Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike …
Doesn’t Dunne have huge political influence now he’s discovered a link between the Greens and the Taliban. Oh, and when a MP does that shouldn’t the Speaker have something to say about bring the house into… …I mean its not like it had anything to do with a foreign security service who are about to manage the Commonwealth conference because after all who listens to a party of one.
I second that Paul. A few weeks ago on a Radio Active interview Deborah Morris (remember her? Used to be be a NZ First MP back in the 90’s) who represents Every Child Counts was scathing about Dunne’s lack of support for the bill and the DJ was encouraging every one send Dunne an email about his stance.
Private jet visits to NZ booming
“The market had recovered since the global financial crisis five years ago although many of the super wealthy who own $50 million to $60 million jets were barely affected.
“The people who own a Global Express or Gulfstream 550 may see their fortune is now $6 billion and it hasn’t made much of a dent in their lifestyle. The top end of the market is going strong.”
1st, reading that is, the ‘feed the kids bill’ was up for it’s 1st reading a while back but was delayed,(can’t remember the reason),
Lolz, i see a busload of kids from Poriua’s Natone School are getting a free breakfast at the Parliament today,
Many long moons ago i wandered in to the Parliaments dining room and helped myself to a good helping of porridge and toast, to my great displeasure they tossed me out befor i could start on the bacon and eggs…
I cannot understand why people are so opposed to food in schools.
It is no different to free milk in schools between 1934 and 1967 (the biggest opponents having chugged that down in their childhood), the school dental service, school nurses and the like.
Do any of the older guys and girls on here remember such opposition for the free milk in school programme?
I think we all took the free milk and dental service for granted, Millsy. I don’t remember anyone opposing it, but I do remember the milk standing outside the school gates – glass bottles – in the sun, getting a bit too creamy for my own taste, but most of the kids chugged it down okay. (It didn’t go rancid – it wasn’t around long enough for that!)
i always had the job of hauling the trolley round the classrooms, the silver lining to that, the cream if you will, was that i got to double and triple dip, slurp…
That expresses the divide between left and right quite neatly then doesn’t it, i would far prefer the level of benefit where children are reliant to be far higher, compared to ‘other’ children beneficiary kids are $100 a week worse off through cuts to those benefits and the non-payment of Government programs to those reliant upon benefits,
The ‘churn’ in beneficiaries means that a larger number of kids than the 250,000 numbered live for a significant period of their developing years where good nutrition is of the utmost importance for their later lives in levels of poverty that are an obscenity in a rich developed nation,
While supportive of Mana’s ‘food in schools’ bill i do find it demeaning of the parents of benefit dependent children reinforcing the ‘stereotype’ in which the right portray all beneficiaries,
Having tho said that, it is the kids that must come first over and above the political niceties, and if ‘food in schools’ is the only possible gain for those kids from a system that has badly let them down then so be it…
I see the raising of benefits to be a seperate issue to this…I figure that if parents no longer have to provide 10 meals per week per child (breakfast and lunch x 5) then thats money the parents don’t need to receive (because the childs being fed)
Whether the amount of money they recieve is sufficient is spererate to this though
Minor problem with your theory there PR. Have you considered that perhaps the kids weren’t getting fed properly at home because they couldn’t afford it? What then for those whose benefits you are reducing further?
Hey dick head. We’re not looking to even things up, we’re looking to improve it in favour of poor families. Surely it’s not that difficult to understand?
considering ruth richardson deliberately put benefits 20% (?) below what was considered enough for a single person to exist on (not live, exist) i fail to see how it can be considered separate at all
the “kids not having enough to eat” problem isnt that all bennie parents are drugged up gambling addicts who watch sky and bash their kids. Its that both beneficiaries and low paid working parents dont earn enough to bloody feed them properly!
Its a problem that affects the working poor as well as those on a benefit.
Considering that the food in schools idea is actually bloody cheap (from a govt spend perspective) and that it creates down stream savings i find your approach of hitting the poor once again rather sad.
How much of your personal tax payment would go to this scheme? I dont know the figure but i would guess its somewhere in the 0.01% area
Having tried for a few minutes to de-cypher the last line of your comment in relation to what you said above it i think i will just ‘go’ with CV and attach to you the epithet ‘Dick-Head’,
i will tho make the point again, taxation of benefits, the direct cutting of benefits, and the non-allowance of those receiving benefits what is essentially a family benefit dressed up as a ‘tax credit’ has left the income of beneficiaries with children 100 dollars a week worse off compared to those who can find work,
As a rule you will find that with a budget that just doesn’t add up to 3 meals a day most people will whittle down the ‘need’ for nutrition to one good meal a day, obviously the average child needs far better nutrition that this if physical and psychological ailments are to be avoided later in life,
To suggest that these children are solely brought up reliant upon a benefit is an untruth as the ‘churn’ in the figures shows that most are reliant upon such for a few years whereupon their parents enter the workforce, the damage done tho in the meantime may for these children last a lifetime…
there’s no money for that programme or rape prevention programmes in all high schools BUT the government is talking very hard to eradicate poverty and discourage sexual violence. Kay??
yes, if not late. It’s part of the problem in a way. Fagan went to work having had a disagreement about this issue and feeling what he felt toward the topic or his wife’s side f the argument he took it out on someone else, This is a lack of self control many suffer from but it’s one end of the same spectrum. It was NEVER about Fagan but he made it about him at the expense of the poor victim who rang in.. No wonder reporting is so low, not only how she would have felt but any women/girls listening would hardly be inspired to come forward. until radio presenters are behaving and controlled like journalists understanding there are consequences and it’s not all about them…
But I was heartened because I think his account is a completely honest expression of how he sees this. Now anyway.
He’s been caught up in something that has taken him completely by surprise. And sure, he still feels sorry for himself, and still doesn’t get anything like the how serious his verbal assault was the for the young woman. But there is movement in this issue. The young woman stood her ground. John and Willy lost their jobs, and may not get them back. His wife put him out in the rain to walk to work. Fagan is forced to write a public letter of explanation. And these sorts of incidents, conversations seem to be happening all over the place.
I was just talking to a friend who was telling me that her elderly (male) neighbour came out when she was collecting her mail, anxious to tell her that he felt sorry for “those poor girls” and “it’s just got to stop”. And they’d never talked about anything like that before. It was like he wanted her to know whose side he was on.
It’s not that I imagine that this particular fight is over by any stretch of the imagination, just that there is movement in an issue that has seemed intractable during my whole lifetime. Who know’s what’s next? Plutocracy, Climate change….?
Thanks js. I also found Fagan’s letter heartening, simply because he demonstrated how a man can get it wrong and then be honest about that and try and change. Him acknowledging he didn’t know enough about rape culture is important (and something a couple of commenters here could learn from).
And I agree about the woman Elle – that she was able to say to him “did you not hear what I said?” is awesome.
It’s not that I imagine that this particular fight is over by any stretch of the imagination, just that there is movement in an issue that has seemed intractable during my whole lifetime. Who know’s what’s next? Plutocracy, Climate change….?
I feel this way too 🙂
I’m trying not to get prematurely excited, but you know this year we have now seen 3 significant cultural shifts: the GCSB protests, the change in leadership of the Labour party, and now a tipping point around rape culture in NZ. I have to wonder if the tide is turning.
Probably a bit snarky, but it would have been nice if Cunliffe could say re: Tamihere “He’d have a snowflakes chance of standing as a Labour MP again, but perhaps he could consider joining another party like the Conservatives”.
Apparently there was an unexpected bonus from milk in schools. A 2011 NZ ( Dunedin,I think.) study found that those of us who drank the milk have a 30% lower incidence of bowel cancer ( 38% if you drank more ) . Rates have gone up since it was stopped. A bloody good reason to reinstate asap.
t’s the reason for the collapse of democratic choice. It’s the source of our growing disillusionment with politics. It’s the great unmentionable. Corporate power. The media will scarcely whisper its name. It is howlingly absent from parliamentary debates. Until we name it and confront it, politics is a waste of time.
The political role of business corporations is generally interpreted as that of lobbyists, seeking to influence government policy. In reality they belong on the inside. They are part of the nexus of power that creates policy. They face no significant resistance, from either government or opposition, as their interests have now been woven into the fabric of all three main political parties in Britain.
I’m guessing that their readers will take him less seriously if they keep reminding them that he’s only a low life Argie. Not as if he knows about real civilisation or religion like Europeans, after all.
Not really the point though is it, a bad looks a bad look and I think people generally suspect that most National MPs are doing quite well anyway whereas most people probably don’t realise Labour does this…
But the weird thing about that article is that it takes aim at the Labour Party with the headline and focus on 5 Labour MPs, but also includes a more muted reference to this:
The Labour Party owns nearly $5 million worth of property – and taxpayers are footing the bill for five offices rented back to MPs.
[…]
Five of those properties are rented to the Parliamentary Service as electorate offices for MPs Ross Robertson, Ruth Dyson, Phil Twyford, Andrew Little and Chris Hipkins.
In a similar arrangement, at least five National MPs, including Prime Minister John Key, own their electorate offices, which are rented to themselves.
