Open mike 10/09/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 10th, 2011 - 80 comments
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner).

Step right up to the mike…

80 comments on “Open mike 10/09/2011 ”

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  1. Carol 1
    10 September 2011 at 6:28 am

    So, the government has been shown, while in the international spotlight, how much Auckland’s public transport fails to meet acceptable standards. Will they take note? I doubt it. Joyce will keep on in his blinkered way with his RONZ, and Key will be too busy sledging heads of other governments cause he reckons he has some responsibility for the ABs.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10750606

    Auckland’s transport system ground to a halt tonight, stopping thousands of rugby fans getting to the opening game of the Rugby World Cup on time.

    As an estimated crowd of more than 100,000 people took to the streets to celebrate, authorities were forced to close parts of the city to traffic.

    And in the middle of the chaos people were bashed, pedestrians were hit by a bus and children were separated from their parents.

    Some rugby fans, disgusted with the poor performance of Auckland’s trains, want compensation for rugby tickets they say they couldn’t use.

    • aerobubble 1.1
      10 September 2011 at 10:17 am

      Its a National shame. They came from all quarters of the globe to see the opening
      and National have dropped the ball. They could not get the crowds the few kms from
      the centre of our largest city, to our National Stadium in time to see the opening
      kick off. WTF.

      • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1
        10 September 2011 at 10:34 am

        Over the last 60 years it was mostly National and their local council flunkies but Labour have to take some of the blame as well. They were told when they got the RWC that Auckland PT wasn’t up to it and yet they still spent more money on roads than on PT.

  2. logie97 2
    10 September 2011 at 7:12 am

    … and we have a Prime Minister who is all class. What an astoundingly immature conclusion to his “Opening” speech at Eden Park last night. Must make you so proud
    Hooten et al. The dignity shown of a lout in a pub. Expressed the same partisanship as he probably showed (but denies) in 1981.

    • William Joyce 2.1
      10 September 2011 at 8:08 am

      Can’t anybody find some of Key’s friends from 1981 who can tell his position on the tour?
      Or didn’t he have friends?

      • swordfish 2.1.1
        10 September 2011 at 4:56 pm

        Did I hear Tom Scott right ??????

        Saturday Mornings with Kim Hill, Radio New Zealand National, 3 September 2011:

        Kim Hill interviews cartoonist/satirist/author/playwright, Tom Scott, about the 1981 Springbok Tour and his latest television docu-drama, Rage, on the same subject:

        Over the first 11 minutes, Scott waxes lyrical about his impeccable anti-apartheid credentials –

        – “For me personally, I had a long battle with apartheid – it’s something I really cared about…”; 

        – He outlines how, in 1976, 1978 and 1981, he either lost or nearly lost various cartooning/journalism jobs by submitting cartoons critical of either apartheid or, more specifically, sporting contacts with South Africa; 

        – Following his 1981 job loss he tells us “I thought, I’ve got three children and no job again over apartheid”; 

        But then at a cocktail party in Melbourne a few weeks later, Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere praises Scott and thanks him for the Springbok Tour protests;

        And, lastly, Scott tells Hill that “straight away after the Tour, when I was invited to speak to police groups and rugby groups, I accepted every invitation from the people I disagreed with…..so I took every rugby and police invitation I could.”

        So far so good (well, except for Scott’s tendency to play ‘the burning martyr’ just a little bit – ‘look how particularly sensitive and caring I am and how much I’ve sacrificed for the cause, I truly am a moral exemplar’. Arguably a tendency characteristic of more than a few middle class liberal members of the Hippy Generation).

        All of which makes the following admission absolutely friggin astounding:

        At 11:40, Kim Hill puts it to Scott that “…in the drama Rage, the pro-tour people are generally depicted as beer-swilling, abusive thugs.”

        Tom Scott replies: “Yeah, well they were…and, I mean, I was Pro-Tour, so…”

        Kim Hill: “Pro-Tour and Anti-Apartheid ?”

