The Standard

Open Mike 03/07/2026

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 3rd, 2026 - 29 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:


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 …

29 comments on “Open Mike 03/07/2026 ”

  1. Sanctuary 1
    3 July 2026 at 8:03 am

    The authentic voice of the enablers who made sure Hitler's trains ran on time.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361001455/msd-boss-defends-linking-staff-performance-cuts-emergency-housing

    To do an Onion on Debbie Power:

    “…In a sit-down interview with RNZ on Thursday, Power said the ministry was implementing the Führer's policy.

    "These … are targets that the Führer has given us to achieve, and so, of course they are part of our performance suite of what we're expecting our staff to achieve," she said.

    She was adamant that if any Warsaw Jew sought an exemption from the death trains, and were eligible, they would be granted it.

    "Performance measures just ensure that people understand what is required from a system point of view," Power said.

    "The Führer set us a target to reduce the number of people in the Warsaw Ghetto."

    That target was met last year…”

    Reply
    • Mercurio 1.1
      3 July 2026 at 8:51 am

      Chilling.

      Reply
    • Bearded Git 1.2
      3 July 2026 at 9:03 am

      smileyBrilliant.

      I just hope the voters can see through this.

      Reply
    • SPC 1.3
      3 July 2026 at 9:04 am

      The coalition has set out to largely get rid of emergency housing, with ministers repeatedly saying squalid motels are no place for people to live.

      The motels were expensive to government.

      As part of that effort it put up a target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing by 75 percent by the end of 2029 – which was achieved last year – and introduced rules making emergency housing harder to get into, and harder to stay in.

      The big drop off happened in 2024: the year began with 2880 households in January, and ended with 498 in December.

      There has been a period of limited net migration inflow (allowing some placement in private rentals) but this is coming to an end.

      This will require an increase in social housing availability.

      McAnulty said MSD would be helping more people if the government's parameters allowed for that.

      "They used to be different, when somebody presented with need, they were found a place to stay.

      "Now they've instructed MSD to actively avoid at all costs, it seems, putting people into emergency accommodation to the extent where they are now asked to judge people's circumstances, and if they are deemed to in any way have contributed to their circumstances, then they don't qualify."

      The undeserving poor, lack of a night shelters and moving people on into prison (a growth sector).

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/657399/msd-boss-defends-linking-staff-performance-with-cutting-emergency-housing

      Reply
    • Ad 1.4
      3 July 2026 at 9:08 am

      Can anyone commenting on here report in on what it was like in Rotorua when the previous government booked out most of the town's hotels for the homeless and poor?

      'Unintended consequences' – Ministry admits Rotorua MSD motels did spike crime | Stuff

      Reply
      • Descendant Of Smith 1.4.1
        3 July 2026 at 9:33 am

        Wrong question.

        What it would look like now if Labour's house building programmes had carried on as opposed to National stopping builds and selling off state houses?

        Just some of the cancellations – noting these were cancelled in a lot of cases after the existing houses had been demolished.No photo description available.

        Reply
      • alwyn 1.4.2
        3 July 2026 at 11:11 am

        I used to regularly visit Rotorua. I liked the place.

        I stopped staying there because you could never be sure who might be staying in the Motel you thought of booking. I would still visit the city but I wouldn't stay overnight.

        Reply
    • Descendant Of Smith 1.5
      3 July 2026 at 9:27 am

      Labour appointed her as CEO seemingly ignoring that she drove the toxic environment the media was reporting on during John Key's tenure.

      https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/20-01-2021/doubts-cast-over-claims-of-culture-change-at-work-and-income-nz

      A former Work and Income case manager who now works with beneficiaries engaging with the service has spoken out on a “toxic” culture which he says denies beneficiaries payments they’re entitled to, and persists despite the government’s attempts over nearly three years to effect change.

      Would be nice to know where Labour stands on finally implementing the Welfare Advisory Group recommendations.

      https://www.cpag.org.nz/media-releases/govt-yet-to-fully-implement-a-single-key

      Reply
  2. Mercurio 2
    3 July 2026 at 8:59 am

    "“What are you talking about, why are you asking me?” "

    Winston Peters doesn't know about Michael Laws' imminent announcement as New Zealand First candidate.

    "“What are you talking about, why are you asking me?” "

    He'll be as surprised as anyone to learn that the host for The Platform has indeed put his hand up (insert joke here).

