Labour govt 2020-23

[Balance]

Serious question. If you are so disillusioned with life in NZ, why have you not made a move to somewhere else Balance? I imagine you have the ability to do that, from a financial and work related skills point of view, so why not do it?

I am not stirring. I am genuinely interested to know your thinking behind staying in a country where you are clearly very unhappy.

You, along with dobby41, BS, panda-nz etc who voted for Ardern & Labour, would love that, wouldn't you? Just have brain dead indoctrinated beneficiaries & spin doctors left in this country.

In answer to your fair enough question, it is because I can, with my experience and contacts, take the opportunities still with the dumbos in this country as it heads into the abyss of racial & social divisions and strife.

The right time will come for me to move when I want to - people like me have plenty of options. Might even invite some to come and enjoy my piece of paradise already set up in one of the loveliest beach in tropical Asia!

Warm tropical crystal clear ocean waters .... feel the waves gently lapping at my feet as I sip cocktails under the cabana set in soft talcum powdered white sand.

Enjoy unrivaled hospitality from the service industries there, staffed by lovely people who are prepared to work hard to move ahead. Abundant seafood and top class dining & entertainment establishments, many Michelin starred. Was just there last month actually.

Now is the time for the young doctors, engineers, nurses, lawyers and skilled NZers who have to start out in the world to move - build a great future for themselves far away from the inbreds in NZ fighting over an ever smaller pool.

Very satisfying for me to view NZ from this perspective.

The inbreds will be reaping what they are currently sowing. Back to the future!

Very very very satisfying and most happy!

[thegreatestben]

If the next govt ends up being Labour/TPM/Greens combo I will give Australia a go again, I didn't want to leave last time but my GF at the time was a brit who couldn't fill in a form to save herself...

Don't want to be here for the fiasco, don't want to fund it with my taxes.

[justakiwi]

This is your problem Balance. Even when someone tries to have an adult, rational discussion with you, and clearly states that their question is genuine, you can’t resist the urge to make it a personal attack. You judge people based on something they did, or an experience they lived, in the past, as though that now defines them for the rest of their life. It doesn’t.

You could have simply answered the question without the first paragraph “dig.” That would have been the adult thing to do.


You, along with dobby41, BS, panda-nz etc who voted for Ardern & Labour, would love that, wouldn't you? Just have brain dead indoctrinated beneficiaries & spin doctors left in …

[Balance]

You are genuine and sincere, JAK.

Misguided unfortunately and too easily taken by the likes of Ardern with her big and false promises.

[justakiwi]

Well I will take that, as it is literally the only kind thing you've ever said to or about me. Thank you.


You are genuine and sincere, JAK.

For the last time .... read my lips .... I have zero intention of voting for either Labour OR National, unless something changes drastically between now and the election.


Misguided unfortunately and too easily taken by the likes of Ardern with her big and false promises.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/dutch-forestry-giants-linked-to-ikea-cleared-to-buy-1600ha-more-nz-land/ZQSPJPLCS5BWHOZO3DBWQPWQKY/


Dutch forestry giants linked to Ikea cleared to buy 1600ha more NZ land


One hand approves more of the same while on the other ... the Cyclone Clean Up (not very well) all lands on Mc A Nutty ;)

[Logen Ninefingers]

I would say that Meka Waka-Jumper is going with Labours full blessing and support and would suggest that they have been fully aware of this pending move for some time. They’ve just made their potential coalition partner Te Pati Maori that much stronger.

———

‘Labour has decided to let Meka Whaitiri defect to Te Pāti Māori without forcing her out of Parliament.

Despite the defection, acting Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni said Labour would not force Whaitiri out of Parliament under the controversial “waka jumping” law.

“We don’t feel the need to invoke that,” Sepuloni said.’

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/liam-dann-job-numbers-and-wage-growth-seal-deal-on-another-ocr-hike/CKFDN7FCURHIZMFMVGSUZDSOEQ/


Liam Dann: Job numbers and wage growth ‘seal deal’ on another OCR hike


Time for Adrian ORR-SOME to stir some further PAIN & MISERY into Robbo's Economic Broth ? ;)


You might need industrial strength grundies - Robbo as the No. 8's all around NZ start lining up
for delivery of some return punishment .. :)

[nztx]

I would say that Meka Waka-Jumper is going with Labours full blessing and support and would suggest that they have been fully aware of this pending move for some time. They’ve just made their potential coalition partner Te Pati Maori that much stronger.

———

‘Labour has decided to let Meka Whaitiri defect to Te Pāti Māori without forcing her out of Parliament.

Despite the defection, acting Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni said Labour would not force Whaitiri out of Parliament under the controversial “waka jumping” law.

“We don’t feel the need to invoke that,” Sepuloni said.’


Still needs the Opposition's agreement to not trigger a Bi-Election or not ? :)

[Blue Skies]

Here's a very good essay worth reading, which I immediately thought so relevant to & reminded me of the current climate of division & pessimism in politics in NZ.

"Has France gone to hell ? It's catastrophist discourse is at odds with the facts. ....on the incredible disconnect between what tourists see, whats foreigners living in France see, what French people living abroad see, & what the hyperbolic catastrophist discourse by French people convinced their country has gone to hell, see."

They could just as well be writing about NZ, "....driven by angry debate, often played out in the media on skewed terms, monopolising attention & sapping the country of social trust needed for flexibility, creative public policy & to resist populists...."



https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2023/may/01/france-gone-to-hell-politics-nostalgia

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/tvnz-gets-acting-chief-executive-as-simon-power-prepares-to-leave/M6UQFVLQRBBE3JQVNOV4B2CV2E/

TVNZ gets acting chief executive as Simon Power prepares to leave


Poor Willie .. the Power getting turned off might become more of a repeating theme :)

[nztx]

Here's a very good essay worth reading, which I immediately thought so relevant to & reminded me of the current climate of division & pessimism in politics in NZ.

"Has France gone to hell ? It's catastrophist discourse is at odds with the facts. ....on the incredible disconnect between what tourists see, whats foreigners living in France see, what French people living abroad see, & what the hyperbolic catastrophist discourse by French people convinced their country has gone to hell, see."

Unfortunately its happening everywhere, not just NZ, "....driven by angry debate, often played out in the media on skewed terms, monopolising attention & sapping the country of social trust needed for flexibility, creative public policy & to resist populists...."



https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2023/may/01/france-gone-to-hell-politics-nostalgia



social trust needed for flexibility, creative public policy & to resist populists


A fail on all counts for Labour here - some might say ;)

[dobby41]

Still needs the Opposition's agreement to not trigger a Bi-Election or not ? :)

Does it need the agreement of the opposition?
My understanding is that it is up to the party to accept that an electorate MP stayed an MP (or not) if they jumped ship.

[Getty]

Some talk back commentators saying the Labour Party orchestrated Mekas waka jump

Someone expand on that please?

A consulted source said Meka jumped to increase the mana of her people.

I don't see any mecca of respect, dignity or honour of leaving your party, without advising your leader, deputy or colleagues in advance.

Poor kaupapa!

[dobby41]

Some talk back commentators saying the Labour Party orchestrated Mekas waka jump

Someone expand on that please?

A consulted source said Meka jumped to increase the mana of her people.

I don't see any mecca of respect, dignity or honour of leaving your party, without advising your leader, deputy or colleagues in advance.

Poor kaupapa!

Talkback commentators filling a void with opinions dressed as facts (start with 'obviously') - surely not?

I don't see a lot of respect in blindsiding those you work with (or under) either.

[Panda-NZ-]

If the next govt ends up being Labour/TPM/Greens combo I will give Australia a go again, I didn't want to leave last time but my GF at the time was a brit who couldn't fill in a form to save herself...

Don't want to be here for the fiasco, don't want to fund it with my taxes.

A third way is needed (NZ first).

That bald guy is so out of touch it would be horrible to endure.

[thegreatestben]

I'd rather have a bald guy I can hold to account (even in my own opinions) but I wouldn't know who to think is responsible for what in the LTPMG coalition. Not confident NZ first will have a come back personally. I and others don't seem to have forgotten he's responsible for letting the current bunch get it's foot hold.

I'm ready to try something new and if it goes wrong, can't be any worse than this lot so what's the harm.

[Panda-NZ-]

Your only giving power to the maori party..

Lux delux will have to do the same or better than John key (unlikely).

[justakiwi]

It will be interesting to see how that pans out. I wouldn't write NZ First off just yet. I will probably give them my vote, unless something changes drastically between now and the election. More than a few people I have spoken to in informal conversations lately, have also indicated that is currently their plan.

Time will tell.


Not confident NZ first will have a come back personally.

[thegreatestben]

I'm not going to beat around the bush like some, I'm going to party vote ACT and Chris Bishop for my local MP because he works hard for his electorate. If the election doesn't go the way I'm hoping it will, I'll take my skills and assets over the ditch or perhaps join two of my siblings in Europe!

I'm not thrilled with National either but I have some hope that Nat/Act will give me enough reasons to stay in NZ.

[Getty]

Meka, in a show of arrogance and contempt, was driven in a very slow moving motorcade of 6 vehicles to the Waipatu marae this morn for her press conference.

Significant traffic disruption.

All were adorned with flags, but my source was not so clear as to whether they were Tino rangitira flags or not, but they sounded like it with the colours.

[Ferg]

Meka, in a show of arrogance and contempt, was driven in a very slow moving motorcade of 6 vehicles to the Waipatu marae this morn for her press conference.

Significant traffic disruption.

All were adorned with flags, but my source was not so clear as to whether they were Tino rangitira flags or not, but they sounded like it with the colours.

I saw that this morning and wondered what it was about. What I saw were 3 SUV type vehicles sporting small TPM flags from all 4 windows driving as a group, but it appeared they were in the flow of traffic and not holding it up. This was between Napier and Awatoto on SH51 this morning. I was driving the other way so didn't see the entire duration of their trip.

[jonu]

I saw that this morning and wondered what it was about. What I saw were 3 SUV type vehicles sporting small TPM flags from all 4 windows driving as a group, but it appeared they were in the flow of traffic and not holding it up. This was between Napier and Awatoto on SH51 this morning. I was driving the other way so didn't see the entire duration of their trip.

Awatoto. Now there's a name from my past. Do you know the story of the Awatoto Ghost Ferg? (or anyone else?)

[Getty]

I saw that this morning and wondered what it was about. What I saw were 3 SUV type vehicles sporting small TPM flags from all 4 windows driving as a group, but it appeared they were in the flow of traffic and not holding it up. This was between Napier and Awatoto on SH51 this morning. I was driving the other way so didn't see the entire duration of their trip.
Thanks for clarification on the flags.
The hold up was to the extent that my source got a call fron their employer, wanting to know what the delay was.

[Ferg]

Thanks for clarification on the flags.
The hold up was to the extent that my source got a call fron their employer, wanting to know what the delay was.
No worries.....although they may have changed the flags after I passed them. I also know they were heading towards the Waitangi bridge which at that time was crawling at snail's pace for quite some distance - they were heading directly towards that. Such delays are not abnormal since the cyclone but if they were stuck behind the SUVs I saw and crawling along in traffic around that bridge, then I suppose their explanation is mostly true. But I admit I didn't see much of their journey.

Jonu: no I don't know about the Awatoto ghost and I can't see anything online after a 10 second search....care to enlighten us?

[Balance]

Weka’s defection and the way she did it show the utter contempt the Maori cabal has for Hipkins (and before that, Ardern).

Hi .. white boy! Up yours!

It’s all good stuff to let it hang out there for all to see.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/489155/pm-chris-hipkins-learned-of-meka-whaitiri-resignation-plans-on-arrival-in-uk

[jonu]

Jonu: no I don't know about the Awatoto ghost and I can't see anything online after a 10 second search....care to enlighten us?

My knowledge of the Awatoto Ghost goes back to the 1970s when I was a kid growing up in HB.

My parents were travelling home through Awatoto from Napier late one night in driving rain. They both saw a man crossing the road ahead of them wearing an oilskin with his head down into the rain. They didn't feel any thump in the car, but were both sure they must have hit him. So sure, that Dad stopped the car, got out in the rain and checked on the road. No one was there. It freaked them out.

Some time later they told my uncle who worked as an engineer at the Awatoto lime works for many years. Without hesitation he said "that's the Awatoto Ghost". He said that people for years had been seeing a man scything in the paddock alongside the road, a man walking through walls within the plant. He said there were staff that refused to work night shift and that the Napier police had been told of many instances similar to Mum And Dad's. My uncle was something of a no nonsense sort of a chap and my parents never changed their story. They were convinced of it.

[Baa_Baa]

Weka’s defection and the way she did it show the utter contempt the Maori cabal has for Hipkins (and before that, Ardern).

Hi .. white boy! Up yours!

It’s all good stuff to let it hang out there for all to see.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/489155/pm-chris-hipkins-learned-of-meka-whaitiri-resignation-plans-on-arrival-in-uk

It will be very interesting to see how many other Labour Maori's defect to the Maori party, there's quite a few of them who may now be emboldened, taking their votes with them. Labour must be very concerned with this development.

On the other hand, what we're seeing may be a rise of the king maker party under MMP, displacing NZ First for the Maori Party, the party who decides who governs NZ at the next election. Neither National nor Labour, by themselves, seem capable of winning the election.

If it's the Maori party who to rise to be kingmaker, then their prophecy is almost complete, not quite, but almost, to get into and stay in government, where the laws are made. Yes, the laws are made there. Think about it.

The political scientists will be all over this like a rash, where 15% of the population have the power to take control, or even substantially influence, the governance of NZ.

Meanwhile, the remaining 85% of the population are sleep walking into a potential takeover of government, the law making, that determines all of our rights and obligations.

You can be sure that the 15% are not interested at all, in the rights of the 85%, especially those who are not prepared to contest the process, use their vote wisely, and secure a balanced society and governance for all the people of NZ.

There is possibly no other election in recent history where it has been more important to choose wisely who you vote for, and why.

[ynot]

It will be very interesting to see how many other Labour Maori's defect to the Maori party, there's quite a few of them who may now be emboldened, taking their votes with them. Labour must be very concerned with this development.

On the other hand, what we're seeing may be a rise of the king maker party under MMP, displacing NZ First for the Maori Party, the party who decides who governs NZ at the next election. Neither National nor Labour, by themselves, seem capable of winning the election.

If it's the Maori party who to rise to be kingmaker, then their prophecy is almost complete, not quite, but almost, to get into and stay in government, where the laws are made. Yes, the laws are made there. Think about it.

The political scientists will be all over this like a rash, where 15% of the population have the power to take control, or even substantially influence, the governance of NZ.

Meanwhile, the remaining 85% of the population are sleep walking into a potential takeover of government, the law making, that determines all of our rights and obligations.

You can be sure that the 15% are not interested at all, in the rights of the 85%, especially those who are not prepared to contest the process, use their vote wisely, and secure a balanced society and governance for all the people of NZ.

There is possibly no other election in recent history where it has been more important to choose wisely who you vote for, and why.
I would suggest that is something all potential Maori party voters should have a good think about. They should be careful what they wish for. I suspect trickle down to the average Maori in the street will be minimal if history is anthing to go by, should the party gain strength.

[nztx]

A bit of a shambles with Weka's defection .. House Speaker says he hasn't received a signed or unsigned defection notice ;)

If this continues & more defect, then there might be a lot of empty seats surrounding Hipkins and the few
who decide not to jump .. School could be out early - Chippie ? ;)

Then what ? .. early election or no confidence ? :)

[777]

There would be a good % of Maori that would not agree with the Maori Party's direction.

Weka states she is going to sort out what should have happened 183 years ago. Wasn't that what the Treaty settlements were to fix.

[nztx]

There would be a good % of Maori that would not agree with the Maori Party's direction.

Weka states she is going to sort out what should have happened 183 years ago. Wasn't that what the Treaty settlements were to fix.


The gift that keeps on giving - aren't they .. or is that Weka ? ;)


wonder how much Cyclone Recovery work got done between Nash falling on his sword and yesterday ? :)

hopefully not another 183 years to wait ..

[Panda-NZ-]

Migration isn't good for wages but they dilute the maori radical vote.

Some migrants may even support NZ first which is surprising, or not, given the strict migrant policies they have back home esp in Asia.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Migration isn't good for wages but they dilute the maori radical vote.

Some migrants may even support NZ first which is surprising, or not, given the strict migrant policies they have back home esp in Asia.

‘Migration isn't good for wages but they dilute the maori radical vote.’

———

Not sure how you figure that: Maori get 7 apartheid electorate seats where they will likely vote several (radical) Te Pati Maori candidates into Parliament. No ‘dilution’ there: as far as I know immigrants don’t usually go on the Maori electoral roll.
Maori will cast their other vote - the ‘list’ one - in favour of Labour, to ensure more of that patented ‘delivering for Maori’ that Labour are so good at.

[Panda-NZ-]

Well, there's always the option of calling for a second election (..it may not go well for whoever called it though).

[Balance]

NZ First to be big winner from Weka’s defection :

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/05/political-commentator-barry-soper-explains-how-meka-whaitiri-defecting-to-m-ori-party-could-be-good-for-new-zealand-first.html

[Balance]

Back to rescue the white fella! :t_up:

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1682022660340-Z5P6I0QVIVPEEFDZLHTH/Mummy%27s+home.jpg?format=500w

[nztx]

Well, there's always the option of calling for a second election (..it may not go well for whoever called it though).


Could call 4 or 5 elections, but if the Leader is as weak as. with his arm twisted up his back hard by
minority factions like a puppet. then will the outcome be any different ?

Weka defecting must sow the seeds for more to defect or start doubting the Leadership ;)

Will it be a takeover (if they dare) or all take away and leave the Labour shelves bare of
already scant available talent ? ;)

The Greens imploding on their own internal disasters wont help ..

[Balance]

Pass the word around - this is the definition of 'small fry' event by Kelvin Davis & the hapless Hipkins Labour government about Meka jumping the waka :

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2022/05/31/TELEMMGLPICT000279160270_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqiOND6KT 0zrIf1eMg2U21uVHwtdpQwyNje2OyIL7x97s.jpeg?imwidth= 1280

Labour's spin doctors starting to lose the plot or have they been jumping ship as well to become lobbyists now that the writing is on the wall for Oct 2023?

[Balance]

Small fry event indeed!

3 ministers in charge of Cyclone Gabrielle recovery in 3 months and 4 police ministers in 1 year.

A government and party in total disarray.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/131942927/labours-kelvin-davis-critical-of-meka-whaitiris-little-crisis-calls-exit-unprincipled

[Blue Skies]

This is an interesting development, yet to be resolved.
Mete Whaitiri may have unintentionally triggered the Waka Jumping legislation (which I think she voted for) which means she would have to vacate her seat & leave Parliament, the last thing Te Pāti Māori would want & now sounds like President John Tamahere busily trying to prevent that happening. "We're working on it"
Suggestions correspondence to the Speaker of the House may have been withdrawn after being sent, which is not allowed.

