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6:00 am, August 29th, 2026 - 54 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 …
Who knew?
A Cat called Bob new…….
Hopefully we will see the end of the dreadful ACT/ATLAS Party after the November Election.
David Seymore could not even discuss Article 2 of the TOW with Moana Maniapoto in a discussion this week, despite his accusations of Maaori being unfairly advantaged here in NZ.
DaviD Seymore and the COC need to go, they have done more harm to Race Relations in 3 years and broken 50 years of good work done by previous National and Labour Governments to improve race relations with Maaori here in NZ. After the confiscations and theft of Maaori Land in the 18th Century by the Settlor Governments.
I think Winston and Shane, the racist duo, have made NZF just as bad as ACT in this government, which says something.
Apart from overt racism, Shane has continually attacked the environment. However his latest attack on Sam Neill (through the Spielberg donation to help fight the Santana gold mine) is a huge mistake and a vote loser.
Everybody in NZ loved Sam.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/shane-jones-tells-steven-spielberg-et-go-home-over-bendigo-ophir-mine-donation/KUL4BYC2JRFUXPYOCXF226PFVI/
I always wondered about Jones' tiny arms.
They only look tiny when compared with the rest of him.
(Well, he chose to "make it personal" …. )
Can we all just agree to call him tugger?
Good kai.
Following on from Labour's CGT/free medical visits convo yesterday.
Many people on sickness benefit or supported living payment need more than three visits per year. A person on a salary who doesn't need the cash gets the three free visits and a person in poverty with chronic health issues doesn't get help for their other visits.
Sickness benefit reviews 4x/year alone would take the three. I haven't seen anything yet to accommodate for that, does anyone know?
I think that's right and I'd assume that the trade-off calculation for this policy goes something like this:
1.) Sickness beneficiaries will be better off than they were by getting 3 free visits, but not as well off as they need to be in terms of access to healthcare.
2.) Someone on a decent income, but without additional residential property that will be subject to CGT, will also be better off than they were by getting 3 free visits. In fact they will be better off than they really need to be.*
3.) It is only because no.2 occurs that no.1 becomes possible. That's because universality tends to create a broad consensus around a policy, making it harder to reverse. The calls to reverse it will come from a much smaller third group who are worse off under the policy because of their extensive rental residential property holdings. However, although they are smaller, they still hold particular influence over right-wing parties like National and ACT – their influence exceeds their numbers and it is important politically to make their preferences sound wacky and mean-spirited.
*Note: Although members in group 2 may be better off than really needed in terms of their access to healthcare, there could be some benefit in them having a little spare money. They may spend some of it into the local economy which at the moment would be a good thing.
this is helpful thanks. Particularly like the concept of better off than they need to be.
The mix of universal services punitive welfare is just awful. It's like saying we will give you this thing to make your life better, but we will require you to give it back to us. It's kind of outrageous that beneficiaries who are unwell/disabled have to pay to access a benefit anyway.
But this is a slap in the face. It reminds me of TOP policy. Both design not from social welfare, but economics (TOP), and work is everything (Labour). Neither have a good understanding of disability or social security for those that cannot work.
I hope that Labour will mend some of the worst of punitive welfare, but I won't hold my breath.
This is the most compelling case I've seen. I can also see that this policy could be used to build more and better universality. Just unclear if that is what Labour intend
It is my understanding that the cost for 4 or more a year will revert back to standard co-payments or clinic fees set by ones local practice.
And the first 3 free visits won’t rollover into the next year if not taken
All our assumptions are predicated on there being GPs to make appointments with.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/health/540200/staff-shortages-key-driver-as-more-general-practices-turn-away-new-patients
Yet another downside to running record migration year upon year to make the books look good.
Yup.
And we can also rule out visits via after-hours care. The free visits don't cover after-hours care
What record migration? And the books (still) look shit!?
I think three was selected because it roughly reflects the number of GP consultations the current funding model historically assumed across an enrolled population.
That was essentially the theory behind capitation: practices receive a fixed amount for each enrolled patient, rather than being funded visit-by-visit. Some patients will barely see their GP at all, and the funding attached to them effectively helps subsidise the patients who need substantially more care.
In theory, that also gives practices an incentive to keep their enrolled population healthier rather than simply generating more consultations.
The problem is that it hasn't really worked out that neatly in practice. Chronic illness and the complexity and cost of care delivered in general practice have increased substantially, while the funding model hasn't really kept pace.
And I'm not sure that's particularly Labour's fault. Primary care has proved remarkably resistant to reform under successive governments. It occupies this rather awkward halfway position where the government supplies a very large amount of the money and is held politically responsible for access and affordability, but much of the service is still delivered by privately owned practices with considerable autonomy over how they operate.
