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October 30, 2024 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 30 October 2024

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General Debate

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Steve Otto(North Shore)

10 signs of fascism.

https://babylonbee.com/news/can-you-spot-all-10-signs-of-fascism-in-this-photo-of-trumps-rally?
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October 30, 2024 8:03am
- lastmanstanding
  
  If Kamala loses the election one of the tipping points IMHO will have been calling Trump Hitler. Many Jews are Dem supporters and having Trump compared to Hitler seriously undermines what Hitler did to the Jews in WW2.
  Not surprising the Left media didnt call Kamala out and invoke Godwins Law.
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:15am
  - alloytoo
    
    Trumps middle east peace accords will also be a consideration.
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:52am
- Ra Henare
  
  Apologies to Rudyard Kipling (only slight alterations.
  
  If you can keep your head when all about you
  Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
  If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
  But make allowance for their doubting too;
  If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
  Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
  Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
  And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
  
  If you can meet with triumph and disaster
  And treat those two impostors just the same;
  If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
  Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
  Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
  And stoop and build ’em up with wornout tools;
  
  If you can make one heap of all your winnings
  And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
  And lose, and start again at your beginnings
  And never breathe a word about your loss;
  If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
  To serve your turn long after they are gone,
  And so hold on when there is nothing in you
  Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;
  
  If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
  Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
  If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
  If all men count with you, but none too much;
  If you can fill the unforgiving minute
  With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run—
  Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
  And—which is more—you’ll be a President my son!
  
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  October 30, 2024 2:58pm
Chuck Bird

I see Luxon objects to Israel not allowing UNRWA in Gaza as some of them took part in the 7 Oct atrocities and one kept a hostage in his house.
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October 30, 2024 8:06am
- Matt Long
  
  UNRWA should be declared a terrorist organisation.
  https://x.com/EylonALevy/status/1850653176900243887
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:17am
  - riffer
    
    [Mod – do not make another post like this, or you will take a holiday]
    
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    October 30, 2024 11:49am
- Geri Sjovik
  
  Amongst other Hamas/UNRWA connections.
  
  Luxon is doing everyhting he can to get me to vote ACT next time round.
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:52am
  - Geri Sjovik
    
    UNRWA is still allowed to operate in Gaza.
    
    They are banned from operating in Israel.
    
    “JERUSALEM, Oct 28 (Reuters) – Israel passed a law on Monday banning the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA from operating in the country, legislation that could impact its work in war-torn Gaza.
    The lawmakers who drafted the law cited what they described as the involvement of some UNRWA staffers in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel and staffers having membership in Hamas and other armed groups.
    The legislation has alarmed the United Nations and some of Israel’s Western allies who fear it would further worsen the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where Israel has been fighting Hamas militants for a year. The ban does not refer to operations in the Palestinian territories or elsewhere.”
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:50am
    - In Vino Veritas
      
      Unlucky. I mean, all of the other United Nations countries who are “alarmed” would knowingly let terrorists into their country.
      
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      October 30, 2024 12:37pm
  - Chuck Bird
    
    I assume you are not Jewish. I cannot understand anyone who is Jewish voting for any party other than Act.
    
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    October 30, 2024 1:21pm
- G152
  
  Luxon is not very bright
  
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  October 30, 2024 12:01pm
fightingtemeraire

Anything we can do the Tasmanians can do even better!!!!!

Look at the ferry disaster.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crk40rk54p7o
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October 30, 2024 8:06am
- JackRabbit
  
  Cost of two ships ready for delivery: $954,000,000
  Cost of building future port upgrades: $90,000,000
  
  Not bothering to measure existing berth and ship dimensions to see that it fits: Priceless.
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:55am
- Master Mariner
  
  Dont forget the Scottish,
  
  https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/firefighters-called-calmac-vessel-after-30901810
  
  And this would have been NZ likely scenario as well with “One of Battery” systems.
  
  https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/hybrid-electric-ferry-nicola-sturgeon-31823730
  
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  October 30, 2024 2:24pm
Flossie

There’s a lot in the news lately about school kids and truancy. To me this a big worry. Not only are they missing education (or what passes for education these days) but they’re learning they don’t have to do what they don’t want to.
In the past two days in my circle I know of a kid who’s father has taken him hunting, a family going overseas for a week “cause it’s cheaper now than school holidays”, and a nine year old kid who couldn’t go to school yesterday as he was so tired after a weekend dirt biking.
Hate sounding so old fartish, but it would never have happened in my day!
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October 30, 2024 8:06am
- Terry Dalee
  
  I would also argue that the school curriculum is also not the same as “in your day”.
  
  There’s a argument to be made that the kids been taken out of school hunting or away overseas might actually learn stuff more useful than the current “Maori is wonderful” woke curriculum…
  
  It’s the kids that are chronically away from school that are the problem, not kids that are away for the odd occasion.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:26am
  - PurplePen
    
    I don’t know what people base “kids learn so much from an overseas holiday” on. Based on what empirical evidence. The time playing in the resort pools perhaps, or that you can’t get up and run around on a long haul flight? It’s the parents that want to overseas holiday. The kids benefit is certainly not foremost.
    
    I remember when our family was out for a walk and we went through a small tunnel to a park. Youngest brother asked ‘are we in a different country now?’.
    
    And why do parents insist they can only holiday overseas. They’re basically selfish and don’t have the patience to wait until kids are old enough to go by themselves, and don’t really care about global boiling etc, not to mention kids getting an extra dose of cosmic radiation each time they fly which is worse for younger bodies.
    
    Signed .. grumpy pragmatic man.
    
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    October 30, 2024 1:34pm
- cmm
  
  To be fair, you’re probably going to learn far more on an overseas trip than you would at school.
  
  The kids that don’t want to be there are more likely to be disruptive and there is no effective discipline. I’d rather they left school for those who want to be there.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:26am
  - Flossie
    
    Probably those kids spending a week in Rarotonga will learn heaps.
    
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    October 30, 2024 8:36am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Problem is, the kids who would be disruptive in class are also going to be disruptive to your life when they grow up.
    
    At least, there can be a semblance of discipline at school.
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:11am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Nevermind,
      
      Correct, we will have to live in the same society as these people.
      This December we will see the release of the second tranche of the poor bastards that were indoctrinated under the Adern school based indoctrination regime.
      
      The school leavers this year were between 8yrs and 10 yrs old when the regime was installed.
      Many of them are academically substandard and won’t be able to recover.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:55am
    - cmm
      
      “At least, there can be a semblance of discipline at school.”
      
      No, not really. All they seem to learn is that adults have no power over them.
      
      At least at home they probably get a clip around the ear.
      
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      October 30, 2024 11:34am
- Tom Hunter
  
  Let’s hope the authorities don’t respond as Kamala Harris did when she was Attorney General of California, as shown by this very tough advertisement that’s just hit the airwaves in the US. The video of her comments contrasted with the parents speaking of their subsequent experience is brutal.
  
  As a prosecutor and as law enforcement, I have a huge stick. So I decided I was going to start prosecuting parents for truancy.
  …
  I learned that with the swipe of my pen I could charge someone with the lowest level offense. That person could be arrested, they could lose time from work and their family maybe lose their job, they’d have to come out of their own pocket to help hire a lawyer, they’d lose standing in their Community… weeks later I could dismiss the charges but their life would forever be changed.
  
  As pointed out, just one of many parents caught up in this was a woman who had a handicapped daughter missing school because she was sick and in hospital. That mother was arrested and described losing her home over the legal entanglement.
  
  Harris’s comments in between that woman’s testimony come across as cold and callous, complete with the trademark cackle. And her motivation was not the education of kids but the loss of school funding.
  
  Threat to democracy and civil liberties? You bet.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:27am
  - Geri Sjovik
    
    The sort of thing a fascist would do, yes?
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:54am
  - slightlyrighty
    
    isn’t the ACT party policy to use the police to help enforce truancy laws?
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:54am
    - kowtow
      
      There’s a huge difference between enfocing the law properly and this example of blatant, deliberate abuse of process.
      
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      October 30, 2024 1:40pm
  - judith8409121
    
    and, if your two-tier kier you can put someone in prison for the tiniest of things and enjoy the mess that it does to them and their families. This is also what they did for the jan-6 people – that will serve them ayy – the herd animals will be more careful to ask questions if they get shoved in prison
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:24am
- kowtow
  
  Of the 3 examples the one to be concerned about is the tired dirt biker .
  
  The other 2 are children who’re doing something useful, as a once off or special occasion in the bosom of a loving , caring family and as such hugely positive .
  
  The truants one needs to worry about are the constantly absent , who’re not under parental supervision , are out stealing , taking drugs , in stolen cars etc
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:31am
- RoboRob
  
  Not so worried about overseas holidays, they tend to be once a year events at the most and the kid might lose 5 days. Its more the kids missing one or two days every week.
  
  What interests me is Aero and the ministry now highlighting it as an issue. Where the F were they over the prior 6 years where this got worse and worse.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:41am
  - alphabeatrium
    
    One week of school is still quite significant, a 2.5% absence, add to that illnesses and you’ll be looking at a minimum 5% absence rate for the year. It makes it hard for teachers, because lessons build on top of prior lessons. If your class is sporadically absent, it’s hard to assume prior knowledge when moving on to more advanced topics. It might not make a difference if we have low aspirations, but it does if we actually expect kids to excel and be more intelligent than the previous generation (which surely should be the objective),
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:49am
    - Burtland
      
      family holidays off GOOD – teacher days off BAD – go figure that one
      
      privilege in action
      
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      October 30, 2024 9:58am
      - RoboRob
        
        I didnt say family holidays were GOOD. I said I am less worried about them because they are generally infrequent. As opposed to teacher only days, which were gauranteed 4 days off a year.
        
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        October 30, 2024 11:32am
      - Ghost
        
        No. Teachers only days are 4 over 2 years
        
        Four teacher-only days are available for primary and secondary schools and kura, with 2 days in 2023 and 2 days in 2024.
        
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        October 30, 2024 11:54am
      - RoboRob
        
        @Ghost
        No. As per your link…
        
        ‘With our Sector Advisory Group, we have set 4 teacher-only days in 2023 and 2024 to support teachers and kaiako through significant changes in curriculum and assessment. ‘
        
        Next year it appears to be back to two or maybe three. From my kids schools web site…
        
        Term 1 (Wednesday 29 January – Friday 11 April)
        New Staff Day
        Wednesday 29 January
        
        Staff Only Day
        Thursday 30 January
        
        Staff Only Day
        Friday 31 January
        
        I assume this means kids first day for Term 1, which starts on 29th Jan will actually be 3rd Feb. Not sure how this matches up with the new MOE policy of having teachers only days outside of terms, in school holidays.
        
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        October 30, 2024 1:39pm
      - Ghost
        
        They set 4 in total for 2023 and 2024, 2 for each year, not 4 for each year
        
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        October 30, 2024 1:44pm
      - RoboRob
        
        @Ghost
        
        It is poorly written. I believe the 2 in 2023 and 2024 are 2 above the standard 2 days, thus 4 per year.
        
        As someone who has kids at high school I can 100% confirm they had 4 teacher only days on each of those years.
        
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        October 30, 2024 3:58pm
    - tavita
      
      We have contracts that require us to go overseas from time to time. We try to coincide with school holidays, but we have taken our boy out of school on a couple of occasions. Both times the school has been very good providing us with learning materials for the lessons he will be missing. And I do think it is a good experience for him.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:23am
      - Taieri
        
        I used to regularly take my son on overseas holidays. After the breakup of my marriage he was brought up by his mother.
        It didn’t stop him from getting a double honours BSc degree. And PhD in mathematics.
        
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        October 30, 2024 12:10pm
  - Burtland
    
    Where the F were they?
    – they were engineering the crisis in Union meetings
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:54am
- Nigel Kearney
  
  I took my kids on holiday a week early to avoid travelling in the school holidays, and would again. That’s a choice parents should be entitled to make. Of course there are too many shit parents making all kinds of bad choices. But I don’t accept that blanket restrictions on all of us is the way to deal with that.
  
