New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[Wayne Potgieter]

My partner will NEVER let me buy that and bring that home. We have very strict rules with sweets and unhealthy snacks at home.

There is your loophole and excuse. You wont be BUYING them.

 

Also, my wife tells me that calories that you eat that are free (I didn't pay for the goods) or that you steal from another person's plate (helping yourself to chips) don't make fat.

[patham]

Woah! Hope you heal up soon.

Which park was this? I've seen a few people have big falls at Gap Creek of late.

 

Thanks Graham. When I said local, I do mean local ! It was Cicada Park, on Ironbark, the one that's closest to Chapel Hill School. When they say most accidents happen at, or near home, they are right.

 

Talking of Gap Creek and drop-offs. My youngster went to Gap Creek yesterday afternoon. At the BBQ area there was a crazy teen that climbed up one of the BBQ shelters (corrugated iron roof), had his buddies lift his Commencal up to him, and he rode off the roof - he made it though. Who knows why he thought it was a good idea. My son tracked down the video on Instagram last night - bit scary. Hopefully it does not give the more impressionable youths bad ideas.  

[GrahamS2]

Thanks Graham. When I said local, I do mean local ! It was Cicada Park, on Ironbark, the one that's closest to Chapel Hill School. When they say most accidents happen at, or near home, they are right.

 

Talking of Gap Creek and drop-offs. My youngster went to Gap Creek yesterday afternoon. At the BBQ area there was a crazy teen that climbed up one of the BBQ shelters (corrugated iron roof), had his buddies lift his Commencal up to him, and he rode off the roof - he made it though. Who knows why he thought it was a good idea. My son tracked down the video on Instagram last night - bit scary. Hopefully it does not give the more impressionable youths bad ideas.  

Oh yeah, I know those jumps. just over the creek.

[patham]

Oh yeah, I know those jumps. just over the creek.

 

Those are now pretty much flattened. My drop-off of doom is right off Ironbark road, close to the little bus stop shelter. The approach line is to cross the road at right angles and drop off the road  embankment into the creek tributary (the one that has the little wooden bridge).

[Wayne Potgieter]

WARNING  - POLITICAL POST!

 

So, Judith Collins is now the leader of National.

 

I voted National last time round, but have become increasingly doubtful that I would do the same.

 

Its a little difficult for me. There is not one single party that jumps out at me, there are parties where I align with some of their policies but not all. I am finding it difficult to pick a clear winner that I feel "deserves" my vote.

 

I like parts of what labour does, but not all. I like David Seymour's view, but not everything.

 

I definitely won't vote for Winnie.

 

What are everyones thoughts?

 

@Intern - I know you are a David Seymour fan  - Care to elaborate?

 

My mom used to always tell me to not discuss politics, sex, money or religion with friends, but those are all the interesting topics so hopefully this doesn't get out of hand...

[intern]

Judith Collins coming into National, with Big Gerry as her deputy, is the best thing to happen to National for some time, although the circumstances were pretty dire this time yesterday morning. Muller never was political leadership material; prior to deposing Simon Bridges, Muller was entirely - entirely - invisible. I live in the Bay of Plenty and had never heard of him before, even as a political tragic. And when he folded over the MAGA hat souvenir, the writing was on the wall, shortly followed by the 'why aren't you brown enough' debacle, and then the photo in front of an upside down Rangatiritanga flag. Sloppy, bewildered and just never going to connect with the electorate. BTW, I liked the pairing of Bridges with Bennett; they were both Maori, but not Maori enough (whatever TF that means, but ja).

 

Both Brownlee and Collins have extensive experience as senior Ministers, with Collins previously holding the Police and Justice portfolios, among others, and Big G having led the Christchurch recovery, so he knows how to manage a crisis (and oh boy do we have one of those right now). Collins has a great combination of mongrel, political instinct, and the ability to handle an often hostile media. Same for Gerry; he knows the House rules better than anyone, including current Speaker Trevor Mallard (or maybe Nick Smith...Nick knows the rules very well, but is in constant strife with Mallard simply because Mallard doesn't like Smith).

 

This is as winning a leadership as National will have in the foreseeable future.

