General Debate 21 February 2025

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Tomtoddy

We are slipping in the world’s corruption stakes. No wonder when someone can gerrymander one polling booth and get a person elected to Parliament. Will the Police really investigate or is this in the too hard basket?
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February 21, 2025 8:05am
- sirknz
  
  You are referring to the Corruption Perception Index.
  
  Being in the ‘top 3’ is not really as good as you or the media seem to think it is.
  
  This just means that as a nation, we are either oblivious to it or wilfully ignorant to it.
  
  We know that there is corruption, we never call it out.
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:17am
  - zulumonster
    
    You are spot on sir. We would rank close to bottom on the Cognitive Perception Index.
    There are none so blind as …
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:08am
    - Mark Hanley
      
      I talked to an ex fletcher building manager recently. I asked him how a company with a monopoly on building materials keeps going broke.
      
      He said the top brass use certain subby’s regardless of cost (ill leave you to fill in the blanks here).
      
      Not too dissimilar to aderns covid jab procurement strategy.
      
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      February 21, 2025 11:47am
  - kowtow
    
    ‘corruption, we never call it out.’
    
    I have a recollection of a certain PM , H Clark , saying there wasn’t any .( happy to be corrected)
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:39am
    - Mark Hanley
      
      It’s in a certain HCs best interest to discourage mistrust and perhaps an investigation into the source of her riches.
      
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      February 21, 2025 3:21pm
  - Paulus
    
    Am not convinced that 20 years ago there was Corruption as we now know it.
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:43am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      We didn’t have social media 20 years ago. The woke left think they have things stitched up with big tech ideologically gerrymandering the internet for them.
      
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      February 21, 2025 3:26pm
- cmm
  
  Considering how hard the victim had to push to get a prosecution in this case, it would seem we’d rather shut our eyes to what is really going on:
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/controversial-ngapuhi-leader-sonny-tau-jailed-after-seven-year-indecency-case/4Q2B5LLF7FC2BIAHKG44WOLRBY/
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:20am
  - peterwn
    
    The outcome would have been a foregone conclusion if advocates of Marae based justice had their way. The young woman would have received no justice pre colonisation but would have been told that this was just the way things happen.
    
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    February 21, 2025 8:43am
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    “Controversial”? Much later in the article we learn the guy has over 40 criminal convictions, yet has remained in a Ngapuhi leadership role. Hardly a great advertisement for so-called “co-governance”.
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:09am
    - Paulus
      
      Surely they are Pakeha Convictions so do not count !
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:44am
    - David Garrett
      
      Pope: Some years ago he was arrested for having several dead kereru (wood pigeons) in his clothing when he flew back from Invercargill to Auckland. IIRC Customs were “acting on information received”, so someone must have tipped them off. Someone who clearly didn’t like Mr Tau.
      
      As an aside, I am aware of a prominent former MP who is banned from his own marae because of his penchant for interfering with young girls. This is apparently not uncommon in “te ao maori”.
      
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      February 21, 2025 11:05am
      - Matt Long
        
        I recall an older friend saying in her counseling of Maori women, almost all had been molested at the Marae.
        
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        February 21, 2025 12:19pm
      - Countrygirl
        
        Downticked in error sorry
        
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        February 21, 2025 12:44pm
      - peterwn
        
        But the capture, possession, etc of native species by a person of his standing was quite OK pre-colonisation. Never that the Moa was hunted to extinction by people who allegedly cared for the land and environment. So who is a post colonisation Pakeha court to judge him.
        
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        February 21, 2025 12:54pm
      - bennerg
        
        Perhaps the tipoff came from someone who loved the pigeons more than they loved Mr Tau.
        
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        February 21, 2025 1:39pm
      - NothingLeft
        
        A culture tolerant of shitty behavior by individuals is the whole reason NZ Maori underperform so badly. Put those same people in contexts where higher standards of behavior are socially required and they achieve so much more in life.
        
        That is essentially the whole problem with the west and the welfare state – if you allow communities of underperformers to form, ghettos, ethnic enclaves etc where good nation wide standards of behavior are not enforced then you screw both them and the wider society.
        
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        February 21, 2025 4:43pm
    - John Loveridge
      
      Maoris are extremely poor judges of character. It shows in the assorted ratbags that comprise their leadership.
      
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      February 21, 2025 5:44pm
  - sirknz
    
    You don’t hate the media enough, if you notice the picture halfway through the article with Bill English sitting with him over a treaty negotiation, the implication being that they are birds of a feather.
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:26am
- Tricati
  
  Great graph from The Facts website that highlights the issue beautifully.
  With less than 50 votes determining the electorate, the big question is, how come labour are so silent – Maybe Willie could comment.
  https://thefacts.nz/manurewa-marae/
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:21am
  - PurplePen
    
    Hipkins has expressed his disappointment and Peter’s the same but more forthright, basically saying they stole the election from P Henari.
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:57am
- Raphael
  
  I am somewhat surprised that Labour is being very quiet about this. They were the ones that were effectively robbed of an extra seat.
  
  And yet they seem to be happy with the outcome.
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:46am
  - Albie
    
    I’m not surprised. Labour are going to need The Racist Party if they have any chance of forming a coalition next election.
    
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    February 21, 2025 8:58am
    - Paulus
      
      Or National to form a Coalition Government !
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:45am
  - pdm
    
    Labour are going to need The Maori Party in late 2026.
    
    Better to sacrifice Peeni Henari, who is in Parliament anyway, as an Electorate MP plus keep Shannon Halbert last man in on the list, than upset a key Coalition Partner.
    
    Something to keep in mind for the 2026 election – a vote for Labour is a vote for The Maori Party. Not to mention a vote for the equally awful Greens.
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:01am
    - Colville
      
      Yip just an example of how craven Hipkins is. Will do anything for possible power.
      
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      February 21, 2025 9:02am
    - Pope Punctilious II
      
      “Something to keep in mind for the 2026 election – a vote for Labour is a vote for The Maori Party.”
      
      Yes, which is why the present coalition will not be a one-term government.
      
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      February 21, 2025 9:06am
    - Suze Wainwright
      
      Indeed pdm – Hipkins adopts a very paternalistic, caring, forgiving position when it comes to any matters Te Pati Maori…
      
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      February 21, 2025 9:08am
  - septic skeptic
    
    Labour weren’t robbed of a seat. They got an extra list MP as compensation. The extra TPM seat is overhang isn’t it?
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:02am
    - pdm
      
      That is how I see it ss.
      
      If there is a by election and win the seat, Peeni Henari probably, then they lose a list MP, Shannon Halbert who was last in on the list.
      
      Am I right?
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:02am
      - nova
        
        No. The party that loses in that scenario is TPM, who lose an MP. Labour keep the same number of MPs, and Peeni Henare goes from being a list MP to an electorate MP.
        
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        February 21, 2025 10:19am
    - slightlyrighty
      
      You are correct. But imagine if after the next election, we actually get a minority government due to that Over-Hang?
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:23am
  - kiwikidsnz
    
    Labour…principles?
    
    Tui ad
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:28am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Whether Maori support Labour from within the party or from without matters not a whit to the folks like Willie Jackson, Peeni Henare and co who suckle from the tax-payer tit.
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:38am
- lastmanstanding
  
  The Asian population is about to overtake Maori ( including the many pretend Maori) according to Stats. They also predict Asians will make up 50% of the Auckland population in 25 years time.
  Some observations.
  1. Asians come from countries that dont have a welfare system.
  2. Asians are hard workers and expect the rest of the population to work not bludge.
  3. Asians have no “white mans guilt” as regards the ToW.
  4. Asians will most likely form political parties in the future and get members elected to Parliament.
  
  The Maori radicals will find the above will make their demands very difficult if not impossible to achieve.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:50am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    That is why the push to embed biculturalism into every facet of NZ life has intensified.
    
    If co-governance is not achieved within the next 10 years or so, then it is unlikely to gain further ground.
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:07am
    - H. Upmann
      
      That is my take too. If co-gov is not installed within the next two election cycles it will become a dead issue. People will wake up.
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:59am
  - NothingLeft
    
    Maori outbreed Asians 1.5:1. Maori are actually slightly above replacement fertility. (2.14), Asian ~1.4
    
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    February 21, 2025 4:47pm
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      Yeah, but many Asians go back to the old country for a spouse (the ones here aren’t good enough, apparently).
      
      So, 1 NZ Asian + 1 imported spouse + 1.4 kids > 2.14 Maoris.
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:03pm
- Scooter
  
  I really doubt anything substantive will be done, if found guilty maybe a fine, hopefully charity status will be taken away. I just don’t see any real serious penalty because whether it’s Labour or National in govt they are both complicit. They both don’t want to hold Maori to account because they will be called racist. I still don’t know why or how the police are qualified to investigate these leaks.
  
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  February 21, 2025 10:05am
- John Loveridge
  
  I’d wager a dollar to a donut that John Tamihere’s untiring efforts have helped here. Tamihere is the ugly face of “partnership” and “co-governance”. With the likes of him in charge we’d be a banana republic in five minutes.
  
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  February 21, 2025 10:45am
Chuck Bird

Trump will lose the trust of many countries and individuals who have been impressed with him up until his attack on Zelenskyy. He told obvious lies.
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February 21, 2025 8:05am
- NK
  
  What were those “lies”, Chuck?
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:12am
  - Chuck Bird
    
    That VZelenskyy started the war. That Zelenskyy was polling at 4% while he was polling at 57%. There are more that I heard on Sky News Aust.
    
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    February 21, 2025 8:16am
    - NK
      
      Why are you supporting that crook, Zelensky? He’s cancelled elections and is behaving like a dictator. He was in Biden’s back pocket and he has constantly asked for more $$$ to fight a proxy war on behalf of NATO that he knows he cannot win leading to hundreds of thousands of his citizens dying.
      
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      February 21, 2025 8:20am
      - Chuck Bird
        
        Many countries cancel elections when at war. The UK is one example.
        
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        February 21, 2025 8:25am
      - Positan
        
        NK – For years, the Biden family received US$50,000 a month re Hunter Biden’s “role” as a director of Ukraine’s Burisma oil company …
        
        Who was in whose back pocket?
        
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        February 21, 2025 8:26am
      - slightlyrighty
        
        Why are you siding with Putin? Who kills political opponents?
        
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        February 21, 2025 8:29am
      - cmm
        
        Chuck, it is disingenuous to try to draw a parallel between UK’s war time government and what is happening in Ukraine.
        
        The UK war ministry was a coalition across all the parties of the political spectrum and that was started at the beginning of the war and was immediately dissolved at the end of the war.
        
