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October 19, 2024 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 19 October 2024

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General Debate

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Mike

Happy Niue Constitution Day!
Celebrating 50 years of self-government.
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October 19, 2024 8:02am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Harris Complains She Was Not Informed The Interview Would Include Questions.
‘calm her down with offerings of Jack Daniels and Pinot Grigio’

https://babylonbee.com/news/harris-complains-she-was-not-informed-the-interview-would-include-questions?
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October 19, 2024 8:09am
- Benedict Yu
  
  Such an entertaining interview. 😃 She was shocked that the journalist asked questions and then cut off her word salad responses, insisting on answers.
  
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  October 19, 2024 8:17am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Brett Bier is highly respected by both sides of politics. He is an old school journalist who does not show is partiality, if the left rave about this interview then they set a very low bar for Harris, if she can not answer simple questions about hers then she has no right being the head of the states and possibly the most influential person in the world, it was a dead giveaway when she showed anger a couple of times, the polls have swung back to Trump with the National poll having him at 48-46 in front
    
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    October 19, 2024 11:54am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      18/19 days. 48/46 is leftie rubbish. Remember in 2016 Hillary was going to win with 85%?
      Sort of turned to custard
      
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      October 19, 2024 3:45pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  Here is the interview.
  
  https://youtu.be/80DaR2CVNNk?si=NkpwsVNfANQrEfnN
  
  Ben Shapiro made an excellent point. Historically, by this stage of a campaign, all other presidential candidates have faced dozens of serious and at times hostile interviews in their political careers. She has not by virtue of the quirks of how she became the candidate.
  
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  October 19, 2024 8:29am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Bret Baier, not Ben Shapiro.
    Shapiro did comment about Kamala being interviewed by Bret Baier:
    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAjrwjD9GpY
    
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    October 19, 2024 9:21am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      Yes that is what I said.
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:31pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Your link went to Bret Baier.
        But never mind.
        
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        October 19, 2024 3:47pm
  - Hollyfield
    
    My favourite part was at 16:45. She had already answered every question about her record and policies with “Donald Trump…..”. Then she was told a statistic that 79% of people think the country is on the wrong track, she’s been VP for the last 3.5 years, if people think the country is on the wrong track that follows 3.5 years of you (Kamala) being VP and her reply (in a very condescending tone) was “and Donald Trump has been running for office since…..”.
    
    The interview was about only 26 minutes (because she arrived over 15 minutes late), and someone online counted that she said “Donald Trump” more than 50 times.
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:25am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      I seen that part, it was utterly pathetic, when Bier said but you have been vp during this time, and she said but Brett you know what I mean. Grrrrr
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:00pm
    - Anthony Melchett
      
      Remember how that awful woman used to turn up late to every press conference here to keep the fools begging for words…
      
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      October 19, 2024 1:25pm
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      In sales, you never talk about the competition, only your own product or service.
      
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      October 19, 2024 3:54pm
- greenfinger
  
  Harris will ruin America, just like Ardern did to nz in the last six years
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:13am
  - AitchW
    
    Sadly Trump will ruin America too!
    What a dismal choice to have to make.
    
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    October 19, 2024 9:37am
    - Don Beckett
      
      Did he ruin America during his first term ? No he didn’t – America boomed & everyone including minorities were better off .
      
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      October 19, 2024 11:01am
      - AitchW
        
        Perhaps because he did nothing. I’m not sure that America needs another laissez faire president.
        I hope I’m wrong, only time will tell.
        
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        October 19, 2024 4:13pm
    - Matt Long
      
      Maybe you’re right, here’s Elon Musk referencing an article comparing Trump to Hitler.
      https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1847407852740108681
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:50pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Harris would be Ardern x 50.
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:00am
- Ra Henare
  
  I watched an analysis of Kamalas strategy going into the interview. ie Dont answer any questions, attack Trump at every opportunity. Remember, Fox News is 95%? or some such Conservatives, mainly male.
  
  https://youtu.be/XrqVDF6_Zbg
  
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  October 19, 2024 3:24pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

9 signs Trump is going to win:

https://babylonbee.com/news/9-signs-trump-is-obviously-going-to-win-the-election?
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October 19, 2024 8:12am
- Lance
  
  So Steve, do you consider any other news source than babylonbee ?
  Asking for a friend
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:37am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Yes I do look at news sources, but I also like satire.
    You do know the Bee is satire don’t you? Many don’t know.
    Don’t forget to tell your friend.
    
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    October 19, 2024 12:03pm
    - PeeJay
      
      It’s a very good satirical website, one of the few with a right lens as opposed to a left lens like a lot of the others (the onion, the shovel, the chaser etc – all very good though).
      
      I’ve also ended up on their sister website, not the bee, which is real headlines that ought to be satire but are actually real stories. It’s very good but can sometimes end up quite religious – both the bee and not the bee have a conservative christian perspective and this can sometimes overtake the satire or story on both sites, more so on not the bee. Still interesting though.
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:27pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Yep, not the bee actually confuses the confused!
        
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        October 19, 2024 3:51pm
Matt Long

When Arab culture respects strength and glories in the humiliation of enemies, how do islamists see the response to pro terror marches in western countries?
Possibly an invitation to do what they did in Jordan and Lebanon.
https://x.com/koshercockney/status/1847235183826612585
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October 19, 2024 8:13am
- Mike
  
  Which cultures don’t respect strength and glory in the humiliation of enemies?
  
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  October 19, 2024 8:15am
  - Matt Long
    
    DEI.
    
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    October 19, 2024 9:48am
  - Swifty
    
    Oh, I don’t know – the West did pretty good to rebuild Japan and Germany after the war.
    
    Could have rubbed their noses in it and kept them destroyed and barren but chose another way.
    
    We did pretty good actually.
    
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    October 19, 2024 1:43pm
    - Mike
      
      Care to broaden that to a generalization about ‘the West’ versus ‘Arab culture’?
      
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      October 19, 2024 3:03pm
- Swifty
  
  This is what Labour and the Greens will have in New Zealand.
  
  They have lost their minds.
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:09am
  - Swifty
    
    Sorry, I’m going to rephrase that.
    
    Labour etc haven’t lost their minds. They know exactly what they’re doing.
    
    They’re demonstrating that they put their political interests way, way ahead of the interests of New Zealanders.
    
    How else could you possibly explain their frequently stated policy of bringing in terrorist sympathisers en masse. Sympathisers who poll after poll have show want the downfall of the west, want gays hanged, adulterers killed, the Sharia paramount, women as second class etc etc.
    
    Terrorise sympathisers who, as their numbers build, will increasingly flex their political muscle, blockade the streets with their protests, blackmail political parties with their domestic and foreign policy demands etc etc.
    
    It is utter lunacy to want this for New Zealand – but they just don’t have the courage or principles to say no.
    
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    October 19, 2024 1:41pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Death to America – the Country they live in. They are mentally ill.
  That is the enemy within.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:07am
Benedict Yu

This is not a parody. This is an actual Democrat campaign ad to attract more men to vote for Kamala. 😂 A couple of lines.

“I’m man enough to cry at movies.

