In a worker co-op what happens if the co-op loses money?
I’m guessing everyone have to stump up with extra coin to bail it out.
Which is the probably the main reason you don’t see too many co-ops, lets face it the average person wants to go to work do his /her 8 hours and go home, they don’t want to worry about not being paid or losing their shirts if the co-op goes tits up.
BM workers lose their shirts and don’t get paid when just about any enterprise goes tits-up. (Although National and Novopay are working on extending that to functioning enterprises too.)
Yes employees do lose a bit of coin, but they’re not liable for any debts that the company they work for owe.
With a co-op they become owners and are liable for monies owed.
Most people aren’t too enthusiastic about that and prefer to just be employees and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Yes employees do lose a bit of coin, but they’re not liable for any debts that the company they work for owe.
So why is it that they’re the ones paying? It’s almost always the employees and sub-contractors that wear the loss when a business fails. We saw that when Mainzeal collapsed.
Most people aren’t too enthusiastic about that and prefer to just be employees and there’s nothing wrong with that.
I didn’t know you knew most people.
The reports I’ve seen about those factories in South America that were taken over by the workers the workers were more than happy and felt that it had opened up their horizons. I suspect that the same would be true of the workers in NZ. The problem is, IMO, getting over the cultural concept that we need bosses. If we work together we don’t.
Yes, the subbies get shafted but that’s the risk you take when you go into business.
It’s a trade off, more money = more risk.
The employees lose their wages that is all which may be a week or two + some holiday pay.
I talked to many people about self employment most if not all are happy just doing a 40 hr week.
This is especially true in a small business setup as the employees see first hand how much time and effort goes into keeping a small business running.
Bud, I couldn’t give a shit if people want to get together and form a co-op, I wish them all the luck in the world.
A co-op is no different to any business that starts up, anyone who succeeds especially in the current economic climate deserves plenty of praise.
Of course, the existence of a number of large cooperatives suggests a certain sample bias in the people you speak to, ” most if not all are happy just doing a 40 hr week”.
Besides, I thought the nacts were running an excellent, business-friendly economy that really helps the job producers in NZ. Can’t think where I got that impression from.
“With a co-op they become owners and are liable for monies owed.”
Not always, BM. It would depend on how the coop was set up, particularly the initial set up costs. Just like any other Ltd Co. in NZ, there would likely be bank overdrafts to tide of temporary dips in trade and should the business fail, then it would depend on the ownership structure, the securities and how personal the liabilities were before any shareholder would be liable.
NZ has famously soft bankruptcy provisions, and an established business environment that allows the broke Acme Widgets to fold and then Acme Widgets 2013 Ltd. to rise from the ashes with the same ownership and management.
So, what I’m saying is that a coop is subject to the same business laws and operating dynamics as any other kiwi business. And the same (limited) risks. The key question would be how much it costs to set it up. Buying an existing, but bankrupt, business is obviously way cheaper than starting from scratch, so individual workers may have very small exposure in the event of it failing. And if the ownership is vested in a trust, then it is the trust that would go broke, not the individual worker/owners.
BM @ 1.1.1.2.1: in your fervour to disseminate elitist neo-liberal rubbish you don’t even understand, you prove an appalling ignorance which disqualifies you from pushing even that shit-barrow.
Your minimalisation – “Yes employees do lose a bit of coin……” followed by the contradistinction – “but they’re not liable for any of the debts that the company they work for owe.” – is ignorant bullshit !
170 plus finance companies gone down the gurgler for billions of dollars in recent years. In the main their directors and shareholders walked away, as a matter of law owing not a skerrick of debt. Not because they were NOT co-operatively themed enterprises but because they were incorporated as limited liability companies. So your attempt at highlighting a “sufficient” quid pro quo is ignorant bullshit !
There is NOTHING to stop a co-operatively themed enterprise meeting the legal requirements for incorporation as a limited liability company. In which case the “owners” of the “co-operative” walk away just like your wide-boys.
What you’re really saying is that you don’t like the IDEA of co-operatively themed enterprises because that runs counter to the gospel according to Thatcher, Reagan, Key and ACT. And, in keeping with the neo-liberal “wisdom”, workers are essentially inferior and incapable. Well come right out and say it then and be judged for the lunacy of that assertion. Just don’t bullshit about the legal and commercial facts.
I don’t know whether you’re a two-bob Tory or not. You sound like one. Certainly you are in the nature of a cheap snob, an ignorant and wrongheaded one at that.
He’s deftly demonstrated that he knows next to fuck all about how most enterprises are structured, yet he thinks he can dictate the ownership structure, liability, and finance arrangements of a hypothetical enterprise he wants no part of.
Well done BM, you’ve just proved that a co-op imagined by an idiot could well be a miserable failure.
Once again I couldn’t give a fuck if some people want to start a co-op.
Big fucking deal,.
The thing is, I’m not some ideologically driven wanker such as yourself where everything must follow a particular path,
if a co-op rocks your boat, go for it.
If you want to start and run your own business and employ people, whoo hoo more power to you.
If you’re happy to be a wage slave, good for you, whom am I to judge.
The one size fits all theoretical bull shit is what holds the left back.
“The thing is, I’m not some ideologically driven wanker such as yourself where everything must follow a particular path”
lolz, according to your comments above anyone starting a co-op must follow a very particular path. And as it happens it’s a stupid, poorly conceived path which I imagine no-one would be particularly interested in following.
And that, my dim-witted little chum, is why why can’t see many examples of the type of stupid, poorly conceived strawman co-ops that you brilliantly imagined.
The thing is, I’m not some ideologically driven wanker such as yourself where everything must follow a particular path,
Yes you are. You believe that everyone must submit to the capitalist paradigm, that the rich are the saviours and that everyone else is a loser. So as not to consider yourself a loser you model yourself upon the rich and thus becoming the biggest loser of all as you lose yourself.
Co-ops are just a way of allowing workers to take over bankrupt businesses to keep their jobs.
They still have to go to the banks for funds, play by all the rules, so in itself its not at all an alternative to capitalism.
The co-ops in Argentina that came out of the 2001 Argentinazo were enabled by a law which allowed them to contest with the boss for ownership in lieu of unpaid wages. Where they won the workers ended up as legal shareholders, no different to a capitalist business except they decide collectively what they can pay in wages rather than a boss.
Co-ops can play a progressive role if worker-owners come to see them as more than running a business and part of a wider strategy of socialisation that means taking over the whole economy.
The co-ops in Argentina that joined forces and tried to set up a co-op trading system inside the capitalist economy were heading in the right direction. In the process they see the need to plan production on a large scale rather than be concerned only with their own success.
But without state banks, and without socialisation of more strategic industries, which means a socialist government and socialist plan, co-ops will always remain a fringe activity unable to break out of the global capitalist economy.
Marie Schroff has suggested that anyone wondering if they are being spied on by the GCSB should ask if this is so.
So I thought I would do so and have emailed on the following terms. Other Standardistas may wish to do the same.
“info@gcsb.govt.nz
Request for personal information
Dear Ian
I note the GCSB is alleged to have illegally spied on 88 New Zealanders over the past few years. The allegation is contained in the Kitteridge report which somehow was recently leaked to the media.
I can’t imagine why but I wondered if I was one of the 88. So pursuant to the Official Information Act 1982 and/or the Privacy Act 1993 can you tell me if I am on that list and if so what information you obtained about me?
My full name is #### and my date of birth is ####.
Funnily enough the header on their contact page says “Mastery of Cyberspace for the security of New Zealand”. If their website is an example I can understand why they are in such difficulty …
I have decided to do the same after hearing Keith Locke and others talking about this on Checkpoint last night. We all have the right to know whether we have been subject to the interest of the GCSB and/or the SIS, and if so, what they have – irrespective of whether or not we might be one of the 88.
So my OIA/Privacy Act request will not refer to the latter – just be a general inquiry, probably in the form of a written letter by snail mail (registerd?) rather than letting them know my email …..
The devil in me would like to see them inundated with such requests.
Surprise, Key goes non stick, and Labour, yet again, mess up another open goal chance. Two left feet, not likely.
Gower trots out the spin, the public are becalmed, and the ‘main’ opposition still collect the wage packets despite being totally crap and ineffective.
Gower on three news this morning spinning the nat company line and bringing Labour’s latest failure [The swing and a miss at the overseer] to the surface for all to see.
Still, it’s not like voters don’t already know dead ducks, fish and toxic shit float.
Better luck next time, Grant.
[rob: your email address in last 2 comments is incorrect, I am fixing it for you, please check…]
Sorry about and thanks for that mate, some arsehat gcsb hacker agent must have planted the extra letter in my email address when I wasn’t looking.
A lesson for all to remain vigilant like Rob. 😆
Yes it just makes them all the more gung ho and they will go for broke now having got the bumbling DS and old guard entrenched till 2014.
Watching DS/Curran/King/mallard etc and it’s job done, they look like the useless troughers the NACT are in terms of getting middle, lower NZ out of the intentional dive they’ve been put in.
Heavily indebted euro zone nations such as Italy and Portugal could come under pressure to put their bullion reserves to work as a result of plans for Cyprus to sell gold to meet its financing needs.
NZ handed over its gold reserves to the IMF in 1961, and have been implementing the conditionalities policies , which came with the loans , ever since!
This will be the continued M.O, to ensure that the real currency (no fiat), continues to find its way to the tip top of the pyramid!
Now why would it be of such high priority/interest to get hold of the gold!
Money is always fiat. I’ve explained this before and so those debts aren’t fraudulent except in how they came about (countries don’t need to borrow as they have the resources needed to maintain themselves). The big thing about debt is that the person or government in debt can always renege on it. That’s the risk of loaning money to people and/or governments.
Now, consider the uselessness of gold. Most of it gets dug up, turned into bars and sealed in a vault somewhere.
What I’m getting at here is that there’s a belief that gold is valuable when it actually isn’t. Same can be said of money really.
The financial crisis ravaging Cyprus deepened on Thursday after the cost of the country’s bail-out surged from €17.5bn to €23bn – larger than the size of the country’s economy.
BOOM – Just like that, 34% increase in the cost of the *bailout*!
Yippy! No need for Austerity in the UK!
Turns out Thatcher squirreled away billions
by not giving it to Europe!!!
Propaganda swept away criticism of Thatcher,
that even after her death she still has them working
to twisted logic to make her look good.
They could not find anything to justify their
adoration of her, but then they remembered
she saved all that money from being paid
to the Eu, despite ignoring the horrendous
Austerity program they are rolling out due to
her market economic ideology failing so
spectacularly. Tories still delusional dills.
In NZ the Pike River Mine families find out
that deregulation of their industry by
parliamentarians led to their loved ones death.
Lucky that hey, that the only people in the
system who can’t be held to account, MPs,
who did away with a upper chamber to cut corners,
who did away with regulations of mines, to the
chorus of the-market-will-provide, are not now
accountable.
Its was a massive herding by media to stop, distort,
dismiss, criticism of favored politicians. Politicians
who thought it would never catch up to them.
When asked about Thatchers legacy, a british MP said that she saved Britian billions by standing up to the EU over the budget refund. I took offense to this considering the wasteland caused by
Austerity, how is the great gamble that has left Britain in such fiscal crisis placated by this one off temporary victory that failed to save UK from ravages of the GFC.
Its rich, that Conservatives are beating themselves up to find a good reason to justify their adoration for Thatcher by citing how she got them a rebate, have they seen the effects of debt, of austerity, of polarization, she has left in her wake.
Hey…….Bunter Brownlee’s going to London for the the Vile Old Bag’s send off.
Be a bugger if he’s flying Samoa Air which apparently wants to levy a significant surcharge for obesity.
Apologies for my churlishness but I still well remember ’72 when all the brainiac Tories could say about Norm Kirk was this – “Well, if he can’t control his own weight how can he control a country ?
No apologies re the Vile Old Bag. Pensioners died from the cold while she hosted Pinochet. And lauded the “reasonable” people in the Khmer Rouge. And declaimed Nelson Mandela as a terrorist.
And praised the Taliban as freedom-fighters. And supported Saddam Hussein. And turned her hateful gimlet eye on the Irish hunger-strikers, and let them die.
“This bloody government are laughing at the poor. Remember when they were told that cuts must be made to welfare…..all the bloody Tories CHEERED like the evil pigs that they are. This myth of a so called recession is just a cover to take everything away from the poor and disabled and give it to the filthy rich!!! Keep telling it like it is Mark!”
“Oh my god. I have just heard a load of fucking celebrities are going thatchers funeral. It is a fucking pr stunt. They are glorifying this bitch and her policies so they can bring more of them in. What the fuck has Jeremy Clarkson got to do with it? The bbc is true blue for sure. 7 hours of necrophilia in parliament and now this. This is just fucking weird. Are one direction going to perform karma chameleon at the funeral?”
“Keep it going Mark!! This drooling over Thatcher has made me physically sick. And the BBC calls those of us who are not shedding a tear anarchists?! Try telling that to my Dad…one of thousands of Thames Lightermen who lost their jobs in the 1980s because of her. He won’t even talk about it to this day. Honest working people who never claimed a days benefit ripped apart. And we’re seeing it all over again. I will never forgive Thatcher.”
“Well said mark it’s an all out attack on the vulnerable while gov blood sucking parasites claim thousands in tax payers money. Its about greed. Smoke and mirrors media whoring about scroungers. I’m too disabled at 58 to work I’m raging angry too. I’ve no heat with chronic body spasms and chronic asthma triggered by cold to pay this bedroom tax. It’s either no heat little food or evicted from my home.Six worn discs, chronic pain, and housebound. Atos!!! says I’m fit to work!!!! Utter disgrace!!!We need to redo this gov”
We’ve fallen a long, long way. Shearer would probably want to pay Blackwater’s Ocean Division to send a ship, given his love of mercenaries. And seeing that the testing has stopped, the protest would probably be for the French to start up again.
