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March 8, 2024 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 08 March 2024

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General Debate

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Cassandra

Peter Dunne makes a sensible recommendation that heritage buildings eg Premier House, Government House, Treaty house, should become the responsibility of a dedicated commission. The commission itself could be voluntary so cost would be minimal. Building maintenance would be expensive but surely that’s acceptable, these are important buildings. Remove decisions (and therefore any criticism) about their maintenance from politicians. Excellent proposal.
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March 8, 2024 8:06am
- Grunter
  
  If the building it that important to you, then buy it, and do it up yourself.
  
  I couldn’t give a toss about a crappy building in Wellington that houses central planners and fish heads from around the world.
  
  Borrowing even more money for this rubbish is just nuts.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:00am
- Nigel Kearney
  
  Fine for buildings that actually are important, but not Premier House.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:05am
  - Jethrod
    
    I agree with you about Premier House. It is a ragtag conglomeration that looks like it has had 5 different designers (not architects) . No saving graces.
    Dunne’s idea has merit but it needs a group to seriously look at contenders to decide, bulldozer or builder.
    
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    March 8, 2024 10:50am
    - Tony Stuart
      
      Agree wholeheartedly. If it’s going to take $30m to bring Premier House up to standard, why not spend $10m on demolition and building a purpose-built replacement. By building with modern materials you could create a low-maintenance, energy-efficient replacement that will serve the country well for many years to come.
      
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      March 8, 2024 11:53am
      - Don Beckett
        
        Having seen the house on TV, I can’t for the life of me see why it is worth saving – looks like a 1930’s bungalow that has had a few design- unrelated additions.
        And where do they get the $30.mil from? That is totally ridiculous, even for a top end estimate.
        Agree with you Tony.
        
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        March 8, 2024 2:23pm
      - Sacha
        
        And isn’t it on the Thorndon Fault line?
        
        I’d rather they bought a 2-3 floors of a downtown Apartment building and created a place more suited to modern-day use.
        Plus the views and some sunshine.
        
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        March 8, 2024 3:57pm
  - Cassandra
    
    It’s been the house for PMs since year dot, so it has some historical value. And it’s handy to Parliament. But I concede that its unattractive and that there’s a good case for selling it and buying a PM’s flat. UK PM lives above the shop, after all. Dunne article worth a read. Where would you and Grunter house the PM?
    
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    March 8, 2024 10:51am
    - Paulus
      
      It is also reported some time ago to be sought by Possums from the Town belt and other closer rodents – not politicians this time.
      
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      March 8, 2024 11:19am
    - Grunter
      
      I’d go with a decent apartment nearby or a secure place on Govt grounds maybe (there must be a lot of options).
      
      Premier Place was a dental clinic for a long time, so not really a genuine historic building IMO
      
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      March 8, 2024 11:53am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Why? What’s wrong with a government coming up with a practical solution, like say sell the house to a person or company to do it up, but can not be sold to private owners, plenty of people wanting to invest into projects like this
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:22am
  - Jethrod
    
    As I’ve said before , make it a TOW settlement on a local tribe with no comebacks on restoration costs. There ,solved the Wellington homelessness.
    
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    March 8, 2024 10:52am
    - pdm
      
      Sell it for removal and then build a new house on site at a cost of say $2million. Then keep the new place properly maintained.
      
      Most big business have a property department – government shouldn’t be any different. The speaker is in charge of Parliament Buildings etc, add the PM’s house to his duties.
      
      Win win.
      
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      March 8, 2024 11:30am
      - Don Beckett
        
        $2 mil. doesn’t build a top end house, but $5 mil would.
        
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        March 8, 2024 2:25pm
      - pdm
        
        $5million then DB.
        
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        March 8, 2024 7:01pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  I’ve never forgiven that idiot Dunne for extending daylight saving till end of April.
  Sooo dark now.
  It was alright for him, he never gets out of bed before 10.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:25am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Not Fien here it isn’t, still quite light till 9
    
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    March 8, 2024 9:45am
    - Maggie Pie
      
      I wouldn’t have minded if he’d only extended it for the afternoons, but I do a 10 till 6 shift two nites a week, so it’s the morning part that concerns me.
      
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      March 8, 2024 10:35am
      - Jethrod
        
        You will be pleased to know that the change this year is 7 April …….there saved YOU 3 weeks of angst.
        
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        March 8, 2024 10:44am
  - MCōs
    
    I’d be quite happy if it didn’t change
    I always forget how to change the time in the car in the interim
    
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    March 8, 2024 5:21pm
- Matt Long
  
  How about this, for people who love these special old buildings that are past their useby dates but don’t want to pay for their preservation themselves.
  We ask Google or local gamers to do an immersive video experience of them similar to Google maps.
  The odd souls who have a fetish about old buildings can then enjoy tours and views of all the derelicts from the comfort of their own home or local library, while the buildings themselves can be used as the OWNER desires.
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:54am
Yvette

Advice to Nanaia Mahuta from Crown Law

Peter Williams: The Nats Are Locking In Co-Governance Of Fresh Water
… The whole basis of Labour’s Three Waters policy was the claim by Nanaia Mahuta that she had received advice from Crown Law that said Three Waters-style ‘co-governance’ was required for the Crown to comply with its obligations under the Treaty.

The election gave a very clear democratic mandate that these anti-democratic water provisions would be gone within the first 100 days. But officials are telling Ministers “you can’t do that”.
https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/the_nats_are_locking

Peter Williams says Taxpayers Union should take action to reveal the advice given to Mahuta.

But [Christopher Luxon] said the Government’s new water quality regulator Taumata Arowai would still remain to ensure safe drinking and other Three Waters standards.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/nationals-christopher-luxon-says-northland-councils-would-keep-control-of-their-three-waters/YYWIHGXOVRH3TKTK26HKOKWMSU/

The Governance Board and the Māori Advisory Group (Te Puna) of Taumata Arowai have been established by the Taumata Arowai–the Water Services Regulator Act 2020 to govern and advise Taumata Arowai as the water services regulator of Aotearoa New Zealand.

So, Luxon may be keeping the Water Services Regulator (Taumata Arowai)
but is he keeping the Māori Advisory Group (Te Puna) which presides over Taumata Arowai?
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March 8, 2024 8:09am
- Tom Hunter
  
  See, this is why I never get the wailing and gnashing of teeth and rending of clothes by the NZ Left whenever they lose power. Things are still turning in their direction, albeit in fits and starts, but closer every time they’re in power.
  
  Were I in their shoes I’d be rubbing my hands in glee at the thought of what I could do with the core of Taumata Arowai from 2032 on, or even as early 2029. Vast increases in its regulatory scope, combined with massive infusions of cash and similarly with staff.
  
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  March 8, 2024 8:57am
  - blue collar
    
    Bang on brother Tom , the slow creep to the left continues .
    
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    March 8, 2024 5:23pm
  - jkt
    
    Te Puna mandate as described in the MoU is very elastic and loose as can be expected. The Mahuta’s were involved. One can argue that Te Puna leads the Board or that the Board request advice from Te Puna.
    
