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February 11, 2022 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 11 February 2022

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General Debate

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krazykiwi

This is Part 2 of the response to Fight4NZ’s evidence-free, scatter-gun mewling. Part 1 is here.

the process to return to normality is underway with the arrival of omicron, with NZ moving along its own schedule which will be argued to be slow or fast but ultimately of minor consequence.

Again you are trying, arrogantly I might add, to establish yourself as an arbiter of scale of consequence. How many desperate cases of people locked out of their home country, or dismissed from their jobs on the most non-existent of medical pretexts will it take before you are satisfied that the human damage is no longer “of minor consequence”? How will families who have lost loved ones to suicide ‘return to normality’. Your outstretched hands, pleading for calm as the “minor consequences” are brushed aside represent moral turpitude writ large.

There is no evidence vaccination can lead to more virulent strains. Unsubstantiated antivaxxer scare story.

I can’t figure out if your ignorance is wilful, or a factory setting. It is beyond doubt that leaky ‘vaccines’ like the current mRNA treatments drive viral evolution by keeping the host alive while allowing the virus to mutate and be transmitted. It is referred to as selection of ‘hotter’ strains. Read the paper Imperfect Vaccination Can Enhance the Transmission of Highly Virulent Pathogens. I have a folder full of these. Quote from this paper: “This theory proved highly controversial when it was first proposed over a decade ago, but here we report experiments with Marek’s disease virus in poultry that show that modern commercial leaky vaccines can have precisely this effect: they allow the onward transmission of strains otherwise too lethal to persist.”.

the rare phenomenon of Original Sin has not been observed with Covid-19

Original sin started with Adam, and is anything but rare. I think you are referring to Original Antigenic Sin, a phenomena doesn’t magically appear in a binary test. Any OAS pattern is established by looking at lots of data. The data emerging from countries that are honest enough to publish it is increasingly showing an inexorable progression towards negative vaccine efficiency. The rate and attenuation varies by cohort, and by country but this trend is clearly visible. Holm Hansen at al notes that Both Pfizer and Moderna show negative efficacy for Omicron at 31 days. Other studies show a slower attenuation, but it is still present. At best this is a hallmark of OAS. At worst is suggests ADE. Or how about this paper, from the none other than the US government’s Vaccine Research Center at the NIH: “The observation that boosting with either mRNA-1273 or mRNA-Omicron resulted in the expansion of a similarly high frequency of cross-reactive B cells likely stems from the principle of original antigenic sin, otherwise termed antigenic imprinting”. So yes, OAS is observed with Covid-19 vaccines, and once again your fact-free fluttering is left in tatters.

The Jews and other “untermensch” of the Nazi Germany regime were defined by inherent and unalterable attributes. You can get a vaccination and move from unvaxxed to vaxxed in NZ. Any attempt to draw a parallel is not only wildly inaccurate, but disrespectful of those who suffered and those who fought to liberate them

The “it’s disrespectful!” reply is a gutless disengagement strategy. Today, as in 1930’s Germany, the state has created an underclass to ostracise, to vilify, and to drive from society’s core. The strawman you build is a common one, comparing the end-state of Nazi atrocities with current-state authoritarianism in the hope that the absurd comparison will stymie critical thought. I’m not fooled. The patterns of state overreach we see metastasising today are no different from those of 1930’s Germany. And now, just as then, dim witted statist sycophants applaud from the side-lines.

Slinging unsubstantiated claims around shows you to be manifestly foolish. But there is hope. Open your mind to the possibility, even the faintest possibility that our government is not playing with straight dice. Once you’ve arrived there it is only a small step to start looking for truth beyond the MSM and outside Ardern vacuous pronouncements.
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February 11, 2022 8:00am
- Ian Boag
  
  You are obviously no slug and scoot round a lot of the internet. I haven’t quite figured how the things you point out don’t seem to get much air outside KB ??
  
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  December 11, 2021 9:31am
  - krazykiwi
    
    These things do get plenty of air outside KB, but zero in the MSM until the narrative talking point de jour can no longer be sustained by obfuscation and lies. We saw this with Covid origin, mask efficacy, and vaccine efficacy. But I know the edifice is cracking when The Atlantic, one of the most Covid alarmist MSM publications in the world waves the white flag – Even the Pandemic’s Wrongest Magazine has has had enough – Open Up Everything
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:10am
    - Ian Boag
      
      But is it getting air in NZ?
      
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      February 11, 2022 10:14am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Not really..
        
        Could it be that many NZers like remaining in a bubble being fed pap?
        
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        February 11, 2022 10:20am
      - krazykiwi
        
        If by ‘it’ you mean counter narrative stories, then no. Or at best only after they become unable to withhold them any longer.
        
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        February 11, 2022 10:20am
      - dannz
        
        Also, negative VE claims don’t withstand scrutiny.
        
        The most likely reason there is the appearance of -VE in some studies is that there is a high level of natural immunity the the studied location, e.g. an estimated 98% of UK population has antibodies. In other words, the unvaccinated have been “vaccinated” by getting Covid.
        
        Australian statistics where there is still relatively low seroprevalence are still showing strong protection against ICU admission/hospitalisation, even for two doses only.
        https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/702825/20220210-COVID-19-Monitor.pdf
        
        This is a much better predictor of what NZ will experience.
        
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        February 11, 2022 2:19pm
    - Mickey
      
      @maggy, could it be that we have 5 million sheeple?
      
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      February 11, 2022 11:10am
  - Jim
    
    How many people do you know with a newspaper subscription? MSM funding has wholesale changed since the advent of the internet (24/7 news cycles in lieu of 2 print runs per day) from reader subscriptions to corporate funding. As such the worlds main stream (or legacy) media organisations are heavily reliant upon corporate and institutional funding streams. It can be argued that this affords some editorial constraints on topics that are too close (bad press) to their financial benefactors.
    If you are still sceptical, think about the 1970-2000 pro tobacco lobby that used to sink huge funds in denying the addictive powers of nicotine and that adverse health affect were unrelated to smoking. We know different today.
    
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    February 11, 2022 12:11pm
  - Fight4NZ
    
    It is not getting air because noone outside of the “shock jock” is prepared to risk their livelihood and reputation on shoddy and distorted speculations.
    Take the Vaccines can cause lethal strain. This is a theory that the paper shows a possible mechanism for. So for Covid there has been very widespread vaccination for around a year during which time we have seen mutations of less lethality being suppressed. That’s the real results.
    As for the Holm, et al paper, it shows vaccine effectiveness against Omicron is not as high as the previous strains but boosters help. Trying to throw OAS into the mix is stock and trade conspiracist misinterpretation. The researchers bottom line conclusion is “In light of the exponential rise in Omicron cases, these findings
    highlight the need for massive rollout of vaccinations and booster vaccinations.” Thanks for backing my position.
    
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    February 11, 2022 1:25pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  When you resort to lazy and insulting comparisons to the Nazis, you can expect several things:
  – disrespect for your argument
  – contempt
  – mockery
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:35am
  - Simon
    
    Nazis were left wing. The modern left doesnt anyone using any comparisons to them. It makes them uncomfortable and hurts their feelings.
    
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    February 11, 2022 8:59am
    - rouppe
      
      To expand on that a bit…
      
      Nazi’s specifically were National Socialists and they had embraced fascism.
      
      Fascism started with Mussolini. Before embracing fascism Mussolini was a socialist. His journey to fascism was guided by a Giovanni Gentile, who was a student of Karl Marx.
      
      Fascism, and its adherents have historically risen from the Left. I know everyone calls them right wing extremists however I don’t understand the basis for this.
      
      Some say “the violence”. Was Stalin not violent? Pol Pot? Kim Jong Un? He killed an opponent by shooting him with an anti-aircraft battery.
      
      Some say “Hitler embraced the wealthy elite”. Was Stalin eating stale bread? Were there not supermarkets stocked with every luxury available only to the Russian political elite? Did Pol Pot ever do without while their people starved?
      
      Some say “he hated the communists”. Sure, but the Sunni’s hate the Shiite’s but no-one says either one is not Muslim. Back then there were groups calling themselves Communists, Fascists, Bolsheviks, Socialists, and they were all competition, so of course he sought to crush or absorb them.
      
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      February 11, 2022 11:32am
      - cmm
        
        Many were absorbed, then absorbed back.
        
        These were the “Beafsteak Nazis”: brown on the outside, but red on the inside. Commies that joined the Nazis and Heil Hitlered when it was expedient to do so, then went back to being commies when it was expedient to do so.
        
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        February 11, 2022 12:51pm
    - Rusty
      
      @Simon -There is a misconception that Hitler and the Nazis were haters of Russian communism or Bolshevism as they were known.
      
      Hitler was really a hater of Russian culture whom he viewed as a backward race of peasants.
      
      Essentially Nazism and Communism had the same ideologies — state control of the people with the possible exception of private ownership to some under Nazism.
      
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      February 11, 2022 1:40pm
      - Fight4NZ
        
        When you are reading posts finding a way to frame the Nazis as lefties you know (or hope) you have found the very outer fringe of right wing lunacy. Surely.
        
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        February 11, 2022 11:30pm
  - pdm
    
    A bit like what you get on a daily basis mikey.
    
    It must be soul destroying being a troll.
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:13am
    - Simon
      
      Yep Mike didnt attempt to argue against KK points instead resorted to his personal feelings.
      
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      February 11, 2022 9:15am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Arguing with misguided fanatics only tends to harden their opinions.
        
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        February 11, 2022 11:14am
      - cmm
        
        mma: You’re quite right in that.
        It’s generally a complete waste of time to try to engage with you in a rational discussion.
        
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        February 11, 2022 12:52pm
  - ClanMcleod
    
    Only the desperate Jacindanistas milkey, nobody really pays attention to your opinion.
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:17am
  - Cassandra
    
    mike, while it’s true that Kiwibloggers have no great respect for you (understatement), you’re quite right about this. You’re accused of trollism here but I think more accurate is gadfly. I’ve even given you a rare green tick. Happy Mikey Day.
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:33am
  - RightNow
    
    In other words you can’t refute any of his other points
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:43am
    - krazykiwi
      
      He didn’t refute any point. My observation about 1930s Germany was to call out the similarities in the progression of strategies employed by governments that metastasizse into tyrannies. The “it’s ridiculous” strawman is used repeatedly by the statist flag-wavers, and blindly accepted by the uncritical.
      
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      February 11, 2022 10:26am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        You are impervious to the distinction that must be drawn between the (real) persecution of Jews due to their immutable characteristics and the (imagined) persecution of the unvaccinated due to their decisions to refuse vaccination.
        Bottom line: you just like calling people Nazis.
        
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        February 11, 2022 11:18am
      - krazykiwi
        
        No, milky. I’m primarily impervious to baseless strawman arguments. Immutability has no bearing on entitlement to human rights, as you well know.
        
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        February 11, 2022 12:02pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        persecution of Jews due to their immutable characteristics and the (imagined) persecution of the unvaccinated due to their decisions to refuse vaccination.
        
        Such a silly point to argue.
        
        Yes, Nazzism attacked some folks on racial grounds (Jews, Slavs, Roma); some on other genetic grounds (physically disabled, mentally disabled).. but there were many other German citizens who were ostracised or killed because of the choices they made:
        
        *Jehovah Witnesses who chose not to bare arms
        *Trade Unionists who chose not to join the Nazi Party
        *Writers/Artists who chose to oppose fascism
        *Members of the Confessing Church – who chose not to support the pro-Nazi churches.
        etc
        
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        February 11, 2022 1:18pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        It’s not a silly point. The driving force of Nazism was the belief that Jews were responsible for all of Germany’s misfortunes and so needed to be eliminated from the Reich. The fact that they oppressed other races (Gypsies, Poles, etc), the disabled (on eugenic grounds linked to their racial theories) and political or religious opponents (socialists, commies, Jehovah’s witnesses, etc), should not blind us to their number one priority – killing the Jews – a priority that they pursued even when it was detrimental to their other war aims.
        
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        February 11, 2022 2:24pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        If you refer back to the point that F4NZ keeps making it is that he reckons it is wrong to compare Ardern & Labour’s approach to that used by Nazis because the Jews had no choice in the fact that they were going to be annihilated.
        
        The point folks on KB have made is that the techniques Ardern and co have employed: propaganda, fear; creation of “the other” , mandates, honest folks losing their jobs…are techniques employed in the early years of the 3rd Reich.
        
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        February 11, 2022 3:52pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Gosh, Maggy – what utter nonsense. Worse still, you undoubtedly know it is nonsense.
        To the extent the government is:
        
        propaganda, fear; creation of “the other” , mandates, honest folks losing their jobs
        
        which is, in itself, a highly debateable point, such things are the province of any government.
        Think, for example, of the last worldwide emergency even remotely comparable. The Second World War, starring our old friends the Nazis, and their totalitarian colleagues from Russia, Japan, Italy, etc. It suited many democratic regimes, for example NZ, the USA and the UK, to use fear, propaganda, othering, and penalising citizens for non-compliance with the wishes of the state.
        Equating the policies of a modern liberal democracy with the totalitarian repression of the Nazis or their ilk is lazy and dishonest.
        
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        February 11, 2022 6:51pm
      - Fight4NZ
        
        If you can’t see that immutability is the absolutely fundamental fact in this. Well let’s just say no one should be surprised.
        I guess when it’s the fact that it is your persistent spreading of lies that has been part of creating this vaccine fear and social schism you just have to keep clinging on
        
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        February 11, 2022 11:36pm
  - Mickey
    
    @mike, lets compare the downticks to judge your 3 points listed…..
    
    Ahhh, you have farrr more downticks than krazykiwi!
    
    Another leftist narrative blasted out of the water!
    
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    February 11, 2022 11:13am
    - Fight4NZ
      
      In this echo chamber, sure.
      
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      February 11, 2022 12:41pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Birds of a retarded feather love to flock together.
        
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        February 11, 2022 2:25pm
- ClanMcleod
  
  Outstanding. Thanks again for freeing me from feeling the need to ever respond to the inane dribbling of F4NZ and their ilk. I’m done with wasting energy.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:45am
  - Bridgenag
    
    Just done a list of the other trolls IMO …….. [Deleted – we could add your name too. mod.] Also noticed that they tend to disappear at lunchtime which of course is the public service time to end the day. Had a friend in Sydney who worked for the university. 15minutes late at the start of day, 15 minutes early for morning coffee, 15 mins after coffee, 15 minutes before lunch, 15 mins after lunch. 15 mins early afternoon tea, 15 after afternoon tea, 15 mins before 5 o’clock. Hours wasted…….. Great job if you can get it. Of course here you have to swear on the new TOW and agree to learn Te Reo. ………………sigh
    
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    February 11, 2022 12:52pm
- lastmanstanding
  
  Forget Covid its a mere bagatelle. The biggest threat to NZ is the CCP and political interference. Google ASIO and Chinese political interference in Australia. It will happen here. IMHO the CCP plan on establishing what I call Hong Kong Democracies in our region. Citizens will get to vote but the Parties and candidates will be vetted and approved by the CCP.
  Having now dominated the trade landscape the CCP plan on dominating the political landscape.
  
