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May 29, 2022 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 29 May 2022

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General Debate

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CJames

The investigation report on Lake Onslow is supposed to be released soon. This will be touted by the incompetent Minister as a real game changer but needs more taxpayer money to be wasted. Yet they won’t release the economic analysis to justify it. In any sensible world, this would be the first thing done. But in the Kiwibuild era, that type of report would just be decried as naysaying and the old paradigm. So for benefit of Kiwiblog readers, if you indulge me, here is the condensed version. Remember it when the Minister’s PR comes out about how good Onslow is and the puff pieces about it being a real game changer.
I haven’t included links as it would make this post too long. However, the info is factual so easily checked with public domain data – look for numbers and units, not words. A good place to start is here: https://www.transpower.co.nz/system-operator Read their reports.
Electrical energy is in Watt hours, Power is Watts – they measure different things, though many ignorant commentators confuse them, Nomenclature and units are a good way of quickly sorting the parrots out to disregard their twitterings. And remember, get units correct; kilo(k), mega(M), giga (G) and Tera(T).
NZ uses about 45TWh of electricity a year ~125GWh a day; more in winter, less in summer. It needs to generate significantly more than this to allow for losses (heat) on overloaded equipment. However, during a day, the power varies greatly. It is about 3GW at 4am and the peak about 6.5GW. Usually, absolute peak is about 6pm but the demand is high 7am to 9am and 5pm to 8pm. The generation has to match the demand within 1% at all times. If it doesn’t, then demand response is needed (a euphemism for turning your power off). Biggest single unit on the grid is about 400MW (a gas burner) at full load. Most are less than 100MW – lots of littleuns. For operational and maintenance reasons, hydro units don’t like being at part load. Most are either flat out or off.
An average 21TWh p.a. is generated by hydro, but this can vary from 16-24TWh depending on rainfall in hydro catchments. Typical thermal generation is around 10TWh a year, but half this is the make up for hydro/ wind shortfalls on a day to day basis. Onslow is supposed to replace a lot of this thermal – nominal 5TWh in dry years. It was going to store the mythical hydro spill (where water goes down the spillway, rather than through unused units) This last happened in 12 years ago when we had a lot more gas burning power stations. There is no surplus to spill there now.
Solar and wind are really good at generating power when it isn’t needed. We can hold back some water, running hydros less when the unreliables are generating, but that ability is very close to already being maxed out. That means the shortfall has to be covered by ramping up and down thermals – in $/MWh terms, about 10% of the cost of getting the electricity from batteries.
The typical electricity price on the spot market over the course of the year is around $150/ MWh. This is 15c a unit (kWh) of your power bill, rest is distribution and administration charges, plus the increasing costs of bad debts. Winter, it is higher prices and summer lower. When the thermals are running, a major part of their costs are carbon charges. For Huntly, it is around 10c a unit. At that wholesale $150 price, many new power stations are still not economic to build and operate. Even just getting consents (they are front end charges ) is a significant cost on future power.
The above sets the scene.
If we take Onslow sells a full lake of power at $200/MWh once every 5 years, that is an income of $1B. The other 4 years they have to buy power off the grid to fill the lake. They need to buy 20% more to allow for losses and inefficiencies. So that is an average 1.5TWh a year. If this is bought at say $100/MWh, then that is an expenditure over the 5 year cycle of $600M. So gross income averaged over that cycle is $80M a year. Then one has to subtract finance, administration and operating costs of say $20M. So there would be a net income of $60M a year. That “profit” has to pay for the cost of construction. For a long life asset for this, the nominal capital payback should be maybe 20 years. So anything more than $1.2B to build is losing money. And note all my assumptions were on the optimistic side for the government analysis. Nor have I added interest.
Now look up the cost quoted for Onslow and remember hydros usually cost twice as much as original budget price. The consents, which will be opposed, will add big delays and increase the costs further. I haven’t even factored in all the transmission upgrades needed which would more than double the overall costs.
To get the “cheap” wet year power, they will have to buy off a surplus generated by power stations yet to be built. There isn’t any there from existing stations unless we burn more coal. However, at that cheap buying price, the companies won’t build new stations as they would lose money. So building Onslow would guarantee no new stations would be built unless the power price to consumer went up by maybe 20c a unit in real terms. Think what this will do to cost of living, inflation and the economy.
That simple economic analysis above is why the generation companies are not interested in it at all. They can do the sums – it is a massive white elephant that will drag their balance sheets negative. Though the Labour appointees on the company boards might force bad commercial decisions – it has happened before. The only current support for it is from sycophants to give a vanity project to a Minister who wants to be seen to be doing something but is out of her depth in a puddle.
If they were to do day to day energy trading, like Dinorwig does, Onslow could replace thermal and cover the unreliability of overbuilt wind and solar. The lake could be smaller, but the power station would need to be bigger. Basic economics are better, though not positive, but still no new stations would be built and there would be no dry year reserve.
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May 29, 2022 8:01am
- CJames
  
  I am picking 4 downticks by end of day. All from serial downtickers who won’t have read, let alone comprehended the post, but they won’t front up with any coherent factual argument to counter it. They can flame me on social media if they like – I don’t care as all name calling shows is they have lost the argument. It really shows just how sad their lives are.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:05am
- Master Mariner
  
  Thanks CJ, Too be honest I don’t really understand the Logic behind this. Its beyond my capacity.
  
  However what I do know is once we change to an El Nino system then vast majority of Dams will be dry due to the very nature of this system and NZ general location. Approx every 7-11 years.
  
  I believe NZ will be hit with Double Whammy of Power shortages due to under investment, Green Ideology and of course of high reliance on Hydro and lack of water.
  
  In my mind it will be too little too late ( If successfull which does not sound like it will be ?), Do we really have to wait for continuous rolling blackouts and sky rocket power prices for something constructive to be done?
  
  Totally agree Minister of Energy is a few Watts short in her Light bulb department .
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:34am
  - CJames
    
    The general agreement is El Nino will cause more westerlies, which is more rain in the Waiau, Waitaki and Clutha catchments where the storage lakes are.
    https://niwa.co.nz/climate/information-and-resources/elnino/elnino-impacts-on-newzealand
    
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    May 29, 2022 11:55am
    - Master Mariner
      
      From Met service,
      
      New Zealand Impacts. Although each El Niño affects New Zealand differently, the general characteristics are:
      • More southerly winds in winter (June-August), leading to a cooler than usual winter
      • A stormy spring (September – November), with more frequent southwest winds
      • For ALL regions of New Zealand, a large increase in the chances of a COLD spring
      • Winds typically turn westerly in summer (December – February), with an increased risk of dry conditions for eastern regions of both Islands
      • Cooler than usual seas around the New Zealand coastline across all seasons
      
      And Niwa,
      
      While east coast drought is not a certainty during every El Niño as 2015/16 demonstrated, the risk of El Niño-driven drought during a strong event is enough to warrant risk-management actions by farmers and others whose livelihoods are likely to be adversely affected by prolonged dry conditions.
      
      Potential drought on East Coast Oz and NZ . Still picking dams getting extremely low.
      
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      May 29, 2022 12:07pm
      - Hebe123
        
        Most of the water in the SI lakes is from snow melt, about 80% IIRC. So most important is the snow on the divide….what weather conditions bro g snow, other than cold obvs 🤣 ?
        
