“You keep using the word activists rather than scientists…”
Lynn Freeman confronts, and thereby angers, Matthew Hooton Politics From the Left and From the Right, Radio NZ National, Monday 13 July 2015
Lynn Freeman, Matthew Hooton (“Right”), Mike Williams (“Left”)
With the temporary absence of regular Nine to Noon host Kathryn Ryan, many long-suffering listeners were no doubt hoping that her replacement Lynn Freeman might do a better job today. If you did hope for that, well…. your hopes were justified! Unlike Kathryn Ryan, Lynn Freeman was not prepared to indulge Hooton’s crude attempt to belittle and traduce scientists, and dealt to him in a way he hasn’t experienced since Andrew Campbell and Laila Harré used to trounce him on this same program a few years ago.
We join the discussion at the 20:20 mark, with just over four minutes remaining. Williams is winding up another poorly thought out, mealy-mouthed and wandery contribution…
MIKE WILLIAMS:…but I seriously don’t believe this is an issue which grabs many people.
LYNN FREEMAN: Do you agree with that, Matthew? Are we going to hear much more about climate change targets?
MATTHEW HOOTON: Oh we’ll hear a great deal more about this. Again, this is something that comes from overseas, predominantly in the European Union. When you mentioned that activist group that, um, rates countries, errrr, basically they’re telling ALL countries they’re not doing enough, they’re telling all countries that they’re going to embarrass themselves at this big jamboree in Paris, I think forty thousand delegates are expected to jet in to Paris for I think it’ll be the twenty-FIFTH U.N. conference, the Earth Summit—-
LYNN FREEMAN: Although they do say that China, even China’s doing better than New Zealand.
MATTHEW HOOTON: Well, isn’t that preposterous! I mean, [scoffs] isn’t that absol—, that shows the fallacy and absurdity of what, um, these activist groups say, um, anyone who thinks that New Zealand is, ahh, more important or, or, is not doing as much as China on this issue cannot be taken seriously. The E.U. groups are very keen on comparing everything, um, to 1990 rather than 2005 and the reason for that is that that is in Europe’s, in the European Union’s financial interest. If climate change targets are based on 1990, they had the collapse of communism in the East that led to a massive environmental clean-up as you always get when socialism is abandoned and the environment improves. Ahm, and also there’s that move to clean and green nuclear power away from coal, which, ham, they’ve done in Europe, and Europe always looks good against a 1990 baseline whereas countries like China and India prefer a 2005 baseline because that makes THEM look good. But as I say, what’s going to happen? Orders will come out of the European Union’s—-um, the head office of Greenpeace will be telling its subsidiaries around the world that what you’ve got to say in your local economy is that your country’s about to embarrass itself in Paris. We’ve seen this every time there’s one of these big conferences. And so I think we’ll see a lot of this in the media, ahhhh, the conference will of course FAIL in Paris, ahm, because the whole approach being used, ahhm, by the U.N. on this issue is flawed. As I say, twenty-five conferences, they’ve all failed. The Kyoto framework has failed, and this will fail. In fact the only country in the world that’s done, did anything useful on this issue is New Zealand, at Copenhagen when we launched the Global Research Alliance on methane emissions. Now they are fourteen per cent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. New Zealand’s initiative to reduce that—let’s say it reduces them by ten per cent, that would reduce global emissions by one point four per cent.
LYNN FREEMAN: Does that mean we shouldn’t try?
MATTHEW HOOTON: Well we ARE trying to do that. That’s our GOAL. That’s what New Zealand is leading. That’s like removing all the carbon emissions of seventy New Zealands. And so the ONLY THING at, at Copenhagen that may reduce global emissions that was launched, was launched by Tim Groser and it was the Global Research Alliance. Now, all these STUPID targets that the activists are so keen on, ahhhhmm, will achieve nothing. Let’s say New Zealand had, which I think the activists say, we should have, umm, a forty per cent reduction over a 1990 baseline compared with thirty per cent over 2005, these are just WORDS.
LYNN FREEMAN: Well, you keep—
MATTHEW HOOTON: They make no difference to the planet WHATSOEVER!
LYNN FREEMAN: You keep using the word “activists” rather than, you know, on many occasions, terms like “scientists”, so we’ve got we’re you’re coming from. We’ve only got a couple of minutes. Mike—-
MATTHEW HOOTON:[in a defiant and peremptory tone] The activist group that was reported as being scientists on Morning Report are NOT scientists, they are ACTIVISTS.
LYNN FREEMAN: They’re not sole voices is what I’m trying to say, Matthew. But anyway, last word to Mike because we’ve given you a lot of time on climate change. Are you as pessimistic, Michael?
MIKE WILLIAMS: No I’m not, and uh, um, no. Um, and, and, there has been successes in the past, particularly, ah, the elimination of chlorofluorocarbons which were causing the hole in the ozone layer. They have been virtually eliminated, so there, there IS hope, umm, y’know, CO2 emissions… Methane is a different matter. Methane hangs around in the atmosphere a lot longer than CO2 so—-
HOOTON: Mmmm.
MIKE WILLIAMS: Uh, I’d support Matthew in his support for Tim Groser trying to do something about methane. It may be only a small percentage of emissions but it DOES hang around, so I think that, y’know, something WAS achieved….
[Williams droned on in this fashion for a few more seconds, but this writer was too nauseated to transcribe any more.]
In my transcript of the extremely polite but (for Matthew Hooton) devastating bollocking he got from Lynn Freeman yesterday, I transcribed the coup de grâce thusly…
LYNN FREEMAN: You keep using the word “activists” rather than, you know, on many occasions, terms like “scientists”, so we’ve got we’re you’re coming from.
Eagle-eyed Standardisti will have spotted the error immediately: of course, what Ms Freeman said was, “we’ve got where you’re coming from.”
Hooton showed a lack of professionalism by not declaring his conflict of interest. instead choosing an attempt to deceive listeners by wearing his media commentators hat and not his corporate lobbyist handle. Obviously it would be a very bad look to his corporate clients if he acknowledged climate change, referring to scientists as activists made this position very clear. In short a lack of a moral compass when money is concerned.
Please don’t dignify bigots by calling them “rednecks”. Working people and farmers (rednecks) are usually—not always—decent and hardworking and tolerant. Farrar, Blubberguts, Jordan Williams, Neil Miller, Mike Hosking and the rest of them are not decent or hardworking or tolerant.
The question should be where is Mike Williams when Hooton goes on these Randian rapages.
He’s sitting right beside him; you can hear him chortling supportively when Hooton makes one of his sour little quips. When it’s time for Williams to talk, he almost always prefaces whatever he says with “I agree with Matthew…”
Does anyone more suitable spring to mind to counter Matthew?
Andrew Campbell and Laila Harré both firmly countered him when they used to occupy the seat that Williams so ineffectively occupies now. There are many principled, intelligent and strong people more than capable of handling Hooton who is, as was clearly shown so starkly after Lynn Freeman’s intervention yesterday, an intellectual lightweight.
Any one of the following would do a far better job than Mike Williams: Morgan Godfery, Mihi Forbes, Gordon Campbell, Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury, Dita Di Boni, Raybon Kan.
It depends on what the job is, Moz. I think RNZ is paying them to fill a slot and keep ears tuned in. The fact that you are listening and talking about the segment strongly suggests they’re meeting their KPI’s.
Real estate company starts a witch hunt looking into a possible leak from a staffer. More interested in fat juicy profits from inflated Auckland house prices rather than calling for a registrar of foreigner’s buying here. The full article of is part of a claim of racism by a local Chinese Kiwi editor linked below.
“Meanwhile, Barfoot & Thompson chief executive Wendy Alexander said the company would start its own investigation to identify if it was the source of the leaked data. Barfoot sells one-third of Auckland properties and managing director Peter Thompson said if the data did belong to the firm it had been given illegally”.