  Labour Greens Maori are Socialist/Communist anyway. The Nats? Im not sure about them. They are opportunists and power hungry so the CCP will play on this.
  
  ACT is the only party that will stand up for our version of democracy ( the CCP call their version democracy as well).
  
  The CCP has spent the past 50 years building up a trade position so it will take over from the US as the most powerful country in the world.
  
  Why wouldnt it also want to impose its version of “democracy” on the West. Especially when it can punish countries as its has with Australia.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:37am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    I don’t think there is a distinction to be made on political grounds between Labour’s and National’s policies towards the Chinese dictatorship. They have competed against each other to see which can be most agreeable to China, and which party can scoop up the most Chinese money. They are hardly even embarrassed about it, and any noise can be wished away, like the convenient deal they struck to have the MPs for Beijing, Huo and Yang, retire at the election.
    I don’t know if ACT has any particular feelings about China. I think you too readily dismiss the Greens and Maori – they are probably more likely to stand for human rights than feel any imaginary socialist kinship with the Beijing autocrat. One thing we do know, though, is that all our political parties are always short of money, and the Chinese were able to buy MPs in Labour and National for very cheap prices.
    
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    February 11, 2022 11:25am
- Fight4NZ
  
  Disclaimer:
  – Data worldwide has demonstrated the efficacy of the vaccines beyond doubt up to the arrival of Omicron. With Omicron evidence shows a lower inhibition of transmission but remains high for serious disease and fatality.
  – The Covid19 vaccines have worked surprisingly effectively along side non-medical measures. Compare Delta outbreak in NZ to other countries where it got into the community.
  – vaccine’s by definition cause changes to the immune system. This might be referred to as “reprogramming “ again to pursue fear porn agenda. In reality it simply generates the ability for the immune system to recognise and produce counter agents to pathogenic material that has entered the body. This is the very definition of a vaccine.
  – vaccines are 1-off treatments the components and products of which are completely metabolised out of the body within days. Obviously any effect from these is not possible in their absence outside of the “memory “ invoked in the immunity system and therefore to talk about “lack” of long term studies is self evidently meaningless in terms of adverse events.
  – currently it is impossible to know if further boosters will be beneficial. Given the continued mutations in the virus this seems unlikely. On going use of this vaccine is far from locked in.
  – The vaccines are definitively not gene therapies. As confirmed by kk post 10/2/22 “ CDC changed their definition of Gene Therapy in August 2021.”. This action was forced by the distorted interpretation used by antivaxxers to bolster their fear porn.
  – Few in the population are terrified by the virus, the vast majority have just taken the sensible precautions on offer. Most fear-stricken are antivaxxers of the vaccine which has proven to have a very high safety record internationally.
  – the minimal inconveniences of the non-medical measures will be quickly forgotten in the return to normality.
  – the process to return to normality is underway with the arrival of omicron, with NZ moving along its own schedule which will be argued to be slow or fast but ultimately of minor consequence.
  – There is no evidence vaccination can lead to more virulent strains. Unsubstantiated antivaxxer scare story.
  – the rare phenomenon of Original Sin has not been observed with Covid-19
  – The Jews and other “untermensch” of the Nazi Germany regime were defined by inherent and unalterable attributes. You can get a vaccination and move from unvaxxed to vaxxed in NZ. Any attempt to draw a parallel is not only wildly inaccurate, but disrespectful of those who suffered and those who fought to liberate them
  – PCR tests are not run at levels that are too sensitive to be accurate. This is simply a lack of understanding of the methodology of PCR testing.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:27pm
  - jgw739
    
    Hahaha, ‘vaccines are 1-off treatments’, good one! We are already up to 3 shots, so no, not a 1-off.
    How about all of the other treatments that are consistently denigrated or ignored?
    Most of your points are up for debate, except debate is not allowed. That is 99% of the problem, people with questions are being told not to question and hence we have protests – these are also ignored. You might wonder why people are angry, that’s probably because you aren’t that bright.
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:22pm
  - Rich Prick
    
    Nurse! Clean up in room 5!
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:44pm
Warren

Covid-19 booster vaccine may be needed every year to cover new variants –
Micheal Baker.
In this just more scaremongering to help gloss over Jacinda Arderns latest attempts to control and can you just imagine all them lovies wanting Jacinda Ardern as our Prime Minister forever as she is the only one that can save us.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/02/covid-19-booster-vaccine-may-be-needed-every-year-to-cover-new-variants-michael-baker.html
God help New Zealand.
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February 11, 2022 8:00am
- MCōs
  
  Some people here say it’s no worse than the flu.
  A good percentage of people used to catch the flu until the borders were closed and last year more than $1.4mil people had a flu jab.
  It may well be something similar with covid-19.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:01am
  - ClanMcleod
    
    Still experimental then. Nice to know we’re nothing more than lab rats for big pharma.
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:06am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    I don’t ever recall a mandate for flu vaccination here in NZ…. even though influenza kills on average 500 NZers/year (including children).
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:24am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Well, I thought I heard Ardern say when she was telling us dummies to prepare for winter that there will be a fly [flu] jab vaccination mandate this year, I might be wrong, but I am sure that’s what she said, mind you, she probably didn’t realise what she was saying as usual
      
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      February 11, 2022 12:48pm
    - cmm
      
      It depends on who you listen to.
      
      According to Baker (back in 2019), the flu deaths are under stated by a factor of 20.
      In other words there are 10,000 flu deaths a year in NZ. Quite impressive since that would be around 30% of all deaths in NZ.
      
      If you measured flu deaths the way they’re measuring CV19 deaths (ie. by using testing as sensitive as a PCR test), then he’d probably be right.
      
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      February 11, 2022 12:57pm
- Simon
  
  Covid owns these clowns. This is what total virus victory looks like.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:01am
- RoboRob
  
  Micheal Baker, mr 80,000 dead / 40,000 omicron cases by Waitangi day. Don’t listen to or read a word from him, captain wrong 🙂
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:14am
  - Cinematic
    
    And Mr mass graves in NY.
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:02am
  - Jimbob
    
    Baker is a lost puppy, he needs attention. He also needs help, he has problems.
    
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    February 11, 2022 11:53am
    - Bridgenag
      
      But they will say the princess saved us from those projections
      
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      February 11, 2022 12:57pm
  - Jim
    
    The $6M man ffs
    
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    February 11, 2022 8:36pm
  - jgw739
    
    I honestly wonder if these people are getting off on the idea of something like this happening. Too many zombie apocalypse movies in their student days methinks.
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:37pm
- Ehlana
  
  So covid-19 virus is going to be like influenza virus, with different strains in circulation each year. And just as the three or four strains most likely to infect are chosen for the annual flu shot, so too will they be for the annual covid shot. And just like the flu shot, it will be recommended for the elderly, ill and anyone else who wants to reduce the likelihood of getting quite sick.
  
  And also, just like the flu shot, no-one will know or care whether you’ve had yours.
  
  Roll on normality.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:14am
  - Paulus
    
    What is Normal – I no longer know because I am not told by Jacinda
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:42am
  - PeeJay
    
    And just like the flu shot, for some it will work and for others it won’t. No point making something that is partially effective mandatory.
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:21am
- ClanMcleod
  
  No, not scaremongering, predicted by the “conspiracy theorists” many months ago. And it may be more than annual, it may be three monthly.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:20am
  - Fight4NZ
    
    Or it may never be required again in the history of human kind. So actually it hasn’t been predicted by anyone yet. Except mine which I just wrote. A knighthood perhaps? Seems appropriate.
    
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    February 11, 2022 11:48pm
- Fuzzysnuggleduck
  
  I hope my Kiwisaver portfolio includes stocks in Big Pharma.
  Ka-ching!
  At least some industries are doing well as a result of the pandemic.
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:03am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Better to sell Pfizer before the law suits surface
    
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    February 11, 2022 7:28pm
- 70andstilllearning
  
  Heard him say last night that possibility of 3/4 monthly boosters was no different to some other vaccines like the flu jab – utter bullsdust. He really must think that know one else has any intelligence or experience in these jabs. Mind you he was talking to Jess etc. 🙂
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:16am
- bronny1
  
  Every 8 weeks isn’t it?
  
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  February 11, 2022 7:49pm
CJames

See there is an article on Newshub, the government’s first choice propaganda outlet, bemoaning the slow uptake of boosters. Evidently there are about 400,000 six weeks or more overdue. Is that from six, four or three monthly? I have lost track. Or has the interval been reduced even further? The Prime Minister is getting really worried, cue frowny face or whatever the appropriate emoticon is. No doubt there is a focus group determining the response. And the numbers getting tested has plummeted.
Is this further proof that Jacindamania is well past the wane stage and now in rapid retreat? Will we get to the stage where even the Karens (sorry Steve Otto but no better name has emerged) deny ever having supported her? I hope so.
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February 11, 2022 8:00am
- Benedict Yu
  
  “And the numbers getting tested has plummeted.”
  
  Well there is a surprise. ?
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:04am
  - pdm
    
    BY – no wonders numbers are dropping.
    
    In Hastings Vaccinations start at 9am and finish at 4pm – do they take an hour for lunch? I don’t know but it would not surprise me if they did.
    
    Testing is even worse 10.30am to 3.00pm.
    
    Not much chance for working people to get to either without taking time off work and I suggest both should be on the job 6am to 9.00pm
    
    Oh and they took Monday off – civil servants obviously do not work public holidays
    
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    February 11, 2022 8:25am
    - kowtow
      
      ‘Oh and they took Monday off ‘
      
      That’s one of the problems with regime mandated “emergencies” or crises .
      
      The “emergency” is so serious it stops for weekends and other holidays .
      
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      February 11, 2022 8:47am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      TBH I do not think that is the reason people are not getting tested. Unless I was very unwell I would need an inducement of a case of Krug Champagne to even consider it.
      
      https://www.krug.com/
      
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      February 11, 2022 8:53am
      - pdm
        
        Me too BY – maybe not Champagne but a bottle of Glenfiddich or similar for medicinal purposes.
        
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        February 11, 2022 9:16am
      - RoboRob
        
        My first response when hearing the latest rules was that it was an own goal. The isolation rules would make people un willing to get tested and why on earth would you do contact tracing.
        
        I am surprised (and impressed) by how right I was 🙂
        
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        February 11, 2022 9:16am
      - curry4me
        
        Benedict Yu: A one way ticket to Missouri, or a 57 Imperial would do it for me.
        
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        February 11, 2022 12:43pm
    - I remember when
      
      Yes it is obviously more efficient to have X number booster requirers have time off during their working day.
      Vaccinaters providing their services according to need inefficient!
      
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      February 11, 2022 9:10am
    - Joely Doe
      
      Hell yes they take an hour for lunch!
      
      I am surprised that no media have picked up on this.
      The local Vaxx Station in the mall has to stop from 1:30 – 2:30 daily for lunch. Hard work shoving needles into arms, although I have heard tell of increasing pushback against forced (let’s not call it ‘mandated’) vaccination.
      
      Good thing there is nothing really serious to vaccinate against or we really would be screwed.
      
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      February 11, 2022 9:48am
    - Jim
      
      Public sector can duck off during work hours no worries. A senior police officer I know shamelessly had the day off (played a game of golf) after his booster as he couldn’t risk being at work?!
      
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      February 11, 2022 8:40pm
  - JerJer
    
    Of course the numbers are dropping, people now realize it is completely pointless getting tested as you pretty much get punished for doing so. About half the people that ever catch this virus don’t even know they have it, they don’t get tested either.
    
    Case in point, a positive case in Queenstown. They have in the news that everyone on flight xxx, on whatever date from Auckland to Queenstown must now isolate for 10 days….LOL. Not likely.
    
    These people are going to be on holidays, and just had to fly to Queenstown fully vaccinated and wearing mask (which protect against transmission right), and now you need to isolate for 10 days of your holiday. No thank you….and if one of these people has caught the dreaded virus and has visited a bar, then all the people at the bar also have to now self isolate. This gets more and more stupid by the day, and is the reason why people now don’t get tested.
    
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    February 11, 2022 11:23am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Looks like the whole omicron is bullshit, a few 1000 cases now, yet not one person in ICU, I just do not get it ?
    
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    February 11, 2022 12:51pm
    - Nickc2
      
      FFS Cindy, put my country back as it was 4.5 years ago. I’ve had enough of your Socialism already!
      It’s time to move on!
      
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      February 11, 2022 1:04pm
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        Please dont be like these idiots at Slaters shithole, all wanting to vote for Peters again because he said the MPs have got this wrong, that bastard created this hornets nest, there is only one way to get ride of these mongrels , and it is not giving Peters another chance to shaft us
        
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        February 11, 2022 2:09pm
      - Nickc2
        
        G the giant from Dunedin @ 2:09PM
        Ha Ha, not much chance of that. I’m banned for life from Slater’s BDF.
        
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        February 11, 2022 2:16pm
      - Fight4NZ
        
        Banned for life. No cause introspection at all?
        
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        February 11, 2022 11:54pm
- Rich Prick
  
  I think New Zealanders are waking up to the reality that we are governed by emojis masquerading as politicians. My message to anyone listening, if you want your life back, just take it. It’s your’s after all, not Cindy’s.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:25am
  - TS Child
    
    ‘Emojis masquerading as politicians’ best line all week!?
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:26am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Frowns face emoji ! ?
      
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      February 11, 2022 12:53pm
    - Mr_Blobby
      
      I 2nd that.
      
      And in 3 Months I will come back and give you a booster uptick.
      
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      February 11, 2022 7:54pm
- graham
  
  Maybe more people have worked out for themselves that this Government DOESN’T follow the science, and have done the merest amount of research necessary to work things out for themselves.
  
  I mean, last year when I tapped some query into Google to find out the optimal time between first and second jabs, one of the first results that appears is the British Medical Journal, with the first paragraph recommending an interval of at least six weeks, and the second paragraph talking about an interval of 6-14 weeks. Your average, non-political Joe and Jane Public is quite capable of spending one minute checking this out, maybe another ten minutes searching out corroborating evidence, and making up their own minds. Probably much to the frustration of our Government.
  
  People aren’t stupid, and evidence is starting to show that even the most compliant New Zealander still isn’t adverse to just checking out a couple of things for themselves rather than just blindly accept what they’re fed.
  
  Remember, the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer reported that globally, 67% of respondents (that’s 36,000 respondents across 28 countries) agree with the statement “Journalists and reporters are purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggerations.” Our media can turn a blind eye to this if they want, but the facts speak for themselves – two thirds of people simply don’t believe them.
  
  https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2022-01/2022%20Edelman%20Trust%20Barometer%20FINAL_Jan25.pdf
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:38am
  - bennerg
    
    Graham, Guy Hatchard made a very good comment in his latest article regarding the government claim that they “follow the science”
    
    “Yet when Jacinda Ardern says ‘she is following the science’, what she means in practice is following the advice of a group of medical professionals who are themselves used to following advice sent to them by representatives of the pharmaceutical system.”
    
    https://hatchardreport.com/a-wake-up-call-for-our-politicians/
    
    I myself think the only science they follow is “political”.
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:23am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Exactly..
    
