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Open Mike 30/10/25

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 30th, 2025 - 32 comments
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32 comments on “Open Mike 30/10/25 ”

  1. Ad 1
    30 October 2025 at 8:00 am

    OK so the Fast Track legislation was apparently so necessary from New Zealand's dire economic situation that it needed the full suspension entire RMA and all courts and all democratic hearings except a few comedy skits …

    https://www.fasttrack.govt.nz/projects

    … so where are they?

    Have any of them so much as laid a brick?

    With all those legislative and democratic processes taken away from us, what has New Zealand got in return?

    Reply
    • KJT 1.1
      30 October 2025 at 8:16 am

      Where are all the more sustainable energy projects, that "fast track" was supposed to facilitate??

      Reply
    • AB 1.2
      30 October 2025 at 9:51 am

      It's only the approval process that is fast tracked. Once you get past that piece of political theatre and have to actually do something, these projects are going to proceed at about the same pace as similar projects have always done. That's because at the implementation stage there are real, material constraints on any project.

      So what was the point of all this? I'd guess that the point is not to get things done any quicker, but simply to permanently weaken regulatory frameworks that might run counter to the interests of local and global capital. The mirage of faster implementation is cover for what is essentially a political/ideological agenda.

      Reply
      • Drowsy M. Kram 1.2.1
        30 October 2025 at 10:13 am

        the point is… simply to permanently weaken regulatory frameworks that might run counter to the interests of local and global capital.

        yes Just one of many 'sacrifices' our NAct1 CoC was happy to make – for the sorted.

        Reply
      • Bearded Git 1.2.2
        30 October 2025 at 1:14 pm

        AB-The consent approval process is certainly not a piece of "political theatre".

        It requires applicants to operate within objectives, policies, rules in a District Plan and operate within the law in the RMA (and other legislation).

        District Plans are arrived at after considering thousands of submissions by people in the street, not just rich pricks.

        The RMA works well. By coincidence I have lived in the Queenstown Lakes District for the entire period that the RMA has been operative-1990-2025. During this time the QLD has seen stupendous levels of growth. Idiots like Bishop/Willis/Seymour who say that the RMA holds back growth are talking complete bollocks.

        Fastracking is a disaster because it avoids the need to comply with District Plans or the RMA.-it should be dumped unceremoniously by Labour.

        There may be an argument for a specific carve out to give rapid consent treatment for energy proposals such as solar, wind, Onslow.

        Reply
    • Hunter Thompson II 1.3
      30 October 2025 at 11:01 am

      A promise of a brighter future, of course (you may have heard that one before).

      Reply
  2. PsyclingLeft.Always 2
    30 October 2025 at 8:55 am

    With the spread of an entirely preventable disease Measles, leading to Adult illness and potentially Childrens death, it could be a very good thing to check yourself and whanau are up to date.

    Potential for measles outbreak to be worse than 2019, Prof Michael Baker says

    There were tens of thousands children vulnerable to the highly infectious virus, he told Morning Report.

    In 2019 there were more than 2000 cases with a third of people ending up in hospital. He feared there might be more cases this time.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/577148/potential-for-measles-outbreak-to-be-worse-than-2019-prof-michael-baker-says

    When I was getting my Covid/Flu vaccination boosters, the nice Nurse asked if I wanted to book my Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Whooping Cough Combined Vaccine. Hmmm, I asked, why the Whooping Cough? She replied there had been an outbreak and it really badly affects the little ones.

    This Link is from Age Concern, there is also a lot more Info on the Net available, about, and where to go…

    Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Whooping Cough Combined Vaccine

    https://www.ageconcern.org.nz/Public/Public/Info/Health_Topics/Vaccinations_and_immunisation.aspx

    Allgood, done.

    Reply
    • I Feel Love 2.1
      30 October 2025 at 9:00 am

      I got the combined shot too, I kept on coming up with stories on diptheria & whooping cough in the things I was reading & realised it was all still a thing & also a thing I did not want or want to spread.

      Reply
      • PsyclingLeft.Always 2.1.1
        30 October 2025 at 9:16 am

        Aye good on you. : )

        Its something we all can, and should do, to help protect those who cant protect themselves !

