Labour govt 2020-23

[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...-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...-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 ?