With your help, we can continue to fight for freedom. This is not possible without your generosity. Join our quest for the truth and our freedom. Simply visit www.realitycheck.radio forward slash donate to make a difference today. Now it's time for Camus Buddies. This week, we'll find out what they think about Winston Peters state of the nation speech and the media reaction to it. My producer has them all lined up and ready to go. So let's go now to Camus Buddies. Welcome to Camus Buddies, Miles. Good to have you back. Good afternoon, Cam. How are you this afternoon? I'm always a box of birds. Just got off interviewing Winston Peters. So, you know, it's a whole heap of fun when you're interviewing him. Speaking of Winston Peters, he made a speech, a state of the nation speech on the weekend and the media reported it as him saying he was comparing co-governance to the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. What are your thoughts on the speech and the media reaction to it? Well, I didn't listen to it. I had a read of it. I'm still applauding, actually. Does that make me a Winston file? Yes, it does. But actually, everything he said made a lot of sense. And I'm really pleased that he had the chutzpah to stand up and say it.  I won't go into too much detail about precisely what you're an expert on. Do you think there was anything wrong with what he was saying? Not at all. I mean, goodness me. Everything today is just like, oh my goodness, you know, this is, he's might feel upset, they might feel upset. Good Lord. I mean, these people need to reign it in and they need to understand that they are the ones with the problem, not Winston Peters. Winston Peters is trying to get across a message of how the country needs to change. And I, for one, applaud that. Good on him. And let's be honest. He's a smart politician. He knows darn well how to make the media cycle or should I say how to dominate the media cycle or the news cycle or whatever you want to call it. And he's doing just that, I think. Well done, Winston. You're bringing the concerns forward. Yeah, I've been sent a little image about the Holocaust and Nazi Germany. And it starts off by saying it didn't start with gas chambers. It started with one party controlling the media, one party controlling the garbage, one party designing what is truth, one party censoring speech and controlling the opposition, one party dividing citizens into us versus them and calling on their supporters to harass them. It started when good people turned a blind eye and let it happen. And when I saw that, I thought, you know what? We've seen that. We saw that between 2020 and 2023, didn't we? We certainly did. And you will recall one day when we decided to have a road trip and left Auckland and saw all the barriers being put up. And on our return, we had like five kilometer traffic jams on State Highway One as the police were trying to check people into Auckland. And I think I said at the time, this isn't New Zealand. This is like checkpoint Charlie. This is control above and beyond what was needed at the time. And I still to this day, shudder to think how close, or actually, we weren't even close. We were there. We were in a state controlled by one person and a compliant media. And I think the Winston Peters. Yeah, Winston's did right. They created an us and a them mentality and set about abusing, othering, demonizing, ostracizing the ones that wouldn't comply. It was exactly the same. And I remember when I wrote about it and said, this is the same thing. I had all these people howling, oh, you can't do that. You can't say that about what happened in Germany. It's nothing like what happened. It's exactly what happened. And anybody who's ever been through Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, goes on a pathway through the museum that takes you on those exact same steps. There was little steps all along the way. It didn't start with the gas chambers. It started with a control of the media and a control of one party. Yeah, and look, I mean, Winston's right in his State of the Nation when he says, look, we're all the same DNA. Let's actually call an end to this elitism that sprung up around, I don't know, there's all sorts of things. There's elitism around disinformation and misinformation. There's elitism around who owns the water. There's all of this elitism. And if you look at it, Winston's right, it needs to end. It's divisive, it's causing more harm than good. And I believe there is no justification at all. And pin me to the wall and call me a donkey. But if the Treaty of Waitangi is going to be used in this way, then I think the people that are doing it, they are subverting our great nation. And I don't think it is something that should continue. I think it should be nipped in the bud. I think that people have had enough. Well, you know, the media are the ones who have actually misrepresented what Winston Peters said. He never said that co-governance was the same as Nazi Germany. He never said that co-governance was like the Holocaust. He simply said, if you have policies that are based on the superiority of one race that leads to disaster, and he's absolutely right 100% on that. Correct. And isn't it interesting? Just a few short days ago, the media were wailing and weeping about how they have lost eyeballs or advertisers' dollars to the extent that they've had, yeah, and trust, to the extent that they've had to close down. Well, now, in a split second, we can see why. It's unbelievable. You're 100% right. It is exactly the reason why people no longer trust the lying legacy media. They just keep telling lies and they expect us to keep sucking it up and we see them. We can see what they're about.  Yeah, and the other thing is, Hickins needs to pull his head in. Who is he? Is he the head of the nasty party? What's all this pettiness calling Winston a drunk uncle? But I tell you what, Winston had the last laugh. He had a good old serve on the whining Hickins. And I think Hickins got a slap in his tail between his legs at the moment. That's exactly right. And that's exactly what I just talked about with David Farrah and Simon Lusk. And on that note, Miles, I'll let you get away. I know you're on a timeline and I've got literally waiting to come in. So I better leave you. Thanks for your call. Okay, thanks, Cam. We'll catch you next week. Okay. Welcome to Cam's Buddies and Lee. Good to have you back again. Oh, hi, Cam. Yes, good to hear from you. Are you well today? Of course I'm well. I'm always well. Even if I'm not, I'll say I'm well. Well, it's not that long ago you were complaining about a sore head, you know. I didn't know what had happened to you. Oh, well, I don't know what happened either other than I took a shortcut through the handbasin in the bathroom on the way to the floor. Oh, not wise.  But I'm a Comanche. We don't complain about these things. We just get on with it. Exactly. Now, talk about this week. What's the subject today? Yeah, subject the way is Winston Peters' State of the Nation speech. Did you see it? Have you read it? And the reaction is on the media about it. Yes, yesterday the headline shot across my iPad of the scandalous things that Winston Peters had said. So I thought I'd better listen to it. So yesterday I listened to it twice as a matter of fact. And sure enough, it was taken completely out of context, though just fuelling the flames of division yet again, haven't learned a thing. But I'd like to try and explain to listeners who might not know this. But I think a lot will. What's actually happening here? Mm-hmm. Go for it. OK. Mainstream media is embroiled in radical left-wing ideology. And I think it's not a matter of them not learning. I think they actually think that their duty is to convert New Zealand to their way of thinking. Quote Winston Peters' woke cultural Marxism is what he said. And that job, he just did right. And they're in a job, which you will know, where they can make or break people. And they do. They are absolutely shameless and relentless in this pursuit. Now, why don't they change? Well, we can track the source of their so-called news right up to the top. And that's the billionaire mainstream media magnate George Soros, a self-confessed left-wing ideologist who's obsessed with quote, this is his quote, influencing the minds of the public worldwide. And his chain of influence is carefully crafted, right down to the naive journalists at the bottom who unwittingly spew his beliefs. And it's sobering to know that as a young student, he assisted the Nazis to confiscate his fellow Jews' prize assets as they were led away to their awful fate. In the 1998 TV interview, I don't know if you've seen it, when he was asked if he felt any guilt, he replied, no, no, I don't. And this is the man that is the chief source of our news and left-wing government policies as well, which we've suffered for the previous six years.  