    Their term is 3 years and subject to ministerial approval. Signed 26 April 2022. A year for the new minister to confirm appointments for next three years.
    
    One can expect that changes to the MoU will be required to firm up the relationship (called Partnership in the MoU) so that the Board or Te Puna knows who is boss.
    
    Expect to see this aspect in the second 100 day plan. I can’t see any legal issues except if there is an interpretation that Maori owns water. Hipkins has made noises in that direction. That tells me there is no substance to that idea.
    
    Sign up and support the tax payer union.
    
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    March 8, 2024 5:59pm
- Grunter
  
  Peter Williams is quite correct on this – we still have a big problem with racist water control. I understand that Seymour has this in his sights but there is a legal minefield involved.
  
  I suspect that this could be a ticking time bomb that needs to be addressed. Crazy Maori Separatists will go nuts when that happens.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:07am
  - Yvette
    
    but there is a legal minefield involved.
    
    This is the crux of what Peter Williams says himself is rather a long email – that the advice given to Mahuta by Crown Law has not been made public, to actually expose the perceived mines of “the legal minefield”
    https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/the_nats_are_locking
    
    Crazy Maori Separatists will go nuts when that happens.
    
    Should Te Mana o te Wai be removed from related legislation, the response of Tukoroirangi “Tuku” Morgan, the Mahuta Sisters, and the Maori King will be interesting
    
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    March 8, 2024 10:43am
- DimChappie
  
  The Crown Law advice about iwi rights to water should be revealed by the current government. What possible reason for keeping it secret now, whatever the content. Is Luxon trying to keep a lid on controversy? We should not have to campaign to release this opinion.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:39am
  - MCōs
    
    Plus the reports on various misdemeanors by assorted MPs and others with political party connections
    Clear the air, I say
    
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    March 8, 2024 5:26pm
Maggie Pie

“This governments Fossil Fuel Phobia is killing the country”

– Andrew Bolt (SkyNews Australia)
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March 8, 2024 8:09am
- kowtow
  
  The Oz Establishment Elite is schizophrenic.
  
  At home and publicly , officially climate catastrophists , and yet if they weren’t making huge dollars digging up the desert to mine coal and iron ore to sell to Chyna …………
  
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  March 8, 2024 8:25am
  - Tom Hunter
    
    The Oz Establishment Elite is schizophrenic.
    
    Perhaps. But at this stage I think it more likely that they are simply shielded from the pain of all this, largely because of all that mining.
    
    I always remember a quote from some Aussie magazine in a special in 1988 on the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the country, which was something to the effect that:
    
    The simple truth is that we’re the Lucky Country because we live on a very valuable pile of dirt, much of which nobody cares when it’s dug up
    
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    March 8, 2024 9:28am
imalwaysright

If Maori want Self Determination then why are they looking to the government to solve their smoking problem?

Sounds like a great opportunity to demonstrate their ability to Self Determine and the best thing is that it won’t cost a cent!
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March 8, 2024 8:11am
- mandk
  
  Ditto hazardous drinking
  
  Ditto methamphetamine use
  
  Ditto obesity
  
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  March 8, 2024 8:55am
- 7kiwi11
  
  Self Determination = Give us lots of t̶a̶x̶p̶a̶y̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶m̶o̶n̶e̶y̶ koha to give to our elites
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:21am
Opie

https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-people-outraged-north-face-160000609.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANAXXvtFbAoB7iPlL_cG0Tt6CgfCmhDaOdbQFmNsUaOBxUS_O3lD1SYZnw4GWJ3JrZj9Uh1l0fNh5F_fAcWdFCW-1tdXOzGxt72VXEf3jhvl2wdrcflRDjtPtEs3muThNIJrOxQGrFnrq9fcE1y2WUoMvDtWy1Dw3LASd7xJHLYn

You can’t make this up. Take a racial inclusion course and north face will give you a 20% discount.

Apparently black people have trouble accessing the outdoors because of the colour of their skin. Apart from being woke nonsense, what does this actually mean and what am I supposed to do? Must I give money to someone? Or do I need to not do things I like because someone who hasn’t worked as hard as me can’t do them?

These people are actually insane.

Who is your pick for the first nz company to try this?

I reckon it will be nz cricket. “Accept that you are a racist because the colour of your skin (white) that you have no control over has had a negative effective on someone you have never met and get free tickets to a woman’s cricket match” . Yeah nah.
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March 8, 2024 8:16am
- cas
  
  The Black Caps already have an inclusion and diversity lead.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:02am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

The Left Is Losing Its Mind.

Trump’s Immunity Case.
Well it seems good enough for Biden to not be charged over his crooked dealings.

https://rightsideoffers.com/thepoliticalmovement/why-the-left-is-losing-its-mind-over-scotus-decision-to-hear-trumps-immunity-case/?
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March 8, 2024 8:19am
- jkt
  
  The left is losing it’s mind? Depending on the definition of left I would argue they lost their minds when they went Woke.
  
  Both, Trump and Biden, should be condemned for their wrongdoings. But they must first be found guilty by a court or by congress. Due process.
  
  In the meantime we can all speculate and argue based on the facts as we know and perceive them and decide for ourselves which one is the biggest asshole.
  
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  March 8, 2024 8:55am
AgainstTheFlow

NZ journalists’ collective handwringing and wailing at their job losses is great to watch.
They have collectively failed to impress their audiences/readers.
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March 8, 2024 8:22am
- Positan
  
  Almost every one a legend in his/her own mind …
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:26am
- Paulus
  
  If they keep losing Advertisers then who is to pay them as they continue to lose money.
  The Taxpayer of course !
  
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  March 8, 2024 11:23am
Im Right

The SCOTUS ruling for taking Trumps name off the ballet was ruled unconstitutional/illegal.
The left haven’t quite gone full troppo as the ruling was 9-0, which means even their ‘own’ justices voted against it.
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March 8, 2024 8:25am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Walls work again.
What has that coward Nancy Pelosi got to say about this?
https://www.thepoliticalglobe.com/a-conservative-perspective-on-the-revival-of-fencing-at-the-us-capitol-03-07-2024/?
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March 8, 2024 8:28am
- kowtow
  
  Front page Herald .
  
  Ministry of Truth HQ ( tvnz) has some pretty serious looking gate entry security system and fence .Very Orwellian /dystopian looking.
  
  I wonder what that cost us and why .
  
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  March 8, 2024 8:48am
Matt Long

The government is giving itself the power to bypass RMA processes but not restoring property rights to private individuals.
It really is a concern that they see China as a more positive example than (looks for positive examples of free countries in the modern world) Argentina or New Zealand as it could be, prosperous and free.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/511069/government-unveils-plan-to-fast-track-infrastructure-projects
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March 8, 2024 8:29am
- RoboRob
  
  Hopefully this government will do something proper about the RMA. The whole, govt allowing itself to fast track things it likes, is a stop gap at best.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:05am
  - Paul
    
    Gets the country moving. How about a 4 lane elaevated highway through the country, navigate those hills.
    Going forward economically, or be the Maldives.
    That is the choice.
    
