by Pete George on 3rd July 2020 • Permalink
Posted by Pete George on 3rd July 2020
https://yournz.org/2020/07/03/open-forum-friday-249/
David Clark's resignation from health portfolio
The Lone Trumper
UMR were polling this week which maybe coincidental to Clarks resignation. 3 months out from the election and not a lot happens but the country now has one guy, a new father, running the 2 biggest ministries which means neither get proper oversight and this is not any slight on Hipkins who seems a reasonably competent minister.
It shows Ardern as a cuddly type leader more concerned with how she treats a friend than how she values the healthcare system for 5 million people. Its different and the determination that Labour would go after a National Minister who erred is an indication that they are a changed party, I think not.
Clark has resigned just far enough away from being an election liability which shows the political optics rank ahead of healthcare.
The worst part of this is Ardern does not have a single member of her ministry or caucus she thinks is capable of caretaking the health system for a couple of months. Its quite tragic really.
I forgot Hipkins is also State Services Minister and Leader of the House as well and neither of these jobs are being entrusted to anyone else either.
Yes, Ardern has completely overloaded the guy due to the lack of suitably able & choices in her caucus. He's clearly not that happy about it & only taken it on because he hopes he can cope with it for 3 months until the election, judging by his comments to Lisa Owen on Checkpoint yesterday evening.
I just hope it doesn't burn him out. Two of the biggest, most complex portfolios now dumped on 1 Minister. No wonder Ardern looked nervous & sheepish in the background as Hipkins was speaking. Tuff on Hipkins's family.
"Leader of the House" , that job doesnt have any duties once parliament isnt sitting ( next 2 weeks for school holidays) and finishes soon after for election.
Many ministers duties are falling off as we head into election time, something like 3 months before polling day. All they will do from is make election promises and announce decisions that have been previously made to avoid the 'purdah'
Hipkins lives in Wellington, hes not an out of town minister
I'm sure he can handle it David.
Want Clark gone=done,still not happy.
I wanted to keep Clark, been very consistent on that. Bit of a diversion given the point is if you would like to address it is why is there no one else in labour who can step up
Or why is there no one who might be a threat to the PM because they were so competent that they show her up ?
It seems Clutha MP Hamish Walker doesn't want NZers returning to be quarantined down south.
Apparently people being quarantined will be a risk to people in towns there.
They should do their time somewhere else, be a risk to others, get themselves proven to be clean then pack their bags and become tourists to the south to keep the southern economic wheels turning.
He's especially concerned that people from a couple of particular countries might end up quarantined there and claims the Minister doesn't know which countries live cases come from.
Maybe as part of the election campaign Walker can promise to build a wall to keep undesirables out. It'll be too late to keep idiots out if the Walker rant on radio is any indication.
Which radio station?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018753349/hamish-walker-denies-racism-after-quarantine-press-release
He's claiming they don't have enuf PPE down there right now to safely manage isolation, & that his "source" says someone in the DHB has told him they've been advised that up to 11,000 kiwis will be coming from India, Pakistan & Korea – he says it's not about race, it's about risk – these are high risk countries – AND implies that these are where most of our current cases have come from. He says Megan Woods is refusing to identify where our current cases are coming from.
Suzy Fergusson notes that Megan Woods declined an interview today but said he is being racist & that she has no idea where he gets his figure of 11,000 from.
Sounds dodgy. Could be shades of the homeless man invention.
Americas Cup….scandalous…waste of taxpayers…money…rich yachties spending other peoples…money.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/300047244/team-nzs-americas-cup-defence-in-danger-of-sinking-after-worrying-leaks
I went to school yesterday withe some whanau. It was to inspect newly built classrooms one of my young rellies attends, and as a catch up regarding their learning progress.
The classrooms were open plan with two classes joined for free flow access. Covid wasn't an issue. We were packed in like sardines. Navigating the different displays became an art form as grandparents, parents and kids all vied for the best spots to observe and take pictures.
One corner in each classroom had a small triangular room separate from the main area.
