Open Mike 06/09/2026

Written By: notices and features - Date published: - 34 comments
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34 comments on “Open Mike 06/09/2026”

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    1. 1.1

      Lead thee way waggie, we have been waiting for some ideas and boy do we need good ones so we can at least start thinking.yes

      1. 1.1.1

        I dint need to labour were doing good stuff with ,the future of work,and top are talking ubi, we just need more grown ups in government

        1. 1.1.1.1

          I think we can be a bit more concrete than “AI is coming, so maybe UBI”.

          A plausible policy response would be to treat AI as a general-purpose technology that is likely to increase productivity, displace some tasks and jobs, and create others. All while admitting we don't yet know the eventual balance.

          So I'd start with five things.

          First, establish an independent AI regulator/centre of expertise staffed with actual AI practitioners, data engineers, regulatory systems people, economists and lawyers. Not to approve every model or write a giant rulebook up front, but to monitor what is actually happening, issue standards, investigate harms, and adapt regulation as the technology evolves.

          Second, regulate uses according to risk rather than treating “AI” as one thing. Using a model to summarise internal documents is not the same regulatory problem as using one to determine access to credit, healthcare, employment, policing or benefits.

          High-impact decisions should attract much stronger requirements around transparency, auditability, human accountability and appeal rights.

          Third, actively support adoption. New Zealand is much more likely to be an AI user than a frontier-model developer. Help SMEs, public agencies, schools and workers actually learn how to use the technology productively rather than leaving adoption to a handful of large firms.

          Fourth, build the labour-market transition machinery now. That means serious retraining and adult education, better income support during retraining, portable credentials, apprenticeships and pathways into occupations where demand is growing.

          If productivity gains eventually support shorter working weeks or stronger income guarantees, great. But we don't need to guess the final labour-market settlement before doing the obvious preparatory work.

          And fifth, make sure the gains don't all accrue to owners of capital. That is partly an AI question, but mostly an ordinary political-economy question: tax, competition policy, bargaining power, public services and how productivity gains get distributed.

          I wouldn't start with “AI will abolish work”, because we don't know that. Nor would I start with “nothing to worry about”.

          I'd start with: AI is happening, it is powerful, it will have second- and third-order effects we cannot fully predict, and government should build the institutional capacity to steer it as those effects become visible.

          That's a policy programme. UBI is one possible future instrument inside that programme, not the programme itself.

  2. 2

    Election forward we go – which birdbrain do we pick. Forest and Bird have a humourous take on the matter and for real so get with it you-all.

    Voting opens today in the only election this year where every party stands with a left wing and a right wing.

    https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2609/S00123/polls-open-in-new-zealands-wildest-election.htm

    …more than 70 native birds are standing across six parties with the support of volunteer campaign managers making noise for their favourite birds. Voting will close at 5pm on Sunday 20 September with the winner announced on 21 September.

    1. 3.1

      Good work Ad.

      I hear that the Bayeux tapestry can de damaged at illumination above 50 lux. By the time I get to the local shops I am feeling quite unwell by exposure to only about 20 Lux on so many billboards. They obviously have truckloads of money. So, the one thing that Hipkins really should talk to Quilae Wong about,is picking up some modified version of OPP's campaign finance reform policy.

  4. 4

    https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2609/S00054/new-zealand-has-a-window-to-build-a-more-competitive-economy-businessnz-says.htm

    New Zealand Has A Window To Build A More Competitive Economy, BusinessNZ Says

    Thursday, 3 September 2026, 10:21 am
    Press Release: BusinessNZ

    BusinessNZ says New Zealand's economic recovery is gaining real traction – and the country now has a rare opening to put itself on a more competitive international footing for the capital, investment and skilled people every advanced economy is competing for….

    Too late you dunderheads – you have had too long already to show your mettle, and we are fearful of getting awfully close to seeing your metal. So don't feed us any more s..t and go dig your potato patch somewhere else. We aren't in the mood for a repeat of the furtive dealings of the Irish Potato Famine.

  5. 5

    'KiwiMart'

    The Green Party is campaigning on establishing a publicly owned supermarket chain to break up the duopoly and drive down food prices.

    Swarbrick said KiwiMart would start with 15 percent market share.

    "We're not short of supermarkets, we're short of competition. As experts have noted, divestment – that is, buying already existing stores – is key to breaking up the duopoly."

    Foodstuffs and Woolworths would be forced to sell 120 stores and two distribution centres into public ownership which would require new legislation, Swarbrick said.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/1271645/greens-vow-to-break-up-supermarket-duopoly-set-up-publicly-owned-kiwimart

    I like the notion, do you?

    Power company next?

    1. 5.1

      +100 Straight out of Mamdani playbook.

      Would take not much to form a jv between MBIE and The Warehouse. Just like The Warehouse Stationery and Parmacy Warehouse.

      1. 5.1.1

        With no government being able to get a new competitor here or get on top of prices. something had to be done.

        People are drowning with high costs so hopefully the Greens will act with pace.

        Te Pāti Māori generally align with the Green Party on breaking up the supermarkets, so may also support this.

        The big question mark is Labour. Anybody heard from them on this?

        1. 5.1.1.1

          Didn't take long for National to come out swinging.

          This is when people look to see if Labour will smash them (the Nats) or join them in their dislike of KiwiMart

          1. 5.1.1.1.1

            Hipkins will not support this.

            I'd say the best you could hope for is the "have a look at", "not rule out" option. Which would actually be fine, it's fair enough to say it's on the negotiating table without saying it's Labour policy.

            But given his stance on so many other issues, it wouldn't be a surprise to hear Hipkins echo National's rejection of the idea. Hope I'm wrong.

