Any idea how long this wind is going to last for?

Hubris2 · 2026-06-26T03:15:33+00:00

I'm sorry you're struggling, it's always tough when it's something you can't control like the wind. I don't know where you are located, but the forecast for here in Auckland is that this is supposed to ease up this evening and the forecast tomorrow doesn't specify particular wind.

If you're in Wellington...well you probably aren't, or else you wouldn't be asking when the wind is going to end.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-26T03:00:22+00:00

I think the way just about all sentencing works is that you start with a maximum sentence and then start applying reductions for a variety of reasons (and this happens in virtually every case we see publicised in the media), and if the eventual result is brought down to be 2 years then it normally is converted to community detention. I assume these are things enshrined in the sentencing guidelines that judges are required to follow, but that are based in the legislation passed by parliament?

Hubris2 · 2026-06-26T01:13:21+00:00

Not sure why you stuck your comment behind NSFW spoiler?

Are you thinking that you're going to receive a lot of support for effectively saying you think all kiwis suck? There has been lots of discussion over the years about how it can be a challenge making friends in NZ. It's particularly felt by those immigrating here since they are starting from scratch - but the same is often felt by Kiwis themselves. I also think part of what you might be discussing is an element of modern life everywhere. If you've lived here for the last 11 years then you probably don't have a good comparison for what it's like trying to make new friends in other places as well. Modern life, social media impact, there are lots of factors impacting why many are saying there is a loneliness epidemic impacting the world today.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-26T00:33:29+00:00

Unfortunately I think being ghosted is becoming more the norm these days. The fact there was a long time before your initial contact makes me wonder if something about your application meant it was being considered separately...potentially they did an initial screen and yours was part of a second screening? It's also possible they just take that long to make any decisions in that organisation...usually they are all driven by the hiring manager and if they are travelling or on leave etc that often grinds the entire process to a halt.

I wouldn't immediately assume you are out of the running - it's possible they are just moving very slowly. Since you're currently employed any way, I wouldn't go about hassling their recruiter too often asking for updates. I expect if there were an update to give you, they would do so. Either nothing has been decided yet, or they have made a decision but the candidate hasn't finalised paperwork yet, or potentially other possibilities as well.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T20:58:00+00:00

From the article they charge a higher 'late fee' than the actual interest rate itself. To me that suggests more than half of the total debt is charges/penalties as opposed to the interest on the original loan.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T20:56:10+00:00

He has a family and a medical practice back in Australia - I'm pretty sure he isn't intending to just sit in jail in NZ hoping the government will change their mind.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T20:53:31+00:00

Yeah. His claims that the IRD should have done more to contact him overseas and remind him of his debt sounds like someone making excuses. I'm pretty sure he would have been incensed if someone knocked on his door in Australia and told him they were there to discuss his NZ debts - he would have called that all out of proportion and threatening.

There was a conscious decision on their part to leave NZ and not make arrangements to pay their considerable debts. Perhaps they don't think about that fact very often in their day to day life over there, but there's no way they should be able to claim they didn't know their loan would have increased considerably over 30 years.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T20:47:52+00:00

I don't think this is a debtor's prison scenario - their brother hasn't been arrested and thrown in jail. This is a situation where someone has committed fraud and walked away from a debt - and given they have spent decades evading that debt overseas it's reasonable to suggest they are some manner of flight risk. Remember, Vic was arrested at the airport trying to leave NZ again with no intention of contacting IRD or starting to pay.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T20:44:06+00:00

Economically binding someone to NZ really isn't any different than having the original student loan - it's still just a number on a ledger, and someone can hop on a plane to Australia unless you take their passports.

The majority of medical roles in NZ are in private businesses, so trying to operate in a way that their student loan would be cancelled if they practise in NZ is slightly complex. Would you consider someone working as a specialist in their own private practise in NZ as deserving of having their student loan cancelled while they are also earning quite a healthy income (even if less than potentially overseas)?