“I’m man enough to cry in front of my wife.” Other guy chines in.” In front of my horse 🐴. ”

https://youtu.be/Hk4ueY9wVtA?si=UkdG80GlCGtomXum
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October 19, 2024 8:22am
- Tom Hunter
  
  It’s even worse than that because people found out who the men are that were in the advertisement. In case that X-link vanishes here’s the detail of each man.
  
  Wayland McQueen is a far-left, pro-Antifa comedian and actor who has, until now, found limited success. He does improv gigs at the Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles. In a Twitter post from 2022, he explains what white privilege is and tells you why you need to acknowledge your white privilege. As of 2024 he is single.
  
  Lanre Idewu is an immigrant from Nigeria. He is also an actor who works at the D.C.-based OCTET Productions. He has many intimate pictures with the Obamas and the Bidens. Idewu, who is bisexual, has done gay-for-pay movies and nude solo shoots. In the “Men for Kamala” ad, he says he is “man enough to f-ing braid his daughter’s hair,” but the only problem is that he doesn’t have a daughter. Idewu isn’t braiding anyone’s hair.
  
  Mike Leffingwell, a gay man, also works at the Upright Citizens Brigade, where McQueen works. He is an acting coach, cartoon writer for Netflix and DreamWorks, and an actor in TV commercials. On his public Instagram page, he showcases his participation in his latest project—the “Men for Kamala” ad.
  
  Winston Carter, the heavyset fellow in the ad who claims to be a mechanic and rancher, lives in Los Angeles signed with Taft Broadcasting Company. He has found limited success in the acting world, mainly as an extra in films and as a character in the low-budget superhero film Spaghettiman.
  
  Tony Ketcham, the tough, rugged, bearded grandpa in his garage in the “Men for Kamala” ad, is also an actor. He now mainly does low-budget independent films like Car Botz, where he played the role of PePaw. Tony is unmarried in real life. In 2001, he played the extra role of “alcoholic consumer” in the movie Ghost World.
  
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  October 19, 2024 8:30am
  - John Loveridge
    
    No actual real men, then.
    
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    October 19, 2024 8:32am
- Bridgenag
  
  YES entitled guilt as a campaign strategy
  “vote for me or people won’t like you” is backfiring bigly as a message
  
  https://open.substack.com/pub/boriquagato/p/entitled-guilt-as-a-campaign-strategy?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:09am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Ben Shapiro commented on that ad too.
  The ad is pathetic. Targeted to 18 year olds?
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:27am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Trump needs military grade protection.
It is not just the mentally disturbed who want him gone.

https://americanvoterpolls.com/rep-waltz-urges-military-grade-protection-for-trump-amid-serious-threats/?
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October 19, 2024 8:31am
imalwaysright

This is Donald shredding his enemies mercilessly, most of them to their face.
To Chuck Schumer:
“Don’t worry Chuck, if Kamala doesn’t make it there’s still a chance for you to be the first woman President!”
Great stuff. 28mins
https://youtu.be/XI0MUoW28VE?si=AbpEwSYlFdS-A7Ha
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October 19, 2024 8:35am
- AitchW
  
  God. Playground insults. Is that really what America wants in its president?
  God help America.
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:39am
  - All_on_Red
    
    The Al Smith Dinner is traditionally a Roast.
    Lighten up.
    
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    October 19, 2024 9:52am
    - AitchW
      
      I didn’t know that. Still pretty lame joke. May as well have called him a stinky poo-head.
      Where have all the genuinely witty, funny joke writers gone?
      
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      October 19, 2024 10:33am
      - sirknz
        
        They got pushed out due to DEI.
        
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        October 19, 2024 2:52pm
      - Redapplefalls
        
        Cancelled by Gavin Newsom.
        
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        October 19, 2024 3:05pm
  - Conservatarian
    
    Trump delivered some superb lines, especially the one about the allegedly grass roots “White Men for Harris” movement. He stated that the wives (and their lovers) of such men would vote for him. He also joked about Harris’ childcare policies, getting in a jab at Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff (who knocked up the nanny and paid for her abortion).
    
    Traditionally (60 years apparently) both candidates get together at this pre-election dinner for a “roast” – an event where people give and take jokes and insults. The jokes are written by professional comedians and delivered by the candidates.
    
    It’s a charity event connected with NYC Catholic and Jewish organisations and is historically a pro-Democrat crowd. It is also a chance for the candidates to take a breather in the campaigning and also to show a “human” face and a sense of humour and humility.
    
    Trump attends these things, as usual, and looks great because he can deliver a joke (he’s one of the most naturally funny politicians I’ve ever seen). Plus he’s used to being insulted, whether in jest or for real.
    
    Harris didn’t attend. Her campaign probably began to prepare her, but would have noted that she can’t convincingly deliver a joke. Perhaps she couldn’t avoid her cackle, when she has been forced to stifle in this campaign. Perhaps it’s because Catholics don’t condone murdering babies because it’s convenient for the woman, but Harris and her constituency do, so there’s that.
    
    Perhaps it’s because she’s a woman i.e. the “roast” is a part of masculine culture and is not natural to her and most women.
    
    Perhaps she is extremely thin-skinned and unable to be criticised, as the best jokes are based in reality.
    
    I note her opponent is frequency accused of being unable to brook criticism.
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:56am
    - imalwaysright
      
      I liked his jab at Tim Walz:
      “Tim isn’t here tonight, but he’ll say he was!”
      
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      October 19, 2024 11:32am
    - RichardX
      
      Trump attends these things, as usual,…
      
      While you’re talking about attending events as usual, did you ever get to the bottom of who was the first President since 1869, except for Nixon, who did not attend his successor’s inauguration?
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:06pm
      - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
        
        presumably JFK.
        
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        October 19, 2024 3:07pm
      - Ghost
        
        No. His successor didn’t have an inauguration, he was just sworn in. Now Johnson’s successor was Nixon.
        
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        October 19, 2024 3:15pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        Harry S?
        
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        October 19, 2024 3:58pm
    - Steve Todd
      
      The jokes are written by professional comedians and delivered by the candidates.
      
      And yet Trump couldn’t just say that. In answer to a question on Fox & Friends as to who helped him write his material – Ha! As if he wrote any of it – he said “a couple of people from Fox”, which Fox News quickly denied. (I believe Fox News.) See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHf_XROUCDQ.
      
      The man is an inveterate liar. He simply can’t help himself. It really is quite astonishing.
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:16pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Trump said he was joking when he said ‘a couple of people from Fox’ because he knew that would trigger those on the Left
        You being a case in point
        Hilarious
        
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        October 19, 2024 12:23pm
      - Geri Sjovik
        
        So a couple of people from Fox news helped him write some of them.
        
        How do you know he didn’t get a quiet word or two from some Fox employees?
        
        Yet you still manage to claim he is an inveterate liar. TDS much.
        
        And notice Trump says “some of them’ yet the CNN presenter omits the word ‘some’.
        
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        October 19, 2024 12:28pm
    - AitchW
      
      I suspect that she’d have died a thousand deaths if expected to deliver totally unscripted lines.
      Her word salad when she goes off script is incoherent and her voice is like fingernails on a blackboard.
      Never have I heard a less presidential sounding presidential candidate.
      