I’m wondering why it appears so difficult to find out who buys what. All house sales, price and location are notified to Valuation NZ and published every 3 months ( or they used to be ). It can’t be too difficult to match this to council records ( also public knowledge ) as to who owns a house and where the rates bill is sent to.
The suspicion must be that the Nat Gummint doesn’t want to know.
Mr. Fixit fronting the housing issue on RNZ this am. Where’s Housing Minister Smith ? Or better still, where’s Teflon John ? The latter seems to have been quiet of late. Is he overseas ?
The Nats spent a day ignoring the issue.
Then they decided they had to send Joyce, so clearly
Does anyone else find his manner when being interviewed highly aggressive?
Joyce was in full motormouth mode on Morning Report. Ferguson never got a look in. The government is desperately rushing around all over the place papering over cracks as they appear. Housing, swamp kauri, zero hours, you name it.
…and remember the bollocking that David Cunliffe got for spending a few days off with his family down south?!…who was the journalist who whipped that up?
Like it or not, that role is something I doubt few people would want to take on. The sort of pressure and long hours takes a toll on you mentally and physically.
I suspect he’s lying low to give the great unwashed time to forget about his latest round of taradiddles and shenannigans. I think he always does that when the heat starts to go on
Step 1) Take data
Step 2) Give data to specialist in data/statistical analysis
Step 3) Make data public
On the flip side:
Step 1) Accuse data leaker of targeted racism
Step 2) Mount massive campaign to make the public think data is inherently racist
Step 3) Get cronies to make random number generator website
Step 4) Put ads on website
Step 5) Profit
The original story is about foreign investment in NZ, specifically how it is driving up the property market and making homes and renting unaffordable in Auckland…but hell we cant have a reasonable public debate about that, it will ruin me and my friends chances of making millions in yet another property boom! You’re trying to take money out of my pocket!
If anything, this saga should be about the need for accurate data, or even better a registrar on foreign buyers of homes in NZ. Wait for this government to do absolutely nothing about it, and use the line “Oh well actually this is the market at work here….it has nothing to do with easy access to low interest loans or offshore buyers needing an easy and relatively tax exempt method of acquiring high return investments.”
This is why we need a NEW left of centre, progressive party, because Labour have with signing the NZ – China FTA practically sold our country out, and National supported it. Today Steven Joyce basically admitted that due to provisions in the FTA with Mainland China, we cannot stop Mainland Chinese residential and other property investors from buying property here. If we bring in a law to ban all foreign buyers for investment, this will be in breach of the FTA.
I raised this trade agreement Article and some concerns to many people before, but most New Zealanders are sleep wandering into their own future lives as tenants in their own country.
Chinese investors cannot be treated less favourably than New Zealanders, as otherwise we would breach the FTA and could be sued for it.
Those supporting the TPPA and other FTAs should perhaps care read this, and learn from it.
Either Labour learn from past mistakes and now distance themselves from this provision in the FTA with Mainland China, and renew themselves from within, by learning from past mistakes, or they will be history, I fear.
How many millionaires and billionaires have we got in NZ?
What “balance” is there in financial and other resources, between Mainland China and NZ?
I think we know the answer. Money is power and can buy you almost anything, on the “free market” we have, with its variances.
We can buy property in China, but not the land, it will only be leasehold. And their property is only cheap in some regions, where there is not so much economic activity. The fact that housing in major Chinese centres is now so expensive, even for tiny flats, that is one reason for many Mainland Chinese with capital to look for alternatives elsewhere.
The housing price inflation in major international centres, including London, Sydney and so, is in part due to many wealthy Mainland Chinese “investing” in property there, some for homes to live in during at least parts of the year, some just as pure investment, to earn a return and profit.
Try buying a property in China, it will not be as easy as it is here.
On RNZ this morning someone was saying that for a foreigner to buy property in China requires you to have lived there for 5 years before your eligible, and it’s lease-hold, and there are other restrictions you have to work through too.
In China nobody, except the state, can “own” the land, all land used for residential or other purposes ins basically treated as leasehold land, which can be used for granted purposes, but the land cannot be owned as such, like freehold land in NZ.
Investment means every kind of asset invested, directly or indirectly, by the investors of a Party in the territory of the other Party including, but not limited to, the following:
g) any right conferred by law (i.e. resident status – my words) or under contract and any licences and permits pursuant to law;
I think this is a little bit of a smoke-screen by Joyce. If it really were true that we couldn’t change our law in this regard, I think more pople would be mentioning it.
Another interpretation, is that if we make it so you must be a resident of NZ to buy an investment property, then we are in no way treating Chinese citizens differently to NZ citizens: if a Chinese citizen is a resident, they can buy property, just like an NZ citizen being resident can.
What we may not be able to do, though, is base it on citizenship explicitly. This would mean a NZer who has permanently emigrated to Australia, but who still holds NZ citizenship, would not be able to buy and hold NZ property.
If you read Article 138 of the China NZ FTA, it does not limit investment into whatever investment type to citizenship being a requirement. Investors from China are meant to be treated the same as New Zealanders, that is within New Zealand:
“Article 138 National Treatment
Each Party shall accord to investments and activities associated with such investments, with respect to management, conduct, operation, maintenance, use, enjoyment or disposal, by the investors of the other Party treatment no less favourable than that accorded, in like circumstances, to the investments and associated activities by its own investors.”
I heard Andrew Little say on Radio Live (just before midday), that he is going to seek advice on this provision, and what it really means for investors (whether it allows certain restrictions also for Mainland Chinese, even when ALL foreign investors may be presented such).
Article 141 appears to clarify what Article 138 says, and how it must be applied:
“Article 141 Non-Conforming Measures
1. Article 138 does not apply to:
any existing non-conforming measures maintained within its territory;
the continuation of any non-conforming measure referred to in subparagraph (a);
an amendment to any non-conforming measure referred to in subparagraph (a) to the extent that the amendment does not increase the non-conformity of the measure, as it existed immediately before the amendment, with those obligations.
2. The Parties will endeavour to progressively remove the non-conforming measures.
3. Notwithstanding anything in paragraph 1, Article 138 shall not apply to any measure, which with respect to each Party, would not be within the scope of the national treatment obligations in any of that Party’s existing bilateral investment treaties.”
I read this as saying, that existing non-conforming measures may be enforceable, but that they are not supposed to be tightened, i.e. made more restrictive for investors. Also do parties commit to progressively remove “non-conforming measures”.
If Labour want to tighten investment in real estate by non New Zealand, off-shore investors, then that would also affect Mainland Chinese, and that would then lead to a breach of the FTA, it seems. So New Zealand’s hands are tied, as I understand it. The present (rather liberal) foreign investment rules for residential real estate can be upheld, but cannot be further tightened, not for Mainland Chinese investors.
Like I said, if the restriction is “must be a resident of NZ”, that impacts on Chinese citizens and NZ citizens equally and so would appear to obey the limitations of article 138.
A consequence of that may be that if you’re a NZ citizen living in Australia, that you can’t own property in NZ. I’m not sure if that would be acceptable to the NZ public.
A consequence of that may be that if you’re a NZ citizen living in Australia, that you can’t own property in NZ. I’m not sure if that would be acceptable to the NZ public.
I think it would be. If they’re not living here then why do they need to own land/housing/business here?
Because they plan to return seems to be a pretty good reason to me for wanting to own land and a house here.
I lived, and worked, in Australia for some years in the 1990’s. While I lived there I bought a house to live in. I always planned to return to New Zealand and I kept ownership of my house here. When I left Australia I sold my house there as I was leaving permanently.
Why would you refuse me the right to keep a property here to come back to?
Because they plan to return seems to be a pretty good reason to me for wanting to own land and a house here.
