Labour govt 2020-23

[Balance]

Another day, another daylight armed robbery in Auckland - this is a direct result of Ardern's woke police & law policy of appeasing criminals & gangs in action.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300636426/auckland-jewellery-store-targeted-in-armed-daylight-robbery

Two offenders, armed with a gun and a hammer, robbed a jewellery store in an Auckland shopping centre early on Wednesday afternoon, police said.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Simply importing american rhetoric.

There is no beareacracy in a country like NZ. What's more, in a country of our size centralisation is best.

I think you've given up on any serious debate, and who can blame you. The tidal wave of disaster that is engulfing Labour from every side just cannot be denied. It is wall to wall ineptitude everywhere you look, and it will only get worse.

[Panda-NZ-]

I think you've given up on any serious debate, and who can blame you. The tidal wave of disaster that is engulfing Labour from every side just cannot be denied. It is wall to wall ineptitude everywhere you look, and it will only get worse.

EU trade deal, no corona, low unemployment, AA plus credit rating.

Turn off the media for a bit.

[ynot]

EU trade deal, no corona, low unemployment, AA plus credit rating.

Turn off the media for a bit.

Labour have effectively done that with the $ fifty million !

[Logen Ninefingers]

EU trade deal, no corona, low unemployment, AA plus credit rating.

Turn off the media for a bit.

"No corona"!! Mate, you're dreaming!

'Low unemployment'....with unprecedented numbers sitting on 'jobseeker' allowances. Turn it up. #MinistryOfSpin

AA plus credit rating....for how long I wonder....

[Panda-NZ-]

It's called population growth.

And you're right it will probably be AAA if the "net worth" figure keeps increasing.

[dobby41]

Labour have effectively done that with the $ fifty million !

That has been shown to not be true so often that it isn't funny.
Trying the Trump trick - repeat a lie often enough for it to become the truth (you hope).

[Balance]

That has been shown to not be true so often that it isn't funny.
Trying the Trump trick - repeat a lie often enough for it to become the truth (you hope).

The truth hurts :

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1657571491690-J2XUQQ74RI0X6DNPKUHE/watchdogs.jpg?format=500w

[ynot]

That has been shown to not be true so often that it isn't funny.
Trying the Trump trick - repeat a lie often enough for it to become the truth (you hope).

You would have to be living under a rock for the last 2 years to not see who controls our media.

[Balance]

The good news is that the majority of NZers are not fooled any more by Ardern & her spin, deflection and misinformation :

http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9014-nz-national-voting-intention-june-2022-202207080051

National/ACT leads Labour/Greens by 5% - cementing in the trend.

So Ardern's party popularity has fallen from 50% down to 33.5%, a year and half after her election win in 2020 - takes some kind of feat to achieve that!

No wonder she is so busy with her overseas trips as she gets ready for her UN job.

[westerly]

Another day, another daylight armed robbery in Auckland - this is a direct result of Ardern's woke police & law policy of appeasing criminals & gangs in action.
Lots of bad people
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300636426/auckland-jewellery-store-targeted-in-armed-daylight-robbery

Two offenders, armed with a gun and a hammer, robbed a jewellery store in an Auckland shopping centre early on Wednesday afternoon, police said.

Lots of bad people in Auckland. :) Not happening in the rest of NZ

westerly

[Balance]

Lots of bad people in Auckland. :) Not happening in the rest of NZ

westerly

Highest crime rates in New Zealand

Rotorua - 61.2 crimes committed per 10,000 people per month
Napier - 59.7 crimes committed per 10,000 people per month
Palmerston North - 54.4 crimes committed per 10,000 people per month
Hamilton - 53.5 crimes committed per 10,000 people per month
Taupo - 50.4 crimes committed per 10,000 people per month
Hastings - 49.4 crimes committed per 10,000 people per month
Gisborne - 46.6 crimes committed per 10,000 people per month
Far North - 46.3 crimes committed per 10,000 people per month

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1654289234990-VJA5L5EF5V4RZ7YJDBT6/return.jpg?format=500w

[peetter]

EU trade deal, no corona, low unemployment, AA plus credit rating.

Turn off the media for a bit.

It's a bit sad when people convince themselves everything is fine while the world around them burns just to stand with their political affiliation. I've always wondered what goes through mind of somebody who's so unwilling to accept and acknowledge the problems?

[Balance]

It's a bit sad when people convince themselves everything is fine while the world around them burns just to stand with their political affiliation. I've always wondered what goes through mind of somebody who's so unwilling to accept and acknowledge the problems?

Like Ardern & Little, they happily let others suffer - as long as they get to continue to spread their disasters around.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300636068/waikato-hospital-cancels-100-surgeries-in-june-no-catch-up-in-sight---health-leader

Surgeries cancelled and no catch up in sight - that’s the hospital & heathcare system NOT in crisis according to Ardern & Little.

Then, there’s Little defending Pike River’s safety record after it blew up, killing 29 miners.

[Baa_Baa]

It's a bit sad when people convince themselves everything is fine while the world around them burns just to stand with their political affiliation. I've always wondered what goes through mind of somebody who's so unwilling to accept and acknowledge the problems?

Brilliant post, thank you. I agree it's very sad. One can only assume 'political affiliation' as you aptly put it, blinds some people to what's really going on. There's literally nothing defensible anymore with this Labour governments' inability to perform, idealistically driven but woefully naive and inadequate at implementation while throwing billions of tax payers money at their apparent solutions. The legacy of all this is really what we should be concerned about.

[fungus pudding]

It's a bit sad when people convince themselves everything is fine while the world around them burns just to stand with their political affiliation. I've always wondered what goes through mind of somebody who's so unwilling to accept and acknowledge the problems?

And just as sad when they rubbish a good idea or policy just because it came from 'the other side'.

[Panda-NZ-]

It's a bit sad when people convince themselves everything is fine while the world around them burns just to stand with their political affiliation. I've always wondered what goes through mind of somebody who's so unwilling to accept and acknowledge the problems?


It's also sad when people are negative when there's no real reason to be.

It's a reflection of an american style "opposition" which rarely admits the positive things.

[iceman]

It's a bit sad when people convince themselves everything is fine while the world around them burns just to stand with their political affiliation. I've always wondered what goes through mind of somebody who's so unwilling to accept and acknowledge the problems?

Well said. I'm totally at a loss how people can possibly accept the disaster that is the management of NZ at the moment. No doubt it has a lot to do with the bubble they've lived in inside NZ in the last 2.5 years and the utter rubbish they have been fed by the Government. Even the PM has said she was surprised when she finally left the bubble and traveled overseas, to see how far the World had moved around her. Luxon said the same.
Quite sad really that we as a country have such a low ambition.

[Balance]

Little refuses to call the crumbling healthcare situation a crisis.

Likewise, Little refused to say that Pike River mine was unsafe. In fact, he went as far as to defend its safety record a number of times!

So NZers can look forward to the healthcare system blowing up before Ardern & Little will admit that it is a disaster.

Then, they will throw more bureaucrats and money at it to appease their conscience for all the unnecessary sufferings, pain and deaths due to their inaction.

Bloody disgrace - Ardern & Little.

https://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-andrew-little-failed-pike-river.html

[Panda-NZ-]

Highest crime rates in New Zealand


How is banning a piece of clothing going to help reduce crime?

Or getting the IRD to go after gang members.

[peetter]

It's also sad when people are negative when there's no real reason to be.

It's a reflection of an american style "opposition" which rarely admits the positive things.

- Healthcare is crumbling and the only money this govt provided is to create more bureocracy.
- Social housing waiting list is at 30000 while KO is out of control with doubling staff in 4 years and debt they can't repay
- Crime is rising with daylight roberies and ram raids now almost daily occurence
- Cost of living is out of control while the tax revenue is the highest in history
- Tax income brackets haven't been adjusted to inflation for 11 years while the tax revenue is the highest in history
- hundreds of millions were spent on committies with no outcomes coming out of that
- Covid response was too late and in the end helped nothing
- businesses going under in droves

I'll give you 2 positive things I've heard in recent months
- EU trade deal
- Ausies considering easier way to citizenship for NZers - to welcome all of those skilled migrants that are planning to leave the sinking ship


Don't tell me you're still convinced there's no need to be negative?

[Balance]

Because we are now experiencing a surging 2nd wave of the highly contageous BA variants of covid, & strangely enough patients who are already very sick with cancer or recovering from surgery or in ICU from a car accident etc really want to minimise the risk of being infected with Covid while in hospital when they're already in an extremely vulnerable state of health.

Secondly we are already short of nurses & doctors so why would we multiply the problem by allowing a very tiny minority of unvaccinated nurses and doctors to come back to work & spread more virus?
By far the majority of nurses & doctors would be strongly against having to work alongside unvaccinated colleagues both for the benefit of their patients & themselves.

While vaccination doesn't entirely prevent infection, theres irrefutable evidence the 2 things which strongly reduce & slow the spread of the virus are vaccination & masks.

And here’s Little indicating a huge U-turn on vaccine mandates.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/300631534/live-how-is-the-health-system-coping-amid-covid19-flu-and-staff-shortages

Excerpt : ‘He also said the health workers' vaccination mandate is under review, and the Government is asking experts if there is any clinical basis for the mandate.’

[Blue Skies]

Latest worldwide death per 100,000 population statistics, John Hopkins University & Medicine, Coronoavirus Resource Centre.
Just to clear up any both deliberate & careless confusion.

Brazil 316.97
US. 309.99
Chile 307.91
Greece. 292.39
Argentina. 285.75
Italy. 279.9
Belgium 278.57
UK 267.21. ( note Luxon was dumping on our response to a UK audience when the UK is a basket case)
Russia 256.21
Mexico. 255.18
Spain 232.55
France 231.75
Austria 223.4
Sweden 189.56
South Africa 171.78
Germany 170.81
Iran 168.4
Costa Rica 167.36
Switzerland 159.96
ireland 152.62
Jordon 137.88
Netherlands 134.42
Israel 127.88
Denmark 112.69
Canada 110.38
Fiji 96.94
Cyprus 89.37
Finland 89.18
Bahrain 88.15
Mauritius 79.26
Norway 62.99
Maldives 56.79
Iceland 52.45
South Korea 48.11
Australia 40.79
New Zealand 34.13. ( here’s us, one of the lowest mortality rates in the world)

plus there are dozens of countries higher than NZ IÂ’ve not included due to space.
We have one of the best responses in the world. Sure some industries have been affected, notably hospitality & tourism, but let me ask you how many lives of your fellow citizens would you have been prepared to sacrifice to protect those industries by opening the borders, bearing in mind they also received $ billions in support from the govt. From an economists perspective the NZ economy showed tremendous resilience & NZ was one of the first countries in the world to raise interest rates as a result of our economy doing a little too well with high levels of consumer spending. Some industries have made an absolute killing in the last few years but no oneÂ’s denying thereÂ’s been disruption & itÂ’s uneven & has exacerbated further wealth/ poverty inequality causing further social problems.

[dobby41]

And here’s Little indicating a huge U-turn on vaccine mandates.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/300631534/live-how-is-the-health-system-coping-amid-covid19-flu-and-staff-shortages

Excerpt : ‘He also said the health workers' vaccination mandate is under review, and the Government is asking experts if there is any clinical basis for the mandate.’

U-turn for you is keeping up with a changing situation for the Govt.
About time you had your therapy again.

[Balance]

Latest worldwide death per 100,000 population statistics, John Hopkins University & Medicine, Coronoavirus Resource Centre.
Just to clear up any both deliberate & careless confusion.

.

There is no confusion - that’s like saying NZ used to have the second highest standard of living (in the 60s).

NZ & Australia rank with the highest death rates from COVID in the last 3 months, showing how other countries are through the worse of it while NZ is fast catching up because Ardern has been caught flat-footed and unprepared (as usual).

Meanwhile, notice your Little one already starting to backtrack on vaccine mandate?

Aren’t you glad Luxon recommended it and Little is following the recommendation?

[Balance]

Mike Hoskings rules the airwaves.

Ardern & Labour ministers will be begging to get back on his show next year.

And Ardern actually thought she is so shxt hot that listeners would follow her rather than Mike!!!!

One thing for sure - Ardern believes in her own spit.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/newstalk-zb-claims-top-radio-ratings-spot-for-14th-year-running/JPY4IUFONVSZTPLMW7Z45OEO2M/

[Panda-NZ-]

- Healthcare is crumbling and the only money this govt provided is to create more bureocracy.

How can healthcare be crumbling when corona has been effectively prevented through vaccines and lockdowns.

[777]

How can healthcare be crumbling when corona has been effectively prevented through vaccines and lockdowns.

Just read a newspaper to try and to keep up.

[Blue Skies]

[QUOTE=Balance;966268]There is no confusion - that’s like saying NZ used to have the second highest standard of living (in the 60s).

NZ & Australia rank with the highest death rates from COVID in the last 3 months, showing how other countries are through the worse of it while NZ is fast catching up because Ardern has been caught flat-footed and unprepared (as usual).

Meanwhile, notice your Little one already starting to backtrack on vaccine mandate?

Aren’t you glad Luxon recommended it and Little is following the recommendation?[/QUOTE




Couple of glaring statistical questions with that, you say NZ fast catching up, but we’ve only had just over 1,600 deaths associated with COVID and on a pro rata basis we would need to have had almost 17,000 deaths to catch up with the UK. Secondly we’re in mid winter with raging flu, UK & Eu in mid summer but expecting their mortality rate to surge again come winter ie see-saw effect make brief snapshot comparisons in different seasons too unreliable & inconclusive to base a strong argument on.

Secondly Prof Michael Baker quoted today saying it was “absolutely critical” that all health workers are vaccinated both for their own safety & that of patients.
“This is a group who are obviously vital but they have had very high mortality globally from the pandemic. “ “ They’re highly exposed to patients - we know vaccination greatly reduces your risk of severe illness & death so no I don’t think we should get rid of mandates.”
Also the head of the nurses union said they don’t want unvaccinated nurses back. If they don’t believe & trust in modern medicine they aren’t at all helpful administering powerful drugs & invasive procedures to anxious vulnerable patients. Nursing doesn’t suit every personality & there’s quite a high drop out rate in first year training, it’s better those who have got through who don’t trust modern scientifically researched & backed medicine, find work in other fields.
The percentage of nurses who remain unvaxxed is tiny & one media organisation did a check of a couple of hundred of them in the Freedom group and found they were no longer registered anyway. Ie they had left the nursing profession years ago.

[Blue Skies]

Mike Hoskings rules the airwaves.

Ardern & Labour ministers will be begging to get back on his show next year.

And Ardern actually thought she is so shxt hot that listeners would follow her rather than Mike!!!!

One thing for sure - Ardern believes in her own spit.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/newstalk-zb-claims-top-radio-ratings-spot-for-14th-year-running/JPY4IUFONVSZTPLMW7Z45OEO2M/



Any idea how many people follow Jacinda Adern directly on social media ? Over 2.4 million!
I don’t think she needs Mike Hoskins or ZB .

[dobby41]

Any idea how many people follow Jacinda Adern directly on social media ? Over 2.4 million!
I don’t think she needs Mike Hoskins or ZB .

No one needs Hosking.

[peetter]

How can healthcare be crumbling when corona has been effectively prevented through vaccines and lockdowns.

Deflection without any hint of even trying to answer the question given. Are you a politician?

BTW. lockdowns and vaccinations have very little to do with healthcare. It was mostly logistics.

[Blue Skies]

Deflection without any hint of even trying to answer the question given. Are you a politician?

BTW. lockdowns and vaccinations have very little to do with healthcare. It was mostly logistics.


Just an important correction.

Lockdowns & vaccinations are key components of Public Healthcare, i.e. when the medical profession is trying to protect large populations or groups from sickness & mortality as opposed to individual patients.
We have Public Healthcare specialists just as we have specialists in other branches of medicine.

Yes it comes at a cost, like everything worth doing, but Lockdowns, vaccination & masks saved thousands of NZ'ers lives & from serious illness.

Also no question the Health system is under enormous pressure (like just about every country in the world right now) but parts of it are still operating well, its not all crumbling.
If only people would get the flu jab, it would hugely reduce the pressure right now. Its the biggest easiest answer to taking pressure of the system.
While its free for some different groups, I think the govt should make it free for everyone & have mobile clinics going around workplaces, suburbs etc making it easy & free for people to get.

[Balance]

Latest catch cry from Labour’s spin merchants to contain the COVID outbreak:

Army of 5 million

Cannot get more pathetic than that when it’s meant to be led by Andrew ‘Pike River’ Little & Jacinda ‘Spinning’ Ardern.

[peetter]

Just an important correction.

Lockdowns & vaccinations are key components of Public Healthcare, i.e. when the medical profession is trying to protect large populations or groups from sickness & mortality as opposed to individual patients.
We have Public Healthcare specialists just as we have specialists in other branches of medicine.

Yes it comes at a cost, like everything worth doing, but Lockdowns, vaccination & masks saved thousands of NZ'ers lives & from serious illness.

Also no question the Health system is under enormous pressure (like just about every country in the world right now) but parts of it are still operating well, its not all crumbling.
If only people would get the flu jab, it would hugely reduce the pressure right now. Its the biggest easiest answer to taking pressure of the system.
While its free for some different groups, I think the govt should make it free for everyone & have mobile clinics going around workplaces, suburbs etc making it easy & free for people to get.

The process of vaccination and lockdowns was a preventative action to make sure the already abysmal situation in healthcare sector wouldn't get even worse. I'm not going to deny that first lockdown was a success, but the following dabacle with vaccinations starting 6 month after the rest of the world resulting into more unnecesary lockdowns was entirely avoidable.

There was zero forward thinking during covid situation. Vaccines were late, lockdowns unnecessary. No money was used to prepare hospitals and to find much needed staff. Instead money is funneled into more bureacracy while medical staff has salaries frozen. No wonder they ditch NZ for Australia.

[fungus pudding]

No one needs Hosking.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/newstalk-zb-claims-top-radio-ratings-spot-for-14th-year-running/JPY4IUFONVSZTPLMW7Z45OEO2M/

[Blue Skies]

The process of vaccination and lockdowns was a preventative action to make sure the already abysmal situation in healthcare sector wouldn't get even worse. I'm not going to deny that first lockdown was a success, but the following dabacle with vaccinations starting 6 month after the rest of the world resulting into more unnecesary lockdowns was entirely avoidable.

There was zero forward thinking during covid situation. Vaccines were late, lockdowns unnecessary. No money was used to prepare hospitals and to find much needed staff. Instead money is funneled into more bureacracy while medical staff has salaries frozen. No wonder they ditch NZ for Australia.