        Reply
        • PsyclingLeft.Always 2.1.1.1
          30 October 2025 at 9:56 pm

          Positive and Proactive care….

          Plunket offers measles vaccines for entire families amid outbreak

          Whānau Āwhina Plunket is now offering measles vaccinations to the families of babies who are too young to receive it themselves.

          Chief nurse Zoë Tipa said 20 sites were already up and running, as part of its pilot immunisation programme funded by Health NZ, with another four set to be operational by the end of November.

          "There is community transmission of measles, so that's not great, and we know this is an anxious time for a lot of families, especially those with babies under one who are too young to be immunised against measles," she said.

          "That's why it's so important that everyone around them is protected.

          "We now offer the MMR [measles, mumps and rubella] vaccine to the whole whānau at those sites, so not just the under fives but anyone can go in and get immunised as well."

          https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/577293/plunket-offers-measles-vaccines-for-entire-families-amid-outbreak

          Reply
    • Kay 2.2
      30 October 2025 at 10:22 am

      I unexpectedly got a booster Tetanus & co shot for a 45th birthday present, apparently part of the schedule, and for the first time in my life, a tetanus shot that didn’t hurt! (Needle size has changed, apparently). I see there will be another top-up at 65. I would really like to have the shingles shot (hx of chickenpox and it really does sound like a miserable illness) but most people- who aren't 65- are priced out. Vaccinations shouldn't be an optional extra, especially when they save the health system money.

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/556414/doctors-patients-call-for-widened-access-to-shingles-vaccine

      Reply
    • Visubversa 2.3
      30 October 2025 at 11:21 am

      I have a suspicion that there was a Health Department "push" to get Health Providers to check their patients' records for those that were behind on that particular vaccine. I saw the Nurse at the Health Centre not so long ago and was reminded that I had not had a recent booster for that vaccine. "Shall we do it now" she said. "Certainly" I replied and rolled up my sleeve.

      Reply
    • SPC 2.4
      30 October 2025 at 11:35 am

      Walking around in bare feet is good for the tetanus booster shot motivation.

      But since then COVID at places where sick people are has delayed getting the shingles one.

      Reply
      • PsyclingLeft.Always 2.4.1
        30 October 2025 at 9:41 pm

        Bare feet on grass/sand is a great feeling (I presume Summer ?). Re Tetanus motivation; having had nails..through soles of work boots, it does focus the mind.

        And yea that shingles does sound bad….

        Reply
  3. joe90 3
    30 October 2025 at 10:26 am

    The other war..

    https://files-profile.medicine.yale.edu/documents/b9c14991-6b22-492e-9e16-f903d25d9b49

    https://xcancel.com/NotWoofers/status/1983154559578181867

    US intelligence agencies reported as recently as October that the UAE has increased its supply of Chinese drones and other weapon systems to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

    The Department of Defence’s intelligence agency and the State Department’s intelligence bureau both reported an increase in the flow of weapons from the UAE to the rebel group that has been accused of committing genocide in Darfur, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Wall Street Journal.

    The supplies include advanced Chinese-made drones along with small arms, heavy machine guns, vehicles, artillery, mortars, and ammunition.

    The UAE’s support for the RSF has been well documented, and much of the WSJ report corroborates Middle East Eye’s exclusive reporting on the UAE’s role in the conflict

    https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uae-increasing-support-sudans-rsf-new-chinese-drones-report

    Reply
  4. PsyclingLeft.Always 4
    30 October 2025 at 10:27 am

    Re Kay 2.2.
    Hi Kay, that Vacc while unexpected, was quite a thoughtful birthday present : )

    Re the shingles….yes it really does sound hella miserable. If there is no way other, I hope you get a similar present ?

    Reply
    • Kay 4.1
      30 October 2025 at 12:00 pm

      Oh I wish! But even the non-broke people I know wouldn't give me a gift that expensive. So it's fingers crossed for the next 9 years frown

      Reply
      • PsyclingLeft.Always 4.1.1
        30 October 2025 at 9:49 pm

        I found this…maybe youcould bring it up with MP etc?