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        May 29, 2022 4:58pm
      - CJames
        
        The South Island Tekapo Pukaki Hawea lakes get filled by the northwesters. I think it is more SW for the Southland lakes. If there is snow around, it will melt it, though it often isn’t there. Pukaki showed a big surge in level Jan and February this year. Manapouri/ Te Anau that rise in level in April. No snow then for either.
        https://www.meridianenergy.co.nz/who-we-are/our-power-stations/lake-levels#:~:text=Lake%20dimensions%20%20%20Lake%20%20%20Lake,%20%20458.7%20%204%20more%20rows%20
        
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        May 29, 2022 9:17pm
- Tomtoddy
  
  Helpful analysis, CJ. I understand that a whole new hydro station would be needed on the Clutha to generate electricity when Onslow would be spilt because Roxbough is too small and too silted up. Is that your understanding? Would make it even more of a nonsense.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:44am
  - CJames
    
    There have been a number of proposals. Lake Onslow drains into the Teviot which is below Roxburgh. Greenland/Manorburn/ Poolburn drain into a catchment above the dam. As I understand it, if the Lake Onslow proposal goes ahead, it will flood all of these and the powerhouse would be down near Millers Flat, well below Lake Roxburgh. They will have to build a small dam and stilling chamber there but it would no affect Roxburgh operations.
    The Clutha has regular floods, particularly on the Kawarau. When these occur and the river goes chocolate with the silt, the Clutha dams spill a lot of water, even while generating flat out. They also open bottom sluice gates to help flush out the stuff that is accumulated behind the dams. If this water was pumped into Onslow, it would rapidly turn into a mudhole.
    
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    May 29, 2022 9:25am
- Gravelroad
  
  @CJames:
  I don’t have the knowledge or expertise to make an informed comment on your post but surely all will come right once the Labour Party changes the name of this project?
  “Onslow” is such a colonialist white man’s name for the new owners of “our” lakes and waterways to accept.
  What is needed is a working group to make an announcement of a recommendation to change the name Onslow into something more in keeping with Te Reo and the expectations of the taniwha, dragons and water deities. That will fix any problems.
  Sorry CJames- not intending to trivialise your post, but that is where we are in NZ now.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:50am
  - CJames
    
    You are correct Gravel. They won’t go ahead without full Maori consultation as electricity and power stations are undoubtedly taonga.// They will consult with Ngai Tahu more than with power station engineers, that is for sure.
    
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    May 29, 2022 9:30am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Not sarc, it is true – and I am not racist, just a realist.
      
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      May 29, 2022 10:00am
- kevn
  
  What does Brian Leyland say?
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:08am
  - CJames
    
    Here is Bryan Leyland’s view.
    https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2020/10/bryan-leyland-onslow-pumped-storage.html
    Not surprising, he is against it and he also shows it is uneconomic.
    
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    May 29, 2022 9:36am
    - Hebe123
      
      Good god, that’s the first time in my career I’ve agreed with Bryan Leyland.
      Such a scheme is definitely incompatible with the current market. While the market isn’t perfect, having spent years looking at or working on market design in NZ and overseas, I think the mix in ours isn’t bad – there is no perfect solution. I can’t even comprehend how you change the arrangements to force something like this through, especially with so much generation in private ownership.
      Under urgency with no input from any true experts I’m sure.
      
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      May 29, 2022 5:05pm
    - zulumonster
      
      The opening paragraph of Leyland’s article provides the outcome of the study up front. The mystery is why it is going to cost $30m! And the warning shot is “$30 or more” … consultants eyes will be lighting up!
      Anyone who thinks the study authors will be allowed to come to any outcome contrary to this governments desires is deluded.
      
      “The government has undertaken to spend $30 million or more on a study of the Onslow pumped storage scheme that, it claims, will provide up to 5000 GWh of dry year storage, reduce electricity prices, eliminate fossil fuel generation, and be in service by 2030.”
      
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      May 29, 2022 8:31pm
- glowworm
  
  Excellent analysis CJ.
  
  What is funny is that a simple robust kiwiblog comment, that makes perfect sense, can take down the millions already wasted by this government and its consultants on this project.
  
  Although there may be good intentions with this project, large centralised projects like this create large risks. If a government has to interfere, (as this government has done) then it should instead use the money on projects that reduce future electrical supply risk (such as smaller distributed generation projects) rather than waste money on high risk, think big, projects such as this.
  
  Better yet, the government should leave the electrical markets alone. I think they are actually working better than most realise…
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:38am
- slightlyrighty
  
  I note your figure for NZ total power consumption of 45Twh.
  
  I thought it might be useful to note Norway’s annual Electricity production. It’s 153.2Twh.
  
  Why is this useful? Simple. They have a similar population. Now I know they have a colder climate, but being coastal, not significantly so. I imagine power use would be higher in winter but not extreme.
  
  They do have a large fleet of Electric Vehicles, which we are starting to move towards, but a simple glance at the figures would prove that we have nowhere near the generating capacity to make it viable, and we lack the political will to make the decisions we need to produce the renewable energy to make a National EV fleet even remotely viable.
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:47am
  - CJames
    
    Norway has a number of big metal smelters which run on hydro. I am not sure how much electricity they consume. They also make a lot of money exporting electricity to balance the generation shortfall from Europe’s unreliables shortfall. They take power from Germany when they give it away, then sell them back expensive hydro. And they still have huge amounts of unused hydro potential in their fiords.
    
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    May 29, 2022 11:36am
    - Hebe123
      
      They have something like 7 years worth of electricity stored in their fiords. Our lakes hold just 6 weeks worth.
      
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      May 29, 2022 5:07pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I read it and digested most (I think) There is a lot going on in that post. NZ is heading downhill, and giving it a Moari name is just racial rubbish.
  I’m going to print it to read again later. All the time while reading a thought in the back of my head is saying nuclear nuclear nuclear.
  Thanks for the info.
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:57am
  - The Other Enoch
    
    SO, if you are thinking nuclear go look at what they are doing in Canada. Look at what the Candians, the Yanks and the Poms are doing with small solid core sodium reactors. Some are underway. All very interesting. I’m about to go out on a F&V spree so don’t have time to find the links. Will do so when I get home if you wish.
    
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    May 29, 2022 10:11am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Onslow only makes sense as a seasonal leveller for a vast build-out of PV (many many GW) in (eg) Mackenzie Country, which is actually cheap enough to be economic. Recent grid scale PV plant in Idaho is producing for $30/MWh (0.03/kWh). In that context it could be fully cycled every year, and would enable replacement of all thermal power stations + extra capacity needed for switch to EVs over next two decades to cheaper PV power. If we choose to do that Onslow needs to start now – because it will take 10 years to build.
  
  However, tech improvements now suggest that it is cheaper to produce and store hydrogen for distribution to home fuel cells, even with 50% losses, because it only costs $0.04/kWh to distribute gas, vs $0.15-0.20/kWh for electricity, which means hydrogen generation and distribution to homes could (in case of $0.03/kWh PV power) make electricity in the home for half of what we currently pay, and is therefore the best and probably inevitable choice (as in someone will do it for the profit it can deliver) hydrogen can also work long term for farms, earth-movers, ships and aircraft.
  
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  May 29, 2022 10:30am
  - CJames
    
    PV at 15% load factor isn’t cheap. You also need to add the cost of integrating it into a grid which is higher than buying the solar cells.
    The economics of hydrogen are even worse than Onslow. Green hydrogen is not a goer in either Norway or Iceland which have hydro to burn.
    