GPs often have perfectly legitimate reasons for resisting particular reforms — workload, workforce shortages, administrative burden and badly designed contracts among them. But collectively the sector has also been rather more enthusiastic about accepting additional public funding than accepting the direction or obligations that might reasonably accompany it.
So I suspect the "three free visits" policy is partly taking an old population-level funding assumption and turning it into an individual entitlement. And once you do that, you get exactly the problem you're describing: someone who needs no care gets three free visits, while somebody with a chronic condition can burn through their three very quickly and still face exactly the same affordability barrier afterwards.
Ultimately, if we're going to put substantially more public money into primary care, we're probably going to have to confront the underlying question: are we purchasing services from independent private providers, or are we trying to build a genuinely universal primary healthcare system?
Those aren't quite the same thing.
Have your eyebrows been raised yet?
National Party candidate Candace Kinser.
Campaigning for Chlöe Swarbrick’s seat in Auckland.
A JC clone?
Eyebrows! Good one, Incognito – I hadn't seen that.
What's your point Merc? Obscure comments don't work.
I've just raised a flag. Perhaps later on someone will say, Kinser? Kinser? That name rings a bell. Like dropping the word, "Palantir" into a conversation.
Edit: someone like … SPC, for example.
or you could just spell it out
Does that, "spell it out"?
That sounds like a promo from the Atlas Foundation.
That's not how I perceive Kinser's role.
What do you think about her presenting as a candidate in competition with Chlöe?
Happenstance?
I have no idea who she is, nor whether it's happenstance. Was hoping you would say.
BG Hear hear my man.
The National Party's Auckland society eclectic American.
It's based on her diverse college education, not specified in the article
https://www.appointbetterboards.co.nz/women-in-sport-governance-profile/candace-kinser
Yes she knows JC (& many others in the party) and looks like her.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/society-insider-meet-nationals-auckland-central-candidate-candace-kinser-the-texan-polo-playing-businesswoman-taking-on-chloe-swarbrick/premium/3A3I63PL7VHUXHGGEZ4KJEMMFI/
https://archive.li/ii2PS#selection-4173.0-4173.402
A techbroette to rule.
/
https://www.cio.com/article/203899/ex-nz-tech-ceo-candace-kinser-becomes-nz-lead-of-analytics-company-palantir.html
For this election leftish voters really need to work out that National winning unexpected seats is a huge problem for National, not the opposition.
I will still vote for Chloe in Auckland Central, because she's the best candidate and deserves it.
But in the (very unlikely) event that the Nat wins, that's one less survivor from their list.
Ditto all the marginal seats across the land, wherever you guys live. If an obscure backbencher replaces Willis, Bishop or Goldsmith that's some Schadenfreude I can comfortably live with.
If anyone cannot bring themselves to vote for any of the offerings we are too familiar with:
https://www.progressiveparty.co.nz/about/
The decision to form a political party in New Zealand was inspired in part by the successful emergence of other Progressive Utilization Theory based political parties around the world. “Amra Bangali” (India) is one of many such parties and has been active for decades. Two other Indian Prout-based political parties are Proutist Sarva Samaj and Proutist Bloc, India (PBI) “Humane World” (Germany) is another. It has been contesting the German elections since it was founded in 2013.
Founders of The Progressive Party of Aotearoa New Zealand have been studying P. R. Sarkar’s Progressive Utilisation Theory model over many years and believe now is the opportune time to promote its model for real change.,..
The Progressive Party is guided by the view that humanity is one family. In a healthy family everybody cares for and looks after everyone else. The Progressive Party Aotearoa New Zealand aligns with these key values. A Progressive government would commit to the goal of guaranteeing that everyone’s basic needs in respect of food, clothing, housing, medical care and education are met.
To make this possible the Progressive Party is committed to ensuring that a just minimum wage provides everyone with the purchasing power to meet their housing and other basic needs. The just minimum wage would increase over time to ensure a progressively higher standard of living – for example to enable access to new technologies. The just minimum wage would be set by a Wages and Salaries Commission. In a related first move, as required in the USA, each year companies would be required to identify and disclose the compensation of the median-paid employee at the firm and compare that to the CEO as a ratio. This would eventually lead to a cap on salaries linked to the just minimum wage… [As required in the USA?]
Further consideration on the PROUT-based Indian political party (Progressive Utilization Theory) – if the West's direction is decadent and downward, perhaps we need a new hegemony?
The Indian people I meet in Nelson are pleasant, keen, hard-working, forward-looking, and speak good English plus their own Punjabi, and getting prepared for the future, taking tertiary education. The young woman in the pizza place has come here, works till late, and wanting to bring her husband and small children to her. Dedication, hard work, and knowing two languages, put our cultural Brit-based approach with some Maori breaking around the rohe, in the shade.
This burst of ambitious, upward striving immigrants might help us survive coming vicissitudes. Our national lack of commitment to this country, each other generally, and Maori reluctantly, just repeats the political stalemate, which has gone beyond stale to putrid, and there is no future for us without some smarts.
