My Mum and I let him have that sh*t provided a) he cooked it himself, b) he cleaned up everything and c) he fronted for the dosh that enabled Mum and I to go out for a decent meal, heh heh, whilst he indulged in his gross perversion.
    
    Vegetarians attempt to ‘points score’ against me by decrying my not eating dog or cat (hell, even horse). My preference for certain meats is ‘speciesist’, to use their term.
    
    I like to point out to them that they are JUST as ‘speciesist’ in that they’ll put away spinach, corn, potatoes etc … but wouldn’t dream of eating roses and such like.
    
    I’ve got a pretty good constitution that usually sees me upchuck anything it disagrees with WELL before I might get food poisoned – and I loves me things like undercooked (i.e. moist with juices) chicken and pork.
    
    My late Mum used to scream ‘You’ll get food poisoned!’ but I never have, heh heh.
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:55pm
    - SGA
      
      LOL – my late Dad was only allowed to eat tripe if he cooked it himself and cleaned up afterwards! He didn’t have it a lot, but when he made his “tripe and onions” only I (three siblings) would join him.
      
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      January 29, 2020 2:57pm
    - Ed Snack
      
      Typically, carnivore meat is rarely eaten though in some asian countries dog is quite popular, as it was with Maori while the dogs survived. Always wondered what the Dogs ate back then, maybe Kiore and birds ? Odd because unlike cats that chose small prey and often eat insects, dogs usually hunt in packs and tackle larger prey.
      
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      January 29, 2020 5:07pm
      - SGA
        
        carnivore meat is rarely eaten
        
        I was thinking about that earlier, Ed. If the carnivore is a mammal, yes. Other things such as carnivorous fish, crocodile, or squid don’t seem to produce the same aversion. I couldn’t think of any carnivorous birds that we eat (would birds eating insects count – probably not).
        An odd one is pigs, of course, which will eat both meat and veges.
        
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        January 29, 2020 7:50pm
  - david
    
    Locusts are nice and crunchy but the legs with their little spines tend to get stuck between your teeth.
    
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    January 29, 2020 4:37pm
- Ian Boag
  
  Any time I saw the split pants being used as described, the child’s owner picked it up as you would do with dog turds. I didn’t find it any more disgusting than when a dog does it ….
  
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  January 29, 2020 1:36pm
  - Biscuit
    
    I never saw that happen, Ian, but then I was usually dry-retching and far away very speedily and the parents MAY indeed have done as you suggest.
    
    I’m a wimp re bodily excerta – someone may be lying before me with blood pouring out of every which extremity and I am fine. But if there’s a bit of vomit or sh*t involved, I’m out of there!
    
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    January 29, 2020 2:02pm
    - Biscuit
      
      See, I’m so much a wimp re excreta I can’t even type it right!
      
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      January 29, 2020 2:18pm
    - Ian Boag
      
      So as a parent you didn’t do nappy changes … ? Left that to the other one?
      
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      January 29, 2020 4:04pm
      - Biscuit
        
        That was different, Ian, ha.
        
        I rationaled that the excreta in question had bits of MY DNA in it!
        
        But, even so, I swear I began teaching our wee one – his name is Ian, too, curiously, and he gets wed in Toronto on September 26 – to ‘potty train’ the day after he got home from the maternity clinic!
        
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        January 29, 2020 4:34pm
lastmanstanding

My wife and I were having coffee with friends yesterday. They like my wife have a severe case of TDS but all agreed somewhat reluctantly that his policies had improved the lot of the American people.
The for me demonstrates the somewhat immature and facile thinking around leadership and policies.

Mature people are able to separate the personality from the policies.

I dont particularly like The Donald as a person. He has many defective character policies. But I do admire his leadership and his policies in governing for ALL the people and improving their lot.

John Key had the same policy style but with much improved personal qualities.

In the case of our PM. I consider her a reasonably nice person but her policies and those of her government along with her governance and the governance of her government are some of the worst I have seen in 50 years following policy.

Alas it appears most of the population lacks the ability to separate policies from personalities and there lies the problem for good governance.
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January 29, 2020 9:48am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Law #2
  
  https://qz.com/967554/the-five-universal-laws-of-human-stupidity/
  
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  January 29, 2020 9:55am
  - JimBobJoe
    
    Maggie – that is GOLD!
    
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    January 29, 2020 11:15am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Yes, the guy was a Genius…
      More here:
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_M._Cipolla
      
      perhaps Manolo can expand on his writings
      
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      January 29, 2020 11:33am
      - Scooter
        
        Carlo Cipolla sounds better than Charles Onion
        
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        January 29, 2020 9:10pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Si, certamente.
        
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        January 29, 2020 10:11pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Trump could be used as an examplar for all of those laws.
    
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    January 29, 2020 11:52am
    - All_on_Red
      
      Reeeeeeeeee
      
      9 4
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      January 29, 2020 12:04pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        LOL
        
        3 9
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        January 29, 2020 12:36pm
      - Batman
        
        They’re rapidly losing all the talking points so I soon expect most of the trumpers to just make noises soon
        
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        January 29, 2020 12:42pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Actually looking at the level of lies you two tell and your obvious ignorance of the facts it’s pretty clear you’re both just trolling.
        The level of your TDS is amusing though.
        Poor triggered little snowflakes.
        Ahahahaha
        
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        January 29, 2020 1:09pm
    - Ed Snack
      
      What, according to DPF’s latest post above, in most categories Americans believe that their lives have improved. I’d put him into the Intelligent bracket on that basis.
      