 

On Labour; while Jacinda has handled the various crises very well, her team has not. In fact, if you look closely at Labour and the Greens, they are shot through with incompetence and scandal, with only Jacinda and her kindness shining through. Now, kindness is all well and good, but once the hugs are gone, it's the hard decisions that remain. She's proven spectacularly unwilling or unable to make hard decisions, starting with Meka Whaitiri, extending to Clare Curran and Iain Lees-Galloway and right through to David Clark. You could throw Phil Twyford in there too, a man who has spectacularly failed in every portfolio he has been given, yet remains #4 on the Labour list. And what of Labour deputy Kelvin Davis, also Minister of Tourism - completely clueless and largely invisible, because every time he does a press standup, he comes away mauled and clearly lacks understanding of his portfolio. Grant Robertson, Finance Minister, has arguably done a pretty good job, though.

 

The Greens...oh where to begin. Hard core socialists who have missed the boat completely on what should be their core area of change or action, the environment. It's all been Ilhumatao and benefits, no Kermadecs sanctuary (proposed by National, vetoed by NZ First), no cameras on fishing boats (proposed by National, vetoed by NZ First).

 

And NZ First? They say never write Winston off, but he's mired in controversy (as always - right the way back to 1978, the Scampi affair,the Wine Box Enquiry, and now the shenanigans in the Racing portfolio, the PGF, the NZ First Foundation and dodgy donors including from the fishing industry, and, and and). This election should see NZF and hopefully the Greens out of Parliament and good riddance too.

 

ACT...why do I vote ACT? Because ACT is principled, has offered firm and sensible resistance to erosions of fundamental rights including freedom of speech, and more than any other party, stresses the principles of self-reliance, small government and minimal state intrusion on personal lives. Note that ACT, the smallest party in Parliament, has achieved well beyond its physical stature: Charter Schools, 3 strikes and the End of Life Choice (euthanasia) legislation is all ACT's work. Seymour also tried to introduce legislation to compel MPs to take a pay cut after Jacinda grabbed headlines saying she would take a 20% salary reduction. She made that claim around 6 months ago, hasn't yet taken a pay cut, and her Labour party voted down Seymour's bill.

 

Now, politics is the art of compromise. No party will fully align with your views or your principles. Our choice is to understand what each party wants and then see which aligns best with your views and principles, then cast your vote accordingly.

 

There is also no right or wrong vote. If you believe in Labour principles or what the Green Party is doing, I will not hold that against you and nor can I criticise it. Sure, though, I will discuss why I see things differently...and I commit to trying to understand those different views, rather than dismissing or being hostile to them. We can all learn something from anyone else, and the fact that we all see things differently is valuable rather than divisive or problematic.

[GrahamS2]

Those are now pretty much flattened. My drop-off of doom is right off Ironbark road, close to the little bus stop shelter. The approach line is to cross the road at right angles and drop off the road  embankment into the creek tributary (the one that has the little wooden bridge).

Ah, the creek bed full of boulders... That's a fun line, but loose as heck.

[Wayne Potgieter]

On the subject of Labour. I like the empathetic and kind way of governance. I think what the world needs is a little more kindness and seeing it spread from the top down is a good thing. BUT - and there is always a big but - there is also a time for hard action and being of substance. I think Labour will win this election and struggle with managing a post Covid economy.

 

I am a huge supporter of the Euthanasia Bill - this is what actually put Seymour on my map. 

[patham]

Ah, the creek bed full of boulders... That's a fun line, but loose as heck.

 

Thats the one. I think (I am not sure- it all gets hazy round there) that my front wheel dug into the soft stuff too much on landing. The boulders have been cleared from the line by the ferals, but in the end my bike landed up on the new boulder garden (hence the impact damage), and I was just off to the side.

[DJR]

..............The problem with my shifter is that I am not convinced I can easily get a replacement. With various versions of Shimano I-spec, and being an 11 speed I struggled to get that specific combination, six months later and top of the range having moved onto 12 speed it can only be harder.

An upgrade motivation if ever I saw one.

[patham]

An upgrade motivation if ever I saw one.

 

My son keeps asking me if its new bike time. In reality he is just building up precedent so he can ask for a new bike sooner.  

