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6:00 am, December 1st, 2025 - 35 comments
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Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.
The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
Labour must be on a roll, the Herald today has a big cry from Shayne Currie about Jordan Rivers and poor old Thomas Coughlan sounds very gloomy in his search for negatives from the weekend conference. And Liam Dann has been reduced to writing fantasy columns about the economy to try and gee up the public ahead of Christmas.
One term government!
hope it's a one term government, because it feels like three terms
The response to the latest bio security breach needs to be stepped up significantly. We can't afford to fail to eradicate the yellow legged hornet.
There is no doubt about the queen hornet's fecundity
"Overseas, nest densities can exceed 12 per square kilometre. These nests can produce as many as 500 new queens in autumn."
"The only successful eradication of the yellow-legged hornet occurred on Majorca, off the coast of Spain. The programme ran for six years across an area of about 35 by 25 kilometres."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/580480/nz-now-has-a-narrow-window-to-stop-the-asian-yellow-legged-hornet-here-s-how-everyone-can-help
Maybe drones(not the honeybee kind) could be put to good use , for surveillance and delivery of pesticide.
Sounds like a great application of the technology – especially as the article refers to tree-top nests, which would be really challenging to access in the bush-clad steep terrain in and surrounding the infestation in suburban Auckland.
With wasps (I'm presuming hornets would be the same but bigger) a stationary human is the best tool, you look for the straight flight paths from the nest, and you need a sharp, and experienced, eye to pick them. Once you find the nests eradication is pretty easy, the finding is the time consuming bit.
Although, with modern image processing some bright spark should be able to automate the task and with a network of fixed cameras or drones be able to locate nests quite accurately. Could be an interesting research project, and a huge boon for wasp control as well, if it worked well.
Citizen reports and searching by volunteers – anyone can help if it's not inconvienient.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/yellow-legged-hornet-nz-has-a-narrow-window-to-stop-it-heres-how-everyone-can-help-the-conversation/WUI4PWHTTRCGFPGML7XNYPPVBM/
There's a reason that people are asked to set traps, and report sightings – but not actively hunt for nests.
Thanks B – I read the article that gsays linked to @2. Didn't notice the advice not to "hunt for nests". I certainly wouldn't want to get too close to, let alone disturb a hornets' nest, and would encourage others not to do so, but presumably voluntary hunting / searching can be done safely – maybe Aucklanders could keep a closer eye on their backyards, if it's not too inconvenient 🙂
The clock is ticking – if this species get well established in NZ Aotearoa, then it’s only a matter of time before Kiwis get hurt, or worse.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_hornet#Pest_status_and_invasiveness
Aucklanders already are keeping an eye out for hornets.
🙂 Excellent – who could ask for anything more. Best of luck, and thank you.
where does it say to not actively hunt for nests? You don't have to go close to a nest to find it.
Sorry, badly worded. My intention was around 'do not approach' (i.e. take a photo from a serious distance away), rather than do not keep your eyes peeled for signs of nests around your property.
Hornets are highly aggressive and territorial (like wasps – but nastier) – and approaching (for example to confirm that it is a nest – or there are hornets) is a bad idea.
https://commercialpestcontrol.net.nz/yellow-legged-hornet-auckland/
This just came through to me on Fb. It describes a big solar farm development with attached battery storage in Victoria, Australia, that is publicly owned. Way to go. Hipkins take note.
"In a nation where privatized energy giants have long dictated the pace of the green transition, Victoria's State Electricity Commission (SEC) just dropped a mic-worthy milestone: the completion of installing all 212,296 solar panels at the SEC Renewable Energy Park – Horsham…….it's Australia's first 100% publicly owned utility-scale renewable project, blending a whopping 119 MW of photovoltaic muscle with a 100 MW / 200 MWh battery beast, all hooked into the grid via a single point for seamless efficiency.
In an era of skyrocketing bills and climate foot-dragging, public ownership flips the script. No more profit-chasing delays from corporate overlords; instead, the SEC…is delivering clean power straight to the people. Set to churn out 242,000 MWh annually, enough to juice 51,000 Victorian homes, this hybrid setup near Horsham isn't just generating electrons—it's forging jobs, skills, and a blueprint for resilient infrastructure.
With batteries smoothing out solar's sunny-day whims and a 2027 launch on the horizon, it's a masterclass in integration that could turbocharge Australia's net-zero ambitions."
https://www.facebook.com/gippsnewscom/posts/victorias-hybrid-solar-triumph-signals-a-brighter-grid-futurein-a-nation-where-p/872656045112635/
Read 2 years ago that Oz has no need to build extra gen capacity for over a decade or more IIRC thanks to their solar investments in the home and elsewhere alleviating demand.
A bipartisan approach ! Here the coalition have declared they can't be trusted on that.
Can the opposition please point out where we'd be without the Key/Luxon led govt's hobbling power and housing…ad nauseum and consistently if you can.
The article above is not clear – it implies that the State Government will be selling at a lower price than other electricity providers; but it is not clear how that can be arranged as part of a larger system. Certainly we suffer from the Bradford "reforms" all those years ago when our generating companies were half sold off – even National are now saying that a change is needed.
I recall someone giving numbers for the percentage of charges levied to customers that get passed out as profit; as I understand it the Directors are able to keep revaluing their assets such as dams upwards – possibly to an estimated replacement value – so that only a small percentage of charges are actually needed to pay for power – most goes in dividends. Does anyone have actual numbers?
I think this whole thing about NZ Super becoming unaffordable is absolute bullshit.
Our population is still growing.
The world's population is still growing.
The cost of pensions pales into comparison with the ongoing costs of climate change- storms, fires, floods, sea level rise, heat stroke… And they don't give a shit about that.