      As regards posting here though mikey, you stay below the line consistently but do veer between stupid and bandit.
      
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      January 29, 2020 5:11pm
- Jules99
  
  I had a leftie say to me recently that he feels he really needs to trust the person. I disagreed and said I vote on policies along with the belief that the person will actually try to deliver on them. I don’t care if I don’t like him/her. I would vote for Trump because he has policies I like, and it is obvious he is doing his best to deliver. I happen to like his personality too, but that’s another issue.
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:21am
Tall Man

I think you have been conned. The”nice face” is just as much an affectation as the”frowny face” and hugz.

Under pressure reality sneaks through the facade, as her “flomping” during question time shows. That is why good coaches stress players at times during training to embed the required responses.

ardern needs more coaching ?
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January 29, 2020 9:56am
- cmm
  
  Petulant child – too damn know-it-all to accept coaching.
  
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  January 29, 2020 10:46am
Maggie Pie

This was in response to Biscuits post above :

The scary thing is Bikkie – those ‘treats’ you mention on sale from street vendors in Xi’an, are all available here in Auckland, if you know where to look.
Even Asians hoicking on Queen Street is now so prevalent, we have ‘Council Ambassadors’ stationed at the wharves, handing out information brochures to tourists, pointing out that it’s a totally unacceptable practice in this country.
[After 6 weeks glorious holiday I’m back to night shifts next week – interesting times ahead.]
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January 29, 2020 10:03am
- chaos
  
  So basically just watching tv and leaving the patients for the day staff?
  
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  January 29, 2020 10:27am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Well not really – we have lots of Filipino staff on the night shifts too, silly!
    
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    January 29, 2020 10:58am
    - chaos
      
      Oh are they paid with kk’s too, or just you?
      
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      January 29, 2020 12:04pm
Manolo

The progressive Macron is in serious trouble:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/28/french-police-clash-with-firefighters-during-paris-protest
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January 29, 2020 10:11am
- curry4me
  
  If its bad news for Teacher’s Pet, its good news for France.
  
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  January 29, 2020 1:38pm
Komata

TM@0956

Perhaps she should take another eight weeks off just for that?

(Oh, wait, it’s election year and there are media pics to be taken, so no chance; unfortunately…)

Nice thought though.
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January 29, 2020 10:16am
tedbear

Sorry this got a bit long.
In the same vein as bidding for events like Olympic and Commonwealth games, countries/cities also bid to host climate conferences pissups.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-49650909
The UK has won the bid to host the 26th Conference of the Parties, known as COP26, following a partnership with Italy.

It’ll likely go down in history as the most expensive scam of all time.
Imagine the world scandal if 26 meetings were held here, there and everywhere to ‘discuss’ the recent measles crisis or the coronavirus crisis.
How many of us know that the first climate crisis was held on 23 February 1979.
FFS over 40 years ago?
https://unfccc.int/cop3/fccc/climate/fact17.htm has a list of pissups up to COP2.
Climate crisis my arse.
How to perfect New World Order Takeover will take time.

Up to 30,000 delegates are expected to attend the event at Glasgow’s Scottish Events Campus (SEC) at the end of next year.

So up to 30,000 government parasites will gather in Glasgow in 2020 at our expense, to talk, drink and grope themselves into oblivion, all while justifying themselves because they are “saving the planet”.

And this climate drink-and-grope-fest is now in its 26th session, based on the greatest scientific fraud in human history – the proven-false*1 allegation that Earth’s climate is highly sensitive to increasing atmospheric CO2.

Reference *1:
THE CATASTROPHIC ANTHROPOGENIC GLOBAL WARMING (CAGW) AND THE HUMANMADE CLIMATE CHANGE CRISES ARE PROVED FALSE
By Allan M.R. MacRae, B.A.Sc.(Eng.), M.Eng., January 10, 2020
https://thsresearch.files.wordpress.com/2020/01/the-catastrophic-anthropogenic-global-warming-cagw-and-the-humanmade-climate-change-crises-are-proved-false.pdf
[excerpt]
“There are numerous highly credible observations that falsify the CAGW hypothesis and many are listed herein, but as Albert Einstein famously stated ‘One would be enough’.”

Some people think that the global warming/climate change extremists are just scientifically wrong. I challenge that view – nobody could be this stupid for this long – they have an extreme-left totalitarian agenda*2. The Marxists want total control.

Reference *2:
THE RADICAL GREEN ROAD TO VENEZUELA – POVERTY, MISERY AND DICTATORSHIP
By Allan M.R. MacRae, B.A.Sc., M.Eng., September 20, 2019
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2019/09/20/the-radical-green-road-to-venezuela-poverty-misery-and-dictatorship/
[excerpt]
“Radical greens have used wildly exaggerated scary stories of runaway global warming and climate change to stampede the gullible, in order to achieve their political objectives.
The absolute lunacy of the Green New Deal and its delusional acolytes is now clear – global warming alarmism and green energy nonsense was never about the climate – it was always a false narrative, a smokescreen for the totalitarian objectives of the extreme left. Once the left controls our energy supply, they control everything in our society – it will be “One Man, One Vote, Once!” – the end of freedom.”

It is long past time to end this costly and criminal “global warming” crime-against-society. The cost to society of this scam exceeds ten trillion dollars and has cost many tens of millions of lives. Any politician who continues to supports this blatant fraud should be defeated. Any bureaucrat who continues to supports this blatant fraud should be dismissed for cause.