  In your day there were not third and fourth generations of welfare dependent families. That is where the core of the problem lies.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:45am
  - Flossie
    
    The examples I gave are families I know and are not welfare dependents of any generations. For example overseas holidays are not usually enjoyed by beneficiaries.
    However I do accept that large numbers of school absentees are from that demographic.
    
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    October 30, 2024 8:57am
    - cmm
      
      How many of the cases you mention are really the problem waggers that the article is talking about?
      
      The problem waggers don’t just miss a day here or there. Nor do they miss a weak once or twice.
      
      The problem waggers continuously miss lots of school and. I’ll bet, they do effectively nothing on the days they do attend anyway.
      
      Wagging school for a week every two or three years is not going to have any noticeable change to your schooling.
      
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      October 30, 2024 9:09am
      - Flossie
        
        They are all serial offenders! I doubt there’d be any week where at least one of the children of those families hasn’t missed school.
        
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        October 30, 2024 9:13am
      - John Loveridge
        
        That’s my point about taking kids on a special holiday. It’s not like they’re bunking every second day. A distinction needs to be made between a responsible, considered decision to take a kid out of school for a special reason; and problem truancy.
        
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        October 30, 2024 12:17pm
  - wisteria
    
    How entitled. In your day as in mine we were expected to go to school every day unless really sick. My parents never thought of taking us out of school as education was too important. Your last comment is forgetting that many of us were not in rich households. My husband’s family was a widowed mother with three boys and if it were not for close family and a large vegetable garden they might not have become leaders in their communities.
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:27am
    - John Loveridge
      
      It was a different world back then, wisteria, even when I was at school in the 70s and 80s. Nowadays a week of the garbage that passes for education is barely missed. Besides, it is very rewarding to be able, within my limited means, to provide my children with some of the opportunities that I would have died for when I was growing up. A trip to Australia? Just a pipe dream.
      
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      October 30, 2024 12:23pm
  - MCōs
    
    “That’s a choice parents should be entitled to make.”
    No they shouldn’t be.
    The whole education system turns to custard if parents just send their kids to school when they feel like
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:36am
    - In Vino Veritas
      
      Lol MCos, of course parents should be able to take kids from school (for specific reasons). We took our kids a week or so early to go on holiday. We checked in with Principal before hand. Our kids knew that they had to keep their marks up to go on holiday early. When I was at school, it was common for kids (both boys and girls) to be off school because they were helping their dads with lambing.
      
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      October 30, 2024 9:52am
    - PurplePen
      
      Yep. The state pays to ensure it’s next generation of taxpayers can function effectively in the employment market. All it asks is for parents to uphold their end of the social responsibility contract. Not hard. And holiday local.
      
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      October 30, 2024 1:41pm
- MCōs
  
  So it’s a worry kids are missing what passes for education?
  Something that stuck in my mind from a long time ago with regard to education in NZ
  Why do Chinese students do so well and Irish not so much. Because the Irish kids have to get a job in the holidays and the Chinese kids parents make them study.
  This came back to me yesterday when I saw on X someone in America said you know you’re in an authentic Chinese restaurant if a kid is tucked away in a corner doing their homework
  It doesn’t matter about the ethnicity if they put in the grunt with the parent’s’ encouragement and the teacher’s inspiration.
  If all they hear is the systems no good and the teachers are no good blah blah it’s easy to switch off
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:26am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    I think that there is another factor that improves education outcomes for Chinese children in New Zealand. The vast majority of those children are in households with a mother and father who are married.
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:34am
    - Swifty
      
      The evidence in NZ and internationally is overwhelming – kids in two parent families do better for the rest of their lives.
      
      But here we financially reward parents to separate.
      
      We incentivise it.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:18am
    - Don Beckett
      
      Also, Chinese – and Japanese – are much more personally disciplined, no doubt a feature of the very strong family connections within Asian cultures.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:43am
    - gravedodger
      
      The “married” bit is not so biggly, so long as the parents are committed are committed to have the stable homelife.
      
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      October 30, 2024 1:23pm
      - alphabeatrium
        
        The marriage represents the committment. That’s sort of like saying “a drivers license doesn’t matter, as long as you can drive”. Doubtless it’s possible to drive without a license, but the license represents the fact that you have actually demonstrated that skill.
        
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        October 30, 2024 4:52pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    Could you explain the Irish aspect, I’m not sure of your point, is it maybe a random example of a westerner?
    
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    October 30, 2024 11:07am
    - MCōs
      
      Whoever first came up with the expression probably thought of Irish families of the time as working class
      
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      October 30, 2024 5:55pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  I think that you are right.
  
  The problem with teenage boys is worse with single mothers and no consistent father present. They can become out of control.
  
  I recently met a single mother. (No it is not what you are thinking.) 17 year old son. He has not been at school in three years. The reason? He has problems sleeping and so cannot get up in the morning to go to school. 🫨
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:29am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    So how is that kid ever going to get up in the morning to go to work?
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:46am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      Exactly. He is probably not going to do that. If he gets a job, he will treat his employer like his mother. Telling the employer to “f**k off” when he is asked to do something.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:04am
      - Burtland
        
        … not exactly f’off
        – they complain about being bullied to your boss so you become the problem
        
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        October 30, 2024 10:10am
      - artemisia
        
        Young tradie in the family has stories about coworkers. What you said, BY. And more.
        
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        October 30, 2024 10:21am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        BTW this 17 year old seems to play video games all day. He is constantly angry and speaks like a gangster.
        
        At 17 years old. Chances of successful life. Zero.
        
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        October 30, 2024 10:30am
    - Burtland
      
      hes practicing working for the dole
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:06am
      - G152
        
        There you go using that four letter word work
        
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        October 30, 2024 12:08pm
    - artemisia
      
      Go to work? First catch your hare. That hare would be an employer, any employer.
      
      Not to worry, there is always income from the dole, side hustles legal or not. And babies.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:17am
  - John Loveridge
    
    That’s appalling.
    
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    October 30, 2024 12:24pm
- Stellaboxer
  
  I noticed that at our local college this last Tuesday was a teacher only day very conveniently on the end of a long weekend. Funny thing is all the teachers must have walked to work as the normally full staff car park had three cars in it. When the staff play truant why not the pupils? Education in NZ needs thoroughly reformed and de politicised it needs rebuilt without the input from the teachers union who should be offered take it or leave it contracts. In my humble opinion.
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:30am
  - quarterpack
    
    Please believe me when I say the vast majority of teachers would rather be in front of a class rather than in a teacher only day
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:58am
    - John Loveridge
      
      Give us a reason to believe you.
      
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      October 30, 2024 12:14pm
  - NZL Fusion
    
    Make union membership voluntary, and make the union collect their own fees.
    
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    October 30, 2024 4:11pm
    - alphabeatrium
      
      The PPTA is voluntary, isn’t it?
      
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      October 30, 2024 4:53pm
      - Geri Sjovik
        
        Yeah, like army voluntary.
        
        Remeber Jax gave all memebers of the PPTA a $1,000 gift of your money during her reign.
        
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        October 30, 2024 6:07pm
- Ghost
  
  Well in my day parents did take their kids out of school to go on a holiday. It’s nothing new. The teachers would give you work to take on holiday with you
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:31am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    It depends entirely on the circumstances. Would you take a 17 year old out of school for 4 weeks in her final year of school to go to Italy? No. If it is a one off for an eight year old, it is not going to matter with the right parents who have access to study material on the break.
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:38am
    - Ghost
      
      Tell me the difference between a 17 year old going overseas on a holiday, taking school work. Or a 17 year old going overseas during term to play at an international tournament, with school work and the schools support.
      
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      October 30, 2024 9:54am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        I don’t have time to do that research.
        
        I guess I’m applying a Chinese cultural test. Teenagers in last couple of years at school.. . School, family, violin lessons, study. The achievement stats say I’m right. 😃
        
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        October 30, 2024 10:07am
      - Ghost
        
        Simple question, needs no research.
        
        3 4
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        October 30, 2024 10:11am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        Sorry I can’t answer questions based on feelings.
        
        4 4
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        October 30, 2024 10:23am
      - imalwaysright
        
        I’ll answer that one. Zero difference.
        
        4 0
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        October 30, 2024 11:13am
      - imalwaysright
        
        “Sorry I can’t answer questions based on feelings”
        
        Ghost’s question was about whether there is a difference in outcome between similar people under similar conditions with the implied single variable being a teacher acting in loco parentis.
        
        That’s not emotional.
        
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        October 30, 2024 12:42pm
    - Geri Sjovik
      
      I did just that.
      
      Rome and Pompeii in realtime for her classics.
      
      Verona for her english lit.
      
      A week in France and Paris for her french.
      
      And other locations and nations for her to experience.
      
      I don’t regret for a moment doing it either.
      
      Senior students are not at school currently. They are on study leave.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:05am
      - Burtland
        
        yep and by the time they’re 21 they’ve done everything, been everywhere
        the only thing left is drugs or a BA in marxism
        and you’ll wonder what went wrong
        
        Millie Elder-Holmes comes to mind
        
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        October 30, 2024 10:30am
      - Geri Sjovik
        
        addendum;
        
        she is finishing her BA in software engineering this year.
        
        Has never done drugs and doesn’t smoke at all.
        
        Currently a NZ sports representative.
        
        It’s all about the values you instill that guide them as they grow into adulthood.
        
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        October 30, 2024 11:41am
    - In Vino Veritas
      
      Final year? You might be right Ben, but my wife and I took our kids to Europe for two months at 13 and 11 and then again for same time at 15 and 13. At 16, my oldest got to talk about Pompeii and Herculaneum to her class, as she had pointed out her teacher was mistaken re some of the things he was saying. My youngest at 13 spent one period talking about, showing her own pictures, and answering questions on Paris and London. Oh, they did pretty much no school work while away, and both passed everything with flying colours.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:32am
    - John Loveridge
      
      I would, yes. But in my case the child I’m thinking of would be sure to stay up-to-date with her schoolwork (because that’s the way she is), and she would suck up every second of the trip. It would be a crime to deny her the opportunity.
      
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      October 30, 2024 12:26pm
  - MCōs
    
    When I was at school we lived in Timaru.
    Apart from going to Kawakawa once (of all places) I never went north of Chch or south of Dunedin.
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:02am
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      Yep. From Wellington, the closest I ever got to International travel was Upper Hutt.
      
      Mind you, it was exotic.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:15am
- imalwaysright
  
  I think it was Alwyn Poole who, curious as to why there were Asian students skipping school, discovered that they had formed study groups and were teaching themselves.
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:12am
- JimBobJoe
  
  Taking kids on holiday after the school holidays was not common but definitely happened when I was at school. But that was more a thing for kids with parents with white collar jobs. Not a factory worker thing…
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:15am
- John Loveridge
  
  At various times I’ve taken my kids overseas during term time. The timing was nothing to do with it being cheaper than during the holidays, but determined by the basic reason for going in the first place (family reunions, special cultural events, etc). Never once did I consider that my children’s education was being damaged by this, but rather it was considerably enhanced. They’ve returned with a totally new perspective. Take my youngest daughter, for example. Late last year she (then aged 13) and I traveled to Melbourne for a concert we both really wanted to see (the date of the trip being determined by that). As well as the concert, we spent three days there staying with friends who foster drug dog puppies, and she was taken to see the whole operation. We then caught the train to Sydney, an adventure all by itself for a 13-year-old, and stayed with my brother for several days, during which she had her first thoroughly good look around Sydney, attended a show at the Opera House, went camping in the Aussie bush, and learnt how to ride a quad bike.
  
  Tell me how she suffered from missing a week at school for all of that.
  
  Given that the school generally accomplishes fuck all during any given week and, for example, the gay abandon with which teachers seize the opportunity for a teachers only day, I find it laughable that they consider a child’s absence overseas for a week a danger to his or her future.
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:26am
  - PurplePen
    
    Well there’s a turn of phrase I haven’t heard for a long time ” with gay abandon”. I miss it’s common use.
    
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    October 30, 2024 1:46pm
- Ra Henare
  
  If you think that 2 weeks not being at school is detrimental to a childs learning. Then I suggest you talk to nomad, homeschool parents and kids.
  