Hardly a “balanced” article. Looks like a politically-motivated attack on Labour.
Totally, really scraping the bottom of the outrage barrel for that article. Electorate offices seems a pretty reasonable use of money since it is a core part of the job. However, financing personal property investment portfolios is not.
it’s appalling whoever is doing it and it needs to stop. Double dipping etc etc. These people are public servants, they serve US. PR are you calling for all this to stop, everything in all three articles or are you happy if labour does it then national can?t
I would love a clear set of rules to be followed plus all expenses to be open to the public via a easy to use web site or sum such and all this is be directed by an independent authority
I just don’t think its going to happen any time soon
There’s two ways that it could stop:
1.) Parliament owns the electorate office and whichever MP gets to use it
2.) Parliamentary service doesn’t pay for the electorate office which would actually be a decrease in our democracy
What’s really happening here is that the party owns an office which they support and use as party central for the electorate. When their candidate becomes an MP that office then becomes the electorate office and the costs of running the office go to Parliamentary Services.
I’d say that it’s probably quite reasonable but there’d have to be serious demarcation between party activities and electorate activities.
Sad day for New Zealand yesterday when the John Key led National government passed the legislation enabling the Sky City convention centre scam. Sad for problem gamblers, sad for their familiets, and sad too for New Zealand that the whole deal has been promoted and pushed through under a cloud of lies coming from the Prime Minister.
Very kind of you to say so. Thanks. The basic rule concerning John Key’s lying is that anything he is directly involved with or reposibsible for involves more lying than usual. SkyCity, for example, involves John Key as Minister of Tourism. Then there’s Ministerial Services . . .
the decision to buy brand new BMWs was made by the Department of Internal Affairs without reference either to their minister or to me
the GCSB needs to spy on New Zealanders because of the terrorist threat, even though official reports released over my signature say there is no risk and the SIS has the matter in hand
The other dozens of lies are just examples of his contempt for parliament and New Zealanders as displayed by a his casual arrogance in terms of deigning to speak truth coupled with his bad habit of just making shit up as he goes along. He learned from the best.
What REALLY concerns me about the shonky NZ International Convention Centre (Sky City ‘money-laundering’) Bill, is that it was effectively railroaded through the House before either ‘Trader John’ or Steven Joyce answered my OIA requests, asking why no ‘due diligence’ had been done by OFCANZ (Organised and Financial Crime Agency of NZ) on the increased risk of money-laundering.
I have also requested that the NZ Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) investigate the above-mentioned lack of ‘due diligence’ by OFCANZ.
Wouldn’t you think that if there was effectively an ‘money-laundering factory’ in the heart of Auckland City, that there would be an increased risk of organised crime?
Don’t you think it’s somewhat ironic that Sky City are apparently going to have some form of ‘face recognition’ for problem gamblers, but anonymity for money-launderers?
Don’t you think it rather convenient that Auckland Council made no mention of the increased risk of money-laundering arising from the NZ International Convention Centre Bill in their submission, and Mayor Len Brown, (who accepted a $15,000 Mayoral campaign donation from Sky City in 2010), allegedly used a Sky City hotel room(s) for his illicit affair with Ms Chuang?
Anyone else not only concerned about these issues, but actually trying to DO something about them?
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption /anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’
…sounds good Penny….sounds like you are on the case…imo it is a very important issue!…keep us posted on developments and any answers/results from your inquiries
Take care, mate. I understand the need to protect your privacy & that you probably won’t be using any of your old pseudonyms any time soon (and I won’t be using any other than the username that has been used by some MSM journos.)
And as for Rudman – he doesn’t let using his birth name getting in the way of unleashing a load of emotive venom:
The oh-so-brave troll freaked, slamming the phone down and squealing, “Mummy, Mummy, the nasty policeman’s coming to get me”.
said blog commenter is far from being a tr0ll. Though he may be “tr0ll feaked” ie freaked by some tr0lls on and offline.
I post as if I might actually meet the people I’m posting to in real life which means I do censor some of the things I want to say (out of politeness mostly)
Most people who know me in real life are perfectly aware that I’m almost as likely to say similar things in almost any circumstances – if I think someone is acting like a fool. I take great delight in undercutting pompous gits in any circumstances and I really don’t bother sparing their feelings because otherwise they will remain pompous gits (usually repeating talkback radio without engaging their brains). I really can’t be bothered with faux politeness in any voluntary situation (I make exceptions for situations where urgency is a major factor).
However most of the people who are friends, family, and work colleagues are usually pretty damn good at arguing their own side. I guess it is a darwinian winnowing.
Agree lprent. BTW, I’m Kracklite – it’s something I don’t conceal, since I use the same avatar for both handles.
has a learnt a valuble lesson about the perils of running ones mouth off
No, I’ve never learned any lesson about the perils of running my mouth of. I gather the lesson is supposed to be “keep quiet and allow injustice to occur” and I could never get my head around that.
Good to see you back commenting here Rhino. I didn’t want to assume you were comfortable to have the pseudonym you use here associated with KL & Rudman’s comments.
However, it means PG’s attempt to out you is a lame piece of …. hmmm.
Just reminded me that some tr0lls comment under the name by which they are known offline.
No once again its not: “keep quiet and allow injustice to occur” its when you post something and include your contact details you have to be prepared to to face up to your actions which in this case meant speaking to the person you had been saying things about
Since you didn’t want to speak to him I’m assuming you wern’t prepared to have to answer for you words ie not facing up to the consequences
PR, you really are naive, aren’t you, or trying not to think too much. I’m of an age and I have friends and family members who aren’t so sanguine about calls from police. Sometimes those police raped them, sometimes they took their family away, not to be seen again. Don’t think that that slippery slope can’t be built here.
I do know that when you say “consequences” you mean “deserved punishment”.
However, thank you for your explicit acknowledgement that it is not a good idea to reveal any personal details to the police and that one should fear them.
I’m assuming
Assume away. Assume that fairies exist if you like.
Hi Olwyn, believe me, I’d love to live in a bathysphere or on the cliffs of Valles Marineris or a Trappist Monastery (actually there is a monastery of Tourette, which sounds cool, and it was designed by Le Corbusier…)… but while I desire silence and obscurity, well, it seems that I have this compulsion…
I’m glad you have this compulsion. Many of your comments have put a smile on my face for the day. The more bombastic ones have had me keeling over in stitches. I like your style.
Re: Monastery life. I sometimes daydream about convent life, Hildegarde Von Bingen style. But the God thing puts me off.
The only reason I have trouble believing that you actually behave like this in public is that if you were (hypothetically) this obnoxious to me or a large majority of the people I interact with, you would spend an awfully long time eating through a straw.
As you haven’t mentioned multiple hidings, I call bullshit fantasy.
Just putting it out but most people on here would probably think I’m a decent guy if they met me in real life (and didn’t ask me what I thought of Russell Norman ;))
And I’m guessing that’d be the reaction most people on here would have of each other…we (all of us) probably have more in common with each other then we think
Well thank you, you too can achieve it as well if you believe in yourself
“I do know that when you say “consequences” you mean “deserved punishment”.”
– No, thats what you would call an assumption and I think theres something witty at the bottom of this post about assumptions
“However, thank you for your explicit acknowledgement that it is not a good idea to reveal any personal details to the police and that one should fear them.”
– I’m starting to wonder if you live in a fantasy world…
“Assume away. Assume that fairies exist if you like.”
– When is a fairy not a fairy? when its got its head up an elves skirt and then it becomes a goblin…
Oh God, another one saying, “I’m really a nice guy in real life”
What next “Some of my best friends are…”?
OK here I am: I really am sarcastic, misanthropic, pessimistic and opinionated in real life. I shun company. If I’m polite, it’s because I’m trying to find a way to excuse my departure. Got that?
No, I think you might be jumping to conclusions…again.
I said that I didn’t think that lprent behaved the way he says he does in public because if he did there are alot of people (myself included in a hypothetical meeting where he behaved like an obnoxious clown) who would just deck him.
You’re repeatedly making implied threats of physical violence towards a site admin through secondary agencies connected to you. When are you going to start making them under your own name?
“My friends would…” is an evasion of “I would…” When will you say “I will…”?
What do you expect Tracey. If he can’t win the argument, and it gets a little heated, he will resort to his fists. It’s just typical thug practice, if he cant win the argument, then he hits his opponent.
You see heaps of this type of ‘person’ in Wellington/Auckland on a Friday/Saturday nights. They are the reason sane people don’t visit these places anymore.
And the whole anonymous versus pseudonymous bullshit is raised again. And a paid opinionator/commissar once again displays how to twist and turn an event via omission, selective quoting and a smattering of fiction.
In my world, his attempted character assassination of a person he doesn’t even know – and by extension and clear implication a whole online world of people who use pseudonyms – is beneath contempt.
Meanwhile, calling out an organisation is legitimate. And should be encouraged in any society. Surely. Just not in Brian commissar Rudman’s world, peopled as it is by benevolent figures of authority and where all is good and all is right and the aforementioned grown up’s ought to be left to order things and act as they see fit
Yes, so many things wrong with what Rudman wrote. I posted a couple of comments, will see if they turn up.