" Naughty Room," I asked my young relly. "Nah, it's da good room. If you are good you can spend an hour in there to do your own stuff."
Security was all around. Very high tech cameras in and outside the building. The doors had a combination of locks and apparently according to the teacher, most materials in the classroom were treated for fire retardment.
Around the wall and on the blackboard everything centered around Maori culture. There was not one nod towards our mighty Western culture..,not one single item. Most of the kids displays centered around Matariki. The Maori theme continued with everyone being required to remove their footwear before entering the classroom. Impractical from my point of view, and the mass of shoes outside looked messy.
Three teachers ran these classrooms. I couldn't help noticing they looked like clones from the same batch. They were very nice though, and could answer any question put to them. I should have asked them about Western culture…or lack thereof.
Of the assembled crowd, only two people stood out – myself and an Indian man. I because I had two different socks; one with holes. I had forgotten about the mandatory removing of shoes.Funny thing is only the girls seemed to notice and have a quiet giggle. The adults didn't notice because they were starstruck with their genius child's work.
The Indian chap was chewing gum and had left his shoes on. His jaw action had us in awe.
Each mastication transformed his mouth into a gaping chasm accompanied by a popping sound. Unlike me, he was oblivious to his admiring audience.
Incidentally, the racial split was 60/40 in favour of people not of European or Maori descent.
So, dear taxpayer, is your education dollar being spent wisely? I wouldn't have a clue. But schools are a fascinating glimpse into future of our society.
Odd; I thought that isolation rooms were now illegal. The Education Department banned their use some time ago, so it's odd that a new classroom has one.
There is no such thing as Western culture; the West is not a country and has a large number of cultures.
As someone who claims to be half Maori and took Maori-only food parcels during lockdown, you should know why the shoes off thing applies and that it would. As for the Indian man…overdoing the detail there. How would you know someone was Indian, anyway ? He could be from a number of countries in that part of the world, or be a Kiwi with generations of NZ born ancestors.
Why did you have an admiring audience ??? Odd socks don't usually elicit admiration.
Not one nod towards our mighty Western culture? What? When, 'security was all around with very high tech cameras in and outside the building and doors had a combination of locks?' western culture at it's finest.
And as times go on there'll be more, with everyone having to pass through mental detectors to get on site, past armed guards.
Maybe a closer look might have identified something else centered around our mighty Western culture. Fear….
Typical socialist…. anything but our Western culture. Hell, even a tribesman farting in a valley is preferable to landing man on the moon for people with your mindset. But as I have observed, the education ministry supports your ideals. So fear not.
Just because Western culture is mighty( you know, those refugees drowning at sea in an attempt to get some of our action) doesn't mean it's perfect. But at least we have good ideals before us that we attempt to attain.
Of course we have our Muslim brothers to blame for much of our fear. Take them out of the equation and things ON BALANCE are quite good. I mean, welfare, food and shelter is a given, even for our poor, as an Indian lady returning from India reminded talkback listeners.
People like you need a one way ticket out of here. Even if you found the Promised Land, it wouldn't be long before you were crapping on that as well. It's the nature of your ingratitude.
I would most respectfully suggest that you wouldn't recognise western culture if it jumped up and bit you on the arse. What sort of language were people speaking on your visit? The construct of the learning environment was based on what culture? The physical organisation of the place was based on what culture? The ordinary mores and norms on the site came from where?
You walk into a product of the evolution of 'western culture' and the alarm bells ring – "Around the wall and on the blackboard everything centered around Maori culture." Did you count how many pieces of art works were 'Maori' art and how many were 'western culture?'
Hopefully the youngsters leave there bright-eyed and bushy tailed. And with their minds and eyes open.
By the way, well done on supporting your whanau by going along and supporting what the school is doing.👍
I wonder which language is 'Western' ? In my time, I have learned 9 or 10 Western languages 😀
Did you notice the reference to a small triangular room ? Most improbable in a modern classroom.