        Tom Scott: “Yeah, I was anti-apartheid. But there were some really ugly things happen (sic)…really dreadful, ugly things happened, but there were young policemen – Phil Gifford told me a story – he was standing in the crowd…”

        This Pro-Tour admission is extraordinary on two levels:

        First, it doesn’t sit too well with the way Scott depicts himself in the first 11 minutes, in fact it verges on rank hypocrisy. So much for the burning martyr who somehow felt black African suffering so much more acutely than everyone else !!!!!

        Second, Kim Interuptus Hill – the woman known for butting-in on her guests’ replies – lets him get away with it Scott-free (as it were) !!!!! As you can see, she allows him to completely change the subject, rather than highlighting this astonishing admission.

        Bizarre stuff.

  3. morgy 3
    10 September 2011 at 8:05 am

    @logie97, that’s why he is so popular…he resonates with normal NZ. All power to him! It was a great speech to welcome our visitors!

    • logie97 3.1
      10 September 2011 at 8:13 am

      … acshly, there is a great deal of reservedness and dignity left in New Zealand. Remember, this is not New Zealand’s RWC, but NZ is simply the stage for hosting it. The seemingly alcohol-tainted speech from Key (and his astounding aping of Len Brown not 60 minutes earlier) does not and should not resonate with “normal” New Zealand.

    • William Joyce 3.2
      10 September 2011 at 8:14 am

      I was being lulled into a feel-good place by the wonderful light show and then someone announces John Key. I went from a dream state feeling good about NZ to stomach churning awareness as if I had been hit by a foul smelling, rotting and wet haddock. You just want to burn your clothes and delouse and shower!
      Not all that was on display to the world was the best of NZ.
      I wonder if someone overseas said, “Hey look! It’s that boob from Letterman!”

      • Tiger Mountain 3.2.1
        10 September 2011 at 8:23 am

        Same at my place, a feel good scenario suddenly spoilt by dick face turning up. “Go the mighty All Blacks” good one Shonkey.

      • Ianupnorth 3.2.2
        10 September 2011 at 11:39 am

        Quick reminder, that was done by Aussie’s – they gave the contract for that to, yes, Australians! makes you proud to be Kiwi Australasian!

  4. Brett Dale 4
    10 September 2011 at 8:29 am

    Geeze Louise, you guys sound like the teabaggers when they talk about President Obama.

    • kriswgtn 4.1
      10 September 2011 at 8:43 am

      except the yanks dont have a ass like Jokey making a mockery of being a prime minister every chance it gets

      he has nothing going for him
      its all an act to fool the gen public in nz,some of us aint fooled and never will be

      how is that teabagging?

      jus remember Norway-that was a right wing nutter

      and that senator who got shot in her head and lived– she wasnt a teabagger either the shooter however was a teabagger

      see a pattern here?

      • happynz 4.1.1
        10 September 2011 at 8:50 am

        and that senator who got shot in her head and lived– she wasnt one either

        erm…a small correction…Congresswoman Giffords is a member of the house of representatives, not a senator.

        As for the rest of your comment, yup, spot on.

    • William Joyce 4.2
      10 September 2011 at 8:46 am

      @ Brett Dale – Yes, you do have a point to be considered. It must be remembered that John Key and his political organ grinders have deliberately reduced NZ politics, the politics of National and this coming election into a personality contest in an effort to hide the truth of what they stand for.
      That sets John up as a idol to be worshiped by the ignorant but it also sets him up as the object of scorn by those detect that whiff of sulphur that surrounds him.
      We have our moments of focusing on his cardboard cut-out “personality” and the carefully Textor-Crosby created narrative of the poor boy made good. We get sick of the whole smile and wave routine.
      But we will discuss policies any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

  5. chris73 5
    10 September 2011 at 8:48 am

    The more you lot try to put down JK the funnier it is.

    To me he sounded like someone that was genuinely enjoying himself and having a great time (suspect he may have had one or two of the sponsers product) which means that once again hes connecting with the majority of voters in way Goff can’t

    But who cares as long as the tournaments a success and the ABs lift the cup!