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      October 19, 2024 4:18pm
- MCōs
  
  I think I saw a bit of that elsewhere and couldn’t be bothered looking again
  It looked like he was reading some pre prepared lame jokes for the first time.
  Do people pay money to watch this stuff?
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:02am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    I didn’t pay, I watched it free!
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:15am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Yes, they pay for their tickets and it goes to a Catholic charity.
    The audience is primarily those people who missed out on tickets to The Jacinda Adern Travelling Salvation Show….
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:28am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Baaaahhh!!!
      Great response!
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:07pm
Tom Hunter

Bob Casey is the longtime Democrat Senator from this year’s key swing state in the election, Pennsylvania.

He just dropped an advertisement boasting of his support for Trump when he was President and how he then “bucked Biden”.

That’s quite the tell about Trump’s chances in the state, but in any case Casey votes with Biden 99% of the time.
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October 19, 2024 8:43am
- Tom Hunter
  
  And now other Democrats
  Baldwin (WI): Putting Trump in her ads
  Casey (PA): Putting Trump in his ads
  Slotkin (MI): Making ads against EV mandates.
  
  They wouldn’t be doing this if they thought Kamala was winning.
  
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  October 19, 2024 1:50pm
Paulus

Sad isn’t it that when a worker (Unionis I am sure) swears and curses a Minister, the Minister is not allowed to reply despite being provoked.
So the worker goes to his friendly media, via his Union, to bitch at the respons he got. I suspect his daily verbiage and language would leave nothing to be considered in the normal course of daily events.
Muldoon would have told him in no uncertain terms and I suggest Shane Jones would do the same.
Why have we been dragged so low and divided as a country as we are now, and I do not believe we have ever seen it so – mainly thanks to the so called media, who worked so hard to try and not get the elected Government we have.
Looking at some of the so called Political reporters particularly on the TV I wonder what their children will be brought up upon with such vitriolic mothers.
Tova has been well outperformed by Maiki Sherman who is trying for an Oscar in plain arrogance and rudeness.
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October 19, 2024 8:46am
- Ghost
  
  Got an article that says the worker was at fault here? Because the minster took all responsibility and stated he was light hearted. Even if the person did what you claim, provide a link please, there is no circumstance a minister replies as he did
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:35am
- pdm
  
  Paulus I take it you are saying Bayly has been `stitched up’.
  
  I agree and have said so at No Minister Blog.
  https://nominister.wordpress.com/2024/10/19/has-andrew-bayly-been-stitched-up/
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:57am
  - MCōs
    
    The article says at the start
    “I have no idea”
    In other words it’s conjecture
    In the interview on Checkpoint there was no suggestion he’d been “stitched up” and his actions since the event are those of a guilty man.
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:12am
    - Ghost
      
      It’s a good advert for his blog. We just make shit up for views. No wonder it’s barely read, it’s just like msm, lies and more damm lies for clicks.
      
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      October 19, 2024 10:37am
  - Ghost
    
    Again, provide evidence
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:21am
    - G152
      
      Name and shame
      
      4 1
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      October 19, 2024 11:10am
  - Swifty
    
    The nuances don’t matter.
    
    It’s the perception that matters and Labour et al will mine that perception and flog it to death – that Bayly is a bully, or pisshead, or ‘out of touch’ etc etc ad infinitum and their social media followers will lap it all up.
    
    Why give them ammo?
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:46am
    - Ghost
      
      If this was a labour, greens or Maori MP, there would be calls to resign from the very people now inventing facts to protect the minister
      
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      October 19, 2024 11:04am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        Did we not find out just who the bullies are in Labour thanks to the half a term Labour mo for Ham west? Let the left eat cake
        
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        October 19, 2024 12:11pm
- Chuck Bird
  
  If the worker swore first Bayly should have said so. I heard him on with HDPA and he did not want to say anything. He could not remember if he told the guy to fuck off or not. He claimed he had not had a drink. He acted like he had.
  
  The voters have the right to know the truth.
  
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  October 19, 2024 11:21am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    He politely said oh I don’t think I used those words, suggesting this whole thing might be a crock of shit
    
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    October 19, 2024 12:12pm
    - Chuck Bird
      
      If he did not say the word fuck he should have said he did not swear or say fuck off and he thought he did not and that he didn’t think I used those words.
      
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      October 19, 2024 4:05pm
      - Ghost
        
        Seems to me Chuck that he takes responsibility for what took place in that interview. But there is a lot, a lot of avoiding answering her questions. This interview is a head on train wreck. He sounds full of shit.
        
        “The incident took place, and I have written twice to the person to apologise.”
        
        https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/andrew-bayly-commerce-and-consumer-affairs-minister-on-public-complaint-of-behaviour-during-ministerial-visit/
        
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        October 19, 2024 4:17pm
- AitchW
  
  Was this just a hamfisted attempt at banter by a minister unable to pull it off and unable to get out of the hole he dug for himself? Was he needled by a Labour supporter and tried to make light of the situation by being a bit ‘blokey’ but came off as a dickhead?
  I’m pleased that he had the good sense to apologise unreservedly and without qualification.
  Hopefully he’s learned a hard lesson.
  
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  October 19, 2024 4:25pm
Cassandra

The sinking of the RNZN survey ship (although painting an oil rig service boat grey does not a make it a warship) throws into relief just how parlous a state NZ’s armed services are in. With turmoil throughout the world putting pressure on the USA we really need to wake up. NZ cannot guarantee a frigate at sea with only two. Often both will be out of service for maintenance or training. We have no deployable army above, at most, a company. The air force has good capacity but no offensive ability at all. The Pacific is becoming a dangerous place. We need to act accordingly and that will mean huge cost.
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October 19, 2024 8:47am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  New Zealanders are incredibly naive about the quality of what we have here, and how tens of millions would crawl over broken glass to get here.
  
  I predict that in the not too distant future a people smuggling gang will acquire an old ship for scrap money, load it up with migrants & set sail down here. What exactly could or would the government do about that?
  
  I should add that it’s irrelevant whether the ship managed to get here. Even if the damn thing broke down & drifted onto rocks en route, or sank due to poor seamanship, it would still be labelled as NZ’s shame.
  
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  October 19, 2024 8:58am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    The NZ Govt would give them all a new house, money in the bank, and welfare income.
    Also crash courses in Te Reo.
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:30am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      No they would not, that is bullshit, that is the refugee rule, but not a just give a house to 10s of 1000s who have crawled on broken glass, Labour would have, Greens would, and hypocrites TPM who hate immigrants would love this type of immigrant
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:15pm
  - G152
    
    I have a number of aquantances (deliberate spell) who have sailed here in small boats from all round the world.
    3 months from the US weeks from Asia.
    The thing is we’re just not worth the bother to send here a bunch of illegals
    
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    October 19, 2024 11:17am
  - Paulus
    
    It would be driven as hard as the engines can take it straight into the sandy beach.
    Who will physically stand in its way ?
    