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361001467/nz-first-confirms-broadcaster-michael-laws-political-comeback-after-mounting-speculation

    Reply
    • Ad 2.1
      3 July 2026 at 9:09 am

      Damien O'Connor now has a game on his hands in Waitaki.

      What can Labour do with this extremely National seat with a splitter taking 3-4.000 votes.

      Reply
      • Mercurio 2.1.1
        3 July 2026 at 10:27 am

        The Law of Diminishing Returns

        Reply
        • Ad 2.1.1.1
          3 July 2026 at 2:59 pm
          ANDERSON, Miles22675 National Party19281
          BAILEY, Ray1125 New Zealand Loyal902
          BEAMISH, Sean2477 ACT New Zealand5473
          HANSEN, Pleasance3495 Green Party4014
          ODERING, Anthony1823 New Zealand First Party3103
          REILLE, Ethan10524 Labour Party957

          I think you mean the Electoral Law of Results.

          A good candidate can pull far more than the Party.

          Reply
  3. bwaghorn 3
    3 July 2026 at 9:28 am

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/361001409/germany-bans-workers-calling-sick

    Be prepared for this from act if these shit heads get in again

    Reply
  4. SPC 4
    3 July 2026 at 10:35 am

    The Manhattan Transfer (the Muppets of Manhattan)

    Delineation at The Post.

    Hooton the voice of one, praises the one, Luxon, who singlehandedly is responsible for the India trade deal (though exactly what that is, is not now so clear)

    The prime minister’s signature foreign policy achievement is his free-trade deal with India. With the exception of National’s bold U-turn over compulsory retirement savings after its 50 years of recalcitrance, it may be the most important single initiative of any kind this term.

    https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361035801/murkiness-around-india-deal-takes-gloss-pms-triumph

    Meanwhile The Post speaks like a corporate entity that is a person

    The Post hopes it succeeds, but, as ever, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

    (MCERT might be the way, not that death star MBIE – black hole abyss bound)

    The distinction is like that of a majority decision and a minority of one dissent at SCOTUS.

    https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361036390/editorial-fixing-public-service-without-building-another-death-star

    Reply
    • Muttonbird 4.1
      3 July 2026 at 11:01 am

      Have to agree with Simon Bridges on this:

      For some time, the top concerns for New Zealanders in any poll have been cost of living and the economy. That’s why it’s a surprise to me that there’s near consensus among our chattering classes that raising KiwiSaver contributions to 12% is a great idea.

      The money men and women… who’ve lobbied for it love it, of course. Why wouldn’t they? They have to build a fund, and it grows bigger and faster and they clip the ticket on it, getting richer themselves through the process.

      https://archive.is/ZJwT9#selection-4077.0-4089.197

      I've also wondered how much worse it will make the economy in the short/medium term. Removing an additional 6% of every single income from the active economy seems like an extraordinary amount of money. Money which cannot be spent on groceries, services, facilities, etc.

      And 60% of KiwiSaver money is not even held in NZ, potentially available for growing our own infrastructure, it's held offshore.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/360640096/will-trumps-tariffs-kill-your-kiwisaver

      Reply
      • SPC 4.1.1
        3 July 2026 at 12:25 pm

        The government claims that the extra cost to the Crown of increasing employer contributions would be met from future budgets with careful planning.

        The Public Service Association (PSA) told RNZ that National had not been upfront about the true cost of the pledge.

        PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons, a former Labour candidate, said National had budgeted only for the cost of enrolling workers not currently in KiwiSaver, not for the higher employer contributions required for those already in the scheme.

        "It is irresponsible and a dereliction of duty not to properly fund election promises," Fitzsimons said. "We need to see transparency from this government about what public, community and health services they'll cut in order to fill this hole."

        The union released its own analysis, calculating the "unfunded extra costs" at $4.5 billion over the five-year transition period from 2028 to 2033, based on Treasury wage forecasts and assuming a flat headcount.

        Fitzsimons said agencies would be left to absorb those costs through cuts and job losses.

        https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/651939/union-warns-of-multibillion-dollar-hit-from-national-s-kiwisaver-pledge

        Reply
  5. Subliminal 5
    3 July 2026 at 11:20 am

    It is becoming obvious that the real intention of the Conservation Amendment Bill is Section 4

    Section 4 of the Act was critical to starting to redress the balance from the legacy of colonisation and displacement from what had become the conservation estate. It is a doorway for tangata whenua to influence what happens on their ancestral lands and to reconnect with those places.

