About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

September 26, 2024 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 26 September 2024

Like this:

Like Loading...

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment315

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (315)

Login to comment or vote

NeverMindTheBollocks

So here’s a snapshot of what’s wrong with public sector projects.

The $20m increase in the new Sargeant Gallery in Wanganui includes an unplanned $570k fit out of the cafe space, plus a further $271k to support first year cafe operations.

Why, you might ask, is this? It turns out that the cafe operator earmarked to fit out & run the cafe has bailed. In their wisdom, Council has decided that they know better than a presumably experienced operator and so will run the cafe themselves.

A private sector equivalent would conclude that the cafe opportunity was likely unprofitable and simply not have an on-site cafe. But, it’s OPM, eh. And so the ratepayers debt increases.

http://www.1news.co.nz/2024/09/25/whanganui-gallery-costs-jump-20m-with-ratepayer-contribution/
35 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:01am
- cmm
  
  Why does everything need a cafe space, especially a government one?
  
  Likely there are already 3 cafes within 100 yards of the front door. Why should a taxpayer supported cafe be set up to compete?
  
  37 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:49am
  - Tarquin North
    
    Could be worse, I have the pleasure of paying for the Hundertwasser center which is losing money hand over fist.
    
    23 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 9:58am
- peterwn
  
  It is spelt with a ‘j’ as Serjeant-at-Arms in Parliament.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 11:29am
- Paulus
  
  I wonder how many actual ratepayers there are in Wanganui ?
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 3:54pm
rjay

Interesting expenses return from Tauranga mayoral candidates. Mahi Drysdale received $31000 in donations. Some of the donors would appear to be developers associated with the Urban Developers Group he seriously denied being supported by.
Meanwhile his uncle Douglas Owens received no family support but spent $51000 on an unsuccessful campaign.
https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/council/about-your-council/elections-2024/candidate-electoral-expenses
13 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:03am
- pdm
  
  rjay I clicked on the link and the first word that caught my eye was Utu – my understanding is that means revenge.
  
  Can someone tell me how that relates to candidate expenses.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:07am
  - rjay
    
    I’m not fluent but can it mean “return”? The language had a very limited vocabulary and I suspect rangitira very rarely had to submit a report on expenses.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:43am
  - James Stephenson
    
    I think it can mean “pay” as well as “payback”
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:52am
  - CrazyIvan
    
    Utu means more than revenge – it also includes payment, reciprocity. In this context the other words are about election and candidates. I think it just means payments to election candidates
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:58am
  - Ghost
    
    It has multiple meanings
    
    https://www.maoridictionary.co.nz/search?idiom=&phrase=&proverb=&loan=&histLoanWords=&keywords=utu
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:03am
    - Don Beckett
      
      As do most words in Maori.
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 11:07am
      - H. Upmann
        
        Yes. Depends on what time or day it is and who says it.
        
        5 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 12:03pm
      - John Loveridge
        
        Especially the Maori words “te tiriti principles”.
        
        6 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 1:46pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        To be fair many English words can have multiple meanings depending on the rest of the sentence.
        
        0 0
        Report
        September 27, 2024 5:23pm
  - AitchW
    
    pdm, I frequent a couple of Z stations in my travels. As is often the case with corporate retailers some of their signage is in Maori and English.
    In one station the translation of night pay is “utu po”
    In the other it is “utu poo”.
    The second one gives me a good chuckle whenever I see it, the idea of a retaliatory bowel motion at a service station is quite compelling!
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:16am
- Damocles11
  
  Why would property developers be so keen to get Drysdale elected as Mayor? 🤔
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:09am
Anthony Melchett

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/education-minister-erica-stanford-reveals-30m-cut-to-te-reo-maori-funding-to-boost-maths-curriculum/

Great news. Maths or a made up language that no one uses…

$30 million is being stripped from a program funding teachers learning te reo Māori in order to refresh the math curriculum.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said the te reo Māori initiative “isn’t accredited” and is more than double the cost of “similar courses” with a price tag of $100 million.

“An evaluation of the programme found no evidence it directly impacted progress and achievement for students.

“The review also couldn’t quantify what impact the programme had on te reo Māori use in the classroom.”

Well that’s going to be a few less people driving rangers around doing nothing. As usual, money hosed at maoris with no improvement in outcomes.
66 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:04am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Imagine that. Kids learning something useful.
  2 + 2 really does = 4.
  
  28 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:40am
- Pope Punctilious II
  
  Excellent news. I expect a deluge of criticism from activists, but anyone who thinks learning Maori is more important than learning maths is seriously out of touch.
  
  44 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:19am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    She has pointed out exactly why, and that there is no need for these teachers to learn this crap whole trying to teach maths, she has the left tied in knots
    
    14 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:44am
  - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
    
    Pope P II – I identifed myself as Maori so that I can get some funding. Now that Erica has diverted the funding for Maths learning, should I identify myself as a number to get some funding? What is your advice? I am happy to give you a cut.
    
    12 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:52am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      The funding was for teachers, not the plebs
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 8:11pm
    - RdM
      
      […] should I identify myself as a number to get some funding? What is your advice? I am happy to give you a cut.
      
      If you were really identifying as a number you would have offered a fraction, not a cut. … ;=})
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 27, 2024 12:00am
  - Allan
    
    It’s so nice to have the grown ups in charge making sound decisions as to when, how and where our hard earned tax payer money is spent instead of the woke, idealistic, student union politicians who were previously in charge of the purse strings.
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 2:24pm
- artemisia
  
  Softly, softly ….
  
  13 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:41am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Labour hiding money to appease rotters like Jackson, he was a vulgar deluded nut bar in the house on Tuesday, and absolute disgrace suggesting MPs could be right wing nut jobs that are crazy, s as lil the whole showing who is the crazed nut jobs. His line of questioning in the house yesterday was also utter bullshit
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:42am
  - AitchW
    
    G, Jackson is an attention seeking dick in the house. I’ve heard him calling the government morons. Once upon a time that would have earned him a rebuke from the speaker for unparliamentary language, sadly no more. He’s clearly out to prove that he’s staunch!
    I’d like to see the speaker clean that place up. Enforce the dress code, enforce the rule on reading speeches, control the endless interjections and toss out those who continually break the rules.
    I remember when there was real debate, witty, erudite and considered. Now what passes for debate is simply name calling and points scoring, in many cases by MPs barely out of school with no respect for the traditions and conventions, the “kaupapa” and “mana” of the place.
    We need a speaker with the ability to control the house and restore its long lost gravitas and dignity.
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 12:46pm
    - Don Beckett
      
      Yes – I thought Gerry would do a much better job than he is doing – another disappointment.
      
      5 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 2:05pm
      - Groggy
        
        Given his history of general uselessness why would Gerry be a good speaker?
        
        0 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 5:05pm
  - pdm
    
    G was it really questioning or just a bunch of activist rubbish?
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 1:06pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    It’s a pity the speaker didn’t tell him to stop being an effing idiot.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 27, 2024 5:25pm
- artemisia
  
  “Double the cost of similar courses’- there’s a surprise. But face it, someone holding taxpayer purse strings decided double the cost was worth it. For reasons.
  
  So even with $30mill chopped still 40% more than similar.
  
  13 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 11:02am
  - leoj
    
    It’s funny (actually not funny) that when maori and iwi are involved, the cost always goes up.
    
    The swindle must go on. BMWs are not cheap.
    
    10 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 12:23pm
- Burtland
  
  “Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he fast-tracked the move after seeing the “appalling” results. He said it amounted to “a crisis” and the data had prompted him to call in the Secretary of Education and the ministry’s executive team
  
  “There’s no way to describe those results as anything other than a total system failure.”
  
  then we have what appears to be the related
  
  “Iona Holsted to leave role early”
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/top/529002/ministry-of-education-s-head-iona-holsted-to-leave-role-early
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 11:17am
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    A typo? Sure it’s not Iona Homestead?
    
    3 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 1:52pm
  - Anthony Melchett
    
    Fantastic news.
    
    She can start an alternate education system with Hipkins’s mum.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 3:08pm
    - Burtland
      
      and can be joined by teachers unionist Abercrombie …
      
      “Abercrombie said this highlighted the Government’s “narrow educational focus”.
      
      “Is it about producing robots who can read, write and do maths equations or is it about helping children and young people to flourish and grow, with a range of knowledge and skills, who are truly comfortable in their own skins and able to thrive in the world?”
      
      being numerate is apparently narrow; flourishing is being a marxist foot soldier
      
      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/education/south-auckland-principal-unions-slam-30m-cut-to-te-ahu-o-te-reo-maori-programme/WXODXFTPCRHOHJLU6GBVAZAMGM/
      
      2 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 3:57pm
  - Paulus
    
    She was being tipped for new Public Services Commissioner !
    Nobody still yet appointed a year after Peter Hughes resigned !
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 3:57pm
- david
  
  That still leaves a $70 million spend on wasteful, overpriced and ineffective programmes.
  So what is to like?
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 12:13pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    No, the 100 million is what Labour spent
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 8:15pm
- Dougal10
  
  The ministry staff are pushing ahead with maori learning supposed to take up to 30% of all teaching . Stealing all these dodgy budget items may slow some of this down , the biggest problem with this shit will be the loss of good teachers.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 5:44pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    My hunch is 30% tops will believe in this shit in any given org. The rest don’t but are scared of being cancelled so give their power to these mental a-holes.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 27, 2024 5:27pm
Chuck Bird

Great news

Anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders heading for a massive win in Netherlands in a shock for Europe

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/anti-islam-populist-geert-wilders-heading-for-a-massive-win-in-netherlands-in-a-shock-for-europe/K6MNSG3VD5HU3FXNCKCXD7PMVU/
43 7
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:11am
- rjay
  
  It’s hard to beat news from 10 months ago.
  
  12 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 8:19am
- Cantabrian
  
  That report is dated 23 Nov last year?
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 8:24am
- kowtow
  
  That story’s from Nov ’23.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 8:28am
- All_on_Red
  
  Since that happened last Nov, it took 8 months to form a Govt.
  ‘After months of political wrangling, an agreement was reached for the new Dutch government to be led by a surprise pick – the former head of the Dutch intelligence service, Dick Schoof.’
  ‘The coalition Mr Schoof will govern includes Geert Wilders’ anti-immigration, far-right PVV as the largest party.
  The other members of the coalition will be the conservative-liberal VVD, the Farmers’ Citizen Movement and the new-to-government centrist New Social Contract which promised to restore public trust in politics.
  The VVD and New Social Contract parties have pledged to ensure Mr Wilders’ populist right is kept in check…
  Pledges to ban the Quran, close Dutch borders and hold a referendum on the Netherlands future within the EU have been put on ice, along with Mr Wilders’ own prime ministerial ambitions.’
  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd1r0xvn0z5o
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 8:52am
- David Garrett
  
  Chuck: Good news indeed. Europe is – at long last – waking up to reality that admitting members of the death cult known as Islam is an unmitigated disaster for any western democracy.
  
  I just pray that we will wake up long before our Muslim population reaches the crucial 5% tipping point, and before innocent people in the wrong place at the wrong time get their heads cut off.
  
  I hope Mr Wilders has very good security around him.
  
  38 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 8:56am
  - Ghost
    
    Here’s one for you David from last year……
    
    https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-just-became-the-first-major-u-s-city-to-allow-all-muslim-prayer-calls/600266786
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 9:35am
    - David Garrett
      
      Ghost: I only got part way into it before I had to register to read the rest…but I read enough.
      
      What really really scares me is I believe a substantial proportion of our local councillors – I mean local councillors throughout NZ, not just Auckland – would support something similar.
      
      Just lately I have started to be somewhat relieved that I probably won’t live to see what this wonderful country of ours will probably eventually become. An ethno-Maori state or a Muslim run one – which would be worse? The second I suppose
      
      35 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 9:47am
      - Ghost
        
        I think different. I think we’re on the edge of a huge shift. I think we’re going to see the collapse of governments. Churches, all the controlling, manipulating, repressive organisation’s. It is coming from the uprise in the uk and USA of people who have had enough.
        
