Open Mike 06/05/2026

Written By: notices and features - Date published: - 24 comments
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24 comments on “Open Mike 06/05/2026”

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  1. 1

    Marco Free Cuba Rubio : oh so concerned about Civilian sailors deaths….

    Ten civilian sailors have died in Strait of Hormuz, Marco Rubio says

    "They're isolated, they're starving, they're vulnerable and at least 10 sailors have died as a result, civilian sailors," Rubio said, without providing additional details.

    Ah..the ILLEGAL attack !

    "We are only responding if attacked first. This is a defensive operation," Rubio told a press conference.

    Hegseth said hundreds of ships were lining up to pass through the critical waterway. Before the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February, about 20 percent of global oil supplies passed through the strait daily.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/594369/ten-civilian-sailors-have-died-in-strait-of-hormuz-marco-rubio-says

    Meanwhile Civilian sailors are indeed being illegally killed by the USA….fully documented !

    US military strike kills two pushing death toll in alleged ‘narco boat’ campaign to at least 188

    Despite the Iran war, US military strikes in the eastern Pacific have ramped up in recent weeks

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/05/us-military-strike-alleged-drugs-boat-caribbean-sea-pacific

    And earlier, from not MSM….KiwiPolitico :

    Rats fleeing a moral slum.

    https://www.kiwipolitico.com/2025/12/how-rats-flee-a-moral-slum/

    1. 1.1

      Nuremburg started the legal and moral principle that illegal orders should not be followed.

      The liability for following them, extends all the way from the Orange turd to the military who carry them out.

      Rightly, and legally, they should all face charges. I don't see that happening however.

      Note as an aside, I didn't think anyone could make Iran's theocracy look like the "good guys". Until now!

      1. 1.1.1

        Note as an aside, I didn't think anyone could make Iran's theocracy look like the "good guys". Until now!

        Yes, that is certainly one remarkable achievement of the Trump chaos!

      2. 1.1.2

        The liability for following them, extends all the way from the Orange turd to the military who carry them out.

        Rightly, and legally, they should all face charges. I don't see that happening however.

        Very true that! But!

        Since Donald Trump’s first term, they have been viewed comfortingly as the “adults in the room,” a last line of defense against the impulsive whims of a president with access to the nuclear codes.

        Now – after an unprecedented wave of firings that has been compared by some to Stalin’s purges – the Pentagon top brass no longer seem like such a reliable bulwark.

        Since Trump returned to office in January last year, Pete Hegseth, the rumbustious defense secretary who has made it his mission to remake a military ethos he denounced as “woke”, has fired or forcibly retired 24 generals and senior commanders, with no performance-related reason given.

        https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/03/pentagon-pete-hegseth-us-military

  2. 2

    In a good way…..

    New Zealand passes solar tipping point

    Josh Ellison, research lead for Rewiring Aotearoa, said the country was one of the first where the electrification of homes and vehicles could deliver cost-of-living savings and reductions in emissions at the same time.

    Pushing through….

    Tim Sparks, Electricity Authority

    From next week, lines companies will be required to have a default export limit for people putting power back into the network of 10 kilowatts.

    "That means people can basically put more solar power into the network than they could before.

    "A lot of lines companies in the past have had much lower limits down at five kilowatts. And so, in some cases people were pushing up against that limit."

    He said the authority was also requiring distributors to pay rebates when power was supplied by household and small business customers in peak times.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/594242/new-zealand-passes-solar-tipping-point

    More needed though ! Electrify NZ : )

    Show your support today

    Electrify Everything

    https://action.greens.org.nz/electrify_everything

  3. 3

    Central Government is forcing councils to amalgamate. In a pretence of offering choice, they've given council 3 months to finalise their plans. If they fail to present one, Government will make the decision for them.

    Council should refuse to produce any plan. Central Government would then have to take responsibility for the resulting changes. Ratepayers are unlikely to enjoy the changes; for starters, they're likely to have less say in their local resources and infrastructure and they're likely to pay more than they presently do and or suffer a fall in quality of service.

    There are some mayors though, who believe themselves most suitable for the new role of Potentate, so we'll see how it all pans out.

    1. 3.1

      There will be some regions that will be easy with existing agreement between councils (and their communities) and can move quickly. Southland is a good example where the unification discussion has been going for a while.

      Then there will be others where it's not going to be easy to get agreement, or even have the discussion. Otago looks to be in that situation where no one is really saying much at all.

      Local government is going to be interesting here, some in Dunedin will see a Greater Otago entity based in and controlled by Dunedin, the rest of Otago might have a rather different idea. Stock up on pop corn.

  4. 4

    Great post psych…..solar, the cheapest power on earth and getting cheaper, is finally taking off in NZ. EVs also happening.

    Thank you President Trump.

    1. 4.1

      Thank you President Trump.

      Yes, a day of surprises – another remarkable thing the Trump chaos has achieved!