Kracklite doesn’t post anonymously, they post pseudonymously. This means they use a consistent name on the internet and regulars know who the person is. Using an apparent real life name like John Wilson means no more than using a name like Kracklite, because there is no way to know who that John Wilson is. What you are suggesting isn’t an issue of names, it’s an issue of sharing personal details online. Many of us have valid and very good reasons for not doing so. You don’t have to live in China to fear for your job or wellbeing. That you have a level of security and privilege in your life that means you can be published using your RL name doesn’t mean everyone does.
btw anonymous commenters are people where there is no way to know which particular person is posting at any given time. Most serious political blogs don’t allow anonymous commenting because it’s too hard to follow debate when you don’t know who made any specific comment. A good example of anonymous posting is newspapers that publish editorials without saying who wrote the piece.
I know Kracklite’s commenting style, and while their comments can be harsh and sometimes inflammatory, they don’t fit ordinary definitions of trolling. Someone in your position of power mis-using the term ‘troll’ against someone whose opinions you don’t like IS an attempt at suppression of free speech.
As for rules of debate and defamation, most political blogs have very clear moderation of things that are potentially defammatory, because it is the blog owners that are legally liable for what they publish. Calling the police ‘pigs’ would not be considered a legally risky statement. Rules of debate vary from blog to blog, sometimes hugely, and I doubt that most academic institutions have any better idea of what those are than most newspaper journalists.
Your ridiculing and marginalising of someone with Aspergers tells me more about you than the issues of the blog commentariat.
Overall I find your piece to be full of inaccuracies and prejudices about the blogosphere. Blogs are here to stay, might be better if the MSM educated themselves on how they actually work.
Oh I was definitely biting my tongue. I was going for polite in the hope they would actually publish it. Doesn’t look like they will though (can’t see how it was any worse than some of the ones that have been published).
that is just amazing. I’m probably blushing (meaning a whiter shade of pale, no doubt – I’ll have to go check in the mirror and listen to Procul Harum). As for everyone else below – too many to name – thank you very much also. Of course you’re sticking up for principles, which I admire.
As for inflammatory, well, I’ve read far too much of Harlan Ellison not to love his style. Please check out the documentary Dreams With Sharp Teeth .
And welcome back Rhino, I also seek out and value your comments. As much as I was appalled by Rudman’s offensive lowbrow article, I must say I got a good laugh from his repeated labeling of you as a tr0ll.
Also laugh worthy was his parting “At least the Roast Busters didn’t hide behind anonymity,” shot. O fer sure, you could learn a thing or two from the RBers Rhino. Where’s my Tui? I hope you’re laughing too.
Damn! There’s something I haven’t heard in a while – that album with the purple and grey cover!
I’ve been away and hadn’t noticed your absence – but welcome back.
I am disgusted at Rudman’s column. I had some respect for Rudman as a columnist prior to this one, although I did not necessarily always agree with his views.
But this one is just over the top – particularly his attempts to ‘out’ the blogger. Thankfully, the majority of the comments to date do not support Rudman’s rave – or rather his emotive venom, as you so rightly called it, Karol.
To the blogger, you have my support and I have always sought out your comments here when I see them pop up as I always found them well worth reading in terms of their content and your writing style – and for the most part, on the same wavelength as my thinking. Kia kaha.
+100 Also a fan of the comments, and find them worth the time taken to read and ponder.
Will be looking out for more of the same – hope they will be forthcoming.
I agree re reading the comments, Molly – they often give a better indication than the column itself. And over the last few months, imo there has bee quite a sea change in the comments on the Herald.
Re the comments on Rudman’s column, Weka’s excellent comment at 11.2.2. has not come up yet; but Emma Hart has a comment up now along the same vein.
Edit – Pete George again shows the weasel he is in his comment.
I still have a chuckle now and then over Rhino’s Shearer speech. Must have been six months ago now. He was sorting his supermarket list at the same time he was making a speech and of course he got the two muddled up. Hilarious it was. 🙂
Rudderless Rudman obviously doesn’t know what an internet tr0ll is, strange he didn’t mention how being called a jellyfish seemingly prompted the police commissioner to make a phone call, maybe it was a “I’m not a jellyfish, I’m a blind eel” call.
Most of the scandals that leave people in despair about politics arise from this source. On Monday, for instance, the Guardian revealed that the government’s subsidy system for gas-burning power stations is being designed by an executive from the Dublin-based company ESB International, who has been seconded into the Department of Energy. What does ESB do? Oh, it builds gas-burning power stations.
And how much of this jumping to do what the corporations want do we see in NZ? There’s the Warner Brothers legislation, the SkyCity sell out and the removal of democracy in Canterbury so that the farmers could get their hands on our precious water.
When you say “Warner Brothers’ Legislation:” were you referring to both the local labour and human rights legislation or were you referring to the wider, less explicit US spying legislation? Both, I guess.
Brian Rudman often writes reasonable columns about local government and Auckland issues. He is an old fashioned ex Auckland Star journalist that talks to people and digs away for a story. But he is also old fashioned to the extent that he clearly does not understand internet anonymity.
Regular posters with a handle build up an identity over time that others can relate to or sometimes not. It is what people are saying or linking to that matters not who they are. You can become quite loyal to some fellow bloggers and posters.
Rudman should look over his shoulder because some of the worst anonymous contributors known to humankind are the NZ Herald editorial writers.
But he is also old fashioned to the extent that he clearly does not understand internet anonymity.
Likely true, but I also suspect that he has never been personally persecuted by some of the rather vengeful police tactics and attitudes that other people here have experienced.
If he had, he might realise why pseudonymity is very valuable to some people in a serious democracy.
The Central Bank says that over- borrowing for farming especially dairying is putting the country’s economy at risk. Perhaps we can have some safeguards against the agricultural bubble, aka as a fart, by the government cutting down on overseas buyers and ensuring that all buyers don’t use leverage but have a decent deposit.
And the meat industry is trying to rationalise the meat operators. There are about 20, most competing overseas, something long criticised because it results in unhealthy competition where we want best price not cheapest. Southland where meat production has been strong is converting to dairy at an alarming rate. Soon they won’t have enough supply to keep their local buyers and dealers viable. For heaven’s sake, before I die can NZ get its bloody meat economy in order. Before it gets to the stage where its an invalid, limping along and spreading sickness throughout the country.
Central Bank says “rising household indebtedness poses a risk if the financial sector comes under pressure” and “…will look at LVR exemptions…” despite Warwick Quinn advising that the new lending requirements are “choking off new building”- (30% drop-off).
-Midday Report
How would this Ernst and Young ‘inquiry’ have the power to find out if Sky City hotel room(s) were used in the Mayor Len Brown / Bevan Chaung affair, if Len Brown had no financial record/ Council documentation which proved it?
Please confirm that the terms of reference of this ‘inquiry’ include an investigation into the alleged use of Sky City premises (namely hotel room(s) in the affair between Mayor Len Brown and Bevan Chuang.
As an ‘anti-corruption’ Public Watchdog, I am primarily interested in knowing whether Sky City premises (namely hotel room(s), were used in the affair between Mayor Len Brown and Bevan Chuang.
The issue of payment (who paid, how they were paid for, or if they were used without payment), although significant, is secondary (in my considered opinion).
Please confirm that the alleged use Sky City premises (namely hotel room(s), will be covered by this ‘inquiry’, given that there may not be any evidence available from either Auckland Council documents or financial records.
Can you please acknowledge receipt of this correspondence at your earliest available opportunity.
NZ Herald’s live (and relatively uninformative, apart from evidence of obsessions with weather and the police desk) newsdesk blog to commemorate it’s anniversary, shows Armstrong to be a one-finger typist.
“Police are investigating seven sex attacks around a leisure complex in Manukau over the last two months.
The assaults took place in and around the Manukau Sports Bowl and the Gardens/Totara Park area.
One of the victims was aged 13.
“We are concerned about these types of incidents due to the nature and frequency of offending in these areas,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Darrell Harpur.
“The latest occurrence was in broad daylight at a public playground. We urge people in the area to be vigilant and accompany their children to local playgrounds.”
When is it too soon to send out the warning? After the first assault/rape? The second, or 2 months after the first and after number 7?
When Key tells lies in Parliament, is there not one single MP who is smart enough and quick-witted enough to challenge him?
Three – yes, 3 – times in a couple of minutes of Question Time Key mocked the asset sales referendum by claiming that Labour and the Greens had “arrogantly” ignored the smacking referendum when they were in power.
Not one MP asked “Who was in power at the time of the referendum?” “Did you support or oppose the law?” “Did you change the law or keep it?” etc, etc.
No challenge at all, just lots of brain-dead shouting. He rewrites history in the most brazen, mendacious way, and you sit there like fools.
(sure, plenty of people immediately tweeted the obvious rejoinders, but what use is that? Any of us can do that, you are the ones there, being PAID to do a job. THINK on your feet. Wake up!).
This has been going on for years. Cunliffe is doing better than Shearer (a low bar, admittedly), but overall the opposition are still failing. Key was acting like a drunken madman today, and you let him. Yet again.