It felt good to be a Kiwi when Big Norm sent that ship. Since then, it’s mostly just felt embarrassing. Even Lange’s witty slapping down of a frat boy from Jerry Falwell College was just a diversion from what Douglas was doing.
Now we have a Labour Party that believes in what? That we’re lucky to have them in opposition because they hold the government to account? Great, that seems to be their plan for the foreseeable future.
So I’ve got a decision to make, in my new job I (I left my old one a month ago because I hated it) I have the opportunity to join the PSA
On the one hand I think unions are out for themselves at the expense of others but on the other hand I do like to get more than others for doing the same job…decisions, decisions
“But thats what you do if you’re in a job you don’t like, you leave when you can and find a better job…don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner”
Should have just exploited the fact most bosses are shit and take liberties with employment contracts and work place relations.
Two for two at the era, so far, and it would have been a threepeat had I not settled for a new pair of boots and an apology, saving the jobs of one, maybe two staff who would have been let go to afford the expected payout.
Social conscience cost me more than a few grand, but ninety day sack laws are tools of the weak.
Key’s broken promise on raising wages
Has a lovely graph on it showing the precise amount of difference that the 90 day fire at will bill made on unemployment.
lol…good call soldier, but seriously you are hardly Shane Jones material are you. I mean I very much doubt Shane laps up Whaleoil like yourself for starters.
Chris73 you better keep your trolling mouth shut at the new job that you like because you open it and they’re gonna think you’re an arsehole and a wanker and a wannabe Key Cargo Cultist.
I didn’t explain myself as well as I could have (the perils of concentrating on marvel avengers alliance)
Basically I know I might get more benefits for myself by joining the psa however the more I get has to come from somewhere plus it’d make me a hypocrite if i did join…
I agree withe unions in theory, what i dont like are unions like the teachers union who are more concerned with protecting their members as opposed to helping (and in some cases) protecting students
You must really hate the Police Association, who are more concerned with protecting their members as opposed to campaigning for and protecting the accused. Or is that not a union, and therefore allowed to act on behalf of its members?
What on earth do you think unions are for? Have you ever stopped to think that they may have some other purpose than giving Slater a hardon every time he types out “union scum”?
You probably think consumer associations should protect the rights of employers, as should employer associations.
On another note: which organisations do the most to attack and fail to protect young people, the Teachers’ Unions or your beloved Tory government?
You must really hate the Police Association, who are more concerned with protecting their members as opposed to campaigning for and protecting the accused.
– They also have gone too far in terms of putting their own interests first, it is a tough one though because some of their concerns are actually about life and death situations
– But like anything unions (and we’ll go with unions in NZ) started out with great intentions and did some excellent work but as the saying goes a little bit of power…I’m sure we all remember the strikes in the 70s-80s,especially the interislander (for me the very late 70s)
Chris73 do you realise what an arch-idiot you are saying what you said about teachers and their union(s) ? Teachers don’t care about the kids ???? Fuck off ! You’re no better than that flatulent lump from Waitakere with all her facile bullshit.
And if I ever saw a ridiculous non-sequitur you provide it in your comment about Police Association not protecting and campaigning on behalf of the accused.
How can a punkarsed neo-liberal like you presume to speak pejoratively about tenuously identified “self-interest” in others ?
In case you’ve genuinely forgotten the rest of that sentence, allow me:
A little bit of power and nek minit workplace safety, meal breaks, holidays, penal rates, a wage that supports a family, job security, allowances for costs, right to collective bargaining, legal representation.
Um – if your knob has swelled massively and (more importantly) turned green, I suggest you examine whether PSA membership includes any health benefits.
It does make me wonder about the possible inherited traits of any male issue from likely love-interest sub-plots in future avengers films, though. High school could be a very difficult time – although the lad could be popular in college.
I don’t see how that makes Israel a non democratic country, Prof. A country run by a brutal state that doesn’t give a shit about minority rights, international law, or human decency, sure. I just don’t see what it is about democracy that makes those things impossible.
Great to see David Cunliffe raising the questions that need answering about taxes and multinationals in the NZH today. About time we saw some good thought leadership happening from our politicians.
This is the kind of vision stuff the country is craving. Ties in the economic and social arguments and gets people thinking.
Why on earth aren’t they using Cunliffe more? Given every time he speaks/ writes at the moment, he effectively exposes the Government’s flaws. Good stuff. We want more!
I suspect they would rather lose the next election and hold onto their jobs and salaries rather than actual challenge neoliberal orthodoxy, even to the extent that Cunliffe does. They won’t use him because their beliefs are closer to Key’s than they are to his.
3: “hospital meals, may be a week old after preparation before consumption.”
South Korea : Watch-con too.
“Noahs Ark” project-the tiger, the lion and the grizzly bear; “and the lambs shall lay with…”
Reinsurance flows will increase the $ / TWI
mango or Shelly, shark-infested swamps?
CL: Cadmium;” Heavy metals are part of our economy (super=phosphate)
oh, kidney failure? wait…breast cancer, testicular cancer
residues 5 x in dairying / agricultural fields
highest levels in their systems-vegetarians, unfortunately, and wheat consumers.
good evidence kiwis exceed safe limits of ingestion most nights (potatoes)
un-marketable offal? goes into blood and bone
(turnips” will suck it up privately, turnips)
sooo, now land values and food security are questionable; an Energizer bunny indeed.
threat of Zespri staff being arrested in the home of the goose-berry; Key- “it’s an important market, we need to grow that.” PSA? Hello, cat got your memory? or is just an ornament to the side of the stocking. (don’t forget the bed of fire-clay in the coal mine then).
thank goodness we can relax ourselves with the 50th anniversary of the good Dr (on Prime)
-“run you clever boy, and remember”
(Celia Imrie, whoar) pointless being a monk and fez are not fetching for every one.
“hoovering up data and hoovering up people”.
see, 101 places to be; 🙂
Morning Report-” 3 more years of house prices rising steply in Ak, Well. and ChCh; Forbidden cities indeed.
proverb you won’t read on kiwiblog:
4.20 expiration am, gears loose wearing, mystery won’t see them again. Dingle (Keyser alarm saze) the exhaust pyrometer is climbing into the red.
A couple of very low flying UPS 767s that have me questioning whether or not all planes that are painted to APPEAR to be a regular commercial traffic; if not, then who is running this utterly massive global operation?
Who is the boss? Who can compromise every single Federal agency that might be capable of figuring it out?
It’s actually a nice role that wikileaks offered, really. You can say to all these conspiracy nuts: “if this really is such a massive coverup, how come no one has leaked it to wikileaks yet?”.
Make you feel safe/confident in yourself that you know whats going on by doing so?
Then seeking affirmation from the site herd, that you’re *in the know* about this….
You got Joe90, and Lanth – SCORE!
Joe -Still waiting for your reponse about SFO, as it related to that picture you posted the many days ago now!
Why would a subject with high likelihood of serious negative consequences, which are going to impossible to measure/forecast the fallout of, be so funny to you!
Best hope its not happening eh bro, if you want to keep that attitude up!
[sigh]
You are assuming a highly complex explanation based on scant evidence. You then interpret all subsequent data so that it fits your hypothesis. To the point of absurdity and, yes, humour.
And for my part I’m assuming that your confirmation bias is the result of stupidity, and not part of some elaborate social “experiment” you are conducting without documentation, peer review, ethics committee authorisation or participant consent.
As I said to P’s B, best hope its not actually happening then eh, McFlock!
And perhaps keep the stupidity for the perception bias you’ve formed about my online handle here, I’ll leave perception bias to the un-evolved, and wait for them to catch up, which will be a wee way of for most, if ever!
Scant evidence – McFlock, its only the threat to the egos of the *self styled*, who want to believe this, as it’s an affront to all they believe to *know*, about the world, and the self esteem is not prepared to accept that sort of abuse, as yet!
P’s B (below comment) – Monkton, has only ever been an attempt to distract, which many have brought into. He represents various interests and plays the role, somewhat effectively, although it looks like he has a whole new set of issues to deal with, and I would expect him to disappear from the stage pretty quickly, or change tact.
Best hope that the zombies don’t attack you tonight, eh!
Given that now you’re blaming your handle for perceptions about your beliefs regarding contrails, are we to infer that your contrail obsession is actually a contrivance constructed as part of your social “experiments” here, muzz?
But we do agree that monckton is an intentional distraction. I think he’s a shill for the dying fossil fuels industry. You think he’s a cover-up for what: contrail-engineered global warming? Cui bono – who benefits?
Zombies – What are you on about McFlock, watching too many movies, or getting stuck into the *bath salts* perhaps.
The experiments are going on at your expense, along with everyone else’s, including my own!
All I ‘m doing is commenting on the experiments, which are not yet mainstream, and watching people live completely unaware of what is going on around them. Even those who somewhat are aware, still have constraints which are allowing the experiments you refer, to continue, and its all an experiment, which should have the science types super excited, so be part of it!
As always, it will be a time lag before people, including those who ridicule (out of fear mostly), begin to accept whats going on above them, and go through the intermal critique which is necessary, before humanity can move forward meaningfully.
Better hope you’re right McFlock, have an honest self evaluation of how confident you are in your position, then ask whose position has a larger probable downside, yours or mine!
I’m wrong, (great, ill be happy to be so), no damage to people or the environment. etc.
You, and those sharing your position wrong, and the consequence, could be all the way down to the bottom, for everyone/everything!
Did you see a chemtrail as the point flew over your head?
Muzz, if you’re wrong then nutbars like you have been used to discredit folk with genuine environmental or political concerns for the last forty years. If your think that that is zero-harm behaviour then you’re a bigger idiot than you pretend.
Nothing would please me more than that everywhere Monckton went he was confronted by people with oversized hi-res printouts of chemtrails demanding to know why he was covering up the real scandal.
You got to love the way the Jap’s and Yank’s are printing money hand over fist then banking some of it here, all because of our high interest rates, inflation and rising dollar which will keep rising because of demand and shortage, so a win win for the money traders, all the while Billygoat English and the Reserve bank sit by doing nothing.
We need to start Printing Money now before it’s to late, if English and The Reserve bank thinks they can just sit around while 2 of the worlds largest economies print trillions of dollars then I would suggest they are as corrupt as Key or stupid or both.
Another twist to the ongoing GCSB saga etc which really doesn’t fit under any of the other posts to date, referred to in a comment on Russell Brown’s Key Questions post on Public Address.
The Dept of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) have recently put up a RFP tender (38883) on the http://www.gets.govt.nz site for a “Security Sector Professional Development Programme”.
I have not looked at the detail of the RFP as you need to register on the site to do so, but apparently it is looking for
” an innovative supplier to provide a professional development programme for executives and senior officials within the security sector. The focus of the programme is to equip officials with the knowledge and skills required to deal with the myriad of security challenges that threaten New Zealand’s wellbeing and prosperity.”
The fact that it is a DPMC-initiated tender for a programme across the ‘security sector’ is in line with the changes and structure of the sector outlined in Chris Trotter’s revealing post on The Daily Blog
I recommend this post as a ‘must read’ as it is a good piece of investigative journalism giving an insight into what has been going on behind the scenes – almost up to Karol’s high standard!
I had almost given up on Trotter over the last year or so, but this post, and one or two of his other posts over the last month or so, have started to restore him in my eyes.
Under “Feeds” in the side panel (about 15 down at the moment) is “Citizen with Keith Locke & Selwyn ManningThe Jackal | 2013-04-11”
It is yet another daunting set of opinions re the GSB. Keith Locke was there during the 2003 Act passage and is adamant that the NZ citizens were definitely exempt from spying in spite of the Key spin that the Act is ambiguous. Keith reckons that the first thing in a Court of Law would be to look at the intent of the Act and it would be impossible to argue ambiguity. The Government would hate to see it before the Court! A great session but not sure how to link directly.
Exhausted: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDStHQLSQWQ – pieces of 8
“got a friend in End casino and it’s getting close to Harvest time
she was kinda cute if a little pass her Prime”
-“Momma always said I’d go like this if I didn’t change my ways…stretched between a dead cyborg motorbike and a really better cyborg motorbike impaled on the tip of a bullet train in the japanese badlands.”
The Ghost Rider.
David Shearer was interviewed and took calls on Radio Live (1pm to 2.15).
It’ll be on the Radio Live website if you want to hear it, but don’t bother, I did it so you don’t have to.
Summary – he likes Winston Peters, he thought Tamihere was going to be first Maori PM, he agrees with Prince Charles about housing, his bank account same old same old, and he sang along with Sinatra and Tamihere (mercifully brief). Nothing terrible, nothing memorable, nothing very political, and nobody listened.
He is stuttering less than before, so he is still saying nothing much, but he’s saying nothing less badly.
It would be head/desk if my head had metaphorically ever left my desk in order to pound against it again. Mumblefuck’s beyond hope and finally even his own caucus knows it, but doesn’t know what to do with him while Mallard makes Zaphod Beeblebrox look modest and prudent and Robertson persists in thinking that elections are vending machines into which you keep inserting press releases until government falls out.
They’re so desperate not to lose control of the party, they can’t win for the people they claim to represent.
Because he put up a fight, the European Court of Justice ruled against the Spanish eviction law. Other judges can now refer to that ruling and pre-empt or suspend other evictions.
The Andalusian regional government, a coalition between the Socialist Workers Party and the United Left, is taking control of properties belonging to banks for a period of three years if families living there are “at risk of exclusion” and threatened with eviction.
The decision, which will come into force on April 11, has come at a time when the new mortgage law is under discussion in the national parliament. The legislation imposes fines on banks that own unoccupied housing, which they refuse to rent out.
