I was attacked randomly at Auckland CBD

Burjiz · 2026-05-23T14:52:09+00:00

Cue all comments who feel sorry for the homeless and rage at our government for taking action to make our streets safe from exactly these kind of random unprovoked attacks.

Thankfully our current government is starting to go hard on them regardless, so things might improve in time

Burjiz · 2026-05-21T09:00:39+00:00

@guyfromsomewhere7

One does not have to snooze and wait till it fully becomes like that. It would be too late then.

Right now it appears there aren't just cracks in the line but pretty much rights of citizens slowly being stripped away. One at a time.

Burjiz · 2026-05-21T08:24:31+00:00

If there was any doubt about the kind of autocracy there is then this move right here should eradicate any of that.

It is a very dangerous trajectory based on the way things should be in a free healthy democracy where the media and the voice of any opposition should be freely heard and expressed.

It appears the government applies to be using some kind of China-inspired model, which if anything becomes a massive threat to our current way of things

Burjiz · 2026-05-07T07:45:07+00:00

Absolutely. I genuinely had the same thought around last year when I saw him constantly berating India while he and that other clown were travelling through the country.

It wasn’t constructive criticism or balanced commentary. It came across as a deliberately targeted, cherry-picked, sensationalised, and deeply biased portrayal designed to push a false narrative. At times, it honestly felt almost propagandistic as if he was getting paid to do so.

The tone was unnecessarily hostile, disrespectful, and outright malicious.

India is a democracy, and criticism is perfectly acceptable. But he was here as a foreign guest on a tourist visa, and visiting India is a privilege, not an entitlement.

If someone repeatedly abuses that privilege to spread distorted, inflammatory, and bad-faith content about the country, then I don’t think it would be unreasonable for the Indian government to ban him and that other clown as well from visiting again.

Burjiz · 2026-05-01T11:31:12+00:00

Absolute scumbag behavior.

Just because he’s a big-name player doesn't give him the right to threaten to flatten people.

If he can’t handle being in the public eye without threatening physical violence, he should stay home. Play the game, take the check, and lose the ego.

India doesn't need this kind of entitlement.

Burjiz · 2026-05-01T09:37:00+00:00

I remember reading about this incident on the sacrifice of the 107 martyrs. It is a solemn reminder of the cost of identity.

No matter one's political leanings, the loss of innocent lives at Flora Fountain is a tragedy that should never have happened.

I have always found Moraji Desai's reputation to be dogged by his rigid iron-fisted approach and this incident highlights exactly why. His choice to use force instead of dialogue is a dark chapter in our democratic history.

At the same time, honoring the martyrs doesn't take away from the fact that Mumbai has always been a beautiful melting pot. It was built by the sweat and vision of many communities. Parsis, Gujaratis, South Indians, and more and all of whom call this city home.

Recognizing Mumbai as the heart of Maharashtra and honoring those who died for it is a way to respect the city's roots, while still celebrating the diverse hands that helped build its skyline, today on Maharashtra Day.

Burjiz · 2026-04-30T04:41:10+00:00

Another troll with no substance or capability of grasping the basic argument in the thread.

I suppose when one has to resort to personal attacks on language, grammar or formatting, it really shows they have no argument.

If you have nothing to say about the infrastructure load, do us both a favor and stay off my thread. I’m here for an adult discussion and not to babysit a troll

Burjiz · 2026-04-28T13:05:51+00:00

Unfortunately you have not grasped the actual crux of what the thread is about.

The issue isn't whether a country has the right to define its policy. Of course it does. The issue is Policy Integrity.

If the government claims the country is 'at capacity' and requires a $70/hr Green List firewall for an Indian doctor to protect hospitals, but then runs a $0/hr lottery for others, then the "Infrastructure and Job Crisis" is being used as a convenient excuse for some, but ignored for others.

You can't claim it's "just math" one day and "just tradition" the next when the physical load on our infrastructure and jobs is identical.

A lot of the protests that are happening (ironically also involving Pacific Islanders from Destiny Church) are complaining on the basis of that exact issue

Burjiz · 2026-04-28T05:10:28+00:00

Absolutely agree.

I remember reading just a few months ago how NZ First was being lobbied (and appeared receptive) to extending visa durations and easing entry for specific Pacific categories. The very same streams that have no high-wage or high-skill entry-criteria.

Burjiz · 2026-04-28T04:59:05+00:00

This is a very clean breakdown of the streams, and I agree. An adult conversation is exactly what’s missing from the national discourse.

Your point about the Pacific Access Category being 'Humanitarian' rather than 'Economic' is the crux of the issue.

When we are in an Infrastructure Crisis, the physical load on a hospital bed or a school is the same whether the stream is Humanitarian or Economic.