If that happens, to avoid a By-election you need 75% of the House voting against it which would be an interesting conundrum for National. Would Nat's forcing a By-election so close to the General election help them or backfire on them. Maybe just spin it out as long as possible without doing anything.


https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/05/speaker-to-make-further-ruling-on-meka-whaitiri-newshub-understands.html

[Balance]

Kelvin Davis trying to BS & spin his way through the third recovery minister in 3 months - always the fault of others, never the government!

What an arsehole of a person.

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS8wKGB1V/

[Blue Skies]

Just to follow on from Mete Whaitiri's jumping to Te Pāti Māori, speculation rife that Elizabeth Kerekere under investigation for bullying in the Green's will be the next.
If they drop her down the list from 4th, wouldn't surprise me.

[iceman]

Just to follow on from Mete Whaitiri's jumping to Te Pāti Māori, speculation rife that Elizabeth Kerekere under investigation for bullying in the Green's will be the next.
If they drop her down the list from 4th, wouldn't surprise me.

I think a few of the Green MPs should go to the Maori Party and let the Greens get back to focusing on environmental issues, which they've totally forgotten about.

[Balance]

Behold!

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS8K1Wb3a/

[nztx]

Behold!

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS8K1Wb3a/



Missed out some others on the report card:


Education (stuffed centralisation. Let's just say things are looking rather technically poked now )

Health (stuffed centralisation - the union of many boards had so many issues, the architect
of the disaster is often reputed to be hiding silently under the Defence coat tails )

10 Waters (likely another stuffed clumsy centralisation - even an extinct Moa could have done better)

Broadcasting (a stuffed Willy Wonka slap TV & Radio together any old how Bulls-Up at great cost
then was incapable of any sort of flight )

CGT (Yet another short lived C*ck up which imploded on itself leaving egg on the face of
Comrade Nosey Parker .. Egg seems to have taken an uncanny liking to .... )


Construction of Pot Holes - a Ripping Success as far as the eye can see (someone give Woody Woodpecker
a chocolate fish for an unintended default success)

The pot holes are getting so large in places -- next week he might be reported missing having fallen into one ;)

[Getty]

Construction of Pot Holes - a Ripping Success as far as the eye can see (someone give Woody Woodpecker
a chocolate fish for an unintended default success)

The pot holes are getting so large in places -- next week he might be reported missing having fallen into one ;)

The state highways running through Hawkes Bay have got to the state that Wood could look out his windscreen, and see a river of filth.

[Panda-NZ-]

The state highways running through Hawkes Bay have got to the state that Wood could look out his windscreen, and see a river of filth.

More like a river of orange... ugly signs ruining the landscape.

Should either put off maintanence until later (one instead of two maintenance events) or have stricter timeframes for repair.

I'd happily accept potholes for less signs and road closures (both kill productivity but one doesn't have the signs).

[Balance]

Behold!

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS8K1Wb3a/

“Train line services across Auckland have been cancelled this morning - some until further notice - due to infrastructure issues.”

Michael Woods looked like a eunuch caught in a whorehouse this morning - assuring Auckland commuters that most of the trains would be up and running by 7.30 am.

Latest is that it will be at least 9 am before the trains will run!

‘We are the government of Infrastructure!’
Ardern & Hipkins

They can both come and kiss my arse.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland-traffic-train-services-across-auckland-cancelled-ahead-of-morning-rush/C7WPQCJZ5NBCJF4BWPAHVCGIE4/

[jonu]

The state highways running through Hawkes Bay have got to the state that Wood could look out his windscreen, and see a river of filth.

May that "river of filth" comment haunt him for the rest of his career. Nothing shows more clearly the contempt he holds for the people he is meant to serve. Said in front of "Be Kind" Cindy too was it not?

[Balance]

May that "river of filth" comment haunt him for the rest of his career. Nothing shows more clearly the contempt he holds for the people he is meant to serve. Said in front of "Be Kind" Cindy too was it not?

A government of filth more like - starting with Ardern.

[jonu]

Jacina Ardern's "Disninformation Project" have continued their propaganda with another report on the "unprecedented" levels of anti-trans activity post the Posey Parker assault, which also saw an elderly woman (remember those?) punched. The propagandists present themselves as an independent research unit, but don't advertise the fact they emerged from the Dept of the PM before being placed at the University of Auckland who have since cut their funding. I wonder who funds them now?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/131936575/most-violent-targeting-of-any-community-the-aftermath-of-posie-parkers-visit

Their report appears to make no mention of the real violence meted out against real women by the pro-trans protestors.

The "Disinformation Project" should be the number one target of Ardern's Censorship regime, going by the way she talks.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/maori-king-shunned-at-coronation-opener-in-london/WXVZIA3H65FSFF76RHWBCLRBSI/

Māori king shunned at coronation opener in London


Who "Goffed" it up .. again ? ;)

Whose Coronation is it ? :)

[Logen Ninefingers]

I’m trying to understand what has gone on in London….it seems Goff has caused immense offence and sparked an international incident by gravely insulting our reigning monarch. ‘Tikanga’ was shunned.
It’s too bad they don’t have public floggings anymore.

————

‘The beginning of New Zealand’s diplomatic mission to the UK for the coronation of King Charles has got off to a bumpy start with the shunning of the Māori King and tikanga at an opening event at New Zealand House in London.

The event was attended by King Tuheitia and hosted by High Commissioner Phil Goff, with dignitaries like Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro and Dame Rangimārie Naida Glavish also in attendance.

Things got off to a bad start from the beginning with Goff taking the podium to greet the crowd and welcome all those in the meeting space.

Goff started with the Prime Minister and Governor General, eventually, with his backside towards the King, he acknowledged the monarch.’

[dobby41]

I’m trying to understand what has gone on in London….it seems Goff has caused immense offence and sparked an international incident by gravely insulting our reigning monarch. ‘Tikanga’ was shunned.
It’s too bad they don’t have public floggings anymore.


Tikanga is even more contrived that the British monarchy.
Doesn't even represent all Maori - mainly a Tainui construct.

[Blue Skies]

Tikanga is even more contrived that the British monarchy.
Doesn't even represent all Maori - mainly a Tainui construct.


And a bit of a problem with King Tuheitia's heir to the throne.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/maori/the-kingitanga-on-breakdown-between-maori-king-and-son-whatumoana/

[nztx]

And a bit of a problem with King Tuheitia's heir to the throne.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/maori/the-kingitanga-on-breakdown-between-maori-king-and-son-whatumoana/


Have to watch for Black Clouds coming down sacred mountains - you reckon ? ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/public-transport-disaster-our-troubled-trains-system-and-kiwirails-horror-week/PSPQVF5LGZCWPGZRKHMJEQ6X64/

Public transport disaster: Our troubled trains system and KiwiRail’s horror week



Anyone seen that Labour scruff - Woody Woodpecker, who is so good at presiding over Transport disasters ?

Should probably be gone by lunchtime Monday, but no-one onboard is capable of fishing a replacement
out of the nearest deep pothole to slap on the Parliamentary front bench to fill the gap ;)


With Schoolboy Dipkins hobnobbing it around London and minor fill-ins filling in with more bounce back
off the floor the more kingshots get landed on them, Woody gets a stay pass until the next large
stuff up ;)

[Blue Skies]

True or False?

Meka Whaiteri used to be in a relationship with Kiri Allan

& Meka's mother, Irihapiti Robin was the model used for the 'Pania of the Reef' statue in Napier in 1954 ?

If you answered True in both cases, you'ld be correct.

[nztx]

True or False?

Meka Whaiteri used to be in a relationship with Kiri Allan

& Meka's mother, Irihapiti Robin was the model used for the 'Pania of the Reef' statue in Napier in 1954 ?

If you answered True in both cases, you'ld be correct.


Well there you have it .. you never know who has been close to whoever else with this mob ;)

Next we'll be hearing that Pania the Reef Goddesses' predecessors got close to James Cook & Able Tasman
who then conspired to come up with a few other ideas and the story has been passed down umpteen
dozen times to someone else in a certain back office with a degree in pot hole production .. ;)

[nztx]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/131955394/kaitaki-report-finds-ferrys-failed-part-was-overdue-for-replacement

Kaitaki report finds ferry's failed part was overdue for replacement


The Report falls a bit short on reality however

It appears there is another faulty badly worn part overdue for replacement further up the structure - resident in the Beehive .. ;)

Anyone home Woody Woodpecker - or is everyone busy trying to play a game of how best stuff up the next Transport project ? ;)

[dobby41]

And a bit of a problem with King Tuheitia's heir to the throne.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/maori/the-kingitanga-on-breakdown-between-maori-king-and-son-whatumoana/

Unfortunately he doesn't have a patch of the mana his mother had.

[Balance]

The Labour government’s answer to the healthcare crisis … moving the deck chairs on the titanic.

Arseholes in charge of Health, Education, Law & Order & infrastructure.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/300870772/winter-health-plan-fails-to-address-worker-shortages-burnout-frontline-staff-say

[kiora]

Amplifying what has been heard from teachers

"Education crisis – how bad has the system become and what can be done to repair it?"
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/the-front-page-education-crisis-how-bad-has-the-system-become-and-what-can-be-done-to-repair-it/I7YQEW4VBFCD3BSUR4GPIAS57U/

What should be expected when attendances < 65 % in higher decile schools, even lower attendances in lower decile schools
What is being taught while not at school?

Does this behavior follow the repeated lock downs during covid epidemic ?

[kiora]

Private Hospitals stepping into the chasm
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/whanganui-chronicle/news/new-pacific-radiology-clinic-opening-in-whanganui/YITF4WPAG5CNDBJU24D3BXT3WU/
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/tauranga-grace-hospital-owners-invest-15m-into-expanding-facilities/3GKDNX2BLZFDFHQEFT57OMMP7U/

[jonu]

Amplifying what has been heard from teachers

"Education crisis – how bad has the system become and what can be done to repair it?"
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/the-front-page-education-crisis-how-bad-has-the-system-become-and-what-can-be-done-to-repair-it/I7YQEW4VBFCD3BSUR4GPIAS57U/

What should be expected when attendances < 65 % in higher decile schools, even lower attendances in lower decile schools
What is being taught while not at school?

Does this behavior follow the repeated lock downs during covid epidemic ?

No doubt there is a knock-on effect from lockdowns. Not that the "keep us safe" brigade wanted to know then or now.

Of equal concern is what is being pushed down children's throats with gender ideology targeting as young as 5 year olds. Labour has been quietly implementing this BS since 2020. It's no wonder Drag Queens are so keen to do their Library story times and target toddlers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jwmp3HnsxI

I'd keep my kids home to keep them from that crap as well.

[Logen Ninefingers]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/131955394/kaitaki-report-finds-ferrys-failed-part-was-overdue-for-replacement

Kaitaki report finds ferry's failed part was overdue for replacement


The Report falls a bit short on reality however

It appears there is another faulty badly worn part overdue for replacement further up the structure - resident in the Beehive .. ;)

Anyone home Woody Woodpecker - or is everyone busy trying to play a game of how best stuff up the next Transport project ? ;)

Woody is busy implementing ‘KiwiLightRail’ using the same template for success as was used with ‘KiwiBuild’.

[Balance]

deleted deleted

[Logen Ninefingers]

It seems that Te Pati Maori supremo John Tamihere (ex Labour) is lining up Louisa Wall (ex Labour) to stand for the party in the next election. This is hard on the heels of the Meka Whaitiri (ex Labour) defection. Whaitiri tried to convince Kiri Alan (Labour) to join the Te Pati Maori ranks.

A vote for Te Pati Maori is a vote for Labour, and vice versa

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/ministers-husband-fails-in-bid-for-formal-apology-over-terminated-doc-contract/SBIGJORJBRCY5AQF4JHY7FVLPM/

Nanaia Mahuta’s husband Gannin Ormsby fails in bid for formal apology over terminated DoC contracts


Goodness - No Apology ,,, No Large Roll of Bills to compensate for Hurt Feelings ?

or still on the way ? ;)


Wonder how other Govt Departments fare - with getting most the extended whanau on the
vast Taxpayer's Payroll one way or another ? ;)


Perhaps a Degree in Rock painting or uncovering unknown ancient trails in the wilderness aint the well sort after qualification among the McCoy employers out there ? ;)


Quite a widespread practice under Labour ? .. maybe a very useful ploy to fudge the
unemployment stats .. ;)

[Balance]

And there are those who wonder why there is so little respect for law & order these days :

Pass the word around - certain leading members & leaders of the Pacifica population in NZ support over stayers/law breakers.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/talanoa/we-stand-with-you-pacific-overstayers-called-to-speak-out/6U4CITYYPRCT5AC5CAKQVGEYJM/

Overstayers were called to turn up and be heard, not to hide in the shadows, afraid.

“This is our time, people. Come and have your voices heard in our own backyard of Auckland.

“Don’t worry if you are worried about being an overstayer - they need to hear you. Don’t leave it too late. We are here. We stand with you,” Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua said.

[Getty]

That political commentators such as Tau Henare and Bryce Edwards are left to speculate on the reason for Meka Whaitiri resigning from the Labour Party, goes to show how oblique her announcement is.

They say she may have left due to frustration at lack of promotion up the ladder.

As Associate Minister of Agriculture, and responsibility for Cyclone recovery in Hawkes Bay, she was missing in action.

She had an opportunity to shine in her home area, but simply wasn't up to it.

Shades of Poto?

More like a dereliction of duty, than any political aspiration!

She has obviously been in talks with TMP for some time, prior to resigning from Labour.
To be able to announce she has been appointed to stand as a candidate in the same electorate for TMP, thereby ousting TMP incumbent candidate Heather Skipworth, bears this out.

In my view her self demotion is more appropriate to the facts, than any proof of aspiration.

I suspect Speaker Adrian Rurawhe has micro massaged her clumsy resignation, to prevent fallout.

[Balance]

And there are those who wonder why there is so little respect for law & order these days :

Pass the word around - certain leading members & leaders of the Pacifica population in NZ support over stayers/law breakers.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/talanoa/we-stand-with-you-pacific-overstayers-called-to-speak-out/6U4CITYYPRCT5AC5CAKQVGEYJM/

Overstayers were called to turn up and be heard, not to hide in the shadows, afraid.

“This is our time, people. Come and have your voices heard in our own backyard of Auckland.

“Don’t worry if you are worried about being an overstayer - they need to hear you. Don’t leave it too late. We are here. We stand with you,” Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua said.

BS artists in action - Labour’s Pacifica ministers.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300871397/minister-michael-wood-warns-immigration-nz-over-dawn-raids-tactics

“Immigration NZ said less than 3% – about 18 or 19 – of the people it “interacted with” in the eight months since last July had been contacted out of hours.

Wood's office confirmed the ethnic breakdown of those 19 cases: 10 Chinese people, four Indians, two Tongans, one Samoan, one Malaysian and one Indonesian.”

[BDL]

Hey dobby, right thread this time I hope : labour / Jacinda / maori takeover of NZ seems to be going full steam ahead now.

You must be proud to be supporting the destruction of what was a first world democracy, now descending into a racially divided hell hole.

Go, Jacinda Ardern, thanks a lot.

Some of the maori deceit :

Maori have benefited immensely and continue to do so , from the ‘civilisation’ brought to them ( a stone-age people) by British / European settlers .

This particularly following the Treaty of Waitangi , which was requested by MAORI to get protection for themselves from themselves and the near self-genocidal inter-tribal slaughter, rape, enslavement , infanticide and cannibalism they were constantly engaged in prior to that point , and which was even further exacerbated by the constant requirement for ‘utu’.

However Maori were in effect themselves ‘colonists’ when they arrived in New Zealand from ‘Hawaiki , their homeland , decided to make it their own , and set about the wanton genocidal slaughter of the resident incumbent New Zealand race , the Moriori . The very few remaining Moriori fled to the Chatham Islands.

The hypocrisy of Te Pati Maori in joining this move to call for King Charles 111 to acknowledge the “ horrific impacts “ of colonisation on indigenous people ( which Maori ARE NOT) is appalling .

Their ‘example’ of ‘ colonisation’ with regard to Moriori is as bad as it gets —- worse !

This all needs to be said because Maori are trying by dint of political engineering , lies and trickery ( including this latest move) to establish themselves as being indigenous to New Zealand , so they can exploit the situation to their own advantage , when they ARE NOT INDIGENOUS at all .

This FACT they acknowledge on a sign at Cape Reinga which clearly states that that is the point from which the spirits of dead Maori return to their homeland of Hawaiki.

We MUST NOT allow ourselves to be sucked in by this deceit . We would NEVER stop paying for it !

[777]

Labours failure's well summerised.

https://marcspring.com/index.php/2023/05/02/cheers-labour/?fbclid=IwAR2KIjM3qULUGFYKHDrGfJ4eRf6tfWE0ctZWNjBx GskcHg8UMI-IyMu5pKY

[Getty]

Results from the Getty Mini Poll.
Ikaroa Rawhiti seat, on Friday 5/5/23.

6 Maori participated.

3 were not even aware of what Meka had done.
2 of those couldn't care less, 1 was supportive once he knew what had happened.
3 who knew of Mekas waka jump, were strongly opposed.

Conclusion.

Meka is toast.

Margin of error.
NIL.

[Balance]

Labours failure's well summerised.

https://marcspring.com/index.php/2023/05/02/cheers-labour/?fbclid=IwAR2KIjM3qULUGFYKHDrGfJ4eRf6tfWE0ctZWNjBx GskcHg8UMI-IyMu5pKY

Add this to the list :

"A mental health patient at Auckland Hospital was made to wait 94 hours in the emergency department because there were no beds available in the psychiatric unit, according to a damning internal email obtained by the Weekend Herald.

The nearly four-day delay was “the longest any patient, under ANY service, has ever waited for an inpatient bed in our department”, a senior emergency doctor told hospital executives in an email on March 29, soon after the person was finally admitted to the adult mental health ward.

“Anecdotally, it may be the longest ever stay for a MH [mental health] patient in any New Zealand ED,” the doctor said."

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/94-hours-in-ae-doctor-raises-alarm-about-longest-ever-wait-for-bed-at-auckland-hospital/74FRGC33MRE3FAKQ445BHVUTLM/
paywalled

Where did the $1.9 billion for Mental Health improvements go to?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/data-shows-despite-govts-19b-mental-health-budget-no-improvement-in-total-beds-for-patients/AGXVJKXKOZEL5KXH5NOGNOTNQA/

There are the same number of total beds for acute mental health patients as there were in 2017, despite nearly $2 billion being allocated for the mental health sector, new data has revealed today.