I would expect some reasonable time table to be included in the law. Something like having to live here 80% of the time on average while you own the house.
Why would you refuse me the right to keep a property here to come back to?
Because of the detriment rentiers do to the economy. Really, go read Adam Smith and a few other classical economists on that one. Also read Piketty.
No, that wasn’t your point at all. You said that ” resident status is either temporary or permanent – it does not matter where you domicile” with the implication that people who are permanent residents and citizens would get to buy and own houses whether they lived here or not.
Both Lanthanide and I are saying that if you don’t live here then you don’t get to own houses (For me I also include land and businesses) whether you’re a permanent resident/citizen or not. Of course, people who aren’t either citizens or permanent residents can’t live here permanently.
MSOne. An interesting interview Plunket v Joyce. I think Mr Joyce was not very pleased with Sean since he had to answer the questions, not allowed to distract and especially testy about the long delay in addressing the Housing problem. Be interesting if the is a followup with a Labour voice.
Attorney-General backs Solicitor-General in John Banks case.
In my view – Crown Law should have have appealed the Court of Appeal decision.
The New Zealand 14 July
By Isaac Davison
Attorney-General Chris Finlayson has backed Crown Law and the Solicitor-General following questions about their conduct in the prosecution of John Banks.
After Mr Banks was acquitted of filing a false electoral return in May, Mr Finlayson said he would “take a close look” at the Crown’s prosecution of the former Act Party leader .
He said this morning he had completed his investigation and he was satisfied with the conduct of Crown Law in relation to the case.
“Mr Banks has had a distinguished career in both central and local government and I acknowledge the distress this matter has caused his family and him,” Mr Finlayson said.
“I am, however, satisfied that Crown Law’s supervision of the litigation was satisfactory and in line with the Prosecution Guidelines 2013.”
Mr Banks was highly critical of Crown prosecutor Paul Dacre, QC and Solicitor-General Mike Heron, QC, after his acquittal, saying they had “a lot to answer for”.
At the time, the Court of Appeal had ruled that Crown Law had misled the court by withholding evidence.
Mr Finlayson, who is the minister responsible for the Crown Law Office, gave his full support to Mr Heron.
“Because of the personalised nature of some of the allegations about the conduct of the Solicitor-General, I state for the record that he has my full confidence. He is an outstanding Solicitor-General,” he said.
The Crown took over the case from serial litigant Graham McCready, who took a private prosecution against Mr Banks in relation to donations he received from Kim Dotcom during his mayoral campaign in 2010.
Crown Law briefed an independent barrister for the case because it was politically sensitive and because Mr Dotcom, who is facing extradition to the United States, was a witness in the trial.
Mr Finlayson said the next step in the case would be determining costs, which he said was a matter for Crown Law and Mr Banks’ lawyer.
Copying and pasting an entire NZ Herald story is a breach of copyright law and exposes the publisher (this website) to risk of prosecution. Feel free to do it on your own site, however.
Imagine if the Labour Party had a list of house buyers names and picked out the ones like Cohen, Goldsmith, and Levi and talked about how Jews were buying up Auckland. Does anyone think that would be acceptable? Why is Chong, Li and Wu more acceptable?
[lprent: If you are worried about this, then you should definitely avoid looking at the Statistics department site.
As well as ethnicity, that also looks at things like gender, age, religion, meshblock, household income, property, bathrooms, bedrooms, property sizes and literally hundreds of other factors and derivatives. When you correlate that with other public databases like LINZ via meshblock and geographical locations, you reap information about
Since the end of the 19th century, all states have carried out statistical analysis of populations and businesses with correlations in the analysis. This allows them to anticipate demand and identify issues in the past and the future via trends.
The new factor that was added into this correlation was an rough estimate (because of the government not collecting data) of a specific group buying property. That could have just as easily been the gender of the purchaser(s), age on the purchaser(s), or immigration status of purchaser(s) or immigration status of the purchaser(s) or a range of other useful and relevant information if the government chose to collect that. Frankly I have no idea why they haven’t been doing so.
I’d ask you what you thoughts are on that. However in the light of my next paragraph, that becomes somewhat pointless.
In my view your comment is a stupid Godwin, which I don’t like. But I especially don’t like that you didn’t even make it bother to make it explicit, which makes it an idiotic dogwhistle. Banned for one month.
Idiot. You should know by now to make your arguments explicit. But you always seem to deteriorate back to the stupid dogwhistles. When you come back next time, you will avoid dogwhistles where you don’t fill in your argument. Otherwise I will just start doubling up on this. ]
Silly comment, we do not have an apparent investment spree from off-shore people with identifiable “Jewish” names. And for all other groups with identifiable “ethnic” origin links, there is no significant disproportionate representation between census figures on the population share in Auckland, and on buyers names of residential real estate for 3 months.
I get the impression you are trying to make some sinister allegations and comparisons.
The only thing this list showed was that x amount of Chong, Li and Wu appeared on a list of property sales vs x amount of Chong, Li and Wu on the electoral role.
So if the List would have Cohen, Goldsmith and Levi on the list, one could compare the number of properties sold to Cohen, Goldsmith and Levi, vs the amount of Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis living in Auckland as per electoral role.
Does not mean all of the Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis would be overseas investors from the US or Israel, but it would mean that we seem to have an influx of Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis from The US and Israel, and many of them might not be New Zealand Citizens or Permanent Residence, and then we could ask the question again ” Just how smart is a country that sells its land to overseas speculators?” (some could even argue that not everyone with a traditionally Jewish surname ,as that what was you implied, be of Jewish faith, or have ever lived in Israel. That is where you dear Fisiani get to hysterically screech racism!!!!
Feel better now?
Btw. Have you send a Letter to National asking for this public registar of overseas Property Owners in NZ, so that we could have proper data to look at and discuss, or would you rather not?
I’ve had not one but TWO one-month bans from this site, with one of those lengthened to a two-month ban. Shortly after that, I was banned from Blubberguts’s notorious Whaleoil site for a week; I am now banned from that site permanently. I’m also permanently banned from Brian Edwards’s site.
Oh!—I nearly forgot!—I’m also banned from Brett Dale’s site.
Last week I was banned for one day from The Standard with my good friend Te Reo Putake blowing the whistle.
Personally I’d let fisiani keep talking (digging) – we need to be honest and open, and separate nationality from ethnicity and global economics/geopolitics. It is a debate we need to have. The potential for Scapegoats based on look and names has led down a bad path in the past – lets’s remember Jewry went (or were forced) into finance because usury was unpalatable to Christians in Europe at a time.
so you did write that letter to the National Party demanding a registar of all overseas purchases of residental, commercial and rural properties in NZ, not only AKL, but all of NZ, including Farmland. 🙂
Dogmatic to the idealism, or question the facts? You know most people in England have English sounding names – around 85%? Han Chinese make up around 90% of mainland China – from the latter in Auckland 9% of residents – are we not allowed to explore? Can we not make this a yard stick for nationality, rough first guess as it may be?
This is not about internment camps – FFS. It actually belittles how far we’ve come.
‘China now stands where Britain stood: an economic colossus with expectations of this country that New Zealanders are only reluctantly beginning to comprehend. The thought that the Chinese might want something in return for opening up their market to our milk powder and baby formula has come very late to the ordinary Kiwi.
That Labour is leading the discussion about how much, precisely, the Chinese have a right to expect from New Zealanders is entirely fitting. After all, it was Labour who sealed the deal. It was Labour, too, who presided over the electorally unmandated “turn” towards Asia in the late-80s. That they are, at last, addressing the misgivings expressed to me by Sonja Davies’ all those years ago, is to be applauded – not condemned.
Labour’s Chinese whispers have nothing to do with racism. They’re about national sovereignty and the people’s will.’
