Open mike 24/08/2023

Written By: notices and features - Date published: - 70 comments
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70 comments on “Open mike 24/08/2023”

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  1. 1

    Want to see what grotty little man the act leader is ,? Watch him on the am show pin lasts nights murder in Epsom on labour for allowing people to be bailed on a leg bracelet, with absolutely no evidence this is the case so far, slimy little creep.

    1. 1.1

      You know up until now I was prepared to give Seymour the benefit of the doubt as regards the infiltration of ACT by conspiracy theorists, gun lovers and other nutters, but no more. The wonder boy and his party now look as self-serving and shady as NZ First and so-called "Democracy NZ".

      I hope voters who are thinking of voting ACT know what kind of unholy alliance they will be supporting.

      1. 1.1.1

        Seymour has been dog whistling up all the fringe lunatics but now Peters is back. Slimy Seymour will see less support.Hologram empty vessel vlaimed last night on TV that he represents all the Jewish people yet he has been courting the right wing fascists in his Dog whistle. Many antivaxxers are from the far right.Seymour is trying the Trump bs I am the least racist person you know ,yeah right.Seymour would grovel to any fringe lunatic to get votes.

        1. 1.1.1.1

          Is it a curious thing that those who loudest proclaim how they stand for "democracy" are actually the least democratic in reality.

          Like the "Democratic" Republic of Korea (yeah right, it would be hard to get a state less democratic than North Korea).

          Like "Democracy New Zealand" – some of whose supporters are anarchists and support armed insurrection and overthrow of the state – not very democratic I think. These worthies do not know the meaning of real democracy, although they are sure they do.

  2. 2

    Rawiri Waititi lobbed a hand grenade at David Seymour yesterday, really pricked his balloon…

    Norightturn

    [mod note for everyone: I will ask Lprent and Micky to say how this can be discussed on TS, because it’s an ongoing legal matter and name suppression is still in place. In the meantime please don’t name the person, and follow No Right Turn’s lead in being careful. Read the NRT post before commenting – weka]

    2. 2.2

      Well done Rawiri, outing under privilege is justified in some cases, regardless that he will likely be on legal thin ice for the very fact of being a Te Pāti Māori leader.

      Context: mass vandalism across Aotearoa NZ of TPM election billboards, including a vehicular attack (crashing through a fence) on a Taranaki TPM sign, while nearby Act billboards stood unscathed. Now those two realities obviously may not be linked…but yes Rawiri–they are out to get you!

      The Epsom twerker and claimed non property owner due to affordability, when he was a beneficiary of property trusts… https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/05/act-leader-david-seymour-admits-he-s-a-beneficiary-of-property-holding-trusts-after-years-of-saying-he-couldn-t-afford-to-buy.html

      Mr Seymour has a motley crew of MPs and wannabe MPs indeed. Time for Act’s planned attacks on working class people’s recent gains to be revealed to voters by media channels.

    3. 2.3

      If I recall correctly there were a couple of main arguments put forward for name suppression:

      1. Naming the person would lead to hardship. Whatever you think about relative hardship and why wealthy people on serious criminal charges should be protected against it, this has been used a lot under NZ's peculiarly strong name suppression convention. It's kinda standard.
      2. Naming the person would be used politically in an election year. So fucking what? Why the court should even consider this is beyond me and, if it is a precedent, it is a worrying precedent. For a court to consider political implications surely erodes the very independence they and the political class crow so long and hard about.
      1. 2.3.1

        Imagine if the party in question was, for example, Labour. The hints, innuendos, barefaced glee coming from the Right would have been spread far and wide.

      3. 2.3.3

        As much as I want to see act laid low, innocent till proven guilty.

        I think suppression should be a right till proven guilty un all cases

    4. 2.4

      In the NRT blog there is a link to some questions Seymour asked in Parliament seeking to justify his comments about blowing up a Ministry and accusing Hipkins of making it political and that he is the victim here. Strewth, a wise man would have put it behind him and quickly moved on. Not Seymour.

      1. 3.1.1

        Shot down by a surface to air missile. Putin is a murderous monster. I feel sorry for the innocent people on the aeroplane. Russia is a mafia state with gangster "justice".

