Andrew Dickens Afternoons

Is there anyone out there who is not fascinated by the story of John Chau.
The 26 year old missionary who glibly invaded an island in the Indian Ocean to convert a stone age tribe to Christianity, only to find they weren’t very welcoming.  In fact they shot him with arrows, tied a rope round his neck and then threw the body on the beach as a warning to others.
It’s not like John Chau was not forewarned.  These guys on the Sentinel Islands have been repelling the 21st Century since the day they were first discovered.  There was the epic TV shots back in the day when an islander spent some time one sunny afternoon shooting arrows at a circling helicopter.
John Chau’s family has asked that the islanders are not prosecuted for the so called crime, which shows that the arrogance of the missionary extends to his family. Chau was trying to enter a prohibited island.  He was not only breaking the Indian law but the law of the people of Sentinel Islands.  Which they then enforced.  With their arrows. They upheld their sovereignty.
I admire the Sentinel Islanders who it must said have the most effective hardline immigration policy of anyone in the world.  Theirs is not an open border. They will not welcome refugees, they will not welcome anyone. And they’ll protect it.
The Sentinel Islanders do not need to build a wall.  The Sentinel Islanders do not need to build a camp on Manus Island. The Sentinel Islanders are not complaining of tent towns downtown.  Immigrants are not stealing their jobs or their huts
It’s lovely timing as the world looks to sign the GLOBAL COMPACT FOR SAFE, ORDERLY AND REGULAR MIGRATION early next month in Marrakech.  
There’s a lot of fear mongering on the Compact abroad.  People saying the Compact opens the borders to migrants to have freedom to enter and be facilitated without barriers. I have emails from people saying that by signing the compact New Zealand will be forced to take 1 million refugees in the future.
Certainly a handful of nations have decided not to sign the compact.  The US, Australia, Hungary, Austria, Israel, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic  and Poland.  In fact the US refused to be involved at any point of the drafting.
So I’ve read and reread this compact and articles on it from all sources to find out if I should be worried and I’ve come to this.
It’s one of the biggest exercises in virtue signalling I’ve ever seen.  The compact says little other than migration happens for many reasons and has since the beginning of time.  It says we need to measure it.  It says if people get on the move because of war, famine or deprivation then these people are still people and still have some human rights.  And throughout the compact it reasserts that sovereignty and national laws will always retain precedence. Signing it is says these people exist in the world, and they’re a problem and they have to be dealt with humanely. And that’s about it.
Not signing it on the grounds that your sovereignty is compromised is a myth.  And the states that are not signing it are virtue signalling that they’re still tough.  Interestingly in the US and Australian cases they’ve been states who have been criticised for the treatment of migrants in detention camps.  But nowhere in the compact is there a ban on those camps. It says conditions must be humane.
I’m unconcerned as long as we like the Sentinel Islanders remain vigilant and retain our sovereignty.
Furthermore, if the worst happens and these fair islands of ours become uninhabitable after volcanic eruption, earthquakes or dramatic climate change we better hope and pray that there are still nations who would accept us as migrants and refugees.

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Wanting to splurge on Black Friday tomorrow? Think again.
The American holiday tradition, held the day after Thanksgiving when everyone is off work, has travelled to all parts of the world, including New Zealand. It is now seen as the start of the holiday shopping season. 
However, research from the UK found that the sale isn't as good as it seems.
Many big chain stores there offered similar or cheap sale prices at various other times throughout the year.
Researchers warn to be careful before adding items to your cart.
LISTEN TO RAYLENE TALK WITH ANDREW DICKENS ABOVE

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Local media has made much of the fact only one All Black has made a United Kingdom media outlet's World XV – all except ZB’s own D’Arcy Waldegrave/
Lock Brodie Retallick, the standout player for Steve Hansen's men at Twickenham, is the only All Black selected in the XV but even he failed to back-up in Dublin.
Six Irishmen have made the Wales Online's form XV, including left wing Jacob Stockdale, who scored the only try of the 16-9 victory over the All Blacks in Dublin, the first time Ireland have beaten New Zealand on home soil.
Retallick is one of only three Southern Hemisphere players in the XV; the others are Australia No8 David Pocock and Boks loosehead prop Steven Kitschoff.
New Zealand media have labelled the decision a ‘snub’, but as D’Arcy told Andrew Dickens, these types of lists aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.
Wales Online's November series World XV 15. Rob Kearney (Ireland)14. Teddy Thomas (France)13. Jonathan Davies (Wales)12. Owen Farrell (England)11. Jacob Stockdale (Ireland)10. Johnny Sexton (Ireland)9. Baptiste Serin (France)8. David Pocock (Australia)7. Justin Tipuric (Wales)6. Peter O'Mahony (Ireland)5. James Ryan (Ireland)4. Brodie Retallick (NZ)3. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)2. Guilhem Guirado (France)1. Steven Kitschoff (SA)