Currently, there are 608 beds available for acute mental health patients.

Newshub reported tonight this number fluctuated briefly in 2021 reaching a peak of 619, but has since declined back to 608 - the 2017 level.

In Budget 2019 the Government announced $1.9b for mental health, with $235 million set aside for building mental health and addiction facilities.

[dobby41]

Hey dobby, right thread this time I hope : labour / Jacinda / maori takeover of NZ seems to be going full steam ahead now.

You must be proud to be supporting the destruction of what was a first world democracy, now descending into a racially divided hell hole.


I find it interesting that you would direct this at me specifically - I am touched that you spent your time thinking of me.
I confess that I spend no time at all thinking of you.

[Balance]

I find it interesting that you would direct this at me specifically - I am touched that you spent your time thinking of me.
I confess that I spend no time at all thinking of you.

Better not to be thought of than be thought of as a brain dead indoctrinated Ardern & Hipkins supporter!

One source of truth!

Most transparent government ever!

[BDL]

I find it interesting that you would direct this at me specifically - I am touched that you spent your time thinking of me.
I confess that I spend no time at all thinking of you.

Don't flatter yourself dobby, I spend some of my time thinking about how maori / labour/ greens have an agenda to divide this country based on race.

Your like don't concern me, Greed, ignorance and corruption, concern me, all appearing to be present.

[davflaws]

Hey dobby, right thread this time I hope : labour / Jacinda / maori takeover of NZ seems to be going full steam ahead now.

You must be proud to be supporting the destruction of what was a first world democracy, now descending into a racially divided hell hole.

Go, Jacinda Ardern, thanks a lot.

Some of the maori deceit :

Maori have benefited immensely and continue to do so , from the ‘civilisation’ brought to them ( a stone-age people) by British / European settlers .

This particularly following the Treaty of Waitangi , which was requested by MAORI to get protection for themselves from themselves and the near self-genocidal inter-tribal slaughter, rape, enslavement , infanticide and cannibalism they were constantly engaged in prior to that point , and which was even further exacerbated by the constant requirement for ‘utu’.

However Maori were in effect themselves ‘colonists’ when they arrived in New Zealand from ‘Hawaiki , their homeland , decided to make it their own , and set about the wanton genocidal slaughter of the resident incumbent New Zealand race , the Moriori . The very few remaining Moriori fled to the Chatham Islands.

The hypocrisy of Te Pati Maori in joining this move to call for King Charles 111 to acknowledge the “ horrific impacts “ of colonisation on indigenous people ( which Maori ARE NOT) is appalling .

Their ‘example’ of ‘ colonisation’ with regard to Moriori is as bad as it gets —- worse !

This all needs to be said because Maori are trying by dint of political engineering , lies and trickery ( including this latest move) to establish themselves as being indigenous to New Zealand , so they can exploit the situation to their own advantage , when they ARE NOT INDIGENOUS at all .

This FACT they acknowledge on a sign at Cape Reinga which clearly states that that is the point from which the spirits of dead Maori return to their homeland of Hawaiki.

We MUST NOT allow ourselves to be sucked in by this deceit . We would NEVER stop paying for it !

Ignorant, vile, racist nonsense.

[777]

Ignorant, vile, racist nonsense.


Head in the sand standard comment from you.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Ignorant, vile, racist nonsense.

The fact is that Maori were very familiar with the ‘law of conquest’ and somebody like Te Rauparaha went around conquering and taking land by force and enslaving other tribespeople.

He invaded Kapiti Island.

He invaded the South Island.

Here’s an example of his behaviour -
‘Te Rauparaha then hired the brig Elizabeth, captained by John Stewart, to transport himself and approximately 100 warriors to Akaroa Harbour with the aim of attacking the local tribe, Ngai Tahu.[9] Hidden below deck Te Rauparaha and his men captured the Ngai Tahu chieftain Tamaiharanui, his wife and daughter when they boarded the brig at Stewart's invitation. Several hundred of the Ngai Tahu were killed both on the Elizabeth and during a surprise landing the next morning. During the voyage back to Kapiti the chief strangled his own daughter Nga Roimata, to save her from expected abuse.[10] Te Rauparaha was incensed and following their arrival at Kapiti the parents and other prisoners were killed, Tamaiharanui after prolonged torture.[11]’

If he was European, Te Rauparaha would be condemned and ‘cancelled’.

Because he is Maori, he is celebrated and his haka ‘Ka Mate’ is performed by the All Blacks. Again, we are talking about a person who enslaved and tortured other humans.

But in NZ, stating these true historical facts is verboten.

[dobby41]

The fact is that Maori were very familiar with the ‘law of conquest’ and somebody like Te Rauparaha went around conquering and taking land by force and enslaving other tribespeople.


So the British sign a treaty and then invade?
People with such integrity if that is the case!

[jonu]

The "Disinformation Project" coming under further scrutiny. Not that you will hear that in MSM.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWYgkdZv7Yc

Ardern's propaganda machine continues to chip away at the fabric of our society. There are certain notorious names in history that Ardern is rubbing shoulders with in this regard. And she has the gall to go onto an international role to prevent disinformation! She has played the double bluff of the century!

[davflaws]

If he was European, Te Rauparaha would be condemned and ‘cancelled’.

Because he is Maori, he is celebrated and his haka ‘Ka Mate’ is performed by the All Blacks. Again, we are talking about a person who enslaved and tortured other humans.

But in NZ, stating these true historical facts is verboten.
I'm not sure that that is true. I don't know anyone objecting to you stating well established historical facts.

I do however, have a problem with BDL trotting out a farrago of nonsense about Maori and Moriori in order to support erroneous and racist claims denying Maori legitimacy as indigenous.

And I say so.

[davflaws]

Head in the sand standard comment from you.

I certainly call out racist nonsense when I see it. BDL's post was both factually erroneous, and used to advance the racist claim that Maori are not indigenous.

If someone is doing an ostrich manoeuvre here mate - it's you.

[ynot]

The "Disinformation Project" coming under further scrutiny. Not that you will hear that in MSM.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWYgkdZv7Yc

Ardern's propaganda machine continues to chip away at the fabric of our society. There are certain notorious names in history that Ardern is rubbing shoulders with in this regard. And she has the gall to go onto an international role to prevent disinformation! She has played the double bluff of the century!
Totally agree on her double down. She certainly is committed to the cause.

[BDL]

I certainly call out racist nonsense when I see it. BDL's post was both factually erroneous, and used to advance the racist claim that Maori are not indigenous.

If someone is doing an ostrich manoeuvre here mate - it's you.

davflaws, I don't think you know what you are talking about, except to push the "new" maori facts, which are, historically incorrect, and if presented with other facts, you call them racist. You loose credibility right there.

These "new facts" of yours, and the maori agitators, are a lie, and a deceit, to gain more for themselves. Plain corruption and greed.

Maori don't want a better NZ for all, just to have more themselves than everyone else.

I am not interested in going at this fact by fact. I think that most people now feel there is just something not right with this maori takeover. Is the correct term a coup???

Own the water? Seriously, just proof that greedy maori have lost the plot in reality.

I have no respect for maori greed and corruption. Jacinda Ardern has a lot to answer for for advancing this divison we now see in NZ.

[kiora]

"“An enhanced risk and verification presence has been a critical part of the new service delivery model,” Owen said.

Enhanced verification? You be the judge"

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/prosper/advice/300866393/its-easy-to-lie-and-cheat-your-way-into-new-zealand

[davflaws]

I am not interested in going at this fact by fact.



Exactly. You have found a story that you believe supports your prejudiced beliefs and your animus towards Maori, and you have neither the interest nor ability to examine it. As a consequence, you spout racist nonsense.

[Logen Ninefingers]

So the British sign a treaty and then invade?
People with such integrity if that is the case!

Invade where? I know there were questions around sovereignty, land sales, and the confiscation of land from the vanquished after a war. Maori would say “that’s not fair!” and “the Pakeha is in the wrong”, but you can go and research the ‘law of conquest’ for yourself, and also research what typically happens with regards to territory after a war. You may notice that Germany - for example - is a lot smaller today than it was in 1913.

Doubtless the numerous victims of a Maori conqueror like Te Rauparaha also would have had a feeling of ‘its not fair’. So why does this historical figure seemingly get a free pass? Is it some notion of ‘it was only maori doing it to maori’, as if there was a homogenous ‘maori nation’ with Te Rauparaha some kind of rogue element. The inconvenient reality is that maori tribal groups functioned as their own nation states with their own regional cultural and linguistic differences. But we are meant to think of Pakeha as ‘evil invaders’ while the conqueror and enslaver Te Rauparaha was ‘a bit of a local scoundrel’.

Napoleon was a European who subjugated other European nations. We rightly think of him as the conqueror he was. But we balk at applying the same thinking to Te Rauparaha. Why? Does it mess with the comfy narrative of ‘evil’ Europeans lobbing up in NZ to do untoward things towards a ‘good’ homogenous ‘maori nation’ that in fact never existed?

[blackcap]

Invade where? I know there were questions around sovereignty, land sales, and the confiscation of land from the vanquished after a war. Maori would say “that’s not fair!” and “the Pakeha is in the wrong”, but you can go and research the ‘law of conquest’ for yourself, and also research what typically happens with regards to territory after a war. You may notice that Germany - for example - is a lot smaller today than it was in 1913.

Doubtless the numerous victims of a Maori conqueror like Te Rauparaha also would have had a feeling of ‘its not fair’. So why does this historical figure seemingly get a free pass? Is it some notion of ‘it was only maori doing it to maori’, as if there was a homogenous ‘maori nation’ with Te Rauparaha some kind of rogue element. The inconvenient reality is that maori tribal groups functioned as their own nation states with their own regional cultural and linguistic differences. But we are meant to think of Pakeha as ‘evil invaders’ while the conqueror and enslaver Te Rauparaha was ‘a bit of a local scoundrel’.

Napoleon was a European who subjugated other European nations. We rightly think of him as the conqueror he was. But we balk at applying the same thinking to Te Rauparaha. Why? Does it mess with the comfy narrative of ‘evil’ Europeans lobbing up in NZ to do untoward things towards a ‘good’ homogenous ‘maori nation’ that in fact never existed?

Te Rauparaha would quite easily qualify for scumbag of the day.

[Panda-NZ-]

The british were adept at influencing native populations and turning them against their enemies (as an almost free buffer force): France, America, Spain.

It is possible that the latter nations were even more racist than the british were which held them back from doing the same.

[nztx]

The british were adept at influencing native populations and turning them against their enemies (as an almost free buffer force): France, America, Spain.

It is possible that the latter nations were even more racist than the british were which held them back from doing the same.


A shame that Labour comparably aren't very adept at all .. in fact probably backwards ;)

hijacked & being manipulated by mysterious forces within that the leadership are scared $h*tless of crossing :)

How's Ryman's Share Buyback that you wanted going - Panda ? :)

still jacked up on the chocks with all the wheels removed going nowhere, a bit like Hipkins & Labour? ;)

[Getty]

Meka Whaitiri's first day back in Parliament.

Not the next Dunne, but down the dunny?

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/carbon-price-plummet-puts-crown-accounts-800m-under-water/3EMRDDBK6RFQRE7HCW6UMXEZME/

Carbon price plummet puts Crown accounts $800m under water


Labour carbonised your own Carbon Scam Job now - Robbo ;)


Have you lost your marbles (or perhaps didn't have any to start with) ? ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/therapeutic-products-bill-crown-has-no-place-in-regulating-rongoa-says-expert/TLHZLLVL2ZBXHCCGOCTNW5MOFU/

Therapeutic Products Bill: ‘Crown has no place in regulating rongoā’ says expert

There you have it .. more loud screams if the traditional gripe waters & other ancient health remedies
for the well massaged & preferred 16% Labour dare not offend get regulated ;)

Any more ready to jump ship - with this attempt at Govt control ? ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/cabinet-minister-kiri-allan-on-rnz-not-releasing-speech-transcript-would-have-done-it-myself/SGXCCB2ADZCVHP7JHJ7SQHICBE/

Cabinet Minister Kiri Allan on RNZ not releasing speech transcript: ‘Would have done it myself’



Surely not more Hate Speech being advocated from ALLAN .. ? ;)

Long Ladder & Rope needed to help her extract herself out of the deep sh*t at the bottom of the Parliamentary Long Drop ;)



How could anyone forget the following just 6 months ago -



https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/kiri-allan-targets-hate-speech-suppression-as-she-settles-into-justice-portfolio/MDOPW7D62XM6NBP562X7H2FUJE/?ref=readmore

Kiri Allan targets hate speech, suppression as she settles into justice portfolio


What a Woozey Doozey halfwit excuse for a Justice Minister ;)

[jonu]

Especially for Chris Hipkins. What is a woman again Chris? People get to self identify right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSke6nepaeQ

Gun toting white guy who happens to be a town councilor self identifies as a black lesbian woman...cos he still likes women. When questioned by his fellow councillors he throws it back at them for enabling the ridiculous situation, with "You don't get to question me..."

Our idiot politicians need to think what happens when you neglect to think things through.

[nztx]

Meka Whaitiri's first day back in Parliament.

Not the next Dunne, but down the dunny?


She's done the Maori Party proud on just the first day .. :)

Both Maori Party Leaders get kicked out by Speaker

Tries to vote with M-Party, but is regarded as an Independent ;)

How long will they tolerate having Weka anywhere near when Collateral damage is all she brings them ? ;)

Any more defecting bundles of untold invisible talent looking towards Maori Party for a place to hide
when things hit the fan badly for Labour & the Watermelons in the very near future ? ;)

[stoploss]

She's done the Maori Party proud on just the first day .. :)

Both Maori Party Leaders get kicked out by Speaker

Tries to vote with M-Party, but is regarded as an Independent ;)

How long will they tolerate having Weka anywhere near when Collateral damage is all she brings them ? ;)

Any more defecting bundles of untold invisible talent looking towards Maori Party for a place to hide
when things hit the fan badly for Labour & the Watermelons in the very near future ? ;)
I think the whole premise of not kicking her out was she is "independent", surely she has proved she has mislead the speaker if she now wants to vote with the Maori party ,The Speaker should review his decision and do the right thing .....

[Getty]

Meka Whaitiri's first day back in Parliament.

Not the next Dunne, but down the dunny?

Te Pati, a cross between a rissole and a rsole, rolled into Parliament like it was the Globe.

The look on James Shaw and Marama Davidson faces was priceless.

Oh no, do we have to endure this circus?

Ringmaster Rurawhe was unfazed, pushing the mute button, and telling the not so white faced clowns of Te Pati to vacate the stage!

More theatre than you can Shake a Speare at!

[Getty]

When asked do you trust the PM? Meka tersely replies, No, l trust my family!

A Google search of her and her brother Jason feuding over their mother's house would give lie to that.

Yeah right.

Next house Meka will visit will be the Whare Paia.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Lots of shenanigans going on in Parliament and it’s only going to ramp up from here. Te Pati Maori - Labours erstwhile ally & likely ‘kingmaker’ - are revelling in their position and determined to cause as much ruckus as possible.

[Getty]

Te Pati claim to observe Kaupapa and Tikanga, but when it comes to the rules and protocols of Parliament, a big double standard eh cuz!

[dobby41]

Invade where?

Never heard of the land wars in the late 1800's when the colonisers weren't getting their own way?

As for Te Rauparaha - he wasn't rogue but he didn't have a treaty with those he fought.
The treaty is the key!

[nztx]

Comrade Robbo's Great Economic Squish is coming at you folks ;)

Buckle up the seatbelts, it could get really rough ;)

Some of you could become Robbo & Orr-Some's Road Kill in their little game

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/the-front-page-how-much-worse-will-the-economic-situation-become-for-kiwi-families/AFNJP5KZQJDORO6P6E7XMYWSOA/

The Front Page: How much worse will the economic situation become for Kiwi families?




“Some forecasts predict up to 80,000 people could lose their jobs,”

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/abbey-caves-tragedy-lost-a-much-loved-and-treasured-son-and-brother-whangarei-boys-principal-pays-tribute-to-dead-student/TRCLN7XBFVD2VMSX6RXI4UFLAY/

Abbey Caves tragedy: ‘Lost a much-loved and treasured son and brother’


Kelvin the Great - Labour's expert on everything including Caving even puts his foot in so he isn't marked AWOL ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/gloomy-chris-and-negative-nicola-minister-pitches-political-back-to-the-future-4-in-house-debate/2GYR75SE75HUVBZVFTXRV32UWE/

Oh look - Labour's Housing Disaster & Backwards Energy Gnome crawls out of her crevice for a spat



Woods spoke of the “dystopic future” that National would introduce, which included cutting benefits, scrapping the Winter Energy Payment, cuts to health and education spending, and social housing being “gutted and flogged off”.

Even mentions the failed 3 Water Heist Shambles Brauhooter in efforts to try to claw some credibility ;)

Where be 3 Water Disaster Maestro hiding now after being shown up on most unpopular
regime the Country has ever seen but still wasn't awake to it and still had difficulty ? ;)


That darn Social Media might come back later in year and inflict hard bite on silly spinning fat gnome bottom - Woody girl .. have to watch that .. the Head Chippie wont be happy :)

[jonu]

Another UK MP raising concerns over what the WHO is planning with its new Treaty/Accord. Where is the debate in NZ?

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

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/bill-to-ban-seabed-mining-defeated-in-parliament/PER75R2L3RCF5ORZOIXGA5BFSE/

Bill to ban seabed mining defeated in Parliament



The sponsor of the bill, Maori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, gave an angry speech to conclude the debate, in which she accused MPs opposing it as amateurs and out of their depth.


PACKER: "You are Amateurs for opposing my Bill"


Who are the Amateurs - Packer .. or whatever your name is .. ? ;)

Who is out of their Depth and out of Control - Packer ? ;)

Perhaps those opposing it are better than your version of Amateurism and know a Sad Packer
who blames everyone else for their own failure when they see one ? ;)

[nztx]

Just Five Months to go until Mission Complete & your favourite Labour mob have %#@*^ Up
just about everything in sight - folks ;)

Try to be kind and gentle all tucked up in your warm dry space, away from view of the vast carnage ..

[Panda-NZ-]

Perhaps those opposing it are better than your version of Amateurism and know a Sad Packer
who blames everyone else for their own failure when they see one ? ;)

Packer - send her packing. :sleep:

[Logen Ninefingers]

Never heard of the land wars in the late 1800's when the colonisers weren't getting their own way?

As for Te Rauparaha - he wasn't rogue but he didn't have a treaty with those he fought.
The treaty is the key!