        15 3
        Report
        September 26, 2024 10:02am
      - Gravelroad
        
        I grew up in a smallish town with its fair share of churches of denominations including Anglican, Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist etc.
        On a Sunday morning (and sometime evening) there were bells going all over the place – calling the faithful to their churches and reminding them to get a move in as the service was due to start.
        I live rural now so no bells.
        Do they still ring out from town churches?
        Is it even allowed?
        Or have church bells ringing on a Sunday morning been cancelled due to complaints about noise?
        
        7 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 10:06am
      - cmm
        
        I don’t think it is the call to prayer which is the problem per se.
        I think that the real problem is what it symbolises – the propagation of Islam and the expansion of Islamic ideology and the caliphate “winning” and defeating the West.
        
        I lived in Cape Town for about 8 years all up. There massive loudspeakers boomed out the call to prayer from various mosques daily. IIRC it was something like 5 or 6 am.
        
        Not a problem. Islam has been part of Cape Town since the Dutch brought in Muslim slaves in the 1600s and 1700s. Christians and Muslims generally get on well together and there have historically been few problems.
        
        The real problem is in the encroaching modern form of Islam which is far more militant. Inviting that into the modern world and bowing down to it is a recipe for disaster.
        
        19 2
        Report
        September 26, 2024 10:44am
      - PurplePen
        
        “What about church bells” is often cited as if it’s ok for them then it’s ok for the Islamic call to prayer. As far as I know bells aren’t rung anymore, but they are or have been part of NZ culture since missionaries arrived early 19th century. But also, bells are music. The call to prayer is vocal instruction and preaching that our God is the best and the only one. I’m not sure refugees that have escaped death and torture from Islamic countries would feel safe hearing the call to prayer. And as others have said, it’s not really a call for anyone else except those of that faith whereas just about any other religion will happily invite you to their religious ceremony or event. Not to mention that religion’s attitude and effectively written hate speech about anyone that is not them and then look out if you’re a woman or LGBTQ.
        
        6 2
        Report
        September 26, 2024 11:52am
      - MCōs
        
        I working in Jakarta for a couple of months in 2005.
        Indonesia is about 90+% Muslim, but nobody in the office was any more committed to their faith than the Buddhists I worked with back in Bangkok.
        There were bars a bloke could get a beer
        I asked where all the hardliners were and was told away from the big cities where they could influence the kids in madrasas
        
        4 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 12:06pm
      - AitchW
        
        Church bells are rung for a few minutes once or twice on a Sunday and occasionally on other holy days. They’re not (generally) electronically amplified. Perhaps those who compare church bells to the amplified caterwauling 6 times a day from the mosque might like to consider that church bells are the same volume they have been for hundreds of years.
        
        5 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 12:50pm
      - Flossie
        
        Purple Pen….we do have a church bell rung here. Just a single peal and not musical – just a call to the service (for those that go, which doesn’t include me!)
        
        3 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 1:05pm
      - Keith White
        
        If there is going to be a mosque putting out calls at 0400, once I am properly awake I’ll be putting out the anthem of the church of the flying spaghetti monster at similar dB;
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkduiZt3HM0
        
        Link is to the live version at Budokan, Japan in 1972.
        
        I reckon that’ll have people up and worshipping!
        
        5 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 1:08pm
    - kiwikidsnz
      
      There are phone apps for the adhan now, no need for loudspeakers at all
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 1:13pm
      - AitchW
        
        Yeeeeeah, they’re not so keen on phones and pagers these days….
        
        7 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 2:46pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    “I hope Mr Wilders has very good security around him.”
    
    I believe he has been living the life of a marked man on the run in his own country thanks to the wonderful true believers from the ROP, in his own country.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 27, 2024 5:33pm
PaulDunmore

Today we remember Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov of the Soviet Air Defence Forces, who on this day in 1983 disobeyed orders and did not blow up the world.

A newly installed system for detecting missile attacks on the Soviet Union wrongly reported that several missiles had been launched by the US. Colonel Petrov was required to report this immediately to his seniors, who would have had only a few minutes to decide whether to launch a massive retaliatory strike. This was a time of extreme tension, a few weeks after the Soviet Union had shot down a Korean civilian airliner, and there is little doubt that they would have approved a counter-attack. But Petrov did not believe the system and did nothing.

In time it became clear that the report was a false alarm: the system had been deceived by some clouds and the rising moon.

I was living in Canada at the time, and my family and I would likely have died had Colonel Petrov done his job.

Today Vladimir Putin is threatening to blow up the world if nuclear-armed states (read: US, UK, France) help Ukraine to resist his aggression. It is therefore particularly important that we should remember and honour Colonel Petrov.
38 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:13am
- Mr Nobody NZ
  
  If anybody has the slightest interest in Nuclear Warfare Annie Jacobson’s Nuclear War: A Scenario should be manditory reading as it walks the reader through a nuclear strike and it’s impact minute by minute.
  
  If not a reader there have been some excellent interviews with her which are available on YouTube.
  
  https://youtu.be/EqCpT3bLgBM?si=WNmEeLaBeWuYRuv1
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:45am
  - Ghost
    
    Ssssh don’t recommend her. She suggests people escape to NZ. Actually I was listening to someone the other day that said when the rich and famous all fly to NZ something is about to happen.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:05am
    - Keith White
      
      It was interesting, for those of us who would find this interesting anyway, when we tracked aircraft along the lines of Gulfstream IVs and Challenger 601s from North America, Davos-adjacent Europe, and Beijing/Shanghai inbound to AKL (and then / or Queenstown) back when the WuFlu first hit the headlines.
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 1:11pm
  - Grunter
    
    It’s a sobering read. Fiction (obviously because we are all still here), however full of references from the real world showing how this could actually come about.
    
    The ‘scenario’ takes place in 3 x 24-minute periods, starting with one ICBM spotted coming from North Korea towards the USA. It ends in the Armageddon situation as the nuclear powers activate their individual nuke protocols (eg “Use Them Or Lose Them”).
    
    Little old NZ is left in a nuclear winter with a lot of slow deaths from radiation poisoning. They use the phrase “the survivors would envy the dead”
    
    One of the world’s top mathematicians – Eric Weinstein, has stated that the ‘multi-player game theory’ required to stop a nuclear exchange once it has started is an impossible calculation to make. Let alone do it under intense pressure with only 6 minutes to make it.
    
    2 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:39am
    - Keith White
      
      No worries. Dr Jill has control of the nuclear ‘football.’
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 1:12pm
- Damocles11
  
  Putin is threatening to blow up the world but his Sarmat missiles are blowing up in the silos. If the missile explodes before leaving the silo what is the chance of it reaching the continental US and exploding there(?)
  
  4 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:11am
  - Grunter
    
    So nothing to worry about then….//
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:41am
  - AitchW
    
    Is it credible to believe that Putin would order nuclear strikes knowing that it would certainly mean his own death within minutes?
    Is it possible that he is so narcissistic, so convinced of his own invincibilty that he would issue the order anyway?
    Looking at his behaviour over the years he may well be…
    
    2 7
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:24am
    - Grunter
      
      Much more likely to be done in error, or the mad Prince of Nth Korea goes first and the rest is almost on auto-pilot which is how the plot of this book goes.
      
      3 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 2:05pm
- NothingLeft
  
  Stories like that make me damned proud of my species.
  
  I’d bet that a lot of people in charge of big red buttons on submarines and whatnot have secretly made the same decision ahead of time. Which is fine – their function is to be perceived as a real threat by adversaries, not to actually kill the world.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:41am
  - Mr Nobody NZ
    
    Unfortunately I think by the time a person’s reaches that position, the physiological testing and indoctrination of their role has pretty much ensured that they’re “true believers” of the role and wouldn’t hesitate to do what they perceive is their duty.
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:26am
- Gussy Fink-Nottle
  
  With NATO troops facilitating the firing of NATO rockets deep into Russia, their alarms won’t be false this time.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 12:24pm
surfing

So the new Tauranga mayor thinks he can ignore the government over fluoridation…..

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/tauranga-fluoride-directive-city-council-denied-extension-could-face-extreme-penalties/ENS3PAB7HFD2NJGXJZYK5ZEK4E/

Clowns. Gambling with other people’s money.
11 2
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:14am
- MCōs
  
  Commissioners again at this rate
  
  4 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:04am
- Mod88
  
  Given the EPA in the US has just lost a Court Case and been ordered to desist from Fluoridating water and given NZ Fluorodates at twice the dosage rate and also given it is before the NZ High Court until April/June 2025 I would think granting the Extension a perfectly reasonable and safe action to take. Remember Science is Never Settled.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 12:12pm
  - Keith White
    
    agreed. ‘Settled’ science is simply blinded dogma.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 1:13pm
- Paulus
  
  Is it not a fine of $200,000 on day one, Mr Mayor, and $10,00 per day afterwards.
  No, I did not vote for you either as I did my homework before voting !
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 4:02pm
pdm

My email to Ministers Brown and Seymour plus Hastings Mayor, CEO and Councillors regarding Voting Rights and Remuneration for Youth Councillors.

Dear Ministers.

The subject line is from Stuff on 25 September 2024 and refers to actions being contemplated by the Hastings District Council. I am a Hastings ratepayer and I am appalled that the council that inflicted a 19% rate rise on my wife and I are so blatantly off on another tangent that will only add costs to ratepayers – they have no respect for the people who pay their stipends and salaries.

I make the following comments in respect of this matter’
1. Youth Councillors are exactly that – youths or young ladies – school chldren in fact.
2. As such their focus should firstly be on their Educational qualifications and bursaries.
3. They are volunteers and as such are furthering their life experiences.
4. They are not elected by ratepayers and therefore are not eligible to vote on Council business..
5. There is an inference the should be paid – as per 4 they have no entitlement.

At the Local Body gathering a few weeks ago Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made it clear that Councils need to cut their costs and stick to their core business. Remunerating and giving School Councillors voting rights are definitely not part of the Hastings District Council Core Business.

It seems to me that Hastings District is sticking it’s neck out in these issues at the behest of Councils throughout New Zealand and I say to you if your Government does not bring this lunacy to a quick halt it will infest the whole of New Zealand.

Sirs – the solution lies in your hands because the Hastings District and other councils are showing all the traits of being laws to themselves and to hell with the impact on ratepayers.

In conclusion I have not included a link to the stuff articles because I am cautious of Parliamentary protocols re links but can forward it if you cannot access the stuff article – just let me know.

Please note also that I have copied the Hastings Mayor, CEO and Councillors into this email.

Sincerely
59 1
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:14am
- Paulus
  
  Send in a Commissioner !
  QED
  
  13 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 8:21am
  - Mod88
    
    Don’t forget Wellington, that cot case needs several Commissioners, one for each cock up.
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 12:14pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Perhaps when a certain level of dysfunction has been reached with provision of essential services, a team of engineers is sent in to take over and just do basic council stuff? Then luxury-beliefs nutjobs are sent packing?
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 27, 2024 5:36pm
- Biscuit
  
  Colour me shocked, pdm.
  
  Your salutation is ‘Sirs’.
  
  Where’s the inclusivity for those amongst us who haven’t been blessed with male genitalia?
  
  12 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 8:50am
  - Debsta
    
    He is addressing two male ministers
    
    16 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 8:55am
    - pdm
      
      Worth more than one up tick when you get one over Biscuit Deb.
      
      13 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 9:22am
    - AitchW
      
      But Debsta, how do we know they identify as male? And are their pronouns Sir/Sirs?
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 2:48pm
  - pdm
    
    Biscuit, Biscuit, Biscuit.
    
    Read the email again and you will see it is addressed to Ministers Brown and Seymour – hence the Sirs salutation.
    
    The other addressees were copied in.
    
    This morning I also forwarded the email to my Electorate MP Catherine Wedd with apologies for my oversight in omitting to include her last evening.
    
    ps It got past the critique of David Garrett so I must be on the right track. lol.
    