    I have seen no good science as to why this Government disregards the optimal spacing between Pfiser doses and advocates for individuals to overload their immune system with poorly spaced jabs that seem to confer very limited protection against omicron.
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:31am
    - Fight4NZ
      
      It’s just them squeezing the timelines because their ordering was so crap. Same reason they are dragging out MIQ. Plugging the gaps
      
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      February 12, 2022 12:07am
  - Fight4NZ
    
    S
    
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    February 12, 2022 12:00am
- Colville
  
  they are texting me telling me that I am overdue and I was jabbed last time Oct 20th.
  so that is less than 4 months.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:05am
  - Dougal10
    
    They texting me telling me i’m overdue for booster and I have never felt the need to get my first shot let alone another 2 or 3 . It’s just another MOH cluster.
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:59am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I do find it almost impossible to find anyone to admit they voted for Jaspinda.
  My employer did. His reason? National were doing him no favours financially. He now knows it was a bad choice, seeing as he knew the history of the previous Labour Govts
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:48pm
  - jgw739
    
    Nobody I know will admit to it either, however if you are asset rich and cash poor you’ve done pretty well since 2017.
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:57pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

I blame the internet.

Omicron has come to NZ via international travelers who were, in theory at least, fully vaccinated. Logically, the virus is being spread by the vaccinated. Therefore, it’s irrelevant whether free people are vaccinated or not, which in turn means the restrictions we labour under are pointless.

The inability of New Zealanders to follow a simple chain of logic has its roots in the short attention span driven by the instant gratification of the web.

My solution: bring back Latin.
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February 11, 2022 8:02am
- jgw739
  
  Latin! No way! We have the most powerful, nuanced, amazing culture in the world. It even has its own word for things like ‘treaty’! Beat that!
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:02pm
Random T Person

So it’s true. The article about the South African doctor in the herald and on ZB confirms the politicians want to keep us scared. Ignoring evidence and suppressing clinical observations to keep Omicron ‘deadly’. Honestly fuck these people. Including, I’m sorry to say, Get Boosted Bishop and even David Seymour. Fuck them.
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February 11, 2022 8:03am
Benedict Yu

And so it goes on……

Pfizer and BioNTech SE have applied for emergency use authorisation in the USA to vaccinate children 6 months through 4 years of age (6 months to <5 years of age).

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/09/cdc-tells-health-officials-to-expect-first-shipments-of-young-kids-covid-shots-by-feb-21.html

Media reports are that millions of doses will ship in the USA on 21 February. So expect an application to Medsafe in March for a New Zealand roll out for covid vaccines for infants.

I hope sanity prevails with the Government calling a halt to this madness.

On the 5 to 11 group, I recall predicting that vaccination rates for children would be about 50 percent. For once I was close to the mark. It is now 44 percent, and only 1900 doses were given yesterday.

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-vaccine-data

The vaccination rate for Maori 5 to 11 years children is only 24 percent, with daily doses stalled. Expect more wailing from the Maori elite.

I think Maori folk are rational. The vaccination rate for Maori aged 55 and older is close to 100 percent. That one metric demolishes the allegation that the health system is 'racist'. But it won't stop the screams from activists that 75 percent of Maori 5 year olds are unvaccinated because of colonisation. ? Anyway it will be my fault.
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February 11, 2022 8:04am
- artemisia
  
  ” Expect more wailing from the Maori elite.”
  
  Expect more demands for money ….
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:17am
- Random T Person
  
  Sanity? From these incompetent imbeciles?
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:35am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Sanity is not in the Labour operations manual
    
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    February 11, 2022 1:52pm
- ClanMcleod
  
  Pushing these jabs onto children has to be one of the most egregious policies of this government and those in the opposition parties who do not speak out against it are equally to blame.
  Just stop this circus right now. It’s over. Every sane country on the planet is dropping mask mandates, jab mandates and vax passes. It’s over.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:57am
  - mawm
    
    Pfizer and Moderna desperately need it to accepted that kids of all ages must be vaccinated as this will allow them to get full FDA approval in kids which will then confer on them an immunity to prosecution under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act – signed into law by Reagan.
    
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    February 11, 2022 1:51pm
- Loddenthinks
  
  “I hope sanity prevails with the Government calling a halt to this madness.” For sanity to prevail there has to be some, and I see no evidence of it.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:39am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Let them carry on, COVID is now what is bring these fools down
    
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    February 11, 2022 12:55pm
- Cinematic
  
  Ka Ching
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:04am
- Sacha
  
  I’d say that its just just as well that some of us have broad shoulders, Benedict Yu.
  And are deaf as well.
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:16am
- Fight4NZ
  
  There are plenty of countries including the US where Omicron has passed its peak. Would seem like the horse has bolted for them. Do you happen to have seen stats about cases/hospitalisations in the young cohorts? Next to none I expect?
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:40pm
- Jim
  
  There is something seriously odd going on at the FDA
  https://youtu.be/O9BV6dMF6fU
  
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  February 11, 2022 7:04pm
Viva Christo Rey

One of the most shameful days in NZ history in the capital yesterday. Politicians hiding from the people behind a wall of morally compromised police officers. If they think this is over then they are wrong.
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February 11, 2022 8:11am
Nickc2

Never Let a Chance Go By
I just heard Winston Peters say he may join the protesters. (Talkback ZB News)
Well Luxon and Seymour, you missed your chance.
PS: I’m not a Peter’s Party fan.
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February 11, 2022 8:13am
- ClanMcleod
  
  I picked this a couple of days ago. It’s easy political points and the beauty of it is whoever runs with it is also on the right side of history. Win win.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:00am
  - Nickc2
    
    Agree. You don’t have to agree with all of them, just listen and tell them you have heard their concerns and will hold the Govt accountable.
    Job done.
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:10am
    - Matt Long
      
      Agree, Luxon actively attemps to discredit the protesters by saying their message is confused and drawing attention to Trump flags etc., without even meeting with the protesters.
      It’s not as though we’re asking opposition politicians to perform fellatio or cunninglingus on the protesters like Ardern did with the climate change protesters. Just meet with them and register their concerns, and difuse the anger.
      Luxon and Seymour have shown their true colours as enemies of freedom, and given Winston a foot in the door of parliament, they are idiots.
      
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      February 11, 2022 10:45am
      - oldfella
        
        Matt, perhaps Jethro could be Cindy’s surrogate and address the protestors. Good Kiwi bloke and all that.
        That’s assuming anyone can actually find him. /s
        
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        February 11, 2022 11:07am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        The original truckers protest was fine, but it’s been high jacked by nutters, this is where Pugh got caught, she was thinking the truckers for their words over 3 waters, over other things as well as the mandates, but many there now are just interested in anti vax, look at that idiot woman on tv wanting to divorce her husband for having his booster shot, well why did she not do that over his first shot, there are now to many fools there
        
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        February 11, 2022 12:59pm
      - Flossie
        
        The woman saying she wants to divorce her husband was undoubtedly a cherry picked comment from many many that have been filmed. It helps the lefty narrative to show all the protesters as utter nutters.
        
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        February 11, 2022 1:37pm
      - mawm
        
        Matt – maybe Luxon is getting his news from the MSM which is deliberately trying to confuse the issue. Sure there are nutters – there always are, but meeting with leaders for spokesmen will give him an idea as to what the message is.
        
        Trust Winston, the ultimate opportunist, to turn up in the hope of becoming politically relevant again.
        
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        February 11, 2022 1:58pm
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        The truckers that left Bluff and Kaitiaia last weekend are not the lunatics that now are causing trouble at parliament, yes, there are many peaceful protesters, but there are also many lunatics from nuthouse factions like Tamaki, flat earth and the lines, if Luxon sided with this, then he would be seen as anti vax right up until the election, the Bats have said in December that mandates should be gone at 90% vaxed, and this week have stated there should be an end date or target for Arderns cabinet (not parliamentary vote) decision
        
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        February 11, 2022 5:14pm
      - Observer of Life
        
        MattL: “Luxon and Seymour have shown their true colours as enemies of freedom, and given Winston a foot in the door of parliament, they are idiots”.
        Yep and I have emailed them saying exactly that. Nothing (again) from Luxon and Seymour’s staff tell me (basically) the protestors are violent thugs. It stuns me these people think we will want to vote for them when they show no capacity to think past the MSM narrative.
        
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        February 11, 2022 8:15pm
  - RoboRob
    
    Unlike Labour or National, Winston has nothnig to loose and everything to gain. He just needs his 5%, nothing more. If the nats were to support this, they likely loose the disaffected Labour voters they have recently been gaining. The battle is all about the middle.
    
    p.s. I cant stand Winston
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:20am
    - Libertarians are right
      
      Exactly, even Seymour would lose by taking this position. The only people who stand to gain are those below 5%. Not main stream parties.
      
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      February 11, 2022 10:05am
      - Warren
        
        Labour and Seymour are dammed I’d [if] they don’t and dammed if they do and you only have to read Kiwiblog to understand that.
        
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        February 11, 2022 12:48pm
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        Go to Slaters shithole, they are guaranteeing the idiot Peters will be well above 5% next poll, mind you, that shot joke that is the only place where everyone is rubbishing Luxon over cabinets decision
        
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        February 11, 2022 5:16pm
    - Colville
      
      But New Zealand has a LOT to lose by Winston getting a toehold back onto the relevance ladder.
      
      That POS put Cindy in the big chair and he is in large part responsible for the mess that she has caused.
      It would be ironic indeed for the charlatan to put his hand up as saviour for the mess he helped create.
      
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      February 11, 2022 10:26am
      - Nickc2
        
        Hindsight is a great thing Colville.
        
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        February 11, 2022 11:36am
      - mawm
        
        Col – I wonder if the WEF helped him make his decision last time? It could be that he is milking the same cow.
        
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        February 11, 2022 2:01pm
    - yobi
      
      Robo I tend to agree with you. But……. core support for a party ie those who will vote for them no matter what. National and Labour are probably 20% each, the Greens 6% and the maori party 2%. I haven’t included Act as they are propped up by National with Epsom. Looking at core support that leaves 52% who in all effect are swing voters, whether they know it or not. The 400k Karens that National lost to Labour are only 10% of the voting population, that still leaves 42% swing voters. 42 is far larger than 10. Mr Luxon maybe a great ceo, but I don’t think he is a good mathematician. Up until this week I was a National voter (not in the core 20%), I’m now definitely a swing voter who is liking what Winston is saying (I never thought I would say that!)
      
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      February 11, 2022 10:48am
      - Nickc2
        
        If it meant an end to 3 Waters, He Pua Pua, Maori Health Agency, Maori Wards on Councils, Te Reo in/on Schools/TV/Radio/MSM in General and Maori Separatism in Govt, I most probably would switch my vote to the Peter’s Party as well.
        For me, that’s one Quantum Leap!
        
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        February 11, 2022 11:42am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        To me most of these people are Māori, younger woman, snd greenie types, Ringotanga flags everywhere, not sure who will lose votes, but I bet many many are lefties
        
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        February 11, 2022 1:01pm
      - noodlum
        
        You must be enjoying the status quo with that mixed thinking!
        
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        February 11, 2022 1:04pm
      - krazykiwi
        
        I most probably would switch my vote to the Peter’s Party as well
        
        Have you been awake over the last 30 years?
        
        Peter’s Party preys on people who buy into platitudinous piffle.
        
        (That’s it… I’ve got my alliteration badge for the month)
        
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        February 11, 2022 1:25pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        Don’t deceive yourself. Winnie is only ever in it for himself.
        
        It’s such wishful thinking that landed us with Jaxxie in the first place.
        
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        February 11, 2022 7:38pm
  - TS Child
    
    https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/127742387/filipino-who-strangled-partner-avoids-deportation-on-humanitarian-grounds
    
    So you can beat and strangle your partner, and not be deported because your home country isn’t nice right now. I think if you don’t want to risk being deported, then don’t beat and strangle other people. We have our own troubled people. We do not need to specifically import them (actual refugees off to the side a bit – we know they will come with problems. The fact we don’t actually cater for that well is another discussion).
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:18am
- Viva Christo Rey
  
  I will vote for whoever promises to end this persecution and promises to never let it happen again.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:16am
  - ClanMcleod
    
    Same. There is no tribalism when it comes to tyranny, and be in no doubt, we are suffering under a tyrannical regime right now.
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:13am
  - PeeJay
    
    If that results in a vote for Winston based on ‘promises’ prepare to be sadly disappointed.
    
    Never ceases to amaze me how the great charlatan repeatedly comes back from the dead. He never follows through, always twists what he promises, and will simply go with whoever offers him the most wonga.
    
    I’d hoped that Winston First was done after 2017 when he selected Ardern – this country has really never recovered from that. From the views of some on this blog, I’m really disappointed that a lot of folks have forgotten what a lying and duplicitous individual he is.
    
    Everyone is free to vote for whoever they want. However, if you vote for him, you have no right to complain and express shock when he stabs you in the back…..again!!!
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:29am
    - curry4me
      
      PeeJay: Eactly. He makes semi-plausible promises then does nothing. I hope few fall for it this time.
      
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      February 11, 2022 12:53pm
      - PeeJay
        
        100% agree but, unfortunately, I think some folks including a fair few on this blog, will do the old ‘Winston will keep National honest’ without ever thinking what happened the last time they thought that way!
        
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        February 11, 2022 4:03pm
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      The lying bastard will stand in parliament and say I never said that, oh FFS NZ please don’t let this scum back in , with the smugness of wrists Jones, and the bloody army mechanic back on the gravy train
      
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      February 11, 2022 5:21pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Nats have now twice asked for a timeline to getting rid of mandates, in December they also said they think mandates should be dropped at 90% vaxed, let’s not forget the only way yo get rid of Cindy is Nat government, that arsehoke Peters is spouting bullshit, even though he was part of government that started locking down NZers illegally, where is he if he thinks this is sooooo important, I hate the mandates too, but I hate this government more, Peters will only ensure another Labour government, remember the mongrel saying capitalism broken
    
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    February 11, 2022 1:06pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Do some due diligence, is my advice.
    
    Politicians have been known to say all sorts of odd things at election time.
    
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    February 11, 2022 7:40pm
- MCōs
  
  That’ll be after he’s popped into the Pike River Mine drift
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:44am
  - PeeJay
    
    Have a rare uptick from me. Absolutely astounded that anyone would consider Winston First as the saviour because he promised something!!!
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:31am
- Loddenthinks
  
  Just like he was going to be “the first person into the mine” at Pike River?
  
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  February 11, 2022 12:22pm
- curry4me
  
  Nickc2: I assume the protestors are not as stupid as the globalists think they are, and won’t beleive a word he says. Still, he makes David Seymour look bad.
  