And worse still, he calls the media out.  And he repeated that, didn't he? That's actually what Raari Waititi said. He said everybody knows that Maori DNA is superior to other DNA. That's what he said. And that's what Winston was referring to by those people. And I think he said, and their fellow travellers or something. Anyway, then he said, I've seen that philosophy before. I've seen Nazi Germany. We all did. Now, I actually take Umbridge at Luxon not standing up for this. I think we need to remember it. Does he think that Nazism is a fantasy? And I think we need to remember history so that we can see the beginnings of what may be a repeat performance. And I think that's what Winston actually meant. And I also think if that is what he meant, I think he was dead right. And has Luxon forgotten that thousands of New Zealand men went to war for this cause? My father was one of them on the warship Leander. And a Japanese torpedo tore a hole in its side. And my father was in amongst the 26 men killed in the boiler room. And if he'd been a couple of metres the other way, he would have been one of the 26. Now, had that not been the case, if he had been standing right where the 26 were, well, I wouldn't be here today, would I? And I think that Luxon and the others who criticise these comments about bringing up the Holocaust and things like that, I think they need to wake up because this did happen and this can easily happen again. And it damn near happened the beginnings of it in the COVID thing, you know, people were running around. If they were vaccinated, they were looking hatefully at other people who weren't and calling them out. You know, you could see it in the beginning and the beginnings of it. Oh, absolutely. Well, I caught anyway. No, it was like that. You know, I've been through the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem.  And when I went through that museum, I finally understood because what was done in Nazi Germany was exactly what was done here during the pandemic. There were little tiny steps along the way. First of all, they said, OK, look, we really just want you to wear a little star so that we know who you are. Well, we had vaccine passes, right? So we could know who people were with vaccinated or unvaccinated.    And then they said, oh, look, if you're in a business, we'd really like that to be majority owned by Germans. And so they then said, well, we're going to take those shares that you've got in that company. And you can still have shares. You can still have the job there. There's no difference. Just a little change. And then after that, of course, they said, no, you can't even work here anymore.  And by the way, we need you to move.  And all along the way, everyone went, oh, OK. Well, that's not so bad. I can cope with that. And then the next step came and said, oh, OK. That's not so bad. I can cope with that. And the next minute, they're listening to music on the railway siding, leading into the showers. And we came perously close to totalitarianism. We did have it to a certain extent, especially when the vaccine passes and the vaccine mandates came about and the lockdowns show us your papers, all that sort of behavior. And so Winston Peters is 100% right in my book that we should learn the lessons of history so that it's never repeated again. And if we start going down the pathway of separating people out because they have special DNA or they had the right ancestors, then that's where we're heading. And he's right on that. I totally agree. And I think his words were carefully chosen. The insidious creep, that's what he said. The insidious creep of racist co-governance. So to say that he said co-governance was Nazism was completely incorrect. He said that the insidious creep of racist co-governance, that's what he said. And the headlines right across the news the next day were all, they were so distorted. And Winston Peters is one of the people that they want to break when I said make or break. They want to break him because he represents the right wing and they hate that. They're just pushing an agenda.  But I think it's way above that. I think they think they're the chosen one to convert the world. Well, Winston's not necessarily right wing, but he is conservative and they're very liberal. And so yeah, they want to bring him down. But just look at the TV1 news headline on Tuesday night. What Winston is claiming he meant. Has he been told off by the PM? It's so juvenile. It's so pure aisle. It's the media who misreported what Winston said.  No wonder he's clapping back at them. Well, and he's doing it very well. And they had another crack at him for telling lies about the bribery. But that wasn't a lie. They're the ones that are lying. They absolutely were offered the money under conditions. Exactly. You can have this money if you agree to these conditions. That was it. Quite simple. I mean, I run a media outlet. I looked into the public interest journalism fund, took one look at the terms and conditions and said we won't be applying for this because I refuse to adhere to those conditions. And so we didn't. And I didn't have it. And I took a stand. And yes, financially, it wasn't good for me or the publication to do that. But we had principles. And there's no way we were going to sign those away for a few silver coins, which is exactly what the media did. They took the money. They ran the lines. And then they all stand there and go, but it wasn't a bribe.  Well, funny, you get exactly the same viewpoint as the government. You were running propaganda for them. I know. And then they repeat. He's telling lies. You see, they've got this business mastered. First of all, they hypnotize you. And then they keep repeating one-liners all the way through. And they've, in Winston Peters, and I know he's a bit mercurial, but they have created a brand for him of can't be trusted. And at some stage and whatever they write, they always have that word in there of can't be trusted. Untrustful. And they've created that brand for him. Exactly. They've created the brand. They smear and besmirch him.  And then they get upset and take high umbrage. I can't wait for them all to collapse. They really deserve it. Oh, I really felt when I went over that speech yesterday, I really felt, I thought, actually, it'll be a good thing if they just totally collapsed. They're just so out of order. And they are running rough shot all over New Zealand, as the government did. In fact, they've become the opposition. I mean, before they were the government, now they're the opposition, aren't they? Yep. Well, that's what I think that the media have become the opposition. And perhaps we should start calling them the media party. But none of them have got the guts to actually stand for election. They wouldn't take the rejection. And but they carry on like they are the opposition. Well, that's exactly what I mean. You know, they literally are the opposition at the moment because they rubbish anybody on the side of the new coalition government. You know, they're branding Luxon as a sort of an overprivileged elitist, really. And talking about elite, why are they calling all these militant, or not all these, because there are not many, these militant Maori? Why are they calling them elitists? They're not elite. You know, I watched Willie Jackson in an interview a while ago. It was absolutely horrified. He is not an elite person. Elite means somebody that... He's worth several million dollars. He has lots of houses in Auckland. You know, so he's not poor. That's wealth, but it doesn't mean he's elite. Elites are very special. Yeah, I tend to think that they are. I tend to think they are because they're in positions of power. They're either high up in iwi or spokespeople for various things. They are the elite of Maori dim. And they don't represent the everyday citizen who happens to be Maori at all. And so they do have an elite as attitude in that they run radio stations and media outlets and, you know, all sorts of trusts and all of those sorts of things. They're handling millions and millions of dollars. But whilst you say that's wealth, that kind of puts you into the elite as well. Yeah, well, I suppose if you look at it that way, you could. But I