# august first (news sources) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 1 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover august first. Page: Feed: --- ## [The worst campaign slogan?](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/the_worst_campaign_slogan.html) _2026-08-29 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Labour’s campaign is “Better Starts Now”. It sounds like an ad for a watch manufacturer, and in fact it is. They even have it trademarked in NZ! Th parodies have been fun though The post The worst campaign slogan? first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [General Debate 30 August 2026](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_30_august_2026.html) _2026-08-29 · Kokila Patel · Kiwiblog_ The post General Debate 30 August 2026 first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Not so sure about this](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/not_so_sure_about_this.html) _2026-08-29 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ The headline: Barrister says maternity leave battle added to neonatal intensive care unit stress This makes it sound like a lawyer was being asked to go back to work when they had a week old child in neonatal care (which would be horrific if true). But what really happened is: I don’t think you delay \[…\] The post Not so sure about this first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [The stupidest defamation case ever?](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/the_stupidest_defamation_case_ever.html) _2026-08-29 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Shayne Currie reports: One of the country’s more colourful legal cases has been revealed in the High Court, with media firm NZME trying to strike out a Waiheke Island woman’s claim that Hauraki radio host Jeremy Wells defamed her and breached her privacy as he impersonated Mike Hosking 12 years ago. So this was Jeremy Wells taking the Mickey \[…\] The post The stupidest defamation case ever? first… ## [Let’s have a bonfire for the oil tank](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/lets_have_a_bonfire_for_the_oil_tank.html) _2026-08-28 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ The Post reports: The Wellington City Council is one step closer to getting the Government to axe heritage listings for four buildings, including the former General Headquarters Building (GHQ) and the old British Imperial Oil storage tank in Miramar. Councillors agreed on Thursday to send a letter to RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop asking him to use \[…\] The post Let’s have a bonfire for the oil… ## [General Debate 29 August 2026](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_29_august_2026.html) _2026-08-28 · Kokila Patel · Kiwiblog_ The post General Debate 29 August 2026 first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Caption contest](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/caption_contest-91.html) _2026-08-28 · Lucy Rogers · Kiwiblog_ By Lucy Rogers I found this photo in a newspaper article the other day, and I’ll never pass up the opportunity to have some good-natured fun at David Seymour’s expense: The post Caption contest first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [The disaster at Mt Maunganui](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/the_disaster_at_mt_maunganui.html) _2026-08-28 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Andrea Vance summarises what we know: That is all bad enough to clearly identify the deaths were preventable. On the day we had people warning of the danger, but council staff did nothing. The Council Chief Executive must resign/ Not because he is legally or morally culpable. But because it demands accountability – just we \[…\] The post The disaster at Mt Maunganui first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [TOP’s claims vs reality](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/tops_claims_vs_reality.html) _2026-08-27 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Stuff fact checks TOP’s claims, and Top doesn’t come out of it with any credibility. The post TOP’s claims vs reality first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [General Debate 28 August 2026](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_28_august_2026.html) _2026-08-27 · Kokila Patel · Kiwiblog_ The post General Debate 28 August 2026 first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [AI Summaries & Audio Briefings (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/rQuzoVZVOL1K) _2026-08-27 · **Sponsored**_ Read AI summaries and listen to concise audio briefings for the latest stories. ## [Green MP says Govt MPs are worse than Adolf Eichmann!!](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/green_mp_says_govt_mps_are_worse_than_adolf_eichmann.html) _2026-08-27 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ A speech in Parliament by Green MP Steve Abel which is so deranged, that it should make him inadmissible for ministerial office. In response to the bill which simply states climate change policy is to be formulated by Parliament, not the courts, Steve Abel said: There’s a concept that was conceived by a philosopher called \[…\] The post Green MP says Govt MPs are worse than Adolf Eichmann!! first… ## [LEAVERS data covering all NZ high schools.](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/leavers_data_covering_all_nz_high_schools.html) _2026-08-27 · Alwyn Poole · Kiwiblog_ I have just completed the annual data process I do that covers the LEAVERS data for every high school – as well as data aggregates. The raw data becomes available from Education Counts (a part of the Ministry of Education) in August. School leavers are those that leave a school during or at the end \[…\] The post LEAVERS data covering all NZ high schools. first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Appalling name supression decision](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/appalling_name_supression_decision.html) _2026-08-27 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ A criminal defence lawyer did the following: Yet despite all that, he got permanent name suppression. The post Appalling name supression decision first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Te Pati Maori’s bonkers tax plan](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/te_pati_maoris_bonkers_tax_plan.html) _2026-08-26 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Te Pati Maori has announced the following as part of their tax policy: Let’s say you are a very high wealth NZers with $100 million of assets. Let’s say they