Open mike 28/02/2025

Written By: notices and features - Date published: - 39 comments
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39 comments on “Open mike 28/02/2025”

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    1. 1.1

      The Feb 28 (US time) Economic Blackout of major retailers appears to be a genuine grass roots initiative…

      https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/what-is-the-february-28-economic-blackout-and-who-is-behind-it-here-are-all-the-details-including-what-is-closed/articleshow/118604275.cms?from=mdr

      Boycotts can work as Starbucks and McDonalds found out around the world when “BDSed” for supporting the IDF butchers in Gaza.

      Non consuming from major capitalists has to be a tactic to consider on an ongoing basis.

  2. 2

    More top down "hands on" behaviour from those who just…feel they can.

    'Physical contact' complaint against ACC boss seconded to Health NZ

    This is highly relevant considering what the organisations concerned represent !

    Health NZ says it was not told that a top ACC official seconded to help out was the subject of a complaint about "physical contact with co-workers".

    RNZ previously reported that John Bennett had been headhunted by Health Commissioner Lester Levy as strategic advisor to the interim chief executive.

    The mind boggles at ACC's blase attitude. Just another example of at all costs, protect "management" !

    "ACC chief executive Megan Main was made aware of the concerns and that they had been addressed.

    "Action was immediately taken in response to the concern and no further concerns have been formally raised.

    "As the matter had been addressed, it was not raised with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora (HNZ)."

    Yea. I also note….Health NZ "nothing to see here"

    "The two chief executives also had a discussion last week concerning the short-term secondment and no issues were raised during that engagement. We therefore refer all further inquiries to ACC as the employer."

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/543095/physical-contact-complaint-against-acc-boss-seconded-to-health-nz

  3. 3

    Meridian energy has profit loss !

    Meridian reports $121m half-year loss

    Soon to retire move on, head Neal Barclay plays his small sympathy violin…

    "We took a hit for New Zealand. Meridian put this country's security of supply first

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/543019/meridian-reports-121m-half-year-loss

    Looking further in though…

    Meridian Energy $429m profit four times higher than previous year

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/526368/meridian-energy-429m-profit-four-times-higher-than-previous-year

    Ok. the swings and roundabouts. However those who are aware, remember this…

    Meridian spilled water to hike electricity prices – Authority ruling

    A complaint from a group of small power retailers has been upheld by the Authority against Meridian, for spilling excess water from its South Island hydro dams which caused a spike in wholesale prices as more expensive gas was used to provide energy.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/420160/meridian-spilled-water-to-hike-electricity-prices-authority-ruling

    I do not trust any of the power companies to have NZ, its people and its Environments best interests at "heart". Some who do…

    Why the Meridian Energy hydro dam spilling scandal shows it’s time to democratise our energy

    Meridian Energy has been caught red-handed ripping off New Zealanders, for its own gain.

    https://www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/story/why-the-meridian-energy-hydro-spilling-scandal-shows-its-time-to-democratise-our-energy/

    https://www.greens.org.nz/energy_policy

    1. 3.1

      Remember, NZers own 51% of Meridian. What's the bets the majority shareholder, the Energy or SOE Minister, told them to up returns to the government last year, to plug some fiscal holes?

      2. 3.1.2

        "Meridian spilled water to hike electricity prices – Authority ruling" is mentioned by PLA.

        Do you think that this was the reason they had for the time that they were accused of spilling water?

        It seems possible. At the time the 51% shareholder was desperate for cash so they could have ordered it. Do you agree?

    1. 4.1

      I see fleets of trucks weekly taking shiny new vehicles up and down the country, it certainly doesn't look like a country that's struggling, (might need a pay rise personally to catchup)

      I'm starting to see one major flaw with democracy, we spend our hole lives being told by various politicians how bad things are,

      1. 4.1.1

        The average age of cars in New Zealand is about 15 years. That means they are much less safe, and much more polluting than a modern vehicle would be.

        That average was 11.5 years in 2000, 13 in 2010 and 14 in 2015. Cars last longer than they used to but they are now getting very, very old.

        https://www.ehinz.ac.nz/assets/Factsheets/Released_2022/Average-age-of-motor-vehicles-0727.pdf

        https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/69074190/average-age-of-new-zealand-cars-passes-14-years

        1. 4.1.1.1

          I have an 18 year old car that I bought new. Providing the tyres suspension steering and brakes are serviced well such a car is safe.

