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notices and features - Date published:
6:00 am, September 7th, 2025 - 29 comments
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Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.
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Step up to the mike …
Today's Posts (updated through the day):
Local and by-election turnouts
Daily Bog media critic on leftist political alignment:
You mean like last time? Patterns don't always repeat. They also morph sometimes.
So the bog man definitively rules out pragmatic compromises on the left. Principle must somehow prevail over common interest, he seems to think. Well, that would work if principle ever got the numbers on the left. Who can remember when it last happened?
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2025/09/07/mediawatch-the-standard-goes-there-why-a-labour-nzf-government-would-be-a-disaster/
If I could move your comment to TDB I would.
It looks to me that you’re click-baiting and spawning outrage to encourage shit comments here instead of discussing NZ politics.
Bomber is right-NZF's Peters has drunk the Kool-Aid and is now a toxic mix of (among many other things) racist, anti-trans and anti-vaccine. Then there is NZF's dinosaur Shane Jones who is worse than Peters.
Labour should rule out a coalition or a deal of any kind with NZF.
(Remember it was also Peters' fault there is no light-rail in Auckland.)
Didn't read either the Daily Blog post or the Standard post but it is worth noting Ad is the most Stuart Nash-like offical on the Standard and certainly doesn't represent the site as a whole.
Speaking at NZ First's annual conference, Stuart Nash's comments against Chris Hipkins were cynical and a clear attempt to stir up anti-Hipkins sentiment. Hipkins was left with no option in March 2023, other than to sack Nash.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/09/06/former-labour-mp-has-enlightening-conversations-with-nz-first/
…"Labour leader Chris Hipkins sacked Nash from Cabinet in 2023, after a series of missteps, including sharing confidential cabinet information with some of his own donors.
Nash had also criticised a judge's decision and revealed he phoned the police commissioner to discuss whether it would be appealed. Cabinet ministers are expected to avoid criticising judicial decisions".
Nash portrayed himself as a victim of his own inappropriate behaviour, and as having been betrayed by Hipkins.
"The thing that disappointed me most is not the fact that I wasn't sitting in cabinet," Nash today said.
"The thing that really disappointed me was the guy that I thought had my back and was a good mate actually didn't.
"Even a very experienced politician like I was didn't expect to be stabbed in the back."
However, he said his apparent shift in allegiances was "not personal at all"…
Nash's comments are disingenuous. If Hipkins as PM hadn't sacked him for confidentiality breaches, the media and the then Opposition would have relentlessly attacked Hipkins for failure to do so, as there wasn't an appropriate alternative.
Winston Peters, who has a seemingly irrational resentment of Chris Hipkins, will likely be very happy with the prospect of increasing division and confusion amongst voters.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/572298/former-labour-mp-stuart-nash-not-closing-door-on-campaigning-for-nz-first
Stuart Nash was fired from Cabinet for a string of scandals.
Both Nash and Shane Jones attempted to be Leaders of Labour and failed.
Both are together now as whining attack dogs for Winston Peters. Hell mend them.
Stuart Nash a match for NZFist, but already on board with…the taxpayers union? Not sure if that was known ? Was news to me (although he would be a good fit for both….)
And just so we know where he
stoodstands…Ol' Ruthless oiling him up. Bluurgh : (Scumbag.
Cookers for Council.
The conspiracists/VFF et al ; did give it a go last time…but didnt do quite so well as they had hoped. Seems most people really arent so keen on nazi/NWO/Great Reset/Chem Trail kooks.
So…the Minds Behind (aka asses) have had a rethink…and strategised. Its now going to be about cones. An interesting take on the Trojan Horse. (think of them as coneheads : )
I note the as usual VFF Deeks and Bland…but some others have popped up incl organiser Elizabeth Chem Trail Mundt
And an (apparently) ex NZ SIS ?!….(as in the link)
They seem somehow more organised…(by who I wonder ?)
I have used some humour here….but others might also have noticed some interesting candidates for Council.?
Pays to be Aware.
A flimsy flyer for a meeting of local body election candidates drifted into my Palmy letterbox last month – was laser-focused on cones, and a good candidate for recycling.
Which they would also be against
.
I read the other day that they had banned chem trails in Texas? Or Florida? & the people were distressed because they could still see chem trails in the sky even though the governed had banned them.
They are out there…wayyy out there. Its kinda funny,kinda sad mainly…kinda mad. Anyway I did a search of what you'd maybe read….and whooboy. Its a worry.
And as I linked earlier, these deluded are in NZ too. Selwyn District councillor and Conehead Organiser, Elizabeth Chem Trail Mundt……
Covid is rampant on the USA's west coast. I'm sure Kennedy will sort this out (sarc).
https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/summer-covid-wave-prompts-panic-california-masks-recommended
Withdrawal from the Paris Accords, Seymour as deputy PM and Peters as Foreign Affairs Minister, a MFAT nightmare.
