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notices and features - Date published:
6:00 am, June 2nd, 2026 - 48 comments
Categories: open mike -
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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 …
Do Kiwis really need to know what scientists really think? Be careful now RNZ.
Meta/Facebook and bullies ? Meta/Facebook are bullies…..
An earlier attempt by Kiwi Sarah Wynn-Williams to talk on RNZ..was also blocked by them. Great reach and power of the Oligarch Techbro fascists.
FYI...I am not, nor ever have, fallen for Facebook, or indeed been a member of same. Saw through them decades back…..
Behold the power of the Zuck. Designed an app that people could use on Myspace (remember that kids ) that effectively took the data over to their FB account back in the early days.
Not so long ago someone created an app on Instagram that stripped out all the algorithm crap for just your contacts and other personally relevant links.
He had it taken off google play and Apple istore as when Zuck does it it's innovation, if someone does it to him it's got to be stopped.
If one wants to be a NZF MP the fast track is having Maori ancestry and supporting Hobson's Pledge (led by Don "Orewa Speech" Brash).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360986875/new-conservatives-elliot-ikilei-stand-nz-first-years-election
Is being social conservative conditional on being a foot soldier for the northern hemisphere’s colonial establishment?
Tau Henare once a NZF Party Maori electorate MP and waka jumper Mauri Pacific leader in the Shipley regime ended up standing for National on the 2005 party list (Don Brash was leader at the time).
Wtaf.That would buy a lot of Books?! And pay Librarians…: (
This is what happens with managerialism. 20 years ago, the council would have had some IT people who'd put together some web pages for the library based on what library staff said they needed. Now, there must be a strategic assessment, a business case for change, a robust procurement process including a full RFP with the exact requirements listed out and IT security checks, referee checks etc on all the proposals, project management, staff consultations, customer consultations, progress reporting etc. Little of the $600,000 will actually have been spent on creating a web site.
This is a private company ripping off the ratepayer.
I'd like to know who owns it and who works there.
I don't know about ripping off, I think PM is right. 40 years of gutting public capacity (unable to develop and administer a website!) has led to a bunch of 'procedures and protocols'.
That doesn't mean there isn't some fat on the invoice…
Any tories or neo liberal acolytes can't have an opinion on this as this is the 'efficiency' of a market solution.
I'd want to know what this 'website' is doing before passing judgment. Is it just an informational website or an actual library system, i.e.
Then there are ongoing operational costs:
And probably heaps of other things I've forgotten.
The point is that library systems have lots of use cases and as public-facing systems they need to be thoroughly tested and have minimal downtime to avoid reputational damage. So, it seems possible to me that the word 'website' is doing a ton of heavy lifting here. So call me a bit skeptical when some amateurish sounding dude claims he could've done it overnight in his home office. I may be quite wrong and this might really be just some trivial little website off to the side of the main event, but there are some warning signs here.
Well you sure have put a major effort into your defence comment ?…But it does seem that it is…maybe just a promotional !
I dont have a Post subscription…however more might be revealed in Link below….(FYI there was more on the net…but Facebook et al)…
Anyway…my comment, still stands as to buying a lot of Books…and paying for Librarians.
Not a defence PLA at all – just a cautionary note about jumping to conclusions.
And it didn't take a major effort at all. I know enough about libraries and software development for that list to just drop out in about 10 seconds. And I also know how many people consistently belittle libraries and librarians and wrongly assume the whole thing is dead easy and simple – so my antennae do go up if I suspect that might be happening.
And if it really is just a simple website with some promotional content, then questions need to be asked about the quality of project management.
Yea…I dont think I have done that here…ever?
And ok….I see where you are now. Fine.
And re…
How/do, you think I did that ? Especially regarding my own comment ?
You are obviously close to this area…maybe take your own advice?
Day One, Christopher, Day One!
"That's why this Budget is extending post natal stays to three days for all Kiwi mums.
"Fixing the basics, building the future and backing families from day one."
In steps Mr Can't Recall:
"mistake happened, we've corrected it".
Come on NZ – at the coming election we can all say,
"mistake happened, we've corrected it".