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  February 11, 2022 12:49pm
  - PeeJay
    
    Can understand why Luxon won’t go near it – I don’t agree but I understand why as it avoids giving Labour and the media a free hit at ‘anti-tax / anti-science’ National. Keeping quiet is actually pretty smart. A bit cowardly perhaps, but bloody smart politically in the battle for the ‘middle’.
    
    But Seymour? I don’t understand that at all. He has absolutely nothing to lose by going and chatting to them – he can do the ‘disagree but respect your views and here to listen’ routine and come out like an absolute legend. For ACT, this is a free hit and I just don’t understand why they are not taking advantage.
    
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    February 11, 2022 4:18pm
RalphT

“Expect more wailing from the Māori elite.” To be followed by more cash from the government.
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February 11, 2022 8:14am
Maggy Wassilieff

Doesn’t look as if there will be many houses built this year..

https://www.newsroom.co.nz/building-projects-grind-to-a-halt-as-dominant-fletcher-freezes-gib-orders
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February 11, 2022 8:14am
- Yvette
  
  Maggy
  Building projects grind to a halt as dominant Fletcher freezes Gib orders
  … with the announcement this week that Fletcher-owned Winstone Wallboards is putting a freeze on advance orders until July.
  
  Fletchers … Winstone “hand-brake” … Ihumātoa karma, or utu
  
  Or Bloomfield has consolidated all advance Gib orders to build a Trump Wall across Parliament’s forecourt to keep out Trump demonstrators who may storm the Capitol of Truth
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:34am
- artemisia
  
  Covid made me do it …. So all good then. Suck it up developers, builders, plumbers, sparkies, painters, plasterers, kitchen and bathroom suppliers. Oh and homeowners. Let’s not forget those with money in the pocket in a housing shortage.
  
  From Maggy’s link:
  
  The lockdown created a backlog of orders for Winstone Wallboards to pick and deliver and resulted in longer lead times,” it said, in a statement to customers. “These longer lead times and general concerns around supply across the industry resulted in a further large increase in forward orders being placed, which has continued to extend lead times to where they are today.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:35am
  - Master Mariner
    
    Dont forget the councils complicity in this.
    
    “Some of the architects know there are choices. But if they put Elephant Board on the plan, they find more pushback from councils. Councils needs to change the way they allow people to switch. It’s so impractical – some take the Building Act so literally. They want the brand to be specified.”
    
    Throw in David Clarke and Poto in the mix, What can go wrong?
    
    However the major issue is shipping and supply chains which neither of the above understand from an International perspective.
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:18am
    - kowtow
      
      I said this at the very start of the covid farce .
      
      Very easy to lock down ,but the cure would be worse than the disease.
      
      Two years later the economy is in ICU while the batflu has blown over.
      
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      February 11, 2022 10:25am
      - mawm
        
        The economy is in ICU ….with only mandates and clueless politicians to cure it. Expect rampant inflation and a decrease in your dollar’s purchasing power.
        
        5 0
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        February 11, 2022 2:17pm
    - PeeJay
      
      BRANZ is a major choke point in the construction industry. It makes it extremely difficult for products like Elephant Board to get into the market. It often feels like it protects existing suppliers market share.
      
      Also, as someone working in the system, the Building Act isn’t the real issue. It’s the accompanying Building Code with prescriptive acceptable solutions. It encourages a mindset of ‘path of least resistance’ in achieving building consents. It’s arguable that it actively discourages innovation.
      
      The whole sector needs a root and branch reform but it will never work because the vested interests such as the suppliers, consultants, contractors and subcontractors are all part of the system and therefore part of the problem – every time the industry comes up with a solution, it’s invariably led by the same folks who are causing the issues in the first place!
      
      For anyone in the industry that disputes this, just think about all the ‘changes’ that have been proposed and question what has really changed since these changes were implemented? It’s a talking shop / working committee with token changes and nothing really changes.
      
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      February 11, 2022 10:50am
      - Alan Wilkinson
        
        Exactly right. Just another giant political fkup from our politicians putting bureaucrats with zero accountability for costs in charge of their own butt protection. And an army of leaches living off providing it.
        
        9 1
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        February 11, 2022 2:51pm
Yvette

Government reveals ‘critical’ workers who can use tests to avoid isolating as contacts
Businesses involved in food production, healthcare, social welfare and media are among those the Government has identified as “critical services”, allowing their workers to use rapid antigen tests (RATs) to return to work early if they are identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/02/coronavirus-government-reveals-critical-workers-who-can-use-tests-to-avoid-isolating-as-contacts.html

The promise of at-home tests to tell people whether they are infectious has been undercut … by preliminary data that suggests some of the rapid tests may be less sensitive to the now-dominant omicron variant. Studies suggest they detect infections most reliably two to five days after exposure in people with high viral loads who are experiencing symptoms, which is why people are urged to take the tests serially. But even then, they are not foolproof. And for those who have taken pains to find out whether their sniffle and sore throat might be harbingers of covid-19 to protect others, contradictory test results are often dismaying. – the Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/01/17/rapid-coronavirus-tests-accuracy-omicron/

Despite Ashley Bloomfield – der Rattenfänger von Hameln – having piped all the RATs into Government consolidation, what use will he put them to, and just what uselessness will that be – could just one or more enable a super-spreader, which, as the Washington Post intimates, could be “dismaying“?

As has been suggested in the media several times. Article 3 of the Treaty (for those who still acknowledge the Crown) offers Māori protection and citizenship equal to other British Subjects, and being one of the other Subjects, I wonder about the protection, as a corollary, I see to be my equal entitlement …
Like, just how safe is it for “critical services” in food production and healthcare to use possible ratshit RATs and become super-spreaders – or is “Red Traffic Light – Step 2” sort of a gone-burger step anyway? – like, who gives a RATs once omicron is really spreading enough to qualify as Jacinda’s label “Step 2”?

OK, I think I’ve used all the rat cliches, but what about the equal protection?
Oh? – it’s not really happening.
Ardern has abandoned the Treaty, like Te Parti Maori has
Are we being corralled like the rats of Hameln
Of course make you own mind up
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February 11, 2022 8:16am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  OK, I think I’ve used all the rat cliches,
  
  No, you haven’t…
  
  How about:
  smell a rat,
  rat race,
  to rat on the unvaxxed
  drowned rats
  rat-a-tat-tat
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:44am
  - mawm
    
    Ratfink. Appropriate at this time I think.
    
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    February 11, 2022 2:24pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Ratf*cked? Like NZ
    
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    February 11, 2022 7:43pm
- TS Child
  
  What I find interesting is that media is considered an essential service – like health and food. I kind of get it – a properly functioning media would be pretty useful. And an enormously biased one, of course is critical… but really? As important as food and health and welfare? And liable to the same workforce issues? – couldn’t possibly work from home with technology?
  
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  February 12, 2022 7:52pm
G152

Why haven’t the police kept protesters off Raglan airstrip with the same speed and numbers that they turned up at Parliament??????
Could there be something other than pilots safety at risk here ???????
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February 11, 2022 8:21am
JibberJabber

Stolen from the Twitter,

Disappointment that Max Key has not called his new company …Key, we Build.
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February 11, 2022 8:23am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  He’s not planning on being a failure.
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:46am
Maggie Pie

TRENDING

‘Speaker Trev’…. spotted on balcony of The Hive shortly after giving ‘thumbs-down’ to naked protester as she was forcibly extracted from the crowd.

https://twitter.com/IGottaNumBum/status/1491687211716132865
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February 11, 2022 8:23am
- pdm
  
  MP – Did he have binoculars?
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:27am
  - JibberJabber
    
    He’s requisitioned all body cam footage and a box of tissues.
    
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    February 11, 2022 8:35am
  - Warren
    
    Was he tapping his head.
    
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    February 11, 2022 8:45am
- artemisia
  
  Apparently a flesh coloured body suit. Police heading en masse for Specsavers this morning.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:30am
  - Cassandra
    
    And TV blurred the image to continue the deception. No cheap thrills in NZ. All this rubbish about Brenda giving up her Mormon membership…………..
    
    21 1
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    February 11, 2022 9:37am
- Frank the tank
  
  Channeling his inner Caligula.
  
  Albeit a more intellectually challenged version.
  
  21 1
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  February 11, 2022 8:36am
- alex Masterley
  
  I am not impressed by the picture of the officer doing press-ups on the head of some-one being restrained.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:42am
  - kowtow
    
    Now had that been a black ,drug fuelled, dud money pusher ……..
    ……..the Media Pardy double standard is a shocker.
    
    29 1
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    February 11, 2022 8:54am
- Maggie Pie
  
  And here he is again, this time spotted skulking behind the Press Corp….as naked protester is dragged from the arena 😀
  
  https://twitter.com/HomesteadNZ/status/1491678906638020609
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:55am
  - Scooter
    
    Hey Trev, Seinfeld called and wants his shirt back.
    
    https://images.app.goo.gl/55C39WZUL1x2cxBB8
    
    15 0
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    February 11, 2022 9:12am
    - I remember when
      
      Bloody sloppy even if we ignore his salary and being in charge of dress in the house.
      
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      February 11, 2022 10:48am
- Scooter
  
  Jesus, looks like the cop is doing a “plank” (as in pilates) on his head.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:08am
  - oldfella
    
    It’s the local version of the famous ‘George Floyd’ technique.
    
    14 1
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    February 11, 2022 11:29am
Maggy Wassilieff

Triple vaxxed Prince Charles contracts Covid infection for the 2nd time

https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/02/10/prince-charles-isolating-after-testing-positive-for-covid-19/

Looks like it is not just the unvaxxed that are being “hunted out” by the virus.
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February 11, 2022 8:23am
- Rich Prick
  
  Those vaccines are working a treat aren’t they.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:30am
  - pdm
    
    RP – my bet is Prince Charles will bounce back in a couple of days saying he has had worse colds.
    
    28 2
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    February 11, 2022 8:39am
    - MCōs
      
      Because he’s had the booster?
      
      5 16
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      February 11, 2022 9:08am
      - ClanMcleod
        
        No MCōs – because Omicron is now proven worldwide to be little more than a cold. Get over it. The narrative is demolished. Let it go.
        
        30 1
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        February 11, 2022 10:16am
  - The Boss
    
    I want my money back
    
    20 1
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    February 11, 2022 8:40am
- krazykiwi
  
  If it was omi, Prince Charles would have had some protection against infection from two weeks after his booster for several further weeks. Thereafter the protection will have switched to negative, ie being more at risk of infection than he would have been previously. The data that first emerged from Denmark showed this, and there are data emerging weekly that highlight the phenomenon.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:41am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Looks like we might see an explosion of cases through NZ in a couple of weeks then, as the immunity from boosters begins to wane.
    
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    February 11, 2022 8:44am
    - UrbanNeocolonialist
      
      A real pity we didn’t get omicron wave 6 weeks back. More people will die as a result.
      
      8 2
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      February 11, 2022 8:58am
      - krazykiwi
        
        If already available, highly effective outpatient protocols were implemented then the number of deaths predominantly attributable to Covid-19 would be near zero.
        
        But our MoH, much like the pharma-captured health agencies across the western world, have no treatment strategy other than directing people vaxx and wait until you’re sick enough to be admitted. It is bordering on criminal negligence in my view.
        
        24 2
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        February 11, 2022 10:40am
      - UrbanNeocolonialist
        
        yep zero doubt that cheap safe supplements reduce risk dramatically. Govt have truly been criminally negligent in not transmitting that science to the public – keeping Big Pharma happy (profiting from maximizing vaccination to the exclusion of everything else) seems more important to them than saving 1000’s (in delta days) now 100’s of lives (less severe omicron).
        
        Eg check out huge risk reduction from prophylactic use of Vit D (large number of studies, incontrovertible highly positive ‘signal’ with fairly tight error bounds in an incredibly safe and cheap supplement). Lots of other cheap safe and well proven stuff in the list too (like zinc)
        https://c19early.com/
        
        11 1
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        February 11, 2022 12:39pm
      - mawm
        
        Urban – can something deliberate be negligent?
        
        6 0
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        February 11, 2022 2:30pm
    - ClanMcleod
      
      We will Maggy, it has been well predicted. Winter will likely be a shit show, but it won’t be covid to blame. It will be two years of hiding under the bed, social distancing, hand sanitising, mandates etc etc.
      We have a ton of dry tinder and we have double jabbed and boosted. Evidence clearly showing now that the vaccines cause negative efficacy. The more jabbed you get, the more likely to get omicron.
      I need more popcorn.
      
      21 3
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      February 11, 2022 10:20am
  - ClanMcleod
    
    Your right kk. I went to the AP fact checkers and they said your claim is false so it must be true.
    
    21 1
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    February 11, 2022 9:26am
- ClanMcleod
  
  More evidence that it is the most jabbed who are most prone to catching covid. As predicted. Another conspiracy theory has come true. Funny that!
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:07am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    To. W fair, 96% of NZ is vaxed, so 70% of 96% getting this is act way better than 30% of what’s left
    
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    February 11, 2022 1:09pm
    - mawm
      
      You do know that 96% figure is in dispute.
      
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      February 11, 2022 2:32pm
- mandk
  
  Charles is so neurotic, you can also guarantee that he wouldn’t let unvaxxed people near him.
  
  So tell me again. Vaccines stop the spread of covid, right?
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:30am
The Boss

Having again watched some of the antics of that cowboy in parliament, I just dread the day he becomes king maker after the next election. Heaven forbid.
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February 11, 2022 8:25am
- ClanMcleod
  
  Filling the void that has been screaming for National or ACT to fill but they have refused to do so. So be it.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:09am
  - Warren
    
    Well being the expert you are Clan Mcloud why don’t you use your expertise to stand for Parliament as a MP , I am sure many people on kiwiblog would be happy to see you campaign on your ability.
    
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    February 11, 2022 12:56pm
    - ClanMcleod
      
      Thanks for the endorsement Warren, I know what my strengths are and Machiavellian narcissism isn’t on the list. I wouldn’t attempt to live in that cess pit. Also I’m a bit too old.
      I’ll stick to commentating and doing what I can to help change this horrendous system in whatever way I can.
      
      17 1
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      February 11, 2022 1:29pm
  - curry4me
    
    ClanMcleod: One of the New Conservative leaders has been in the crowd talking to people since it started.
    
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    February 11, 2022 1:01pm
    - ClanMcleod
      
      curry4me – cheers for the heads up. I’ll search the interweb and see what I can find out about them.
      
      6 1
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      February 11, 2022 2:37pm
      - bronny1
        
        It’s Leighton Baker – Chantelle Baker (of the live streams) is his daughter
        
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        February 11, 2022 8:34pm
Southern Raider

Sounds like the new isolation for critical workers is another rushed policy with a procedure that kindergarten children could have made more sensible

It’s self selection, but still requires MoH to approve. Lots of businesses struggling to determine if they are critical or not. Lots of forms to complete and at the end of it unclear where you would get the RAT kit from and how long the delay would be

Amateurs.