The fightback gained momentum a few months ago when locksmiths and police put their jobs on the line by refusing to help with evictions
The Union of Security Locksmiths, an industry association that represents roughly 40% of Spain’s locksmiths, recently said its members won’t do any more evictions involving “extreme” situations—such as pregnant or infirm adults or families with young children—because the emotional strain of throwing people out on the street is too much for locksmiths to handle.
In a parallel move, the Joint Union of Police recently said it would offer legal support to officers in the ranks who don’t want to participate in evictions.
…
The problem took on another dimension over the past couple months as participants in evictions said several homeowners committed suicide just before they were to be put out of their homes. In the ensuing political uproar, mayors of several towns threatened to withdraw municipal funds deposited at banks that were carrying out evictions
(a)to promote the confident and informed participation of businesses, investors, and consumers in the financial markets, including (without limitation) by—
(i)collecting and disseminating information or research about any matter relating to those markets:
(ii)issuing warnings, reports, or guidelines, or making comments, about any matter relating to those markets, financial markets participants, or other persons engaged in conduct relating to those markets (including in relation to 1 or more
particular persons):
(iii)providing information about its functions, powers, and duties under this Act and other enactments (including promoting awareness by investors that all investments involve risks and that it is not the role of the FMA to remove those risks):
(iv)providing, or facilitating the provision of, public information and education about any matter relating to those markets:
(b)to perform and exercise the functions, powers, and duties conferred or imposed on it by or under the financial markets legislation and any other enactments:
(c)to monitor compliance with, investigate conduct that constitutes or may constitute a contravention of, and enforce—
(i)the Acts referred to in Part 1 of Schedule 1 (and the enactments made under those Acts); and
(ii)the Acts referred to in Part 2 of Schedule 1 (and the enactments made under those Acts) to the extent that those Acts or other enactments apply, or otherwise relate, to financial markets participants:
(d)to monitor, and conduct inquiries and investigations into any matter relating to, financial markets or the activities of financial markets participants or of other persons engaged in conduct relating to those markets:
(e)to keep under review the law and practices relating to financial markets, financial markets participants, and other persons engaged in conduct relating to those markets:
(f)to co-operate with—
(i)any other law enforcement or regulatory agency (including under section 30):
(ii)overseas regulators (including under section 30 or 31).
(2)Subsection (1)(b) and (c) do not limit the functions, powers, and duties conferred or imposed on any other person in respect of financial markets legislation.
(3)The fact that some other person has functions, powers, and duties in respect of financial markets legislation does not limit or restrict the FMA’s functions, powers, and duties in respect of that legislation.
(4)Except as expressly provided otherwise in this or any other Act, the FMA must act independently in performing its statutory functions and duties, and exercising its statutory powers, under—
(a)this Act; and
(b)any other Act that expressly provides for the functions, powers, or duties of the FMA (other than the Crown Entities Act 2004).
Compare: 1978 No 103 s 10
_______________________________________________
Schedule 1
Financial markets legislation
s 4
Part 1
Auditor Regulation Act 2011
Financial Advisers Act 2008
Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008
Parts 4 and 5 and Schedules 1 and 2 of the KiwiSaver Act 2006
Sections 45U and 45V of the Public Finance Act 1989
Securities Act 1978
Securities Markets Act 1988
Securities Transfer Act 1991
Securities Trustees and Statutory Supervisors Act 2011
Superannuation Schemes Act 1989
Unit Trusts Act 1960
Schedule 1 Part 1: amended, on 1 July 2012, by section 82 of the Auditor Regulation Act 2011 (2011 No 21).
Schedule 1 Part 1: amended, on 30 June 2012, by section 11 of the Public Finance (Mixed Ownership Model) Amendment Act 2012 (2012 No 45).
Schedule 1 Part 1: amended, on 1 October 2011, by section 60(2) of the Securities Trustees and Statutory Supervisors Act 2011 (2011 No 10).
Part 2
Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009
Building Societies Act 1965
Companies Act 1993
Co-operative Companies Act 1996
Corporations (Investigation and Management) Act 1989
Sections 220, 228, 229, 240, 242, and 256 to 260 of the Crimes Act 1961
Financial Reporting Act 1993
Friendly Societies and Credit Unions Act 1982
Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1908
Limited Partnerships Act 2008
Part 5C of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989
Trustee Companies Act 1967
(1) A person is an information insider of a public issuer if that person—
(a) has material information relating to the public issuer that is not generally available to the market; and
(b) knows or ought reasonably to know that the information is material information; and
(c) knows or ought reasonably to know that the information is not generally available to the market.
(2)A public issuer may be an information insider of itself.
Section 8A: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
In this subpart, inside information means the information in respect of which a person is an information insider of the public issuer in question.
Section 8B: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
8C Information insider must not trade
An information insider of a public issuer must not trade securities of the public issuer.
Section 8C: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
8D Information insider must not disclose inside information
An information insider (A) of a public issuer must not directly or indirectly disclose inside information to another person (B) if A knows or ought reasonably to know or believes that B will, or is likely to,—
(a )trade securities of the public issuer; or
(b) if B is already a holder of those securities, continue to hold them; or
(c) advise or encourage another person (C) to trade or hold them.
Section 8D: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
8E Information insider must not advise or encourage trading
An information insider (A) of a public issuer must not—
(a) advise or encourage another person (B) to trade or hold securities of the public issuer:
(b) advise or encourage B to advise or encourage another person (C) to trade or hold those securities.
Section 8E: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
8F Criminal liability for insider conduct
A person who contravenes any of sections 8C to 8E commits an offence (see section 43 for the maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment and a $300,000 fine for an individual or a $1,000,000 fine for a body corporate) if the person has actual knowledge—
(a) that the information is material information; and
(b) that the information is not generally available to the market; and
(c) in the case of a contravention of section 8D, of any of the matters set out in section 8D(a) to (c).
Section 8F: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
________________________________________________________________________
Three-quarters of Sunday Star-Times readers believe we should follow Australia and prohibit cabinet ministers from buying shares in state-owned companies they decide to sell.
The pre-registration for the Mighty River Power share float closed on Friday with more than 440,000 signed up, but the sale of state assets remains divisive.
We asked our readers if they wanted a similar rule to Australia’s “Standards of Ministerial Ethics” that require ministers “to divest themselves of all shareholdings other than through investment vehicles such as broadly diversified superannuation funds or publicly listed managed or trust arrangements”.
It’s a rule that would prohibit buying into a state-owned asset float while in power and 75 per cent of the 788 people polled were in favour of it.
Cabinet ministers have agreed to a voluntary “moratorium” preventing the purchase of shares by all ministers, and some of their staff, until 90 days after the initial sale.
Finance Minister Bill English’s office said: “Cabinet also agreed that ministers and the staff in those offices . . . should use their best endeavours to ensure that their partners and dependent children adhere to the same moratorium.”
But our readers say that is not long enough and want a more permanent solution.
As one pro-asset sales reader said, a ban on share purchases would “prove they don’t have a vested interest or conflict of interest”.
Another said: “It would help to keep our politicians openly accountable to public scrutiny. As corruption and lobbying increases in countries around the world this is just another small way we can try and stay relatively ‘clean’ for longer and assists in enhancing our international reputation as an honest country to deal with.”
But a conflict of interest in an asset sale would, many felt, last longer than 90 days, and dozens cited fears of insider trading. One reader said: “They would probably have ‘insider knowledge’ of how MRP or any other state-owned companies were trading, and if in a downward spiral, would be able to offload them without getting hurt.”
Not everyone wants ministers forced to sell all their shares, something that might discourage successful people from standing for office.
Some cited the example of John Key, whose wealth is managed through a “blind trust” over which he says he has no control.
“Good practice would be for all ministers to put their financial affairs into a blind trust type arrangement,” one reader said.
Some also felt the suggested rule would do nothing to stop ministers from taking up roles such as directorships on assets they sold even after leaving office.
The MPs from NZ First, Labour, and the Greens have all pledged not to buy Mighty River Power shares to demonstrate their opposition to the sale.
RISKS and INFORMATION which have arguably not been fully disclosed in the Mighty River Power prospectus, thus potentially misleading investors :
1) Over-supply of wholesale electricity now.
2) Further over-supply of the wholesale electricity market if the Government partially-privatises State-Owned Enterprises Meridian and Genesis.
3) The consumer boycott of Mercury Energy, Mighty River Power’s main retail electricity provider by the Switch Off Mercury Energy community group. http://www.switchoffmercuryenergy.org.nz
4) Failure to attempt to quantify the cost to Mighty River Power, if Rio Tinto does not reach a deal with Meridian Energy.
5) Cabinet Ministers responsible for setting a ‘good’ price for Mighty River Power, John Key, Bill English, Steven Joyce and Tony Ryall are not prohibited by law from purchasing shares in Mighty River Power, so are potentially ‘information insiders’ as per http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1988/0234/latest/DLM140405.html
8A Who is information insider
(1) A person is an information insider of a public issuer if that person—
(a) has material information relating to the public issuer that is not generally available to the market; and
(b) knows or ought reasonably to know that the information is material information; and
(c) knows or ought reasonably to know that the information is not generally available to the market.
(2) A public issuer may be an information insider of itself.
Section 8A: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
(OFFICIAL INFORMATION REPLY FROM MINISTER FOR STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES TONY RYALL):
This information has not been disclosed to investors.
7) Mighty River Power is also arguably misleading investors , because it advertises investors to ‘share’ in a company that they arguably already own, as currently a ‘State-Owned Enterprise’.
Yours sincerely,
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
A Spokesperson for the Switch Off Mercury Energy Group
Superior edition of The Panel this afternoon
Finlay Macdonald gets his act together and delivers
Radio NZ National, Friday 12 April 2013
Jim Mora, Sam Johnson, Finlay Macdonald
Jim Mora’s Panel program has been pretty effectively purged of dissenting voices. Regular listeners will remember two of the victims of Radio NZ’s clobbering machine, AKA the “management”. Gordon Campbell on one episode challenged the bullying ex-cop Graham Bell and forced him to back down, after Bell had indulged in a wandery, foam-flecked rant against Jeanette Fitzsimmons. Entertainingly, on another occasion Campbell also embarrassed the godawful Richard Griffin into backing down and apologizing after he had made a foolish and ignorant comment about Hugo Chavez. Griffin has since then been appointed to the chair of the Radio New Zealand Board of Governors—and Campbell has never again appeared on the program. In 2011, Panelist Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury dared to criticize the Prime Minister after Key had been involved in some typically hare-brained and reckless behavior in parliament; Bradbury was banished almost instantly for this act of lèse majesté.
The few “left” or “liberal” voices that are still allowed on the Panel pose no such dangers. With the occasional exception, they are unlikely to spoil the convivial atmosphere, or to ruffle the smooth and unexamined prejudices of either Mora or the other guest, who will be almost inevitably a National Party supporter or something even further to the right.
Occasionally, though, the token liberal actually does a good job. One of the occasional exceptions is Finlay Macdonald, who this afternoon managed to actually stay on message and say something coherent…
JIM MORA: The BBC says it will continue to play “Ding Dong The Witch is Dead” even though it’s an obvious dig at Baroness Thatcher. What do we THINK of this? SAM JOHNSON: I admired her will, and her strong character! FINLAY MACDONALD: Well it’s all a bit obvious, really. There were plenty of songs actually inspired by Maggie Thatcher. Let’s face it: she was detested, especially in the north. SAM JOHNSON: I liked her leadership! FINLAY MACDONALD: She was never as popular as has been asserted recently. SAM JOHNSON:[doubtfully] Oh, okay. FINLAY MACDONALD: Sam, you need to remember she said some pretty terrible things. She once said that there are “reasonable people in the Khmer Rouge”. JIM MORA: Did she actually say that? SAM JOHNSON: She also said many clever things. “The lady’s not for turning.” That was one of her good ones. MORA: So what do we think? Should the BBC ban this like it banned “Lola” and it bowdlerized “Fairy Tale in New York”? FINLAY MACDONALD: Play it, I say! Play it! SAM JOHNSON: Many people admired her resolve! MORA: Oh okay. She’s a good witch in the eyes of a lot of people. And a bad witch to others of course.
Soapbox…
Finlay Macdonald’s contribution was a thoughtful and serious rumination on the pernicious and cynical use of the phrase “systemic failure”. The continual resort to such official codewords, he said, is a sign of the corruption of our intellectual and political life.
Macdonald made his case so compellingly that Mora actually contributed something intelligent instead of doing something flippant like countering with a quote from some right wing ideologue in the New York Times. Sam Johnson, too, showed that he is more than the ambitious young-man-on-the-make he has too often appeared to be. For a short time, The Panel was an intelligent and interesting forum.
Thanks Morrissey for that analysis. Poor guy. You are now obliged to furnish the same on a daily basis. MacDonald was great. No bones about it. Play the bloody thing !
Aunty Affable Mora was dying to clutch her pearls over the “unseemliness” of celebrating The Vile Old Bag’s going off with 666 stamped all over her arse for delivery purposes but obviously thought better of it, for fear no doubt of Finlay showing him up for the Semi-Hurrah-Henry dick he is.
The seminal thing for me about TVOB and her vaunted love of freedom and democracy is “Nelson Mandela is a terrorist”. What ??? Gimme Terrorist Nelson over you and your alarmingly inbred looking arms-dealing spawn Mummy, any day.
Saw some comedy thing the other night where this wit (Englishman) said the send-off will be the first ceremonial funeral in history where the 21 gun salute shoots the coffin.
Saw some comedy thing the other night where this wit (Englishman) said the send-off will be the first ceremonial funeral in history where the 21 gun salute shoots the coffin.
That was Frankie Boyle, from Scotland. He was speaking four years ago, following a rumour that she had died. Here’s the clip….
Good summary, Moz. I heard the latter half, and then a Mora inspired waffle about why ‘systemic failure’ was a catch all for any modern enquiry. Actually, its not. It’s what kills kiwi workers at record levels. And a finding of systemic failure does not preclude individuals being fully prosecuted for personal failings. It’s not an either/or as Mora seemed to think.