[DJR]

My son keeps asking me if its new bike time. In reality he is just building up precedent so he can ask for a new bike sooner.  

The greatest time for new bikes was when my sons grew tall enough to take my hand-me-downs! For road bikes I've now used up all those easy tickets, but still have one mtb one to use!   

[intern]

On the subject of Labour. I like the empathetic and kind way of governance. I think what the world needs is a little more kindness and seeing it spread from the top down is a good thing. BUT - and there is always a big but - there is also a time for hard action and being of substance. I think Labour will win this election and struggle with managing a post Covid economy.

 

I am a huge supporter of the Euthanasia Bill - this is what actually put Seymour on my map. 

 

I differ on that somewhat WP. Kindness is all well and good, but when kindness is powered by other people's money, it is a political tool rather than a genuine sentiment. Look at the paycut debacle for sincerity. How much would it take to simply pay back 20% of your salary to IRD, or to a charity? No effort at all. It's like the millionaires and their headlines of 'tax us more'. Mate, you want to pay more tax, lead by example. No revenue department in the world will turn down voluntarily contributed funds. But somehow, law is required to compel these do-gooders to do good. Long after the headline has faded from memory.

Kindness, yes, but where's kindness when your policies have unexpected and deleterious outcomes? Child poverty (itself a debatable issue in NZ - children need love, not money, and there is a poverty of good parenting in some societal circles) is up, homelessness is up, people on benefits, up, waitlists for surgery etc, up. All the kindness in the world solves not these issues. And, in fact, as Thomas Sowell makes abundantly clear in 'Wealth, Poverty and Politics', kindness can and does, in a very real sense, kill. Too much kindness results in excruciatingly poor outcomes for, well, poor folk. Sometimes the best way to help people is to give them less help, not more.

And 'feel good' policies sold on intentions are often dangerous, because their long run consequences are not considered nor evaluated. You'll see a lot of talk of expectations and intentions, but if and when you see measurements and evaluation of outcomes being dropped, or when you see policy effects measured in dollars spent rather than outcomes achieved, it's time to question the value of kindness (itself an abstract concept without any firm measure).

[intern]

My son keeps asking me if its new bike time. In reality he is just building up precedent so he can ask for a new bike sooner.  

 

SRAM gripshit don't break. That's all I have to say about that! When my Mrs pranged years ago while training for the Epic she got an XTR lever in her thumb. That sealed the switch for her...

[intern]

I differ on that somewhat WP. Kindness is all well and good, but when kindness is powered by other people's money, it is a political tool rather than a genuine sentiment. Look at the paycut debacle for sincerity. How much would it take to simply pay back 20% of your salary to IRD, or to a charity? No effort at all. It's like the millionaires and their headlines of 'tax us more'. Mate, you want to pay more tax, lead by example. No revenue department in the world will turn down voluntarily contributed funds. But somehow, law is required to compel these do-gooders to do good. Long after the headline has faded from memory.

Kindness, yes, but where's kindness when your policies have unexpected and deleterious outcomes? Child poverty (itself a debatable issue in NZ - children need love, not money, and there is a poverty of good parenting in some societal circles) is up, homelessness is up, people on benefits, up, waitlists for surgery etc, up. All the kindness in the world solves not these issues. And, in fact, as Thomas Sowell makes abundantly clear in 'Wealth, Poverty and Politics', kindness can and does, in a very real sense, kill. Too much kindness results in excruciatingly poor outcomes for, well, poor folk. Sometimes the best way to help people is to give them less help, not more.

And 'feel good' policies sold on intentions are often dangerous, because their long run consequences are not considered nor evaluated. You'll see a lot of talk of expectations and intentions, but if and when you see measurements and evaluation of outcomes being dropped, or when you see policy effects measured in dollars spent rather than outcomes achieved, it's time to question the value of kindness (itself an abstract concept without any firm measure).

 

Or, as David Seymour summed up in his speech at the ACT conference, 'the Labour Party has excelled as a PR operation'!

[davetapson]

Or, as David Seymour summed up in his speech at the ACT conference, 'the Labour Party has excelled as a PR operation'!

Problem is voters like that. Looks good, feels good, put the cross.