    17 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 9:13am
    - Biscuit
      
      Thou art forgiven, pdm.
      Begrudgingly!
      
      11 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 9:21am
      - pdm
        
        Any apology from you is well earned.
        
        I feel quite proud.
        
        10 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 9:23am
      - JimBobJoe
        
        Never mind Biscuit. LFC 5 WHU 1, that should ease the shame of being wrong…..
        
        3 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 10:14am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  It’s alright, Hipkins will be along shortly to apologise as he did for Luxon rightly pointing out to councils yo get back to core business
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:55am
Flossie

Great to read that costs for school maths improvement are being taken from the Maori courses.
52 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:14am
- Swifty
  
  Especially if, as the Minister has claimed, the Maori courses cannot be measured as to their contribution nor effectiveness – a huge warning sign of ever there is one in public policy.
  
  35 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:20am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    These lessons are not for the kids, they were for so called already over worked teachers
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:57am
- Burtland
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/education/education-minister-erica-stanford-reveals-30m-cut-to-te-reo-maori-funding-to-boost-maths-curriculum/65A27XEF6BBPXDS3GQR7HVKNWI/
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:41am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Worse than that, it was to make teachers learn when they are busy trying to teach
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:56am
Matt Long

Tabloid rag and formerly respected Newspaper The Herald has had to pay a significant settlement to Chantelle Baker for defamation. Stuff and Fire and Fury next.
https://x.com/ChantelleBakerr/status/1838852900648554774
44 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:16am
- kowtow
  
  She’s just done an interview with Plunket and the Platform.
  
  Very interesting.
  
  19 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 8:26am
  - MCōs
    
    What did she say?
    She’s looking forward to the referendum on on Māori wards in our hospitals?
    https://youtu.be/dtVhtTyXOOU
    
    2 10
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:25am
- Biscuit
  
  Let me guess, Matt:
  
  That tabloid rag you refer to will mention that settlement nary the once in any story today or in coming days…
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 8:56am
- kevn
  
  Matt… Can the horrid and stuff use the excuse of ‘we were just following orders?’
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:40am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    More like “we were just acting according to our quasi-marxist/anarchist brainwashing.”
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 27, 2024 5:41pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Trump says he will not run again if he loses 2024.
He also says the plan to deal with inflation is energy. Air conditioning, heating, running a business, all require energy. The left killed it, Trump will get the oil running again. EVs will be out.
He also speaks of safety for himself and his family, and even the reporter.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-says-he-wont-run-again-in-2028-if-hes-not-successful-in-2024-post-5728225?
19 7
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:20am
- Grunter
  
  I could never vote for Harris, so if I was able to vote it would definitely go to Trump.
  
  Having said that, I’ve never been a big Trump fan, but I’d have to say he seems to appear slightly less unhinged than in previous campaigns IMO.
  
  I think back in 2016 it was all about Trump and his nasicism. This time round I suspect, at 78 years old, he just wants to genuinely have one last crack at smashing The Deep State and the Uni-Party. He has a solid group of new people around him which must be helping to balance him out (Musk, RFK, Ramaswamy, etc). And, maybe a bullet through his ear makes him look at things differently.
  
  15 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:24am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    2016 Trump severely underestimated the size of the swamp and the decades of corruption. The establishment always looked after itself and they didn’t give a shit about America. The establishment locked him out in 2020 by cheating massively.
    Different ball game this time, and he has Vance to follow on in 2028.
    
    10 5
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:29am
    - Ghost
      
      Trump is the swamp. It doesn’t matter if you vote Democrat or republican, a puppet always wins
      
      3 18
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 10:36am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Polls had him 7% behind Biden and he lost by less than 1%. He is polling even with Harris or at worst 2% behind, he will win on commonsense alone
      
      6 5
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 11:02am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Today, depending on which poll, Trump is more than 10% ahead.
        The left media will never tell you that.
        Remember 2016 when Hillary was going to win with 85%? What happened?
        
        7 5
        Report
        September 26, 2024 12:41pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    It’s dark days world wide for democracy. I’ve never in my life seen such a scary authoritarian neo-fascistic movement as what we currently see being pushed through western govts as the ‘blob’ / ‘deep state’ / ‘permanent administrative state’ all work to increase their power and cut down ability for population to resist via new laws, state propagandizing, fucking with elections, shutting down dissent and free speech.
    
    And I wonder what changed to make this trend happen. To which I only have two conclusions:
    1/ Failure of education system to teach perils of authoritarianism using examples of history. Too many neo-marxist sympathizing (sadly mostly female) teachers indoctrinated in academia and giving cover to repressive political movements.
    2/ Left to far-left voting preferences of electorally dominant women. Desirous of ever growing paternalistic all-supportive state that increasingly taxes the productive to hand out more lollies to them while never demanding industrious behavior or responsibility for ones choices in return. But without concern over dangers of increasing their power, erosion of civil liberties, and the inevitably dystopian outcomes (Venezuela et al). Voting with the superficiality of the heart not the consideration of the head.
    
    US constitution provides a decent bulkward against this, but other western countries have no structural defense for being voted into an Orwellian dystopia.
    
    6 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:01am
  - AitchW
    
    I find this American election incredibly depressing. No matter who wins the country is in deep trouble. Harris will make Ardern’s hatchet job on us look like a love tap. Trump will spend most of his time on the golf course and leave it to the unelected officials to run the joint, god knows what a mess they’ll make. And if Trump is elected the left/LGBTQIA+/Palistinians/Greens etc will burn the place the ground.
    What a prospect, what a choice for Americans to have to make.
    
    2 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 1:06pm
    - NothingLeft
      
      Trump seems to have a short attention span, but he is also very energetic – he is doing a huge amount of campaigning. I think he has a far larger and far more capable talent pool to call on to form his cabinet now, and a greater appreciation of just how malignant the forces he is up against are – so with another term he can hopefully get useful change done, and on (anti-big)govt reform I think he has generally good intentions.
      
      Foreign relations I am more worried about, particularly Ukraine – the world needs Putin needs to lose to stop similar bullshit from China in future.
      
      Ukraine needs enough sufficiently powerful weapons to force Putin to end war. Designs and materials to make 10,000+ Tomahawk class cruise missiles to wreck Russian infrastructure and long range surface to air missiles to take out glide-bomb launching aircraft. As well as AI guidance hardware for drones to make them more effective/lethal.
      
      3 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 1:37pm
      - MAGA, Mostly Aryans on Government Assistance
        
        “Foreign relations I am more worried about, particularly Ukraine – the world needs Putin needs to lose to stop similar bullshit from China in future.”
        
        So…Why Trump then?
        
        3 4
        Report
        September 26, 2024 1:46pm
      - Grunter
        
        You have just described WW3 with the 2 most powerful nuclear powers (The Final War).
        
        How does Russia lose without a final nuclear exchange? There is no sensible scenario whereby Russia loses without nukes raining down on the USA & Russia.
        
        2 3
        Report
        September 26, 2024 2:14pm
      - NothingLeft
        
        I think the greatest immediate threat to the world is the west falling into repressive left wing totalitarianism as appears to be happening in almost all western countries with aggressive efforts to end free speech. Trampling of public good by ‘deep state’ intent only on their selfish interests (immigration etc), Growth in govt and oligarchical rentier/monopolist supporters of it, wide ranging left wing social media propagandizing and censorship, fast rising taxes and rapidly increasing debt + inflation (tax by other means).
        
        Trump is the most significant global counter to that threat at the moment, so I will support him despite his failings.
        
        Sadly technology has made violently repressive totalitarian govt the most long-term stable form of govt. If we fall into 1984 style totalitarianism there is no way back for democracy, ever, given surveillance capabilities of computer age and AI backed by incredible force-magnifying effects of modern military tech, it is easy to see a future where 0.1-1% of population can permanently dominate the rest.
        
        But AI is what will kill us all. Superintelligence will be here within 5 years, and best possible outcome from that is that we become the AI’s chihuahuas. More likely we are turned into (metaphorical) paperclips.
        
        3 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 2:38pm
      - NothingLeft
        
        @Grunter:
        
        Russia loses when the people get sufficiently pissed off to eject the shrinking Putin oligarchy from power (or Putin sees the writing on the wall and cries uncle). The war is not popular – recent polling in Russia sees less than 50% support. If their power and gas supply goes off in winter and food gets hard to buy, particularly in Moscow/St Petersberg, or they run out of money to import essentials then that would be the end of Putin and the war. Putin is also struggling to find troops, with signing bonuses going through the roof, and he is nearly out of tanks, APCs and artillery (WW2 era stuff is being fielded now, see Covert Cabal youtube channel for detailed analysis), in a conflict that is pretty much stagnant. And now Ukraine is growing in capability to hit Russian targets with 20-50 drones a night penetrating deep into Russia, particularly the new Palianytsia missile that destroyed several hardened ammo depots deep inside Russia last week (3-6months worth of shells and missiles blown up).
        
        Putin will not go nuclear with the west. Russia would truly be nothing but a smoking ruin with 99+% dead, the increasingly urbanized population would be completely screwed. Their military is a hollowed out stumbling corpse, nuclear arsenal is likely mostly junk due to 40 years of near-zero maintenance (many recent test failures), unmaintained warheads stop working after a few decades due to radioactive decay (tritium!)+chemical and electronics deterioration. And the west’s patriot missile systems are highly effective against ballistic missiles as Ukraine has proven. US subs in Arctic ocean would wipe Russia off map in 10minutes and probably know location of Russian missile subs at all times.
        
        Putin might try a strategic nuke against Ukraine, but that would be gloves off with the west, the end of their international trade, loss of all foreign assets, likely assassination programs against Russian leadership, and would probably see a huge increase in conventional military support for Ukraine.
        
        I’m actually surprised that Ukraine hasn’t built a few nuclear bombs – possible they do have them but don’t want to escalate by announcing. They have easily separable plutonium from power station fuel, probably some Soviet bomb designs and lots of smart engineers.
        
        1 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 4:00pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        “There is no sensible scenario whereby Russia loses without nukes raining down on the USA & Russia.”
        
        Which would shunt human civilisation (if it survives at all) back about 20,000 years.
        
        0 0
        Report
        September 27, 2024 5:43pm
- ChristopherW2
  
  Mr Trump is a wonderful man; he loves you and he wants you to have cheap energy. It baffles me that there are people who don’t support him.
  
  2 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 5:17pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Shell Lane bike rack report: at 8.20am – null bikes once more.
33 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:24am
- pdm
  
  Bollocks do you cc The Mayor and Councillors into these daily posts?
  
  20 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:25am
- AitchW
  
  This is bloody scandalous!!! Tens of thousands of dollars for a commuter’s bike rack which is never used.
  Someone, somewhere should lose their job. But instead they’ll get a green award.
  Local councils are becoming increasingly spendthrift with no end in sight and no remedy available to the long suffering ratepayer.
  
  19 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:29am
  - Bloody Dago
    
    All city councils have been taken over by failed Labour Party activists from the last Labour government and is now trying to screw the ratepayers.
    
    9 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:11am
    - AitchW
      
      Dago, they’re not trying, they’re excelling at it!
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 1:07pm
- graham
  
  I was in Auckland CBD yesterday and had occasion to walk past a massive two-tier bike rack which was installed on Queen Street some years back, just next to Aotea Square.
  
  Occupancy around 08:00 – Nil
  Occupancy around 12:00 – One bike
  
  No idea whether this is typical as I am very rarely in this part of town.
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:07am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Well the rack is obviously in the wrong place.
  Best the Council do a study and move it to where it might get 3 bikes.
  
  10 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:32am
  - PurplePen
    
    You know just mention the word “study” and it will be farmed out to a consultancy at great expense and at least 12 months work.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:58am
  - NothingLeft
    
    It needs to be gifted a Māori name to make it more inclusive and welcoming to LGBTQWERTYUIOP bikes.
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 1:39pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Te Whare Iti. I see it in Hospitals. The small room.
      