  Having travelled with my offspring a number of times 3-7 year old, 12-15 yo.
  
  The things they learn is tolerance(of other cultures) and understanding (how lucky they are to NOT live in poverty).
  
  Neither of which is experienced in school learning.
  
  The biggest lessons they learn IMHO is self awareness and tolerance.
  
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  October 30, 2024 4:20pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Referees keep getting interrupted.

https://babylonbee.com/news/referees-annoyed-as-football-game-keeps-interrupting-their-penalty-calls?
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October 30, 2024 8:07am
Matt Long

Tradesmen to self certify work with appropriate indemnity insurance? Ok, but what happens when they’ve trousered the money, liquidated the business and left for Monaco? Premiums paid to a permanent indemnity fund perhaps?
Also Labour is backing the idea, which is a huge red flag.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/532254/labour-cautiously-supports-tradies-signing-off-their-own-work
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October 30, 2024 8:10am
- In Vino Veritas
  
  Hmmm. Firstly, I doubt very much a tradie would make enough from any project to actually live in Monaco. Secondly “what happens?”. Extradition might be a start.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:23am
  - Matt Long
    
    I doubt the rules will apply to small operators, who will find the big developers get another government boost through becoming self certified.
    Rather like the sole operator insulation people who were locked out of government “free” insulation arrangements because government likes to work with a few large operators.
    
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    October 30, 2024 12:53pm
- artemisia
  
  Sounds like it will focus on big established operators at least initially. Apart from speeding up build delivery, assigned resources to the current process will reduce sharply. A few could be reassigned to checking quality delivered by the fast tracked operators.
  
  ‘Resources’ – not just people but much more cost should be removed from build delivery.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:31am
  - Matt Long
    
    There’s certainly potential upsides.
    
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    October 30, 2024 8:44am
  - imalwaysright
    
    I’ve worked for the large house building companies and also for sole builders.
    Generally the large companies were the worst. Their project managers were generally out of their depth and spread thin. GJ Gardener were good.
    The sole builders were consistently better, probably due to the short chain of responsibility
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:21am
- RoboRob
  
  I assume the indemnity insurance would be designed to cover work after the builder collapses. In the same way mines have to put asside money for land remediation.
  
  Lets face it even the largest builders go bust eventually. Small builders more often and they dont have to flee to Monaco they simply go bust and 6mths later a new building company appears with a new name and the wife, parents or siblings as the owner.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:46am
  - imalwaysright
    
    I wonder how much the indemnity insurance will cost?
    
    How will the insurance companies assess the risks?
    
    Will the policy be specific to the property, and if so, who pays the premiums?
    
    Would it not be easier for the homeowner to take out the policy and choose an approved builder?
    
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    October 30, 2024 11:20am
    - Matt Long
      
      And hire their own inspector.
      
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      October 30, 2024 12:54pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Correct
        
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        October 30, 2024 1:08pm
- Nigel Kearney
  
  Every other trade and profession gets to do their job without someone from the government needing to check their work. Not just electricians and plumbers, also doctors, lawyers, mechanics etc. Even brain surgery doesn’t have inspectors. Builders should not be treated as uniquely incapable and untrustworthy, just because of the possibility that some might make mistakes or be dishonest.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:48am
  - PeeJay
    
    Some?
    
    I do a lot of consulting work fixing all the cock ups in leaky apartment and townhouse projects. There is also a fair few that are on their second time around as despite repairing damage that was visible, some other things that couldn’t be found have now started to fail. Sometimes these are older properties, but we’ve had some that are less than ten years old – and some very high-profile projects as well – awards and all.
    
    One of my current projects includes work done by electricians and plumbers as well as every other trade and this is not an old building from the dark days of the 1990’s to 2004.
    
    Make no mistake, there are leaky / compromised buildings being constructed right now that will need to be fixed in the next ten years.
    
    It’s not an enjoyable space to work in – the poor bloody owners pay a fortune the first time round and then again just to fix what should have been done right. The settlements rarely get close to covering the costs, some are frequently forced into bankruptcy. Yet the industry doesn’t care – the same crap architects, engineers and builders that cocked it up first time round, are often the ones working on the solution for the repair (I wish I was joking).
    
    The industry might like the idea of self-certification, but the owners will pay for the cockups as they do now.
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:03am
    - jv
      
      The examples you give have presumably occurred under the existing regime. Don’t they just demonstrate that it is not fit for purpose, it is already being abused by the Councils and it is a huge ineffective imposition across the whole economy. And it is great income source for consultants once again at the bottom of the cliff.
      
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      October 30, 2024 9:28am
      - PeeJay
        
        Reasonable point – and I would agree that the current system is certainly not working.
        
        However, I take issue with a poorly thought through self-certification system. The 1990’s had a huge volume of problem projects and the independent certifiers were certainly a major factor in some of those (certainly not all of the problem though). And Electricians are to some extent self-certifying and I see many projects where the electrical work is so poor it needs a complete do-over.
        
        Any system that inherently ‘trusts’ the same players who can literally build one leaky project one day and turn up to repair the neighbouring property the next, is going to be no better than what we have. Leopards don’t change their spots.
        
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        October 30, 2024 10:19am
      - PurplePen
        
        Peejay reply says the policy is poorly thought through. It’s a straw man what is next to go through what I imagine will be extensive consultation with all stakeholder groups, builders included. Its also a practice that’s not uncommon elsewhere on the planet. A major issue with the current inspection regime is it stifles any innovation as local authorities are highly risk averse and not at all open to new construction methods but nor products. Plus BRANZ is dominated by current main product suppliers keeping anyone else out of the market.
        
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        October 30, 2024 1:53pm
    - MCōs
      
      I remember when I was working for a some consulting engineers in Wellington and a graduate engineer went to a site to inspect some reo.
      There wasn’t enough cover i.e. the gap between the reo and boxing was only about 25mm when it should have been 75mm.
      When it was pointed out the builder was seething and tried to intimidate him. The young engineer held his ground, but it makes you wonder what happens when his back is turned.
      I’ve heard of drainlayers who make changes after inspecters have left the site.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:23am
    - gravedodger
      
      How large are those problems PeeJay, are they
      design and architecture faults, a NZ House with minimal or zero eaves will likely allow water to enter the structure, yet they still build them with Building inspector sign off
      
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      October 30, 2024 1:37pm
    - NothingLeft
      
      Do away with all regulation and institute an insurance system covering build defects that owners can buy if they choose. Would drop build costs massively, repairing the small fraction of homes that have issues is far cheaper than the ‘nothing must fail anywhere ever’ regulatory system that forces ridiculous over-specing of everything, with huge cost increase on all houses.
      
      And all buildings should require everyone on worksite to wear body cams at all times to record build. A few 1000 hours of video, stored in a council repository for 20 years to assist with tracking down faults and determining culpability if anything shows up later (AI’s will be able to search it quickly).
      
      Builders and companies with poor track records would see their reputations downgraded and have higher insurance costs on their builds. Exotic buildings (various silly architectural fancies) would be punished with higher costs too.
      
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      October 30, 2024 2:17pm
  - RoboRob
    
    Interesting point, never considered it from that perspective. I guess it comes down to our ability to sue for damages and the potential loss involved.
    
    ACC covers screw ups by Doctors and brain surgeons. However mechanics and lawyers have only there good name to lose for poor workmanship. Generally the cost to consumer for failures of Mechanics or Lawyers might be in the hunderds to low thousands of dollars. The cost of a failed build could often be in the tens to hunderds of thousands of dollars.
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:03am
  - Stellaboxer
    
    A brain surgeon isn’t under the same pressure to cut corners. Try taking as long as you feel the need to plaster a house perfectly and see how often the phone rings with job offers afterwards.
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:34am
    - kevn
      
      Stella… A rellie is buying a new mono clad home. The inside is flash. It just looks to be a problem on the outside.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:25am
    - PeeJay
      
      100% agree.
      
      I know some brilliant contractors and subcontractors who regularly lose out on tenders due to price but do keep going with regular clients that are long term owners (rather than develop and flick) and prefer paying a bit extra not to have to go through the trouble of repairing things a few years down the line.
      
      Same with consultants. There are some really good architects, engineers, QS, PM’s out there but they do struggle against those that are all too willing to cut corners, or worse, prefer to have cosy relationships with the contractors for an easy life rather than insisting on contractors doing that which they bid on.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:29am
- rouppe
  
  Leaky homes has shown us that there has to be a mechanism to go claim for poor quality for no less than 15 years.
  
  It has to be robust so that it can’t be bypassed with LLC’s being liquidated.
  
  I can’t think of a way to do that other than a percentage being loaded onto the price as a form of premium. There is no way it’s going to be loaded onto individual builders as there would be too many ways to dodge liability, including personal bankruptcy.
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:04am
  - PurplePen
    
    And didn’t the leaky homes fiasco happen under the build-inspection method that’s basically unchanged?
    
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    October 30, 2024 1:56pm
- Ra Henare
  
  and what happens to developers who trouser the money and go to Monaco now????
  
  A strawhorse in my opinion Matt
  
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  October 30, 2024 4:22pm
artemisia

State of Pacific Peoples report

NewstalkZB 6 am news bulletin called this report a mixed bag, and included a brief interview with the Salvation Army social policy analyst Ana Ika. The RNZ report mentioned a doubling of the Pacific community in work, good, but did not mention as Ms Ika said “they predominantly work lower skilled jobs”.

Maybe this from the RNZ item has a bearing – School attendance has declined by nearly 50 percent – by 2023, only 32 percent of Pacific students were at school more than 90 percent of term two, compared with nearly 50 percent of the general population.

Where are the parents? Don’t they care about their kids?

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/532256/state-of-pacific-peoples-report-more-in-work-fewer-young-offenders
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October 30, 2024 8:18am
- Anthony Melchett
  
  It’s all because they need similar funding to maoris, then their outcomes will be better…
  
  Oh no wait, they achieve better than maoris without the help.
  
  Still a lazy culture though. All these problems disappear if parents get their kids to school every day
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:24am
- AitchW
  
  The Hosk spoke to a woman this morning, and to my eternal shame I cant remember where she was from.
  She agreed that the absenteeism rate is unacceptable, and repeated the same tired old reasons for kids not attending school: family moves around a lot, bullying, problems at home.
  She also cited anxiety as a reason for skipping school. My god, if parents are letting kids stay home because they’re a bit anxious, I’d hate to employ them when they’re ready to get a job.
  I’d love to know the cause of this anxiety, I wonder if they’re scared that global boiling is going to cook everyone.
  Oh, and of course the schools need more money.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:26am
  - MCōs
    
    My son missed a whole week of school due to anxiety due to bullying
    I didn’t even know until he told me about twenty years later.
    We knew things weren’t going well so move him elsewhere and he was fine.
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:40am
    - PurplePen
      
      My older brother used to skip school because he WAS the bully. Go figure.
      
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      October 30, 2024 1:58pm
  - John Loveridge
    
    They’ll never be ready to get a job. That’s the sad truth.
    
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    October 30, 2024 12:27pm
- cmm
  
  Is it really correct to compare Pacific people in NZ to other people in NZ?
  
  I would think it is better to compare Pacific people in NZ to Pacific people in their home islands. Pacific people come to NZ because it offers far better opportunities that where they came from.
  
  There is nothing physically holding back Pacific Islanders. They have the same opportunities in front of them. However they do have different cultures, different attitudes etc etc.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:44am
  - artemisia
    
    Pacific community School attendance has declined by nearly 50 percent
    
    What attitudes and culture changed? Maybe some did change – but why? And again – don’t these parents care about their kids?
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:08am
  - PurplePen
    
    Bit like others then go on to Oz. But also, doesn’t every race or ethnicity have different cultures, different attitudes, etc?
    