Ok I'm going to disagree with you on some points there. It's much more complicated than it looks & everything's easy in hindsight.
Both NZ & Australia deliberately delayed choosing & getting a vaccine as both countries were in the enviable situation of having no covid transmission allowing them to gather data & information on the efficacy & side effects of different vaccines being administered to millions of people, before making a decision on which vaccine to go with to administer to their own vulnerable populations & the public.
Other reasons were the countries which gained first access to the vaccines were those who had contributed massive sums of money to research & had manufacturing facilities within their borders. e.g. US, UK & Germany.
Another driver of the roll out of the vaccines to some countries was the severity of mortality from Covid. New York was digging mass graves for the dead, while in NZ we had no Covid. Other countries much more desperately needed the vaccines immediately.
Cost & expiry dates also came into it.
NZ could have jumped to the front of the queue by paying a massively hiked price per dose resulting in our vaccination program being triple or even quadruple the cost.
And when we had decided to go with the Pfizer vaccine, the only supplies available were near expiry meaning we would have wasted million of dollars having to throw some away before it could all be used.
Just at that time there was surge in demand as many western countries experienced a second wave of infection.

There were many unknowns and moving parts. To get an idea how difficult it was to plan, you have to remember National were saying we should build a billion dollar MIQ at Ohakea, and in December 2021 that Covid was over, just as new variants like Omicron started to take off & spread rapidly around the world.

The last lockdown in Auckland was to wait for the rest of the country to get vaccinated, esp vulnerable populations and gee were they slow. The vaccine mandates were partly an effort to get people off their chuffs and go & get vaccinated so once we reached a certain figure, the lockdown would end.

Btw nurses have had a substantial pay increase, the delay in receiving it is because their union is taking the govt to court over how far back, the pay increase should extend, & won't sign the agreement until this is resolved.

[Blue Skies]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/newstalk-zb-claims-top-radio-ratings-spot-for-14th-year-running/JPY4IUFONVSZTPLMW7Z45OEO2M/


That's peanuts compared to the over 2.4 million people who follow Jacinda Adern on Social Media.
Also remember you only have to listen to Hoskins for a total of 15 minutes over a week to be counted as a listener in this Cumulative Audience figures & many of those listeners are also counted as listeners to several other stations like RNZ etc so Cume audience figures are used by radio stations to make audience look much more significant that it really is.

[Balance]

That's peanuts compared to the over 2.4 million people who follow Jacinda Adern on Social Media.
Also remember you only have to listen to Hoskins for a total of 15 minutes over a week to be counted as a listener in this Cumulative Audience figures & many of those listeners are also counted as listeners to several other stations like RNZ etc so Cume audience figures are used by radio stations to make audience look much more significant that it really is.

Ardern’s 2.4m followers are mostly overseas and that’s the only refuge left for NZ’s most infamous spin mistress.

Mike Hoskings influence and shape public opinion in NZ.

Who cares how many followers the spin mistress has? They obviously love to swallow her spin whole?

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1630552397345-KOXK2FEJEUPVGJEFYBTZ/shortage.jpg?format=500w

[peetter]

Ok I'm going to disagree with you on some points there. It's much more complicated than it looks & everything's easy in hindsight.
Both NZ & Australia deliberately delayed choosing & getting a vaccine as both countries were in the enviable situation of having no covid transmission allowing them to gather data & information on the efficacy & side effects of different vaccines being administered to millions of people, before making a decision on which vaccine to go with to administer to their own vulnerable populations & the public.
Other reasons were the countries which gained first access to the vaccines were those who had contributed massive sums of money to research & had manufacturing facilities within their borders. e.g. US, UK & Germany.
Another driver of the roll out of the vaccines to some countries was the severity of mortality from Covid. New York was digging mass graves for the dead, while in NZ we had no Covid. Other countries much more desperately needed the vaccines immediately.
Cost & expiry dates also came into it.
NZ could have jumped to the front of the queue by paying a massively hiked price per dose resulting in our vaccination program being triple or even quadruple the cost.
And when we had decided to go with the Pfizer vaccine, the only supplies available were near expiry meaning we would have wasted million of dollars having to throw some away before it could all be used.
Just at that time there was surge in demand as many western countries experienced a second wave of infection.

There were many unknowns and moving parts. To get an idea how difficult it was to plan, you have to remember National were saying we should build a billion dollar MIQ at Ohakea, and in December 2021 that Covid was over, just as new variants like Omicron started to take off & spread rapidly around the world.

The last lockdown in Auckland was to wait for the rest of the country to get vaccinated, esp vulnerable populations and gee were they slow. The vaccine mandates were partly an effort to get people off their chuffs and go & get vaccinated so once we reached a certain figure, the lockdown would end.

Btw nurses have had a substantial pay increase, the delay in receiving it is because their union is taking the govt to court over how far back, the pay increase should extend, & won't sign the agreement until this is resolved.

I'll also disagree. The massive price hike to have vaccines in time would be peanuts compared to what was expended on lockdowns that were direct result of "savings for ordering after everyone else". It's a fail from any angle you look at it. The whole covid response was reactionary with no forward thinking, and there's nothing anyone can say to prove otherwise.

Anyway it was just one of multiple points I presented to Panda as to why it actually is a good time to feel negative.

[Panda-NZ-]

How can you forward think with a virus ?

You need to react quickly which was appropriate hence the good results compared to the rest of the world.

[Getty]

No one needs Hosking.

Everyone needs Hosking.

He's one of the few broadcasters who still calls political news as it is, rather than how Jacinda's regime want it, since they handed out the media bribe "support' money.

[Panda-NZ-]

There's no murdoch press here.. only good old mike. I'm fine with that tradeoff.

[ynot]

How can you forward think with a virus.

You need to react quickly which was appropriate hence the good results compared to the rest of the world.

Umm....... Maybe if those in charge had applied some logic to their decisions rather than brainless °quick reactions° we would not now be facing the slow motion train crash that is unfolding,

[Balance]

After crying ‘crises’ all over the place when he was in Opposition, it’s clear why little cannot bring himself to admit he has presided and brought about a health crisis - actually a disaster.

The arrogance of this twit and incompetent Fool who showed how two faced he really is with Pike River.

First he defended Pike River company and then, he spent $65m+ of taxpayers' funds on a 'Bring the boys home' whitewash exercise to get votes.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/07/andrew-little-explains-why-he-s-refusing-to-say-health-system-in-crisis-in-tense-am-interview.html

‘"The reality is: we have a health system that is under major pressure - has major challenges," he said. "In the less than two years I've been minister, I've been told of multiple crises in the system - the term is debased in health, at the moment.’

[Balance]

And here's the Mongrel Mob showing their middle finger to Hipkins & Ardern over their latest half-hearted attempt to crack down on gangs.

The gangs know that Ardern is soft on crime and criminals - even to the extent of giving them millions of dollars to help them sell drugs more effectively.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/bay-of-plenty-mongrel-mob-members-say-new-laws-targeting-gangs-wont-effect-change/4KIK25Z7HEVEXFGQGLCGRFGDDU/

[Balance]

Amazing how Ardern appointed a foreign minister who does not like to travel, has no idea what strategic alliances are about and is a total embarrassment to NZ's foreign affairs staff overseas when they have to host her (fortunately infrequently).

Meanwhile, Ardern is running around like a blue-arsed housefly overseas on foreign affairs matters (Mahuta's job) - escaping the domestic crises/disasters her government has created and spreading confusion over where NZ sits in the global scene!

Reason of course is this :

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1640045900608-C3KLVP6AU2G0VNQSH571/glove+puppet.jpg?format=500w

And here's Ardern's real agenda for NZ :

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1645995942210-EJQKXRINW56QNLJ81A0O/Chowder.jpg?format=500w

[Getty]

Chris Hipkins on this weeks Newshub Nation says that because not many cars were crushed under that legislation, it was ineffective.

Maybe Chris should consider that if the deterrent is effective, not many will offend against it.

$150 fines to boy racers and gangsters with plenty of disposable income is no deterrent, and it costs the state (taxpayer) that much to process the fine.

[nztx]

Chris Hipkins on this weeks Newshub Nation says that because not many cars were crushed under that legislation, it was ineffective.

Maybe Chris should consider that if the deterrent is effective, not many will offend against it.

$150 fines to boy racers and gangsters with plenty of disposable income is no deterrent, and it costs the state (taxpayer) that much to process the fine.


Perhaps Hipkins should put his Head in or climb inside one & switch it on to see if it works

We have to be certain that it's operating correctly .. no great loss if Hipkins comes out the other end
in a slightly reduced size .. invite a few of his mates - Mahuta, Davis & Very Little in for the testing process :)

[nztx]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/129281573/janet-wilson-polytech-mergers-ills-a-harbinger-for-governments-other-reforms

Janet Wilson: Polytech merger's ills a harbinger for Government's other reforms



OPINION: The road to political change may be paved with the best of intentions but in its way lie ineptitude, mismanagement, and financial potholes aplenty. Take Te Pūkenga, the newly merged organisation due to take over the country’s polytechnics in January 2023.

Several arresting stories this week revealed that Te Pūkenga is in a huge financial hole while failing to deliver, with its leader missing in action.

Te Pūkenga announced on July 8 that its CEO, Stephen Town, was on “personal leave” for an unspecified timeframe. The term, which has morphed into a crutch of crisis management (think TVNZ’s ham-fisted attempt to cover up the Kamahl Santamaria debacle), has now become a red-flag phrase.


Yet another Co&kup at HIPKIN'S incompetent hands .. ;)



What Hipkins will be trying to avoid at all costs is Te Pūkenga becoming Labour’s canary-in-the-coalmine of transformational change. With the canary not quite having karked it, but still crook, the pressure is on Hipkins to deliver. If he doesn’t – and failure could be defined as anything from pushing back its January 1, 2023, start date to even more financial troubles – it will be seen as a harbinger for the Government’s other major reforms, such as Three Waters and health.






What’s more, the health reforms have arrived at a time when its workforce is in despair and at risk of “catastrophic collapse”. That’s what 923 doctors this week told the Government in a signed letter to the prime minister, with an attached survey outlining a “system beyond crisis” with many considering leaving. Desperate to avoid any C words, Health Minister Andrew Little has used the crisis to explain the need for the reforms, without adequately explaining what they’ll achieve.




In again centralising power in Wellington with Health New Zealand, Little should remember the effect the 2013 NHS reforms had on England​’s health system. The creation of NHS England gave it the task of overseeing local health services, leaving the Department of Health to focus on public health and policy matters, in much the same way that the New Zealand reforms have been structured.

The results? Long surgical waiting lists, continuing postcode inequality and emergency departments bursting at the seams.


Whoever inherits the follow on of the current trajectory from Ardern Govt's Co&kup Central will certainly have a lot of fixing up to do correcting the mess that the current bunch of Incompetents will be leaving behind ;)

[nztx]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/129153136/the-return-of-angry-andy-the-health-minister-who-is-denying-the-obvious

The return of 'Angry Andy', the Health Minister who is denying the obvious


Wait until Joe Public get even Angrier with Very Little - will there be anywhere he can hide ? ;)

[nztx]

More absurd signs of Mahoota's Local Government Portfolio in action:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/links-avenue-cul-de-sac-trial-closure-extended/OKMLSRNL7V5H5SRIMPWFRK6EPA/

Links Avenue cul-de-sac trial closure extended

Who is in control of Tauranga City:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/465750/tauranga-commissioners-reappointment-will-ensure-certainty-mahuta


Tauranga City Council's four commissioners have been reappointed and will remain in place until an election in two years' time.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced the reappointment of commission chair Anne Tolley and commissioners Bill Wasley, Stephen Selwood and Shadrach Rolleston on Friday.

"As the council continues to face substantial infrastructure and funding challenges, it is clear that ensuring certainty for Tauranga is more important than ever," said Mahuta.

"The reappointment of the current Tauranga commissioners will provide crucial continuity and stability as they work across the city and wider Bay of Plenty region."


Everyone can see how well this sort of Crude & Rude Governance is working for people of Tauranga.

THREE WATERS can be expected an even larger Shambolic Mess with this meddling tart decreeing
control changes from Wellington and hijacking Local Assets in true unworkable Socialist style
ignoring all and sundry likely to be affected ;)

[iceman]

Even Stuff has seen how useless the Government's COVID response is turning out to be https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300638892/our-day-of-reckoning-with-covid-is-here-and-what-have-we-done

[Balance]

Even Stuff has seen how useless the Government's COVID response is turning out to be https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300638892/our-day-of-reckoning-with-covid-is-here-and-what-have-we-done

All the hard work, sacrifices and extreme hardship suffered by the team of 5 million over 2 years - squandered completely by Ardern & her team of incompetent nincompoops.

2 years to prepare for life after the lockdowns and Ardern has been caught totally unprepared - as the Health Crisis unfolding into a disaster shows. Clueless and useless as usual.

She has been too busy with her divisive racist policies to try & retain power at all of NZers' costs :

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1655853585228-3D57VWUJ2OB7UZOQCN4L/Optics.jpg?format=500w

"....... blame for what’s happening in the health system. GP shortages, perilously low nursing levels and critical shortages in ICU capacity have all been paid lip service over the last two years – the very reasons, in fact, that we went into lock down in the first place, to avoid overwhelming the very same hospitals that are now in crisis."

" ..... the Government spent two years keeping out tens of thousands of Kiwis, many of them with the skills we desperately need in our health system - and not just our health system, but in many other industries as well where workers are scarce - all in the name of keeping out the virus which is now widespread among us."

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/grant-robertson-extends-fuel-tax-cut-to-january-with-fuel-relief-now-costing-1b/BM5SFRPCVBXTG2MAGDVAAH7Q2Q

Grant Robertson extends fuel tax cut to January, with fuel relief now costing $1b


No wonder HouseFly hasn't been seen or heard of in recent times .. that must have caused a large Headache :)

Imagine if the full Fuel duty tap had been turned back on 15 Aug as previously planned .. the sound of boots banging and Knives being sharpened across the land may have drowned out any and all weak signals emitting from the shaking table of high incompetence and cluelessness in Wellington ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/were-failing-now-emergency-department-wait-times-the-longest-in-a-decade-nationals-dr-shane-reti-claims/4LQDFJLN36Z5XWX3JGZY5DTKTI/

'We're failing now': Emergency department wait times the longest in a decade, National's Dr Shane Reti claims



Emergency department wait times are now the longest in at least a decade as more than one in five people experience a treatment delay of at least six hours, the National Party claims.

Those on the frontline also admit triage times and standards of care are slipping.

Health spokesman Dr Shane Reti cited data obtained by the Parliamentary Library, which he said showed since 2017 there has been a "marked decline" in the number of people seen within six hours at an ED.

"In the three months to the end of March, the proportion of people admitted, discharged or transferred from the emergency department within six hours of arriving fell to 78.5 per cent, the lowest in more than a decade," Reti said.

"It was the second quarter in a row that more than one in five people going to the Emergency Department has had to wait at least six hours for treatment, a sure sign that the system is not coping."


Backed up by what staff at the Local have told me

12 months ago - 5 hours still waiting - wound up walking out after the issue fixed itself


Little should get his Spinning Useless A&& out of his Chair and go see for himself exactly what is happening

Hospitals ARE NOT MANAGING well

Some Hospital Sections are running short / Completely out of Essential Supplies for Patient Treatment

Many Wards are Short Staffed - throw Covid into the Staff mix as well & what do you have ?

Hospitals are in the midst of being hit with a further avalanche of Winter Illness with a large COVID thrown on top

The past Lock Downs have munted the Illnesses Admissions figure with Lockdowns

Open this up - what happens - wide open to communicative diseases spread

That's on top of Little's IDIOTIC Reorganisation efforts will do little to improve, infact make things worse



BE HONEST - LITTLE ... YOU SIMPLY DON"T HAVE THE SLIGHTEST CLUE ON WHAT IS GOING ON !

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/four-fires-in-seven-months-in-rotorua-emergency-accommodation/QTRGZ33WIMWSEBROWF7TL6HHF4/

Four fires in seven months in Rotorua emergency accommodation



Emergency services were called to RotoVegas Motel on Fenton St yesterday afternoon.

One person suffered from smoke inhalation.

Restore Rotorua chair Trevor Newbrook said the Government was using Rotorua as a dumping ground for people needing emergency housing.

"They keep bringing people here, they keep denying it but it keeps happening, so I think that that's a big issue."

So many fires at the motels used by the Ministry of Social Development were putting the community at risk, he said.


Ardern: Come to NZ - we need tourists, as many as possible - we will bend over backwards to let you in
There is no Covid, No pestly poor, No Crime - None Honestly :)

Tourists: We want to visit RotoVegas where all the Steam and Geysers and Hot pools are

Umm.. Sorry there is a major Social Development project going there - No available beds

The website is a bit backwards in not saying there are No Available beds anywhere in RotoVegas :)

(Can't have them all knowing the truth that the Ministry of Social Backwardness are still having
issues getting their face ahead of their backsides trying to comply with Ardern's hide the poverty
flagship policies - can we .. or no-one would want to come here if the BS being spun was the truth)

[nztx]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/129301470/just-two-nurses-working-in-wairarapa-emergency-department-as-staffing-hits-alltime-low

Just two nurses working in Wairarapa emergency department as staffing hits all-time low



The Wairarapa emergency department has hit an all-time staffing low, with numbers at just 50% of bare minimum.

Earlier, on the day shift, some nurses were working their 10th-plus day in a row, and on Sunday evening, just two staff were on deck.

Wairarapa ED nurse Lucy McLaren worried for her colleagues and their patients.

“The team are terrified they will make a mistake and hurt someone, or miss a key part of someone’s care and cause harm,” she said.


Andrew - Yes - They're Managing just fine - perhaps you should front up with something Critically Life Threatening just to make sure :)

Hopefully they will then decide to amputate all that is not functioning perfectly in your Little spinning world ;)

[Blue Skies]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/were-failing-now-emergency-department-wait-times-the-longest-in-a-decade-nationals-dr-shane-reti-claims/4LQDFJLN36Z5XWX3JGZY5DTKTI/

'We're failing now': Emergency department wait times the longest in a decade, National's Dr Shane Reti claims





Backed up by what staff at the Local have told me

12 months ago - 5 hours still waiting - wound up walking out after the issue fixed itself


Little should get his Spinning Useless A&& out of his Chair and go see for himself exactly what is happening

Hospitals ARE NOT MANAGING well

Some Hospital Sections are running short / Completely out of Essential Supplies for Patient Treatment

Many Wards are Short Staffed - throw Covid into the Staff mix as well & what do you have ?

Hospitals are in the midst of being hit with a further avalanche of Winter Illness with a large COVID thrown on top

The past Lock Downs have munted the Illnesses Admissions figure with Lockdowns

Open this up - what happens - wide open to communicative diseases spread

That's on top of Little's IDIOTIC Reorganisation efforts will do little to improve, infact make things worse



BE HONEST - LITTLE ... YOU SIMPLY DON"T HAVE THE SLIGHTEST CLUE ON WHAT IS GOING ON !




What an extraordinary thing for Shane Reti to say!
He just said ED wait times now as long as they were under a National govt 10 years ago.
Back then, there was no once in a life time world pandemic overwhelming health systems in every country around the world.
People are gobsmacked he could admit such a thing even though the health system was drastically underfunded by National for 9 years.
Can he really mean this or is this another gaffe!