          Cars built 20 plus years ago were less safety conscious.

      2. 4.1.2

        How bad things are, and how the only way out is to cut government and to cut taxes and to let in foreign money to buy our assets.

  6. 6

    Big Hairy News interviews (from 9 min) journalist Paula Penfold, journalist of the Stuff article about recent resignations from the Covid inquiry, where top level people have resigned. This is due to concerns about the way the add-on inquiry pushed by NZF is being run. The resignations are from people with serious legal and inquiry kudos.

  7. 7

    So the CoC is asking if we want a 4-year term.

    But it seems that it isn't really a 4-year term, its a 3+ year term.

    So the fourth year might be just one long long year of campaigning. I'm sure the Atlas Institute will appreciate the extra time to get their Goebbels machine into action.

    So half-arsed, why am I not surprised.

    More about this later, I am sure.

    1. 7.1

      A new suggestion, that's just popped up has been that there is an initial 4 year term (for the government to figure out what it's doing) – followed by 3 year terms if re-elected.

      Allows the government of the day sufficient time to get the body of legislation underway – but recognizes that this shouldn't be needed if they are re-elected (they should know what they're doing by that stage).

      I can't say that I'm particularly in favour of it, but it's an interesting take on the issue.

      1. 7.1.1

        That four then three is a good idea…

        ..and the reasons for it stand up..

        Throw in lowering the voting age to 16… and I'm there ..

        1. 7.1.1.1

          Agree Phillip, though I have argued for 17 too…sixth form seems a time when well informed views would enable sensible voting.

          Having said that 49.9% of over 18's voted for Trump.

    1. 8.1

      Except the Warsaw Pact nations wanted into the EU and NATO. Why? The emergence in Russia of a Putin. They will feel vindicated by the 2014 and 2022 actions.

      For 7 years Germany refused to increase defence spending from 1 to 2% – the 2024 NATO rule. Instead they went for gas pipelines with Russia. After Feb 2022 their SDP and Green coalition immediately declared for 2% defence spending and a move away from Russian gas. Why?

      The new German Chancellor, CDU, has already said Europe cannot rely on the USA and will have to be able to defend itself. Why?

      Trust in the word of Putin no longer exists in Europe.

  9. 9

    Starmer has had King Charles III write a letter, signed by himself, inviting POTUS 47 to Balmoral. And hand delivered the special letter to the White House inmate (a 4 year work release programme for felons).

    The inhabitant of No 10 Downing Street, invites him to Dumfries House. There a second state visit (reprise of the one when POTUS 45) will be organised.

    The two acts are calculated insults to all Scots, as if they are to blame for that MacLeod woman of the Hebrides who bore DJT.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/king-charles-invites-donald-trump-to-balmoral-plans-historic-second-uk-state-visit/WGG55AUVSBCNVCYVIFJVO6UDBI/

    1. 9.1

      Starmer and Trump have a lot in common, one was formerly a Public Prosecutor the other was formerly publicly prosecuted.

  10. 10

    Here's the copy of the letter that legal firm Franks Ogilvie sent on behalf of Inflection Point to gender medicine clinicians in NZ (and their insurance companies I think).

    https://www.webworm.co/p/theletter

    It seems unorthodox for NZ, but I'm not seeing a huge problem with it, so am curious what others here who have been following think.

    If I strip out the politics (IP and FO being right wing) the letter reads as relevant, but mostly because I agree that gender medicine has far outstripped ethics and has done so because of ideology (and in the case of the US, money).

    It's also a challenge for the left. Do we uphold medical ethics and child protection or do we say doctor knows best (or in this case, children know best)? Women have a history of being harmed by medical ethics being ignored, so feminists have a particular interest in this as well.

    I'm not comfortable about Inflection Point, but I will just keep pointing out that the liberal left ran No Debate so successfully that the narrative is now dominated by conservatives, including in NZ. Can't really complain about that lefties, it's a massive own goal.

    1. 10.1

      Well, I guess it could be seen as a threat. It's certainly intended to put some pressure on gender affirming medical practitioners.

      However, NZ is also a difficult country to have any kind of discussion about the details of what happens during transitioning. So how to encourage any kind of meaningful discussion about what actually happens as a result of surgical and medical transitioning? Furthermore detransitioners, given prominencce in the letter, hardly get any coverage at all by our politicians, media, or LGBT+ organisations. Detrans people are not mentioned at all in the RNZ article on the letter.