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    October 30, 2024 2:00pm
- Close Hen Counters
  
  I would hate to think that maybe some of these poor kids are having to work to help mum and dad make ends meet rather than go to school full time
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:28am
  - Fender
    
    most of them will be girls, they get the job raising of the young ones at home while mum and dad work and sleep, the boys are usually lucky enough to go to school unless things are so dire that they have to work as well to keep the family afloat. plus there’s the uniform and associated costs, schools cost alot more in incidental costs than they did back when most of us went, students need laptops ipads, uniforms, sports gear, trip money, course money for art, woodwork etc then to probably end up doing the same work as their dad or uncle anyway.A Pacifica family has usually more children so that’s even more pressure on the family budget .
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:30am
    - Hugh Jarse
      
      And add in the tithing to the church which is probably a nice little sum each Sunday. The PI ministers like their nice cars and trips back home.
      
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      October 30, 2024 11:11am
Matt Long

Young Labour fuming that the wrong type of anti Semite, a conservative, might cross the demarcation lines on their patch.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/532271/government-urged-to-deny-controversial-us-commentator-candace-owens-entry-into-nz
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October 30, 2024 8:21am
- alloytoo
  
  Young Labour are of course just being rascist.
  
  Candice is a black women and therefore outranks them.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:50am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Candace is a Trump supporter.
  Orange man bad.
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:53am
- NothingLeft
  
  That is such bullshit. Unless someone is openly promoting violence (As for example some Jihadi-supporting Muslims do) they should be allowed in no matter what beliefs they espouse. It is part of having a society that embraces free speech.
  
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  October 30, 2024 2:22pm
- Ra Henare
  
  Lets not go down the denial of freespeech route.
  
  Thought we learnt a lesson with the Canadians wanting to give their opinion, which was blocked by some “”safety”” BS.
  
  If there are threats, then deal with the threats, do not stifle free speech in an organised setting.
  
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  October 30, 2024 4:27pm
cmm

Here’s an article that links school absence to a whole lot of negative outcomes.

“Over half of students who are chronically absent from school do not go on to achieve NCEA level two.”

Also:
* By age 20, they cost the taxpayer three times as much as kids who attend school properly.
* More likely to be criminals.
* More likely to be victims of crime.
* More likely to live in government housing,

So it does not sound like there is a causal relationship here. Fixing wagging won’t get these kids back on the straight and narrow.

The principle of Manurewa’s Greenmeadows Intermediate blames the lack of free buses, but that sounds like nonsense to me. There is a high density of schools in the area and nobody in that area would need to walk more than 30 minutes to school.

No, instead there is a lack of get-off-your-arse.

I’m not at all confident that forcing attendance will reverse any of the other problems. Instead these kids are more likely to cause trouble at the school and disrupt the kids who really want to be there.

Let’s face it: we have kids with value systems formed by multi-generational welfare. Wagging school is a symptom – not a cause.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360467791/record-numbers-kiwi-kids-chronically-absent-school
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October 30, 2024 8:22am
- In Vino Veritas
  
  Lack of buses. Mind blowing that an individual this stupid can firstly, become a teacher and secondly, make it to Principal.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:27am
  - John Loveridge
    
    My dear sir, it shouldn’t blow your mind at all. It’s par for the course. Those who can do, after all, while those who can’t… teach.
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:30am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Lack of buses. What is wrong with these snowflakes?
  They could walk. I walked 3 miles to school each day out in the sticks beyond Te Kowhai. The school bus did not go near our place.
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:56am
  - John Loveridge
    
    Luxury! I rode my single-speed bike at least 3 miles, uphill both ways (big steep bugger between us and the school). Never gave it a moment’s thought, but this was back in the dim, dark 70s and 80s. We didn’t know any better.
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:32am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Late 50s for me.
      
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      October 30, 2024 11:12am
      - John Loveridge
        
        No wonder you walked. I expect they hadn’t invented bicycles yet back then.
        
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        October 30, 2024 12:29pm
    - PurplePen
      
      Same .. 5km ride .. along the flat mind you. in all weather.
      
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      October 30, 2024 2:02pm
  - MCōs
    
    Barefoot with snow up to your waist like I did?
    Piggy backing my younger sister
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:43am
    - zulumonster
      
      And up hill both ways!
      
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      October 30, 2024 11:08am
      - Cassandra
        
        I noticed that, too. I imagine it was also downhill both ways too.
        
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        October 30, 2024 2:53pm
    - PurplePen
      
      Now you’re being silly.
      
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      October 30, 2024 2:02pm
Maggy Wassilieff

There’s no stopping MSM’s barrage of disinformation:

Big Media’s Plot to get capital taxes put in and Labour re-elected on that platform makes me suspect it’s in cahoots with Labour at some horribly unpleasant & disturbing level, one that needs investigation.

https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/rob-macculloch-the-nz-herald-radio-nz-misled-the-nation-by-asserting-65-of-kiwis-support-capita
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October 30, 2024 8:27am
- Blog-aholic
  
  “We know that they are lying, they know that they are lying, they even know that we know they are lying, we also know that they know we know they are lying too, they of course know that we certainly know they know we know they are lying too as well, but they are still lying. In our country, the lie has become not just moral category, but the pillar industry of this country.”
  ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:31am
- PaulP
  
  MW, I read that headline and knew it couldn’t be right. The clickbait worked though as I then read it.
  
  The Labour closing in on National byline was a huge stretch too. National was still ahead in most of the issues surveyed as better at managing/handling.
  
  Only health had moved much from memory. I’m not going to punish myself by reading it again to confirm!
  
  Talk about writing a headline to fit the desired narrative rather than fact.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:41am
- Taieri
  
  Big Media’s Plot to get capital taxes put in and Labour re-elected on that platform
  ————–
  
  There’s something to it…
  
  The Rich are rich because they don’t pay enough tax.
  
  As determined in Fiordland Robin Hood’s article in today’s ODT:
  
  https://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/redistributing-trillion-or-10-tax-between-one’s-friends
  
  The problem is that if the rich paid “enough” tax as defined by such authors, they would no longer be rich and wouldn’t pay any tax at all.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:46am
- RoboRob
  
  Was disgusted to see this peddled out on the TVNZ clown show (Breakfast) this morning.
  
  This was the general gist of the convo…
  
  TVNZ : Welcome Mr Hipkins, 2 thrds of Kiwis support CGT, where are Labour at with that?
  
  HIP: Well we are looking at a number of taxes incl CGT.
  
  TVNZ : Great, but, you know NZers are crying out for CGT. We really need it becuase the tax system is so unfair.
  
  HIP : Yes the tax system is unfair (blah blah blah)
  
  TVNZ : Great, we look forward to CGT. Is there any assets you wouldn’t tax
  
  HIP : The family home
  
  TVNZ : Perfect. We love you.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:57am
  - alloytoo
    
    Tax systems are inherently “Unfair”. There is no point in trying to tax people with no money, so actual taxpayers pay disproportionately more.
    
    It’s these same people that Labour proposes to tax more.
    
    Labour’s “Fairness” is much like their “Kindness”
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:59am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      If you don’t tax the family home under a CGT regime guess what happens? Investment pours into family homes, making housing even more unaffordable.
      
      Will Chris Hipkins legislate to index income tax thresholds, AND to reduce income tax by the amount raised by a capital gains tax? ☹️
      
      You could not trust these guys to get anything right. Conceptually, I support a capital gains tax. However, I can’t support it in New Zealand because it will just give a communist government more money to waste.
      
      The absolute focus in New Zealand should be on reducing government expenditure. Maybe one day there can be a sensible debate on a capital gains tax but I doubt it. Not in my lifetime.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:15am
      - slijmbal
        
        CGTs are problematic. They tend to be festooned with exceptions, too easy to side pass, complex and expensive to administer, cause unintended economic distortions, typically tax inflation and as such are partially a wealth tax, don’t collect as much as tax predicted and don’t provide consistent income. The income tends to be very lumpy because of difficulties identifying, taxing and getting $ from unrealised gains (typically unrealised gains are omitted because of this) and disappears during recessions just when it’s arguably needed.
        
        Conceptually and intellectually a CGT should be a given as some elements of capital gain really are equivalent to income but pragmatically would probably end up an accountant’s dream and not deliver sufficient income to justify any implementation.
        
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        October 30, 2024 10:41am
      - Jack5
        
        slijmbal’s … pragmatically would probably end up an accountant’s dream and not deliver sufficient income to justify any implementation. …
        
        From the State’s point of view, death duties, the ultimate capital gains tax, are cheap and easy to administer, and need to be collected only once.
        
        New Zealand had death duties from 1866 until 1993.
        
        Death duties’ most notable unfairness was the effect on family farms, sometimes, even often, forcing their sale.
        
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        October 30, 2024 12:42pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      I would guess two thirds of taxation is wasted.
      That would mean we are paying 30% tax for a 10% service.
      Imagine paying for 3 loaves of bread and the shopkeeper gives you only 1.
      And then he says he is looking to put the price up because of high overheads.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:33am
    - Burtland
      
      Labour had 6 years and apparatchik Cullen ruled it out – whats changed?
      – capital gains tax will get you elected out
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:48am
    - Ra Henare
      
      Of course, there is no such thing as fair.
      Capitalists/Free Marketeers think it is fair they keep what they EARN.
      
      Socialists and others think its fair to steal from succesful people and give it to non performers.
      
      While I support a safety net for those who fall thru societies cracks. I abhor giving stolen money away, willie nillie.
      EG Home heating money during the winter for beneficiaries.
      Free School lunches for kids who could supply their own.
      
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      October 30, 2024 4:35pm
- PeeJay
  
  I always find it amusing how the great masses will generally support a new tax until they realise they might be caught by it. Amazingly, once they realise they might be impacted, support seems to drop. Crazy eh?
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:07am
  - Ian Boag
    
    Income has always been taxed. Not a new idea.
    
    Capital gains are income ….. nothing to do with “rich pricks” or “envy” or any of that smoke and mirror stuff.
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:42am
    - alloytoo
      
      Income is taxed because it is convenient. There is no moral obligation to do so.
      
      Scrap Income tax and raise GST.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:00am
    - rockape
      
      What about other large capital items ? My last yacht would now cost 500k, maintenance about 25k a year, marina fees, insurance. Will they be deductible ? Loss in value in first couple of years about 100k. The government will be paying me for owning the yacht !
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:01am
    - rouppe
      
      Capital gain is not income. You can’t go to the supermarket with your increased valuation.
      
      And, as is necessary in this discussion these days, when you, Ian, refer to cgt, on which assets do you consider liable?
      
      Unless you consider all assets liable, including your pension fund and your family home, you aren’t supporting a cgt, you’re supporting a landlord tax.
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:07am
      - Ian Boag
        
        You can’t go to the supermarket with your increased valuation.
        
        Not until you realise it 🙂
        
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        October 30, 2024 4:00pm
    - JimBobJoe
      
      No Ian income has not always been taxed in NZ for ordinary NZers.
      
      Income tax was introduced in New Zealand by the Liberal Government in 1891.
      
      “During World War I, revenue from income tax increased greatly, becoming the largest source of tax, in place of customs duties. But, still only 12,000 people of an adult population of 700,000 earned above the £300 threshold and were taxed”
      
      300 pounds was a damn good income in 1914!
      
      “The top rate was 43.75% in 1921. Tax rates were lowered in the 1920s and in 1930 the top income tax rate was set to 29.25%, and the threshold lowered to £260 of annual income”
      
      [Both quotes attributed to: Paul Goldsmith book on Customs and Tariffs]
      
      So income tax was not a reality for ordinary NZers to begin with. Land taxes, customs duties, death taxes were the primary source.
      
      The key point of course was Government was much smaller in the beginning.
      
      Savages Welfare State and NZers increasing socialism has lead to rampant Government spending and excess taxation
      
      If the Government bureaucracy wasn’t so rapacious and wasteful, Kiwi’s could have more of their own earnings to spend how they wish. Paying for Public Servants to have over priced coffees in cafes inside or right next door to their offices all day is not a productive use of Kiwis taxes…
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:35am
    - slijmbal
      
      @Ian – bit more nuanced than that.
      
      For instance, are we talking about realised or unrealised gains? Unrealised are a nightmare both from a cash flow and a valuation perspective outside of shares. If we don’t include allowances for inflation aren’t we taxing wealth? If $ gains on the house were taxed then no-one could ever afford to move without contrived exceptions even then with circumstances where people end up with large tax bills they could argue are ‘unfair’. We saw exceptions contributed to the McMansion effect in Oz and arguably poor economic distortion etc etc.
      