      2 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 5:05pm
  - Benedict Yu
    
    Unless things have changed, my observations were that between one and three percent of Wellington public servants ride bikes to work. So in an office of 500 people, there would be between 5 and 15 cyclists, depending on the weather.
    
    Most of these office buildings have basements and/or loading docks. Most of these folk seemed to just secure their bikes in a convenient place under cover. It would be easy to designate a place in the basement for bike parking and bang some eyelets into the wall so that the bikes can be secured.
    
    There is no need in Wellington to install expensive bike racks. Unless the cycling rate skyrockets.
    
    If anyone thinks that a an expensive bike rack is needed, try this. Survey the cyclists and ask them would they pay (say) $30 per week for a ‘reserved’ slot in the $500,000 bike rack. Guess what the answer would be?
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 3:15pm
    - greybeard
      
      “Unless things have changed, my observations were that between one and three percent of Wellington public servants ride bikes to work. ”
      Please tell us about these “observations”: how many Public Service workplaces did you “observe” ? Over what period? When? And why?
      
      1 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 5:43pm
      - Benedict Yu
        
        Good grief.
        
        Over about 12 years. In about 10 Wellington based agencies. I worked in the buildings.
        
        Does that help?
        
        1 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 10:23pm
- Taieri
  
  Shell Lane bike rack report: at 8.20am – null bikes once more
  ————–
  
  The Otago Harbour bike loop from Port Chalmers to Portobello, all 30 odd km of it, is patronized very well every day. Hard to tell though, how many riders are commuters and how many are recreational. The city cycle paths along the one way system (SH1) not so, hardly anyone ever uses these.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:48am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    There are certainly cyclists in Wellington. However, the building in which I work has a secure area for bikes, plus showers etc. I expect most if not all buildings in the vicinity have something similar. That being so, there is no case for this bike rack.
    
    Given not just the outrageous cost but also the fact that no market need research was done (or ignored, if done), I agree with other posters here that whoever signed this project off should be sacked for incompetence.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 12:34pm
- AitchW
  
  NMTB, I’ve found a Facebook page dedicated to bikeracks all over the world. What is striking is that almost ever rack photographed is empty!
  Is there an international conspiracy to litter the workd with expensive and unused bike racks?
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 11:29am
  - JimBobJoe
    
    Bike racks in Holland are well used
    As are the ones I saw in Tokyo.
    
    All the bike fantasists in NZ think if they build the racks people will willingly switch…. They are dreaming…
    
    13 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 12:09pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Yep, the big difference is population density. Economy of scale and all that.
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 27, 2024 5:47pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

10 Most Devastating Effects of Getting Rid of the Department of Education.
There are only two genders.
Kids will learn how to do math the actual way instead of with those weird number lines.

https://babylonbee.com/news/10-most-devastating-effects-of-getting-rid-of-the-department-of-education?
22 3
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:25am
- AitchW
  
  MathS. Math is an American abomination.
  Mathematics, not mathematic.
  
  18 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:38am
  - David Garrett
    
    Aitch: So nice to see I am not the only language usage pedant on KB!
    
    Another American abomination which is creeping its way in – most via the young – is ” going to the bathroom” instead of the toilet.
    
    On visits to America I used to enjoy asking Americans where “the men’s toilet is”. In response to the rather shocked “Oh, you need the bathroom sir?” I would say “No, I don’t want a bath, I need to take a pee”
    
    I have always been a bit of a child in some respects.
    
    19 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 9:56am
    - Mummy
      
      I was scrolling through Threads in the middle of the night recently and someone asked whether marathon runners go to the bathroom in their pants. Some of the comments were hilarious.
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 10:11am
      - Jack5
        
        Regarding AitchW’s math as an “American abomination” …
        
        Usage rules, and with America dominant in world entertainment, business, and academia, American use will ultimately carry the day.
        
        In 2023, about 1.5 billion people spoke English as their native tongue or second language.
        
        English speakers by country in 2023, as listed by Wikipedia, were headed by USA 297.4 million, India 128.5 million, Nigeria 125 million, Pakistan 108 million, UK 62.9 million.
        
        Now for the minutia …
        
        The great OED lists “math” from 1847 as: “Mathematics (esp. as a subject of study at school or college)”.
        
        It lists “maths” from 1911 as: “Mathematics (esp. as studied at school)”.
        
        If you want old, try “mathematize”, which the OED lists, from 1719: “To reason mathematically; to perform mathematical calculations; to adopt a mathematical approach.”
        
        4 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 10:59am
      - Don Beckett
        
        Sounds like ‘anathametize’ 🙂
        
        1 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 11:55am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Our host families in Alaska are like that. They never say ‘toilet.’
      
      4 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 10:35am
      - Flossie
        
        To me “bathroom” is preferable to the horrible Americanism “Go potty”. And used to and by adults as well as kids!
        
        4 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 1:09pm
    - James Stephenson
      
      I’ve trained myself out of caring about the way different version of English say things, otherwise I’d be arguing constantly with Kiwis who insist on pronouncing project and yoghurt with long “o” sounds. It’s out-and-out errors that drive me up the wall, such as the TVNZ reporter who used “different to*” the other day…
      
      *for the ill-educated, it’s different from and similar to.
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 11:06am
      - AitchW
        
        The OED says that both pronunciations of yoghurt are acceptable.
        It also says that split infinitives are acceptable.
        
        4 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 11:51am
      - greybeard
        
        My pet hates are people who say “distriBUTE” and “contriBUTE” instead of “conTRIBute” and”disTRIBute”.
        They include Max Towl , radio announcer from NewstalkZB in Wellington !
        
        Equally bad are those who cannot say “women” correctly, but say “woman”.
        
        6 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 1:56pm
      - ChristopherW2
        
        Oops, hit report on the comment below by mistake (on phone) – sorry
        
        0 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 5:21pm
    - gravedodger
      
      Do not change anything Mr Garratt
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 11:12am
    - MCōs
      
      Steve Adams told some shocked reporter after a game during which he’d been blatantly kneed below the belt that his nuts were ok
      
      3 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 12:56pm
    - AitchW
      
      DG, not pedantry, just a deep seated objection to the way American culture is creeping in here, from the language to the gangsta culture among Polynesian and Maori youth.
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 1:09pm
    - Benedict Yu
      
      “Another American abomination which is creeping its way in – most via the young – is ” going to the bathroom” instead of the toilet.”
      
      I don’t think that it is a big deal really.
      
      BTW in China if you wanted to ask where the toilets are you would ask for “xi shou jian” which translates to English as “washing hands room”. If you rub your hands together as you would when washing them, you will be understood. 🙂
      
      3 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 3:30pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        I can think of things far more “abominable”.
        
        0 0
        Report
        September 27, 2024 5:51pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    The ‘Bee’ is American. Math or maths I don’t care.
    
    2 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:36am
    - MCōs
      
      What does the MAGA dictionary stipulate?
      
      4 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 1:02pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Make Ardern Go Away.
        It worked!
        
        1 2
        Report
        September 26, 2024 5:09pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    and in contrast kids play with LEGO not fucking Legos.
    
    And their use of Bring. “I’m going to bring my lunch to school” Arrgh.
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:09am
    - pdm
      
      The plural of Maori is of course Maori.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 1:17pm
    - Neebone
      
      OK, I’ll bite. The first use of bring is incorrect because it has a capital B, but what is wrong with “I’m going to bring my lunch to school”
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 1:25pm
      - NothingLeft
        
        The distinction I have (poorly) tried to highlight is that in English bring is towards speaker’s location, take is towards a place that the speaker is not at. But USAians frequently use bring instead of take and it drives me nuts:
        
        More clearly elucidated:
        
        In the UK a boy will say to a girl, “May I take you home”. Meaning “may I escort you to your home”, not “would you like to come back to my place”. Whereas in the US “May I bring you home” would be be more common. Similarly, a UK girl might say “Would you take me home please” as opposed to “Would you bring me home please”.
        
        3 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 1:49pm
      - Neebone
        
        Thanks NothingLeft, you’re absolutely right. Sadly I will now forever be bothered by this.
        
        1 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 5:02pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        English with it’s many and varied illogical idiosyncrasies is a field day for pedants.
        
        0 0
        Report
        September 27, 2024 5:53pm
    - rouppe
      
      Because LEGO is a brand.
      
      Play with your Lego, or play with your Lego bricks are each correct. However since Lego now consists of more than just bricks, the latter is now less accurate.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 2:52pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Democrats Warn That If Public Libraries Are Defunded Homeless People Will Have Nowhere To Watch Porn.

https://babylonbee.com/news/democrats-warn-that-if-public-libraries-are-defunded-homeless-people-will-have-nowhere-to-watch-porn?
16 4
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:26am
- peterwn
  
  The New York Public Library removed the ‘racing’ pages from its newspapers to try and discourage betting.
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 8:33am
  - pdm
    
    Decent racing coverage on the Herald and Stuff associated websites have disappeared in NZ too.
    
    Where has Des Coppins, Brian O’Flaherty, Adrian Clark and others expert racing coverage gone?
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 9:28am
    - Jack5
      
      In pre-Internet days, printed newspapers spent on racing coverage.
      
      Funny thing was advertisers generally weren’t interested in having their ad’s placed on racing pages.
      
      Was it that, over all, racing fans had less discretionary cash left to spend? Or was it that there was less demand for racing results and news?
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 10:27am
- Greenheart
  
  You do realise that Babylonbee is satirical
  
  8 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 8:44am
  - kevn
    
    Green… Yes, but the other ‘Not The Bee’ isn’t.
    https://notthebee.com/article/british-prime-minister-accidentally-calls-for-return-of-the-sausages-in-gaza
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 9:45am
  - David Garrett
    
    Green: I think you can safely assume that with a few exceptions – and depending on the day – the average commenter here has an IQ well north of 100.
    
    11 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 9:59am
    - kevn
      
      [Mod – please don’t turn a unrelated discussion into an attempt to attack a member]
      
      3 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 12:13pm
      - Benedict Yu
        
        It should not surprise anyone that the several studies that have been undertaken show a positive correlation between general intelligence scores, and measured cognitive ability, and COVID vaccination rates.
        
        https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230912/Does-IQ-influence-COVID-19-vaccination-decision-making.aspx
        
        Does this genuinely surprise you? Would you really have expected the opposite results?
        
        I have commented on hundreds of topics on this blog. I do not expect folk to agree with all of my views. Indeed it would be astonishing if that were the case.
        
        I am on the record as condemning the vaccination policies of the last Government. The impact on society was awful and such policies should never be repeated. This is because I value liberty. All adults should be free to refuse any medical treatment (children are another matter). The only exception should be if an adult refusing a vaccination was going to cause serious illness or deaths in OTHERS. That threshold was never met during the pandemic.
        
        I am happy to debate you on the efficacy of the COVID vaccines, although TBH the debate is getting old. If you want to refute (I don’t mean ‘refude’ Jacinda style) any of the peer reviewed studies that I have posted over the last few years, then fill your boots. That would be more constructive than simply telling everyone that I am a moron.
        
        5 3
        Report
        September 26, 2024 12:49pm
Swifty

So Stats NZ release findings of a survey showing falling levels of trust in our public institutions between the years 2021-23 i.e. when Labour were in charge.

What then might you reasonably believe contributed to those falling levels of trust?

Well, some of the big ones for me would include (in no necessary order):

1. The specific big promises Labour made and then miserably failed to deliver on including KiwiBuild, child poverty, economic growth and, latterly, their ‘aspirations’ to lower rampant crime.
2. Their continued politicisation of our civil service, moving it further and further from the neutrality we used to take such pride in.
3. The significant increase in racial discrimination in public policy.
4. The funding of news media with public money with conditions that they promote Labour policy.
5. Without having campaigned on it, pursuing co-governance – handing over power and control of our civil agencies to unelected and largely unaccountable tribal leaders and other Maori and academic elites.
6. The continued political bias shown by our state broadcasters to the point where they have become propaganda mouthpieces for The Left.