This is theft from the younger generation, pure and simple, as they have to pay for their own retirement. Labour and the Greens should call it.
Ah, but you see that's TWO different budgets via two different departments, and each one has zero interest in the budget of the other. And governments have yet to learn the concept of cost-benefit ratios.
Our population may be growing (largely due to immigration) and people living longer; but the our demographic pattern looks more like the sky tower than a pyramid. People are living longer, and there are relatively fewer being born (look at the shrinking numbers under 30)
https://www.populationpyramid.net/new-zealand/2025/
Unless you're proposing some method of eugenics – the retirement age population in NZ is indeed forecast to grow (proportionally to the population as a whole), and continue to grow for decades.
Overall, it's highly likely that our population will skew to much older.
https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/national-population-projections-2024base2078/
Affordability of NZ super under those conditions is indeed a valid matter for debate.
There are, of course, options:
The argument that superannuation funding is 'theft' from the current taxpayers – has been extensively aired in the past. *Every* generation has paid for the superannuation costs of the one before it (and bitched about it)
Indeed, the perceived unfairness, as well as the population projections, was the reason for the establishment of the Cullen fund – to enable current taxpayers to partially fund their retirement costs.
I seriously doubt that Labour or the Greens will be calling for superannuation to be axed.
Extra taxes wouldn't come at the expense of other things, because they're extra.
Wealth taxes are popular. eg,
https://www.bettertaxes.nz/poll_shows_new_zealanders_want_the_wealthy_to_pay_more_tax
Goodness, if it's that popular, I can't understand why it's not a major policy plank for Labour. Perhaps it's coming in the New Year.
Dirty politics and a hostile MSM are a lot to do with it (hostile to any party).
Could there be a link between Luxon's intense dislike of Labour's Family Doctor Loan Scheme, the smug B416 glee club and the close personal relationship between Luxon and his favourite crony at tend health Cecelia Robinson?
Asking for a friend.
Since the loans will reduce the likelihood of GP practices getting that far in the financial mire that they fall into the clutches of Tend and other similar outfits the policy will cause some angst.
Gotta remember that Luxon's perfect economy is one that forces businesses to sell, preferably to some monopolist aggregator and at a minimal price. Labour ruined the economy by creating conditions where small businesses could flourish.
Replying to Sanctuary at 5.
Could it be that Labour will scrap the Hamilton med school, and put that money into Auckland and Otago to train more doctors?
More doctors, quicker.
Possibly.
However, they didn't do it when they were last in government (despite repeated calls), so I'm not sure what you think has changed.
NB: I'm not a supporter of the Waikato solution – and my preference (aired on TS) was for the Auckland/Otago med school intake to be drastically increased over a 5 year period.
Also – given the different structure of the Waikato (post-grad) and the current Auckland/Otago (undergrad) med schools – I don't think you could successfully argue either more doctors or quicker.
https://www.waikato.ac.nz/about/faculties-schools/health/nzgsm/
I've been a bit of a fence-sitter on the idea of a medical school for Waikato University, and your "more doctors, quicker" stance appeals to me.
Oh FFS ACT/Seymour can't even run a school lunch program, they are worse than useless, but dangerous. Schools are really being pushed this year.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/580527/food-poisoning-warning-after-christchurch-students-eat-contaminated-school-lunches
Not sure if this was posted but I remember reading it as a cafe a month or so back, but this principle is leaving because of the pace of the curriculum changes. Think it's paywalled.
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/south-otago/%E2%80%98worn-out%E2%80%99-curriculum-change-pace
it's a feature not a bug (so to speak). Collateral damage is part of the cheapskate/profit model.
WELL DONE SEMOUR
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/580527/food-poisoning-warning-after-christchurch-students-eat-contaminated-school-lunches
Tasty, delicious and nutritious claimed David Seymour.
If they could take their parents to Australia, they would getter better food at home and take a delicious and nutritious meal packed at home for school lunch.
But not here in the NACT economy.
Rising numbers of young people sleeping on the streets and putrid school meals for our kids. This is what the COC is serving up. Both worth a listen.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2019015028/youth-homelessness-on-the-rise
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2019015029/food-poisoning-warning-after-school-provided-contaminated-lunches
Both are due to cost cutting by the COC, where they have slashed the building of social housing to almost nothing and have slashed the amount that can be spent on school meals.
(Listen to the teacher in the second clip who says that the school has a brand new commercial kitchen on-site but they have been told not to use it and instead have been forced to be part of Seymour's putrid mush machine.)
Fortunately those who want a job (or to afford a home here) can go to Oz to work.
Sharing a place with another couple there is the fastest way to save for a home here.
Then the question is whether to afford the mortgage payments there, or here.
They can patriotically vote for Fair Pay Agreements (Industry Awards), pay equity. protection of environment and conservation estate and the Paris Accords etc while in Oz, and if unsuccessful vote to make New Zealand a seventh state in 2040 (and have Canberra impose it).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360901903/youre-not-unpatriotic-leaving-new-zealand
There were a few leaving New Zealand after 1975 and again after 1990. Also a few during Key’s time.
Once again.
Anyone notice the common factor to the timing – National’s housekeeping budgets (and a deliberate low wage policy).
That's what you do during a Costcof living crisis, isn't it Brooke – keep minimum wage increases well below inflation. The NAct1 CoC is 'government' by and for the sorted.
Hopefully the CoC's 2026 insult to minimum wage workers will be its last for a while.
[2013 – Key’s time] Shows an All Blacks rugby player who has switched sides and joined the Wallabies… refers to the continuing migration of New Zealanders to Australia in search of better pay and working conditions. https://digitalnz.org/records/32261378
There's also a certain amount of irony in both Key & Luxon themselves leaving NZ to find work before coming back to make things worse for the rest of us.