    • Tigger 5.1
      10 September 2011 at 9:00 am

      So the tournament was an abject failure last night. Trains not working, central city patalysed, buses running people down. But yay for our drunk leader!

    • Ianupnorth 5.2
      10 September 2011 at 12:42 pm

      Who gives a shit what you think – we debate policy on other threads, you never make a comment there, quite simply because you cannot string an argument supporting the dire policies that your bessie mate Johnny Key has screwed the country with.
      Where are you on the threads about CGT, about NS, about creating jobs, about sorting out ChCh – absent. You never squeak once on those threads, but anyone dares to challenge Mr. Squeaky clean your responsie is “is that all you have got”
      Piss off back to Kiwiblog or Blubber boy; come back when you actually have grown some balls to DEBATE POLICY, not simply defend the prick that is messing up this country (and embarrassing it quite frequently too)

    • walter 5.3
      10 September 2011 at 9:49 pm

      jk was great! thank god it wasn’t that sour faced helen clark.

    • Vicky32 5.4
      11 September 2011 at 6:29 pm

      But who cares as long as the tournaments a success and the ABs lift the cup!

      Oh bread and circuses, absolutely! It doesn’t work sorry… Two thirds of NZers could not give a tinker’s about the RWC, and won’t be distracted… 😛

    • Vicky32 5.5
      11 September 2011 at 6:42 pm

      But who cares as long as the tournaments a success and the ABs lift the cup!

      My second try, I had a sodding browser crash! 
      Wow, bread and circuses, hey Chris? Two thirds of New Zealanders don’t give a tinker’s about the RWC. We will not be distracted. 😛

  7. DeeDub 7
    10 September 2011 at 9:14 am

    Does anyone qualified want to give John Key a few Te Reo Maori lessons? Or even suggest that he learn a greeting or two for occasions like that? Why did it take a Frenchman to introduce our other official language to the world?

    • Tiger Mountain 7.1
      10 September 2011 at 10:19 am

      Shonkey mangles English already, please don’t let him loose on Te Reo Māori. But the point is taken and was widely noticed across the networks.

      • Colonial Viper 7.1.1
        10 September 2011 at 10:45 am

        Shonkey mangles English already

        I wondered why Bill was looking sick as a dog recently. That explains it.

        Joyce for DPM!!!

    • tc 7.2
      10 September 2011 at 12:43 pm

      He’s yet to master english let alone another

  8. thejackal 8
    10 September 2011 at 9:44 am

    Does this sound right?

    The Standard blogsite is one of New Zealands highest rating political blogsites.(1) Not just an invite only collaborative blog, The Standard is a collective of various politically left-aligned commentators.

    I would prefer to keep it generic instead of saying #2 so I don’t have to edit for changes.

    • Rijab 8.1
      10 September 2011 at 10:03 am

      Half of the traffic through kiwiblog comes from Crosby Textor / National MPs looking for a home I’m guessing?

      The Standard allows collaboration as you say and this is what sets it apart. It’s not about ego, nor propagandist PR; it’s about sharing ideas, stimulating thought and generating discussion on many subjects. That’s why I’ve started coming here and that’s why I’m guessing many others have … congrats to the Iprent and the guys!

      • kriswgtn 8.1.1
        11 September 2011 at 4:14 am

        AND they end up going to trademe
        the hatred towards the left is alive and well in there
        they dont moderate much so tend to get real nasty
        but im a gay man and i got a comeback to most of them lol
        its fun to watch THEM squeal

  9. travellerev 9
    10 September 2011 at 10:02 am

    Breaking: High explosive residue has been found in the lung tissue of 911 first responders.

    Because it had to be been determined whether 911 first responders who died in the aftermath of 911 died of diseases caused by the dust they inhaled and swallowed on 911 and the days after their bodies had to be autopsied.

    It has just been announced at the Toronto hearings that their lungs contained high explosive residue. This connects the dust of the buildings to the explosive particles found in the dust collected by New Yorkers on that day as analysed by the team lead by prof. Nils Harrit of the Danish University of Copenhagen. Prof. Harrit is a scientist specialised in Nano technology.