But what’s this? What do they actually mention in regard to the causes of falling trust levels? Oh, the Coalition lowering public service numbers, wars overseas and the high cost of living!

So it’s all the Coalition’s fault, even though the report was for the years 2021-23!

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018957076/people-s-trust-has-been-declining-in-key-institutions-since-2021

RNZ have just given a perfect example of why our trust in them has been lost, in a piece about how our trust in them has been lost!

Stick a fork in them, they’re done!
34 1
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:40am
- Grunter
  
  I agree Swifty.
  
  Also, the Covid debacle has had a huge impact on killing off trust. Politicians, Big Pharma, Health Officials, Doctors, ….. even neighbors that dobbed people in (no one likes a Dobber).
  
  22 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:29am
Inandout

This is how one anti Israel organisation works and they even suck in practicing NY Jews. Why the name Code Pink when Muslims abhor that section of society?
https://www.codepink.org/peacemaker
5 1
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:47am
Chuck Bird

US threatens ICC, warning ‘If they [prosecute] Israel, we’re next!’

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has applied for an arrest warrant for Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu over crimes against humanity in Gaza. The Biden administration is threatening sanctions on Prosecutor Karim Khan. US Senator Lindsey Graham warned, “if they’ll do this to Israel, we’re next!” Ben Norton discusses Washington’s extreme hypocrisy and shows the real face of the so-called “rules-based international order”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChZZ3GKiNE0
8 5
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:48am
- Grunter
  
  Netanyahu is an obviously evil bastard IMO and deserves to be arrested and charged. He has led Israel very badly. It is not Israel that is being charged, it is Netanyahu. And warmonger Lindsey Graham should be worried the way he acts and performs.
  
  7 29
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:37am
  - Matt Long
    
    Yes Israel needs a kind leader like Jacinda Ardern who extend the olive branch of peace, and the surrounding terrorists will come and join in a concert of peace and fraternal love.
    Just like they did at the peace concert on October seventh 2023.
    
    21 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:40am
    - MCōs
      
      I don’t know what Israel needs, but what Netanyahu wants is a war without end and the flare up with Hezbollah is right up his alley.
      
      7 11
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 12:27pm
      - kowtow
        
        “Flare up with Hez”
        
        What “flare up” ? Hezb attacked Israel on Oct 8 , before the Idf went into Gaza .
        Iran proxy war that is pure theocratic madness and nothing to do with Bibi.
        
        FFS!
        
        7 6
        Report
        September 26, 2024 1:55pm
      - rouppe
        
        A war without end drains resources that could be used to make a much better country. I doubt anyone wants that.
        
        If Lebanon stopped firing rockets into Israel, I’d be surprised if Israel didn’t stop bombing Lebanon.
        
        7 2
        Report
        September 26, 2024 2:59pm
    - Grunter
      
      Now you’re being a bit silly Matt….
      
      Realistically, the 2-State Solution was the only model with any potential, but it was still a long shot for two tribes that, at best, didn’t like each other. It would require very strong and skilled leaders to make it work both ways. Netanyahu is obviously not that guy.
      
      That leaves apartheid (fails every time), or eradication (genocide). Both sides have stated that their plan is to eradicate the other – there is surely no argument on that point (an abundance of evidence and even slogans that they constantly chant). Netanyahu has repeatedly stated he wants to eradicate his enemy in Gaza and has been carrying out that plan for the past 11 months.
      
      2 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 2:47pm
      - Don Beckett
        
        But he doesn’t want to eradicate the Gazans – only Hamas, because they have sworn to clean out any Jews “from the river to the see”.
        If you can’t see the difference, maybe you’re not as bright as I thought you were.
        
        2 3
        Report
        September 26, 2024 4:23pm
    - Southtop2
      
      You are referring to this person? https://www.rebelnews.com/the_gunn_show_september_25_2024 🙂
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 3:40pm
kiwikidsnz

America’s hypocrisy on avoiding accountability for their war crimes is long lasting
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_massacre
5 12
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:56am
peterwn

Meridian has received resource consent for a solar farm in Northland that would meet the power demand for half of Northland homes.
“Meridian head of renewable development Rebecca Knott said the project would boost resilience for the region by reducing Northland’s reliance on electricity generated in other parts of the country.”
I call bullshit on this. Northland will still be reliant on the transmission line where a pylon fell over – which Shane Jones said should be sent to the knackers yard.
Now the solar farm would boost resiliance for Northland if a large grid battery was installed there at the same time. But there is no mention of this being part of the project. Without the battery if the sun stops shining then the solar farm has to be backed by other suitable generation to ease out the bumps. The nearest such generation would be the Waikato River hydro stations, but they do not belong to Meridian.
Meridian’s AGM is next month. I might pop along and ask them a question about this.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/meridian-gets-green-light-for-ruakaka-solar-farm/TFRPUSL22FG7JGAHSLDVYZCK2M/
https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/09/25/send-transpowers-weak-link-to-the-knackers-yard-shane-jones/
14 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 8:56am
- 70andstilllearning
  
  “…. if the sun stops shining….”
  
  But, but, but it’s the “winterless north” – or so some idiots elsewhere think!
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:33am
  - AitchW
    
    I’ve been lead to believe that the sun doesn’t shine at night.
    Perhaps they’ll set up a pumped storage system to utilise the extra electricity generated during the day.
    
    10 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 9:48am
    - 70andstilllearning
      
      Nah – they’ve worked out that the “extra” hour of sunshine due to daylight saving over summer mitigates that need ….
      
      10 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 10:35am
- Grunter
  
  AND….
  It has ‘the capacity’ to meet half the demand of Northland – which just means it will typically provide an estimated 30% of that capacity, so just 15% of Northland power. Most of the time these solar panels sit there in the dark or the clouds doing nothing.
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:41am
- cmm
  
  Adding unreliable power generation does not increase resilience. It reduces resilience due to many factors.
  
  One of the largest of those is that the capital outlay means there is less money spent on reliable (aka resilient) generation.
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:04am
- Tarquin North
  
  The battery bank has already been built on the corner of Rama road and Port Marsden Highway. I’m told the solar farm will be built between there and the Marsden Point road turn off.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:10am
  - cmm
    
    I can’t see any description of the storage size, just that it is supposed to be able to provide 100MW.
    
    The PV capacity is only120MW, so driving 100MW would seem to be rather ambitious.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 12:57pm
- Chris Nisbet
  
  There ain’t no ‘if’ about it. There’s this thing called night time that happens almost every day ;).
  I know there’s a geothermal plant in Ngawha which no doubt helps out, but don’t know how big it is.
  I’m all for letting them have a go though. Let’s turn off reliable electricity to Northland for a few days and see how long it takes for them to work out their shiny new solar factory doesn’t really supply enough power for half the homes up there.
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:17am
  - cmm
    
    “There’s this thing called night time that happens almost every day”.
    
    It is also the time of day when our electricity consumption is highest – also in winter when the days are shortest and the sun is weakest.
    
    In some parts of USA, the highest consumption is in summer when the sun in shining and everyone has their air conditions on. That load is quite well matched by solar panels.
    
    But that is California – not NZ. A solution appropriate for one set of conditions does not necessarily work for another.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:04am
- NothingLeft
  
  Good. Though grid batteries are still a little too expensive at a few hundred $ per kWh installed. They’re being held up by restricted supply in rapidly expanding industry driving huge profits for major player Tesla but will come down a lot further as competitors grow and industry capacity increases because cell prices are now down to just $55/kWh.
  
  PV plus battery will be a mainstay of future electricity supply, and will ultimately bring cost of electricity down.
  
  2 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 11:17am
RoboRob

The fact that Iran has hacked the Trump campaign and sent / attempted to sell the hacked information to left wing web news sites and the Biden / Harris campiagn shows which side the Iranians would prefer win the election. I wonder why that is?

I seem to recall when Russia was supposedly assisting the Trump capaign there was a media shit storm, will we see the same here?
15 1
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 9:09am
- All_on_Red
  
  Putin has said he would prefer Harris to be President too
  
  5 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 11:33am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Harris is a pushover? No sarc.
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 12:48pm
- MAGA, Mostly Aryans on Government Assistance
  
  Any y’all fell for it…again.
  
  2 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 1:43pm
Notsofast

The Polkinghorne case should raise the question of cost and competence by the prosecution.
There is a general proof that this was suicide, leaving the proposition of public money being wasted, and families again being ruined.
Motive for the accused is completely absent.
All motivation for him was to manage his life and work while plotting a different future, there was no need at all to risk everything.
Ashton believed his wife had already left by her emails, so he would finish with no wife and no girlfriend by the prosecution hypothesis, and needing to explain what his wife was doing back home.
4 9
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 9:16am
- All_on_Red
  
  I guess sometimes the Crown has to pursue Cases where there might be some doubt.
  Fortunately there are plenty where there is no doubt and the accused is obviously guilty- Like Lundy and Watson for instance.
  
  4 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 11:19am
  - Notsofast
    
    I disagree. Get close to a false prosecution and see how it ruins the families. Read Mike Whites book on the Scott Guy murder.
    The case was a pile of steaming compost but the Guy family swallowed it hook line and sinker. It is reassuring you are an expert on the Lundy case like all your countrymen.
    Read Chris Birt and the Final chapter on the Thomas case to understand the damage and cost. It goes on and on.
    How about Walter Bolton being hanged when the sheep dip leached into the water supply and killed his wife.
    The killer of Margaret Bell never spent one night in jail.
    
    This is more of the same.
    New Zealand has a catastrophic fail rate per capita in solving cases, and getting the wrong answer.
    
    5 5
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:51am
    - All_on_Red
      
      Nah, Lundy and Watson guilty as.
      Lundy should have got extra time for that fake acting at the Funeral.
      
      4 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 2:56pm
      - Don Beckett
        
        Lundy, yes – Watson maybe not so……….
        
        2 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 4:24pm
      - Notsofast
        
        25 years at least while the killer roams free.
        Excellent work New Zealand, you dumb little self satisfied country.
        
        1 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 6:43pm
  - Ghost
    
    Murderers are always innocent, just ask one…..
    
    5 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 12:13pm
    - Notsofast
      
      That is a common myth.
      Go to the prison chaplain for the stats, it is vanishing rare for murderers to deny they did it.
      
      3 5
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 12:41pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Trumpburgers. Pub Grub using Bitcoin.
Video 16.26.

https://www.westernjournal.com/watch-trump-completes-historic-bitcoin-transaction-buy-burgers-packed-bar/?
4 4
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 9:24am
- NZer In Exile
  
  Wow Trump speaking very clearly and succinctly in the video on that page! Hope he keeps that style up!
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 27, 2024 7:44pm
Ghost

I was at the ED recently. On the wall was a long political dribble, not sure patients waiting to be seen by a doctor give a toss about such messages.

Anyway. It was going on about the nurse shortage and how Pacific Islander and Māori patients are being disadvantaged. Stress, low wages are causing nurses to quit. It went on to asking people to write the government and ask them to introduce culturally safe nursing levels.

Our ED was mostly staffed with Philippine nurses while I was there, which I prefer, the New Zealand ones aren’t as good. But it got me to wondering, can I write the government and ask for more nurses that represent my own culture since there seem to be hardly any?

But I think I’ll just ask the government to remove political messages from the waiting room.
35 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 9:27am
- pdm
  
  Ghost from what you say that message sounds as though the Union Rep put it up.
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:31am
  - peterwn
    
    And unions should not be posting their propaganda in taxpayer funded buildings where the general public can see it. It should only be posted in staff only areas.
    
    25 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 9:50am
    - cmm
      
      Should they even be using staff areas?
      
      11 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 10:06am
- Close Hen Counters
  
  Haha ghost don’t come to our public hospital ‘cause it would pop up your blood pressure … in the cubicles you find a woke as fuck notice asking the patient if we said Kia Ora to you, did we address your perceived Maori needs … there is more I’ll photograph it tomorrow – Maori patient workload only makes up around 4% of our domicile lol
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 1:16pm
- rouppe
  
  I wonder if Marama Davidson was treated only by “culturally safe” staff.
  