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    May 29, 2022 11:40am
    - UrbanNeocolonialist
      
      The point is you don’t need to integrate it into the grid if you make hydrogen with it, though it might be worth having onsite battery to even out night-day power supply to electrolysers. And the other thing to understand is that there is massive cost reduction from a large number of contributing technologies happening in hydrogen production. Costs are expected to drop to ~USD$1/kg ($.03/kWh energy) by 2030 from about $3/kg now. https://www.rechargenews.com/technology/cheaper-green-hydrogen-us-start-ups-novel-low-cost-electrolyser-promises-30-more-bang-per-buck/2-1-1206480
      
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      May 29, 2022 6:14pm
  - CJames
    
    Here is Michael Shellenberger’s take on the economics of solar
    https://michaelshellenberger.substack.com/p/why-everything-they-said-about-solar?mc_cid=c9a76abab7&mc_eid=4961da7cb1&s=r
    In Europe and Britain, solar plants are being built mainly to harvest the subsidies. Electricity generation is incidental. As these subsidies are transferrable, almost any foreign investment in large scale solar in NZ is also after those cash harvests. And they set up shell companies to walk away from the mess when their income stops. https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2021/09/09/solar-subsidy-farming/
    
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    May 29, 2022 1:45pm
    - Nickc2
      
      Very true. Without subsidies, there would be no so-called Green Energy industry.
      
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      May 29, 2022 2:06pm
- Taieri
  
  An excellent analysis, thanks! I’ve read Mohammed Majeed’s PhD dissertation and while I think it’s an interesting engineering concept it doesn’t appear to be viable. Apart from everything else, one factor makes me wonder. If Manorburn and Greenland Dam were to be joined with Onslow, the operating level range would be about 80 metres. Knowing the area quite well, I won’t even try to imagine what the place would look like then. Not for nothing Onslow used to be called Dismal Swamp.
  
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  May 29, 2022 10:36am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    His Thesis available here:
    
    https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/handle/10289/12423
    
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    May 29, 2022 1:30pm
  - CJames
    
    That working range is why they always do the images with the lake full. Empty it would just be a giant dustbowl with all the silt pumped up from the Clutha caking everything below the high water mark. Pumped storage lakes are never on scenic itineraries.
    
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    May 29, 2022 3:43pm
- alloytoo
  
  Storage, pumped or otherwise, powered by unreliables is a perpetual motion machine.
  
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  May 29, 2022 10:45am
- surfing
  
  It would be nice if you would list your credentials in the subject of power generation and distribution.
  
  There is an older guy who has worked in the power industry his entire life, who occasionally publishes very critical commentary on the market reforms. Can’t recall the name.
  
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  May 29, 2022 10:57am
  - CJames
    
    I have been working in the power industry since the 70s. For what its worth, I’m a CPEng with my field of competency O&M of power stations. But I don’t believe my credentials are relevant as my argument can stand just on its data analysis which a seventh former accounting student with Google could do.
    That person you are thinking is Bryan Leyland. I linked to his comments on Onslow upthread. Bryan is very much a CEGB product and believes a centralised single generation company is the only way to go.
    
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    May 29, 2022 11:49am
    - surfing
      
      I think having experience lends one some credibility.
      
      If a 7th former had indeed written this, I wouldn’t trust they have the breadth of knowledge to know which factors are important.
      
      For example, the overloaded distribution grid wastes energy in heat. Sounds obvious when you say it, but a 7th former may not think to consider this.
      
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      May 29, 2022 2:20pm
      - CJames
        
        They might not think of it nowadays, but when I went through 7th Form physics (It was still Upper 6th in some teachers’ instructions), then heat losses were covered there. One of the reasons nothing is 100% efficient.
        
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        May 29, 2022 3:39pm
    - Hebe123
      
      I worked on market design in the 90s and 2000s, mostly based in NZ but often advising or researching offshore markets. Bryan was on the other side of the table with Molly Melluish, both exasperating but at least he understood what he was arguing even if we never agreed.
      
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      May 29, 2022 5:13pm
Scott

The whole shooting in Texas is horrendous. However we know now that police officers were on the scene early and did not go into the classroom and engage the gunman for about 40 minutes! This was despite multiple 911 calls to the police from inside the classroom. So it seems that despite 10 year old children being shot, no police officer would go in. Eventually a border patrol agent went in and shot the gunman.

What’s going on here? It seems that we have virtue signalling without any actual virtue. We look tough but when push comes to shove we shrink away.

Could this happen here? I would argue that it does already. Police officers do not engage gangs directly despite a motorist being stopped by gang members and severely beaten recently.

At Pike River the police and rescuers did not go in and stopped the relatives of the miners from making a rescue attempt.

At White Island rescues were made by brave people until the police stopped any further rescues.

That’s the other galling part. That police won’t intervene and they stop others intervening, which also happened in Texas.

I think our police and our government are not on the side of the ordinary citizen. There’d always be the tendency to arrest the intervener and charge him with something, like racism or over zealousness.

What use are the police if they don’t act and they stop others acting? I’m all in favour of our police being paid well, trained well and being fully equipped. But they must do their job. They must protect the citizens of this country.
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May 29, 2022 8:03am
- kowtow
  
  Part of wot’s going on is the fear of being held responsible after the event by distant desk jockeys , whose most dangerous task of the day is counting paper clips along with the risk of paper cut . Of being sued or charged .
  
  This may lead to a culture of indecision ,of covering your back , of waiting for instruction from above . There seems to be at least an element of that in this instance where there were officers o/s the door of the classroom and the situation was initially “barricaded suspect” ,not “active shooter ” ,but then it changed back to “active shooter”.
  
  Had a cop burst in during “barricaded suspect” and some lives lost , he’d be held to account for that . Now it’s “active shooter” and they didn’t act and so they are still in the pillory stocks .
  
  Either way the media and pollies and others will never be satisfied.
  
  How can we ,not on the scene ,blame those there .
  
  The Fentanyl Floyd trial a classic recent example. Cop doing his job , using restraint method as taught ,on a crook who asked not be kept in the car handcuffed and full of drugs enough to kill a horse.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:34am
- Master Mariner
  
  Scott, This something that has been concerning me also, Mainly the prosecution of the Helicopter Pilot who saved people at White Island.
  
  In my industry , our “Bible” is a book called Best Endeavours which allows for “Full protection” against prosecution as long as you tried your best to save life, Property and the enviroment.
  
  https://www.marine-salvage.com/media-information/best-endeavours/
  
  As you say it should not be hindered by Police who are not professionally trained. Ie Pike River is a good example.
  
  There should be a Law to protect people who are prepared to risk themselves for the better of all.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:43am
- pdm
  
  Maybe Texan police are now taking advice and instructions from Poto Williams and Coster The Imposter.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:57am
- thetiedarch
  
  The way police and co act is all because of ‘safety’ (or in the case of the USA, lawsuits).
  
  They “can’t” send people on to save others because they can’t let the rescuers get injured.
  
  Something has changed in the last few years that sees the ‘safety’ of cops/firefighters/SAR/soldiers/etc trump the safety of those in genuine danger.
  
  Whatever has happened to the understanding that jobs like those are inherently dangerous and you agree to that danger when you sign up?
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:12am
- Pavel
  
  It’s easy to criticize the police but how about you put yourself in their situation. Would you want to go inside a building to take down a gunman? That boarder patrol agent was fucking brave, deserves a medal.
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:16am
  - Don Beckett
    
    Yes he was, and does. However, why could not the police at the scene also be brave, put themselves at risk to save the lives of schoolkids – after all, that’s their job. The border patrol agent probably did it due to frustration that the police were standing watching.
    
