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6:00 am, February 27th, 2025 - 69 comments
Categories: open mike -
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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 …
I read a RNZ article about Peters talks with China including both the lack of notification about the test firing and the Cook Islands deal behind our back.
Then I read an article where Chris Hipkins said Luxon needs to go there.
I know what Hipkins means but this time I didn't agree with him. Peters was the better man for the job.
Can you imagine it? "Look, what I will say is you had a right to be there and the air traffic controllers have already spoken about it so I'm not going to add anything further. The important message for China and New Zealand right now is growth, growth, growth. China's wealthy, I'm sorted, I get that".
I think the message Hipkins should be giving is that Luxon probably wasn't up to the task.
Well what I can tell you, is that our shiny domed nonce PM talks like a flow diagram stuck on repeat-no way out of Mr Luxon’s repetitive meaninglessness.
Winston can hold a reasonable conversation at least, though the Chinese that he knows from over the years will likely soon have lined him up over a whiskey or two.
And that man on RNZ after 5 pm yesterday being interviewed on school lunches- you could almost see his smile over the radio waves as he dodged, obfuscated and waffled to the interviewer's voiced frustration.
More 'food' for thought – this will go down well with our Associate education minister (Partnership Schools). Hungry Kiwi kids getting a ‘woke’ "gourmet taxpayer funded meal" – what were they thinking? Bottom feeders – know your place!
Apparently there are some amazing people involved…
Heh..!…he did say that a lot ..
talks like a flow diagram stuck on repeat
Brilliant!
You should apply for a job at Daisycutter Sports Inc. 
Last night I read/watched on You Tube that a Temporary Court Order had not been obeyed by the Musk/Trump team. It was an order to suspend the blocking of Aid and was issued 13 days ago. The Trump lawyer was unable to produce any evidence of the restarting of the Aid so they Musk Team lawyer had until midnight to prove compliance. 10 minutes later the Aid program was restarted.
Not a word on RNZ. Pretty huge?
It was also reported that Musk was not the main driver of the suspension of the state servants but a woman was the boss. RNZ did report that Musk said today that the reply/resign email wasn't really a reply resign notice at all. It was just a test to see if employees were living people on the payroll.
Weird?
Can’t provide a link but if true will become well canvassed soon.
it's the utter destruction of convention, which opens the door for authoritarianism. We have laws, but we also have conventions on how things are done. When you wholesale destroy those, you can basically rewrite how society functions. It's very dangerous.
Musk is generally incompetent but has a lot of competence in wielding power. He's butt covering now because he fucked up. But the fucking up doesn't matter because he can cover his butt and carry on with what he is doing.
There was some good resistance, whereby people organised and emailed pisstake emails to the address he provided. I expect the receiver was overwhelmed. Good job people.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US nonprofit research group has published their backgrounder of the past year about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "Russia Has Failed to Break Ukraine"
Highly detailed and highlights just how little return that the Russian Federation has been making from their investments of soldiers and equipment. The executive summary of a very long document is:-
I bolded the most interesting finding. You'd have to look at the detail to see why. But the gains have been extremely pitiful considering that throughout the last year there were periods that ammunition, particularly artillery shells, was in very short supply. Yet the Russian Federation forces were simply unable to substantially exploit that. Yet that was clearly the intent of the strategy.
The assessed casualty rates, especially on the Russian side are heart-wrenching to read. At the end of the document is this assessment.
Which mostly makes the problem about closing this war so problematic. Russia has , since the 90s, consistently shown that their security guarantees aren't worth the paper that they are written on. In particular with Ukraine – see Budapest Memorandum. The US has been alarmingly inconsistent in living up to their undertakings about security guarantees. Especially after out of uniform Spetnaz invaded Crimea in 2014 to overthrow the local government, and to hold a fake 'referendum'.
This has been the driving force for nations exposed to Putin's creative reinterpretations of Russian agreements to actively push to join the collective security agreements of Europe. Right up to the Russia's neighbours Sweden and Finland recently joining.
Personally, I think that Ukraine entering NATO is the only security guarantee that is ultimately viable. However Ukraine still has a long way to go before their forces are inter-operable with NATO.
The "Political stance and influence" section in your wiki link for the IWS more or less confirms them as a mouthpiece for the MIC in the US.
Axe to grind.
American miners on the ground extracting the minerals will achieve a similar outcome to joining NATO…
But the 20 per cent of mostly Russian speaking Ukraine has become embedded as Russian territory and that will become a peace settlement that Putin will declare a victory.