guess I'm a little bit old fashioned and to see Kiri Takanoa there. Now, she's an elite person in my mind. Yes. You know, she... I agree with you. Yeah, she... Yeah, there's a person who's really made a mark on the world. And not everybody gets to sing at a Prince's wedding, do they? No, they don't. And so I don't see Willie Jackson. I mean, I just only saw a clip and I stopped and watched it because I thought I might be having to talk about that. But that subject didn't actually come up. But it was a political program on AM Breakfast, which I don't watch. And it was just terrible. They just laughed and cackled and carried on all the way through it. And I'll tell you what, his command of English is certainly absolutely atrocious, isn't it? It was awful. And I thought, well, it's no wonder nobody wants to watch it. And goodness knows what he's got to say about the state of the nation speech. It'd be something really horrible, wouldn't it? Oh, it was funny watching. It was Lloyd Burr, I think his name was. That's that you're referencing. He just looked completely flummoxed as Winston Peters pulled him back into his bottle. Yes. Right, well, I think we've run out of time. I've got Jack on the line next and he's waiting. So I'd better say goodbye to you and we'll talk next week. OK, see you later, Cam. Bye-bye. Thank you. Bye. Welcome to Cam's buddies, Jack. Good to have you back. Good to have you back, Cam. It's earlier tonight. Yeah, a little bit earlier.  So you can I'm just going to take you away from the news a little bit, but that's all right. Hey, I don't know if you caught up with Winston Peters, state of the nation speech on the weekend and then the ensuing debacle in the media as they misrepresented and outright lied about what he was saying. And what I'm interested in what your thoughts are. Well, I didn't hear all of his speech, but like you, all you would have heard all his speech, but I heard all the aftermath of it. I suppose the guts of it for one of a better expression. First of all, I have to say I like Winston, so I'm biased in what I say. On the other hand, nothing wrong with being biased, Jack. Yeah, Winston would say it like I would say it myself.  And although the press say they reported on it, well, I don't remember that. And at the moment, Winston says something the same. That's all a huge bonfire. Oh, I guess you've got to expect that. Well, they just they're all they've got an agenda and it's not the agenda of actually reporting the news. It's the agenda of trying to get Winston Peters because he doesn't like the media. And so therefore he's public enemy number one and away they go. Well, we all understand that. But I'm totally for what he said. It's true. It is true. And, you know, what I like about Winston is look at the work that he's done since he's been in there. First of all, he goes overseas and represents us and he looks good. That's a good start compared with the last first and they went over dressed in a sack with a face painted and did nothing at all, in my opinion. And she's crooked, too, whether, you know, the deals that a husband got. She did absolutely nothing in the six years that she was there that I can recall. Winston's done more in the six weeks that he's been running or whatever time it is. Yeah, and that's that's exactly right. I think Winston's been on a couple of trips since taking over. I'm not sure Nanaima who did anything more than one trip. Well, she's been around. He's been around the islands. He's been to Australia several times. He's been to India, probably been to other places that I don't know about, but he's been working the whole time. And all the media do is attack him over something that he said that was 100 percent true. Yeah, what can you say? I'm sorry to be boring, but what can you say about it? Well, what you can say is that the media are bent and they need to be gassed. Yeah, but they won't be. Oh, they will. They're doing it themselves. We just have to live with it. Till they all tip over. Well, they won't. I can't understand it. It's just the mind boggles. It does indeed. All right, Jack, thank you for your call today and we'll talk next week. Sorry, it was sweet and short, but that's all I have to offer. No, well, that's that's all we need from you, Jack. Thanks very much for calling in. See you, bye. Yeah, bye. Welcome to Cams Buddies, Jimmy. How are you today? I'm very well. Thanks, Cameron. Spired up, mate. Spired up seeing what's happening in our democracy. Now, what do you got me this week? Yeah, well, I was going to ask you about that. Winston Peters had a state of the nation address in Palmerston North, though why did it in Palmerston North? I have no idea, but he still filled the halls, standing room only for the old battler and promptly got Chris Hipkins to react to it. So he got to give Hipkins a slapdown and then the media wailing started. So I'm interested to know what you think about the speech and what the media reaction means and what's it all about. I think this is when Winston compared the Labour Party co-governance to Nazis. Yeah, well, he didn't actually, but thanks. Well, to be honest, the use of Nazi in our talk about our democracy is insane.  It's not really even comparable. But the left started calling everyone Nazis and fascists. I mean, the Green Party used fascists all the time. So for Winston to come back at them and then the media to melt down just shows how pathetic the whole media situation is. And that's why they're going broke. Well, what Winston was saying, yeah, clickbait exactly. But what Winston was saying, isn't wrong, is it? He was saying that if you have policies and media and government all deciding that we're going to prefer someone or a group of people on the basis of race or their DNA, that that ends in disaster.  And now we've got all this haze of outrage. You kind of have to believe that the media are all OK with, you know, superior DNA and all of that sort of stuff. It's kind of strange. Well, it is. And I completely agree with Winston's sentiment that the D is it D.I. or diversity, diversity. Yeah, all of that. Yeah, yeah, that's it. I mean, that that is literally looking at that. You know, and we are greater problems here, you know, where the the woke left are forcing stuff on our democracy. Equity means equal outcomes, whereas we want to be looking for equality, which means equal opportunity. You know, I think the West is in great trouble with that respect, actually. Look at Boeing's planes.  Is he wrong? They are. He's dead right. They literally cultural Marxism. It's affected us so badly and all the people in the media believe in it. And fortunately, the voters in New Zealand don't and have rejected it. But they just can't. The media can't accept it. It's really pure island and nonsensical. I mean, TV one is running a headlight was running a headlight on Tuesday night, saying what's what Winston is claiming he meant? Has he been told off by the PM? I mean, it's so juvenile. It's the media who misrepresented all of this. And now they're trying to get Winston.  But I could just imagine Laksen trying to tell him off. What sort of just back at him and tell him to sit down? Yeah, I think Laksen products. I did see that. But Laksen is really trying to shut the media up because he's sick to death of them going on. What's Winston saying that Laksen? Well, the media are going to Laksen saying, well, what do you think about Winston's thing?  But, you know, who is it helpful to? It's just not a chance to either should say I don't support it or I do support it, not give a sort of unequivocal, meaningless answer. And this is part of Laksen's problem, right? He doesn't really take a stand on anything because we know we're Winston stand in David Seymour stand in order to stand. You need a backbone in Laksen sort of trying to try to impress everyone. I'm impressing no one. He's got a picture because he's going to score here.  Well, I can't think of a more ridiculous word in politics than helpful because I'll tell you what, Winston's statement was incredibly helpful for Winston. It may not be for Laksen, but it was helpful for Winston. I mean, I completely agree with Winston, don't get me wrong, but just a comparison to Nazi that it is pretty strong language. And it's set the media off on this tone. Instead of talking about Winston's content, they're just talking about that. And we just keep doing that. Well, I guess the media needs to do it for clickbait, though. We can't actually have a debate in this country without hyperbole now, you know, it's a policy of racism. No, it's absolutely insane. And it's going to lead to horrendous outcomes. It's going to be a total horrendous. And also, I don't understand the long term strategy of it. I mean, let's say 100 years when a lot of my 80 percent of New Zealand has got some sort of Maori ancestry.  