No, Te Rauparaha didn’t have a Treaty. You can base your entire sense of morality and human decency around treaties if you wish, but the reality of your position is, to all-intents-and-purposes: ‘yes, he did murder and torture those people, enslave the survivors, and steal their land - but that’s all perfectly ok because he didn’t have a treaty with them’. Such an attitude is reprehensible imo. Slavery is slavery for example, and you can’t dismiss it with ‘well, there wasn’t a treaty’.

Aside from that, you’ve ignored my earlier point around the various differing interpretations of the treaty you refer to, and most importantly the question of ‘sovereignty’. When one or both parties have violated their obligations under the treaty, at what point is it voided? Land was confiscated in the aftermath of a war that started because the colonial authorities believed certain Maori tribes were in breach of their treaty obligations. Long after these events, compensation was paid to Maori tribes to facilitate the settlement of Maori grievances.

Should a historical treaty between various Maori tribes and the British Empire be recognised in perpetuity when such a document is incompatible with the modern democratic entity that is New Zealand? At the moment the only tenuous link with the British signatory party that this country retains is the titular head of state being the representative of the British crown. The NZ government seems to have assumed all the obligations of the British Empire in respect of this treaty, which is magnanimous in the extreme. I doubt a hard-headed conquistador like Te Rauparaha would have had any interest in taking on obligations that he arguably would not have ‘had to’ assume.

Treaties come and treaties go. How relevant is the Treaty of Versailles in todays world, or are you picking and choosing which treaties must be adhered to?

[Balance]

Leopards do not change their spots but Labour is sure gonna give it a try :

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/132009301/grant-robertson-delivers-surprise-4-billion-reprioritisation-and-outlines-spending-intentions-of-no-frills-budget

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1683686838209-YSIXIJ11ZVFBCBPFX2DD/cutbacks+and+squanders.jpg?format=500w

[Balance]

Food prices up 12.5%, the highest since 1987.

Great job the Coalition of Chaos is doing with the NZ economy.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/annual-food-prices-rise-125-per-cent/UFOQSRYV75A5FHO5NFEST5LX2Y/

[Logen Ninefingers]

Grant Robertson now claiming to have ‘saved’ $4 billion which will be blown on an almighty spend up in the upcoming budget. This is $4 billion they were going to blow ‘on that’ which will now be blown ‘on this’ - there are no genuine savings at all, and indeed the notion of saving is totally alien to Robertson; he says these ludicrous things & the media dutifully reports them. Robertson keeps pointing to our purported ‘low debt’ as an indicator of supposed great fiscal management - without acknowledging that high levels of government spending are inflationary, regardless of what NZ’s current amount of debt is.

Robertson’s idea of fighting inflation is that you fuel it through rampant spending & then you give out all sorts of ‘cost of living’ handouts - which only further fuel inflation further. In other words, he’s not in the fight at all; he has the blinkers on and can only see his ideological commitment to big government / big spending.
NZ has become an economic madhouse where the Reserve Bank tries to fight inflation, while the government blithely does its own thing and washes its hands of the fight.

[nztx]

Grant Robertson now claiming to have ‘saved’ $4 billion which will be blown on an almighty spend up in the upcoming budget. This is $4 billion they were going to blow ‘on that’ which will now be blown ‘on this’ - there are no genuine savings at all, and indeed the notion of saving is totally alien to Robertson; he says these ludicrous things & the media dutifully reports them. Robertson keeps pointing to our purported ‘low debt’ as an indicator of supposed great fiscal management - without acknowledging that high levels of government spending are inflationary, regardless of what NZ’s current amount of debt is.

Robertson’s idea of fighting inflation is that you fuel it through rampant spending & then you give out all sorts of ‘cost of living’ handouts - which only further fuel inflation further. In other words, he’s not in the fight at all; he has the blinkers on and can only see his ideological commitment to big government / big spending.
NZ has become an economic madhouse where the Reserve Bank tries to fight inflation, while the government blithely does its own thing and washes its hands of the fight.



Sounds like stealing from the Bank to get some to put back in the Bank that will be borrowed again from
Bank ;)

Where did he learn that devious trick from ? ;)


but alas sooner or later the monkeys in the pass the buck exercise get wise on just how far out the back door - Robbo's merry game of passing the buck (each time Amid a larger cloud of BS) has left them ..


Meanwhile Adrian ORR-SOME gets to chase the conch shells around in merry circles trying to regulate which ones can get borrowed and usually more for a higher usance fee each time round :)


probably explains why he looks so confused and cross eyed at times ;)

[nztx]

The Economy is so Strong & going along just fine - all beer and skittles from Robbo's cave facing out to sea


Hang on a moment:


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/waiheke-dream-fades-developer-of-60m-wawata-estate-wants-out/6FFILZYG2ZH4TC3QHEMQOWQJKY/

Waiheke dream fades: Developer of $60m Wawata Estate wants out



The Economy must be grim for this to happen ..

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/auckland-business-owner-fears-possible-rates-rise-means-her-restaurant-wont-survive/XGUEZMC5WNAYTEUKA36DHY7RXA/

Auckland business owner fears possible rates rise means her restaurant won’t survive


Be a fair bit of this sort of thing going on not only with Auckland Sh*tty Rates, but up and down the country

Ram Raids

Crime

Disasters

etc etc



Watch the Doors of Businesses start closing permanently while Labour's goats in glass towers try to
dream on and sleepwalk about nothing being wrong .. for as long as convenient ;)

[nztx]

Grant Robertson now claiming to have ‘saved’ $4 billion which will be blown on an almighty spend up in the upcoming budget. This is $4 billion they were going to blow ‘on that’ which will now be blown ‘on this’ - there are no genuine savings at all, and indeed the notion of saving is totally alien to Robertson; he says these ludicrous things & the media dutifully reports them. Robertson keeps pointing to our purported ‘low debt’ as an indicator of supposed great fiscal management - without acknowledging that high levels of government spending are inflationary, regardless of what NZ’s current amount of debt is.

Robertson’s idea of fighting inflation is that you fuel it through rampant spending & then you give out all sorts of ‘cost of living’ handouts - which only further fuel inflation further. In other words, he’s not in the fight at all; he has the blinkers on and can only see his ideological commitment to big government / big spending.
NZ has become an economic madhouse where the Reserve Bank tries to fight inflation, while the government blithely does its own thing and washes its hands of the fight.


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/grant-robertson-to-reveal-size-of-savings-in-budget-2023/XQNO5BOK3RAARA5OHSR3LNPZUA/



Robertson said that the cost of the cyclone recovery would be funded from existing spending and borrowing, rather than raising new taxes, something Prime Minister Chris Hipkins ruled out. He said this meant some ministers missing out on funding for pet projects in order to fund the recovery.


Hey Robbo - isn't it about time you started getting money for cyclone aid actually out to the regions - instead of feeding everyone BS on what very little of the doey and paying out has actually happened ? ;)


Perhaps the Regions should organise their further Protest walks to steps on Parliament to drive home the poor pitiful extent of Government performance on this just in time for the election to show your grandiose posturing out to all for exactly what it represents ;)


Whole Regions would be correct in labelling you a Spinning BS Artist over this :)

[Logen Ninefingers]

The Economy is so Strong & going along just fine - all beer and skittles from Robbo's cave facing out to sea


Hang on a moment:


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/waiheke-dream-fades-developer-of-60m-wawata-estate-wants-out/6FFILZYG2ZH4TC3QHEMQOWQJKY/

Waiheke dream fades: Developer of $60m Wawata Estate wants out



The Economy must be grim for this to happen ..

The New Zealand Economic Miracle was constructed on the unstable shifting sands of a housing ponzi scheme fuelled by eye-watering amounts of borrowing, high levels of immigration, and record government spending.

Now that we are being buffeted by ongoing adverse weather events, inflation, and interest rate rises, all the chickens are coming home to roost.

Robertson still has to have his annual conversation with the credit ratings agencies and explain away our record balance of payments deficit. He may find the ratings agencies harder to convince than your average Labour voter.

Out in what remains of the ‘real’ economy - the economy that doesn’t revolve around buying and selling residential property - Zespri is reporting its lowest green kiwifruit harvest in 20 years:
‘The latest Zespri crop estimate said the company expected to export about 136 million trays of green, SunGold and RubyRed kiwifruit this season. That was down from 171 million trays last year.
The estimate could drop further when orchard assessments were completed following April’s hail event in Te Puke.’

[nztx]

The New Zealand Economic Miracle was constructed on the unstable shifting sands of a housing ponzi scheme fuelled by eye-watering amounts of borrowing, high levels of immigration, and record government spending.

Now that we are being buffeted by ongoing adverse weather events, inflation, and interest rate rises, all the chickens are coming home to roost.

Robertson still has to have his annual conversation with the credit ratings agencies and explain away our record balance of payments deficit. He may find the ratings agencies harder to convince than your average Labour voter.

Out in what remains of the ‘real’ economy - the economy that doesn’t revolve around buying and selling residential property - Zespri is reporting its lowest green kiwifruit harvest in 20 years:
‘The latest Zespri crop estimate said the company expected to export about 136 million trays of green, SunGold and RubyRed kiwifruit this season. That was down from 171 million trays last year.
The estimate could drop further when orchard assessments were completed following April’s hail event in Te Puke.’



Sounds like a near perfect economic storm forming .. one of sufficient magnitude to wash Robbo and his incompetent mates far out to sea :)


there is usually a fairly brutal economic storm and downturn that has and in past always spelt the end of a number of earlier Labour reigns if everyone looks back :)


It doesn't take much to detect signs of an ailing Government giving up the ghost, pulling out the ignore cards and just biding their time for the approaching inevitable demise.


No amount of spinning, borrowing and pandering is likely to save Robbo's miserable pimply white backside this time if the condition of the economy, reserves and past squandering is looked at ;)


He probably already realises this now .. the smoke signals on the horizon have been evident for some time

[Logen Ninefingers]

There is a collective insanity in NZ whereby we seem to think if we just reduce cattle numbers here we will defeat global warming. Cattle emit methane, it’s true. But on the other hand, our nation of 5 million people does produce enough food to feed 40 million people.

Interesting news out of Turkmenistan recently, as below-
‘Methane leaks alone from Turkmenistan’s two main fossil fuel fields caused more global heating in 2022 than the entire carbon emissions of the UK, satellite data has revealed.
Emissions of the potent greenhouse gas from the oil-rich and gas-rich country are “mind-boggling”, and an “infuriating” problem that should be easy to fix, experts have told the Guardian.
The data produced by Kayrros for the Guardian found that the western fossil fuel field in Turkmenistan, on the Caspian coast, leaked 2.6m tonnes of methane in 2022. The eastern field emitted 1.8m tonnes. Together, the two fields released emissions equivalent to 366m tonnes of CO2, more than the UK’s annual emissions, which are the 17th-biggest in the world.’

[nztx]

Let's look no further Commo Parker's apparently timely "Foot in Mouth" CGT Tax Spat
which would have sent a very bone chilling threat out to those who pay bulk of Robbo's
Net Tax Revenue into the Coffers.. it was, was it not:


Enough is NOT ENOUGH

Labour are wanting to take more of what is yours


This for no other reason than Robbo and his incompetent mates had mismanaged and squandered
what they were already raking in and needed further to fill the coffers :)


Delivered to & noted by the major Tax Paying group in the country already facing significant challenges they are now faced by the opportunist Commo - Parker wanting "pilfer more" on his radar


The timing by Parker was absolutely brilliant, recovering past ground Labour had already been defeated
and abandoned in the past - what might have been likely result from this from that group ?


Could it have been or will it be -

A Large X on Parker's back as prime target to be gone from Parliament at earliest ?


Or

Did that buy Large Crosses slapped on the back of all the collaborators within Labour to be redeemed in full in October this year ? ;)


Perhaps the hapless hopeless Parker has already inadvertently signed the Death Knull for Labour in just that one well timed Spat - that the paying participants in the room may no longer have any faith in Parker, Schoolboy Hipkins or the Labour bandwagon in entirety ? ;)


Labour were well aware of the likely damage coming out of Parker's inadvertent ramblings and spat which held no further credibility than his earlier idiot grandstandings - that the matter didn't hang around for long
in the open before being engulfed by other issues and releases very quickly.


but, the damage was well done by then, out there and too late .. instead Parker probably told to shut his trap and keep his head down out of sight and not to make any further waves or screw ups in election year ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/labour-drops-in-latest-talbot-mills-poll-left-and-right-neck-and-neck/FYBHPOCAVRFPNPAS5FP7DYCGUY/

Labour drops in latest Talbot Mills poll - left and right neck and neck


A new poll has the left and right blocs neck and neck, with 60 seats each after Labour saw its support knocked back by three points.


Hipkins Leadership & the Labour Mob starting to show signs of sliding down the dunny ;)

while the public shiver and suffer as a result of effects of the clueless wad of Labour policies


taken by their friendly internal pollster outfit too

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/grant-robertson-to-reveal-size-of-savings-in-budget-2023/XQNO5BOK3RAARA5OHSR3LNPZUA/

Budget 2023: Grant Robertson finds $4b of savings for Budget


Robbo find cool lost $1 B - a week's pocket money it seems :)

Probably the same Billion that fell out of Adrian's pocket a few weeks back and the loss resulted in OCR Hiked when Mr ORR-SOME realised his loss and see large hole in his pocket ;)


Unfortunately Robbo probably wont be back to confirm any of the remaining $3 B to be found or otherwise,
after the Ides of October sweep his sorry battered Soapbox out into the depths of political obscurity where all
failed Labour Finance Ministers eventually are sent to spend their remaining years out of sight ;)

[Logen Ninefingers]

Census 2023 is a debacle. Approx $300 million spent, and 87% of people have completed it. The minimum target was 90%.
Around 30% of Maori have not completed the census.

‘StatsNZ has been giving away free Warriors tickets and food vouchers to try to coax more people into sending back their Census forms, with the deadline looming.
Census workers had given out 2000 Warriors tickets, and had 2000 food vouchers to give out.’

Just a reminder: census day was 7 March.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/jenee-tibshraeny-how-hard-would-grant-robertson-have-had-to-look-to-find-4b-of-spending-to-reprioritise/YVGOWSV4ANB4ZL3E33UAYO6QNM/

How hard would Grant Robertson have had to look to find $4b of spending to reprioritise?


Please try to be gentle - Robbo is in wind down mode planning ahead for when it gets reprioritised
to Permanent Holiday on the taxpayer's generous tit for his remaining days - obviously marvelling at how he
managed to last so long without being sent packing ..

(As most will know, commonly called the lazy life of a bum) .. ;)

[Panda-NZ-]

Census 2023 is a debacle. Approx $300 million spent, and 87% of people have completed it. The minimum target was 90%.


On the plus side we'll have a new minority community of mixed/undecided gender jedi.

[nztx]

On the plus side we'll have a new minority community of mixed/undecided gender jedi.


please try to be kind to your cousins and show them how to tick their boxes, dot their i's and cross their t's ;)

[jonu]

You know Labour has got something badly wrong when Chris Trotter says he can't trust them. And won't vote for them!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Epn4Ume40iA

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/exclusive-tvnz-chair-andy-coupe-stepping-down-we-have-to-avoid-a-kodak-nokia-moment/MT6HJFXLLJG4VKVZXFLPX42BYE/

TVNZ chair Andy Coupe stepping down: ‘We have to avoid a Kodak, Nokia moment’


A camera shy moment coming up for the usually 'much to say on everything' Willy Wonka
as the top brass at TVNZ start exiting after having a complete guts full of Willy's antics ? ;)

[nztx]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/132021077/finance-minister-grant-robertson-gives-prebudget-speech-in-auckland

Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives pre-Budget speech in Auckland


There will be many across the land well aware of other looming Deficits heading their way courtesy of Robbo's
Deficient Financial stewardship ;)


No sign of any lolly scramble yet ? .. that might cause a completely different Crisis ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pike-river-mine-disaster-dad-bernie-monk-blasts-official-response-as-huge-cover-up/4GZBYTISIRDITD7BUGY5J5QKZE/

Pike River mine disaster dad Bernie Monk blasts official response as ‘huge cover-up’


Who was the Labour Piker who set up the Pike River Recovery Initiative and was Minister in charge
of the job ? ;)

Where is the Little Piker responsible for this Bureaucratic Shambles hiding now ? - Minister of Defence ? ;)


Who was onboard another Body - when Mine Inspectorates appeared to crumble willingly in front of him ?


How many other large scale orchestrated shambles has he had a major hand in since ? ;)


Was the current Health Shambles not another - where he said things were managing but the front line pointed to something different in reality ? ;)


Why is this scruffy cretin still on Government benches or even in Parliament ? ;)

[jonu]

Here's what "The Voice" has lined up for Australians if it gets passed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1gEmyOFItY

Sound familiar. Sounds awfully like Mahuta's 5 Waters doesn't it?

[dobby41]

Here's what "The Voice" has lined up for Australians if it gets passed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1gEmyOFItY

Sound familiar. Sounds awfully like Mahuta's 5 Waters doesn't it?

Should be in its' own thread I think.

[jonu]

Should be in its' own thread I think.

No, you Labour supporters can't deny the similarities of co-governance by unelected people being pushed on both sides of the Tasman. Let's keep it front and centre with Labour's sneaky agenda in the limelight.

The RMA reforms from Parker are heading down the same route.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland-harbour-bridge-pm-chris-hipkins-received-no-written-advice-before-announcing-start-date-for-new-harbour-crossing/X4DKHXSZCFDOPO5WCD7J3UU6H4/

Auckland Harbour Bridge: PM Chris Hipkins received no written advice before announcing start date for new crossing


Sounds like Labour's October bridge building to nowhere .. all pie in the sky feel good Krap which will fall flat ;)

Woody Woodpecker (the Pot Hole Disaster Master) shown up to be no better ;)

Poor Jaffa's if they believe anything this unfortunate pair of fill in amateurs spout :)

[Balance]

The Labour government - a useless government of announcements and no action.

21 Feb - big announcement of 80 attendance officer roles to be created to arrest and combat increasing and disastrous truancy rates in schools.

12 May - 12 weeks later : admission that ONLY ONE (yes, 1) has started working and at a desk!!!!


https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/131282356/government-announces-74m-to-truancy-services-84-new-attendance-officers

The Government is pouring $74 million into a truancy package, creating 82 ‘attendance officer’ roles.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/05/truancy-michael-wood-says-ministry-to-get-rocket-under-them-after-attendance-officer-revelations.html

Education Minister Jan Tinetti told Newshub she was "very disappointed" by that and blamed ministry officials.

"I have had constant discussions with my officials. There seems to be excuses all the time. I want to see them in schools and I want to see them in front of kids right now."

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1683493831572-VLJV0OD56R9AXBQCODV8/The+Repair+Shop.jpg?format=500w

Hipkins was Minister of Education, remember?

As useless and clueless as Cindy.

[Balance]

And do note that as usual, everybody is to be blamed except the ministers in charge and the government.