On a lighter note – what’s this with Dan the man having a tanty over photographers catching a shot of his son. Bit rich Dan coming from you isn’t it – you sell your happiest day of your life with your beloved to a woman’s magazine and gladly take the money which is bad enough but then you push yourself into the faces of us all by allowing yourself to be plastered all over billboards and the back ends of buses assailing our senses in your underdaks with everything on display for all to see. For some of us its the last thing we want to see, not everybody is fixated on your body beautiful. Not very private of you Dan, all over the town in your underwear. Calm down, take a chill pill, you cannot easily just cherry pick when you want the adoring public to fawn all over you, at least your kids are cute and innocent and unlike the undaks a pleasure to look at. Concentrate on the game and try and stay on the field longer than 10 minutes – now that’s important.
I don’t think an ‘occasional’ photo of someone such as himself with his kid in a public place is so terrible. If they were following or excessively publishing photos, that’s another story.
as the recent herald article shows, many chinese have racial attitudes about themselves being hard workers and good savers, and that’s to be expected. every group who is doing well develops daffy ideas about why they’re so great that emphasises strong moral character and underplays the blind luck of historical contingency. many also may see nzers as lazy, and while wrong, it’s an understandable mistake. developed countries with egalitarian histories have a strong leisure culture, and as legendary china-based economist michael pettis points out, high consumption is a sign of economic strength, not moral weakness. but if you come from somewhere grim to a place where people are so good at having fun, it must be disconcerting. i mean, i know it is, i’ve talked to people.
something similar is happening in europe, where you get the virtuous german creditors and the vicious greek debtors. the only cure for such understandable but ultimately bullshit attitudes is the study of history.
Human beings are simply one species among many, inhabiting part of the earth at one point in its long lifespan. We’ve got remarkable gifts, but then so does every other living thing. We’re not the masters of the planet, the crown of evolution, the fulfillment of Earth’s destiny, or any of the other self-important hogwash with which we like to tickle our collective ego, and our attempt to act out those delusional roles with the help of a lot of fossil carbon hasn’t exactly turned out well, you must admit. I know some people find it unbearable to see our species deprived of its supposed place as the precious darlings of the cosmos, but that’s just one of life’s little learning experiences, isn’t it? Most of us make a similar discovery on the individual scale in the course of growing up, and from my perspective, it’s high time that humanity do a little growing up of its own, ditch the infantile egotism, and get to work making the most of the time we have on this beautiful and fragile planet.
Submitted by Martin Armstrong via ArmstrongEconomics.com,
Spain has shown that it is fully on board with the Brussels authoritarian direction of ending democracy. Those in power have simply convinced themselves that the people do not understand what is good for them so they must impose their will upon the people but raw force. How does this differ in any what from the justification of imposing communism? This is the death of all freedom and it is upon our doorstep.
Here are the new laws in Spain:
1. If you photograph security personnel and then share these images on social media: up to €30.000 fine (particularly if photo exposes violence used against a member of the public). This fine could increase depending on the number of Instagram or social media followers you have.
2. Tweet or retweet information or the “location of an organized protest” can now be interpreted as an act of terrorism as it incites others to “commit a crime” (now that “demonstrating” in many ways has become a crime). Sound “1984”-ish? Read about Orwell and his time in Spain.
3. Snowden-like whistle blowing is now defined as an act of terrorism. If you write for a local publication, be careful what you print, whom you speak to, and whether the government is listening.
4. Visiting or consulting terrorist websites – even for investigative purposes – can be interpreted as an act of terrorism. Make sure you use “Tor” browser, reject cookies, and don’t allow pop-ups. Not to mention, don’t post it on your Facebook timeline!
5. Be careful with the royal jokes! Any satirical comment against the royal family is a new crime “against the Crown”. For example, “What did Leticia and the Bishop have to say after they ––“ (SORRY CENSORED).
6. No more hassling elected members of the government or local authorities – even if they say one thing in order to be elected, but then go and do the exact opposite. Confronting them about this hypocritical behavior. Even if you see them in the street chatting to a street cleaner, dining at their favorite expensive restaurant, or having their shoes shined by that physics graduate who cannot find a decent job in the country, hassling them about their behavior is now a criminal offence.
7. Has your local river been so polluted by that plastic factory along the edge that all life has extinguished? Well, tough! Greenpeace or similar protests are now finable from €601–€30.000.
8. Protests in a spontaneous way outside Parliament are now illegal. For example if Parliament passes a hugely unpopular bill, or are debating something extremely important to you or your community, it is now finable from €601 – €30.000. Tip: Use Google Maps to protest just around the corner – but don’t tweet the location!
9. Obstructing an officer in the course of their business, “resisting arrest”, refusing to leave a demonstration when told, or getting in the way of a swinging baton are all now finable offences from €601 – €30.000.
10. Showing lack of respect to officers of the law is an immediate fine of €100 – €600. Answering back, asking a disrespectful question, making a funny face, showing your bottom to an officer of the law, or telling him/her that their breath reminds you of your dog’s underparts is now, sadly, not advisable.
11. Occupying, squatting, or refusing to leave an office, business, bank or other place until your complaint has been heard as a protest is now a €100 – €600 fine (no more flash mobs).
12. Digital protests: Writing something that could technically “disturb the peace” is a now a crime.Bloggers beware, for no one has yet defined whose peace you could be disturbing.
So, while all this racist crap is being whipped up into a frenzy by all and National sundry, what is johnkey up to while on holiday in Hawaii?? Just resting???
i thought it a we bit funny the less than IMO honorable j/ banks has a crack at the lesser honorable IMO limp wristed attorney general! hehe haha birds of a feather. both are deluded idiots along with the bog! oops boag.
Former BMJ editor Richard Smith has been honest about this too.
”My confidence that “things can only get better” has largely drained away, but I’m not a miserable old man. Rather I’ve come to enjoy observing and cataloguing human imperfections, which is why I read novels and history rather than medical journals.”
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
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Are New Zealand homes for New Zealanders to live in or are they part of a global property market?
+100…good question
That is probably a question that needs to be put to referendum and then have national policy set by it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDLeirHHWKs
“You keep using the word activists rather than scientists…”
Lynn Freeman confronts, and thereby angers, Matthew Hooton
Politics From the Left and From the Right, Radio NZ National, Monday 13 July 2015
Lynn Freeman, Matthew Hooton (“Right”), Mike Williams (“Left”)
With the temporary absence of regular Nine to Noon host Kathryn Ryan, many long-suffering listeners were no doubt hoping that her replacement Lynn Freeman might do a better job today. If you did hope for that, well…. your hopes were justified! Unlike Kathryn Ryan, Lynn Freeman was not prepared to indulge Hooton’s crude attempt to belittle and traduce scientists, and dealt to him in a way he hasn’t experienced since Andrew Campbell and Laila Harré used to trounce him on this same program a few years ago.
We join the discussion at the 20:20 mark, with just over four minutes remaining. Williams is winding up another poorly thought out, mealy-mouthed and wandery contribution…
MIKE WILLIAMS:…but I seriously don’t believe this is an issue which grabs many people.
LYNN FREEMAN: Do you agree with that, Matthew? Are we going to hear much more about climate change targets?
MATTHEW HOOTON: Oh we’ll hear a great deal more about this. Again, this is something that comes from overseas, predominantly in the European Union. When you mentioned that activist group that, um, rates countries, errrr, basically they’re telling ALL countries they’re not doing enough, they’re telling all countries that they’re going to embarrass themselves at this big jamboree in Paris, I think forty thousand delegates are expected to jet in to Paris for I think it’ll be the twenty-FIFTH U.N. conference, the Earth Summit—-
LYNN FREEMAN: Although they do say that China, even China’s doing better than New Zealand.