    • freedom 9.1
      10 September 2011 at 10:36 am

      Day Two of the Toronto Hearings are now available with videos to view and download at the UStream site

      various youtube broadcasters are also starting to repost the Facts as they get presented throughout this detailed and legitimate presentation of evidence

      There is already a very clear interest in the report from these hearings when it gets released

      • freedom 9.1.1
        10 September 2011 at 10:51 am

        the clean link above seems busted

        http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thetorontohearings

        torontohearings.org

      • Colonial Viper 9.1.2
        10 September 2011 at 11:06 am

        Going back to 2006, this is what 9/11 Commissioners thought of the evidence and depositions provided by the Pentagon i.e. it was crap.

        http://edition.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/08/02/9-11panel.pentagon/index.html

        WASHINGTON (CNN) — A member of the 9/11 commission said Wednesday that panel members so distrusted testimony from Pentagon officials that they referred their concerns to the Pentagon’s inspector general.

        The panel even considered taking the matter to the Justice Department for a possible criminal probe, commission member Tim Roemer said.

        “We were extremely frustrated with the false statements we were getting,” Roemer told CNN. “We were not sure of the intent, whether it was to deceive the commission or merely part of the fumbling bureaucracy.”

        The issues concerned Pentagon officials’ testimony about the timeline of events on September 11, 2001, when terrorists hijacked four U.S. airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.

        • freedom 9.1.2.1
          10 September 2011 at 11:28 am

          earlier today Barbara Honegger had some choice words for Pentagon officials :]

        • travellerev 9.1.2.2
          10 September 2011 at 11:36 am

          Thanks for the link! I put it up on my blog.

          • freedom 9.1.2.2.1
            10 September 2011 at 2:54 pm

            The scope of the new evidence being presented at Toronto is chilling in its clarity.
            The deniers have been presented a clear choice, believe the proof delivered with fact based evidence, or continue to poison their life with the Official Story of deceptions and lies.

  10. aerobubble 10
    10 September 2011 at 10:28 am

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14841018
    Seems cutting the internet only prolongs and deepens a revolution.

    Reminds me of the debate about CGT. That if you don’t
    tax Capital gains then you only prolong and deepen recessions
    and hold the economy back from change.

    If you don’t stay engaged, have ongoing contact with your
    economy, or the revoltion, you cannot act as quickly or
    as precisely.

    • William Joyce 11.1
      10 September 2011 at 11:18 am

      They get my vote.
      By all accounts his autobio is a white wash of himself and blames everyone else. It’s been speculated that he’s afraid of being tried as a war criminal.

    • freedom 11.2
      10 September 2011 at 11:36 am

      Canada being one of the only countries where there is an actual law permitting the legal and binding action of a citizens’ arrest, Cheney should be very very nervous, and i doubt this talk date will happen as the amount of interest during the Toronto Hearings are proving he is not a popular guy

  12. Hilary 12
    10 September 2011 at 11:07 am

    This was briefly on the stuff website this morning – been taken down now. At a time when hundreds of Ministry of Heallth workers are losing their jobs someone with no background in health, and no appointment process, but with great connections to government, is paid a lot of money to develop some sort of health network.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/5598200/Englishs-brother-lands-lucrative-health-contract

    • Ianupnorth 12.1
      10 September 2011 at 11:43 am

      Hilary, from experience on here you really need to elaborate of this!
      Bill English’s brother has been handed a contract to ‘trim the fat’ from the Ministry of Health – 400+ jobs to go in the next three years.
      Jobs for the boys, eh!

  13. Jum 13
    10 September 2011 at 11:10 am

    Frank,

    Just forwarding your comments to open mike 10/Sept/2011 because you had made such an important point about the media on:http://thestandard.org.nz/nrt-john-keys-new-zealand/#comment-373210

    ” Frank 6 You said:
    9 September 2011 at 12:41 pm
    oh and by the way…regarding your main blog – you people just believe everything you read in the media right?!
    It’s the whole truth right there yeah?!
    Grow up, seriously, you know full well how the media love to misrepresent important facts to make things look worse than they actually are.
    Take it from me personally – if you ever think someone has missed out on their full and correct entilments from WINZ, send the person’s details (full name/date of birth) to info@msd.govt.nz
    They WILL look at it urgently and they WILL sort it out.