Yeah, I immediately thought Key would be taking the long way home from China if he could get away with it. Then I wondered why anyone should be going at all.
Hmm if Gerry wears the “Full Day Ceremonial without swords” he can hide some spare ribs in the scabbard for later.
The ‘business’ model for other essential public services has proven to be a disaster for the public – where is the evidence that it will work for students / parents or the public?
Where is the transparency and accountability under this model?
Wall Street Behind Charter School Push
Posted: 01/15/2013 1:31 pm
About a quarter of the kids in the San Antonio Independent School District attend charter schools. Most are the low-income, minority students we think about when we imagine providing innovative opportunities for kids stuck in failing public schools in bad neighborhoods. For a long time, school reform has targeted only kids from poor families. You know, the lucky ones who get those free lunches.
Starting this fall, though, no longer will Texas exclude upper-middle class white kids like mine from the gravy train of school choice. Last November, the State Board of Education approved a charter allowing Great Hearts Academies to open a school in North San Antonio, the wealthier, whiter section of a majority-Hispanic city.
Great Hearts Academies operates out of Arizona, where they survive not just on public funding that would normally go to public schools but also on mandatory fees as well as contributions from students’ families, pricing Great Hearts out of reach for most San Antonio families. In other words, upper-middle class Anglos are finally getting a taxpayer-subsidized private school. Our long nightmare of being stuck in high-performing, better-funded public schools is almost over.
If that’s not what you have in mind when you think of school choice, you’re not alone. Great Hearts tried this in Nashville, but the school board rejected the charter application, arguing reasonably that creating a government-funded private school to serve an affluent, white neighborhood constituted segregation. It’s exactly what they’re planning in North San Antonio, except our school board approved it.
Private tuition and public subsidies only provide enough money to pay the teachers, buy textbooks and keep the lights on. To build schools, you need to go into massive debt. But don’t worry, because our need to borrow millions of dollars creates an investment opportunity for Wall Street investment bankers.Apparently charter schools are “a favorite cause of many of the wealthy founders of New York hedge funds.” The word you’re probably looking for is “yippee.”
Public school bonds are a safe investment, but low risk means lower reward, in this case an average 3 percent return on general-obligation funds used to raise money to build schools. But debt for charter schools runs an average of 3.8 percent higher than general-obligation bonds, and charter schools even qualify for federal tax credits under the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000.
As every investment prospectus says in small type, investments carry risk. In this case, 3.91 percent of charter-school bonds are in default versus 0.03 percent for public schools. And since 1992, 15 percent of charters have closed, including 52 in Texas.
Despite the risks, charter schools are big business. Pearson, the company that sells tests and curricula to public schools, also sells tests and curriculato charter schools, and JPMorgan Chase of worldwide economic meltdown fame is bullish on charter school construction.
“Many charter schools have expanded access to academic opportunities for students in all types of communities, so we shouldn’t let tough economic times bring them down,” said JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon.
This is the same Jamie Dimon who thought mortgage-backed securities were foolproof, who was forced to take $25 billion of our money in the bank bailout, who wrongly foreclosed on military families, whoovercharged 4,000 other military families by $2 million, and who then lost $2 billion of our money in what amounted to the kind of gambling that only happens after 4 a.m. in Las Vegas. Let’s absolutely have this guy underwrite our schools. What could go wrong that hasn’t already many times over?
Subjecting our public school system to the free market requires us to accept that hopped-up Wall Street bankers will mess up, schools will close, and sooner or later, someone will have to choose between increasing shareholder returns and improving some kid’s education. Failure is not only an option. When it comes to Wall Street, failure is inevitable.
The specter of resegregating our schools along racial and economic lines under the cloak of school choice presents a more daunting future for a state that is growing poorer, browner, and younger. When it comes to schools, the question isn’t whether we’re going to have charter schools or public schools. We have both now. When it comes to schools, the real choice is whether we are all in this together or if it’s every man for himself.”
So – if Wall St bank$ters are behind Charter Schools – and neither ACT nor National campaigned for Charter Schools during the 2011 election – did this idea actually come from John Key?
PETROBRAS – 2 FOR 1 SPECIAL!!!
COASTAL OIL SPILL WRECKS SAO PAULO BEACHES AND MASSIVE PIPELINE BLOWOUT IN EQUADOR (5500 BARRELLS OF CRUDE!) IN ONE DAY!!!
Dear Simon Bridges,
Right now, Petrobras, the company your government permitted to drill for oil in the Raukumara Basin, is responsible for both a catastrophic oil spill off the beautiful San Paulo coast, and part of a consortium that owns a massive pipeline that has ruptured, causing over 5500 barrels of crude oil to spew into the biodynamic Esmeraldes Province in Ecuador. Right now. When it comes to environmental disaster, this company gives you value for money – 2 for 1, on the same day!!
Yeah, your government accused us of scaremongering, said these accidents hardly ever happened. But they do happen. And they happen all the time for Petrobras. And they more in countries where governments falsely separate economic development from environmental integrity.
You use words like ‘reckless’ and ‘criminal’ to describe those of my iwi who would stand up against deep sea oil drilling. These accidents could have happened here, because you and your government would have let them. You have no adequate regulation in place for these activities, yet you waste what precious time you have dreaming up new anti-protest jurisdiction you already asserted you had – instead of addressing the real issues. You are mistaken if you think peaceful protest and those seeking to protect the environment are the problem. You, and people who enable companies like Petrobras to do irreparable damage to the environment and get away with it, are the problem. You can’t fix that problem by silencing dissent. You can’t fix that problem by refusing to be accountable. You can’t fix that problem by threatening us. You can’t fix that problem by pretending the industry will safely regulate itself. And until you start addressing the real problem, we can assure you we will not be moving.
Dayle Takitimu
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
08/04/2013
There is crude oil flowing into the coastal marine area, and volunteer crews are struggling against all odds to contain it. It has been described as an ‘environmental disaster’ for the area, which relies heavily on the marine area for tourism and fishing industries.
The crude oil spill has hit the coastal cities of Sao Sebastiao and Caraguatatuba, which are a popular resort area along Sao Paulo’s Atlantic Ocean coast where residents of the state’s capital flock to relax from the hustle and bustle of Brazil’s largest city. The two cities sit across a marine channel from another popular tourist destination, an island known as Ilhabela.
Sao Paulo state environment regulator Cetesb said it had fined parent company Petrobras 10 million Brazilian reais ($5 million) for an “operational failure” during refueling of a Transpetro ship at the terminal. Cetesb was still finalizing a report that will be submitted to state prosecutors, which could result in charges filed against the company, the regulator said.
While Transpetro has removed globs of oil from the beaches and replaced soiled areas with fresh sand, Sao Sebastiao’s environment secretary, Eduardo Hipolito do Rego, said other environmentally sensitive areas remained contaminated.
“Rocky coastal areas and other ecosystems, such as mangrove swamps, still have oil and will require special care” to be cleaned,” Mr. Hipolito said via telephone. “Starting now, a more delicate operation will be required.”
A crop of mussels raised at an offshore farm was completely lost because of the spill, Mr. Hipolito said. Eight beaches in the Sao Sebastiao and Caraguatatuba areas also remain unfit for swimming, according to Cetesb.
Transpetro said it will constantly monitor areas affected by the spill. The environmental fallout is expected to be huge, and long lasting.
As many as 500 workers and 37 ships were mobilized to contain and clean up the spill, Transpetro said.
The crude oil from the spill is currently “fouling three popular Brazilian beaches as slicks drift north off the coast of Sao Paulo state, complicating clean-up efforts. The area is north of the Terminal Almirante Barroso, where fuel spilled from an offshore pier Friday.”
____
ESMERALDAS, ECUADOR
08/04/2013
At the same time, right now, in Ecuador, a pipeline part-owned by Petrobras is spilling heavy crude all over the place, wrecking havoc on the environment. The officials are just struggling to contain and mitigate the spill. Its still under emergency status, and they haven’t even repaired the pipe yet. So far 5500 barrels have been spilt, and the clean up has not even started. The true environmental impacts will be massive.
Can someone please tell me how I ‘know’ that Clare Curran was behind the contacting of contributors to The Standard (through matching their user names with the same names and registration details on Red Alert?)
I thought I ‘knew’ that people who belonged to the Labour Party and who were commenting or blogging on The Standard were told to stop backing Cunliffe over Shearer for Leader or leave the Party and that she was behind this as the Labour Party IT go to person.
I met Ms Curran today. She said the claim was false. She said she would come on The Standard today and defend herself (so long as no one was abusive).
I have an invitation from her to go to her Electorate Meeting and from another Labour Party official to go to the Dunedin North Meeting. Can anyone help?
I have met some of the frequent commentators/mods on The Standard and they know my bona fides.
Firstly, pick an electorate/branch with an active membership and one with people you can get along with. Each electorate (and each branch within that electorate) has a different demographic of membership and different emphasis in terms of what their usual focus is. Find one which suits you.
Secondly, Labour Party meetings are supposed to be about the party, its policies, and the activities of the membership. I’m speaking where Labour”s “Party” and it’s “Parliamentary wing” are two very distinct and separate entities. Unfortunately, in too many electorates these days, the meetings have become a kind of “MPs supporters club”. Which I believe is the presumption behind how you worded your question, and which I believe is a concept worth identifying and then canning nice and early. Candidates come and go, MPs come and go. The party and your support for it are supposed to go much deeper than just that.
Lastly, you can trust Curran as far as you can throw her with both hands tied behind your back.
I don’t think you have got your questions quite right there. Important because after all we wouldn’t want the wrong question to be put to Curran and then for her to miss out on being able to answer truthfully.
DWBH, It would indeed be a good idea to take up both offers and attend both meetings in order to make up your own mind about any MPs credibilty. Also, it’s an opportunity to see the workings of LEC or branch meetings, especially if you are interested in finding our more about the workings of the NZLP.
Colonial Viper’s comments are made in bad faith – an obvious personal vendetta – so surely it would be best to make up your own mind?
Unfortunately blogsites such as this encourage a torch and pitchfork mentality without the benefit of many unknown facts behind the scenes.
If an MP says a claim is false then I would imagine you yourself would want an opportunity to defend your integrity were you to find yourself in a similar position.
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With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Photo by Jari Hytönen on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Williams Veazey, ARC DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney DavideAngelini/Shutterstock In the 2007 film The Bucket List Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two main characters who respond to their terminal cancer diagnoses by rejecting experimental treatment. Instead, they go ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohan Singh, Professor of Agri-Food Biotechnology, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Melbourne., The University of Melbourne Tanja Esser/Shutterstock Australia’s vital agriculture sector will be hit hard by steadily rising global temperatures. Our climate is already ...
The Acumen Edelman Trust barometer reported that New Zealand’s political trust score now sits below the global average, a topic explored in a recent discussion paper by Maxim Institute. ...
Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman says, "The Fast-Track Bill is the most damaging piece of environmental legislation any Government has introduced in living memory. People are angry, and it’s time to march." ...
The school lunches programme has been retained – and will be extended to some preschoolers. So how is it going to cost $107 million less? To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The minister with many hats David Seymour wears a number of hats, but this week ...
“Show us the bird,” I found myself muttering at times while reading Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker, a deeply thoughtful, often hilarious, at times rambling – but somehow delightfully so – search for the story of a big bird. But not just any bird: the bird. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition DPVUE .images/Shutterstock Your home was probably designed for a climate that no longer exists. As long as humanity continues to burn fossil fuel, padding the heat-trapping blanket of gases in Earth’s atmosphere, the ...
A senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.”– Ani Mikaere ...
In 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...
In the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...
One of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...
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Possible alternative for Tiwai point?
http://www.labornotes.org/2013/04/mexican-workers-win-ownership-tire-plant-three-year-strike
Workers co-op…let the workers take over the plant when the corporates or the government abandon it.
In a worker co-op what happens if the co-op loses money?
I’m guessing everyone have to stump up with extra coin to bail it out.
Which is the probably the main reason you don’t see too many co-ops, lets face it the average person wants to go to work do his /her 8 hours and go home, they don’t want to worry about not being paid or losing their shirts if the co-op goes tits up.
How about when the the banks lose money a la, Cyprus – Who got the hair-cut then genius!
The quality of, *right* comments here has fallen dramatically, the thinking has become som sub par!
BM, C73, for christs sake its low grade!
Yep, it’s getting embarrassing.
BM workers lose their shirts and don’t get paid when just about any enterprise goes tits-up. (Although National and Novopay are working on extending that to functioning enterprises too.)
Yes employees do lose a bit of coin, but they’re not liable for any debts that the company they work for owe.
With a co-op they become owners and are liable for monies owed.
Most people aren’t too enthusiastic about that and prefer to just be employees and there’s nothing wrong with that.
So why is it that they’re the ones paying? It’s almost always the employees and sub-contractors that wear the loss when a business fails. We saw that when Mainzeal collapsed.
I didn’t know you knew most people.
The reports I’ve seen about those factories in South America that were taken over by the workers the workers were more than happy and felt that it had opened up their horizons. I suspect that the same would be true of the workers in NZ. The problem is, IMO, getting over the cultural concept that we need bosses. If we work together we don’t.
Yes, the subbies get shafted but that’s the risk you take when you go into business.
It’s a trade off, more money = more risk.
The employees lose their wages that is all which may be a week or two + some holiday pay.
I talked to many people about self employment most if not all are happy just doing a 40 hr week.
This is especially true in a small business setup as the employees see first hand how much time and effort goes into keeping a small business running.
http://www.nceo.org/articles/employee-ownership-100
like these 100 ‘small’ employee owned businesses BM
better check the expiration date of your wingnut juice, you guys are becoming an embarrasment to your masters
Bud, I couldn’t give a shit if people want to get together and form a co-op, I wish them all the luck in the world.