        Sure, they didn’t hold an election and it would have been very challenging to do so with a large portion of the population overseas or displaced.
        
        It would likely be a challenge to hold elections in Ukraine too, but that does not mean they are anything like the UK multi-party war cabinet.
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churchill_war_ministry
        
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        February 21, 2025 8:39am
      - herb1
        
        So you think Churchill was a crook and behaved like a dictator or is history not one of your strong points.
        
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        February 21, 2025 8:40am
      - G152
        
        Russia invaded the Ukraine…
        Repeat as often as needed
        
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        February 21, 2025 8:42am
      - Mattb
        
        Totally false NK. Ukrainian law states that elections be suspended. Many countries have the same law. He’s not behaving like a dictator but Putin is because Putin is a dictator. He doesn’t ask for more $$, he asks for more weapons to defend his country against an invasion. Trump continues to lie and now sides with a vicious dictator.
        
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        February 21, 2025 8:45am
      - kowtow
        
        A lot of people cite the Churchill example , and fair enough .
        
        What alot of people don’t realise is that the agreement was there’s be elections after Germany was defeated. They hadn’t realised that soon enough they’d be at war with Japan too.
        
        Anyway after germany was defeated Churchill wanted to retain the arrangement and stay in power , his reasoning was they were still at war ( which they were , but with Japan , not Germany)
        
        Labour ( Atlee) insisted the original letter of the agreement be adhered to and Churchill , reluctantly conceded.
        
        One could strech it and say Churchill too was acting like a dictator . BTW at that stage there was a belief the war with japan could go on for quite some time.
        
        As to the Zelebnsky business , again there is context , which the vast majoridy of the media refuse to give .
        
        Apparently the Don is more than a little pissed off ( rightly or wrongly) at how the Bessent trip went. But don’t expect to see that in most of the report . Just “Orange man bad!) with no context.
        
        Meanwhile where’s their coverage of the Bibas Babies outrages.
        
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        February 21, 2025 9:00am
      - rangitoto
        
        Zelensky is not a crook whereas Pootin and Trump are.
        
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        February 21, 2025 9:22am
      - Allan
        
        He didn’t cancel them. The Ukraine Constitution orders it.
        [Mod – debate the issues, don’t make it personal]
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:11am
      - David Garrett
        
        NK: “fighting a proxy war on behalf of Nato…”
        
        Really? Whatever Putin likes to call it, what he did was invade a former vassal state because he didn’t like that they were considering joining the other team. Zelensky didn’t “start” anything; he simply responded to an invasion by an aggressor.
        
        I don’t know enough about the situation to comment on whether it was justifiable to suspend elections for the duration. It is certainly true that neither Britain nor the US did that during WW II – and much to the surprise of many, Churchill lost the 1945 election notwithstanding his magnificent leadership throughout the War.
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:12am
    - cmm
      
      “That VZelenskyy started the war.”
      
      How do wars get started?
      
      If you think the war started when the Russian tanks rolled over the border then you’re not looking at the whole picture.
      
      The civil war had been going for well over a decade – before Zelenskyy – but it would seem fair to say that there were certain things that Zelenskyy did that escalated things to bringing the Russians in.
      
      Who you blame will depend very much on when you think the war started.
      
      People fall in the same trap over the starting of WW1. Nope it didn’t start because Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The war was ready to kick off for at least a year before that. The assassination was just the ref’s whistle.
      
      People like easy to digest news smoothies. They like a clear good guy and bad guy. Sorry, but reality is far more complex than that.
      
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      February 21, 2025 8:29am
      - bennerg
        
        Well out cmm. The 57% support for Zelensky is a little like the covid “vaccine” having 100% effectiveness. You gotta ask, who wrote that!
        
        The 4% comes from American intelligence on the ground, so even if you average the two, it does not look good for Zelensky.
        
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        February 21, 2025 8:36am
      - Mod88
        
        That war was imminent the moment the US interfered in 2014 and got the elected Ukraine President overthrown. That was all about loans/money. The EU have just done the exact same thing in Rumania.
        
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        February 21, 2025 9:44am
      - newview
        
        What isn’t disputable in my mind is that Russia was never under direct threat of invasion from Ukraine or any body else, so had no need and no right to invade. The invasion was Putin acting out his dream of regaining the old soviet bloc and writing himself into history in the process.
        
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        February 21, 2025 10:55am
      - Allan
        
        Russia was always planning to invade.
        
        The invasion was initiated when the pro-Rusia leader was thrown out by the nation that wanted closer ties with the West and the EU.
        
        All the other causes, claims and issues are the work of Russian propaganda.
        
        Propaganda that is reiterated here either deliberately by pro-Russian stooges or by useful idiots.
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:15am
      - rangitoto
        
        “The 4% comes from American intelligence on the ground”
        
        Nope it comes from Russian propaganda.
        
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        February 21, 2025 3:21pm
    - Frank the tank
      
      “That Zelenskyy was polling at 4% while he was polling at 57%”
      
      The poll that had him at 57% was provided by an entity funded by USAID. I would dare say his approval rating is somewhere between the 2 numbers.
      
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      February 21, 2025 8:51am
      - Don Beckett
        
        For the Zelensky admirers, why has Zelensky imprisoned his political opposition? Why did he cancel the Minsk Agreement, which would have given peace 2 years ago? Why is he persecuting the Orthodox Church? Why are those who speak against him put in prison?
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:09am
      - rangitoto
        
        By orthodox church you mean the church of the Moscow patriarch. An FSB run organisation.
        
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        February 21, 2025 5:32pm
    - kevn
      
      Chuck… Bit more Z info for you.
      https://notthebee.com/article/it-looks-newsweek-just-discovered-how-democracy-and-elections-work-
      
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      February 21, 2025 9:45am
    - thirteenstars
      
      “Many countries cancel elections when at war. ”
      
      The US has never felt the need to cancel an election, or even postpone one, voting papers provided for troops at the frontlines. The Civil War, WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and other wars, too. Every four years like clockwork for 240 years.
      
      Of course Ukraine could have held elections.
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:44am
      - Ghost
        
        While under Martial law it can not hold an election
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:35am
      - thirteenstars
        
        “While under Marshall law it can not hold an election”
        
        You mean martial law? If so, then isn’t that convenient. Get real, if the Ukrainian government wanted to hold an election it would suspend martial law or change the law. God knows they’ve had no trouble using draconian emergency powers in the name of prosecuting the war such as preventing men 18-60 from leaving the country, a horrible violation of human rights.
        
        Fact is, they don’t want to hold an election.
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:44am
      - Ghost
        
        no they cannot hold an election. No they can not change the constitution. You’d have to be pretty stupid to lift the martial law, just to hold an election.
        
        Demobilization is possible only after the end of martial law. Olha Aivazovska, head of the election watchdog Opora, said this process should begin at the stage of signing a peace agreement and its ratification.
        
        “Then martial law is lifted and a fully-fledged, democratic, transparent electoral process begins,” she told the Kyiv Independent.
        
        If the war ends and martial law is lifted, Ukraine’s Central Election Commission (CEC) will announce the start of the election campaign.
        
        According to Ukrainian law, starting from that moment, 90 days should pass before presidential elections are to be held, 54 to 60 days before the parliamentary elections, and 50 days before local elections.
        
        https://kyivindependent.com/a-beginners-guide-to-elections-in-ukraine-also-suitable-for-us-presidents/
        
        Article 157
        
        The Constitution of Ukraine shall not be amended, if the amendments foresee the abolition or restriction of human and citizens’ rights and freedoms, or if they are oriented toward the liquidation of the independence or violation of the territorial ind ivisibility of Ukraine.
        The Constitution of Ukraine shall not be amended in conditions of martial law or a state of emergency.
        
        Article 83
        
        Regular sessions of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine commence on the first Tuesday of February and on the first Tuesday of September each year.
        
        Special sessions of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, with the stipulation of their agenda, are convoked by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, on the demand of no fewer National Deputies of Ukraine than one-third of the constitutional composi tion of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, or on the demand of the President of Ukraine.
        
        In the event of the introduction of martial law or of a state of emergency in Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine assembles within a period of two days without convocation.
        
        In the event that the term of authority of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine expires while martial law or a state of emergency is in effect, its authority is extended until the day of the first meeting of the first session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine , elected after the cancellation of martial law or of the state of emergency.
        
        https://rm.coe.int/constitution-of-ukraine/168071f58b
        
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        February 21, 2025 12:21pm
      - thirteenstars
        
        “You’d have to be pretty stupid to lift the martial law, just to hold an election.”
        
        Yes, they can hold an election. It’s up to them if the wish to implement martial law or establish a perpetual dictatorial regime, which many of the measures taken under the Ukraine Martial law have done even though they were not required to be done, such as outlawing opposition parties (freely elected by voters), suppressing media into one state organisation and preventing men from leaving Ukraine. Sounds very Russian to me.
        
        But answer me this: how were you able to edit two of your replies to me *after* they were posted, specifically changing “Marshall law” to “martial law” after I pointed out your error, and then removing an insult towards me that “You are wrong as you usually are”?
        
        Only moderators have the power to edit after posts are finalised, yes? Maybe I’ve missed it, and maybe others have, too, so perhaps you would have the decency to confirm that you’re a mod or reveal how we can all perform the neat trick of editing posts after they’ve been finalised.
        
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        February 21, 2025 1:26pm
      - NothingLeft
        
        Every 90days the Ukrainian parliament vote on whether to extend martial law, and apparently the opposition have been voting to continue – so the opposition are essentially saying that they support not having elections in the meantime.
        
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        February 21, 2025 4:52pm
      - Ghost
        
        I edited my post as soon as I posted it and saw what autocorrect had done. You have nearly 5 minutes to edit a post. But hey if you want to invent a conspiracy go for it
        
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        February 21, 2025 8:16pm
- cmm
  
  Quite possibly he told some lies. I don’t know. I wasn’t there.
  Quite likely he also spoke some truths that few have wanted told either.
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:13am
  - NK
    
    Or wanted to hear.
    
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    February 21, 2025 8:16am
  - Mattb
    
    Not quite possibly cmm. Trump did tell lies. You don’t need to be there, it’s on the internet.
    
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    February 21, 2025 8:49am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      There is a fabulist edge to Trump’s manner of speaking. As they say, don’t take him literally but do take him seriously (IE listen carefully to what he ACTUALLY said and use your brain). People who are not consumed with TDS get this.
      
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      February 21, 2025 4:01pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    I’m generally pretty neutral on Trump, mostly supportive of his policy initiatives, and I suspect that this is just his usual negotiating tactic of setting out an extreme scenario as a start-point to try and shift the end result in the direction he prefers, but his recent statements on Ukraine have been wall-to-wall bullshit, and the groups he is trying to bully are going to call his bluff.
    
