Blades of glory: Ministers take model helicopter for a spin after $2 billion spend up
Defence Minister Judith Collins carried a model Seahawk helicopter and a huge grin with her on Thursday, as she headed to the debating chamber.
Collins had just confirmed the Government would buy $2 billion worth of new naval helicopters. That would mean five new MH-60R Seahawk helicopters would arrive, to replace the navy’s fleet of Seasprite maritime helicopters.
She made the announcement with Foreign Minister Winston Peters, alongside the top brass of the Defence Force who joined them a the Beehive press conference room. They had arrived with a model of one of the new maritime helicopters the Defence Force would be buying.
Minutes later, Collins had that model and was on her way to Parliament’s debating chamber. While answering patsy questions from a National backbencher, Collins pulled out the model from under her seat.
As she waved it around, showing the model to all sides of the House, Collins told MPs to “behave”. “The MH-60R Seahawk. This is very nice. Just behave everyone,” she said.
The sight energised some of the MPs, especially on the Government bench.
“That’s fantastic,” said Minister for Youth James Meager.
Even the Speaker, Gerry Brownlee, was amused.
“Oh look at that,” he said. “Just before the minister puts that away, it’s a particularly handsome looking desk model. Just send it my way, please,” he asked.
But the model never made it to the Speaker.
Instead, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith spent the next few minutes playing with it. He spun the rotors, at the top and back of the helicopter, and carefully eyed the model from every angle.
After question time, he told Stuff it was an Australian model. While he was spinning it, he said a missile fell off.
I’m not sure what is more fucking pathetic.
The way these grown adults fawned over a model of a Helicopter or the fact that we are spending $2.7billion on Helicopters while 600 000 Kiwis use Food Banks each month.
Why are we paying for these Helicopters and not Rocket Lab?
As The Daily Blog has been pointing out for like half a decade now, Rocket Labs is not this Number 8 Wire go getter, it’s a franchisee holder for the American Military Industrial Complex, their launch sites in NZ are a secondary launch site for the CIA and the American Military.
Let me spell it out to you sleepy hobbits, Rocket Labs has made us a legitimate military target in the eyes of the Russians and Chinese.
Why do you think we bought Sub Hunting Helicopters?
Because in the event of open conflict, Chinese and Russian Subs would legitimately see sitting off the East Coast of NZ to strike our Launch Sites as a legitimate military target.
Rocket Labs made us a legitimate military target and NO ONE in the mainstream media will ever point this out!
Why not make Rocket Labs pay for the $2.7b Helicopters, we are buying them to defend Rocket Labs interests, not NZs!
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In fairness, the Tangimoana, Waihopai, and Whenuapai spy bases in NZ are also legitimate targets, and I would encourage the free nations of the world to preemptively take them out as they are just as much a threat to the people of NZ as they are to America’s official enemies.
A historically unpopular PM. Local water done well regulations causing rates blowouts. RBNZ cutting the OCR with 2 more cuts expected, showing just how stuck the economy is. Hundreds of people leaving for Australia weekly. No reprieve from the cost of living crisis. No money for fiscal stimulus, crumbs for doctors, nurses, teachers, police – but 2 $billion for new killing machines.
Why do the Nats spend like drunken sailors when it comes to war + new prisons + landlords, but when it comes to a functional health system or helping rough sleepers – their wallet is empty, encased in concrete, sitting in a welded shut safe in NoBoats office, with a rotweiiler leashed to it? Why not put the killing machines on hold, and pay out to those abused in State care now, instead of next year? Why not get together with 4 of the 5 eyes, and tell America that if they don’t stop shipping bombs over, to be dropped on Gaza, that America will be kicked out of five eyes for genocide complicity, and replaced by China? Why would Putin bother stopping his Ukraine war, knowing America helps continue the Gaza war? Putin may as well let his war carry on longer than WW2.
And for any Nats needing a spine, I’ve got some old bamboo the right length available for transplanting – it’s not particularly sturdy, but it would still be an improvement!
Rocket Lab Corp has an eye-watering US$21B (NZ $36B) market cap as I write this. Is Peter Beck the richest NZer right now, and is it even close? Do NZers get anything out of its success?
https://www.google.com/finance/quote/RKLB:NASDAQ
Very very very funny, Martyn. NOW will you try loving the willfully rich too?
Fun facts shoot faster –
Sir Peter Beck was once a child in my neck of the woods.
Just another Peter?
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