A co-op is no different to any business that starts up, anyone who succeeds especially in the current economic climate deserves plenty of praise.
Of course, the existence of a number of large cooperatives suggests a certain sample bias in the people you speak to, ” most if not all are happy just doing a 40 hr week”.
Besides, I thought the nacts were running an excellent, business-friendly economy that really helps the job producers in NZ. Can’t think where I got that impression from.
The problem with that is that the subbies aren’t getting more money.
And in a co-op they’d be able to share it around.
“With a co-op they become owners and are liable for monies owed.”
Not always, BM. It would depend on how the coop was set up, particularly the initial set up costs. Just like any other Ltd Co. in NZ, there would likely be bank overdrafts to tide of temporary dips in trade and should the business fail, then it would depend on the ownership structure, the securities and how personal the liabilities were before any shareholder would be liable.
NZ has famously soft bankruptcy provisions, and an established business environment that allows the broke Acme Widgets to fold and then Acme Widgets 2013 Ltd. to rise from the ashes with the same ownership and management.
So, what I’m saying is that a coop is subject to the same business laws and operating dynamics as any other kiwi business. And the same (limited) risks. The key question would be how much it costs to set it up. Buying an existing, but bankrupt, business is obviously way cheaper than starting from scratch, so individual workers may have very small exposure in the event of it failing. And if the ownership is vested in a trust, then it is the trust that would go broke, not the individual worker/owners.
BM @ 1.1.1.2.1: in your fervour to disseminate elitist neo-liberal rubbish you don’t even understand, you prove an appalling ignorance which disqualifies you from pushing even that shit-barrow.
Your minimalisation – “Yes employees do lose a bit of coin……” followed by the contradistinction – “but they’re not liable for any of the debts that the company they work for owe.” – is ignorant bullshit !
170 plus finance companies gone down the gurgler for billions of dollars in recent years. In the main their directors and shareholders walked away, as a matter of law owing not a skerrick of debt. Not because they were NOT co-operatively themed enterprises but because they were incorporated as limited liability companies. So your attempt at highlighting a “sufficient” quid pro quo is ignorant bullshit !
There is NOTHING to stop a co-operatively themed enterprise meeting the legal requirements for incorporation as a limited liability company. In which case the “owners” of the “co-operative” walk away just like your wide-boys.
What you’re really saying is that you don’t like the IDEA of co-operatively themed enterprises because that runs counter to the gospel according to Thatcher, Reagan, Key and ACT. And, in keeping with the neo-liberal “wisdom”, workers are essentially inferior and incapable. Well come right out and say it then and be judged for the lunacy of that assertion. Just don’t bullshit about the legal and commercial facts.
I don’t know whether you’re a two-bob Tory or not. You sound like one. Certainly you are in the nature of a cheap snob, an ignorant and wrongheaded one at that.
I thought you were my friend 😐
BM is a fucking child.
He’s deftly demonstrated that he knows next to fuck all about how most enterprises are structured, yet he thinks he can dictate the ownership structure, liability, and finance arrangements of a hypothetical enterprise he wants no part of.
Well done BM, you’ve just proved that a co-op imagined by an idiot could well be a miserable failure.
Once again I couldn’t give a fuck if some people want to start a co-op.
Big fucking deal,.
The thing is, I’m not some ideologically driven wanker such as yourself where everything must follow a particular path,
if a co-op rocks your boat, go for it.
If you want to start and run your own business and employ people, whoo hoo more power to you.
If you’re happy to be a wage slave, good for you, whom am I to judge.
The one size fits all theoretical bull shit is what holds the left back.
“The thing is, I’m not some ideologically driven wanker such as yourself where everything must follow a particular path”
lolz, according to your comments above anyone starting a co-op must follow a very particular path. And as it happens it’s a stupid, poorly conceived path which I imagine no-one would be particularly interested in following.
And that, my dim-witted little chum, is why why can’t see many examples of the type of stupid, poorly conceived strawman co-ops that you brilliantly imagined.
Yes you are. You believe that everyone must submit to the capitalist paradigm, that the rich are the saviours and that everyone else is a loser. So as not to consider yourself a loser you model yourself upon the rich and thus becoming the biggest loser of all as you lose yourself.
Isn’t it funny. The most ardent idealogues always believe that their view is the only rational, correct one, and that all other peoples are deluded.
Some links.
http://www.geo.coop/
http://www.american.coop/
http://jasecon.org/
http://www.ellerman.org/category/main-blog/
Co-ops are just a way of allowing workers to take over bankrupt businesses to keep their jobs.
They still have to go to the banks for funds, play by all the rules, so in itself its not at all an alternative to capitalism.
The co-ops in Argentina that came out of the 2001 Argentinazo were enabled by a law which allowed them to contest with the boss for ownership in lieu of unpaid wages. Where they won the workers ended up as legal shareholders, no different to a capitalist business except they decide collectively what they can pay in wages rather than a boss.
Co-ops can play a progressive role if worker-owners come to see them as more than running a business and part of a wider strategy of socialisation that means taking over the whole economy.
The co-ops in Argentina that joined forces and tried to set up a co-op trading system inside the capitalist economy were heading in the right direction. In the process they see the need to plan production on a large scale rather than be concerned only with their own success.
But without state banks, and without socialisation of more strategic industries, which means a socialist government and socialist plan, co-ops will always remain a fringe activity unable to break out of the global capitalist economy.
A reason why Mondragon built and uses its own bank.
A network of collective and and mutual organisations can work together to gain a degree of independence from the retail banks.
Building societies and credit unions working hand in hand with manufacturing and service collectives.
Marie Schroff has suggested that anyone wondering if they are being spied on by the GCSB should ask if this is so.
So I thought I would do so and have emailed on the following terms. Other Standardistas may wish to do the same.
“info@gcsb.govt.nz
Request for personal information
Dear Ian
I note the GCSB is alleged to have illegally spied on 88 New Zealanders over the past few years. The allegation is contained in the Kitteridge report which somehow was recently leaked to the media.
I can’t imagine why but I wondered if I was one of the 88. So pursuant to the Official Information Act 1982 and/or the Privacy Act 1993 can you tell me if I am on that list and if so what information you obtained about me?
My full name is #### and my date of birth is ####.
Looking forward to your reply.
Yours etc”
And my email bounced back …
According to the GCSB website the email is right.
Maybe their email address is a secret one?
I guess we could write to the PM instead? He’s in charge after all…
Actually it’s a good idea for many here…
It’s a trap?
And now webmaster@gcsb.govt.nz is not working either …
My email to that address has also bounced back.
Funnily enough the header on their contact page says “Mastery of Cyberspace for the security of New Zealand”. If their website is an example I can understand why they are in such difficulty …
try weownyou@usa.com
Hehe
Same happened to Penny Bright. She was given “info@ etc etc, bounced back, but on further enquiry was given “information@ etc etc.
Maybe you could email Schroff’s office and let them know you have no way of contacting the GCSB as per her suggestion.
GCSB email is : Information@gcsb.govt.nz
(I’ve had a reply – so I know it works 🙂
Penny Bright
I have decided to do the same after hearing Keith Locke and others talking about this on Checkpoint last night. We all have the right to know whether we have been subject to the interest of the GCSB and/or the SIS, and if so, what they have – irrespective of whether or not we might be one of the 88.
So my OIA/Privacy Act request will not refer to the latter – just be a general inquiry, probably in the form of a written letter by snail mail (registerd?) rather than letting them know my email …..
The devil in me would like to see them inundated with such requests.
Surprise, Key goes non stick, and Labour, yet again, mess up another open goal chance. Two left feet, not likely.
Gower trots out the spin, the public are becalmed, and the ‘main’ opposition still collect the wage packets despite being totally crap and ineffective.
Good work, numb nuts.
Can you clarify please The Allen – what’s Labour done/said now ? I missed the news …..
Gower on three news this morning spinning the nat company line and bringing Labour’s latest failure [The swing and a miss at the overseer] to the surface for all to see.
Still, it’s not like voters don’t already know dead ducks, fish and toxic shit float.
Better luck next time, Grant.
[rob: your email address in last 2 comments is incorrect, I am fixing it for you, please check…]
Sorry about and thanks for that mate, some arsehat gcsb hacker agent must have planted the extra letter in my email address when I wasn’t looking.
A lesson for all to remain vigilant like Rob. 😆
Yes it just makes them all the more gung ho and they will go for broke now having got the bumbling DS and old guard entrenched till 2014.
Watching DS/Curran/King/mallard etc and it’s job done, they look like the useless troughers the NACT are in terms of getting middle, lower NZ out of the intentional dive they’ve been put in.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/04/11/uk-cyprus-bailout-gold-idUKBRE93A0JS20130411
NZ handed over its gold reserves to the IMF in 1961, and have been implementing the conditionalities policies , which came with the loans , ever since!
This will be the continued M.O, to ensure that the real currency (no fiat), continues to find its way to the tip top of the pyramid!
Now why would it be of such high priority/interest to get hold of the gold!
Good question especially considering how useless gold is.
Are you suggesting that being forced to hand over gold reserves, should provide loss of *no value*?
Seems to be of value when using to service a nations own fraudulant debt, consisting of paper, digital figures, etc.
Someones think its of value B, thats really the important part of the discussion!
Yep, pretty much.
Would you like to put come context around that last Draco?
Money is always fiat. I’ve explained this before and so those debts aren’t fraudulent except in how they came about (countries don’t need to borrow as they have the resources needed to maintain themselves). The big thing about debt is that the person or government in debt can always renege on it. That’s the risk of loaning money to people and/or governments.
Now, consider the uselessness of gold. Most of it gets dug up, turned into bars and sealed in a vault somewhere.
What I’m getting at here is that there’s a belief that gold is valuable when it actually isn’t. Same can be said of money really.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9988358/Cyprus-bailout-cost-surges-to-23bn.html
Cyprus bailout cost surges to €23bn
BOOM – Just like that, 34% increase in the cost of the *bailout*!
Next Stop….
Yippy! No need for Austerity in the UK!
Turns out Thatcher squirreled away billions
by not giving it to Europe!!!
Propaganda swept away criticism of Thatcher,
that even after her death she still has them working
to twisted logic to make her look good.
They could not find anything to justify their
adoration of her, but then they remembered
she saved all that money from being paid
to the Eu, despite ignoring the horrendous
Austerity program they are rolling out due to
her market economic ideology failing so
spectacularly. Tories still delusional dills.
In NZ the Pike River Mine families find out
that deregulation of their industry by
parliamentarians led to their loved ones death.
Lucky that hey, that the only people in the
system who can’t be held to account, MPs,
who did away with a upper chamber to cut corners,
who did away with regulations of mines, to the
chorus of the-market-will-provide, are not now
accountable.
Its was a massive herding by media to stop, distort,
dismiss, criticism of favored politicians. Politicians
who thought it would never catch up to them.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/6198708/EU-costs-Britain-118bn-a-year.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9643193/EU-budget-who-pays-what-and-how-it-is-spent.html
Where do these articles fit into the equation?
When asked about Thatchers legacy, a british MP said that she saved Britian billions by standing up to the EU over the budget refund. I took offense to this considering the wasteland caused by
Austerity, how is the great gamble that has left Britain in such fiscal crisis placated by this one off temporary victory that failed to save UK from ravages of the GFC.
LOL, the would have been refering to the UK, EU rebate!
Needless to say its like paying your yearly tax bill, then receiving a fraction of it back as * a return*. and believing that you’re up on the deal!
Its rich, that Conservatives are beating themselves up to find a good reason to justify their adoration for Thatcher by citing how she got them a rebate, have they seen the effects of debt, of austerity, of polarization, she has left in her wake.
Hey…….Bunter Brownlee’s going to London for the the Vile Old Bag’s send off.
Be a bugger if he’s flying Samoa Air which apparently wants to levy a significant surcharge for obesity.
Apologies for my churlishness but I still well remember ’72 when all the brainiac Tories could say about Norm Kirk was this – “Well, if he can’t control his own weight how can he control a country ?
No apologies re the Vile Old Bag. Pensioners died from the cold while she hosted Pinochet. And lauded the “reasonable” people in the Khmer Rouge. And declaimed Nelson Mandela as a terrorist.
And praised the Taliban as freedom-fighters. And supported Saddam Hussein. And turned her hateful gimlet eye on the Irish hunger-strikers, and let them die.
More Austerity class war dispatches from the Artist Taxi drive from the U$K
Who are the True Blues?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GueMzVfhvc&list=UUGThM-ZZBba1Zl9rU-XeR-A&index=2
**G8 Special** BBC Sucks O Cocks News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcmkrShK-GM&list=UUGThM-ZZBba1Zl9rU-XeR-A&index=1
“This bloody government are laughing at the poor. Remember when they were told that cuts must be made to welfare…..all the bloody Tories CHEERED like the evil pigs that they are. This myth of a so called recession is just a cover to take everything away from the poor and disabled and give it to the filthy rich!!! Keep telling it like it is Mark!”
“Oh my god. I have just heard a load of fucking celebrities are going thatchers funeral. It is a fucking pr stunt. They are glorifying this bitch and her policies so they can bring more of them in. What the fuck has Jeremy Clarkson got to do with it? The bbc is true blue for sure. 7 hours of necrophilia in parliament and now this. This is just fucking weird. Are one direction going to perform karma chameleon at the funeral?”
“Keep it going Mark!! This drooling over Thatcher has made me physically sick. And the BBC calls those of us who are not shedding a tear anarchists?! Try telling that to my Dad…one of thousands of Thames Lightermen who lost their jobs in the 1980s because of her. He won’t even talk about it to this day. Honest working people who never claimed a days benefit ripped apart. And we’re seeing it all over again. I will never forgive Thatcher.”