    In taking his stance he’s perhaps irreparably burned bridges with almost every western govt – they no longer see USA as a reliable defense partner.
    
    The loss in soft power is going to catastrophic for USA. Europe will step up support for Ukraine – who will hold on and probably come to stalemate cessation of conflict in a year (unless Europe go all-in with more advanced long range weapons and tech support which would see Russia beaten back), and the rest of the world will no longer believe in the Pax Americana, it will embolden China and see a lot of countries scrambling to build nukes and massive drone armies. USA will lose it’s influence in Europe.
    
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    February 21, 2025 4:59pm
- Nukuleka
  
  You clearly haven’t yet twigged onto how Trump strategises, Chuck. Zelensky may not be a dictator, millions may not have died, Ukraine may not have actually begun the war, but Trump’s comments are getting people thinking and talking. He deliberately stirs the pot. Maybe Zelensky is actually a puppet of other more malevolent forces in Ukraine, maybe the scale of death and destruction are indeed huge, maybe the US desire as stated by George W Bush to extend NATO to Russia’s borders was not a sound idea. Nothing excuses Putin but maybe the US is tired of paying billions to what may be a corrupt government to wage an unwinnable war. Maybe peace is an option. Why not give it a go.
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:18am
  - rouppe
    
    More to the point, what has been the response of wider Europe?
    
    They have suddenly come together and are working out ways that they can at least better protect themselves from Putin, or defeat his incursion. Whether those idiots can actually do either is another matter.
    
    This is what Trump has been talking about. Europe, look after your own shit, and stop expecting us to drop hundreds of billions to do it for you.
    
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    February 21, 2025 8:24am
  - Chuck Bird
    
    Peace is an option but not total surrender.
    
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    February 21, 2025 8:27am
    - RoboRob
      
      Total surrender would be giving the who country to Russia and disestablishing the Ukraine government. Nobody is talking about doing that, not even Putin. Dont criticise Trump for lying and exaggeration and then do it yourself.
      
      Peace has been an option for the lsat two years, but Bidens refusal to negotiate a peace treaty has left Ukraine in a weak bargaining position and the Ukraine will likely lose more then they would have if this had been settled a year ago.
      
      At least the US is now trying, the previous strategy of waging war until Russia is defeated, wasn’t exactly working.
      
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      February 21, 2025 8:42am
      - NothingLeft
        
        Russia is nearing military and economic exhaustion. The cold war arms stockpiles are gone, they are down to dregs and literal donkeys for logistical support, their economy is failing, their oil industry is being savagely degraded by nightly Ukrainian strikes, and they are suffering half a million casualties a year for the gain of fuck all land with all infrastructure destroyed. They have an unstated policy of killing off their wounded – sending people on crutches back to front line in order to save cost of supporting them in future.
        
        If Ukraine can get enough support to hold on for another with their ever growing and improving drone tech then Russia are screwed.
        
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        February 21, 2025 5:09pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        NothingLeft the problem as I see it is backing a massively nuclear armed dictatorship (which sees the West as a bunch of erratic/stupid/untrustworthy lying bastards) into a desperate corner is probably not a smart move for the survival (not to mention well-being) of humanity.
        
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        February 22, 2025 6:06pm
    - cmm
      
      Oh just fuck off with that “surrender is not an option” bullshit.
      
      What that tells me is that you’re an armchair warrior happy to see soldiers fed through the meat grinder.
      
      If you really think that then put your money where your mouth is: get yourself a plane ticket and go join the Ukrainians on the front line. I expect you are too old to do so, so give that plane ticket to your son etc.
      
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      February 21, 2025 8:44am
      - kowtow
        
        ‘so give that plane ticket to your son etc’
        
        Exactly .
        
        The “establishment” keeps telling us voters don’t want taxes spent on defence , they do want hospitals , schools etc
        
        If the pollsters ,pushed by the politicians seeking re election, posed the question differently , then I suspect the cosy middle classes would insist on a lot more defence spending.
        
        ie Do you agree with allowing our country to become so weak that any dictator would be interested in invading , blowing up your house , forcing your chidren / grandchildren to be conscripted to die in a ditch or have their limbs blown off .
        
        Then it would be a very different matter.
        
        Cos that’s what it’s coming to.
        
        Chinese ships off Oz , no Chinese apps in our parliament ………
        
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        February 21, 2025 9:29am
      - Greenheart
        
        [Mod – debate the topic without making it personal and without abuse]
        
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        February 21, 2025 9:52am
      - Taieri
        
        Do you agree with allowing our country to become so weak that any dictator would be interested in invading
        ———–
        
        And that’s precisely what virtually all Ukrainian politicians have been doing for the 30 years of its existence as an independent country. Stealing, cheating and lying instead of building their country. And the result is?
        The country, which has the potential to be one of the richest in Europe was one of the poorest even before the Russian invasion. But the oligarchs are doing just fine…
        
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        February 21, 2025 10:23am
    - Rusty
      
      @Chuck
      The US didn’t cancel elections during WW2. FDR was re-elected in 1944.
      
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      February 21, 2025 9:17am
      - RoboRob
        
        To be fair, the US was miles away from the actual conflict. The Birts, and Ukrainians have / had bombs dropping on them.
        
        Lets face it, in war elections (and national emergencies) are a wate of time anyway, as generally the incumbent gets re elected with a massive majority. Just like JA did during the Covid breakout.
        
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        February 21, 2025 9:49am
      - rangitoto
        
        US mainland was never under attack.
        
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        February 21, 2025 9:52am
      - Greenheart
        
        The USA was not defending its territory at that time.
        Explain how it is possible to hold fair and free elections when a country is fighting off an invasion
        
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        February 21, 2025 9:55am
      - kowtow
        
        rangitoto
        
        ‘US mainland was never under attack.’
        
        That is not entirely accurate .
        
        There were balloon bombings by the japanese , the odd sub attack on installations and the Germans landed spies with intent to sabotage .
        
        Off the coast of mainland US there was a pretty serious submarine war too.
        
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        February 21, 2025 10:50am
      - thirteenstars
        
        “To be fair, the US was miles away from the actual conflict”
        
        “US mainland was never under attack.”
        
        “The USA was not defending its territory at that time.”
        
        Oh, cut it out. The Civil War, which ran for four long years and killed 600,000, didn’t prevent Lincoln holding an election, and that was in 1864.
        
        The US used mail-in voting for those overseas during both world wars and there were millions under arms in far-off places.
        
        It’s the 21st century. Most of Ukraine is not occupied or under direct attack by Russia. Most of the civilian population has left the conflict zones. The population is generally available to vote. If the Ukrainian government doesn’t want to hold an election it’s not because it can’t be done.
        
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        February 21, 2025 10:53am
      - newview
        
        Sorry Rusty the US didn’t want anything to do with the Second World War until Pearl Harbour. They were quite happy to let Europe destroy itself even though that would leave nobody much to trade with. Sort of like now really.
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:05am
      - thirteenstars
        
        “…the US didn’t want anything to do with the Second World War until Pearl Harbour. They were quite happy to let Europe destroy itself …”
        
        Why did the US have any obligation to finance or otherwise get involved in a *another* European war? After its experiences in WWI, Europe descending back into internecine conflict only 20 years later, why would anyone want to go near the place?
        
        Your argument seems to be that the US is somehow obligated to keep financing the Ukraine conflict. If that’s so then doesn’t the US have every right to seek a peace deal? If not, you’re saying it *must* support the war *and* have no say in its prosecution or resolution.
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:31am
      - cmm
        
        “newview” Of course.
        They made huge coin out of WW2 – both at the time and during the reconstruction.
        By dragging their heels, then coming in later really gave USA a huge boost.
        
        Yes there were balloon bombs that drifted over from Japan (ingenious), but those caused very little damage. The only people killed by the bombs were 6 people killed when they fiddled with one they found on the ground.
        
        Since there were more than 9000 of these built and launched, likely more Japanese people were killed during launching accidents etc than were killed in USA. So, while ingenious, highly ineffective.
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:40am
      - kowtow
        
        newview
        
        I think it would be fair to say the American public weren’t keen to get involved in the European war but the US govt was doing everything it could short of actual involvement.
        
        From very early on the USN was involved in “Neutrality Patrols” in the Atlantic and then even strted to escort convoys , to take pressure off the RN. US suffered casulaties during neutrality on that account at the hands of the German navy.
        
        The US signed up to Lend Lease in March 1941.
        They occupied Greenland in April ’41 and Iceland in July ’41 .
        
        And of course the Atlantic meeting was August ’41.And that document proves the US govt at least was not happy for “to let Europe destroy itself “.
        
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        February 21, 2025 3:39pm
    - Eastlander
      
      Total surrender is what will end up happening if a compromise peace is not achieved first.
      
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      February 21, 2025 9:31am
      - rangitoto
        
        The is no compromise peace. The orcs will just use that as an opportunity to rearm before the next takeover attempt.
        
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        February 21, 2025 9:53am
      - Eastlander
        
        The Russians do not need to pause to rearm, they are doing that as the war goes on.
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:27am
      - rangitoto
        
        They are trying but they are even using mules for logistics now.
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:43am
      - NothingLeft
        
        Russia can only build tanks, artillery and APCs at a rate of about 5% of what they are losing. They are nearly out of materiel, Ukraine drone production exceeds theirs and is now responsible for ~70% of kills – conventional weapons are mostly obsolete.
        
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        February 21, 2025 5:13pm
  - bennerg
    
    America got really upset when Russia put munitions nearby in Cuba.
    
    Why would Putin not get upset with NATO bringing the same closer to Russia?
    
    Ass cmm said, you gotta look at the big picture.
    
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    February 21, 2025 8:38am
    - rangitoto
      
      Putin knows that NATO will never attack. They have even moved troops from the Finland and Norway border in an attempt to expel Ukraine from Kursk. Looks like it failed Putin’s deadline of 25th Jan. Putin sees that what he thought would be an easy land grab has failed but he doesn’t have any easy way out of it that keeps his life.
      
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      February 21, 2025 9:57am
  - Mattb
    
    Wrong Nukulela. Trump lied. Zelensky isn’t a dictator, millions haven’t died and Ukraine didn’t start the war. Why do you think so many countries have joined NATO? Simple reason – Russia is dangerous.
    
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    February 21, 2025 8:59am
    - rangitoto
      
      Yep. Russia’s neighbours know them too well.
      
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      February 21, 2025 9:58am
      - Bobba Fret
        
        I believe the Finnish have long memories and do not like Russians.
        
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        February 21, 2025 10:42am
      - Allan
        
        Poland remembers the Katyn forest.
        