Freaking useless bunch of parasites - the Hipkins cabinet.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/05/truancy-jan-tinetti-blames-ministry-as-newshub-reveals-only-one-attendance-officer-working-under-new-scheme.html

https://rnz-ressh.cloudinary.com/image/upload/s--y1V0kzbC--/ar_16:10,c_fill,f_auto,g_auto,q_auto,w_1050/v1681691231/4LAES2R_MicrosoftTeams_image_png

[nztx]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/132037161/prime-minister-chris-hipkins-unveils-1b-funding-support-for-cyclone-recovery

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins unveils $1b funding support for cyclone recovery


A drop in the bucket in comparison to the Damage - get real Chippie ;)

Or is the Tin dry after Labour's orchestration of Squandering on wasteful projects that produced near to nothing
over recent years ?


https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/132034667/months-after-cyclone-gabrielle-more-than-30m-in-donations-funds-remains-unspent

Months after Cyclone Gabrielle, more than $30m in donations, funds remains unspent


That went well didn't it - the Charity Organisations still sitting on the dough, while those affected left with nothing
are left to their own devices with only minor relief


Government & the Distribution Agencies should be ashamed of themselves on this abismal effort !


Where are the Govt Beehive idiots sitting while this was allowed to happen ? ;)

Why is Lotto NZ still sitting on Cyclone Monies raised through "Chippies Draw" - a further three months after the day - how did this happen - Hopeless Hipkins ?


This Government clearly couldn't organise a p!ss up in a Brewery any day of the week ;)

[justakiwi]

How about taking a day off Balance. It’s Mothers’ Day. Take Mrs Balance out for a drive or a walk on the beach, and enjoy a politics free day.


And do note that as usual, everybody is to be blamed except the ministers in charge and the government.

Freaking useless bunch of parasites - the Hipkins cabinet.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/05/truancy-jan-tinetti-blames-ministry-as-newshub-reveals-only-one-attendance-officer-working-under-new-scheme.html

https://rnz-ressh.cloudinary.com/image/upload/s--y1V0kzbC--/ar_16:10,c_fill,f_auto,g_auto,q_auto,w_1050/v1681691231/4LAES2R_MicrosoftTeams_image_png

[nztx]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-11/wa-budget-live-blog-mark-mcgowan-2023-2024-analysis-reaction/102294382

budget gives households $400 power bill credit as multi-billion dollar surplus confirmed


Thanks Robbo .. or maybe not ;)

Perhaps we need to join OZ for proper fiscal management? ;)

[Logen Ninefingers]

The rampage of the Left Wing cartoonists continues unabated. Today’s cartoon in the NZ Herald from ‘Body’ features a down-trodden and anxious Robbo being menaced by 3 massive evil black horses with burning red eyes. One horse is even labelled ‘reaction’ - a revolutionary term that the Bolsheviks didn’t shy away from using. I guess this horse is the ‘reactionary forces’ who stand ready to attack Labour should its ‘marxist revolution for social fairness’ continue for another term. Another horse is labelled ‘privilege’ - not sure whether this is meant to represent the privilege of ‘wealthy capitalists’, or the privilege of the various special interest groups, co-governance entities, consultants and others who are riding the Labour gravy train. Nah, of course ‘Body’ has ‘wealthy capitalists’ in his sights.
The irony is that - far from bringing the radicals version of ‘fairness’ to NZ - Labour has actually provided over the biggest wealth transfer in this countries history, filling the coffers of cashed-up property speculators while smashing renters with eye-watering rent increases.

Anyway, while poor Robbo is hemmed in by these horses, unable to do what he truly wants, he does mutter that this situation will only continue for hopefully 1 more year. The message from ‘Body’ is clear: elect Labour, and Robbo will then have a free hand to unleash a crusade against ‘wealthy capitalists’. It won’t be a crusade against the riders of the aforementioned Labour gravy train - the people who contribute nothing to the real economy - it’ll be a crusade against business owners, landowners sitting on unrealised capital gains, anyone who has made money outside of the governmental ‘insiders club’.

It’s all very interesting stuff. Maybe it’s an accurate picture of the inner workings of Robbo’s mind. “If we just deal to these ‘rich’ people once and for all, this could be a paradise!” History shows it usually doesn’t work out that way. Anyway, if Labour does get in again - with help from the Watermelons and Tea Party - then ‘Australia beckons’ for many people I believe.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Interesting opinion piece in Stuff by Damien Grant - ‘We aren't in a cost of living crisis, we're just poor’.
He charts a decline in our living standards,
and concludes his diatribe with -

‘We are buying Teslas, iPhones and subscriptions to Netflix in return for some dairy and some over-priced wine, and covering the difference with promises to make up the balance later.

The challenge now is that we do not wish to accept this new reality. We wish to maintain our previous lifestyle, to live in the manner to which we have become accustomed.

We believe that we are entitled to a high standard of living for reasons that we are unable to articulate, that are self-evidently obvious to ourselves but not, sadly, to the rest of the world.

And while we slide down both the relative and now the absolute rankings, we magnificently refuse to confront the reality of our economic situation. Our national discourse is consumed with petty disputes on the most crushingly banal of matters.

We are not in a cost-of-living crisis. We are just poor.’

Nobody is prepared to admit that our wealth is illusory and built on cheap debt. Labour will again seek to address our ‘cost of borrowing crisis’ in the upcoming Budget with hand-outs to help people pay their bills and paper over the cracks. These hand-outs will come from borrowing. We can’t pay our way as a nation, but we won’t admit it.

In the comments under his article the Left Wingers predictably blame ‘smashing the unions’ and ‘the ECA’ for the state we find ourselves in. When it comes to the low wage economy NZers are now used to, the real culprit has been mass immigration. Why would you pay a Kiwi more when you can bring someone in from overseas to do the job for less? Both Labour and National have been addicted to mass immigration to inflate GDP figures and drive the property ponzi scheme, and once again Labour have opened the immigration floodgates as soon as the pandemic has abated.

[Getty]

Polls saying Te Pati may hold balance of power?

MMP served up 2 terms of Labour Greens, now naybe Te Pati.

About time that MMP was put down, if Te Pati wags the dog!

Who could pat such a mongrel?

[Panda-NZ-]

Polls saying Te Pati may hold balance of power?

MMP served up 2 terms of Labour Greens, now naybe Te Pati.

About time that MMP was put down, if Te Pati wags the dog!

Who could pat such a mongrel?

National could go with Labour (or vice versa :p), but out of touch luxon ruled that out.

Shame really because they are very similar in economic policy, both are pro-wealthy and for mass migration (only differing in the details).

[Logen Ninefingers]

National could go with Labour (or vice versa :p), but out of touch luxon ruled that out.

Shame really because they are very similar in economic policy, both are pro-wealthy and for mass migration (only differing in the details).

Both are for mass immigration and the property ponzi scheme - but the main point of difference is that Labour are in favour of a bloated public service and shovelling cash to ‘co-governance’ entities, and National are not.

[nztx]

National could go with Labour (or vice versa :p), but out of touch luxon ruled that out.

Shame really because they are very similar in economic policy, both are pro-wealthy and for mass migration (only differing in the details).


How's that out of touch Ryman Buyback coming along .. or was it a Cap Raise to pay dividends ? ;)

both pro-wealthy ? the only thing pro-wealthy with Labour is lining them up to fleece the wealth that pays most of
the taxes and produces most of the growth - a very one eyed commo trait that too :)

[nztx]

Both are for mass immigration and the property ponzi scheme - but the main point of difference is that Labour are in favour of a bloated public service and shovelling cash to ‘co-governance’ entities, and National are not.


Hey come on - have to hide the muffed & fluffed up artificial low unemployment by slotting them in somewhere else ;)

[Logen Ninefingers]

More tragic consequences of the housing crisis / property ponzi scheme today.

[Balance]

Breast cancer screening delays - a damning consequence of the heathcare crisis and disaster under Labour and the indiscriminate COVID lockdowns/power trip by Ardern & Hipkins.

And this is just in Wellington.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/132001718/ten-patients-may-have-had-more-advanced-cancer-because-of-wellington-mammogram-delays

The proportion of people whose appointments were delayed was 63%, or 8184 of the newly enrolled patients. The delays ranged from four days past the 60-day mark to 332 days long.

Of those people who had delayed screenings, 59 were subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer.

The patients who suffered the delays had not received the “full benefit” of the mammogram programme.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1669923590307-K1S78EVOL2GREBYPO4J5/too+hard+basket.jpg?format=500w

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/ocr-headed-for-6-as-migration-boosts-economy-westpac/OJCNVCSW2JD55DRU4DJTGVBQ3U/

OCR headed for 6 per cent as migration boosts economy - Westpac


Keep stirring the pot Robbo ;)

As for everyone else - if this is correct Adrian ORR-SOME and a troupe of Reserve Bank W@nkers might be
on their way after more of everyone's hard earned, as Adrian tries to chase inflationary ghosts ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/nz-govt-borrowing-set-to-dwarf-pre-covid-levels/P6DTJMOZWBEHVBZPK3FDFSVBZ4/

NZ Government borrowing set to dwarf pre-Covid levels


Borrow
Borrow
Borrow
Borrow
Borrow


Dont worry about tomorrow or Robbo - he's out the door as soon as regardless

What a C^ck Up and Mess to leave the Country in

Yet more of Tomorrows's Generation's Legacy tipped up against the wall

Thanks Labour ;)

[Logen Ninefingers]

Interesting article in the NZ Herald today: ‘No such thing as a free lunch?’
It’s behind a paywall, the gist is that it is currently costing $274 million for a ‘free school lunches’ programme in a quarter of NZ schools, and a cabal of academics & ‘health providers’ are seeking to get this state overreach extended to half of all NZ schools.
Robbo has been booking the costs of the free lunches up to the ‘COVID’ slush fund, despite Treasury advice that it should come from the ordinary budget process.
Watch this space to see what happens next with regards to what the Labour nanny-state outfit will do.

[davflaws]

The rampage of the Left Wing cartoonists continues unabated. Today’s cartoon in the NZ Herald from ‘Body’ features a down-trodden and anxious Robbo being menaced by 3 massive evil black horses with burning red eyes. One horse is even labelled ‘reaction’ - a revolutionary term that the Bolsheviks didn’t shy away from using. I guess this horse is the ‘reactionary forces’ who stand ready to attack Labour should its ‘marxist revolution for social fairness’ continue for another term. Another horse is labelled ‘privilege’ - not sure whether this is meant to represent the privilege of ‘wealthy capitalists’, or the privilege of the various special interest groups, co-governance entities, consultants and others who are riding the Labour gravy train. Nah, of course ‘Body’ has ‘wealthy capitalists’ in his sights.
The irony is that - far from bringing the radicals version of ‘fairness’ to NZ - Labour has actually provided over the biggest wealth transfer in this countries history, filling the coffers of cashed-up property speculators while smashing renters with eye-watering rent increases.

Anyway, while poor Robbo is hemmed in by these horses, unable to do what he truly wants, he does mutter that this situation will only continue for hopefully 1 more year. The message from ‘Body’ is clear: elect Labour, and Robbo will then have a free hand to unleash a crusade against ‘wealthy capitalists’. It won’t be a crusade against the riders of the aforementioned Labour gravy train - the people who contribute nothing to the real economy - it’ll be a crusade against business owners, landowners sitting on unrealised capital gains, anyone who has made money outside of the governmental ‘insiders club’.

It’s all very interesting stuff. Maybe it’s an accurate picture of the inner workings of Robbo’s mind. “If we just deal to these ‘rich’ people once and for all, this could be a paradise!” History shows it usually doesn’t work out that way. Anyway, if Labour does get in again - with help from the Watermelons and Tea Party - then ‘Australia beckons’ for many people I believe.

I think it goes both ways
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...pg?format=500w (https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1669923590307-K1S78EVOL2GREBYPO4J5/too+hard+basket.jpg?format=500w)

And the difference is that Tremain strokes your prejudiced view of the world and Body (at least from your description) caresses my own. Both of us believe that our political stance is correct, appropriate, and founded firmly on fact. I would like to see us move left, you would like to see us move right.

You are keenly aware that political cartoons and the humour they (hopefully contain) are part of a struggle for hearts and minds and votes. I don't know whether you are also keenly aware (I sure am) that the whole social discourse is embedded in that struggle.

The "us"es are bolded in the paragraphs above, because when I used them I was trying to avoid specifying NZ or Aotearoa. That is because whatever we call ourselves, we are all here in this land together, and until all you right wing lot decamp for pastures greener, questions of national identity, biculturalism, co governance blah de blah, are going to be matters of political importance.

I think that ultimately, these questions are part of and come down (or up) to larger questions about inclusion and diversity and power. The right are currently hammering them all over the world.

I can't say the same about Crime and Education, which the right are similarly targeting as issues to excite the general public. There, at least, we have some data to discuss.

You will provide data to show the sky is falling in both areas, due to the stupidity and incompetence of this [insert adjectival phrase] govt, while I will plead that they are doing well in difficult circumstances.

AFAIK, NZ ranks very highly in all the freedom indicies I have been able to find, and both crime and education stats are impressive both on a world scale, and locally considering what we have been through.

[Logen Ninefingers]

I think it goes both ways
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...pg?format=500w (https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1669923590307-K1S78EVOL2GREBYPO4J5/too+hard+basket.jpg?format=500w)

And the difference is that Tremain strokes your prejudiced view of the world and Body (at least from your description) caresses my own. Both of us believe that our political stance is correct, appropriate, and founded firmly on fact. I would like to see us move left, you would like to see us move right.

You are keenly aware that political cartoons and the humour they (hopefully contain) are part of a struggle for hearts and minds and votes. I don't know whether you are also keenly aware (I sure am) that the whole social discourse is embedded in that struggle.

The "us"es are bolded in the paragraphs above, because when I used them I was trying to avoid specifying NZ or Aotearoa. That is because whatever we call ourselves, we are all here in this land together, and until all you right wing lot decamp for pastures greener, questions of national identity, biculturalism, co governance blah de blah, are going to be matters of political importance.

I think that ultimately, these questions are part of and come down (or up) to larger questions about inclusion and diversity and power. The right are currently hammering them all over the world.

I can't say the same about Crime and Education, which the right are similarly targeting as issues to excite the general public. There, at least, we have some data to discuss.

You will provide data to show the sky is falling in both areas, due to the stupidity and incompetence of this [insert adjectival phrase] govt, while I will plead that they are doing well in difficult circumstances.

AFAIK, NZ ranks very highly in all the freedom indicies I have been able to find, and both crime and education stats are impressive both on a world scale, and locally considering what we have been through.

So which major newspaper is Tremain being published in? You’ve posted something from ‘squarespace’.
The answer is that in the NZ media it does not ‘go both ways’ at all - the cartoonists in our print and on-line media are uniformly hard Left, which is not good for our democracy.

Stop being so disingenuous.

[Baa_Baa]

So which major newspaper is Tremain being published in? You’ve posted something from ‘squarespace’.
The answer is that in the NZ media it does not ‘go both ways’ at all - the cartoonists in our print and on-line media are uniformly hard Left, which is not good for our democracy.

Stop being so disingenuous.

Tremain, to his credit, spreads the borax around, usually aimed whatever is topical ... it's just that you mainly only see the Labour ones copied here: https://garricktremain.nz/cartoons

[jonu]

Tremain, to his credit, spreads the borax around, usually aimed whatever is topical ... it's just that you mainly only see the Labour ones copied here: https://garricktremain.nz/cartoons

Tremain is by some distance NZ's best cartoonist. A national treasure IMHO.

[fungus pudding]

Tremain is by some distance NZ's best cartoonist. A national treasure IMHO.
..
Seconded.

[Baa_Baa]

Tremain is by some distance NZ's best cartoonist. A national treasure IMHO.


..
Seconded.

Motion carried.

[jonu]

You can see the awful conflict Stuart Nash found himself in. Wanting to do the right thing and hamstrung by the useless woke BS artists surrounding him in the Labour party, including the two PMs he served under. (Ardern and Hipkins). Although his lack of judgement as a Minister is also to the fore, thinking he could somehow separate himself from his portfolio. Hipkins does not emerge well. He's as big a bullsh**ter as Ardern.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/sacked-minister-stuart-nash-texts-to-police-commissioner-contradicted-pms-comments-on-cyclone-crime/TOQYJHNTSFENJMY7QDXYXPJZ4M/

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/sacked-minister-stuart-nash-texts-to-police-commissioner-contradicted-pms-comments-on-cyclone-crime/TOQYJHNTSFENJMY7QDXYXPJZ4M/

Sacked minister Stuart Nash texts to Police Commissioner contradicted PM’s comments on cyclone crime


Hippocrit's NASH MASH HASH:



A text message between sacked Police Minister Stuart Nash and Police Commissioner Andrew Coster stressing the need for more police resources in cyclone-ravaged Hawke’s Bay contradicted Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, who was playing down the level of crime occurring.


Nash’s February message also urged Coster, and presumably the Eastern District commander Superintendent Jeanette Park, to gather Hawke’s Bay gang leaders and “bang their bloody heads together” likely regarding cyclone-related crime - a request Nash said was made “not as police minister”, despite him holding the portfolio at the time.

The message was released to the Herald under the Official Information Act as part of a request for messages between Coster and ministers or MPs.


No Crime whatsoever under Labour - is there Chippie ? .. everyone is dreaming on Ram Raids, Crime etc
while your mob of soft headed morons shoot the Crims back out into Society to repeat cycle ASAP ;)


Goes to show up the calibre of incompetent BS Artist that Labour have leading the show .. not very well ;)

[Logen Ninefingers]

You can see the awful conflict Stuart Nash found himself in. Wanting to do the right thing and hamstrung by the useless woke BS artists surrounding him in the Labour party, including the two PMs he served under. (Ardern and Hipkins). Although his lack of judgement as a Minister is also to the fore, thinking he could somehow separate himself from his portfolio. Hipkins does not emerge well. He's as big a bullsh**ter as Ardern.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/sacked-minister-stuart-nash-texts-to-police-commissioner-contradicted-pms-comments-on-cyclone-crime/TOQYJHNTSFENJMY7QDXYXPJZ4M/

The oily Hipkins telling porkies with a faux-sincere smile; he learnt this style at the feet of JA, who learnt it from HC.

————

‘A text message between sacked Police Minister Stuart Nash and Police Commissioner Andrew Coster stressing the need for more police resources in cyclone-ravaged Hawke’s Bay contradicted Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, who was playing down the level of crime occurring.

Nash’s February message also urged Coster, and presumably the Eastern District commander Superintendent Jeanette Park, to gather Hawke’s Bay gang leaders and “bang their bloody heads together” likely regarding cyclone-related crime - a request Nash said was made “not as police minister”, despite him holding the portfolio at the time.

