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6:00 am, December 26th, 2024 - 24 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 …
A short Christmas message to Christopher Luxon:
If only . . .
Back atcha, Tony Veitch:
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon shares Christmas message https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/537579/prime-minister-christopher-luxon-shares-christmas-message
And, apparently, a video with a nod to those doing it tough, and those helping people doing it tough, plus a photo of his 'wealthy and sorted' family in matching shortie pyjamas.
Again, reference to the 750 people at his church, who apparently packed an average of around 2 food parcels each, based on the stats he provided in an earlier missive.
No mention of his part in laying off around 10000 public servants, cutting funding for public health and youth at risk, plus imminent cuts to food banks (which never used to be, but are now, an essential part of New Zealand life).
It’s amazing how, for some people at least, an hour or two of watching Hugh Grant can be an escape from all that.
It was at a church in his electorate, Botany, Elim Christian Centre.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/national-party-leader-christopher-luxon-on-why-he-stopped-going-to-church/TFTD7WXSMQYX3X5IWWVFAVQWUI/
I was wrong, MEA culpa. He doesn't go, since the congregation tapped him for free flights with ANZ.
The total disconnect in this statement is mind boggling!
Yes. But it is a signal to his base, they get tax cuts financed by reduced support via government spending (those left in need getting help via charity – food banks etc).
The upper half becoming less unencumbered by the burden of the other New Zealanders (Tiriti indigenous, those about to lose their jobs, those removed from their tenancies at landlord will) can then focus on getting their lives sorted, as mortgage rates fall.
Luxury Luxon : Obtuse ? Oblivious? A combiNational fuckwit ?
The not so hidden warning….(well, for those who can see it)
Luxury Luxon lies…compulsively
Much more pain to come. The deluded/idiots/revenge seekers who voted for them (of course not incl the true one percenters)…. voters remorse coming , big time.
Those whose mortgage rates have fallen.
It is the government purpose for the have and have not division to grow wider (in both income and wealth). Limited MW increases no FPA. No CGT, no estate tax.
SPC 3.1
The mortgage rate falling…will be very cold comfort for those who lost/losing their jobs.
And as we (those of us aware ) know…the cumulative effect of all the other NActFirst changes will absolutely negate that for the majority of NZ. The bottom feeders, tenants, the working poor, those on benefits, and yes, even those of struggling middle who Luxury Luxon appealed to.
I feel for them. And really hope for some major pushback.
The main thing is to negate the C of C narrative that they brought the mortgage rates down and that Labour was the cause of the inflation that necessitated the rise in interest rates.
Thus to remind the public of the inflation and interest rate rise and fall in other nations and how this was a common experience and unrelated to policy choices.
I hope there is much more response and pushback from all affected…but particularly the NZ's well paid opposition political parties. Can blame MSM or whatever..but considering NActFirst's slashburn and far reaching consequential changes..they have really had a dream run.
Apparently Auckland drongos have been saved by the business acumen of its Mayor
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland-mayor-wayne-brown-responds-to-online-critics-in-new-christmas-video/DAEI44P6YZCDROXZR5NSUAPVRE/
The drongo is known to hover in the air like a helicopter.
Sounds a bit Australian.
Seeking a second term is like hovering around – in the end too much "Brown" noise.
Presumably if the second term does happen, then he will move on from his action man (pool to board paddling) image PR, young enough for a second term, to a more sedate approach.
Just as Putin has done … invade another city and lecture its government (don’t turn the power off on the way home).
Brown Wayne's crowning achievement:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/karanga-plaza-pool-safeswim-declares-new-auckland-pool-unsafe-days-after-opening/PA34HJPCGRFJPBGFYYPU7WTQ3Y/
Spoiled by specimens of simeon maybe….or that other brown substance they're both full of.
I could get excited about a separated, treated salt water pool in that location but this is just a fenced off bit of marina with some lane ropes. It's a very very poor facsimile of what a public pool facility should be and to say it's done on the cheap is giving it way too much credit.
That is more a matter of every time it rains in Auckland, the harbour may not be safe for swimming.
Getting early agreement with government to sort out borrowing is going to be the legacy achievement (the importnace of which fades with time). Otherwise living down his flood event comms.
There and both + and – to his administrative changes.
Things aren't any better for swimmers in the south. The ODT ( 26 Dec) reports that faecal counts are too high in a popular lake near Christchurch: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/faecal-bacteria-warning-christchurch-lake
Not the sort of image that the folks at Tourism NZ want to promote, but you must realise that those people live in a different country with no pollution, child abuse or poverty.
Same here in the west.
.
Lake Wiritoa near Whanganui is off-limits to swimmers due to high levels of E. coli and toxic algae, with a reopening date yet to be determined.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/whanganui-chronicle/news/lake-wiritoa-near-whanganui-declared-unsafe-for-swimmers-following-water-testing/AO3SSQI6BJFYNPDO5YTLUJDGAE/
Dangerous Nitrate levels also…..
This dangerous water supply situation has (very) recently changed. Large Headline…..
Note however…..its not due to any farming practice change but….
And more….
Expect to see much less protections for consumers : (
Now we are told (29 Dec) that faecal contamination in the Waimakariri river in Canterbury makes it dangerous to humans. And before that we had slash on Gisborne beaches along with a "don't swim" warning for people attending the Rythm and Vines festival.
The Gisborne lot are now talking about slash nets for forestry operators. I hear the stable door swinging shut but the horse has long gone.
Welcome to clean green NZ, people.
He's made moves any ordinary hard left mayor would support:
– devolved decision-making to local boards, as the Royal Commission recommended
– sustained Downtown investment especially in the Victoria St linear park
– consistently told this government to fuck off
– will complete first underground rail system in NZ, despite sustained budget blowouts that have wrecked his budget
– will complete Central Interceptor and decrease coliform counts on beaches across the isthmus
– killed off all CCOs except Watercare and will fully kill off AT next term
– kept rates increases reasonable despite real estate values and hence rates collapsing
Sure he's an asshole to deal with but he's delivered.
Completion of work already underway is normal practice.
– devolved decision-making to local boards, as the Royal Commission recommended
– sustained Downtown investment especially in the Victoria St linear park
– consistently told this government to fuck off
– will complete first underground rail system in NZ, despite sustained budget blowouts that have wrecked his budget
– will complete Central Interceptor and decrease coliform counts on beaches across the isthmus
– killed off all CCOs except Watercare and will fully kill off AT next term
The agreement with government as per the still separate Watercare is a template for other councils, Auckland was the beneficiary of being able to fund by borrowing first and have lower rates than other councils.
The advantages as per AT will be known by results, here Auckland will now be more like other urban councils. The loss of EkePanuku might well be a negative.
Real estate values changes do not impact on rates revenues.
The changes are a collective council programme.
Just in case you were wondering…
All reports are taken from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's database of emergency room visits, all descriptions are verbatim, and all the entries below involved some very poor decisions.
https://defector.com/what-did-we-get-stuck-in-our-rectums-last-year-5
What. No Whoopee cushions ? LOL