      Our media tends to only present a selective view of transitioners, with the usual talking points, emotive embracing of victimhood, etc that we have got used to seeing here and internationally.

      How else to try to get any kind of mainstream debate on the details of the results of transitioning? A letter to The Minister of Health, a press release? They would likely not have been picked up by the media as this letter did, albeit in a negative way.

      1. 10.1.1

        yes and it's not like people haven't tried other ways eg the work done on the MoH's PB page. The letter looks like political activism to me, and for the first few days when there was no copy of the letter available, the liberal reaction was all about how threatening it. I don't see how it's threatening. Challenging for sure, but what is wrong with that in politics? Maybe I'm missing something. There was talk in OM in the past few days where people thought it was bad, but I'm not entirely sure why.

        It's horrible this is coming from the right, because it's going to tie into conservative ideas about gender and conformity. But that's not as bad as what is happening to detrans people. It IS a medical scandal and shame on the left for being in denial.

        1. 10.1.1.1

          I agree that it's very frustrating that the left in NZ particularly seem to be averse to any in-depth discussion of the issues, including details about the 'gender affirming' surgical and medical changes to bodies. I also find it curious that given how many left wing people in NZ are critical of the strong tendency for a right wing bias in our media, have nothing to say about the extreme bias even the NZ Herald & Stuff have in reporting on trans issues.

          On X today there was this thread with copies of a letter by a Welsh surgeon to the General Medical Council, about what he describes as a deception being practised by surgeons performing vaginoplasty and vulvoplasty on males.

          The letter contains a long list of how the faux-vaginas & vulvas differ from female ones, plus some of the risks associated with the practices. Some of the aspects of the faux-vaginas and vulvas result in bacterial and fungal conditions, whereas natural female ones have built in ways of minimising such conditions.

          The alleged surgically created vaginas are holes that bodies interpret as wounds, and try to close them. Consequently the recipient of the vaginoplasty needs to continually dilate the hole with an implement to keep it open, and scarring results.

          1. 10.1.1.1.1

            that's an incredibly detailed letter and should be read alongside the Franks Ogilvie letter especially by anyone thinking doctors are somehow above scrutiny.

  12. 12

    This era reminds me of George Weigal who has long advocated for the USA to return to the 19th C.

    JD Vance gets to the same point via adopting libertarianism and blaming the poor for their culture.

    Trump imperialism and tariffs, walk back from progressive taxation and the Anti-Trust Act, and impact of the womens vote towards broligarchy.

    A society less for all (extensive) to a gated community private realm elite with an intensive order regime over the rest.

    This was the pre-democratic order founded when only men with property could vote. A constitutional re-boot of the earlier feudal system.

  13. 13

    Being the descendant of a nurse I know how well she and others looked after patients. It is nice to be occasionally reminded of how well things can work in New Zealand.

    1. 16.1

      Residential property investors have emerged from hibernation, borrowing almost twice as much as they did last year.

      The value of banks’ new mortgage lending to investors rose by 90% between January 2024 and January 2025 to $1.2 billion.

      There have only been two other occasions in the past decade that …

      The tax changes to benefit landlords and their consequence.

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/personal-finance/investment/property-investors-return-borrowing-almost-twice-as-much-as-a-year-ago-house-prices-expected-to-remain-in-check/RPH4KOK775H3ZF2Z2NYZBE4ZVM/

      The podcast notes

      1.that inheritance taxes are being reduced (where they are) – our estate tax was removed in 1993. Gift duty removed in 2012 (parents to children so they have the equity to buy property).

      2.peak time for them (baby boomers) is 2035.

  17. 17

    Thoughtful Guardian Opinion piece on Australian foreign policy in the T-world.

    "Take the Anzus alliance: it doesn’t include an HQ, a commander, forces assigned or a mutual defence guarantee. It’s an 800-word essay. To be sure, the security ties are now wide-ranging but, if the treatment of our strategic cousins in Canada is anything to go by, this pact offers no assurance."

  18. 18

    Author of Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea writes an opinion piece contrasting austerity in Argentina with Musk's attack in the US.

    "In the US, if the goal is to dismantle the administrative state, austerity will work. But in a country where 53% of counties – most of them Republican-leaning – are dependent on government transfers for a quarter or more of their incomes, it may backfire badly."

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