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    March 8, 2024 6:49pm
- thirteenstars
  
  Giving a minister the power to remove obstacles with the stroke of a pen is not a sign of progress but an admission of failure. It amounts to autocratic government, the justification being that the law is such a morass that running roughshod over it is the only way forward.
  
  It also sets a dangerous precedent. Would it be equally welcome in the hands of a Labour-Green coalition?
  
  We need to take a flamethrower to the RMA and many other such roadblocks so the ordinary functioning of laws is enough to protect what needs to be protected, including private property rights, while allowing quick, low-cost development of infrastructure, commerce and housing.
  
  Until that happens we can only hope the authority given is restricted to basic and necessary infrastructure. For it to be used for speculative ventures could result in some embarrassing and costly failures.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:55am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Some of those obstacles were put there with a stroke of the pen by a crazy female Captain. No House vote, no submissions, just bang, it will be so because she said so.
    Oil, gas, coal. Remember that?
    
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    March 8, 2024 10:22am
    - thirteenstars
      
      Which shows the folly and danger of such power.
      
      Deregulate now.
      
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      March 8, 2024 11:19am
      - Omni Consumer Products
        
        To late. I have contacts in exploration, some of them were badly burned by the captains call™ and won’t be back for a long time.
        
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        March 8, 2024 5:28pm
  - Paul
    
    So, stay a connected set of villages?
    
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    March 8, 2024 6:50pm
Yvette

From Here To Ardernity

Ardern attempts to dodge questions about the dodgey way Nanaia Mahuta’s sister Tipa Mahuta was appointed to chair Te Puna, the Māori Advisory Group to Taumata Arowai, the Water Regulator – by Nanaia Mahuta relinquishing her position temporaly to Kelvin Davis, which may be the only time Kelvin Davis has been of use to anyone –
A Letter of Expectation sent by Nanaia Mahuta in November last year makes it clear that Taumata Arowai is obliged to “implement” what the Māori Advisory Group instructs it to do.
https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/graham-adams-ardern-dodges-questions-on-mahuta-s-conflicts-in-three-waters July 19, 2022

One hopes that the advice Nanaia Mahuta received advice from Crown Law on “3 Waters” is more authentic than this –

Article 2 of the Treaty guarantees “active protection of taonga, including wellbeing” health officials told Costello. “The right to be smoke free is entrenched in Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” the advice to Costello said.

Luxon says he will retain Taumata Arowai, the Water Regulator
But when Tipa Mahuta no longer has a job, you will know Christopher Luxon has done the job he was elected to do.
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March 8, 2024 8:32am
- Tony Stuart
  
  The Coalition definitely has plans to repeal the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020. The work is in the hands of Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard.
  
  https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-takes-first-steps-towards-pragmatic-and-sensible-freshwater-rules
  
  It’s not going to be repealed as quickly as Three Waters was; this comes from the link above:
  
  “Today we are announcing that work on the NPS-FM replacement will start immediately,” Mr Hoggard says.
  
  “This process is expected to take between 18 to 24 months and will include a robust and full consultation process with all stakeholders including iwi and the public.”
  
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  March 8, 2024 12:13pm
  - Fuzzysnuggleduck
    
    I am glad you can confirm.
    It is another head of the hydra that needs to be struck off for sure, and part of the Mahuta family setting up water management as a back door to tribal control of resources.
    About the only thing that Labour was successful with was the assembling of the engine of He Puapua stealthily, while child poverdy and the housing crisis and other issues that concerned the broader public went in the wrong direction.
    Glad to see the pace of work being completed by the new government, and the energy, because it is in alignment with what they promised.
    The only thing that saved us from worse outcomes from Labour was (apart from incompetence) that they were rather lazy (aspirational) on most projects.
    
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    March 8, 2024 2:12pm
  - pdm
    
    If Hoggard and ACT are running it I am sure it will happen.
    
    If Luxon and National were I would not be so sure.
    
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    March 8, 2024 7:07pm
Waipuk

Conservation ‘spread too thin’, Penny Nelson tells select committee

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/511126/department-of-conservation-spread-too-thin-penny-nelson-tells-select-committee

Perhaps if they didn’t fly turtles, staff and others half way around the country. And not pay staff to learn Maori then DOC may be in better shape.

Get the priorities right. Stick to core business
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March 8, 2024 8:33am
- kowtow
  
  Whale funerals .
  
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  March 8, 2024 12:16pm
Matt Long

Dear Russia, we’re fine with you invading your neighbours, I mean we do it all the time, if only you’d cut back you greenhouse gas emissions, thanks, John, We Hate Humanity Too, Kerry.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/john-kerry-says-people-feel-better-about-ukraine-war-russia-reduce-emissions
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March 8, 2024 8:34am
- Grunter
  
  John Kerry has always been a total clown. But this statement below just shows he has completely lost his marbles…
  
  Yep, the big problem with massive bombs exploding is GHGs. (I think they might actually kill innocent civilians as well you idiot!!)
  
  “Lots of parts of the world are exacerbating the problem right now, but when you have bombs going off, and you have damage to septic tanks or to power centers, etcetera, you have an enormous release of greenhouse gas, methane, all of the family of greenhouse gasses and the result is it’s adding to the problem,” Kerry said during a July 2023 interview with MSNBC.
  
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  March 8, 2024 8:57am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Grunter,
    I think what Kerry is saying is that when some poor bastard gets the shit blown out of them, then who is paying for the methane from the shit!
    
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    March 8, 2024 10:03am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Idiot box this morning a news item about an Iditarod musher having to kill a moose that got tangled in the dogs line.
That was two days ago! Just proves TV1 are repeaters, not journalists/reporters.
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March 8, 2024 8:38am
- David Garrett
  
  Steve O: Sadly it also illustrates how … what’s the word…banal in outlook many people are (many would have been interested in that “story”). Banal is not the right adjective, but it’s early morning.
  
  Sadly, “cat stuck up a tree – rescued by the fire brigade” stories have been around, and pleasing many, for a long time.
  
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  March 8, 2024 8:43am
  - jkt
    
    Did they eat the moose?
    I mean after killing the moose.
    
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    March 8, 2024 8:59am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      The musher is in a race, so he left it and reported it at the next stop. I don’t know if others went to butcher it. Frozen moose, but Alaskans use cordless reciprocating saws and chainsaws.
      Yes it could be eaten. Tastes like venison, moose is a deer.
      The Iditarod is a huge race. Mushers and dog teams come from all over the World.
      