Ten trillion dollars???????????
I must send Simon a wee email.
Or not, who’s to say he won’t be in on the scam.
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January 29, 2020 10:21am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Time for a cup of tea and a lie down…
  
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  January 29, 2020 10:45am
  - JimBobJoe
    
    Please follow your own advice Mike… it will be a pleasant break for the rest of us from your endless 1 line pointless comments…
    
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    January 29, 2020 11:17am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      He’s ranting about a ‘New World Order takeover’ – needs to stop believing shit on the internet.
      
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      January 29, 2020 11:54am
      - Kleva Kiwi
        
        You should take some of your own advice on this one…
        
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        January 29, 2020 2:08pm
      - tedbear
        
        Miken, you must be so looking forward to life Venezuela style. May you live long enough to be a part of the misery.
        
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        January 29, 2020 3:44pm
- The Return Of The King
  
  I giggle a little at the “environmentalists” funded by the same people destroying the environment.
  
  The billionaires are on our side! – t. the eternal greenie.
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:05am
plc

So Golly G was at press conference in Auckland yesterday….

Why wasn’t she asked where the overstayer is and whether she believes it appropriate that an MP and supporter of governing coalition is complicit in helping illegals avoid NZ immigration laws?

Patsy media
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January 29, 2020 10:24am
Yvette

Ihumātao

Back then …
PM Jacinda Ardern says Government won’t intervene in the Ihumātao stoush
Speaking to media, Ardern said although the Government would not intervene “it was falling on the side of local iwi and their position”.
“They are not the ones leading the protest here, so if we come in over the top it really would be undermining the local iwi in this case.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12252471

but …
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a halt to building work at Ihumātao until a growing dispute over the South Auckland land is resolved.
She addressed media about the Ihumātao occupation this evening after a last-minute meeting with local iwi, Fletchers, and the Auckland Council.
Ardern made the statement from Auckland International Airport before departing for a three-day visit to Tokelau, the first by a Kiwi PM in 15 years.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12253198

… and now …
The Māori Party says all stolen land should be up for negotiation, even if it’s now privately owned. National and New Zealand First reject the growing talk of re-opening Treaty deals or revisiting the ownership of stolen land. Marc Daalder delves into the potential fallout of any Ihumātao deal in this election year.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/01/29/1005548/after-ihumtao-maori-party-calls-for-overhaul-of-treaty-process
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January 29, 2020 10:28am
Manolo

The [Deleted – Mod] are no fools. They are opening Pandora’s box and reaching for the sky:
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/after-ihumātao-māori-party-calls-for-treaty-overhaul/ar-BBZpiTF

Māori Party President Che Wilson says the reported deal on Ihumātao should galvanise a total overhaul of the Treaty settlement process and that the millions of hectares of Māori land confiscated during the New Zealand Wars and under the Public Works Act that are now privately owned should be up for negotiation.
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January 29, 2020 10:43am
- Colville
  
  Manolo me ole mate… Did you use a bad word? ?
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:04am
  - Manolo
    
    Not at all, mate. Kiwiblog censorship is getting ridiculous. Enough!
    
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    January 29, 2020 12:29pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Oh dear,
  How is Jacinda going to spin the deal with Ihumatao now?
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:15am
  - Yvette
    
    Maggi, Jacinda may use her own Culture and Heritage Ministry to raise Ihumatao status to number one and justify gifting the origins of Maori agriculture to the nation, but it will involve a certain amount of backtracking on decisions already made – like Fletchers clearing Heritage and the Environment Court earlier (if memory is correct) – and whether those rulings being reversed will require re-examination then of other Heritage decisions. And that may still not resolve who owns the land – as, likewise, granting the funds to Auckland Council to pay Fletchers, raises the question: Does Auckland Council or the Government then own Ihumatao?
    
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    January 29, 2020 11:26am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      The Polynesian stonefields at Ihumatao have already been bought by the Nation and are now known as the Otuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve.
      
      https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/otuataua-stonefields
      
      https://www.noted.co.nz/planet/planet-planet/ihumatao-and-the-otuataua-stonefields-a-very-special-area
      
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      January 29, 2020 1:50pm
Stephieboy2

“How to perfect New World Order Takeover will take time.”

??
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January 29, 2020 10:55am
- Maggie Pie
  
  Just so long as they don’t change Countdown’s hot cross bun recipe. NW’s are crap.
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:49am
  - sooty
    
    Maggie, I went to check them out,
    Cheapest fruit ones,
    then chocalate,
    Then fruit ones dears’t.
    I bougth the dear ones but they seemed a yellow dough.
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:06pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    It’s 73 days until Easter…
    your buns will go stale.
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:52pm
The Return Of The King

Is the corona virus only killing boomers?

This could be divine justice for the open border boomers intent on destroying this nation because of that 1 Chinese dude they met in the 70’s.
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January 29, 2020 10:57am
barnacle bill

Uncanny coincidence, or not ?
Who would know.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/mystery-lab-next-to-coronavirus-epicentre/news-story/3e5a32fe77263fe8ca81b091cc8d9c42
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January 29, 2020 10:59am
- Stephieboy2
  
  Dr. Malcolm Davis
  @Dr_M_Davis
  Obviously I’m following the 2019-nCoV #WuhanOutbreak quite closely. I’m not convinced that there is evidence yet to support the theory that this BL-4 R&D facility in #Wuhan is responsible for the #coronavirus outbreak. It’s…
  
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  January 29, 2020 12:40pm
chaos

So most of robertsons spend up on roads are roads already being done, lol. So little new just smoke and mirrors
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January 29, 2020 11:01am
- Ruawai
  
  Just being funded by borrowed money as they have already spent the roading budget. Bit like spending you household food budget on beer and then having to borrow to buy milk.
  