  When it comes down to it, I bet she just wanted as much colonial medicine as she could get
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 3:17pm
Chuck Bird

Sportbet Oz has both Trump and Harris on $1.91.

Not long ago Trump was paying about 30 cents more. Trump now has momentum.
10 6
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 9:54am
- Cassandra
  
  Chuck: I don’t think you can call bets by non voting Australians “momentum”. Harris slightly ahead, about half a percent. It’ll be close. Harris will win the popular vote (BFD) but Trump might just make 271. Or not.
  
  6 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 10:24am
  - NothingLeft
    
    Realclearpolitics shows that Trump is steadily clawing back support in the all-important battleground states that determine the election outcome, and now leads Harris. https://www.realclearpolling.com/elections/president/2024/battleground-states
    
    It’s likely the real picture is even more favorable to Trump given large democrat bias in most public pollsters (torturing the numbers via biased sample selection, oversampling declared past democrat voters, to push their preferred candidate).
    
    In (electorally irrelevant, but interesting as barometer) popular vote Clinton lead by 2 points in 2016 and still lost. That is current polling margin for Harris – but is largely driven by outrageously biased results of left aligned pollsters up to 8+ points to left of the likes of Rasmussen.
    
    6 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:26am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Go at look how far Trump was behind in 2016 and 2020, slightly ahead for Harris will see Trump win easily
    
    5 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:37am
    - Notsofast
      
      Go to Ladbrokes and double your money right now!
      
      Evens for Trump.
      
      There should be the assassin’s premium of course.
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 12:07pm
      - rockape
        
        Given the assassins premium, what odds do I get on Vance being the next president?
        
        2 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 12:46pm
      - Benedict Yu
        
        151/1
        
        https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/politics/us-politics/2024-us-presidential-election-5479667
        
        3 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 1:12pm
      - Notsofast
        
        100 to 1 it seems
        Ladbrokes
        
        1 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 1:21pm
      - NothingLeft
        
        providing he survives to election of course.
        
        1/Make huge bet on Harris
        2/Murder Trump
        3/Profit!!!
        
        2 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 3:14pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    Megyn Kelly talks through Gallup polling that has been very accurate for last 3 presidential elections, and for the first time since Obama shows a republican (Trump) significantly in the lead:
    https://youtu.be/aUC8aGks6EA
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 12:03pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    For every one vote the other side loses one.
    I would say Trump knocking on the door of 288. That means Harris with 252.
    
    5 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 12:57pm
Ghost

I’d like to know which government employees are working from home

I would hate to think it is support people. That you aren’t ringing ird, or winz etc and the person is bringing up confidential information in their home where anyone can hear or see it.

People choosing to live in the furthest outskirts of the Wellington region such as Wairarapa who were relying on working from home (WFH) might be faced with a brutal awakening if forced to work in the city.

Article

One of the reasons we dumped spark was ringing up and the support person not being focused as their children were screaming in the background.
9 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 10:52am
- RichardF
  
  I know that an employee of a large govt department was disciplined for taking confidential phone calls while working out at the gym, with their laptop open and confidential information on display. They were supposed to be working from home. Instead, they were working from the gym. Incredible.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 11:10am
  - cmm
    
    If the government has the info it is confidential only in theory.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:39am
  - I remember when
    
    Not the right fit?
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 3:54pm
- MCōs
  
  I rang senior info at Winz once and hip hop was playing while I waited
  That would have weeded out lonely old codgers with frivolous inquiries
  
  Any figures I’ve read suggest far fewer people work from home than a lot of people think
  
  1 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 11:13am
  - Taieri
    
    Any figures I’ve read suggest far fewer people work from home than a lot of people think
    ————-
    
    May be they are too busy with other things, like gardening, shopping, watching movies and whatever else WFH people do?
    
    7 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 12:15pm
    - MCōs
      
      ‘May be’
      So you don’t know
      
      0 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 12:46pm
      - Taieri
        
        I don’t work “from” home. Home is for living not for working, as far, as I’m concerned.
        
        1 1
        Report
        September 26, 2024 2:01pm
- Close Hen Counters
  
  Sorry I’m stalking you ghost – not kidding, there are doctors overseas doing Telehealth maternity clinics in NZ
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 1:18pm
  - Taieri
    
    Dr Google?
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 2:01pm
    - Keith White
      
      Actually, no, not Dr Google; at least not the one I am (ex-)professionally aware of and have organized a referral to when I was working overseas.
      
      The one I have in mind was practically begged to participate because the waiting list for any opinion was so long, that safely (with caveats and backups) dealing with the cases that could be dealt with remotely, was a necessity.
      
      Another Ardern-Bloomfield-Robertson medical claymore left facing us all…
      
      2 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 3:22pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  A couple of points.
  
  I agree that anyone working at home should be asked to give undertakings on the safeguarding of confidential information. That would include flatmates etc being within earshot of conversations.
  
  New Zealand Government agencies use an encrypted email network. So that side us secure.
  
  https://www.livertonsecurity.com/seemail/#:~:text=SEEMail%20secures%20email%20traffic%20over,it%20arrives%2Fleaves%20the%20organisation.
  
  If anyone is working at home and you hear children screaming in the background, that should be the end of working at home for that person. The home environment should contain a place and facilities for doing serious work. That includes a large monitor, cameras, a microphone, a desk, and a dedicated place for working. If someone is working on the breakfast counter with kids in the background, back to the office for you.
  
  “People choosing to live in the furthest outskirts of the Wellington region such as Wairarapa who were relying on working from home (WFH) might be faced with a brutal awakening…”
  
  Those living in Christchurch will face a more costly commute. 🙂
  
  5 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 1:21pm
  - MCōs
    
    I’ve worked at home, but late in the evening when it was necessary to phone a client in a different time zone.
    Similarly my son and his wife who are both teachers often work at home after the kids have gone to bed
    Probably not the wfh Nicola Willis is concerned about
    
    2 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 2:37pm
- rouppe
  
  “…might be faced with a brutal awakening if forced to work in the city.”
  
  It’s almost as if they’re saying having to work in an office is a surprise.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 3:19pm
  - Benedict Yu
    
    It is not a surprise, but it has in many cases become an ordeal.
    
    If you rewind 15 years, public service offices were generally serious places. They were rarely crowded, and they were generally quiet. Many people had their own offices. There was no effective way to “work from home” – not in the sense of being seamlessly connected to all the systems of the office.
    
    Now take today. Public service offices are packed. Indeed in many cases in Wellington, all the employees would not fit into the office if they tried. Nobody has their own office. The noise levels are distracting and endless. A mixture of loud phone calls, meetings and people generally acting the fool. Unless you are immune to such noise, the only way to seriously concentrate is to invest in expensive noise cancelling headphones and play white noise.
    
    …. or you can set up a good home office, with seamless connectivity to work, and only go in when needed.
    
    Can you see the problem?
    
    I know that many commenters here are opposed to ‘working at home’ because people slack off. I guess that happens. However I have seen some lazy public servants who work in the office. Seems to make no difference if they are called to account.
    
    Sure, some people thrive working in these offices. It should be apparent that I am not one of them. 🙂 That does not mean that I slack off working from home. Quite the opposite.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 3:51pm
    - Ghost
      
      Set up correctly I’d agree, with a condition, especially with those dealing with personal information, ird, winz, health, etc. That condition being that to be allowed to work from home you need to be able to show you have a home office that is suitable.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 4:39pm
      - Taieri
        
        And who pays for setting up a WFH office? Employer?
        In Australia such expense can be claimed against income tax, but no such luck in NZ unless one is self employed.
        
        1 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 5:11pm
      - Ghost
        
        They want to work from home, you provide a suitable office space yourself. If you cannot provide a suitable office then back to govt offices.
        
        0 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 5:21pm
      - Benedict Yu
        
        “And who pays for setting up a WFH office?”
        
        The employee of course. Otherwise they can go to the office.
        
        0 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 10:28pm
    - lifesgood
      
      So true, Benedct. My son and daughter in law both work from home. They have dedicated offices and work really hard on a full timetable, I have witnessed it. They work to an office schedule, short coffee break in the morning, a half hour for lunch, if they can find the time, and knock off work around 5.30. It takes discipline to start with but they have adjusted to it and BTW are saving heaps of money on transport, no take away coffees or bought lunches. They go into the city office occasionally to catch up with colleagues. They can’t skive off, their jobs are too demanding.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 5:30pm
    - Hugh Jarse
      
      Quite right Benedict, a workplace I am familiar with is exactly as you describe it. The total workforce could only work in there if stacked two deep or if rostered on alternate days. In the meantime there has been a significant saving on floor space rental and energy costs by staff WFH and effectively subsidising that workplace.
      
      I think people take the coalition too literally seeking to criticise, listen to the message rather than the actions. The message to public servants, your taxpayer funded work habits at home are under scrutiny and your CE will be held accountable for performance.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 6:00pm
cmm

Parents could face prosecution for their kids’ truancy.

Wow, about time. Now actually DO it, don’t talk about it.

The handling of truancy in NZ is pathetic and I expect it is far worse now than it was before 2000.

When we homeschooled (1996 to 2013 or so), both my wife and I carried copies of our homeschooling excemption certificates around with us. This was recommended to us by MoE officials to show to any truancy officers if challenged out and about.

Number of times we encountered a truancy officer in that time: zero.

All these new laws are just empty sabre rattling if they are not enforced.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/education-david-seymour-set-to-make-school-truancy-announcement-as-new-attendance-data-is-released/6BXPJBBQMZGZ7DGPJJ5PTCMAUA/
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 10:59am
Ghost

Shit. Imagine doing this then taking your employer to ERA

A distressed man held onto the side of a bus as it drove off, trying to stop the driver from leaving after begging him to call the police on several passengers he claimed had stolen his phone.

The driver, Fereti Fuimaono, accelerated his bus away from the bus stop, pulling the man along before he lost his grip and fell to the road where he ended up underneath the bus, according to a recently released Employment Relations Authority ruling.

Article

Read the article because it’s far worse than just this little bit

[Mod – link fixed]
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 11:00am
- Bobba Fret
  
  I think you have attached the wrong article?
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 11:10am
  - Ghost
    
    Bugger
    
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/era-finds-ritchies-justified-in-dismissing-auckland-bus-driver-who-ignored-injured-man/4A7Z6HDDIZG5TPYFIKTH5CJNF4/
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 11:15am
Tauhei Notts

The Aussie Rules final is on Saturday.
Good God! It is Sydney versus Brisbane!
It will be like an aerial ping pong version of The State of Origin.
But Sydney versus Brisbane; it makes one think about the future of rugby league in Australia.
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 11:02am
- Biscuit
  
  Melbourne is losing clout big time over Sydney, TN.
  
  It wasn’t THAT long ago that it was THE place to be in Oz – they were the first Australian city to host the Olympics, their VFL/AFL was the premier sports show on the continent and, of course, Melbourne in the Spring was the pinnacle of Southern Hemisphere racing.
  
  It all began turning to custard this millennium.
  
  First, Sydney got the fabulously-run 2000 Olympic Games
  Second, sides outside Melbourne/Geelong (once allowed into the expanded AFL) proved that playing ‘aerial ping pong’ wasn’t TOO difficult a pastime to master, heh
  And, Third, Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival has been rendered second-rate by the brilliant Everest concept proposed by Peter V’Landys. I’ve been to every Everest since my pin-up horse Redzel won the first two for me (at great odds) and the day now offers not just a $20 million feature but also two other multi-million-dollar supporting races.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 11:22am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

There is a new video posted on Youtube under the name I will not mention.
It is Part 7 of the 440 Church Leaders who are opposing David Seymour’s Principles Bill. Why are they opposing it?
The Gravy Train could be stopped if Seymour gets a lot of public support.
7 3
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 11:53am
cmm

It seems to me that home detention violations could be handled far more efficiently with a very small change in the way home D is managed.

Here we have a naughty boy apparently violating home D conditions and now going before the District Court to sort that out.