“Well said mark it’s an all out attack on the vulnerable while gov blood sucking parasites claim thousands in tax payers money. Its about greed. Smoke and mirrors media whoring about scroungers. I’m too disabled at 58 to work I’m raging angry too. I’ve no heat with chronic body spasms and chronic asthma triggered by cold to pay this bedroom tax. It’s either no heat little food or evicted from my home.Six worn discs, chronic pain, and housebound. Atos!!! says I’m fit to work!!!! Utter disgrace!!!We need to redo this gov”
LEST WE FORGET
how low we are falling
http://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/563827_10151601139550775_1870773157_n.jpg
Give that frigate a $100,000 fine and a prison sentence. How dare they protest!
We’ve fallen a long, long way. Shearer would probably want to pay Blackwater’s Ocean Division to send a ship, given his love of mercenaries. And seeing that the testing has stopped, the protest would probably be for the French to start up again.
It felt good to be a Kiwi when Big Norm sent that ship. Since then, it’s mostly just felt embarrassing. Even Lange’s witty slapping down of a frat boy from Jerry Falwell College was just a diversion from what Douglas was doing.
Now we have a Labour Party that believes in what? That we’re lucky to have them in opposition because they hold the government to account? Great, that seems to be their plan for the foreseeable future.
So I’ve got a decision to make, in my new job I (I left my old one a month ago because I hated it) I have the opportunity to join the PSA
On the one hand I think unions are out for themselves at the expense of others but on the other hand I do like to get more than others for doing the same job…decisions, decisions
“in my new job I (I left my old one a month ago because I hated it)”
90 day sack law you voted for come back and bite you on the arse did it?
I left my old job (had been there 4 years) because I hated it and have found a new job doing what I actually like
Yeah, you would say that. 😆
I agree with the 90 day law, I think its a good thing and working well (I notice Labour or the Greens don’t talk about it much anymore)
But thats what you do if you’re in a job you don’t like, you leave when you can and find a better job…don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner
“But thats what you do if you’re in a job you don’t like, you leave when you can and find a better job…don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner”
Should have just exploited the fact most bosses are shit and take liberties with employment contracts and work place relations.
Two for two at the era, so far, and it would have been a threepeat had I not settled for a new pair of boots and an apology, saving the jobs of one, maybe two staff who would have been let go to afford the expected payout.
Social conscience cost me more than a few grand, but ninety day sack laws are tools of the weak.
“Should have just exploited the fact most bosses are shit and take liberties with employment contracts and work place relations.”
– There was nothing wrong with the job, I just didn’t like it so why would I have anything to do with that when I was the one with the problem?
“There was nothing wrong with the job, I just didn’t like it so why would I have anything to do with that when I was the one with the problem?”
No other reason than to say bosses are shit and I’m a lot better than at least three of them are 🙂
Key’s broken promise on raising wages
Has a lovely graph on it showing the precise amount of difference that the 90 day fire at will bill made on unemployment.
‘ ….found a new job doing what I actually like’
Good luck finding someone to pay you for jerking off.
Shane Jones managed it
lol…good call soldier, but seriously you are hardly Shane Jones material are you. I mean I very much doubt Shane laps up Whaleoil like yourself for starters.
Of course not, politicians don’t read blogs after all.
Key must have been the first to spread that rumour, cos it’s clearly a lie.
Well, Key has staff who read the blogs for him, so for him it’s technically the truth. No surprise.
Touche. Well played, sir, well played.
Chris73 you better keep your trolling mouth shut at the new job that you like because you open it and they’re gonna think you’re an arsehole and a wanker and a wannabe Key Cargo Cultist.
lol
“I think unions are out for themselves at the expense of others but on the other hand I do like to get more than others for doing the same job”
you do realise what you just said right?
if more people joined the union, more people would have more
love your work man, 😎
I didn’t explain myself as well as I could have (the perils of concentrating on marvel avengers alliance)
Basically I know I might get more benefits for myself by joining the psa however the more I get has to come from somewhere plus it’d make me a hypocrite if i did join…
“has to come from somewhere”
Yep – it would come from the power that association brings, and it would boost profits for the owners too – cf: Australia, Germany etc.
Except in this its a government job so the extra benefits would I guess be paid for by tax payers
If you’ve taken a public service job you’re already a hypocrite.
Not really, just the job I’m doing falls under the banner.
…not to mention your bludging off the taxpayer in the army. What? You think one public service job is somehow different from another?
or you could acknowledge the subconscious event and accept you might have grown a little 🙂
Maybe you realised, deep down inside, that a little less profit to create a bit more pay
is a lot better for everybody
I agree withe unions in theory, what i dont like are unions like the teachers union who are more concerned with protecting their members as opposed to helping (and in some cases) protecting students
You must really hate the Police Association, who are more concerned with protecting their members as opposed to campaigning for and protecting the accused. Or is that not a union, and therefore allowed to act on behalf of its members?
What on earth do you think unions are for? Have you ever stopped to think that they may have some other purpose than giving Slater a hardon every time he types out “union scum”?
You probably think consumer associations should protect the rights of employers, as should employer associations.
On another note: which organisations do the most to attack and fail to protect young people, the Teachers’ Unions or your beloved Tory government?
You must really hate the Police Association, who are more concerned with protecting their members as opposed to campaigning for and protecting the accused.
– They also have gone too far in terms of putting their own interests first, it is a tough one though because some of their concerns are actually about life and death situations
– But like anything unions (and we’ll go with unions in NZ) started out with great intentions and did some excellent work but as the saying goes a little bit of power…I’m sure we all remember the strikes in the 70s-80s,especially the interislander (for me the very late 70s)
Chris73 do you realise what an arch-idiot you are saying what you said about teachers and their union(s) ? Teachers don’t care about the kids ???? Fuck off ! You’re no better than that flatulent lump from Waitakere with all her facile bullshit.
And if I ever saw a ridiculous non-sequitur you provide it in your comment about Police Association not protecting and campaigning on behalf of the accused.
How can a punkarsed neo-liberal like you presume to speak pejoratively about tenuously identified “self-interest” in others ?
“but as the saying goes a little bit of power…”
In case you’ve genuinely forgotten the rest of that sentence, allow me:
A little bit of power and nek minit workplace safety, meal breaks, holidays, penal rates, a wage that supports a family, job security, allowances for costs, right to collective bargaining, legal representation.
You’re welcome.
Why do you always talk such shit, Chris73?
Regarding your hatred of teachers, put up or shut up, asshole.
Describing your penis as ‘Marvel Avengers Alliance’ is not only sad, I suspect it’s breaching Disney’s copyright.
Hulk smash!
Um – if your knob has swelled massively and (more importantly) turned green, I suggest you examine whether PSA membership includes any health benefits.
To paraphrase Don Brash:
“I don’t think the moderators want any posters to be talking about my gentlemens sausage to be quite frank”
True enough.
It does make me wonder about the possible inherited traits of any male issue from likely love-interest sub-plots in future avengers films, though. High school could be a very difficult time – although the lad could be popular in college.
http://alt-world.com/altworld/?p=8674
hah – clocked off the work internet traffic management, that one. Must be good 🙂
That wasn’t any gentleman’s sausage. Brash was a right old stick man, remember ? As unlikely as that would seem.
Careful now Chris – you need to get past the 90 days – before you haven’t wasted your money on union fees
Just another day in the Occupation
Israeli troops shoot Palestinian photographer in the face
He was recording their invasion of a refugee camp in Aida.
Next time some halfwit tries to tell you that Israel is a democratic country, say: “Then explain this, Dr. Bassett”….
http://972mag.com/photos-palestinian-photographer-shot-in-the-face-by-israeli-troops/68897/
I don’t see how that makes Israel a non democratic country, Prof. A country run by a brutal state that doesn’t give a shit about minority rights, international law, or human decency, sure. I just don’t see what it is about democracy that makes those things impossible.
Great to see David Cunliffe raising the questions that need answering about taxes and multinationals in the NZH today. About time we saw some good thought leadership happening from our politicians.
This is the kind of vision stuff the country is craving. Ties in the economic and social arguments and gets people thinking.
Why on earth aren’t they using Cunliffe more? Given every time he speaks/ writes at the moment, he effectively exposes the Government’s flaws. Good stuff. We want more!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10877012.
I suspect they would rather lose the next election and hold onto their jobs and salaries rather than actual challenge neoliberal orthodoxy, even to the extent that Cunliffe does. They won’t use him because their beliefs are closer to Key’s than they are to his.
And by the look of the comments the punters agree. Way to go David.
3: “hospital meals, may be a week old after preparation before consumption.”
South Korea : Watch-con too.
“Noahs Ark” project-the tiger, the lion and the grizzly bear; “and the lambs shall lay with…”
Reinsurance flows will increase the $ / TWI
mango or Shelly, shark-infested swamps?
CL: Cadmium;” Heavy metals are part of our economy (super=phosphate)
oh, kidney failure? wait…breast cancer, testicular cancer
residues 5 x in dairying / agricultural fields
highest levels in their systems-vegetarians, unfortunately, and wheat consumers.
good evidence kiwis exceed safe limits of ingestion most nights (potatoes)
un-marketable offal? goes into blood and bone
(turnips” will suck it up privately, turnips)
sooo, now land values and food security are questionable; an Energizer bunny indeed.
threat of Zespri staff being arrested in the home of the goose-berry; Key- “it’s an important market, we need to grow that.” PSA? Hello, cat got your memory? or is just an ornament to the side of the stocking. (don’t forget the bed of fire-clay in the coal mine then).
thank goodness we can relax ourselves with the 50th anniversary of the good Dr (on Prime)
-“run you clever boy, and remember”
(Celia Imrie, whoar) pointless being a monk and fez are not fetching for every one.
“hoovering up data and hoovering up people”.
see, 101 places to be; 🙂
Morning Report-” 3 more years of house prices rising steply in Ak, Well. and ChCh; Forbidden cities indeed.
proverb you won’t read on kiwiblog:
4.20 expiration am, gears loose wearing, mystery won’t see them again. Dingle (Keyser alarm saze) the exhaust pyrometer is climbing into the red.
Peak derp
http://chemtrailsnorthnz.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/uncensored-interview-lord-moncktons-covers-up-chemtrailsgeoengineering/
http://xkcd.com/966/
Talk about paranoid:
http://weatherwars.info/
It’s actually a nice role that wikileaks offered, really. You can say to all these conspiracy nuts: “if this really is such a massive coverup, how come no one has leaked it to wikileaks yet?”.
Loon resource.
/
http://educate-yourself.org/dc/
Why are you reading it then posting it here PB?
Make you feel safe/confident in yourself that you know whats going on by doing so?
Then seeking affirmation from the site herd, that you’re *in the know* about this….
You got Joe90, and Lanth – SCORE!
Joe -Still waiting for your reponse about SFO, as it related to that picture you posted the many days ago now!
“Why are you reading it then posting it here PB?”
Because it’s fucking funny muzza.
lol
Why would a subject with high likelihood of serious negative consequences, which are going to impossible to measure/forecast the fallout of, be so funny to you!
Best hope its not happening eh bro, if you want to keep that attitude up!
Approaching the point, Muzz.
[sigh]
You are assuming a highly complex explanation based on scant evidence. You then interpret all subsequent data so that it fits your hypothesis. To the point of absurdity and, yes, humour.
And for my part I’m assuming that your confirmation bias is the result of stupidity, and not part of some elaborate social “experiment” you are conducting without documentation, peer review, ethics committee authorisation or participant consent.
How is Project Onan going, by the way?
As I said to P’s B, best hope its not actually happening then eh, McFlock!
And perhaps keep the stupidity for the perception bias you’ve formed about my online handle here, I’ll leave perception bias to the un-evolved, and wait for them to catch up, which will be a wee way of for most, if ever!
Scant evidence – McFlock, its only the threat to the egos of the *self styled*, who want to believe this, as it’s an affront to all they believe to *know*, about the world, and the self esteem is not prepared to accept that sort of abuse, as yet!
P’s B (below comment) – Monkton, has only ever been an attempt to distract, which many have brought into. He represents various interests and plays the role, somewhat effectively, although it looks like he has a whole new set of issues to deal with, and I would expect him to disappear from the stage pretty quickly, or change tact.
Best hope that the zombies don’t attack you tonight, eh!
Given that now you’re blaming your handle for perceptions about your beliefs regarding contrails, are we to infer that your contrail obsession is actually a contrivance constructed as part of your social “experiments” here, muzz?
But we do agree that monckton is an intentional distraction. I think he’s a shill for the dying fossil fuels industry. You think he’s a cover-up for what: contrail-engineered global warming? Cui bono – who benefits?
Zombies – What are you on about McFlock, watching too many movies, or getting stuck into the *bath salts* perhaps.
The experiments are going on at your expense, along with everyone else’s, including my own!
All I ‘m doing is commenting on the experiments, which are not yet mainstream, and watching people live completely unaware of what is going on around them. Even those who somewhat are aware, still have constraints which are allowing the experiments you refer, to continue, and its all an experiment, which should have the science types super excited, so be part of it!
As always, it will be a time lag before people, including those who ridicule (out of fear mostly), begin to accept whats going on above them, and go through the intermal critique which is necessary, before humanity can move forward meaningfully.
Better hope you’re right McFlock, have an honest self evaluation of how confident you are in your position, then ask whose position has a larger probable downside, yours or mine!
I’m wrong, (great, ill be happy to be so), no damage to people or the environment. etc.
You, and those sharing your position wrong, and the consequence, could be all the way down to the bottom, for everyone/everything!
I’m happy that you’re wrong too.
Needless to say, you’re one of those who could do with some inward reflection!
The underwhelming lack of confidence in your words, exposes your *truth*, as always!
Consider them the twin, of the insults you throw about!
Attacking me at your weak spots makes them no less yours, you tiresome cretin.
Did you see a chemtrail as the point flew over your head?