        They are ready and willing to fight and know too well that if Ukraine is thrown to the wolves the wolves will come after them eventually.
        
        Appeasement didn’t really bring ‘peace in our time’ did it.
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:26am
      - Eastlander
        
        Allan, would you perhaps like a rundown of Ukraine’s historical relationship with Poland? There are many carefully-preserved and extremely bad memories. The Poles incidentally have already ruled any military commitment on their part.
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:56am
      - rangitoto
        
        “KYIV, July 9 (Reuters) – The Ukrainian and Polish presidents jointly marked the anniversary on Sunday of World War Two-era massacres of Poles by Ukrainian nationalists, killings that have caused tension for generations between countries that are now close allies.
        Warsaw has positioned itself as one of Kyiv’s staunchest supporters since Russia invaded the country in 2022.”
        
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        February 21, 2025 2:00pm
      - Eastlander
        
        They have been brought together by their common interest in winning the war, that’s all. ‘Joint commemoration’ doesn’t settle the Volyhnia affair, which can’t be settled because Poland wants acknowledgement of guilt. Ukraine cannot and will not give that – they’ve built their national identity around the UPA and they aren’t going to start saying that the UPA were genocidaires.
        
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        February 21, 2025 8:21pm
- Colville
  
  Either way I don’t understand Trumps endgame with Russia.
  How is having a strong aggressive Russia good for the rest of the world?
  Does Trump think Russia will counter China? Or he is worried that China will buddy up with Russia?
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:20am
  - PurplePen
    
    One of the Interpretation of Nostradsmus has Russia and usa going to war against China.
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:11am
  - Northshoredoc
    
    Trump, despite some thinking he is a strategic genius playing four-dimensional chess, is IMO a fairly simple thinker with a large dollop of narcissism added in.
    
    I think he wants to –
    
    1. End the war in Ukraine by whatever means possible, short of direct US intervention on the ground. This gives him some good PR and the chance for a peace prize.
    
    2. Get a financial win from the peace deal for the US and his confidantes from either Ukraine or Russia, preferably both.
    
    3. Decrease US NATO spend and increase other NATO member commitments.
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:20am
    - Colville
      
      A strong Russia is going to lead to massive USA military spending AND boots on the ground… sooner or later.
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:43am
      - NothingLeft
        
        This war is Russian death-spasms. Russia is nearing collapse. Their legacy infrastructure is crumbling, the population is declining, their skills base is eroding (brain drain), and the mafia-state kleptocrats are pocketing every scrap of money floating around meaning there is no hope of a future.
        
        It will fall to local warlords governing over ever more impoverished fiefdoms in next decade.
        
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        February 21, 2025 5:19pm
  - Jules99
    
    One thing Trump wants is no more US taxpayer dollars pouring into the pockets of corrupt Ukrainian oligarchs or the US military industrial complex. If US money is withdrawn, Ukraine collapses and Russia can walk in and take the lot. European/UK leaders will not be able to persuade their (white) young men to die on the killing fields of Ukraine, especially when they are being treated like second class citizens right now (whoops). Doing a deal with Putin to just take what he has now, with actually save Ukraine and keep Putin in check. There will be sticks and carrots to control Putin, e.g. offer trade deals and open up tourism to benefit Russia. Once this happens, watch the border with Poland. They have their gripes about Ukraine, but it’s not politic to say so right now.
    
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    February 21, 2025 3:45pm
- Simon
  
  Trump is just dealing with the reality that Russia won.
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:50am
  - Burtland
    
    yes trump is enjoying putin’s sweet kisses
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:26am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Ah, I think he’s trying to avert WW3 or at least the total destruction of Ukraine and a hell of a lot more lost treasure and lives.
      
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      February 22, 2025 6:12pm
- Matt Long
  
  I was completely on Zelensky’s side until recently, however seeing Keir Starmer wanting to amp up the war and commit British Troops, plus the progressive governments in Europe, plus Biden’s corruption, I don’t know if there’s any good side, except largely innocent conscripts and civilians that are being harmed.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:00am
  - cmm
    
    British troops are committed – as are NZ troops.
    Even if you’re only doing logistics in the supply chain and training (as NZ troops are currently doing) you are still part of the war machine, have picked a side and become a legitimate target according to the rules of war.
    
    You don’t have to pick up a rifle to be a combatant.
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:31am
- redeye
  
  Have a watch of this if you’re still a Zelensky fan.
  https://tuckercarlson.com/tucker-show-bob-amsterdam
  
  Donald Trump just called Zelensky a dictator. Human rights lawyer Bob Amsterdam has worked in Ukraine for the past couple of years and confirms that if anything, that’s an understatement.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:13am
  - Lance
    
    You link to a Tucker Carlson source…. snigger
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:40am
- NoFax
  
  As my comments here have shown I have been generally supportive of President Trump. However, the IVF policy I cannot support and in regards to Ukraine I don’t get the position he has taken. It is clear Russia has started this war and the idea they were provoked is nonsense – no one has attacked Russia and in fact spending billions of dollars buying their oil. The idea that NATO provoked by incorporating countries that didn’t like the idea of Russia threanting them is nonsense. It took the full invasion of Ukraine for Finland and Sweden to join. Remember the what the term “Finlandisation” means.
  Further, the polls do indicate that Zelensky is popular but declining – it should be remember Winston Churchill lost the election straight after winning in Europe. The country is under martial law – rightfully so – and as such the constitution does not allow for elections. Tackling Russian media and agents does not make one a dictator – I wish we would do the same in regards to the growing CCP influence here.
  This idea that Zelensky is stealing billions is nonsense. The aid given to Ukraine has been accounted for on the ground by the US as General Kellog stated. Ukraine does not receive cash but “store credit” at the US military warehouse where they “buy” near expired products and then the US buys new stock and claims the new price is the amount of aid they gave to Ukraine – the vast amounts of money never left the US. It is similar to USAID; most of that money didn’t leave Washington. However, that corruption is more the donar’s side that the recipeitant.
  I am unsure what Trump’s plan so I am holding back judgement at this stage but he has already given a massive concession already by negotiating directly with Russia – he said earlier he wouldn’t do that. This confirms Russia’s worldview that big countries may dominate the smaller countries next to them and the big powers decide the fate of smaller countries without their consideration. Even the most ardent NZ supporter of Trum should see this as a concern.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:22am
  - Allan
    
    Agree with everything but the IVF.
    
    My son has a family only because of IVF.
    
    The costs are prohibitive. The emotional cost is even higher.
    
    I’m not a fan of Trump as a person but I do believe his policy platform is in close alignment with my own opinions. I would vote for a pikelet if it had those policies.
    
    I vehemently do not agree with his policy toward Ukraine. Yes, he wants Europe to step up and to save US money. But leaving Putin with the victory is a mistake. A mistake with predictable tragic consequences.
    
    Putin is an evil, black-hearted, thuggish murderer. The world would be a better place without him.
    
    And no, I’m not an armchair general. I’m old enough to have got mud on my boots doing what I volunteered to do.
    
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    February 21, 2025 2:13pm
    - NoFax
      
      I’m pro-life so can’t be supportive of IVF. Yes, it can create life (but not always) but the costs to the unborn lives losts is too high. In the US, more than 1 million unborn are aborted, frozen, or discarded.
      
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      February 21, 2025 4:28pm
- Dudley Quaffquaff
  
  Donald Trump is an intelligent, strong leader whose every move and word is consistent with a focused, carefully thought out strategy to put the US back on the path to greatness and the world’s respect.
  
  Just as a fun thought experiment, let’s just imagine what would look different if he were a weak, stupid man under the control of Vladimir Putin. What would such a person have done or said in contrast to the wise, clear headed, well-informed actions and statements that we have in fact seen?
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:23am
  - In Vino Veritas
    
    Interesting Duds. The one thing I think anyone can say with confidence, is that Trump is not stupid. We can then take your postulation from there.
    I would say though, that former Obama Secretary of Defence Robert Gates said of Joe Biden (pre Biden’s Presidency) “I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades”. His ineptitude in Foreign Policy (and the impact of it today) is writ in stone for ever.
    
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    February 21, 2025 11:43am
- rangitoto
  
  Trump’s rhetoric is just a tanty caused by Zelenski not caving in to Trump’s mafia shakedown attempt to grab Ukraine’s mineral wealth.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:24am
  - rangitoto
    
    And now I see that Trump has sent a watered down deal. LOL.
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:17am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    What’s the end game with prolonging the Ukraine war? Based on the current trajectory it would appear to be Ukraine gradually and totally smashed to pieces.
    
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    February 21, 2025 4:04pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    accurate
    
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    February 21, 2025 5:23pm
- trout
  
  An inciteful commentary on the present Ukraine imbroglio by a qualified observer
  https://www.foxnews.com/video/6368989885112?dicbo=v2-X883RGh
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:24am
- lastmanstanding
  
  There is no such thing as child poverty only parenting poverty. To prove this I challenge the Government to select two cohorts where child poverty exists.
  Give one cohort payments of three times the current rate and the other cohort extensive parenting skills training.
  I bet at the end of 12 months the cohort receiving the extra payments would be in the same position while the cohort receiving the training would be in a much better position.
  But this wont happen as Pollies see the poor as cannon fodder not as a group the offer genuine help to.
  
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  February 21, 2025 10:06am
  - Michael Sommerville
    
    While I agree with you, the problem will be to get the cohort who get the parenting education to implement what they have been taught.
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:52am
- nigel2010
  
  Chuck if Zelenskyy is not a crook and is not siphoning of the money the USA is sending how on earth did his wife afford a Bugatti Terbliron after all it was only €4m ($8 million nzd) something has to be done to save lives but the left seems to just want the war to carry on
  
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  February 21, 2025 10:29am
  - Northshoredoc
    
    Can you provide a credible citation for that claim?
    
    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c72ver6172do
    
    ‘A network of Russia-based websites masquerading as local American newspapers is pumping out fake stories as part of an AI-powered operation that is increasingly targeting the US election, a BBC investigation can reveal.’
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:43am
  - Ghost
    
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2024/07/05/zelenskyys-wife-buy-bugatti-fact-check/74291954007/
    
    Fake
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:46am
  - rangitoto
    
    The RuZZian propaganda that Zelensky is corrupt is the dumbest. If it were true, then Vlad the bad would have just bribed him. Would have been massively cheaper and a million less dead Russian soldiers.
    
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    February 21, 2025 5:39pm
- Ra Henare
  
  Chuck, think you will find that Trumps modus operandii is consistent.
  
  He takes elements of truth and then blows it up to being some bluster.
  Then he starts negotiations based on that BS to gain his original objectives.
  