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  January 29, 2020 12:24pm
Bobba Fret

This lady is going to have trouble renting another property now!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/119109756/tenant-landlords-fight-over-windowless-bedrooms-in-christchurch-flat#comments
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January 29, 2020 11:04am
- sooty
  
  Did she not inspect the property before she signed up!
  
  5 0
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  January 29, 2020 1:11pm
  - Bobba Fret
    
    Its amazing she wasn’t concerned about the lack of windows for 5 and a half years!
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:33pm
Captain Mainwaring

So National’s planned four-lane highway from Otaki to north of Levin is back on.
The CoL must be in panic mode.
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January 29, 2020 11:09am
- Ross Jones
  
  Didn’t even need to be 4 lanes to north of Levin, though that probably helps the town. The real goal in freeing up travel is to get it to a smooth junction with the road out to Palmerston North, now that is becoming such a freight hub.
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:13am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    “Didn’t even need to be 4 lanes to north of Levin”
    
    What planet are you on? Needs to be 4 lanes from Dunedin to North of Whangarei.
    
    17 2
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    January 29, 2020 11:41am
  - Sydney Alvarado
    
    “Didn’t even need to be 4 lanes to north of Levin”
    
    WTF? Have you actually driven the current road?
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:28pm
    - Ross Jones
      
      Read what is said. Yes 4 lanes to the junction, which is right on the south end of Levin. From there, a bypass to feed onto the wide open SH1 over the Manawatu.
      
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      January 29, 2020 2:16pm
- cmm
  
  Taniwha will be licking their lips…
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:15am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    Tauranga Northern link as well, and Melling interchange.
    Overheard during the discussions:
    Julie-Anne: “What do you mean we’re going to fund these fancy roads for the car-Nazis? We hate roads.”
    Cindy: “Do you want to keep your job after the election?”
    Julie-Anne: “Uh. OK then”.
    
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    January 29, 2020 11:28am
    - cmm
      
      More like:
      Cindy: “Can you just keep your mouth shut until after the election? Say what you want after that.”
      Julie-Anne: “Uh. OK then”.
      
      Of course Greens are already on thin ice and selling out to the car Nazis will lose them some supporters.
      
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      January 29, 2020 11:53am
      - chaos
        
        Sure it wasn’t,
        
        “Is the measles epidemic Over yet? Can I come out of hiding now?
        
        6 0
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        January 29, 2020 12:01pm
- skyblue
  
  [Banned 1 week for personal and nasty abuse. Strike 3. – Mod]
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:20am
- Lance
  
  That blithering idiot Grant Robertson was talking utter crap at the news conference.
  He was claiming that these roads that they halted progress on for 2 years will now be finished earlier than they would have under National.
  The man has no shame.
  The sad thing is there will be some people so thick they actually believe that nonsense…. and they can vote.
  
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  January 29, 2020 1:29pm
  - tedbear
    
    Hmm roads finished earlier..
    Like the 20,000 and counting kiwibuilds.
    Give us time!
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:47pm
    - JackRabbit
      
      “…Hmm roads finished earlier..”
      
      Jacinda built a time machine if a Delorean?
      
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      January 29, 2020 9:52pm
Ross Jones

Infrastructure projects are announced.

Roads are all go – well & good.
Upper North Island – no surprises there!
No light rail mention … why not?
Hospitals, water, local body spending – ZILCH
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January 29, 2020 11:10am
- tedbear
  
  No light rail etc mention?
  Summat to do with shortage of willing workers most likely.
  
  7 0
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  January 29, 2020 11:50am
  - JackRabbit
    
    You can’t run tanks down light rail.
    
    2 0
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    January 29, 2020 9:53pm
- Inandout
  
  12 billion borrowed..yaaa.
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:51am
- JackRabbit
  
  Canterbury roads… SFA
  
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  January 29, 2020 10:33pm
Jack5

The old, ‘We’ve got a rock-star economy’ con.

Ardern has taken a whack at Australia, claiming the New Zealand economy is outstripping Australia’s. She said New Zealand’s growth rate was Kiwi annual growth was most recently measured at 2.7 per cent compared with Australia’s 1.7 per cent.

Of course NZ GDP growth will be outpacing Australia’s. That is because of soaring immigration, which pushes up population and thus GDP.

Time to talk GDP per capita, Jacinderella. This is the real measure of economic success between countries. We ain’t doing so well in that.

Statistics NZ hides the figures away and the search function on its web site makes them difficult to find, but I doubt we are matching Australia there.

The latest figures I can find – in the CIA World Factbook for 2017 – put Australian GDP per capita at $US50,400 and 29th in the world, compared with New Zealand $US39,000 and 48th in the world.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/oceania/jacinda-ardern-takes-a-swipe-at-australia-while-calling-nz-election-20200128-p53viw.html
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January 29, 2020 11:11am
- Jack5
  
  If there’s anyone awake in National who wants to have a crack at Pollyanna Jacinderella on NZ’s economic growth rate, a good place to start digging is the Reddell article linked to below.
  
