This post is open to anyone to comment on any topic that isn’t spam, illegal or offensive. All Your NZ posts are open but this one is for you to raise topics that interest you, or you think may interest others..
If providing opinions on or summaries of other information also provide a link to that information. Bloggers are welcome to summarise and link to their posts. Comments worth more exposure may be repeated as posts. Comments from other forums can be repeated here, cut and paste is fine.
Your NZ is a mostly political and social issues blog but not limited to that, and views from anywhere on the political spectrum are welcome. Some ground rules:
- If possible support arguments, news, points or opinions with links to sources and facts.
- Please don’t post anything illegal, potentially defamatory or abusive.
FIRST TIME COMMENTERS: Due to abuse by a few, first comments under any ID will park in moderation until released (as soon as possible but it can sometimes take a while).
Sometimes comments will go into moderation or spam automatically due to mistyped ID, too many links (>4), or trigger text or other at risk criteria. If they pass muster they will be released as soon as possible (it can sometimes take hours).
Pete George
/ 12th October 2020Kitty Catkin
/ 12th October 2020I wish that they hadn’t used an Orthodox icon for this picture. The middle figure is a saint from the neck down; one of the Apostles, I think.
Kitty Catkin
/ 12th October 2020No, it’s Jesus. Note the fingers; that is how Orthodox people hold their hands when they make the sign of the cross.
Corky
/ 12th October 2020This can’t be RIGHT, surely? I have stated numerous times( in fact only yesterday, again), that the New Conservatives and Billy were getting huge crowds in my region. I said yesterday that a street poll in my area surprised me with a strong showing for minor parties outside what would be considered the 2 major and two minor parties. Trolls politely told me I was full of shite.
Of course, big turn outs don’t necessarily translate into votes…but it does show an interest by people to explore something different.
Seems I’m not the only one who believes cellphone towers are quite capable of burning surrounding vegetation…and MAY cause serious health problems.
And things aren’t all smoke and mirrors:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/427917/poll-shows-scarce-support-for-billy-te-kahika
duperez
/ 12th October 2020Depends on what sort of smoke and what sort of mirrors. After their march in our fair city Te Kahika’s lot described the event as having a “massive” crowd. A reporter counted 67.
Given the number of half wits there does that mean the mob could have been 134? Or 33 1/2?
Corky
/ 12th October 2020I can’t comment on that. I made it clear my comments were regional. In our area they packed out two halls with a crowd standing outside.
duperez
/ 12th October 2020In some regions people gather to see what a freak show is about. 😊
Duker
/ 12th October 2020[Deleted. I’m not going to keep warning you, you know well enough. PG]
Corky
/ 12th October 2020We have been through this. I don’t know why you want to draw attention to your incompetence for even getting the basics right.
You need to have a good moe and maybe have a talk to someone before the events of Saturday, either good or bad for you, overwhelm you.
Griff.
/ 12th October 2020“Trolls” from corky?
ROFL.
Putting it politely.
I don’t think that word means what you think it means.
Duker
/ 12th October 2020Shall we repeat the takedown of the old […]
“In a small street poll, Labour appear to be winning the battle for the party vote in Napier but with a large number of undecided voters still to make up their minds, anything could happen.
[he specifically mentioned HB, Lo and behold its online]
Hawke’s Bay Today did an unscientific and random snap poll of 50 people to see what the vibe on the street was for this year’s general election when it came to the party vote…Maori Party, NZ First and Conservative all grabbed one vote each in the poll.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/labour-tops-napier-poll/OYN7M75VEJ4KR2VZDB2RTGYW3I/
Steamrollered him … sad really , probably once was head shepherd with a flock of sheep, now hes become one
Corky
/ 12th October 2020Are you the guard dog for the Hive today? I too think Duker has run his course. To be fair to him..are you any better? ROFL.
https://yournz.org/2020/10/10/trump-battles-trade-and-covid-effects-but-stokes-a-bigger-battle/#comment-453937
Corky
/ 12th October 2020Hey guys!! Tell us why one million people have already voted? That’s a record number apparently. Let’s put your IQs to the test.
Griff.
/ 12th October 2020Umm I gave the latest results for the Human Freedom Index from cato separately quoting the source as well as the link to the table on wiki.
Well halfwit that is why I qualified objective with “a certain amount ” because what ain’t objective is obviously subjective in these ratings .
This was your comment.
I went on to prove we are measurably one of the less repressed society’s on this planet so fuck knows how you can claim we are repressed.