Those protesters need to clean Wellington out
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February 11, 2022 8:29am
- Julie
  
  And Hipkins said the government do not intend to” micromanage” covid in the future!
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:04am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    What is it with Labour and lies??
    
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    February 11, 2022 2:21pm
- oldfella
  
  SR, and it requires a good supply of RATs kits. I’m sure they’re already in the mail. /s
  BTW, remember the promise to provide anyone home isolating with an oximetre? I learned yesterday that the BOP has been allocated 200 units. WTF?
  If the Omicron wave really does arrive, that should do the BOP for about… cuppla days?
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:36am
Nickc2

I’m noticing there is a trend developing among those masquerading as Journalists in NZ that when reporting, anything that doesn’t comply with the current Govt’s interpretation is deemed to be a conspiracy theory.
IMO, they should get their heads out of their own arses and take a look at what they scribble as their own Opinion Pieces.
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February 11, 2022 8:41am
- ClanMcleod
  
  Nickc2 – try challenging any of those scribes to give you an example of the “misinformation” they repeatedly write about. Crickets. The are devoid of intelligence.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:11am
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    NPC’s
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:22am
  - Nickc2
    
    They’re devoid of lots of things Mac. Intelligence is but one.
    However, they’re not devoid of Govt (taxpayer) funding and therein lies the problem IMO.
    
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    February 11, 2022 9:29am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Just ask, if they were just a member of the public would they listen to that tripe?
  Then watch the body language
  
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  February 11, 2022 2:24pm
graham

Attorney-General David Parker today poured scorn on the protesters occupying Parliament’s grounds calling them “a tiny group of misguided people who believed garbage on social media.”

Funny how they need over a thousand police, and possibly the army, to deal with “a tiny group” of people …
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February 11, 2022 8:45am
- ClanMcleod
  
  Those comments from Parker are the clearest evidence yet that this government and their supporters have completely lost the plot. Parker is an embarrassment, same as the rest of these fools in parliament.
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:23am
- curry4me
  
  graham: Trudope tried to sic the army on the protestors in Ottowa. They told him to forget it, and said it was a political problem.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:04pm
- Jim
  
  Whatever happens to this protest in NZ, Canada or wherever else similar emotions are being vocalised, it’s not the end of this issue. As Pfizer et al push their vaccinations on infants (6 months to 4 years) and public services erode due to mandates and health regulations the groundswell will become ever bigger to rail against the (so called) democratic corporate authoritarianism that the west is in the grip of today.
  
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  February 11, 2022 7:46pm
Frank the tank

Random Friday observations:

1). Are there any other small business owners looking into managing Wokebola employee provisions and whether you are a critical business. The documents would best be described as Wellington beltway bdsm.
2). The roads, shops and restaurants of Auckland are deserted – is the government not aware of the tsunami of economic damage there are inflicting.
3). If you kick a dog long and hard enough at some stage they bite you. I can’t help but think this is what happened regarding the protest.
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February 11, 2022 8:45am
- Jim
  
  Concur as per my comment above. This will not go away as the injustice begins to affect (directly and indirectly) a wider cohort of good citizens. Mandates and reprioritisation of health services (covid over cancer, stroke, cardiovascular etc) will begin to bite the everyday good tax paying citizen as they feel betrayed by their government and public services.
  
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  February 11, 2022 7:52pm
Clyde

I noted that yesterday for Question Time in Parliament, the Duck wasn’t present, but Adrian Rurawhe was sent in. I don’t know if he has poor eyesight but his constant peering at his script from a few centimetres away and his unwillingness to drop his mask when he was speaking led to a comical appearance. However, less comical was his ability to ensure that Ministers answered questions. His mantra seems to be “stick to Cindy’s script”. As usual Poto failed to deliver.
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February 11, 2022 8:52am
Benedict Yu

Just looking at the live feed from Parliament. Many of these protesters are wearing shorts and light clothing.

The weather on Sunday is going to be heavy rain and gale force southerlies.

https://www.metservice.com/towns-cities/locations/wellington

If they are not gone they will be in for a hard time 🙁
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February 11, 2022 8:58am
- Yvette
  
  Does not each journalist who writes a Opinion piece put her or his own biarse on the line?
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:13am
- MCōs
  
  They’ve had it pretty easy so far.
  Mild weather, plenty of food, handy parking for $40 (cheaper than I paid at Middlemore when my wife was in hospital last week).
  Bit boring by the look.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:15am
  - All_on_Red
    
    Hope your wife is ok now
    
    8 0
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    February 11, 2022 10:07am
    - MCōs
      
      Thank you.
      She broke her wrist, which is not nice at all.
      Just a simple fall in the garden, but 5-6mths to get back to normal.
      After what I’d heard of Middlemore Emergency I was expecting long delays & a boisterous clientele, but none of that.
      They had to set it twice on the night & she had an operation ten days later.
      Pro tip
      If you take a tumble don’t put out your hand. Land on your head or shoulder or somewhere else.
      
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      February 11, 2022 10:48am
      - ClanMcleod
        
        Been there, done that. Not pleasant, but on a positive note it healed well the second time around and functioning pretty much as normal after rehab and physio.
        All the best to your wife and her recovery.
        
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        February 11, 2022 1:33pm
- DeepBlue
  
  They may not be stupid. If they make a tactical retreat for the weekend, then they can Build Back Better on Monday with a coordinated message and new troops.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:25am
- krazykiwi
  
  We Wellingtonians are made of stern stuff, BY. Not like you soft Cantabrians 🙂
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:29am
- bronny1
  
  Come on, you don’t think they don’t have more clothes. The protest groups on telegram have warm gear and rain wear all sorted along with 3 nutritious and free meals a day and gazebos for shelter.
  
  What kind of protest do you think this is?
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:39pm
I remember when

Local major farm supply depot.
“Fence Posts.”
“Do you want our entire supply?”
“How many is that?”
“Three.”
Now there are none.
“Can I have a woolpack?”
“Sorry, we dont have any. Don’t know anyone in area who does.”
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February 11, 2022 9:03am
I remember when

Age Concern Palmerston North and Districts.
Afternoon Tea Dance will be held 1/3/22 for about 50 people with vaccination passes.
There will be no dancing.
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February 11, 2022 9:13am
- ClanMcleod
  
  Welcome to Jacindastan.
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:26am
- Inandout
  
  Irw, now that is concerning.
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:41am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Unbelievably stupid
  
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  February 11, 2022 2:31pm
Tony Stuart

Michael Wood has just taken advantage of the public’s attention being elsewhere to announce the minimum wage from 1 April 2022 will be $21.20/hour.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/government-raising-minimum-wage-to-2120/BAJVYSWR6VFLK6LRWQJNJMM7HQ/

He clearly doesn’t realise what a struggle the last two years have been, for tourism, hospitality, retail and thousands of other businesses. This will be the death knell for many.
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February 11, 2022 9:26am
- Nickc2
  
  Another nail in the coffin of business. What a good little Socialist he is!
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:32am
- Cassandra
  
  We are a very rich country. UBI by stealth. Actually not even stealth. A flat white will go to $6 this year.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:39am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    First you have to have cafes and coffee carts open to make flat whites Cassandra.
    
    22 0
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    February 11, 2022 10:13am
  - RichardF
    
    I paid $6.30 for one recently! Not long after, I purchased a good espresso machine for our kitchen. No more $6 flat whites in this house.
    
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    February 11, 2022 4:27pm
- Frank the tank
  
  Boxer is staggering…..
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:45am
- MCōs
  
  As always it’s too much/not enough
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:47am
- graham
  
  One News was making a big deal last night about the Wellington businesses disrupted by the protestors, and how tough it was for them.
  
  Wonder if they’ll make such a big deal tonight about how tough this will make it for all businesses?
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:17am
- Rich Prick
  
  The government can announce any minimum wage it likes, but that won’t stop it being $0 as businesses continue to fail.
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:50am
- Paulus
  
  Hope that Superannuitants get this 6% rise in April.
  yea!!!!
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:36pm
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Amen to that!
    
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    February 11, 2022 2:15pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    It is needed. Prices continue to increase but the fixed income bank balance doesn’t.
    Petrol, $2.68 in Albany. Fillet steak, $69 per kilo. Rates, power, water – even a tyre for the car, all increasing
    
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    February 11, 2022 2:39pm
DeepBlue

Minimum wage going up $1.20 per hour ‘Wood said will benefit 300,000 low wage earners’.

Not if they get fired. Govn trying to make employers pay again.

Told you they would do this yesterday, student politicians.
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February 11, 2022 9:30am
- Matt Long
  
  For a 30 hour week, that’s a pre tax increase of $36 dollars which won’t cover the grocery price inflation for many, Ardern’s government is taking to the proletariat.
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:20am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Poor little boy has no idea
  
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  February 11, 2022 2:40pm
Ehlana

While so many people are so comfortable compelling others to undertake medical procedures, can we add a couple more in? How about mandatory DNA testing to determine the biological parents of every child (and then linking their medical records to their child’s). There’s an actual good reason for this – your parent’s health is relevant to yours. And we all know how important it is to “Think of the children!”

And since the PM got into politics to end child poverty, I have another suggestion. How about compulsory birth control for anyone registering for a state benefit who is already a parent to three or more children? I understand vasectomy is a fairly simple and safe procedure; long-term contraceptive implants for women are harder, but we could offer a bonus “responsible parent” payment at each renewal.

There will no opposition from those comfortable with the current mandates and the PM does say they are a majority. Her work will be done! She can retire from NZ politics to spend more time with her family.

I wonder what the “majority” for mandates would be, if the government extended them as suggested.
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February 11, 2022 9:33am
- Nickc2
  
  I’m picking there would be a lot of men currently paying/providing child support relieved as a result of Paternity Testing at birth.
  For that reason, it’ll never happen.
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:43am
  - mawm
    
    Apparently as high as 25%. There’ll be a lot of divorces.
    
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    February 11, 2022 2:52pm
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      First children, may be.
      
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      February 11, 2022 7:52pm
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  vasectomies for men on welfare are pointless, it’s women who have babies – and they can always find another sperm donor.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:04pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    They ‘will’ find another sperm donor. Fixed it.
    The more kids, the more income for solo mothers
    
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    February 11, 2022 2:42pm
I remember when

RNZ: Police say anti-mandate protest at Parliament ‘unprecedented.’:
WDC Superintendent Corrie Parnell said, “We’ve never had an occupation of this scale, certainly with tents on Parliament’s grounds so….some degree of uncharted waters.”making it difficult to negotiate, he said.
“There’s so many different causes and groups here and to some degree, there is actually an absense of leadership.”
(In other words, rather than an unruly mob, a display of lack of satisfaction with government actions and general dissatisfaction.)
Obviously from inside Parliament it just looks like one unruly mob, that must not be encouraged.
So we have a crowd of protesters, the Superintendent has 900 local, plus 150 additional resources and he will contine to add to that – but NO MP thinks they represent anything that concerns them. In fact, strenuous efforts are being made by all parties to prevent any of their members doing so.
Would a real leader have spoken to a representative group, invited them to their offices and tried to make some headway.
Is it time to stop this faceless behaviour, stop constantly looking at polls, lose some of the fear of making a mistake, remember that as Jacinda said when she first became PM, “I will represent everybody regardless of who they voted for” and start doing whatever is needed, regardless of consequence.
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February 11, 2022 9:39am
- Jim
  
  Our journalists and politicians alike are cowards and avoiding engaging with the protesters to fairly understand their issues and concerns. My guess is there’s a lot of normal kiwi families being unfairly impacted by this government’s disproportionate response to the changing (especially Omicron) situation, with which many good people (outside of the protest) will be able to relate. Can’t have that now, can we?
  
  A fragile democracy on display, same as in Canada.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:19pm
Tomtoddy

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/world/covid-19-omicron-south-african-gp-who-raised-alarm-about-omicron-says-she-was-pressured-not-to-call-it-mild/?fbclid=IwAR2Hfg6PuuGTicxcvEUAv9MNp7-gOn3e2vOIbYIotyfza5uGdYAgqLigseg

Tells you a lot about deceptive scientists seeking publicity and funding, news media wanting sensationalism and politicians pedaling fear to maintain control.
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February 11, 2022 9:44am
Ehlana

If you were waiting for it, the minimum wage from 1 April this year will be $21.20/hour, an increase of 6% on the current $20/hour.

2017 was the last year of the 50c/year increase in the minimum wage and that year it went to $15.75/hour. The cumulative increase since then is 34.6%.
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February 11, 2022 9:47am
- Maggie Pie
  
  Can’t come soon enough.
  
  Limes…..$40 kg @ NW yesterday,
  
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  February 11, 2022 9:54am
  - Biscuit
    
    Never ever bought a lime, Maggie…
    
    And at those prices I’m not likely to break the habit of a lifetime!
    
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    February 11, 2022 10:38am
    - Bridgenag
      
      You can by dried limes from Gilmour’s
      
      3 1
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      February 11, 2022 1:10pm
  - MCōs
    
    It’s not the lime season.
    Every year at this time the price is outrageous.
    
    7 1
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    February 11, 2022 11:36am
    - Biscuit
      
      Supply and demand, then, MCōs?
      
      Always amuses me that folk demand fresh produce right through the year these days…
      
      So, out of our season, over-priced imports are used to cater for those who can’t get by without their fresh (whatever).
      
      Me and the boss, who love blueberries, picked (well, bribed the family’s littlies into picking) 45 kg of the divine wee things at $9 a kilo.
      
      Our supplies might last until this time next year!
      
      9 1
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      February 11, 2022 12:09pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Watermelon, $9 for a quarter. Has NZ stopped growing them? It is summer ffs
        
        4 2
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        February 11, 2022 2:45pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    First, Maggie, ya gotta have a job
    
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    February 11, 2022 7:53pm
- Jim
  
  At the supermarket today and comparing receipt with one month ago, most goods were 10% or more in price.
  Unless RNNZ Gov Adrian Orr get his act in gear and does his job (raise OCR) CPI will be nearing 10% before too long.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:26pm
Maggie Pie

In case you missed it earlier, here’s Dr Angelique Coetzee, the SA physician who first discovered the Omicron variant, who says…… she was pressured by Western governments not to reveal that it is only MILD because it’s not what politicians wanted to hear.

https://youtu.be/7T0Qiyy854w
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February 11, 2022 9:48am
artemisia

National announcing a line in the sand for Te Pūtea Matua – the guardian of all the money. Used to be known as the Reserve Bank.

Not sexy policy but important and lends itself to release early in the electoral cycle.

National commits to restoring inflation as the Reserve Bank’s sole monetary policy target, removing the employment target and the requirement for the Bank to assess the impacts of policy changes on house prices

https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/114308/national-commits-restoring-inflation-reserve-banks-sole-monetary-policy-target
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February 11, 2022 9:49am
- kowtow
  
  Guardian of the money ?
  
  Faaaark, they did their best to debase it.
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:19am
  - Inandout
    
    kotow, Maori Trusts are wonderful at handling taxpayer money…aren’t they..so giving RB a te reo name..?
    