      I would agree many capital gains do end up as net increase in wealth or eventually actual income but a blanket statement that they are ALL equivalent to income is just incorrect and I suspect disingenuous.
      
      And yes there is unfairness here but good luck coming up with a CGT that actually works without nasty side effects and addresses said unfairness. There is a reason most countries have limited CGTs on targeted assets, which, while they do tax some assets (typically when realised and at lesser rates than income as a nod to inflation), don’t really address the unfairness element for rich people who have the luxury of constructing their tax affairs to evade much of such taxes. To have comprehensive CGTs that are very difficult to be evaded would be ludicrously difficult and expensive to administer (with possible unwelcome economic side effects) so countries implement limited CGTs and pretend they’ve addressed the unfairness problem. CGTs generally end up as predominantly a middle class tax and have limited effects on the rich who are the main beneficiaries of capital gain.
      
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      October 30, 2024 12:23pm
      - slijmbal
        
        … replace all references to evade\evasion\evadence with avoid\ avoision\avoidance …..
        
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        October 30, 2024 1:08pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        As you note it is impractical to tax unrealised gains. Nobody even tries – raising it as a difficulty is a straw man.
        
        Ditto with the family home. A pragmatic exemption everywhere.
        
        Income taxes and GST have no allowance for inflation. (On the capital front, if you gear up a bit, then inflation is your friend.) Nobody seriously suggests they should other than periodic whinges about shifting the tax brackets that haven’t mounted to much in the last 20-odd years. And I haven’t seen any suggestions that the GST rate should be decreased because of inflation ….
        
        CGTs generally end up as predominantly a middle class tax and have limited effects on the rich who are the main beneficiaries of capital gain.
        Really? Can you point me at a source for this statement? Other than “the rich have smart accountants” … I guess the same smart accountants already do their thing with current forms of tax. I guess that’s not unfair though. CGT is a relatively difficult to hide from as I understand it.
        
        And of course the rate is nothing like 100% so it’s not as if we are talking about large scale confiscation. Just treating this income more or less the same as all the other stuff.
        
        CGT has nothing to do with “the unfairness problem” … capital gains are income. Because they re a bit different (accrual not feasible) the collection method is a bit different but basically “a buck is a buck is a buck” …
        
        I guess you are saying that this is all a bit hard, so because of that we shouldn’t do it. Fancy that!
        
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        October 30, 2024 3:51pm
      - david
        
        FFS, why don’t we cut to the chase and call this CGT argument what it really is – “A proposal to tax real estate gains”
        In ignorance, most fail to recognise that Capital takes many forms, few of them are liquid enough to be able to be used to pay some portion to the Government and even when they could, the result is a dimunition of the original capital which renders them unsustainable in the long term.
        
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        October 30, 2024 4:09pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        @David
        
        Let’s take a typical sort of real estate scenario. $1m property, 30% mortgage. It won’t be washing its face so will need topping up, a deductible expense ring-fenced against future rental income.
        
        If inflation is (say) 5%/year, 10 years your $1m property will be $1.6m if it follows inflation. The gain is $600k which is not too shabby on a $300k investment. If this was taxed at something like 20% (as in Oz) you would be left with a $480k gain which is still not too shabby.
        
        Your $300k has turned into $780k …. diminution? wot?
        
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        October 30, 2024 4:28pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      Income tax was introduced in NZ 1894. Aimed at the wealthy to replace income from customs duties.
      
      http://www.nzlii.org/nz/journals/AukULRev/2006/3.pdf
      
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      October 30, 2024 4:40pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        As recently as that? A mere 130 years ago. And we’ve only had GST for 40-odd years …. customs duties have faded away to buggerall since the economy got opened up a bit …. and Land Tax disappeared as a source of gummint revenue many many moons ago ….
        
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        October 30, 2024 6:07pm
  - Benedict Yu
    
    A bit like asking people are they worried about climate change. Then ask them how much they are willing to pay. Of course that is why the government is hiding the costs. Or at least refusing to even mention it.
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:56am
    - Handyman
      
      There is a classic marketing case study (decades ago) where they asked people entering a supermarket if they supported free range eggs and would they be prepared to pay more. 80% said yes, definitely.
      
      The researchers later compared the checkout data which showed only 5% of eggs sold that day (by those interviewed) were free range.
      
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      October 30, 2024 11:55am
      - Ra Henare
        
        Handyman, thanks for that. Moralistic answers dont predict behaviour.
        
        Suspect that same “game”may be in play in the USA with Presidential Polls.
        Ie those who say they are anti trump to be part of the “”in crowd”” but who will vote Trump when in the seclusion of the polling booth or equivalent.
        
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        October 30, 2024 4:42pm
  - Handyman
    
    If a person dies and the house ownership passes to the heirs, is it no longer a family home? In which case is a cap gain tax payable?
    
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    October 30, 2024 12:00pm
    - Ian Boag
      
      Effectively the heirs would “purchase” it at current market value. Any CGT would be assessed on subsequent price appreciation when sold. And of course if the heirs moved into it, then it would be their (exempt) family home anyway.
      
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      October 30, 2024 3:54pm
- rouppe
  
  Interesting read.
  
  Interesting also, that none of the four investment classes asked about mentioned your kiwisaver, or other pension savings, or shares as an asset class at all.
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:52am
- Hugh Jarse
  
  Yes we all definitely want to pay more tax so that it can wasted by the likes of Labour or the Greens. They had plenty of practice wasting it over the last 6 years.
  
  Definitely a policy Hipkins should go to the next election on.
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:59am
  - Quail
    
    Capital gains are largely inflation driven .
    So now Government want to tax the inflation they have caused?
    The reasons inflation was not controlled has governments fingers all over it!
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:38am
    - Ian Boag
      
      PAYE increases are largely inflation driven. GST increases are largely inflation driven. Increases in company tax are largely inflation driven. What’s so special about capital gains? Cullen actually made this point. Perhaps you can refute it ….
      
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      October 30, 2024 6:14pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Wrong
        PAYE etc decreases are driven by Inflation
        We have just seen that- the recent decrease is due to what is called Bracket Creep
        I’m starting to think you have no idea but are a one topic zealot
        
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        October 30, 2024 6:42pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        @Red
        
        Like I said. The bracket creep thing has been invoked diddly-poo times in the last 20 years. Looking at my own tax position it made diddly-poo difference …
        
        How much difference did it make to yours?
        
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        October 30, 2024 6:45pm
      - Quail
        
        IB,
        Do you think it is Governments job to steal wages and savings?
        Savings that have mostly been generated by tax paid hard work.
        Property and wage increases that inflation has increased the nominal value but not the real purchasing power or exchange value of those items.
        And are you recommending taxing the equity / share markets as well?
        Have you not heard of the “litte red hen”
        
        Those who work hard and save should not ever be punished for that!
        
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        October 30, 2024 8:17pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Big Media – but getting smaller all the time
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:19am
- PurplePen
  
  But it’s not as if all those in MSM are going to benefit in any way from a Labour govt that then brings in a capital gains tax. I’m assuming the reporters and TV presenters having earned well have quite a bit of capital. Mind you, they probably don’t think that far ahead.
  
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  October 30, 2024 2:05pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    Who cares about the personal tax affairs of MSM people or for that matter the PM?
    
    Current rules are rules and he hasn’t broken any. If his property sales had been taxable then using Ozzie rules his $295k gain would have “only” been $210. Like it would keep him awake nights ….
    
    However – the $295k was income … Taxing CG’s is not a “personal” thing aimed at public figures.
    
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    October 30, 2024 6:30pm
    - All_on_Red
      
      The funny thing is CGT in NZ is NEVER going to happen
      Because our Tax system produces enough revenue already
      But here you are…
      Go figure
      
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      October 30, 2024 6:45pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        Us oldies are becoming more of a drag as qualified youth flees to Oz. Us oldies are also loading up the health system. Hip replacements and all that. Ask Steve Otto … Some of us oldies actually earn enough that we don’t need the help – but it’s there so we take it.
        
        How old are you? I’m 78, have a reasonably solid business and take all the handouts offered.
        
        If a CGT comes on to the books it’s not going to generate much for a year or five. I won’t care.
        
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        October 30, 2024 7:10pm
Bridgenag

Bannon Unchained
He is out of political prison. Now what?

“So, Steve is now out, released by the State prison apparatus in the middle of the night to make capturing video images of his release more difficult. Under normal circumstances, he would have been released 19 days ago owing to good behavior, but this was denied with a contrived footnote that it would have been an inconvenient burden on the system to process the necessary paperwork. So he emerges into the dark of night one week before election day.”

https://www.malone.news/p/bannon-unchained?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
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October 30, 2024 8:28am
Bridgenag

Trump interview over 38million now in spite of tube trying to bury it

https://youtu.be/hBMoPUAeLnY?si=WPJNNYNo_kiNlmK5
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October 30, 2024 8:30am
- David George
  
  Joe Rogan has J D Vance on his show tomorrow; if his performance against (“Tampon Tim”) Walz is any indication it’ll be one to watch.
  
  Trump has a very impressive team this time – Vance, Elon, Tulsi, Vivek, Kennedy. Kamala’s lot are little more than an embarrassment.
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:22am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Tulsi Gabbard is making a good impression and the Dems hate it!
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:02am
  - kevn
    
    David… Indeed. The US voters need to look ahead to the next cycle. Trump will do one more lap and his future proofed team is outstanding.
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:30am
- xasperated
  
  I thought Trump came across as reasonable and coherent. Sometimes a wee bit odd, but no odder than lots of other people. some of the commentary on the interview seems to have been for some other interview and not the one I saw. He certainly didn’t seem confused.
  
  I’d seen the Gabbard one a while back and she definitely impressed. You’d think she ticked every box – female, smart, military, non-white, attractive, experienced.
  
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  October 30, 2024 2:59pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  It would appear the mega-bloated bully-boy sacks of excrement are still putting up barriers to viewing it. I get “Sign in to confirm you’re not a bot”.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:13pm
- Ghost
  
  Only they didn’t try to bury it, what happened was that rogans team uploaded it and had to make it private as their was an issue with Spotify. After that was sorted it was made public. YouTube had an issue which they fixed. YouTube will be raking in the money form this video, should be over a million dollars so far for google from this video.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:21pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Your explanation of events may be mostly be true.
    
    However, regarding your bold assertion of “Only they didn’t try to bury it” is not knowable by you.
    
    They have a huge amount of form with politically motivated censorship and shenanigans.
    
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    October 30, 2024 10:23pm
    - Ghost
      
      Joe Rogan has said it wasn’t censored and what happened. I actually linked to it last time this user posted the claim, obviously they can’t read or just want to push a false narrative
      
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      October 30, 2024 10:32pm
Cassandra

Newsroom is usually skippable but this morning there’s an interesting article by Oliver Hartwich reporting a speech by Niall Fergusson. It’s worth reading. He maintains that Putin was and is encouraged – enabled – by Western weakness. The idea that Russia was provoked into attacking Ukraine by NATO expansion is flawed. He also reminds us that US criticism of US allies for low defence expenditure ie bludging, started with Nixon, not Trump who simply contnued it emphatically and effectively. And I note that the Ipsos poll has defence/foreign relations at 1% importance, race 7%, cost of living 55%. NZers are far away from the real world! Or perhaps they define it differently.
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October 30, 2024 8:33am
- Burtland
  
  ~~western~~ biden weakness
  
  putin can shoot missiles into Uk but you cant shoot missles into Ru
  putin can engage N.Korean soldiers but NATO cant be involved
  
  Biden is slowly bleeding russia dry with Ukrainian lives.
  
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  October 30, 2024 11:09am
- NothingLeft
  
  To end Ukraine’s conflict in Ukraines favor there are two main options:
  
  1/ Announce Ukraine to be given Nato membership in 1-2 months and so security backup form Nato forces
  
  2/ West makes this promise to Putin;
  For every bomb drone or missile used against Ukraine we will provide them with 5 times as many of superior range and size with no targeting restrictions.
  