Clare Curran said that every man and his dog knew the price Chorus could charge for use of its copper network would be slashed substantially by the Commerce Commission.
But as the NBR points out (paywall), Curran is now trying to reinvent history. Despite her now claiming she always knew the copper price would drop, back in 2011 she actually said the copper price would increase:
“The people of New Zealand who are receiving broadband services will find their existing copper services go up in price while they are waiting for fibre.”
Cunliffe said in 2011:
“The objective analysis we have seen…is that the average New Zealander will pay at least $5 more a month for the same service they are currently getting on their copper phone line.”
From The Local Europe. Sound familiar. The free market at work eh?
Top 10: bargain properties in Italy
Property prices in Italy fell by almost 12 percent in 2012, triggering a rise in foreign investment as buyers take advantage of a market where locals are struggling to get on the property ladder. With the help of estate agents, The Local has drawn up a list of where the bargain properties are to be found.
Sweden feels the lack of father’s moral care too. From the Local – Swededn.
Sweden ‘failed to protect’ shower girl: court
The Swedish legal system failed to protect a 14-year-old girl whose stepfather, who was acquitted in Sweden, covertly filmed her naked in the shower according to a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights
My father was subjected to surveillance and other unpleasant covert type activities in the 1970s after some bureaucratic idiots jumped to some wrong conclusions about his retirement activities. Rather long story, and it’s still debatable whether the idiots were local or attached to an off-shore agency. They were all running around each others’ territory in those days because they didn’t have the electronic technology that is available today.
If you wonder why I have voted National for the past couple of elections this may give you a clue despite having been converted from nothing in particular to socialism by Bill Sutch’s ‘The Responsible Society’, and then later by Roger Douglas’s ‘Common Sense’ ….. First published at KB but here it might do more good?
OH DEAR BOO HOO Poor first home buyers cannot be expected to find $80T deposit for their $400T new home. What a load of left wing c..p.
Admittedly there is been inflation in the past fifty years but my first home was 60 years old maybe more and after building a new house in the backyard with the valuable assistance of my wife [ while I still worked a 40 hour week and wife kept house and raised our son ] it was demolished. A junior football team did it Saturday morning to raise money for a trip out of town.
Cost $2000 to buy it … total mortgage $5000 plus income to build it after we started showing we were serious to first my lawyer and then a bank. Then for fittings we had a TV and a small fridge which I had brought to the marraige from the mobile caravan I had been living in, no car until after house was completed.
Really I am crying hard for the poor stupid sods and the political leaders trying to make hay out of the first home people wanting to waltz into a brand new house along with all the fittings to keep up with the jonses …. not to consider the impact of forecast interest increases on such large loans. No doubt that will be the next bleeding heart story of a couple of years time.
I remember the smug feeling back in the 70′s when interest rates were in double figures and I only had to pay on perhaps $4000 thanks to the hard work of my wife and I.
I wrote in the hope that it might invoke some common sense here and in the market place rather than sppeal to the mentally locked … oh well another time.
One can hope it saves some from mortaging their lives to the banks.
The problem is the obsession with the second and third house as investment though understandable when one considers the unreliability of the share market … the first house is just the first step to becoming a capitalist apart from those such as myself who are happy with just a roof over my head.
From the Financial Times
This is one of the outcomes of the Libor scandal. They are looking at the Australian dollar, but this has to affect he Kiwi is one of he most actively traded currencies in the world
Biggest banks face forex probe questions
By Daniel Schäfer and Caroline Binham
The global probe into foreign exchange manipulation has widened to include 15 of the world’s biggest banks and some of the most actively traded currencies, as lenders scramble to help authorities in exchange for leniency.
“Before Libor, people thought benchmarks could be trusted. Now there’s a presumption that there’s a risk of manipulation. Perhaps manipulation is not the exception but the rule.”
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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 ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
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Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
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Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
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Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
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The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
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A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
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Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
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Second reading of Hone’s Feed the kids bill in Parliament today.
Let’s see who are the dirty rats voting against it.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9392525/Today-in-politics-Wednesday-November-13
I predict Peter Dunne.
Doesn’t Dunne have huge political influence now he’s discovered a link between the Greens and the Taliban. Oh, and when a MP does that shouldn’t the Speaker have something to say about bring the house into… …I mean its not like it had anything to do with a foreign security service who are about to manage the Commonwealth conference because after all who listens to a party of one.
I second that Paul. A few weeks ago on a Radio Active interview Deborah Morris (remember her? Used to be be a NZ First MP back in the 90’s) who represents Every Child Counts was scathing about Dunne’s lack of support for the bill and the DJ was encouraging every one send Dunne an email about his stance.
rich families first
And on the same day …
New Zealand…. playground for the rich.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11155982
Private jet visits to NZ booming
“The market had recovered since the global financial crisis five years ago although many of the super wealthy who own $50 million to $60 million jets were barely affected.
“The people who own a Global Express or Gulfstream 550 may see their fortune is now $6 billion and it hasn’t made much of a dent in their lifestyle. The top end of the market is going strong.”
Micky Savage’s dream has become a nightmare.
1st, reading that is, the ‘feed the kids bill’ was up for it’s 1st reading a while back but was delayed,(can’t remember the reason),
Lolz, i see a busload of kids from Poriua’s Natone School are getting a free breakfast at the Parliament today,
Many long moons ago i wandered in to the Parliaments dining room and helped myself to a good helping of porridge and toast, to my great displeasure they tossed me out befor i could start on the bacon and eggs…
I cannot understand why people are so opposed to food in schools.
It is no different to free milk in schools between 1934 and 1967 (the biggest opponents having chugged that down in their childhood), the school dental service, school nurses and the like.
Do any of the older guys and girls on here remember such opposition for the free milk in school programme?
I think we all took the free milk and dental service for granted, Millsy. I don’t remember anyone opposing it, but I do remember the milk standing outside the school gates – glass bottles – in the sun, getting a bit too creamy for my own taste, but most of the kids chugged it down okay. (It didn’t go rancid – it wasn’t around long enough for that!)
i always had the job of hauling the trolley round the classrooms, the silver lining to that, the cream if you will, was that i got to double and triple dip, slurp…
you old smoothie 🙂
I think its a good idea but I’d take the money from the parents benefit not needed for lunch and breakfast to help subsidise it
That expresses the divide between left and right quite neatly then doesn’t it, i would far prefer the level of benefit where children are reliant to be far higher, compared to ‘other’ children beneficiary kids are $100 a week worse off through cuts to those benefits and the non-payment of Government programs to those reliant upon benefits,
The ‘churn’ in beneficiaries means that a larger number of kids than the 250,000 numbered live for a significant period of their developing years where good nutrition is of the utmost importance for their later lives in levels of poverty that are an obscenity in a rich developed nation,
While supportive of Mana’s ‘food in schools’ bill i do find it demeaning of the parents of benefit dependent children reinforcing the ‘stereotype’ in which the right portray all beneficiaries,
Having tho said that, it is the kids that must come first over and above the political niceties, and if ‘food in schools’ is the only possible gain for those kids from a system that has badly let them down then so be it…
I see the raising of benefits to be a seperate issue to this…I figure that if parents no longer have to provide 10 meals per week per child (breakfast and lunch x 5) then thats money the parents don’t need to receive (because the childs being fed)
Whether the amount of money they recieve is sufficient is spererate to this though
Minor problem with your theory there PR. Have you considered that perhaps the kids weren’t getting fed properly at home because they couldn’t afford it? What then for those whose benefits you are reducing further?
Well if they don’t have to provide 10 meals a week per child it’ll even itself out then
Hey dick head. We’re not looking to even things up, we’re looking to improve it in favour of poor families. Surely it’s not that difficult to understand?
PR doesn’t appear to be looking to make things better for poor families. He seems to be only concerned with making things better for the rich.
taking money off someone who has none evens nothing out – it put the issue into a negative
do you understand the counterargument people are putting to you?
because at the moment your just repeating your self
considering ruth richardson deliberately put benefits 20% (?) below what was considered enough for a single person to exist on (not live, exist) i fail to see how it can be considered separate at all
the “kids not having enough to eat” problem isnt that all bennie parents are drugged up gambling addicts who watch sky and bash their kids. Its that both beneficiaries and low paid working parents dont earn enough to bloody feed them properly!
Its a problem that affects the working poor as well as those on a benefit.
Considering that the food in schools idea is actually bloody cheap (from a govt spend perspective) and that it creates down stream savings i find your approach of hitting the poor once again rather sad.
How much of your personal tax payment would go to this scheme? I dont know the figure but i would guess its somewhere in the 0.01% area
Having tried for a few minutes to de-cypher the last line of your comment in relation to what you said above it i think i will just ‘go’ with CV and attach to you the epithet ‘Dick-Head’,
i will tho make the point again, taxation of benefits, the direct cutting of benefits, and the non-allowance of those receiving benefits what is essentially a family benefit dressed up as a ‘tax credit’ has left the income of beneficiaries with children 100 dollars a week worse off compared to those who can find work,
As a rule you will find that with a budget that just doesn’t add up to 3 meals a day most people will whittle down the ‘need’ for nutrition to one good meal a day, obviously the average child needs far better nutrition that this if physical and psychological ailments are to be avoided later in life,
To suggest that these children are solely brought up reliant upon a benefit is an untruth as the ‘churn’ in the figures shows that most are reliant upon such for a few years whereupon their parents enter the workforce, the damage done tho in the meantime may for these children last a lifetime…
tories summed up right there: taking money off people is part of the discussion, giving money to people is “a seperate issue”.