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It always intrigues me when people rail on about our current government by calling it a socialist one because at its most basic, all governments are socialist.
In essence they tax us all, if there is a progressive tax system that means they take more money from the rich and then they redistribute it to the poor.
So all our governments are socialist. We just have rightish and leftish versions of the same thing. Which is why over the past 30 odd years since Rogernomics we have had basically the same system. The deckchairs are just moved about on the Titanic.
This government is more leftish than the last more rightish socialist government. Some say they tax more which if you consider the regional fuel tax rises is true. But it’s also worth noting that the basic tax system is unchanged from the previous governments.
Certainly the very first thing they did was give more money to beneficiaries and Working for Families which is classic re-distribution of wealth. But other than the budget the benefit system is unchanged from the last rightish socialists.
So it’s really in the so called virtue signalling that you can see a difference.
So we’re seeing that in a debate over Kiwibank branch closures in Wellington. Kiwibank is considering closing the Petone and Johnsonville branches. A couple of the local Labour MPs including Greg O’Connor say it’s just not right. They claim the areas are booming.
They also invoke the thoughts of the father of Kiwibank, Jim Anderton who wanted Kiwibank to remain a part of the community and not close branches like the Australian banks.
But is this the right thing to do? Kiwibank is still a business, they have looked at the numbers, they don’t add up. They have a differing charter than the Australian banks but even taking that into account they’ve decided to close.
So can we say this is a more socialist government because they’re telling a business what to do? We probably can. Though to muddy the waters there is the fact that the National MP Chris Bishop is also joining the calls to keep the branches open.
And then we have reports that David Parker is considering telling the Super Fund to invest 40 billion dollars in early stage companies. It’s often called angel investment. While that could have some major benefits in growing young New Zealand companies it also carries much more risk that the Super Fund could lose in the investment which no-one ever wants.
When government starts telling businesses what to do, even if they are state owned, it’s a slippery slope. Really socialist governments start telling everybody what to do and think. To my mind these two situations are not worth the grief for the government and they should step away before the scare even more horses

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The next time you are stuck in traffic, chances are you will be close to a Betty.
It's the most popular name given to cars by owners, according to a GAS nationwide survey.
Betsy was also up there, mirroring trends in the US and UK.
Kermit was second, with Bob and various names involving the word ‘little’ also being crowd favourites.
Some other noteworthy names to appear were ‘Mazdarati’, ‘Stella McCARtney’, and ‘Lancer Armstrong.’
LISTEN TO CALLERS TALK WITH ANDREW DICKENS ABOUT THEIR CAR NAMES ABOVE

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Auckland churches are getting a one-year breather before Auckland Council brings in higher rates on facilities not used for religious purposes.
Three months ago the council contacted hundreds of churches telling them to ignore big rates increases, which came into effect this financial year without political input.
Many churches were shocked to receive big rates rises, including the Birkenhead Baptist Church which received a bill of $1080 after previously only paying a waste management charge of about $150. Other churches received increases of up to $20,000.
After council officers reviewed the new policy, councillors have adopted a revised policy to reduce the overall rates bill for churches.
Councillors have also accepted a recommendation from officers not to introduce the new rates until the next financial year, starting in July 2019.
Several church leaders told today's finance committee that rate exemptions should be applied to religious and connected activities, given the role of churches today was broader than simply religious worship.
There was criticism at how the council had introduced the policy and the council has apologised and promised better engagement in future.
Auckland Councillor Daniel Newman said the council was wrong in its initial approach and welcomed a change in policy direction to treat the majority of church property categories as non-rateable."The reality of Christian worship is seen in the way churches honour and serve other people. Contributing to the wellbeing of the community is about serving other people, including serving those who are not members of the church."Concessions agreed by Auckland Council will go a long way to preserving the mission of churches to enable services such as grief counselling, not-for-profit childcare, foodbanks and support to assist the settlement of refugees," Newman said.
LISTEN TO THE TALKBACK FEEDBACK ABOVE