Muzz, if you’re wrong then nutbars like you have been used to discredit folk with genuine environmental or political concerns for the last forty years. If your think that that is zero-harm behaviour then you’re a bigger idiot than you pretend.
Don’t get me wrong Muzza.
Nothing would please me more than that everywhere Monckton went he was confronted by people with oversized hi-res printouts of chemtrails demanding to know why he was covering up the real scandal.
Soon there’ll only be one true sovereign person/freeman/knower of the truth on the whole planet. All else will be controlled opposition.
You got to love the way the Jap’s and Yank’s are printing money hand over fist then banking some of it here, all because of our high interest rates, inflation and rising dollar which will keep rising because of demand and shortage, so a win win for the money traders, all the while Billygoat English and the Reserve bank sit by doing nothing.
We need to start Printing Money now before it’s to late, if English and The Reserve bank thinks they can just sit around while 2 of the worlds largest economies print trillions of dollars then I would suggest they are as corrupt as Key or stupid or both.
Another twist to the ongoing GCSB saga etc which really doesn’t fit under any of the other posts to date, referred to in a comment on Russell Brown’s Key Questions post on Public Address.
The Dept of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) have recently put up a RFP tender (38883) on the http://www.gets.govt.nz site for a “Security Sector Professional Development Programme”.
I have not looked at the detail of the RFP as you need to register on the site to do so, but apparently it is looking for
” an innovative supplier to provide a professional development programme for executives and senior officials within the security sector. The focus of the programme is to equip officials with the knowledge and skills required to deal with the myriad of security challenges that threaten New Zealand’s wellbeing and prosperity.”
The fact that it is a DPMC-initiated tender for a programme across the ‘security sector’ is in line with the changes and structure of the sector outlined in Chris Trotter’s revealing post on The Daily Blog
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/04/11/breaking-worse-than-we-thought-rebecca-kitteridge-and-the-new-community-of-spooks/
I recommend this post as a ‘must read’ as it is a good piece of investigative journalism giving an insight into what has been going on behind the scenes – almost up to Karol’s high standard!
I had almost given up on Trotter over the last year or so, but this post, and one or two of his other posts over the last month or so, have started to restore him in my eyes.
Under “Feeds” in the side panel (about 15 down at the moment) is “Citizen with Keith Locke & Selwyn ManningThe Jackal | 2013-04-11”
It is yet another daunting set of opinions re the GSB. Keith Locke was there during the 2003 Act passage and is adamant that the NZ citizens were definitely exempt from spying in spite of the Key spin that the Act is ambiguous. Keith reckons that the first thing in a Court of Law would be to look at the intent of the Act and it would be impossible to argue ambiguity. The Government would hate to see it before the Court! A great session but not sure how to link directly.
Exhausted:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDStHQLSQWQ – pieces of 8
“got a friend in End casino and it’s getting close to Harvest time
she was kinda cute if a little pass her Prime”
tired now. have an Excellent weekend.a DVD and Scrabble for the Rogue : carry on, as you were, at ease.
now
( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZyVZFJGX5g )
*much?
-my name it is Sam Hall, may the Good Lord bless you all. 😉
Parallel Lines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZZXOTRU75Q
for Christina
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkbaRJuZ3A8
-“Momma always said I’d go like this if I didn’t change my ways…stretched between a dead cyborg motorbike and a really better cyborg motorbike impaled on the tip of a bullet train in the japanese badlands.”
The Ghost Rider.
David Shearer was interviewed and took calls on Radio Live (1pm to 2.15).
It’ll be on the Radio Live website if you want to hear it, but don’t bother, I did it so you don’t have to.
Summary – he likes Winston Peters, he thought Tamihere was going to be first Maori PM, he agrees with Prince Charles about housing, his bank account same old same old, and he sang along with Sinatra and Tamihere (mercifully brief). Nothing terrible, nothing memorable, nothing very political, and nobody listened.
He is stuttering less than before, so he is still saying nothing much, but he’s saying nothing less badly.
Oh. Is Shearer still here? I thought he must have abdicated or summat.
Maybe he has.
Compare and contrast …
https://twitter.com/DavidShearerMP
https://twitter.com/grantrobertson1
One has said nothing for a week. The other is leading the Labour party.
It would be head/desk if my head had metaphorically ever left my desk in order to pound against it again. Mumblefuck’s beyond hope and finally even his own caucus knows it, but doesn’t know what to do with him while Mallard makes Zaphod Beeblebrox look modest and prudent and Robertson persists in thinking that elections are vending machines into which you keep inserting press releases until government falls out.
They’re so desperate not to lose control of the party, they can’t win for the people they claim to represent.
gotta Fly
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092618/
weeds are Pilling up. thanks Lyn n
Ken Orr, the “Right to life” guy, ‘deplores’ the recent attack on a nurses car, but can’t see why anyone would value the victim:
http://righttolife.org.nz/2013/04/12/vandalism-of-abortion-nurses-car-deplored/
That’s because he’s a fuckwit, for those keeping score at home.
On the fightback in Spain
Suing banks over evictions – and winning.
And in Andalusia
The fightback gained momentum a few months ago when locksmiths and police put their jobs on the line by refusing to help with evictions
(Apologise for the length of this post – but some may find it useful? )
‘Open Letter’ / formal request to the CEO of the Finance Markets Authority (FMA) to conduct an investigation into the Mighty River Power prospectus.
12 April 2013
Sean Hughes
Finance Markets Authority CEO
Dear Sean,
Please be reminded of your statutory duties arising from the Finance Markets Authority Act 2011:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2011/0005/latest/DLM3231068.html
9FMA’s functions
(1)The FMA’s functions are as follows:
(a)to promote the confident and informed participation of businesses, investors, and consumers in the financial markets, including (without limitation) by—
(i)collecting and disseminating information or research about any matter relating to those markets:
(ii)issuing warnings, reports, or guidelines, or making comments, about any matter relating to those markets, financial markets participants, or other persons engaged in conduct relating to those markets (including in relation to 1 or more
particular persons):
(iii)providing information about its functions, powers, and duties under this Act and other enactments (including promoting awareness by investors that all investments involve risks and that it is not the role of the FMA to remove those risks):
(iv)providing, or facilitating the provision of, public information and education about any matter relating to those markets:
(b)to perform and exercise the functions, powers, and duties conferred or imposed on it by or under the financial markets legislation and any other enactments:
(c)to monitor compliance with, investigate conduct that constitutes or may constitute a contravention of, and enforce—
(i)the Acts referred to in Part 1 of Schedule 1 (and the enactments made under those Acts); and
(ii)the Acts referred to in Part 2 of Schedule 1 (and the enactments made under those Acts) to the extent that those Acts or other enactments apply, or otherwise relate, to financial markets participants:
(d)to monitor, and conduct inquiries and investigations into any matter relating to, financial markets or the activities of financial markets participants or of other persons engaged in conduct relating to those markets:
(e)to keep under review the law and practices relating to financial markets, financial markets participants, and other persons engaged in conduct relating to those markets:
(f)to co-operate with—
(i)any other law enforcement or regulatory agency (including under section 30):
(ii)overseas regulators (including under section 30 or 31).
(2)Subsection (1)(b) and (c) do not limit the functions, powers, and duties conferred or imposed on any other person in respect of financial markets legislation.
(3)The fact that some other person has functions, powers, and duties in respect of financial markets legislation does not limit or restrict the FMA’s functions, powers, and duties in respect of that legislation.
(4)Except as expressly provided otherwise in this or any other Act, the FMA must act independently in performing its statutory functions and duties, and exercising its statutory powers, under—
(a)this Act; and
(b)any other Act that expressly provides for the functions, powers, or duties of the FMA (other than the Crown Entities Act 2004).
Compare: 1978 No 103 s 10
_______________________________________________
Schedule 1
Financial markets legislation
s 4
Part 1
Auditor Regulation Act 2011
Financial Advisers Act 2008
Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008
Parts 4 and 5 and Schedules 1 and 2 of the KiwiSaver Act 2006
Sections 45U and 45V of the Public Finance Act 1989
Securities Act 1978
Securities Markets Act 1988
Securities Transfer Act 1991
Securities Trustees and Statutory Supervisors Act 2011
Superannuation Schemes Act 1989
Unit Trusts Act 1960
Schedule 1 Part 1: amended, on 1 July 2012, by section 82 of the Auditor Regulation Act 2011 (2011 No 21).
Schedule 1 Part 1: amended, on 30 June 2012, by section 11 of the Public Finance (Mixed Ownership Model) Amendment Act 2012 (2012 No 45).
Schedule 1 Part 1: amended, on 1 October 2011, by section 60(2) of the Securities Trustees and Statutory Supervisors Act 2011 (2011 No 10).
Part 2
Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009
Building Societies Act 1965
Companies Act 1993
Co-operative Companies Act 1996
Corporations (Investigation and Management) Act 1989
Sections 220, 228, 229, 240, 242, and 256 to 260 of the Crimes Act 1961
Financial Reporting Act 1993
Friendly Societies and Credit Unions Act 1982
Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1908
Limited Partnerships Act 2008
Part 5C of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989
Trustee Companies Act 1967
_________________________________________________________________________
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1988/0234/latest/DLM140405.html
8A Who is information insider
(1) A person is an information insider of a public issuer if that person—
(a) has material information relating to the public issuer that is not generally available to the market; and
(b) knows or ought reasonably to know that the information is material information; and
(c) knows or ought reasonably to know that the information is not generally available to the market.
(2)A public issuer may be an information insider of itself.
Section 8A: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1988/0234/latest/DLM140407.html
8BMeaning of inside information
In this subpart, inside information means the information in respect of which a person is an information insider of the public issuer in question.
Section 8B: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
8C Information insider must not trade
An information insider of a public issuer must not trade securities of the public issuer.
Section 8C: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
8D Information insider must not disclose inside information
An information insider (A) of a public issuer must not directly or indirectly disclose inside information to another person (B) if A knows or ought reasonably to know or believes that B will, or is likely to,—
(a )trade securities of the public issuer; or
(b) if B is already a holder of those securities, continue to hold them; or
(c) advise or encourage another person (C) to trade or hold them.
Section 8D: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
8E Information insider must not advise or encourage trading
An information insider (A) of a public issuer must not—
(a) advise or encourage another person (B) to trade or hold securities of the public issuer:
(b) advise or encourage B to advise or encourage another person (C) to trade or hold those securities.
Section 8E: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
8F Criminal liability for insider conduct
A person who contravenes any of sections 8C to 8E commits an offence (see section 43 for the maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment and a $300,000 fine for an individual or a $1,000,000 fine for a body corporate) if the person has actual knowledge—
(a) that the information is material information; and
(b) that the information is not generally available to the market; and
(c) in the case of a contravention of section 8D, of any of the matters set out in section 8D(a) to (c).
Section 8F: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
________________________________________________________________________
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8465532/Call-to-ban-ministers-from-share-float
Three-quarters of Sunday Star-Times readers believe we should follow Australia and prohibit cabinet ministers from buying shares in state-owned companies they decide to sell.
The pre-registration for the Mighty River Power share float closed on Friday with more than 440,000 signed up, but the sale of state assets remains divisive.
We asked our readers if they wanted a similar rule to Australia’s “Standards of Ministerial Ethics” that require ministers “to divest themselves of all shareholdings other than through investment vehicles such as broadly diversified superannuation funds or publicly listed managed or trust arrangements”.
It’s a rule that would prohibit buying into a state-owned asset float while in power and 75 per cent of the 788 people polled were in favour of it.
Cabinet ministers have agreed to a voluntary “moratorium” preventing the purchase of shares by all ministers, and some of their staff, until 90 days after the initial sale.
Finance Minister Bill English’s office said: “Cabinet also agreed that ministers and the staff in those offices . . . should use their best endeavours to ensure that their partners and dependent children adhere to the same moratorium.”
But our readers say that is not long enough and want a more permanent solution.
As one pro-asset sales reader said, a ban on share purchases would “prove they don’t have a vested interest or conflict of interest”.
Another said: “It would help to keep our politicians openly accountable to public scrutiny. As corruption and lobbying increases in countries around the world this is just another small way we can try and stay relatively ‘clean’ for longer and assists in enhancing our international reputation as an honest country to deal with.”
But a conflict of interest in an asset sale would, many felt, last longer than 90 days, and dozens cited fears of insider trading. One reader said: “They would probably have ‘insider knowledge’ of how MRP or any other state-owned companies were trading, and if in a downward spiral, would be able to offload them without getting hurt.”
Not everyone wants ministers forced to sell all their shares, something that might discourage successful people from standing for office.
Some cited the example of John Key, whose wealth is managed through a “blind trust” over which he says he has no control.
“Good practice would be for all ministers to put their financial affairs into a blind trust type arrangement,” one reader said.
Some also felt the suggested rule would do nothing to stop ministers from taking up roles such as directorships on assets they sold even after leaving office.
The MPs from NZ First, Labour, and the Greens have all pledged not to buy Mighty River Power shares to demonstrate their opposition to the sale.
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https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/?ui=2&ik=18afffb768&view=att&th=13ddc0c862efa428&attid=0.0&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P-I5Cd-lIWIP7LzmJSi9erv&sadet=1365196872571&sads
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RISKS and INFORMATION which have arguably not been fully disclosed in the Mighty River Power prospectus, thus potentially misleading investors :
1) Over-supply of wholesale electricity now.
2) Further over-supply of the wholesale electricity market if the Government partially-privatises State-Owned Enterprises Meridian and Genesis.
3) The consumer boycott of Mercury Energy, Mighty River Power’s main retail electricity provider by the Switch Off Mercury Energy community group. http://www.switchoffmercuryenergy.org.nz
4) Failure to attempt to quantify the cost to Mighty River Power, if Rio Tinto does not reach a deal with Meridian Energy.