  Ten thousand large long range 500-1000kg warhead class missiles or drones used against Russian infrastructure, bridges, dams, refineries, fuel pipelines, power stations, pumping stations, large transformers, industry would likely end Russia’s ability to keep fighting, and would only cost a few billion.
  
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  October 30, 2024 2:37pm
  - Eastlander
    
    Presumably the first step is a prayer to God to make this abundance of weaponry spring into being – a chancy prospect since for all anyone knows He might be on Patriarch Kirill’s side.
    
    It might be better to come up with ideas that don’t presume the existence of the long-vanished army of 1991.
    
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    October 30, 2024 2:49pm
    - NothingLeft
      
      It is easy to mass produce large cruise missiles in the west for cost similar to a cheap car. Using near-off-the-shelf equipment, repurposed mass produced v8 crate engines and turbochargers etc. Lack of western will is only impediment, the cost is a small fraction of what is being spent in ongoing support for Ukraine.
      
      Just as it would have been easy to scale up 155mm shell production to millions per year needed by Ukraine machining good-enough shells from steel billet stock using CNC lathes for a few hundred dollars each – but west instead has slow walked it building complex and expensive high-spec forging production lines to slowly rebuild their long term stocks of highest spec $2-5k per shells to support the long term interests of arms industry with little thought to Ukraine’s immediate critical needs and ammunition starvation – 5-10:1 ammunition disadvantage compared to Russia who’s being supplied with millions of North Korean shells.
      
      Western military is vastly more powerful than Russian. Ukraine has been fighting them to a standstill using mostly obsolete/surplus left overs that in many cases haven’t been front-line equipment since the 20th century. The west has more than 10x as much higher quality equipment at their disposal as what Ukraine has burned through in this war (eg USA stores about 20k tanks and APCs in good shape), while Russia is nearly run out and now fielding 80 year old rusted out crap. Russian airforce is decrepit and nearly gone, while West has 1000’s of far more capable combat aircraft and pilots ready to go.
      
      Ukraine has been denied weapons to take out Russian aviation and neutralize the 100-per-day assymetric large russian glide-bomb threat. Fix that with long range SAMs and AA missiles and Ukraine would again be on near even footing at the front in spite of 2-3x numerical troop disadvantage.
      
      It is frustrating the way Ukraine has languished for lack of support – the west has cowardly chosen to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of innocent Ukrainians even after making promises of defending them in return for their giving up nukes in 90’s as we cower in front of the nuclear sabre-rattling of Putin (who is never going to risk wiping out himself, his kids and his country with a nuclear conflict)
      
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      October 30, 2024 4:28pm
      - Eastlander
        
        mass produce large cruise missiles
        
        These can be intercepted and it’s easier still for the opposition to produce them.
        
        Just as it would have been easy to scale up 155mm shell production to millions per year
        
        Clearly not easy or it would have happened – the workforce isn’t there.
        
        Western military is vastly more powerful than Russian. Ukraine has been fighting them to a standstill using mostly obsolete/surplus left overs that in many cases haven’t been front-line equipment since the 20th century
        
        Again with this ‘old equipment’ talk – you know the Americans use quite a lot of aged gear themselves? I can only assume it will take a lost war to put these beliefs in western technological supremacy to bed. But not this lost war since the Americans clearly plan not to learn anything from it.
        
        USA stores about 20k tanks and APCs in good shape
        
        3700 M1 tanks of all types, the ‘good shape’ part is doubtful and the engines are no longer being produced, only refurbished. And one has to ask, suppose everything usable is sent and the Ukrainians still lose? What then?
        
        Russian airforce is decrepit and nearly gone, while West has 1000’s of far more capable combat aircraft and pilots ready to go
        
        There is RAND corporation report currently floating around the internet which paints a considerably less rosy picture of the American forces and their allies. In short, forget Desert Storm, that army doesn’t exist and is never likely to again, nor will there ever be an opponent as feckless and flighty as Baathist Iraq.
        
        Ukraine has been denied weapons to take out Russian aviation and neutralize the 100-per-day assymetric large russian glide-bomb threat
        
        I guess their air force isn’t so decrepit then.
        
        Fix that with long range SAMs and AA missiles
        
        Supplied, used (sometimes quite successfully) and ultimately lost to enemy action. Not easily replaced.
        
        Ukraine would again be on near even footing at the front in spite of 2-3x numerical troop disadvantage
        
        Eh? The latest balance is maybe 800,000 Russians to 690,000 Ukrainians . They’ve never outnumbered the Ukrainians by two to one or more, that’s why their progress has been as slow as it has.
        
        giving up nukes
        Kravchuk and Kuchma would have long since flogged them to the highest bidder.
        
        the west has cowardly chosen to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of innocent Ukrainians even after making promises of defending them
        
        This is indeed how Ukrainians will choose to explain the way events have developed though, it doesn’t hold water given the extraordinary efforts that were made by the various sponsors to turn the moribund Ukrainian forces of 2013 into Europe’s strongest army. I suppose it will be easier to write the whole thing off as a foreign betrayal than admit Ukraine grossly overestimated the ability of the United States to provide ‘decisive help’.
        
        Perhaps the Ukrainians will make good on Orestevich’s threat and go over to the other side. It has happened that way before after all.
        
        Putin (who is never going to risk wiping out himself
        
        As he once put it ‘our enemies will die and we will go to heaven as martyrs’. No, I think he’d dare quite a bit, up to and including the end of the world – as would any American President who felt sufficiently sorely pressed.
        
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        October 30, 2024 8:23pm
      - cmm
        
        “It is easy to mass produce large cruise missiles in the west for cost similar to a cheap car.”
        
        Not through the military industrial complex it isn’t. You will only get extremely expensive equipment out of them.
        
        A good example is the THAAD missile system:
        * Cost of a battery (ie. launcher + support radar) $1.25 billion.
        * Cost per missile: $12M.
        * Development time: 16 years (1992 – 2008)
        
        Or, the F35 – everyone’s darling – decades of development, massive cost.
        
        … or pretty much any other project started since the 1970s.
        
        There really is no motivation in this industry to make cost effective weapons or develop them quickly.
        
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        October 30, 2024 8:48pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    You missed THE Main option.
    Russia and the US sit around the table with Zelensky and hash out a peace.
    
    Generally, Wars dont provide solutions.
    They provide a basis for peace negotiations.
    
    Think of all the recent wars….
    
    WW2
    Korea
    Vietnam
    Iraq – Iran
    Iraq – USA
    Afghanistan
    
    etc etc
    
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    October 30, 2024 5:04pm
    - Eastlander
      
      There’s no desire on either side for that.
      
      The Ukrainians have sacrificed too much to agree to a compromise peace. It might have been possible in 2022 but not after almost three years’ worth of losses.
      
      The Russians are comfortable with the scale and pace of the war, don’t think any peace agreement would be honoured, and don’t want to give the Ukrainians breathing space to rearm.
      
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      October 30, 2024 8:35pm
      - Ra Henare
        
        In your opinion.
        Neither side wants to kill its young(productive) male population.
        
        Dont political confuse bluster with real strategy.
        
        So you are happy..
        The Ukrainians have sacrificed too much to agree to a compromise peace.
        
        For more Ukrainians to die?
        for what?
        A stubborn Zelensky who was lied to by Johnson/ NATO/ US.
        
        There is no know military future for Ukraine to push the Russians back to Pre 2022 borders let alone Crimea.
        
        Ideology does not win battles.
        
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        October 31, 2024 1:11am
    - cmm
      
      Yup, there is a reason why Carl Von Clausewitz war is sometimes referred to as “politics by other means”.
      
      It only ends when everyone agrees to go back to talking.
      
      Nobody wins a war except the shareholders in the military industry.
      
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      October 30, 2024 8:53pm
Dunc

Whats happening with Karel Sroubek ?
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October 30, 2024 8:33am
- imalwaysright
  
  Also, what happened with the lady navy captain who was relieved of duty. The first one, not the second one who ended up returning to shore in a much smaller craft than the one in which she departed.
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:40am
cmm

Lone-wolf non-terrorist:
* Stabbed 13, three fatally.
* Has been making ricin from the al-Queda terrorist training manual.

But no, definitely not a terrorist.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360468715/teen-accused-stabbing-rampage-killed-three-girls-uk-dance-class-allegedly-also
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October 30, 2024 8:38am
- rouppe
  
  I think I heard on the radio this morning that he was now being charged with terrorism charges
  
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  October 30, 2024 9:39am
- JimBobJoe
  
  A disgracefully performance by the UK establishment.
  
  The media use photos of the killer when a very young school boy.
  
  The UK Government prosecution service sit on terror charges for months, though the Al Qaeda how to do terror book was found very early on in a search of his residence.
  
  Islamist extremism is a protected ideology in the UK for some bizarre reason – probably cash flow to influential people in the establishment as it always seems to be about money/trade/arms deals
  
  Bottom line: He was an Islamist inspired terrorist, and frankly its a shame no death penalty is available as this guy deserves it in spades
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:42am
  - imalwaysright
    
    [Let’s leave out suggestions of violent summary justice please. mod.]
    
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    October 30, 2024 1:31pm
- xasperated
  
  The al-Queda training manual used to be commonly available.
  
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  October 30, 2024 3:01pm
- NothingLeft
  
  UK Govt/police (by omission) lying-as-usual in service of their bullshit narratives – which are far more important than the lives or safety of UK citizens. And of course they moved to persecute those who pointed out the most obvious (and now revealed true) motive.
  
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  October 30, 2024 4:30pm
BeaB

If TVNZ and RNZ are so strapped for cash why are they wasting money sending Jack Tame and Corin Dann to cover the US elections? For a start we can’t vote so really don’t need to know much more than the final outcome. And if we are engrossed in it all, as some seem to be, then we can get all we need to know directly from US TV and other media. We don’t need lame interviews and obviously googled lectures from two guys who appear to know little more than the average high school student.
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October 30, 2024 8:54am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Someone has to tell NZ the truth about Kamala Harris.
  How else would we know what a great POTUS she will make?//
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:05am
- Benedict Yu
  
  It is insane. Next Wednesday the last place I would tune into will be TVNZ.
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:19am
- Hugh Jarse
  
  More misinformation heading New Zealand’s way from these two.
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:42am
- Quail
  
  As well TV three had Andrea Vance last night commenting on the US election . Apparent bias was such I switched off.
  A pity because mostly the language used on 3 is comprehensible particularly the weather.
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:53am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Would love to know the stats (not from lefty vested interests) on what percentage of the population finds TVNZ and RNZ valuable as they currently stand.
    
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    October 30, 2024 8:19pm
- 70andstilllearning
  
  “For a start we can’t vote so….”
  
  Doesn’t stop them trying to influence NZ’ers with their “blue tick” graphics like this example
  
  https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/10/30/why-does-the-winner-of-the-popular-vote-sometimes-lose-the-us-election/
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:54am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Its as if they believe that Kamala will reinstall that historical entity, known as Adern, back into government.
    
    I wonder what a psychiatrist would say about these people?
    Mass psychosis perhaps?
    
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    October 30, 2024 1:36pm
- cmm
  
  Got to get those taxpayer funded trips done while the trough is still there…
  
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  October 30, 2024 11:36am
- Jack5
  
  It’s about self-importance as well as perks.
  
  For a century or more NZ bought much of its overseas reporting from news agencies.
  
  Tis was comparatively cheap, and sufficiently effective except for coverage affecting NZ trade or of travelling sports teams.
  
  NZ seems often to reject US coverage from the horse’s mouth – American agencies, TV channels, newspapers.
  
  A minor example: TVNZ’s use of BBC interviewers to explain technology in America. The result is usually quaint compared with the technology material available on the internet.
  
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  October 30, 2024 1:21pm
- PurplePen
  
  Do this think they’ll be using much Manglish while there, in interviews, when questioning the punters or public? And why not if they don’t as isn’t Manglish now our language.
  