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    May 29, 2022 5:49pm
- lastmanstanding
  
  The problem is they are either pussies or afraid to act in case they break the rules and find themselves in strive.
  In thye good old days the Police would be straight in to stop the prep and save the citizens. As this case shows not now. Wait and hope the perp tops themselves and save the Police any grief.
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:32am
  - Nickc2
    
    IMO, the great sickness that is American Justice was summed up perfectly the other day by Barak Obama where he made a speech making a martyr out of George Floyd whilst vilifying the police for doing their jobs.
    Yes, a police action allegedly caused Floyd’s death but the police officer was merely doing what he was trained to do. The fact that Floyd was a known juiced-up criminal was never mentioned by the racist ex-President of the USA.
    No wonder police officers in the US are walking on eggshells all the time.
    
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    May 29, 2022 9:58am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Pussies and afraid is correct. Police that can not think and act quickly need to look for another job.
    It is the same right through NZ Police, they are incompetent, even writing up a summary in the office.
    
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    May 29, 2022 10:23am
    - Master Mariner
      
      From memorary Steve, The 1956 NY Police physchometric test would tell if a candidate was suitable for Police.
      
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      May 29, 2022 1:22pm
  - In Vino Veritas
    
    Here’s a thought, some of the officers involved had kids IN the fucking class. And one of them ended up dead. Yeah, they’d be pussies, and feeling bloody fantastic now.
    
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    May 29, 2022 10:51am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Kids were even phoning 911 from inside the Classroom. 10 year olds seeing the terror!
      
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      May 29, 2022 12:04pm
      - Jack5
        
        The reaction time of NZ police to the Christchurch mosques massacres was good compared with that of Texas cops to the Uvalde school shooting.
        
        The Washington Post says gunfire at the school began at 11.37. By 12.15 as many as 19 cops were at the school.
        
        The newspaper reports:
        
        At 12:03 p.m., a girl called 911 for a little over a minute and whispered that she was in Room 112 …
        
        … She called back at 12:10, reporting multiple people dead, and again a few minutes later, to say there were still a number of students alive.
        
        “Please send the police now,” the girl begged the dispatcher at 12:43.
        
        Police entered the school and killed the gunman just before 1pm.
        
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        May 29, 2022 3:33pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Jack, the Police did not kill the gunman, it was a Border Patrol Agent. He quickly analiysed the situation, and put a stop to it.
        
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        May 30, 2022 9:40am
- Rich Prick
  
  I suspect that because the shooter was Hispanic they froze at the prospect of being called racist. Regrettably, that is quite understandable in these ultra-woke times.
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:52am
  - mawm
    
    The prosecution of the police involved in the George Floyd arrest is affecting US policing. Who’d want to put themselves at risk of death or injury just to be prosecuted later?- especially under the present Administration. Good police officers are leaving and their ranks are being filled by second grade applicants.
    
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    May 29, 2022 12:39pm
    - Simon
      
      “Good police officers are leaving and their ranks are being filled by second grade applicants.”
      
      Spot on. Across the board.
      
      There is no chance of the US defeating China in the next war.
      
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      May 29, 2022 1:22pm
- Phronesis
  
  Pike river exemplifies the problem. Trying to pin responsibility on management when it was the guys down the mine that knew what was happening and chose to go in. Management will always cover their own ass by minimising risk to those they are legally responsible for. Which in this case is the officers and not the children. If we held people responsible for their own actions and didn’t try to pass responsibility off to others then this would be much less of a problem.
  
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  May 29, 2022 10:56am
  - Observer of Life
    
    Photon: And Angry Andrew Little was head of the Union and knew the story. They all turned a blind eye. Sad.
    
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    May 29, 2022 4:52pm
- slightlyrighty
  
  well, there were these 2 cops in Christchurch who did act….
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV6v3nhgXEw
  
  Which makes the inaction by the cops in Texas even more galling…..
  
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  May 29, 2022 11:00am
- surfing
  
  It already has happened.
  
  https://www.stephenfranks.co.nz/institutional-cowardice/
  
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  May 29, 2022 2:25pm
  - Scott
    
    Great post surfing. Thanks for drawing our attention to it 👍
    
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    May 29, 2022 4:00pm
Tony Stuart

What the hell is going on in our criminal justice system?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/kickboxer-hayden-todd-who-plead-guilty-to-sex-and-violence-charges-allowed-to-travel-headlines-oz-fight/NZXGEACR72OG3M6EZVB4UP74CU/

This thug is awaiting sentencing for charges including sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection with a female older than 16, assault on a female, strangulation and suffocation and injuring with intent to injure. He pleaded guilty this week, and was remanded on bail for sentencing in August.

That’s right, he’s pleaded guilty, and is awaiting sentencing. Yet some kindly judge took pity on him and gave him a bail variation so he could go to Australia for a fight!

Unsurprisingly, the victims and those close to them are livid. Where is the consideration for them in all of this? If ever evidence was required of a justice system that places the rights of offenders above those of victims, here ‘tis.
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May 29, 2022 8:11am
- NK
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  How are the victims affected by this?
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:15am
  - NK
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    I mean, what “right” of the victims has been breached here?
    
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    May 29, 2022 8:19am
    - NK
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      Can anyone answer this? Simple question: How are the victims rights breached by the offender being allowed to travel to Australia? Were the victims threatened or was their safety at risk??
      
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      May 29, 2022 8:40am
      - kowtow
        
        Pose different questions .
        
        How seriously will the criminal classes treat the “justice” system knowing you can go on an overseas jolly having just pled guilty to serious offences.
        
        How much of a larfing stock do these judges want their justice system be turned into?
        
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        May 29, 2022 8:49am
      - peterwn
        
        Probably not, hence the judge agreed to bail variation. However as I explained elsewhere he would most probably not be allowed into Australia. I suspect the judge knew this and granted the variation with a grin. Why should he bother getting into trouble with wokes.
        
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        May 29, 2022 8:59am
      - David Garrett
        
        NK: The victims’ right to justice will certainly be breached if he fails to return for sentence.
        
        28 0
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        May 29, 2022 10:41am
      - cjn
        
        Is Australia at risk? Is he vaccinated?
        
        12 1
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        May 29, 2022 10:59am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Our Justice system is designed to punish an offender and deter others from committing the same offence.
      
      https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/regulatory-stewardship/regulatory-systems/criminal-law/
      
      It is our right as citizens/ victims to see that Justice is applied in all cases.
      
      It doesn’t appear as if this young man has suffered any penalty for his behaviour.
      
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      May 29, 2022 8:43am
      - NK
        
        Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
        So we’re all victims of his behaviour?
        
        That’s what the woke left say!!
        
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        May 29, 2022 8:49am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        We are not victims of HIS behaviour, but we all are becoming victims of a Justice System that fails to apply appropriate sanctions to violent offenders.
        
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        May 29, 2022 9:00am
      - NK
        
        Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
        He hasn’t been sentenced.
        
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        May 29, 2022 9:10am
      - Hollyfield
        
        @NK it makes sense not to allow someone awaiting sentencing to travel. There’s a pretty big incentive not to return.
        
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        May 29, 2022 9:54am
  - JimBobJoe
    
    How was the Victim affected?
    