  A taste:
  
  “New Zealand and Australia have both enjoyed pretty strong terms of trade in the last couple of decades (Australia’s more volatile than ours). But over the decades, New Zealand average productivity (real GDP per hour worked) has kept dropping further behind Australia’s – roughly 42 per cent ahead of us now, compared to about 25 per cent in 1970. “
  
  The Reddell article:
  
  https://croakingcassandra.com/2020/01/16/decomposing-the-nz-economy-and-australias/
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:24am
  - Sydney Alvarado
    
    Yes Reddell writes good stuff. On current policy settings the per capita GDP gap between NZ and Australia will just widen further. By 2050 the relationship will look more like Mexico/USA but without the land border. I don’t expect the trans tasman travel arrangements to endure.
    
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    January 29, 2020 11:43am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    The National party is in no position to talk about GDP growth per capita – their record is as dismal as Labour’s.
    
    1 22
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    January 29, 2020 11:56am
    - Sydney Alvarado
      
      Well someone better start talking about it and doing something about it. The Government is not. Are you suggesting that everyone ignores it from now on because everyone has previously ignored it?
      
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      January 29, 2020 1:24pm
    - Lance
      
      MMA.. save that obscene twisting of facts for an audience dumb enough to swallow it. Nobody here is that brain deed.
      
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      January 29, 2020 1:32pm
- Sydney Alvarado
  
  So we are celebrating 2.7 percent GDP growth fuelled by housing and importing Indians to work in gas stations.
  
  Australia is a MUCH more prosperous country and its per capita GDP will race away from ours over the next 30 years.
  
  God, it is so embarassing to even suggest that we have superior economic performance.
  
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  January 29, 2020 11:46am
The Return Of The King

Here’s a chart for the autists in this echo chamber comparing sars to corona virus.

Not even comparable

Corona is out doing sars by a mile.

https://twitter.com/Core_FIN/status/1221977273680703489/photo/1
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January 29, 2020 11:25am
- Ruawai
  
  Maybe more cases and more contagious but similar deaths.
  
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  January 29, 2020 12:29pm
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    Similar deaths? For that we have to rely on the Chinese government telling the truth.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:52pm
krazykiwi

Earning a decent, open-market dollar is tough for criminals. A much better solution is simply to apply for easy government money, as the Italian mafia have started doing:

ROME — In 2012, Ignazio Di Vincenzo, a farmer in the Sicilian town of Tortorici, received an unwelcome summons: a high-ranking member of the local mafia clan needed a favor.

Gino Bontempo wanted to rent Di Vincenzo’s land to claim lucrative EU subsidies in his daughter’s name. It was, as they say, an offer Di Vincenzo could not refuse.
:::
Criminal organizations have increasingly diversified from the traditional family businesses of racketeering and robbery in favor of EU subsidies that provide a more lucrative income stream.

Anyone here think NZ gangs aren’t well connected with easy public money? Anyone?
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January 29, 2020 11:50am
- rightoverlabour
  
  Love Italian Style…..
  
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  January 29, 2020 7:45pm
chaos

I agree, Peters will be gone, and if the greens make it back in it will be with less mps

* Getting a second term will be a big ask for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

In September you’ll get four votes – one for the party you support, one for the person you want as your electorate MP, one for whether you want cannabis legalised and one for euthanasia.

On the night we won’t get results for cannabis and euthanasia – those results will be released early October.*

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/01/opinion-getting-a-second-term-will-be-a-big-ask-for-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern.html
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January 29, 2020 12:10pm
- Stephieboy2
  
  “I agree, Peters will be gone, and if the greens make it back in it will be with less mps”
  
  And likely holding the balance of power, therefore, Simon learning how to swallow a dead rat!
  
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  January 29, 2020 12:34pm
  - cmm
    
    The difference is that Greens are friggin useless. THey don’t know how to play the game.
    
    Winston has years of experience and has had a few goes at milking the kingmaker position. He is skilled.
    
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    January 29, 2020 1:09pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Can we re-purpose our votes?
  
  3 0
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  January 29, 2020 2:06pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Looks like both Bidens and the whistleblower will be making an appearance.
Wow. The odds of Trump being removed from office just decreased from 0% to 0%.
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January 29, 2020 12:13pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/480301-graham-there-will-be-51-gop-votes-to-call-bidens-whistleblower
  
  6 2
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  January 29, 2020 12:20pm
  - Stephieboy2
    
    Some timely fact-checking is in order about the Whistleblower fore the GOP, Trump, aides and you get too carried away
    
    https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fact-checking-trumps-accusations-ukraine-whistleblower-bidens/story?id=66194699
    
    1 21
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    January 29, 2020 12:32pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      ABC, Lucien Bruggeman and Sophie Tatum.
      You are the same as Mike. Fact checking opinion pieces ffs.
      Note to self ‘ do not respond to the trolls’
      
      13 2
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      January 29, 2020 12:56pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    What that actually means is that McConnell’s desire to have no witnesses, and move directly to a vote for acquittal, has been frustrated.
    So, rather celebrating the likelihood of irrelevant testimont from the Bidens, perhaps you could be wondering what witnesses such as Bolton might have to say.
    
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    January 29, 2020 12:32pm
    - Batman
      
      Yep, McConnell has apparently told Repubs that there aren’t enough votes to prevent witnesses.
      
      This will be fun…
      
      3 8
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      January 29, 2020 12:44pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        ‘apparently’ good word. May have, could have ……
        
        3 2
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        January 29, 2020 12:58pm
- MCos
  
  So it’s a gamble.
  On the one hand.
  Can the whistleblower be compelled to testify, and if he/she does, what will they say that strengthens Trump’s case?
  If the Bidens testify will their evidence amount to anything.
  On the other hand.
  It seems that Bolton’s book lays out what his evidence will be.
  Trump is still unlikely to go down even if everything turns to custard. The pressure on the GOP senators to toe the line will ensure that.
  Plus unseating a President is no small thing.
  