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    February 11, 2022 11:47am
  - Paulus
    
    And many of their top staff at the RB have left recently, and are being replaced by Robertsonites (and many ladies too, for equality).
    
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    February 11, 2022 1:39pm
    - ClanMcleod
      
      You probably used the wrong word there, not equality these days. Diversity. The stuff with the whole new alphabet all of it’s own.
      
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      February 11, 2022 2:47pm
- Master Mariner
  
  Good luck with that,
  The horse has bolted.
  https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/02/09/a-warning-from-the-economist/
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:51am
- curry4me
  
  artemesia: That’s good news. Maybe Ruth had a word in their ear? Or Don Brash.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:11pm
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  Will it still be in charge of climate alarmism and Maori wonderfulness?
  
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  February 11, 2022 2:57pm
RightNow

I’d have the Novavax vaccine if NZ approves it.
Medsafe has given the tick, apparently now it’s with Cabinet to make a decision.

https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/media-releases/novavax-covid-19-vaccine-receives-provisional-approval
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February 11, 2022 9:52am
- ClanMcleod
  
  Why? It’s a mild cold?
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:31am
  - DeepBlue
    
    To get their jobs back
    
    11 0
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    February 11, 2022 10:47am
    - Rodion Raskolnikov
      
      They’ll get their jobs back when this charade inevitably falls over (i.e. when reality can no longer be obscured by an avalanche of lies). What goes up, must come down. So it will. The rhetoric and propaganda is unsustainable.
      
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      February 11, 2022 1:24pm
      - bronny1
        
        The question is whether they will want their jobs back.
        I wouldnt.
        
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        February 11, 2022 8:46pm
  - RightNow
    
    TBH it’s only so I can flee the country.
    
    My (government) workplace mandated a fully vaccinated workforce. Then they realised they actually still needed me to get the work done, so now I work permanently from home.
    
    I think I can do my job from Bali…
    
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    February 11, 2022 11:16am
    - ClanMcleod
      
      I keep forgetting that, apologies for not realising. I have so many friends now, almost apologetic because they had to cave and get the jab. They didn’t want to, so when Brenda’s fans get all excited and claim that “90% are double jabbed ergo that’s how much support she has” they are dreaming. All of the many I know who got the jab did so under protest. They won’t forget this treachery.
      
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      February 11, 2022 12:11pm
      - RightNow
        
        My partner very much didn’t want the jab but she owns a close-contact business. Her choice was get the jab or close her business and lose her income.
        She put it off as long as she could but eventually got the jab. She voted for Jacinda at the last election and now is absolutely repulsed by her.
        Every day she tells me of the conversations she has with her customers explaining this to them. Many of them apparently hadn’t thought it through, they thought it was a genuine choice, but now the light bulb is turning on for these people and they understand just how awful this mandate actually is.
        
        17 1
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        February 11, 2022 1:14pm
    - krazykiwi
      
      Mandating a medical procedure is contrary to the principles outlined in the 1947 Nuremberg Code, and contrary Article 6 (Section 1) and Article 6(Section 3) of the UN Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights of which New Zealand is a signatory.
      
      Check out Schedule 2 in the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021
      
      If your job isn’t one of the ‘Groups of affected persons’ then I’d suggest your employer has acted unlawfully.
      
      18 1
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      February 11, 2022 12:23pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        But but but Jaspinda’s rules override international Law//
        
        8 2
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        February 11, 2022 2:52pm
    - curry4me
      
      RightNow: You too, huh? Glad it’s not just me -;)
      
      9 1
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      February 11, 2022 1:12pm
I remember when

Why did the police move in yesterday.
The weather forecast mentions rain today.
After that it deteriorates on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
So how many protesters were there going to be left by Saturday or Sunday afternoons.
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February 11, 2022 9:53am
- curry4me
  
  I remember when: I guess shift 2 will releive them on Mon.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:13pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Police facing rain and cold southerly? No way. Best check some mall cafes checking vax certs
  
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  February 11, 2022 2:55pm
- Jim
  
  It’s a good test of strength of feeling, I somehow suspect they’ll be there rain, hail or shine.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:29pm
BAM

Is this government purposely trying to destroy the economy?
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February 11, 2022 9:53am
- ClanMcleod
  
  Yes.
  
  32 1
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  February 11, 2022 10:31am
- greybeard
  
  My email to HDPA dated 7th May 2021:
  “Heather.
  The intention of our current communist government is to have as many of the people as possible dependent on the state.
  As many as possible on the dole.
  As many as possible dependent on union-organised pay scales and conditions.
  As many businesses as possible controlled by govt-imposed conditions , taxes and compliances.
  Get real Heather: they are well on the way to doing this, and the only person speaking out is David Seymour.”
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:51am
- curry4me
  
  BAM: Is the Pope a Catholic? Do ducks swim?
  
  6 1
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  February 11, 2022 1:13pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Are the Kennedys gun shy?
    
    3 2
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    February 11, 2022 3:12pm
    - curry4me
      
      Steve Otto(North Shore) I’d forgotten that one.
      
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      February 11, 2022 7:26pm
- Paulus
  
  No purposely though – shear incompetence.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:40pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Nope, on purpose. Keep the voters dependent of free shit they never deliver
    
    6 1
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    February 11, 2022 3:11pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Yes, this is what Labour has done six times now
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:10pm
BananaLlama

So what the F is Trevor Mallards attitude problem?
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February 11, 2022 9:56am
- Colville
  
  He is a “cee you next tuesday “, but without the depth or warmth to fulfil that function usefully.
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:36am
- krazykiwi
  
  Most humans are 50% water.
  
  For Mallard I’d suggest the balance is hubris.
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:50am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  ‘Altitude’ fixed it for you
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:13pm
BeaB

Even this site puts a ‘but’ on our freedoms.
You have the freedom to protest but…
You have freedom of speech but…
You are paid to be the opposition but…

It is all part and parcel of the dismal ‘be grateful and shut up’ message from this government and its devotees.
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February 11, 2022 10:26am
Truman lodge

In Herald Premium today 2 Club members from rotorua attacked 6 Chinese tourists at the thermal pools for speaking their own language. Of course no thought in the article about it being racist as they are first nations peoples.

Why is this not a racist attack when it would have been described as such if 2 White farmers did it..
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February 11, 2022 10:31am
Wayne Mapp

A couple of days ago DPF had an item on the minimum wage.
It looks like Grant/Treasury won the debate. A $1.20 increase is the minimum they could have done. Even National would have increased the rate to cover inflation.
The Left of the Labour Caucus and the Maori Caucus clearly lost. Brut they will get their wins elsewhere. Three Waters and He Puapua.
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February 11, 2022 10:33am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Brut they will get their wins elsewhere. Three Waters and He Puapua.
  
  They will need to move quickly.
  
  Folks are getting restless and the fairy dust is blowing away.
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:58am
  - Nickc2
    
    Yea, beneath the fairy dust is just a bitter and twisted hag who’s used to moon-lighting as a test pilot for a straw broom factory.
    Just saying.
    
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    February 11, 2022 11:23am
    - Jack5
      
      While we’re discussing a rise in the minimum wage …
      
      United States inflation has accelerated to 7.5 per cent (a year).
      
      The American consumer price index has reached its highest since February 1982, and is up from 7 per cent in December. In 2019, before the Covid epidemic, the American inflation rate was 1.8 per cent.
      
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      February 11, 2022 12:03pm
      - Master Mariner
        
        Yep following that as well, Highest gain in 40 years.
        
        9 0
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        February 11, 2022 12:50pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Beneath the fairy dust is iron pyrites – fool’s gold
      
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      February 11, 2022 3:17pm
Rusty

Some Wellingtonians are complaining the protesters are disrupting their daily lives.

Probably true but do these people acknowledge that Jacinda and her Govt have been disrupting the daily lives of 5 million Nzers for last 2 years?
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February 11, 2022 10:37am
- peterwn
  
  Do not forget that Wellingtonians are copping extra disruption on top of the disruption suffered by them as part of the 5M.
  
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  February 11, 2022 10:54am
  - Ehlana
    
    It looks like Wellington had the same sort of disruption as the South Island peterwn. Nothing like what Auckland and at times Northland and parts of the rest of the upper North Island endured.
    
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    February 11, 2022 11:17am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Most Wellingtonians don’t give a shit about Auckland – or Northland.
      But they are quite happy to holiday in the tropical part of the Country
      
      6 1
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      February 11, 2022 3:21pm
- ClanMcleod
  
  Awww diddums. Welcome to the fascist world imposed on us in Jacindastan.
  
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  February 11, 2022 12:16pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Wellingtonians just love our petrol prices …..
    
    4 1
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    February 11, 2022 3:22pm
I remember when

Palmerston North loses Stock Car Championships and the District loses the Central Districts Field Days.
Oh well there goes another however many millions from the areas income.
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February 11, 2022 10:39am
Yvette

Had Jacinda considered an alternative scenario, could she have just appeared (from a safe distance) before the demonstrators and said –

As Part of Us we wish to consider your views, that you may legitimately hold different opinions, and we will welcome a small delegation in person to express your concerns.
Meanwhile, having exercised your rights to draw our attention to this, please appreciate you may also uphold the rights of shopkeepers to safely open and for the people of Wellington to freely move around their own business.
Please organise your delegation, and then disperse in a manner that reflects your responsible attitudes.
Thank you. And Get Boosted

And perhaps appear when a sufficiently reasonable number had arrived, but before the mass of a reputed 70 km long cavalcade (where the hell did they all park, beyond clogging a few streets), so that when stragglers arrived, Ardern’s appearance would have all bee over already – done and dusted.

But Jacinda has decided on another path …
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February 11, 2022 10:43am
- Nickc2
  
  Cindy was very successful in driving businesses out of business herself with her compulsory lockdowns etc.
  IMO, these protestors are singing from the same hymn sheet as Cindy wrt businesses.
  
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  February 11, 2022 12:00pm
- Paulus
  
  Isn’t Jacinda still in Auckland currently ?
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:42pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Anywhere there no cameras and mics. Find that quite strange.
    Oma rapeti and all that
    
    5 1
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    February 11, 2022 3:29pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Nice speech quote, but I did not understand it. I read it in Jaspinda’s voice – got all confused.
  I will re-read it later with another voice
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:27pm
DeepBlue

300,000 people will ‘benefit’ from the increase in minimum wage. Just looking at the wage and not add ons like Kiwisaver, parity etc business is going to have to find $750 million extra in the next year.

And Labour doesn’t think it is responsible for inflation. Cat chasing tail.
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February 11, 2022 10:45am
- Yabster
  
  yep and the Living wage will be next- wage spiral anyone?
  
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  February 11, 2022 2:58pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Yeah yeah yeah. ‘Inflation is a worldwide problem, not mine, most times we are first – but the US is now 7.5% Hold my beer’
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:32pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

I’ve just driven past Parliament. Quiet as the grave. I’ve attended rowdier mid-morning sessions at the Bowls Club.

Vehicles parked neatly on Aitken St & Molesworth St back towards Bunny St only. Buses are rerouted ok.

Andy Foster should recognise that this is a genuine protest supported by a significant number of people, & pull back. Issuing parking tickets was unnecessary.
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February 11, 2022 10:53am
Maggie Pie

Mark Mitchell just on Magic Talk….

“Poto Williams would be the worst Minister-of-Police this country has ever seen. I actually worked with Andrew Coster before he became Commissioner. A really lovely guy. But he needs to show some mongrel. Get out there among his troops and show them he’s got their backs”

Wonder if ‘Cuddles’ was tuned in?
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February 11, 2022 10:53am
- Inandout
  
  Maggie, is this the same Mitchell who used to be on Hosking Wednesdays, who used to grease up to the recently departed Stuart Nash and who only spoke when he was asked a question by Mike?
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:54am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    YUP – same guy. Never really sounded all that inspiring to me.
    Although my partner reckons he’d make a good MoP.
    
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    February 11, 2022 12:30pm
    - curry4me
      
      Maggie Pie: If he was in the GOP, he’d be a RINO.
      
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      February 11, 2022 1:19pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Why explaining is losing..

https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the-detail/story/2018828875/why-the-team-of-dollar55-million-is-in-the-public-interest
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February 11, 2022 11:02am
- graham
  
  When I read something like that, I just can’t help thinking (again) of the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer, which reports that globally, 67% of respondents (that’s 36,000 respondents across 28 countries) agree with the statement “Journalists and reporters are purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggerations.”
  
  Our media can turn a blind eye to this if they want, but the facts speak for themselves – two thirds of people simply don’t believe them. Rather than try to justify themselves, perhaps their efforts would be better placed in getting together with their colleagues, doing a bit of honest soul-searching, and asking why this might be.
  
  But of course, they won’t. They’ll carry on in their own little bubble, claiming it’s only a tiny little minority of deluded conspiracy-theory-loving people who don’t like them, and the vast majority of us would trust them with our lives. Even when the facts say otherwise.
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:23am
- ClanMcleod
  
  That was a funny read! Thank you.
  
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  February 11, 2022 12:22pm
- curry4me
  
  Maggy Wassilieff: Total waste of money paying people to do what they’d do gratis.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:23pm
- Graeme Hall
  
  “Whose bread I eat, their song I sing.” Charlie Munger, legendary investor, on the power of incentives.
  
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  February 11, 2022 2:13pm
I remember when

“RNZ: Anti-mandate protest enters fourth day:
No arrests were reported from another demonstration outside the Picton police station.”
Doesn’t mention whether it was manned at the time.
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February 11, 2022 11:03am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Nice dig!
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:36pm
surfing

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gang-members-jailed-for-attack-on-visitors-at-rotorua-thermal-pools/C5WUSXP27RX7IONUPXKPRGZL74/

Cowardly crims received 1-2 years prison…10 years would be more appropriate…gang members bashed and stole from tourists…these crims are predatory animals and could well have killed .

This is the Rotorua today. Rotorua has become a cesspit over the years. You’d think authorities would try to crack down on such people rather than go light.
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February 11, 2022 11:14am
- Jimmy Brown
  
  Where ya been? The specials are above the law.
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:42am
Hugh Jarse

Random impertinent question:

Are Ashley and Clarke in the same witless protection facility ?
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February 11, 2022 11:18am
Bobba Fret

So just out of interest, why was the woman totally naked in the crowd of protesters?
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February 11, 2022 11:20am
- Cinematic
  
  It’s been bloody humid of late.
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:32am
- Libertarians are right
  
  I’m assuming she was making a “my body, my choice” argument.
  
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  February 11, 2022 12:36pm
- curry4me
  
  Bobba Fret: She may have been wearing a flesh coloured body suit according to some reports.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:25pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Was wearing a dress that was torn off her when she was dragged out of the crowd, apparently. It’s humid in Wgtn, perhaps a dress of the loose & floaty kind.
  
  Poor girl, utterly humiliating.
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:01pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Are our Police knee-necking defenceless females?

