Open mike 23/09/2013

Written By: - Date published: 6:59 am, September 23rd, 2013 - 97 comments
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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Step right up to the mike…

97 comments on “Open mike 23/09/2013 ”

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  2. Sanctuary 2
    23 September 2013 at 7:40 am

    I wonder how hard it would be to spray paint “No drilling in the Arctic” on the side…?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11128669

    And isn’t it funny, you’ve got all the money in the world and you have to live in your own prison –

    “…A is packed with security features with its hull making it difficult for intruders to board, and is fitted with numerous security cameras with motion detection systems. Its 240sqm master suite incorporates bomb-proof glass and is opened only by a fingerprint pad and accessible to four or five people, according to the Wall Street Journal…”

    Elysium on the high seas.

  3. karol 3
    23 September 2013 at 8:03 am

    Andrea Vance op ed: Some useful analysis, while slipping in little snippets of right wing spin:

    Just like his first parliamentary address, many of the Labour faithful believe Cunliffe’s ascension to leadership is overdue. The weight of expectation is enormous, especially from supporters he whipped up into almost fanatical devotion with his hard-left promises on the recent hustings.

    hard left? Where?

    So, how will he deliver at the same time as bringing lost centre voters back to the fold? David Cunliffe simply can’t out-Key John Key. He’s a talented orator, but, unguarded is prone to slip into grandiose proclamations, which come across as either forced or insincere. Ultra-bright he might be, but unlike Key, Cunliffe is never going to be the politician voters want to crack open a beer with.

    Which voters? I’ve never had any desire to “crack open a beer with” Key –

    To win back the centre, he intends to go hard on National over inequality. Cunliffe appreciates the middle classes are shocked by growing numbers of children in poverty; stories of schoolchildren growing without breakfast, or turning up shoeless, to class.

    Is this really what is going to be the main focus re-middle class voters?

    Then – “pre-distribution – an interesting approach to the economy:

    Cunliffe seems to be leaning towards current centre-Left thinking on ”pre-distribution”. This favours macro-economic policies which engineer the markets to favour long-term investment over quick profits based on trader’s instincts and knowledge. Pre-distribution favours the taxation of wealth over income.
    […]
    Pre-distribution places value on the role of the state to reduce inequality, while ensuring access to good education, health and life’s essentials do not hinge on income. There is a heavy emphasis on early education to put a stop to generational inequality.

    Crucially, post the global financial crisis, voters still expect austerity.

    That last sentence had me laughing out loud in disbelief. Which voters actually embrace “austerity”?

    Pre-distribution is an agenda that British Labour leader Ed Miliband is flirting with. Critics believe he is being too cautious.

    The downsides are it is a deeply un-sexy thing to sell. Cunliffe is planning a ”major unveiling” of his 2014 election strategy at the Christchurch conference in November. Expect it to contain many of the elements of pre-distribution.

    And “austerity” is so much more “sexy”?

    • Colonial Viper 3.1
      23 September 2013 at 8:10 am

      She’s talking about the standpoint of the top 5%, who seem to get a thrill from seeing everyone get relatively poorer than themselves. But implying that anyone finds any kind of fiscal policy “sexy” is the sign of a true hard core politico.

      • Greywarbler 3.1.1
        23 September 2013 at 9:55 am

        I’m having trouble with getting edit up – is a continuation of the changes that happened after going to youtube links yesterday. I will ask my son tonight to advise on this and see if I can restore my page to healthy working.

    • Rogue Trooper 3.2
      23 September 2013 at 11:25 am

      spin

      • aerobubble 3.2.1
        23 September 2013 at 12:16 pm

        Key moved to the left with bad socialist policies and its assumed that means Labour moves to the far left in some massive shuffle despite the reality and history. Labour moved to the right under Douglas and currently look to be stapling themselves to the right of center in economic matters and lambasting Key for his reckless big government socialism for the few.

        • Rogue Trooper 3.2.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 12:22 pm

          “right of center”. really?

          • aerobubble 3.2.1.1.1
            23 September 2013 at 12:45 pm

            Green leader in many ways is talking from a right of center perspective too. The idea, that I agree with, is the economy is not the enemy, rather that by giving up the economy to the right the left, and greens, have ceded government to the big end of town. I mean anyone who doesn’t realize that union leaders are corruptible and have been used by corporate bosses is a fool. The MSM went along with the political class in its wealth grab of the last thirty years. And it would be foolish also not to note Key’s left wing policies and his support for left wing programs. Its not black and white, its only black and white if you buy into the propaganda of the MSM that needs ‘other’ to manufacture consent for the chosen.