    You know NK victims under our system have foregone revenge and private retribution. They expect when a perpetrator is convicted of a serious offense the perp will be held on remand for sentencing – effectively they will lose their freedom as soon as convicted
    
    So the victims rights under our system have been abrogated here. The perpetrator should face the consequences of conviction and the victim should 1/ get the sense of revenge the law allows, 2/ feel the perp is locked away so can not hurt them or anyone else anymore and 3/ feel the crime has been punished fully as soon as conviction has been entered in the record.
    
    If you are convicted of assaulting someone – and that list of offences is long and violent in this case – then you should be locked up immediately, not free to travel.
    
    The victim has been physiological violated by the perp being allowed to carry on their trade as if nothing has happened.
    
    Frankly if it was a female member of my family I would feel the bail being granted is an injustice and maybe summary justice on the street is a better option.
    
    These types of things put the perp and his trade ahead of the victims right to justice.
    
    Sorry you don’t see it that way – but retribution and punishment are the core of our justice system (at least they should be) otherwise we will regress to vigilante justice very quickly – and that benefits no one at all.
    
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    May 29, 2022 10:32am
- peterwn
  
  Hope he has checked things carefully and does not think he can waltz through the smart gate just like that. You have to answer questions on a touch screen and would have to declare any convictions. If he tells a fib about convictions he risks being booted out there and then. If he declares that conviction either to the Australian High Commission or to an Australian immigration official, it is highly doubtful they would let him in.
  With this publicity it seems a safe bet that the Australians have wind of this conviction and will put him on the ‘no’ list so he would not be able to check in for his flight.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:48am
- Nickc2
  
  I assume the Aussies let him in??????
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:55am
- Bobba Fret
  
  How can a judge be removed from the bench? It is time that dud judges are removed.
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:43am
  - peterwn
    
    See my earlier explanation. If the prosecutor is concerned about his being granted a bail condition variation the most appropriate response is to lodge an urgent appeal with the next court up.
    There are mechanisms for removing judges, but thank goodness, judges cannot be removed just because people do not agree with their decisions especially when the most appropriate course of action is to appeal. Presumably a judge who is successfully appealed against too often and for obvious errors will take the hint and resign. DCJ’s can return to law practice. More recently HCJ’s cannot return to legal practice but can do high level mediation and arbitration work as this is not practicing law. The highest profile judicial resignation would have been the late Lord Denning. After various successful House of Lords appeals against his judgments he accepted he was past ‘use by’ date and hung up his wig.
    
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    May 29, 2022 12:08pm
  - Nickc2
    
    Agree. Wouldn’t it be great if we were allowed to vote judges on and off the bench eh?
    Unfortunately, it won’t happen under this Govt. The judiciary knows where the bodies are buried and that would put an end to Cindy and her corrupt Govt.
    
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    May 29, 2022 12:44pm
- Simon
  
  “What the hell is going on in our criminal justice system?”
  
  Good question. What is happening? Its the post-West.
  
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  May 29, 2022 1:25pm
iMP

Shooting in Virginia today. Known crim returned and drove past a children’s birthday party opens fire with an automatic on them.

A woman lawfully caring her pistol opens fire and kills him. Mass shooting averted. Sounds about right.

Gun Control is not the answer, that horse bolted decades ago. Nz police admit our society is full of concealed weapons after a huge amnesty.

In America arming citizens to defend themselves is the answer, not gun control.
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May 29, 2022 8:18am
- iMP
  
  Here’s the link.
  https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/wireStory/police-woman-killed-man-fired-rifle-party-crowd-85002437
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:25am
  - Gravelroad
    
    From the story:
    “Hazelett (chief of detectives) said no charges would be filed against the woman.”
    Unlikely to happen here.
    I imagine the full weight of the law would be applied to anyone shooting a gun man here because he would become the victim.
    
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    May 29, 2022 9:01am
    - Fuzzysnuggleduck
      
      Yes, the police will charge those who take initiative, even if forced into a situation not of their own making, and ‘let the courts decide’.
      
      The process is a serious punishment.
      The police are an important and critical institution, but year on year and at a faster rate my opinion of their ethos and leadership drops.
      
      Shop keepers get cautioned if they even have a hockey stick behind the counter, and chase thieves.
      Use a BB gun to drive off a group who is on your property and already assaulted you, you get ‘firearms’ caution and confiscation.
      
      The police are already castrated – only able to come down on people who actually are generally law-abiding.
      They truly are a group who ‘punches down’ while real thugs and people of menace can strut about, abetted by our courts and politicians.
      
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      May 29, 2022 10:44am
  - peterwn
    
    Headline seems wrong, she was not a police officer. She would have had a concealed arms permit from WV or a state recognised by WV.
    
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    May 29, 2022 9:03am
- igm
  
  One has always, and always will, be able to purchase any type of firearm they desire. It appears to be a lucrative earner, even in New Zealand, with Nash and Ardern’s pathetic gun laws . . . like them, failures.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:37am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun. Tell me I am wrong.
  
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  May 29, 2022 10:33am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Add, Virginia is open carry.
    https://gunlawsuits.org/gun-laws/virginia/open-carry/
    
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    May 29, 2022 10:40am
    - David Garrett
      
      …and the homicide rate in Virginia is 6.1/100,00/per year, or about five times our annual homicide rate.
      
      Open carry as a preventive measure is a great idea – in theory. But I have said it all here before
      
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      May 29, 2022 10:46am
      - emmess
        
        So, you think open carry explains the differential in homicide rates between NZ and Virginia?
        And no other issues at play?
        
        8 1
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        May 29, 2022 10:57am
      - David Garrett
        
        emmess: That question is directed at me I think?
        
        No, of course there are numerous “other factors” at play; NZ and Virginia are quite different societies.
        
        My comment is aimed at those who claim that if every “good person” – however that is defined – is allowed to openly carry a gun, violence would be much reduced. The evidence is very much to the contrary.
        
        Louisiana is another “open carry” state…its homicide rate is about ten times ours, and more than twice that of Virginia.
        
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        May 29, 2022 11:33am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        I still see it as open carry saves lives. The kids at the birthday party saved because one woman there shot the gunman. Btw, she won’t be charged.
        
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        May 29, 2022 12:22pm
    - David Garrett
      
      Steve O: How on earth can you say that, given the homicide stats in open carry states? I’m sure you have already Googled the two states I have cited, Virginia and Louisiana.
      
      If “open carry saves lives”, how come the homicide rates in those states are five and ten times ours respectively??
      
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      May 29, 2022 12:40pm
      - info@cruzpro.com
        
        I agree with you but it would be informative to know what kind of person is getting killed at ten times the rate of New Zealand. If it turns out that the main victims are criminals killed while offending then open carry laws might be justified. If the main victims are ordinary citizens then open carry gun laws are responsible
        .
        
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        May 29, 2022 1:33pm
- quarterpack
  
  So when organising a childs birthday in Virginia, any resonsible parent should ensure that along with sending the invitations, party treats, baloons on the letterbox and games there should be a fully loaded assult rifle in easy reach?
  
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  May 29, 2022 10:58am
  - iMP
    
    Either that, or 40 murdered children.
    