She is pinned to the ground and handcuffed by two female officers. A male officer can then be seen walking over and placing his knee on her neck, despite her not appearing to be resisting arrest.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/02/anti-mandate-convoy-videos-call-into-question-police-claims-of-very-professional-response-to-protest.html
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February 11, 2022 11:25am
- All_on_Red
  
  So much for ‘I can’t breathe’
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:34am
- krazykiwi
  
  Pinned down, material placed over her face, and then a cowardly police officer kneels on her head. Disgusting.
  
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  February 11, 2022 12:28pm
  - Its only I
    
    Police will do that when an offender is spitting.
    
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    February 11, 2022 1:09pm
    - 70andstilllearning
      
      “when an offender is spitting.”
      open mouth directed towards the ground – funny way to spit – but sure as hell a knee on the head for no apparent reason – almost looks like an added second thought in FSV.
      
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      February 11, 2022 2:42pm
    - ClanMcleod
      
      Oh, I didn’t realise that. Shoot the bugger. Save the country money. //
      
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      February 11, 2022 3:03pm
Maggie Pie

[Deleted – Stick to Twitter. mod.]
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February 11, 2022 11:32am
artemisia

Coming our way? Auckland and Wellington – looking at you ….

Landlords and residents in California’s Bay Area are being asked to take in vagrants as homelessness continues to spiral out of control. Several nonprofits and a mayor in the area are prodding residents and landlords to take in one of the nearly 30,000 homeless individuals in the five-county area, the Mercury News reports. Existing affordable housing developments do not have adequate room to accommodate the homeless population.

Is this what happens when businesses flee or close down and the demographics change?

https://www.breitbart.com/local/2022/02/09/bay-area-homeowners-and-landlords-asked-to-take-in-homeless-people/
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February 11, 2022 11:34am
- Inandout
  
  art, saw that on Fox, unbelievable but true. Notice the California elite are far removed from the rabble so their spare 10 bedrooms are unaffected.
  
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  February 11, 2022 11:58am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  The motels are going to want their rooms back when overseas folk start returning to NZ.
  
  https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/02/emergency-housing-families-living-in-motels-fear-being-booted-out-when-border-opens.html
  
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  February 11, 2022 12:46pm
marcw

OMG, We must be experiencing an Ebola outbreak in Auckland!
These are my instructions to collect from a retailer:

Click & Collect Instructions

Place an order online
Wait for a pickup confirmation email
Come to the store with your ID (Bring a valid New Zealand photographic ID such as a NZ Driver’s License or Passport)
Make sure you are wearing a face mask
Sign-in using the official NZ COVID Tracer app – Please have this downloaded in advance
Call us with your order number when you arrive. (09-xxxxxxxx)
Please stand back while we bring your order to the table outside our door
Once we are back inside and have closed the door, please come to the table to collect your order.

This is the absurd reaction and panic that Ardern has created.
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February 11, 2022 12:00pm
- ClanMcleod
  
  Who is that business so I can ensure I never spend a cent with them in my lifetime. I’ll email them to inform them of that decision too.
  Morons.
  
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  February 11, 2022 12:28pm
- 70andstilllearning
  
  Different topic but is there anything the MSM won’t do to try and induce panic and fear in the population with their click bait.
  “Weather: Category 3 tropical cyclone Dovi to dive-bomb into New Zealand bringing heavy rain, damaging gales”
  Is Dovi dropping in on us from the stratosphere at meteorite type speeds – ffs.
  https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/02/weather-category-3-tropical-cyclone-dovi-to-dive-bomb-into-new-zealand-bringing-heavy-rain-damaging-gales.html
  
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  February 11, 2022 12:31pm
  - I remember when
    
    Perhaps it is one of the expected 40 errant Musk satellites.
    
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    February 11, 2022 3:21pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Works with liquor deliveries under Level 4.
  Order online, text for arrival, leave ID on billbox, drop at billbox, done. $10 delivery. Want whiskey – pat – it is OK
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:56pm
H. Upmann

Just cancel your order and tell them why.
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February 11, 2022 12:19pm
curry4me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2MqEc88tro

Day 2 of Ground Zero.

Some snippets from day two of the truckers protest in Wellington. I wonder if David Seymour joined the crowd? ////// sarc. [2:24]
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February 11, 2022 12:32pm
curry4me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho5TjTKL0JU

Pauline Hanson’s Please Explain, Episode 14 “Please Explain How to Pass The Buck”

Over the last two years, Australia has had to deal with two pandemics, COVID-19 and buck-passing! No one passes the buck better than Australia’s power-mad premiers so we thought it was high time they were forced to “please explain!” Join us this week for an episode of political ducking, dodging and diving as the PM and his crew go head to head against the premiers who helped make this pandemic so painful. [2:12]
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February 11, 2022 12:33pm
curry4me

https://spectatorworld.com/topic/lockdowns-may-have-made-pandemic-worse/

End of the road for malicious lockdowns.

Is a modicum of sanity about to reassert itself regarding the Wuhan Flu? Are the people finally exhausted by their panic over the Fauci-altered coronavirus? Remember those little bulletins that Mike Pence carried around, enjoining us all to to take “fifteen days to stop the spread”? I think we’re at about day 750 now.
New York restaurants and many cultural emporia demand that you produce your papiers (it sounds better in German) — identification plus an image attesting to your “vaccination status” — in order to enter. Some are even requiring proof that you’ve had a “booster” jab. Pfizer likes that.
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February 11, 2022 12:33pm
Maggy Wassilieff

I’m predicting NZ will be following Australia by the end of February

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/three-doses-to-be-up-to-date-as-national-cabinet-prepares-for-winter-waves-20220210-p59vi9.html

3 jabs to be fully vaccinated.
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February 11, 2022 12:35pm
- krazykiwi
  
  The people most at risk (elderly, obese etc) are the ones whose protection attenuates into negative territory most quickly. Where are the outpatient treatment protocols? It’s utter madness.
  
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  February 11, 2022 12:42pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  And maybe not even go to the supermarket without a cert.
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:59pm
ClanMcleod

Saskatchawan and Alberta have announced they are dropping all covid restrictions. Quebec said most restrictions gone by March 14th. Prince Edward Island phasing out all restrictions by end of March.
Throughout the US, many states including blue states like NY, are dropping mask mandates. The UK is almost back to “normal”. The Premier League is reducing testing requirements for players and fans alike, masking is being dropped and they expect all measures to be dropped by the end of the season in May.

Meanwhile in Jacindastan, Brenda throws a tanty, brings in the army and has riot police lined up ready to batter anyone who doesn’t agree with her.
Remember these days people. “Kind and caring”.
What a complete farce, it makes me want to weep.
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February 11, 2022 12:47pm
- ClanMcleod
  
  I’ll add this which just popped up on my feed.
  12 countries rolling back restrictions, Israel scrapping the green pass. Brenda doubles down. This is beyond insanity.
  
  https://www.algora.com/Algora_blog/2022/02/04/12-countries-roll-back-covid-restrictions-israel-scraps-green-pass
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:08pm
  - krazykiwi
    
    Speaking of Israel, how are they doing?
    
    Well, ICU admission rate is a more than a little troubling. Also, their deaths count is skyrocketing.
    
    I’m sure it’s just coincidence that they are one of the most heavily vaccinated countries on earth, right?
    
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    February 11, 2022 5:24pm
    - dannz
      
      One of the most heavily vaccinated on earth?
      They are only at about 66% double dosed+, let alone triple.
      
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      February 11, 2022 6:36pm
- Stu2
  
  “Saskatchawan and Alberta have announced they are dropping all covid restrictions”
  
  So what?
  
  Tbey have come out of Omicron, we are just ramping up. We are now seeing the sort of increases NSW saw seven weeks ago.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:21pm
  - ClanMcleod
    
    And? Omicron is a cold. Move on.
    We have almost 3000 active cases. 10 in hospital. None in ICU. Status of those in hospital unknown, but likely to include a broken leg, 6 with multiple comorbidities, average age 83 and someone who was shot in a drive by shooting.
    
    None of this is about health, it’s about poll results. It’s about optics to control a narrative. That’s the biggest tragedy in this whole circus.
    
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    February 11, 2022 3:12pm
    - Stu2
      
      Typical severity isn’t the issue in NZ, it’s the potential hospital load. If it really takes off enough people with other medical problems (or iust old age) could load the system.
      
      NSW got almost to 3,000 beds and 200 ICU beds, and even allowing for their population that would be tough in NZ.
      
      BTW the hospital numbers went to 21 yesterday. Still not in the least worrying but give it a couple of weeks before thinking about relaxing anything.
      
      Still early days.
      
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      February 11, 2022 5:00pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Socialists NEVER relinquish control without a fight.
  Army and riot Police, armed offenders squad is ‘kind and sharing’ bullshit.
  Let’s go Brenda
  
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  February 11, 2022 4:05pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Labour continuing to neglect the rights of small business owners to be safe in their own establishments.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2202/S00070/retail-the-latest-victim-of-the-crime-epidemic.htm
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February 11, 2022 12:51pm
70andstilllearning

‘Spose the poor old duck was wondering how the protester reinforcements were arriving in the grounds – bit slow on the uptake maybe given they grew yesterday arvo.

“12:05pm – It’s being reported that the Speaker has been made aware of a video which appears to be shot from Bowen House (which is connected to Parliament via an underground tunnel) posted by white nationalist group Action Zealandia. Those working in Parliament have also just been told the Bowen House entrance will be locked until further notice for security reasons.”

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/02/coronavirus-latest-on-parliament-protest-covid-19-community-outbreak-friday-february-11.html
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February 11, 2022 12:52pm
- Biscuit
  
  ‘has been made aware’?
  
  The Duck resides in the Speaker’s Apartments which, last time I checked, were high in Bowen House and are connected with the Parliamentary Chamber by the self-same underground tunnel he is seemingly only just aware that others might use?
  
  I know Mallard is two sandwiches, three cakes and five bottles worth of wine short of a picnic but surely he’s not THAT thick?
  
  (pdm, stop that ‘Oh, yes, he IS!” chant…)
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:31pm
  - 70andstilllearning
    
    Bisc…- is that why his notice to the protesters starts with ” Reminder from the Speaker as the occupier for Parliament Grounds and Buildings…..” (note little o not O in occupier).
    The newshub article covering that and also this one tickled my sense of humour a little bit.
    
    “Political irony: Speaker Trevor Mallard and COVID-19 Minister Chris Hipkins’ historic arrests make it hard to trespass protesters”
    
    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/02/political-irony-speaker-trevor-mallard-and-covid-19-minister-chris-hipkins-historic-arrests-make-it-hard-to-trespass-protesters.html
    
    I see at the bottom of the latter however:
    
    “Once it’s finally over, Newshub understands there will be a review into how it was handled, both by Parliament and probably police, to make sure this never happens again.”
    Sounds like a bit more “rights removal” coming up under urgency, maybe sooner than later if this current protest drags on which it could.
    
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    February 11, 2022 2:28pm
Maggie Pie

Amazingly, there’s also been a lot of support on Twitter for this Cop to be promoted to the role of Assistant Commissioner.

Not afraid to tell it like it is – refers to protesters as ‘The-Great-Unwashed’

https://twitter.com/OrwellianNz84/status/1491612536134770690
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February 11, 2022 12:56pm
- ClanMcleod
  
  Maggie – once Brenda sees that he’s a shoe in for promotion. Just the type of chap or chappess that she needs in her “team of 5 million”. The voice of reason in the NZ police. Excellent.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:10pm
- cmm
  
  Where are cops now on the list of most admired/trusted professions?
  
  Between nonsense like this, going in to bat for gangs and ignoring the plight of true victims I would expect they’re sliding.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:35pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Way past car salesmen. and on par with Labour.
    
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    February 11, 2022 4:12pm
  - PeeJay
    
    I had some distant dealings with the cops around 10 years ago – friends kid was out of control and was calling the cops saying she’d been beaten up – turns out she was a lying nutcase! And this was proven beyond all doubt for all you downtickers (like that will stop you!).
    
    Up to then, I used to really respect the cops – hard job, thought they went after more speeders than they should and would be nicer if criminals / gangs were a bigger focus, but overall, hard job and they made the best of it. I didn’t always respect them – grew up in a very rough and poor neighbourhood so it was more fear and distrust than respect, but as an adult, I’d definitely come to respect them and thought they had a hard job and they did the best they could in very difficult circumstances.
    
    Ever since I helped out my mate 10 years or so ago, I would not trust the cops and have increasingly viewed them with caution.
    
    Watching how they deal with gangs, criminals and the different standard for protesters depending on whether it’s a woke / approved cause (climate, Maori etc) versus what we saw yesterday (complete overreaction), I’m starting to view them with more and more suspicion and less and less respect. I don’t think I am alone in this either.
    
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    February 11, 2022 4:34pm
- kowtow
  
  If that hadda been any other protest that clip would lead the nightly news and there’s be calls all round for his scalp .
  
  Very unprofessional and his body language betrays alot of “small man syndrome”.
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:47pm
Prince

Some random Friday thoughts:
1) Why is Simon Marks (US ‘reporter’ still filing reports for Radio NZ) obsessed with Trump ? His latest seems to be that Trump throws his rubbish out rather than stored it in an archive. Does Biden store his discarded trash in a library somewhere ? Marks seems to be obsessed with Trump.
2) Why does the reporting from Kristen Hall, TV One reporter, find so much anger and hostility at the protest ? The Stuff live feed suggests a very different picture. Perhaps Hall should provide some footage to back up her reports.
3) Is the guy who parades the ‘99,6% effective’ sign related to Sonny Shaw ?
4) Speaking of which, how long will the Government allow Stuff to offer this live feed. It suggests a very different picture to the one they are trying to put across.
5) ‘Seven Sharp’ last night trying to swim against the tide regarding using the app to check in to shops etc. What is the point any more ? There is no longer a team tracking this. Its usefulness has passed but no one wants to call this out.
6) With the exception of Andrew Hore (Blues), why do business and sports body leaders grovel to the Govt ? The Cricket season has been devastated, yet each cancellation is accompanied by a Uriah Heep-style obsequious reference to the Govt’s Covid response. What are they afraid of ?
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February 11, 2022 1:02pm
- Jimmy Brown
  
  You watch tv one?
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:22pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Now 2 people do
    
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    February 11, 2022 4:13pm
- Gravelroad
  
  Points 5 & 6: TV and sports celebrities reliant on money from the Labour Party, and can’t afford to upset their funders.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:38pm
H. Upmann

Prince: your point 1), Another obsessed with Trump is Richard Arnold on Hosking.
If the USA does make a full clean sweep of gold medals in every event they have an entrant at the current Winter Olympics, Arnold will blame it on Trump.
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February 11, 2022 1:25pm
Maggie Pie

Have been watching a few minutes of the Horrids live-feed from Parliament grounds.

Honestly, there’s women out there who should NEVER wear Shorts 🙁

Just saying.
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February 11, 2022 1:33pm
- Nickc2
  
  The scene would be even more horrendous if they took them off Maggie.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:42pm
- Inandout
  
  Maggie, lucky we don’t have a Walmart in NZ.
  
