Random Politics

[fixed_truth]

More students coming forward and claiming that the original reports about poor living conditions weren't true.

An American student taking part in a "fellowship" programme for the Labour Party campaign has defended it, saying most of the 85 interns on it are happy.

The student spoke on the condition of anonymity because most in the programme had signed non-disclosure agreements before starting on the programme.

She believed the complaints and leaks to the media were driven by one or two interns who had a beef with the programme. She claimed one was dropped from a leadership position on the programme after allegedly taking bottles of wine from Labour MP Jenny Salesa's house after Salesa hosted a meal for them.

"We sat down, we ate and he walked away with two bottles of wine. The organisers called him out for it. Since then it's been a simmering pot."

She said it was disappointing to read comments in the media about "sweatshop" conditions and "slave labour".

But even if the conditions were fine, nothing was illegal and political intern programs are normal; it's still opening themselves up to look like hypocrites because the students are from overseas and weren't being paid.

[fixed_truth]

Originally Posted by Lightspeed

Yeah, well, National is *actually* causing harm to the whole country. The vulnerable cop it the worst, but plenty will do what they can to make the rest of us feel that pain. The billions National is spending on prisons won't change that.

So what'evs. I'll still take a nanny state over the current demented granny state.

Well you're not the only one if polls are to go by!

[CCS]

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

More students coming forward and claiming that the original reports about poor living conditions weren't true

So those photos we've been seeing are false?








Beautiful.

[CCS]

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

But even if the conditions were fine, nothing was illegal and political intern programs are normal

It may have been illegal:

Has Labour committed mass immigration fraud?

Is Labour in breach of Electoral laws now?

I'll post this again, since I think you missed it the first time:

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

But even if the conditions were fine, nothing was illegal and political intern programs are normal

Is it normal to bring interns in from another country when a party campaigns on Kiwi jobs for Kiwi people?

Labour will:
Strengthen the Labour Market Test for work visas so they are not being used for jobs Kiwis can do, and make our skills shortage lists more regional so migrants coming in under them can only live and work in areas where there is a genuine skills shortage.

is it normal for promises to be made about lectures from people like Andrew Little, Helen Clark and Labour president Andrew Kirton, only to not deliver those lectures?

[fixed_truth]

Yeah there's a lot of photo's floating around without context . . .





True, the Marae facilities were probably backpacker like - but even if some stuff needed to be put in storage and a shower & vanity needed repairs it's hardly a sweatshop or slum-like.

[CCS]

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

Well you're not the only one if polls are to go by!

Bwahahahahaa! That's your poll? You found one from April from Horizon - a polling company well known poor quality - that happily aligns with your view? Do you think it aligns with Winston's view? Do you think it aligns with Winston's oft-made statement that after an election he will talk to the party with the highest numbers first about forming a coalition?

[CCS]

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

Yeah there's a lot of photo's floating around without context . . .

True, the Marae facilities were probably backpacker like - but even if some stuff needed to be put in storage and a shower & vanity needed repairs it's hardly a sweatshop or slum-like.

If some 'interns' are staying in nice digs and others are sleeping on shitty foam mattress, each separated by corflute panels then that doesn't really reflect Labour's ideals of fairness and equality, does it?

[DrTiTus]

Someone ask the North Koreans how they present an artificial and manufactured view of their country to visitors, and how they hide the reality of shitty conditions that their citizens face.

How embarrassing that people are now aware that a marae is not a luxury resort and that cupboard door hinges are not indestructible.

I didn't care when it was only Maori who had to live in their cars in poverty, but now that overseas students are complaining about 3 star accommodation that lacks daily housekeeping on their free holiday, I'm starting to agree with what the headlines are suggesting I be outraged about.

[fixed_truth]

@CCS If that's the case then not it doesn't. Which is why Little has manned up, taken responsibility & is making efforts to sort things out. Should they have had checks in place to monitor what McCarten was up to? Sure.

[fixed_truth]

Originally Posted by CCS

Bwahahahahaa! That's your poll? You found one from April from Horizon - a polling company well known poor quality - that happily aligns with your view? Do you think it aligns with Winston's view? Do you think it aligns with Winston's oft-made statement that after an election he will talk to the party with the highest numbers first about forming a coalition?

Who Winston will side with & what his voters want are quite separate.

[CCS]

What his voters want is questionable since it's a Horizon poll.

[CCS]

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

@CCS If that's the case then not it doesn't. Which is why Little has manned up, taken responsibility & is making efforts to sort things out. Should they have had checks in place to monitor what McCarten was up to? Sure.

This started off as a Labour programme. I see they gave it about as much care and attention as they do everything else they give the poo finger to.

[fixed_truth]

Originally Posted by DrTiTus

I didn't care when it was only Maori who had to live in their cars in poverty, but now that overseas students are complaining about 3 star accommodation that lacks daily housekeeping on their free holiday, I'm starting to agree with what the headlines are suggesting I be outraged about.

lol

[Lightspeed]

[Lightspeed]

I don't get this whole Catalonia independence thing. You can't just up and declare you're independent and expect everyone to accept that. Can you? Why would they thing the international community will just start treating them as an independent state? States are caught up in law and history, all that. Not simply what people living in a place at a time say they want.

What am I missing?