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      March 8, 2024 10:26am
  - Biscuit
    
    Steve and David, you can count on the folk compiling our nightly News to include:
    
    * Simon standing up as he begins his spiel and walks towards the camera. (He walks! He talks!’ He’s gonna win Best Action Performance By A Presenter yet)
    * Any plane crash … that is clever enough to make sure it is filmed as it crashes
    * Any cutesy animal tale
    * Any opportunity to sow how ‘international’ we are by plonking ‘our’ reporter in (say) Australia in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge for his/her report. ‘No, no, move to the right a bit. Our viewers need to see the local landmark so they know where you are!
    * Some totally-unscripted (of course. Yeah, right) chitchat between the presenters
    * Some putdown or other of Steve’s pal, The Donald
    
    I’m sure you can think of a few more, heh. Hit me…
    
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    March 8, 2024 9:22am
    - MCōs
      
      North Korea more your style
      https://youtu.be/P04pHRBmaaQ?si=QvZik2qtY4Fp2RfO
      
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      March 8, 2024 9:52am
      - Biscuit
        
        Good point, MCōs,
        
        Curious that North Korea, nuclear power that it is, hasn’t yet got the technology to enable their presenter to ‘do a Dallow’ and read script off an autocue…
        
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        March 8, 2024 1:59pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Yep, The Donald, The Winner.
      
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      March 8, 2024 10:36am
  - Fuzzysnuggleduck
    
    Tell me more about this cat.
    Was the poor dear alright?
    
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    March 8, 2024 2:14pm
kowtow

Another day another NZME attack on the coalition .

This time specifically on Luxon as PM and the state of Prem House and the planes .

Yet the other bif political news is the 100 days . No editorial on that .

“……surely the PM shold be presenting a well heeled , well resourced figure to the rest of the world .
Otherwise NZ and its PM risk becoming the embarassing butt of all jokes at future summits and global get togethers”.

Well heeled, joke ?

And yet Ardern’s jaunts were plagued by broken planes . Did we have editorials excoriating her ( and she did look like a joke in her native cape and awkward heels).
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March 8, 2024 8:40am
- Bevan
  
  Media just wants government to order replacement planes so they can run “OMG, government stops feeding kids to buy VIP aircraft” headlines
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:11am
  - Paulus
    
    The Media Party does not like that the Voters of New Zealand did not take their correct advice !
    And are still doing everything to make sure that in the next three years it can again tell the voters what to vote for.
    
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    March 8, 2024 11:28am
- imalwaysright
  
  Talking of joke, didn’t chippy drag his sorry arse and those of media and a kapa haka group up to China and needed a spare plane to shadow them?
  The other joke was his predecessor rolling up and talking complete jibberish wherever she went.
  
  NZ is already a joke but, since the foreigners are too polite to say it, NZ is blissfully unaware.
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:48am
Maggie Pie

Ever wondered what a ‘Cannibal Feast’ might look like?

Watch yesterdays Q7 from 50sec in 😀 😀 😀

https://vimeo.com/920285591

LOL!!
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March 8, 2024 8:46am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Was Rawiri Waititi chewing his cud?
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:05am
- Fuzzysnuggleduck
  
  His mind is drifting away to the feasting when he was on his Paris jaunt.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVbtBcClZ9g
  Nom nom. Many courses.
  
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  March 8, 2024 2:17pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Luxon has promised to stop the consultants ‘gravy train’ at the station.
Really? The Consultant racket is as bloated as the Public Sector Govt Departments. Consultants are effectively running NZ and that is not good enough.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/the-real-problem-is-consultants-influence-not-their-cost/ar-AA18zpHa
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March 8, 2024 8:56am
- Tom Hunter
  
  They’re combined Steve, and have been for some time.
  
  The term you’re looking for is the Professional Management Class (PMC) and DPF linked to an article just the other day that was mainly about them, Danyl McLauchlan: Unjarndycing the State.
  
  But the best description of them was by McLauchlan in a 2022 article he wrote, An administrative revolution, where he referred to a 1994 book about the PMC:
  
  The revolting elites in his book are the professional managerial class: the educated technocrats who occupy a commanding position across post-industrial economies, not by direct ownership of capital or overt command of the political system but by managerial control of all our institutions. They run everything. I’ve written about the professional managerial class before – I don’t think you can understand 21st century politics without them – and for Lasch their most important qualities are: a) they’re a global class; b) they’re more concerned with the virtual and abstract than the physical, and, c) the primary purpose of their politics is therapeutic.
  
  They’re beyond Labour and National. In fact they’re beyond politics and silly little people voting. That’s the whole point of their existence.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:08am
  - thirteenstars
    
    Indeed. At heart it’s just good old Corporatism. Get the economy and society organised into thousands of regulated blocks and you have effective control over everything via unelected bodies whose decisions have the force of law.
    
    Even if the regime doesn’t appear oppressive day-to-day your ability to effect any meaningful change is gone. If it’s not expressly permitted, it’s prohibited.
    
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    March 8, 2024 10:06am
- Inandout
  
  SO, but they help keep Wellington’s upmarket restaurants afloat. Long liquid lunches.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:11am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Um he said they will trim consultancy from 1.5 billion to 600 million I thought, you are always going to need some consultants, building roads and the like
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:35am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Design roads with built in pot holes to match what we have?//
    
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    March 8, 2024 10:43am
  - Don Beckett
    
    You don’t need consultants – you need a Civil Design Engineer with a team of a size appropriate to the job required.
    
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    March 8, 2024 2:45pm
    - MCōs
      
      That’s right, civil engineering consultants
      I think you’ll find NZTA doesn’t have it’s own design team anymore
      BTW
      I read the other day that the previous Nat government spent $50mil on the EW Link before it was cancelled
      What they should have done with a contentious project like that was start building something so that there was no turning back.
      That’s what happened with the Sydney Opera House because the state government was itching to wind back the clock.
      Inefficient, but effective
      
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      March 8, 2024 5:47pm
Rusty

Who remembers when we had only one tv channel/news broadcaster 1960-75 in this country ?

But at the same time there were so many newspapers available as an alternative – herald, star, 8 o’clock, truth, sunday news etc, not forgetting radio news.

With Newshubs demise are we going back to the future with one tv news broadcaster but many alternatives?
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March 8, 2024 9:02am
- Matt Long
  
  If you have an internet browser, more than ever before.
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:02am
- Diogenes
  
  I used to consider that the best show on TV was not a TV show – it was the televised version of RNZ’s Checkpoint programme 4-6pm weekdays. I’m talking about the years around 2016, when they had some quality presenters — even John Campbell was watchable before he went full media idol and lost the plot. I haven’t watched it for some years, but I see it still listed on Freeview at Channel 50. Is it still on video as well as audio?
  
  The remembrance of this makes me think that perhaps TV1 could close its channel and go full online, particularly with news/current affairs. Perhaps even a merger with RNZ, drawing on the best talent of both.
  
  The irony of that would be that it would hark back to the days of the old NZBC, which combined both TV and radio in the one entity. I began the broadcasting portion of my journalism career in Christchurch in 1970, before the various parade of splits, restructuring, etc, began. It was an exciting time, and some quality staff and programmes were presented. Judy Bailey was a fledgling cadet reporter in the Christchurch newsroom, McPhail & Gadsby were just getting going, Paul Holmes was a DJ on 3YD (precursor to 3ZM), Fred Dagg and Billy T James were killing it on national tv, and so on.
  