[nztx]

No large scale Screaming from Labour about Health Infrastructure recently ;)

Did it miraculously fix & upgrade itself overnight or is Little too preoccupied planning
how make a managed shambles (he has no clue on) into an even bigger disaster zone ? ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/call-to-cancel-all-bali-flights-to-stop-biblical-spread-of-foot-and-mouth/S7CYCIOK7GCCEJSGEZK4A4OSVE/

Call to cancel all Bali flights to stop 'biblical' spread of foot-and-mouth


Wellington must be sleeping peacefully blissfully unaware of this ;)

And the Govt Beehive B*ms continue to show epidemic levels of serious Foot in Mouth in every direction they turn ;)

What could possibly go wrong ? ;)

Foot and Mouth could have already made it here, while the NZ Govt continues to dream on unaware :)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fuel-tax-cut-road-relief-measures-not-targeted-to-help-those-who-need-it-most/XVRJP72UDD5EANRQBWZNOMJBHQ/

Fuel tax cut: Road relief measures 'not targeted to help those who need it most'


Another academic with No Clue

Everyone needs it .. Take a walk outside and look, so thou dont look to be total idiot :)


On back of Cereal Packet degree fell out of, jot down ideas on this current Govt's unique ability to target anything :)

[iceman]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fuel-tax-cut-road-relief-measures-not-targeted-to-help-those-who-need-it-most/XVRJP72UDD5EANRQBWZNOMJBHQ/

Fuel tax cut: Road relief measures 'not targeted to help those who need it most'


Another academic with No Clue

Everyone needs it .. Take a walk outside and look, so thou dont look to be total idiot :)


On back of Cereal Packet degree fell out of, jot down ideas on this current Govt's unique ability to target anything :)

I think it is quite funny that a PM that said the "climate crisis" was the "nuclear free" issue of her generation, is flat out subsidising fossil fuels :-)

[Blue Skies]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fuel-tax-cut-road-relief-measures-not-targeted-to-help-those-who-need-it-most/XVRJP72UDD5EANRQBWZNOMJBHQ/

Fuel tax cut: Road relief measures 'not targeted to help those who need it most'


Another academic with No Clue

Everyone needs it .. Take a walk outside and look, so thou dont look to be total idiot :)


On back of Cereal Packet degree fell out of, jot down ideas on this current Govt's unique ability to target anything :)



Easier said than done for a temporary 6 month period.
Loading the administrative costs on petrol stations of providing Fuel Tax discounts to certain motorists but not others, then having to claim a subsidy back off the government for just a temporary 6 month relief measure, would be impractical.
There is no practical way either directly to a targeted group of people or via petrol stations to provide a ring fenced Fuel tax discount to certain people but not others which wouldn't involve administrative costs which would hardly make it worthwhile for a 6 month period.
Who would you identify anyway? Beneficiaries, Transport operators - which ones, School buses, Superannuitants ?
It would be like having different levels of GST for different individuals, not practical.
Might as well pass the savings on to every buyer unless you want more bureaucracy & am sure you don't.

[Balance]

Easier said than done for a temporary 6 month period.
Loading the administrative costs on petrol stations of providing Fuel Tax discounts to certain motorists but not others, then having to claim a subsidy back off the government for just a temporary 6 month relief measure, would be impractical.
There is no practical way either directly to a targeted group of people or via petrol stations to provide a ring fenced Fuel tax discount to certain people but not others which wouldn't involve administrative costs which would hardly make it worthwhile for a 6 month period.
Who would you identify anyway? Beneficiaries, Transport operators - which ones, School buses, Superannuitants ?
It would be like having different levels of GST for different individuals, not practical.
Might as well pass the savings on to every buyer unless you want more bureaucracy & am sure you don't.

Ardern's government has added over 14,000 (yes, 14,000) more bureaucrats since taking office in 2017.

What are they there for?

Certainly not to improve government services and improve outcomes - because everything has gone backwards into crises with Ardern:

Housing
Healthcare
Education
Poverty
Law & Order
Infrastructure
Covid deaths

to name but a few.

Surely they can sort out something as simple as a fuel subsidy for the truly needy while dealing to the climate crisis.

Everything is all too hard with Ardern - except racking up debts and throwing money around wastefully.

[Balance]

Meanwhile, the Little one who saw crises everywhere (housing, education, health, equality etc) when he was in Opposition refuses steadfastly to call the state of healthcare in NZ today a crisis.

There is nothing more disgusting and repugnant than a government minister with no principles - and Andrew Little & Ardern are the worse NZ have ever seen.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1658094243608-RXZWOQ1XLZQHDPMEE0T3/Ogre.jpg?format=500w

[Blue Skies]

Ardern's government has added over 14,000 (yes, 14,000) more bureaucrats since taking office in 2017.

What are they there for?

Certainly not to improve government services and improve outcomes - because everything has gone backwards into crises with Ardern:

Housing
Healthcare
Education
Poverty
Law & Order
Infrastructure
Covid deaths

to name but a few.

Surely they can sort out something as simple as a fuel subsidy for the truly needy while dealing to the climate crisis.

Everything is all too hard with Ardern - except racking up debts and throwing money around wastefully.



Here's a typical example of cynical politicking by this latest crop of National MP's who will sink to any level to save themselves.
Labour adds 14,000 more bureaucrats since taking office in 2017 cries Luxon.
Sounds shocking, imagine 14,000 more bureaucrats in permanent jobs sitting at their desks in Wellington! That's the image he cynically conjures up.
Well actually NO, that's far from the truth.

One of my friends daughters had a short term job as a Covid contact tracer in Auckland which finished last year. She was one of Luxon's 14,000 bureaucrats !
People on short term jobs brought in to work in security in Managed isolation & Quarantine facilities were Luxon's "those bureaucrats"
People on short term contracts running the vaccination program around the country were "those bureaucrats".
People doing contact tracing
People on short term brought in to help at the borders, airports, ports around the country.
More front line staff for the MoE to provide support to schools
Extra people to help MSD provide the wage subsidy to business
etc.


Im quite sure my friends daughter would be mortified to think that Luxon & now others label her a 'bureaucrat" because of her temporary stint as a Contact Tracer in Auckland.
Almost 50% of the 14,000 were connected with the Covid pandemic.

Apart from these, yes there has been an increase in full time positions, but as taxpayers we are paying so much out to Consultants on eye watering hourly rates, as we lost so much 'institutional knowledge' with National's cuts to the Public Service which went too far leaving many departments short staffed & struggling to meet work loads & fulfil their function.

[Balance]

Here's a typical example of cynical politicking by this latest crop of National MP's who will sink to any level to save themselves.
Labour adds 14,000 more bureaucrats since taking office in 2017 cries Luxon.
Sounds shocking, imagine 14,000 more bureaucrats in permanent jobs sitting at their desks in Wellington! That's the image he cynically conjures up.
Well actually NO, that's far from the truth.

One of my friends daughters had a short term job as a Covid contact tracer in Auckland which finished last year. She was one of Luxon's 14,000 bureaucrats !
People on short term jobs brought in to work in security in Managed isolation & Quarantine facilities were Luxon's "those bureaucrats"
People on short term contracts running the vaccination program around the country were "those bureaucrats".
People doing contact tracing
People on short term brought in to help at the borders, airports, ports around the country.
More front line staff for the MoE to provide support to schools
Extra people to help MSD provide the wage subsidy to business
etc.


Im quite sure my friends daughter would be mortified to think that Luxon & now others label her a 'bureaucrat" because of her temporary stint as a Contact Tracer in Auckland.
Almost 50% of the 14,000 were connected with the Covid pandemic.

Apart from these, yes there has been an increase in full time positions, but as taxpayers we are paying so much out to Consultants on eye watering hourly rates, as we lost so much 'institutional knowledge' with National's cuts to the Public Service which went too far leaving many departments short staffed & struggling to meet work loads & fulfil their function.

LOL - deflection as usual.

Thousands more PR spin personnel added and you are telling us that they are busy at vaccination centres and manning MIQ facilities?

[Panda-NZ-]

DHB's abolished next week. That will get rid of a lot of bureaucracy. :)

[westerly]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fuel-tax-cut-road-relief-measures-not-targeted-to-help-those-who-need-it-most/XVRJP72UDD5EANRQBWZNOMJBHQ/

Fuel tax cut: Road relief measures 'not targeted to help those who need it most'


Another academic with No Clue

Everyone needs it .. Take a walk outside and look, so thou dont look to be total idiot :)


On back of Cereal Packet degree fell out of, jot down ideas on this current Govt's unique ability to target anything :)

One day maybe you will write a post that can be understood?

westerly

[Balance]

As usual, it’s all about the optics with Ardern. Showing her true nature.

Not a face mask in sight even as the second omicron wave rolls through NZ:

Excerpt :

"Otago University epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker said while he couldn't comment on if mask-use was kept during other parts of the day, it was disappointing to see "leaders not leading by example".

"There is an added responsibility for our leaders to wear masks when being photographed or in public settings to lead by example, this was a missed opportunity to normalise mask-use," Baker said.

"The photograph for today's Youth Parliament events also ironically coincided with an email this afternoon from the Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard. He reminded those working at Parliament to wear masks and added: "It applies to everyone."

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pm-jacinda-ardern-photographed-maskless-with-100-plus-crowd/V4UEQFRUB5TFVF7ER4Z2IHOHQQ/

But there is no health crisis or cost of living crisis according to her, so it is all fine.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1646594748412-T3UQTIGVD5TOS3N1H9JC/promises.jpg?format=500w

[nztx]

One day maybe you will write a post that can be understood?

westerly


in two or three letter words ? :)

[nztx]

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018849569/sick-and-tired-of-the-sickness

And now for something closer to Reality on Govt's current Covid denial stance:


Covid has now killed around 1700 people in New Zealand, but much of our news reporting and commentary has focused on how we're moving on from the pandemic.

Why is there such a mismatch between that media coverage, and the reality of a virus that's inflicting more suffering and death than ever before?


In the United States, hospitalisations and reinfections are rising with the increasing prevalence of the BA.5 strain of Omicron.

In the UK, about 13,000 hospital beds are currently occupied by Covid patients. Hospitals are dealing with staff absences, exhaustion, persistent backlogs and problems discharging patients, and the UK government is considering bringing back restrictions if the situation gets any worse.


Australia not much better, our Death rates are higher than Victoria's and they state in Aust that the current wave just starting..

What is being seen here ? .. the same or worse than Australia & others ?

How do you move on from something that is just beginning it's next pandemic wave ?

Have Govt given up on this or just a wishful pink dream that they would like to think it is ?

The Buck appears to stop at the desks of (1) Minister of Health (everyone knows who that is)
and secondly (2) Covid Response Minister (Who was that again ?) and thirdly the Captain
of the Leaky Ship (Lipstick, Grandiose Spinning & all) for even allowing this farce to be dishonestly
spun in first place, does it not ? ;)

[Blue Skies]

I think that narrative Covid is over is being driven by 1) the media like Stuff editor who sent an email to their journalists saying their audience is over Covid & he wanted them to find stories on other issues.
2) Talk back hosts like Hoskins, Hawksby, Woodham telling their audience what they want to hear that Covid is over,
and 3) LOTO Luxon who continually diminishes & undermines our Covid response saying things like NZ needs to move on despite us being in a serious second wave.
There's only so much the govt & health advisers can do esp when sound advice like wearing masks indoors, getting boosted & getting flu shots are ignored.
GP's are saying they are getting inundated with patients who think they have Covid but actually have the flu & didn't bother to get the flu jab despite all the publicity & warning we were going to have a bumper flu season.

[Panda-NZ-]

2) Talk back hosts like Hoskins, Hawksby, Woodham telling their audience what they want to hear that Covid is over,
and 3) LOTO Luxon who continually diminishes & undermines our Covid response saying things like NZ needs to move on despite us being in a serious second wave.

Their position was we need to move on and be like Sweden in early 2020, with not even a vaccine ready.

[kiora]

All this is just huffing and puffing
Covid is now being accepted as endemic as suggested a few months ago

NZ & Aus stats deaths/100,000 look high but we can lower it by reclassifying deaths with/from Covid

[fungus pudding]

I think that narrative Covid is over is being driven by 1) the media like Stuff editor who sent an email to their journalists saying their audience is over Covid & he wanted them to find stories on other issues.
2) Talk back hosts like Hoskins, Hawksby, Woodham telling their audience what they want to hear that Covid is over,
and 3) LOTO Luxon who continually diminishes & undermines our Covid response saying things like NZ needs to move on despite us being in a serious second wave.
There's only so much the govt & health advisers can do esp when sound advice like wearing masks indoors, getting boosted & getting flu shots are ignored.
GP's are saying they are getting inundated with patients who think they have Covid but actually have the flu & didn't bother to get the flu jab despite all the publicity & warning we were going to have a bumper flu season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jtpf8N5IDE

[Balance]

I think that narrative Covid is over is being driven by 1) the media like Stuff editor who sent an email to their journalists saying their audience is over Covid & he wanted them to find stories on other issues.
2) Talk back hosts like Hoskins, Hawksby, Woodham telling their audience what they want to hear that Covid is over,
and 3) LOTO Luxon who continually diminishes & undermines our Covid response saying things like NZ needs to move on despite us being in a serious second wave.
There's only so much the govt & health advisers can do esp when sound advice like wearing masks indoors, getting boosted & getting flu shots are ignored.
GP's are saying they are getting inundated with patients who think they have Covid but actually have the flu & didn't bother to get the flu jab despite all the publicity & warning we were going to have a bumper flu season.

NZ is now the laughing stock of the world - all the harsh lockdowns and collateral damage for what?

Save our hospital system which is now a disaster.

Save lives when NZ has the highest per capita deaths now.

Reason why there is little COVID narrative out there is because Ardern cannot milk any more political mileage from it - otherwise she will be back on the podium waxing lyrical about team of 5 million, how great she is and all the spin for 30 mins before we get the numbers.

Once a BS artist, always a BS artist - that is Ardern.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1645995942210-EJQKXRINW56QNLJ81A0O/Chowder.jpg?format=500w

[Logen Ninefingers]

NZ is now the laughing stock of the world - all the harsh lockdowns and collateral damage for what?

Save our hospital system which is now a disaster.

Save lives when NZ has the highest per capita deaths now.

Reason why there is little COVID narrative out there is because Ardern cannot milk any more political mileage from it - otherwise she will be back on the podium waxing lyrical about team of 5 million, how great she is and all the spin for 30 mins before we get the numbers.

Once a BS artist, always a BS artist - that is Ardern.

She wouldn’t front up to the podium now because she’d get uncomfortable questions on the Cost of Living Crisis, the Housing Catastrophe, and the Health Crisis.

The mood is generally pretty gloomy verging on ugly anyway; the speculative mania daze of the multitudes of property speculators (= Joe and June Bloggs, ordinary Kiwis) is starting to wear off and they are waking up to a reality of 7.3% inflation and declining house prices. Now they need someone to blame for their own situation, because you can bet they won’t be blaming their own greed and an inherently reckless borrowing binge.

So the PM will be very wary and looking at the calendar to see when she can next head away on a lengthy overseas trip. The ‘blissfully ignorant’ masses are working themselves up to what will become in due course a confused and incoherent frenzy - the ‘Jacindamania’ which peaked in 2020 with wall-to-wall adulation will be replaced by one long anguished howl of negative equity angst.

[Balance]

She wouldn’t front up to the podium now because she’d get uncomfortable questions on the Cost of Living Crisis, the Housing Catastrophe, and the Health Crisis.

The mood is generally pretty gloomy verging on ugly anyway; the speculative mania daze of the multitudes of property speculators (= Joe and June Bloggs, ordinary Kiwis) is starting to wear off and they are waking up to a reality of 7.3% inflation and declining house prices. Now they need someone to blame for their own situation, because you can bet they won’t be blaming their own greed and an inherently reckless borrowing binge.

So the PM will be very wary and looking at the calendar to see when she can next head away on a lengthy overseas trip. The ‘blissfully ignorant’ masses are working themselves up to what will become in due course a confused and incoherent frenzy - the ‘Jacindamania’ which peaked in 2020 with wall-to-wall adulation will be replaced by one long anguished howl of negative equity angst.

Yup - Ardern is a good time BS artist - only there when there are good optics to be had but never to be seen where she can be confronted with hard questions.

I see that even Helen Clark is appalled at how careless and mercenary Ardern is at Parliament yesterday.

Anything for a photo-op from Ardern - never mind the health crisis. She actually thinks that NZers want to see her smiling with a big group of people in Parliament while people die out there from covid.

Helen Clark
@HelenClarkNZ

@jacindaardern
and 2 others
Indeed shocking to see the unmasked youth parliament. What on earth are they thinking. NZ is in the middle of a pandemic surge.

[Bill Smith]

So BS (fitting moniker for you) is OK for you to post "really funny" names for Luxon is it.
Is it not then OK for those of us who think of ardern in strongly demeaning terms to so post?

[Panda-NZ-]

Surprisingly Jacinda is only 9 years younger than Luxon.

It only gets worse from here for one of them.

[Blue Skies]

So BS (fitting moniker for you) is OK for you to post "really funny" names for Luxon is it.
Is it not then OK for those of us who think of ardern in strongly demeaning terms to so post?


Omg Bill, LOTO stands for Leader of the Opposition, as in LOTO Luxon, or PM Adern.
Did you think LOTO was a reference to a lottery?

I don't use juvenile derogatory terms to put down people.

[Getty]

Now, Jacinda has been bowled over by her "appalling" gift choice of a swamp sourced bowl to Joey Biden. as reported in the NZ Herald.

What will be dug up next?

[Blue Skies]

777 gives me a bad rep because he's never heard of the commonly used political acronym LOTO standing for 'Leader of the Opposition'.
This is a political thread 777, you'll find its been used here regularly for several years & its not some sort of hidden insult to Luxon as you seem to think.

(Btw, you gave me a bad rep & then did you remove it? )

[777]

777 gives me a bad rep because he's never heard of the commonly used political acronym LOTO standing for 'Leader of the Opposition'.
This is a political thread 777, you'll find its been used here regularly for several years & its not some sort of hidden insult to Luxon as you seem to think.

(Btw, you gave me a bad rep & then did you remove it? )

Where did I suggest it was an hidden insult. That's your assumption.

No I didn't remove but I can replace it again if you want me to. You just have to ask.

Actually I have just checked and it is still there.

[Blue Skies]

Where did I suggest it was an hidden insult. That's your assumption.

No I didn't remove but I can replace it again if you want me to. You just have to ask.

Actually I have just checked and it is still there.


Well you're obviously upset about something & since you said " Your abbreviation. Little wonder you got challenged on it. Never seen it before myself " - it seemed pretty clear you were referring to the acronym LOTO & it deserved a bad rep.

If you're just frustrated & upset about a different viewpoint to your own, its much better to be up front & have a go at posting a response, present an argument.
Ive never posted a bad rep for anyone no matter how much I disagree, apart from being meaningless, they always just seem a bit spineless to me.

[nztx]

Surprisingly Jacinda is only 9 years younger than Luxon.

It only gets worse from here for one of them.


Okay & it's a pretty good sort of bet who will be in the small bunch who picks the wrong one :)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/foreign-investors-will-need-to-work-harder-to-get-nz-residency/EHRVA6WMARZ5XKL5CHZCFE7C3Y/

Foreign investors will need to work harder to get NZ residency


Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash said the aim of the change is to "attract active and high-value migrants who will bring their international expertise to help New Zealand businesses to grow".