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    October 19, 2024 1:56pm
- MCōs
  
  It’s the “that will mean huge cost” that’s the big problem
  Maybe the Dunedin Hospital upgrade could be scrapped altogether and what ever other capital works are planned for the South Island to help upgrade defence
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:15am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    The Dunedin hospital is not going to be an upgrade, they are still going to build a 1.88 billion dollar hospital. That includes finishing the out patients building, and building a new hospital that gives care for all emergency care, ER, surgical, and other serious ailments that needs you to stay in the ward block. Other non emergency care will stay in the old hospital out side of out patients care, and that was always going to happen under Labour.
    
    My mate works at the Hospital and is quite high up in building and maintenance, he has his staff that does work in the old hospital with, and he is in charge of 60 Philippine nationals working on their side of the out patients building, (remembering of course the builders only build a concrete frame). He stated the Labour hospital always was going to have non emergency care in the old hospital, it just shows how many lies Labour told the people of Dunedin.
    
    Also go to Reti’s FB page from yesterday saying Dunedin ill still receive the most expensive hospital in the southern hemisphere, and he out lines what is happening, and counters the lies of the left, go have a look, they are not up grading it
    
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    October 19, 2024 12:26pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  I just don’t see any New Zealand government fixing the mess of defence. There is simply not enough money without a massive reordering of spending priorities. This government has demonstrated that it will not do that.
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:18am
  - AitchW
    
    Perhaps a good place to start would be to scrap having three armed services and instead have one Defense force.
    There must be massive duplication and/or triplication in admin.
    It’s not as if we have an airforce with hundreds of planes or a navy with an armada of vessels.
    It would simplify operations and speed up logistics.
    I imagine we’d shed a pile of brass at the same time saving money to pay the other ranks a decent wage.
    
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    October 19, 2024 9:31am
    - pdm
      
      We have started that to some extent Aitch.
      
      There is only one Defence Force Boss (Commander or whatever) for all three services these days – I think.
      
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      October 19, 2024 10:02am
      - AitchW
        
        That’s always been the case has it not? I’d like to hear good reasons not to merge the armed services…
        
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        October 19, 2024 10:35am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Dealing with the Army admin is a nightmare. I made two boat trailers for the SAS RIBs. They insisted on lights the same as the Unimogs. Ringing Wellington brass to get those lights I got the third degree about security and promising not to say where they came from. A grade wankers.
      
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      October 19, 2024 10:37am
    - Cantabrian
      
      In essence, thats what we have now. With the reorganisation changes over the past 10-15 years the NZDF has all its logistics under a single command, its personnel management has been centralised, and a single training entity is used for training that is common to more than one service.
      The only ‘single service’ aspect is the war-fighters – those who actually fly planes, go to sea, or trtamp a battlefield.
      There is no ‘duplication/triplication’ of admin.
      
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      October 19, 2024 10:48am
    - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
      
      Yes, it is really the only solution – create a Royal Marines type force, with air and sea logistics capability. Dozens of Colonels, Brigadeers and Generals (and the rank equivalent in the other services) dead bodies will litter the progression of this policy.
      
      But hey, still the right thing to do, and what do all those command staff do all day? Go to meetings, recite their Pepiha and celebrate their diversity?
      
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      October 19, 2024 11:44am
  - PurplePen
    
    Some recent headlines…
    
    2024, more than half a billion dollars is going to defence in this year’s Budget to improve pay for the frontline and upgrade equipment.
    
    $1.3 billion for the purchase of assets in Vote Defence Force in 2019/2020, up from $641 million last year.
    
    NZ$5.3 billion under the country’s 2023/2024 defense budget, unveiled May 18.
    
    2022 the New Zealand Defence Force received about NZ$4.9 billion.
    
    New Zealand’s Army has the largest share of funding among the armed services, receiving NZ$1.1 billion.
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:36am
  - Cantabrian
    
    More to the point, we don’t have a young population that sees the military as a worth-while career. Gone are the days when national pride steered youngsters towards taking ‘the King’s shillling’. The biggest problem that the Services have today is getting recruits – despite a growing population. (When I joined in 1964 my service had some 3000 people on a popultion of around 2.5 to 3 million. Now we have over 5 million and the Navy, for example, struggles to operate with half the number.)
    The consequence of this is that you could buy all sorts of fancy new kit (2 more frigates?) but not be able to operate it.
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:57am
    - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
      
      Most of the current fleet is tied to a wharf – those ships that haven’t been lent or sold, or which are in 30m of water, that is.
      
      The Navy knew that they could never staff them, but went and bought them anyway.
      
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      October 19, 2024 11:46am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      There is a Captain from the UK who can operate them.
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:12pm
      - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
        
        And, I hear she may just have become available. What a relief!
        
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        October 19, 2024 3:09pm
      - sirknz
        
        Chatting to a friend earlier today who was chatting to a navy guy that knew the commander of the Manawanui and he wouldn’t trust her to park his car in a disabled parking space prior to recent events.
        
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        October 19, 2024 4:13pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    NZ has zero Defense force.
    
    Any hostile force could dock in Auckland and Wellington unopposed.
    
    We don’t even have a coastguard .
    
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    October 19, 2024 12:06pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Do we still not have 2 frigates coming via NZF n the first term of Labour? Or was that as usual with Labour turns out to be announced but never ever started
    
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    October 19, 2024 12:27pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  NZ can’t even arm the Police to protect the public from armed gangs, let alone have a functioning Defence Force.
  The World is laughing at us.
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:31am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Police are fully armed when dealing with gangs, sorry but that’s another crock of shit
    
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    October 19, 2024 12:28pm
- Grunter
  
  Let’s face the brutal reality of living in NZ:
  
  1. We have no defence force of any substance. Almost any country could invade us and take over quite quickly.
  2. We have no money left. Even to get back to a balanced budget we need massive public service cuts. That Govt will not get voted in -ever.
  3. Military alliances all come with major downsides – there is no free lunch. Pick a side? Sure, that just means we now have declared enemies and we become a bigger target. And we join the wars of that alliance.
  
  I’d suggest therefore, that we don’t piss anyone off right now. The world beyond our shores is seriously Pharked up with lots of angry warlords with big guns, bombs and rockets. And there are no “Good Guys” anymore.
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:37am
  - MCōs
    
    The only people who have acted aggressively in anything like a conventional military sense in modern times on our soil have been the French
    We are more vulnerable to trade embargoes, cyber attacks, stuff like that
    
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    October 19, 2024 3:29pm
- gravedodger
  
  Its OK Cass we are living in New Zealand, designated back in 2001 when Helen Clark began her assault on New Zealand no longer needed to have a military capability.
  “In 2001, Prime Minister Helen Clark famously referred to New Zealand’s ‘incredibly benign’ strategic environment”.
  Thems the facts and woe betide anyone who disagrees.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:32am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    In some ways she was worse than Ardern.
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:39am
- Ra Henare
  
  Pray tell. Why does NZ need offensive capability. Is NZ planning on invading some other country?
  
  Maybe a straw horse saying USA is under pressure(did we ever consider that the USA caused such pressure by its actions).
  
  Maybe there is a desire by some in this South Sea Island, remote paradise. To go play with the big boys??
  