    As the Waitangi Tribunal described in the Wai 262 report:

    “Māori place enormous value on the conservation estate, at two levels. First, it is not only a vast landscape by New Zealand standards; it is also where most of the surviving taonga places can be found . . . And although it is owned by the Treaty partner, every inch of it is tribal territory. Landscapes and landforms evoke the old stories, and they in turn evoke whakapapa.”

    Section 4 requires the Act to be interpreted and administered to give effect to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. It applies not only to the entire Conservation Act, including its purpose framework, but also to the long list of other laws on Schedule 4.

    This essentially means that conservation legislation must be read through the lens of the Treaty principles, and all activities on conservation land need to put them into practice. It is not optional – that has been confirmed by the Supreme Court.

    …

    The Supreme Court found that section 4 is a powerful Treaty clause that requires more than just procedural steps – substantive outcomes for iwi may be necessary. It requires consideration of whether there should be a preference in favour of iwi in the concession process, and the potential for iwi to receive an economic benefit from the concessions. DOC must also consider whether section 4 requires that no concessions be granted in the circumstances.

    It also stated that section 4, and hence the Treaty principles, should not be trumped by other considerations or be part of a general “balancing” exercise.

    …The Supreme Court also found in the Ngāi Tai case that DOC’s general policies were in breach of their own legislation, by stating that where legislation and the Treaty principles conflict, the legislation prevails.

    The proposed addition of Section 4a now becomes an attempt, like the legislation preventing suits against corporations for polluting and failure to consider climate change, to circumvent the Supreme Court.

    Ngai Tahu brought Court action in an attempt to protect its Treaty settlements but the government has successfully used the Parliamentary Privilege Act to park the case until after the bill is enacted. Maori are justifiably angry.

    Rhianna Morar, Associate of Kāhui Legal, spoke on the same panel at the EDS conference:

    “We’re not talking about an absence of good faith anymore. We’re actually talking about calculated, intentional breaches and intentional disregard for the Treaty. And that is really problematic because the Treaty is enduring”.

    Also on that panel, Paranihia Walker, Special Counsel at Kāhui Legal, spoke further on the conservation reforms. She said, “There is going to be an impact on Treaty settlements, and a lot of that discussion is being parked to be had after the enactment of the legislation, and that’s just simply not okay. It’s a breach of settlements.”

    Shane Jones is doubling down as the Minister for Desecration

    Shane Jones made clear to the EDS conference that NZ First will campaign on the economic development of public conservation lands and opening them up to industry. He said:

    “God as my witness, if we form part of the next Government, we will be pushing for the DOC department to drive more economic outcomes from the DOC estate… The longer you stop that from happening, you empower politicians like me, who will seek even more vigorously in the event that we govern again, to demand that our coalition partners make it happen.”

    This could mean that NZ First doubles down through coalition negotiations leading to the retention of the economic development provisions as written, and the return of the sale and exchange provisions, potentially with even more permissive settings than those in the current Bill.

    The submissions deadline has been extended to July 13th, so if you haven't submitted but want to, you still can.

    https://melanienelson.substack.com/p/700-treaty-settlement-commitments-conservation-reforms?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2

    https://melanienelson.substack.com/p/conservation-amendment-bill-section-4-treaty-protections?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2

    Reply
  6. Bearded Git 6
    3 July 2026 at 12:09 pm

    On RNZ just announced a 320 hectare solar farm just granted provisional fast-track consent in Canterbury.

    And we still need to import LNG?

    Reply
    • Incognito 6.1
      3 July 2026 at 12:19 pm

      The sun doesn’t shine where the Coalition is arguing from.

      Reply
    • Bearded Git 6.2
      3 July 2026 at 4:31 pm

      …..and in another fast-track decision Meridian has been today given consent to draw more water from Lake Pukaki. Again this will significantly alleviate any "dry-year" issue.

      We don't need the LNG imports.

      Note: I mis-heard. The solar farm above covers 320 rugby pitches in area, which is around 270 hectares.

      Reply
  7. adam 7
    3 July 2026 at 12:24 pm

    Connect the dots – the corporate scum have their hands up trumps ass. Oh wait, they have our right wing MP's as well, [deleted].

    Reply

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