5) Cabinet Ministers responsible for setting a ‘good’ price for Mighty River Power, John Key, Bill English, Steven Joyce and Tony Ryall are not prohibited by law from purchasing shares in Mighty River Power, so are potentially ‘information insiders’ as per
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1988/0234/latest/DLM140405.html
8A Who is information insider
(1) A person is an information insider of a public issuer if that person—
(a) has material information relating to the public issuer that is not generally available to the market; and
(b) knows or ought reasonably to know that the information is material information; and
(c) knows or ought reasonably to know that the information is not generally available to the market.
(2) A public issuer may be an information insider of itself.
Section 8A: inserted, on 29 February 2008, by section 5 of the Securities Markets Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 47).
(OFFICIAL INFORMATION REPLY FROM MINISTER FOR STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES TONY RYALL):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ung4048v4cgtul7/Slevel6.3-c13031716040.pdf
This information has not been disclosed to investors.
7) Mighty River Power is also arguably misleading investors , because it advertises investors to ‘share’ in a company that they arguably already own, as currently a ‘State-Owned Enterprise’.
Yours sincerely,
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
A Spokesperson for the Switch Off Mercury Energy Group
Superior edition of The Panel this afternoon
Finlay Macdonald gets his act together and delivers
Radio NZ National, Friday 12 April 2013
Jim Mora, Sam Johnson, Finlay Macdonald
Jim Mora’s Panel program has been pretty effectively purged of dissenting voices. Regular listeners will remember two of the victims of Radio NZ’s clobbering machine, AKA the “management”. Gordon Campbell on one episode challenged the bullying ex-cop Graham Bell and forced him to back down, after Bell had indulged in a wandery, foam-flecked rant against Jeanette Fitzsimmons. Entertainingly, on another occasion Campbell also embarrassed the godawful Richard Griffin into backing down and apologizing after he had made a foolish and ignorant comment about Hugo Chavez. Griffin has since then been appointed to the chair of the Radio New Zealand Board of Governors—and Campbell has never again appeared on the program. In 2011, Panelist Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury dared to criticize the Prime Minister after Key had been involved in some typically hare-brained and reckless behavior in parliament; Bradbury was banished almost instantly for this act of lèse majesté.
The few “left” or “liberal” voices that are still allowed on the Panel pose no such dangers. With the occasional exception, they are unlikely to spoil the convivial atmosphere, or to ruffle the smooth and unexamined prejudices of either Mora or the other guest, who will be almost inevitably a National Party supporter or something even further to the right.
Occasionally, though, the token liberal actually does a good job. One of the occasional exceptions is Finlay Macdonald, who this afternoon managed to actually stay on message and say something coherent…
JIM MORA: The BBC says it will continue to play “Ding Dong The Witch is Dead” even though it’s an obvious dig at Baroness Thatcher. What do we THINK of this?
SAM JOHNSON: I admired her will, and her strong character!
FINLAY MACDONALD: Well it’s all a bit obvious, really. There were plenty of songs actually inspired by Maggie Thatcher. Let’s face it: she was detested, especially in the north.
SAM JOHNSON: I liked her leadership!
FINLAY MACDONALD: She was never as popular as has been asserted recently.
SAM JOHNSON: [doubtfully] Oh, okay.
FINLAY MACDONALD: Sam, you need to remember she said some pretty terrible things. She once said that there are “reasonable people in the Khmer Rouge”.
JIM MORA: Did she actually say that?
SAM JOHNSON: She also said many clever things. “The lady’s not for turning.” That was one of her good ones.
MORA: So what do we think? Should the BBC ban this like it banned “Lola” and it bowdlerized “Fairy Tale in New York”?
FINLAY MACDONALD: Play it, I say! Play it!
SAM JOHNSON: Many people admired her resolve!
MORA: Oh okay. She’s a good witch in the eyes of a lot of people. And a bad witch to others of course.
Soapbox…
Finlay Macdonald’s contribution was a thoughtful and serious rumination on the pernicious and cynical use of the phrase “systemic failure”. The continual resort to such official codewords, he said, is a sign of the corruption of our intellectual and political life.
Macdonald made his case so compellingly that Mora actually contributed something intelligent instead of doing something flippant like countering with a quote from some right wing ideologue in the New York Times. Sam Johnson, too, showed that he is more than the ambitious young-man-on-the-make he has too often appeared to be. For a short time, The Panel was an intelligent and interesting forum.
What a pity it doesn’t happen more often.
Thanks Morrissey for that analysis. Poor guy. You are now obliged to furnish the same on a daily basis. MacDonald was great. No bones about it. Play the bloody thing !
Aunty Affable Mora was dying to clutch her pearls over the “unseemliness” of celebrating The Vile Old Bag’s going off with 666 stamped all over her arse for delivery purposes but obviously thought better of it, for fear no doubt of Finlay showing him up for the Semi-Hurrah-Henry dick he is.
The seminal thing for me about TVOB and her vaunted love of freedom and democracy is “Nelson Mandela is a terrorist”. What ??? Gimme Terrorist Nelson over you and your alarmingly inbred looking arms-dealing spawn Mummy, any day.
Saw some comedy thing the other night where this wit (Englishman) said the send-off will be the first ceremonial funeral in history where the 21 gun salute shoots the coffin.
Saw some comedy thing the other night where this wit (Englishman) said the send-off will be the first ceremonial funeral in history where the 21 gun salute shoots the coffin.
That was Frankie Boyle, from Scotland. He was speaking four years ago, following a rumour that she had died. Here’s the clip….
Good summary, Moz. I heard the latter half, and then a Mora inspired waffle about why ‘systemic failure’ was a catch all for any modern enquiry. Actually, its not. It’s what kills kiwi workers at record levels. And a finding of systemic failure does not preclude individuals being fully prosecuted for personal failings. It’s not an either/or as Mora seemed to think.
It seems that very few of these top executives are worth the risk-free pay they demand.
Any chance the SST is calling for the jailing of Peter Whittall? Nah, thought not.
Any chance the SST is calling for the jailing of Peter Whittall? Nah, thought not.
The SST has officially come out in support of the exploding gas.
Why is Gerry Brownlee wasting money by going to Thatcher’s funeral? Isn’t that the job of the High Commissioner, who is already paid and in-country?
Because he’s pretty much sorted Christchurch now and has nothing pressing to do.
🙂 Aha! That’s the answer, definitely.
Nothing at all to do with sycophantic need to be seen at a bombastic, jingoistic tory political rally.
Actually you wanna know the real answer?
It’s because Key knows everything he does is being watched and scrutinised and analysed and criticised for a change. Otherwise he’d be there already.
Also Gerry heard the baby back ribs will be made from real babies.
Yeah, I immediately thought Key would be taking the long way home from China if he could get away with it. Then I wondered why anyone should be going at all.
Hmm if Gerry wears the “Full Day Ceremonial without swords” he can hide some spare ribs in the scabbard for later.
Gluttonous bastard’s only going for the hakari anyway.
Sticking up for the NZEI on Kiwiblog! 🙂
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/04/the_nzei_campaign.html/comment-page-1#comment-1125119
There is no electorate ‘mandate’ for ‘charter’ schools.
The ACT Party did NOT campaign on this issue in the 2011 election, and neither did the National Party.
http://www.act.org.nz/policies/education
http://www.national.org.nz/PDF_General/Education_in_Schools_policy.pdf
The ‘business’ model for other essential public services has proven to be a disaster for the public – where is the evidence that it will work for students / parents or the public?
Where is the transparency and accountability under this model?
Where will the money go and who will benefit?
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-stanford/wall-street-charter-schools_b_2467608.html
Wall Street Behind Charter School Push
Posted: 01/15/2013 1:31 pm
About a quarter of the kids in the San Antonio Independent School District attend charter schools. Most are the low-income, minority students we think about when we imagine providing innovative opportunities for kids stuck in failing public schools in bad neighborhoods. For a long time, school reform has targeted only kids from poor families. You know, the lucky ones who get those free lunches.
Starting this fall, though, no longer will Texas exclude upper-middle class white kids like mine from the gravy train of school choice. Last November, the State Board of Education approved a charter allowing Great Hearts Academies to open a school in North San Antonio, the wealthier, whiter section of a majority-Hispanic city.
Great Hearts Academies operates out of Arizona, where they survive not just on public funding that would normally go to public schools but also on mandatory fees as well as contributions from students’ families, pricing Great Hearts out of reach for most San Antonio families. In other words, upper-middle class Anglos are finally getting a taxpayer-subsidized private school. Our long nightmare of being stuck in high-performing, better-funded public schools is almost over.
If that’s not what you have in mind when you think of school choice, you’re not alone. Great Hearts tried this in Nashville, but the school board rejected the charter application, arguing reasonably that creating a government-funded private school to serve an affluent, white neighborhood constituted segregation. It’s exactly what they’re planning in North San Antonio, except our school board approved it.
Private tuition and public subsidies only provide enough money to pay the teachers, buy textbooks and keep the lights on. To build schools, you need to go into massive debt. But don’t worry, because our need to borrow millions of dollars creates an investment opportunity for Wall Street investment bankers.Apparently charter schools are “a favorite cause of many of the wealthy founders of New York hedge funds.” The word you’re probably looking for is “yippee.”
Public school bonds are a safe investment, but low risk means lower reward, in this case an average 3 percent return on general-obligation funds used to raise money to build schools. But debt for charter schools runs an average of 3.8 percent higher than general-obligation bonds, and charter schools even qualify for federal tax credits under the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000.
As every investment prospectus says in small type, investments carry risk. In this case, 3.91 percent of charter-school bonds are in default versus 0.03 percent for public schools. And since 1992, 15 percent of charters have closed, including 52 in Texas.
Despite the risks, charter schools are big business. Pearson, the company that sells tests and curricula to public schools, also sells tests and curriculato charter schools, and JPMorgan Chase of worldwide economic meltdown fame is bullish on charter school construction.
“Many charter schools have expanded access to academic opportunities for students in all types of communities, so we shouldn’t let tough economic times bring them down,” said JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon.
This is the same Jamie Dimon who thought mortgage-backed securities were foolproof, who was forced to take $25 billion of our money in the bank bailout, who wrongly foreclosed on military families, whoovercharged 4,000 other military families by $2 million, and who then lost $2 billion of our money in what amounted to the kind of gambling that only happens after 4 a.m. in Las Vegas. Let’s absolutely have this guy underwrite our schools. What could go wrong that hasn’t already many times over?
Subjecting our public school system to the free market requires us to accept that hopped-up Wall Street bankers will mess up, schools will close, and sooner or later, someone will have to choose between increasing shareholder returns and improving some kid’s education. Failure is not only an option. When it comes to Wall Street, failure is inevitable.
The specter of resegregating our schools along racial and economic lines under the cloak of school choice presents a more daunting future for a state that is growing poorer, browner, and younger. When it comes to schools, the question isn’t whether we’re going to have charter schools or public schools. We have both now. When it comes to schools, the real choice is whether we are all in this together or if it’s every man for himself.”
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So – if Wall St bank$ters are behind Charter Schools – and neither ACT nor National campaigned for Charter Schools during the 2011 election – did this idea actually come from John Key?
(Just asking……. 🙂
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
‘
http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/take-action/Take-action-online/reject-the-Anadarko-Amendment/?utm_source=MailingList&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AnadarkoAmendmentKicker
PETROBRAS – 2 FOR 1 SPECIAL!!!
COASTAL OIL SPILL WRECKS SAO PAULO BEACHES AND MASSIVE PIPELINE BLOWOUT IN EQUADOR (5500 BARRELLS OF CRUDE!) IN ONE DAY!!!
well-lubed up Jenny.
Can someone please tell me how I ‘know’ that Clare Curran was behind the contacting of contributors to The Standard (through matching their user names with the same names and registration details on Red Alert?)
I thought I ‘knew’ that people who belonged to the Labour Party and who were commenting or blogging on The Standard were told to stop backing Cunliffe over Shearer for Leader or leave the Party and that she was behind this as the Labour Party IT go to person.
I met Ms Curran today. She said the claim was false. She said she would come on The Standard today and defend herself (so long as no one was abusive).
I have an invitation from her to go to her Electorate Meeting and from another Labour Party official to go to the Dunedin North Meeting. Can anyone help?
I have met some of the frequent commentators/mods on The Standard and they know my bona fides.
Firstly, pick an electorate/branch with an active membership and one with people you can get along with. Each electorate (and each branch within that electorate) has a different demographic of membership and different emphasis in terms of what their usual focus is. Find one which suits you.
Secondly, Labour Party meetings are supposed to be about the party, its policies, and the activities of the membership. I’m speaking where Labour”s “Party” and it’s “Parliamentary wing” are two very distinct and separate entities. Unfortunately, in too many electorates these days, the meetings have become a kind of “MPs supporters club”. Which I believe is the presumption behind how you worded your question, and which I believe is a concept worth identifying and then canning nice and early. Candidates come and go, MPs come and go. The party and your support for it are supposed to go much deeper than just that.
Lastly, you can trust Curran as far as you can throw her with both hands tied behind your back.
I don’t think you have got your questions quite right there. Important because after all we wouldn’t want the wrong question to be put to Curran and then for her to miss out on being able to answer truthfully.
Here’s an overview http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/238634/curran-hits-out-online-critics
And if you want more specifics on the discussion here, look at the conversations in the week preceding and around that article.
DWBH, It would indeed be a good idea to take up both offers and attend both meetings in order to make up your own mind about any MPs credibilty. Also, it’s an opportunity to see the workings of LEC or branch meetings, especially if you are interested in finding our more about the workings of the NZLP.
Colonial Viper’s comments are made in bad faith – an obvious personal vendetta – so surely it would be best to make up your own mind?
Unfortunately blogsites such as this encourage a torch and pitchfork mentality without the benefit of many unknown facts behind the scenes.
If an MP says a claim is false then I would imagine you yourself would want an opportunity to defend your integrity were you to find yourself in a similar position.