860 days ago

Phoney Policies

Marie from Waikanae

Does the National party actually have any real policies? We are beginning to wonder. Aside from taking a hatchet to anything that Labour has introduced, and banning, cutting and scrapping a wide range of entitlements, have they actually got anything remotely original?
So far, all I'm hearing are platitudes and Trumpisms.

Perhaps they don't want an informed electorate (they might see through them) but instead want to force people to vote on sentiment alone. We are still waiting to hear how they intend to fund their much touted tax cuts. Despite the fact that the same scenario was hastily withdrawn by the Tories in the UK last year, on the grounds that it would engender financial collapse, the Nats are pressing ahead with it. In the absence of any details we can only assume the worst. That it will come out of vote Education, Health and Social Welfare, putting more money in the pockets of people who are already wealthy and increasing inequalities, poverty, poor health and all the crime and substance dependence that goes with it.
As for banning cellphones. Our view is that schools are more than capable of setting their own policies regarding cell phone use at school. They don't need the government telling them what to do. There are more pressing issues in the teaching sector. And teachers will not be looking forward to teaching a class with hungry children if National removes the food in schools program as stated. Its a lose-lose situation.

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More messages from your neighbours
1 day ago

Poll: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

🎉 2026 is almost here!

We’re curious ... how do you welcome it?
Do you set resolutions, follow special traditions, or just go with the flow?

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Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
  • 9.6% Yes! New Year, New Me
    9.6% Complete
  • 20.9% Yes - but I rarely stick to them
    20.9% Complete
  • 69.5% Nah - not for me
    69.5% Complete
564 votes
7 days ago

Today’s Mind-Bender is the Last of the Year! Can You Guess It Before Everyone Else? 🌟🎁🌲

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

I dance in the sky with green and gold, a spectacle few are lucky to behold; I’m best seen in the south, a celestial sight—what am I, lighting up the New Zealand night?

Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!

Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.

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6 days ago

Driven On The Akatarawa Rd Lately?

Marie from Waikanae

If so, its good to know you are still alive and reading this.

We have a function to go to over Christmas up that way and having heard a few hairy stories about the road, I went up there on Thursday to check it out. The road's ok, narrow and winding, but not much worse than a Wellington hill suburb. What was pretty scary was the behavior of other drivers. Three vehicles heading the other way at speed would have crashed into me if I hadn't been pulled off the road. I had pulled in to check the address when a truck came flying past, taking up all of the narrow road at speed. There is no way the driver would have been able to stop had they come around the corner immediately in front of me. The other two drivers came hurtling past as I had turned in to turn around and come back down the hill. They were also driving at speed and taking up most of the road. Coming back down I passed another car coming up and estimate that the safe speed to pass another car was about 30-35 kms.p.h. So, now we're thinking, do we go to the function or not.? Feels a bit like we're taking our life in our hands going up there. Drivers appear to be overconfident, and they are courting serious injury.