    ” Frank 7.1.1.2.1 You said:
    9 September 2011 at 3:17 pm
    Which brings me back to my original point:
    You say you want competence, not perfection…. and yet whenyou are spoon-fed a media-spun story of incompetence, you are quite happy to ignorantly accept it as gospel and run your mean-spirited mouth off decrying criminal prosecutions for state employees !!! ”

    AND Frank, every time someone gets crapped out by WINZ, yet another important people-service department which has had its front line services severely knocked back by this government, I hope they will come to you Frank to tell you their story when that email address does not deliver any help. Thank you so much Frank for your help.

    It also reminds me of the Bay … local paper that reported John Key saying he “would love to see wages drop”. It’s in the smaller papers you often get some actual ethical journalism. e.g. By Sophie Rishworth of the Gisborne Herald
    2:13 PM Thursday Sep 8, 2011 ‘The new mum approached Bronwyn Kay Agency to find accommodation after falling out with a cousin she was staying with.’

    You are absolutely correct, however, about the bigger foreign owned and conservatively run Herald, etc.

  14. Dave Kennedy 14
    10 September 2011 at 12:04 pm

    This government treats our youth like a cheap resource rather than as an investment in our future.
    http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2011/09/rwc-powered-by-goodwill-volunteers-and.html

  15. MrSmith 15
    10 September 2011 at 12:57 pm

    Anyone that wants a little taste of the incompetence people in Canterbury are dealing with on a day to day basis, take a look quick look at the EQC Frequently asked Questions page ( http://canterbury.eqc.govt.nz/faq ), please click on one of the Questions and try reading!!!!, some of the pointy heads here at the standard will love the color layout and in my browser I have to resize the page a few times before it will fit my screen.

    Great job Gerry, great job.

    • William Joyce 15.1
      10 September 2011 at 4:50 pm

      The site rendered ok for me (Firefox) but talk about redundant links.
      They probably sold it as being able to “retoggle your offset parameters on an enterprise wide muti-layered block-advance system on an intra-office gigafloppy network of etherwire interfaced page solutions to neuro-enhance the user satisfaction experience”.
       
      i.e. lotsa extra links that tell you nothing new but that will cost ya extra.

  16. Ianupnorth 16
    10 September 2011 at 1:02 pm

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/5600315/Smith-threatens-to-out-rich-who-don-t-help-others
    I know where I’ll be shopping in future.

    Australian millionaire Dick Smith is so fed up with the ”selfish” rich that he has vowed to name and shame those who aren’t giving back to their community, saying they should ”rack off” if they won’t open their wallets to donate.
    ”I am absolutely disgusted that most of the wealthy are so utterly selfish and I can’t work out how everyone let’s them get away with it,” the millionaire entrepreneur said.
    Smith had started naming individuals not doing their philanthropic duty because they should be ashamed, he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
    ”I’m going to ‘out’ these people. If they don’t donate, they’re going to be embarrassed.”
    More than 2000 people declared more than $1 million a year in income but claimed no tax deductions for charitable giving, showing they had donated nothing, he said. ”We’ve got to get it so it is an obligation if you’re wealthy to become a philanthropist. Otherwise we don’t want you in this country – rack off.”
     

    • Jum 16.1
      10 September 2011 at 1:49 pm

      Ianupnorth,

      I’d be happy if people got a fair wage, unlike our current one, then either there wouldn’t be so many millionaires, because they were paying all their tax and/or they were not stripping wages in order to increase their net profits.