MATTHEW HOOTON: Well, isn’t that preposterous! I mean, [scoffs] isn’t that absol—, that shows the fallacy and absurdity of what, um, these activist groups say, um, anyone who thinks that New Zealand is, ahh, more important or, or, is not doing as much as China on this issue cannot be taken seriously. The E.U. groups are very keen on comparing everything, um, to 1990 rather than 2005 and the reason for that is that that is in Europe’s, in the European Union’s financial interest. If climate change targets are based on 1990, they had the collapse of communism in the East that led to a massive environmental clean-up as you always get when socialism is abandoned and the environment improves. Ahm, and also there’s that move to clean and green nuclear power away from coal, which, ham, they’ve done in Europe, and Europe always looks good against a 1990 baseline whereas countries like China and India prefer a 2005 baseline because that makes THEM look good. But as I say, what’s going to happen? Orders will come out of the European Union’s—-um, the head office of Greenpeace will be telling its subsidiaries around the world that what you’ve got to say in your local economy is that your country’s about to embarrass itself in Paris. We’ve seen this every time there’s one of these big conferences. And so I think we’ll see a lot of this in the media, ahhhh, the conference will of course FAIL in Paris, ahm, because the whole approach being used, ahhm, by the U.N. on this issue is flawed. As I say, twenty-five conferences, they’ve all failed. The Kyoto framework has failed, and this will fail. In fact the only country in the world that’s done, did anything useful on this issue is New Zealand, at Copenhagen when we launched the Global Research Alliance on methane emissions. Now they are fourteen per cent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. New Zealand’s initiative to reduce that—let’s say it reduces them by ten per cent, that would reduce global emissions by one point four per cent.
LYNN FREEMAN: Does that mean we shouldn’t try?
MATTHEW HOOTON: Well we ARE trying to do that. That’s our GOAL. That’s what New Zealand is leading. That’s like removing all the carbon emissions of seventy New Zealands. And so the ONLY THING at, at Copenhagen that may reduce global emissions that was launched, was launched by Tim Groser and it was the Global Research Alliance. Now, all these STUPID targets that the activists are so keen on, ahhhhmm, will achieve nothing. Let’s say New Zealand had, which I think the activists say, we should have, umm, a forty per cent reduction over a 1990 baseline compared with thirty per cent over 2005, these are just WORDS.
LYNN FREEMAN: Well, you keep—
MATTHEW HOOTON: They make no difference to the planet WHATSOEVER!
LYNN FREEMAN: You keep using the word “activists” rather than, you know, on many occasions, terms like “scientists”, so we’ve got we’re you’re coming from. We’ve only got a couple of minutes. Mike—-
MATTHEW HOOTON: [in a defiant and peremptory tone] The activist group that was reported as being scientists on Morning Report are NOT scientists, they are ACTIVISTS.
LYNN FREEMAN: They’re not sole voices is what I’m trying to say, Matthew. But anyway, last word to Mike because we’ve given you a lot of time on climate change. Are you as pessimistic, Michael?
MIKE WILLIAMS: No I’m not, and uh, um, no. Um, and, and, there has been successes in the past, particularly, ah, the elimination of chlorofluorocarbons which were causing the hole in the ozone layer. They have been virtually eliminated, so there, there IS hope, umm, y’know, CO2 emissions… Methane is a different matter. Methane hangs around in the atmosphere a lot longer than CO2 so—-
HOOTON: Mmmm.
MIKE WILLIAMS: Uh, I’d support Matthew in his support for Tim Groser trying to do something about methane. It may be only a small percentage of emissions but it DOES hang around, so I think that, y’know, something WAS achieved….
[Williams droned on in this fashion for a few more seconds, but this writer was too nauseated to transcribe any more.]
ERRATUM:
In my transcript of the extremely polite but (for Matthew Hooton) devastating bollocking he got from Lynn Freeman yesterday, I transcribed the coup de grâce thusly…
LYNN FREEMAN: You keep using the word “activists” rather than, you know, on many occasions, terms like “scientists”, so we’ve got we’re you’re coming from.
Eagle-eyed Standardisti will have spotted the error immediately: of course, what Ms Freeman said was, “we’ve got where you’re coming from.”
Hooton showed a lack of professionalism by not declaring his conflict of interest. instead choosing an attempt to deceive listeners by wearing his media commentators hat and not his corporate lobbyist handle. Obviously it would be a very bad look to his corporate clients if he acknowledged climate change, referring to scientists as activists made this position very clear. In short a lack of a moral compass when money is concerned.
Very disappointing and quite disgraceful Hooton.
Why is this charlatan given the 9 to Noon platform?
all part of the DP continuim, along with farrar and blubber boy on red neck radio, Hoskings and Henry on the idiot box and granny etc etc
farrar and blubber boy on red neck radio
Please don’t dignify bigots by calling them “rednecks”. Working people and farmers (rednecks) are usually—not always—decent and hardworking and tolerant. Farrar, Blubberguts, Jordan Williams, Neil Miller, Mike Hosking and the rest of them are not decent or hardworking or tolerant.
The question should be where is Mike Williams when Hooton goes on these Randian rapages.
The question should be where is Mike Williams when Hooton goes on these Randian rapages.
He’s sitting right beside him; you can hear him chortling supportively when Hooton makes one of his sour little quips. When it’s time for Williams to talk, he almost always prefaces whatever he says with “I agree with Matthew…”
Does anyone more suitable spring to mind to counter Matthew?
Does anyone more suitable spring to mind to counter Matthew?
Andrew Campbell and Laila Harré both firmly countered him when they used to occupy the seat that Williams so ineffectively occupies now. There are many principled, intelligent and strong people more than capable of handling Hooton who is, as was clearly shown so starkly after Lynn Freeman’s intervention yesterday, an intellectual lightweight.
Any one of the following would do a far better job than Mike Williams: Morgan Godfery, Mihi Forbes, Gordon Campbell, Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury, Dita Di Boni, Raybon Kan.
It depends on what the job is, Moz. I think RNZ is paying them to fill a slot and keep ears tuned in. The fact that you are listening and talking about the segment strongly suggests they’re meeting their KPI’s.
Obviously their KPIs do not include anything to do with encouraging robust, let alone intelligent, discussion.
Nope, it’s all about the ears!
Real estate company starts a witch hunt looking into a possible leak from a staffer. More interested in fat juicy profits from inflated Auckland house prices rather than calling for a registrar of foreigner’s buying here. The full article of is part of a claim of racism by a local Chinese Kiwi editor linked below.
“Meanwhile, Barfoot & Thompson chief executive Wendy Alexander said the company would start its own investigation to identify if it was the source of the leaked data. Barfoot sells one-third of Auckland properties and managing director Peter Thompson said if the data did belong to the firm it had been given illegally”.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11480344
This is why we need whistleblower protection legislation. In this case, the information is most definitely in the public interest.
I’m wondering why it appears so difficult to find out who buys what. All house sales, price and location are notified to Valuation NZ and published every 3 months ( or they used to be ). It can’t be too difficult to match this to council records ( also public knowledge ) as to who owns a house and where the rates bill is sent to.
The suspicion must be that the Nat Gummint doesn’t want to know.
Clearly the case.
Follow the money….
+100
See no evil….
Shhhhhh…
Mr. Fixit fronting the housing issue on RNZ this am. Where’s Housing Minister Smith ? Or better still, where’s Teflon John ? The latter seems to have been quiet of late. Is he overseas ?
The Nats spent a day ignoring the issue.
Then they decided they had to send Joyce, so clearly
Does anyone else find his manner when being interviewed highly aggressive?
Joyce was in full motormouth mode on Morning Report. Ferguson never got a look in. The government is desperately rushing around all over the place papering over cracks as they appear. Housing, swamp kauri, zero hours, you name it.
The Nats won’t do jack and plenty of Aucklanders don’t want them too either, not as long as their property prices keep skyrocketing.
It’s all about the money and the votes.