The message was released to the Herald under the Official Information Act as part of a request for messages between Coster and ministers or MPs.’

[Balance]

Hipkins is a liar.

And freaking useless.

[Baa_Baa]

Tremain is by some distance NZ's best cartoonist. A national treasure IMHO.


..
Seconded.


Hipkins is a liar.

And freaking useless.

14596.......... nuf said.

[Logen Ninefingers]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/16/manifestation-of-a-crisis-wellington-hostel-fire-puts-spotlight-on-dire-state-of-new-zealand-housing

‘Manifestation of a crisis’: Wellington hostel fire puts spotlight on dire state of New Zealand housing’

————

‘New Zealand’s housing crisis – caused by unaffordable property prices, a chronic shortage of state housing, and sky-high rents in major cities – has created waitlists for emergency housing almost 30,000 people long. The government’s policy has been to place people in motels and hostels, but what began as a temporary stopgap has become a long-term solution, with families’ time in these facilities stretching out to months or years.

By the start of 2023, 3,336 households were living in short-term, emergency accommodation, including more than 3000 children. Nearly 500 of those households had been there for over a year, and more than 120 had been there for more than 2 years. The policy has been enormously costly: over the course of 2022-2023, payments made by the government to these private motels and hostels were about $1m a day.

Conditions in many of New Zealand’s transient housing facilities are grim, violent and unstable. In recent years, there have been numerous media reports of violence, intimidation, drug trades, sexual violence and robberies at emergency, transitioning or temporary housing facilities.

The Loafers Lodge had been used as one of those sites by the ministry of social development between 2017 and 2020, according to Ministry of Social Development data. The minister in charge, Carmel Sepuloni, said on Tuesday morning that the hostel was no longer contracted to the ministry – but it remained part of a wider, less formal network of temporary accommodation.’

[Balance]

Wonder who Labour is going to blame for the Loafters Lodge fire and deaths.

Blood on the hands of Hipkins and Ardern - big promises with zero delivery, throwing money recklessly at problems to create disasters and crises.

[Logen Ninefingers]

‘Tag and release’ attitude to corrections + woke and limp policing and look at the state we are in.

———

‘Police took nearly an hour to send an officer to a distress call from a woman at the Ruakākā property where two children were allegedly murdered on Monday.

And when police did deploy, the officer was still two towns away – about a quarter of an hour’s drive at legal speed.’

[Logen Ninefingers]

Far from resolving the housing crisis, Labour have actually facilitated it. Reckless retail banks fuelling a property addiction and speculative mania, shovelling enormous mortgages at every Tom, Dick, and Harry, and our politicians have cynically allowed it to play out before their eyes. All so that Jacinda could claim “look, first home buyers can still ‘get on the ladder’”.

[Balance]

4 police ministers in 1 year - a government in chaos but still spinning out lies and misinformation.

And there are posters here like dobby41 who stand with this clueless lot even as people die due to the incompetence of Hipkins and Ardern.

[Balance]

Far from resolving the housing crisis, Labour have actually facilitated it. Reckless retail banks fuelling a property addiction and speculative mania, shovelling enormous mortgages at every Tom, Dick, and Harry, and our politicians have cynically allowed it to play out before their eyes. All so that Jacinda could claim “look, first home buyers can still ‘get on the ladder’”.

"Borrow and Spend Today. Big Tax Increases Tomorrow" Budget on the way for NZers.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/wkWWdBB2R_7BDsGkumYN5TzwIqw=/1440x1048/smart/filters:quality(70)/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/nzme/GSJ75SFD5BBOXFYH7XTDRPXSIE.jpg

[Logen Ninefingers]

"Borrow and Spend Today. Big Tax Increases Tomorrow" Budget on the way for NZers.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/wkWWdBB2R_7BDsGkumYN5TzwIqw=/1440x1048/smart/filters:quality(70)/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/nzme/GSJ75SFD5BBOXFYH7XTDRPXSIE.jpg

Hence Labour reinforcing Tea Party with Weka so they can retain power as the leaders of a new ‘COL’ after the next election.
We will then see a radical agenda unfold such as has never been seen in New Zealand before.
Make no mistake, we are well on track to become the next socialist basket case:
‘New Venezuela’.

[Panda-NZ-]

All parties should endorse the labour candidate in the relevant electorates.

Failing that do not take the sensible idea of a grand coalition off the table (it will take away some of their negotiating power).

[jonu]

The WHO's plans to rule countries in all things medical are becoming clearer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXdO_7J1Lx8

Ardern's pulpit of truth was a precursor to what is coming. All references to local control are being removed and everything will be binding on whatever the WHO comes up whether it be an actual or perceived threat.

NZ needs to kick this touch. Ask your local MPs what their position is. We musn't give our medical sovereignty into the hands of the WHO.

[Balance]

50,000 women have missed breast cancer screening in the last 3 years due to the failure of Labour’s healthcare policies.

Lockdowns were so easy - the challenge was how NZ would manage the post lockdown environment in health, education and law & order.

Those who voted Labour & Ardern - you voted in a bunch of clueless nincompoops.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/ah-leen-rayner-breast-cancer-foundation-ceo-on-50-000-kiwi-women-missing-breast-screening-because-of-covid-disruptions/

[Balance]

Hospital backlogs have worsened to record lengths, with 67,000 people overdue for treatment or a specialist appointment.

The situation has deteriorated since in May last year then-Health Minister Andrew Little announced a “high-powered” planned care taskforce.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/hospital-wait-lists-the-long-fight-to-see-a-doctor/HLAX5BJ4FNDUZG6OQVRRJIF3JA/

[Logen Ninefingers]

The ‘Hubbard’ cartoon in Stuff today has Robertson cracking the top off a boiled egg for breakfast and asking Luxon “what’ve you got Chris?”
Luxon answers “the waffle” with stuff dribbling from his mouth.

[Balance]

Labour promised to extend breast screening in 2017. Would cost $10m more per year.

Well, Labour has not delivered on this promise.

1 woman has died per day from breast cancer since Labour took office in 2017 due to the delays and lack of breast cancer screening.

Same government who spent close to $1 billion on consultants and squandered hundreds of millions of dollars on failed projects like the cycle bridge to nowhere, media merger and light rail.

https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/pre-budget-warning-women-nz-brace-yourselves-disappointment

[Logen Ninefingers]

Leader of Labours partner the Watermelons, James Shaw, just stated on TV that “we are one of the richest nations in the world”.
The amount of delusion that exists in this country is almost indescribable. We are a country that has built its ponzi economy on massive borrowing.
Debt does not equal Wealth.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/car-driven-straight-at-north-shore-hospital-emergency-department/O3JVR5SDKNBG5PYEFOZOA6D274/

Car driven straight at North Shore Hospital emergency department


A man has driven a car directly towards a packed North Shore Hospital emergency department (ED), crashing into bollards right outside the door.

RNZ understands he had been at the hospital’s ED a short time before on Saturday night.

Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, said there were a lot of patients waiting by the door when the crash happened.



They said the ED was at “critical overload” and unsafe, warning that patients and staff could be harmed if it was not urgently fixed.


Part of the same Health System that hopeless LITTLE said was "managing" before he got shoved ? ;)

Where is the fill in that replaced him ? asleep ? ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/budget-2023-sausage-rolls-cheese-rolls-and-a-special-tie-for-finance-minister-grant-robertson/MK5KZ566GBGF3N6KZE4CJI4GCA/

Budget 2023 live updates: Sausage rolls, cheese rolls and a special tie for Finance Minister Grant Robertson

How opportune .. the special Tie that will ultimately symbolise one to hang himself and to eventually be Rolled out only to be remembered for on a hopeless job of mass squandering - the country's future generations will pay dearly for, with nothing really noteworthy achieved ;)

Could have just been honest Robbo - the Tin is near on empty because your incompetent mob have squandered all but a tiny bit around the edges, and now the storm clouds are nearing, with hefty borrowings represented by little tangible ;)


No wonder there are so many across the land thoroughly "Cheesed Off" on what this Govt havent delivered on, all the promises not performed on, lies, deceit, backside covering and back pedalling ;)

[jonu]

Classic response from the Nats to the sausage rolls.

https://twitter.com/NZNationalParty/status/1658971698102964224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1658971698102964224%7Ctwgr% 5E51959c188c9fd7b66f23fe4228a7977f0599ad08%7Ctwcon %5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fau.livecenter.com%2Fframe%2F nzme%2F869%2Fdefault%3F1000

The "cheesy" grin of Hipkins says it all really.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Classic response from the Nats to the sausage rolls.

https://twitter.com/NZNationalParty/status/1658971698102964224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1658971698102964224%7Ctwgr% 5E51959c188c9fd7b66f23fe4228a7977f0599ad08%7Ctwcon %5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fau.livecenter.com%2Fframe%2F nzme%2F869%2Fdefault%3F1000

The "cheesy" grin of Hipkins says it all really.

It’s this kind of thing that is a satirists dream, ripe for lampooning. But the cartoonists employed by the NZ mainstream media aren’t interested in ‘cheese roll Robbo’ - they are too busy attacking the opposition.

[Logen Ninefingers]

‘The Government has spent up large to tackle rising living costs ahead of the election, with a scrappy, bread-and-butter Budget 2023 throwing up policies for young parents, public transport users, the sick.

Families with 2-year-olds will be up to $133.30 better off a week through 20 hours of free childcare from next March, while the $5 prescription fee at pharmacies will be scrapped in July.

Extending free childcare will cost $1.2 billion from the public purse over four years, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said.

“The backdrop against which we are putting this budget together is anything but simple.”

“Cost of living pressures are being felt across our communities.”

Meanwhile, dropping a $5 prescription charge for medicines at pharmacies is set to save about 3 million people a year money, and in particular 770,000 people aged 65. It will make most prescriptions in New Zealand free.

Free access to medicines is also hoped to ease pressure on the over-burdened health system by helping people get medicines sooner.
The scheme will cost $618.6 million over four years.

Permanent, free public transport for under 13s is also being introduced, along with half-price fares for under 25s, community service card and total mobility users.

Overall, "cost pressures" were mentioned 52 times in the outline of new spending, double the number of last year.

"When I became Prime Minister I said I would focus on the bread-and-butter issues Kiwi households are facing," Chris Hipkins said.

"It's tough for families right now."

However, drivers still looking down the barrel of higher costs if petrol subsidies finish by the end of June, as is currently planned.

The other group facing a bigger bill will be trustees.

The Government on Thursday announced it would be raising the tax rates on trusts from 33% to 39% from 2024, putting it in line with the top personal income tax rate - although there will be exemptions for some.

While it’s being framed as “aligning” the tax rate or closing a tax loop hole, it is an increase which opponents are likely to describe as a tax hike. Robertson said prior to the Budget that there wouldn't be any ‘major’ tax changes.

Elsewhere, as much as $322 million will go to early childhood education providers to boost pay for staff to bring them closer in line with kindergarten teachers. Urban bus drivers base wages will also be lifted to $30 an hour, or $28 for regional drivers.’

[Logen Ninefingers]

‘The Budget is expected to account for 32.5% of New Zealand’s $394 billion economy in the next year.’

[Logen Ninefingers]

‘$10.7 billion has been poured into infrastructure and $6 billion for a ‘National Resilience Plan’.’

[Logen Ninefingers]

‘$34 million increase in funding for Te Matatini (over two years) - up from $3 million a year now. The festival will get more funding than the NZ Symphony Orchestra for the first time.’

[Logen Ninefingers]

‘Railways - $959 million

KiwiRail is in line to receive an extra $370 million, to repair its railways and consider how it could expand the national rail network.

As part of the “Future of Rail” programme, KiwiRail was asked to prepare “a detailed business case for electrification of the North Island Main Trunk line”.

The bulk of this funding, $383 million worth, would arrive in 2025.

The Government also committed to paying its 50% share of the increased cost to finish Auckland’s City Rail Link. It would provide $197 million in capital investment to finish Auckland’s underground rail network, with Auckland Council expected to match this investment.

In operational costs, the Government also forecast paying an extra $9.4 million over the next four years.’

[Logen Ninefingers]

I can’t keep up with all the giveaways in this budget - it’s quite extraordinary. And this was billed as a ‘no frills’ budget as well.

[causecelebre]

spend spend spend....i'm going have to apologise to my children on the govt's behalf now

[causecelebre]

No new taxes? Joke - trusts up from 33% to 39%. Fuel tax locked in to 29% from July

[Logen Ninefingers]

Quite confusing….Robbo just referred to the budget as ‘the well-being budget 2023’.

[nztx]

Quite confusing….Robbo just referred to the budget as ‘the well-being budget 2023’.


Whose Well-being ? ;)

When's Robbo's last day ?

[nztx]

No new taxes? Joke - trusts up from 33% to 39%. Fuel tax locked in to 29% from July


Very Trustworthy mob (again) - aren't they ? ;)

Wack those naughty trusts on the hand ..

Commo Parker seems to have forgotten Corporates are sitting on 28%

Probably too much screaming would happen if that changed :)

Any change which represents an increase well deserves a vast shower of bricks hurled back at Robbo & mates
after all the wasteful squandering & myriads of consultants in land of honey due to the shallow depth of the Labour talent resident in their birdbath :)


Nothing much in this Fudget for middle NZ .. a bit of shuffling from here to there .. throw some lollies to Families, rip a bit of everyone with added fuel taxes .. remove something else, all up a bit of a large disappointment .. a bit like Robbo and his clueless Labour mates :)

Hope the Rolls weren't all cold or burnt boys - probably best part of today's non event

Will James and the green lepreuchans have another angry moment and toss their toys out of cot ?

No wonder things are sinking down the plug hole ;)

[Logen Ninefingers]

“Free, free, free” is the gist of the speech Hipkins is delivering at the moment….

————

‘The Government has pushed back its expected return to surplus by another year after Cyclone Gabrielle and higher inflation blew its Budget forecasts off course.

But economists warn the rise in spending in Budget 2023 may put Grant Robertson on a collision course with the Reserve Bank and its plans for the OCR.’

[nztx]

“Free, free, free” is the gist of the speech Hipkins is delivering at the moment….

————

‘The Government has pushed back its expected return to surplus by another year after Cyclone Gabrielle and higher inflation blew its Budget forecasts off course.

But economists warn the rise in spending in Budget 2023 may put Grant Robertson on a collision course with the Reserve Bank and its plans for the OCR.’


Dreams of more of the same after October might be free, but most will be likely to be thrown back :)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/budget-2023-government-spending-explained-/CDVH2ZZNJFHF5BBA56IU6FRZSU/


Budget 2023: Government’s big borrow and spend plans explained


About the size of things too :)



Digging further into the details of the government’s books, the Treasury forecasts higher expenditure and lower tax revenue over the next four years than expected in December.





Cullen's and previous Govt's prudence being p!ssed up against the wall by Robbo and the clueless mob ;)

[Logen Ninefingers]

Dreams of more of the same after October might be free, but most will be likely to be thrown back :)

Don’t get your hopes up. The fix is in, you can see the Labour influence on Tea Party (the erstwhile kingmaker) from the leader to their latest MP.

[Logen Ninefingers]

While the Left fantasise about the 'greedy' 311 'ultra-wealthy individuals' who were the subject of the Parker probe, they might like to consider just how much money wealthy people tend to give to philathropic and charitable causes.

If we look at the example of the USA, we find the following -

'High-income households provide an outsized share of all philanthropic giving. Those in the top 1 percent of the income distribution (any family making $394,000 or more in 2015) provide about a third of all charitable dollars given in the U.S. When it comes to bequests, the rich are even more important: the wealthiest 1.4 percent of Americans are responsible for 86 percent of the charitable donations made at death, according to one study.'

And while the Left may daydream that they will 'end poverty' if they can just hammer the rich, we might also wonder why the seemingly unlimited borrowing they are undertaking is not making a dent in any of the issues they purport to be solving. In short, if Robbo has no compunction is borrowing enormous multi-billion slush funds to 'fight COVID' or 'build national resilience', what is constraining him from doing the same to 'end poverty'?
Is it the case that 'the rich' are just a convenient (and traditional) target to explain away Left wing failure and a constant 'chasing of the tail'? When you find out you are pursuing your ideological fixations and making no headway, it must be tempting to lash out with "Arrrrggghhhh, if only we could really get stuck into 'the rich' all our problems would be solved!!" Actually, this idea is at the centre of Left wing magical thinking. MMT was supposed to be the panacea, MMT clearly doesn't work, so they revert to type and start wailing about 'the rich'.

Perhaps 'the rich' can do more good through their philanthropic endeavours than this government can. A bequest of $45 million to a very worthy cause may do infinitely more good than government wastage of that $45 million on a 'cycle bridge' that will never be built.

The Left still assumes that they can create perfect fairness in society if only they just get 'more money'. But even when they go into over-drive on their borrow & spend mania, they still find that the wheels are spinning - and actually all they are doing is causing immense suffering via inflation.

[jonu]

While the Left fantasise about the 'greedy' 311 'ultra-wealthy individuals' who were the subject of the Parker probe, they might like to consider just how much money wealthy people tend to give to philathropic and charitable causes.

If we look at the example of the USA, we find the following -

'High-income households provide an outsized share of all philanthropic giving. Those in the top 1 percent of the income distribution (any family making $394,000 or more in 2015) provide about a third of all charitable dollars given in the U.S. When it comes to bequests, the rich are even more important: the wealthiest 1.4 percent of Americans are responsible for 86 percent of the charitable donations made at death, according to one study.'

And while the Left may daydream that they will 'end poverty' if they can just hammer the rich, we might also wonder why the seemingly unlimited borrowing they are undertaking is not making a dent in any of the issues they purport to be solving. In short, if Robbo has no compunction is borrowing enormous multi-billion slush funds to 'fight COVID' or 'build national resilience', what is constraining him from doing the same to 'end poverty'?
Is it the case that 'the rich' are just a convenient (and traditional) target to explain away Left wing failure and a constant 'chasing of the tail'? When you find out you are pursuing your ideological fixations and making no headway, it must be tempting to lash out with "Arrrrggghhhh, if only we could really get stuck into 'the rich' all our problems would be solved!!" Actually, this idea is at the centre of Left wing magical thinking. MMT was supposed to be the panacea, MMT clearly doesn't work, so they revert to type and start wailing about 'the rich'.

Perhaps 'the rich' can do more good through their philanthropic endeavours than this government can. A bequest of $45 million to a very worthy cause may do infinitely more good than government wastage of that $45 million on a 'cycle bridge' that will never be built.

The Left still assumes that they can create perfect fairness in society if only they just get 'more money'. But even when they go into over-drive on their borrow & spend mania, they still find that the wheels are spinning - and actually all they are doing is causing immense suffering via inflation.

Good post, but dare I suggest I put it more succinctly?