  His mission in life is to negotiate a WIN.
  Think selling your house.
  You ask for more than you expect, and negotiate to what you will accept.
  Example.
  Calling Zelensky a dictator can be said to be true as Zs term as President has expired, and he refuses to hold an election.
  
  The 4% approval, may of course have been reported as being a survey done in the Donbas.
  
  But MSM, as is there want have blown it up to provide them an attack on Trump
  
  So nothing new Yawn.
  
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  February 21, 2025 2:44pm
Scott

Last Sunday as I is my usual habit I drove to church. On the way we saw the usual dozen people with Gaza flags urging passing motorists to toot for the people of Gaza.

Who are the people of Gaza and why should NZers support them? Well we’ve found out recently who the people of Gaza are when they came out in their thousands to cheer the coffins of babies!

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/02/the-bibas-murders.php

Those babies were killed in captivity by Hamas, Hamas claims otherwise. But what we can see is that thousands of the ordinary people of Gaza are very happy to cheer the coffins of very small children. They are proud of what they’ve done.

This is the mentality of the people of Gaza. They are not innocent. They are Hamas and they support Hamas and they really do cheer at the deaths of Israelis.

There is no two state solution with these people. I agree with Trump. Disperse them to Egypt and other places. Rebuild Gaza with people who want peace and not war.
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February 21, 2025 8:13am
- Paulus
  
  Rebuild Gaza with people who want peace, yes, but that is not the majority by a huge marging who are overwhelming favouring and are members of Hamas, who will not allow it .
  
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  February 21, 2025 10:53am
- kowtow
  
  ‘that thousands of the ordinary people of Gaza are very happy to cheer the coffins’
  
  In the same way that many of the Oct 7 attackers were “ordinary civilians” who went into Israel to murder,loot , rape , burn and destroy .
  And the many thousands who lined the streets on Oct 7 to literally cheer and praise their god at the sight of the broken , bloodied bodies of hostages , young women and babes in arms as they were publicly paraded in a disgusting , evil orgy of violence.
  
  Every keffiyeh wearing westerner is complicit in that evil.
  
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  February 21, 2025 11:02am
- Ra Henare
  
  So you accept one biased report as fact.
  Interesting.
  
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  February 21, 2025 2:51pm
Anthony Melchett

In 2021, when employees at a Texas hospital sued over a Covid vaccine mandate, Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, former president of the American Association of Immunologists, called their concerns “absurd.”

But now even he is showing that there was more to the question than met his eye in those days.

Dr. Iwasaki is co-chair of Yale University’s LISTEN (Listen to Immune, Symptom and Treatment Experiences Now) study, which looks at people both with vaccine injuries as well as broader issues like autoimmune disorders connected with the shots.

They’ve just released a preprint of their findings. It’s a small study, and it will need to be broadened and systematized, but it’s raising questions, because it found in some recipients of the shots (1) T-cell “exhaustion” and (2) prolonged spike protein production — even two years after the shots.

CD4 T-cells are crucial for coordinating immune responses, so the reduction being reported in the patients studied in LISTEN would make those people potentially more vulnerable to infections or less able to mount robust immune responses. Likewise, the increase in TNFα+ CD8 T-cells observed in the study indicates a heightened inflammatory state, which can contribute to chronic inflammation or immune dysregulation.

Alex Berenson’s post about this got two million views in seven hours. “People are worried,” he says, “and they’re right to be. If I’d taken the jabs (I didn’t) and had a nasty reaction — even years ago — and now had a flu (for example) that I couldn’t shake…I’d want answers.”

He wonders if Moderna and Pfizer have the numbers on T-cell counts before and after the shots. It’s a good question.
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February 21, 2025 8:15am
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7Oh9LOg8iI
$oros Slightly Worried.
Why is he still walking around? Why isn’t he in jail? Who is responsible for sending funds to these NGO’s? They need to be found, charges with treason and go to jail.
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February 21, 2025 8:19am
sungsamning

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/elon-musk-endorses-doge-dividend-payments-would-send/
Elon Musk Open to ‘DOGE Dividend’ Payments That Could Send $5,000 Checks to Every American Taxpayer

Elon Musk showed interest in an innovative way of showing the country the savings his Department of Government Efficiency is making.
Musk posted on the X platform on Tuesday, saying he would “check with the president” about a proposal to send $5,000 checks to every American using money saved by DOGE’s cost-cutting operations.
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February 21, 2025 8:19am
- Ra Henare
  
  Both Musk & Trump are media Savvy.
  They know how to play the PR game.
  
  Musk can make any statement he wants. He is just the advisor to the man with the Power.
  
  So don’t be surprised if nobody gets a cheque from the savings when the President decides to concentrate on reducing the debt and not fuelling inflation (Ie sending cheques to everyone)
  
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  February 21, 2025 2:54pm
Steve Otto N Shore

Are Maori really conservationists?
More and more Kiwis are waking up to the fact that NZ is in big trouble.
Media and Govt are ignoring this.

Video 23 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP-Isnmey_7g
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February 21, 2025 8:21am
- rouppe
  
  Of course not.
  
  They burned forest to get at Moa.
  They caused the extinction of Moa.
  By extension they caused the extinction of the Haast eagle which fed on Moa.
  They have stories of battles where rivers “ran red with blood”.
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:28am
- pdm
  
  `Are Maori really conservationists?’
  
  Some (a few) maybe but, most are not!!!
  
  The Urewera Huts and an article I read a week or two ago about the deterioration of the Urewera National Park since Tuhoi took over is a clear example of the mess places become when Maori are left in charge.
  
  Maori owned land festooned with gorse and blackberry is example two.
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:33am
  - Hugh Jarse
    
    I believe amongst other one time residents of New Zealand, Moriori, forests destroyed by the Moa hunters, Moa and Haast eagles deserve to be heard on maori’s conservation credentials.
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:10am
    - Pope Punctilious II
      
      Moriori were never inhabitants of the two main islands. They were a Maori tribe that settled the Chathams and were isolated from the mainland for several hundred years, during which time they developed a distinctive culture and language.
      
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      February 21, 2025 11:26am
      - Mod88
        
        Like the Waitaha people of the South Island and then Ngai Tahu arrived.
        
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        February 21, 2025 11:40am
      - JackRabbit
        
        Pope, what age are you, and/or when did you arrive in NZ?
        
        Were were taught in school in the 1960s, information that was widely distributed, that originated from Maori oral history, that the Moriori inhabited the South Island and were attacked or interbred, with survivors fleeing to the Chatham Islands.
        
        Unfortunately so much history has been destroyed or embargoed, which was full of history told to the Pakeha by the Maori of their history.
        
        And I can predict you will call me delusional, as you do, to attack me rather then be open to the information.
        
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        February 21, 2025 3:00pm
      - JackRabbit
        
        @mod88.
        
        Indeed. The Waitaha were mostly wiped out, because they were a peaceful race. They believed that to take a life was to destroy your own.
        
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        February 21, 2025 3:02pm
  - Scott
    
    pdm-good question. Are Maori conservationists?
    Well when they had the land to themselves they definitely were not. They killed to the point of extinction the Huia bird, the Haast eagle and of course the moa. They killed every seal and penguin they could find. And they didn’t even conserve each other. About a quarter to a third of Maori people died in the musket wars of the early 19th century.
    
    So Maori have no history or tradition of conservation. The Tuhoe get a national park and they set fire to the huts to keep visitors out. The land will return to wilderness and be of no use to anyone.
    
    The idea of Maori being conservationists is in my opinion liberal fantasy.
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:13am
    - RoboRob
      
      100% agree. I have been on about this for years, it really pisses me off to have our kids taught that Maori were the great conservationists. That is a rewrite of history.
      
      The Maori hunted to extinction and then moved to a new location. Just like many other cultures in a pre farming era. There is nothing to be ashamed about this.
      
      However the lefties and apologists cant have Maori ‘bad’ at anything so they are actively attempting to re write history.
      
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      February 21, 2025 9:45am
      - Steve Otto N Shore
        
        The kids are being indoctrinated with Maori propaganda, and yes it pisses me off as well.
        
        14 1
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        February 21, 2025 10:26am
      - Paulus
        
        Not attempting, but doing via the schools sorry now Kura, they are as that is the doctrine of the Education Department and the Teachers Union.
        
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        February 21, 2025 2:09pm
      - JackRabbit
        
        Several of the races that lived here prior to the Maori, were farmers, and conservationists, and fished with nets.
        
        The Waitaha being one of many.
        
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        February 21, 2025 3:04pm
    - pdm
      
      Steve Ottos question Scott.
      
      But, I agree with what you say.
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:06am
    - Steve Otto N Shore
      
      It should be noted that the musket wars were Tribes against Tribes. That is not taught in schools.
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:28am
    - Paulus
      
      Give them more Money and they can pretend to be Conservationists !
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:54am
      - Steve Otto N Shore
        
        That is exactly what they are doing now.
        
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        February 21, 2025 12:46pm
- Raphael
  
  There is a rather annoying habit of the Left to assume that anyone who is Indigenous automatically cares for, is more in touch with, and more spiritually connected to the environment than the filthy Colonisers.
  
  When in reality all humans have exploited the environment to the current technical ability at any given time.
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:37am
  - Colville
    
    I know from the excavations done on the south coast of north island Maori camped in a place and wiped out the seafood before moving on. The historical record from the miden pits tells the tale of every living thing being eaten.
    
    But to be fair… With a life expectancy of 23… You didn’t have long to get your quota of paua!
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:06am
  - pb
    
    The Nobel Savage, whom ate his contemporaries, ain’t nobel.
    
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    February 21, 2025 9:11pm
- kowtow
  
  ‘More and more Kiwis are waking up’
  
  It’s taken too long and not nearly enough of us!
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:03am
- NoFax
  
  No more or less than anyone else. But smug liberal types create the “Noble Savage” myth by thinking since Maori are more primitive they are closer to “mother earth” than the rest of us. It is also an attack on the free-market as they blame everything on the evils of “capitalism”. Nevermind the description of the environment in Soviet Russia or present day China.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:25am
- PurplePen
  
  I’d say 18th and 19th century Maori mostly not, given the extinctions and land clearance via burnoffs. 21st century, some are and some are not. Just as some NZers are great conservationists and and some are not.
  
  It’s equally racist to lump all Maori together and say they’re great conservationists as it is to say the reverse. The whole business of putting a race up on a pedestal is a nonsense. We’re all humans and all equally able to do bad and good things, irrespective of our race.
  
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  February 21, 2025 11:35am
Maggy Wassilieff

Could someone from Labour take Jan Tinetti aside and remind her that it is the 21st century and it is quite OK for men to talk about menstrual products?