Then the west will start buying Russian gas again.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/543122/are-private-schools-better-than-public-schools-in-new-zealand
I resisted [temptation] adding emphasis to this quote – this clearly is an unbiased objective expert opinion. The context is that he’s the Chair of the Government’s Ministerial Advisory Group to review the primary school English, maths and statistics curricula in New Zealand.
The dilemma that underpinned the RNZ piece is a nice illustration of the crucial difference between equality and equity.
One has to ask the question – why should wealthy parents be able to buy an advantage for their children over the children of non-wealthy parents? It appears to violate even the very uncontroversial and universally endorsed principle of equality of opportunity. No need really to even get into the complexities of the equality-equity or opportunity-outcomes distinctions.
This is exactly what they've been able to do for decades in the State schooling system. Paying inflated property prices as a proxy for private school fees.
IIRC, the price difference between a house just inside the 'Grammar zone' in Auckland, and just outside, is around $500K.
https://www.oneroof.co.nz/news/steroids-for-house-prices-do-auckland-buyers-still-care-about-double-grammar-zone-44646
That's right. The state system contains the same injustice, but charitably we could maybe see it more as a 'bug' than the intentional design feature it is with private schooling.
Difficult to see it as a bug. When the zone system (which is at the core of state schooling) perpetuates it.
To be sure it is a bug that many/most any politicians are happy to see continue. But it's possible to imagine a state schooling system that does not allow capture of school boards by local professional elites who leverage the zoning system to create their enclaves of privilege
Well, you can envisage it – but the reality has yet to eventuate.
And, the reality is that NZ as a society is unwilling to fund education to the level of (for example) Finland.
Although growing gaps in achievement are increasing in Finland as well. It may be that their relative educational success had more to do with being a relatively similar (as in non-diverse) society.
https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2022/09/finland-s-right-to-learn-programme_58de2f6c/65eff23e-en.pdf
Note that the zone system is heavily defended by parents…. who are the ones putting pressure on politicians.
When there briefly wasn't a zone system local kids were unable to go to their local school e.g. state housing tenants in areas like Epsom. (If there are any left due to selling off state properties).
It also makes it much harder to plan where schools should be as population data would not be of as much use and the removal of it would exacerbate white flight.
Every child should have the right to go to their local school.
Yes – a zoning system is pragmatic in terms of ensuring easy access locally. Something to be explored would be capping the private donations or endowments that can be made to individual state schools by localised enclaves of wealth. If a parent or organisation expresses a wish to altruistically donate money to improve the education of children they could certainly do that, but they would have to express that noble altruism by making the donation to ALL children, not just their own.
Have to ask why the NZ Initiative (previously the Business Roundtable) has its claws deep in the government's educational reforms? Eg. Barbara Oakley is an overseas educator and NZI fellow brought in to to NZ schools.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/543145/hawke-s-bay-man-absolutely-flabbergasted-after-being-trespassed-from-supermarket-after-raising-safety-concern
His ‘crime’: raising concerns about trollies blocking the fire exit, taking some photos, and showing these to the Manager and nobody else.
This bodes well for citizen’s arrests or perhaps that’ll be rewarded with free shopping for a year because the shoe was on another culprit’s foot.
'taking some photos;' Well, the supermarkets are well aware of what happens to photos, aren't they?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360590442/foodstuffs-confirms-security-staff-leaked-golriz-ghahraman-photo-amid-new-privacy-breach
Can you please elaborate on what is your point? As it stands, I think the comparison is flawed and false equivalence, but I’m probably reading you wrong here 🙂
I wondered if I were too abbreviated.
The taking of photos by the member of the public with a safety concern did not appeal to the store people.
The taking of photos of the public by the store people for security reasons was OK for them.
The assurance given by the public member was that the photos were just for the manager to see what the concern was.
The supermarket, whose security employee gave photos of a member of the public, former MP Golriz Ghahraman, to the media, also was giving assurances that these were for restricted use- police etc.
The comparison shows an ethical double standard on the part of the supermarket. Alright for us, not alright fot you.
The guy escalated too soon. A quiet word with the manager – no brandishing of photos – would have been the best initial approach. On the next, still no photos; just say something like "some of your staff seem a bit concerned as well". Gently does it.
BTW, it's "trolleys", whatever RNZ's site might say to the contrary.
This is a matter of Public Safety. What the supermarket was/is doing is illegal. The owners responsibilities in this matter are quite clear:
Chris Penk announced a revamp of the Public Works Act recently. Matters he spoke of included removing barriers and refining the role of the Environment Court.