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  January 29, 2020 3:36pm
Hugh Pavletich

Cruise Lines Cancel China Sailings Following Deadly Coronavirus Outbreak … Cruise Critic

https://www.cruisecritic.com.au/news/5016/?source=123655&utm_source=browser&utm_medium=push_notification&utm_campaign=vwo_notification_1580256181&_p_c=1
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January 29, 2020 12:16pm
- Hugh Pavletich
  
  White House Weighing Complete Shutdown Of Passenger Plane Traffic From China … Zerohedge
  
  https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/china-curbs-travel-hong-kong-sends-6000-medics-hubei-death-toll-soars
  
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  January 29, 2020 1:26pm
Stephieboy2

Just a courtesy update for KBs hysterical chooks,

Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

In January 2020, Chinese authorities confirmed a new type of coronavirus, known as 2019-nCoV. The Ministry of Health is closely monitoring the situation and following guidance from the World Health Organization. The likelihood of an imported case in New Zealand is high, however the likelihood of a widespread outbreaks remains low

Current status

There are no confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV in New Zealand to date but the likelihood of importing a case is high. The risk of an ongoing outbreak in New Zealand remains low, but the Ministry of Health is monitoring the situation closely. If any public health measures are needed for this virus, we will advise.

……

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov
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January 29, 2020 12:29pm
- cmm
  
  Signed Dokta Clark
  Cosigned Dokta Stephie
  
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  January 29, 2020 1:06pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  The present nuisance virus far from being new. It’s actually patented and is one of those kept in the ultra secure research collection in a lab in Wuhan.
  (Bill gates helped fund the English patent holding company.)
  
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  January 29, 2020 2:03pm
hmmm82

Breibart informs us French ISIS jihadis say “France does not want us and Iraq received the order to assassinate us as soon as the opportunity arises”… “We ask to be transferred urgently to a secure place held by the Americans. Thank you,”
Please, please transfer us to Gitmo!!! Sorry, conditions in the US are not up to UN standards. You are in the benevolent care of your co-religionists.
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January 29, 2020 12:31pm
Maggie Pie

I don’t know how many of the group here may have missed the Premiere of
‘The Batchelorette NZ’ last night [Ch2 @7:30], so here’s a recap just in case:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=12303070

And tonites episode sounds like a real DOOZIE!
I can’t say much, but watch for a shock twist 😛
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January 29, 2020 12:33pm
- chaos
  
  oh Bugger I’m busy then scratching my eye balls out
  
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  January 29, 2020 12:52pm
rangitoto

I read on twitter that SLG refused to talk to ScoMo when he rang to offer help getting NZ’ers out of Wuhan. SLG is an utter disgrace if that is true,
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January 29, 2020 12:37pm
- Batman
  
  Apparently this was linked to him calling while she was doing a media stand-up and she joked about it.
  
  Might not be quite what you read
  
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  January 29, 2020 12:40pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    So did she call back after? That will be an interesting answer
    
    8 2
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    January 29, 2020 12:47pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  It was in the Herald, so who knows what skullduggery could be going on?
  
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  January 29, 2020 12:49pm
The Return Of The King

[Mods: and you’re banned again. Don’t try to circumvent your original ban period.]
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January 29, 2020 12:45pm
- rightoverlabour
  
  LOL…. A bit like if I got banned and came back with OverLabourRight
  
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  January 29, 2020 7:47pm
curry4me

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/01/27/pam-bondi-lays-out-case-against-joe-biden-hunter-biden-burisma/
Where’s Hunter? Is he at a board meeting? Will he have to testify? Should he forget any long term plans? Will he look good in orange? Stay tuned folks.
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January 29, 2020 1:01pm
curry4me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Ft-cXdicc
Bad news for the ever lovin- ever lying left. Salvini wins big in Italian regional elections.
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January 29, 2020 1:02pm
- rightoverlabour
  
  Viva Italia.
  
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  January 29, 2020 7:48pm
Brian McDonald

Quickly, somebody rush to the Town Hall the Mayor needs a hug and feels sorry for himself:
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/im-one-of-the-victims-goff-says-infrastructure-boom-will-add-congestion-for-some-years/ar-BBZpXYO?ocid=spartandhp
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January 29, 2020 1:04pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Goff is pissed off that sweetcheeks has $12B and he does not. Goff will be scheming now to get his hands on some dosh
  
  10 2
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  January 29, 2020 1:16pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Sweetcheeks has zilch–The taxpayer is on the hook for his spending.
    
    5 2
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    January 29, 2020 4:37pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Sweetcheeks knew the money was busted about 6 months into being part of the fraud Govt. They already spent it with promises.
      
      3 2
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      January 29, 2020 5:20pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Just think, When Trump wins in Nov 2020, the Dems get 4 more years to impeach him
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January 29, 2020 1:11pm
- Inandout
  
  The Dems have suddenly discovered that Bolton is not a warmonger now, he is a hero because he has written a ‘tell-all book’ on his time with Trump.
  
  4 2
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  January 29, 2020 4:44pm
  - Batman
    
    Bolton cares about two things, pre-emptive strikes and John Bolton.
    
    He’s currently undertaking the former in order to protect the latter.
    