Hon Jan Tinetti: Does she think it’s appropriate for Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court to tell women what period products to use to save money?

Hon JUDITH COLLINS: Do you know, I think it’s amazing, because I don’t need to worry about those sorts of things any more, and I’m just so grateful for the fact that this man is actually interested in it, because I sure as hell am not.

(Oral Q. 9 20 Feb 2025)
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20250220_20250220_20

And if she has a real concern about men who tell women what to put in their vagina, and why has she, as the Minister for Women, stood by and done nothing?, then perhaps she should get on a bike today and chase Te Ururoa Flavell and other Men around Taranaki today as they tell women to Smear their Mea.

https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/02/18/ride-for-talei-week-long-cancer-awareness-journey-to-te-matatini/
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February 21, 2025 8:33am
- pdm
  
  Maggy that was an appalling display by Tinetti at Question Time yesterday.
  
  Surely even her caucus colleagues were embarrassed – if not they should have been.
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:36am
  - mandk
    
    Tinetti has taken over the mantle of being the most dim-witted person in Parlaiment from Clare Curran.
    
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    February 21, 2025 8:51am
    - pdm
      
      A well earned title – it would have been hotly contested by another 10/12 from Labour/Greens/Maori Party.
      
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      February 21, 2025 10:08am
- cmm
  
  It is identity politics.
  Only blacks can talk about black issues and say the N word.
  Only Maori can comment on Maori issues.
  Only women can talk about women’s issues, tampons etc.
  Only gays can talk about gay issues
  But everyone can give the straight, white men a kicking.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:42am
  - Burtland
    
    only maori can be racist
    
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    February 21, 2025 10:35am
- pb
  
  Mr Earle Cleveland Haas invented tampons, back in the day. Modern would be censors are ridiculous.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:14pm
Bridgenag

the case against porn
why being pro sex means being anti-pornography

“especially for the young, watching improbably caparisoned and proportioned people undertake comprehensively improbable acts with exceptional facility and blithe lack of concern while embodying all the sincerity of a politician giving a telepromomted stump speech is at once frightening, intimidating, desensitizing, and dehumanizing. [sic]“

https://open.substack.com/pub/boriquagato/p/the-case-against-porn?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
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February 21, 2025 9:01am
Anthony Melchett

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/crime/controversial-ng%C4%81puhi-leader-sonny-tau-jailed-after-seven-year-indecency-case/

3 years is better than nothing. Suprised someone isn’t blaming colonial invasion for this rapists actions.
19 0
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February 21, 2025 9:03am
- Paulus
  
  He will be in the Special Maori Wing of prison with his relatives.
  
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  February 21, 2025 2:12pm
Matt Long

The rape scarf people were already on the streets protesting the day after Hamas broke the ceasefire with Israel to commit genocidal atrocities against Jews and others. Including the kidnap and murder of the Bibas family.
https://x.com/MarkHubbard33/status/1892482988346139093
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February 21, 2025 9:05am
Yvette

In trying to understand a little about the Ukraine, is it not a buffer zone between Europe (NATO, the West) and Russia (as Putin views it, the broken Soviet Union, which needs repair for Putin’s comfort) are not Biden / Putin / and Trump all motivated by the same drive as Tarrant – to keep the “environment” the same as is familiar (so safe) – but with a utterly profoundly more heinous death toll? So what do you do as a solution to what is childish (sand-pit territory – enviro-facist) thinking.
It’s basically the same hideous situation in Gaza, isn’t it?

I don’t need to be right – I’m asking a vague question, rather than offering any answer
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February 21, 2025 9:12am
- Allan
  
  Putin wants to redraw Russias border with Europe.
  
  It is to create a deeper defensive barrier. Aparently Operation Barbarossa could happen again.
  
  Ukraine was the first step. Once it fell Moldova would be next and then Romania. As the West stood by and kept seeking ‘Peace in Our Time’ it would then be time for Poland to rejoin whatever is passing for the Warsaw Pact these days. To the south that gives the Carpathian Mountains and the mountain range in Poland as natural barriers and the German-Polish border is shorter by thousands of kilometres.
  
  While all this was going on The Baltic States would be swallowed up.
  
  Putins playbook is simple, but effective. Start some sort of internal conflict. Step in to help the ethnic Russians. Destabilise the governments and install puppet regimes.
  
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  February 21, 2025 2:27pm
- pb
  
  Ukraine is war-by-proxy. The lure of treasures in Greater Khazaria loomed.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:17pm
Benedict Yu

I was driving through a remote area this morning. Could only get RNZ. I knew that I would regret it. Patrick Gower was on. Maybe he is filling in. What an odious journalist.

He was interviewing the head of DoC who wanted to tell a good news story about a high end philanthropic organisation funding conservation here.

So Patrick interrupted her, sneering that DoC had to “go begging” because the government under funded them.

Honestly how did this guy become an apparantly prominent journalist? He seems to be an unappealing communist of below average intelligence.

Anyway that’s enough RNZ for a while.
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February 21, 2025 9:12am
- NoFax
  
  Acvists cosplaying as journalists. You actually listened to a Labour/Green/Maori Party activist interview someone. So stop listening.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:27am
- sirknz
  
  RNZ is the KO of NZ media, the employer of last resort if you will.
  
  18 0
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  February 21, 2025 9:37am
- Tauhei Notts
  
  Several years ago I crossed the ramp on the inter-islander in Wellington at 10.30 p.m. and had a 530 km drive in front of me.
  One talk back station was hosted by a dong beater; the other talkback station was hosted by a dingbat; RNZ National was hosted by a dickhead; I sought solace in the Concert Programme. Prokofiev, Mahler and Shostakovich were a pleasure. There are occasions when the Concert Programme is priceless.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:43am
  - pdm
    
    Magic is good if you like that music.
    
    mrspdm and I do.
    
    7 0
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    February 21, 2025 10:46am
  - fightingtemeraire
    
    I have my car radio permanently turned to the CP.
    
    6 0
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    February 21, 2025 11:08am
    - Paulus
      
      I have my radio turned off but, Mozart and others on Discs if needed.
      Magic Flute, I know fully over many years and still go with it as loud as I can.
      
      4 0
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      February 21, 2025 2:14pm
      - OlderChas
        
        I have some 700 downloaded (for free!) songs from the 50s, 60,s 70s on my phone that I play on shuffle either through my hearing aids or auxiliary plug when driving long distance. No announcers, ad breaks, “news” breaks – just real music! Plus folders full of favourite classical and brass band music (ex-bandy lol).
        
        6 0
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        February 21, 2025 2:32pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        Spotify ….
        
        0 0
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        February 21, 2025 9:23pm
  - PurplePen
    
    Provided data is available I’ll stream 1 of a handful of news radio stations from outside NZ.
    
    3 0
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    February 21, 2025 11:39am
- penguincouple
  
  Sadly, when there is demand, there is supply.
  (and of course there was the PIJF tilting the playing field as well)
  
  Just like me wondering year-after-year how can there be 45% or voting for Labour, Greens and other destructive left-wing parties.
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:44am
  - Paulus
    
    Why are we still funding PIJF via New Zealand on Air – I thought it was to be cancelled last year ?
    
    5 0
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    February 21, 2025 2:17pm
- Jethrod
  
  He was a “host” on the Halberg awards a few nights ago. He was so cringe-worthy that even his co-host was resiling from him. He was just awful. Fitting in a few bloody and calling people an arse.
  A journalist he ain’t!! Or a “host”.
  
  Also another comment about the presentation, the graphics were pretty bad, almost enough to bring on a fit!
  
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  February 21, 2025 9:54am
  - OlderChas
    
    I just won’t watch or listen to anything with Gower in it. He truly is cringeworthy.
    
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    February 21, 2025 2:34pm
- Paulus
  
  No, he is just normnal for media hacks – they appear all to be that same both rude, ignorant and incompetent.
  
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  February 21, 2025 10:58am
  - PurplePen
    
    A bit like that comedian asking questions at David Seymour’s standup with media at Waitangi.
    
    9 0
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    February 21, 2025 11:41am
    - OlderChas
      
      How dare you call that idiot a comedian! lol
      
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      February 21, 2025 2:35pm
- Pope Punctilious II
  
  How dare you call Paddy Gower a “journalist”!
  
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  February 21, 2025 12:53pm
  - David Garrett
    
    Pope: Gower is, in at least one respect, a very lucky man.
    
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    February 21, 2025 3:36pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  There is now a large pool of the brain-washed who cheer this kind of pure propaganda on. It will take a gargantuan and brave effort to restore our institutions to sanity.
  
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  February 21, 2025 4:13pm
- 70andstilllearning
  
  Heh Bene… – based on your comments over the last month odd suspect you’re operating out of a Midnorth centre hence your reception problems when you ‘travel’ :
  
  If on the SH system and (most off SH) a couple of FM frequencies work well (70 to 90’s+ music), on the AM network not so sure , – better than listening to the likes of Paddy. Anyway, welcome to the north – you must have liked what your saw a couple of years back to move here – enjoy!
  
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  February 21, 2025 7:50pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Professor Rob MacCulloch reminds us: don’t trust the government.

https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2025/02/professor-robert-macculloch-how-former.html
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February 21, 2025 9:24am
- PurplePen
  
  Will be interesting to see what the return will be with the next census, people won’t forget.
  
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  February 21, 2025 11:43am
  - Paulus
    
    More Census results lies as before I expect.
    
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    February 21, 2025 2:18pm
Yvette

Manurewa Marae

Takutai Kemp (Te Pāti Māori) won the Tāmaki Makaurau Māori electorate by just 42 votes (0.16%), but results at Manurewa Marae—where Kemp was CEO—are raising questions.

Kemp outperformed Labour’s Peeni Henare by 323 votes at this single polling station, a margin nearly eight times her overall victory and four times higher than at any other location.

Manurewa Marae saw an unusually high turnout, with 930 votes cast—far exceeding other polling places, including the second-largest, Westfield Manukau Mall, with 501 votes. Advance votes at the marae also dwarfed other locations, raising concerns about potential irregularities.

Henare won the next seven largest polling booths, adding to doubts about the integrity of the result. Critics are questioning whether a by-election should be held and whether polling stations with strong partisan ties—such as marae—should be reconsidered to ensure electoral fairness.
https://centrist.nz/tamaki-makaurau-seat-under-scrutiny-was-manurewa-marae-vote-fair/?