NZ might be repressed as opposed to what is living in your head but that is no part of any measurable reality for any known functioning society on this planet
Well you see I was a paid up member of ACT our only viable Libertarian party for twenty fuckin years and have a set of Christmas cards from Roger D to prove it . Did I mention I personally know Roger from before ACT was started ? This is well known and has been said on here and kiwi blog many many times in the last decade and a half .I might no longer self identify as right wing but that has more to do with not wanting to be associated with stupid idiots (like you) who think they are right wing on blogs than any change in my underlying philosophy.
Well you see noddy I just pointed out citing something called reputable evidence from a range of identifiable experts on freedom that the USA is no where as free as we are here in NZ and you have given no content to your argument at all for the simple reason you can not actually construct one instead its the fall back of the fractully wrong …pigeon chess.
Your link to this pap of yours just proves how little you have when it comes to actual support for your nonsense fulled comments.
It was just empty gibbering as per normal for you when challenged .
Corky
/ 12th October 2020I can see you have put some work in here, Griff. You took your time. I would have expected a quicker response. Your anger unfortunately has blinded you again.
”Umm I gave the latest results for the Human Freedom Index from cato separately quoting the source as well as the link to the table on wiki.”
So it would seem…the 2019 index from Cato.? The problem is you gave a contradictory link from Wiki. And you didn’t state that on your Cato list heading.
I honestly can’t hold that against you because I am guilty of being unclear myself sometimes.
”Well halfwit that is why I qualified objective with “a certain amount ” because what ain’t objective is obviously subjective in these ratings .”
Sorry, I was being condescending. I thought you wouldn’t know that. I was assuming you were going down the ‘more facts than opinions and vise versa argument.
”I went on to prove we are measurably one of the less repressed society’s on this planet so fuck knows how you can claim we are repressed.”
I didn’t deny that we are one of the least repressed societies in the world.
both factually and from what most people would think
However, we are no where near the ideal of freedom I believe in.
I gave you a list…two of which we are FINALLY getting a chance to vote on…freedom huh? What was happening during the intervening years?
Oh, yeah..”we are measurably one of the less repressed society’s on this planet so fuck knows how you can claim we are repressed.”
‘Well you see I was a paid up member of ACT our only viable Libertarian party for twenty fuckin years”
And there it is. You have really ruined it. Thinking you were a Libertarian.
Sorry, viable Libertarian.
Here’s news for you sunshine. ACT are socialists. You are a socialist.
And adding viable before Libertarian won’t change your muddled thinking.
You were deluded for 20 years.
”Did I mention I personally know Roger from before ACT was started .”
‘No, you didn’t. If you see him tell him what Lange did was a travesty.”
”Well you see Noddy I just pointed out citing something called reputable evidence from a range of identifiable experts on freedom that the USA is no where as free as we are here in NZ and you have given no content to your argument.”
In a nutshell, Griff. You have been arguing with yourself. I just came along for the fun. I actually agree with you. I tried to make that clear ( fact).
However, for me personally, and for other Libertarians, no matter our excellent objective/subjective freedom ranking, it still falls well short of our ideals regarding freedom ( opinion).
Please control your temper. It makes me feel unsafe when posting.
Duker
/ 12th October 2020Didn’t look back on previous day until now, so no didn’t see it
However this is what you allow from Corky
“The slimely Lefties know every avenue of attack in the academic and media world where they often outfox the naive patriot”
Corky
/ 12th October 2020Context and track record. Stop your whining. My remarks are backed up again by TV news.
Whether I have a factual basis for my comments is a matter of opinion.
However, you continued to print an untruth..one that had been pointed out to you.
Move on. You will probably be a happy punter come Saturday.
lurcher1948
/ 12th October 2020Saint Jacinda,our PM
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/jacinda-is-the-message
National, look and weep
Kitty Catkin
/ 12th October 2020It is St. not Saint when a name follows it; not that she is one or ever will be except to her fawning adorers who can’t see that hardly any of the things she promised have happened. Ever heard of Kiwibuild ?.
The article’s saying that her image is all that Labour has to offer. The headline makes that clear.
duperez
/ 12th October 2020Watched the video in between appointments. Obviously something wrong with casting it to a big screen. How so?
Well, there was something lost in transmission or translation because Billy Te Kahika came out looking like a lying, cheating, charlatan. I’d better talk to the techies.🙃
Kitty Catkin
/ 12th October 2020No, no ‘error’ occurred. Your computer was right. No need to reboot, unless you reboot Billy TK up the bum.