Stuart - there can't be too many even interested, after looking at Labour's curious performance
over the past few years .. are you thick or something ? ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/richard-prebble-three-waters-is-an-attack-on-democracy/PD5I6ZHTIEIRPTSTKFTNHVPS5Q/

Richard Prebble: Three Waters is an attack on democracy

It takes a very courageous (or the most stupid dense excuse for one) Government still trying
bulldoze this through in face of the widespread opposition and majority condemnation
on multiple fronts of what can only be looked on as the poorest excuse of a fix for Water Reform


Ardern in the News:


We had to do something

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pm-jacinda-ardern-on-three-waters-covid-outbreak-and-mask-wearing/4XQOMRUJ6L3MLJKB57MAKYIPIE/


PM Jacinda Ardern says Three Waters reform is essential.


Joe Public:


Don't do anything - you'll only f*!*k it up - just like Health, Housing, Covid, Energy and just about everything
else this Government have touched

Our water is sacred and not for some incompetent Government to try to play around with


To go against the majority opposing THREE WATERS will likely invite very considerable backlash in return, on multiple fronts in response to Labour's choosing to ride roughshod over Democracy in what is clearly a further Leap Backwards .. ;)

[nztx]

Setting a Good Example as always:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/kelvin-davis-and-top-judges-cop-flak-from-health-expert-after-going-maskless-at-indoor-event/3LQTLJIEYWF6G3IKMGS76UPDLM


Kelvin Davis and top judges cop flak from health expert after going maskless at indoor event

[Paywalled]


The news must very be slow reaching Kelvin, or perhaps there is an issue with it being understood /
being absorbed into the odd thick skull in some places ;)

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/covid-19-omicron-outbreak-10320-cases-and-34-virus-related-deaths-744-people-in-hospital/XYRG5QYPIZTLMWUNEKYAVTQZJE/

Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: 10,320 cases and 34 virus-related deaths, 744 people in hospital

[Balance]

Ardern losing the female vote - rapidly.

She can only fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time - but definitely not all of the people all of the time.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/poll-national-support-with-women-increases-overtaking-labour-despite-abortion-controversy/MCIMBSPWAM2BOBMF44PWDFTUL4/

Paywalled

Only one card left for the spin mistress to play and she will play it to the hilt - to the detriment of all NZers.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1655853585228-3D57VWUJ2OB7UZOQCN4L/Optics.jpg?format=500w

[Logen Ninefingers]

‘TRADE DEFICIT BALLOONS
The June trade deficit was large. That took the annual trade deficit to June was -$10.5 bln and more than twice the annual deficit for any other June year. In the year ended June 2021 there was a deficit of just -$277 mln. In June itself, there was a -$701 mln deficit in a month where normally we have surpluses. Trade and current account deficits don't seem to matter much - until they do. And we might actually be getting towards that tipping point. You have to go back to the Clark/Cullen years to find a worse trade result over a sustained period (2002-2009).
EXPLAINING THE BAD TRADE RESULT
Of our major export trading partners, exports to the United States, the European Union, and Japan rose in June, while exports to China and Australia fell. Imports from all our major partners rose. Our imports of fuel rose +206% in June from June 2021 and made up 17% of all imports. That increase ($405 mln) only explains about 40% of the trade deterioration.’

[Logen Ninefingers]

Astonishing result on the trade front. Looks like we are falling off a cliff with our economic activity. This matches up with anecdotal evidence around export activity at our major ports.

[dobby41]

Ardern losing the female vote - rapidly.

Luxon just losing the vote!

[Logen Ninefingers]

Absolute shambles the country is now in -

‘A Napier tenant ordered to pay $40,000 to Housing New Zealand for unpaid rent should never have been allowed to get into so much debt, a rental housing expert says.

A decision released by the Tenancy Tribunal this week revealed that a man in the Napier suburb of Tamatea had managed to rack-up the massive rent bill over a "long period of time".

Kāinga Ora (formerly Housing New Zealand) said, for privacy reasons, it couldn't confirm exactly how long the man hadn't paid rent for and that taking the tenant to the tribunal was a last resort.

However, Sacha Green, national adviser for the Citizens Advice Bureau, who leads the organisation's social justice work in housing, said it was hard to understand why there hadn't been earlier intervention.’

[Panda-NZ-]

The numbers on jobkeeper down 10%+. So there goes another talking point.

[Getty]

Absolute shambles the country is now in -

‘A Napier tenant ordered to pay $40,000 to Housing New Zealand for unpaid rent should never have been allowed to get into so much debt, a rental housing expert says.

A decision released by the Tenancy Tribunal this week revealed that a man in the Napier suburb of Tamatea had managed to rack-up the massive rent bill over a "long period of time".

Kāinga Ora (formerly Housing New Zealand) said, for privacy reasons, it couldn't confirm exactly how long the man hadn't paid rent for and that taking the tenant to the tribunal was a last resort.

However, Sacha Green, national adviser for the Citizens Advice Bureau, who leads the organisation's social justice work in housing, said it was hard to understand why there hadn't been earlier intervention.’

This tenant just another parasite on the community, that Jacinda's crew thinks deserves protection.

[Balance]

This tenant just another parasite on the community, that Jacinda's crew thinks deserves protection.

Ardern's philosophy :

"Work hard, save hard, pay your taxes & be thrifty so I can distribute your money to those who do not want to work hard but will vote for me as only I will look after them."

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1645995942210-EJQKXRINW56QNLJ81A0O/Chowder.jpg?format=500w

[Panda-NZ-]

National raised GST to fund treaty settlements and whanau ora.

[777]

National raised GST to fund treaty settlements and whanau ora.

National reduced income tax to balance out GST increase for all NZ tax payers.

[Panda-NZ-]

The 501 aussie legislation put in the trash bin where it belongs.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2022/07/changes-to-501-law-abandoned-by-australia.html

It should improve the crime rate here soon. but what to do with those already deported.

[Balance]

400% increase in ram raids since Ardern took office in 2017.

This is a pro-gang and pro-criminals government and law abiding NZers are paying for Ardern’s policies to favour the criminal & useless social elements for their votes.

Disgusting and incompetent fool - sooner she buggers off to the UN, the better.

Get lost, Ardern.

[Balance]

Advertising spend by Ardern up 120% even while negative crime, homelessness, poverty and healthcare statistics skyrocket.

The spin mistress has been using taxpayers’ funds liberally and freely to try and con NZers that she is such a shxt hot leader.

Get lost, Ardern - bugger off to the UN where it’s all talk and no action exactly like you.

[Panda-NZ-]

When will the Nats come out with policies.

At least Act is doing so even though it sounds like a bit like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srHNcNoEJ9g

[Balance]

Ardern, now truly the COVID Death Queen, refusing to discuss and hiding from NZ having one of the highest death rates now in the world - because of her incompetence.

More lockdowns, zero COVID Queen?

Laughing stock Ardern - she loves them soft and long these days. Remember how she used to love them hard and short?

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-22/nz-jacinda-ardern-covid-zero-destroyed-by-omicron/101246908

Ardern in August 2021 : “Ardern defended her country’s slow vaccine rollout, saying the safest approach remained eliminating the virus.”

[Balance]

Adding to the number of shootings - another day, another shooting.

Isn’t Ardern doing so very well with law & order?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gunshots-heard-in-panmure-one-in-hospital-as-armed-police-swarm-auckland-suburb/UNKX5JJJDYZ7FADU56Y6WIEJSM/

Sooner she buggers off to the UN, the better.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/gib-crisis-megan-woods-taskforce-makes-progress-100-containers-being-shipped-here/6MWZN772NFYASPBVH77KYZFALA/

Gib crisis: Megan Woods' taskforce makes progress, 100 containers being shipped here

Too late

Now no-one wants expensive new houses in the current draconian punitive economic climate

Chippies will be losing their jobs

Demand will be sagging to next to nothing

More building firms will likely go under

Is news slow reaching the Meathead brigade of comrades in Wellington that timely not at a dreaming pace was needed ? ;)

Yet another waste of space effort at a great cost probably started happening before the bums hit the taskforce seats .. :)

Obviously not enough eye on the ball from Govt .. or can't see the thick Wood for the trees ? ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/watch-armed-robbers-raid-jewellery-store-at-west-auckland-mall/WBJC72ZE54TM5RMA4SXPHABV3I/


More sweet little Darlings having some Govt condoned fun in the Big Smoke:

Watch: Armed robbers raid jewellery store at West Auckland mall



Shocking footage has emerged of the moments a group of armed robbers raided a jewellery store in a popular Auckland shopping mall.

Staff and shoppers at Westgate's NorthWest Shopping Centre were left in shock early last night several people – who were armed with a variety of weapons, but not firearms – entered the Michael Hill store and smashed cabinets and took items.


Best be kind Bro - go lightly and they mightn't do it again ? ;)

[Getty]

Best be kind Bro - go lightly and they mightn't do it again ? ;)[/QUOTE]

Quote of the week.

Sums up Jacinda, Poto, Hipkins & Kelvin Davis's thinking precisely.

[whatsup]

400% increase in ram raids since Ardern took office in 2017.

This is a pro-gang and pro-criminals government and law abiding NZers are paying for Ardern’s policies to favour the criminal & useless social elements for their votes.

Disgusting and incompetent fool - sooner she buggers off to the UN, the better.

Get lost, Ardern.

Labour calls it wealth redistribution !!

[Logen Ninefingers]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/watch-armed-robbers-raid-jewellery-store-at-west-auckland-mall/WBJC72ZE54TM5RMA4SXPHABV3I/


More sweet little Darlings having some Govt condoned fun in the Big Smoke:

Watch: Armed robbers raid jewellery store at West Auckland mall





Best be kind Bro - go lightly and they mightn't do it again ? ;)

None of it matters cos ‘credit rating’.

[Panda-NZ-]

I don't think getting the IRD to go after gang members and banning a piece of cloth will help.

Convincing Albo to stop deporting their undesirables may though.

[fungus pudding]

JULY 18, 2022 7:00AM BY DAVID FARRAR
Guest Post: The Reserve Bank Board

A guest post by a reader:
“The Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson, has just released one of his most important press releases of the year, perhaps even this term of Government. He has announced the new Board of the Reserve Bank effective 1 July 2022. The statutory remit of the Reserve Bank board is: “overall responsibility for our strategic direction, functions and operations, and ultimate accountability for the delivery of our outcomes.”
One of the most important Board’s in New Zealand and one might expect stacked with the best and brightest economics and financial people in New Zealand, and from our global diaspora. A mix of heavyweight academics at masters, preferably PhD, level in finance and economics with significant research experience in monetary policy or similar. And balanced against that would be business people with heavyweight real world experience in how economies work and how the Reserve Bank can execute its obligations so there’s an environment where businesses can thrive and help create wealth and prosperity for all New Zealanders: people who’ve who have demonstrated an executive ability to understand and drive the economy, not just get appointed to boards.
You be the judge of the four new appointments. Here they are, referencing their Reserve Bank profiles:
• Jeremy Banks: BSc (Hons) in Computer Science from Otago University. Co-founder and CEO of Plink Software, a software company based in Nelson that produces a free te reo learning app, and similar. In 2019 Plink had 4 staff, but I expect its bigger now. A few minor governance roles.
• Professor Rawinia Higgins: Deputy Vice Chancellor Maori at Victoria University with research expertise in Maori language revitalisation, She has a PhD from Otago University, but the subject isn’t disclosed. Based on the disclosed undergraduate qualification and her current role, we can confidently exclude economics or finance.
• Byron Pepper: LLb and Bachelor of Management Studies (Finance) from Waikato University. 22 years with Goldman Sachs in investment banking.
• Hinerangi Raumati-Tu’ua: Masters in Management Studies (university not disclosed) and fellow of Chartered Accountants ANZ. Previous CFO of Tainui Group Holdings and lots of past governance roles in public, Maori and resources sectors.


The continuing members are:
• Prof Neil Quigley: Vice-Chancellor Waikato University. PhD from Toronto University (doesn’t say what in) but has research interests in industrial organisation, money and finance and economic history.
• Susan Patterson: a pharmacist with an MBA from London Business School and lots of Government and mid-level board experience.
• Rodger Finlay: BCA from Otago. An accountant with lots of Government, Maori related and mid-level board experience.

So there you have it, the seven people who the Minister of Finance believes have the collective wisdom and experience to oversee and guide our Reserve Bank. In summary:
• Two accountants who’ve practiced at mid-size domestic entities.
• A software developer running a small business in Nelson.
• Two academics, one with expertise irrelevant to the core role of the Reserve Bank and the other with expertise peripherally relevant.
• One ex-investment banker.
• No-one with a PhD level qualification in a relevant discipline.
• No-one with substantive treasury experience.
• No-one with a senior commercial banking background.
• No-one with senior executive experience (eg CEO or CFO) of a substantial international company, organisation or research entity, or even an NZX10 company like Spark or Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
• At least three with a deep knowledge of Maori custom , knowledge and language.
• An abundance of mid-level and Government governance roles.

Quite frankly, you couldn’t make this up if you tried.
DPF: I would slightly dispute the characterisation of Professor Quigley as only having peripherally relevant expertise as he in fact lectured me in monetary economics at Victoria University. But I agree with the concern expressed by the reader that the board is very light on people with expertise in monetary policy.

[Getty]

JULY 18, 2022 7:00AM BY DAVID FARRAR
Guest Post: The Reserve Bank Board

A guest post by a reader:
“The Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson, has just released one of his most important press releases of the year, perhaps even this term of Government. He has announced the new Board of the Reserve Bank effective 1 July 2022. The statutory remit of the Reserve Bank board is: “overall responsibility for our strategic direction, functions and operations, and ultimate accountability for the delivery of our outcomes.”
One of the most important Board’s in New Zealand and one might expect stacked with the best and brightest economics and financial people in New Zealand, and from our global diaspora. A mix of heavyweight academics at masters, preferably PhD, level in finance and economics with significant research experience in monetary policy or similar. And balanced against that would be business people with heavyweight real world experience in how economies work and how the Reserve Bank can execute its obligations so there’s an environment where businesses can thrive and help create wealth and prosperity for all New Zealanders: people who’ve who have demonstrated an executive ability to understand and drive the economy, not just get appointed to boards.
You be the judge of the four new appointments. Here they are, referencing their Reserve Bank profiles:
• Jeremy Banks: BSc (Hons) in Computer Science from Otago University. Co-founder and CEO of Plink Software, a software company based in Nelson that produces a free te reo learning app, and similar. In 2019 Plink had 4 staff, but I expect its bigger now. A few minor governance roles.
• Professor Rawinia Higgins: Deputy Vice Chancellor Maori at Victoria University with research expertise in Maori language revitalisation, She has a PhD from Otago University, but the subject isn’t disclosed. Based on the disclosed undergraduate qualification and her current role, we can confidently exclude economics or finance.
• Byron Pepper: LLb and Bachelor of Management Studies (Finance) from Waikato University. 22 years with Goldman Sachs in investment banking.
• Hinerangi Raumati-Tu’ua: Masters in Management Studies (university not disclosed) and fellow of Chartered Accountants ANZ. Previous CFO of Tainui Group Holdings and lots of past governance roles in public, Maori and resources sectors.


The continuing members are:
• Prof Neil Quigley: Vice-Chancellor Waikato University. PhD from Toronto University (doesn’t say what in) but has research interests in industrial organisation, money and finance and economic history.
• Susan Patterson: a pharmacist with an MBA from London Business School and lots of Government and mid-level board experience.
• Rodger Finlay: BCA from Otago. An accountant with lots of Government, Maori related and mid-level board experience.

So there you have it, the seven people who the Minister of Finance believes have the collective wisdom and experience to oversee and guide our Reserve Bank. In summary:
• Two accountants who’ve practiced at mid-size domestic entities.
• A software developer running a small business in Nelson.
• Two academics, one with expertise irrelevant to the core role of the Reserve Bank and the other with expertise peripherally relevant.
• One ex-investment banker.
• No-one with a PhD level qualification in a relevant discipline.
• No-one with substantive treasury experience.
• No-one with a senior commercial banking background.
• No-one with senior executive experience (eg CEO or CFO) of a substantial international company, organisation or research entity, or even an NZX10 company like Spark or Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
• At least three with a deep knowledge of Maori custom , knowledge and language.
• An abundance of mid-level and Government governance roles.

Quite frankly, you couldn’t make this up if you tried.
DPF: I would slightly dispute the characterisation of Professor Quigley as only having peripherally relevant expertise as he in fact lectured me in monetary economics at Victoria University. But I agree with the concern expressed by the reader that the board is very light on people with expertise in monetary policy.

Ah, but NZ must have those token cultural appointments to "balance the books" eh?

[Panda-NZ-]

JULY 18, 2022 7:00AM BY DAVID FARRAR
Guest Post: The Reserve Bank Board


What does dave think about banning ownership of shares and interests in blind trusts.

It's a bit of a conflict of interest if you have a "high powered executive" with $10m+ in shares.

[Panda-NZ-]

For instance over in Aust;

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/albanese-bans-blind-trusts-and-shares-for-ministers-keeps-bonk-ban-20220707-p5azyu

Should it apply to both ministers and high level public servants here in NZ? ;)

[Logen Ninefingers]

JULY 18, 2022 7:00AM BY DAVID FARRAR
Guest Post: The Reserve Bank Board

A guest post by a reader:
“The Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson, has just released one of his most important press releases of the year, perhaps even this term of Government. He has announced the new Board of the Reserve Bank effective 1 July 2022. The statutory remit of the Reserve Bank board is: “overall responsibility for our strategic direction, functions and operations, and ultimate accountability for the delivery of our outcomes.”
One of the most important Board’s in New Zealand and one might expect stacked with the best and brightest economics and financial people in New Zealand, and from our global diaspora. A mix of heavyweight academics at masters, preferably PhD, level in finance and economics with significant research experience in monetary policy or similar. And balanced against that would be business people with heavyweight real world experience in how economies work and how the Reserve Bank can execute its obligations so there’s an environment where businesses can thrive and help create wealth and prosperity for all New Zealanders: people who’ve who have demonstrated an executive ability to understand and drive the economy, not just get appointed to boards.
You be the judge of the four new appointments. Here they are, referencing their Reserve Bank profiles:
• Jeremy Banks: BSc (Hons) in Computer Science from Otago University. Co-founder and CEO of Plink Software, a software company based in Nelson that produces a free te reo learning app, and similar. In 2019 Plink had 4 staff, but I expect its bigger now. A few minor governance roles.
• Professor Rawinia Higgins: Deputy Vice Chancellor Maori at Victoria University with research expertise in Maori language revitalisation, She has a PhD from Otago University, but the subject isn’t disclosed. Based on the disclosed undergraduate qualification and her current role, we can confidently exclude economics or finance.
• Byron Pepper: LLb and Bachelor of Management Studies (Finance) from Waikato University. 22 years with Goldman Sachs in investment banking.
• Hinerangi Raumati-Tu’ua: Masters in Management Studies (university not disclosed) and fellow of Chartered Accountants ANZ. Previous CFO of Tainui Group Holdings and lots of past governance roles in public, Maori and resources sectors.