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/597006/post-natal-stay-announcement-incorrectly-characterised-christopher-luxon-says
After a normal birth the mother actually only needs 1 or 2 days in hospital, not 3.
depends on the mother and her situation
Yep.
I heard of a heartbreaking situation a month or two ago. Mum was homeless, drug and alcohol issues and a physically abusive partner. A week would have been good to try and get support and baby a better start in life.
Interestingly, depending on the hospital where the woman was, in 1973 it was up to 14 days, and in 1976 it was up to seven. By 2003 it was mostly three. Are they being bred tougher these days, or is just to keep the cost down?
Ask any man: he'll explain.
In 1980 my mum spent a week when my youngest brother was born (I remember), & when my own child was born my kids (amazing) mum spent maybe 8 hours at the hospital (to be fair the birth was at midnight & it went really well & it turned out my kids (amazing) mum spent the day at home in labour before we hit the hospital, by the time the mid wife et al were scrubbing up the baby shot out like a slippery eel).
Could the assorted pillars of Kiwi society leading and funding the NActF coalition of corrupt charlatans please put their greed on hold for just a minute. 'Make us!'
A(t)las, Fair Lotto lady Nicky-No-Boats' socioeconomic credibility has taken another hit with 'Tough Love' Budget 2026, while assorted wreckers continue to busy themselves in "Selling off our country for parts…" Rapacious private capital needs new investment opportunities, and the NActF CoCC is only too happy to oblige – "Thank you very much for your kind donation, thank you very much, thank you very very very much."
They could have sold the state houses, via rent to buy or equity share, but they chose not to.
On 1/4 acre sections they could place a granny flat on a back section and reduced the cost of a family sized home (or done the same for a KO property for multi-generational families).
They prioritised urban density and private profit to the wealthy.
Class based decision-making.
They may not be selling off the entirety of the stock but they are blocking the path towards more state owned housing – despite the growing demand (those retiring without home ownership). And they are increasing rents to 30% of income (from 25%) – a first step towards a return to their 1990's policy – market rents?
Like last time in keys govt when police, DOC etc all sold off some housing I'd really like to know who gets to purchase those juicy 1/4 acre bocks in 'nicer' suburbs.
A full list across the 12 years of NACT would be very interesting IMO.
My local police have to seek rental properties in summer for the extra officers required as they sold the local housing they owned.
Those numbers are terrible. I didn't know they had put 900 up for sale as well.
They really are bastards.
Yep – hungry bastards. I know about as much economics as lucky Lotto lady Willis, but even I can appreciate the truth about the NActF CoC: "This government can be understood best as a machine for the relentless upwards redistribution of wealth."
As far as the NActF 'govt' is 'concerned', everything is back on track – a CoC track.
"Selling off our country for parts…" – oh, the
humanityintegrity.https://vote.nz/
Complete and utter Bastards some would say BG taking those culture wars up a notch for the election.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/596996/heartland-bank-planning-to-buy-tsb-for-620-million-in-merger
(Why TSB which I thought was almost the last NZ owned bank?)
The new Heartland/TSB bank will have assets of roughly $17 billion which is peanuts.
This is a non-story. The MSM is spinning this like it will improve competition in the sector-dream on.
The four Australian owned banks have assets of roughly $630 billion between them.
(Kiwi Bank has assets of $43 billion.)
It may be a non-story vis-à-vis 'improved competition', but I use TSB for day-to-day banking so it's of interest to me.
Our twerking arrogant prick of a DPM use it to bloviate about politicians' bloviations.
https://www.facebook.com/davidseymourACT/posts/tsb-and-heartland-banks-merger-creating-a-new-zealand-challenger-bank-of-scale-w/1521534169343856
[only for those who can stomach him]
One thought: Could this merger mean Kiwis who have a term deposit of $50k – $100k with each bank mean that they will no longer be fully covered by the DCS?
I think the Australian connection is of interest in the Heartland deal and the fact that were unwilling to trot along being a good NZ lesser business.