  I acknowledge that the system at that time could also stifle innovation, and aspiring talent had to fight bureaucracy to get something going (heck, we didn’t even have colour TV till Muldoon decided: “Economy be blowed, we’ll be a laughing stock if we can’t show the ’74 Commonwealth Games in colour”.) Nonetheless, some major thinking outside the box needs to be done to address the multiple problems of today, and maybe, just maybe, there are some lessons buried in the past.
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:58am
- MCōs
  
  The Truth was at the edges of what one might call a newspaper
  Two headed baby born to bisexual turtle sort of thing
  
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  March 8, 2024 11:00am
Maggy Wassilieff

DOC finally realises it doesn’t really know what is role is

“Over the last decade, DOC’s role and the expectations of us have increased, but there’s never been a comprehensive look at what is our role, and what’s the funding that you need to have to address that role.

https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/08/doc-spread-too-thin-director-general-tells-select-committee/

Perhaps if DOC focused on basics like weed and pest control in the Conservation Estate and maintenance of its tracks and huts instead of trying to save each individual bird species, it might make better use of its funds.
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March 8, 2024 9:14am
- David Garrett
  
  Maggy W: Off topic a little Maggy, but I am hugely saddened by the – sadly utterly predictable – decline in what was once a magical place, the Urewera National Park north of Wairoa in Hawkes Bay. Have you been there? If not you should while you still can.
  
  One of a very few good memories I have of my father are camping trips there, and eating baked beans and sausages over a sputtering primus stove, while trying to obey his orders “DON’T touch the tent!” (Canvas tents leaked if you touched them). And of course the wonderful walks, the best of them to Lake Waikareiti which is even more beautiful than Waikaremoana itself.
  
  I visited the lake the year before DoC handed it over to the local iwi, so have been able to compare “before and after” in my several visits since. At first it was just surly Maori in the laughably named “Visitors Centre” – they don’t have any track maps – but on successive visits the tracks fell into more and more disrepair, and were finally blocked off. with large rocks and dead tractors.
  
  Tuhoe have made it quite clear that they don’t really want visitors – especially white ones – unless of course they want to use the services of the iwi controlled boating service to remote track starting points.
  
  I predict that within perhaps 10 years – maybe less – they will introduce a policy of “Maori visitors only”. There is nothing stopping them doing it; we – or at least the government of the day – gave the Park together with its beautiful lakes back to them.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:33am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Did you meet up with Harry Wakatipu in there?
    
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    March 8, 2024 10:51am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      3 downtickers must not like Harry Wakatipu.
      He is a laugh – for children 10 to 90.
      
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      March 8, 2024 12:26pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    I did the 45km walk around Waikaremoana (southern and western sides) in 1970 or 71 and a couple of years later went with a bunch of botanists onto Rahui Island on Lake Waikareiti (the small lake to the NE of Waikaremoana.
    
    Deer, possum, pigs, goats, cattle had never got over to Rahui Island… so the veg was in an undisturbed state.
    
    I’m too decrepit to cope with steep slopes in the bush now and have an aversion to being cold and wet for hours on end. (My Waikareiti trip was at Easter….non-stop rain).
    
    I don’t think DOC did themselves proud in the years before Tuhoe took over running the show. I gather track and hut maintenance was declining.
    
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    March 8, 2024 11:59am
  - David Garrett
    
    Does anyone else find it utterly ridiculous that the government did a “treaty settlement” with Tuhoe – including giving them what was Te Urewera National Park, something of a jewel in the crown – when Tuhoe never signing the fucking treaty?
    
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    March 8, 2024 12:10pm
    - Fuzzysnuggleduck
      
      One of the biographies of colonial officers, Gudgeon or Gascoigne perhaps, noted of the Tuhoe that they had “no reason to hate the pakeha”, having had barely any contact. But the Tuhoe wanted to fight. I suspect it was due to the fact they were less in contact that they had the old-time Maori love of war and need to prove their warriors.
      They had warriors travel to the Waikato in 1864, despite not being loyal to the Maori king, and part of the reason Rewi had his (disastrous) ‘last stand’ at Orakau was because warriors (including East coast and others) arrived and “did not want to return home without firing their guns”.
      So some Tuhoe land was confiscated from their most coastal regions since they picked a fight from the losing side. Tuhoe were killing pakeha again during the Hauhau fighting period as a result of their anger at this. The Urewera had to be invaded a few years later, and forced opened up for the first time to Pakeha columns in large numbers, as they hosted Te Kooti who was using te Urewera as a spring board for murder and burning of soft-target settlements.
      Tuhoe turned against Te Kooti when the heat got too much from Armed Constabulary and the Maori who pursued him (government aligned). Their alignment changed when they noticed what seemed to be endless campaigns through the previously safe forest realm in pursuit of the so-called prophet. IIRC Ropata of Ngati Porou told Tuhoe he would settle inside the Urewera until the fighting is over. And Ropata was a serious chap.
      
      So when an officer commented on the fighting of the Tuhoe, that they really had “no reason to hate the Pakeha”, I might suggest that Tuhoe brought misfortune on themselves every step of the way.
      
      But even if blame might be shared if you were generous to the tribe, it is the Crown alone that has to apologise and express regret in modern times.
      Me so sorry.
      But of the many tribes that clashed with the British or Government, IMO, Tuhoe is perhaps one of the least deserving of any sympathy.
      
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      March 8, 2024 2:33pm
- Matt Long
  
  Perhaps if they focused on their role of stewardship of conservation land instead of hiring lawyers and planner to game the RMA against private property owners, using taxes taken from these same people to screw them over.
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:48am
- PurplePen
  
  Bit of a worry that successive CEOs have continued to operate without sorting this out. Kind of critical really. I despair at the amount we pay these people and we still get monkeys.
  
  As an aside, a review of the estate would be useful to see what can be released. The estate is one third of NZ and it can’t all be necessary to conserve. Then there’s the clarion calls every now and again that “oh, this beach or piece of land is iconic and should be given to DOC”. Yes, only if they can release some non-iconic equivalent.
  
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  March 8, 2024 1:25pm
Grunter

Call me sadistic, but I forced myself to watch TV1 News last night just to see them report on themselves. First time I’ve watched TV1 News for probably 18 months or more.

Even I was surprised at how blatantly bad they have become. How does anyone on this Blog endure that each night? What a bunch of entitled, deluded lefties!
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March 8, 2024 9:15am
- Bobba Fret
  
  We never watch TV One news. Sometimes watch TV 3 news as found that slightly better.
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:43am
  - MCōs
    
    How do you know?
    