Having abandoned Peter Fraser's legacy for fear of POTUS 47, how low will Peters go?
The accomplice of Barry Soper, there is no Greenie he would not piss on while drunk, writes about the race to abandon French diplomacy by 2030.
https://archive.li/6qmrW
More MP's, better resourced Select Committees and strong accountability requirements for Ministers, agencies and bureaucrats to parliament.
Maintaining some semblance of civilisation in our own nation state as a way to remain culturally distinct as the March 4 1789 constitutional republic falls to authoritarian oligarchy.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/09/07/former-pm-sir-geoffrey-palmers-stark-warning-about-nzs-democracy/
Peters has declared NZ First policy is to increase Kiwi Saver contributions to 8%, then 10% (and make it compulsory).
The current standard is 3% and is matched by the employer. The current voluntary rates are 4%, 6%, 8% or 10%.
The employer would be required to match the 8% and `10% contribution rate.
And make this affordable by tax cuts …for both employee and employer
The one with the move to 8% would be the largest tax cut in our political history.
This is Trump territory.
$11B a year goes into KiwiSaver – making it compulsory would increase that by at least $2Bpa. If made now.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360815953/winston-peters-wants-hike-kiwisaver-contributions-10
Voters I've spoken to don't want tax cuts only to have them gobbled up by Kiwisaver, they want tax cuts to help them afford to live.
Things are really tough out there and unemployment is starting to snowball.
And neither National nor Labour would agree to the blow out in debt, or the huge cut in government spending.
ACT might.
Labour should note that.
I would suggest 10% total and instead of government contribution make gains tax free!
Looks like solid Labour territory to me.
Just builds on a Labour policy and gets close to what's been going on in Australia for years.
There is nothing on this in the 2023 policy
Financing it by tax cuts, is that how Oz did it?
It would end the ability to fund their stated goals.
Albeit minimalist in the current form.
https://www.labour.org.nz/priority-pages/our-priorities/
Kiwisaver was brought in by Labour in 2006-7.
Labour needs to look for things that have other parties' support.
Far and away most New Zealanders are employed by small or medium companies, with very low benefits and wages. This is a good way of lifting the floor.
The country has a major fiscal problems.
Government and workers lack income.
The government cannot afford to subsidise private savings when it is struggling to provide (fund) health services or housing for the aged (and also those under age 65).
The ability of workers to afford it is based on their incomes and costs – which is where the Fair Pay Agreement (industry awards) real MW increases and restored pay equity come into it.
Labour would consider an increase to 4%, then 5% etc as workers can afford it – at this point this is left voluntary for a reason (as is compulsion).
When one considers increasing Kiwisaver contributions one needs to consider real inflation impacting the cost of necessities and when that is expected to ease.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/09/01/why-your-grocery-bill-still-feels-out-of-control/
The rate of wage growth
Annual inflation of 2.7% has outstripped wage growth for the private sector and minimum wage workers. With public sector wage growth sitting at just 2.8% for the year. All outstripped by the cost of necessities.
https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/assets/Labour-Cost-Index-June-2025-Key-Points.pdf
Unemployment
Unemployment has been steadily rising
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/569145/unemployment-rate-rises-to-highest-level-since-2020
Business closures
Business closures in NZ, particularly liquidations, are at a 10-year high
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/thedetail/569900/a-boom-in-businesses-going-bust
KiwiSaver hardship withdrawals
KiwiSaver hardship withdrawals are increasing
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/567758/kiwisaver-hardship-withdrawals-boom
Business returns
One in five businesses reporting losses
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/569680/one-in-five-businesses-reporting-losses
Household wealth, savings and discretionary income
Household dissaving since the start of 2022 has reduced savings buffers
And there are constraints on household wealth and discretionary income.
https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/hub/news/2025/08/ocr-lowered-to-3-percent
And a little bit of crystal balling
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/572507/two-large-retailers-preparing-to-lay-off-staff-as-sector-far-from-optimistic
here's an idea. Why doesn't the state tax appropriately across all income streams and use some of that money to fund superannuation?
The government priority is to fund health services, diminish poverty (such as sickness within ACC) and ensure enough income related housing and get invest for growth in the economy.
That and funding tax paid super.
If housing is sorted, then those with savings will end speculation in that sector and send their money into more productive sector investment.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/572434/nz-first-s-promise-of-compulsory-10-percent-kiwisaver-and-tax-cuts-not-feasible-economist-says
For the reasons I highlighted above, I disagree with Shamubeel.
I think there are a good number of households and businesses that don't have the capacity to currently contribute more towards KiwiSaver. Nor do I see that improving going forward.
Can't even see any light at the end of the tunnel at this stage.