Corky
/ 12th October 2020A person like Billy may one day be your moko’s destiny
Kitty Catkin
/ 12th October 2020Clever of him when I don’t have any and never will.
Gerrit
/ 12th October 2020Slipping under the radar. Facial recognition software purchased by the government.
“The agreement was signed in December 2018, though it has taken until now for the department to get its new DXC-managed system running.
Another bit of privacy disappearing down the rabbit hole.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300130018/government-facial-recognition-tech-deal-offers-wide-access
Blazer
/ 12th October 2020Are ACT and or National opposed top it?
Gerrit
/ 12th October 2020Depends if the information was tabled in parliament or signed in secret by Labour back in 2018.
It took an OIA request to get this information from an open and transparent state governed by Labour. Labour knew as their minister signed off on the deal.
However it was done under a need to know basis. I guess ACT and National did not need to know? The public were certainly not told.
” Under government procurement rules it did not have to tell the public, Russell Burnard said.
The master deal was entirely in line with government policy to encourage such cost-cutting deals, he added.”
Duker
/ 12th October 2020“Labour knew as their minister signed off on the deal.”- you made that part up…not even mentioned in story, so its a big fat……
Ministers dont sign off on what departments do, the State Services Act prevents that sort of interference.
They are doing facial recognition for photos that people supply to them, passports driver licenses ..etc
Ever walked through the facial recognition gate for travel to Oz?
Its not checking people in the street , but that could be a concern over photos people have provided only for passport or drivers licenses. I think the ‘real me’ thing uses photos supplied as well.
Gerrit
/ 12th October 2020I dont know what is worse, a state employee signing off on purchases without ministers approval or a minister signing off on a secret deal “The deal is far-ranging, dreamt up by Internal Affairs in mid-2017, signed off by the MINISTER, and is now open to…:”
Either incompetence by the government ministers that an state employee can hide behind a simple “Under government procurement rules it did not have to tell the public, Russell Burnard said.” and not tell the minister in charge. Who is this incompetent minister not knowing what his/her department head is signing up to?
It is checking people in the “street”.
What part of “However, the aim to expand the use of biometrics for multiple uses by Crown agencies is clear in documents obtained under the Official Information Act from Internal Affairs, the police and others.”
dont you understand?
Duker
/ 12th October 2020There is releases of Cabinet papers about ‘Digital Frameworks’ and Digital Public Service
But only a minor mention about facial recognition for passports etc…. which has been around for over a decade for obvious reasons
https://www.dia.govt.nz/Proactive-Releases
Gerrit
/ 12th October 2020Not going to scroll through 62 pages of cabinet minutes that include items such a racing, covid reports, archivist action, Taupo marine closure, gambling reports, etc. etc.
Maybe you can point to the relevant pages?
Duker
/ 12th October 2020Web page search function… Eg facial finds one hit.
This is why I’m miles ahead of some of you…..and knowing what happened in 2017
Corky
/ 12th October 2020This will cause privacy advocates like me many sleepless nights.
The good news is you can buy subtle facial add-ons to fool the system. The system as I understand it relies on facial feature measurement that never change.
Blazer
/ 12th October 2020Wake up-‘nothing to hide…nothing to…fear’….remember.
Corky
/ 12th October 2020That was never my korero.
Duker
/ 12th October 2020So you dont have a passport or drivers license then ? They ask for a photo because …….?
Corky
/ 12th October 2020Yes, I have those. Explain yourself?
lurcher1948
/ 12th October 2020Allan Birchfields 3500 ton gold dredge is an impressive beast.Mr Allan Birchfield the West Coast Regional Council Chairman owns the Grey River dredge and looks after the strongman coal mine, i saw this large beast in a younger life working at Kanerie in my youth as i was very interested in gold mining, nothing wrong with dredging as they regenerate the land
Gerrit
/ 12th October 2020The ministry of internal affairs reports directly to the following ministers.
Martin, Hipkins, Mahuta, Peters, Salesa, Williams, Faafoi.
It is a long bow to draw that the ministry signed up for a facial recognition software deal without telling at least on of their report to ministers.
https://www.dia.govt.nz/About-Internal-Affairs—Ministers-and-governance—Our-Ministers
Duker
/ 12th October 2020Mid 2017 ? Who was the government then?
Gerrit
/ 12th October 2020Keep spinning Duker.