  6. 6

    Plague got spread by internationally travelling rats in the past with dire consequences. Now all this wealth and international travel has people doing the rats' job! The latest is hantavirus, and I solemnly prophesy that we will possibly work our way through the alphabet, janta, kanta etc.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/594366/passengers-on-cruise-ship-with-deadly-hantavirus-will-need-to-isolate-for-several-weeks

    And our own intelligent people attempting to waken whatever brain cells in the business-management and politico class are dismissed as Cassandras.

    May.3/2026 https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/health/594118/world-largely-unprepared-if-any-new-pandemic-arises-helen-clark

    Apr.7/26 https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/591674/almost-200-000-new-zealanders-are-now-living-with-long-covid-where-is-the-government-plan

    Then of course there are the constant outbursts of sadness and anger which is in itself a pandemic of unhappy New Zealanders caught up in the demolishing of our living systems of value to us.

    2025 https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/07/28/nzs-multi-billion-dollar-hidden-epidemic/

    2. 7.2

      The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) oversees the entire broadcasting system, which includes TV and radio. The main purpose of the BSA is to deal with complaints through research and interpreting legislation and standards. They also serve to protect the rights of New Zealand residents by ensuring broadcasting services are available and affordable. Additionally, they provide news on recent developments in their complaints division and release periodic newsletters with updates from various broadcast outlets.

      https://globaledge.msu.edu/industries/media-and-communications/regulatory-agencies

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Bartlett

      Reality dating show Naked Attraction given the all clear to lay bare on NZ television [The Herald (paywalled), 5 April 2018]
      A reality dating show that features nudity has been given the seal of approval from the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

      Two episodes of Naked Attraction aired in New Zealand in October and November last year and subsequently 13 people complained to the BSA.

      https://www.bsa.govt.nz/

      Times change. Is/was the BSA ill-equipped to adjudicate on an imminent tsunami of complaints about AI-laced broadcasts? Ah well, that's one more source of 'entertainment' denied – Next, Please.

      During a segment of Seven Sharp, hosts Hilary Barry and Jeremy Wells competed in a ‘Steak Off’ to see who could barbecue the best steak. During the competition, Wells wore an apron with an image of a naked man’s torso on the front, with the genitals on the apron pixelated throughout the segment.

      https://www.bsa.govt.nz/decisions/all-decisions/hines-and-television-new-zealand-ltd-2022-137-22-march-2023/

  8. 8

    Im guessing people will now have seen the National ads on YouTube.

    Fronted by Willis, this is a clear media management decision to withdraw Luxon as a public liability and play to their strength.

    If it came to it, Willis would be a formidable leader against Hipkins in October and November.

    2. 8.2

      I would have thought she would have a hard time defending their economic record, let alone be credible standing in for Luxon as the coalition's front office manager.

    4. 8.4

      Im guessing people will now have seen the National ads on YouTube.

      Nope. Nat MPs are subpar – sometimes good for a laugh, but I prefer serious funnies.

      Chair of Financial Markets Authority resigns after conduct review
      [careful now RNZ, 4 May 2026]
      His [Stobo’s] public submission and remarks on the Treaty Principles Bill were found to be "laudatory" of the government, critical of the opposition and in breach of public service requirements to be impartial.

      A CoC sycophant bites the dust. And if you can't stack regulatory authorities, scrap 'em.

      Scrapping Broadcasting Standards Authority will hit standards, experts say [careful now RNZ, 6 May 2026]
      Peter Thompson, who is also part of the Better Public Media organisation, said he was also surprised there hadn't been any significant public consultation on the matter.

      He called the move "politically expedient" and "democratically indefensible."

      "In essence, we're abandoning enforceable content standards for the media in a digital ecology where many media are struggling to maintain professional standards.

      "I expected a far more fulsome discussion of the options that were under consideration before any decision was taken."

      "Fulsome discussion" before the CoC takes any decision?!!! Tell him he's dreaming.

      No government since at least 1987 has passed 30 or more laws without a select committee vet – until the coalition last month
      [Newsroom, 16 April 2026]

  10. 10

    Can I just say wish we had more people in power with this amount of spine, courage and integrity. Hon Dr Jim Chalmers speaking about One Nation and their anti worker voting record. Starts at around the 7minute mark.

    Whole video is interesting if your interested in Australian politics.

  11. 11

    In reply to Ad @8

    The National Party’s five-point comms plan to seize back the agenda

    Via the Spinoff.

    ”Through the mists of all of this, a discernibly new National strategy has taken shape.

    Perhaps it started with the appointment of Simeon Brown to the role of campaign chair, in place of Chris Bishop. Perhaps it was settled upon in that epic caucus meeting – the one, recall, that chief whip Stuart Smith was sadly unable to attend – at which Luxon put his leadership to the vote. But a reboot, a new assertiveness, is clear enough to see.”

    It’s going to get really nasty.

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