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    March 8, 2024 5:52pm
- Cassandra
  
  I’ll take your word for it. Thank you for your sacrifice.
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:59am
Maggie Pie

No wonder some people seem so dazed & confused out there.
When I was at boarding school, at least you knew who was next to you in the showers.
Now, I see that woman who is awaiting trial for assaulting Posie Parker with the tomato soup…. is being called a MAN!

https://twitter.com/BramhamAlex/status/1765463536036159935
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March 8, 2024 9:19am
- MCōs
  
  When I was at boarding it transpired one of the chaps in the far from private showers went on to be convicted as a pedophile after a career in the priesthood
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:32am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Was that the Marist Brother who told the boys he was blowing Gabriel’s Horn?
    
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    March 8, 2024 9:37am
  - Matt Long
    
    Such interesting friends you have Mcōs.
    
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    March 8, 2024 9:50am
    - MCōs
      
      When your parents send you off to boarding school there ain’t much choice in who the other boys or teachers are for the matter.
      In the case of the latter everyone knows who to avoid because the hierarchy, who also knew, did nothing about it.
      
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      March 8, 2024 11:13am
      - Biscuit
        
        I hope I’m not in a tiny minority here, MCōs, bu t the only boarding school I ever went to (in Singapore) was great.
        
        No bullying, no sexual interference (by either other boys or by teachers/staff), just good ol’ fashioned education and, heh, good ol’ fashioned corporal punishment whenever I got caught at something deserving same.
        
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        March 8, 2024 2:07pm
- Inandout
  
  Maggie, X also has comments that reveal someone whose father works for the UN and mother is a teacher. Such a mine of information is X.
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:28am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Yes, resisted posting that one for ob reasons.
    
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    March 8, 2024 12:00pm
- Fuzzysnuggleduck
  
  His post is not about the soup-throwing He-She, but presumably the young man who punched the old lady in the face and got name suppression.
  
  We all know who threw the tomato soup – since they were proudly tweeting about it “Slaaaaay” and then running to Australia, playing victim, yet plenty of selfies came out of the He-She previously cuddling up to Green MPs and Jacinda/Chippy etc. I don’t care enough to google their name.
  
  This is about the soy-boy with the bit of bum fluff on the chin throwing his clumsy fist into granny’s face.
  We don’t know his name – plus discharged with no conviction – and that was what has disappointed a lot of people, including folk inside the current government.
  
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  March 8, 2024 2:45pm
MCōs

Ross Taylor’s 39th birthday, which makes him one year older than Neil Wagner whose 38th birthday is in a few days time
Ross Taylor played his last test two years when he was 36. After the Bangladesh game he retired or was he pushed?
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March 8, 2024 9:20am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Taylor was pushed from the captaincy during a test in Sri Lanka they won convincingly, at that time it was hard to win over there, Southee was all team McCullum, and he appeared to run Taylor out purposely when he was going for his second century of the match, 78 he was on and looked like easily getting the second century, can you remember him spitting and carrying on as he left, I think there is some bad blood with Southee still.
  
  To be fair, Southee did bowl very well during Aussie second innings, snd his first stint in the first innings, I remember the commentators suggesting he could well have had 4 wickets on that first morning, but that’s cricket I guess
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:43am
  - MCōs
    
    Whatever the story behind the change of captaincy McCallum was far better than Taylor and probably better than anyone before or since when it comes to getting the best out of the team and certainly himself
    
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    March 8, 2024 11:23am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

!% promises Trump is making.
Energy, it will be “drill baby, drill.”
Prosecution of the most corrupt President in US history, Biden.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/probing-biden-constructing-new-cities-fifteen-promises-trump-is-making/ar-BB1jsEw9
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March 8, 2024 9:20am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Typo. 1% should read ’15 promises’
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:55am
  - Biscuit
    
    Steve, that is a typo of such magnitude that I hereby revoke my entitlement to be known as TYPO MASTER OF KIWIBLOG!
    
    And, sheesh, I see two folk have downticked your mea culpa…
    
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    March 8, 2024 2:10pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Thing is I proof read 3 times and only see the typo when re-reading after edit time has gone. Doctor says I see the text as an image not individual words.
      
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      March 8, 2024 2:30pm
      - Paul
        
        Be your own Doctor, Steve. You are nearly there anyway!
        
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        March 8, 2024 6:54pm
kiwikidsnz

A reflection on NZs current state of it’s welfare state & the “deserving & undeserving poor”.

https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/lindsay-mitchell-is-real-change-on-the-cards

“Between the passage of the Social Security Act in 1938 and the early 1970s the percentage of working-age people on a benefit never exceeded two. Today it stands at almost twelve, with the time people stay dependent growing every year.”
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March 8, 2024 9:23am
- greybeard
  
  What a good article. Thanks.
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:03am
- David Garrett
  
  Kiwikidz: What a terrible stat…almost daily up here in the Kingdom I am certifying passports for Tongans going to pick fruit in New Zealand or Australia … normally Australia, because apparently they pay better.
  
  I have picked fruit in my youth: apples, pears, and grapes. It is good healthy outdoor work requiring very little skill, but demanding care. Anyone who is able to walk to the corner shop and lift an aluminium ladder ought to be able to do it.
  
  It is an absolute disgrace that 100,000 odd – many if not most of whom would be quite capable of picking fruit – are instead allowed to languish on the dole making themselves unemployable by the time they are 25.
  
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  March 8, 2024 11:00am
  - Paul
    
    David, you are a charcter. I picked 3 bins of apples a day, all juiced due to bruising. My Mate picked 8 bins a day, no bruising, made a bomb.
    I like your style navigating LAW.
    You take risks, and win, congradulations.
    
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    March 8, 2024 7:04pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Here we go again with the sea levels rising 10 feet.
Stop the doomsday glacier melting by stopping warmer air reaching it. Really?
These crazy clowns will one day do something that will do irrepairable, non-reversible damage and walk away from it.
It is just a scam. So called scientists living the good life on other people’s money.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/scientists-50b-mission-to-stop-doomsday-glacier-from-melting/ss-BB1jvjrq#image=1
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March 8, 2024 9:36am
- imalwaysright
  
  A 62 mile long curtain!
  Imagine pulling that back every morning!
  
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  March 8, 2024 9:53am
- Ian Boag
  
  stopping warmer air reaching it
  
  Nothing to do with warmer air – the issue is warmer water under the glacier. This lubricates the ice-rock interface and lets the glacier slide down faster.
  
  Thwaites is one big mother and it is sliding into the ocean real fast. I agree that a curtain seems a bit optimistic.
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:34am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Maybe you or someone could tell that to Professor John Moore, Ian?
    The warm air makes the warm water.
    Moore is a leftie nutter.
    
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    March 8, 2024 11:00am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Stop Co-Governance. Julian Batchelor.

https://stopcogovernance.kiwi/blog/analysis-treaty-of-waitangi-comic-for-high-school-students-has-been-quietly-brainwashing-away-since-2018-part-10/
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March 8, 2024 9:49am
cmm

I have mixed feelings on the “boot camp” idea.

Whether it works or not will depend on many things. As always, the devil is in the details.

“…a pilot would be operational by the middle of the year, and Oranga Tamariki would oversee it.”

Well that’s not good.