          1. 3.1.1.1.1

            The crew were innocent. Not that the inconvenience of ending the lives of completely innocent three flight crew would trouble the criminal Putin at night. The bastard is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths already.

                1. 3.1.1.1.1.2.1.1

                  Quite the blunder if true. And Wagner forces are spread far and wide so reining them will be no easy thing with their leadership gone.

                  @Faytuks

                  Russian journalist Andrey Zakharov: "As for Prigozhin, I can say for now: today he really flew to Russia from Africa, with him was the entire command staff of the Wagner PMC. It will be a miracle if he is on another plane, they tell me" https://t.me/zakharovchanne

                  https://twitter.com/Faytuks/status/1694405462567887211

                  Russia's aviation agency has confirmed Yevgeny Prigozhin, his deputy Dmitry Utkin and his head of security, Valery Chekalov, were on board the Embraer jet that crashed just north of Moscow.

                  If their deaths are confirmed, that is the top ranks of the mercenary group's leadership gone, in one fell swoop.

                  https://news.sky.com/story/yevgeny-prigozhin-trod-a-dangerous-tightrope-his-apparent-death-proves-no-one-is-indispensable-12946201

        2. 3.1.1.2

          Ukraine's internal supporters would have at least as much motivation to take him out.

          Ukraine have successfully launched strikes on Russian military aircraft from within Russia in the last week.

          Ukraine would be the natural offload for Putin.

        3. 3.1.1.3

          I would also suggest that 'Western' interests in Africa should not be dismissed as possible suspects in this event….as always, my first thought is 'who has the most to gain, at this time?

          1. 3.1.1.3.1

            This "Putin did it!"nonsense is about as stupid as the "Clinton Crime Family's" supposed long list of homicides and faked suicides.

      2. 3.1.2

        "Must admit I had a bit of a chuckle when saw the headline this morning"…..are you are seriously saying on a public forum, that the thought of a human death made you chuckle?..holy shit, that is fucked up.

        4. 3.1.2.4

          Two factors, the inevitablity that some sort of 'accident' would lead to his untimely death and it couldnt of happened to a nicer guy.

  4. 4

    Eagerly looking forward to the massive cycleway opening in Dunedin's Port Chalmers on Saturday.

    Definitely one of the few big 'Planned by Labour Delovered by Labour' transport projects of these two terms.

    All your walkers runners and cyclists in Dunedin make sure you get there 12 noon Sawyers Bay.

    Hopefully the turnout is at least as big as the 1500 who turned out for the Beaumont Bridge one three weeks ago.

    1. 4.1

      Lucky you, I hope it is of slightly better construction than the extensive and totally shit lime stone bike paths they (we) have built here in the Hawkes Bay…every time there is any type of half bad weather event they get washed away….time and again and again etc…if the investment in some serious construction had been made from the beginning it would have paid for itself by now….but I guess it perfectly encapsulates the criminally short term thinking of centrist politics.

      Lucky for me I only ride the road..but Siobhan rides the paths every day (commutes Napier-Hasting and back) so I get the regular updates….anyway hope you enjoy your new cycleway…you live in the perfect city for them thats for sure.

  8. 8

    The Grey Zone isn't happy.

    The assassination of Prigozhin would have catastrophic consequences. The people who gave the order do not understand the mood in the army and the morale at all.

    https://t.me/grei_zone/979

    translate

    A post by Grey Zone, a Wagner-connected social media channel, claimed Russian anti-aircraft defences had shot down the plane. It said that residents heard “two bursts of characteristic air defence fire” before the crash. “This is confirmed by inversion traces in the sky in one of the videos,” it added.

    https://archive.li/https://www.ft.com/content/812c9da3-80f2-4fe1-8fad-0b4441d1977a

    1. 8.1

      "A post by Grey Zone [sic], a Wagner-connected social media channel…"

      You will, of course, provide evidence for that remarkable allegation against one of the few rigorous and respected news sites in America.

  9. 9

    Act's current MPs, apart from the leader and deputy, have always seemed to be kept silenced by Seymour, so have often wondered what their background is. One would barely know who they are or that they are even in Parliament. Good that their current list hopefuls have had their backgrounds exposed.

    Act from way back has attracted the weird and extreme. No change it seems.

    1. 9.1

      You are not wrong Reality.