    3 3
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    January 29, 2020 5:10pm
  - All_on_Red
    
    Bolton cares about promoting his book. Has to since he’s unemployable now.
    I still reckon it’s going to turn out to be a nothing burger.(just like all the other books)
    The number of people refuting what’s rumoured to be said is quite a few now
    So funny watching Batman clinging to ‘we’ve got him now, must have, must have’
    Whatever Bolton has to say is irrelevant anyway.
    Anyone who thinks otherwise hasn’t been paying attention.
    
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    January 29, 2020 5:31pm
    - All_on_Red
      
      But ok, assuming what’s alleged to be in Boltons book is right (even though so far Trump and Mulvaney have denied) and assuming Trump pressured Zelensky (which Zelensky has denied three times, his Foreign Minister twice) Bolton’s book manuscript clears Trump of all impeachment allegations by demonstrating that the President believed Ukraine interfered in US elections. Given that belief, right or wrong, pressuring Zelensky was completely within the job description of the presidency.
      Game over
      
      4 1
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      January 29, 2020 5:55pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        That’s ludicrous. If Trump actually believed anything improper was being done by Americans in Ukraine, the obvious step would be to ask the FBI to investigate. Leaders of democratic government don’t phone other leaders and ask for an investigation of their political opponents.
        
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        January 29, 2020 6:00pm
      - chaos
        
        No, the proper step is to ask Ukraine to investigate corruption within Ukraine.
        
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        January 29, 2020 7:33pm
  - DigNap15
    
    I have nothing but disdane for people that dislcose details of their employer.
    That is really low.
    Presidints need to be able to trust their advisors not to reveal their conversations five years later!
    I would go so far as to call bolton a traitor.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:42pm
Yvette

Does the question now over Mallard’s moral decisions in regard to the alleged defamation of a Parliament employee, extend also to his handling of Jami-Lee Ross – first as potential information leaker then as a very mentally unwell staffer, although MP (that Mallard instigated an inquiriy, but cancelled it when he decided it was a National person, however still carried on an inquiry for his own use) – and Mallard’s inaction in the referral of the second alleged Labour sex assault case, referred to Mallard by Paula Bennett?
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January 29, 2020 1:42pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Scott Morrison is going to rescue Kiwis in China…
they might have to spend a bit of time on Christmas Island tho’
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January 29, 2020 2:33pm
- chaos
  
  Another Aussie accomplishment
  
  * Scientists in Australia have become the first to recreate the new coronavirus outside of China in what they have called a “significant breakthrough”.
  The discovery will be shared with the World Health Organization (WHO) in the hope it may help efforts to diagnose and treat the virus.
  Scientists in China have also recreated the virus and shared its genome sequence, but not the virus itself.*
  
  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-51289897
  
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  January 29, 2020 3:02pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Isn’t the patent holder the only person with the rights to rec-create the virus?
    
    4 1
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    January 29, 2020 4:35pm
    - chaos
      
      Sigh, you are completely misunderstanding this. This is not the same virus that had the patent on it and was studied. It is not the same virus.
      
      4 0
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      January 29, 2020 4:53pm
    - chaos
      
      Further more I suggest you read this
      
      https://www.pirbright.ac.uk/news/2020/01/pirbright’s-livestock-coronavirus-research-–-your-questions-answered
      
      2 0
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      January 29, 2020 5:19pm
103PapPap

Read the Dom Post in a coffee shop this morning (stopped subscribing years ago).
To my amazement there were two (2) letters to the editor saying that the impact of man-made climate change was miniscule, and all the other factors such as planet rotations, solar and ocean cycles were far more important.
Well blow me down with a feather!
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January 29, 2020 3:09pm
JimBobJoe

SFO charging 4 re National Party funding investigation.
Interesting…who and why to be revealed
Also interesting who triggered this all and has National bit back and ask for their finances to be investigated…
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January 29, 2020 3:13pm
mikenmildagain

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/119127222/serious-fraud-office-filing-criminal-charges-in-relation-to-national-party-donations
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January 29, 2020 3:14pm
chaos

* The Serious Fraud Office is filing criminal charges against four people in relation to donations to the National Party.

But party leader Simon Bridges says neither he or the party has been charged.*

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/119127222/serious-fraud-office-filing-criminal-charges-in-relation-to-national-party-donations
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January 29, 2020 3:17pm
Maggy Wassilieff

The Japanese have got their Citizens out of Wuhan and back to Tokyo..

The Yanks are on their way home to Alaska/ California

Thank goodness for airplanes, eh?
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January 29, 2020 3:55pm
- chaos
  
  Oh no that’s not acceptable, they should be using a multi millionaires yacht for free.
  
  8 0
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  January 29, 2020 4:00pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Where is Greta with her eco boat?
    
    7 1
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    January 29, 2020 5:13pm
    - chaos
      
      With her puppet master
      
      5 0
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      January 29, 2020 7:30pm
      - Tall Man
        
        Eating junk food out of plastic bags.
        
        https://www.waynedupree.com/greta-thunberg-tesla-plastic-garbage/
        
        0 0
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        January 29, 2020 9:40pm
- rangitoto
  
  And thank ScoMo for solving the problem for Taxinda.
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:36pm
  - Tall Man
    
    Just another example why many Ockers don’t think we pull our weight.
    
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    January 29, 2020 9:40pm
  - sooty
    
    Well Commrade Cindy will not give up her private jet, you can’t expect her to fly on a death virus ridden areoplane with her family can you!
    How’s a girl meant to go on holiday!
    
