Open mike 15/06/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 15th, 2012 - 65 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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

Step right up to the mike…

65 comments on “Open mike 15/06/2012 ”

  1. muzza 1

    Home Office Secretary Theresa May said in an editorial published ahead of the bill’s unveiling that only evil-doers should be frightened.

    “and in a sharply-worded editorial the nation’s top law enforcement official accused those worried about the surveillance program of being either criminals or conspiracy theorists”

    “In some cases, the bill envisages monitoring the information in real time”

    –Welcome to the jobs new growth sector

    This world is heading the wrong way very quickly.

  2. Carol 2

    Sad news about the dissolution of Egypt’s parliament by the high court:

    http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/06/2012614172410271831.html

    Two days before the country is set to elect a new president, Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court has ruled that the Islamist-dominated parliament must be dissolved and that former regime figures must be allowed to hold political office, effectively approving the candidacy of presidential hopeful and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq.

    AJ news this morning talked about the “deep state” in Egypt. i.e.:
    The reactionary militaristic power embedded in the state’s institutions: the courts etc.

    This set me to wondering about the nature of NZ’s “deep state” and what is involved? The treasury? The media? The courts? The SIS?…. and how much it has been infiltrated by the so-called “neoliberal” discourses and practices?

    • joe90 2.1

      We’ve seen a member of a well known South Island farming family claim some pretty impressive scalps this week.

    • muzza 2.2

      Carol the questions you raise, are the questions which most want to blow off as “conspiracy”, and yet there are examples even in the MSM every day, which illustrate the realities of how the world is run, Egypt being the recent predictable example, shown by your post.

      People want (need) to believe in accidents, coincidence, or stupidity of government..

    • prism 2.3

      As I’ve heard it Egypt was in a bind anyway. Aren’t there two candidates, one from the Muslim Brotherhood, with a fear of them by many as they may institute sharia law, and some guy who is part of the old regime.

    • joe90 2.4

      Egyptian Amr Bargisi, who may or may not be on a neo-lib payroll, is very pessimistic about his country’s future.

  3. yeshe 3

    Can someone help me with this — I woke in the freezing dead of night terrified with the thought that the TPP could be used by Monsanto and Dow to force GM substances into our food and feed markets ?

    Just before the last election Nick Smith was sprung in his ignorance of a new study being done to support GM substances, and only recently in the House someone referred to ‘innovative’ agriculture.
    Anyone know anything more about this study ?

    The most idiotic thing of all is that we are one of the last bastions of non GMO — surely, this is a potential market of huge value ?

    How do we oppose the TPP when none of it will be made public until after it is signed ??

    • Uturn 3.1

      So the question is how to oppose before you know when to oppose or what it is you are opposing; and then how to get out of the loop which uses a clause that cannot be refuted because it exists in the grey area of the probable?

      The simple answer is to side step. Then you at least eliminate the imbalance of preparing for opposition without first winning a space for rationality and to form strategy. Next is to understand that nothing is certain and to get from a clean supply to a corrupted supply takes time and effort. Longer, definitely than it will take for you to get a good night’s sleep.

      Those who supply GM products/seed are not certain of long term effects in the environment – this is both good and bad. We know what could go wrong, but we cannot know what we do not know i.e. the actual future. This means that our version of bad events may not happen. This isn’t to say it can’t happen or that general release is safe. It is just a way to place all points of the problem into a wider perspective. A mind that readily identifies patterns can become a powerful mental roadblock if allowed to reach an imbalance. Once the balance is lost, the patterns trap you. Realising the trap, indicated by being “terrifed with the thought”, then highlights the stall of thinking. There is a way forward. Life is not linear, regardless of how beautiful the pattern may seem. Life is full of chance. Chance is chance – pure, untouched, yet to be shaped, neither good nor bad, without bias, without prejudice. Nothing can be done in the terrified early hours of the cold morning. Relax.

      Provided all the facts of the position have been presented, we can then work backwards from worst case, being vegetable and meat supplies corrupted with GM material.

      Immediate solutions:

      Urban farming; seedsaving/sharing; landshare; home based pork and poultry products; vegetarianism.

      Start these intiatives now, you build up a following of like minds that in the very least is a real island of protection against an imagined tide of corrupted GM supply. The sooner they are started, the more time there is to address practical methods for protecting against cross-pollenation issues, legal oppositions and defenses etc. Pick a point of practical action and begin.