This seems unnecessarily complicated to me.

Rather:
* Issue a sentence of Home D as a privilege and not a right.
* Have the Home D administered by a Corrections under the authority of a local prison. The person on home D is considered a prisoner out on condition of good behaviour.
* Any violations can then be handled as an internal corrections disciplinary matter and the courts do not need to be involved (just like violating any other prison rules).
* Any violations of home D can result in the home D being immediately withdrawn by prison officials.

In other words, think of home D as a conditional absense of a prisoner from prison on conditions of good behaviour. Bad behaviour immediately results in that being revoked and the prisoner returning to prison.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350430024/watch-arrest-christchurch-roof-caught-camera
13 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 12:12pm
- Keith White
  
  It seems to me that home detention violations could be reduced to an absolute minimum if we instituted monitoring hardware such as that shown in the movie ‘Wedlock’ – 1991; Rutger Hauer and Mimi Rogers; https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103239/
  
  2 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 1:52pm
G the giant from Dunedin

I note Hipkins has doubled down on new taxes. CGT and wealth tax. Wealth tax scares the shit out of me they way I heard it explained, it will capture anyone who is debt free with savings, people better hope he doesn’t get the chance, because you will pay for the privilege of hard work, saving for retirement, and if you have had money left in a will
13 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 12:25pm
- mandk
  
  Hipkins is a complete idiot in prioritising new taxes as his main policy plank.
  
  He has nothing to say about the issues that really matter to voters to whom he needs to appeal: health, education, crime.
  
  I hope he remains Labour leader.
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 12:40pm
- AitchW
  
  He clearly doesn’t want to be in government any time soon.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 12:52pm
  - cmm
    
    Why would he want that?
    
    I reckon leader of the opposition is one of the sweetest gigs in town.
    
    Same pay as a cabinet minister with zero responsibilities. Once in a while come out of your cave, scratch yourself and howl at the moon.
    
    14 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 1:46pm
- Biscuit
  
  Oh he’s back, is he?
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 12:58pm
- Philview
  
  The ODT ran a poll today on Capital Gains Tax which when I looked was 59% For and 41% Against. I wondered what the result would be if there was also a poll for the proposed racial exemptions from CGT. Perhaps another poll for CGT on Kiwisaver investments.
  
  4 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 1:14pm
  - Jack5
    
    … proposed racial exemptions from CGT?
    
    Haven’t seen any proposals to increase NZ’s present capital gains tax, let alone have “racial exemptions”.
    
    The most notable income-tax exemption in NZ is for charities. Maori tribes have cottoned on to this. It’s long been used by the Seventh Day Adventist Church’s Sanitarium food company.
    
    Would a real capital gains tax exempt registered charities?
    
    Why should they have any tax exemptions?
    
    The “charity” classification should mean these organisations don’t aim to make a profit. Any profit they do make should be taxable.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 1:44pm
    - Jack5
      
      Further to poster Philview’s 1.14 post about “proposed racial exemptions from CGT,” I’ve found a reference in the recommendations (rather than proposals) of the Tax Working Group in February 2019.
      
      On provisions in capital gains tax for Maori, the chairman, the late Michael Cullen, says in the preface to the Tax Working Group report:
      
      “This report is about much more than capital gains taxation. I would draw attention, in particular, to the work done on encapsulating the Wellbeing Framework within a Maori world view (Te Ao Māori).”
      
      Further, on in the group report (page 58. Point 10):
      
      “The group considers that some types of transactions relating to collectively owned Maori assets merit specific treatment in light of their distinct context. The group recommends that the Government engages further with Maori to determine the most appropriate treatment of these types of transactions.”
      
      The report (page 23, beginning at point 78), also has recommendations on taxation of registered charities.
      
      We’re bound to debate capital gains tax further on the blog.
      
      The Tax Working Group report isn’t bad background:
      
      https://taxworkinggroup.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2019-03/twg-final-report-voli-feb19-v1.pdf
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 8:59pm
  - rouppe
    
    The capital gains tax they talk about is second and subsequent homes only.
    
    That isn’t a proper capital gains tax.
    
    A proper capital gains tax would include the family home, businesses, all investments including kiwisaver, art, everything.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 3:29pm
    - Taieri
      
      A proper capital gains tax would include the family home
      ———
      
      And how it would be calculated?
      
      Imagine that you’ve bought a house for, say, $60K in 1990 and are to sell it now for $600K. The theoretical gain is $540K, but in the meantime you had it re-roofed, a new garage had been added, the basement was converted into a couple of rooms and all sorts of other improvements made.
      
      According to the calculator on the RBNZ site the house that cost $60K in 1990 now costs $436K, which translates to -86% change in the purchasing power. This is of course just an estimate and a very rough one at that. So, how much of our hypothetical “gain” is a real capital gain and how should it be taxed?
      
      I wonder if our illustrious Leader of the Opposition has any idea how these things work? Or our equally illustrious shadow Minister of Finance? And all the others that are currently pushing implementation of the CGT…
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 5:28pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        This is why CGTs typically exclude the family home. If it was a business building then all these costs would be documented. Some would be expenses that you got to claim off taxable income, some would be capital improvements that added to the value (and therefore decreased the capital gain on sale).
        
        But we don’t do – or record – these sums on the family home, so including it in the CGT net is just too hard. One of those pragmatic decisions .. A bit like the one that capital gains should ideally be based on accrued gains, but that’s too hard so the tax is due when the gain is realised. Means that the IRD has given an interest-free loan of the accrued tax right up to when it is due. A pragmatic solution.
        
        3 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 6:41pm
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Don’t think so, they say comprehensive CGT the only exemption is the family home, shares will be captured, even when they say kiwi saver is exempt it’s not, because CGT will be taken at sale of shares with a gain, the tax comes out but not actually taxing KiwiSaver per say, same if the KiwiSaver buys and sells property
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 8:34pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    ~~The ODT~~ A left wing rag ran a poll today on Capital Gains Tax which when I looked was 59% For and 41% Against…
    
    kids vote for more lollies, not caring that it will rot their teeth.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 10:55pm
- Keith White
  
  …what about if you have left behind in your Enduring Power of Attorney, an instruction that as soon as you start pining for the fjords, the person with your Power of Attorney empties your bank accounts offshore in a jurisdiction where they can’t ever be grabbed back by the Infernal Revenue Smiths? Asking for a friend.
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 1:17pm
  - David Garrett
    
    Asking for a friend
    
    Please don’t use that puerile phrase Keith. It is just childish and silly – and makes you sound childish and silly.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 5:25pm
    - lifesgood
      
      Why do people say that when clearly they are not. The unlamented Maggie was a past master of it.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 5:34pm
- RoboRob
  
  You are right to be scared of wealth taxes.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 1:24pm
- Miritu
  
  Capital gains taxes and wealth taxes are coming. It’s a matter of when, not if. If governments around the world were able to pull off lockdowns, mandates etc., then these new taxes will be a walk in the park. Wish I was wrong.
  
  1 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 3:19pm
henrybryn

Leader of the opostion has said “NZ tax system is loaded” against working people”
Excuse me, he was in government for 6 years and and is a member of the Labour a party that was for the working person. Why didn’t they change the tax system then?
19 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 12:28pm
- Taieri
  
  How can it be loaded against working people if, a great number of them, pay effectively, no income tax at all?
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 5:31pm
  - Quail
    
    As HDPA said , anyone who sells their house and buys another is actually hit with two capital gain taxes impost.
    Who wins? The government certainly,definately not the original working owners.
    Never mind some of the cash may come back in WFF or the pension.
    A CGT is communist impost!
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 8:51pm
    - Ian Boag
      
      Capital gain is income – any $ that lands in your bank and makes you better off is income. Income is taxed. A dollar is a dollar.
      
      Taxing capital gains is a bit harder to organise. As I have explained elsewhere, trying to tax the personal home doesn’t work for all sort of reasons – so places that have a CGT leave the personal home out of it.
      
      0 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 9:03pm
cmm

It is somewhat refreshing to see the mainstream media luvvies putting the boot into Labour and calling them hypocrites.

She does underplay it a bit with “whiff of hypocrisy”. It’s more like the stench of a dead ram floating in a puddle.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/labours-howls-of-protest-over-rushed-coalition-agenda-have-a-whiff-of-hypocrisy-audrey-young/XGPXCRDQIRBWDN34MRN5P4J4TI/
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 1:43pm
Bridgenag

moneypox: more reasons to never trust another public health official
it’s getting crowdered in here

https://open.substack.com/pub/boriquagato/p/moneypox-more-reasons-to-never-trust?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
4 1
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 1:56pm
NothingLeft

Nathan Wade, the Georgia prosecutor of Trump who was given the job by his DA girlfriend Fani Willis – sparking investigations into their corruption and his being removed from the case, has gone missing the day before he was to questions by Congressional committee. No doubt because he knows his (criminal) perjury will be laid bare. He is now the subject of a manhunt
https://x.com/i/status/1839105506218066403
5 1
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 1:56pm
The Feed

It appears to be the view of the WCC that the main problem with Wellington Central is that there aren’t enough people living in it, and if WCC encourage more apartments, people will come.

However, if people work from home, then there is significantly less incentive to buy an apartment in central Wellington. If you’re working from home, what you want is space, which can be obtained for similar prices, but far from the central city.

And once buyers make this decision, there are less cafes, bars and restaurants in town, and more in the suburbs . Making the outskirts more attractive, still. Not to mention the relative safety of living away from high density public housing.

I think the WCC are vastly underestimating the flow-on effects of work from home.
6 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 2:32pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  Despite Nicola Willis and her views on working from home, the trends in many professional occupations are unstoppable. Why do you need to limit your employees to the talent pool that is available within daily commuting distance from your home office? If someone in Gore or the Bay of Plenty is the best person for the “Wellington based” job, then all good. Provided they are willing to meet the costs of visiting the Wellington office as needed. No that will not work for all jobs, but it will work for many jobs.
  
  …and for all I care, the cafes in Molesworth Street selling $9 sausage rolls and $7 coffee can go broke.
  
  7 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 2:54pm
  - The Feed
    
    Yes, indeed. It will work for many “Wellington” government jobs.
    
    The council talk as though the problem is insufficient supply of apartments. What they will be dealing with, if work from home remains, is insufficient demand.
    
    And the cascade of that on a city like Wellington will be immense. They could rename it Picton North. Or the Te Reo equivalent.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 3:10pm
    - Benedict Yu
      
      Change happens.
      
      Hobart has gone from being a backwater to the latest trendy place to live. Why? Because COVID showed many folk in Melbourne and Sydney that they could work just fine remotely. So some of them decided to relocate to Hobart. They sell up in Sydney and can buy a palace in Tasmania for the price. They fly to the Sydney or Melbourne offices as needed.
      
      You can’t beat these trends. In the next 20 years remote working will transform living and working arrangements. They are not going to change in New Zealand because some shitty cafes in Wellington lobby Nicola Willis to make public servants save them. It is ridiculous.
      
      6 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 4:27pm
      - The Feed
        
        To be clear, I’m not saying I care about work from home one way or the other.
        
        I’m saying I don’t think the council understand that it is a factor in shifting demand for inner city apartments.
        
        Their attitude seems to be “build it and they will come”, but the world has changed. People are, as you say, more likely to gravitate elsewhere now that they can work from anywhere.
        
        0 0
        Report
        September 27, 2024 6:58am
- rouppe
  
  You’d be mad to buy an apartment in wellington.
  
  The earthquake standards change every six months, and eventually your building will not be compliant with NBS resulting in not being able to sell it, and not being able to afford to upgrade it.
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 3:34pm
  - Groggy
    
    or afford the insurance, if anyne will even cover it
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 5:40pm
  - The Feed
    
    Right.
    
    They want Wellington to be like European cities, but Wellington is not a European city. There are now many factors that make it unfeasible to grow density in that location.
    