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We talk a lot these days about resilience.
There’s a feeling abroad that new generations don’t have much of it. That after a privileged childhood full of comforts that prosperity and technological advancement has brought, young people these days find setbacks and disappointments extremely hard to cope with.
Deborah Hill Cone this week extended that to shame in her column. That while good people spend their life trying to avoid shame, it is actually something that needs to be experienced and learnt from. To acknowledge you have done something wrong. That your standing amongst others has fallen. That there’s something for you to atone for.
Well on a lighter note I acknowledge that I failed to show resilience last night. It was late and I turned on the cricket. New Zealand versus Pakistan. I had already lost hope but I watched Babar run out by Ish Sodhi. A small flame of hope flickered and I flirted with staying awake on a school night. But I didn’t. Going to bed just as one of the most remarkable test victories came New Zealand’s way. By just 4 runs!
The Black Caps showed resilience. The Black Caps never gave up. They should be very proud. I was a pussy, who missed a magic moment and all I had to do is sit there on my couch and yawn from time to time.
On a more serious note, it comes as a great disappointment to me that the Auckland Pride Parade has been so compromised. And in doing so the organisers have shown no comprehension of resilience or shame despite the fact that their community has shown it for so long.
There was a raucous meeting this week including fisticuffs and scuffles and the classic quote, "we left when the old gay amputee attacked the young trans". The Board of the parade decided to ban police marching in their uniform. In doing so they failed to show resilience against a small young band of radicals called People Against Prisons Aotearoa.
In a tragic irony, their leader Emilie Rakete was involved in a fight at the hui during a heated conversation on police brutality.
In another tragic irony, the people who argue most for inclusivity are now involved in exclusivity.
In yet another irony, the people who are often branded a minority demanding change have changed after the demands of a minority
So after showing such lamentable lack of resilience the entire Parade is compromised. The Defence Force now will not march with Auckland. Sponsors are pulling out. Georgina Beyer rang my programme last Friday incensed. Mika has called People in Prisons fascists.
But the insult to the Police is shameful. The Police have acknowledged a past of discriminatory actions to the community. But in allowing police to march in the uniforms, to admit that shame, to show things have changed was always something good. I remember the first time police marched like that in a parade. I remember they got the loudest cheer. People were gobsmacked and impressed. It showed real change.
So Pride Parade. No resilience. Shame on you.

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WARNING: SENSITIVE CONTENT 
Social media and a lack of available help are being blamed for a rise in young Kiwi girls cutting themselves.
A Stuff investigation has found a number of 'cutting groups' across social media, where girls between 11 and 14 take photos of their slit wrists and share them online. 
Statistics show that girls and young women are twice as likely to go down this route than boys, and there has been a 20 per cent increase in self-inflicted injuries nationwide. 
The disparity is particularly high amongst those under 30.
One caller to Andrew Dickens Afternoons, Victoria, says that she engaged in this behaviour when she was young. 
She says her parents were unsure what to say or how to help her when she opened up to them, but she still appreciated their views.
Two parents, Mary and Amanda, revealed that their daughters and their circle of friends have engaged in this behaviour. Amanda says she struggled to know what to say when her daughter spoke about her actions.
LISTEN TO THE TALKBACK FEEDBACK ABOVE
Where to get help:
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.
Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor.
Or if you need to talk to someone else:
Lifeline – 0800 543 354Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)Youthline – 0800 376 633 or free text 234Kidsline – 0800 54 37 54 (for under 18s)What's Up – 0800 942 8787 (for 5–18 year olds 1pm–10pm weekdays and 3pm–10pm weekends)Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 or free text 4202Samaritans – 0800 726 666OUTLine NZ – 0800 688 5463Healthline – 0800 611 116