      Indirect reactive influences:

      Removing your food source from the corrupted food chain; self empowerment that can be extended to participants; reduction of demand for corrupted market; strengthening of necessity based community relationships.

      There are other far more theoretical and complex imaginings supporting the premise that Dow and Monsanto could force-feed people bad food, but these take far more maneovering and time to manifest in NZ than it would take for a person to begin effectual action against them. In the context of an early morning wake-up call, they can be safely dismissed. These events could not happen entirely covertly i.e. the difference between clear and present danger and covert unknown dangers. If your mind starts to assign unrealistic power to unknown possibilities, catch it at work and realise the reality.

      When dealing with possible scenarios based on supposition and likelihood, realise that nothing is certain. If, in the scenario, chance is allowed to make a tourist drop a handful of seed, then why is it that chance is then not allowed to intervene again later in a zero germination rate for the seeds? Maybe the natural pests and birds got the rest before they flowered?

      Is this to say that we should do nothing, ever? Not at all. It is simply higlighting another trick of the mind to try to control the effect of chance for a negetive effect, resulting mostly, in people not being able to sleep at night. We cannot say what just one person, stating today on an urban farm will or will not cause to happen, even by small ripple effect, by this time next year. Don’t try to bully chance into being a bully. It would contravene the idea that nature knows best.

      When confronted with the unknowable that threatens with the unforeseable, your first strategic weapon is your mind. Stay flexible. Remain calm. Step outside the cycle. View it from a distance, place all points in an overall wider context. Remember that bad does not exist without good, right without left, dark without light. If your mind recognises only negetive possibilities, you are acknowledging less than half the picture. Do not mentally oppose the unbalanced theoretical. Step back and be ready for opportunities for indirect action involving the actual.

      Effective minds require sleep. Stay effective.

      • Bored 3.1.1

        Nice post Uturn , I just did some lucid calm thinking about reversing assets sales (on the No Assets sales post). The Monsanto issue is similar, play the buggers at their own game as you say by growing your own.

        A little lucid clam thinking has also reminded me that the Monsanto model is truly integrated to the cheap petro chem model of agriculture and pesticides: oil decline will f**k them over in a number of ways.

      • marty mars 3.1.2

        really great comment Uturn.

      • Draco T Bastard 3.1.3

        If, in the scenario, chance is allowed to make a tourist drop a handful of seed, then why is it that chance is then not allowed to intervene again later in a zero germination rate for the seeds?

        Um, because the opening of the hand is one chance, the sprouting of the seeds is hundreds of chances.

        Actually, that entire rant was just a mind soothe seemingly designed to put peoples minds at rest about the dangers in GMO.

    • Sarah 3.2

      We need to massively support the Australian government in its stand and urge them to hold strong!!
      Maybe the opposition parties can write an open letter to the Australian government

  4. freedom 4

    all it would take is one act of industrial espionage, such as a ‘tourist’ dropping a handful of GM seeds onto NZ soil and whammo Monsanto will be all over us with patent infringement cases and end up owning NZ.

    watch David vs Monsanto
    http://archive.org/details/DavidV.Monsanto

    watch Food Inc
    and if you want to read some of their pitiful responses to the film http://www.monsanto.com/food-inc/Pages/default.aspx remember Monsanto was invited to be interviewed for the film but declined.

    Most importantly, use your own powers of critical perception and ask who the TPP will benefit?
    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1206/S00186/national-says-yes-to-investor-rights-to-sue.htm

    • Olwyn 4.1

      Bits of the TPP agreement that worry me are matters such as unions and worker’s rights. If governments cannot legislate in such ways as to reduce corporate profit margins, they may have difficulty opposing contract work, or the importation of short-term, low paid foreign workers while many of our own remain unemployed.

  5. prism 5

    TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership (multinational economic agreement)) secrecy, well we have been confronted with this before when international deals were being discussed.. It’s so interesting in an objective way, to see wars being fought ostensibly to bring democracy. But the d word is just a game to play with, with less rigid rules than when playing Scrabble. But the politicians and their flunkeys and funders sure know how to use words and they can read philosophy, they just don’t understand it.

    yeshe is imagining the effects on food and genetic engineering when the big corporates are allowed to have their way with us. I have been thinking of NZ as a naive girl with Tim Groser as a procurer employed by a hard-faced, money-obssessed, amoral group of confidence men and women within this country, catering for a powerful group of evil pirates looking for slave labour and treasure. We have this fascinating and dramatic serial unwinding which we can watch with avid interest as did the viewers in the film The Truman show.