    Their town planning is simply an imported ideology – an ideology that still doesn’t factor in that once people don’t need proximity to go to work, then apartments become a lot less attractive. Then there’s the earthquakes….
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 27, 2024 9:34am
Swifty

The absolutely wonderful Lindsay Mitchell in a conversation today with Michael Laws.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sfpE4D5h69w

Please note this is an abbreviated version of a fuller conversation on The Platform website.

It’s relatively brief, but contain several absolute truths – truths that unless recognised and acted upon will see New Zealand mistreatment of children malaise continue.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 2:57pm
Chuck Bird

Luxon should view this. The can be no two-state solution.

Former US Ambassador: ‘I’d Rather Be With God Than With the State Department’

As we near the first anniversary of the devastating Hamas attack on October 7th, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman has released a thought-provoking new book that sheds light on the enduring effects of these events. His book, titled One Jewish State: The Last, Best Hope to Resolve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, presents a compelling case for Israeli sovereignty over the historically significant regions of Judea and Samaria, often referred to as the West Bank.

During his tenure under the Trump administration, Ambassador Friedman was instrumental in achieving two historic diplomatic milestones. He played a key role in relocating the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a highly significant and controversial move. Additionally, he helped shape the Abraham Accords, a breakthrough agreement fostering peace and coexistence in the Middle East by normalizing relations between Israel and several Arab nations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDDcQ9X5mHs
5 3
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 3:00pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350430644/niwa-set-acquire-metservice-after-compelling-case-change
Another good move by this government !
3 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 3:33pm
Ghost

Yeah, I don’t think so. Most Māori don’t give a shit about the crap you’re pushing. We might see the usual rent a mob protesting, but thats it. Time you woke up to the fact you don’t represent Māori.

Te Pāti Māori is warning the Government of the “wrath of the million Māori” after a $30 million cut to a programme for teachers to learn te reo Māori.

It follows a South Auckland principal teacher’s union slamming the Government’s decision to cut funding to a programme for teachers to learn te reo Māori, saying staff are “extremely disappointed” and the move is “short-sighted”.

Article
12 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 3:39pm
- AitchW
  
  My god will this clown show EVER realise that their hyperbole is just boring? I’ve become really tired of the Maori party warning of the dire consequences of every single perceived slight to Maori.
  What would happen if the government really did do something incredibly offensive to Maori?
  
  11 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 3:54pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    Hospital A and E departments in a few metropolitan leafy green suburbs would be swamped by swooning hoards of offended folks struggling to hold it together and demanding immediate sedation and admission to curated safe spaces to enable their spiritual and emotional recovery
    
    At the same time there would be a call on treatment for chronic neck issues caused by their overweight tiki’s.
    
    And the outside world would briefly, in their absence, become a more tolerable and tolerant place.
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 4:59pm
- Swifty
  
  The racist buffoons in the Maori Party, Labour, the quoted Unions all heap shame upon themselves with this.
  
  They demonstrate they don’t give a toss about young New Zealanders achieving excellence in Maths etc, (they had six years of opportunity 2017-23 and results went backwards) – all they care about is political point scoring so that they can assume power.
  
  Young Maori on the scrap heap is just collateral damage to them.
  
  Shame, shame, shame on them.
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 4:50pm
  - Ghost
    
    The government has committed to 1 million people speaking te reo by 2040. They should be celebrating that, not whinging about $30 million on a course for teachers that isn’t accredited
    
    0 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 5:04pm
    - Swifty
      
      I’m sorry, Ghost, but I struggle to think of a more wholly inappropriate goal for a New Zealand government than having ‘one million Maori speakers by 2040’.
      
      What fucking business is it of theirs to set targets like this? It’s bloody social engineering of the worst type. If people wish to learn Maori then thats entirely a personal matter for them. But for a government to set targets? That is nothing but governmental overreach and into areas of our personal lives they should stay the bloody hell out of.
      
      WTF? It’s nothing but a make-work scheme for Maori language businesses (which Jackson and Tamihere will no doubt have interests in) and Maori teachers. And how will the nation benefit from the no doubt massive cost in reaching the million person mark?
      
      Will it lower our national debt? Will it increase our exports into China or our exports outside and away from China? Will it lower the tax bill of New Zealand families? Will it lower prices of goods and services in the shops for our superannuitants? Will it lower hospital admissions or the national annual health bill?
      
      No. None of these. It’s a needless and unwarranted distraction from the real and serious challenges we face as a nation.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 5:46pm
      - Ghost
        
        Actually swiftly I have been trying to find information on this commitment. Maybe someone else can, because despite theNZ herald saying the government has committed to it, everything I have been able to find is only from the previous government.
        
        1 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 6:36pm
      - Swifty
        
        National, ACT and NZF must go on the attack!
        
        https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350430342/disappointing-and-short-sighted-teachers-react-reo-funding-cuts
        
        They must not let Labour, the PPTA and other vested interests gain the initiative.
        
        National must constantly and consistently sell the benefits to NZ families of greater achievement by their children in reading, writing and arithmetic and them bloody well go on and deliver it – something Labour didn’t and never will achieve. With them it’s just a constant race to the bottom.
        
        2 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 6:38pm
      - Swifty
        
        No worries. I certainly knew it was a Labour initiative, but you raise a good point as to whether it is still a Coalition goal.
        
        0 0
        Report
        September 26, 2024 6:53pm
    - Taieri
      
      The government has committed to 1 million people speaking te reo by 2040.
      ————
      
      And have the 1 million people committed to speaking it by 2040 as well?
      
      The only way for the Maori language to survive is for the Maori people to speak with their children at home from the very first day of their lives. And then, to publish books in Maori, have universal Maori language media and so on.
      This is simply not going to happen.
      The Maori-English pidgin is not going to help. On the contrary…
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      September 26, 2024 6:15pm
- Hugh Jarse
  
  Follow the money. An investigation into what family or tribal groups the funding goes to would provide some clarity on the reason for the screams of indignation.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 6:06pm
- sht1971
  
  Maybe said Principal should focus on his other stats freely available in the annual report on the school website. 50% below in reading and maths and 70% below in writing. But hey at least the speak te reo!
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 6:43pm
Chuck Bird

Is Luxon’s anti-Israel position to help with trade in the Middle East?
0 5
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 4:55pm
NothingLeft

ABC whistleblower decrying collusion between ABC news and Harris campaign over the way the Trump/Harris presidential debate was conducted has filed a complaint with US SEC for election interference. Shows it’s at least real, though SEC being deepstate/Democrat aligned means it will go nowhere before the election, however may light a fire under US congress hearings, and provides some ‘proof’ of bias/shenanigans for election advertising purposes
https://youtu.be/mqmkkNoBS1o
1 1
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 5:23pm
Swifty

Costello and McKee have been pilloried of late be various news media for their connections to the industries they have now have Ministerial responsibility for, subsequent to Geoffrey Palmer raising it in his recent article.

Now, I ask again, where are the same articles questioning Jackson over his shadow-Ministerial responsibilities to an industry, Maori media and broadcasting etc, that he has financial interest in and over decades?

Where are the articles questioning his honesty and his integrity? Where are the articles hinting ever so slightly at corrupt practices, and without any evidence?

And remember this is the man responsible as Maori Development Minister who handed out hundreds of millions to Whanau Ora, which he and Tamihere set up, which the Tamihere syndicate is in full control of, John Tamihere the head of (and Jackson’s close mate for decades) and the very same Willie Jackson who helped establish Waatea, was their Chief Executive, and which continues to run from the Marae his family has controlled for decades:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/529120/job-cuts-confirmed-at-whakaata-maori

Oh, and look at all the dough mentioned here given to Waatea (and no doubt this is but the tip of the iceberg) and all while Jackson was Minister of Maori Development!

https://www.nzonair.govt.nz/news/significant-funding-injection-to-boost-m%C4%81ori-journalism/

By the way, who here has listened to Waatea? Read their articles? They are a taxpayer-funded mouthpiece for Jackson, the Maori Party and Labour interests, into the Maori community. If they were privately funded and run one could have no objection. But as they receive millions and millions of taxpayer dollars annually what is their repsonsibility to promote both sides of our national debates?

None it seems.

They are a total propaganda outlet for Jackson’s Labour’s and the Maori Party’s political interests.

National, defund them now!
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 5:34pm
Ghost

Awwww, is this what happens when a politician from nz doesn’t take a baby to the un

An irritated Winston Peters interrupted his speech at the United Nations Security Council to hush the audience.

The foreign minister was speaking about core principles that should be upheld by the international community when he grew visibly frustrated with an apparent distraction in the room and broke with his remarks.

“Or maybe a third principle, when somebody is addressing you, the rest of the people in the room keep quiet,” he said.

Article
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 6:22pm
- greybeard
  
  Seeing that made me quite proud to be a NZr: Winston telling all those other disrespectful arseholes to shut up was glorious.!!
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 7:02pm
  - MCōs
    
    If his speech, which the old bugger had to read, was a little more riveting maybe the audience would have listened to him
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    September 26, 2024 8:30pm
Swifty

NIWA to take over MetSevice.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/529112/niwa-to-take-over-metservice-in-forecaster-merger

Maggy W. will be pleased.
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 7:18pm
- Jack5
  
  I quite like the Norwegian Weather Office forecasts for New Zealand, complete with simple uncluttered maps.
  
  This one’s for Christchurch:
  
  https://www.yr.no/en/details/table/2-7910036/New%20Zealand/Canterbury/Christchurch%20City/Christchurch%20City
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  September 26, 2024 9:09pm
Jack5

Evidence of the industrial decline of the West.

1. Deindustrialisation has left the United States with only four shipyards still in operation. The Wall Street Journal reports the US is now looking to South Korea to build warships. For example at the world’s biggest shipyard – that of Hyundai Heavy Industries.

The newspaper says America will have to look overseas if its navy isn’t to fall “irreversibly behind.”

2. The Telegraph reports that Harland and Wolff (which built the Titanic), in partnership with Spanish shipbuilder Navantia, has a contract to build three ships for the Royal Navy. However, Harland and Wolf has called in administrators and Navantia is the front runner to take the firm over.

Sorry, I suspect both reports are paywalled.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
September 26, 2024 9:33pm

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« $263,000 of Mayoral expenses?

Top class study »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Never miss a post

Email Address

Join 37.4K other subscribers

Highlights

Health Target 5 – elective treatments
Health Target 4 – Specialist appointments
Health Target 3 – Emergency Dept Waiting Times
Health Target 2 – Immunisations

Links

Word of the day
Hompaddock
The Christmas Truce of 1914: A Beacon of Humanity in the Midst of War
Utopia
A Happy and Merry Christmas To You All
No Minister
The Pogues wrote the best Christmas song ever
The Standard
Merry Christmas Comrades – Peace on Earth and goodwill to all pronouns from the Team at The Daily Blog
The Daily Blog
United Rugby Championship Predictions for Week 9
Stats Chat
Mission creep at Diversity Works NZ leads to taxpayer-funded DEI activism
Point of Order
Fiscal failure and indifference
Croaking Cassandra
JUDITH COLLINS NAIVETY
No Punches Pulled (Bob Jones)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
NZCPR
"... a broader, decade-long 'crank realignment' in American politics."
Not PC
2024 OIA stats
No Right Turn
Jacinda’s “Act” of kindness has increased abortions 23%
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
About Syria.
Kiwipolitico
Misuse of land use planning
Offsetting Behaviour
Tory Whanau may have to sell Wellington mayoralty to make ends meet
The Civilian
The Accidental Engagement
Imperator Fish
Legal Beagle: Election '23: The Special Votes
Public Address
Making this movie might have been a mistake
Liam Hehir
Why I am retiring from political blogging
Kiwi FireWalker
Angie Warren-Clark: Meet the Newbies
Dan Moskovitz

editor@kiwiblog.co.nz

PO Box 12270, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

Facebook
Twitter
FourSquare
Instagram
LinkedIn
Google+

Archives
Disclosure Statement
Editorial Policy
Privacy Policy
Complaints Policy
Comments Policy

Design by cre8d

%d

Share this:

Like this: