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6:00 am, August 4th, 2026 - 53 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 …
I smell toast
Roll-on the passing of the Deodorant King!
Luxon’s disdain for SMEs that are doing it tough puts into sharp focus his contempt for workers, beneficiaries (including people with disability and their caretakers), New Zealanders who rely on and demand public healthcare, negative & pessimistic youth, women who fight for their rights and pay equity, unions, and everybody who’s been in close contact with the corrections system.
Gutless straw-weight Tory defends gutless Tory PM:
https://www.odt.co.nz/business/we-need-to-get-real-no-need-for-pm-apology-over-business-comments-says-mayor-txmve006
The PM rules over the state which is the largest sector of New Zealnd's economy: 32-42%.
The PM has deliberately shrunk our national economy.
It is often only one at the business, they need the other ones regular work income.
There was an era where such businesses benefitted from the post 2000 rise in property values (growing equity). This is at an end. Now its higher mortgage debt and its cost to work or business income. This might result in boomers not being to pass on their business to new owners.
We now need cheaper business debt for small business – as we have for those that are or aspiring to be medium sized for some time.
Banks that use to grow their home mortgage portfolio (via property values increase) might have to change. That means more risk and also tighter RB oversight (Orr etc).
Progressive company taxation is also an option
33% large, 25% medium, 20% qualifying (not all only real businesses, various tests).
Luxon says he wants Government seats filled by National party MPs, rather than numpties from other parties in the coalition 🙂
Numpties!
Way to calm the waters, Luxo!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361014113/luxons-asked-about-shit-man-winston-peters-tauranga-meeting
Yes he said it "Luxon classifies NZF and ACT Candidates as "Numpties", I can see NZF nudging +20% this coming General Election in November IMHO.
Wow it's starting to unravel in cocs cuntry
Spc I’ve heard it Said that most small business are just glorified self employment
Whether buying an existing business, or building one.
However the more people that do this, the better.
It creates capability to do this again. Also the experience in business management leads onto to being employed.
Tradies once past apprenticeship and with some work experience also.
They should have some sort of training in running a small business before they try – and some info about business cycles.
Well done Hipkins for effectively ruling out working out NZF today.
"Asked whether he could work with New Zealand First, Hipkins said "we couldn't work with them at the last election, nothing really has changed that makes this more likely at the coming election.""
Peters' response was to attack the intelligence of both Hipkins and the media:
"The only thing THICKER than Chris Hipkins ruling me out TWELVE MONTHS AFTER I RULED HIM OUT is the low IQ media who report it," Peters wrote in a social media post on Tuesday.
Meanwhile it is interesting that the Opportunists are still willing to work with NZF even with racists Peters and Jones at the helm.
""As we've always said, we will sit down and try to find common ground, and that remains the case with New Zealand First," she [Opp leader Qiulae Wong] said."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/876313/labour-leader-chris-hipkins-rules-out-working-with-winston-peters-as-foreign-affairs-minister
A result like this would mean Opp would probably reelect a CoC government because they would negotiate with CoC first:
Lab 30.5 Gre 12.5 TPM 4.0=47
Nat 31.0 NZF 10.0 ACT 6.0=47
OPP 5.1
did they say that?
Yes, they said they would negotiate with the largest party first:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/713437/opportunity-voters-lean-labour-but-party-says-it-doesn-t-drive-our-decision-making
did all the work.
TOP in that case could hold the veto on the C of C in parliament or it could declare support for a National only minority government sans NZF and ACT Ministers (thus 3 equal support partners).
Key would faint over the nostalgia for the good old days.
Nat 31 is not right
Luxon wants it up and at NZF expense – he sort of said so.
I'm ok with OP's position here, because they also said this,
Being willing to work with any party on common policy was a long standing position of the Greens too btw.
Can I clarify your position here Weka.
As I understand it you are happy for Opp to reelect a CoC government?
Happy?
Perhaps unconsciously willing …
"I think that…" doesn't mean I declare that/promise that, "It's certain".
"We wouldn't" isn't, "we won't!"
Watch out, weka!
"compromise too much" whatever that means.
It means whatever she wants it to mean…
it's not any less wooly than Hipkins. Both are leaving the door open a crack.
True. They're coming from different places though: Hipkins is the leader of a long-established political party and Qiulae Wong isn't.
Right?
Do you think the influence each holds is equal, right now?
Man, if Hipkins was Chinese, he'd be able to knock the CoC right out of the park, right?
I think TOP are making a play for the power that comes from being centrist under our MMP system and is disproportionate to their vote. Same as NZF, but much more preferable. I think Wong would be a great benefit to the NZ parliament and that TOP have some policies that have serious problems. My main issue is they may cost the left the election.
I don't have a problem with a party being willing to work with any party on policy (historically the GP position).
The position of who TOP would support into government is actually useful to the left. If it is still clear they may choose NACT over L/G, then that's a good left argument against voting for them.
The problem Hipkins has is he "can not trust Winston Peters" ???
Who, "Rahui", could?
Even his own people must/should despair!
