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6:00 am, February 21st, 2026 - 30 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 …
Does Reform have a policy on funding the royal family?
Not saying the Windsors need the guillotine, just a job as tour guides.
I think that they should keep Charlie, at least, on. He seems to be able to charm Donald in a way that no-one else in Europe can.
A military parade, a lavish state dinner and suitably friendly treatment at Windsor Castle seems to be enough. The ability to keep Donald happy is, in my opinion, well worth whatever it costs to keep Charles on the throne.
And that is called paying the Don-geld/But we've proved it to be a big con,/For if once you have paid him the Don-geld You never get rid of the Don. (Apologies to Mr Kipling)
He'll be wanting an honorary knighthood next …
"honorary knighthood".
He wouldn't be the first, would he.
Eisenhower, Reagan the Bush Senior all got them.
Attempting to "charm" an 80-year-old toddler is the last thing anyone should do. Smash him with the law like all but the 3 traitors to the constitution on the SCOTUS did just hours ago.
I agree with the view that he is a toddler. In his current position though he is a very very dangerous toddler.
I commented on this site ten years ago, when he was first turning up in the polls, that I would vote for anyone except Trump as I thought he was crazy. I've never seen any reason to change my mind in that respect. However I don't want to see any significant NZ politician saying any such thing for as long as he stays in power. He could do us far to much harm. I can say it because nobody in the current administration, right up to Trump would ever notice or care. I don't want Luxon saying it though. It really isn't worth it.
Doesn't look like it has a specific policy on it, other than the suggestion of cutting waste – specifically focused on the civil service. It does favour restoring British Sovereignty and traditions.
Reform Party Policies.
It looks like it's more focused on British businesses.
There probably would be a place for the Mountbatten-Windsors as tour guides around aristocratic homes and properties.
Neither "Mountbatten" nor "Windsor" are their real names anyway.
what are their real names?
Saxe-Coberg-Gotha
They became “Windsor” during WWI because their family name sounded ‘terribly German.’
The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha name (created name from 1826) is derived from the combining of two distinct Saxon duchies: Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha.
It is a junior branch of the House of Wettin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Wettin
The name comes from Wettin Castle, thus Windsor.
https://familypedia.fandom.com/wiki/House_of_Wettin
Philip adopted the name Mountbatten before his marriage to the Queen.
He was born into House of Glücksburg but renounced his claim (Danish-Greek house) before his marriage in 1947 to the heiress to the English throne.
His mother was of Battenberg line (Anglicised as Mountbatten in 1917 during WW1), daughter of Prince Louis of Battenberg.
The surname is thus Mountbatten (of Windsor a name adopted by the English Queen)
Her grandfather King George V adopted the name in 1917, to replace the German name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha due to anti-German sentiment during World War I.
Elizabeth II confirmed this as the Royal House name upon her accession in 1952.
Thus it is Mountbatten-Windsor.
The link is about 10 lines long. Google “when was surname Mountbatten Windsor confirmed.”
To put it bluntly:
Phillip was pissed off his kids did not carry his surname and he badgered his beloved, the Queen for years. She finally gave in and the name M.W. became the official surname under leadership of PM Harold McMillan whose family was very close to the Royal Family,
She had little choice, all the male lines in past times brought with them a new dynasty name.
@Alwyn @1.1.1.1
To add to your list JohnKey Bill English…
I wasn't aware that either John Key or Bill English had been President of the United States. When did that happen?
It didn't happen, silly.
Another thing that didn't happen, as far as I'm aware, is no one in the media asked ShonKey how his statement before the last US election that "Trump would be better for the economy" could have been so wrong.
No they haven't. I wonder what he would say now? I hope he has changed his mind. On the other hand Trump hasn't yet managed to do that much harm. The Federal Reserve has shown a great deal more determination than have the US politicians.
From the second link above.
"The UN found New Zealand in breach of the Convention in 2019 in a case taken by Paul Zentveld and noted in its decision that: “the committee expresses concern that despite repeated investigations into the same matter … the authorities of the state party made no consistent efforts to establish the facts of such a sensitive historical issue involving abuse of children in state care.”
That repeated failure to establish the facts was a failure by two organisations Collins had in her ministerial portfolio over this period, police and the Ministry of Justice."
A couple of news items from the rural sector.
Isn't it odd how bold entrepreneurs turn socialist and put their hands out for a taxpayer loan when things don't go to plan? It must be nice going into a business deal knowing you have Plan B, so Joe Public will come to the party: https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/18/waimea-dam-bailout-plea-shows-why-public-sector-fails-at-big-infrastructure/
Oops, sorry folks, that was meant as a reply to myself on the
Minister of ImpunityCollins post.Mods feel free to delete…
Winston Peters and David Seymour upset over Army’s bicultural plan – and how Judith Collins responded
”A new plan by our Army to create a fighting-fit force for the future that involved forming a greater connection to te ao Māori has caused ructions in the coalition. Defence Minister Judith Collins was surprised to learn about it from Act and NZ First. David Fisher reports.”
From the NZ Herald
https://archive.li/PIq7q
So the CoC is now meddling in Army affairs. Do they not want an efficient fighting force?
@ Alwyn above.
It was more in reference to honoarary knighthood as opposed on merit.
Nothing to do with presintial.
I regard the knighthoods of Key and English to have been at least as merited as those of Ardern and Michael Cullen.
As far as Trevor Mallard goes ………
Alwyn you are making good points. The rest of us are just noting the various accoutrements and handshakes (handouts) that help to keep the diplomatic wheels turning.