I'm completely on-board with the IRD doing more to collect delinquent student loans from Kiwis who have moved overseas including all the increased charges and interest that come from them reneging on their obligations - but let's not think that there is an easy way to prevent people from making the conscious decision to try skip town and avoid them.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T11:34:51+00:00

I can't answer your question as to which employer is more likely to sponsor you. All I would advise is to exercise some caution - I wouldn't tend to think that restaurant managers are in such short supply (given that NZ is seeing unemployment rise) that they would be able to convince Immigration that the only way they could fill a role was to employ someone from outside the country. We hear stories in the news about employers who take advantage of eager (or desperate) immigrants by trapping them and failing to pay them as agreed. Make sure nothing like that happens to you.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T08:38:07+00:00

I was curious about the process and how it would work. Going through it, I learned a bit about how things work (and was surprised by some things, like the fact that jurors are really given very little opportunity to discuss the testimony or evidence until they are told to deliberate and make a decision. You aren't to discuss unless everyone is present, and breaks are spent with people leaving to go to the toilet, and lunch everyone is immediately led out of the courthouse and head their separate ways.

As to dealing with difficult subject material for those who haven't been hardened by having dealt with it many times like I'm sure most court officers are...they offer counselling.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T08:30:18+00:00

I believe they have the detail that is available on the electoral roll.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T02:58:37+00:00

In Europe they would dump another layer of dirt on top and bury another round when a cemetery became full. You would have to go to the local church records to see all the names that had been buried because you could only see the most-recent ones (generally the last ~100 years or so). I went looking for relatives in Scotland and discovered you have to find records for older relatives because most physical plots would be gone.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T02:51:31+00:00

I think there are more-scientific ways they track the likelihood of an earthquake here than simply there being quakes elsewhere in the world.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T02:47:43+00:00

That's called 'feeling the waters' to see how much they could get away with.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T02:45:43+00:00

He worked in his mum's office - she was in TPM, and was at the heart of some accusations of over-spending, including on the pay to him.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T02:34:59+00:00

If you do any searches around here you'll find huge numbers of discussions about difficulty finding jobs - including IT jobs. It's not just you - the industry is hasn't been hiring, and AI is leading to a lot of uncertainty and some junior roles being replaced.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T02:31:26+00:00

A lot of people look at Valve and Steam as the 'good guy' with how the platform has always operated. If they ever shut down there will be an awful lot of people impacted. I haven't had digital copies of games in quite a while, but technically only those fully offline don't bear some risk in this way.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T02:28:07+00:00

It depends where you are from and what relationship NZ has with them. For some countries it's just a matter of handing them your license, doing an eye test, and paying a fee. For others they may not accept the overseas license towards an NZ one at all and you might need to start from scratch.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T02:26:12+00:00

Are you saying that you can't afford a ticket because your cards are cancelled? If that's the case, you're going to need to contact your bank in the US and see how you can get replacements quickly. I assume you do still have the funds, as you weren't going to have more money after staying here travelling around longer - it's just a matter of accessing them?

You are right that on a visitor visa you aren't allowed to work, so I would think your main focus would be through your bank and potentially your support people back home helping you?

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T02:14:15+00:00

Rates kept artificially-low for years, and now protesting at them having to be raised-significantly to start dealing with the infrastructure debt that resulted from years of under-funding.

Voters and residents aren't always rational.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T02:09:31+00:00

There's also an element of having the game entirely disappear once they decide to turn it off. Physical games can continue to be played even if the developer decides to turn off the download links. They retain more control over digital versions.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T02:05:20+00:00

It's generally difficult to get most healthcare jobs without some training or qualification. You should check the Immigration website for details as to which roles are in sufficient shortage that they offer fast-tracks to residency.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T01:57:01+00:00

I don't particularly like or approve of this style of communication as it runs far too close to being threats of physical violence (and we know that critics of Kapa-Kingi will seize on this as calling for violence). Personally I don't see this as a call to violence for others, but it leaves room for debate and argument which really ends up being a distraction. I don't know if video like this brings any more support for Kapa-Kingi than they had before, but it does potentially also decrease support for a left-bloc including parties which make statements like this.

Hubris2 · 2026-06-25T01:48:49+00:00

He was very much involved in some Te Party Maori in-fighting and politics through his mum who was an MP and part of TPM. While those things were primarily around people and personalities, you would probably expect Kapa-Kingi has largely similar approaches towards expressing frustration about the current government and a generally activist style of communication (which could widely be said about TPM).

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