Combine that with the new Fast-track Approvals Act and plans to gut the Resource Management Act and it would appear to add up to a pro-development, anti-environment package.
Politicians are not the masters of the universe. They just like to think they are.
Unfortunately we, the citizens, have been dragged into this masters of the universe/sociopathy/narcissism by virtue of the idea of 'democracy' where we allegedly decide on the policies and general direction we agree with.
Until there are very real, tangible consequence for governments who break pre-election promises-without good reason- and decide to do really stupid things that will affect the citizens and environment, eg the tobacco subsidies that surprised everyone, the winners will always take advantage of their power.
It's not just pro development, it is open slather development that will stuff our landscapes.
This needs to be a one term government.
Oh wonderful. Another round of submissions and Select Committee thanks to David and co. 4 year parliamentary term.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/543151/watch-live-four-year-parliamentary-term-legislation-to-be-introduced-would-go-to-referendum
Bad governments are very unwise to suggest policies that sound like they would like to prolong their own lives.
Or more accurately, prolong the life of a future government that might be as bad as they are.
Flooding the zone
As a Centrist, the suggestion of an extended parliamentary term always amuses me. The supporters of the current government think it's an excellent idea; the supporters of the opposition think it's a dreadful one. This applies no matter which government is in power.
Note: all politicians think it's a great idea (but are reluctant to come out and say so, least they appear self-serving).
Mirror-image of the situation in the UK re proportional representation. Incumbent governments won't touch it in case they never get back with an overall majority on their own. Opposition's all for it, of course …. until they become the government.
It does seem to require a particular set of circumstance for governments to enact proportional representation. In NZ it seemed to be driven by a huge wave of popular unhappiness with a succession of governments which were elected by a minority of voters; combined with a popular backlash against the excesses of the 4th Labour government – which appeared to show the need for something other than an elected dictatorship.
Can't stand this government but I'm on the 4 year camp, the reporters are already talking about next year's elections it's never ending, also I'm sure a large chunk of nzs negative vibe is driven by parties endlessly having to tell us how bad things are in order to get elected ,
The (re)animated ‘mother’ of 'The Mother of all Budgets' [–> Ruthanasia], ACT party advocate Ruth Richardson, criticises ‘Treaty overreach’.
Ruth’s critique makes me wonder if she secretly wants to be rid of te tiriti altogether.
I wasn't even aware she was still alive until I accidently clicked onto that.
Awful flashbacks for a lot of people whose lives were destroyed by her
If this desire of hers is a "secret" then it has to be one of the worst-kept I've ever heard about.
This should be front page on all major NZ news websites:
Is Productivity Low in NZ not because of the Government but because our Big Business CEO's and Corporate Boards are so Utterly Useless?
Here the leading paragraph:
What I’m telling you is that this means NZ stock is a bargain for smart cashed-up investors with deep pockets, and for good measure, and to show our world-renowned Kiwi kindness and hospitality, we throw in a NZ passport for free – everything must go and we’re open for
sale outbusiness.Pretty much.
You only have to read a few days of Linkdin, to realise too many of our, so called, "managers" are in Trumpian/Truss level, la-la land.
Luxon seizing on any short term pump priming, long term costly, sugar rush fixes to cover up for the Coalition of Cockups economic ineptitude, is only the tip of the iceberg.
With any luck this prick will drown in his own body fluids.
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https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:6vwezbhj7wwowu4sbur5npjk/post/3lj3sar6zss2h
https://www.aol.com/multimillion-dollar-biden-era-covid-222505162.html
Not providing your citizens with any pharmaceutical protection against Covid when it is available is gerontocide. So probably a crime against humanity that the ICJ should investigate – oh wait…
Meanwhile in
AmericaLalaland the stupidest man on earth reposts this. 🙄Trump faces Truth Social backlash over AI video of Gaza with topless Netanyahu and bearded bellydancers
All those who still have a job at Kāinga Ora take one step forward – not so fast…
SHRINK Shrink shrink? A small price to pay for massive tax relief – landLords will love it.
This sort of vicious and dishonest psychobabble should be a lynching offence – or perhaps just ritual humiliation and the throwing of rotten fruit if we want to keep it civilised.
That sort of crap was going on nearly 40 years ago, when public service chiefs were falling over themselves to show how eager they were to co-operate with RD's "razor gang". I well remember a slide presentation by our IT boss, full of diagrammatic tosh about how things were going to be organised from then on, accompanied by commentary saying how we were expected to demonstrate commitment to the new regime, with an implied "or else". Did he really know what he was talking about? Reckon not. A few weeks later I was subjected to a constructive dismissal for allegedly failing to achieve some deadline or other to the requisite standard – essentially because the silly sod hadn't given me a proper project spec or set of KPIs in the first place.
