Munter S. Thompson

@winstonpeters Oh my god you are so full of shit. You said this last time and did nothing. Seriously, how do you live with yourself?

NZFirst Campaign Policy Announcement: NZFirst Will Break Up the Supermarket Duopoly, Bring Food Prices Down for Kiwis New Zealand First is today announcing an election policy to end the supermarket duopoly - breaking their stranglehold, backing kiwi suppliers, and delivering fairer prices at the checkout for kiwi families. For too long, New Zealanders have faced rising grocery bills while Woolworths and Foodstuffs control more than 80 percent of the grocery market. The Commerce Commission has previously found those supermarket giants earning around $1 million a day in excess profits. Meanwhile kiwi families are choosing between heating and eating. The massive imbalance is being felt across the supply chain - recently a grower received just 60c per kg of peas, while those same peas retail for as much as $5.79. The current system sees job losses and uncertainty hit food producers such as McCain Foods and Heinz Wattie's - it means less for producers, less for workers, and more pressure on families. New Zealand First will introduce legislation to reform the system and break up Foodstuffs into two nationwide cooperatives based on brand: one for New World and Four Square, and another for Pak’nSave - putting both in direct competition with Woolworths New Zealand. Real competition means real pressure to lower prices, improve value, and treat suppliers fairly. Our policy will include tougher penalties, faster investigations, and real enforcement powers for the Commerce Commission - penalties for serious breaches will be lifted to match Australia, including fines of up to $10 million, three times the gain, or 10 percent of turnover. The role of the current toothless Groceries Commissioner, belatedly established by Labour in 2023, will also be reformed giving the position the proper powers to investigate, make binding decisions, and impose penalties directly - not just sit on the sidelines and give warnings. We will also address the supermarket giants’ stranglehold over who gets access to the shelf and who doesn’t. When they control the pathway from farm to shelf, they control the price. A new framework for industry rules will be introduced under the Commerce Act 1986, allowing targeted action to fix competition problems more quickly without waiting for lengthy legislative change – it will ensure kiwi producers are no longer pushed out or squeezed off the shelf by a system that favours the biggest players. The days of easy profits and zero accountability for the supermarket giants need to end. Hardworking kiwis need real action to tackle the price of food at the supermarket.

@firehorsemia @avspook Not as common as it used to be but this system is still around. Cash goes directly from customer services area to the main safe.

@avspook My local department store Ballantynes had that vacuum gadgetry I loved watching the cash shoot up & then the receipt returning

That’s a bit brilliant

Great piece by @JohnBJudis on Zohran Mamdani's worldview and how it's the natural next stage in the evolution of US socialism that began several decades ago. notus.org/perspectives/w…

@doctorow "Guard Labor"

@KyleDChurch true, although Currie has been editor at NZME while they took millions of harmful editorial positions over many years so I wouldn't name him NZer of the Year just yet....

genuine kudos to Currie for covering this at editorial level - was almost expecting it to be ignored given the state of NZ established media. But Currie has been doing some fantastic media reporting over the last few weeks and this continues that trend.

Paul Thompson, the CE of RNZ, must be removed following this That the head of a public service broadcaster *intentionally* created an environment by defaming his *own journalist* & triggered an NZSIS investigation has been, & continues to be, hugely damaging for journalism

Look at all this from the last few days and tell me this government's policies on crime are working.

Privatisation never lives up to the promise.

@FedFarmers as usual this is hopeless from you. rnz.co.nz/news/country/5… Climate change has been a known thing for going on 50 years now and you have shown no leadership in dealing with it, managing it, or fighting it. Just looking for handouts and denying the science. Pathetic

@winstonpeters You've been stitched up Winston.

It has been announced today that I have been appointed the new Minister for Rail. It is a seriously important portfolio which includes sorting out the Cook Strait Ferries and wider rail infrastructure across the country. Watch this space. PS. In the words of the Little River Band - Hang on help is on its way…

This is so badass 🔥

@RaybonKan it's very similar to twitter, but with less assholes. you'll have lower numbers but as I said, less assholes.

How does Blue Sky work?

@_theintercooler @David__Twohig @DesignsCallum @harrismonkey @Andrew_Frankel One question I'd love to hear you address on the pod - what's stopping manufacturers from making a small light 200-odd bhp sports car? Or to put it another way, what compromises would have to be made to make and sell something small and pure and fun like this?

@David__Twohig @DesignsCallum @harrismonkey We cannot think of a better way to end than that. We hope you have enjoyed learning more about Mr @Andrew_Frankel, if there are any questions you think we’ve missed then please do ask 👇

This week’s thread is all about our very own Andrew Frankel. So, without further ado… - 10 Questions for Andrew Frankel - His answers might surprise you (they did us).

@DylanReeve It's $2.60 or something isn't it?

@DailyIndgnation I love nuclear. The way the Sellafield site, for example, will take another hundred years to be cleaned up us super great and I don't think that people who pump nuclear power are dumbshits at all. Decommissioning Sellafield: managing risks from the nuclear legacy - NAO report

What a bizarre way to frame a discussion about nuclear power.

Look I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't legal, but aside from that Musk's got a history of promising big $$ if something happens, then he weasels out of paying. Don't be a sucker.

it is vomitous how well this applies to the NZ context

@cjsbishop How long until one of you starts spruiking privatisation or PPP's of hospitals? a/ Days? b/ Weeks?

Dunedin needs a new hospital and today’s news will be frustrating for many. The government is equally as frustrated. Many things have got us to this point. There’s little point in litigating the past. The people of Dunedin now need frankness, honesty and transparency.

In Dunedin today with @DrShaneRetiMP to meet local leaders - political and clinical - to talk New Dunedin Hospital. The project is in trouble, there’s no point putting it any other way. In May the government was asked to add $290m to the project.

I saw a piece on these haul trucks and I think the charging stations were like 6MW and could charge the trucks in less than an hour. How's that for juice?

In the mean time, let's see how Simeon Brown's getting on...

@Pazienza82 @BrookevanVelden One thing I remember from my last SiteSafe course was that of serious workplace accidents (i.e. requiring more than 1 week in hospital), 70% resulted in the victim's relationship/marriage breaking up.

This is @BrookevanVelden's dream work environment. Slaves on minimum wage with no protection or safe working conditions.