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Anna Mahoney's avatar

Thanks for this post, Nick, it made me think hard about my response to living in a country that is almost unrecognisable, until I head for the hills to be reminded of what will still be here when our unprincipled leaders are long underground. Anger is an emotion I try to avoid for the sake of my physical and emotional well-being. It gets channelled into small actions and, if that's not possible, into meditation on the passing of all things. I’m not a saint, though, so when watching Luxon and Seymour live got too triggering I quit. I am grateful for your heroic sacrifice on my behalf. Please protect yourself because daily sewer diving is a health hazard.

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Mike Friend's avatar

A superb korero Nick, one of your best. You have an uncommon ability to share depressing news with a balance of fact, humour and detailed research. Both shared stories are excellent examples of the lies, duplicity and outright skullduggery that is political 101 in Aotearoa. Actors, the likes of Jack Tame, are either willfully ignorant or deliberately choose to bend reality to suit their narrative. I thought the cartoon regarding Luxon's best lie was epic! There seems to be increasing focus placed on opposition parties 'not playing the white man's game' regarding the 'civilised' method of Eurocentric colonial hegemony (ie. Murder, theft, and genocide) which is translated as tea party etiquette in the debating chamber! This move is an expected reaction by those elements in society who feel uppity black fellas and pinko, lesbo, Greenies should never be allowed to get anywhere near the reigns of power, whilst they have no problem with uncle Toms and Atlas acolytes stealing the show. The Twerkers bold statement that he has weirded 'disproportionate' influence in this first year is a flagrant glove slapping challenge to the face of the egg head, whose response has been typically pathetic.

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Nick Rockel's avatar

Thanks, Mike; when there were no comments after the first hour, I was thinking, "shit, it wasn't that bad, was it?" so I'm glad someone enjoyed it.

Someone commented on that cartoon with Muldoon as the right figure, it is uncanny how much Luxon looks more and more like him.

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Kirsty's avatar

Aue Nick it's just everything full noise atm! I'm not getting round to reading your wonderful analyses as quick as usual cause too busy organising TPB submission workshops! 😅 So much coming at us ftom all sides. But overall I'm proud, if still anxious, of US Aotearoa. Kia kaha!

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Cindy's avatar

👍👏Perfect summary - "one of your best" Nick ❤️

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Annie Blackwell's avatar

Well, Nick, you prove Māori really do get more already, this: "...we are battling a whooping cough epidemic, which hits Māori and Pasifika babies particularly hard...". How's that, David? ...I think you are clean bowled.

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Cindy's avatar

😱 😥 That should be the response always - "MORE illness" "MORE economic hardship" "MORE food insecurity" "MORE unemployment" etc. Of course, Seymour the souless robot would just tell them to pull themselves up by their bootstraps or other trite sociopathic mutterings 🤬

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Peter Findlay's avatar

Thanks for that Nick. Must say I too have been more impressed by Sir Ian lately than I was with his antics during Covid.

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Rosemary Hipkins's avatar

That impassioned video - ka rawe! Who is this articulate and amazing wahine?

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Nick Rockel's avatar

I'm not sure what her name is, but you can find more of her videos here:

https://www.facebook.com/aotearoaliberationleague/about

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Don Edmonds's avatar

It's Samah Huriwai-Seger, and her husband Pere is equally articulate and amazing. https://www.m9aotearoa.co.nz/perehuriwaiseger

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Mac Stevenson's avatar

Hi Don it really is you!! Amazing young person who makes the future seem brighter.

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Don Edmonds's avatar

Yes it's me. Pere is one many great young leaders in the North that make the future seem brighter. E.g., Moko Tepania, Tamati Rakena, Eru and Tipene Kapa-Kīngi, Kawiti Waetford, Rawhitiroa Bosch, and there's more. And then there's Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, Te Arikinui Nga wai hono i te po, Heemi Kapa-Kīngi and many more further south. All under 40, five of these under 30. All bilingual.

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Sharon Simonsen's avatar

They're both great aren't they. I first encountered them at animal rights rallies so it's great to see them expanding to other areas around "rights".

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Cheryl Johnstone's avatar

Wasn't it wonderful.

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Jojo's avatar

Excellent eh, lots of clarity there.

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Sharon Simonsen's avatar

Ian Taylor's turned over a new leaf. Shame he was so anti Jacinda and anti Labour before the last election.

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Julie Mac's avatar

he could flip flop back again. Dont trust him.

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Mac Stevenson's avatar

Thanks Nick this is a really great post that gets to the basic facts behind the dismal place Aotearoa has become for so many, and why this is so. The young woman in the video was just so amazing and would love to see her on Q and A.

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Cindy's avatar

👏👍💯 Happy I upped my sub - always good korero here, both from you & the community. Needless to say spot on re the current govt & the damage they are doing, short & long term - so infuriating 🤬 But also great to see shares of korero we might not find ourselves 🤍❤️🖤 - helps us feel we are not alone & not imagining it eh⁉️ We need to know about each other & amplify the "good ones" as Seymour seems to manage to get his punchable face everywhere - they don't need to get his "live" response to everything as they have transcripts they can read 🤔 (means our TV remotes are safer for longer too 😁)

As for the message to your wife 🤷 Just as well she knows your ❤️ else I would be looking over my shoulder if I was her 🤣

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Julie Mac's avatar

fantastic korero Nick from the hilarious chris bishflaps evolution to the absolute brilliant take apart of Jack The Tame Puppys colonial reinforcing interviewing technique. Didnt really like him before this but now I know why. Shows me to go with my instincts, because people with a great gift with words will come along and make things crystal clear for me :)

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Sander's avatar

I cant believe Health staff cuts are being announced right before Christmas, and as Ashok Shankar points out, at the pointy end of a whooping cough epidemic. Its cruel and insane.

Meanwhile tuna sachet Lux sells another investment property, 3 now. Is he diverting his assets into private health providers?

I stayed for 5 days at Whangarei Hospital last April. Agreed, nobody working there is chillaxing. They were under the pump while being super professional and friendly. Amazing staff.

F*cking heartless government.

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Alison Kroon's avatar

So very good, Nick. And I have to say, politics aside, I get a bit melty when your love for Fi shines through! Thanks for all the info, and I have reposted your parrot meme - made me laugh out loud, as they say!

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Shell's avatar

Thanks for the bright spot in my day Nick...this was pure GOLD - "It’s like telling people they don’t have to wear a crash helmet and then wondering how Chris Bishop happens."

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