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I woke up this morning and got the paper and on the front page in big type was the headline, "Tragedy on the Road" and I thought to my self, "oh dear, looks like summer’s arrived early".
I’m a veteran of summer holiday talkback and there’s no way you can avoid a general discussion about the road toll, the reasons for it and the ways to prevent the carnage.
Every year the talkback goes in the same circle. The ridiculousness of the 4km/h tolerance rather than a 10km/h, how you have to go 120km/h to get out of trouble, how it’s the slow cars that are the real danger, that our roads are horrendous and finally that we are a nation of bad drivers. Then nothing and nobody changes.
So today we see the headlines that we often see over summer. But the headlines are bad. At least seven dead in eight different crashes and others fighting for their lives. Dozens of families bracing themselves for their worst day sometime this week as the dead are laid to rest. The road toll tracking to the be the worst in 10 years and already greater than last year.
What got me this Monday was how the weekend’s fatalities were a microcosm of the perils that we encounter on the roads every day.
The first fatality on Friday night was a 19-year-old woman who died in a car fleeing police. Three others terribly injured. The driver still at large. We talk over and over about police chases and their implications. It’s always met with the refrain that if we don’t chase them, the crims will know that all they have to do is drive away from the cops.
On Friday, police said the driver was fleeing, but officers called the pursuit off because they deemed it too dangerous. The crash happened just minutes later.
The stupidity of this kid is unbelievable. We keep saying to these youngsters that if you run from police in a car, there are only two consequences. You’re caught or someone dies but that doesn’t get through their idiot heads.
Last week we heard all about the number of people driving in this country who don’t have a full licence. I bet this kid ran without the licence with four mates on board. The St Lukes chase two weeks ago was also because the driver was breaking licence laws with passengers. They’re not crims, they're just dicks who are paying the biggest price for a moment of stupidity
But all that said it doesn’t convince me that the benefits of police chases outweigh the risks and the costs. They’re not working. It needs to change.
Then there were the motorcycle casualties. Worryingly, two crashes killed three people during two weekend fundraising and memorial rides. Weekend warriors out and about on their pride and joys on what should have been a fun and safe time.
While the exact details of the crash are not known yet, I have long had a suspicion that we have an awful lot of inexperienced riders on our roads, particularly on the weekend. I also suspect a lot do not have the appropriate licence. In fact, the other day I was looking to buy a 150cc scooter that I’m not licensed for and the owner told me not to worry about that, you’re never checked.
I’m beginning to believe that a driver licence crackdown is more needed than a speeding blitz.
I’m also a big old nancy on the roads these days because I swear the driving is getting worse. I’m the sort of guy who doesn’t understand why we have tolerance levels in the first place. Who doesn’t believe there should be any areas on our town and city roads that should have a speed limit greater than 80km/h. The sort of numpty who thinks our main shopping roads should have 40km/h limits.
And I say all this because we are a nation of bad drivers, on bad roads, making bad choices and paying terrible prices for it.

I woke up this morning and got the paper and on the front page in big type was the headline, "Tragedy on the Road" and I thought to my self, "oh dear, looks like summer’s arrived early".
I’m a veteran of summer holiday talkback and there’s no way you can avoid a general discussion about the road toll, the reasons for it and the ways to prevent the carnage.
Every year the talkback goes in the same circle. The ridiculousness of the 4km/h tolerance rather than a 10km/h, how you have to go 120km/h to get out of trouble, how it’s the slow cars that are the real danger, that our roads are horrendous and finally that we are a nation of bad drivers. Then nothing and nobody changes.
So today we see the headlines that we often see over summer. But the headlines are bad. At least seven dead in eight different crashes and others fighting for their lives. Dozens of families bracing themselves for their worst day sometime this week as the dead are laid to rest. The road toll tracking to the be the worst in 10 years and already greater than last year.
What got me this Monday was how the weekend’s fatalities were a microcosm of the perils that we encounter on the roads every day.
The first fatality on Friday night was a 19-year-old woman who died in a car fleeing police. Three others terribly injured. The driver still at large. We talk over and over about police chases and their implications. It’s always met with the refrain that if we don’t chase them, the crims will know that all they have to do is drive away from the cops.
On Friday, police said the driver was fleeing, but officers called the pursuit off because they deemed it too dangerous. The crash happened just minutes later.
The stupidity of this kid is unbelievable. We keep saying to these youngsters that if you run from police in a car, there are only two consequences. You’re caught or someone dies but that doesn’t get through their idiot heads.
Last week we heard all about the number of people driving in this country who don’t have a full licence. I bet this kid ran without the licence with four mates on board. The St Lukes chase two weeks ago was also because the driver was breaking licence laws with passengers. They’re not crims, they're just dicks who are paying the biggest price for a moment of stupidity
But all that said it doesn’t convince me that the benefits of police chases outweigh the risks and the costs. They’re not working. It needs to change.
Then there were the motorcycle casualties. Worryingly, two crashes killed three people during two weekend fundraising and memorial rides. Weekend warriors out and about on their pride and joys on what should have been a fun and safe time.
While the exact details of the crash are not known yet, I have long had a suspicion that we have an awful lot of inexperienced riders on our roads, particularly on the weekend. I also suspect a lot do not have the appropriate licence. In fact, the other day I was looking to buy a 150cc scooter that I’m not licensed for and the owner told me not to worry about that, you’re never checked.
I’m beginning to believe that a driver licence crackdown is more needed than a speeding blitz.
I’m also a big old nancy on the roads these days because I swear the driving is getting worse. I’m the sort of guy who doesn’t understand why we have tolerance levels in the first place. Who doesn’t believe there should be any areas on our town and city roads that should have a speed limit greater than 80km/h. The sort of numpty who thinks our main shopping roads should have 40km/h limits.
And I say all this because we are a nation of bad drivers, on bad roads, making bad choices and paying terrible prices for it.