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  October 19, 2024 3:10pm
imalwaysright

Saw Michael Baker on the news last night.
He said the COVID report is due out late November.

Then he said we should immediately implement its recommendations!

He sounds either very confident, or very, very well informed.
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October 19, 2024 8:51am
- Scott
  
  I’d just like NZ to leave the covid mindset. I’d like Mr Baker to do his research in quiet obscurity and never be heard of again.
  
  The news reporters can’t wait to hear about another pandemic and return us to lockdown.
  
  No lockdown, no masks, no pandemic panic , no Michael Baker, no Jacinda hectoring us every Tuesday and no media telling us what to do every other day.
  
  I vote for freedom. I vote for liberty.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:08am
  - Don Beckett
    
    This is very disturbing :
    DNA Contamination Discovered in C-19 Vaccines
    A recent report by Canadian molecular virologist Dr David Speicher details results of testing conducted in collaboration with global experts. Alarming levels of synthetic DNA contamination in Pfizer and Moderna c-19 vaccines have been revealed. These DNA fragments were detected in vaccines distributed in Australia, exceeding the regulatory limits by up to 145 times. This contamination may have serious health implications, including:
    
    Increased risk of cancers such as “turbo cancers” that develop rapidly.
    Immune system disruption and other long-term health consequences.
    Potential hereditary effects that could impact future generations
    
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    October 19, 2024 1:38pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      Worry not! Don.
      Pfizer have this covered. They have bought a company that develops drugs for turbo cancers!
      https://www.vtforeignpolicy.com/2024/01/pfizer-overpays-to-buy-pharmaceutical-company-for-cancer-treatments-after-mrna-turbo-cancer-boom/
      
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      October 19, 2024 2:03pm
    - Benedict Yu
      
      You do not provide a source. However, this work has been promoted by various anti vaxxers since 2023.
      
      This explains why it is, well rubbish.
      
      https://www.factcheck.org/2023/10/scicheck-covid-19-vaccines-have-not-been-shown-to-alter-dna-cause-cancer/
      
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      October 19, 2024 2:09pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Again you cite “fact checkers”.
        
        They are all journalists.
        
        I didn’t realise that journalists are intellectually omnipotent.
        
        By the way, check the headline of their opinion piece:
        
        “COVID-19 Vaccines Have Not Been Shown to Alter DNA, Cause Cancer”
        
        Can you see anything wrong with that statement ?
        
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        October 19, 2024 3:42pm
      - Don Beckett
        
        So who checks the fact checkers? This organisation seems to stacked with lefties – Meta etc. but maybe I’m biased.
        https://www.factcheck.org/our-funding/
        
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        October 19, 2024 4:02pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  That little prick is best ignored. He tells lies you know.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:40am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Sounds like he has access to the report. That would certainly destroy any credibility the sham investigation may have had left.
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:59am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Baker is writing the amendments right now?
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:15pm
Southern Raider

If you need a good laugh this weekend watch the Trump performance at the Al Smith gala

It’s comedy gold and some of Trumps one liners just completely roast the Democrats
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October 19, 2024 8:55am
- Grunter
  
  I don’t like Trump, but he is a very funny guy. This dinner roasting event is hilarious!
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:40am
Yvette

A Newsroom article says –
Warning of legal battles, damage to relationship over Treaty clauses review
A Cabinet paper cautions of the risks associated with the coalition’s controversial policy to review legislation that includes Te Tiriti o Waitangi provisions

Officials have told the Government its policy to review legislation including Treaty of Waitangi provisions could risk further legal battles, damage Māori-Crown relations, and won’t stop the courts from “reading the Treaty in anyway”.
https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/10/18/officials-warn-of-legal-battles-damage-to-relationship-over-treaty-clauses-review/?

As I understand it, in this article one aspect of the upcoming ACT / National agreed bill on the Treaty Principles not passing beyond Committee stage, is that it can effect the proposed New Zealand First / National agreed removal of “Treaty and Principles” from 28 identified laws.
So Winston not supporting David Seymour, may fuck up Winston’s own desire to change 28 other laws.

While Maori iwi drive towards an unhistoric unity*, the National Coalition “enemy” divides itself somewhat the opposite of what may be proclaimed by not only just plain common sense, but also the advice of Sun Tzu, ancient but often quoted Chinese military general, strategist, philosopher, and writer of the Eastern Zhou period (771–256 BC), traditionally best known for THE ART OF WAR and its ‘Principles’

_______________________
* another hui in the next few days, this time hosted by Ngai Tahu
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October 19, 2024 9:01am
- Hollyfield
  
  You might enjoy this article/opinion piece: https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350446699/joel-maxwell-heres-how-act-gets-treaty-principles-referendum-regardless-what-pm
  
  The author calls the bill “socially destructive”, so that will give you an idea of the general tone of the article, but around 3/4 of the way through he quotes Graeme Edgeler saying how we can get a referendum even if National doesn’t support it. It’s quoted as being a somewhat likely possibility.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:09am
  - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
    
    Well it’s young Joel from the Spinoff, so slightly to the left of the Greens.
    
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    October 19, 2024 11:47am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  It’s going through till first reading, they started the work on the 28 laws with Māori separatism this week, pretty sure that was a seperate issue than treaty principles, Peter’s reckons there are no principles in the treaty, he will never change his mind.
  
  Another thing about this bullshit of the Māori lense over telling judges taking it easy on people who are part Māori, many on here said it was weakness and bullshit by Luxon, only to find out yesterday that it had absolutely nothing to do with government directives, why some on here continue to act as pathetic as lefties is beyond me, it is no wonder Luxon could not answer Hosking very well this week, he didn’t on what the hell he was talking about. Collin’s in Friday stated clearly this is nothing to do with government policy and made it very clear it would not be acceptable, I not the clown who started it has completely retracted his words and will give judges a newly formed guidelines in early January, just perhaps people on here should wait before pulling the trigger
  
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  October 19, 2024 12:39pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

I’ve been thinking about how airlines refuse to switch tickets from one passenger to another. In this day & age for computers and consumer rights, that should be unconscionable and illegal.

Sure, you wouldn’t want people to be able to do it on the day (especially for international flights); 9/11 is why.

But, with reasonable notice, why not?
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October 19, 2024 9:01am
- pdm
  
  Bollocks – no problem with this at Air NZ for us recently.
  
  A couple of weeks ago mrspdm flew Napier to Auckland on a ticket booked for our adult grandson just before Covid that he had an outstanding credit for.
  
  Cost to us was the price difference in fares.
  and no drama after the 30/45 minutes or so it took to get to talk to a human being at Air NZ.
  
  Our calls were disconnected 3 times at the AirNZ end – their telephone system is third world at best.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:09am
  - Drone
    
    Either the Covid credit was treated differently or you got lucky with someone who didn’t know the rules. Air New Zealand terms and conditions are that no transfers are allowed, even with the most expensive fully flexible ticket (they will, for a fee, make corrections to names).
    
    I’ve tried to have names changed a couple of times and been refused due to their policy. Also, sports teams that I’ve been involved with have had substitutes use the original player’s ticket hoping that it won’t be picked up because they are unable to have the names changed.
    