Tory politics is all about give and take – you give, they take.
You’re predicating that on the assumption that the parents have enough money in the first place while all indications are that they don’t.
You mean like a “Tax” of some sort?
Oops, I think they already pay that…
there’s no money for that programme or rape prevention programmes in all high schools BUT the government is talking very hard to eradicate poverty and discourage sexual violence. Kay??
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Open-letter-from-Andrew-Fagan/tabid/878/articleID/38905/Default.aspx#.UoJ9uicWGE1
I found the above heartening. He’s not there yet, but neither are a lot of people.
And – Go Karen!
yes, if not late. It’s part of the problem in a way. Fagan went to work having had a disagreement about this issue and feeling what he felt toward the topic or his wife’s side f the argument he took it out on someone else, This is a lack of self control many suffer from but it’s one end of the same spectrum. It was NEVER about Fagan but he made it about him at the expense of the poor victim who rang in.. No wonder reporting is so low, not only how she would have felt but any women/girls listening would hardly be inspired to come forward. until radio presenters are behaving and controlled like journalists understanding there are consequences and it’s not all about them…
I completely agree Tracey.
But I was heartened because I think his account is a completely honest expression of how he sees this. Now anyway.
He’s been caught up in something that has taken him completely by surprise. And sure, he still feels sorry for himself, and still doesn’t get anything like the how serious his verbal assault was the for the young woman. But there is movement in this issue. The young woman stood her ground. John and Willy lost their jobs, and may not get them back. His wife put him out in the rain to walk to work. Fagan is forced to write a public letter of explanation. And these sorts of incidents, conversations seem to be happening all over the place.
I was just talking to a friend who was telling me that her elderly (male) neighbour came out when she was collecting her mail, anxious to tell her that he felt sorry for “those poor girls” and “it’s just got to stop”. And they’d never talked about anything like that before. It was like he wanted her to know whose side he was on.
It’s not that I imagine that this particular fight is over by any stretch of the imagination, just that there is movement in an issue that has seemed intractable during my whole lifetime. Who know’s what’s next? Plutocracy, Climate change….?
Thanks js. I also found Fagan’s letter heartening, simply because he demonstrated how a man can get it wrong and then be honest about that and try and change. Him acknowledging he didn’t know enough about rape culture is important (and something a couple of commenters here could learn from).
And I agree about the woman Elle – that she was able to say to him “did you not hear what I said?” is awesome.
It’s not that I imagine that this particular fight is over by any stretch of the imagination, just that there is movement in an issue that has seemed intractable during my whole lifetime. Who know’s what’s next? Plutocracy, Climate change….?
I feel this way too 🙂
I’m trying not to get prematurely excited, but you know this year we have now seen 3 significant cultural shifts: the GCSB protests, the change in leadership of the Labour party, and now a tipping point around rape culture in NZ. I have to wonder if the tide is turning.
always a big fan of Karyn, Andrew, not so much.
Probably a bit snarky, but it would have been nice if Cunliffe could say re: Tamihere “He’d have a snowflakes chance of standing as a Labour MP again, but perhaps he could consider joining another party like the Conservatives”.
‘Snowflake Tamihere’, sounds like a good handle for that one…
No no remember that Labours a broad church 🙂
Yeah broad church, not flawed church like the National one whose alter is located in a casino 🙂
Classic
Church of the Poison Mind
NATO Plays Regime Change Game In Timaru New Zealand And We’re OK With That!
have you been to Timaru?
I have.
Between insurgents and foreign armies, “regime change” would certainly help increase the depth of its gene pool.
How drôle! Never mind that they are training for war crimes.
[citation needed]
So you are against regime change for West Papua then?
Apparently there was an unexpected bonus from milk in schools. A 2011 NZ ( Dunedin,I think.) study found that those of us who drank the milk have a 30% lower incidence of bowel cancer ( 38% if you drank more ) . Rates have gone up since it was stopped. A bloody good reason to reinstate asap.
George Monbiot explains the loss of trust in politicians
Yep.
bloody hell..!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/pope-francis-corruption-fury-tie-them-to-a-rock-and-throw-them-in-the-sea-8934298.html
phillip ure..
“The Argentinian religious leader’
why does The Independent use this phrase to describe the Pope?
Hmmm. Editors probably are not Catholic. The history of the paper and its attitude to the Troubles should explain it.
The Bishop of Rome would be appropriate…
I’m guessing that their readers will take him less seriously if they keep reminding them that he’s only a low life Argie. Not as if he knows about real civilisation or religion like Europeans, after all.
I continue to be amazed that the cardinals have elected a pope who is a good man. Who put what in the water and where can I get some?
Nice to see you commenting again Rhinocrates. Please put any thoughts you might have been having about ‘taking a sabbatical’ out of your mind 😉
Thank you and sorry, but for blah blah reasons I do have to crash or hibernate sometimes.
I generally comment the most when I have a lot of real work to do… like now. 🙂
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11156004
– Is this why Labour were quiet when the nerald was looking into National MPs personal wealth…just shows that most parties are as bad as each other
4.9 million looks pretty insignificant in comparison to these fuckers
Not really the point though is it, a bad looks a bad look and I think people generally suspect that most National MPs are doing quite well anyway whereas most people probably don’t realise Labour does this…
But the weird thing about that article is that it takes aim at the Labour Party with the headline and focus on 5 Labour MPs, but also includes a more muted reference to this:
Hardly a “balanced” article. Looks like a politically-motivated attack on Labour.
Totally, really scraping the bottom of the outrage barrel for that article. Electorate offices seems a pretty reasonable use of money since it is a core part of the job. However, financing personal property investment portfolios is not.
NZherald…(fat fingers)
i think youll find that most people on the left are equally unimpressed regardless of which party
but yes fat fingers – me too. Sometimes my typing looks like ive got dislexia
http://www.swype.com/
Now just need it for the desktop.
it’s appalling whoever is doing it and it needs to stop. Double dipping etc etc. These people are public servants, they serve US. PR are you calling for all this to stop, everything in all three articles or are you happy if labour does it then national can?t
I would love a clear set of rules to be followed plus all expenses to be open to the public via a easy to use web site or sum such and all this is be directed by an independent authority
I just don’t think its going to happen any time soon
Who have you suggested it to?
There’s two ways that it could stop:
1.) Parliament owns the electorate office and whichever MP gets to use it
2.) Parliamentary service doesn’t pay for the electorate office which would actually be a decrease in our democracy
What’s really happening here is that the party owns an office which they support and use as party central for the electorate. When their candidate becomes an MP that office then becomes the electorate office and the costs of running the office go to Parliamentary Services.
I’d say that it’s probably quite reasonable but there’d have to be serious demarcation between party activities and electorate activities.
‘
Sad day for New Zealand yesterday when the John Key led National government passed the legislation enabling the Sky City convention centre scam. Sad for problem gamblers, sad for their familiets, and sad too for New Zealand that the whole deal has been promoted and pushed through under a cloud of lies coming from the Prime Minister.
Just a reminder . . .
You almost need to set your Keys List of Lies up as a flow chart BLiP, as we are now getting lies within lies. Good work.
‘
Very kind of you to say so. Thanks. The basic rule concerning John Key’s lying is that anything he is directly involved with or reposibsible for involves more lying than usual. SkyCity, for example, involves John Key as Minister of Tourism. Then there’s Ministerial Services . . .
and then there’s Minister in charge of GCSB . . .
The other dozens of lies are just examples of his contempt for parliament and New Zealanders as displayed by a his casual arrogance in terms of deigning to speak truth coupled with his bad habit of just making shit up as he goes along. He learned from the best.
heh-heh..!
..that all must be used as a campaigning-tool next election..
(even a simple animation/voicing what you have written would be really fucken funny..)
phillip ure..
What REALLY concerns me about the shonky NZ International Convention Centre (Sky City ‘money-laundering’) Bill, is that it was effectively railroaded through the House before either ‘Trader John’ or Steven Joyce answered my OIA requests, asking why no ‘due diligence’ had been done by OFCANZ (Organised and Financial Crime Agency of NZ) on the increased risk of money-laundering.
Read the OFCANZ OIA reply for yourselves:
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/SKY-CITY-OFCANZ-OIA-REPLY-NO-DUE-DLIGENCE-RE-MONEY-LAUNDERING-bright-penny-06-c211711-2-sent-reply.pdf
So – I have ‘blown the whistle’ to the appropriate international ‘anti money-laundering’ bodies:
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz/whistle-blower-alert-to-international-anti-money-laundering-bodies/
I have also requested that the NZ Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) investigate the above-mentioned lack of ‘due diligence’ by OFCANZ.