You know, who's going to be married enough, you know? So it's really just it's just a power grab by the socialists to try and enforce socialism into the democracy without doing it through the belt box. Did you see stuff? Winton Rungup managed to find some band member from Chumba Wumba to get them to have a wine about it. But the funniest thing of all, this is what Winston Peters said in the press release. This story has been initiated by a lefty she'll reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded 12 years ago, give their bias to praise of what was said in my speech and concocted a hamfisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show how my comments about these sorts of media organisations are correct. I can't believe they did that. But anyway, that's what they do. That's what he's got for a point. He ends it with if the reporter had any clue of the law and not just some opinionated fake news headline, they wouldn't have bothered publishing this nonsense.  Like, Winston has dominated the news cycle now for five days on a speech that normally would never be reported. I mean, Hamina's media advisers must be sitting there sniggering into their whiskeys as they're smoking cigars for a job well done. Well, Winston's defining his age. I mean, he's out. Sean Mahuta is a foreign minister in five months. I mean, I guess she had Covid, but close borders. But still, he's been to India and he's been to Australia. Ground of Pacific, Fiji, Australia. And he's off to China. He's had the Chinese foreign minister here recently. I mean, this is his work ethic. Any slang or the other parliamentarians on the other side. You know, so he really is either chosen. Winston's either got a great work ethic or the other side were incredibly lazy. I'm so glad I voted for him. You were an active voter, but you probably start lying about that shortly and saying, yeah, I voted for Winston. Well, to be honest, I was having this conversation just recently with someone I said, I'd give my vote to Winston. I'd also be very happy. But he's impressing a lot of people. The problem Winston has is he has let us down before. And a lot of people really love what he's doing, but they still were a bit cagey about giving him their vote. I guess that's how it's here. Yeah, well, given what he's doing at the moment, you know, I'm one I'm starting to wonder a couple of things, whether or not he slipped a couple of quid to Chimba Wumba so that they could have a moan in the media so he could keep the story going and be whether or not he knows that there's some polls out and coming out soon. And so he's getting into the media to get a bump in the polls. Well, he's done a beautiful job.  And I mean, Nationals had a bit with it, kicking out the useless tenants and, you know, a bit of media, but it hasn't generated anywhere near the clicks that Winston's stuff has. Well, I wish I honestly wish the media would focus on the content of Winston's speech and the meaning, like what he's actually talking about, not just the public boards and, and, you know, that that's just the way it is. I don't know how we get that across to the masses. But I just don't know if anyone knew what Winston was talking about. They'd be really hard for most people to disagree with it.  He's got the Facebook thing sorted. And that's all that matters. He's bypassing the media. He's issuing press releases, chucking them out on X. He's getting, you know, thousands of views on his stuff all the while. The other media are gassing themselves with this stuff. And if anyone's listening, you need to get an X account and follow a lot of this on X, because you see just a completely different perspective compared to what you see on your mainstream media. It's not even close to say. I know it's hilarious across the whole planet, actually. Oh, we're seeing that all the time. And we I mean, Trump's just suffered the same thing. He made a speech. You know, I just was going to say the same thing that bloodbath comments. He made a speech in saying that, you know, that the auto industry is going to suffer a bloodbath if that if he's not reelected and can reinvigorate Australian, sorry, American, you know, industry. And then all the media run the headlines. Trump says if he's not reelected, there'll be a bloodbath.  And what was scary to me is all the media ran exactly the same headline, like robots, just like they've done now, just exactly like they've done now with Winston, like robots, all the same headlines. Yeah, I honestly thank God for the XA. Oh, thank God for Elon Musk for freeing it. It cost him $44 billion, but it's the best money to speed me. Oh, I think so. But I hope they look after him. Yeah. So, Winston, I don't know. Where's he found this power, Cameron? I don't know. What is he, I think? No, he's not. He's in the 70s, but he can, you know, foot it with the best of them for hours and hours on end. I've never seen anything like it. But, you know, I think he's really smart. Well, I was talking to him in March last year, so a year ago. And I said to him, are you fit for the election campaign? And he says, I can't wait, can't wait to get into it. And this is what I love. This is what I'm good at.  And since the election, we've seen that fire and we're seeing it on a daily basis. And it's also infecting the rest of the New Zealand First Party, because you're seeing that with Shane Jones. You're seeing that with Tanya Uncovich and other people in the New Zealand First team that they really are firing and they're, you know, being sensible and and saying and doing the right things. And people, I think people are starting to realise, hang on a second, when there's something here. Well, I think, yeah, you're right. Winston just feeds it off the energy of this, you know, the success in speeches and packed out halls and good polls that just energises them big time, eh? Yeah, totally. Success always energises people, but the problem we've got is the mainstream media gatekeepers, eh, for our sides. Totally, totally.  Yeah, but he's dominating the media cycle for a good long time. So he'll be pleased. He'll be pleased by this. I mean, we just had him on, we just had him on earlier and he's very pleased. So, you know, it shows. Anyway, Jimmy, I've been to Cut-A-Track and a bit of wine to show up. All right. It's been a pleasure. I'll talk to you next week. Thanks, Ham. Okay, mate. Thanks, mate. Yet again, there's no holding back from my buddies. Plenty of truth bombs dropped. If only the other media would listen to what the ordinary person says in the street. Maybe we should change the name for Cam's Buddies to Cam's Common Sense Buddies. Tell us your thoughts on Cam's Buddies by emailing inbox at realitycheck.radio or text to 2057. Thanks for tuning in to RCR, Reality Check Radio. Do you like what you're listening to or dislike what you're listening to? Either way, we want to hear from you. Get in touch with us now. You can text us with your message to 2057. That's 2057. Or email us at inbox at realitycheck.radio. We'd love to hear from you, so connect with us today.