      Hilary Calvert (her eyes used in brothel sign artwork), Donna Awatere Huata (magic weight loss turned out to be a stomach staple job, ripped off an education trust, husband threatened to bash Sue Bradford), David Garrett (stole deceased child’s identity), Rodney Hide (threatened man in urinal), John Boscawen (Lamington head), Banksy (forgot a helicopter ride to Dotcom’s mansion, election campaign cheque splitting)…the ignominy goes on…

      Act are essentially still with us because the Natzos need an MMP friend, and some new gens and warm gun lovers like their culture wars buy in. I wonder how many Act supporters really know much about libertarianism, the Chicago School, Hayek etc.?

  10. 10

    Farmers fear the "cards are stacked against" them after a crucial report backed significant change to how much water they take from the Manuherikia River.

    This "fear"…despite the Science Recommendation and the fact that they have dug in hard about their rights..to drain the Manuherikia near dry to carry on with their unsustainable water take.

    Matakanui Station owner and Manuherikia Catchment Group interim chairman Andrew Paterson….

    "There’s a lot of worried farmers.

    "There’s been a concerted campaign against the Manuherikia leading up to this

    https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/%E2%80%98cards-stacked-against%E2%80%99-farmers-change-backed

    Yea Mr Paterson..never truer words spoken. Our Manuherekia river dying..for a few with very vested interest.

      1. 10.1.1

        And he's not totally negative. He also offers a solution.

        I have met Mike Joy..and heard him speak at meetings, and on media. IMO he is proactive with Positive ways forward. Always with OUR NZ Environment foremost.

        "Some" Farmers etc….dont like "their water rights" being examined…as to the harm they are causing.

        Good work Mike Joy !

    2. 10.2

      This must be "the war against farmers" that the National Party keep telling us about. They should have a shadow cabinet portfolio for imaginary wars. Would be the busiest shadow portfolio in the National caucus.

  11. 11

    Michael Laws and ex ACT MPs sit on the board of the otago regional council they are pushing a right wing agenda.Why because of extremely low voter turnout.Its easy to get their stooges on the board .The old miners rights to water are being exploited at no cost to those doing so.Water should be allocated evenly leaving enough water in the river for recreational users and last but not least the rivers health.Those who have historic use of the water are being selfish.

    1. 11.1

      Whenever I hear the rural elite and their champions talk about local control, is actually about white farmer control of water and environmental regulation.

      While local body politics might not be able to be accused of direct voter suppression, there certainly is a suppressed vote.

      In that sense, the system is majorly flawed.

      1. 11.1.1

        Central government could require 70+% turnout or put commissioners in. (Or threaten to.) Give local government some money to improve turnout up to target levels and encourage local solutions as long as they are non-discriminatory. Call it the "Enabling Local Democracy" initiative – and make sure there are lots of Maori words in the promotional material to piss the b*ggers off even more.

    2. 11.2

      What they are banking on…

      Cr Michael Laws said he believed a change in government after the October election could change the national freshwater management directive "which really sets the agenda on this issue".

      https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/%E2%80%98cards-stacked-against%E2%80%99-farmers-change-backed

      And of course old 'glower face" ex Fed Farm head …is now an ACT candidate

      "I believe I acted ethically."

      https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/05/14/act-candidate-didnt-disclose-party-membership-during-govt-emissions-talks/

  12. 12

    Last Christmas we were holidaying at Oturehua (The Power Of the Dog place) and paid a visit to some in-laws at their holiday cottage in Ophir. The first thing we noticed was that they had stacks and stacks of bottled water brought with them from Dunedin.

    The reason – the local regional council had allowed a dairy farm to operate in the town's water supply catchment and thus severely contaminate the supply!!

    1. 12.1

      Yea..there is much to read about all of that…ORC….not a good situation.

      Heres some…

      a decision by a slim majority of councillors to delay setting a minimum flow for the Manuherekia River in Central Otago last week and wait for more scientific evidence.

      Councillor and former ousted chair Marian Hobbs was one of the four councillors who voted against the motion, saying more than $4 million and 26,587 staff hours had already gone into creating thorough scientific reports for councillors to base their decisions off.