    Prices go up closer to departure, so if it was easy to change names, a scalper could buy a lots of cheap seats, wait 6 months, and find buyers on Facebook or Trademe to buy them for a lot more than the original price but a lot less than the current Air NZ price.
    
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    October 19, 2024 12:52pm
Bridgenag

Kamala Harris, Crayon Candidate

“The Baier interview was indeed hostile, and even laden with some clever traps; the idea was clearly to give Harris the same kind of treatment that Trump usually receives. At the same time, Baier’s questions all addressed eminently predictable topics. None of them would’ve been remotely hard for a Hillary Clinton or a Barack Obama to deal with. Harris, however, just can’t say anything that hasn’t been approved by her campaign. The words literally won’t leave her mouth, which leaves her completely defenceless in the face of spontaneous challenges. It’s a quietly bizarre spectacle.”

https://www.eugyppius.com/p/kamala-harris-crayon-candidate?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
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October 19, 2024 9:04am
- Gravelroad
  
  I watched that interview.
  Ms Harris has the classic passive/aggressive personality.
  If she is elected it will be interesting to see how that works out when communicating with other world leaders.
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:19am
  - artemisia
    
    I was picking a Trump win, mainly for entertainment value. Not so sure now as Harris looking like overtaking him in the entertainment stakes.
    
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    October 19, 2024 9:30am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Trump is now leading clearly in national poll and is nudging ahead or equal in all but one of the 8 states that can go either way, the other state he is 2% behind
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:41pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Barrack Obama will do the communicating if she should win.
    Obama wants his 4th term.
    
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    October 19, 2024 9:37am
  - Paulus
    
    Putin is laughing all the way at the thought of Harris as USA President.
    He will help this happen, as he has done already.
    
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    October 19, 2024 2:02pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Kamala Harris is a slow moving train wreck. Bret Baier gave her the treatment – refused to allow her diverting word soup waffle.
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:35am
  - G152
    
    And think of those US citizens she destroyed when she was a prosecutor
    
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    October 19, 2024 11:22am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      They have looked for just one incident of her being a prosecutor and they can not find any evidence
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:43pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Hardly the treatment, he asked simply questions about here and her past, she had no idea and actor quite angry, a trait that suggest she knows she is losing
    
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    October 19, 2024 12:43pm
- gravedodger
  
  Yet unsurprisingly on Hosking the resident CNN prepped US correspondent had a view totally at odds with almost all I have read by way of reviews.
  Richard (Benedict) Arnold was in fantasy flight all the way through.
  He does nothing to warrant the alleged level of support “The Mike Hosking Breakfast ” is calculated to have .
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:38am
  - H. Upmann
    
    Having Richard Arnold on is a stain on Hosking’s program.
    If it started raining on his family picnic it would be Trump’s fault. He takes derangement to a new level.
    
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    October 19, 2024 11:28am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Yes but let’s not forget Hosking has TDS bad as well
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:45pm
- Ra Henare
  
  I watched an analysis of Kamalas strategy going into the interview. ie Dont answer any questions, attack Trump at every opportunity. Remember, Fox News is 95%? or some such Conservatives, mainly male.
  
  https://youtu.be/XrqVDF6_Zbg
  
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  October 19, 2024 3:22pm
Bridgenag

Friday Funnies: Mandatory Joy
and other campaign promises

https://open.substack.com/pub/rwmalonemd/p/friday-funnies-mandatory-joy?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
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October 19, 2024 9:06am
tknorriss

Something that really annoys me as a taxpayer is the amount of money that is tipped down the toilet when there is a change of government.

What tends to happen is that the new government trashes policies of the previous one, resulting likely multiple billions of taxpayer money having being tipped down the toilet over time.

That is one reason I will vote for a four year term. Having four years rather than three will result in less wastage simply because policies will last longer before they are trashed.

Also, I think there should be more cross party consultation and support as much as possible on significant policies. Although I am strongly right wing, I would probably accept some left leaning input into policies if it means less waste.

Imagine what we could do with those funds if they weren’t tipped down the toilet at every change of a government.
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October 19, 2024 9:21am
- artemisia
  
  Ideology trumps taxpayer funding.
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:32am
- gravedodger
  
  That will give you an additional 12 months to regret your decision tkn, nothing more to ensure stable government.
  The House in The US is all up for review by voters on a fixed date every two years.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:40am
- PurplePen
  
  “Also, I think there should be more cross party consultation and support as much as possible on significant policies.”.
  
  I remember reading one of the Scandinavian countries does this. There’s cross-party agreement on policy such as superannuation, housing, immigration etc that can’t just be changed by govt. Can’t remember which country it is. Seems like a good idea.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:45am
  - Eastlander
    
    Labour, greens and the Maori party can never play a productive role in government. In the old country political tendencies considered irreconcilable with the good of the nation are outlawed entirely, and now that the gentlemanly Anglo-Celtic culture New Zealand was founded on is rotting and blowing away before our eyes, we will end up going in this direction – one way or another.
    
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    October 19, 2024 4:22pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I agree with a four year term. 3 years is just not long enough to correct the socialist freeloaders.
  But, when the socialists get back in they will have 4 years to fuck things up again. They will get back in. The little Marxists are at primary school now.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:50am
surfing

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350452361/huntly-just-holding-waikato-expressway-skirts-town

Pre-expressway, the worst thing about driving between Auckland and the Tron was Huntly!

Huntly locals need to wake up and move out. At best, it could be a minor service town for local farmers. I’d think Matamata could suffer a similar fate in future.
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October 19, 2024 9:26am
- AitchW
  
  Ngaruawahia was worse. Roll your windows up and lock the doors!
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:32am
- Matt Long
  
  Hikurangi pretty much died from the onslaught of Lange’s Labour and the SH1 bypass. It’s hardly thriving now, but is operating sustainably as a commuter satellite to Whangarei.
  Huntly has the same possibilities, unless they can convince someone like Sleepyhead to build close by.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:04am
  - AitchW
    
    Hikurangi was a dairy factory town in the 70s. If I remember correctly there was also a fish processing plant there and a sawmill not too far away. It was originally a mining town.
    I haven’t been through there in probably 30 years, I imagine that will have become gentrified by Whangarei refugees looking for cheaper housing.
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:39am
    - John Loveridge
      
      It would take a LOT of gentrifying to make Hikurangi an attractive town to live. I last passed through the main street in 2020 when a crash closed the bypass, and it was still a dump. It didn’t look as if a new house or building had been constructed since at least the 70s.
      
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      October 19, 2024 12:46pm
Bridgenag

Elon Musk Drops Unforgettable Take on Who’s Running the Shadow Government
Here’s what he said at today’s town hall.

https://open.substack.com/pub/vigilantfox/p/elon-musk-drops-unforgettable-take?r=4av704&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
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October 19, 2024 9:28am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Saying all the right things for Trump’s campaign.
  
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  October 19, 2024 11:16am
  - imalwaysright
    
    One interviewer asked Trump if Elon is his favourite African American !!!
    