More telling perhaps, is the graphic accompanying the article, which shows the difference in Manurewa Marae more noticeably (to put it mildly) than your imagination may construct from written words (above). Check it out …

“Something is rotten in the state of ~~Denmark~~ Manurewa Marae” is used to describe corruption or a situation in which something is wrong, and may drop our International Corruption Rating to a level Penny Bright never conceived here on kiwiblog …
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February 21, 2025 9:29am
- zulumonster
  
  Yvette, as noted above we only have a good “Corruption Perception” rating – that is just another way of saying our perception of corruption is useless. If there were such a thing, our “Actual Corruption Index” rating would be not as pretty reading.
  
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  February 21, 2025 10:41am
Steve Otto N Shore

Alina Habba brought the heat and left Elon Musk’s critics wishing they never got out of bed.
Remember, it is Musk bringing two astronauts back from the space station after Biden basically abandoned them. The left just hate seeing the Republicans doing good things. Musk is public enemy number one because of DOGE. He is taking away their binkies!

https://patriotpulse.net/alina-habba-brought-the-heat-and-left-elon-musks-critics-wishing-they-never-got-out-of-bed/?
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February 21, 2025 9:31am
BarryB

“Health at any size, or health at every size”
I was watching a video yesterday and a comment from a New Zealand nurse raised a new thing which was happening in Health New Zealand. There is a very strong move to promote the idea of ‘Health at any size’ meaning no matter how big or small you are, you are healthy. There is no bad food – there is just food.
It is basically a movement that says ‘Obesity isnt a problem, there is no need for some sort of self responsibility, there is no need to worry about the consequences for being obese’. The nurse said that to question the idea is to be ostracised.

I guess the basis is that obesity is a Pacifica and Maori problem – being as thats where obesity is very prominent.

Thats the end of trying to get the health budget under control……..
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February 21, 2025 9:41am
- wsk12345
  
  I read somewhere last week that 100 million Americans have what is basically non alcohol causesd cirrhosis of the liver. That’s 1/3 of adults in the US. It’s caused by metabolic disease (type 2 and pre type 2 diabetes) and high triglycerides (a type of cholesterol).
  
  And it’s a disease driven primarily by overweight and obesity as these are what cause metabolic disease and make it hard to keep blood sugar at an appropriate level.
  
  Stay healthy – do not expect the health system to be there to help.
  
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  February 21, 2025 10:37am
- zulumonster
  
  One would think we had learned something from the demise of Dr Cat Pause … but it appears not: https://www.massey.ac.nz/study/scholarships-and-awards/cat-pause-postgraduate-scholarship/
  
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  February 21, 2025 10:45am
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    Sick joke. Maybe they’ll even erect a statue of her, in all her fleshy glory.
    
    7 1
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    February 21, 2025 1:20pm
  - David Garrett
    
    Zulu: “She published on coming out as fat” Que?
    
    Surely unlike being gay, being fat is glaringly obvious to everyone…how is it even possible to “come out as fat’??
    
    9 1
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    February 21, 2025 1:47pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Funded by her parents in her memory. As a parent myself I understand the urge.
    
    2 0
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    February 21, 2025 10:24pm
- Yvette
  
  BarryB – I guess the basis is that obesity is a Pacifica and Maori problem – being as thats where obesity is very prominent.
  
  So if obesity is excused or side-lined, de-platformed or just “side-eyed” (word du jour, apparently used to convey a range of emotions, including skepticism, disbelief, disapproval, or suspicion towards a particular statement, action, or situation, or consider things said by Mark Mitchell) so “not addressed”, then how is the earlier death rate compared to Pakeha (but not Asians) ever going to be decreased.
  “How about them apples?”
  
  7 0
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  February 21, 2025 10:59am
  - Paulus
    
    Most of the Pacifica, and that includes Maori, is historically Genetically Obese and cannot be changed in under 100 years of hard effort.
    In the shorter term Obesity is one of New Zealand’s greatest killers, and costs, in the process.
    
    7 1
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    February 21, 2025 2:20pm
    - David Garrett
      
      PAULUS: Cook and other Europeans who visited Tonga from the late 18th century on did NOT find a nation of fatties, but rather striking examples of manhood.
      
      Even when I first came here over 40 years ago most of the people were BIG rather than fat.
      
      The epidemic of obesity and diabetes is a fairly recent phenomenon – and is rapidly getting worse as car ownership increases and noone walks any more
      
      8 1
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      February 21, 2025 2:31pm
      - Don Beckett
        
        Agreed David. When I was a production manager of a large window manufacturing company in Auckland in the 1970’s I had many Tongan workers there. They were in the main, tall & muscular, and great people to have working for you. They enjoyed singing while they were working to the enjoyment of most of the other workers – Cook Islanders, Samoans & of course, Maori & Pakeha.
        
        8 1
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        February 21, 2025 2:52pm
- Ghost
  
  Is it? Because down here the morbidly obese are white. Im surprised by the growing amount of white men whose stomach falls out of their shirt and is racing to the ground. Kids whose legs are bigger than both of mine together.
  
  We seriously have a problem in this country that will cripple our health system and it isn’t just Māori and Pacific Islanders.
  
  9 2
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  February 21, 2025 2:01pm
  - Jethrod
    
    I was at the supermarket this morning and at the self-checkout was this very large woman, like grossly obese.
    It looked like she was getting her daily fix of ice cream, 2 x 2 litre tubs of ice cream, my wife asked me what flavor.
    And she was white.
    
    8 1
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    February 21, 2025 2:51pm
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    Absolutely true, it’s certainly not just a Polynesian problem. I see plenty of white fatties where I live, including the president of my cricket club who’s now so obese he can barely walk (his playing days long gone obviously).
    
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    February 21, 2025 4:32pm
Steve Otto N Shore

RFK Jr Shakes NIH As Top Officials Resign Amid Agency Chaos. RFK Jr is cleaning house.
They are in panic mode.

https://patriotpowerednetwork.com/rfk-jr-shakes-nih-as-top-officials-resign-amid-agency-chaos/?
13 3
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February 21, 2025 9:48am
- Inandout
  
  SO, too early to judge but I think I will sell my Pfizer shares.
  
  12 2
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  February 21, 2025 10:06am
  - Steve Otto N Shore
    
    Sell then to Ardern Safe and Effective you know!!
    
    6 2
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    February 21, 2025 12:48pm
Handyman

The most surprising thing about President Trump is that he says what he will do and then does it. This is most unusual.
He has laid out his global strategy and is implementing it. Why are the Europeans so surprised!?

The Trump public strategy:
The US has three enemies and cannot fight any two of them at once. Therefore…
1. Get the Europeans to rearm and protect against Russia. Must make Russia look scary and convince Europeans USA is not there to fight their battles. Stop the war in Ukraine to stop the US bleeding arms. Ukraine is not strategic to USA.
2. Maintain maximum economic pressure on Iran. Support Israel for inevitable bombs on Iranian nuclear site. Make US energy dominant.
3. Focus all military resources to combat China expansion. Relocate as much Chinese manufacturing to US/Mexico during the remaining peacetime. Decrease land army to increase air and navy forces.

Don’t bother creating a coalition as per Bush against Iraq. Ignore the UN. Allies are all small militarily so only rely on US military.
14 2
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February 21, 2025 9:54am
- Dudley Quaffquaff
  
  And Canada. Don’t forget Canada is an enemy too
  
  9 8
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  February 21, 2025 10:09am
Bridgenag

civics for white house press correspondents
a lesson in lessons

“this is the best thing you’ll watch today.

this is white house deputy chief of staff stephen miller speaking in the white house press briefing room.

pop some corn.

just sit back and enjoy the next 1 minute and 46 seconds.”

https://open.substack.com/pub/boriquagato/p/civics-for-white-house-press-correspondents?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
14 2
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February 21, 2025 10:23am
- Blog-aholic
  
  Thats what you call a dick punch….
  
  6 2
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  February 21, 2025 10:54am
- PurplePen
  
  Very well said. Essentially, unelected officials implementing what they want, not what is wanted by elected persons, what is the will of the people. And it is happening here.
  
  10 1
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  February 21, 2025 11:52am
- Conservatarian
  
  Superb!
  
  “but Miller is a racist”
  
  5 2
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  February 21, 2025 12:48pm
John Loveridge

I can’t imagine there are many here who haven’t been to Sydney. It has its good points and its bad, of course, and everybody will have an opinion about it. But after a week of driving around the place I’m drawn to a number of pleasant contrasts with New Zealand cities:

– Speed limits fit for purpose.
– No stupid fucking humps at major intersections.
– No stupid fucking bike lanes.
– Lots of major infrastructure projects underway.
16 0
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February 21, 2025 10:54am
- Eastlander
  
  Sydney is in the process of installing $70 million worth of stupid bike lines -using massively inflated user numbers to support the case – so they’re on their way.
  
  11 1
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  February 21, 2025 11:41am
  - John Loveridge
    
    Well, I’ll have to take back all the nice things I’ve said about them. But $70m is still just a fraction of what tiny little Christchurch has spent on the bloody things.
    
    9 0
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    February 21, 2025 1:34pm
    - Eastlander
      
      The thin end of the wedge I fear. But it’s still a nice city which the various left-wing local authorities haven’t ruined yet.
      
      4 0
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      February 21, 2025 3:09pm
Paulus

Simple question
re the Immigration Minister allowing a young Indian boy to remain here against the Ministry strong wishes, but his 20 plus years parents overstayers are to go.
My wife had last year an operation in a DHB where we are not resident.
Immediately we are asked to identify that she is a New Zealand citizen by way of a copy of her Passport, as otherwise there would be a large bill for the serious operation.
Every time I go to the Doctor for a prescription I am Identified I believe as some sort of European.
Now we all have a Health NHI number which is universally used, so why were these and the many overstayers not identified over all the years that they have been here as overstayers.
Free Medical Care !
I was aware years ago in Wellington that a local Doctor in Porirua knows some people as being different to who they actually are, but they borrow both name and papers for treatment.
I assume this still happens in overstayer Auckland.
13 0
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February 21, 2025 11:13am
goNZ1

P8 getting ready to surveil Chinese warships ?

https://www.flightradar24.com/-40.20,175.39/15
4 1
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February 21, 2025 11:29am
- AitchW
  
  Looks a lot like it. Presumably we and the Aussies will painting them all day and all night with radar.
  
  6 0
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  February 21, 2025 12:08pm
  - kowtow
    
    And just exactly what will that do , soften their noodles ?
    
    4 0
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    February 21, 2025 3:14pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      Very good.
      
      2 0
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      February 21, 2025 4:23pm
- AitchW
  
  Flight KIW025.
  
  3 0
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  February 21, 2025 12:14pm
  - Jethrod
    
    Thanks for number
    
    3 0
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    February 21, 2025 12:24pm
  - Jethrod
    
    Will be close to going incognito I think, judging on patterns of last few days.
    