Small is Beautiful by EF Schumacher fits right in here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Is_Beautiful
Interesting also is to find the supermarket breakfast food shelves flooded by Hubbard produce which is now owned by the Hart Family, Oz-centred, Dick having got out in 2018 I think. I want NZ to make stuff and be able to provide for ourselves, not have to wait at the ports like cargo-cult people, for food and services to arrive from the overseas Gods. Or even to have to queue for the local allocation at premises from which we could be excluded, as is the case with some supermarkets already. Think wider peeps. There is a trend here which is troubling.
SBS Bank and the Cooperative bank are still NZ owned.
Data centres across the USA.
The truth is, in a rare moment of candour, 'fair' Lady Willis reached for a metaphor from the heart. "The wrong metaphor" is simply the best 'regret' another one of the National’s 'big brains' could come up with after the mask slipped.
https://vote.nz/
Hey, youse lucky Lotto winners in social housing, what I would say to you is our donors want a piece of those winnings. Just relax, it's all taken care of – we won't feel a thing.
Move-On!
Regrettable that Willis's former company really is fully running around the PM's office and making sure the hits go hard against any resistance to total dairy control of our land:
Fonterra legal case doc sent to private email of Luxon's former staffer
I just love the way our CEO is calmly managing the odour.
https://www.dairynz.co.nz/environment/effluent/odour-management/
Thanks Ad – since Luxon (for some reason) isn't keen on the urgent independent inquiry requested by the Greens, I'm looking forward to more progress being made by investigative journalists to get to the bottom of this – be careful now 1News, RNZ et al.
This. This. This.
"The Government is removing voting rights for non-elected representatives on councils following questions raised over iwi representatives on the Far North district council."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360987003/government-remove-voting-rights-iwi-representatives-council
This.
I get a feeling that there's a spectacular own goal coming with this one. Not all appointments to Council committees are māori.
Tell us more!
Most audit a risk committees have an independent chair, usually with voting rights, and often appointed members as well. Other council committees often bring in outside members for appropriate expertise. Iwi representatives on committees just follow the same structure.
These outside members are vital for keeping councillors and staff focused and pulling up any dubious decisions. They are there for a reason, take them away and it's only a matter of time before something goes pear shaped, probably quite spectacularly.
I agree with the cocs on this , I'm OK with with Maori wards but those on it must elected in open elections , possibly using the Maori roll
Why?
Iwi select their representatives by their own, time-tested/Aunty-tested processes.
Pakeha elect theirs through easily-manipulated, subject to corruption processes: (see Seymour's path to Government).
Why should some wide-boy, ACT/Atlas-backed, Jonny-come-lately twerp be granted voting power and an iwi-backed representative be "allowed" none?
Really interested in your view, bwaghorn 🙂
Unfortunately I have first hand experience of a iwi leader who's dishonest, I hope he never gets put up for a ward spot.
Unfortunately seymour was elected, but democracy is always the right way.
"Unfortunately seymour was elected, but democracy is always the right way."
Democracy was perverted to get seymour elected – democracy has its flaws, yes?
It's not "always the right way" – it has to be tempered by other inputs and Te Ao Māori is willing and able to provide those but if we reject their offer because we know of one who's dishonest, we are shooting ourselves in the foot.
I thought we had been 'operating' under democracy all my life, and it turns out to be a poisoned chalice. How can people make such a statement, 'but democracy is always the right way'? That is a statement of an absolute, and everything in life is contextual requiring a check-thought not rigid belief or acceptance, especially when, as now, we have an Alice in Wonderland demockracy.
Greywarshark show me a better way then .
Calling on Churchill are you bw. We all need to think about it, not just me. We have wrecked our world which we hoped post WW2 we would improve. Now we are against the wall wailing at climate change and bad water and deteriorating conditions and high prices waiting for someone to help us from having to face our realities.
And so many have a sad story to tell I find. But few have any reasonable ideas on how to remedy the situation. And then the nihilist govt will undo small useful policies that took years to set up, They talk effectiveness, efficiency and productivity but they care naught. Our politicians motto in NZ is; 'Hot air – Don't care'.