    Our girl wanders through the bush like little Red Riding Hood – will the wolfish group spirit her away or will the rescue party arrive to keep her alive? Fairy tales were largely precautionary tales for real people. I wait each day for the next episode with helpless anxiety.

    • Bored 5.1

      My version of Little Red Riding Hood has her carrying a basket with a gingham cloth cover, which when removed reveals a sawn off shotgun……..

      • prism 5.1.1

        Yes well…I was thinking of going for a G certificate, but even the kiddies today are going for, or being presented with, gritty adult ideas. (Recently I saw tshirt size 1 yr with a skull on it).
        A sawn-off shotgun I believe fires off a lot of shot in all directions, yes could work.

      • Carol 5.1.2

        Red Riding Hood in the TV show Once Upon a Time discovered that the wolf she feared so much, is herself. Her mother had been trying to protect her from the knowledge of being the latest in a long line of werewolves.

        NZ maybe naive and ignorant on the future, because our “parents” have been keeping the truth from us. But that may be because we are more powerful than we realise… especially when we learn more of the truth.

        • Draco T Bastard 5.1.2.1

          Knowledge and acceptance of the truth will allow self-governance, being kept in the dark and fed BS keeps us slaves.

          Guess which seems to be the one that this government wants?

          • muzza 5.1.2.1.1

            “Guess which seems to be the one that this government wants?”

            –Not just this govt though is it!

        • prism 5.1.2.2

          Well that’s a great twist on the story. But energising a whole country to understand their inner werewolf would be too much for NZ I think. Though if we could make it a new fad we could spread the idea and develop that along complex network lines which are explained on Wikipedia which I still don’t understand. We need a new approach for sure, this same old same old isn’t going forward, just round and round down the gurgler.

  6. Wow JMG continues his brilliant posts and his current theme of accepting the truth of what is happening to our industrial societies and the end game of that scenario. Last week he entitled his post, “collapse now and avoid the rush” and this week he discusses self-delusion.

    I suspect, rather, that the refusal to recognize and deal with the end of progress will become a massive social force in the decade or so ahead of us, and that the great divide in American society during those years will not be the one between left and right, or between rich and poor, but between those who have accepted history’s verdict on our fantasy of perpetual progress, on the one hand, and those who cling to the fantasy despite all disconfirmations, on the other.

    http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/

    The hardcore megadeathdoomers don’t like him because he offers solutions for today and tomorrow and those solution start with us, where we are now, whatever we are doing. Many contributors to this site are up to speed on the situation, we can see it everywhere, and we are doing what we can. JMG makes me uncomfortable because his posts make me realise how much i am clinging onto this society and the benefits I get from it.

    • Bored 6.1

      Greer, Orlov and Kunstler, the Holy Trinity of truly clear thinking on matters of the future…..

    • Draco T Bastard 6.2

      Actual Link

      I tend to disagree with Greer a bit as I think that small societies with good renewable energy supplies and sustainable practices in resource use will be able to keep going. Yes, there will be power down. Nobody will have cars any more but there will still be transport and computers.

      But, it does need to be a small society.

      • Bored 6.2.1

        Have not explored that issue much but I tend toward any size community being able to continue to the level of the energy supply, which mean appropriate tools are necessary.

        There has been a tendency on this blog for people to assume a non regression principle, i.e.that what we have and know about today is going to be possible forever. I would contend that the resources available will drive the technology we utilise, and that what we know about we may not be able to practice because of this. Lack of practice tends to lead to loss of practical memory, which can make re-adoption of known technology problematic.

        Coming back to your small community contention when we talk high tech (computers etc) we are talking massive complexity of systems, supply, support etc with massive amounts of interdependence. The more complex the more chances there are for single point catastrophic failure. This would incline me towards a lower tech future being more likely than a retention of our core technologies.

        • lostinsuburbia 6.2.1.1

          You’ve also got to have a critical mass to be able to produce goods or services to pay off the bills for these things. Old school thinking I know but some sort of payment service will have to keep going in the future.

          The classic example of the costs of modern infrastructure/technology at the moment is being played out in Kaipara with a small community being lumped with the cost of expensive wastewater treatment (albeit that the wastewater plant in question is oversized for the current population). A similar example is the wastewater plant at Kawakawa Bay that ended up costing $29M.

          • Draco T Bastard 6.2.1.1.1

            You’ve also got to have a critical mass to be able to produce goods or services to pay off the bills for these things.