(I remember from The Broken Fountain about life amongst the poorest in Naples, that the social researcher who lived there for a while, said watch out if one of the guys puts his arm round your shoulders. As he leans towards you in friendly fashion, possibly a stiletto in the other hand would be slipped in, and so – a clean, quiet murder.)
UK hustlers have chosen to get out of bureaucratic EU for an alliance with a country that only appears to follow rules, and can always find florid excuses when caught out. They're so loose they never need laxatives. No binding them. Give me solid King Charles who tries to find his way to right and greatness in his own individual stumbling way, no doubt tripped up by Palace advisors in the past. Making fun of Royalty in envy and distrust, because they have more material resources and power is always a source of gossip for the common man and woman.
Also people trying to use their standing and knowledge to bring good out of chaos, as with PM Jacinda, over Covid19 and 20. [The country recorded over 2,274,370 cases (2,217,047 confirmed and 57,323 probable). Over 3,000 people died as a result of the pandemic;] epidemiologists advised to limit the disease's devastation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki COVID-19_pandemic_in_New_Zealand#].
But the pink hair of a microbiologist caused amusement and derision. 'Though not an official member of New Zealand's response team, and science communicator Siouxsie Wiles has been indispensable during the Covid-19 pandemic.' https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/covid-19/413048/the-people-leading-new-zealand-s-fight-against-covid-19
Note the common man and woman's deep thought about controlling processes and power; the winning response tends to anarchism! And chaos results for sure instead of just as a possibility, hence: CHAOS Definition & Meaning Dictionary.com
https://www.dictionary.com › browse › chaos
noun. a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order. Synonyms: tumult, turmoil, jumble, disarray Antonyms: calm, peace, order. …
I hope I have made my point about the need for more thought this year on how to move forward. Slipping into routine derision and spouting certainties that will solve all if the fools will only follow the suggested path – that is the routine approach. Yet we have not got the results expected when tried, or succeeded to persuade for change that makes rational sense. So a wise cynicism is needed and psychological nous, including of our own human drives and those advanced over previous centuries, wise and unwise; what can we learn from the past as we look back objectively in judgment?
Good sense and observations, were put forward when few could read and write. We have been educated and must transcend the deficient past but hold onto self-controlled, humane values, findings and learnings, not blindly follow machines, tech, that we ourselves have invented. Everything else has been tried; in essence, it's our precocious brain against advanced brawn really!
Strawman target? Anti-semitism bedevilled. 'What a piece of work is man, How noble his reason'…. Shakespeare's Hamlet. Can I hold up a mirror?
In a feat of enterprising delusion and sinister suppression, Australia’s second largest state has decided to deal with what it regards as an antisemitic problem. After last December’s attacks on Sydney’s Bondi Beach by two gunmen on attendees of a Hanukkah event that left 15 people dead, it has become modish to insist that a blight has gripped the continent. On February 8, the State government of Premier David Crisafulli announced it was “delivering strong, decisive action to combat antisemitism [and] address terrorist-motivated offending to make Queensland safer.”,,,https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2602/S00052/punishing-language-queenslands-antisemitism-bill.htm
It does look funny describing Queensland as Australia's second biggest State. It is, in area terms quite true but like WA most of it is barren desert. Using that measure the Northern Territory comes next and is six times the size of Victoria.
Could dog owners be more dangerous than gun owners and in need of tight controls? It seems that tight controls and even death of the animal should be a possibility earlier than later.
Local governments lack consistency in how they respond to dog attacks and central government needs to take a stronger hand, the SPCA's Vaughan said. "What we really need right now is leadership from central government so we can get standardised national guidelines, so we can get more funding to address desexing of menacing and roaming dogs, because right now this population is continuing to grow."
She said Dog Control Act reform needs to look at measures such as increased desexing and subsidies for those who can't afford the costs, addressing irresponsible breeding and more public education. The SPCA also seeks standardised national guidelines for councils on actions to take following a dog bite incident.
Auckland Council has also pressured the government to give councils more power to deal with dog attacks. It's calling for measures such as mandatory reporting of dog attacks from hospitals and medical clinics, introducing fencing requirements, allowing councils to set their own desexing policies, and improving councils' abilities to detain dogs following an attack.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/587406/what-dog-control-laws-say-about-fatal-attacks-and-what-people-want-to-change
Some sensible and urgent action should be taken here – perhaps with a Fast Track Bill that deals with matters that concern the ordinary voter greatly.
This story was about dogs attacking sheep but the farmers complaint was that it is almost impossible to get the council to take any action about an attack. Note though that in the story the council deny his claim
“You’ve basically got to visually sight the dog all the way home, prove where it’s living and then also prove that it’s been killing your sheep … for them to actually do anything about it.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/northland-farmer-has-hundreds-of-sheep-killed-by-roaming-dogs/PPBMR5J4UJBMTJ7WUA2J5JNNE4/
Would they be more eager to get involved if it is a person rather than a sheep that is bitten?
I think the difficulties might be complex. I thought farmers had the right to shoot dogs on their property. They could use discretion, so little pet dogs would not suffer for the rare occasion. I'd think there must be a camera set-up that farmers could hire to get the definite backing for action.
But I wonder what goes on in the country. Perhaps an aggrieved farmer shooting could suffer retaliation. I remember the chap who shot a family member in mid NI years ago, had been out at night doing damage over a period. Could there be some rebels hardly civilised in the backblocks?