The continuing members are:
• Prof Neil Quigley: Vice-Chancellor Waikato University. PhD from Toronto University (doesn’t say what in) but has research interests in industrial organisation, money and finance and economic history.
• Susan Patterson: a pharmacist with an MBA from London Business School and lots of Government and mid-level board experience.
• Rodger Finlay: BCA from Otago. An accountant with lots of Government, Maori related and mid-level board experience.

So there you have it, the seven people who the Minister of Finance believes have the collective wisdom and experience to oversee and guide our Reserve Bank. In summary:
• Two accountants who’ve practiced at mid-size domestic entities.
• A software developer running a small business in Nelson.
• Two academics, one with expertise irrelevant to the core role of the Reserve Bank and the other with expertise peripherally relevant.
• One ex-investment banker.
• No-one with a PhD level qualification in a relevant discipline.
• No-one with substantive treasury experience.
• No-one with a senior commercial banking background.
• No-one with senior executive experience (eg CEO or CFO) of a substantial international company, organisation or research entity, or even an NZX10 company like Spark or Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
• At least three with a deep knowledge of Maori custom , knowledge and language.
• An abundance of mid-level and Government governance roles.

Quite frankly, you couldn’t make this up if you tried.
DPF: I would slightly dispute the characterisation of Professor Quigley as only having peripherally relevant expertise as he in fact lectured me in monetary economics at Victoria University. But I agree with the concern expressed by the reader that the board is very light on people with expertise in monetary policy.

Looks like a fair bit of ‘co-governance’ of the Reserve Bank going on.

Probably just well paid ‘jobs for the boys and girls’ in play here. It seems to be the Labour approach in general.

[Blue Skies]

Looks like a fair bit of ‘co-governance’ of the Reserve Bank going on.

Probably just well paid ‘jobs for the boys and girls’ in play here. It seems to be the Labour approach in general.


This is happening throughout the Public Service.
Unfortunately from what I'm hearing we are losing some very good & highly experienced people as they become frustrated with the trend to appoint far less qualified & experienced people, but who are fluent in Te Reo & well versed in Mātauranga Māori (the Maori way of being & engaging with the world & a phrase we will all hear increasingly ) to senior positions & who want to further drive that change.
Usual case of the pendulum swings one way & then swinging too far the other way.
Fwiw I don't think this is being driven by Labour but by Iwi themselves backed up by the judiciary ( Te Tiriti obligations) & if its National or Labour it won't make the slightest difference.
The Crown Law office regularly has to defend the (Labour) Govt (which represents the Crown) in court from claims it is not fulfilling its Treaty obligations so don't think its all one way.

[Balance]

Looks like a fair bit of ‘co-governance’ of the Reserve Bank going on.

Probably just well paid ‘jobs for the boys and girls’ in play here. It seems to be the Labour approach in general.

Anything for votes - Ardern is all about diversity (read $$$$ for the Maori boys & girls) for votes.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1655853585228-3D57VWUJ2OB7UZOQCN4L/Optics.jpg?format=500w

Nothing to do with making sure that only the best is good enough to lift NZ to the highest levels of achievements.

[Balance]

"It will not be the policy of any government I lead to embark on another substantial reform of local government or governance unless it is sought and unless and there is broad consensus amongst local government about the need for and the direction of change," Ardern said.

This was under a heading in her speech: The Future for Local Government is up to you.

———————-/—————————

Only a barefaced hypocrite and liar would make those comments that Ardern just made about local government.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/three-waters-jacinda-arderns-governance-message-greeted-with-scepticism-by-southern-leaders/46XDJSVYHZDGL2IDW54M2NLM5E/

Aptly described by Michael Laws who pulled no punches :

"Given the duplicity of this Government over Three Waters, the PM's statement has as much credibility as Russia assuring Ukrainians that they only bomb military targets."

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1646594748412-T3UQTIGVD5TOS3N1H9JC/promises.jpg?format=500w

[Logen Ninefingers]

"It will not be the policy of any government I lead to embark on another substantial reform of local government or governance unless it is sought and unless and there is broad consensus amongst local government about the need for and the direction of change," Ardern said.

This was under a heading in her speech: The Future for Local Government is up to you.

———————-/—————————

Only a barefaced hypocrite and liar would make those comments that Ardern just made about local government.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/three-waters-jacinda-arderns-governance-message-greeted-with-scepticism-by-southern-leaders/46XDJSVYHZDGL2IDW54M2NLM5E/

Aptly described by Michael Laws who pulled no punches :

"Given the duplicity of this Government over Three Waters, the PM's statement has as much credibility as Russia assuring Ukrainians that they only bomb military targets."

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1646594748412-T3UQTIGVD5TOS3N1H9JC/promises.jpg?format=500w

'Oh, but of course 'co-governance' is necessary, and something that the important decision makers - Iwi and Whanua - are all agreed on'.

[Bjauck]

777 gives me a bad rep because he's never heard of the commonly used political acronym LOTO standing for 'Leader of the Opposition'.
This is a political thread 777, you'll find its been used here regularly for several years & its not some sort of hidden insult to Luxon as you seem to think.

(Btw, you gave me a bad rep & then did you remove it? )
I think we should use more acronyms and abbreviations in the same way the USians use SCOTUS, POTUS, FLOTUS, Veep. We have our own HMTQ, SCONZ, GG, PM, LOTO, HOR etc.

[Bjauck]

"It will not be the policy of any government I lead to embark on another substantial reform of local government or governance unless it is sought and unless and there is broad consensus amongst local government about the need for and the direction of change," Ardern said.

This was under a heading in her speech: The Future for Local Government is up to you.

———————-/—————————

Only a barefaced hypocrite and liar would make those comments that Ardern just made about local government.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/three-waters-jacinda-arderns-governance-message-greeted-with-scepticism-by-southern-leaders/46XDJSVYHZDGL2IDW54M2NLM5E/

Aptly described by Michael Laws who pulled no punches :

"Given the duplicity of this Government over Three Waters, the PM's statement has as much credibility as Russia assuring Ukrainians that they only bomb military targets."

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1646594748412-T3UQTIGVD5TOS3N1H9JC/promises.jpg?format=500w I am not sure if its worthy of the C21st version of Godwin's law - comparing things to Russia's "liberation" of Ukraine from "Nazis." However I don't see how serious (as opposed to lip-service) co-governance and local democracy are compatible.

The Treaty of Waitangi was between separate entities with different home territories (The UK and the various Iwi) when there were few British people in NZ. It has become a nightmare to honour when the home territories of both sides overlap (NZ and Iwi) while desiring to have a democratic government in NZ.

[fungus pudding]

I think we should use more acronyms and abbreviations in the same way the USians use SCOTUS, POTUS, FLOTUS, Veep. We have our own HMTQ, SCONZ, GG, PM, LOTO, HOR etc.

Who or what would that help, and if any of either, how would it?

[Blue Skies]

Who or what would that help, and if any of either, how would it?


Acronyms are useful devices for saving time & clarification.
e.g. who wants to write 'Accident Compensation Corporation' everytime instead of ACC?
Or 'Information & Communication Technology' instead of ICT.
Or 'Canterbury District Health Board' instead of CDHB

They're also useful identifiers e.g. how many could instantly name the present Governor General, & if we say Kiro how would many instantly recognise that's referring to GG Kiro ?
Or if the name Diana Safarti came up, would you immediately recognise her as the new Director General of Health ? DGH Safarti is much clearer.

[fungus pudding]

Acronyms are useful devices for saving time & clarification.
e.g. who wants to write 'Accident Compensation Corporation' everytime instead of ACC?
Or 'Information & Communication Technology' instead of ICT.
Or 'Canterbury District Health Board' instead of CDHB

They're also useful identifiers e.g. how many could instantly name the present Governor General, & if we say Kiro how would many instantly recognise that's referring to GG Kiro ?
Or if the name Diana Safarti came up, would you immediately recognise her as the new Director General of Health ? DGH Safarti is much clearer.

ACC is well known, so fair enough; but HMTQ, SCONZ, GG, PM, LOTO, HOR? Fair enough to use these if you want your message to be ignored.

[westerly]

[QUOTE=Balance;967815]"It will not be the policy of any government I lead to embark on another substantial reform of local government or governance unless it is sought and unless and there is broad consensus amongst local government about the need for and the direction of change," Ardern said.

This was under a heading in her speech: The Future for Local Government is up to you.

———————-/—————————

Only a barefaced hypocrite and liar would make those comments that Ardern just made about local government.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/three-waters-jacinda-arderns-governance-message-greeted-with-scepticism-by-southern-leaders/46XDJSVYHZDGL2IDW54M2NLM5E/

Aptly described by Michael Laws who pulled no punches :

"Given the duplicity of this Government over Three Waters, the PM's statement has as much credibility as Russia assuring Ukrainians that they only bomb military targets."

To be expected from Laws a one time National MP.
Council rates are a major driver of inflation. Most of the opposition to 3 Waters is because when introduced the unthinkable must happen. For the first time ever Local Bodies would find it hard not to substantially reduce rates. (and their bureaucracy)

westerly

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/the-front-page-why-labour-will-be-watching-greens-leadership-stoush-closely/ARYTRF7RIUZ26TCEL75BUQ2HU4/

The Front Page: Why Labour will be watching Greens leadership stoush closely

Who would have thought that the Green's Rickety Shaw would affect Labour already diminishing prospects ? ;)

As if shooting themselves in both feet at every corner in the path wasn't enough to seal their fate .. :)

[nztx]

Anyone who thinks that Labour's THREE WATERS will result in any decrease in Local Body Rates
needs to think again.

The likely course - Local Bodies taking the Government bribes will simply pay off Debt then
embark on a further extensive Wish List of expensive projects in other areas of their empires
to try to justify as close to their current rates takes as before..

What happens when Property QV's reduce - Spending doesn't reduce much but the rates
struck on CV or LV just get ramped up.

In good times of increasing property values Councils score large windfalls to fund further
projects hanging in the winds, to expend as much of the windfalls as possible,
There is no incentive for Councils to reduce what they swipe out of Taxpayer's pockets

Blame Helen Clark's Government for allowing Councils and Local Bodies to proliferate
into largely unaccountable spendthrift organisations like a blight on the land
largely out of control, not too dissimilar to Ardern's Government of uncontrolled minorities
hijacking the excuse for Central Government for their own selfish splinter faction goals:)

Local Body Rates will not decrease overall by much if anything - Think Councils collect Double Payday

The ratepayers will soon find that they get saddled with the rapidly escalating costs of Mahuta's
Three Waters disaster , on top of further Rates rises as Local Bodies focus on other new
projects in their realm to keep their staff occupied as if there is no tomorrow

Am I wrong ? :)

Anyone who supports THREE WATERS needs to seriously rethink likely future Outcomes

Try Very Expensive Water Solutions times how many in each captive entity ?

Bases & support in every locality and the regional entities uncontrollably lurching from
disaster to the next trying to make each the same or similar as the next, blindly ignoring locals who
they were supposed to be delivering enhanced service to..

Let's not forget the further duplicate layers of bureaucracy pretending they are managing
and directing each facet of the three waters reimaged disaster..

Anyone ever seen a Council substantially reduce Rates & worked out how long that lasted
before their greedy little fingers dreamt up new ways to plunder further bills from captive wallets

Try inflationary effects on Council costs flowing through into Rates (7% 8% 10% + ?)

Anyone ever seen Central Government meddling ever deliver any medium term benefits,
but instead Politicians generally being seen getting things badly wrong instead ?

Look further at the Current Government's recent track record in non delivery on almost
all of their flagship projects which have mostly turned into very expensive curry funded
by the Taxpayer, while delivering up little if any of the solutions that were spun ;)

[Balance]

Ardern’s doing - healthcare disaster.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/300641712/life-support-woman-left-to-birth-on-side-of-road-amid-midwife-shortages

New Zealand College of Midwives chief executive, Alison Eddy has been a midwife since 1996. She says the midwifery staffing crisis is the worst she has seen.

Shortages were chronic in both hospitals and in the community.

“Just when it feels like we have hit rock bottom, it gets worse. We are now skidding on the gravel, and it hurts.”

[nztx]

Ardern’s doing - healthcare disaster.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/300641712/life-support-woman-left-to-birth-on-side-of-road-amid-midwife-shortages

New Zealand College of Midwives chief executive, Alison Eddy has been a midwife since 1996. She says the midwifery staffing crisis is the worst she has seen.

Shortages were chronic in both hospitals and in the community.

“Just when it feels like we have hit rock bottom, it gets worse. We are now skidding on the gravel, and it hurts.”


Andrew the Great will be out very soon trying to tell all that everyone else in the Sector screaming (that is apart from himself) are all telling stories / made up little fairy tales ;)

Is there anywhere he can hide - since the Health Sector touches just about everyone ? :)

What a wonderful Portfolio it is, in comparison to that of conducting a post mortem on dark remains of a former coal mine - where $60m chucked down a dark hole goes almost unnoticed, far from the spotlight :)

The banging of scalpels on the table and yells for amputation of something small, defective and useless in the Health portfolio has only just started and will only steadily grow louder ;)

[dobby41]

Out of 92 pledges in the 2020 Labour manifesto they have delivered 56, 22 in progress, 11 not yet achieved and 3 not achieved.
Not bad for halfway into the term (without a 'handbrake').
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/labour-at-the-wheel-without-any-handbrake-how-far-have-they-come/IQEKB6MP6W4IEAF4JBJL5W67M4/

[Logen Ninefingers]

Out of 92 pledges in the 2020 Labour manifesto they have delivered 56, 22 in progress, 11 not yet achieved and 3 not achieved.
Not bad for halfway into the term (without a 'handbrake').
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/labour-at-the-wheel-without-any-handbrake-how-far-have-they-come/IQEKB6MP6W4IEAF4JBJL5W67M4/

Can’t read it, paywalled. But assume it’s along the lines of:

Solve housing crisis: not achieved.
Bring in Matariki holiday: achieved.
Sort out child poverty: in progress.

Labour probably marking themselves as well.

[nztx]

The minor pledges probably only deserve half marks

The not achieved in major items which affect many/most - the points should be doubled in deduction

Cant have Labour promising all they would suck lollypops and having each rank similar against major flops
on points, can we ? ;)

[Blue Skies]

Andrew the Great will be out very soon trying to tell all that everyone else in the Sector screaming (that is apart from himself) are all telling stories / made up little fairy tales ;)

Is there anywhere he can hide - since the Health Sector touches just about everyone ? :)

What a wonderful Portfolio it is, in comparison to that of conducting a post mortem on dark remains of a former coal mine - where $60m chucked down a dark hole goes almost unnoticed, far from the spotlight :)

The banging of scalpels on the table and yells for amputation of something small, defective and useless in the Health portfolio has only just started and will only steadily grow louder ;)




Even though our health system is under enormous pressure, I'm not sure where else i'ld rather be.

In the UK the NHS is almost collapsing as latest figures show they are facing severe shortages with 110,000 health jobs unfulfilled, including needing 12,000 doctors & 50,000 nurses now.

Australia's health system is buckling too e.g. they are triaging patients in tents in the car park on the Gold Coast, Sydney & Brisbane, Cairnes has only 1 negative pressure ward, its projected they will be 85,000 nurses short under current settings in 36 months time. Nurses are leaving in droves due to burnout & they can't even gauge the full extent of the crisis as they have a disjointed system spread across Federal, State & Private institutions.

Canada is facing severe shortages and need about 60,000 nurses, Switzerland, Israel, Norway etc all desperate for health workers.

Don't get me started on the nightmare US health system..

We obviously have huge inequality of patient care across the country in our current system & massive duplication with 20 DHB's for a comparatively small population, competing with each other for resources instead of co-operating with each other & sharing resources.
The Health reforms aim to address this.

[Balance]

Even though our health system is under enormous pressure, I'm not sure where else i'ld rather be.

In the UK the NHS is almost collapsing as latest figures show they are facing severe shortages with 110,000 health jobs unfulfilled, including needing 12,000 doctors & 50,000 nurses now.

Australia's health system is buckling too e.g. they are triaging patients in tents in the car park on the Gold Coast, Sydney & Brisbane, Cairnes has only 1 negative pressure ward, its projected they will be 85,000 nurses short under current settings in 36 months time. Nurses are leaving in droves due to burnout & they can't even gauge the full extent of the crisis as they have a disjointed system spread across Federal, State & Private institutions.

Canada is facing severe shortages and need about 60,000 nurses, Switzerland, Israel, Norway etc all desperate for health workers.

Don't get me started on the nightmare US health system..

We obviously have huge inequality of patient care across the country in our current system & massive duplication with 20 DHB's for a comparatively small population, competing with each other for resources instead of co-operating with each other & sharing resources.
The Health reforms aim to address this.

4.5 years in power and everything related to housing, healthcare, education, law & order have deteriorated into real crises & disasters under Ardern.

And what has she been doing all that time?

Spinning and lying - that’s Ardern.

[nztx]

Even though our health system is under enormous pressure, I'm not sure where else i'ld rather be.

In the UK the NHS is almost collapsing as latest figures show they are facing severe shortages with 110,000 health jobs unfulfilled, including needing 12,000 doctors & 50,000 nurses now.

Australia's health system is buckling too e.g. they are triaging patients in tents in the car park on the Gold Coast, Sydney & Brisbane, Cairnes has only 1 negative pressure ward, its projected they will be 85,000 nurses short under current settings in 36 months time. Nurses are leaving in droves due to burnout & they can't even gauge the full extent of the crisis as they have a disjointed system spread across Federal, State & Private institutions.

Canada is facing severe shortages and need about 60,000 nurses, Switzerland, Israel, Norway etc all desperate for health workers.

Don't get me started on the nightmare US health system..

We obviously have huge inequality of patient care across the country in our current system & massive duplication with 20 DHB's for a comparatively small population, competing with each other for resources instead of co-operating with each other & sharing resources.
The Health reforms aim to address this.


Under enormous pressure is one way of looking at it, Little has another view,
and those battling away on the cliff face yet another..

I know which I would believe - and that's not some clueless ranting fill-in politician from the beehive :)

[Panda-NZ-]

Yes it's important to see whether things are acutally in a crisis.

As opposed to believing at face value what those with an interest to 'change the govt' (hence bias) think.

[Balance]

Deleted

———————

[RTM]

Even though our health system is under enormous pressure, I'm not sure where else i'ld rather be.

In the UK the NHS is almost collapsing as latest figures show they are facing severe shortages with 110,000 health jobs unfulfilled, including needing 12,000 doctors & 50,000 nurses now.

Australia's health system is buckling too e.g. they are triaging patients in tents in the car park on the Gold Coast, Sydney & Brisbane, Cairnes has only 1 negative pressure ward, its projected they will be 85,000 nurses short under current settings in 36 months time. Nurses are leaving in droves due to burnout & they can't even gauge the full extent of the crisis as they have a disjointed system spread across Federal, State & Private institutions.

Canada is facing severe shortages and need about 60,000 nurses, Switzerland, Israel, Norway etc all desperate for health workers.

Don't get me started on the nightmare US health system..

We obviously have huge inequality of patient care across the country in our current system & massive duplication with 20 DHB's for a comparatively small population, competing with each other for resources instead of co-operating with each other & sharing resources.
The Health reforms aim to address this.