    0 0
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    January 29, 2020 10:47pm
John Warren

‘Ardern said it would take time to rebuild the country’s infrastructure after nine years of neglect, but they were getting on with it.

‘”The previous government announced a number of projects, but never funded them. This coalition government is committing and getting the job done,” she said.’

WTF?
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January 29, 2020 5:07pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  9 years? Then that makes nearly 12 years with the PTPM in charge.
  They are on a mission to make that 18 years – even blaming themselves.
  $12B ????
  
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  January 29, 2020 5:16pm
- JimBobJoe
  
  Did journos not question that? Steve ‘I love roads’ Joyce would love to talk to them about that statement from Ardern…
  
  Publishing that type of bullshit and not challenging it is just wrong and a dereliction of a reporters duty as a member of the 4th Estate… no surprise given their are all really activists now…
  
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  January 29, 2020 7:15pm
Tall Man

So I’ll ask the question, at the risk of getting a ban.

Has there been a change in moderation policy?

Yesterday we saw a different level of moderation whereby the “relevance” of the comment was as important as the “sensitivity” of the comment. Even in the General Debate, which is usually extremely irrelevant at times had interjections from mods/a mod as to the relevance.

I had a completely relevant comment deleted because the mod didn’t understand the “association” of my reply to the original comment so deleted it.

My questioning to seek guidance was received badly and was answered with a threat to ban me.

I am sure that all mods find me frustrating at times but asking for a comment on any new policy should be viewed as a fair question, not a threat to be answered with a threat to ban.

So, do we have new “relevance” rules with relevance adjudged by a moderator, or do we have a new moderator feeling his/her way?
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January 29, 2020 5:08pm
- Batman
  
  If there was new policy it would be in the guidelines.
  
  Yes there is a new mod but I cannot verify whether they had any input.
  
  This is a hazard of your role as resident rule-bender haha
  
  4 7
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  January 29, 2020 5:34pm
  - Tall Man
    
    Not just the rules Batman …… Elbow ?
    
    7 2
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    January 29, 2020 7:17pm
    - sooty
      
      One of the mods last night was getting snaky!
      I lost some posts too, asking about the new rules!
      
      0 0
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      January 29, 2020 10:43pm
  - Tall Man
    
    Maybe someone needs a mentor …… or a chill pill 😉
    
    0 1
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    January 29, 2020 9:38pm
- Tauhei Notts
  
  The thought occurred to me that the moderator who deleted Tall Man’s thoughtful post might be seeking a job with the Labour Party. For that moderator has exhibited the scurrilous, hypocritical and nauseous thought processes that the Labour Party have a particular affinity to.
  And what a coup for the Labour Party to secure the services of a moderator on a supposedly right wing blog.
  I have a $50 bet that some thin skinned moderator will delete this post, so make my day. If you put it up I am a loser.
  
  [I just checked, but no, it’s not a full moon. LOL – mod.]
  
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  January 29, 2020 8:11pm
  - chaos
    
    So who gets the $50? Perhaps the mods can ask David the name of a charity for you to donate it too.
    
    2 0
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    January 29, 2020 8:54pm
    - Tall Man
      
      Me! I’m charitable … ask steffy 😉
      
      1 0
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      January 29, 2020 9:37pm
    - Tauhei Notts
      
      I am down $30. I made $20 a week ago when I bet on the ethnicity of a Rotorua liquor store proprietor who had been charged with selling grog to under aged youths.
      I thought that bet was like backing Probabeel or Catalyst.
      Winning a Betty Windsor and then losing an Api Ngata is not good betting.
      
      0 0
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      January 30, 2020 12:09pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Cold Weather kills!… even in the humid sub-tropics

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3047936/single-and-unemployed-new-study-says-youre-more
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January 29, 2020 5:25pm
chaos

* A Chinese student is believed to be in isolation in Auckland City Hospital after undergoing tests for possible coronavirus.

A student accommodation provider, who asked not to be named, said the male student was coughing when he arrived at his accommodation yesterday( from Hubei Province, the epicentre of China’s coronavirus epidemic.*

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12304364
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January 29, 2020 6:13pm
tranquil

DPF – maybe you can do an updated article on the “child poverty” measures?

Cindy and the CoL scored badly on 7 out of 9 of them after a year. I’d like to see if they are still as useless in that area.
( I suspect so but an update would give everyone some great material to throw at Cindy, given that this is an area that she “talks a big game” in…… ).
7 1
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January 29, 2020 6:15pm
rightoverlabour

Looks toasty and warm there… not

I thought increasing CO2 made the earth so much warmer, with milder winters and less snow….

Maybe this is just clever use of photoshop…

https://electroverse.net/kazakhstans-capital-under-state-of-emergency-as-destructive-winter-storm-hits/

or maybe CO2 = warming is a load of bollocks.
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January 29, 2020 7:54pm
igm

Must look after our public servants while many people are homeless, poverdy-stricken, or awaiting elective surgery.
Police are currently held in very low esteem and these self-indulgent displays do not help matters.
What has the mong Nash got to say about this?
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January 30, 2020 3:14am
- igm
  
  Forgot to lad what counted:
  https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=006730714154542492986:oh6vl0ybuqy&q=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/119118417/police-defend-28000-taxpayerfunded-makeover-for-top-cops-office&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwi16c22uannAhVA6XMBHY-CCtsQFjADegQICRAC&usg=AOvVaw0OQNsycMHi3zaT_koIkZ6K
  
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  January 30, 2020 7:36am

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