The chance of Muslims being the reason behind a building in NZ having security is non-existent. Burglary and vandalism are the most likely cause. But I am dubious about this whole story. Corky told us about Mitre10 guarding the Skellerup gumboots that they don't seem to sell (oh dear) , and about what happens when someone wants to buy caustic soda, which doesn't happen, either.
He also went into detail about bank tellers not letting someone else into the foyer of a bank where the machines for deposits and so on are (he was let in, of course) after hours. In fact, one gains access with one's bank card, not by being let in by tellers who happen to be there after hours.
Gerry hits back. Kind of brings to the fore a recently released report stating many children are not watching programmes with local content. According to those ringing talkback, the reason is because NZ kids programmes are so white washed (pc), they hold little interest for youngsters.
Here's the the type of thing that would now be banned. Kids don't learn how to hit back like Gerry did.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/07/watch-national-mp-gerry-brownlee-fights-off-fat-shaming-dig-from-winston-peters-with-witty-response.html
Yeah I was watching Question Time when that little interchange occurred. Everyone smiled or laughed. One of those little moments when they all show their humanity & appreciation of a bit of sharp wit.
I can't see the connection between this exchange and children not watching local programmes.
My favourite ever witty exchange was at an ACT launch; Jim Hopkins (Hopkirk ?) said that we'd know David Caygill; 'he looks like Brad Pitt.' David Caygill's instant response was 'That's Brad Pitt the Younger.'
Laughter from those who got it, puzzled silence from those who didn't.
Those who didn't =almost everyone.
All except the witty academically inclined…😃
Gerry's a big bloke & not shy about throwing his weight around physically & he's used to the rowdy circus of politics. It's a different story when the fat shamed kid is small & /or timid & gets routinely physically or psychologically attacked by bullies.
Derogatory remarks will never cease; they have been around forever and always will be.Schools have tried to stop them since time immemorial – and failed.
Even in Pompeii, a tag in a childish hand makes an insulting comment about 'Gaius'.
Barger' Brownlee should join Lange,Awatere,Tolley and Bennett and get lap belt surgery.
It may help him live..longer.
How many socialists do you think Big Gerry would waste befor running out of puff. A good 5, I reckon. Only Stu Nash would be able to put him away. But the rumour is, he prefers the company of National MPs. I always felt he had the Tory feel about him.
Colrky
There seems to be debate around whether the Royal Commission Report into the mosque shootings should be released. I'm surprised at the number of people who don't want the report released Why? I'm fascinated to learn why Tarrant talked highly of Muslim folk in Pakistan, then something obviously happened in Europe ( those who have been to Europe can hazard a guess), and all of a sudden he comes back home, acquires a gun and murders innocent Muslims.
WHAT HAPPENED? Maybe the truth is supported with an unacceptable rationale???!
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/06/christchurch-mosque-attack-muslim-community-divided-over-release-of-interview-with-shooter-brenton-tarrant.html
Every witness giving evidence, and every counsel or agent or other person appearing before the Commission, shall have the same privileges and immunities as witnesses and counsel in Courts of law.
Duh ..this has been discussed before , he was opposed to Muslim MIGRATION to western countries . Nazis had a similar issue with Jews IN Germany before the war and wanted to remove them to other countries, but 1941 changed to an extermination policy at the Wannsee conference.
The principal idea behind the Nazis and Tarrant and his fellow travellors was the same – racial purity. Once they start on that path it ended up the same place , extermination.
A good comment about Tarrant was 'he traveled the World but lived on the Internet
All the warped fantasies of the internet had a greater effect than a bit of tourism.
Claimed he wanted to provoke a race war. Usual kinda thing for these types.
I have not only been to Europe, I have lived there, but it's obvious what Corky (who probably hasn't been there) means by what those of who have think. Oddly enough, most of us don't see all Muslims as terrorists and are not bigoted against them. It's like thinking that all Irish people are IRA members because of the terrorist things that they did. They bombed No. 10 (the front door is now solid steel and takes something like 8 men to move) and killed who knows how many people. My aunt saw bits of bodies too small to be collected being hosed into the gutter more than once, and my grandmother saw fragments of bodies being raked down from trees. These things were common. Heathrow had soldiers with their fingers on the triggers of their machine guns standing on plinths.