I've been laid off twice (fuck you fletchers) both times it was a 6 month guessing game of will it be us or them , and staying loyal for reasons I can't explain. Pure cruelty.
Stay positive people! Just like the economy is moving!
The President of the United States has had a vision for Gaza, and it is a thing of commercial awesomeness if not particularly PC:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360595581/trump-unveils-bearded-belly-dancers-vision-gaza
Trump is quite something in injecting schlocky horror just to make sure people reel back and start forming the plan that might happen. I'm not saying there's a logic to him, just a consequence.
Otherwise they will all get the kind of commercial outrage that Zelynsky has just been forced to sigh up to.
Zelensky has realised that it is not just a bad dream and that the nightmare is real and he may have to settle for what little he can get whilst Trump and Putin play Risk for real.
Zelenskyy strikes me as an intelligent pragmatist. The US general dealing with his 'peace talks' team was full of praise. They sound well-prepared and nimble.
It all reminds me when I was studying European history how in the 18th century alliances could change so quickly. One's allies might suddenly become one's enemies if a key figure died or was defeated in battle.
Dictators pouring over maps and condemning thousands of people to a fate they didn't deserve.
Such is the progress of humankind.
POTUS 47 abuses the power of the office, once again.
https://bsky.app/profile/nytimes.com/post/3lj4ndc4ksk2e
Post about the Greens' state of the planet speeches and plans for a Green Budget
https://thestandard.org.nz/the-greens-plan-for-a-green-budget/
thread
Tymofiy Mylovanov
@mylovanov.bsky.social
BREAKING: Ukrainian cabinet approves the draft of the minerals deal with the U.S. This is the deal: 1. A fund. Joint ownership US-Ukraine. No more 100% US financial control 2. Shares of ownership take into account relative contributions 1/
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4mvuxvyk4cp2xvpl2lz73x6g/post/3lj454ndxyc2h?
https://archive.li/rWQq1
For that cycling debate: Mountain Tui does a good financial analysis.
Cycleways planned projects cost less than 1% of GDP.
'And yet this government is betting a lot on what is truly expensive. It’s fast tracking housing developments, for example – In Auckland, 7 of 8 property developments are located in greenfield areas – contradicting Auckland’s own Unitary Plan which limits greenfield developments because of cost, car dependency and congestion.’
'The central government is ignoring 3 Waters and handing that "ticking time bomb" off to Councils. That “bomb” costs ~44% of NZ’s GDP now – and is probably growing. And it’s rate payers that are going to cop it – which is why this government is distancing itself rapidly.'
Big Hairy News and Craig Rennie rip apart (from 15 min) a release from two government Ministers based not on police statistics, but on a tweet from Charted Daily, which posts data that supports the government narrative.
The Herald unpacks this issue, depends on the data you look at. The 2024 annual crime victim survey which asks a x-section of NZ their experience of crime shows no change from 2018.
'The statistics in the social media post [trumpeted by the government] are not from the survey – which includes unreported crime – but from police victimisation statistics. Police record a victimisation regardless of whether it proceeds to an investigation, prosecution or conviction.'
'Luxon talked about the reduction in the number of ram raids, although he did not say that these have been declining since August 2022, well before his party took office.'
Somewhere, Hunter Biden is absolutely filthy that he didn't demand higher board fees.
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No one could have seen this coming!
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Donald Trump’s assault on the US federal government and the world’s interlinked manufacturing system have together reached an economic tipping point.
“It seems almost unavoidable that we are headed for a deep, deep recession,” said Jesse Rothstein, Berkeley professor and former chief economist at the US labour department.
Once the pace of job losses crosses a critical line, the multiplier effects can snowball suddenly.
Prof Rothstein said monthly non-farm payrolls – the barometer of US economic health watched closely by markets – could turn viciously negative by late spring, contracting at rates surpassed only during the worst months of Covid and the Lehman crisis in 2008.
“I think we’re going to see historically large drops. Losses of 400,000 a month are not implausible because people are getting nervous out there.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/02/25/economists-starting-worry-serious-trump-recession/
https://archive.li/w0YA9
If any regular minister had overseen a fiasco as bad as the school lunch program, they’d be gone. Basically, Seymour is totally bullet proof. Heaven knows what havoc he will wreak until the 2026 election.
It's good though because the meals fiasco will drag on to the election and we will all know who's fault it is….