produce income of 5% of their value, or $5 million a year. Very roughly the tax they would pay would be: This would see that \[…\] The post Te Pati Maori’s bonkers tax plan first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [General Debate 27 August 2026](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_27_august_2026.html) _2026-08-26 · Kokila Patel · Kiwiblog_ The post General Debate 27 August 2026 first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [MBIE in contempt](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/mbie_in_contempt.html) _2026-08-26 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Stuff reports: Immigration Minister Erica Stanford has expressed support for MBIE’s chief executive, hours after he was found to have deliberately misled a select committee. The Privileges Committee found on Wednesday that Nic Blakeley and MBIE’s former deputy secretary in charge of Immigration NZ, Alison McDonald, deliberately misled the Education and Workforce Committee when answering \[…\] The… ## [A good US summary](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/a_good_us_summary.html) _2026-08-26 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Erick Erickson writes: The good news for Democrats is that the President has started a trade war with Canada. He just imposed new tariffs and says more are coming in January. Mark Carney, the Canadian Prime Minister and an actual trained economist, which is more than you can say for the people whispering tariff policy \[…\] The post A good US summary first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Caption contest](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/caption_contest-90.html) _2026-08-25 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Lucy Rogers suggested this would be a good caption contest. Have fun in the comments. The post Caption contest first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [General Debate 26 August 2026](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_26_august_2026.html) _2026-08-25 · Kokila Patel · Kiwiblog_ The post General Debate 26 August 2026 first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Great ad](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/great_ad-2.html) _2026-08-25 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ This is a very good ad. With the likely government of the left needing a four way coalition, one can only imagine how many of the nine taxes they’ll need to implement to fund all their promises. The post Great ad first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Crush Every Threat in Real Time (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/I16XLP4GqBDL) _2026-08-25 · **Sponsored**_ One agent for real-time detection, exposure tracking, and active defense. ## [Labour promises more spending](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/labour_promises_more_spending.html) _2026-08-24 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ In 2017, Labour and the Greens promised they would keep core crown expenditure to under 30% of GDP. They didn’t. Now in 2026 Labour is promising to keep it to 33% of GDP – so one third of the entire economy would be consumed by the central state. This is around $13 billion a year \[…\] The post Labour promises more spending first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [General Debate 25 August 2026](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_25_august_2026.html) _2026-08-24 · Kokila Patel · Kiwiblog_ The post General Debate 25 August 2026 first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [TOP says do what I say, not what I do](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/top_says_do_what_i_say_not_what_i_do.html) _2026-08-24 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ The Opportunistic Party has said their policy is to restrict donations to a political party over an electoral cycle to $30,000. So far this years they have banked the following donations: So big donations are bad – unless it is to them. Incidentally I am amused that so many NZ politicians want to turn our \[…\] The post TOP says do what I say, not what I do first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [The crash will be massive when it comes](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/the_crash_will_be_massive_when_it_comes.html) _2026-08-23 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ A trillion dollars of borrowing in 95 days. That is beyond scary. Hell that even exceeds the Greens’ ambitions! The post The crash will be massive when it comes first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Calorie counts on alcohol long overdue](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/calorie_counts_on_alcohol_long_overdue.html) _2026-08-22 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ The Press reports: Public health advocates are taking one labelling win – all alcohol drinks will soon have calorie counts printed on their labels – and they’ve now got a new challenge: getting cancer warnings labels on liquor. Consumers may have already noticed that some of the alcoholic drinks they buy now show an “energy \[…\] The post Calorie counts on alcohol long overdue first appeared on… ## [General Debate 23 August 2026](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_23_august_2026.html) _2026-08-22 · Kokila Patel · Kiwiblog_ The post General Debate 23 August 2026 first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Guest Post: If you rent your property short-term, tell the council and pay your rates](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/guest_post_if_you_rent_your_property_short-term_tell_the_council_and_pay_your_rates.html) _2026-08-22 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ A guest post by James Doolan: If you own a second property, rent it regularly through Airbnb and have not told your council about the commercial use, this opinion piece is directed at you. You may regard the omission as harmless or perhaps you’ve realised that the chances of being identified are low. Deliberately withholding \[…\] The post Guest Post: If you rent your property short-term, tell the… ## [Don’t believe Donbasification](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/dont_believe_donbasification.html) _2026-08-22 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Kate Truska writes: I come from Sloviansk, in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. For anyone who has followed Russia’s war against Ukraine since 2014, the name will probably be familiar. Sloviansk was where armed men led by Russian citizen and former FSB officer Igor Girkin seized government buildings in April 2014, and where one of the first \[…\] The post Don’t believe Donbasification first appeared on… ## [Religious beliefs are not innate or immutable.](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/religious_beliefs_are_not_innate_or_immutable.html) _2026-08-21 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Alan Ringwood writes: There is nothing new about religions seeking to shut down criticism and opposing views. It’s a story as old as religion itself. The question is to what extent the state should step in to outlaw and criminalise anti-religious speech. Basically none, unless to calls for violence. Religious beliefs are in a different \[…\] The post Religious beliefs are not innate or immutable.