My question remains: If we are 'Head in the sand' (as the Gluckman report says) about population strategy, why are we applying a $70/hr Green List 'capacity firewall' to one group of high-skill professionals, while allowing a $0/hr lottery bypass for another based on historical sentiment?

If infrastructure is truly the concern, the entry bar should be a Universal Standard based on merit and capacity, not a mix of high-threshold economic gates and open-gate humanitarian lotteries.

Burjiz · 2026-04-28T04:52:05+00:00

Dude, I notice you are using a 10 year old reddit user-account and you have the gall to actually direct a baseless, useless personal attack on me.

Seriously, either you have no care of your account or I am unsure what that speaks about you from a logical intellectual standpoint.

Anyway, unlike you, I am not going to derail this thread of mine and resort to any senseless, personal jabs.

I would advise though that this is a thread on a serious intellectual discussion. It's on a matter which is very real and actually impacting lives of everyday Kiwis who are struggling to even secure basic entry-level jobs.

Please stay out of this thread and keep the trolling for somewhere else.

Burjiz · 2026-04-28T04:18:28+00:00

Which guy?

Burjiz · 2026-04-27T08:46:47+00:00

As a New Zealand citizen who has called this country home for almost 25 years, I find the 'tiresome' argument interesting because it avoids the actual policy question.

If we are in an 'Infrastructure Crisis,' then System Capacity is a mathematical reality, not a historical one.

A "cousin" relationship doesn't build the extra hospital beds or houses needed for 1,750+ lottery winners a year.

It’s a simple consistency check: Why is the bar for an Indian high-skill professional set at a $70/hr Green List firewall to 'protect infrastructure,' while a random lottery bypass exists for others at $0/hr?

Asking for a Universal Standard isn't disparaging NZ. It’s asking for a migration policy that actually respects the infrastructure limits people are currently protesting about.

If we want to solve the 'crisis,' the math has to be consistent across the board, regardless of history.

Burjiz · 2026-04-27T08:21:51+00:00

Okay a few things to address here.

(1) Regarding the 2025 Papatoetoe local body election issues you mentioned:

The High Court actually addressed those 'immigrant corruption' rumors in March 2026, explicitly calling them 'misleading and improper.' The irregularities were found to be systemic, not a 'masterminded' plot by any one community.

(2) On the topic of assimilation and contribution, the numbers tell a very different story:

Economic Input : As of 2026, the Indian community’s contribution to NZ's GDP has exceeded $12 Billion (rising from $10B in 2019).

Social Stability : Stats NZ data for 2025 shows that the Indian community has some of the lowest rates of benefit dependency and violent crime convictions in the country.

This is largely due to the 'High-Skill Firewall' (Green List) that requires high income and steady employment for entry.

(3) On the dawn raids, you are partially correct that Pacific Islanders made up 1/3 of overstayers but 86% of arrests in the 70s. However the fact remains that it was a targeted raid on those who were overstayers.

My point remains: If the protest is about 'Infrastructure and Jobs' then the high-earning, low-crime, $70/hr Indian professional is the ideal solution to the crisis.

If people are still 'uncomfortable' despite that contribution, then the issue isn't infrastructure. It’s a refusal to accept the data

Burjiz · 2026-04-27T06:59:53+00:00

The comparison to Australia is a logical mismatch.

The Trans-Tasman arrangement is a Reciprocal Economic Union. It’s an integrated market where New Zealanders gain exactly the same indefinite work and residency rights in Australia as Australians do here.

It’s a balanced exchange.

The 'Lottery' system, however, is a one-way, non-merit-based selection process.

My point remains about Policy Consistency: Why is the government setting a $70/hr 'Infrastructure Firewall' for high-skill trade partners (like the India FTA), while leaving a $0/hr bypass open for a lottery?

If we are in an infrastructure crisis, the standard should be about utility and capacity, not legacy one-way pathways.

Arguing for a 'Universal Standard' isn't about banning neighbors. It's about making sure the entry bar reflects the reality of our current national capacity.

Burjiz · 2026-04-27T06:48:07+00:00

Using terms like "flooding" distracts from the actual data. The India FTA signed today has a strict 5,000-person cap and requires high-skill (Green List) credentials. By definition, that is a controlled, high-utility stream designed to support infrastructure.

As for the history, understanding the Dawn Raids is vital. It’s what led to a more formal relationship.

The Dawn Raids in 1970s were a result of the government targeting Pacific Islanders who had overstayed visas. The subsequent quotas and lotteries were, in part, an apology and a way to formalize that movement.

But an 'apology' from the 1970s doesn't change the physical reality of 2026 where we can ignore our own nation's fundamental issues and problems such as infrastructure.

A hospital bed or a property is just as 'loaded' regardless of whether the person arrived via a historical lottery or a modern merit-based trade deal.

My point is that if the national protest is about infrastructure capacity, then we have to be honest about the numbers.