Socialism is great until you run out of other people's money.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Eric Crampton: More fuel to the fire
Dr Eric Crampton is chief economist with The New Zealand Initiative.

'There are a few budget and macroeconomic rules of thumb.

When the economy is running hot, a Reserve Bank that targets inflation responds by increasing interest rates. Government should not add fiscal fuel to those fires.

The budget projects substantial increases in gross and net debt as compared to the government’s December forecasts. By 2027, net debt is expected to be five percentage points higher, relative to GDP, than had been forecast – despite an improved overall economic outlook.

It makes sense to take on debt to deal with cyclone recovery. But workers and materials to do the work have to come from somewhere; debt doesn’t magic them into existence. And when the government is borrowing $160 million to hand to the video game industry, one wonders whether they are entirely serious.

The government now expects a small return to surplus in 2025/6: a little over half a billion dollars. But the government relies heavily on tobacco excise revenues: $1.7 billion per year, or about 1.1% of total tax revenue. Cigarettes with any substantial amount of nicotine in them are banned after April 1, 2025.

So if the new tobacco rules work as intended, there’s a cigarette burn mark in the accounts.'

[Logen Ninefingers]

Interesting to see Debbie Packer from Tea Party saying derisively the budget was for “the middle class and the rich”.

“Three years of a so-called wellbeing budget and the wellbeing of our people here in Aotearoa couldn’t be worse off” said co-leader Rawiri Waititi.

Presumably Māori people have kids to put into childcare and also have health needs requiring them to pay for prescriptions, presumably they use public transport, presumably they utilise new infrastructure etc etc etc.....

Aside from the 'goodies' dished out to all NZers (includes māori) there are also the below 'goodies' exclusively for māori -

'Budget funding for Te Matanini is part of just over $825 million allocated to Māori-focused initiatives.
It includes $200m to improve Māori housing through the Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga programme, for long-term housing supply, capability building and whare repairs.'

[nztx]

A Budget for the Breeder Contingent - Folks ;)

Likely mostly all the Taxpayer Net Tax Reciprients too

(You know - all those who are Net Tax receive with W4F and Supplements thrown in on top rather than Net Tax Paid into the Coffers)

But alas increasing Rents, COL impact, Fuel Tax Ramp Ups, Interest Hikes, Soon to occur rising Unemployment
may render that target of Robbo's 2023 handouts a Null event as the rest of the year to October sees them
all steadily bitten harder and harder and they get more miserable on Misery Guts Robbo's Fudget prescription:)

[Logen Ninefingers]

This was the budget with 3 names: the 'bread and butter budget', the 'no frills budget', and the 'wellbeing budget'.

No matter how many names they gave it, it still wouldn't qualify as a 'fiscally responsible budget'.

3 more apt names for it would include 'the inflationary budget', 'the last roll of the dice budget', and the 'kick the middle class in the guts budget'.

Never in the course of human history has so much been borrowed, to be sprayed around so recklessly, to ultimately achieve so little.

[Ferg]

In times of high inflation, Robertson responds by pouring a truckload more fuel onto that fire!? leaving Orr no choice but to raise RB rates higher than expected. This is insanity. Although I prefer David Seymour's description: "Robertson is financially incontinent".

[Logen Ninefingers]

In times of high inflation, Robertson responds by pouring a truckload more fuel onto that fire!? leaving Orr no choice but to raise RB rates higher than expected. This is insanity. Although I prefer David Seymour's description: "Robertson is financially incontinent".

It is insanity, but they will do whatever they can to 'protect' those they see as they see as 'their people'. The irony is that both 'their people' and all of us are going to pay the price with higher inflation, despite the laughable Treasury crystal ball gazing predictions today. This is a government that says they govern for us all, but they really don't. They believe in class warfare, hence the mounting rhetoric against 'the rich' and the obvious contempt for the middle class (they say 'bourgeoisie').
The middle class will now be crushed between inflation & interest rates, and this seems to be inevitable because there are now zero guardrails to prevent it happening.

[Ferg]

Agreed we are in a class war and there are plenty of unashamedly misguided and/or disingenuous self-flagellating supporters of these destructive policies. The wealthy can avoid their shenanigans. The middle class cannot and as you say will get crushed. The poor have no skin in their game. Note to self that I should get Seymour's quote right....he said "fiscally incontinent". Although both descriptions are apt.

[Panda-NZ-]

And while the Left may daydream that they will 'end poverty' if they can just hammer the rich, we might also wonder why the seemingly unlimited borrowing they are undertaking is not making a dent in any of the issues they purport to be solving. In short, if Robbo has no compunction is borrowing enormous multi-billion slush funds to 'fight COVID' or 'build national resilience', what is constraining him from doing the same to 'end poverty'?

Labour doesn't want to solve these issues.. they have been focused on obtaining the centre vote.

The borrowing (created money not real money) was for covid and the floods, not poverty alleviation.

Sir John of hellensville borrowed a whole lot too.

[Panda-NZ-]

While the Left fantasise about the 'greedy' 311 'ultra-wealthy individuals' who were the subject of the Parker probe, they might like to consider just how much money wealthy people tend to give to philathropic and charitable causes.

If we look at the example of the USA, we find the following -

Yet in both countries the problems are worse than ever... despite the tax concessions for "charity" so some can feel good about themselves.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Yet in both countries the problems are worse than ever... despite the tax concessions for "charity" so some can feel good about themselves.

Your answer: ‘Only global communism can deliver us the utopia we deserve’.

[Panda-NZ-]

Your answer: ‘Only global communism can deliver us the utopia we deserve’.

Systemic change that doesn't require charity is the solution to poverty alleviation.

Though it's not politically achievable in NZ today (however a wealth tax might be according to recent polls).

[Logen Ninefingers]

Systemic change that doesn't require charity is the solution to poverty alleviation.

Though it's not politically achievable in NZ today (however a wealth tax might be according to recent polls).

The casual contempt with which you dismiss the philanthropy of the wealthy (‘it’s just so they can feel good about themselves’) also reveals a flaw in your reasoning. Why would your (marxist) archetypes, seemingly without a care or a conscience in the world, be motivated to ‘do good’?

Really though, your limited views just go to show that you a certain type of Left wing conspiracy theorist - and as with all conspiracy theorists, you are simply not attuned to the real world with all its myriad complexities.

[Logen Ninefingers]

It’s all very well for the Left to thunder that NZ nurses ‘should be paid what they are worth’ and would be in a fair and just world, but I would argue that the only thing stopping Labour is their own choices. If Labour does not want to see billions blown on extra communications staff, middle managers, executives, ‘Maori health’ bureaucracy etc etc etc then it is entirely within their power to see that the money is spent instead on ‘doctors and nurses’. It is totally wrong-headed to blame ‘the rich’ for the ineptitude of the current government.

[Logen Ninefingers]

In todays ‘deluded Left’ cartoon from rabid socialist Sharon Murdoch - published on ‘Stuff - we see Robbo shovelling a minuscule pile of coal into a furnace marked with ‘Cost of living’ , ‘Health’ , ‘Education’ , ‘Housing’ , ‘Law & Order’ , ‘Defence’ , ‘Infrastructure’ , ‘Resilience’.
The furnace is emitting great billows of smoke labelled ‘Climate change poverty’.
Robbo is looking back over his shoulder, but despite his dwindling pittance of coal is saying “it’s ok, I don’t need more tax”.

So the obvious ‘point’ that Murdoch is making is that Robbo has almost no $$$$ on hand with which to combat things like ‘Housing’ (issues) and ‘Cost of living’. And he hasn’t raised new taxes on ‘the wealthy’ so therefore has a big smokey problem on his hands.

I’ve got two words for Murdoch: government borrowing.
Here are some more words (facts) -
‘Net core Crown debt stood at just under $58b after Grant Robertson delivered his third Budget in 2019; it is now forecast to top $151b in the year to June and nearly $179b a year later.‘

Blaming ‘the wealthy’ for the ineptitude and waste on this government just doesn’t fly. Robbo has known no constraints on his spending: he simply borrows and spends regardless of inflation and monetary policy. He doesn’t have a dwindling ‘pile of coal’ ($$$$), he has a mountain of the stuff. He feeds the furnace alright, but his government will have to own the fact that it doesn’t achieve tangible outcomes.

Cartoonists like Murdoch are frankly disingenuous. They are simply not being honest, and it is a great shame that cartoons like this get published.

[Panda-NZ-]

The treasury filled with Act party types/sympathisers forecast a surplus in only a couple of years..

[Logen Ninefingers]

The treasury filled with Act party types/sympathisers forecast a surplus in only a couple of years..

Any evidence to back your claim that Treasury is filled with ‘ACT party types / sympathisers’?

Keep your eye on that vaunted ‘credit rating’. Robbo yet to have the annual conversation with the ratings agencies & we all know the state of out balance of payments ledger.

[Panda-NZ-]

Any evidence to back your claim that Treasury is filled with ‘ACT party types / sympathisers’?

Keep your eye on that vaunted ‘credit rating’. Robbo yet to have the annual conversation with the ratings agencies & we all know the state of out balance of payments ledger.

It could be another upgrade if the US defaults NZ as will, again, look better in comparison to the rest of the world.

[Aaron]

Sickening article, if the attitude of this bloke epitomises the average kiwi voter. "What am I getting? What's in it for ME?" Nothing? oh well then I don't want to pay any tax. What a selfish self centred person he comes across as.

The bludger mentality is alive and well at all levels of NZ society, not just boomers.

Probably a nice enough guy but if that is the average voter that our politicians have to pander to then we can't expect much for the country as a whole.

Looking at his surname perhaps borrowing and spending without regard to the future and not wanting to pay tax is in the Greek DNA. Greece nearly went under but the central banks bailed out the people who lent to them back in 2009.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/that-s-unfair-over-25yo-without-children-sorry-you-re-a-budget-loser/ar-AA1bl7HC?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=5b1d51da8eeb429fa2f68190782ec262&ei=8

[Panda-NZ-]

It looks like he could cut some food from his household budget :p

[justakiwi]

With all due respect, while I agree with most of what you have said about this guy, I disagree on one point. I think we, as citizens of NZ, and voters, absolutely do have the right to consider what a particular political party, is likely to do to help us/have a positive impact on our personal situation. Right now, when many people are struggling, they have some justification in saying "what about me?" when a budget like this clearly focusses on only one sector of society, and pretty much ignores the rest.

I am hugely disappointed with this budget. Happy for those who will welcome the additional childcare funding - but it was very short sighted of the government to not start that now. My son could have done with this assistance, but by the time it kicks in next March, his two year old will be 3! So pretty useless to them now.

There is nothing in this budget that will help me personally. I am not on any regular medications so the "no prescription charges" is of no benefit to me. There is no public transport in my town, so that's something I can't really take advantage of either.

It is possible to be concerned about one's own situation and also be concerned for the rest of society.

Your comment about his nationality was unnecessary by the way. Judgments based on race say more about you than they do about the person.



Sickening article, if the attitude of this bloke epitomises the average kiwi voter. "What am I getting? What's in it for ME?" Nothing? oh well then I don't want to pay any tax. What a selfish self centred person he comes across as.

The bludger mentality is alive and well at all levels of NZ society, not just boomers.

Probably a nice enough guy but if that is the average voter that our politicians have to pander to then we can't expect much for the country as a whole.

Looking at his surname perhaps borrowing and spending without regard to the future and not wanting to pay tax is in the Greek DNA. Greece nearly went under but the central banks bailed out the people who lent to them back in 2009.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/that-s-unfair-over-25yo-without-children-sorry-you-re-a-budget-loser/ar-AA1bl7HC?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=5b1d51da8eeb429fa2f68190782ec262&ei=8

[SBQ]

With all due respect, while I agree with most of what you have said about this guy, I disagree on one point. I think we, as citizens of NZ, and voters, absolutely do have the right to consider what a particular political party, is likely to do to help us/have a positive impact on our personal situation. Right now, when many people are struggling, they have some justification in saying "what about me?" when a budget like this clearly focusses on only one sector of society, and pretty much ignores the rest.

I am hugely disappointed with this budget. Happy for those who will welcome the additional childcare funding - but it was very short sighted of the government to not start that now. My son could have done with this assistance, but by the time it kicks in next March, his two year old will be 3! So pretty useless to them now.

There is nothing in this budget that will help me personally. I am not on any regular medications so the "no prescription charges" is of no benefit to me. There is no public transport in my town, so that's something I can't really take advantage of either.

It is possible to be concerned about one's own situation and also be concerned for the rest of society.

Your comment about his nationality was unnecessary by the way. Judgments based on race say more about you than they do about the person.

Does that mean this coming election, you won't be voting for Labour? My curiosity is on getting a feel how loyal Labour supporters are as historically, they tend to always support the Labour Party.

[Logen Ninefingers]

‘What’s in it for me?’ is definitely the attitude in this day and age when it comes to the annual budget. Anyone ‘missing out’ on what the media describes as ‘treats’, ‘goodies’, ‘lollies’, ‘sweetners’ etc takes umbrage and stomps about in a state of high dudgeon. And even the people who ‘get something for free’ invariably claim that it wasn’t enough and the government is being stingy.

The annual budget is now seen as a mass giveaway. A sort of ‘Christmas Day’ where the government distributes presents because we’ve ‘done so well’. Just a reminder: the government is currently borrowing $1 billion a week. We are not ‘doing well’.

In our society if people enjoy some of the lowest interest rates in human history and bank eye-popping capital gains, no government intervention is required - because events have unfolded perfectly, and they ‘worked hard and are entitled to whatever they got’.
But if interest rates and inflation go up, government intervention is definitely required because ‘it’s not fair and I don’t like paying these higher costs’.

No matter what strata of society your are existing in, the mentality of the average Kiwi is that the government is a kind of ATM and back-stop that should step in and ensure that you are insulated from the consequences of your own behaviour. If we are not personally doing well then ‘lifes not fair’ and the government must step in. Past generations would have had a different view: they would have seen government as primarily being responsible for law and order & providing essential services such as healthcare, education, and common infrastructure.

In New Zealand when we had periods of very low inflation or even deflation, people were happy to bank gains. Now we have inflation, ‘the gummint’ must apparently insulate us from any pain. This is where the ‘my government is my ATM’ attitude comes in.

What every NZer needs to understand is that nothing is truly ‘free’. Higher government spending means higher inflation. Don’t kid yourselves about this. Higher government borrowing means higher debt servicing costs. A balance of payments deficit has consequences for the cost of our overseas borrowing. The piper always needs to be paid, one way or another. Many of us have been conned into believing there actually is such a thing as free lunch, despite the old adage. But there isn’t - someone always has to pay.

There was nothing in the budget ‘for me’ btw, and I don’t particularly care. I am not going to ever put myself in a position where I am substantively stuffed without government ‘goodies’. Rely on government largesse at your peril.

[justakiwi]

I have made it abundantly clear recently that I have zero intention of voting for Labour this time round. Had they stepped up and announced an appropriate package of assistance for aged care, including an increase to the care subsidy, they would have got my vote. But that was never going to happen.

I will also not be voting for National, or ACT.

At this stage it is likely that my vote will got to NZF because they are realistically the only other option.


Does that mean this coming election, you won't be voting for Labour? My curiosity is on getting a feel how loyal Labour supporters are as historically, they tend to always support the Labour Party.

[Aaron]

With all due respect, while I agree with most of what you have said about this guy, I disagree on one point. I think we, as citizens of NZ, and voters, absolutely do have the right to consider what a particular political party, is likely to do to help us/have a positive impact on our personal situation. Right now, when many people are struggling, they have some justification in saying "what about me?" when a budget like this clearly focusses on only one sector of society, and pretty much ignores the rest.

I am hugely disappointed with this budget. Happy for those who will welcome the additional childcare funding - but it was very short sighted of the government to not start that now. My son could have done with this assistance, but by the time it kicks in next March, his two year old will be 3! So pretty useless to them now.

There is nothing in this budget that will help me personally. I am not on any regular medications so the "no prescription charges" is of no benefit to me. There is no public transport in my town, so that's something I can't really take advantage of either.

It is possible to be concerned about one's own situation and also be concerned for the rest of society.

Your comment about his nationality was unnecessary by the way. Judgments based on race say more about you than they do about the person.

I am racist as well as xenophobic. Anyone who says they are not racist is a liar. It is a matter of being aware of racist tendencies and not giving in to them.

Like I say I think this guys views and outlook epitomise the average kiwi voter no matter how rich or poor.

The Greece thing was to highlight how money printing and low interest rates have produced a lot of bludgers looking for easy answers to hard questions.

We seem to be in an era of profligacy with a borrow and spend attitude, I guess stand up Grant Robertson and Adrian Orr "Cometh the hour cometh the man."

[Logen Ninefingers]

Sickening article, if the attitude of this bloke epitomises the average kiwi voter. "What am I getting? What's in it for ME?" Nothing? oh well then I don't want to pay any tax. What a selfish self centred person he comes across as.

The bludger mentality is alive and well at all levels of NZ society, not just boomers.

Probably a nice enough guy but if that is the average voter that our politicians have to pander to then we can't expect much for the country as a whole.

Looking at his surname perhaps borrowing and spending without regard to the future and not wanting to pay tax is in the Greek DNA. Greece nearly went under but the central banks bailed out the people who lent to them back in 2009.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/that-s-unfair-over-25yo-without-children-sorry-you-re-a-budget-loser/ar-AA1bl7HC?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=5b1d51da8eeb429fa2f68190782ec262&ei=8

‘"We are definitely a loser," Christodolou said. "There is nothing in the Budget that's going to affect me in any way."

He was really wanting a tax cut.’

————

We are borrowing $1 billion a week. National will bring back $5 prescription charges…with all due respect, that will not balance the books.

The Left are clamouring for tax hikes. The Right and the ‘ordinary Kiwis’ want tax cuts.

We currently cannot pay our way as a country. We want a bunch of things we simply can’t afford. We want to keep all our gains, and socialise all our losses. NZ is currently existing in a state where we simply seek to deny reality, and this virtually guarantees that things will get worse.

Reading comments from a visiting Aussie on Facebook, they were astonished that NZ is apparently in a ‘cost of living crisis’ yet the cafes and restaurants are still packed & the streets are full of the latest Range Rovers, Volvo’s, Tesla’s and the rest. They are scratching their heads.
Is it ‘doing it really tough’ if you are forced to cut some of the fat from your bloated spending?
From government to the general populace, it seems that we don’t like the medicine and are currently refusing to take it, but will probably be forced to at some stage.

[Panda-NZ-]

We are borrowing $1 billion a week. National will bring back $5 prescription charges…with all due respect, that will not balance the books.


They will get rid of consultants don't forget that.

These consultants who are spending up large on food and petrol, causing inflation in those areas.

[Logen Ninefingers]

They will get rid of consultants don't forget that.