  17. the pink postman 17
    10 September 2011 at 2:46 pm

    Hidden away inthe Herald was the news item that Key wants the taxpayer to pay for Hubbard funeral . What is going on. There is something fishy about this business. Billions paid out in compensation to rich greedy speculators. Remember whennthe latre H

    • freedom 17.1
      10 September 2011 at 2:59 pm

      i thought they were only wanting to release funds from the Hubbards’ accounts for the funeral costs

  18. the pink postman 18
    10 September 2011 at 3:03 pm

    Hidden away in the Herald was the news item that Key wants the taxpayer to pay for the Hubbard funeral. What is going on with this sordid business.
    Billions was paid out in compensation to greedy rich speculators by the taxpayer, There is something very fishy about the whole epsode.
    Remember that the late Hubbard stated that nothing would have happened if Mr.Key had not been abroad. So whats it all about ? Someone with the know how should investigate the whole business, It stinks and I think the Nats are involved.

    • William Joyce 18.1
      10 September 2011 at 4:26 pm

      Whether the taxpayer stumps up the money depends on what funds you’re talking about.
      As Fran O’Sullivan pointed this week, on that financial show that comes on before Breakfast, many people are confused about what funds are what. The Prime Minister seems to be one of them.
       
      There is South Canterbury Finance – which is separate to the funds that were frozen – but supposedly qualified for the Retail Deposit Guarantee scheme. I say supposedly because there is some doubt that it does in fact qualify. I haven’t followed this up yet to see what she meant.
       
      Of the funds that were frozen, from what I understand, there is Aorangi (Finance?) and a few other entities AND the Hubbard’s personal finances.
      My understanding is that it is the personal finances that could be released for the funeral. As they are personal, and not subject to government guarantee, there is no obvious obligation on the taxpayer.
       
      However, the situation is murky and people are owed a shed load of money, so money released for the funeral is less money for claimants to chase.

    • kriswgtn 18.2
      10 September 2011 at 4:27 pm

      Yeah on one of the groups I belong too on facebook- it has been implied they were behind the accident-

      dunno wot to believe actually but theres a hell of alot of people agreeing..

      I wanna know why 60 million was given bk to SCF and the govts frantic attempts @ gettin hold of said 60 million $ by trying to clkaw it back

      this whole thing stinks allright but hey the RWC is on– theyll forget about it all eh

    • kriswgtn 18.3
      10 September 2011 at 4:29 pm

      Yeah on one of the groups I belong too on facebook- it has been implied they were behind the accident-

      dunno wot to believe actually but theres a hell of alot of people agreeing..

      I wanna know why 60 million was given bk to SCF and the govts frantic attempts @ gettin hold of said 60 million $ by trying to claw it back

      I thought when you died everything was frozen for @ least 6 months?????

      When my mom died thats what happened to her estate- it was frozen for 6 months from when probate was granted.

      this whole thing stinks alright but hey the RWC is on– theyll forget about it all eh

      • vto 18.3.1
        10 September 2011 at 4:41 pm

        mr draco earlier today posted a good link which explains much of the rort . . .

        http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2011/04/16/south-cantubury-finance-let-me-get-this-straight/

        And it was indeed a rort.

        Key has admitted that on his FIRST DAY IN OFFICE they were told it was going bust. Yet Key and English allowed it to remain in the deposit guarantee scheme.

        It is just a fucking rort. And the bad lending which took place after SCF was let into the scheme (being guaranteed of course all depositors overloaded SCF with money and it had to go somewhere – so why not into a bailout of the unsavoury positions SCF’s cronies and employees and associates were in.) has got to be criminal. Lachie McLeod is in the firing line (but note he received a $20million golden handshake for being fired for all the bad lending).

  19. Salsy 19
    10 September 2011 at 6:43 pm

    Im surprised Botherway has gotten away with what he has so far… Why ?
    Official complaint and OIA request from Hubbard supporters

  20. RedBaron 20
    10 September 2011 at 8:39 pm

    Agree with you VTO. We should all be saying very loudly “Why didn’t the the Nats start rolling back the scheme, by gradually dropping coverage of the interest, the top end of each deposit, say over $200,000 and confining it to those who had money invested at the date it went into the scheme?”

    The other thing I have always been curious about, is was any back to back lending uncovered?