The only way a boot camp is going to work is if the military run it and military law applies. ie. If you don’t obey then you get military punishment and end up in military detention barracks (far harsher than any civilian prison – especially in NZ).

If the OT wokesters who have arguably had a hand in creating the current youth mess are in charge then we may as well abandon the whole idea now.

“It will have a military-style component”. OK, so not boot camp then. Rather just an hour or two of marching etc. What a watered down “bootcamp”.

To work, a bootcamp needs to be fully immersive, run by military rules. Just play-acting soldiers every now and then will achieve little.

It’s just NZF tub-thumping.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/winston-peters-puts-the-boot-into-the-people-putting-the-boot-into-boot-camps/NLM4LBM2EBBZTFUMOJFQZ2OZ5A/
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March 8, 2024 10:04am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Imagine a radical little shit balking at military punishment!
  “I have RIGHTS you know!”
  
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  March 8, 2024 11:02am
  - cmm
    
    Sure, you have rights, but in the military your rights are severely reduced.
    https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1971/0053/latest/DLM401063.html
    
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    March 8, 2024 11:45am
    - MCōs
      
      To be in the military you have to be 17yo and have no prior convictions
      
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      March 8, 2024 6:01pm
- Cassandra
  
  Absolutely not. The Army is not equipped to run this sort of thing. These are serious criminals, many quite damaged. This is a job for Corrections. Perhaps some retired soldiers might be employed but the Armed Services are already over worked and under resourced.
  
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  March 8, 2024 11:07am
  - cmm
    
    Corrections, maybe. But they want to do this with OT running it. Zero chance of that working.
    
    I promise you that the military COULD handle it if they were to run it their way under military law.
    
    Military law puts a lot more tools in the toolbox to force a person into submission.
    
    https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1971/0053/latest/DLM401063.html, especially:
    https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1971/0053/latest/DLM402709.html
    
    Say “fuck you” to a superior officer and you can end up in military prison for up to 2 years.
    
    Running a “boot camp” under civilian law is just plain BS. It will achieve nothing.
    
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    March 8, 2024 11:42am
    - David Garrett
      
      cmm: Running a “boot camp” under civilian law is just plain BS. It will achieve nothing
      
      I agree. But unfortunately, on this one, the lefties have evidence on their side. Boot camps have been tried here before on more than one occasion, and in many other jurisdictions, and the results are uniformly the same: they turn out criminals who are smarter – from mixing with each other with different “skills” – and much fitter.
      
      The reason for the failure is simple: by age 14 or so, “the child is lost”. As the Jesuits said, “Give me a child of eight and I will show you the man”. Effective intervention – if it is to have any chance to work – must come way before the age when young offenders are eligible for boot camp. And such intervention is just not going to happen.
      
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      March 8, 2024 12:37pm
      - info@cruzpro.com
        
        The wife and I ran our own bootcamp when our children were young and the timeout corner didn’t do the job.
        
        Sue Bradford did away with the ability of parents to physically disciplin their children so our kid’s kids (our grandchildren) are often not well behaved.
        
        7 3
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        March 8, 2024 1:59pm
- Fuzzysnuggleduck
  
  I also see it as a way to remove them from society for 12 months.
  Basically an alternative confinement, where if they better themselves that is just a bonus.
  We can’t send the poor dears to jail, heavens no!
  
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  March 8, 2024 2:48pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Arizona grand jury sends out subpoenas in 2020 election probe.
Winning.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/arizona-grand-jury-sends-out-subpoenas-in-2020-trump-election-probe/ss-BB1jvglQ#image=10
5 4
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March 8, 2024 10:05am
- kevn
  
  Info… New age parenting they call it.
  
  4 1
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  March 8, 2024 2:19pm
Maggie Pie

Talk about go woke go broke. Most interesting thing you’ll see today.

Last year the MSM were sooo reliant on Labor’s PIJF, that the NZHorrid, $tuffed, and ODT, colluded to ban a paid advertisement campaign for Family First’s……
‘What-Is-A-Woman’ campaign.

WATCH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58-TGocFGR4
20 2
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March 8, 2024 10:26am
- Notsofast
  
  On a related note Health NZ updated on 24 February:
  
  You may need an assessment by a mental health professional of your readiness before you can be referred for consultation with a surgeon.
  
  Guidance on eligibility for all gender affirming surgery is in the Standards of Care for the Health of Transexual, Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People. This is published by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH).
  
  Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People — WPATH(external link)↗ etc.
  
  And now the WPATH files proving they are deliberately sterilizing and mutilating children for cash are out.
  
  Reported in magazines like the Economist.
  New Zealand is destroying families with the collusion of NZ Health.
  
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  March 8, 2024 1:32pm
- Notsofast
  
  Meanwhile the Albert Park trans activists are cancelling Graham Linehan with
  great industry, more tomorrow no doubt.
  
  https://twitter.com/PaulThistoll/status/1765589329743921491?t=X0TsVXpPzqzMp7pieQBx1Q&s=19
  
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  March 8, 2024 4:32pm
Handyman

It is Friday today, which means it is “Ban Smoking Day”. All the government needs to do is pass law to ban smoking for some, depending on age, and Police will enforce.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are “Legalise Marijuana Days”. Because many people already smoke (marijuana) and it is a waste of Police resources chasing offenders as smoking (marijuana) is “a victimless crime”.

Thursdays are “Make everyone drive an EV Day”, requiring 250 t of ore per car to make the batteries, to save the planet.

Mondays are “Ban All Mining Day” because mining destroys the planet.
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March 8, 2024 11:19am
- kevn
  
  Handy… Saturday and Sunday, free vapes for all days.
  
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  March 8, 2024 2:44pm
Maggie Pie

CULTURAL ENRICHERS?

According to stats, there’s about 45,000 Sikhs in New Zealand.

Check out the latest content from Craig Kapitan….

https://nzherald.co.nz/author/craig-kapitan/
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March 8, 2024 12:51pm
- Fuzzysnuggleduck
  
  Maggie, you don’t need to be afraid of Sikhs as far as profiling of murderers.
  And in any case, when it comes to other real crimes & exploitation they exclusively prey on their own.
  The criminals we need to worry about are entirely home grown and also ‘indigenous’ more often than not.
  
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  March 8, 2024 3:11pm
sirknz

What a time to be alive! First Maori woman to ever win this architecture award.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/home-property/350203898/first-maori-woman-win-coveted-architecture-medal

If she were any more Maori, she wouldn’t look out of place in an average metropolitan area in northern Europe. I’m picking that if we were to do a DNA test on her, she would come back with ~6% Polynesian DNA.
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March 8, 2024 1:37pm
- Fuzzysnuggleduck
  
  Yes, tiresome.
  And this…”No matter how far a woman advances in her career, there still can be wake-up calls on inequality.”
  Amazing that no matter how good things are going, or how successful you are, there is always some evil (white) man itching to hold you back.
  Must be a sad life to believe such things and try to convince others of the same lack of agency.
  