Immigration had facial recoqnition software for passport control and other state agencies wanted to coat tail on this database.
” The master deal is not needed by agencies with their own biometrics system, such as police and Immigration New Zealand, though Internal Affairs ran the idea past some of them in 2017, specifically the Transport Agency, Police, Customs, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Immigration – a part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment – spent $1.5m in the last financial year expanding a visa processing system that’s cost $6m for facial recognition since 2016, according to an Immigration statement to RNZ.”
Nothing was decided till Labours watch in 2018 for those agencies without a bio metric system, I repeat “specifically the Transport Agency, Police, Customs, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.”
Duker
/ 12th October 2020Only time ministers was mentioned in ‘the evidence’ was mid 2017. of course all but the pig headed would know this was Nationals time
Its you thats falsely saying labour ministers… wiful ignorance when its pointed out to you
It the sort of thing government departments do all the time ‘digital this or that’…once the go ahead is given they go on autopilot.
The OIA stuff Ive seen seems to brush lightly over facial recognition only in customs and passports…. which is what the photo has been supplied for.
Outside of passing through airports quicker, processing straight forward passport renewals theres the possibility of catching people with multiple identities
The police seemed to be recently looking at matching pictures of unknown persons but they did that on their own bat and its been pulled
Duker
/ 12th October 2020Slippery slope..
“A woman bled to death in the emergency department of a regional NSW hospital [Gulong] that had no doctors physically present because authorities had replaced face-to-face doctors with treatment via videolink outside business hours…
In another example of the practice, a non-verbal patient who turned up to an emergency department in central-western NSW was offered a video conference with a doctor in Switzerland.”
The worst part was – ‘it was part of the plan’
“Gulgong has not had a doctor inside its hospital walls since June, when the town’s doctor was informed his contract with the hospital would not be renewed by the health district.
The health district has also failed to renew the contract of Rural and Remote Medical Services (RARMS), a non-profit organisation providing doctors to hospitals at Bourke, Walgett, Lightning Ridge, Brewarrina, Coonamble and Collarenebri.”https://www.smh.com.au/national/we-couldn-t-believe-it-woman-bleeds-to-death-in-nsw-hospital-with-no-doctors-on-site-20201011-p563z1.html
Patzcuaro
/ 12th October 2020There is always a crush around Jacinda but plenty of social distancing around Collins, a prediction of the outcome?
Kitty Catkin
/ 12th October 2020Probably not. Judith Collins has a bit more dignity. She also seemed to respect the rules around social distancing when they were in rather than telling others to do what she wasn’t doing herself.
duperez
/ 12th October 2020Good one! Judith Collins telling others to do what she wasn’t doing herself! You mean like being part of the team, part of a unified whole?
Kitty Catkin
/ 12th October 2020No, the PM was the one hugging, cuddling and having selfies taken even in L2 when we were supposed to be observing social distancing….do as I say, not as I do.
Duker
/ 12th October 2020As the 4th opposition leader this term….Collins was in no position to be telling anyone anything…..excepth Gerry ….the guy who thinks airport security is for the plebs
Corky
/ 12th October 2020I would very cautiously say, yes! Like rugby or boxing you can always feel the energy go backwards and forwards… then it usually solidifies around the winner…and that’s Jacinda.
However, the beginning of the end has already started for Labour. TV news has reported on the WHO announcement that lockdowns make the poor; poorer.
Let’s not forget the fat lady has sung yet. Remember, one factor took National out of the previous election after showing a rock solid performance leading up to that election.
No one ever asks what happened to Nationals support in the interim. That’s why I call NZ voters, thick.
.
duperez
/ 12th October 2020In the interim National’s support has flowed out to Act. If you call NZ voters thick on that who are we to argue?
Alan Wilkinson
/ 12th October 2020Partly to ACT but female also to Jacinda. They like soft risk aversion so long as it seems to be working.
Corky
/ 12th October 2020To glib. As Alan says there are other reasons. Covid would be a big one. It was even shown in one poll ( someone remember?) that some National suppoeters were voting
for Jacinda because of her handling of Covid and because they didn’t like Judith.
In other words they have no guiding idealogy… that turns many voters into political sluts.
Have you voted yet, Duperez?
duperez
/ 13th October 2020Not yet. I’m waiting to see if Paul Goldsmith or Steven Joyce find a hole and how big it is. And if Judith Collins is going to bury Alfred Ngaro in it given his little mention in the paper today.