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  October 30, 2024 2:09pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  On RNZ I heard that Corin Dann’s trip has been funded by the US Embassy.
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:59pm
kevn

New laws in US…
https://x.com/WallStreetApes/status/1851217810908754043
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October 30, 2024 9:09am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  RFKjr is right. Always accuse others of what you are guilty of yourself.
  The Dems don’t want Trump to use the military to maintain law and order, but they do want that option for themselves!
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:11am
wilderbeast

What does the current state of Wellington say about modern political management (specifically left wing management)? You have a city where pipes burst into the street almost every week and a seriously depressed economy that necessarily followed the lolly shop policies of Ardern & Robertson. Having once been part of the beltway I’d add to that misguided thinking about earthquakes, climate change and what constitutes a priority vs not and you have a city moving in a dystopian direction. It’s unrecognisable from the great place of the early 2000s. Why should the rest of NZ care let alone listen to what Wellington tells them?
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October 30, 2024 9:32am
- Eastlander
  
  Despite the 21st century century idiocy surrounding it, what you have with NZ local government – not only WCC – are regional leaders trying to usurp the power of the central government, a phenomenon older than recorded history. The expansion of local authorities’ remit under the LGA has made it possible for them to pursue their own policy independent and even in opposition to the government. Many councilors and council staff are Labour or Green supporters and wish to use their power to contest the government, and so here we are.
  
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  October 30, 2024 1:47pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  If only council elections made it crystal clear to voters who were the loony-left candidates to avoid at all costs. Oh and if only council elections were compulsory on pain of a significant fine.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:22pm
Matt Long

Remember that time when people said the Southport scumbag that murdered three little girls was a Muslim terrorist, and the Starmer government emptied the prisons of criminals to put those people in jail for spreading hate and disinformation… And then it came out the scumbag was an immigrant Muslim terrorist? Wasn’t that great?
https://x.com/BLAIMGame/status/1851288988172124639
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October 30, 2024 10:16am
- James Stephenson
  
  I remarked here at the time that we were being carefully told that the attacker was “raised as a Christian” and “had Christian parents”, and that surely meant that he was a radicalised Muslim convert.
  
  I was roundly criticised and told I was making sh1t up by the usual suspects and today we hear that he was in possession of the Al Qaeda training manual.
  
  It gives me great satisfaction to say I told you so.
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:37am
- Beach Haven expat
  
  This is a major problem for all UK governments and police going forward because the riots were fuelled, in part, by a distrust over what we were being told.
  There were undoubtedly racists involved but also normal frustrated people and, much like vaccines, next time it happens there will be more oushback. And it will be violent because if people are ignored, they ramp up their response to be heard.
  Officialdom in the UK, like in NZ, still thinks it can control the narrative and smear anyone who disagrees and gets away with it.
  And they still can’t help themselves. The plod making the announcement on the charges bizarrely said that just because these new offences were under the Terrorism Act, the actual murders are not beigg classed as terrorism. So a bloke with a terrorist’s manual, and ricin, and charged with terrorism offences goes and attacks and kills a random group of civilians in a manner akin to how terrorists attack but it is not being treated as terrorism. It is true through the looking glass stuff.
  What is the cherry on top for distrust is that not only was Al qaida manual found and known about immediately after the attack, matey boy was due in court at the end of last week – when these new charges would have been publicly revealed. This hearing was going to be 2 days before the massive ‘Tommy Robinson’ march but remarkably it wasn’t listed and there was no explanation as to why not. And now, after the match, it is announced (and less than a day before a hugely controversial Budget that will eat up all the news space). Maybe it is a coincidence but for those who now can’t trust the Government, this is further fuel to their inner fire.
  
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  October 30, 2024 11:01pm
Jack5

ACT MP Simon Court seems out to shut down – without local referenda – the licensing trusts in Southland and southern Otago, though his prime aim is the suburban trusts of the north.

The Invercargill Licensing Trust, as well as financing things like a cycling velodrome and backing the Invercargill polytechnic, builds hotels for the city that would likely be unjustifiable to private investors.

Simon Court was on the video platform, the Platform, with Michael Laws, talking about ending licensing trust monopolies (link below).

“We’ve tried to end referenda to end monopolies,” Court says in the video. It’s too difficult to the get support from enough locals to force a referendum, Court explained.

Court is the Under-Secretary for infrastructure and Resource Management Act reform.

Invercargill’s National MP, Penny Simmonds, as leader of the polytechnic in Invercargill was involved when the Invercargill Licensing Trust backed the polytechnic’s zero-fees scheme, and also invested in a training hotel for students.

Southern pubs will be abuzz about “an Aucklander-r-r tr-rying to change the tr-rust without a refer-rendum.”

A slight amendment to the background given by Laws. The trusts were introduced in the 1940s, and returning soldiers from World War 2 carried the vote. During prohibition, there were country pubs around what became trust towns or districts. The White House, at Lorneville, just out of Invercargill, boasted it had the longest bar in the Southern Hemisphere.

https://youtu.be/RI2DQMckov8?si=F25kGm_LUEciLPyB
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October 30, 2024 10:19am
kevn

Matt… Ghastly. Plus more info.
https://dailysceptic.org/2024/10/29/southport-attacker-charged-with-having-al-qaeda-manual/
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October 30, 2024 10:35am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Decisive leadership.
Gone. The witch hunts stop.

https://conservativeadvocacy.com/trump-vows-to-fire-special-counsel-jack-smith-if-elected-again/?
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October 30, 2024 10:40am
Jack5

More evidence of the huge problem mounting in the health system:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/532291/health-system-relies-on-doctors-overworking-says-burnt-out-cardiologist
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October 30, 2024 10:47am
- MCōs
  
  In November last year I finished chemotherapy and the hematologist said I would be contacting in six months for a follow up scan
  Six months came and went and nothing happened so I rang up. They told me I was on the list, but in the interim several of their registrars had resigned . . . . .
  
  Related to that. My wife watches Thai TV news and apparently there had been an item about the problem NZ has with professionals leaving the country, which lowers our country’s attractiveness for educated migrants, international students etc to come here.
  
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  October 30, 2024 5:06pm
  - Jack5
    
    The word around is that it is increasingly difficult for NZ to recruit overseas medical professionals such as specialists, psychiatrists ….
    
    This reflects NZ’s sliding comparative wealth. NZ now isn’t in the top 40 countries for wealth (measured by GDP per capita).
    
    The National approach of a third medical school, with graduates tied to NZ service for a term (in return for their cost of study), is the only positive idea. Many of these professionals would marry and put down roots in their home country.
    
    But it would be over five years from scheme start until there were benefits for NZ.
    
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    October 30, 2024 9:15pm
sirknz

Here is something that should be on The Babylon Bee:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/give-white-children-more-money-in-monopoly-to-teach-racism-and-privilege-uk-councils-tell-parents/XSDO4WM3UZBDHO22WUBKSXE4VI/

Why is it only whitey that needs to learn about racism?
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October 30, 2024 10:48am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Obama smearing?

https://patriotpulse.net/a-jeffrey-epstein-scandal-just-exploded-in-the-2024-election/?
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October 30, 2024 10:53am
Surely Knott

ACC is planning a big price rise.

“The levies we currently collect are lower than they need to be to cover the forecast cost of claims we expect each year. Any recommendations for levy increases are capped to smooth out the increase.””

Meanwhile……. “An iwi has bought four Auckland schools in a $50 million-plus deal funded by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).” The iwi has already had a “full and final settlement”.. This appears additional to that settlement.

So how does it work? ACC buys the land of 4 schools, changes the ownership of the land to a new organisation in partnership with the iwi, and the school (eg government) pays the school a fee for the land in perpetuity.

Why did this particular iwi get this $50 million deal? Why was ACC money used? How many other iwi will be offered ACC money to purchase public assets?

While the spokesperson is Council’s rep for Te Kawerau iwi Charity trust. Te Kawerau Iwi Schools is a newly set up company on the companies register. It has 50% Shareholding between ACC and TE KAWERAU IWI HOLDINGS LIMITED. Te Kewarau Iwi holdings also a company., has two individuals as shareholders.

Only 150 people stated an affiliation to Te Kawerau ā Maki in the 2013 census . But they don’t appear to be shareholders. But if they were then it would be $50million/150 people equals….$333k each man woman and child?

ACC’s financial accounts read “Te Kawerau a Maki
In 2020, ACC partnered with Te Kawerau a Maki, the
tangata whenua of the Waitakere district, to purchase
the underlying land on four school sites across Tāmaki
Makaurau. The Ministry of Education has the ground lease
to the sites occupied by Campbells Bay Primary, Matipo Road School, Henderson Primary and Waterview Primary.
ACC has an excellent relationship with Te Kawerau a Maki and the joint venture has benefited from rising land values and having the Ministry of Education as a longterm tenant”

Since 2020 no other iwi seem to have been given this deal. Weird. But $50 million. $$$$ wow.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/te-kawerau-a-maki-iwi-buys-campbells-bay-henderson-primary-matipo-and-waterview-schools/XDQOK26WGDXYYK7G7TIJWZ3C5A/
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October 30, 2024 11:03am
rouppe

Well the NZ Herald has nailed it’s colours to the mast with their publication of Emmerson’s latest offering.

A picture of Trump playing the pipe (a la Pied Piper) towards the Capitol, the music referenced as poison, and his followers being rats. Despite the page being paywalled, you can see the gist of it, it’s fully visible on Pressreader.

Compare to:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/daily-mail-nazi-refugee-rat-cartoon_n_564b526ee4b06037734ae115
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October 30, 2024 11:13am
cmm

Luxon is considering making the Mongrel Mob’s Sieg Heil illegal.

That’s just tub thumping to appeal to the National voter base.

The Mongrel Mob violate hundreds of laws daily and they get treated with kid gloves.

Before we make new laws, we should first enforce all the current laws. If the laws are not fit for purpose, then tweak them or add more.

The police have all they tools they need to make the Mongrel Mob’s lives misery. Adding another law that is not enforced won’t change a damn thing.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360468729/pm-considers-banning-sieg-heil-nazi-salute-adopted-mongrel-mob
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October 30, 2024 11:45am
- David Garrett
  
  cmm: Spot on. The police can and should be turning them over every time they see two or more of them together – as you say, “make their lives a misery.”
  
  And there is good evidence that such an approach works. A few years ago a Superintendent of some police district in the lower North Island decided to ignore Cuddles Coster’s directions, and did exactly as you suggest.
  
  Within a very short time Mob leaders were whining and complaining that the police were “picking on us.” Do that comprehensively and for long enough, and being an outlaw will not be so much fun for very long.
  
  Imagine the arrests they could have made at yesterday’s tangi in the Hutt Valley? Every “burnout” is legally described as “sustained loss of traction”, and is an offence. Every idiot driving a car with other idiots hanging out of the window is guilty of careless use if not dangerous driving.
  
  How many arrests were made I wonder? I am betting a big fat zero.
  
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  October 30, 2024 12:32pm
  - cmm
    
    Yup, Luxon (and for that matter even Act) seemed to have failed to get past printing bumper stickers.
    
    Yesterday’s tangi was a display of power. It is pretty obvious who is the tail and who is the dog.
    
    Simultaneously we also had all the nonsense of the Millie Holmes being “rocked” by the parole of the killer of her partner – the gangster Connor Morris.
    
    They’re treated like celebrities – not scum.
    
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    October 30, 2024 1:07pm
    - David Garrett
      
      cmm: If I was Mr Morris’ killer, I’m not sure I would be so keen to get out…He was no doubt “in seg” in prison and thus protected from retribution. Out in the community he will be a target for every member and prospect of the “88’s”…And fucking off to Australia is not an option for him.
      
      As for Ms Holmes- Elder, one would have thought the silly bitch would have grown out of her fascination with “bad boys”…Just as my very smart daughter did; and unlike Ms Holmes-Elder – who must be 30 or pushing 30 – my daughter had wised up by age 22 or so.
      
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      October 30, 2024 1:23pm
      - cmm
        
        DG: Yup I expect Morris’s killer will be assigned to a new recruit as a target. Kill him and you earn your patch.
        
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        October 30, 2024 3:53pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Yes I’ve always wondered what the attraction to obvious (to everybody else) f-wits is. Usually ends very badly too.
        
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        October 30, 2024 8:26pm
    - MCōs
      
      The guy wasn’t paroled. He’s stuck in prison for at least another two years.
      