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  March 8, 2024 3:13pm
Maggie Pie

As I’ve mentioned before, my partner’s first wife was Russian.
And there’s no doubt some East European women are really beautiful.
But as I’ve said to him time & again….generally they don’t age all that well.

https://twitter.com/Enezator/status/1765647267002753326
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March 8, 2024 2:26pm
- Fuzzysnuggleduck
  
  That filter on the footage is gross.
  Looks like a plastic person come to life.
  Less and less are we able to trust images and footage that we see – and I dare say that older people are the most likely to fall for AI imagery.
  
  Here’s a damned funny example of people being fooled by even poor AI images:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U1HMqtam90&t=212s
  “People thinking AI photos are real”
  
  5 1
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  March 8, 2024 3:16pm
- mandk
  
  I guess it’s chacun à son goût, but I don’t find her at all beautiful.
  
  She looks plastic. Too much surgery and make up?
  
  4 1
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  March 8, 2024 3:20pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  The surname seems to end in -chenko, which would likely make her Ukrainian.
  
  If she were real.
  
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  March 8, 2024 10:35pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Why Luxon Will Scuttle Seymour’s Referendum.
Video – John Key the coward and John Tamihere the bully.

More reasons that Luxon is learning Te reo. The only non-Maori who speak Maori are the ‘woke.’

Now co-governance renamed to co-management. A Labour trick, switch and bait.

I have just come across this and don’t know how old it is.

https://issuu.com/esisite/docs/why_luxon_will_scuttle_seymour_s_referendum?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ
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March 8, 2024 3:01pm
Maggie Pie

No ones been prepared to say it yet… so I will.

It was a Meth Lab.
9 1
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March 8, 2024 3:05pm
- greybeard
  
  I agree
  
  4 0
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  March 8, 2024 3:17pm
- artemisia
  
  Reports of arrests at the scene.
  
  4 0
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  March 8, 2024 6:46pm
- Keith White
  
  House-call tailor trying to fit a vest supplied by Hamas?
  
  3 0
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  March 8, 2024 7:33pm
Inandout

What time does State of The Biden start?
5 1
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March 8, 2024 3:07pm
- Ghost
  
  When he’s pumped up with enough drugs to sound coherent
  
  10 2
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  March 8, 2024 3:11pm
Ghost

One of the most iconic photos, and they wanted to ban it

Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough is overruling plans to ban the famous Times Square kiss photo marking the end of World War II from all department health care facilities, a move criticized as political correctness run amok.

“The photograph, which depicts a non-consensual act, is inconsistent with the VA’s no-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment and assault,” the memo stated.

“To foster a more trauma-informed environment that promotes the psychological safety of our employees and the veterans we serve, photographs depicting the ‘V-J Day in Times Square’ should be removed from all Veterans Health Administration facilities.”

Article
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March 8, 2024 3:32pm
Jethrod

Another ONZ position to be filled. Now about 4 or 5 vacancies.
None filled in the term of the last government.
4 0
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March 8, 2024 3:33pm
Maggie Pie

And it just shows where our priorities lie, when you consider we pay a useless plonker
like the ‘Member-for-Tijuana’, more than we do a Hospital Registrar.
12 2
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March 8, 2024 3:35pm
Jethrod

Sorry 3 appointments by the last government. 6 vacancies now
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March 8, 2024 3:36pm
Ghost

Not surprising results with the constant beat up the past few weeks

National’s popularity has dipped, but only slightly, down 2.2 points to 37.4 per cent. Labour is down 2.6 points to 25.3 per cent, it’s lowest ever performance in the poll, which began in January 2021.

The Greens are up 2.4 points to 11.3 per cent, and Act is down 3.7 points to 10 per cent.

NZ First rose 2.4 points to 7.4 per cent, and Te Pāti Māori was up less than a point to 2.5 per cent.

Those results would give National 48 seats, down 1, and Labour 23 seats, down 2.

The Greens would have 15 seats, up 4, and Act would have 13 seats, down 4.

NZ First would have 9 seats, up three, and Te Pāti Māori would be unchanged on 6 seats, provided it held its electorates.

Article
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March 8, 2024 3:41pm
- Chris Nisbet
  
  I used to think you’d have to be insane to vote for the Green Party.
  I haven’t changed my mind.
  It seems that many others have lost theirs though…
  
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  March 8, 2024 4:06pm
Maggie Pie

Incredible number of tweets from besties in Wellington saying how absolutely horrified they were to learn that KO had the lease on an apartment building so close to Boulcott Street. No wonder it’s not safe in the central city anymore.

People we know down there avoid it like the plague.
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March 8, 2024 3:58pm
Homas

Google informs me of International Women’s Day today.

I wonder if anyone can confirm for me whether the feminists are giving it one of their women-don’t-turn-up-to-work tantrums this year?

I only ask because it can be rather hard to tell the difference…
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March 8, 2024 4:38pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Ouch!
  
  3 3
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  March 8, 2024 6:24pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

SOTU speech from Joe. Seems like he will do it.
Really I am more interested in a Trump/Biden debate, and see what Trump does to the leftist media.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/biden-81-will-confront-his-and-trump-s-age-in-state-of-the-union-speech-president-will-say-his-2024-rival-wants-resentment-revenge-and-retribution-while-he-wants-honesty-dignity-and-decency/ar-BB1jwbeV
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March 8, 2024 4:59pm
Swifty

As completely predictable, a totally one-sided piece tonight on RNZ about the imminent demise of Fair Go and with Kevin Milne talking about the old days.

Not a single word spoken about the changing media landscape – no, just a total emotional advertisement for the programmes’ retention at any cost.
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March 8, 2024 6:26pm
gorse

TVNZ piss me off. The one thing they haven’t addressed is their attitude to the elected coalition Government. They have come out swinging against them since the election, the bias is unbelievable. Yet they cannot see that. I have not watched TVNZ since the Ardern Government came into being. Possibly I hold a New Zealand record. I have not heard more than a dozen or so of Ardern’s words spoken, ever. The ones I heard were fumbling for the remote to mute her. TVNZ deserve everything they get. Good riddance.
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March 8, 2024 6:34pm
greybeard

Anyone watching the cricket ?
I thought Kane Williamson was supposed to be the God of New Zealand Cricket: how come he has 0, 9, 17 in the last 3 innings against Australia ?
Could it be time to dispense with the enormous beard and the zinc ointment ?
Could the real Kane Williamson stand up ?
Test cricket is the best thing: the tension, the strategies and tactics, the decisions on timing and personnel.
The physical demands on the fast bowlers are extraordinary, and the reflexes required to face them by the batsmen are equally amazing.
What a game.
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March 8, 2024 7:28pm
kevn

horrid… yawn
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/latest-poll-christopher-luxons-popularity-crashes-after-allowance-blunder-now-trails-chris-hipkins/IFN35O3GGJGMDF7AEV73HI254U/
3 1
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March 8, 2024 8:02pm
- PurplePen
  
  You know that very popular PM in the last govt, did that actually mean things got done and were improved?
  
  3 0
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  March 8, 2024 8:13pm

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