    3 0
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    February 21, 2025 12:31pm
    - kevn
      
      Jethrod… The lads will enjoy a stooge around.
      
      4 0
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      February 21, 2025 1:23pm
      - Jethrod
        
        Just looked again…… must be incognito as not a sign of them ?…………… unless been shot down?
        God, at war with CCP by dinner time… eek
        
        3 1
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        February 21, 2025 2:57pm
- Terry Dalee
  
  The Chinese task group has started conducting live firing drills in the Tasman Sea up to 15km attitude.
  
  Several aircraft have been alerted on Guard frequency and ATC aware.
  
  This was not planned or forewarned by China.
  
  NZ should be highly concerned. Never has a foreign power steamed into the Tasman unannounced to then conduct living firing in the area of several air routes between NZ and Australia.
  
  But please, continue playing whale song to Kauri trees….
  
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  February 21, 2025 5:58pm
Sparrow

The discussions surrounding the use of Aotearoa got me thinking very deeply about our capital. I am being encouraged by my English Springer Spaniel to start a petition and a Hikoi to change the capitals name. There is no doubt the capital is the woke capital of the world, infested with woke public servants, politicians local and national, woke pedestrian crossings, cycleways. What is it presently called WELLINGTON. Possibly the most reactionary PM in the UK history was against extending the franchise and would be the champion of anti woke. How can this man continue to represent our capital its incomprehensible. This is a call to all woke lovers to make this change. The dog suggests “Cindyville”!! not getting fed tonight.
11 0
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February 21, 2025 11:50am
- ObligatoryMarxist
  
  OK while part of me doesn’t want to engage…
  
  The capital of the Zeeland province in the Netherlands is Middleburg.
  
  Making the Captial called “Middleburg” would be too funny to pass up.
  
  3 0
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  February 21, 2025 6:00pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Anglicise to Middletown. A hat tip to our future Queen.
    
    1 0
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    February 21, 2025 10:28pm
goNZ1

RNZAF Poisedon airborne ex Ohakea and heading out to sea…
4 0
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February 21, 2025 11:52am
- Colville
  
  I hope the crew have life jackets!
  
  4 0
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  February 21, 2025 1:09pm
  - Bevan
    
    Do you think the PLAN sailed all this way to start a war?
    
    2 1
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    February 21, 2025 1:53pm
    - cmm
      
      No doubt referring to the tendency of NZ military planes to break down.
      
      3 0
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      February 21, 2025 3:33pm
- Paulus
  
  To do what – use up fuel ?
  
  4 0
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  February 21, 2025 2:24pm
  - cmm
    
    Being seen to be seen.
    
    Just like we sent 6 observers to watch the Houthis.
    
    They were being stroppy with the Yaanks and Brits, but settled right down when 6 Kiwis showed up. Apparently.
    
    7 0
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    February 21, 2025 3:35pm
    - Don Beckett
      
      Must have been members of that Maori Battalion that won WW II in Italy & North Africa.
      
      2 1
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      February 21, 2025 5:37pm
- AitchW
  
  Heading back to Ohakea now, landing about 4.45 I’d guess. Tracking turned on a couple of hundred ks out.
  
  2 0
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  February 21, 2025 4:33pm
Andrei

It is amazing reading so called right wingers above arguing vehemently about a Bolshevik construction from 1922 being sacrosanct to the point they are willing to fight a third world war, it seems, to preserve it as it was reconstructed in 1956 by Nikita Khrushchev.

Let it go chaps, NATO has lost its proxy war against Russia and the Latins and their post Christian followers their attempt to bring the Eastern Church under Rome
3 5
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February 21, 2025 1:05pm
Swifty

Michael Laws drips thermonuclear bombs on the civil service, our politicians and Maori elites:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eKM4TN9ILjE
7 1
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February 21, 2025 1:22pm
- Hugh Jarse
  
  It was an interesting listen based on his personal experiences in parliament, hard to argue with. It’s been clear for some time that government agencies take a hands off approach to oversight of Maori organisations for fear of criticism of being racists. That intimidation has allowed the figurative foxes to have a field day in the hen houses.
  
  14 0
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  February 21, 2025 2:54pm
- Steve Otto N Shore
  
  Is the current Govt taking any notice of this?
  Nope – it is a hot potato.
  Oh look, over there, Luxon is going to Vietnam? Todd McClay is Trade Minister but he will be on the junket.
  Problems in NZ? Oh we will fix that one day.
  
  6 1
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  February 21, 2025 5:03pm
Philview

One of the best features about this site is that readers can warmly agree on one topic but tear each other to bits on another topic.
11 0
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February 21, 2025 1:34pm
- Jethrod
  
  Oh that’s a bit tough Phil!! //
  
  3 1
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  February 21, 2025 2:58pm
Steve Otto N Shore

Why Ngai Tahu Have No Right To South Island Water.

Here is a link to what land was sold to the Crown 1844 to 1864:
https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/33051/south-island-land-sales-1844-1864
Click the dots at the bottom to advance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GKam7VON6oq
7 1
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February 21, 2025 2:15pm
newview

thirteenstars. The US is not obligated to do anything, however the US can’t pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist and an unstable Europe is not in the best interests of the US either. Regardless of the trade tariff debacle the US can’t trade with itself. Maybe Trump Putin and Xi can let Europe fall to bits, divi it up between themselves and dictate to the rest of the world. Seems they all get on pretty well.
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February 21, 2025 2:33pm
rangitoto

Have to laugh. I asked Grok (Elon Musk’s AI system):

WHO ARE THE TOP FIVE PEOPLE or GROUPS SPREADING DISINFORMATION on X?

“Identifying the top five people or groups spreading disinformation on X as of February 21, 2025, is challenging due to the lack of a definitive, up-to-date ranking from a comprehensive, authoritative source covering the entire platform. However, based on available data from reports, studies, and posts on X itself, here’s an informed assessment of notable contributors to disinformation, focusing on recent analyses and sentiment. This list is not conclusive but reflects recurring names and entities highlighted in credible discussions.

Elon Musk – As the owner of X, Musk has been frequently cited for amplifying misleading content. A 2024 Center for Countering Digital Hate analysis found that 50 of his false or misleading election-related posts garnered 1.2 billion views, with no Community Notes attached. His posts, like sharing a deepfake of Kamala Harris without disclosure, have drawn criticism from watchdog groups and EU officials, who labeled X the largest disinformation source in 2023 partly due to his influence.
Donald Trump and Associates – Trump, along with figures like Donald Trump Jr., has been linked to disinformation, particularly around elections and political narratives. Posts on X and reports, such as Wired’s coverage of a Community Note misstep on a Trump Jr. post about the Israel-Hamas war, suggest his circle contributes significantly to false narratives, often boosted by high engagement.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) – Known for anti-vaccine and conspiracy-related claims, RFK Jr. appears in X posts and discussions as a prominent disinformation spreader. His influence grew with Musk’s reinstatement of his account, and he’s often listed alongside other high-profile figures in user-generated critiques of misinformation on X.
Russia Today (RT) and Kremlin-Backed Accounts – State-sponsored outlets like RT have been flagged in EU reports (e.g., 2023 European Commission study) for spreading disinformation, especially on Ukraine and European elections. Their presence on X remains active, with Jourova noting a “multi-million-euro weapon of mass manipulation” from Kremlin actors in 2023, a trend likely persisting into 2025.
Alex Jones – A well-known conspiracy theorist, Jones is regularly cited in X posts and external analyses (e.g., Rolling Stone’s 2024 timeline) as a key disinformation figure. His reinstatement on X under Musk’s tenure has amplified his reach, with content often echoing election fraud or health-related falsehoods.

….”
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February 21, 2025 3:29pm
cmm

National have now been in power for 16 months or so.

Te Huia, that abortion of a train service to Hamilton, still runs – costing us huge and generating far more CO2 than the cars is replaces.

From that we can only conclude that Te Huia gets a big Thumbs Up from the Nats.

Apparently 99% of the people that do use the train like it. Of course they would! They are only paying 15% the cost of operating the train and the other 85% is being paid by the small number of net taxpayers. {BTW the Te Huia operators are proud of the 15% ticket take – the national average is only 11% with 89% subsidies!]

Let’s see if they would like it at full ticket prices – $180 each way for Hamilton – Auckland. Yup, charge the proper fare and see how many show up!
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February 21, 2025 3:51pm
- Blog-aholic
  
  And it is not packed……irony.
  
  2 0
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  February 21, 2025 4:43pm
- Steve Otto N Shore
  
  Huia is an extinct bird. Gone way over 100 years ago.
  Why?
  
  3 0
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  February 21, 2025 5:07pm
- Ra Henare
  
  Yep, same with hospitals and schools, ferries, suburban trains.
  
  Pay the full price.
  
  Or are you only freemarket for this train and not all the other stuff you get paid by a socialist government program.
  
  3 0
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  February 21, 2025 6:18pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Sure, if I can have my taxes back.
    
    2 0
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    February 21, 2025 10:31pm
- 70andstilllearning
  
  Like your comments generally – but please, get your your sh*t together: –
  
  “Te Huia is operated by KiwiRail under contract to Waikato Regional Council (WRC). Te Huia has a cost-plus contract in place. This means KiwiRail charges WRC an ‘Operating Cost Amount’ for all operating costs incurred plus a ‘Service Fee’ monthly”
  https://www.tehuiatrain.co.nz/about-te-huia/funding-partners/#:~:text=Te%20Huia%20is%20operated%20by,a%20'Service%20Fee'%20monthly.
  
  Is the ‘government’ meant to manage every individual subsidiaries “contract(s)” in this country?
  Maybe that’s the logic elsewhere but not in the country I grew up in ……
  
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  February 21, 2025 8:49pm
NZer In Exile

Quick question.

Are those of you appearing to use your “real name” able successfully delete posts you’ve made?

I’m not. I get the “option” to delete a post I’ve made but selecting it does NOT result in the post being deleted.

[Mod – just ask, if Im around I’ll delete it for you]
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February 21, 2025 4:10pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Yep, I’ve been able to delete mine, as long as I was within the 5min time frame that comes up.
  
  3 0
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  February 21, 2025 10:38pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  Thanks Mod and Maggy W!
  
  0 0
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  February 22, 2025 6:18pm
Ghost

Well, Aussie and N.Z. are getting a message

Commercial pilots have been warned to avoid the airspace between Australia and New Zealand, where Chinese warships have been conducting live fire exercises on Friday

Article
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February 21, 2025 7:43pm
- 70andstilllearning
  
  Not waseting time over the Cook Is agreements huh …
  
  2 0
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  February 21, 2025 9:30pm

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