      2. 5.1.2

        Definitely let MBIE and The Warehouse be first option to set up Kiwi Mart. The Warehouse did want to come to the fore during Covid and got frozen out. I go in there and buy what suits me, they would be prepared to have a full stock of food. They have f&v to some extent, eggs, and special items at different times.

        And compare to the supermarket I often go to, since I have not renewed my club card, and don't get flybys any more I have to pay full price and sharpened my interest. Some items on the Club card special are about a third off shelf price. So people are blackmailed to get onto the list of customers that they can utilise to market things to. It can also be hacked. How to limit your exposure to the ubiquitous nosy tech. Is it legal to withhold most special prices to ordinary customers at a supermarket where they are supposed to be offering food more cheaply than otherwise? Is dynamic pricing compatible with being an honest seller?

    2. 5.2

      I dont think it will be terribly effective, running supermarkets as an SOE I dont think will give the desired results. The One Million in excess profits per day oft cited on equates to @ 20 cents per day per person in NZ or around $80 per year and the duopoly are very effective at screwing vege and fruit suppliers down hard. I doubt an SOE could get away with the tactics used.

      I have a different idea, legislate to make all supermarkets offer a 'home brand' created by govt and with a govt set margin and a requirement to display it promeniantly. Covers staple foods Mince, Bread, Vege, Fruit, Milk, Butter , Cheese etc etc way less set up cost I suspect a better end result.

      1. 5.2.1

        @ 20 cents per day per person?

        Got a link for that?

        Can you give more detail on your 'home brand' plan?

        As in created in what way? Who sets the prices? How much lower would margins be set?

        How much would you expect to see people save on a $200 shop?

        1. 5.2.1.1

          5 lines, 5 questions crying

          @ 20 cents per day per person?

          Got a link for that?

          Yup, it’s in the Green Party policy document, the 2022-report of the Commerce Commission, IIRC.

          $1 million per day divided by 5 million Kiwis gives 20 cts. per day per Kiwi – I don’t even need a calculator for this but you may want to check my calculation yourself.

            1. 5.2.1.1.1.1

              I think it’s crucial that you get to the bottom of this first – the exact words that Cricklewood used were “oft cited”. You can use AI when you get stuck.

              1. 5.2.1.1.1.1.1

                Cricklewood seems to be implying consumers would only save $80 a year under the Greens plan

                Yet, 5 million Kiwis don't shop everyday

                Nevertheless, thanks for your imput

                1. 5.2.1.1.1.1.1.1

                  Yet, 5 million Kiwis don't shop everyday

                  I agree 100% – these details are vital and we need more detail on this. For instance, if the main shopper of a household shops once a week for said household, how much excess profit will each member of that household represent? Obviously, we must hear more evidence before we can judge this policy to its full potential, don’t you agree?

                  1. 5.2.1.1.1.1.1.1.1

                    Indeed.

                    Hopefully the Greens have done their homework and will be able to answer this and more when further questioned on it by the media.

                    1. 5.2.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1

                      If they cannot answer those and other pertinent questions, then we’ll have to conclude that there are too many holes and that the policy, and therefore the policy makers, are not fit for purpose. This then leaves only one alternative option for voters.

                2. 5.2.1.1.1.1.1.2

                  Using Cricklewood’s prompts & algorithm:

                  20 cts. per day times 365 days per year equals $73 per year, and when generously rounded up, this comes to Cricklewood’s “around $80 per year”, so not a total hallucination.

                    2. 5.2.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.2

                      We need to know the numbers to better calculate.

                      However, don't overlook their mandate and scope to further lower their margin to further lower costs. That million a day is just the excess

                      The Greens didn't do too well presenting their budget on Q&A.

                      If they cannot answer those and other pertinent questions the sell won't go as well for them or the left for that matter. As they largely represent the left.

                      They want to spend a couple of billion at least so they will need to have answers to better help sell their pitch

                3. 5.2.1.1.1.1.1.3

                  Could be more effective when calculating numbers of shoppers from population figures, to think in terms of households. Probably one person per household of say three people, does the shopping once/twice a week, (used to be 5 in a household but now I think smaller).

                  1. 5.2.1.1.1.1.1.3.1

                    That's just the breakdown of the million a day which is just the excess

                    The commission estimated Countdown and Foodstuffs’ combined profit would fall by $430m a year if they earned a 5.5% return on their capital, instead of the 12.9% annual return

                    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/128586011/a-slap-in-the-face-consumer-nz-calls-for-end-to-excess-supermarket-profits

                    That’s still 5.5% annual profit that the Greens mandate can work down. They only need profit to cover their loan. Haven't seen any talk of making the crown a dividen

        2. 5.2.1.2

          Govt creates a 'home brand' uses purchasing power to get good deal on staples and handles logistics. Legislates that all supermarkets must carry said brand with a margin set by govt. I dont know how much it would save would very much depend on how much margin is in the existing supermarket home brand products. To be honest I suspect not that much.

          One thing I do know is that a big chunk of supermarket margin comes from junkfood type products soft drinks, chips, choclates that sort of stuff. High turnover, low wastage, easy to store and freight.

          1. 5.2.1.2.1

            Thanks for that, Cricklewood.

            A lot of money (see below) spent on advertising for a duopoly market.

            Which is a classic symptom of non-price competition.

            Supermarket groups like Foodstuffs and Woolworths rank among NZ's largest overall advertising spenders. Investing roughly $194 million annually

            https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2025/nielsen-ad-intel-2024-advertising-spend-report-reveals-new-zealands-top-advertisers-leading-industries-and-market-shifts/

  6. 6

    Came across this clip from 10 days ago. Americans going to the polls with similar issues as we have. Robert Reich…

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