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    May 29, 2022 2:46pm
Captain Mainwaring

So some animal kills a random guy in the Auckland slum called Mt.Albert and for two days we have the prick’s ugly face plastered all over the TV along with his name.
Then when the plods find him and arrest him we’re not allowed to know who he is.
What sort of f***ed up country are we living in?
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May 29, 2022 8:22am
- Scooter
  
  Mt Albert is hardly a slum, average house price 1.3mill and by the way the guy was arrested in Sandringham, where our dl lives, part time, although maybe that’s why she’s never there.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:58am
- peterwn
  
  The guy arrested may not have been the one the Police publicised for all we know. However the Police must not disclose the identity of an arrested person until the first court appearance in case the accused wants to seek name suppression. Presumably the accused will not bother in this case. This restriction however does not stop the police saying they are no longer looking for anyone else.
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:09am
- lastmanstanding
  
  Capt. The Police named the guy straight away. I heard the chief Plod on the radio naming him and the areas he frequents and telling citizens not to approach him. I wondered how the Police knew him as it appeared their were no witnesses as a citizen came upon the victim some time after the killing.
  So not naming the perp now is really Alice in Wonderland stuff and example 7698 of why the so called Justice system is a joke run by morons.
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:37am
  - Alan Wilkinson
    
    I presume he was identified in cc camera video.
    
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    May 29, 2022 10:51am
    - surfing
      
      Seems pretty obvious to check the nearby cameras.
      
      Look for the dodgy looking characters around the time of the murder (smartly dressed and well groomed people don’t generally commit random murders).
      
      I was in that area a while back, do any white people still live in Mt Albert/Mt Roskill? Auckland demographics have shifted tremendously since I lived there.
      
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      May 29, 2022 11:02am
      - MCōs
        
        According to the 2018 census 60% of the residents of Mt Albert have European ethnicity, 30% Asian and so on
        Mt Roskill 53% Asian, 30% European and so on
        
        Probably not as accurate as your observation
        
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        May 29, 2022 11:52am
  - peterwn
    
    That was before he was arrested. If he really wanted to try for suppression he should have engaged with the Police soon after the crime and would have effectively got suppression at least until his first court appearance.
    If you are a suspect and the Police are looking for you they can name you and publish your mug shot but presumably should not directly identify the specific crime (although it would be pretty obvious).
    
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    May 29, 2022 11:54am
  - Scooter
    
    Does seem strange that he was named so quickly and to say not to approach/extremely dangerous. Was he staying in the nearby Mason clinic? Or mental health history.
    
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    May 29, 2022 9:47pm
- MCōs
  
  “Then when the plods find him and arrest him we’re not allowed to know who he is.
  What sort of f***ed up country are we living in?”
  What’s wrong with you?
  The word is spelt *fucked*.
  His name and less than flattering mug shot was prominently featured in the media for a day or two before his arrest.
  
  You want to know what a fucked up country really looks like?
  A guy gets away with murder because his father is a judge or a general or the President or rich.
  
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  May 29, 2022 11:07am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    MCos, I disguised the word because last time I used the proper word on here I got deleted.
    
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    May 29, 2022 11:46am
    - MCōs
      
      Use another word.
      There’s plenty in the dictionary.
      For example
      Corrupt, unprincipled is a good one
      
      In the case you’re talking about, quite apart from the fact we know the bloke’s name, there are legal reasons why an arrested person’s name is suppressed.
      Just because the police finger someone doesn’t mean he’s guilty. Or innocent either, but the prosecution has to prove guilt and sometimes the arrested person is not guilty.
      We all assume this guy is guilty.
      I mean, look at those eyes, but you never know.
      
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      May 29, 2022 12:49pm
Tomtoddy

I listened to the PM’s Harvard speech. Yeah, I know it was self-flagellation but I was intrigued why it did not get more plaudits among her sychophantic media following.

Now I know why. It was very ordinary. It never rose to any heights of powerful oratory or inspiring and passionate prose. She is capable of better speeches and can perfom better off the cuff when required.

My reaction was that she is battle weary. The fight is too hard. Trying to get a lack lustre team to achieve anything worthwhile is too sapping. Constantly caving into a belligerent and idiotic Maori caucus has taken its toll. Watching inflation start to wreak havoc and profligate spending fail to change anything has discouraged her. She even looked unenthusiastic much of the time.

I admit to a vested interest. I took a bet when she took the leadership that she wouldn’t last. Kelvin to step up?? Spare me. Grant?? Are they that desparate? Megan?? No charisma. A contest between Hippie and the arrogant David Parker. Yes.
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May 29, 2022 8:32am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Word on the streets is that the unions are backing Michael Wood to rise up.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:34am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    Of course they are, he’s one of them.
    The odious prick would keep them out of power for a very long time, so bring it on.
    
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    May 29, 2022 8:42am
    - pdm
      
      But, but Capt he will finally get rid of the penis shaped lollies.
      
      That will be a major achievement for this governments leadership.
      
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      May 29, 2022 9:05am
  - Mike H S
    
    That would be a full left ricochet. More ideological decision making.
    
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    May 29, 2022 8:43am
  - Tricati
    
    ‘River of Filth’ Wood would be a godsend if he took over the role. A nasty piece of work that is easily baited, which would put people off very quickly.
    
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    May 29, 2022 8:53am
  - Aunty
    
    That’s great news, Tony, because the smug and smarmy Wood wouldn’t have a hope in hell of winning an election. So bring him on!
    
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    May 29, 2022 9:00am
  - Prince
    
    Yes I hear that. If Ardern’s recent farewell tour doesn’t turn the polls around Labour will ‘refresh’ early/mid 2023 and Wood will come through.
    Ardern will move to a UN role.
    
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    May 29, 2022 9:24am
    - fightingtemeraire
      
      Early/mid 2023 is too latefor the election.
      
      Has to be now so that new leader can make and impression.
      
      Wood plus Mahuta would guarantee labour would be in the dungeon in the polls.
      
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      May 29, 2022 2:25pm
  - Phronesis
    
    That’s Michael “river of filth” Wood.
    
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    May 29, 2022 11:00am
  - Northshoredoc
    
    @Tony Stuart my friends in the Nurses union and the ASMS have heard the very same thing.
    
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    May 29, 2022 11:49am
  - AitchW
    
    Smug, smarmy, oleaginous, incompetent Michael Wood. Sounds perfect for a Labour leader.
    
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    May 29, 2022 1:23pm
    - Hebe123
      
      Great word
      
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      May 29, 2022 6:33pm
  - Paulus
    
    Wood has been Union replacement for almost 12 m0nths so tough Robbo, and welcome Nania as Deputy.
    He has to have the Maori caucus backing as without he will find bigger problems for which is not prepared.
    
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    May 29, 2022 1:23pm
    - Captain Mainwaring
      
      Wood makes Angry Andy look like John Key.
      
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      May 29, 2022 5:12pm
- iMP
  
  Self-flagellation? Did you mean self-aggrandising? Mind you, wearing a hat like that is a bit self-flagellant.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:43am
  - Tomtoddy
    
    No, the self flagellation was on me for sitting through an awful speech.
    
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    May 29, 2022 8:47am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  It was a lazy speech….
  I suspect most of us could cobble together something about our life history and an event or two that was of significance at the time.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:48am
  - Bloody Dago
    
    What do you expect from a purveyor of crayons?
    
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    May 29, 2022 11:25am
- Tricati
  
  Clearly her minders have sent the word out to the MSM to paint her in glowing terms, and that she is an international star. For Christ sake, headlines over applause for her drinking water and that she signed some woke Climate agreement with California is just shallow crap. This trip, like her trip to Asia, is a flop as no meaningful agreements have come out of either for the betterment of NZ, just self-promotion given her covid halo has slipped markedly here in NZ.
  With the ever increasing rise in gun violence in NZ, it has made a mockery of her grandstanding in the USA, and I believe see knows she’s in for a tough time on her return so look out for more distractions.
  