    The sort where somebody has a loan with another party or even SCF and they know it is going to be
    hard going to service it so they pitch up a story about how they are going to [renovate, expand ] the business and need a bigger loan. Part of the deal is that it will take time to spend the loan so they agree to deposit back or hold an offsetting deposit of some of the funds lent. Original loan to other bank is paid back, loan drawn down on SCF and deposit put into SCF and when it all goes south it turns out that the loan is to a company in liquidation and the deposit is held by a family trust or some other entity with no security offset. Home free.

  21. joe90 21
    10 September 2011 at 9:11 pm

    Closed-Source Crops

    The four big corporations are Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta, and Bayer. Together, they represent that truly rare thing, a visible corner being turned in human history: the rise of the first global, seed-based food oligopoly since the dawn of agriculture.

  22. freedom 22
    10 September 2011 at 10:04 pm

    Toronto Hearings
    http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thetorontohearings
    live stream Day Three
    (videos of Day One & Two avalable on site )

    New Zealand Time:
    Sunday, September 11, 2011
    01:00 – 01;15 Moderators: Overview of the Day’s Testimony
    01:15 – 02:30 Graeme MacQueen: Eyewitness Evidence of Explosions at WTC
    02:45 – 04:00 David Chandler: WTC 7: A Refutation of the Official Account
    05:00 – 06:15 Jon Cole: The Official Account and the Experimental Method
    06:15 – 07:30 Kevin Ryan: Extreme Temperatures
    07:45 – 09:00 Niels Harrit: Incendiary/Explosive Residue in the WTC Dust
    09:00 – 09:30 Audience Question and Answer

    Please be aware the schedule has remained accurate each day

  23. RedBaron 23
    10 September 2011 at 10:26 pm

    Serious stiuff.
    Is there any support for an ongoing blog about policies we mught like to see adopted by non Nact parties.
    Me personally, I would like to see promises about restoring democracy esp to Ecan and removing the King Gerry acts, and sending all or the bulk of legislation passed under urgency back to select comittees to see what tweaking(?) it needs.
    I know that no political party can promise to undo all the actions of a previous government as none of us would know where we stood and that size of repeal threat has to be reserved for the big stuff like ACC privatisation but there should be some way to make all this legislative urgency uncomfortable for those politcal parties that indulge in it, even if it is some way down the track.

    • rosy 23.1
      10 September 2011 at 11:05 pm

      “Me personally, I would like to see promises about restoring democracy esp to Ecan and removing the King Gerry acts, and sending all or the bulk of legislation passed under urgency back to select comittees to see what tweaking(?) it needs.”

      Absolutely. These are the democratic outrages that made me think about voting Green instead of Labour – these and the beginnings of disenfranchising particular groups. The Greens seem more intent on protecting democratic processes. However, since then Mr Blue-Green has emerged. At least I know Labour won’t coalesce with NAct. I’ll probably have to make up my mind who to vote for on the day.

  24. Jum 24
    11 September 2011 at 12:16 am

    Quote of the Day
    What’s a soup kitchen?
    ~ Paris Hilton

  25. freedom 25
    11 September 2011 at 1:11 am

    DAy three in Toronto just kicking off now
    http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thetorontohearings

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  • Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
    Distinguished guests -   It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders.   Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
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    1 hour ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
    Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia.   Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
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    7 hours ago

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
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    1 day ago

  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
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    2 days ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
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    2 days ago

  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
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    2 days ago

  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
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    3 days ago

  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
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    3 days ago

  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
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    3 days ago

  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
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    3 days ago

  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
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    3 days ago

  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
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    3 days ago

  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
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    3 days ago

  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
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    3 days ago

  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
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    4 days ago

  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
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    5 days ago

  • Trade relationship with China remains strong
    “China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.   Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
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    5 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
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    6 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
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    6 days ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
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    6 days ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
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    6 days ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
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    6 days ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
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    6 days ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
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    6 days ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
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    7 days ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
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    7 days ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
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    1 week ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
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    1 week ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
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    1 week ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
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    1 week ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
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    1 week ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
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    1 week ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
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    1 week ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
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    1 week ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
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    1 week ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
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    1 week ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
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    1 week ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
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    1 week ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
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    1 week ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
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    1 week ago

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