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    October 19, 2024 2:10pm
MCōs

Andrew Bayley was interviewed on Checkpoint last evening by Lisa Owen who put him through the meat grinder
He denied he’d been drinking, he disputed the language he was allegedly to have used in the encounter. However he obviously intimidated the complainant whether he realized or not.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018960405/minister-andrew-bayly-apologises-for-telling-person-to-f-off
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October 19, 2024 9:41am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I don’t know Bayly, but he strikes me as someone who lacks the common touch.
  
  I’ve seen folks like him before who think they’re being funny or interesting, but are creeping people out.
  
  Maybe he encountered a hypersensitive soul; maybe Bayly was really offensive.
  
  Time will tell if he’s learnt to be a bit more respectful to working folk.
  
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  October 19, 2024 9:58am
  - Matt Long
    
    Plunket says it was a set up.
    Sounds like it too, however Bayly didn’t cover himself in glory.
    https://x.com/SeanPlunket/status/1847358459567841727
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:14am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Plunket says it was a set up.
      
      That’s pretty much my opinion now… especially after listening to the Lisa Owen interview and watching the TV coverage last night.
      
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      October 19, 2024 10:42am
  - PurplePen
    
    Where were his minders in all of this.
    
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    October 19, 2024 10:46am
Inandout

An interesting interview with Trump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dmwG54QsKc
Two businessmen, no touchy feely, just reality.
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October 19, 2024 9:42am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Good stuff. I skipped through it.
  He will end Russia/Ukraine while he is President Elect. I believe that.
  A long time ago he said you don’t have to like someone to respect them, and with that respect you gain respect back. I see that with Putin and Zelenski. Also Xi.
  
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  October 19, 2024 11:19am
Swifty

Renters United and Tamatha Paul demonstrate for the umpteenth time that they are not on the side of New Zealand’s renters:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/350454120/renters-continue-suffer-despite-inflation-dropping

Renters United and Tamatha Paul would make our housing difficulties much, much worse, given half a chance.

They must not be allowed to.
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October 19, 2024 9:51am
- mandk
  
  Marxists don’t want to make things better for people. Comfortable people don’t rise up.
  
  Far better to wreck things in the hope of stirring the masses to revolution.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:53am
- rouppe
  
  They probably think that inflation dropping is the same as prices dropping, as opposed to prices not rising as fast.
  
  9 0
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  October 19, 2024 11:15am
  - PeeJay
    
    I have been genuinely shocked at how often I have had to explain this very concept over the last few weeks. This has included explaining this to otherwise intelligent clients and colleagues. It’s been pretty shocking how economically illiterate a lot of people actually are.
    
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    October 19, 2024 12:54pm
- artemisia
  
  Renters United don’t want it to be easier to evict tenants if no-cause terminations are back.
  
  Maybe they don’t realise that good tenants rarely get booted out. Or don’t care as it doesn’t fit their narrative. Or that over 90% of the annual tens of thousands of applications to the Tenancy Tribunal made by landlords include rent arrears following a complex and prescriptive process that often increases rent arrears.
  
  Or that most landlords are seriously risk averse when selecting tenants. Common for rent arrears to be well into the thousands not even including damage.
  
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  October 19, 2024 11:45am
  - Paulus
    
    Why do we now have a shortage of Rental places ?
    Who economically stuffed the owners of rental properties ?
    Ardern and Robertson both property owners, also.
    
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    October 19, 2024 2:07pm
    - artemisia
      
      Is there a shortage of rental properties? Trademe produces rental reports based on their (large) listing base. The below dated 28 August. Note the word ‘skyrocketing’.
      
      However, due to current rules, many landlords prefer vacant to risky.
      https://www.trademe.co.nz/c/property/news/rental-listings-skyrocket-as-prices-fall-again
      
      1 0
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      October 19, 2024 3:53pm
rouppe

East Security Ltd and its sole director and shareholder Lydia Edwards appeared for sentencing in Gisborne District Court on Friday for offending against the Immigration Act.

What, no iwi affiliation?
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October 19, 2024 9:54am
Scooter

I think Dame Jacinda will regret taking up her damehood, if she actually has that emotion or self awareness. She has not only inflamed kiwis at home but there is a lot of bad press out there. She chose to leave NZ to take up some role at Harvard, she has now been away for well over a year and says she has not been able to get back to NZ for her award. Of course she could have but then being anointed by Prince William at Windsor in front of more media than anything she would have got in NZ is just too good an opportunity to pass up. If she really gave two hoots about NZ or what the award meant or her service to NZ then she should be here to receive it. If she is afraid to do that then give it back for a more deserving person.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/10/17/jacinda-ardern-deserves-scorn-not-a-damehood/

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-strange-timing-of-jacinda-arderns-damehood/
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October 19, 2024 9:57am
- mandk
  
  I have no doubt that, in her own estimation, Ardern is too important to come back to NZ to receive her honour from a mere appointee.
  
  Receiving the honour from the Crown Prince is waaaay better, even though she is a republican.
  
  She is odious.
  
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  October 19, 2024 10:50am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Imagine poor Cindy Kiro, sitting on her throne all day in her new frock, listening for that heavy crunch on the gravel drive that echoes a little too slowly to be the courier with her Temu package.
    She will still be there. Denial is a strong emotion.
    It was the day she was living for…
    Snatched away with such practiced ease.
    Cindy is one of us now.
    
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    October 19, 2024 2:23pm
- cas
  
  What was also strange about getting the honour conferred at Windsor Castle was that most recipients post photos of themselves with their family. Nothing like that from the Dame.
  
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  October 19, 2024 11:30am
- Ghost
  
  Good on her for taking up offers overseas. Is there any reason why you think she shouldn’t? Make sense that William did it for her, as she works for him
  
  She gone, enjoy that she has gone. Stop giving her free rent in your head.
  
  3 6
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  October 19, 2024 11:36am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    I doubt that she will be gone forever. The next ethno communist government might appoint her as the last Governor General. Or the first president of the Socialist Republic of Aotearoa.
    
    10 1
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    October 19, 2024 12:41pm
    - Ghost
      
      Na, they won’t. But I guess people will live in fear of the bogeyardern living under their bed waiting to come back and attack.
      
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      October 19, 2024 2:54pm
Tasman devil

Gays for Trump.

Americans are overall too worldly to elect a coloured Jacinda.
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October 19, 2024 10:05am
Sparrow

I apologise if this subject has been raised before. Have just spoilt my breakfast. Just got around to reading the spring edition of the AA magazine. What greets me on the first inside page is an advert for AA travel insurance with the smiling face of the most incompetent, divisive PM this country has ever suffered from. Dont the AA marketing people know how toxic this woman is ?
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October 19, 2024 10:20am
- Ghost
  
  That’s not Arden.
  
  3 0
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  October 19, 2024 11:10am
- greybeard
  
  You need stronger spectacles !
  
  3 0
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  October 19, 2024 11:14am
  - All_on_Red
    
    Fortunately with AA you get a free Specsavers exam every two years
    https://www.aa.co.nz/membership/benefits/specsavers/
    
    4 1
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    October 19, 2024 11:30am
  - Sparrow
    
    Tks I need to get my money back on new specs. Take your advice and go to Spec Savers. Could have sworn that was Cindy. Ah well another senior moment.!!!
    