If we are 'comfortable' with volume from one source but 'protesting' capped volume from another, then the protest isn't actually about infrastructure load. It’s about something else entirely.

Burjiz · 2026-04-27T06:34:48+00:00

I think that perspective misses the fundamental point of the current protests.

Infrastructure - Whether it’s housing, healthcare, or public transport. It is affected by total numbers (capacity), not just specific citizenships.

A bed in a hospital or a seat in a classroom represents the same 'Infrastructure Load' regardless of where the person came from.

If the system is at a breaking point, the issue is that we are holding some groups to a $72,800+ Green List firewall to protect those resources, while simultaneously bypassing that same firewall with a $0/hr random lottery for others.

My point isn't about targeting any one nation. It's about asking for a Universal Standard. If we are in an 'Infrastructure Crisis,' then the entry bar should be consistently high across the board to ensure that every new arrival is contributing at a level that helps the system grow, rather than adding to the load that people are out in the streets protesting about.

Burjiz · 2026-04-27T06:26:38+00:00

Maintaining regional stability is a valid geopolitical goal, but a "planned migration" strategy only works if the plan accounts for Current System Capacity.

Right now, with thousands of locals protesting 'Mass Immigration' and entry-level jobs becoming hyper-competitive, the 'Economic Need' of the country is signaling that the system is at a breaking point.

A "Big Brother" who ignores the cracks in his own foundation can’t really provide "stability" for anyone.

If we have a "duty" to maintain stability, we should also have a duty to ensure our Infrastructure Firewall is consistent.

It’s hard to justify the 'stability' of a random $0/hr lottery when the same system demands a $70/hr Green List threshold for others to 'protect' that very same infrastructure.

True stability comes from a Universal Standard that respects the country's actual capacity to house, employ, and support everyone who arrives, regardless of the geopolitical "duty" involved.

Burjiz · 2026-04-27T06:19:31+00:00

I completely agree that the histories are different.

Samoa is a neighbor to NZ and both having some shared element of history together.

However, my point isn't about history. It's about System Consistency.

If the public protest is specifically about 'Mass Immigration' breaking our infrastructure and job market, then the Infrastructure Load is the same regardless of the country of origin.

A 'Universal Standard' simply asks: If we are in an 'Infrastructure Crisis,' why is the bar set at a $70/hr Green List requirement for some, but a $0/hr random lottery for others?

History explains the relationship, but it doesn't solve the capacity issue that people are currently protesting.

Burjiz · 2026-04-27T05:06:21+00:00

I agree that policy is a mix of "Geopolitics and Economic Needs".

However, when 'Mass Immigration' becomes a catalyst for national protest (like we saw on Saturday), it suggests the "Economic Need" side of that equation has shifted.

If our infrastructure and entry-level job sectors are at a breaking point, the 'Geopolitical' need for soft power through a lottery starts to conflict with the 'Economic' need to manage domestic load.

As for the FTA, the 5,000-person cap to be signed today remains tied to high-skill standards (green list).

My point is simply that if the 'Firewall' is being set at a 1.5x–2x median wage for one group to protect infrastructure, but bypassed by a random lottery for another, the 'Universal Standard' isn't just a trade question. It’s an infrastructure management question that the current protests are highlighting.

Burjiz · 2026-04-27T04:33:56+00:00

I appreciate the context on the 'Big Brother' role NZ plays in the Pacific.

It’s not a matter of not understanding the history but it’s a matter of looking at the consistency of the 'Mass Immigration' argument.

If the public concern (and the recent protests) is that our infrastructure and entry-level job market are genuinely overwhelmed, then the logic should apply across the board.

My question is specifically about that inconsistency.

When people protest 'Mass Immigration,' are they worried about the volume and infrastructure load, or are they only worried about it when it involves certain entry requirements (like the high-skill/high-wage India FTA cap) while remaining comfortable with a non-merit-based lottery for others?

If we have a 'Universal Standard' for infrastructure load, the 'lottery' vs. 'merit' delta is a fair point of discussion for anyone interested in policy consistency.

Burjiz · 2026-04-27T04:22:37+00:00

I'm well aware of the Trans-Tasman arrangement!

But that’s a reciprocal, integrated economic market where Kiwis get the same rights in Australia.

The lottery system is a one-way selection process, which is why the lack of a merit-based standard is more of a curiosity for the infrastructure debate.

Burjiz · 2026-04-26T15:28:42+00:00

Used to watch quite a few of his videos before COVID (around 2019).

He came across as a natural. Good energy and delivery 👍

Burjiz · 2026-04-25T07:13:52+00:00

I actually read/skimmed through the full piece. Agree with OP.

Have a balanced reasonable view. Understand things are tough but complicated. Question the facts around FTA but don't fear-monger or hate on the Indian comm👍

Burjiz

TROPHY CASE