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Open mike 04/04/2024
18 comments on “Open mike 04/04/2024”
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Oh my goodness, it couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke
the headline has since changed on the Herald website – the two people arrested for the kidnapping of a woman were caught up with in Leo Molloy's swanky viaduct restaurant. Oh dear, how sad, never mind. I'm glad they have been caught and that the kidnapped woman is now recovering in hospital.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-arrest-two-people-after-woman-found-injured-after-alleged-north-shore-kidnapping/TP4WOXOYIBHVLNBNWRKWEUWABQ/
Ah – Mackay Drive – one of Fletcher Buildings "site and dwelling" projects. I did Land Use Consents for a chunk of those dwellings.
They were well designed 3br modern dwellings, but totally car dependent.
Meanwhile our glorious new government will allow racists to retroactively decide whether or not Maori are entitled to representation in local bodies.
Good to see they're lazer focused on the economy and managing the cost-of-living crisis.
Imagine the screaming if Maori were the predominant force in the government and set up a referendum on Pakeha representation at local council level.
What an obnoxious bunch of humanity.
Torn up books? Torn up books!!
No clues as to who and why…
What books? What were the titles???
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/torn-books-dumped-along-invercargill-road
Lol, that was my first thought too
Closely followed by not that many people would have that many books.
Were they dumped or did they fall off the back of a truck?
So many unanswered questions ICC.
btw, where is Daffodil Bay?
Fact is, it's becoming harder to dispose of unwanted books, as Obtrectatrix and I have been finding lately. Fewer people are wanting them; the second-hand bookshop we used to sell to is no longer paying cash to replenish its stock (swaps only now); even op-shops are getting fussier. I pick there'll more of this sort of fly-tipping.
So this shambles of a cosplay government are getting ready to kick thousands or public service workers to the kerb. As deeply as I feel for them, I also feel equally as deeply for those that will be left behind having to pick up the work those others would have been tasked with doing. I anticipate many of those "lucky" remaining people are going to be heading toward mental health and stress related issues because I can tell you from first hand experience that when these restructures happen, all that really happens for those that kept their jobs is that job descriptions change and suddenly your doing 50% or more work.. but I guess we all need to be ready to sacrifice a little something something to keep the priesthood within the cult of realestate happy..
Considering the bloating of the public service during the previous government, there's ample scope for firing more than a few, especially from the demographic ministries. The media is decrying the "brutal" cuts to the Ministry of Pacific Peoples, while ignoring the massive growth of said ministry during the Ardern-Hipkins administration https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/03/almost-half-of-ministry-for-pacific-peoples-workforce-to-be-cut-under-proposal.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
I’m surprised that they are only looking at average cuts of around 6.5%. Maybe this is just round 1 so as not to scare the horses too much.
How do you define bloated Dolomedes?
Because there isn't any empirical evidence to suggest there's a optimal size for the public service.
The Democracy Project highlights how middle-class our House of Unrepresentatives has become. Actually even "middle-class" doesn't do justice to it – most of our parliamentarians come from affluent backgrounds. And that includes Labour and the Greens.
https://democracyproject.substack.com/p/the-affluent-pathway-to-parliament?utm_campaign=email-half-post&r=1vvcih&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
In Dolomedes, we have a ACT-advocate.
How dull it all is.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/513413/loosening-building-products-red-tape-good-first-step-industry
FFS how naive do they think we are? Fletchers are going to lower house prices, or bank the difference? Exactly the same as the landlords rort.
Chinese reinforceing steel, leaky buildings anyone? By cutting staff in Ministries, who is going to do the checking?
What could go wrong!!!!
NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler had a bit to say about the consequences of light-handed regulation.
David Chandler was in Auckland recently speaking at an Institute of Building conference – and he also visited the Ridge Apartments – which is at the centre of documentary series A Living Hell: Apartment Disasters, covered by Nine to Noon in February.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018932463/nsw-building-commissioner-on-campaign-against-shoddy-practice
https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018932463
A huge increase in import cheap Chinese imitation building materials.
Pay-off for Chinese government support of National at the last election.
Na, HUGE profits for the fukas importing cheap shit and selling it for just under the price of a NZ Standards approved item