Great post Blue Skies, outstanding. It’s a a great pity our news services don’t address ss the other side of the ledger as well.

[Balance]

Another Ardern disaster - National Polytechnic Te Pukenga.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/300646387/former-te-pkenga-executive-who-quit-disneyland-mega-polytech-calls-for-commissioner

Excerpt : " This in part reflected a very “siloed” approach to the way people were working together to establish Te Pūkenga. She said she couldn’t believe how poor the “coherence and integration” of the leadership team was. At times she felt “it’s like everyone is in Disneyland”. When she raised this sort of thought, people would not appear to realise the clock was ticking on reform or have an appropriate sense of urgency. Davis pointed to a publicly available consultants’ report dated March this year for Te Pūkenga and the Tertiary Education Commission raising various concerns about progress towards Te Pūkenga’s goals."

Disneyland is an apt description of Ardern's government with the disasters in healthcare, housing, education, law & order, cost of living and bureaucracy blow outs.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former-otago-polytechnic-ceo-seeks-apology-from-chris-hipkins/TYVWAD2GGZW6MMSWFZKNLQE4DM/

Excerpt : "Former Otago Polytechnic chief executive Phil Ker has called for an apology from Education Minister Chris Hipkins for turning the country's polytechnic education system into "a national disgrace". It comes in the wake of last week's apology from Te Pūkenga's acting chief executive over its beleaguered financial situation and its delays in transitioning the country's polytechnics into a single entity.

hundreds of millions of dollars had been spent to reform a system that was not actually broken.

"Those hundreds of millions have just gone into structural stuff.

"Not a single dollar has been put into improving outcomes for learners, not a single dollar to strengthening the regional providers, and so the issues that we had before Mr Hipkins started this misguided venture, are not only still there, they're worse."

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DklHm9-VAAADzh9?format=jpg&name=medium

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EcMEel9VcAAHPvL?format=jpg&name=medium

This time brought in conjunction with Hipkins, the low life minister who deliberately leaked and spread misinformation on pregnant mother Charlotte Bellis to incite abuse at her & her partner for daring to question and challenge the illegal MIQ system.

Hipkins - the man busy trying to blame everyone else for the Te Pukenga crisis except himself!

A minister in charge of a disaster 3 years in the making, blaming all and sundry but taking zero responsibility!

[Logen Ninefingers]

https://i.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/129392105/priority-for-government-to-improve-poor-pay-rates-in-the-arts--sepuloni

'Priority' for Government to improve poor pay rates in the arts - Sepuloni

[Panda-NZ-]

Even though our health system is under enormous pressure, I'm not sure where else i'ld rather be.

In the UK the NHS is almost collapsing as latest figures show they are facing severe shortages with 110,000 health jobs unfulfilled, including needing 12,000 doctors & 50,000 nurses now.



Keep in mind the NHS is in summer and it still has issues.

Our health system is now dealing with all the peak winter ailments and some people then go "look a crisis!".

[Balance]

Those who do the real work and who are at the frontline say that health system is in crisis.

Mr "Pike River' Little says there's no crisis.

Easy for NZers to say who is telling the truth.

But Little has the full support of Jacinda 'NO COST OF LIVING CRISIS' Ardern! :t_up:

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/07/andrew-little-refusing-to-say-health-system-in-crisis-really-sad-campaigner-melissa-vining-says.html

Campaigner Melissa Vining says it's "really sad" Andrew Little has refused to describe the state of New Zealand's health system as a "crisis".

Vining, a prominent health campaigner who founded the Southland Charity Hospital with her late husband and cancer care campaigner Blair Vining, accused Health Minister Little of not listening to the workforce about the current state of the system.

Speaking to AM, Melissa said the sector had been trying to tell Little just how tough the health workforce was doing.

"I think that it's really sad that minister Little isn't listening to the call from all the medical professionals; doctors, nurses, carers… are trying to tell him that this is genuinely a crisis and the fact that he won't acknowledge that makes me feel really sad.


"https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1630552397345-KOXK2FEJEUPVGJEFYBTZ/shortage.jpg?format=500w

[Balance]

Yet another disaster under Ardern and Little.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/utterly-overwhelmed-child-psychiatrists-plead-for-urgent-action-to-fix-mental-health-staffing-crisis/VNUCWGRDDNRXNL6WBJ6L6N4K3A/

Paywalled

Children and teenagers could suffer life-long consequences because they're not getting timely and effective mental health treatment from public services that are stretched to the limit, a group of leading psychiatrists has warned.

Eighty-eight per cent of the psychiatrists say young people are often or very often unable to access adequate mental health treatment when they need it, according to the paper, which was obtained in advance by the Herald.

A large majority of the respondents said mental health services are not fit for purpose or heading in the right direction, despite commitments from the Government to improve it.

[Baa_Baa]

Yet another disaster under Ardern and Little.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/utterly-overwhelmed-child-psychiatrists-plead-for-urgent-action-to-fix-mental-health-staffing-crisis/VNUCWGRDDNRXNL6WBJ6L6N4K3A/

Paywalled

Children and teenagers could suffer life-long consequences because they're not getting timely and effective mental health treatment from public services that are stretched to the limit, a group of leading psychiatrists has warned.

Eighty-eight per cent of the psychiatrists say young people are often or very often unable to access adequate mental health treatment when they need it, according to the paper, which was obtained in advance by the Herald.

A large majority of the respondents said mental health services are not fit for purpose or heading in the right direction, despite commitments from the Government to improve it.

Is there anyone here who doesn't personally know of a young person in their community or family who has committed suicide? Appalling that help is so difficult to obtain, so very difficult for most it's bascially impossible, and our younger generation who need that help vote with their lives. So sad, so awfully sad.

[Balance]

3 firearm incidents unfolding across Auckland tonight.

Ardern & Hipkins & Labour government - pro-crime & pro-gang policies bearing fruit big time.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/armed-police-responding-to-three-firearms-incidents-across-auckland-tonight/VDBYJ5Z57XPPUFTG6HPQ7FYH5A/

Bugger off to the UN, Ardern. Take your useless & clueless self to where you are in like company.

[tim23]

3 firearm incidents unfolding across Auckland tonight.

Ardern & Hipkins & Labour government - pro-crime & pro-gang policies bearing fruit big time.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/armed-police-responding-to-three-firearms-incidents-across-auckland-tonight/VDBYJ5Z57XPPUFTG6HPQ7FYH5A/

Bugger off to the UN, Ardern. Take your useless & clueless self to where you are in like company.

It’s plain silly to say any government is pro crime - I agree that they are too soft on crime though.

[Balance]

Shows you the sort of character - petty, entitled and vindictive - that Grant Robertson is.

His father did what he felt he had to do to provide his family with a decent living (nothing flash) and ended going to jail. All that Grant can do is bemoan the fact that he suddenly had no family backstop when he went to University!

What about getting a job like most of us, working nights and days to self-support?

Not only that, it’s obvious he has never created a single real job for anyone outside of taxpayer funded jobs ever in his entitled life so far.

And he thinks he has what it takes to be finance minister!

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/money-talks-grant-robertson-i-loved-him-he-was-my-father-but-i-never-really-forgave-him/4GOHO2YJZBKYUDUVJPT6ASJWWA/

"I loved him, he was my father but I never really forgave him. It was such a stupid thing to do."

"The motivation was around his desire to keep his family together and in essence he was buying our love to a certain extent. That's a dreadful thing to even say. But his psychology at the time was that's what he needed to do and it's a real downward spiral."

[Panda-NZ-]

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/money/2022/07/small-business-wages-see-largest-rise-on-record-to-near-inflation-rate-xero.html

Wage growth almost the highest on record.

Another step towards closing the wage gap with Australia (which has experienced 10 years of stagnant growth under a liberal govt).

[tim23]

Shows you the sort of character - petty, entitled and vindictive - that Grant Robertson is.

His father did what he felt he had to do to provide his family with a decent living (nothing flash) and ended going to jail. All that Grant can do is bemoan the fact that he suddenly had no family backstop when he went to University!

What about getting a job like most of us, working nights and days to self-support?

Not only that, it’s obvious he has never created a single real job for anyone outside of taxpayer funded jobs ever in his entitled life so far.

And he thinks he has what it takes to be finance minister!

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/money-talks-grant-robertson-i-loved-him-he-was-my-father-but-i-never-really-forgave-him/4GOHO2YJZBKYUDUVJPT6ASJWWA/

"I loved him, he was my father but I never really forgave him. It was such a stupid thing to do."

"The motivation was around his desire to keep his family together and in essence he was buying our love to a certain extent. That's a dreadful thing to even say. But his psychology at the time was that's what he needed to do and it's a real downward spiral."

Too late - he is already the Finance Minister!

[dobby41]

Shows you the sort of character - petty, entitled and vindictive - that Grant Robertson is.

Fascinating how you read that into what he said - you don't seem to be able to read deeper than your hate.
Take a break again for your mental health.

[dobby41]

Too late - he is already the Finance Minister!

Luckily for the country.
National keeps adding up wrongly.
Then, of course, is the normal
- change taxes to give the wealthy lots more
- cut services to pay for it
while saying that you are doing it for the poor.

[Balance]

Luckily for the country.
National keeps adding up wrongly.
Then, of course, is the normal
- change taxes to give the wealthy lots more
- cut services to pay for it
while saying that you are doing it for the poor.

Inflation - raging under Ardern - is the single biggest destructor of well being for the so-called poor.

And Ardern & Robertson keep adding fuel to the inflation fire.

Yes, Robertson is Finance Minister but like Ardern, he is clueless and useless.

No, Ardern is less than useless to be fair to Robertson.

[Balance]

Too late - he is already the Finance Minister!

Yup - just like Poto Williams was made Police Minister, Faafoi was made Justice Minister and David Clark was made Health Minister.

Same same - useless bunch of misfits made ministers with Robertson being misfit #2 behind Ardern, the spin mistress.

[Balance]

Fascinating how you read that into what he said - you don't seem to be able to read deeper than your hate.
Take a break again for your mental health.

Same sort of advice Andrew ‘Pike River’ Little has been giving to the mental health sector?

$1.9 billion and he has achieved nothing.

And under his care, the hospital & healthcare system is not only in crisis but collapsing.

Only a Labour government would give the same idiot a bigger job than the one he had already failed to do!

Happy to see though that you obviously hero-worship his modus operandi!

Well done, dobby41!

More!

[Balance]

Example of Andrew Pike River Little health management & reform at work.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/300636059/insufferable-pain-as-woman-waits-seven-months-for-gynaecology-surgery

[Balance]

Ardern & Robertson's Advice to NZers going to school :

https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/m/e/0/c/8/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.1420x800 .1meu2u.png/1508486707297.jpg?format=pjpg&optimize=medium

"Study Hard, Work Hard and Pay your Taxes.

We will redistribute ever more of your earnings via ever higher taxes to those who don't."

[iceman]

Ardern & Robertson's Advice to NZers going to school :

https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/m/e/0/c/8/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.1420x800 .1meu2u.png/1508486707297.jpg?format=pjpg&optimize=medium

"Study Hard, Work Hard and Pay your Taxes.

We will redistribute ever more of your earnings via ever higher taxes to those who don't."

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/campus/education-minister-urged-stop-and-listen?fbclid=IwAR0DAXd75sKrj36zSLit9GUG-1uZymLgzRn8_LWCA--yDu7ukil8ewmTJBc&fs=e&s=cl#l68mvuke2lz01djslq9

[nztx]

Shows you the sort of character - petty, entitled and vindictive - that Grant Robertson is.

His father did what he felt he had to do to provide his family with a decent living (nothing flash) and ended going to jail. All that Grant can do is bemoan the fact that he suddenly had no family backstop when he went to University!

What about getting a job like most of us, working nights and days to self-support?

Not only that, it’s obvious he has never created a single real job for anyone outside of taxpayer funded jobs ever in his entitled life so far.

And he thinks he has what it takes to be finance minister!

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/money-talks-grant-robertson-i-loved-him-he-was-my-father-but-i-never-really-forgave-him/4GOHO2YJZBKYUDUVJPT6ASJWWA/

"I loved him, he was my father but I never really forgave him. It was such a stupid thing to do."

"The motivation was around his desire to keep his family together and in essence he was buying our love to a certain extent. That's a dreadful thing to even say. But his psychology at the time was that's what he needed to do and it's a real downward spiral."


So no BANK Robbery on the cards this round ?

Or was it discovered suddenly they have no money left ?

Or have they already been cleaned out ? ;)

Or is Inflation just a convenient excuse to tell all that the Covid blankets are off
and everyone is now swimming or drowning on their own ?


Finally, Grant - Why is it that you now come out with this on

YOUR FRAUDSTER / SCAMMER FATHER ?

Do you want us all to be kind for all the Fiscal Co%k ups that have occurred in this
Govt's watch ? (sorry .. Miserable excuse for blundering and fumbling the way though) ;)

You missed out telling us about your teachers, while Daddy was doing time :)

Were the finer points on the Economics side of running a Country's finances
really on the ciriculum at your local .. or not at all .. or you didn't quite
make the grade for the Commercial / Accounting intake ?

Perhaps too much b*mming around & not enough attention ? ;)

Perhaps the smart boys all went off to Otago and elsewhere to become top Accountants,
Doctors and Lawyers etc., and what is left - to continue the laid back lifestyle at Uni ? :)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/cost-of-living-crisis-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-says-were-in-the-company-with-the-rest-of-the-world/U6T4BGFKYHVJRECQBEENUKKEXE/

Cost of living crisis: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says we're in the company with the rest of the world

Flap Flap Spin Spin ...


Pressed on whether or not the $350 cost of living payment, the first installment set to be deposited into the bank account of two million on Monday, would only add to inflation, Ardern said it is expected to have minimal impact.


There never was any inflation up until now .. not between 2020 to recently, nor when all the Govt Covid Goodies were being dished out, nor as Housing values rocketed ahead .. ? :)

Nor in the times of vastly increased Govt spending ? :)

Which Cereal Packet did the Economics Degree fall out of - Economist Ardern ? :)

You wouldn't BS everyone, at all, even a tiny Little, a tad much or totally - would you now ? ;)

Not even when the Experts, Economists and RB point possibly a different direction ? ;)

Will the Going Out Party be as grandiose as the Coming in Party ? ;)

Watch for the flying bottles & teacups - Clarke ;)

If the serve and spin is on form, even a worst enemy may not want to be in direct firing line :)

Some of the abruptly abandoned Homeless may take pity and know where there is
a safe bridge to hide under, away from the barrage and wrath ..

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/bay-of-plenty-developers-say-government-policies-continue-to-lock-land-for-houses/CWECUSNLEQ6QSE6WMLLRGFCYZE/


Bay of Plenty developers say government policies continue to lock land for houses

[Paywalled]

Labour Housing policies continuing to see Housing progress rocket ahead .. or maybe not ? ;)

Where's Minister "Can't see the WOOD for Trees" hiding ? :)

How is it that this sort of slow moving Govt Policies nonsense is still happening ?

Perhaps only the preferred Govt Housing beasts get the preferential and everyone else
gets fed this sort of nonsense and put through all the hoops with huge delay / cost ? :)

[dobby41]

Finally, Grant - Why is it that you now come out with this on)

Because he was asked!

[tim23]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/cost-of-living-crisis-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-says-were-in-the-company-with-the-rest-of-the-world/U6T4BGFKYHVJRECQBEENUKKEXE/

Cost of living crisis: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says we're in the company with the rest of the world

Flap Flap Spin Spin ...




There never was any inflation up until now .. not between 2020 to recently, nor when all the Govt Covid Goodies were being dished out, nor as Housing values rocketed ahead .. ? :)

Nor in the times of vastly increased Govt spending ? :)

Which Cereal Packet did the Economics Degree fall out of - Economist Ardern ? :)

You wouldn't BS everyone, at all, even a tiny Little, a tad much or totally - would you now ? ;)

Not even when the Experts, Economists and RB point possibly a different direction ? ;)

Will the Going Out Party be as grandiose as the Coming in Party ? ;)

Watch for the flying bottles & teacups - Clarke ;)

If the serve and spin is on form, even a worst enemy may not want to be in direct firing line :)

Some of the abruptly abandoned Homeless may take pity and know where there is
a safe bridge to hide under, away from the barrage and wrath ..

We are in company with the rest of the world - thats not spin its a fact.

[iceman]

We are in company with the rest of the world - thats not spin its a fact.

That is true, inflation is a World wide problem at the moment https://tradingeconomics.com/country-list/inflation-rate?continent=world.
The problem here is that the PM and FM do not accept the Government has anything to do with it and their only response is pumping more money into the economy rather than cut some of the wasteful spending going on. Maybe they should also direct the RBNZ to focus on inflation rather than employment, climate change te ao Maori stuff. They've completely lost their way.

Behind paywall https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/fran-osullivan-insurgency-against-reserve-banks-adrian-orr-heating-up/DXLBEDWFYPNWOTZVPDTZ2XDFGU/

"Central bank purists have been making it pretty clear via resignations, sotto voce comments and leaks to news media — and some open broadsides — that they have difficulty squaring Orr's all-encompassing leadership of the Reserve Bank with its prime role of setting monetary policy.
In effect, they believe Orr should have kept the Reserve Bank in its lane rather than expanding its remit by embracing te ao Māori (the Māori world view), climate change issues and financial inclusion."

[Panda-NZ-]

Prices are not rising at all in areas the govt subsidises.

Rents/petrol/food all going up in our deregulated market though, along with profits (similar to the US/uk).

[777]

Inflation so high overseas that Robbie is sending our money to people that don't live in NZ.

[iceman]

Prices are not rising at all in areas the govt subsidises.

Rents/petrol/food all going up in our deregulated market though, along with profits (similar to the US/uk).

80% of Kiwis are now on a benefit, one way or another. To say prices are not rising in subsidised areas, is laughable. Accommodation supplement, fuel subsidy, public transport, winter energy !
Where do you want to stop ? Or do you possibly want to come and live in the real World ?

[Logen Ninefingers]

80% of Kiwis are now on a benefit, one way or another. To say prices are not rising in subsidised areas, is laughable. Accommodation supplement, fuel subsidy, public transport, winter energy !
Where do you want to stop ? Or do you possibly want to come and live in the real World ?

Don't forget the 'cost of living payment'. Amazing that people now get a payment when prices of things go up. So much for having the gumption to ask for a pay rise is a supposedly very tight labour market. This is the government subsiding business: it's welfare + it's corporate welfare.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Core government debt is now an astonising $166 Billion. Robbo is borrowing like there is no tomorrow so he can spray cash around in the form of hand-outs, voter bribes, and 'delivering for' certain important groups.

[Logen Ninefingers]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/affordable-housing-agency-kainga-ora-bids-up-ferncliffe-farms-price-on-inflated-valuations/UTKIQPZTLDSNDNCIOZLRAQ7LGU/

Affordable housing agency Kāinga Ora bids up Ferncliffe Farms price on inflated valuations
1 Aug, 2022 05:00 AM

State housing agency Kāinga Ora was only cosmetically restricted to market pricing in its surprisingly rich, winning bid of $70.4m for a rural Tauranga tract of land, Ferncliffe Farms, last year.