Wouldn’t you think that if there was effectively an ‘money-laundering factory’ in the heart of Auckland City, that there would be an increased risk of organised crime?
Don’t you think it’s somewhat ironic that Sky City are apparently going to have some form of ‘face recognition’ for problem gamblers, but anonymity for money-launderers?
Don’t you think it rather convenient that Auckland Council made no mention of the increased risk of money-laundering arising from the NZ International Convention Centre Bill in their submission, and Mayor Len Brown, (who accepted a $15,000 Mayoral campaign donation from Sky City in 2010), allegedly used a Sky City hotel room(s) for his illicit affair with Ms Chuang?
Anyone else not only concerned about these issues, but actually trying to DO something about them?
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption /anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
…sounds good Penny….sounds like you are on the case…imo it is a very important issue!…keep us posted on developments and any answers/results from your inquiries
Whoa! Brian Rudman doesn’t hold back in slamming “kracklite”:
Take care, mate. I understand the need to protect your privacy & that you probably won’t be using any of your old pseudonyms any time soon (and I won’t be using any other than the username that has been used by some MSM journos.)
And as for Rudman – he doesn’t let using his birth name getting in the way of unleashing a load of emotive venom:
said blog commenter is far from being a tr0ll. Though he may be “tr0ll feaked” ie freaked by some tr0lls on and offline.
Well hopefully Kracklite (or whatever his name is) has a learnt a valuble lesson about the perils of running ones mouth off
Yes, PR. I can understand why you would see this incident as providing you with a valuable lesson.
I post as if I might actually meet the people I’m posting to in real life which means I do censor some of the things I want to say (out of politeness mostly)
Most people who know me in real life are perfectly aware that I’m almost as likely to say similar things in almost any circumstances – if I think someone is acting like a fool. I take great delight in undercutting pompous gits in any circumstances and I really don’t bother sparing their feelings because otherwise they will remain pompous gits (usually repeating talkback radio without engaging their brains). I really can’t be bothered with faux politeness in any voluntary situation (I make exceptions for situations where urgency is a major factor).
However most of the people who are friends, family, and work colleagues are usually pretty damn good at arguing their own side. I guess it is a darwinian winnowing.
Agree lprent. BTW, I’m Kracklite – it’s something I don’t conceal, since I use the same avatar for both handles.
has a learnt a valuble lesson about the perils of running ones mouth off
No, I’ve never learned any lesson about the perils of running my mouth of. I gather the lesson is supposed to be “keep quiet and allow injustice to occur” and I could never get my head around that.
hi Rhino…pleased to see you back…unrepentant!…. and firing on all cylinders!
Good to see you back commenting here Rhino. I didn’t want to assume you were comfortable to have the pseudonym you use here associated with KL & Rudman’s comments.
However, it means PG’s attempt to out you is a lame piece of …. hmmm.
Just reminded me that some tr0lls comment under the name by which they are known offline.
Rudman isn’t even on my radar, just another Dead White Man who embodies privilege under Granny’s skirts… and there are a lot of them.
(Actually, I’m white myself, but being Scottish, that’s the result of tanning – we’re all naturally pale blue.)
Ah, Pete George, bless him. His signature is always a punchline.
Hi Rhinocrates. Don’t let the bastards grind you down.
However, I do have to admit that I did pull PG up on the Herald, over having more than one pseudonym.
🙂
“keep quiet and allow injustice to occur”
– Nope its meaning was don’t post anything unless you’re prepared for the consequences
It’s amazing that the most reactionary present themselves as rebels, with adjectives serving as nouns.
Nope its meaning was don’t post anything unless you’re prepared for the consequences
Ah yes, too true! That is exactly the point, which can be paraphrased as “or else…”
Thanks for the implicit threat. Who else would you like your big brother to beat up?
No once again its not: “keep quiet and allow injustice to occur” its when you post something and include your contact details you have to be prepared to to face up to your actions which in this case meant speaking to the person you had been saying things about
Since you didn’t want to speak to him I’m assuming you wern’t prepared to have to answer for you words ie not facing up to the consequences
PR, you really are naive, aren’t you, or trying not to think too much. I’m of an age and I have friends and family members who aren’t so sanguine about calls from police. Sometimes those police raped them, sometimes they took their family away, not to be seen again. Don’t think that that slippery slope can’t be built here.
I do know that when you say “consequences” you mean “deserved punishment”.
However, thank you for your explicit acknowledgement that it is not a good idea to reveal any personal details to the police and that one should fear them.
I’m assuming
Assume away. Assume that fairies exist if you like.
Hi Rhinocrates. I’m glad you haven’t let yourself be silenced by this rather odd bout of public attention – I always enjoy your contributions.
Hi Olwyn, believe me, I’d love to live in a bathysphere or on the cliffs of Valles Marineris or a Trappist Monastery (actually there is a monastery of Tourette, which sounds cool, and it was designed by Le Corbusier…)… but while I desire silence and obscurity, well, it seems that I have this compulsion…
Welcome back Rhinocrates 🙂
I’m glad you have this compulsion. Many of your comments have put a smile on my face for the day. The more bombastic ones have had me keeling over in stitches. I like your style.
Re: Monastery life. I sometimes daydream about convent life, Hildegarde Von Bingen style. But the God thing puts me off.
don’t be shy; come closer to God, and God will come closer to you.
Hildegarde Von Bingen
Aha! You, I and Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen version anyway) share tastes! We should have dinner together!
Prioress Juliana Berners is more my type of monastic, she went fishing. A long time ago. And wrote down how to do it…my kind of nun.
Clare for take-away.
lprent, you are a very special man.
The only reason I have trouble believing that you actually behave like this in public is that if you were (hypothetically) this obnoxious to me or a large majority of the people I interact with, you would spend an awfully long time eating through a straw.
As you haven’t mentioned multiple hidings, I call bullshit fantasy.
so you behave differently online to your “real” life KKK and your solution to those you don’t like is to beat them up?
Just putting it out but most people on here would probably think I’m a decent guy if they met me in real life (and didn’t ask me what I thought of Russell Norman ;))
And I’m guessing that’d be the reaction most people on here would have of each other…we (all of us) probably have more in common with each other then we think
I congratulate you on your long, loyal and loving relationship that so many aspire to. You and the mirror must be so deeply happy.
Well thank you, you too can achieve it as well if you believe in yourself
“I do know that when you say “consequences” you mean “deserved punishment”.”
– No, thats what you would call an assumption and I think theres something witty at the bottom of this post about assumptions
“However, thank you for your explicit acknowledgement that it is not a good idea to reveal any personal details to the police and that one should fear them.”
– I’m starting to wonder if you live in a fantasy world…
“Assume away. Assume that fairies exist if you like.”
– When is a fairy not a fairy? when its got its head up an elves skirt and then it becomes a goblin…
No, thats what you would call an assumption
It’s making what is disingenuously implicit explicit.
– I’m starting to wonder if you live in a fantasy world…
On the other hand, I am already sure that you are. History is not fantasy.
As for the final line. Oh dear, please back away from the keyboard, read a book, get some experience.
I like cats. I even act like them. Do you know that you resemble a mouse?
I have determined my cat is the witch.
To be fair I probably do dial down the charm online as it serves very little purpose. In the real world you would have to be retarded to do that.
People with down syndrome are very charming. Oh, and the violence to those in real life you don’t like?
Oh God, another one saying, “I’m really a nice guy in real life”
What next “Some of my best friends are…”?
OK here I am: I really am sarcastic, misanthropic, pessimistic and opinionated in real life. I shun company. If I’m polite, it’s because I’m trying to find a way to excuse my departure. Got that?
I think you have just justified my comment above.
Anyway, no need to overdo the excuses. You got a touch of the vapours…own it.
you do “get” that by spending time online it is part of your “real world”.
This following an overt threat of GBH if you were to meet lprent in real life?
No, I think you might be jumping to conclusions…again.
I said that I didn’t think that lprent behaved the way he says he does in public because if he did there are alot of people (myself included in a hypothetical meeting where he behaved like an obnoxious clown) who would just deck him.
“I wouldn’t inflict GBH, but my friends would.”
OK, got that.
You’re repeatedly making implied threats of physical violence towards a site admin through secondary agencies connected to you. When are you going to start making them under your own name?
“My friends would…” is an evasion of “I would…” When will you say “I will…”?
goddamn interwebz, forcing him to use his words
What, as opposed to actually conversing with someone on the telephone, who would have thunk it
Ah, so kk has a diagnosed neurological condition that compels him to violence rather than rational discussion?
I didn’t know that “being right wing” was listed in DSM–IV, although I agree that it probably should be.
R.
What do you expect Tracey. If he can’t win the argument, and it gets a little heated, he will resort to his fists. It’s just typical thug practice, if he cant win the argument, then he hits his opponent.
You see heaps of this type of ‘person’ in Wellington/Auckland on a Friday/Saturday nights. They are the reason sane people don’t visit these places anymore.
a valuble lesson about the perils of running ones mouth off
How delightfully authoritarian. And I’m sure you’d be just as enthusiastic if it were you getting the same treatment from a regime you disagreed with.