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/450396/environment-law-delays-councillor-ready-to-resign-if-commissioners-aren-t-appointed

      Meanwhile..the River..was/is dying

      1. 12.1.1

        +100

        ORC are just starting to put constraints around the water take now, but the farmers and their elected reps have dragged it through the courts for years, and the damage is well and truly done.

  13. 13

    The 5000 year old European who grew up in South Tyrol was Anatolian.

    The new study also offers new information about Ötzi’s appearance. “The genome analysis revealed phenotypic traits such as high skin pigmentation, dark eye color, and male pattern baldness that are in stark contrast to the previous reconstructions that show a light skinned, light eyed, and quite hairy male,” said Johannes Krause of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

    https://www.archaeology.org/news/11689-230817-otzi-genome-sequenced

    Contrary to previous studies, we found no detectable Steppe-related ancestry in the Iceman. Instead, he retained the highest Anatolian-farmer-related ancestry among contemporaneous European populations, indicating a rather isolated Alpine population with limited gene flow from hunter-gatherer-ancestry-related populations.

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666979X2300174X?via%3Dihub

    1. 14.1

      Rural Neanderthal picks on physically smaller urban gay guy–not a good look really!

      To paraphrase Frank Zappa…“Some people behave as if intelligence were some sort of hideous deformity”…

        1. 14.2.1.1

          Luxon obviously did NOT deal with it "decisively".

          The incident happened on June 29. Labour MPs informed the National whip immediately. Luxon chose to do nothing.

          He waited for … the Speaker to receive a complaint, for the issue to be referred to the Privileges Committee, for an independent barrister to be called in, and after nearly two months for the Committee to (in effect) tell Luxon what had happened and what to do.

          Reminder: this is the leader who has constantly told us that he would deal with issues by picking up the phone and making it happen, the big CEO who gets things done.

          In reality, he couldn't even face up to a problem with one member of a small team, who is in the same building every working day.

        2. 14.2.1.2

          Here's a bedtime story for you Westykev:

          Luxon saw the orange lights on the dashboard and decided to deliver. He immediately gathered together the best and brightest of his team in the war-room and conducted a laser-like analysis of evidence, implications, risks, strategic import, ideological congruence with his total commitment to getting tough on crime, rediscovering mojo, being ambitious, and getting to carbon net zero by leaving it to the market and the genius of great NZ farmers. He said: "Team is there any potential here to identify wasteful spending? Is the Privileges Committee the inward-looking creation of the hermit kingdom, is it red red tape that should be swept away and should its members be getting ahead by starting a business? Is this process economic mismanagement like the world has never seen before, will it cause inflation? We must decide to deliver a decisive outcome that is decisive in its delivery. My suggestion is that we do nothing for a couple of months until the committee reports back and hope everyone loses interest". Awed by the great man's lucid emanations of brilliance, they fell prostate on the floor at his feet.

          2. 14.2.1.2.2

            "Awed by the great man's lucid emanations of brilliance, they fell prostate on the floor at his feet."

            Funny, that. People used to talk about my prostrate cancer, and I'm perfectly upstanding…..

            As for the van de Molen issue. We were discussing bullying in our party rooms before the news was announced. Many people have been bullied in our country. Wouldn’t it be great if the voters just said to the bullies- fuck off, don’t want you, we can do better and then the parties concerned might …. just…. listen.

            Take back our parties from the grifters, the narcissists, the sociopaths, the egoists. the damaged and the deranged.

  15. 15

    This just came in from Scoop.

    If this guy (a New Zealander whose work has appeared in many international newspapers) is still living in Ukraine , he might think about heading back over to Moldova soon

    https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2308/S00045/post-vilnius-nato-summit-it-has-been-all-downhill-for-zelensky.htm

    Zelensky's PR machine early on had him tricked out in military looking garb, although not the Ukrainian uniform.The company who makes his olive green gear is M-TAC, whose owner is given to some colourful statements, example following:

    “I will also celebrate the day of the Holocaust. Happy holidays to all!” he declared on International Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2017, reacting to an image of Jewish children in a concentration camp.

    Johnson goes some way to explain why a significant minority of far right nationalists has such disproportionate sway in Ukraine

    Another article Timidity in New Zealand , originally published in Le Monde diplomatique, looks at how the massive mandate Labour had going into it's second term (without the odious Winnie)was squandered.

    https://mondediplo.com/outsidein/timidity-in-new-zealand

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