      The street racers are more of a menace on the streets than the Mongrel Mob procession to a tangi. That’s not the big issue with the mob; it’s the drugs and gang violence not a few burnouts and flag waving.
      In the meantime we hear about illegal street racing and intimidation by hundreds of hoons every weekend somewhere with police chasing shadows
      
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      October 30, 2024 3:19pm
      - cmm
        
        Apart from the damage to the road, I somewhat agree that the burn outs and flag waving are not huge problems in themselves.
        
        But what they are is an example of them flaunting their power – showcasing that they are above the law and the police have no power over them.
        
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        October 30, 2024 3:49pm
      - David Garrett
        
        MCos: That’s not the big issue with the mob; it’s the drugs and gang violence not a few burnouts and flag waving
        
        With respect Sir, you miss the point. The public see the Mob doing burnouts and generally acting like the outlaw scum they are proud to be; the public generally don’t witness drug dealing and violence – they only read about it second hand if they can be bothered to.
        
        Police allowing the Mobsters to act as they did in the time surrounding this tangi gives the strong impression that it is the Mob – and their fellow scum in blue – who control the streets, and not the police on behalf of members of the public going about their lawful business, which is what should be happening.
        
        It is entirely irrelevant that the offending is of itself minor – what is important is the impression it being ignored by the police gives to law abiding members of the public.
        
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        October 30, 2024 3:52pm
- thirteenstars
  
  Banning gang patches was only the beginning. Once you begin suppressing free speech–even for those you despise–it’s easier to keep on doing it.
  
  Enforce the laws we already have which is enough to deal with the scum. It’s years of weak, woke policing that’s let the gangs get out of hand.
  
  But no, trashing the Bill of Rights is the solution.
  
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  October 30, 2024 1:20pm
  - cmm
    
    I’d personally rather that Mongerl Mob wear their patches and sieg heil. It’s easier to ID the knob heads.
    
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    October 30, 2024 3:50pm
    - thirteenstars
      
      I agree. One of the best utilitarian arguments for free speech is that it shines a bright light on those with beliefs you definitely want to know about.
      
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      October 30, 2024 3:53pm
- rouppe
  
  It doesn’t belong to the Mongrel Mob.
  
  How am I supposed to take the piss out of future Labour Party lockdowns?
  
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  October 30, 2024 3:14pm
  - kiwikidsnz
    
    “ACT leader David Seymour says he does not support banning swastikas in public, because he likes “knowing who the idiots in society are”,…”
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/532335/david-seymour-not-keen-on-swastika-ban-despite-gang-patch-crackdown
    
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    October 30, 2024 7:30pm
cmm

This looks like a reasonably good idea.

A reasonably secure campervan parking area in the middle of Chrsitchurch with showers, toilets etc.

Sounds like a good way to provide a safe and useful area for campervan tourists.

https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360459016/campervan-park-approved-central-christchurch
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October 30, 2024 11:58am
- greybeard
  
  Somehow I cannot reconcile the idea of a campervan parking area within the centre of any major city.
  Or even in the centre of a town, or village.
  Their natural habitat is surely on the outskirts of urban areas.
  
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  October 30, 2024 6:32pm
imalwaysright

This is hilarious.
Kamala unintentionally
channeling Ricky Gervais in The Office. 1 minute
https://youtu.be/eo6ZNhgRrXU?si=YBnGo8rDY_05d9il
7 2
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October 30, 2024 12:03pm
- Swifty
  
  Gee, that crowd looks just like a Hitler rally from the 1930s.
  
  //
  
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  October 30, 2024 2:12pm
cmm

We don’t often see huge cop presence in our area, but we’ve seen the AOS twice in the last few days: on Sunday and today.
Quite a serious convoy: 9 cop vehicles and an ambulance.

A few years back I happened to be in hospital next to a cop who told be that when he started, they would go door to door asking to borrow rifles from hunters and end up with a hodge-podge of 303s and what have you.

Those quaint days are long gone. Perhaps it is time to admit that we need a properly armed police force that carry pistols as part of their standard uniform.
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October 30, 2024 12:50pm
- imalwaysright
  
  First I would want a police force that is physically and mentally capable of being such.
  We seem to have many weak people in the force who “want to make a difference”. They are inherently different people from those they are supposed to police, that is the failure point.
  The London Met thought it a good idea to recruit people with sociology degrees to deal with uneducated drug addled punks who didn’t give a toss about anybody, including themselves.
  It clearly hasn’t worked. They can’t communicate with their target audience so they get ignored.
  
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  October 30, 2024 1:18pm
  - cmm
    
    Absolutely right.
    Firearms are only a tiny part of it. Training and attitude are the major part.
    
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    October 30, 2024 1:47pm
  - Nobby2
    
    Saw a policeman at our local mall today. I would guess he was no taller than 5 foot six inches and the mall security guy walking next to him looked like a giant.
    So standards for police have certainly made them a laughing stock, no wonder the gangs and criminals get away with doing what ever the hell they want, when they only have a short, dwarf like police officer to face down.
    
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    October 30, 2024 3:27pm
    - Jack5
      
      What if a mall policeman was a Gurkha or was built like Harold Sakata, who played Odd Job in the Bond movie Goldfinger? Or if he was a clone of 5ft 7in Bruce Lee, who seemed to be built like a Shaolin kung-fu master
      
      But I take your point, Nobby. Some young police don’t look mean enough.
      
      Perhaps it would help if they always carried a pistol and a baton, wore a military-style bullet proof vest, and if dogs went with them on street patrols more often.
      
      As for the young women cops …
      
      Could they learn from Israeli girl soldiers who seem to look attractive and lethal at the same time? Perhaps it’s the prominent gun that does it.
      
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      October 30, 2024 9:43pm
    - Ghost
      
      I knew someone in law enforcement years ago who was smallish. Problem is people who look at someone and judge them by their size because he was more than capable of doing his job, his size wasn’t an issue.
      
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      October 30, 2024 9:55pm
cmm

10 months of Playstation leave for illegally arming gangs, as well as insurance fraud.

Welcome to Aotearoan justice where the bus tickets are served at the ideal temperature.

In my opinion, the Alfa rifle exists for one reason only – to cut it down into a revolver. The people who say it is an excellent pig hunting rifle are talking shit. A lever action Rossi or similar is are better and is only half the price.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former-rugby-star-matua-parkinson-given-home-detention-for-on-selling-guns-faking-burglary/7YPM6N54XJHFNEZ3DQY4IY227M/
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October 30, 2024 1:46pm
- imalwaysright
  
  As an aside, the article is written as if it is by a 12 year old for whom English is a second language.
  
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  October 30, 2024 2:22pm
- Nobby2
  
  cmm. Where is this mysterious country of Aotearoa you mentioned?
  
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  October 30, 2024 3:30pm
Bobba Fret

Ginny Anderson missing from politics Wednesday on Newstalk ZB the last two weeks. Kieran McNulty filled in.
Is she in hiding and embarrassed after her heckling of king Charles’ trousers?
Or are they just trying to give McNulty a bit more publicity before taking the reins from Chippy?
Must say, he was actually easier to listen to rather than the screeching.
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October 30, 2024 2:06pm
kevn

He woke up and po oped this out…
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/biden-calls-80-million-americans-human-garbage-after-comedian-sparks-mass-triggering
5 1
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October 30, 2024 2:17pm
- Chuck Bird
  
  In the Herald plenty of anti-Trump items but nothing about Biden calling Trump supporters garbage.
  
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  October 30, 2024 8:40pm
Ghost

Sad. Thanks Mr Singh. Anyone that wants to throw abuse at you are just gutless bleeps

An Auckland truck driver who saved the life of a woman who fell onto the Southern Motorway says he was subject to a barrage of racist comments after his heroic act.

Article
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October 30, 2024 4:55pm
- Swifty
  
  What a bloody disgrace.
  
  We’ve got some real knuckle-draggers in this country.
  
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  October 30, 2024 5:37pm
- Jack5
  
  Best driving I’ve seen in Christchurch for a while was a Sikh (from his headware) jack-knifing and backing a very long truck-and trailer into the supermarket at the corner of Hansons Lane and Riccarton Road.
  
  Lanes of traffic built up while he inched the truck to and fro between parked cars and into the notoriously narrow supermarket back entrance.
  
  The truck driver stayed cool and over minutes succeeded in what many waiting car drivers obviously thought was impossible. They tooted admiration when the vehicle went up the drive way.
  
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  October 30, 2024 10:17pm
Swifty

Has there been a recent single event more damaging to women in the world than the Biden/Harris abandonment of Afghani women in 2021?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360468565/taliban-bans-women-hearing-other-womens-voices

And it was all so unnecessary. They had options.
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October 30, 2024 5:30pm
Sparrow

Deplorable now Garbage.
Has Biden blown Harris’s chances ?
5 0
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October 30, 2024 5:35pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Gang members out of control at PN Hospital.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/532343/police-officers-and-cabbies-attacked-in-brawl-at-palmerston-north-hospital-after-minor-crash
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October 30, 2024 5:45pm
- kiwikidsnz
  
  No surprises there
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/ufc/city-kickboxing-founder-eugene-bareman-criticises-decision-to-discharge-fau-vake-attacker-without-conviction/F3ULU2IMRNCULOTNGJFITDKGUE/
  
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  October 30, 2024 7:25pm
Scooter

So the article says an 8 yr old girl was playing in the park, not mentioned was if there were adults there, other children. Where were her parents and the police didn’t warn the 2 nearby schools about the incident. Very odd.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/crime/primary-preschool-not-warned-after-child-sexually-assaulted-at-playground-200m-away/
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October 30, 2024 6:13pm
- Ghost
  
  There were other people in the park, the article yesterday about it the police were asking those people to come forward.
  
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  October 30, 2024 6:18pm
- greybeard
  
  “South Auckland Justice”: I like it.
  
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  October 30, 2024 6:28pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360469337/england-prop-joe-marlers-proposal-bin-haka-all-blacks-games-finds-few-fans-nz
Maybe someone above has commented on this, I can’t be bothered checking.
I agree with Marler: I do not watch the National Anthems for sports events, and I certainly don’t watch the ugly, jingoistic haka .
I find it rather sad that NZ feels obliged to pander to the maori minority for these events.
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October 30, 2024 7:12pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360469352/man-paroled-accident-sparks-manhunt-dunedin
Will the employee responsible for this be sacked?
Yeah, right.
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October 30, 2024 7:17pm
Ghost

Sorry but this road looks like an April fools joke. I guess the real joke is the council

Ratepayers have forked out for half of the 10 crossings within 350 metres in a newly developed Hamilton town centre.

It’s likely the cost of all 10 crossings would have come to a total of more than half a million, but the total cost isn’t known because the Hamilton City Council didn’t foot the whole bill.

Article
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October 30, 2024 9:09pm
NZer In Exile

E Musk explains to T Carlson his view on why the Dems love illegal immigration, in relation to elections.

https://rumble.com/v5hy9mr-1008-clip-5-elon.html
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October 30, 2024 9:47pm
cmm

Mike King is falling off his trolley.

First climate-shilling, now claiming alcohol is a solution for mental health.

That said, I would not say that the links between alcohol and mental health are causal.

For example: “Alcohol use has been found to be associated with a 94% increase in the risk of suicide, a meta-analysis report from 2022 said.”

Is it really alcohol causing suicide, or rather is it that people on a self-destructive path are likely to do many self-destructive things including both excessive drinking and suicide?

Many people, especially military veterans with PTSD drink to excess to numb their pain. For some this is a temporary phase that lasts a few years and then they get past it. For those one might argue that alcohol worked.

But for a very large number that spirals into life-long alcoholism which causes far more damage than it every helps.

I saw this particularly when running a student pub in Cape Town in the early 1980s. The best customers where Rhodesians. Some of those sorted themselves out but a lot are still damaged today (if not dead).

Alcohol does not drown your sorrows. It just teaches them to swim.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mental-health-campaigner-mike-king-defends-claims-alcohol-is-the-solution-for-those-struggling/PM2JXBEL2JD7JPAJH2KWNMIB7Y/
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October 31, 2024 10:28am

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