I saw the PM when he was in Queenstown recently for Winterfest. He looks bloody knackered.
…and remember the bollocking that David Cunliffe got for spending a few days off with his family down south?!…who was the journalist who whipped that up?
Patrick Gower.
Just look how much he has aged since being PM. I don’t think this sort of role is good for anyone’s health.
Or is it that lying ages you?
Like it or not, that role is something I doubt few people would want to take on. The sort of pressure and long hours takes a toll on you mentally and physically.
I suspect he’s lying low to give the great unwashed time to forget about his latest round of taradiddles and shenannigans. I think he always does that when the heat starts to go on
Key is in Hawaii according to Spy in Herald. Showing photo of someone called Amelia Finlayson? (bunny!)A friend of Max’s.
Step 1) Take data
Step 2) Give data to specialist in data/statistical analysis
Step 3) Make data public
On the flip side:
Step 1) Accuse data leaker of targeted racism
Step 2) Mount massive campaign to make the public think data is inherently racist
Step 3) Get cronies to make random number generator website
Step 4) Put ads on website
Step 5) Profit
The original story is about foreign investment in NZ, specifically how it is driving up the property market and making homes and renting unaffordable in Auckland…but hell we cant have a reasonable public debate about that, it will ruin me and my friends chances of making millions in yet another property boom! You’re trying to take money out of my pocket!
If anything, this saga should be about the need for accurate data, or even better a registrar on foreign buyers of homes in NZ. Wait for this government to do absolutely nothing about it, and use the line “Oh well actually this is the market at work here….it has nothing to do with easy access to low interest loans or offshore buyers needing an easy and relatively tax exempt method of acquiring high return investments.”
Great comment – more light than heat, thank goodness!
I’m changing all my passwords to ‘pissoffasshole’
“Customs’ preferred option is to require passwords for electronic devices without meeting a threshold, such as suspicion of criminal activity.”
“couldn’tpassthe policeexam?” might work, too 🙂
edit: although on second thoughts, it might be a quick self-selection to the rubber-glove room…
This is why we need a NEW left of centre, progressive party, because Labour have with signing the NZ – China FTA practically sold our country out, and National supported it. Today Steven Joyce basically admitted that due to provisions in the FTA with Mainland China, we cannot stop Mainland Chinese residential and other property investors from buying property here. If we bring in a law to ban all foreign buyers for investment, this will be in breach of the FTA.
I raised this trade agreement Article and some concerns to many people before, but most New Zealanders are sleep wandering into their own future lives as tenants in their own country.
I do not usually get too excited about Sean Plunket and his often biased comments on Radio Live, but today he did an excellent job interviewing Steven Joyce. Here is an audio:
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Will-we-ever-know-who-is-buying-Auckland-houses/tabid/506/articleID/91147/Default.aspx
Read Article 138 of the New Zealand – China Free Trade Agreement:
http://www.chinafta.govt.nz/1-The-agreement/2-Text-of-the-agreement/12-Chapt-11-Investment/index.php
Chinese investors cannot be treated less favourably than New Zealanders, as otherwise we would breach the FTA and could be sued for it.
Those supporting the TPPA and other FTAs should perhaps care read this, and learn from it.
Either Labour learn from past mistakes and now distance themselves from this provision in the FTA with Mainland China, and renew themselves from within, by learning from past mistakes, or they will be history, I fear.
If that’s the case then I presume we are equally able to buy property in China
How many millionaires and billionaires have we got in NZ?
What “balance” is there in financial and other resources, between Mainland China and NZ?
I think we know the answer. Money is power and can buy you almost anything, on the “free market” we have, with its variances.
We can buy property in China, but not the land, it will only be leasehold. And their property is only cheap in some regions, where there is not so much economic activity. The fact that housing in major Chinese centres is now so expensive, even for tiny flats, that is one reason for many Mainland Chinese with capital to look for alternatives elsewhere.
The housing price inflation in major international centres, including London, Sydney and so, is in part due to many wealthy Mainland Chinese “investing” in property there, some for homes to live in during at least parts of the year, some just as pure investment, to earn a return and profit.
Try buying a property in China, it will not be as easy as it is here.
So is all land in China essentially leasehold, or is that just a rule for foreign investors?
On RNZ this morning someone was saying that for a foreigner to buy property in China requires you to have lived there for 5 years before your eligible, and it’s lease-hold, and there are other restrictions you have to work through too.
In China nobody, except the state, can “own” the land, all land used for residential or other purposes ins basically treated as leasehold land, which can be used for granted purposes, but the land cannot be owned as such, like freehold land in NZ.
We’re fine – read g):
Investment means every kind of asset invested, directly or indirectly, by the investors of a Party in the territory of the other Party including, but not limited to, the following:
g) any right conferred by law (i.e. resident status – my words) or under contract and any licences and permits pursuant to law;
I think this is a little bit of a smoke-screen by Joyce. If it really were true that we couldn’t change our law in this regard, I think more pople would be mentioning it.
Another interpretation, is that if we make it so you must be a resident of NZ to buy an investment property, then we are in no way treating Chinese citizens differently to NZ citizens: if a Chinese citizen is a resident, they can buy property, just like an NZ citizen being resident can.
What we may not be able to do, though, is base it on citizenship explicitly. This would mean a NZer who has permanently emigrated to Australia, but who still holds NZ citizenship, would not be able to buy and hold NZ property.
If you read Article 138 of the China NZ FTA, it does not limit investment into whatever investment type to citizenship being a requirement. Investors from China are meant to be treated the same as New Zealanders, that is within New Zealand:
“Article 138 National Treatment
Each Party shall accord to investments and activities associated with such investments, with respect to management, conduct, operation, maintenance, use, enjoyment or disposal, by the investors of the other Party treatment no less favourable than that accorded, in like circumstances, to the investments and associated activities by its own investors.”
I heard Andrew Little say on Radio Live (just before midday), that he is going to seek advice on this provision, and what it really means for investors (whether it allows certain restrictions also for Mainland Chinese, even when ALL foreign investors may be presented such).
So hopefully we get an answer from Labour soon.
Article 141 appears to clarify what Article 138 says, and how it must be applied:
“Article 141 Non-Conforming Measures
1. Article 138 does not apply to:
any existing non-conforming measures maintained within its territory;
the continuation of any non-conforming measure referred to in subparagraph (a);
an amendment to any non-conforming measure referred to in subparagraph (a) to the extent that the amendment does not increase the non-conformity of the measure, as it existed immediately before the amendment, with those obligations.
2. The Parties will endeavour to progressively remove the non-conforming measures.
3. Notwithstanding anything in paragraph 1, Article 138 shall not apply to any measure, which with respect to each Party, would not be within the scope of the national treatment obligations in any of that Party’s existing bilateral investment treaties.”
I read this as saying, that existing non-conforming measures may be enforceable, but that they are not supposed to be tightened, i.e. made more restrictive for investors. Also do parties commit to progressively remove “non-conforming measures”.
If Labour want to tighten investment in real estate by non New Zealand, off-shore investors, then that would also affect Mainland Chinese, and that would then lead to a breach of the FTA, it seems. So New Zealand’s hands are tied, as I understand it. The present (rather liberal) foreign investment rules for residential real estate can be upheld, but cannot be further tightened, not for Mainland Chinese investors.
Like I said, if the restriction is “must be a resident of NZ”, that impacts on Chinese citizens and NZ citizens equally and so would appear to obey the limitations of article 138.
A consequence of that may be that if you’re a NZ citizen living in Australia, that you can’t own property in NZ. I’m not sure if that would be acceptable to the NZ public.
Also, treaties can be re-negotiated.
I think it would be. If they’re not living here then why do they need to own land/housing/business here?
Because they plan to return seems to be a pretty good reason to me for wanting to own land and a house here.