            Money != the economy

            What that basically means is that if we have the physical resources available to do something then we can do it. We have the resources available but it does mean that over production in other areas (such as farming or building boats) and service industries (ZOMG, we won’t be able to afford to have anyone working at McDs) will have to be curtailed.

            Or, as the tutors at uni said, economics is about the distribution of scarce resources and money is not a resource nor is it scarce.

        • Draco T Bastard 6.2.1.2

          Have not explored that issue much but I tend toward any size community being able to continue to the level of the energy supply, which mean appropriate tools are necessary.

          Which means that we need to do a lot of R&D into renewable power generation

          Coming back to your small community contention when we talk high tech (computers etc) we are talking massive complexity of systems, supply, support etc with massive amounts of interdependence.

          Yep but it’s quite possible for us to do so. We have the base resources, we have access to the basic knowledge to do these things and we have universities and polytechnics for research and teaching.

          • Colonial Viper 6.2.1.2.1

            Which means that we need to do a lot of R&D into renewable power generation

            I wouldn’t bother.

            Hydro, localised and national grid wind generation and solar thermal is 80% of what we need.

            Let’s just get on with it now.

            • Draco T Bastard 6.2.1.2.1.1

              We should be starting now but the R&D is to make what we have now more efficient and to tune it to local conditions. We also need to make it cover 100% of our needs.

              • Colonial Viper

                Renewables aren’t going to cover all of our needs – and I am thinking here particularly of transportation. Coastal shipping, rail, air travel and public transport are all going to remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels.

                Also (as I am quite sure you are aware) improving efficiency is not the real issue. Cutting total energy use is.

                • Draco T Bastard

                  Coastal shipping = sail
                  Rail/public transport = electric
                  Air travel will be non-existent

                  We can produce enough to cover what we need if we build the infrastructure. And there’s one other thing:

                  Renewables aren’t going to cover all of our needs

                  We have no choice, renewables must cover what we need.

                  Cutting total energy use is.

                  Which is why cars will be gone.

    • R 6.3

      thanks for linking this, I confess to not having heard of this writer before now and I really like his/her blog and message. It’ll take a while to read the whole lot since 2006 but I’m inclined to do so based on the last three posts. Thanks mm

      PS I started from the beginning and the fictional scenarios were very sweet.

  7. Dr Terry 8

    I am finding it hard already to view comments on the “back down” of the Government on educational so called “policies”. We must have noted that Key accepted absolutely no responsibility, and settled for treating all opponents as a bunch of ignorant clowns incapable of comprehending Tory “wisdom” (is any one of that lot a qualified expert in education?)
    Please be sure to read this morning’s N.Z. Herald editorial, probably the best they ever published!!

  8. Herodotus 9

    With auckland pop. Estimates to increase by 1 million by 2040, mainly as a result of immigration. Also given that nz grew due to net migration of 400,000 why is there no discussion as to the cost that this has resulted in. Growing pains that Auckland and NZ is incapable to cope with, and the consequences ( e.g high housing costs, increased infrusture and unity demand). We seem to have an amazing perpencity to create problems with bo associate solutions. Such growth will kill Auckland and thus NZ.

  9. I don’t make comparisons with Hitler lightly and I’m not saying John Key is like Hitler but the hysterical voice of John Key when he talks about NZ not being involved in the illegal war in Iraq is truly frightening and makes me even more worried about NZ signing up to NATO.

  10. Yeah, yeah it’s the H word purgatory

    [lprent: Yep. It is one of the classic misuse words to catch trolls. To know that it is there is to make it simple to get around. 😈 ]

    • I’m glad you came to the conclusion that this is not how I used it. 🙂

      • vto 11.1.1

        I don’t see the problem. Comparison of todays people and activities with the biggest event in the 20th century is entirely applicable a lot of the time.

        Lest we forget ffs ……….

        • McFlock 11.1.1.1

          It’s fine when used rationally, but that’s a bit of a tautology. 
              
          The problem is when people with little life get obsessed by issues that are usually pretty little (e.g. maybe a local council placement of traffic lights near a school) or even imaginary (not touching with a bargepole). They lose perspective and start  saying stuff like ‘this 30kph speed restriction is worse than H~!”. And everything goes downhill from there.
                
          And like most things, if it gets overused it loses its ability to adequately communicate the user’s perspective. 