of the woodland! Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, showing rare courage in the face of disaster, in the air, on horseback, or in a screaming squad car. Ranger Bill, his mind alert, a ready smile, unswerving, loyal to his mission, and all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done! Each season of the year brings special problems for the Rangers, and fortunately the problems are the same each year with each season. This is the restless time of the year for man and beast. The end of winter is in sight, and the promise of spring gives birth to what we call spring fever. A few mild days here and there only serve to stimulate the surge of spring fever in our blood, but the few mild days here and there cause other things to stir and surge as well, and this spells headache for the Rangers. Think we're gonna make it up the grade this time, Charlie? I sure, Herman. That double diesel can pull a mountain of freight cars. He always calls this grade over shady river. You should know that. Charlie, I haven't had this run for three years. You kind of forget after that long. Yeah, I forgot about that. Charlie, he isn't gonna make it. I sure, Herman. Them missiles were pulling her heavy. Old Lim ain't flunked this run yet. We're stopping. I told you we can't make it. Well, you'd better get down to the track and protect the rear. Watch your step. We're on the trestle. I'm going. Call him on the intercom and ask him what's up. Lim, what's the big idea? You run out of gas? This is no place to stop. Just on the trestle? I can't tell because of that curve. Sure, we're on the trestle. Trestle, and tell me what you see down on the river right under the bridge. Well, sure. Don't go away. I'll be right back. You don't have to tell me why we stopped, Charlie. I know. You do? Yeah, take a look down on the river. Lim wanted us to check that ice jam. Great day in the morning. Look at it. Come on, let's get off this trestle. Right. Don't bother killing the flare. It'll burn out. Come on. Lim, let's get off this trestle. Don't spare the horses. Drop a message off at the next telegraph station.  If that bridge goes, this railroad's in trouble. Big trouble. Ranger headquarters, Bill Jefferson speaking. Oh, yes, John. How's the number one superintendent? Worryed. Oh, about what? The river trestle about to happen. They sent word back that there's an ice jam building up on the river at the bridge. A lot of figures. But three days of warm weather that we've had. Bill, that'd be mighty obliged to you. All the missiles and jet engines we hive all over that bridge. Well, we'd be in mighty serious trouble. John, I understand your concern. I'd be glad to take a run out to the bridge and see what's going on. I don't mention it. Now I'll jump into my car and take a look right away. I'll let you know what I find. This ain't no cow pasture trestle, young feller. It sure isn't. This is the mainline track. Well, that ice jam doesn't look so bad from here. Come on, Ralph. Stumpy, we'll get out on the river and take a close look. Get going, Billy. Hey, not so fast now. I ain't as limber as I used to be once upon a time. Take your time, Stumpy. That water's awfully cold. Don't remind me. This is far enough for now. Boy, look at those pieces of ice. Sure are. Big one's all right. That jam doesn't look so bad. Maybe a few sticks of dynamite would break them up enough to let them pass. This young feller's got a good idea. What do you say, Bill? Nice age at work. Let's get the gear out of the truck and make up some bundles of explosive. Right. This'll be work and fun at the same time. Realized so many trains pass over this bridge. That's the fourth one since we've been here. That's two each way. Unless I'm mistaken, about 20 trains a day pass over this trestle. 20 each way? Yeah. Well, that's 40 trains a day. No wonder the superintendent's worried. Hey, did you see the missiles and jet engines on that last one? Sure did, sonny. This is a main blood vessel, all right. A main artery, Stumpy. That's what I said. Well, I got two bundles taped up, three sticks and a cap, and a long fuse. Well, fellas, as soon as I put on my hobnail boots, we'll be ready. It's coming. They even got compact trains now. Stumpy, you always have the correct remark for every occasion. Yeah, thank you kindly. What brings you all the way out here on a hand car? I've got ice jams on the brain.  Well, sure, John. Grab a hold, fellas. Oh, yo. That's fine. Thank you very much. Bill, how's the ice jam look? Not bad at all, John. In fact, we think we can clear it out with a few bundles of dynamite. Oh, that's wonderful news. The center pier of the bridge being right in the middle of the river caused me lots of worry. We were just getting ready to set the charges. Oh, don't wait on me. Go right ahead. Let's go, men. Watch your step, John. That's awfully cold water down there. Thanks, Ralph. I will. Ralph, give me the bag with the bundles and the wire. Here you are. Bill, what are you going to do? Nothing spectacular. Just walk out there and place these charges in the right places so we can blow up this jam. You make it sound like a walk around the block on a sunny day. Be careful. It's dangerous out there. Don't worry. I've got spike boots on. Pay out the wire slowly, Ralph, so we don't snag. Yes, sir. Don't slip. Tell me something. Will you stop me? Sure, sure. How can you fellows be so relaxed in the face of such danger? Well, it's this way, John. First of all, we're trained to be calm in the face of danger. All kinds of danger. You know, there's no saying around here.   Mary, look, reckless young fella. He's calculated all the risks. He has? Certainly. That counts in years of experience with danger of all sizes and shapes and forms. Don't you kid yourself, sonny. We aren't the suicide kind. We figure the risk and the danger involved and how to overcome it quickly and safely. You watch where he's walking. See? He didn't step near the edge of that ice jam. As it might be thin, he'd plunge into the river. Also, those hobnailed boots give him sure footin'. Yeah, I guess you're right. It sure gives me the willies watching him out there. And I'll agree to that. But there's one thing you'll forget, John. Oh? What's that? Somebody's got to do the job. As you want your bridge to go smash into the river. That can't happen. Well, relax your willies. Oh, there's one more important point I overlooked to answer your question. What if something goes wrong, even though everything has been carefully planned? Stop reading my mind. You see, sonny, Bill Ralph and me and quite a few of the rest of the rangers are Christians. What is that mean? I'm a Christian too, but I wouldn't go out there. I'm no coward either. Didn't say you was. I didn't think it either.  Of course. I believe in God. I go to church. I try to do right by my fellow man. Let's say I'm a pretty good Christian. You know the Lord Jesus Christ is your personal savior. Huh? Well, uh, no. Yeah, we do. That's why we're not afraid in face of danger if something goes wrong. If we're killed, our soul and spirit go to be with the Lord. Well, I guess maybe I'm not a real Christian after all of what you say is true. We're all set now to blow up the jam. I certainly hope it moves the ice out after all the work you've gone through, Bill. I'll soon find out. Got your plunger wired, Ralph? Wired for sound. Well, make noise. Look at those flying chunks of ice. There goes the jam down the river. Oh, that's fine work, Bill. Very fine work. Fellows sure do know your stuff. You said it. Anytime you're in a jam, call us. We're the best jam busters you ever saw. Hey, what's that you're reading, Stompy? This is the new seed catalog that just come in the mail. Say, this flower seed, they call it the honesty or money plant. I thought that money didn't grow on trees. How can you tell which grows on this one? Honesty or money? Well, if it's money, the plant must grow only nickels and dimes because they ain't big enough to grow dollars and half dollars. Hey, well, you two cut it out. I'm trying to get this report finished. Jay, have you ever seen strawberries climb? Do they have them, too? Well, read it for yourself. Why, you're right. It says climbing strawberries. Hey, sure must be hard to round up for eating with them climbing all around the place. Sure glad they ain't running. Will you two, uh, range your headquarters? Hello, Bill. Oh, hi, Archie. What's new? Nothing much. Just waiting for Spring to come. So are Stompy and Ralph. They're, uh, looking over the seed catalog. That's what I call here about. The seed catalog? No, the coming of Spring. Oh, good. I was, uh, going to say, don't use Stompy's catalog. It's a little wacky. What's on your mind at the coming of Spring? Bill, this warming trend is going to stick around for another few days. Fact is going to get quite mild. Wonderful. Warm weather can't come too soon for me. I heard about the ice jam at the Shady River Trestle. Oh, we cleared that out several days ago. Your job isn't over. Oh? With this mild weather, I figure that the Shady River ought to be getting all the melt off from the big moose, the little moose, Beaver Creek, and the big six country. When? You ought to start rising late tomorrow. When will the Shady Crest? That's a tough question. But you're going to have more trouble than flood water. Ice? The big six will start sliding a lot of ice in two or three days unless the temperature drops. And that's going to give you problems at the Trestle. Thanks, Archie. I'll check into it right away. I appreciate the early warning. Don't mention it. But you guys are going to be in a real jam if this jam materializes. Stumpy, are you still reading that seed catalog? Yeah, I got here something to do while we ride up to the headwaters of the Shady, don't I? Hey, these are awful mean flowers. Mean flowers? What kind are those? Snapragons. Here they got them here with and without teeth. Oh, no. Now, here's one for you. It's an apple tree that has five different kinds of apples. Five different kinds. Yep. And the poor thing is a dwarf tree. I guess it gets flubbed and tuckered out just trying to keep the right apples growing on the right branches. Oh, come on, Stumpy. What do you mean, come on? If you was that tree and you got things mixed up, why, hard-telling, what might happen? Well, you suppose you was growing yellow transparents, Jonathan's, and delicious apples, and you got confused. You'd have Jonathan's delicious yellow transparents, and you'd be eating something you can see through, which would be nothing. And if you can see through them, how do you know they were there? Oh, what a mess. That tree stays dwarfed just from worrying what might happen.  