    • srylands 3.3
      23 September 2013 at 12:21 pm

      “That last sentence had me laughing out loud in disbelief. Which voters actually embrace “austerity”?”

      The sane, rational ones?

    • aerobubble 3.4
      23 September 2013 at 12:22 pm

      Well the tories have made socialism theirs.

      The tories have all the experts on socialism, have introduced all the socialist policies that have killed capital for the last thirty years, they’ve even stipulated the rate at which socialism must work at, trickle down.

    • David H 3.5
      23 September 2013 at 12:45 pm

      Maybe Andrea should stick to the job of getting the member P Dunny to E-Mail her pics of the member! And leave the hard stuff like reporting of actual News to those who are better at it than her. IE the Seven Sharp mob of fools, come to mind

  4. Ad 4
    23 September 2013 at 9:16 am

    Gordon Campbell does a good job lancing the benefits- hype about the Americas Cup over on Scoop.

    • bad12 4.1
      23 September 2013 at 12:38 pm

      An uncharitable commentator on the America’s Cup racing would suggest that it’s continuance is soly at the behest of the advertising dollars currently being reaped by those with the television rights,

      i forgot the obscenely grand numbers that advertisers in the US pay for 30 seconds of TV time when the Super-bowl semi’s and final’s are being played out,

      Of course yacht racing being a far less viewed ‘sport’ in the US wouldn’t be attracting such huge sums for 30 seconds of air-time but you all can bet that the dollars being traded for advertising across the whole spectacle as the days roll by are mega-bucks,

      i would never dare suggest amidst the whipping along of the faux patriotism that the holders of the advertising rights have bunged both teams a substantial pile of the filthy lucre each to prolong the series,

      there are no cheats in sports, remember you heard it here first…

      • David H 4.1.1
        23 September 2013 at 1:22 pm

        Oh and they were saying that the foolish 40 min time limit was at the insistence of the bloody TV networks. I remember hearing it on TV but where I can’t remember.

  5. Pascal's bookie 5
    23 September 2013 at 9:21 am

    Guess how many boat races we’ve won since Stevie Joyce showed up on the scene.

  6. Greywarbler 6
    23 September 2013 at 9:29 am

    Just lookingat a passing comment I made and adding to it.

    “With a few adjustments blinglish could turn us into bangladish.”

    That’s if blinglish keeps cooking up ideas to give the wealthy more bang for their buck. Think about it – if you like it you can have it.

  8. Greywarbler 8
    23 September 2013 at 11:02 am

    For those interested in getting NZ economy going so that we can
    get off the grass and have employment for everyone, there are some interesting clues in this interview on radionz this a.m.
    She is a power speaker and person – f..ing amazing.

    And she says we are l..y. She finds out if people are keen to learn and grow their business by suggesting that they have a talk on Saturday afternoon. That sorts the sheep from the goats. Most only want to work from Monday to Friday 3p.m.

    And we will have to keep working longer post-GFC but it should give us decent money and making plans when we can have time off. Like the old fashioned family dairy farm, had time off in winter when they dried the cows off and had a break. Labour could have her as a consultant like NACTs previous Sir Peter Gluckman, The Prime Minister’s science advisor.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon
    Feature guest – Deborah Marlow ( 32′ 02″ )
    10:07 Serial entrepreneur Deborah Marlow grew up in the floating logging camps of Alaska, ran away from home at 16 and was divorced with a newborn baby by 19.

    After working with a re-forestation cooperative for several years she decided she wanted to be rich. She worked her way up through an LA-based IT start up – eventually becoming its Chief Operating Officer. She has lived in the US and Europe, and now is in semi-retirement in Paekakariki, on the Kapiti coast.

  9. Greywarbler 9
    23 September 2013 at 11:04 am

    It is my comment where I say we we’ll have to keep working longer, by the way. I can’t edit so thought I should just make it clear that’s my comment.

  10. karol 10
    23 September 2013 at 11:23 am

    Matthew Hooton on Nine-to-Noon – I am angry – let someone answer your accusations! What part of freedom of speech do you now understand? Shouting people down when even Ryan is asking you to give way is an appalling piece of behaviour. You just kept on talking over everyone.

    And Mike Williams never got the chance to respond.

    Disgraceful!

    • Rogue Trooper 10.1
      23 September 2013 at 11:27 am

      let it out karol.

    • ianmac 10.2
      23 September 2013 at 11:29 am

      Matthew has just accused David Cunliffe of lying. At least 4 times. He became very agitated and squealed his accusations over Katherine’s warning to desist. That could be very significant. Either David refutes and Matthew apologises or David has something to deal with.