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  May 29, 2022 8:51am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Our MSM might be singing her praises, but last night BBC news ran a pretty insightful piece on the cost of living in Wellington for young adults.
    
    Basically, a childcare worker in Newtown can’t afford to live there… and similarly with her flatmates.
    
    A young Wellington couple with kids have had to shift to Brisbane, as they couldn’t afford to keep up the mortgage on their house. Hubby is a builder and readily found employment over there. They can’t see themselves returning to NZ.
    
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    May 29, 2022 11:32am
  - Paulus
    
    Will she have a ticker tape welcome down Queen Street on her return fro the USA.
    BUT the California man has been tested for the Virus immediately after her visit, and it is posiitve.
    Not sure now that Sleepy Jo will welcome her despite all the possible tests.
    Sorry cannot as street impassable anyway as Auckland CBD is closed.
    
    13 1
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    May 29, 2022 1:28pm
- pdm
  
  TT – off the cuff is not one of Arderns (very limited) strengths.
  
  Remember how Hosking used to eviscerate her when she deigned to take a slot on his programme. Ask her an impromptu question on any thing and she flounders and sinks.
  
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  May 29, 2022 9:03am
  - alloytoo
    
    Funny thing is Hosking spent the whole week prior saying “We’ll ask the PM that on Monday/Tuesday”
    
    He was taking notes…..
    
    15 0
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    May 29, 2022 10:50am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Scripted questions and answers, otherwise “I refude that, next question” So easy to escape answering.
    
    15 1
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    May 29, 2022 10:50am
- Prince
  
  Apparently the auto-cue thingy was playing up and she had to wait for it to roll over constantly.
  
  14 0
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  May 29, 2022 9:22am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Māori caucus already want to roll her, snd they are one large argument in cabinet away from the caucus splitting in two.
  
  19 0
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  May 29, 2022 10:23am
- Justitia
  
  I can only praise the speech for its authenticity. Like Ardern herself, it was lazy and vacuous, devoid of reflection, bereft of insight. She used it as a vehicle to sneer at her origins and to affirm her Woke credentials. If I were on Harvard’s Board I would be demanding a “please explain” from the selection committee.
  
  As to her future intentions, they are probably unknowable because they are likely inchoate. I am confident however that if a suitable opportunity arose at the UN she would be off like a shot. Here’s hoping.
  
  22 1
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  May 29, 2022 11:11am
Maggy Wassilieff

Remember when the MSM always reminded us of the significance of today?

https://nzhistory.govt.nz/edmund-hillary-and-tensing-norgay-reach-summit-of-everest
37 0
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May 29, 2022 9:20am
- Benedict Yu
  
  Now we get this. 😭
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/explained/128544705/explaining-xxy-what-its-like-to-be-born-male-with-an-extra-x-chromosome
  
  23 1
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  May 29, 2022 9:44am
  - Taieri
    
    I’m trying to figure out what’s the point of this article? Without much of success so far…
    
    10 1
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    May 29, 2022 10:38am
    - MCōs
      
      I wouldn’t go shouting about it
      
      2 1
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      May 29, 2022 9:28pm
Niz

Are there any moves afoot to get a royal commission underway to analyse our brutal response to covid 19? Will anybody ask why we (among other things) made it illegal for people to go to work, why we disregarded our pandemic plan in favour of unproven (and obviously destructive) lockdowns?
Or have we simply decided they worked a treat and it’s now time to move on? Oh, and we’ll definitely do it all again if another disaster comes our way.
15 0
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May 29, 2022 9:22am
- Tony Stuart
  
  At our regional National Party conference a couple of week ago, Chris Luxon made a commitment that if Labour does not institute a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Government’s Covid response, National will set the wheels rolling within their first 100 days. In some ways, the delay would be worth it, because we might actually get a Royal Commission with wide-ranging Terms of Reference and wide investigative powers.
  
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  May 29, 2022 11:30am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I see Andrea Vance has noticed that our Covid-19 deaths are heading over the 1000 mark (1150, I think)..
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/128775391/covid19-the-death-of-more-than-1000-new-zealanders-merits-an-inquiry
  
  We seem to be currently experiencing a higher covid death rate than Australia.
  
  Of course we need an Inquiry into the handling of this pandemic… but I’ll never trust this Labour Government to run a disinterested ( open, transparent, and objective ) Royal Commission of Inquiry.
  
  27 0
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  May 29, 2022 12:13pm
Niz

Are MSM having a larf? After weeks of harassment of the DGL CEO for his ‘Eurasian fluff’ comment about Nadia Lim (which wasn’t even the main thrust of what he was on about), they’re now posting pictures of her posing like a bit of fluff.
23 0
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May 29, 2022 9:52am
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  Not for the first time either I think.
  
  13 1
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  May 29, 2022 12:50pm
Bobba Fret

Well John Campbells replacement didn’t last long. More details slowly emerging. I could never watch the show any way as cant stand the presenters. (Ryan Bridge far better IMO).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/300600066/tvnz-host-kamahl-santamaria-quit-after-complaint-by-female-colleague
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/new-tvnz-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-quits-after-a-month-in-the-job/STTG4OZOIA2W62OJXOHQUYIK7A/
16 1
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May 29, 2022 9:58am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Whose details are emerging?
  
  Is TVNZ making up a cover story?
  
  15 1
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  May 29, 2022 11:35am
  - MCōs
    
    Complaint(s) of inappropriate behaviour from a female colleague.
    
    5 0
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    May 29, 2022 3:41pm
- kowtow
  
  If the Mrs is looking to cut your balls off , I’d call that a first alarm family emergency.
  
  7 1
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  May 29, 2022 12:19pm
edhunter

For the love of god no one click on that link, you’ll only be encouraging Stuff’d to publish more of the same shite. The headline should tell you all you need know.
16 0
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May 29, 2022 10:14am
Maggy Wassilieff

Karl du Fresne on NZ’s cultural upheaval.

https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/karl-du-fresne-new-zealand-s-cultural-upheaval

His piece concludes:
Meanwhile, Ardern floats above it all. She’s a shrewd enough politician to have remained largely aloof from the rancour her government has generated, and who avoids entanglement in any unpleasantness that might detract from her carefully crafted image as an empathetic politician. But she cannot disown responsibility for presiding over a government that is promoting the politics of division and destabilising what was previously an admirably cohesive and harmonious society.
43 0
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May 29, 2022 10:36am
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  Horrendously incompetent or malevolent. Your choice.
  
  19 1
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  May 29, 2022 10:58am
- surfing
  
  To be fair, Geoffrey Palmer & John Key are the key architects of todays racial problems. Jacinda inherited their rubbish, and conceded to pressure from the maori.
  
  Maori would claim there was never any harmony for them. Because maori were poor and living in poverty, while privileged pale stale males controlled society. I’d debate that, but there you go.
  
  15 9
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  May 29, 2022 11:07am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    I agree.
    
    Jacinda Ardern has been an easy push-over for the aggrieved Maori elite. She has zilch background or knowledge of what has been developing on that front for the last few decades.
    
    24 0
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    May 29, 2022 11:40am
    - Taieri
      
      She has zilch background or knowledge
      ————
      
      On the contrary. Dr Ardern is a freshly minted holder of a doctorate from one of the most prestigious American universities. They don’t hand these out for nothing.
      
      12 2
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      May 29, 2022 12:00pm
      - kevn
        
        @Tai… Kermit the Frog has an honorary doctorate as well.
        