If the price is right, I might grow some of them, too. Archie wasn't joking about the ice breaking off in the big six and falling into the rivers. Yep, every little creek is now a river with this fast thaw. If those large pieces of ice don't break up in the river before they reach the vessel, we're going to have a great day jamming our hands. Say, can't the railroad route their trains over another line until this all clears up? Hey, you might have an idea there, young fella. What do you think, Bill? Like Stumpy said, you might have something there, young fella. Let's go have a talk with the superintendent. Ralph, you have an excellent idea. I have? Yes, you do, but unfortunately, there's a fly in the ointment. Then my idea isn't so hot. Here, take a look at this map. See this? This junction line here runs right through Central City, and we could use it, but it's only a single track. But these are passing sightings, aren't they? Right. Then the problem's solved. This is too easy, Ralph. Too easy. Stumpy's right. You see, Ralph, there's one thing you couldn't know about. Like Stumpy said, it's too easy. 40 trains a day ride the Shady River Trestle, and our main line, which is two tracks, and of those 40 trains, three of them are missile hauling trains going to Florida, and 10 inbound trains carrying missile parts and jet engine parts. Then three more trains a day carrying nothing but jet engines. That means that 16 of the 40 trains highball along the main line, and they stop for nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, except, of course, fuel and maintenance stops. Otherwise, they run wide open. So with 16 highball fast freight that must go through and 24 regular freight, well, that's like pouring five gallons of water into a drinking glass. There just isn't enough room. Right. You put your finger right on it, Ralph. Right on my sore spot. Your sore spot in this sword is going to be, if all that ice we've seen at the headwater starts pushing your Trestle around. Bill, you haven't said a word. What are you thinking? I'm thinking we'd better go out and have a look at that Trestle. Oh, no. He's a building fast. Dynamite ain't going to help this time. Listen to that Trestle strain. Pressure is being applied to the center piers. Boy, that sense duck bumps all the way up and down my spine. Me too, sonny. Yeah, Bill. That Trestle can't stand that pressure if it builds anymore. Yeah, Bill, come on. Let's make us some ideas. Don't let us down now. How far away do you have some loaded gondolas, John? What kind of load? I don't care. Sand, gravel, ore, coal, scrap, just as long as they're loaded. You can get them here shortly and run them onto the Trestle to apply downward pressure on the center pier. Bill, that'll tie up one of the tracks. Well, one track is better than no track. Charlie, uncouple that locomotive, will you? Sure thing, John. Hey, Lamb. Yes, sir. Take the engine back to the yards. Yes, sir. He ain't grown it now. I mean, that tonnage did the trick, Stumpy. We're going to have to stand watch, though, till this build-up of ice stops. You mean, let's not count our chickens before the eggs are laid. Right. Nice jam hasn't stopped building, nor has the pressure against the center pier. I'm afraid I'm optimistic, fellas. Got 40 gondolas of sand on that Trestle. Each one of them weighs 30 ton. Wow. There's a quarter of a million pounds up there pushing down on the center pier. Not all of that weight is on the center pier. But there's a large amount of the total bearing down on it. Boy, I'll say there is. I'd ought to keep the pier fastened to the footing and the footing fastened to the river bottom. I think our troubles are over. How can more ice build up against the pier now? Any additional ice will have to pile up at the rear of the jams. All right, John. And as it piles up at the rear of the jam, it'll exert more pressure laterally and forward. And don't forget, there are tons and tons of water, floodwater, cascading down the river, and pushing against the jam. Bill, pardon my saying so, but I think you're building your bridges before you have to cross them. That's better than having to fish one out of the river.  Yeah, all this fresh air sure making me sleepy. Got me doing it. Brothers, close your mouths. You two turn in. I'll take the first watch. Ah, let me. You older fellas need your rest. No, listen to the young scallywag, will you? Yes, for that I'll take the first watch. Show you how I can stay awake. Nice older fellas can take it better than you youngsters. Okay, old dammer. I won't argue. I'm bushed. Good night. Oh, looks like one older fellow is running out of gas. Yep. Tonight I am. Well, here's one that ain't the bad youngsters. Okay, Stumpy. Good night. Good night. Must be dozed off. Must be snoring hard. Stumpy, stop groaning in your sleeve. Hey, groaning. Yes, you are. Cut it out. Groaning? Hey, what's going on, fellas? Listen to that trestle. You two get flares out down the track. I've got an idea, but the superintendent is going out to move fast to save his trestle. I said I want a jet engine, a crane, and sufficient cable to make a sling for the engine. Never mind personal questions. Can you get them? Yes. How soon can you have them here? Less than an hour. Make it as less as possible. That could be. If you move fast enough, this crazy man can save your trestle. Good work, John. Your men have the jet engine raked in a very fine sling. Is your crane man willing to stick with me? Yes, he says if you can ride that engine down over the ice, he can sure stick with that crane. Why? Now here's the plan. We allure the engine on this side first, and close in the shore. That way we can melt an opening for the flood water to run through. But it'll be along the shore and away from the center pier. Now when this side is running good and strong, we'll move the crane and the engine to the other side and do the same thing. But don't waste any time bringing me up. Just have your man move the crane across the trestle and swing me over the ice. Now when both sides are open, running water is warmer than the ice. And it'll eat away at the jam as long as we can keep the two sides from jamming up. This should take the lateral pressure off the pier footing. Any questions? Oh, I understand, Bill. And I'll make sure that my man does. But please, don't take any more chances than you have to. It'll help, John. I'll wear a parachute. Okay, go away. There's no time to talk. Boy, it's working like a charm. Look at Bill tip the rear end of the engine toward the ice. Boy, that jet blast really makes juice out of those pieces of ice. That's fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. Hey, the trestle ain't grown in any more. He did it.   The superintendent ensures that I'm out full, boys and girls. After taking all safety precautions, I knew I stood a good chance of making good with my little jet on the end of the cable. That doesn't mean that I wasn't afraid or a little shaky for a while. Until I knew the trick worked and the ice started melting quickly. However, if I made a mistake and was killed, I have no fear of death because the Lord Jesus Christ gives me the power to overcome fear of death. I think this fact impressed our friend John so much that he's asking questions about how he can have the same kind of Christian faith. So you see, even a situation like this one gives the Christian an opportunity to witness. Now you be sure and look for these opportunities too and take advantage of them and be with us next time for more adventure with... Ranger Bill was produced in the radio studios of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. This is a Moody radio network production.