        Doctors, patients call for widened access to shingles vaccine

        University of Auckland associate professor Helen Petousis-Harris said the situation was absurd.

        "Shingles doesn't care about birthdays and the risk only increases with age. You don't just flick a switch on at 65. A 64-year-old is just as vulnerable as someone a few months older, and a 66-year-old is at even greater risk," she said.

        "It makes absolutely no sense, it's not like the virus checks your ID."

        Petousis-Harris said broader access to the vaccine, which provided about 10 years of protection and was highly effective even for the elderly, would save the health system money.

        "I think it would be a cost-saving, not just in terms of medical attention and cases with hospitalisation, but also for people who are still working and still earning, it's a massive loss of income while they're sick," she said.

        https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/556414/doctors-patients-call-for-widened-access-to-shingles-vaccine

        Reply
  5. Hunter Thompson II 5
    30 October 2025 at 11:03 am

    In the Wall Street Journal of 29 October a truly frightening report details how a waste collection pool on a Chinese-owned mine in Zambia has collapsed, devastating crop fields in a local village. The waste contained arsenic and cyanide which flowed into a local river.

    The villagers affected were offered $US150 each in compensation, provided they took no action against the miner and said nothing about the event. (The miner has promised more funds for farmers and fishermen affected).

    Meantime, back in Godzone, people are divided over whether Santana Minerals should be allowed to start mining in Otago. Santana has already made inroads by buying out one farmer who dutifully sang the corporate song.

    The usual suspects are already touting the economic benefits from mining, but they ignore or downplay the problems that can occur.

    Reply
  6. Craig H 6
    30 October 2025 at 11:56 am

    Mini-Hoon: S&P's Anthony Walker critiques 'Local Water Done Well'

    Fantastic work from Bernard Hickey here – turns out S&P and other rating agencies can see through the mirage of separation of water from councils into "independent" entities.

    ‘Shifting ‘off balance sheet’ doesn’t change our view’

    “This is what this note is partly there to tell councils and investors. It’s explaining how we look at the six options provided, whether they would be outside our credit rating or not. But if you’re shifting something to an in-house business unit, where you’ve got staff sitting on the floor next to you and you’re shifting to a single-owned entity, with ratings and revenues quarantined, They think they may have a separate business structure, but ultimately, they’re probably the same people doing the same job for the same people and probably having the same cost base.

    “They may actually have a bigger cost base if they’re going to ramp up their spending. So while it might shift it from the parent accounts under New Zealand accounting standards, they’re likely to be captured under the group accounts. So they’re still on the broader balance sheet that most governments don’t focus on.”

    Reply
  7. newsense 7
    30 October 2025 at 12:53 pm

    So what’s the point of Fonterra? It was supposed to be big enough to get good prices for us overseas. Now they don’t do consumer stuff like Mainlan.

    Reply
  8. Kat 8
    30 October 2025 at 1:30 pm

    Big takeaways from APEC………

    Trump called Luxon a “beautiful man,”

    Trump said that Luxon had “beautiful hair.”

    The entire table raised their glasses for a toast at one point, despite Luxon and Trump both being non-drinkers…………………………………

    Luxon said he wasn’t sure what was actually in the glass, but he had Pepsi Max with dinner and Trump was “presumably” on Coke Zeros…………….

    Wow….simply…..Wow……

    Reply
  9. aj 9
    30 October 2025 at 4:07 pm

    Never a better time than a discussion like this. 44 minutes.

    Professor Brian Cox and a panel of experts discuss how to curb rising global temperatures and what life could be like in a warmer world. Our planet is hotting up. But as temperatures climb, can we cope with a climate emergency? What can science and technology to do help us, and will social and political change make a difference? Our panel answers the audience’s questions on everything from carbon capture to climate sceptics.

    • Myles Allen – Head of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, University of Oxford

    • Kathryn Browne – Director of Climate Change and Evidence, The Wildlife Trust

    • Hayley Fowler – Professor of Climate Change Impacts, Newcastle University

    • George Monbiot – Environmental journalist and campaigner

    https://youtu.be/57x_SWsv6QU?si=T7L99FhVVYvcRNTZ

    Reply

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