I lived, and worked, in Australia for some years in the 1990’s. While I lived there I bought a house to live in. I always planned to return to New Zealand and I kept ownership of my house here. When I left Australia I sold my house there as I was leaving permanently.
Why would you refuse me the right to keep a property here to come back to?
I would expect some reasonable time table to be included in the law. Something like having to live here 80% of the time on average while you own the house.
Because of the detriment rentiers do to the economy. Really, go read Adam Smith and a few other classical economists on that one. Also read Piketty.
You’re confusing it folks – resident status is either temporary or permanent – it does not matter where you domicile.
That can be changed by legislation and apparently needs to be.
My point is non-resident – no own, and still quite open if you live overseas for a while etc.
No, that wasn’t your point at all. You said that ” resident status is either temporary or permanent – it does not matter where you domicile” with the implication that people who are permanent residents and citizens would get to buy and own houses whether they lived here or not.
Both Lanthanide and I are saying that if you don’t live here then you don’t get to own houses (For me I also include land and businesses) whether you’re a permanent resident/citizen or not. Of course, people who aren’t either citizens or permanent residents can’t live here permanently.
Then that FTA is detrimental to NZ and we should drop out of it. It’s as simple as that.
MSOne. An interesting interview Plunket v Joyce. I think Mr Joyce was not very pleased with Sean since he had to answer the questions, not allowed to distract and especially testy about the long delay in addressing the Housing problem. Be interesting if the is a followup with a Labour voice.
Seen this ?
Attorney-General backs Solicitor-General in John Banks case.
In my view – Crown Law should have have appealed the Court of Appeal decision.
The New Zealand 14 July
By Isaac Davison
Attorney-General Chris Finlayson has backed Crown Law and the Solicitor-General following questions about their conduct in the prosecution of John Banks.
After Mr Banks was acquitted of filing a false electoral return in May, Mr Finlayson said he would “take a close look” at the Crown’s prosecution of the former Act Party leader .
He said this morning he had completed his investigation and he was satisfied with the conduct of Crown Law in relation to the case.
“Mr Banks has had a distinguished career in both central and local government and I acknowledge the distress this matter has caused his family and him,” Mr Finlayson said.
“I am, however, satisfied that Crown Law’s supervision of the litigation was satisfactory and in line with the Prosecution Guidelines 2013.”
Mr Banks was highly critical of Crown prosecutor Paul Dacre, QC and Solicitor-General Mike Heron, QC, after his acquittal, saying they had “a lot to answer for”.
At the time, the Court of Appeal had ruled that Crown Law had misled the court by withholding evidence.
Mr Finlayson, who is the minister responsible for the Crown Law Office, gave his full support to Mr Heron.
“Because of the personalised nature of some of the allegations about the conduct of the Solicitor-General, I state for the record that he has my full confidence. He is an outstanding Solicitor-General,” he said.
The Crown took over the case from serial litigant Graham McCready, who took a private prosecution against Mr Banks in relation to donations he received from Kim Dotcom during his mayoral campaign in 2010.
Crown Law briefed an independent barrister for the case because it was politically sensitive and because Mr Dotcom, who is facing extradition to the United States, was a witness in the trial.
Mr Finlayson said the next step in the case would be determining costs, which he said was a matter for Crown Law and Mr Banks’ lawyer.
“I will be making no further comments,” he said.
———————————————————–
Penny Bright
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11480610
Copying and pasting an entire NZ Herald story is a breach of copyright law and exposes the publisher (this website) to risk of prosecution. Feel free to do it on your own site, however.
Imagine if the Labour Party had a list of house buyers names and picked out the ones like Cohen, Goldsmith, and Levi and talked about how Jews were buying up Auckland. Does anyone think that would be acceptable? Why is Chong, Li and Wu more acceptable?
[lprent: If you are worried about this, then you should definitely avoid looking at the Statistics department site.
As well as ethnicity, that also looks at things like gender, age, religion, meshblock, household income, property, bathrooms, bedrooms, property sizes and literally hundreds of other factors and derivatives. When you correlate that with other public databases like LINZ via meshblock and geographical locations, you reap information about
Since the end of the 19th century, all states have carried out statistical analysis of populations and businesses with correlations in the analysis. This allows them to anticipate demand and identify issues in the past and the future via trends.
The new factor that was added into this correlation was an rough estimate (because of the government not collecting data) of a specific group buying property. That could have just as easily been the gender of the purchaser(s), age on the purchaser(s), or immigration status of purchaser(s) or immigration status of the purchaser(s) or a range of other useful and relevant information if the government chose to collect that. Frankly I have no idea why they haven’t been doing so.
I’d ask you what you thoughts are on that. However in the light of my next paragraph, that becomes somewhat pointless.
In my view your comment is a stupid Godwin, which I don’t like. But I especially don’t like that you didn’t even make it bother to make it explicit, which makes it an idiotic dogwhistle. Banned for one month.
Idiot. You should know by now to make your arguments explicit. But you always seem to deteriorate back to the stupid dogwhistles. When you come back next time, you will avoid dogwhistles where you don’t fill in your argument. Otherwise I will just start doubling up on this. ]
Silly comment, we do not have an apparent investment spree from off-shore people with identifiable “Jewish” names. And for all other groups with identifiable “ethnic” origin links, there is no significant disproportionate representation between census figures on the population share in Auckland, and on buyers names of residential real estate for 3 months.
I get the impression you are trying to make some sinister allegations and comparisons.
actually it would be as acceptable.
The only thing this list showed was that x amount of Chong, Li and Wu appeared on a list of property sales vs x amount of Chong, Li and Wu on the electoral role.
So if the List would have Cohen, Goldsmith and Levi on the list, one could compare the number of properties sold to Cohen, Goldsmith and Levi, vs the amount of Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis living in Auckland as per electoral role.
Does not mean all of the Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis would be overseas investors from the US or Israel, but it would mean that we seem to have an influx of Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis from The US and Israel, and many of them might not be New Zealand Citizens or Permanent Residence, and then we could ask the question again ” Just how smart is a country that sells its land to overseas speculators?” (some could even argue that not everyone with a traditionally Jewish surname ,as that what was you implied, be of Jewish faith, or have ever lived in Israel. That is where you dear Fisiani get to hysterically screech racism!!!!
Feel better now?
Btw. Have you send a Letter to National asking for this public registar of overseas Property Owners in NZ, so that we could have proper data to look at and discuss, or would you rather not?
Great to hear fisiani is banned.
That’s one load of garbage I don’t have to scroll through any more.
+1
A short history of being banned….
I’ve had not one but TWO one-month bans from this site, with one of those lengthened to a two-month ban. Shortly after that, I was banned from Blubberguts’s notorious Whaleoil site for a week; I am now banned from that site permanently. I’m also permanently banned from Brian Edwards’s site.
Oh!—I nearly forgot!—I’m also banned from Brett Dale’s site.
Last week I was banned for one day from The Standard with my good friend Te Reo Putake blowing the whistle.
And look how much better you are as a result. Spare the rod, spoil the transcript. That is the saying, isn’t it?
Its so cute you think you’ve been banned alot
Come and see the violence inherent in the system! I’m being repressed!!!
I’ve never said that. If you want to see someone who is being repressed, consider the plight of one of our true heroes, Nicky Hager.
I don’t think I’ve been banned a lot. I’m not exactly Norman Finkelstein.
And after commenting here since 2007 I’ve never been banned. Haven’t even read the rules and I don’t try to be particularly polite.
Perhaps you should be looking at what you’re doing wrong and learning from that.
Oh I know what I’m doing wrong, Draco. It’s just that I can’t stop myself sometimes.
+1
Personally I’d let fisiani keep talking (digging) – we need to be honest and open, and separate nationality from ethnicity and global economics/geopolitics. It is a debate we need to have. The potential for Scapegoats based on look and names has led down a bad path in the past – lets’s remember Jewry went (or were forced) into finance because usury was unpalatable to Christians in Europe at a time.