Two vids here – informative and concerning. One on the complete lack of concern for humans in USA forces and also fiscal position, by Trump.
The other demonstrates the unconnectedness with reality that has resulted from the vast sums of notional wealth being passed around at a high level. Much would result or incur presumptive chicanery.
Vid 26.54m 'Will Trump's Weird Obsession break the US Navy' | If You're Listening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPy-Myvi6Sg
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/if-youre-listening/will-trump-s-weird-obsession-break-the-us-navy-/107079638
58.58 What the heck is going on in the bond market? Ezra Klein Show
I think about 15 minutes in to this vid they say that the USA is so much in debt that they are paying more in debt interest than they are spending on defence.
Can someone keep the orchestra playing as the Titanic goes down to soothe the peeps? We can not worry about saving them; they will have to be collateral amongst the lost and bewildered.
With the election dawn comes the end of access to benefits for those age 18-19 if their parents earn over $65,000 (meaning hardship for some families receiving WFF tax credits for the child under 18).
The government is concerned to prevent benefit dependency, others concerned about this should vote them out of office for presiding over rising unemployment.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/1169347/thousands-of-youths-set-to-lose-access-to-unemployment-benefits-after-welfare-law-change
They are sick puppies.
Politicians and the management class are dependents – bonded to the financial markets. Many have got bored with doing real work, manual labour, and have chosen a higher strata, tapping and rubbing devices of desire, making themselves wealthy, finally feeling they are immanuel without any labour.
Infrastructure decline is broader than just the physical (public water, transport and housing), it includes personnel.
We once had the current number of Kainga Ora houses when with a population of only 3M back in 1973 (this did not include council provided aged care housing). This government ended growth in supply from Kainga Ora.
Yet we lack aged care (or provision for the rising demand) and disability housing.
We lack GP's and
https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/08/29/mental-health-crisis-looming-psychiatrists-warn/
Sad trombone…
Homeland Security
@DHSgov
On August 27, ICE arrested Milo Yiannopoulos, an illegal alien from the United Kingdom, at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) in Kenner, Louisiana. Yiannopoulos legally entered the country on May 14, 2019, through New York City, New York. He chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation’s laws.
https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2093428821835796688
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/1169347/thousands-of-youths-set-to-lose-access-to-unemployment-benefits-after-welfare-law-change
So one would assume that working for families payments will be extended to 19 year olds, ?? Especially since national are running the highest youth unemployment in 30 years
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/1169347/thousands-of-youths-set-to-lose-access-to-unemployment-benefits-after-welfare-law-change
Tough if you’re parents are wealthy & sorted and earn more than $65k pa.
This is sick & cruel when unemployment and underutilisation rate are 25.3 and 53.8%, respectively, in the 15-19 years age-group.
Of course, it was passed under urgency (on Friday).
Just one of the many ways this government shifts costs onto households forgetting New Zealand’s private debt is vastly larger than its public (government) debt.
Nah, it’s good old National benny-bashing and kicking the poor in the teeth.
The median wage is over $70,000.
Anyone working FT at the MW would earn near $50,000. Thus if their partner worked 20 hours they would earn over $70,000 also.
Is the US bond market going to crash?
Trump threatens military intervention on the Bond Markets
U.S. Treasury Secretary eyeing near-$1 trillion "war chest" to fund expanded bond buybacks.
Can they stabilise the market? How will it impact you?
Is it true that someone died overnight, in front of Goldsmith's office?
"Goldsmith said, “This will naturally be an extremely upsetting situation for anyone involved, and it would be inappropriate to politicise it, or to comment further.”"
Goldsmith doesn't want to comment further.
Nothing must be said about the homeless person found dead nearby to Goldsmith's office.
Nothing must be said. It would be inappropriate to comment further.
Terrible business. We must not comment further.
https://nickrockel.substack.com/p/death-at-goldsmiths-office
Strangely enough, if the cops had shot him, we would know their criminal history by now as well as other agencies chipping in with commentary.
Having to put Clodflare back on to the site due to some nasty activity.
Just having the same old issues with something blocking the cdn and other services.
That was a short-lived experiment.
I really don’t like cloudflare, even without their habit of billing extraordinary amounts on badly documented new features.
getting some new, odd blocks. Will email the screenshots.
Not the best experience. I think what was happening was some kind of lag effects. Bunny.net seems to be working better (maybe)
Thanks for your sterling performance Lynn as ringmaster in this circus!
All I can (see and) say is that the site now responds snappy and feels like the good old days – no more time outs or 508s.
It does. Had a minor glitch show up this morning with on my Samsung phone with a 403 error. Temp fix.
I will fix that permanently later today.
same as Incog, fast as now, including in the back end change pinned posts.