There were terrorist gangs in Europe long before Muslim ones appeared; the Bader-Meinhof gang was one, and so were the people who stormed into Belgian shops, shot people at random and ran. They were never caught, as I remember.
We have known for some time that Muslims here were divided over the Tarrant tapes. It's not surprising; they are not clones who all think alike.
' My aunt saw bits of bodies too small to be collected being hosed into the gutter more than once, and my grandmother saw fragments of bodies being raked down from trees.'
'Believe it…or not'…..an anecdote for literally everything.
Walter Mitty's twin sister.
Women's suffragettes were what would now be called a terrorist group as they used violence for political aims.
The Irish Republic was founded on terrorism which is why it's part of their pysche, for instance the French farmers are pretty bolshie but not terrorism.
Yes the French Revolution was a very civilised affair…all done in the best possible…taste.
"Duh ..this has been discussed before, he was opposed to Muslim."
Yeah, I kind of worked that out myself. I won't bother you further.
Well, he murdered 51 innocent people, wounded 49 & was stopped on his way to try & murder more. It's hard to see how any rationale he might have given for that would be considered acceptable, any more than, say, ISIS's or Al Qaeda's or any other mass-murderers' would be.
His manifesto is titled The Great Replacement. It's a real confused & confusing mish mash of stuff like poetry, online in-house white supremacist memes & signals & classic white
Wikipedia has an extensive page on the Christchurch Mosque Shootings & a good summary of what's in his confused & confusing mish mash of a self-justifying, self-promoting manifesto. As I recall his manifesto said people of different races belong in the places they originated, which is completely cognitively dissonant for a white European guy living in Australia & shooting Muslim people in New Zealand.
I notice that NZ media no longer refuse to use his name, which I always thought was silly when they adopted that ban just because the PM made a personal thing out of it. I dunno whether she still does this.
I think the Royal Commission report should be made public but I wouldn't be surprised if it's redacted or an edited / summarised version only is made available to the public & media.
*…signals & classic white supremacist tropes.
What I'd be most interested in reading is any psychiatric & psychologists reports on him – which we'll never see anyway & I wouldn't expect to.
Why not . Public interest overides his 'privacy'
Never seen them released with a judge's decision. All I've ever seen is brief references to some of their content. I think they might even be protected by doctor / patient privelege?
Interesting point. But the doctor- patient privledge means only those two and would exclude even the judge getting the doctors report. Since it doesn't work that way , and even the lawyers would have access.
Some privileges can be lost once strict privlege is broken, legal privledge is like that.
I'm thinking the doctor patient thing doesn't occur for court evaluation where they don't treat them
The lawyers & the judge have access but I'm not sure that juries do. And I don't think they're allowed to be published.
Royal Commission's Terms of Reference Summary
https://christchurchattack.royalcommission.nz/about-the-inquiry/terms-of-reference/
ALLWAYS LOVE YOUR DOGS
https://scontent.fpmr1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p180x540/106694213_3078724448907375_5903765790982344938_o.jpg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=MpIyyjTyP1EAX8wC5VH&_nc_ht=scontent.fpmr1-1.fna&_nc_tp=6&oh=9e8f0ef5aeef06f047c6ca3a0be3d3f4&oe=5F2612DB
Good one, Lurch. Not only sofas but fires on cold nights. Had to fight to keep the cat out of the hammock between me and Mrs Al last night. Doesn't take no for an answer, that animal, and holds on tight with her claws. Once you've dislodged her she waits till she thinks you've dozed off and climbs back again.
Must be something in the water in Southland , second MP in a row whos been shown to be a knob.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/122029198/national-leader-todd-muller-reprimands-hamish-walker-over-racist-press-statement
"Stuff understands from National Party sources the release did not receive official sign-off from the party, and the party hierarchy are "livid".
This will the second black mark against Walker's name, after he made a misleading claim on Facebook about doorknocking a Southland community, when he hadn't."