… ## [General Debate 22 August 2026](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_22_august_2026.html) _2026-08-21 · Kokila Patel · Kiwiblog_ The post General Debate 22 August 2026 first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Collect Open Source Legends (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/08jXNrdPx6EM) _2026-08-21 · **Sponsored**_ Open-licensed art, limited foil trading packs, and optional on-chain mints. ## [Lucy Rogers on Senior Sergeant Vaughan Perry](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/lucy_rogers_on_senior_sergeant_vaughan_perry.html) _2026-08-21 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Lucy Rogers writes at The Good Oil: As readers may recall, in February 2025 the IPCA published a report about my arrest on 25 November 2023, finding that, while I was silently and peacefully counter-protesting an anti-Israel march on Queen Street, police officers wrongfully assaulted me, wrongfully took my sign off me, wrongfully arrested me \[…\] The post Lucy Rogers on Senior Sergeant Vaughan… ## [Welcome to the dark side, Kiri](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/welcome_to_the_dark_side_kiri.html) _2026-08-21 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Radio NZ reports: Former Labour cabinet minister Kiri Allan has come out swinging against the public service saying it is bloated, slow, and overpaid. … Allan said there were “exceptional people” throughout the public service and her comments weren’t an attack on individuals, but on the system. She said in the private sector, the incentive \[…\] The post Welcome to the dark side, Kiri first appeared… ## [Te Pāti Māori tries to defeat the point of MMP](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/te_pati_maori_tries_to_defeat_the_point_of_mmp.html) _2026-08-20 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Radio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori have made their election strategy clear: give us your candidate vote to get more Māori in Parliament, and give your party vote to the left bloc. This is the first time I can recall that a parliamentary party has not campaigned for the party vote. TPM are trying to \[…\] The post Te Pāti Māori tries to defeat the point of MMP first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [General Debate 21 August 2026](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_21_august_2026.html) _2026-08-20 · Kokila Patel · Kiwiblog_ The post General Debate 21 August 2026 first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [The all powerful TOP Board](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/the_all_powerful_top_board.html) _2026-08-20 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Pleased to see at least one journalist asking tough questions of TOP. It is alarming that the party leader doers;t even know her own party’s rules, especially one as important as the board being able to over-rule the caucus. I guess this is what you get when a party leader is not a long-standing member, \[…\] The post The all powerful TOP Board first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [How much land tax will you pay?](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/how_much_land_tax_will_you_pay.html) _2026-08-20 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ TOP has proposed a 1.75% tax on the value of urban land (except Maori communal land) and 0.5% on rural land. It is worth noting that land values have been declining for the last five years, so TOP’s policy is to tax you on an asset that is declining in value! Urban Av land value \[…\] The post How much land tax will you pay? first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [The Attorney-General gets it in one](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/the_attorney-general_gets_it_in_one.html) _2026-08-19 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Attorney-General Chris Bishop had made a hugely important speech. He politely but firmly pushes back against the courts making law, rather than interpreting law. He notes: So what does it mean to say that, of the three arms of government, Parliament is sovereign? The answer I want to expand on, is that Parliamentary sovereignty means \[…\] The post The Attorney-General gets it in one first appeared… ## [General Debate 20 August 2026](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_20_august_2026.html) _2026-08-19 · Kokila Patel · Kiwiblog_ The post General Debate 20 August 2026 first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Dear “Chippy”: Why only 15% of voters want you as PM](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/dear_chippy_why_only_15_of_voters_want_you_as_pm.html) _2026-08-19 · Alwyn Poole · Kiwiblog_ (Not that the media even seem to but notice that aspect of the polls). I have lived and worked in Auckland, primarily in Education, from 1998 until now (with a 6 year gap when I was in the BoI, which co-incided with your covid response). I will try and keep this reponse to points. “Chippy” \[…\] The post Dear “Chippy”: Why only 15% of voters want you as PM first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [Who will pay in the Battle for TSB?](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/who_will_pay_in_the_battle_for_tsb.html) _2026-08-18 · David Farrar · Kiwiblog_ Jim Tucker writes: Toi’s money has come from profits made by the TSB bank, not only from clients living in the region, but nearly half from people living elsewhere (who don’t get any say). If the case goes beyond the first full High Court hearing and the losing side decides to fight on in the \[…\] The post Who will pay in the Battle for TSB? first appeared on Kiwiblog . ## [General Debate 19 August 2026](https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_19_august_2026.html) _2026-08-18 · Kokila Patel · Kiwiblog_ The post General Debate 19 August 2026 first appeared on Kiwiblog .