[Cyberbob]

Originally Posted by Lightspeed

I don't get this whole Catalonia independence thing. You can't just up and declare you're independent and expect everyone to accept that. Can you? Why would they thing the international community will just start treating them as an independent state? States are caught up in law and history, all that. Not simply what people living in a place at a time say they want.

What am I missing?

Spain specifically has unification clauses in its constitution that talk to these sorts of separatist movements being very illegal.

You're not missing much, but it does get easily turned into a romantic "the little guy's struggle against the Man" story by the media.

[Ab]

https://thespinoff.co.nz/business/24...e-left-behind/

Summary: the ability to produce DNA-identical lab-grown meat and milk is already here, and when the tech is commoditised the value of a sheep or a cow or a farm or an industry that depends on sheep, cows, and farms is going to get fucking annihilated.

[DrTiTus]

I don't think the likes of Golden Teapot will give up his scotch fillet, so in my opinion we will grow ersatz meat to meet demand for McDonalds and Burger King, or the general poor. I don't think the first world will give up meat to eat like the third world, but maybe the third world will get to eat something?

[Ab]

Who's asking anybody to give up meat?

[DrTiTus]

I assumed you were implying that the demand for "real meat" will go down [which is what I mean by "give up meat"] once this newfangled edible tumour marketed as "meat substitute" hits the shelves.

I am suggesting/guessing that there won't be a drastic decrease in demand - or that "real NZ meat" might even be recognised as more of a luxury item and farmers won't be as negatively affected as [I perceived] you were suggesting.

Instant noodles didn't stop people going to Asian restaurants. Canned spaghetti didn't stop people going to Italian restaurants. Instant coffee didn't kill off baristas. Microwave dinners, frozen pizzas, cheese in a tube, mock cream, fake eggs, etc. Modern conveniences, for sure, but they didn't disrupt or replace the real deal.

Don't panic, rural NZ.

[Ab]

I disagree. I think lab-grown produce will end NZ's sheep/cattle/dairy industry.

[Lightspeed]

Bernie Sanders warns of 'international oligarchy' after Paradise Papers leak

Of course, this is nonsense. All hard workers have plenty of money, AMIRITE?!

[Ab]

I'm totally meh so far. I just always assumed this stuff was happening as a matter of course.

[Lightspeed]

It's like 5-Eyes spying. Everyone knows it's happening until someone starts speaking up about it, in which case they're a conspiracy theorist. And then when it's proven it's happening, well of course, that's just the way things are, we don't really have rights, be grateful it's not worse.

I get the feeling there are a few lessons from last century that we're forgetting.

[Ab]

Fuck, this stuff has been going on for millennia. Back in like 100BC there were conspiracy theories that looted gold from Roman campaigns in Gaul was being laundered through commercial and property investment partnerships rather than going into the Senate coffers to buy bread for the plebs.

[Cyberbob]

I think it's safe to assume that it's far worse than the public knows.

[Lightspeed]

Originally Posted by Ab

Fuck, this stuff has been going on for millennia. Back in like 100BC there were conspiracy theories that looted gold from Roman campaigns in Gaul was being laundered through commercial and property investment partnerships rather than going into the Senate coffers to buy bread for the plebs.

We definitely get fucked and often, but Shawshank Redemption taught me that you don't have to get fucked every time.

Back in the day it was revolt and revolution, these days its law and government policy. We've done plenty in the past to break up wealth. It's why these tax havens are there in the first place. We just need to keep on fighting.

Thank Christ for journalists.

[StN]

Cockwomble fucktardery - Gareth does what you would expect:

https://twitter.com/garethmorgannz/s...10382811287554

[The Edge]

Not hard to see why he did so poorly at the election. He was a complete jerk. I wonder if he'll still be running in 2020?

[Lightspeed]

He's smart, but not smart enough to play politics. Or if we're lucky he's smarter than politics, but that's to be seen.

[Lightspeed]

So what have China and Trump cooked up together? Trump gets the full red carpet and more, China takes serious steps to reprimand North Korea.

If this were Hillary I think we'd be applauding her diplomacy and statesmanship.

[Lightspeed]

Wow, shit is stirring in the middle east. The Saudis are up to trouble, PM of Lebanon whereabouts unknown.

[CCS]

So Ab can marry his dogs now?

[[Malks] Pixie]

Originally Posted by CCS

So Ab can marry his dogs now?

Nah, but he can marry someone else's.

[pxpx]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/edu...four-years-old

This is pretty annoying.

[crocos]

Originally Posted by pxpx

This is pretty annoying.

OK: Why?
There's studies suggesting earlier start worsens behavioral issues.

[Ab]

nanny state out of control!

[StN]

Originally Posted by crocos

OK: Why?
There's studies suggesting earlier start worsens behavioral issues.

That explains it. As I recall, having a late March birthday allowed me to start when I was four. I suspect the behavioral issue may have actually been with my mother... she went off the rails about then.

[pxpx]

Originally Posted by crocos

OK: Why?
There's studies suggesting earlier start worsens behavioral issues.

There are studies for everything, I'd rather have the choice available to me.

[Ab]

There's studies suggesting that religion is bullshit and causes you to do crazy things, I presume churches are about to be banned.

Actually, that would be cool, nanny state please get on this