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  February 11, 2022 1:51pm
  - kowtow
    
    Don’t go near a Pak N sav then ……
    
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    February 11, 2022 3:41pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Staged, body suit I hear. I have been wrong before
  
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  February 11, 2022 4:15pm
Yvette

‘Tiny group’ of NZers who are ‘misguided by garbage’ on social media – Labour Minister weighs in on anti-mandate protesters
Now Ardern’s Labour Attorney-General, David Parker was Jacinda’s first bully-boy, who, on farmer irrigation water “levies” 1c or 2c difference, an argument amounting to tens o thousands of dollars per large farm, just prior the 2017 Election, said “I’m not here to negotiate, don’t push me or it will be 2c instead of 1c”, which lead to Jacinda’s first anxious / impulsive “shove-it-sideways (AKA: “kick the can down the road”) Tax Working Group.

A Pigouvian tax – mentioned a the time – is named after 1920 British economist Arthur C. Pigou, and is a tax on a market transaction that creates a negative externality, or an additional cost, borne by individuals not directly involved in the transaction – like what the Hell isn’t – and examples include tobacco taxes, sugar taxes, and carbon taxes. But it equally could have been named after its New Zealand re-emergence :o)

So Parker seems assigned to say what Ardern won’t quite, with her tamer (suits reporting by Jack) – “They’re not the majority” (Not Really Us) and “Certainly not the largest I have seen”: PM brushes off Parliament protest stand-off with Police” although doesn’t explain what was larger. Maybe “3 waters”, with the same group who Parker was wanting to shaft.
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February 11, 2022 1:39pm
Squeek

Stuck in a hotel room last night with very limited TV channels, and ended up watching a replay (perhaps edited highlights?) of Question Time. What a waste of taxpayer money. Sneaky word-bending replies by the Government MPs to reasonable and direct questions – hardly any truths. But the saddest thing was the complete lack of passion by anyone. Opposition just takes the obfuscation lying down without even a mutter of disagreement. Not sure why they even bother having question time.
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February 11, 2022 1:43pm
- mandk
  
  It’s because we have extraordinarily restrictive rules for PQs here in NZ.
  
  MPs asking questions have to do so simply and straightforwardly, without deviating from the wording submitted.
  
  By contrast, Ministers replying are given free rein to grandstand, and they are allowed to not even answer the question.
  
  PQs are a bit of a mockery.
  
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  February 11, 2022 2:48pm
  - Batman
    
    Well, asking a different question to what you lodged is a bit of a shithead move.
    
    But yes, bring back Lockwood and the days of actually having to answer questions!
    
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    February 11, 2022 5:42pm
- RightNow
  
  Theatre
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:06pm
- kowtow
  
  Bored members of the public watch members of parliament when in hotels , while bored members of parliament watch public members while in hotels….
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:40pm
- Bobba Fret
  
  Yep Q time has virtually become a waste of time.
  
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  February 11, 2022 4:05pm
Yvette

Omicron outbreak
Today – 446 community cases
Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 23,146

Yesterday – 306 community cases
Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 27,425
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-news-and-media-updates

Rate of cases per 1,000
Today 19.27
Yesterday 11.16

Prediction for tomorrow: about 770 cases
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February 11, 2022 1:52pm
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Excellent. The sooner the government’s hysterical regulations get overwhelmed by reality (and the sheep wake up from their somnambulism) the better.
  
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  February 11, 2022 2:25pm
  - Batman
    
    Ahhh yes, it’s everyone else who’s a sucker huh?
    
    You should consult left wing blogs circa 2013/14 and see how that went for them.
    
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    February 11, 2022 5:52pm
- Fuzzysnuggleduck
  
  OK, so how many millions of dollars does the taxpayer owe you, Yvette?
  
  8 1
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  February 11, 2022 2:43pm
- mandk
  
  Prediction for cases per 1,000 tests?
  More than 25.
  
  Predictions for number of tests?
  Less than 20,000.
  
  Knowing that omicron is not serious in the vast majority of cases, why would you get a test for a sniffle, when you risk being in isolation for up to 24 days?
  
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  February 11, 2022 2:55pm
- ClanMcleod
  
  Thanks for the straightforward analysis that the mainstream media and government can’t/won’t do.
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:16pm
- surfing
  
  I have a feeling that there will be so many cases soon that people won’t bother to test, and government will not have the capacity either.
  
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  February 11, 2022 4:20pm
- PeeJay
  
  Good analysis. I think we’ll be touching a 1000/day sometime next week. If it follows a similar trend to the delta trend we’ll probably see a few peaks, plateau / slight pull back before hitting a new peak and then so on. Still a bit to go though to 50,000/day by last weekend!!!
  
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  February 11, 2022 4:21pm
mandk

Anyone who gets the new minimum wage and works a standard 40 hour week will find themselves paying 30% income tax at the margin, if they work 4 hours overtime a week. Less than 4 hours overtime, if they get an overtime premium.
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February 11, 2022 2:04pm
- MCōs
  
  Anyone earning the new minimum wage, therefore, needs to work more than seven hours to buy 40lit of cheap petrol, if they have a car.
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:19pm
- Bobba Fret
  
  About time they changed the tax bands.
  0-14k income taxed at 10.5%
  14k-48k taxed at 17.5%
  48k-70k taxed at 30%
  70k-180k taxed at 33%
  180k+ taxed at 39%
  Too many people are getting pushed in to the higher bands as income increases.
  I guess Labour would never reduce a tax would they?
  
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  February 11, 2022 4:04pm
- mandk
  
  I get it that I have probably pissed someone off, and they downtick every comment of mine.
  
  But it’s a bit silly when whoever it is downticks something that is indisputably correct factually.
  
  Work it out dude:
  $21.20 x 44 hours x 52 weeks = $48,506.50
  Threshold for 30% income tax = $48,000.
  
  Labour slamming low paid people with high income tax.
  
  9 1
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  February 11, 2022 4:21pm
- fightingtemeraire
  
  M&K
  
  The Govt were warned that the inc would result in 6500+ less jobs.
  
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  February 11, 2022 4:28pm
I remember when

Newshub: Man in Wellington caught trying to get eigth booster jab:
“People who hae more vaccine doses than recommended should seek medical advice as soon as practicable. Having an inaccurate vaccination status not only puts you at risk, it puts your friends, whanau and community at risk, and the healthcare teams that treat you now and in the future.
It’s not the first time. Back in December police launched an investigation after a man reportedly got 10 vaccinations in one day. It’s believed the man visited several different centres.
Great to see that we continue to make small improvements.
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February 11, 2022 3:07pm
Maggie Pie

TRENDING

I see where the Police who were earlier carrying long Batons at Parliament, have been made to hand them back in, after Cuddles decided… ‘the measure was not in line with our current approach”

Be hardly worth watching now. SHEESH!!
17 1
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February 11, 2022 3:12pm
- MCōs
  
  I’ve had a look at the live shots now and then.
  Looks like nothing’s happening either side of the barriers.
  The protest resembles a golden oldies scrum.
  They’ve even scrubbed the graffiti off the King Dick Seddon statue.
  A couple of firebrands tried to storm parliament and arrest Chippie the other day, but nobody followed them.
  Now what? Tomorrow that end of town will be quiet.
  
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  February 11, 2022 3:33pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Softie, still has his Baton
  
  7 1
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  February 11, 2022 4:16pm
- PeeJay
  
  Been a massive change today eh? It’s almost like they reviewed the footage from yesterday and thought, not a great look if this gets onto the world media. Arming the cops with tasers might look a teeny tiny bit overkill???
  
  Still struggling with that cop doing a plank on that protesters head? I mean, I know we don’t have the context, but not a good look is it?
  
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  February 11, 2022 4:24pm
- kevn
  
  @Maggie… Blood is on her hands, not his any more.
  
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  February 11, 2022 5:29pm
Warren

Jessica Mutch McKay with her opinion:
Protesters need to call it, people need to feel safe again.
The Prime Minister’s Jacinda Ardern’s bestie goes into bat for the Government and spouts her views of what she has seen over the years.
The right to protest is a essential part of democracy and I will always fiecely defended that right, as a Journalist I find protests exciting, having covered many around the world.
Well Jessica Mutch McKay while you might might be well traveled you should also know the media is not supposed to take sides and the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern should not be dictating what you should print and what you should not and as a friend of the Prime Minister your compromised in your view and turn a blind eye , even if you have never benefited. Here is a example after three polls your one News one Newshubs one and a Curia poll which have all been commented on there has been another poll a Roy Morgan poll that favours National their Leader Chris Luxon and Act with Leader David Seymour to win the next election and where was your voice and the media’s the noise was deafening as with the honesty.
Maybe you should look up integrity and truth before you blame others for the Prime Minister’s ignorance, a good Prime Minister would have fronted up to the damage she has caused and just maybe this wouldn’t be the problem it is now.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/02/10/opinion-protesters-need-to-call-it-people-need-to-feel-safe-again/
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February 11, 2022 3:30pm
Maggie Pie

And some might find this interesting….

Our cleaning lady is Ukrainian. She was just showing me a txt she received from her mother, saying Joe Biden has ordered all American citizens to leave Ukraine immediately.

🙁
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February 11, 2022 3:40pm
- Russ the Muss
  
  And the biggest indicator that war is able to kick off….Putins yacht just slipped out of German waters and into Kalingrad. What a weird world when the leader of the country with the most nukes is expecting his assets to be frozen globally as he gets isolated further. Strange times.
  
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  February 11, 2022 4:04pm
- Ehlana
  
  Yes, the US is advising its citizens to depart immediately. Those “war games” across the border could easily spill over.
  
  10 1
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  February 11, 2022 4:12pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Biden also said the US will not evacuate Americans from Ukraine. Sick man
  
  9 2
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  February 11, 2022 4:18pm
  - Inandout
    
    SO, you mean another Kabul scenario?
    
    4 0
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    February 11, 2022 5:36pm
- emmess
  
  Tell her that her own president told Biden to stop causing panic
  
  3 0
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  February 11, 2022 4:23pm
patchoo

Case numbers:
Since 27.01 we have had 2811 cases recorded:
-unvaccinated 102/ 3.6%
-partially vacc. 37 / 1.31%
-vaccinated 2243 / 79.8%
-not eligible as under 12* 429 / 15.26%

Anyone know why we have a vaccine mandate??

*I assume they need to update this heading as they vaccinate 5-12yrs
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February 11, 2022 3:53pm
Russ the Muss

Got good touch up yesterday by a few of you around wanting the cops to actually enforce the law for a change. All fair in love and war;) but what I will say is that I expect the cops to be even handed against all illegal action. This is the key point. We are now at a state where they don’t know what to do and are hesitant to act. Even yesterday’s effort was half ass and a waste of resources as well as an embarrassing
failure! And having just been down to parliament, the cops are snookered. There are away to many kids to try any dispersal tactics. I’m guessing they will wait to the rain tonight and tip out the tents at night when the least amount of people are there. That’s a smart play. Oh and I wish the anti mandate guys well.
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February 11, 2022 4:01pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300515652/i-was-driving-at-195kmh-not-176kmh-man-tells-police
BUT: was he driving a Ford ?
6 0
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February 11, 2022 4:17pm
- Rich Prick
  
  You’d have to measure out the distance between the bits that fell off to do the math.
  
  4 1
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  February 11, 2022 9:54pm
surfing

Why can’t political parties sort this shit out…

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/127709568/christchurch-man-feels-hopeless-after-nightmare-year-of-parties-next-door

It’s about time noisy neighbours can be sorted once and for all! Property owners need real consequences for their bad behaviour and the bad behaviour of their tenants.

Having to call noise control 50 times is unacceptable.
14 0
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February 11, 2022 4:17pm
- Inandout
  
  surf, had that problem once with excessive noise and low level stereo music and no resolution with noise control. I was advised to sit outside the local Mayor’s house at 3am and turn the car radio volume up loud. Didn’t actually reach that stage as the goons moved out soon after.
  
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  February 11, 2022 6:28pm
70andstilllearning

Commented about the MOH Hospital stats a couple of times recently in regard to nothing about people in hospital who have had booster jabs. Seems that today there are 5 of the 23 of “Unknown” status with respect the Jab
So when they added Unknown to the daily “report” you could perhaps swallow that 1 was real? – but damn near 30% of patients having unknown jab status is way to hard to swallow.
Sure it doesn’t help their narrative about their
“The Big Boost continues …… ” cajoling type thing in the daily releases but when are they going to get real about the jabs efficacy. At least there are still no ICU/HDU cases.
https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/news-items/more-50000-boosters-given-yesterday-446-community-cases-23-hospital
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February 11, 2022 4:59pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Perhaps having to report 82% of covid hospitalised as double vaxxed is too much for the MofH to cope with.
  
  Like you, I find it pretty incredible that the hospitals don’t know the vax status of 30% of their covid patients.
  
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  February 11, 2022 7:23pm
Maggie Pie

Trevor just ordered Parliament Grounds Lawn Sprinklers be turned on!

The look on the protesters faces caught in the deluge….PRICELESS!!

😀 😀 😀
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February 11, 2022 5:36pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  https://twitter.com/LivnUndaATyrant/status/1491998393731747846
  
  LOL!!
  
  2 5
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  February 11, 2022 6:01pm
- Its only I
  
  Are you mallard in drag?
  
  0 0
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  February 11, 2022 6:26pm
- kevn
  
  @Maggie… Road cones to deflect (water shortage in Welly apparently, mallard wouldn’t know of course). Sorted.
  
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  February 11, 2022 6:49pm
- Over Taxed Worker
  
  This is great news! Mallard has officially stated that the Climate Change Emergency is over. Use water as much as you like – even water your lawns before a cyclone comes through. The Green Party must be beside themselves with joy.
  
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  February 11, 2022 7:07pm
- Herodotus
  
  He lives locally I hope he was aware of this …. Sure Govt is not domestic/Residential but the optics are not good, to waste water (when it is raining) at a time when restriction in water use is being requested.
  “Wellington, Porirua, Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt and South Wairarapa are in Residential Water Restriction Level 2 as of 11:59pm Friday 21 January 2022.”
  “Water Restriction Level 2 – Limit residential outdoor water use
  Residential Water Restriction Level 2 means there is a ban on sprinklers and irrigation systems. You can use handheld watering devices anytime, on any day, so long as you don’t leave them unattended. ”
  https://www.wellingtonwater.co.nz/your-water/drinking-water/looking-after-your-water/water-conservation/watering-restrictions/
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:04pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Unbelievably petty. Is Trevor actually an adult?
  
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  February 11, 2022 8:28pm
Maggie Pie

Talkback caller tells host…. Parliament Grounds smell like overflow from Porirua Sewage Treatment Plant on a hot day.
LOL!!

The ‘duck’ will be none too pleased 😀
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February 11, 2022 7:41pm
- Biscuit
  
  He’ll be in his element, Maggie…
  
  Every time I see a duck waddling about, I wonder:
  
  Is it swimming in its toilet
  or
  Sh*tting in its pool
  
  2 0
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  February 11, 2022 11:11pm

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