The rules applying in the medical profession may have been broken by a person appointed to the Medical Council by Simeon Brown.
Tricia McLaughlin (Homeland Security) level of performance here (here Luxon answering questions)
https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361054407/simeon-browns-medical-council-pick-under-scrutiny-over-supplement-marketing
Goldsmith's voter suppression in action. If the coalition wins the next election at a squeak and people add up the disqualified voters and realise it is considerably more than the governments margin of victory, could we be in for serious social unrest?
https://thekaka.substack.com/p/a-generation-being-disenfranchised
Yes
I suspect the number of voters pissed off enough to be concerned about it isn't that great. It's still wrong.
Goldie is using tactic's used in Germany by certain parties prior to WW11, Goldie and Seyman and Winston all using tactics against their own indigeneous brothers and sisters which is absolutely bizzrre and weird. it reminds me of a party in Germany which we are not allowed to mention ???
"…the coalition Government is showing an uncommon meanness of spirit …"
Anne Salmond: A tale of two leaders
https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/08/03/anne-salmond-a-tale-of-two-leaders/
Such wise words.
Wellington water bills unreasonably adding to inflation – with a whopping 13.3% average increase in water charges in the first year alone
Wellington Mayor Andrew Little and Local Government Minister Simon Watts questioned the affordability of the bills when they were first announced.
Public feedback on the proposed charges criticised them as “unaffordable and excessive”
It was noted at the time that a $6800 bill, which was initially forecast for 2036, would take up nearly 24% of the standard current pension
Wellingtonians were previously paying an average $2100 for water services as part of their rates
After Tiaki Wai deciding to extend its capital spending programme and the five share-holding councils agreeing to provide a financial equity backstop of $400 million, the projected 10-year average bill has now been brought down to $6200.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/wellington/explainer-wellingtons-new-tiaki-wai-water-bills-and-why-theyre-causing-confusion/26OLVNTJPZHJBAYI7HJ73BYKXI/
Which is still far too expensive and requires to be addressed.
Mayors may need to start calling on central government to help provide a larger backstop.
Anyone know where Labour now stand on this?
Labour stood on this with 3 Waters and, unfortunately, people are now getting what they voted for. Labour's 2026 manifesto has not been released, so there is no formal election position on this at this point.
Thanks Craig.
Yes, Labour's 3 waters was going to see central government cough up some funding if I remember correctly. Whereas, National's water done well have largely left councils to deal with it.
As these outrageous bills come in, Labour could regain a lot of support if they take a stance of committing to lowering them in their first year
No right turn has a post up today about investigations into Neonazis in NZ1st.
https://norightturn.blogspot.com/2026/08/nz-firsts-nazi-problem.html?m=1
"Winston has responded with bluster"
Winston always responds with bluster.
Winston Peters is so prickly that if one needles him, he’ll trade barbs instantly. And he never backs down.
Cunning reporters and political opponents could use this weakness and turn it into a strategy.
https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/08/04/luxons-rare-business-apology-exposes-deeper-political-weakness/
Might be a Remigration Now tactic to infiltrate New Zealand First.
https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361051995/young-men-behind-new-zealands-new-far-right-movement
Ye ha! Chlöe, expelled from the House for saying, to the Speaker,
"Respectfully, your problem is double standards".
Yes, Chlöe. That is the problem.
Oh for likes of the late Dick Harrison, who didn't hesitate to boot even Mulders out of the chamber.
Could New Zealanders ever accomodate/condone/support a Prime Minister who had previously said that Chinese "lie like flatfish"?
Could we???
Could Winston Peters ever become our Prime Minister???
Surely to God, NO!!
What's all this from Peters. How can we put up with these poseurs playing with and destroying our society and nation?
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2608/S00010/winston-peters-speech-new-zealand-in-its-eleventh-hour.htm
This election is going to be pivotal for the direction of our country, and what is needed more than anything else is serious skill, and serious experience in the next government. It is vital that the left does not win.
It is just as vital as who the Ministers and MPs in the next government are.
We need Members of Parliament and Ministers who have a track record of delivery and competence, who have the right values and principles to help make the changes that are needed in the key areas of government…
Latest Roy Morgan today:
Lab 25.5 Gre 13.5 TPM 2.0=41.0
Nat 32.0 ACT 8.5 NZF 8.5=49.0
Opp 8.0
The Left down 1 but the Right down 2 since the last RM poll.
Under this poll Opp would almost certainly put the CoC back in government. Good to see the racists falling.
On those figures the CoC would not need TOP.
No…the way the seats would be likely to fall, with a probable overhang for TPM assuming they win say 5 of the Maori constituencies, would mean Lab/Gre/TPM/Opp would have a majority…something like 62-60
I'm wondering whether TOP's policies being more closely aligned with the current mob's is actually the case? They seem to have some fairly progressive ideas that look like they'd be more at home within a Labour-led coalition than with the nactoids.
An active blogger who might be new. He is focussed on Israel and Gaza and neighbouring countries. 'Professor Dave Explains.'
Destiny Loves Genocide. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvDvhLkb9ms