And the whole anonymous versus pseudonymous bullshit is raised again. And a paid opinionator/commissar once again displays how to twist and turn an event via omission, selective quoting and a smattering of fiction.
In my world, his attempted character assassination of a person he doesn’t even know – and by extension and clear implication a whole online world of people who use pseudonyms – is beneath contempt.
Meanwhile, calling out an organisation is legitimate. And should be encouraged in any society. Surely. Just not in Brian commissar Rudman’s world, peopled as it is by benevolent figures of authority and where all is good and all is right and the aforementioned grown up’s ought to be left to order things and act as they see fit
Well said, Bill.
Yes, so many things wrong with what Rudman wrote. I posted a couple of comments, will see if they turn up.
Kracklite doesn’t post anonymously, they post pseudonymously. This means they use a consistent name on the internet and regulars know who the person is. Using an apparent real life name like John Wilson means no more than using a name like Kracklite, because there is no way to know who that John Wilson is. What you are suggesting isn’t an issue of names, it’s an issue of sharing personal details online. Many of us have valid and very good reasons for not doing so. You don’t have to live in China to fear for your job or wellbeing. That you have a level of security and privilege in your life that means you can be published using your RL name doesn’t mean everyone does.
btw anonymous commenters are people where there is no way to know which particular person is posting at any given time. Most serious political blogs don’t allow anonymous commenting because it’s too hard to follow debate when you don’t know who made any specific comment. A good example of anonymous posting is newspapers that publish editorials without saying who wrote the piece.
I know Kracklite’s commenting style, and while their comments can be harsh and sometimes inflammatory, they don’t fit ordinary definitions of trolling. Someone in your position of power mis-using the term ‘troll’ against someone whose opinions you don’t like IS an attempt at suppression of free speech.
As for rules of debate and defamation, most political blogs have very clear moderation of things that are potentially defammatory, because it is the blog owners that are legally liable for what they publish. Calling the police ‘pigs’ would not be considered a legally risky statement. Rules of debate vary from blog to blog, sometimes hugely, and I doubt that most academic institutions have any better idea of what those are than most newspaper journalists.
Your ridiculing and marginalising of someone with Aspergers tells me more about you than the issues of the blog commentariat.
Overall I find your piece to be full of inaccuracies and prejudices about the blogosphere. Blogs are here to stay, might be better if the MSM educated themselves on how they actually work.
And what a surprise to see Pete George get his grubby little mitts in there too (the Herald comments). What a vile cretin he is.
Nice comment – and more polite than I’d have done.
Oh I was definitely biting my tongue. I was going for polite in the hope they would actually publish it. Doesn’t look like they will though (can’t see how it was any worse than some of the ones that have been published).
Excellent comment weka. Thank-you. Now we’ll wait to see if it appears.
Weka, I just checked Rudman’s column and your comments are now up – divided into two comments.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11155976
The quickest way to them is to go to the comments and sort by “latest” and then scroll down.
Well done.
thanks vv. Took quite a long time (4+ hours), good to know for next time.
Wow, Weka,
that is just amazing. I’m probably blushing (meaning a whiter shade of pale, no doubt – I’ll have to go check in the mirror and listen to Procul Harum). As for everyone else below – too many to name – thank you very much also. Of course you’re sticking up for principles, which I admire.
As for inflammatory, well, I’ve read far too much of Harlan Ellison not to love his style. Please check out the documentary Dreams With Sharp Teeth .
And welcome back Rhino, I also seek out and value your comments. As much as I was appalled by Rudman’s offensive lowbrow article, I must say I got a good laugh from his repeated labeling of you as a tr0ll.
Also laugh worthy was his parting “At least the Roast Busters didn’t hide behind anonymity,” shot. O fer sure, you could learn a thing or two from the RBers Rhino. Where’s my Tui? I hope you’re laughing too.
I indulged in a mild chuckle. I’ve been called worse by better people, as… er, someone said. Pierre Trudeau, I think.
Damn! There’s something I haven’t heard in a while – that album with the purple and grey cover!
I’ve been away and hadn’t noticed your absence – but welcome back.
Well said weka. What a pathetic article from Rudman.
I noted a significant number of comments supportive of Rhinocrates when I read the article this morning. “A toxic tr0l” was a bit inflammatory. ouch!
Yep Weka they made it in. Unlike mine for calling PG out for his Secret Squirrel name among his others
why was this newsworthy by rudman??? Do journos just read TS, KB and whale slick all day?
Well they do if they want to find out the latest political gossip and news
lol – you fellow traveller you.
I am disgusted at Rudman’s column. I had some respect for Rudman as a columnist prior to this one, although I did not necessarily always agree with his views.
But this one is just over the top – particularly his attempts to ‘out’ the blogger. Thankfully, the majority of the comments to date do not support Rudman’s rave – or rather his emotive venom, as you so rightly called it, Karol.
To the blogger, you have my support and I have always sought out your comments here when I see them pop up as I always found them well worth reading in terms of their content and your writing style – and for the most part, on the same wavelength as my thinking. Kia kaha.
Edit – you said it much better than me, Bill.
+100 Also a fan of the comments, and find them worth the time taken to read and ponder.
Will be looking out for more of the same – hope they will be forthcoming.
I agree re reading the comments, Molly – they often give a better indication than the column itself. And over the last few months, imo there has bee quite a sea change in the comments on the Herald.
Re the comments on Rudman’s column, Weka’s excellent comment at 11.2.2. has not come up yet; but Emma Hart has a comment up now along the same vein.
Edit – Pete George again shows the weasel he is in his comment.
PG – shame on him!
Emma – well said.
I still have a chuckle now and then over Rhino’s Shearer speech. Must have been six months ago now. He was sorting his supermarket list at the same time he was making a speech and of course he got the two muddled up. Hilarious it was. 🙂
Exactly!!! Go Rhinocrates!
Rudderless Rudman obviously doesn’t know what an internet tr0ll is, strange he didn’t mention how being called a jellyfish seemingly prompted the police commissioner to make a phone call, maybe it was a “I’m not a jellyfish, I’m a blind eel” call.
“eelo eelo, wot’s goin’ on ‘ere then”.
It’s business that really rules us now
And how much of this jumping to do what the corporations want do we see in NZ? There’s the Warner Brothers legislation, the SkyCity sell out and the removal of democracy in Canterbury so that the farmers could get their hands on our precious water.
‘
When you say “Warner Brothers’ Legislation:” were you referring to both the local labour and human rights legislation or were you referring to the wider, less explicit US spying legislation? Both, I guess.
I was specifically thinking of the change to our labour laws to please WB but I think you’re right in that the US spying legislation also applies.
Brian Rudman often writes reasonable columns about local government and Auckland issues. He is an old fashioned ex Auckland Star journalist that talks to people and digs away for a story. But he is also old fashioned to the extent that he clearly does not understand internet anonymity.
Regular posters with a handle build up an identity over time that others can relate to or sometimes not. It is what people are saying or linking to that matters not who they are. You can become quite loyal to some fellow bloggers and posters.
Rudman should look over his shoulder because some of the worst anonymous contributors known to humankind are the NZ Herald editorial writers.
Likely true, but I also suspect that he has never been personally persecuted by some of the rather vengeful police tactics and attitudes that other people here have experienced.
If he had, he might realise why pseudonymity is very valuable to some people in a serious democracy.
this is an interview of russell brand..(in front of a live-audience..)
..recorded about 48 hrs ago..
..and it is a recommended-watch..
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36816.htm
phillip ure..
I decided to take a look at how Might Rive Power and Meridian shares were doing.
Oh dear.
MRP currently at $2.170 and Meridian at $1.025.
Oh dear?
Sarcasm.
Ahhh
The Central Bank says that over- borrowing for farming especially dairying is putting the country’s economy at risk. Perhaps we can have some safeguards against the agricultural bubble, aka as a fart, by the government cutting down on overseas buyers and ensuring that all buyers don’t use leverage but have a decent deposit.
And the meat industry is trying to rationalise the meat operators. There are about 20, most competing overseas, something long criticised because it results in unhealthy competition where we want best price not cheapest. Southland where meat production has been strong is converting to dairy at an alarming rate. Soon they won’t have enough supply to keep their local buyers and dealers viable. For heaven’s sake, before I die can NZ get its bloody meat economy in order. Before it gets to the stage where its an invalid, limping along and spreading sickness throughout the country.
Annoying that people are starting to call the Reserve Bank, the Central Bank. I mean, wtf…it is the Reserve Bank…
Central Bank says “rising household indebtedness poses a risk if the financial sector comes under pressure” and “…will look at LVR exemptions…” despite Warwick Quinn advising that the new lending requirements are “choking off new building”- (30% drop-off).
-Midday Report
Time for KiwiFarm, amiright?
We already have KiwiFarm, and it looks after billions of dollars of very productive farm land, thank you very much.
How would this Ernst and Young ‘inquiry’ have the power to find out if Sky City hotel room(s) were used in the Mayor Len Brown / Bevan Chaung affair, if Len Brown had no financial record/ Council documentation which proved it?