The next item of business is a debate on motion 987 in the name of Nicola Sturgeon on appointment of junior Scottish ministers. I shall invite the First Minister to move the motion. I then intend to invite each party to make a short contribution. I call on the First Minister to speak to and move the motion. Thanks, Presiding Officer. It gave me great pleasure to rise to move and support the motion in my name that Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater will be appointed as Scottish junior ministers. My statement earlier set out the reasons for and the detail of the co-operation agreement struck between the Scottish Government and Scottish Greens. Those appointments will deliver a key element of that agreement. By approving those appointments today, Parliament will make some history not just in Scottish politics but across the UK as a whole. This will be the first time that green politicians have entered national government in any part of the islands. Our co-operation agreement commits us to a raft of commitments necessary to steer Scotland through the challenges that we face. Action to support tenants and tackle poverty plans to reform public services, investments to accelerate our transition to net zero and create green jobs and so much more besides. Those ministers appointed from the ranks of the Greens will now share the responsibility but also the great privilege of delivering on this bold, ambitious programme. Patrick Harvie will take on the role of minister for zero carbon buildings, active travel and tenants rights. Patrick has of course been an MSP representing the Glasgow region since 2003. During his time in politics, Patrick has served as the convener of the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee and he is, I believe, the longest-serving party leader in the Scottish Parliament. He is also a passionate and effective campaigner for the causes that he believes in. I personally worked closely with Patrick during the 2014 referendum and that experience makes me genuinely enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with him again this time in the Scottish Government. His wide-ranging brief, including Active Travel, Energy Efficiency and Tenants Rights, gives Patrick the task of leading and implementing, together with his ministerial colleagues, some of the most significant transformations that we need to make to tackle the climate emergency. Lorna Slater will become minister for green skills, circular economy and biodiversity. Amongst her responsibilities, Lorna will be tasked with driving a green industrial strategy, helping people to acquire the skills that they need to benefit from the transition to net zero, creating a more circular economy and working to protect our natural environment. Lorna was born and brought up in Canada and, after earning a master's degree in engineering, moved here to Scotland in 2000. Since then, she has been working as an engineer and then a project manager in the renewable sector, which included working on the world's biggest tidal turbine. As such, although she may be relatively new to Parliament, Lorna brings formidable professional experience. She has not only been working in one of the key industries powering our greener future, but her project management experience will also serve her in good stead in ministerial office. I have complete confidence that both new ministers will make an excellent contribution to the Scottish Government. Patrick Lorna and myself and the rest of the Scottish ministerial team are ready to get on with delivering our ambitious commitments and building a fairer greener Scotland. I now, therefore, formally and with great pleasure ask Parliament to support the appointments of Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater as Scottish junior ministers and I move the motion in my name. When this deal was announced, it confirmed that the Greens had finally given up any pretense of being an opposition party. For years, they have propped up the SNP, backing John Swinney whenever he failed miserably, rubber stamping budget deals in exchange for a car park tax and not much else. Just as we warned at the time, if you vote green, you really get SNP yellow. However, instead of fronting this up for what it is—a coalition—the Greens wanted to have their cake and eat it. Somehow they were still trying to pretend that they were in opposition while they were in government. When Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater accepted ministerial positions in the Government, they wanted to keep asking that same Government questions at FNQs. They wanted to have opposition debating time so that they could do the Government's bidding for them. That is why I am pleased, Presiding Officer, that, like those of us on these benches, you saw through that and have ruled accordingly. Of course, all of this was an effort by the Greens to rig the Scottish Parliament by pretending that this coalition is something else, even though their own constitution defines it as exactly that and what a coalition of chaos this will be. That is exactly why the Scottish Conservatives will be voting against the Green members becoming ministers today, because the Greens are a serious threat to Scotland's economic recovery. At First Minister's question time, right after the election, we said that the SNP had to reset its relationship with the business community. I know that the First Minister is on her phone just now. I do not know if it is to business leaders or if she really speaks to business much at all at the moment, but I can assure her that that is not the reset that businesses in Scotland wanted. In fact, it is the exact opposite. The SNP has brought extremists into government in the middle of an economic crisis. Well, the SNP does not want to hear this, but the Greens are extreme and they have made it clear themselves. Patrick Harvie said, and I quote, successive UK and Scottish Governments have shared an ideological belief in the pursuit of endless economic growth. Lorna Slater has rallied against and I quote, endless economic growth, and they attacked it in their manifesto. Well, for once, I hand it to the Greens. They have nailed it. My party has pursued endless economic growth and we continue to do so unashamably. We pursued more jobs, more businesses, and I cannot quite believe it that the Greens have rumbled us. We do want hardworking people to have more money in their pockets. I just do not understand why Nicholas Sturgeon and her Government do not. We pursue endless economic growth because it provides extra funding for our schools, for our hospitals and for our public services. Let us look at what the Greens really mean when they criticise endless economic growth. They want our economy to go backwards. That means businesses shutting down and people out of work. At the heart of her Government, Nicholas Sturgeon has introduced an anti-jobs, anti-business ideology, with people who hold the most extreme economic views of any Scottish Government minister since devolution.  Lorna Slater wants Scotland to have a totally different tax structure. From its recent SNP green budget deals, we know that that means tax rises. She warned the oil and gas industry, which supports 100,000 jobs to transition or die. She has said that it is not possible to run out of money in the middle of an economic crisis. Nicholas Sturgeon has made her an economic minister. Those are not just slips of the tongue. The Green Manifesto has proposals to stop people selling their homes unless they could pay for costly refurbishments, stop petrol and diesel car sales in just a few years and stop building all new roads. Any SNP member listening to the First Minister trying to dodge questions about the future of the A75, the A77, the A9 and the A96 will be burying their head in their hands. Those are not serious proposals in the Green Manifesto. They are a joke, but now, thanks to Nicholas Sturgeon, they are government policies. She can try and distance herself from those outrageous positions, but she has brought them into her government. She said earlier that this coalition was a leap of faith, but those appointments are reckless in the extreme and the Scottish Conservatives strongly oppose them, and we will not vote for them today. I would like to welcome Patrick Harvie and Lauren Slater to their new roles, but I fear that they will very quickly realise that the SNP's rhetoric does not match reality. I think that they will also very quickly realise that the divider-in-chief can only act at the great unifier for so long. I think that they will also come to realise that co-operation to Nicholas Sturgeon means rolling over and doing what you are told. In terms of ideas for government, we asked the Government to do £15 an hour for care workers. They said no. We did want them to double the Scottish child payment. They said no, although when we asked the SNP to be more ambitious with the job creation scheme, we did not mean finding jobs for their pals in Parliament. That was not quite the green shoots of recovery that the people of Scotland were looking for. Frankly, this is not a new development or a new period in the governance of our great country. That is merely the final confirmation of the same coalition of cuts between the SNP and the Greens that has hammered Scotland's public services for years. Although I appreciate Patrick Harvie and Lauren Slater's success in achieving for themselves some of the longest job titles in 21st century politics, serious questions need to be asked about why those roles could not be performed under the previous ministerial structure. They should be replacing existing ministers, not adding to the ministerial pay bill. However, the elevation of Lauren Slater and Patrick Harvie to ministers comes with a substantial price tag for the Scottish taxpayer. There are now eight more ministers in government than in Labour's left office. The ministerial wage bill is now set to exceed £1 million a year for the first time since devolution. Over £2 million is now set to be spent on maintaining the Government and the ranks of special advisers that it employs, not to mention all those hundreds of press officers. There are now more press officers in Scotland than perhaps journalists themselves. The people of Scotland can be forgiven for feeling that their Government is out of touch and short changing them. Ignored by the Government as local libraries, swimming pools and museums across Scotland closed their doors due to cuts signed off by this very Government. No more can Patrick Harvie vote for cuts in this Parliament to local budgets and then stand outside the very libraries that his cuts helped to implement and protest against them. We are now just a couple of months away from COP26 when the eyes of the world will be on Glasgow, but already some of the most prominent climate activists have expressed their pessimism about what the summit will achieve and have cast doubt on this Government's pretensions to be a leader in the fight against the climate crisis. I want COP26 to be a turning point for Scotland and the rest of the world. Future generations need it to be. The First Minister is shouting from the sound lines. I do not think that two green MSPs are going to quite be the great change that the global community is looking for. That is why I want us to come out of COP26 with a truly historic Glasgow agreement, the moment that the world turns its warm words into meaningful action to confront the climate crisis. That is, yes, the Scottish Government, it is also the UK Government but, frankly, it is also global governments turning their words into actual action so that we can confront the climate emergency. We keep being told that we have less than 10 years to confront it. Let's make that our national mission and priority. When the leaders of the world descend on Glasgow, a city that is represented by me, Nicola Sturgeon and Patrick Harvie, they will be entering a city in the grip of a dangerous and inspiring waste crisis. We are cleansing workers. Cleansing workers are shamefully compared to the far right by an out-of-touch city leader. You are right, First Minister.  