[Logen Ninefingers]

What is 'Smart' about paying over the odds by many millions of dollars? Taxpayers getting shafted again....

https://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/281926-kinga-ora-buys-farm-earmarked-as-greenfield-site.html

About 1000 more new homes are likely to be built in Tauranga over the coming years due to the acquisition of a 95.3 hectare site by Kāinga Ora.
Ferncliffe Farm is a greenfield site in the priority-growth area of Tauranga’s Tauriko West.
The $70.4 million purchase is the first acquisition under the newly created Kāinga Ora Land Programme, set up to lead strategic land acquisitions to enable housing and thriving communities in areas of need.
Kāinga Ora urban planning and design general manager Katja Lietz says the acquisition will bring much needed housing options to the area.
“There is high demand for not only market homes, but also affordable and public housing in Tauranga.
“A site this large, developed by Kāinga Ora and its partners, can provide this mix of housing, meeting the needs of a broad cross-section of the community.”
Tauriko West is one of five priority development areas in the Western Bay of Plenty under the SmartGrowth urban growth partnership.
SmartGrowth is a collaboration of local government, tangata whenua, and central government, set up to plan for growth across the Western Bay of Plenty sub-region.

SmartGrowth chair Peter Winder says the Kāinga Ora acquisition aligns well with the partnership’s strategy.

“SmartGrowth provides a unified vision, direction and voice for the future of the Western Bay of Plenty as we help develop a great place to live, learn, work and play,” he says.

[iceman]

Core government debt is now an astonising $166 Billion. Robbo is borrowing like there is no tomorrow so he can spray cash around in the form of hand-outs, voter bribes, and 'delivering for' certain important groups.

Do you have info on what it was when Winnie chose Ardern to be PM ?

[Panda-NZ-]

80% of Kiwis are now on a benefit, one way or another. To say prices are not rising in subsidised areas, is laughable. Accommodation supplement, fuel subsidy, public transport, winter energy !
Where do you want to stop ? Or do you possibly want to come and live in the real World ?

Subsidies make prices go down.. granted demand does go up so maybe they cancel out.

BUT (!) when you consider it's food, rent and feul that is increasing then the theory doesn't stack up.

[Baa_Baa]

A person dies and goes to heaven, they meet St Peter at the pearly gates.
The person looks up and see's a wall of clock and asks, what are they?
St Peter says they are the lier person clocks, for every lie the clock moves one minute.
Whose clock is that asks the person? Oh that's Mother Theresa, her clock never moved.
And that one asks the person? Oh that's Abraham Lincoln, his clock moved only two minutes.
What about Ms Aderns clock is it on the wall? No says St Peter it's up there, we use it as a ceiling fan.

[Panda-NZ-]

Core government debt is now an astonising $166 Billion. Robbo is borrowing like there is no tomorrow so he can spray cash around in the form of hand-outs, voter bribes, and 'delivering for' certain important groups.

Deduct $60b for the super fund which is solely there due to Labour.

[GTM 3442]

Inflation so high overseas that Robbie is sending our money to people that don't live in NZ.

Yeah.

It'd be a real b*gger of a thing to have to design, develop, and implement in the given timeframe.

Actually, I'm actually rather pleased that the government and IRD know so little about people, and are not able to track people's whereabouts particularly thoroughly and comprehensively.

I think that overall it's a good thing!

[Balance]

Deduct $60b for the super fund which is solely there due to Labour.

Newt government debt is the all important figure as Labour borrowed money to put into NZ Super.

https://d3fy651gv2fhd3.cloudfront.net/charts/new-zealand-government-debt@2x.png?s=newzealangovdeb&v=202110121313V20220312

You should stick to posting in the wee hours of 3 am and 4 am - when your half nonsense makes some sense to Ardern.

[Balance]

Remember what they said in 2017?

Jacinda Ardern - ‘kids living in cars and motels is not a sign of care’.

Grant Robertson - 'New Zealanders will look on in shame at the fact that there are families living in cars.'

Guess what?

The number of people forced to live in cars under Labour has more than quadrupled to 480 in June 2022, from 108 in December 2017.

Hell of an achievement by Ardern & her bunch of nioncompoops - Hipkins, Wood, Robertson & the spin mistress herself, Jacinda.

[nztx]

Newt government debt is the all important figure as Labour borrowed money to put into NZ Super.

https://d3fy651gv2fhd3.cloudfront.net/charts/new-zealand-government-debt@2x.png?s=newzealangovdeb&v=202110121313V20220312

You should stick to posting in the wee hours of 3 am and 4 am - when your half nonsense makes some sense to Ardern.



Which Government said "No new Borrowings" ? :)

Which Government said "No new Taxes" ? ;)

Which Government instead made the local fiat effectively a shadow of it's prior real value
and are further eroding it's real value ? ;)

(A bit dishonest - not telling everyone the Kiwi buck would buy only a fraction of
what it previously did, really .. but then who really believed 'Trust Us' over '
'Pull the Wool over our Eyes' again ? ) ;)

Here's the dough - but dont ask us what it's real value is after the Govt Inflationary policies & Money printing schemes have impacted it :)

Bolivia or Brasil type Economics in play ? :)

We all know how good they were and where things have headed ..

We can control Covid .. Oops no we can't .. Ooops the ATM is out of cash ..
Sorry boys and girls - only one lavish party, we made a mistake - you're all
swimming or drowning, on your own from here on - don't blame us :)

Whatever happened to Camp Commandant Little's vast acreages of broken
decrepid Hospo buildings ? .. Are they still in use ? Or was this just more
incompetent BS & lunatic raving under Little's Leadership and from a Health
Ministry that may as well have been asleep from the start of the Pandemic ;)

Of course the hapless Little did himself no favours getting offside with Workers
in the Sector, and the evolving mess suggests a further continuation of
Labour digging a trench deeper around them with a Minister who should
have been removed at least 7 years previously, carelessly tossed a Portfolio .. ;)


As per the usual Labour tenure, Yesterday's Tomorrow is here Today and the day
of reckoning approaches for such careless irresponsible economic and other policies
Labour have practiced on poorest of judgement and likely advices ;)

[nztx]

Deduct $60b for the super fund which is solely there due to Labour.


the reason why your wages haven't moved as much as they should have ? :)

[Panda-NZ-]

Which Government said "No new Borrowings" ? :)


AA+ credit rating though, much better than under National.

[Balance]

National put in the hard yards after the GFC and twin Christchurch earthquakes to restore NZ’s credit rating - as usual, Ardern & Labour are quick to take credit.

But they are quicker to blame others for the disasters of housing, law & order, cost of living and healthcare they inflict on NZers.

Meanwhile, they love reading ever more debts to spray the money randomly and with no consideration to feeding inflation & who they give the money to!

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/471959/govt-defends-350-cost-of-living-payment-after-overseas-kiwis-told-they-are-eligible

A bunch of monkeys in charge - Ardern & Robertson.

[Balance]

Quote of the day :

“Friends of mine went to Australia for higher wages and cheaper living. They have now told me that they have received a Jacinta gift on behalf of the taxpayers.”

[Balance]

The panic $350 tax cut bribe cost of living payment is indicative of how Ardern & Robertson are squandering NZ’s future - feeding inflation at a time when government restraint is required.

You can take Ardern out of the fish and chips shop but you cannot take the fish & chips shop out of Jacinda, the economic ignoramus.

[Panda-NZ-]

The panic $350 tax cut bribe cost of living payment is indicative of how Ardern & Robertson are squandering NZ’s future - feeding inflation at a time when government restraint is required.

$100 per month for three months. Then it goes away unlike inflationary tax cuts for instance.

[Balance]

$100 per month for three months. Then it goes away unlike inflationary tax cuts for instance.

Tax cuts are non-inflationary as most of the so-called cuts are actually reverting back to where things were before Ardern & Robertson came in, increased taxes and went on their spending spree - on non-productive payments and spending, feeding inflation.

Where's the return from the $3 billion Provincial Growth Fund, the slush fund for Winston so he picked the clueless Ardern as PM?

Only someone who posts on ST at 3 am (seems to not have a life) does not understand that.

[Balance]

Which Government said "No new Borrowings" ? :)

Which Government said "No new Taxes" ? ;)

Which Government instead made the local fiat effectively a shadow of it's prior real value
and are further eroding it's real value ? ;)


NZ boasts of the champion spin mistress of all time :

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1659299859858-2IJ3BY1VP4F8A0VB57EI/Spin.jpg?format=500w

[dobby41]

National put in the hard yards after the GFC and twin Christchurch earthquakes to restore NZ’s credit rating - as usual, Ardern & Labour are quick to take credit.


Fortunately, the previous Labour Govt left the country in a great position to handle the GFC etc - despite National wanting them to spend more of the accrued buffer at the time.

[Panda-NZ-]

National put in the hard yards after the GFC and twin Christchurch earthquakes to restore NZ’s credit rating - as usual, Ardern & Labour are quick to take credit.

Restore? It was AA+ from 2003 until 2011.

[Balance]

Fortunately, the previous Labour Govt left the country in a great position to handle the GFC etc - despite National wanting them to spend more of the accrued buffer at the time.

National has never been about spending recklessly - that is unquestionably the domain of Ardern & Robertson.

[Balance]

Quote of the day :

“Friends of mine went to Australia for higher wages and cheaper living. They have now told me that they have received a Jacinta gift on behalf of the taxpayers.”

And it gets worse!

They pay to those who are not entitled to the payment but have not paid to those who ‘need’ the payments because they have no idea of actual numbers!

[Panda-NZ-]

National has never been about spending recklessly - that is unquestionably the domain of Ardern & Robertson.

Treaty settlements, whanau ora, novapay, flag referendum...

[dobby41]

National has never been about spending recklessly - that is unquestionably the domain of Ardern & Robertson.

More likely they are about not spending, reducing funding for Health, Education, Police etc.
Stuff that gives a short-term saving to the detriment of the long-term viability of the core portfolio and creating huge issues down the track.
Issues we suffer now.

[Balance]

More likely they are about not spending, reducing funding for Health, Education, Police etc.
Stuff that gives a short-term saving to the detriment of the long-term viability of the core portfolio and creating huge issues down the track.
Issues we suffer now.

You mean - suffering because of the uncontrolled, reckless and unproductive spending by Ardern & her team of nincompoops.

How do you like the number of homeless sleeping in cars increasing by 300% under Ardern?

Remember what she said about people sleeping in cars - that it is not kind and is a disgrace?

What does the 300% increase say about her then?

Oh, I forget - she rejects the premise of that question as she is so damn shxt hot!

[dobby41]

You mean - suffering because of the uncontrolled, reckless and unproductive spending by Ardern & her team of nincompoops.


Nope - I don't mean that at all.

[Balance]

Nope - I don't mean that at all.

Then how do you account for :

The housing disaster

The cost of living crisis

The health crisis

The law & order crisis

Under Ardern & her team of nincompoops?

[Balance]

Cost of living payment - an example of the shambles which accompany everything that Ardern & her team of nincompoops try to implement.

Because they are basically clueless & useless. They only know how to throw money - not wisely spend it.

All spin and no delivery - Ardern the spin mistress.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/claire-trevett-money-doesnt-buy-labour-happiness-in-cost-of-living-payment-pickle/K4Y5YDGQXTXKQEEPPWJFIEFJ4E/

Paywalled

The Government has discovered throwing money at a problem does not make it go away – and in fact it can create more of them - for itself.

Its much-vaunted Cost-of-Living payment has now been criticised by some because people who are not getting the payment should be – beneficiaries and superannuitants.

And it has been criticised because people who should not be getting the payment are getting it – expats and migrants who have now returned to their homelands.

Then came the revelation that not as many people were getting it as were supposed to be getting it, even including those who were not supposed to be getting it.

"We're supporting 2.1 million people," the Labour social media posts boasted.

It then transpired the first round of payments only went to 1.3 million people.

[winner69]

Cringeworthy

Just got an email from NZ Labour Party signed by Rob Salmond……started off like this -

Yesterday I was incredibly proud to be a Labour party member. I’m sure you saw the news - more than 2 million New Zealanders received $116 from the new Cost of Living Payment.

Winner, if you were proud of this initiative, too, please consider chipping in $10 today. Your contribution will help Jacinda and Labour prepare for next years election, so we can keep working towards a fairer and more equal Aotearoa.

Blah blah blah

Mate got asked for $24 ..I’m gutted

[Balance]

Cringeworthy

Just got an email from NZ Labour Party signed by Rob Salmond……started off like this -

Yesterday I was incredibly proud to be a Labour party member. I’m sure you saw the news - more than 2 million New Zealanders received $116 from the new Cost of Living Payment.

Winner, if you were proud of this initiative, too, please consider chipping in $10 today. Your contribution will help Jacinda and Labour prepare for next years election, so we can keep working towards a fairer and more equal Aotearoa.

Blah blah blah

Mate got asked for $24 ..I’m gutted

So they used taxpayers’ funds and borrowed monies to pay $116 and then, sent letters asking for donations.

Presumably they expect the grateful recipients to donate some of the $116 to Ardern & Labour.

No just cringeworthy, W69 - it’s underhanded & corrosive politics. To be expected from the clueless and useless Ardern though.

[Baa_Baa]

Cost of living payment - an example of the shambles which accompany everything that Ardern & her team of nincompoops try to implement.

Because they are basically clueless & useless. They only know how to throw money - not wisely spend it.

All spin and no delivery - Ardern the spin mistress.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/claire-trevett-money-doesnt-buy-labour-happiness-in-cost-of-living-payment-pickle/K4Y5YDGQXTXKQEEPPWJFIEFJ4E/

Paywalled

The Government has discovered throwing money at a problem does not make it go away – and in fact it can create more of them - for itself.

Its much-vaunted Cost-of-Living payment has now been criticised by some because people who are not getting the payment should be – beneficiaries and superannuitants.

And it has been criticised because people who should not be getting the payment are getting it – expats and migrants who have now returned to their homelands.

Then came the revelation that not as many people were getting it as were supposed to be getting it, even including those who were not supposed to be getting it.

"We're supporting 2.1 million people," the Labour social media posts boasted.

It then transpired the first round of payments only went to 1.3 million people.

The boys who left NZ for Oz earlier this year are laughing, they got the payment in their NZ bank accounts. The highly paid who haven't worked long enough in their job to earn the $70k threshold yet are laughing, they got the payment too. 100's of thousands who would qualify but choose to have no relationship with the IRD, including sharing their bank account, are not laughing because they'll get nothing.

What a shambles, I wouldn't be so annoyed if I wasn't paying for this knee jerk incompetence helicopter money largesse.

[Panda-NZ-]

The boys who left NZ for Oz earlier this year are laughing, they got the payment in their NZ bank accounts. The highly paid who haven't worked long enough in their job to earn the $70k threshold yet are laughing, they got the payment too. 100's of thousands who would qualify but choose to have no relationship with the IRD, including sharing their bank account, are not laughing because they'll get nothing.


Think of it as a benefit of holding an NZ passport.

Our economy is so strong we can give a dividend to the common folk.

[nztx]

Anyone know where the strong Nelson blend can be gotten ? ;)

A scientist friend wants a sample to see what it contains , that causes heightened elusions of reality :)

consider the potential results the imputation credit on top, after the tax has been extracted..
both of which are widely misunderstood by those on the street

[Panda-NZ-]

Crystal clear water and skies here... which means my thoughts are clear.

It turns out there wasn't a property price crash in 2020, or a recession in 2017, and the NZ credit rating generally means something in world markets. Inconvenient for some ;)

[Balance]

Another day, another revelation of the shambles Ardern & her nincompoops are subjecting NZers to :

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/129456558/embattled-mega-polytech-boss-on-leave-until-at-least-end-of-year

$13k per week for sitting at home , courtesy of Ardern & Hipkins - for appointing an incompetent CEO to throw hundred of millions of dollars at building up ever more bureaucracy.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Another day, another revelation of the shambles Ardern & her nincompoops are subjecting NZers to :

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/129456558/embattled-mega-polytech-boss-on-leave-until-at-least-end-of-year

$13k per week for sitting at home , courtesy of Ardern & Hipkins - for appointing an incompetent CEO to throw hundred of millions of dollars at building up ever more bureaucracy.

This guy is highly paid because he is apparently a ‘leader’, yet the going gets tough and he’s ducking for cover. Just goes to show the shallow NZ talent pool, the old boys network, and the bs corporate shenanigans that go on. This guy was on a massive salary at Auckland Council too, and blew out staff numbers there beyond all belief. Absolute madness.

[Balance]

Cringeworthy

Just got an email from NZ Labour Party signed by Rob Salmond……started off like this -

Yesterday I was incredibly proud to be a Labour party member. I’m sure you saw the news - more than 2 million New Zealanders received $116 from the new Cost of Living Payment.

Winner, if you were proud of this initiative, too, please consider chipping in $10 today. Your contribution will help Jacinda and Labour prepare for next years election, so we can keep working towards a fairer and more equal Aotearoa.

Blah blah blah

Mate got asked for $24 ..I’m gutted

She who promised the most transparent government ever says she has nothing to do with the mailing campaign to extract donations from those who receive the payments.

Does anyone believe Ardern?

Once a spin con artist, always a con artist - Ardern cannot help herself.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/cost-of-living-payment-pm-jacinda-ardern-distances-herself-from-campaign-email/SCWHBVHGF65X6ABSP2TMU4HX5Q/

On Tuesday, a Labour campaign email asking for donations stated: "More than two million New Zealanders received $116 from the new Cost of Living Payment".

Ardern said she had not been aware of the campaign material before it was sent.

She became aware only after it was sent out!

[winner69]

Labour think I’m a real supporter by being on their mailing list ..….but I only asked to get those emails to see what silly things they are up to ….I call it political research.

[tim23]

National put in the hard yards after the GFC and twin Christchurch earthquakes to restore NZ’s credit rating - as usual, Ardern & Labour are quick to take credit.

But they are quicker to blame others for the disasters of housing, law & order, cost of living and healthcare they inflict on NZers.

Meanwhile, they love reading ever more debts to spray the money randomly and with no consideration to feeding inflation & who they give the money to!

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/471959/govt-defends-350-cost-of-living-payment-after-overseas-kiwis-told-they-are-eligible

A bunch of monkeys in charge - Ardern & Robertson.

No you silly Nats give the Key government credit for "getting us through the GFC" when in truth its because Cullen and the Labour government left us in good shape, Dr Bollard even says so in his book about the GFC.

[tim23]

You mean - suffering because of the uncontrolled, reckless and unproductive spending by Ardern & her team of nincompoops.

How do you like the number of homeless sleeping in cars increasing by 300% under Ardern?

Remember what she said about people sleeping in cars - that it is not kind and is a disgrace?

What does the 300% increase say about her then?

Oh, I forget - she rejects the premise of that question as she is so damn shxt hot!

You should stop using the word nincompoops - it ages you really badly, my Dad used to use it and he'd be 96 if he was still alive!

[Balance]

You should stop using the word nincompoops - it ages you really badly, my Dad used to use it and he'd be 96 if he was still alive!

I have no problem with my age unlike you with your age.

You did not have the guts to take up the $10k bet that I am not the age you asserted I was.