Go on, keep trying to defend racial profiling purely based on surname. This is not the 1930’s.
so you did write that letter to the National Party demanding a registar of all overseas purchases of residental, commercial and rural properties in NZ, not only AKL, but all of NZ, including Farmland. 🙂
Just you know, to get proper data.
Who needs proper data when you just go to a real estate agent and decide whats happening on the basis that the names sound Chinese
see, we still need proper data. 🙂
Dogmatic to the idealism, or question the facts? You know most people in England have English sounding names – around 85%? Han Chinese make up around 90% of mainland China – from the latter in Auckland 9% of residents – are we not allowed to explore? Can we not make this a yard stick for nationality, rough first guess as it may be?
This is not about internment camps – FFS. It actually belittles how far we’ve come.
Chris Trotter has just posted some good historical perspective on the subject on Bowalley Road
Chris Trotter.
‘China now stands where Britain stood: an economic colossus with expectations of this country that New Zealanders are only reluctantly beginning to comprehend. The thought that the Chinese might want something in return for opening up their market to our milk powder and baby formula has come very late to the ordinary Kiwi.
That Labour is leading the discussion about how much, precisely, the Chinese have a right to expect from New Zealanders is entirely fitting. After all, it was Labour who sealed the deal. It was Labour, too, who presided over the electorally unmandated “turn” towards Asia in the late-80s. That they are, at last, addressing the misgivings expressed to me by Sonja Davies’ all those years ago, is to be applauded – not condemned.
Labour’s Chinese whispers have nothing to do with racism. They’re about national sovereignty and the people’s will.’
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2015/07/chinese-whispers.html
On a lighter note – what’s this with Dan the man having a tanty over photographers catching a shot of his son. Bit rich Dan coming from you isn’t it – you sell your happiest day of your life with your beloved to a woman’s magazine and gladly take the money which is bad enough but then you push yourself into the faces of us all by allowing yourself to be plastered all over billboards and the back ends of buses assailing our senses in your underdaks with everything on display for all to see. For some of us its the last thing we want to see, not everybody is fixated on your body beautiful. Not very private of you Dan, all over the town in your underwear. Calm down, take a chill pill, you cannot easily just cherry pick when you want the adoring public to fawn all over you, at least your kids are cute and innocent and unlike the undaks a pleasure to look at. Concentrate on the game and try and stay on the field longer than 10 minutes – now that’s important.
+1
I don’t think an ‘occasional’ photo of someone such as himself with his kid in a public place is so terrible. If they were following or excessively publishing photos, that’s another story.
All eyes on Pluto – Newsnight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Re-3wKaGCI
I am so looking forward to seeing the pictures. Great link, thanks Draco T Bastard.
yep good link draco ta
So interesting.
Thank you
Is the Auckland council taking advice from the same people advising the Labour party ?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11480632
as the recent herald article shows, many chinese have racial attitudes about themselves being hard workers and good savers, and that’s to be expected. every group who is doing well develops daffy ideas about why they’re so great that emphasises strong moral character and underplays the blind luck of historical contingency. many also may see nzers as lazy, and while wrong, it’s an understandable mistake. developed countries with egalitarian histories have a strong leisure culture, and as legendary china-based economist michael pettis points out, high consumption is a sign of economic strength, not moral weakness. but if you come from somewhere grim to a place where people are so good at having fun, it must be disconcerting. i mean, i know it is, i’ve talked to people.
something similar is happening in europe, where you get the virtuous german creditors and the vicious greek debtors. the only cure for such understandable but ultimately bullshit attitudes is the study of history.
Great post from JMG
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/2015/07/darwins-casino.html
Hope we have all been keeping an eye on the Hager case. Fascinating. Middle of the Crown case to finish tomorrow. Compelling Crown? Hardly so far!
http://eveningreport.nz/2015/07/13/nicky-hager-case-breaking-news-reportage/
Zero Hedge,
13 July, 2015
Submitted by Martin Armstrong via ArmstrongEconomics.com,
Spain has shown that it is fully on board with the Brussels authoritarian direction of ending democracy. Those in power have simply convinced themselves that the people do not understand what is good for them so they must impose their will upon the people but raw force. How does this differ in any what from the justification of imposing communism? This is the death of all freedom and it is upon our doorstep.
Here are the new laws in Spain:
1. If you photograph security personnel and then share these images on social media: up to €30.000 fine (particularly if photo exposes violence used against a member of the public). This fine could increase depending on the number of Instagram or social media followers you have.
2. Tweet or retweet information or the “location of an organized protest” can now be interpreted as an act of terrorism as it incites others to “commit a crime” (now that “demonstrating” in many ways has become a crime). Sound “1984”-ish? Read about Orwell and his time in Spain.
3. Snowden-like whistle blowing is now defined as an act of terrorism. If you write for a local publication, be careful what you print, whom you speak to, and whether the government is listening.
4. Visiting or consulting terrorist websites – even for investigative purposes – can be interpreted as an act of terrorism. Make sure you use “Tor” browser, reject cookies, and don’t allow pop-ups. Not to mention, don’t post it on your Facebook timeline!
5. Be careful with the royal jokes! Any satirical comment against the royal family is a new crime “against the Crown”. For example, “What did Leticia and the Bishop have to say after they ––“ (SORRY CENSORED).
6. No more hassling elected members of the government or local authorities – even if they say one thing in order to be elected, but then go and do the exact opposite. Confronting them about this hypocritical behavior. Even if you see them in the street chatting to a street cleaner, dining at their favorite expensive restaurant, or having their shoes shined by that physics graduate who cannot find a decent job in the country, hassling them about their behavior is now a criminal offence.
7. Has your local river been so polluted by that plastic factory along the edge that all life has extinguished? Well, tough! Greenpeace or similar protests are now finable from €601–€30.000.
8. Protests in a spontaneous way outside Parliament are now illegal. For example if Parliament passes a hugely unpopular bill, or are debating something extremely important to you or your community, it is now finable from €601 – €30.000. Tip: Use Google Maps to protest just around the corner – but don’t tweet the location!
9. Obstructing an officer in the course of their business, “resisting arrest”, refusing to leave a demonstration when told, or getting in the way of a swinging baton are all now finable offences from €601 – €30.000.
10. Showing lack of respect to officers of the law is an immediate fine of €100 – €600. Answering back, asking a disrespectful question, making a funny face, showing your bottom to an officer of the law, or telling him/her that their breath reminds you of your dog’s underparts is now, sadly, not advisable.
11. Occupying, squatting, or refusing to leave an office, business, bank or other place until your complaint has been heard as a protest is now a €100 – €600 fine (no more flash mobs).
12. Digital protests: Writing something that could technically “disturb the peace” is a now a crime.Bloggers beware, for no one has yet defined whose peace you could be disturbing.
The elites are showing how fearful they really are.
So, while all this racist crap is being whipped up into a frenzy by all and National sundry, what is johnkey up to while on holiday in Hawaii?? Just resting???
i thought it a we bit funny the less than IMO honorable j/ banks has a crack at the lesser honorable IMO limp wristed attorney general! hehe haha birds of a feather. both are deluded idiots along with the bog! oops boag.
‘Shocking Report From Medical Insiders’
http://journal-neo.org/2015/06/18/shocking-report-from-medical-insiders/
Former BMJ editor Richard Smith has been honest about this too.
”My confidence that “things can only get better” has largely drained away, but I’m not a miserable old man. Rather I’ve come to enjoy observing and cataloguing human imperfections, which is why I read novels and history rather than medical journals.”
http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2014/01/31/richard-smith-medical-research-still-a-scandal/
Thanks for these links, Chooky and ER.
That’s a disturbing report.