Instead, I want them to see a country focused on the urgent issues at hand, not fighting over the constitution. It is shameful, and she should address that directly with a leader of Glasgow City Council. Those appointments today are more about how the Government and Nicola Sturgeon looks than actually what it delivers for the people of Scotland. After 15 years, the people of Scotland deserve better. When Robin Harper became Scotland in the UK's first elected green parliamentarian in 1999, he reflected on how, at the turn of the last century, the politics of change were represented by the colour red and that the colour of the 21st century must be green. This afternoon, we will take our first place in government, the first greens anywhere in the UK to do so. We sometimes overuse the word historic in politics, but this is a genuinely historic moment. A new party, a new movement, a new politics is entering government. That has happened fewer than half a dozen times in the last century. Patrick Harvie will be, to the best of my knowledge, the First Minister for Tenants, who was himself evicted by an unscrupulous landlord. In fact, I think that he is the First Minister to have tenants in their job title, and he will be responsible for delivering the most ambitious tenants rights agenda seen anywhere on these islands for decades. Patrick has been integral to the development of the Scottish Greens into a party capable of taking this step today. Having been taken along to ecology party meetings as a kid by his mum Rose to joining a Scottish Green party that had about 300 members as an adult to the rainbow parliament of 2003, the long decade of being just one of two green MSPs and the remarkable progress that we have made in more recent years. Just days after the IPCC issued its code red for humanity, the need for radical transformation of our economic and social systems could not be clearer. I know that Patrick will take that fierce sense of urgency with him into government and apply it across all of his portfolio responsibilities. Having known him as long as I have, I feel that I owe Patrick's new Government colleagues a word of warning. If he did not know much about obscure 1970s science fiction before now, please be ready for that to change. I am not just talking about Dr Who, although he should probably swat up on that. With Patrick at least, a growing Netflix watch list is the most that you will need to prepare for. Lornos later's new colleagues will sooner or later end up on the trapeze. It is hard to think of someone more qualified to take on the role of Minister for Green Skills and Industrial Strategy than Lorna, a renewables engineer who was until just a few weeks ago a key member of the team who delivered the world's most powerful tidal turbine here in Scotland. Lornos later brings real industry experience and expertise into Government. She knows exactly what is required to deliver a just transition, because that is exactly what she was doing until she was elected to this place. I know personally just how committed Lorna is to getting the job done. For years, we have worked together to develop our party, including as conveners of its operations committee, one of those truly sought-after positions, whereas you know, Presiding Officer, you get all of the blame but none of the credit. Our recent electoral success, and particularly the election of a green group where the majority of members are women, is in no small part down to Lorna's incredible project management skills, her patience and her stubborn determination. I should say briefly that it is quite extraordinary to see the Tories come to this chamber today to accuse others of extremism. Douglas Ross has now had more than a week to apologise for his use of a homophobic dog whistle in response to our announcing this co-operation agreement, but yet again today he has failed to do so. The real hypocrisy is in the accusation that he levelled at the First Minister.  Douglas Ross and Stephen Kerr were enthusiastic supporters of their party's cosy relationship with the DUP, so those of us who are committed to working together in the interests of people on planet will be taking no lessons from the extremist enablers on the Tory benches. That is a moment 48 years in the making for the Greens. We take this step because of the steps taken before us by Robin Harper, Rose Harvie and so many others. I am so very excited to see what Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater and their colleagues across the Government achieved together over the coming years. I know that they will serve the people of Scotland with passion and integrity, and I will be proud to vote for Patrick and Lorna's appointment today. I now call on Alex Cole-Hamilton. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I start by expressing some dismay? The First Minister regaled the chamber with talk of a new kind of politics.  All hail the new politics, same as the old politics. As a Liberal Democrat, I will always look for and appreciate consensus in our politics. As such, I congratulate the two parties for having found such common ground. As indeed, I congratulate Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater on their elevation, but I cannot support either the deal that they have arrived at or their appointment as Green Ministers, because my party just do not share that ground. The First Minister has attempted to emulate the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, who brought Greens into Government in early 2020. She has sought to mirror that coalition with the appointment of the co-leaders of the Scottish Greens to ministerial office. However, there is a pale imitation of the deal hatched on the other side of the world, and thin gruel for a Green Party that has until now characterised itself as radical. The New Zealand deal was forged under the imperative of the climate crisis. It was signed practically amidst the very smoke of the bushfires that had devastated their Australian neighbours. Ardern wanted to demonstrate to the world that her Government was taking this global threat seriously. As such, the climate emergency formed the centrepiece of that deal. Although that imperative exists for Scottish ministers in equal measure, there is no such centrepiece to that. It will almost inexplicable to the majority of Green voters who, according to a poll in April, support Scotland's retained place in the United Kingdom, that the central mission of that deal is a second independence referendum. That partnership exists first and foremost to ask Westminster for another referendum and then to use its likely refusal to drive yet more grievance at the expense of all other public policy. It is not a deal with the climate in mind. After years of missed emissions targets, it would think that the Scottish Green Party might have driven a harder bargain. Ardern's power sharing agreement went beyond climate and looked to social justice as well, but where her partnerships stretched for new and radical frontiers in social policy, the Scottish deal does not. The New Zealand coalition immediately embarked on a brave new policy of testing pills at festivals to keep drug users safe. Yet the nationalist coalition agreement today is entirely silent on Scotland's drug death catastrophe. Far from being radical or extreme, there is very little to that deal at all. I have mentioned national testing, but on issues such as wider education reform, the abolition of the council tax, the decarbonisation of our homes matters, where you would expect Green MSPs to want to have a safe from the back benches, there is very little substance and they will not seek to trouble the SNP or subject it to effective scrutiny. There is even a clause in the agreement that demands that the Greens offer, and I quote, no surprises to their partners. I can almost hear the groans across the chamber because from here on in, when it comes to contributions from green back benches, we will be subjected to choreographed softball questions and speeches scripted by Government spads. For there is no question that the Green Party has surrendered entirely and for the life of this Parliament their opposition status. Nicola Sturgeon must be rubbing her hands at having got such a cheap deal. When I think of the Greens in Scotland, I remember the party of Robin Harper, a movement focused on reform and dedicated to challenging the old order of things. Robin never swapped environmentalism for nationalism because he supported Scotland's place in the United Kingdom. I really do not know what has happened to that radical zeal or that internationalist focus. By putting nationalism ahead of the climate emergency, Patrick Harvie and co have revealed their true colours. Those colours look far more like the acid yellow of the party of government than the pride enrolled of the global green movement. That is why the Liberal Democrats will oppose this motion tonight. Thank you. The question is that motion 987, in the name of Nicola Sturgeon, on appointment of junior Scottish ministers be agreed. Are we all agreed? The Parliament is not agreed, therefore we will move to a vote and there will be a short suspension to allow members to access the digital voting system.


Hello everybody, welcome back to another Adobe Premiere Pro tutorial. This one I'm going to show you how to do top and tail trims.  So let me show you what I'm talking about. So I've got a picture here at the beginning and I've got it. I'll make it a little bit smaller here. This is a bit too big down here on the timeline. So I got a picture, whatever. And then I got some video and I got another picture. To do a top and tail trim, all you need to do is pick a part where you want to do a cut and then just press the letter Q. When you do that, it gets rid of everything that was before it and then it closes the gap via ripple delete. I'll move to the end here somewhere around here and then to do a tail trim, just press W and it does it for you. Now this is much better. I'll just command or controls edit out to show you again because what I used to do was I would go to here and then I would hit command K or I would get the slicing tool and I would do a slice. Then you got to chop out this piece here. So you delete that and then you take the content and you slide it back and connect it. Still works. It's just a lot slower than the top and tail trim. So just remember Q and W and that's all there is to it. Thanks for watching. Ten more tutorials coming up. Stay tuned.