These consultants who are spending up large on food and petrol, causing inflation in those areas.

If you are a happy consultant spend up large on restaurant meals - with perhaps a bottle of chardonnay to wash it all down - then you definitely will be contributing to inflation.

If you are one of the fortunate Kiwi’s who flipped your Auckland dwelling and banked an enormous capital gain and shifted to somewhere like Tauranga or Nelson, could I suggest that rather than cry for a tax cut you could instead sell the jet ski’s or the boat?
Just a thought.

[Panda-NZ-]

If you are a happy consultant spend up large on restaurant meals - with perhaps a bottle of chardonnay to wash it all down - then you definitely will be contributing to inflation.

If you are one of the fortunate Kiwi’s who flipped your Auckland dwelling and banked an enormous capital gain and shifted to somewhere like Tauranga or Nelson, could I suggest that rather than cry for a tax cut you could instead sell the jet ski’s or the boat?
Just a thought.

But they will move to Australia where they will be subject to all kinds of taxes (incl land taxes, stamp duty).

Then what will we do? oh well, at least they will be paying tax somewhere.

[SBQ]

But they will move to Australia where they will be subject to all kinds of taxes (incl land taxes, stamp duty).

Then what will we do? oh well, at least they will be paying tax somewhere.

You will do like the rest, watch your standard of living erode. If you have not noticed, the lack of nurses and doctors, skilled educators, and specialist health care, etc have flown to Australia? You also should be aware, those said stamp duty and land taxes do not apply to the principle residence home ; unless you are encouraging landlordism to remain in NZ?

[Logen Ninefingers]

But they will move to Australia where they will be subject to all kinds of taxes (incl land taxes, stamp duty).

Then what will we do? oh well, at least they will be paying tax somewhere.

You’ll find the majority of working Kiwi’s are prepared to pay taxes on wage and salary earnings. They just don’t want to pay taxes on their capital gains ‘earned’ from flipping their dwellings back and forth amongst each other.

In a country where you’d think you’d want to encourage saving - particularly in an inflationary environment - people get slugged with withholding tax simply for having their money in the bank, they get slugged with tax on their KiwiSaver accounts.

Perhaps as a nation we lack basic common sense.

[stoploss]

You will do like the rest, watch your standard of living erode. If you have not noticed, the lack of nurses and doctors, skilled educators, and specialist health care, etc have flown to Australia? You also should be aware, those said stamp duty and land taxes do not apply to the principle residence home ; unless you are encouraging landlordism to remain in NZ?

SBQ this is not correct . They do apply,although there are some FHB exemptions and the taxes vary per State.
https://conveyancing.com.au/articles/stamp-duty

[Logen Ninefingers]

‘Years spent ignoring Māori homelessness and a failure to implement effective Māori housing policies breached Crown obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

That’s a finding from the Waitangi Tribunal’s latest report, which examined housing and policy services between 2009 and 2021.

It said the Crown had formulated a definition of homeless in 2009 through Statistics New Zealand without properly consulting Māori, with seven years of inaction over rising Māori homelessness to follow.

“It formulated a Māori housing strategy but did not implement it, and tightened access to the social housing register despite Māori reliance on social housing.”

———

When put together, the Crown’s actions breached the Treaty principles of active protection, equity, and good government, the tribunal said.’

[justakiwi]

This is one of the ridiculous taxes that needs to go altogether! Why the hell are people being taxed on minuscule amounts of deposit interest? It is costing the government money to collect these pathetic amounts of RWT, and as you say, does absolutely nothing to encourage saving. Nobody should be taxed on deposit income less than (say) $100 at a minimum. If I had my way, they would stop taxing it altogether. Let people who are saving, keep what little interest they earn.



In a country where you’d think you’d want to encourage saving - particularly in an inflationary environment - people get slugged with withholding tax simply for having their money in the bank.

[SBQ]

SBQ this is not correct . They do apply,although there are some FHB exemptions and the taxes vary per State.
https://conveyancing.com.au/articles/stamp-duty

Ok what % is my statement not correct? The FHB DO get exemptions and how about that land tax? You probably already looked that up to learn that it ONLY applies to properties that derive rental income (ie. like a mom and pop investor that buys another home, or in another way as I mentioned before, Land Tax is generally exempt from the principle residence home). The problem for Land Tax compared to NZ is it's charged every year... EVERY YEAR.

Should I clarify "do not apply" to be "Stamp Duty partially applies" but "Land Tax" does NOT apply. The general consensus is still, in Australia their gov'ts do not impose said taxation from Panda-NZ, in a way that discourages the principal residence home owner.

[stoploss]

Ok what % is my statement not correct? The FHB DO get exemptions and how about that land tax? You probably already looked that up to learn that it ONLY applies to properties that derive rental income (ie. like a mom and pop investor that buys another home, or in another way as I mentioned before, Land Tax is generally exempt from the principle residence home). The problem for Land Tax compared to NZ is it's charged every year... EVERY YEAR. If you invested for 50 years, and the 1 off partial payment of Stamp Duty is paid out of the 50 years, would my statement be 98% correct?
I'm not interested in what % is correct ,you can't make a blanket statement that contains a falsehood.
So you have a FHB exemption, first child come along you upsize .... you will be paying Stamp Duty.
"those said stamp duty and land taxes do not apply to the principle residence home "-Shouldn't Be Quoted

[Logen Ninefingers]

This is one of the ridiculous taxes that needs to go altogether! Why the hell are people being taxed on minuscule amounts of deposit interest? It is costing the government money to collect these pathetic amounts of RWT, and as you say, does absolutely nothing to encourage saving. Nobody should be taxed on deposit income less than (say) $100 at a minimum. If I had my way, they would stop taxing it altogether. Let people who are saving, keep what little interest they earn.

You earn the money and pay taxes on it, then put what’s left in the bank and then get taxed on any interest that’s generated. Our collective savings used to be ‘the fuel’ that funded what was called ‘the productive economy’: banks lent to businesses, savers got a decent return.
These days the retail banks get their money from a Reserve Bank ‘funding for lending’ programme so they can fund ‘residential housing’ so someone can flip that house for a fat *tax free* profit. Nothing productive anywhere to be seen. And savers get the middle finger from everybody.

[SBQ]

This is one of the ridiculous taxes that needs to go altogether! Why the hell are people being taxed on minuscule amounts of deposit interest? It is costing the government money to collect these pathetic amounts of RWT, and as you say, does absolutely nothing to encourage saving. Nobody should be taxed on deposit income less than (say) $100 at a minimum. If I had my way, they would stop taxing it altogether. Let people who are saving, keep what little interest they earn.

The 'witholding' taxes are an international treatment of taxing fix incomes from bank deposits. Also it's very effective at collecting because it costs the gov't very little $ to have in place (unlike our Paye system). Sounds like you need would prefer the Canadian or Australian approach to taxation where low income earners get a tax CREDIT which would negate any of the tax witholding you paid to the bank. Our tax system in NZ is so old and out of date that none of our tax brackets are indexed to inflation. Canada has indexed tax brackets for as long as I can remember. So every so many years you have this problem where the working class doesn't have enough disposable income so like today, they go to the gov't and they prod along with a Budget to see if there's anything for the working class (because their incomes are stuck).

[SBQ]

I'm not interested in what % is correct ,you can't make a blanket statement that contains a falsehood.
So you have a FHB exemption, first child come along you upsize .... you will be paying Stamp Duty.
"those said stamp duty and land taxes do not apply to the principle residence home "-Shouldn't Be Quoted

You're trying to perpetuate an issue that is generally accepted in Australia. People who own their 1st home, DO NOT pay Land Taxes. But since you're so critical on a small 1 timer stamp duty tax (which in some states in Australia will get exemptions); you believe my statement is NOT correct or not factual.

It would be more accepting to say, yes mostly true with the exception that some places levy Stamp Duty on 1st time home buyers. Your splitting fine hairs here against the general view.

[SBQ]

You earn the money and pay taxes on it, then put what’s left in the bank and then get taxed on any interest that’s generated. Our collective savings used to be ‘the fuel’ that funded what was called ‘the productive economy’: banks lent to businesses, savers got a decent return.
These days the retail banks get their money from a Reserve Bank ‘funding for lending’ programme so they can fund ‘residential housing’ so someone can flip that house for a fat *tax free* profit. Nothing productive anywhere to be seen. And savers get the middle finger from everybody.

Correct me but aren't all banks in NZ required to have a certain level of liquid cash deposits? The central bank requires the bank that borrows to have a 'ratio' of cash on the balance sheet. It's not like they can borrow 100% from the central bank for all the mortgages. There's a time when the bank should print $ and a time when it should not (QE and QT).

Second, you mention a person after tax income goes into a bank account, and then the interest it earns is whopped with another tax. My question is what about untaxed business income earning interest in a bank account? Usually these business accounts are large value figures so they tend to expect some interest return on the capital.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Correct me but aren't all banks in NZ required to have a certain level of liquid cash deposits? The central bank requires the bank that borrows to have a 'ratio' of cash on the balance sheet. It's not like they can borrow 100% from the central bank for all the mortgages. There's a time when the bank should print $ and a time when it should not (QE and QT).

Second, you mention a person after tax income goes into a bank account, and then the interest it earns is whopped with another tax. My question is what about untaxed business income earning interest in a bank account? Usually these business accounts are large value figures so they tend to expect some interest return on the capital.

The ‘funding for lending’ programme was an outlier admittedly, but for 2 years (Dec 2020 to Dec 2022) the Reserve Bank did pump almost $20 billion into our retail banks, most of which flowed into property -

‘The curtain falls on the Reserve Bank's controversial Funding for Lending (FLP) Programme today (Tuesday), with banks having borrowed $19.021 billion through it.
The FLP was introduced in December 2020 with the aim of lowering interest rates and encouraging households and businesses to spend and invest.’

The madness of what the Reserve Bank has done is that they were still providing this stimulus even while ‘raising the OCR to fight inflation.’ -

‘The FLP was a stimulatory monetary policy tool that remained in use even while the Reserve Bank had been increasing the OCR by 400 basis points.’

——

As to your other point, I don’t have the answer sorry.

[Logen Ninefingers]

Another Reserve Bank / government snafu is the ‘LSAP’ programme which has so far incurred a loss of $8.8 billion.

————

‘New Zealand’s Treasury Department has begun payments to the Reserve Bank to offset losses on bonds the bank bought during its quantitative easing program in 2020 and 2021.

Monthly payments of between NZ$150 million and NZ$200 million ($125 million) began in May and are likely to continue until late 2027, according to a Treasury report dated April 13. The document was released Tuesday in Wellington after first being reported by the New Zealand Herald.

The government provided an indemnity for the RBNZ’s so-called Large-Scale Asset Purchase program, which grew to as much as NZ$53.5 billion before QE was halted in July last year. As interest rates have increased, the public liability has climbed to NZ$8.8 billion, according to central bank data.’

[Logen Ninefingers]

You would think that heads would roll over an $8.8 billion (and counting) mistake - but this is NZ. It barely gets reported and nobody really gives two hoots about it. I remember the absolute outrage (ongoing) about ‘wastage’ on the $26 million ‘flag referendum’. What a strange country this is. Not sure how many times $26 million goes into $8.8 billion but I reckon it would be a few.

The Wikipedia page on the ‘flag referendums’ states as follows -

‘Opposition parties, Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association (RSA) president Barry Clark and members of the public criticised the referendum plan for costing $26 million which could be spent on other issues.’

BTW, these days nobody bats an eyelid at $34 million for a Kapa Haka festival:

‘Over the next two years Te Matatini will get $34 million, up from $2.9 million a year.

The biennial national kapa haka festival received its biggest increase in funding since it first started 50 years ago in the latest Budget.

The financial injection has made many pukana with excitement.

"I'm just over the moon," Te Matatini chief executive Carl Ross said. "I've had to shut my door because my staff are still jumping up and down outside."

[Aaron]

You would think that heads would roll over an $8.8 billion (and counting) mistake - but this is NZ. It barely gets reported and nobody really gives two hoots about it.

‘Over the next two years Te Matatini will get $34 million, up from $2.9 million a year.

Adrian Orr was rewarded for this massive and expensive mistake with another 5 year term at $800,000pa. I suppose this was because the only people to look more stupid than Adrian were Grant and Jacinda.

The $34million seems like a lot to me for a biennial festival especially if it has previously successfully operated at only one tenth of this funding, maybe Grant is trying to buy back the Maori seats after Meka Whaitiri's defection. Be interesting to know how the $34mill gets broken down and whether this is money well spent.

Spending like this makes voting difficult. You know we need taxpayers to cough up for infrastructure spending but then Grant tries to buy himself the Maori vote with our money. No wonder the taxpayers are only looking at what is in it for ME when they can see clear examples of Grant's largesse if he thinks it will buy him crucial votes.

Regarding the $5 prescription subsidy, I read it was removed because 135,000 prescriptions were not picked up because of cost. I hope someone checks this statistic a year after the subsidies go. As a miserable cynical btard I suspect you will find that the 135,000 does not change much as although there will be some genuine cases of hardship I suspect most of those missed prescriptions is because someone could not be fu*ked getting off their ar*e to get it. As they can just get another one when it suits them. They would not care about wasting doctors and pharmacists time as it is cheap and now free (to them anyway).

[Logen Ninefingers]

Adrian Orr was rewarded for this massive and expensive mistake with another 5 year term at $800,000pa. I suppose this was because the only people to look more stupid than Adrian were Grant and Jacinda.

The $34million seems like a lot to me for a biennial festival especially if it has previously successfully operated at only one tenth of this funding, maybe Grant is trying to buy back the Maori seats after Meka Whaitiri's defection. Be interesting to know how the $34mill gets broken down and whether this is money well spent.

Spending like this makes voting difficult. You know we need taxpayers to cough up for infrastructure spending but then Grant tries to buy himself the Maori vote with our money. No wonder the taxpayers are only looking at what is in it for ME when they can see clear examples of Grant's largesse if he thinks it will buy him crucial votes.

Regarding the $5 prescription subsidy, I read it was removed because 135,000 prescriptions were not picked up because of cost. I hope someone checks this statistic a year after the subsidies go. As a miserable cynical btard I suspect you will find that the 135,000 does not change much as although there will be some genuine cases of hardship I suspect most of those missed prescriptions is because someone could not be fu*ked getting off their ar*e to get it. As they can just get another one when it suits them. They would not care about wasting doctors and pharmacists time as it is cheap and now free (to them anyway).

These days political party’s get judged societally from budget to budget on what they have ‘delivered’ (exclusively) for (= to) maori. The ‘delivered’ is a euphemism for how many hundreds of millions of dollars have been handed over in any given year. I never hear any talk of how much the government has ‘delivered’ for pasifika, or for the Indian community, or for the Chinese community etc.

The reality these days is all about ‘the maori people’ (in reality the descendants of Tangata Whenua and European ‘colonists’) trying to come to an arrangement with the NZ Government (= the British Crown apparently) on how NZ will governed. This is how it would seem to most NZers I feel, including all the large immigrant communities that exist in what is ostensibly supposed to be a modern democracy.

I wonder how a Ti Pati Maori MP can harangue the nation about the ‘evils of colonialism’ - about which we are meant to hang our heads in shame in perpetuity - when that person would themselves literally not exist if it was not for their colonial bloodline. It is the ultimate in self hate to reject everything about ‘evil colonialism’ when when you yourself are living and breathing product of the remarkable encounter that occurred between people that came from different ethnic origins.

Rather than celebrate the unique ethnic melting-pot that exists in many modern NZers - where their descendants hail from both sides of the signatory parties - we get this completely disingenuous denial of their European heritage, and this denial is supported at every level by the PTB - government, media, academia.

We are currently unable to have a national conversation about where our modern democracy is heading because the topic has been deemed closed by media, government, academia. They tell us everything has been settled and agreed upon, and then all hell breaks lose when the reality of ‘co-governance’ is revealed. And then the process of mollifying and quieting the general populace begins again.

We are simply unable to have this national conversation because anyone raising the topic is instantly branded ‘racist’ and a ‘dog whistler’ even though the race based policies are the ones being objected to!

Even asking a legitimate question such as why Ka Mate is not cancelled as it was created by a literal conqueror and enslaver is not permitted. The enormous burden and tidal wave of guilt and admonishment for ‘past wrongs’ is to be born by the Pakeha and the Pakeha alone. We are supposed to deny that the Māori lived by the ‘law of conquest’, even though it is an historical fact that they did.

Where is this shameful denial of large parts of the true history of New Zealand leading us? Why could defeated maori nation states confiscate land from others after wars, but Europeans doing the same is inherently ‘evil’? Why are we being taught to think of ourselves as shameful colonists who ‘stole’ land even when it was bought and paid for?

[blackcap]

As a miserable cynical btard I suspect you will find that the 135,000 does not change much as although there will be some genuine cases of hardship I suspect most of those missed prescriptions is because someone could not be fu*ked getting off their ar*e to get it. As they can just get another one when it suits them. They would not care about wasting doctors and pharmacists time as it is cheap and now free (to them anyway).

That is not being cynical. That is a reflection of reality. I think you might be right and the numbers will not change at all.

[Logen Ninefingers]

What a very strange country this is. I wonder how much celebrating of her Irish heritage Debbie Ngarewa-Packer does. Does she turn up in Parliament dressed in the green of the Emerald Isle, guinness in hand? I’m yet to see it.
She is literally fully one half Irish, her mother was an Irish immigrant. Packers recent links to Europe are stronger than mine as far as I can tell.

————

And what can you tell us about your mum?

“Well, my dad was Hemi Ngarewa and he met this fiery Irish redhead, Colleen Cleasby, when she was 16. She was the first non-Māori to marry into our whānau. Most of the relationships earlier were pre-arranged. But not this one. Mum married Dad and they lived in Pātea with our Koko. And she eventually became a much better reo speaker than Dad.”

[Logen Ninefingers]

What a very strange country this is. I wonder how much celebrating of her Irish heritage Debbie Ngarewa-Packer does. Does she turn up in Parliament dressed in the green of the Emerald Isle, guinness in hand? I’m yet to see it.
She is literally fully one half Irish, her mother was an Irish immigrant. Packers recent links to Europe are stronger than mine as far as I can tell.

————

And what can you tell us about your mum?

“Well, my dad was Hemi Ngarewa and he met this fiery Irish redhead, Colleen Cleasby, when she was 16. She was the first non-Māori to marry into our whānau. Most of the relationships earlier were pre-arranged. But not this one. Mum married Dad and they lived in Pātea with our Koko. And she eventually became a much better reo speaker than Dad.”

John Tamihere is fully half Irish as well.

“Ruby Elaine Tamihere was mother to 12 children; she was completely ostracised by her own Irish Catholic family once she married my Māori father.”