_____________________________________________________________________________
Auckland Council CEO
Doug McKay
Dear Doug,
‘Open Letter’ re: Inquiry into Conduct of Mayor Len Brown
http://www.interest.co.nz/sites/default/files/Independent%20Review%20Scope.pdf
Please confirm that the terms of reference of this ‘inquiry’ include an investigation into the alleged use of Sky City premises (namely hotel room(s) in the affair between Mayor Len Brown and Bevan Chuang.
As an ‘anti-corruption’ Public Watchdog, I am primarily interested in knowing whether Sky City premises (namely hotel room(s), were used in the affair between Mayor Len Brown and Bevan Chuang.
The issue of payment (who paid, how they were paid for, or if they were used without payment), although significant, is secondary (in my considered opinion).
Please confirm that the alleged use Sky City premises (namely hotel room(s), will be covered by this ‘inquiry’, given that there may not be any evidence available from either Auckland Council documents or financial records.
Can you please acknowledge receipt of this correspondence at your earliest available opportunity.
Yours sincerely,
Penny Bright
NZ Herald’s live (and relatively uninformative, apart from evidence of obsessions with weather and the police desk) newsdesk blog to commemorate it’s anniversary, shows Armstrong to be a one-finger typist.
Looks like a chimp.
Careful fellas, it’s likely related to his seriously deteriorating health conditions.
‘
That bog is scary in a spooky kinda way.
Finlayson pwning Adern.
Finlayson just being abusive -how many times to he say something about “your thug union mates”?
“Police are investigating seven sex attacks around a leisure complex in Manukau over the last two months.
The assaults took place in and around the Manukau Sports Bowl and the Gardens/Totara Park area.
One of the victims was aged 13.
“We are concerned about these types of incidents due to the nature and frequency of offending in these areas,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Darrell Harpur.
“The latest occurrence was in broad daylight at a public playground. We urge people in the area to be vigilant and accompany their children to local playgrounds.”
When is it too soon to send out the warning? After the first assault/rape? The second, or 2 months after the first and after number 7?
Opposition MPs – lift your game!
When Key tells lies in Parliament, is there not one single MP who is smart enough and quick-witted enough to challenge him?
Three – yes, 3 – times in a couple of minutes of Question Time Key mocked the asset sales referendum by claiming that Labour and the Greens had “arrogantly” ignored the smacking referendum when they were in power.
Not one MP asked “Who was in power at the time of the referendum?” “Did you support or oppose the law?” “Did you change the law or keep it?” etc, etc.
No challenge at all, just lots of brain-dead shouting. He rewrites history in the most brazen, mendacious way, and you sit there like fools.
(sure, plenty of people immediately tweeted the obvious rejoinders, but what use is that? Any of us can do that, you are the ones there, being PAID to do a job. THINK on your feet. Wake up!).
This has been going on for years. Cunliffe is doing better than Shearer (a low bar, admittedly), but overall the opposition are still failing. Key was acting like a drunken madman today, and you let him. Yet again.
Yes, I was amazed at Key’s bald faced lies on the smacking referendum.
Cunliffe got onto it in the General Debate – but slow off the mark.
Yes, they often catch up in the general debate. When Key is no longer there, and the media are no longer watching.
It’s like trying to “win” an election debate in the spin room, after you’ve lost on live TV. It does very little good.
Question 1
Quite a bit of the opposition trying to pull Key up on his re-writing of history. The Speaker didn’t seem to impressed.
I think gs’s point is that the opposition to Key’s lies need to be expressed in very pointed supplementary questions, not just via heckling.
Clare Curran said that every man and his dog knew the price Chorus could charge for use of its copper network would be slashed substantially by the Commerce Commission.
But as the NBR points out (paywall), Curran is now trying to reinvent history. Despite her now claiming she always knew the copper price would drop, back in 2011 she actually said the copper price would increase:
“The people of New Zealand who are receiving broadband services will find their existing copper services go up in price while they are waiting for fibre.”
Cunliffe said in 2011:
“The objective analysis we have seen…is that the average New Zealander will pay at least $5 more a month for the same service they are currently getting on their copper phone line.”
Parker also chipped in with similar comments.
Nice work Clare Curran…
while im no fan of clare curran – the copper pricing thing wasnt really a surprise to anyone, especially chorus and the govt
the fact that copper prices were high, and expected to come down by force or free will has been on the cards for years
so stick it to CC all you want – but please dont let govt and industry players who did know about this off the hook at the same time
Um – the only site that has that CC ‘quote’ is the greasy cetacean.
At best that’s almost certainly not exactly what she said. At worst it’s up there with the edited Jim Anderton – earthquake vid.
But then, the PR is probably paid by the quantity of cross-postings from tory propaganda sites, not the quality.
Ships of the desert ; MERS updates.
INFECTION CONTROL Today
From The Local Europe. Sound familiar. The free market at work eh?
Top 10: bargain properties in Italy
Property prices in Italy fell by almost 12 percent in 2012, triggering a rise in foreign investment as buyers take advantage of a market where locals are struggling to get on the property ladder. With the help of estate agents, The Local has drawn up a list of where the bargain properties are to be found.
Sweden feels the lack of father’s moral care too. From the Local – Swededn.
Sweden ‘failed to protect’ shower girl: court
The Swedish legal system failed to protect a 14-year-old girl whose stepfather, who was acquitted in Sweden, covertly filmed her naked in the shower according to a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights
Oh dear, it looks like a Cold War type paranoia maybe rearing its ugly head again.
http://www.3news.co.nz/NZ-could-breed-extremists—Kibblewhite/tabid/1607/articleID/321213/Default.aspx#.UoMTLSehsiI
My father was subjected to surveillance and other unpleasant covert type activities in the 1970s after some bureaucratic idiots jumped to some wrong conclusions about his retirement activities. Rather long story, and it’s still debatable whether the idiots were local or attached to an off-shore agency. They were all running around each others’ territory in those days because they didn’t have the electronic technology that is available today.
towel- heads under the bed-clothes.
If you wonder why I have voted National for the past couple of elections this may give you a clue despite having been converted from nothing in particular to socialism by Bill Sutch’s ‘The Responsible Society’, and then later by Roger Douglas’s ‘Common Sense’ ….. First published at KB but here it might do more good?
OH DEAR BOO HOO Poor first home buyers cannot be expected to find $80T deposit for their $400T new home. What a load of left wing c..p.
Admittedly there is been inflation in the past fifty years but my first home was 60 years old maybe more and after building a new house in the backyard with the valuable assistance of my wife [ while I still worked a 40 hour week and wife kept house and raised our son ] it was demolished. A junior football team did it Saturday morning to raise money for a trip out of town.
Cost $2000 to buy it … total mortgage $5000 plus income to build it after we started showing we were serious to first my lawyer and then a bank. Then for fittings we had a TV and a small fridge which I had brought to the marraige from the mobile caravan I had been living in, no car until after house was completed.
Really I am crying hard for the poor stupid sods and the political leaders trying to make hay out of the first home people wanting to waltz into a brand new house along with all the fittings to keep up with the jonses …. not to consider the impact of forecast interest increases on such large loans. No doubt that will be the next bleeding heart story of a couple of years time.
I remember the smug feeling back in the 70′s when interest rates were in double figures and I only had to pay on perhaps $4000 thanks to the hard work of my wife and I.
thankyou for the space …..
>40 year old well capitalised buyers are blocking out or price gouging <40 year old first home buyers.
Your comment is a beautiful demonstration of how out of touch your demographic is in its role here.
I wrote in the hope that it might invoke some common sense here and in the market place rather than sppeal to the mentally locked … oh well another time.
One can hope it saves some from mortaging their lives to the banks.
Don’t ask me? i’m a renter and have never had any desire to own property…. and I’m a leftie.
What is this obsession with property ownership?
The problem is the obsession with the second and third house as investment though understandable when one considers the unreliability of the share market … the first house is just the first step to becoming a capitalist apart from those such as myself who are happy with just a roof over my head.
Didnt they have things like Housing Corp mortagages, and family benefit capitalisations, and so on?
And I bet you voted for the government that got rid of them. Typical ladder puller.
From the Financial Times
This is one of the outcomes of the Libor scandal. They are looking at the Australian dollar, but this has to affect he Kiwi is one of he most actively traded currencies in the world
Biggest banks face forex probe questions
By Daniel Schäfer and Caroline Binham
The global probe into foreign exchange manipulation has widened to include 15 of the world’s biggest banks and some of the most actively traded currencies, as lenders scramble to help authorities in exchange for leniency.
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/3c06d74c-4bbe-11e3-8203-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2kVVdSqS5
“Before Libor, people thought benchmarks could be trusted. Now there’s a presumption that there’s a risk of manipulation. Perhaps manipulation is not the exception but the rule.”
Yes, it is the rule. Countries and pension funds have been going broke because of this and other banking scams.
This.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/11/13/dinner-at-government-house-if-sir-jerry-mateparae-was-a-corporation-wed-say-he-had-a-political-agenda/
revealing and concerning; came, saw, and signed the Tee-shirt.
Unusually, hope its not worth anything next year