        • travellerev 11.1.1.2

          Hi vto,
          I thought this might interest you. It is a complete map of the inner circle of Bilderberg and their business interests.

        • lostinsuburbia 11.1.1.3

          well they both had/have a thing for building motorways.

  11. Dr Terry 13

    Have people read in this morning’s Herald about the Government’s new scheme relating to the long-term unemployed? To my eye, the old scheme looks somewhat better and simpler! However, maybe I have got it wrong. Would like to know what others think.
    If I have got it right, the Government input is now reduced from a total of $92 to a revised total of $62! Are we, again, being sold “a bill of goods”?

    • Vicky32 13.1

      Have people read in this morning’s Herald about the Government’s new scheme relating to the long-term unemployed?

      I read it on their website.. or think I did! Something similar anyway…
      Very jolly complicated, and as far as I can see, much less helpful than the previous ones!

  12. freedom 14

    Apologies to the watchers the writers the minders and the keepers of The Standard.
    -if this posting results in a ban i unreservedly accept it and have weighed that against the importance of the act which is itself a last resort dictated by circumstances not of my making.

    A direct question to Pete George:

    Are you the Peter G who set up the No Asset Sales petition at Avaaz.org?

    Earlier today on your blog i asked you that direct question. Instead of replying like an adult you removed the post and have not responded. If you had time to remove the post you had time to reply. I feel you left me no option but to inquire more publicly.

    I have contacted Avaaz re the posting. I outlined the situation here in NZ and requested a clear header be added to the on-line petition explaining that it has no validity in the referendum process and is actually doing more harm than good. Something most here would be well aware of, including you Peter George.

    PG I gave you an opportunity to answer a very simple question but instead you removed the post that has been part of your site since the petition’s inception. ( Really pathetic!) You slid away under your rock and this act of malfeasance will not be forgotten. (Sure you are not in public office but you basically imagine yourself to be, so it is more than apt)

    note: for full disclosure i will happily post the email sent to Avaaz.org if requested
    ( after editing identifiers )

    p.s. PG after discovering you had removed the No Asset Sales post promoting the Avaaz.org petition i took screengrabs so don’t try to repost it. I wish i had done earlier as well but the idea you would remove the post supporting the petition never occurred to me, naive little bunny that i am

    [Your question seems fair to me freedom. You’re not speculating about the identity of anonymous / pseudonymous participants here. You’re just asking Pete George if he started a petition. — r0b]

    • No, I haven’t started any petitions. I don’t know what happened to your question on the blog, I haven’t had time to do anything there. Back later this morning.

      • Te Reo Putake 14.1.1

        The question wasn’t about ‘any’ petitions, it was about one specific petition. Are you the Pete G. who started the Avaaz ssset sales petition or not? Yes or no?

        • Pete George 14.1.1.1

          FFS, “I haven’t started any petitions” means I have not started any petitions, at all, zero, including the Avaaz petition mentioned.

          Are you the Pete G. who started the Avaaz ssset sales petition or not? Yes or no?

          In case you still don’t undertsand that – No.

          And that was under “Peter G.”, I don’t use that variant of my name online.

          • yeshe 14.1.1.1.1

            Just because I can .. please Pete, may I ask you — does anyone else, or did anyone else, have access to your blog for writing and/or posting/ or deleting ? May you receive it as a fair question … many thx.

      • freedom 14.1.2

        to PG: You disingenuous person,

        You deleted the entire thread that was promoting the Avaaz No Asset Sales Petition, not just my posted question. As it is your blog you very well know what happened and you now decide to besmirch the security record and the reputation of WordPress.com by insinuating that a phantom manipulated your blog and removed a thread that you had been actively promoting. That, or you are accusing me of fabricating the existence of said thread.

        I stand by the facts asserted in the post above and only wish i had taken screen grabs of the blog when i first visited the thread, but why would i ever suspect it would be removed. Having screen grabs of the current listings only shows the post is not there. I cannot prove it ever was but as i am not prone to posting on non-existent threads i know it was and you know it was.

        I thank The Standard for allowing this matter to be aired. I sincerely hope it offers many here a moment of reflection as to the character and intentions of Pete George.

        I will continue to do what i can to promote and support the real petition but on the Peter G petition i am done, i have had enough of my time wasted on this saboteur

        • deuto 14.1.2.1

          freedom, IMHO I don’t think that PG is the author of the online petition although I share your and others’ views on PG’s disingenuity etc. It has been a relief not having him spewing here for two days.