        15 0
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        May 29, 2022 12:49pm
      - Nickc2
        
        Cindy joins an elite group
        Ex-Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has been awarded a dozen or more honorary degrees from universities around the world.
        https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20101029224442993
        
        Same strokes, same folks eh?
        
        16 3
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        May 29, 2022 12:56pm
      - Taieri
        
        Ex-Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has been awarded a dozen or more honorary degrees from universities around the world.
        —————-
        
        But…(former) Sir Robert also had 7 “normal” degrees, two of which were Masters’. He was probably the best educated head of state ever. Not that it was of much use to the Good People of Zimbabwe.
        
        11 1
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        May 29, 2022 1:31pm
      - Paulus
        
        At least Shane Reti got a proper Doctorate from Harvard,
        And even Shane Jones got a degree from Harvard Kennedy School.
        
        11 0
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        May 29, 2022 1:34pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Honorary degrees can be rescinded
        
        https://www.bestcolleges.com/news/analysis/2022/05/11/controversies-swirl-around-honorary-degrees/
        
        Its usually pretty difficult to rescind Degrees that have been earned by an honest body of work.
        
        10 0
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        May 29, 2022 3:36pm
      - Jack5
        
        Taieri on Jacindarella’s honorary degree: ..They don’t hand these out for nothing….
        
        What do they charge, Taieri?
        
        If she had had to pay, what would it have been worth to Ardern to place on the wall, alongside her bachelor’s degree in c-o-m-m-u-n-i-c-a-t-i-o-n-s, an honorary Ph.D. from Harvard?
        
        Some other recipients of honorary degrees: Harvey Weinstein (honorary doctorate from the University of Buffalo), Yoko Ono, Mike Tyson, Kanye West, Alec Baldwin, Kermit the Frog (as pointed out by a poster above). You can buy an honorary doctorate at a number of sources on the Web.
        
        Quite ironical to have Ardern give an acceptance speech about disinformation, surely a tool of the PR world, from where she comes.
        
        2 0
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        May 29, 2022 8:41pm
Maggie Pie

TRENDING

Just home from Mass…,thort this worth sharing with the congregation on GD.

https://youtu.be/PycR0da7KgU
9 8
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May 29, 2022 10:46am
- pentwig
  
  Thanks Maggie
  I really needed that, I feel thoroughly cleansed.
  You can be so kind.
  
  6 1
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  May 29, 2022 11:45am
- The Boss
  
  What a voice!
  
  6 0
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  May 29, 2022 1:59pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Trump in Casper, Wyoming today.
“I’ve been investigated more than Billy the Kid, Jessie James, and the great, legendary mobster Alphonse Capone,” he joked. “I’ve taken the cake for investigations…”
https://www.rsbnetwork.com/news/president-trump-ive-been-investigated-more-than-billy-the-kid/
15 5
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May 29, 2022 11:37am
Maggy Wassilieff

Penny Wong has wasted no time in slipping into Fiji before Wang Yi.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/fiji-pm-says-he-had-wonderful-meeting-with-foreign-minister-penny-wong/c2rkfjpgv
18 1
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May 29, 2022 11:49am
I remember when

Is increasing the age of NZ Super entitlement to 67 really a penalty anymore.
With the last two years of covid disruption, will most people be working for at least another two years before retirement anyway.
11 1
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May 29, 2022 12:16pm
Inandout

‘California Governor Gavin Newsom tests positive for COVID the day after he met New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern: Has mild symptoms and will take Paxlovid antiviral to treat disease’. It will hunt you down, eh Jacinda?
14 2
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May 29, 2022 12:54pm
- Taieri
  
  Does Dr Ardern still wear the face mask while in NZ?
  
  https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/ardern-meets-us-tech-giants
  
  9 0
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  May 29, 2022 3:56pm
- hullkiwi
  
  Will Jacinda have a problem meeting Biden?, as she met with Newsom only a little over 24 hours ago. Making her a close contact!
  
  2 0
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  May 29, 2022 9:58pm
Maggie Pie

I’m not one to gossip…..but Ma was just telling me the resignation of Mr Sanctamaria from ‘TV1’s Breakfast Show’, actually LED their news last night!
Is that normal, considering everything else that’s going on in the world?
Ma wondered if they’re trying to get in ahead of some big scandal or other 🙁
Who knows? Said she can’t wait to see the look on the face of that mincing little constipated guinea-pig when he reads the Bulletin in the morning.

LOL!!
16 5
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May 29, 2022 1:29pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  It led again Tonight TV 1. (TVNZ interviewing themselves, but reassuring us that it’s all at arm’s length)
  
  and it was a main item on Prime.
  
  https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2022/05/complaints-made-about-ex-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-at-previous-employer.html
  
  10 0
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  May 29, 2022 7:08pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Whose bum did he touch?
    
    https://twitter.com/TheConsultant18/status/1530484841091039232
    
    😀 😀 😀
    
    5 2
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    May 29, 2022 7:17pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Bloody Hell…
      
      Is that Morning TV?
      
      9 1
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      May 29, 2022 7:37pm
      - Maggie Pie
        
        Bring back Paul & Pippa I say!!
        
        5 1
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        May 29, 2022 7:58pm
    - graham
      
      Oh dear … remember the days when news and current affairs presenters used to have at least some shred of human dignity?
      
      That’s just cringe-worthy. No wonder John Campbell left …
      
      7 1
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      May 29, 2022 7:52pm
  - hullkiwi
    
    The rumours are out there. Apparently, at least one complaint from a female staffer!
    
    2 0
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    May 29, 2022 10:01pm
Pineapple Lumps

We continue to judge the competence of our government on how prosperous, both tangibly and intangibly, they are making our country. But what is not getting recognised by the Opposition, nor the media is that making NZ prosperous runs contrary to their aims.

Many in Labour and the Greens are committed to the Global Socialist Movement and are hellbent on achieving their aims. Another faction, including the Maori Party, are committed to the prosperity of elite Maori. Consistently they all support dismantling the system that they see as White, mainly Male, and definitely Colonialism.

It seems at the moment the captains of our ship are busily axing a hole in the keel while we all sit back and watch and pretend that they aren’t really trying to sink our boat.

The question is whatever happened to government for the prosperity of NZ and NZers, first and foremost? And at what point does driving agendas that are detrimental to our National interest actually become treason?
18 0
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May 29, 2022 3:05pm
Maggie Pie

TRENDING

Will Cindy’s visit with Joe go ahead?

FOX are reporting that following her visit yesterday with Calif Governor Gavin Newsom….this morning Gav tested positive for Covid-19!

AMERIKA is now referring to her as …..’Covinda’. LOL!!
23 4
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May 29, 2022 4:07pm
- In Vino Veritas
  
  Oh my Maggie! I just read a report from the States, former National Security Advisor to President Trump, Richard Grenell called them the King and Queen of Lockdowns after Newsom tested positive. It’s a beautiful thing…….
  
  15 1
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  May 29, 2022 7:12pm
Swifty

H1 coming in for a bit of stick in the comments….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRKmfQSZy8I
5 1
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May 29, 2022 4:16pm
Maggie Pie

I’ll tell you whose gone very bloody quiet lately…..

CUDDLES!
12 2
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May 29, 2022 6:54pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Jack, the Police did not kill the gunman, it was a Border Patrol Agent. He quickly analiysed the situation, and put a stop to it.
0 0
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May 30, 2022 9:42am

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