Man up and front up - boyo.

[Balance]

Remember :

Grant Robertson : "New Zealanders will look on in shame at the fact that there are families living in cars."

Ardern : ‘kids living in cars and motels is not a sign of care’.

That was in 2017 and guess what is happening today?

Number of homeless living in cars have increased by 348% since Ardern took office.

https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/08/01/hundreds-living-in-cars-as-winter-chill-bites/

"At the end of 2017, of those who asked for help, 108 said they lived in cars. However, last month saw 480 people living in their vehicles."

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/housing-affordability/300640184/a-looming-disaster-increasing-number-of-elderly-living-in-cars

'A looming disaster': Increasing number of elderly living in cars'

Shame! Ardern!

Shame! Robertson!

Shame! :t_down:

[nztx]

Crystal clear water and skies here... which means my thoughts are clear.

It turns out there wasn't a property price crash in 2020, or a recession in 2017, and the NZ credit rating generally means something in world markets. Inconvenient for some ;)

The value of the NZ Dollar has only crashed 33% I read somewhere - just marginally better than
a bundle of basketcase South American currencies :)

Just goes to show how the local fiat is valued overseas - reflecting in higher fuel & other import
item prices - something Ardern denies - it's imported apparently to deflect blame for the woeful
economic performance of this Government ;)

[Blue Skies]

The value of the NZ Dollar has only crashed 33% I read somewhere - just marginally better than
a bundle of basketcase South American currencies :)

Just goes to show how the local fiat is valued overseas - reflecting in higher fuel & other import
item prices - something Ardern denies - it's imported apparently to deflect blame for the woeful
economic performance of this Government ;)




Where did you read that? It's nonsense.

Cross rate NZD/ USD was .68018 at 31 December 2021 & today 3 August 2022 is .62646

Euro/ USD has dropped 11% so far this year
And GBP/USD (UK Pound) also dropped 11% this year.

[Balance]

Ardern, the spin mistress, on ram raids and smash & grab epidemic at her media briefing today - her heart bleeds for the victims but youth crime has been dropping based upon lower number of cases being brought to court!

Everyone but everybody knows that Ardern has been so soft on crime that youth offenders are not even being charged! That’s why court cases are down - because she wants the optics of reduced numbers in court.

They can commit all the crimes they want - the police are told not to charge them.

Ardern - once a spin con artist, always a con artist. She cannot help herself.

[dobby41]

The value of the NZ Dollar has only crashed 33% I read somewhere - just marginally better than
a bundle of basketcase South American currencies :)

Just goes to show how the local fiat is valued overseas - reflecting in higher fuel & other import
item prices - something Ardern denies - it's imported apparently to deflect blame for the woeful
economic performance of this Government ;)

Don't believe everything you think you read.
Sounds a lot like Trump's modus operandi - "I heard somewhere, may not be true, but I heard [blah blah]"

[Blue Skies]

Ardern, the spin mistress, on ram raids and smash & grab epidemic at her media briefing today - her heart bleeds for the victims but youth crime has been dropping based upon lower number of cases being brought to court!

Everyone but everybody knows that Ardern has been so soft on crime that youth offenders are not even being charged! That’s why court cases are down - because she wants the optics of reduced numbers in court.

They can commit all the crimes they want - the police are told not to charge them.

Ardern - once a spin con artist, always a con artist. She cannot help herself.



Can't let you get away with this nonsense, MP's, Ministers even Prime Ministers have absolutely no say in who the police charge or who they do not, nor can they direct the Courts on sentencing.

Am sure you already know this, am sure its hard but just try and control that urge to unleash on the PM at every opportunity no matter how far fetched.

[Balance]

Can't let you get away with this nonsense, MP's, Ministers even Prime Ministers have absolutely no say in who the police charge or who they do not, nor can they direct the Courts on sentencing.

Am sure you already know this, am sure its hard but just try and control that urge to unleash on the PM at every opportunity no matter how far fetched.

Don't be so naive.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1659039253531-7TJA8KL8IJL4SM4ZV8EB/puppet.jpg?format=500w

[777]

Can't let you get away with this nonsense, MP's, Ministers even Prime Ministers have absolutely no say in who the police charge or who they do not, nor can they direct the Courts on sentencing.

Am sure you already know this, am sure its hard but just try and control that urge to unleash on the PM at every opportunity no matter how far fetched.

The Minister of Justice and the Minister of Police are responsible for law and order. They were appointed by the PM. If they are not achieving what they are expected to do then the PM is responsible for changing them. The problem is whether they are in fact doing as she requires.

[dobby41]

Can't let you get away with this nonsense, MP's, Ministers even Prime Ministers have absolutely no say in who the police charge or who they do not, nor can they direct the Courts on sentencing.

Am sure you already know this, am sure its hard but just try and control that urge to unleash on the PM at every opportunity no matter how far fetched.


The Minister of Justice and the Minister of Police are responsible for law and order. They were appointed by the PM. If they are not achieving what they are expected to do then the PM is responsible for changing them. The problem is whether they are in fact doing as she requires.

While the Minister may be 'responsible' there is a separation of the Legislature (Parliament) and Police (and Justice) departments.
The Ministerial responsibility extends to
develop policy
draft bills
publish laws, and
administer all legislation.
As Blue Skies suggests - the Minister doesn't (and can't) direct the Police or Justice on who to charge and what punishment to mete out.

I don't think anyone would want it any other way.

[tim23]

I have no problem with my age unlike you with your age.

You did not have the guts to take up the $10k bet that I am not the age you asserted I was.

Man up and front up - boyo.

You are losing it - weird. But to your credit today you took my advice and stopped using nincompoop, I'll take that.

[Baa_Baa]

The thing I don't get, maybe you do, is why the defenders of the the Labour faith never have anything to say that actually defends or justifies the litany of failures this Government has wrought upon us.

Nothing, ever. The only thing that ever comes from them is deflection and diversion to what the opposition are saying. This in itself is an admission that the Government failures to achieve anything from their idealistic policies in unrealistic implementation timeframes, despite the obscene amounts of tax payer money thrown at them, is indefensible.

Just one thing, just one, give us your defence of why the billions have been well spent, achieved something except disempowering our nations people and businesses, just one thing. What would that be. That one thing?

[tim23]

The thing I don't get, maybe you do, is why the defenders of the the Labour faith never have anything to say that actually defends or justifies the litany of failures this Government has wrought upon us.

Nothing, ever. The only thing that ever comes from them is deflection and diversion to what the opposition are saying. This in itself is an admission that the Government failures to achieve anything from their idealistic policies in unrealistic implementation timeframes, despite the obscene amounts of tax payer money thrown at them, is indefensible.

Just one thing, just one, give us your defence of why the billions have been well spent, achieved something except disempowering our nations people and businesses, just one thing. What would that be. That one thing?

Rich people got richer - a lot of people won't be complaining.

[Baa_Baa]

Rich people got richer - a lot of people won't be complaining.

So the one thing, you're saying, that defends or justifies the billions Labour have thrown at the economy and their policies across all of the economy, is that the rich people got richer?

I don't think Labour would be happy about that outcome, don't they try to do the opposite?

[Balance]

You are losing it - weird. But to your credit today you took my advice and stopped using nincompoop, I'll take that.

Stand up and be a man - be prepared to back up your assertions. Don’t be a snivelling nincompoop like so many of Ardern’s ministers & followers.

[Balance]

So the one thing, you're saying, that defends or justifies the billions Labour have thrown at the economy and their policies across all of the economy, is that the rich people got richer?

I don't think Labour would be happy about that outcome, don't they try to do the opposite?

Good catch, Baa_Baa.

Now watch the deafening silence from Ardern’s sniffers.

[Baa_Baa]

Good catch, Baa_Baa.

Now watch the deafening silence from Ardern’s sniffers.

Sniffers, or snivelers? I really don't get it, that they don't seem to have anything to defend or justify the Labour Government largesse, like nothing. Not a thing. Ever.

Deferring, deflection and diversion to to the opposition is, manifestly admission of the failures of the Government, it's admission that the Government has and is failing across all fronts. Failing at everything.

Mortgaging the current and future generations of taxpayers of NZ on idealistic unimplementable policy within a Government term is really, just reckless governance.

But the rich get richer, which is apparently a good thing.

[nztx]

Don't believe everything you think you read.
Sounds a lot like Trump's modus operandi - "I heard somewhere, may not be true, but I heard [blah blah]"


Actually their reporting was incorrect .. Robbo's immaculate conception appears to have produced answer considerably worse in real value .. any Economics student will be falling over themselves seeing what those trying to defend the undefendable shambles are posting :)

[nztx]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/129470903/labour-mp-michael-wood-rang-political-donations-trial-defendants-over-paintings

Labour MP Michael Wood rang political donations trial defendants over paintings

Which of the two ministerial planks is thicker ? ;)

[nztx]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/129483999/mahuta-tells-chinas-top-diplomat-deescalation-needed-in-taiwan-strait

Mahuta tells China's top diplomat 'de-escalation' needed in Taiwan Strait

Likely response ?

Go jump back in your waka and wish for smooth waters for return to your hangout in troubled cloud forest ? :)

[nztx]

More successful Policing under Labour:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/300654510/80-people-asked-to-leave-homes-as-man-barricades-himself-in-levin-house


80 people asked to leave homes as man barricades himself in Levin house


A standoff with armed police was unfolding on Bledisloe St, Levin, on Thursday evening.

Nearby residents have been asked to leave their homes as a precaution, police said. The Armed Offenders Squad was at the scene.

Easily solved .. bullet between eyes from the Law = No further problems

[Panda-NZ-]

Just one thing, just one, give us your defence of why the billions have been well spent, achieved something except disempowering our nations people and businesses, just one thing. What would that be. That one thing?

NZ can afford it given our massive increase in net wealth.

https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/government-finance-statistics-general-government-year-ended-june-2021#:~:text=General%20government%20net%20worth%20 was,up%20%2440.4%20billion%20from%202019.

We don't need real terms cuts to health and other "back of the napkin" poorly thought through ideas.

[Panda-NZ-]

Some welcome perspective from a regional mayor and doctor with frontline experience:

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/08/change-of-government-won-t-fix-problems-facing-new-zealand-sir-bob-harvey-says.html

[Getty]

The thing I don't get, maybe you do, is why the defenders of the the Labour faith never have anything to say that actually defends or justifies the litany of failures this Government has wrought upon us.

Nothing, ever. The only thing that ever comes from them is deflection and diversion to what the opposition are saying. This in itself is an admission that the Government failures to achieve anything from their idealistic policies in unrealistic implementation timeframes, despite the obscene amounts of tax payer money thrown at them, is indefensible.

Just one thing, just one, give us your defence of why the billions have been well spent, achieved something except disempowering our nations people and businesses, just one thing. What would that be. That one thing?

Yes, Jacinda's stooges are here to prey on the apolitical types, and defend the indefensible waste of taxpayer money.

[Balance]

Some welcome perspective from a regional mayor and doctor with frontline experience:

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/08/change-of-government-won-t-fix-problems-facing-new-zealand-sir-bob-harvey-says.html

LOL - spouting garbage as usual.

Bob Harvey - ex President of the Labour Party.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/nation-of-debt-govt-and-reserve-bank-no-longer-rowing-in-the-same-direction/QIWMS2TGREEAEGVCYVSZ5MEGTU/

Nation of Debt: Govt and Reserve Bank no longer rowing in the same direction

{Paywalled]

Who didn't see that coming ? ;)

[nztx]

Some welcome perspective from a regional mayor and doctor with frontline experience:

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/08/change-of-government-won-t-fix-problems-facing-new-zealand-sir-bob-harvey-says.html


formerly part of today's Auckland which finds itself in this situation after a series of Left leaning mayors ? ;)


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/david-schnauer-auckland-council-finances-in-a-very-deep-hole/PCDRPTS4NLZDOXEOGT73SFVEAU/

David Schnauer: Auckland Council finances in a very deep hole

[Paywalled]

[Blue Skies]

Cringeworthy

Just got an email from NZ Labour Party signed by Rob SalmondÂ…Â…started off like this -

Yesterday I was incredibly proud to be a Labour party member. IÂ’m sure you saw the news - more than 2 million New Zealanders received $116 from the new Cost of Living Payment.

Winner, if you were proud of this initiative, too, please consider chipping in $10 today. Your contribution will help Jacinda and Labour prepare for next years election, so we can keep working towards a fairer and more equal Aotearoa.

Blah blah blah

Mate got asked for $24 ..IÂ’m gutted


Yep got to say this was a real doozy of a policy. The intention was good but should not have ignored IRD advice about the practical difficulty of implementing it & should have shelved it.
Looking like a policy conceived & pushed through in response to National overtaking Labour in recent polling.
Since it went to individuals rather than households, even went to partners (who filed a tax return for less than $70,000) who may be married to wealthy high income earners.
e.g. possibly people like Clarke Gayford or Amanda Luxon although am sure if they got it both would return it.

Compare the increase in funding for Pharmac, $191 million over 2 years, versus $814 million budgeted for the CoL package.

[Logen Ninefingers]

formerly part of today's Auckland which finds itself in this situation after a series of Left leaning mayors ? ;)


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/david-schnauer-auckland-council-finances-in-a-very-deep-hole/PCDRPTS4NLZDOXEOGT73SFVEAU/

David Schnauer: Auckland Council finances in a very deep hole

[Paywalled]

Cost of Living Crisis only getting worse. It’s all good though because according to panda we are ‘rich’ and cos ‘credit rating’.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckla...RFSU42FTZ3I6E/

‘One Auckland single mum says she had a "panic attack" when opening her new council rates bill this month, while another ratepayer says she plans to leave the city because of its "poor" services.

Other ratepayers have described receiving new bills up to 30 per cent higher than last year at a time when Auckland's creaking infrastructure is battling to keep up with new housing developments.

The single mum, who works as a high school teacher while also picking up a second job after hours to make ends meet, told the Herald her bill had not only jumped about $200 a quarter, but that she was also hit with two bills back-to-back totalling almost $1400.

"I had a panic attack looking at the email from Auckland Council," she told the Herald.

"I called them and cried, they put me through the credit control team and asked me to pay it monthly."

The rate hikes come at a time when homeowners are also facing other cost of living pressures and interest rate rises facing homeowners.’

[Logen Ninefingers]

https://i.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/129487505/the-crowns-mistreatment-of-the-haka-appals-researcher

‘The use of the haka in the popular Netflix show The Crown insults and abuses the fierce ceremonial challenge, a leading researcher says.

An analysis published on Thursday by Dr Byron Rangiwai argues that the representation of haka in The Crown is “utterly inappropriate and insults and abuses the traditional Māori dance”.

Rangiwai (Ngāi Tuhoe, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Manawa, Ngāti Whare) says that The Crown magnifies the colonial gaze of Māori imagery.‘

[Logen Ninefingers]

Fall out from the disastrous Labour government and Reserve Bank policies which pumped up the Property Ponzi Scheme -

https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/129470098/hundreds-of-wellington-firsthome-buyers-who-bought-at-market-peak-now-in-negative-equity

‘Hundreds of first-home buyers in Wellington are estimated to now be in negative equity because of persistent price falls across the region, CoreLogic analysis shows.

CoreLogic head of research Nick Goodall said an estimated 34% of first-home buyers who purchased in the capital during final quarter of 2021 were now in negative equity, with mortgages bigger than their homes were worth.

In Upper Hutt the proportion was 48%, in Lower Hutt it was 43%, and in Porirua it was 31%.‘

[tim23]

Fall out from the disastrous Labour government and Reserve Bank policies which pumped up the Property Ponzi Scheme -

https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/129470098/hundreds-of-wellington-firsthome-buyers-who-bought-at-market-peak-now-in-negative-equity

‘Hundreds of first-home buyers in Wellington are estimated to now be in negative equity because of persistent price falls across the region, CoreLogic analysis shows.

CoreLogic head of research Nick Goodall said an estimated 34% of first-home buyers who purchased in the capital during final quarter of 2021 were now in negative equity, with mortgages bigger than their homes were worth.

In Upper Hutt the proportion was 48%, in Lower Hutt it was 43%, and in Porirua it was 31%.‘

Hold on - no one made anyone buy a property and no market is a one way bet, hardly the governments fault.

[nztx]

Hold on - no one made anyone buy a property and no market is a one way bet, hardly the governments fault.


Where is all the new affordable Housing that Labour promised everyone then ?

Labour have made the rental market increasingly expensive, with further rates, insurance & interest increases likely,
not to mention their policies on lending inflating values into the clouds even for those who actually make it off the rental noose - and are now seeing Negative equity and rising interest rates.

Where and how the h*ll are people supposed to find an affordable roof over their heads ? :)

This was one of Labour's flagstaff policies, wasn't it ?

So far what is obvious is nothing short of:

LABOUR HAVE LET EVERYONE DOWN BADLY

[tim23]

Where is all the new affordable Housing that Labour promised everyone then ?

Labour have made the rental market increasingly expensive, with further rates, insurance & interest increases likely,
not to mention their policies on lending inflating values into the clouds even for those who actually make it off the rental
scene - now seeing Negative equity

Where and how the h*ll are people supposed to find an affordable roof over their heads ? :)

This was one of Labour's flagstaff policies, wasn't it ?

So far what is obvious is nothing short of:

LABOUR HAVE LET EVERYONE DOWN BADLY
Your reply doesn’t even refute my “one way bet” it’s not the government’s fault - it’s the market stupid

[Baa_Baa]

Hold on - no one made anyone buy a property and no market is a one way bet, hardly the governments fault.

Agree no one held a gun to peoples head and forced them to buy property. However, the government is a major contributor to the house price inflation through massive sustained economic monetary stimulus and subsequent severe controls over rental property owners, buyers access to capital, and now inflation eroding the value of money and hiking mortgage interest rates. The Government is not just complicit in all of these market forces, it is the largest player by far and openly manipulates the market through various interventions and controls.

[tim23]

Agree no one held a gun to peoples head and forced them to buy property. However, the government is a major contributor to the house price inflation through massive sustained economic monetary stimulus and subsequent severe controls over rental property owners, buyers access to capital, and now inflation eroding the value of money and hiking mortgage interest rates. The Government is not just complicit in all of these market forces, it is the largest player by far and openly manipulates the market through various interventions and controls.
I have no sympathy for rental property owners either- bludgers off the Accommodation Supplement

[Baa_Baa]

Your reply doesn’t even refute my “one way bet” it’s not the government’s fault - it’s the market stupid


I have no sympathy for rental property owners either- bludgers off the Accommodation Supplement

Your argument seems ill-informed and somewhat emotional. So how about explaining why you disagree that the government is not at fault, when it seems plain and obvious that the government interventions and controls have resulted in extreme volatility in housing prices?

[Panda-NZ-]

Ardern is not PM of the US, UK or Australia where the same issues are happening too.

[dobby41]

‘Hundreds of first-home buyers in Wellington are estimated to now be in negative equity because of persistent price falls across the region, CoreLogic analysis shows.‘

They aren't going to lose their homes so long as they keep paying the mortgage so it really doesn't matter.
They thought that the house was fine before and what they paid was 'fair' so what has really changed?