          The reasons I don’t think it is him are that he is very consistent in using “Pete” not “Peter” in his blogging across many blogs and on Linked In etc (Yes I checked) and the online petition originator is “Peter G”. The writing style and language used in the petition and its updates are also very different from that of PG – for example, PG hardly knows the difference between “Government” and “Parliament” and has used these incorrectly a number of times. The online petition is very clear in its language, eg
          The bill will now be debated by the Committee of the Whole House, and opposition parties are planning to propose hundreds of amendments to delay Government legislation.

          That is not to say that someone else could not have wrote it for him! But my gut instinct is that it is not him, but that is in no way of a defence of him as i have no respect etc for PG.

          I signed the online petition is an instant reaction when it was first put up but have also signed and totally support the official referendum. I agree that it would be easy for people to mistakenly think the online petition is the referendum one, and wish that the online one had made it clear that they were not one and the same. There does not seem to be any way to communicate this to the author. My reading of the online petition was/is that it is an attempt to get as many to sign in a short space of time (and almost 25,000 as of a few minutes ago is pretty astounding in 3-4 days) to thow at Key et al next week when the Bill goes into Committee stages.

          I am really pleased you raised the question as to whether Pete George was the author – and in some perverse ways I hope that my opinion is wrong. On the other hand, our discussion of this as a possibility also plays right into what I also think is PG’s raison d’etre – to be the centre of attention and to think he is much more important and influential than he really is.

          • dd 14.1.2.1.1

            I’m not convinced the online petition is a bad thing.

            If anything it’s promoting awareness of the issue. It just needs to be followed up with people on the streets getting people signing.

        • Jackal 14.1.2.2

          freedom, If you use an archive service, you might find that it’s backed up somewhere.

        • Pete George 14.1.2.3

          I didn’t delete anything. I’ve just replied at http://yourdunedin.org/about/

          I suspect you were looking in the wrong place/blog, commenting on “About” is not the usual place to put or find comments.

          • freedom 14.1.2.3.1

            i will reply to Pete here and everyone can be assured this is the end of this matter although little is clear.

            I agree Pete, nothing about this is usual. All i can say is something very very strange is going on. I am certainly a magnet for strange and would love to understand why. I saw the petition, saw the creator, went to your blog, saw the post promoting the petition on your blog and submitted a question using the reply function.

            If you declare you did not start the Avaaz petition i must accept that, but if you say you have not deleted a posting on the petition then i guess i hallucinated the whole thing and should seek immediate psychiatric help! I have had professional counseling for PTSD in the past and no suspicion of any psychiatric illness was ever identified in fact the two therapists I have worked with both stated clearly that i have a clear and perceptive grasp of reality.

            I guess it is a Ripley’s moment and we all end up as much in the dark as when we began.
            Someone somewhere knows what is going on and I hope they are happy with the disquiet that has been generated. Perhaps someday they will fill me in on the joke because i do not find it funny, neither do i suspect does Pete who it appears has been unjustly accosted by me on this subject. I do not know what else to do, despite my misgivings i feel i must say sorry Pete for the suspicion that you tried to sabotage the petition process. As the Petition is 305 signatories away from its goal, I guess we might discover who Peter G is when the avaaz petition gets delivered to parliament as promised. Pete , i am sorry.

            • deuto 14.1.2.3.1.1

              Kudos to you, freedom – you have my respect.

            • Pete George 14.1.2.3.1.2

              I saw the petition, saw the creator, went to your blog, saw the post promoting the petition on your blog and submitted a question using the reply function.

              There was no post promoting the petition on the blog (the Yourdunedin.org one) that i have seen and i don’t know how there could have been unless hacked – and subsequently unhacked.

              You posted on About which had no link to the petition.

              Apology accepted.

    • discovering you had removed the No Asset Sales post promoting the Avaaz.org petition i took screengrabs so don’t try to repost it. </blockquote

      I never posted anywhere promoting the Avaaz.org petition, I never knew the petitioin existed until now, I never knew Avaaz existed until now.

      So I am interested to see what screengrabs you have.

      The "Peter G." associated with the Avaaz petition is either genuinely (a different) Pete/Peter G, or is using that name for some reason.

      • Georgecom 14.2.1

        Pete, not Peter Dunne making some mischief over the asset sales and using you as the fall guy?

  13. deuto 15

    I agree, dd. There is not just one way to achieve a result, and in the case of the partial asset sales, everything should be tried.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T12:59:38+00:00