    3 0
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    October 19, 2024 1:21pm
- MCōs
  
  There are two people in that ad and neither resemble Rob Muldoon!
  https://www.aa.co.nz/assets/Directions/Spring-2024/AADirections-Spring2024.pdf?m=1725331258
  Here’s his photo with Russell Crowe as a comparison
  https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/28177/with-the-rocky-horror-show-cast
  
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  October 19, 2024 11:33am
imalwaysright

This looks bad. US Department of Defense issued a directive allowing US military to assist law enforcement and to use deadly force.
Anyone would think they are expecting trouble!

https://www.technocracy.news/the-militarys-huge-power-grab-to-nullify-posse-comatitus-paving-the-way-to-kill-americans-on-american-soil/
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October 19, 2024 10:23am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  There will be trouble. From the rabid left of course. Protests, rioting, looting, fires.
  It has all happened before. All they know is violence.
  
  6 4
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  October 19, 2024 11:33am
Pope Punctilious II

I’ve only just come across this good news story. The so-called “Disinformation Project” is closing its doors: https://www.thedisinfoproject.org/

A win for free speech and democracy. Their website shows an astonishing level of delusion and paranoia:

“At the same time as disinformation grows, social platforms like X (formally Twitter) and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) are part of a larger trend of companies preventing independent researchers from accessing the open-source data they need to study disinformation growth on their platforms.”

I’d love to how companies are preventing Hannah and Hattotuwa from accessing open source data. Actually, there is probably more data now publicly available than at any other time in history, thanks to an increasing number of research journals requiring authors to make their data publicly available on sites like figshare. But perhaps more importantly, Hannah and Hattotuwa were never “independent researchers”. They were shills for the Ardern government’s culture war offensive. A researcher is a truth-seeker who asks questions and is open-minded about potential answers. Do Hannah and Hattotuwa really imagine that’s what they were/are?
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October 19, 2024 10:35am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

NZCPR. Dr Muriel Newman.
Guest post Bryan Leyland.
The Electricity Saga.

https://www.nzcpr.com/the-electricity-saga/

The gas ban will be removed but results not seen for several years.
Thanks commie Ardern.
Time to forget this net zero bullshit, and the climate change bullshit. Tell the brain dead Greens to go to hell. Then NZ can get on with our lives.
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October 19, 2024 11:49am
- CJames
  
  Bryan made several mistakes in his article and he left out other info which didn’t match the storyline, like when NZ had power shortfall in early 90s, it was under the single market he advocates. There were also a number of major outages from plant breaking down – not lack of maintenance or driving it too hard – that caught the industry unawares. NZ isn’t building new stations which can generate when the power is needed because the power they produce can’t cover the costs of building them. The RMA is a major contributor to that expense.
  Like the rest of the western world, the problem is the political policies are doomed to failure. Until people protest about the cost of the virtue signalling, it will continue.
  
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  October 19, 2024 12:29pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  It is not the Greens that are the problem. It is National.
  
  6 3
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  October 19, 2024 12:43pm
  - CJames
    
    I partially agree with you there BY. One knows their policies will never change but as long as they stay out of government, their beliefs are of no consequence, just background noise. It is the two main parties, both National and Labour, which matter.
    Unlike you Benedict, I think it is mainly Labour at fault here. NZ could solve all its energy problems for the medium turn by getting back gas exploration and field development (they go hand in hand and need a 30 year certainty horizon). That development can’t go ahead without a mainstream consensus. However. Labour threatening to reinstate the ban means there will be little if any new gas drilling so it will be more Indonesian coal, possible blackouts and expensive power. The Greens can be smug in the dark as the failure won’t be theirs.
    
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    October 19, 2024 1:03pm
- PeeJay
  
  Whether the oil and gas ban is overturned or not is immaterial.
  
  What Ardern did with her captains call was, quite simply, to destroy the industry by removing the one thing NZ could offer – political stability.
  
  Labour have been clear – they will reinstate any ban when they are next in power. Whether this is 2029, 2032, or 2026 (as I fear is increasingly likely), does not matter – they will be back in power. The fact that the alternative government is clear that they will reinstate any ban, means we have lost any chance of the industry recovering.
  
  The current government may be able to overturn the ban and offer inducements such as massive penalty clauses and the like for contract cancellations, but as Labour are clear that they will overturn any repeal on exploration and ban it again, I suspect the industry is gone.
  
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  October 19, 2024 1:07pm
  - Inandout
    
    PJ, don’t they have a name for that, like wilful destruction? Luxon won’t step out of line like Milei and take drastic action, and that is our unfornunate problem. There must be a way to thwart Labour from banning exploration, even assuming the government is the highest court in the land.
    
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    October 19, 2024 2:53pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Navy Seal warns Biden.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/navy-seal-who-killed-osama-bin-laden-gives-stern-warning-to-joe-biden/ss-AA1suSXT#image=10
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October 19, 2024 12:20pm
Pineapple Lumps

The Disinformation Project has closed its doors. 🎉🥳💪

Jonathan Ayling from Free Speech Union has emailed with this great news.

“Yes, the Disinformation Project (the organisation that has been platformed as ‘darlings of New Zealanders would-be-censors’, making claims of ‘trans-genocide’ and ‘infodemic’) has the right to make their case. But when taxpayers’ money is being used for such a nonsense mission, it’s only a matter of time before the people see past the facade.”

Ding dong the witch is gone and the phonies she put into her demonic work are falling over, how wonderful!
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October 19, 2024 12:21pm
rouppe

What an absolutely disgusting human being.

The list of abuses this woman inflicted is too long to repeat here.

Any jail sentence is too lenient.
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October 19, 2024 2:34pm
- Inandout
  
  rou, she has a look about her that reads ‘dislike for males’.
  
  2 1
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  October 19, 2024 2:56pm
  - rouppe
    
    I would say a combination of:
    1. Being a feral, base, savage, pure and simple.
    2. Self esteem so low that the only way they feel better about themselves is if they can dominate, humiliate, and absolutely control someone else.
    
    There are examples every now and then. I reckon most examples of child abuse has elements of this.
    
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    October 19, 2024 4:24pm
- Gravelroad
  
  I don’t reckon much will happen to this strange person because of the usual reasons.
  If it had been the dog that had been beaten, burned and had bleach thrown over it- that would be an entirely different story.
  It would be headline news and the abuser would be facing a huge fine and possible prison time – and animal rights activists would be marching in the streets.
  
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  October 19, 2024 4:28pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Your fishing rights are being eroded. It may seem small but like cancer it could/will spread.
“The call to give the Hauraki Gulf a chance to recover is not anti-fishing.”
Bullshit. I can go out on the Waitemata Harbout and not the Hauraki Gulf and come back with snapper, kahawai, gurnard, dory, depending on what I target. Very rare to come home with nothing. There are special fishing spots – look for the X mark on the side of the boat from last time.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/beware-the-snags-in-hauraki-gulf-protections/ar-AA1sw26V?
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October 19, 2024 3:14pm

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