      • alwyn 10.2.1
        23 September 2013 at 12:08 pm

        I am sure that Cunnliffe can deal with this immediately and will no doubt explain the facts today.
        All he has to do is tell us the dates when he was with the Boston Group, and in particular when he left. Then he just tells us the period when he worked on the Fonterra creation.
        That will obviously be easy to check against the dates when the Fonterra creation was being organised.
        Should be very easy for David to explain and to shut Hooten down.
        The main trouble Cunnliffe may have is in finding someone who remembers him doing any of it. That seems to be his main trouble with all the other claims in his CV.

        [lprent: I’m sure that you can explain the reasons for your demand in the next 5 minutes. If you don’t then you get a 4 week holiday for trolling.

        Sorry – times up. You didn’t read it? Who cares we presume that your lack of observation presumes guilt. Afterall that is what you just applied as the required standard. An arbitrary ‘crime’, a arbitrary time to resolve it, and presumably an arbitrary punishment.

        It is just a old style strawman argument of the type that Hooten, Farrar, et al like raising when they’re being fuckwits. But don’t bring that crap on to this site.

        And don’t be a complete fuckwit and don’t whine about it….. I just applied the exact same standard to you as you’re applying to DC. ]

        • Pascal's bookie 10.2.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 12:48 pm

          The problem Hooten has is that his only explantion for his ‘lie’ cliam is that Hooton worked in some role after 2000, and doesn’t remember Cunliffe being involved. Which is no surprise because Cunliffe was elected in Nov 99. That leaves only most of ’99 and the years previous.

          This shit is laughable.

        • gobsmacked 10.2.1.2
          23 September 2013 at 1:23 pm

          I am sure that Cunnliffe can deal with this immediately and will no doubt explain the facts today.

          Yes, yes, that’s the tired old predictable tactic from you lot on the Right. Yawn.

          – Chuck mud, demand denial
          – If denial comes, chuck more mud. Keep chucking
          – Continue until Labour’s own agenda disappears from media coverage

          Key has gone through seven years as National leader and five as PM without bothering to explain his countless false statements (unless you count “forgetting” or “shoulder-shrugging” as a rebuttal). So don’t get your hopes up.

          Love the scent of Hooton’s fear though, it’s a sweet smell.

          • Colonial Viper 10.2.1.2.1
            23 September 2013 at 1:33 pm

            Love the scent of Hooton’s fear though, it’s a sweet smell.

            It’s very very informative.

            It also means that the right cannot settle on a defensive strategy and are running around chasing their own tails.

    • Saarbo 10.3
      23 September 2013 at 11:30 am

      Hooten is trying to pin John Key’s massive weakness i.e. Being a Liar….onto Cunliffe. This is their new spin, I reckon more from the Right will be trying to put this label on Cunliffe.

      Hooten’s performance on 9 to Noon was disgraceful, he is desperate. He should be booted off if RNZ is consistent.

      • karol 10.3.1
        23 September 2013 at 11:33 am

        Agreed, Saarbo. And I have emailed 9-2-noon my view on that.

        My ears & head hurt listening to that performance.

        • Saarbo 10.3.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 11:46 am

          Hooten was frothing at the mouth, he is on a mission…given he is a paid spin doctor I believe RNZ need to have a serious look at his spot on 9 to Noon, as he is using it for professional reasons…it just seems very wrong.

        • David H 10.3.1.2
          23 September 2013 at 2:16 pm

          Same. That was despicable behaviour. I too have Emailed them on my distaste.

    • Tigger 10.4
      23 September 2013 at 11:30 am

      You’re braver than me, Karol. I cannot listen to him. His lies make me literally ill.

    • felix 10.5
      23 September 2013 at 11:31 am

      I’m a bit sick of radio nz allowing time every week for someone who is paid by the National Party to lie to the public.

      A few weeks ago they tried something new. Instead of Hooten, a paid spin doctor, they got an actual political commentator to take the slot.

      The result was – surprise – an interesting discussion about politics in NZ. I have no idea why they abandoned the format and returned to the paid-for National party spin show instead.

      • Matthew Hooton 10.5.1
        23 September 2013 at 1:44 pm

        I am not paid by the National Party and never have been. Worked for Bolger/Shipley govt until early 1999, but was paid by ministerial services not party.

        • Colonial Viper 10.5.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 1:48 pm

          *Sigh* Matthew who are you trying to kid. Seriously. Do we all seem like we are 5 years old to you?

          Not paid by the Party. But paid by it’s supporters. And/or it’s MPs/candidates. And/or the various fundraising and operational bodies/trusts under effective National Party control.

          • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 10.5.1.1.1
            23 September 2013 at 1:55 pm

            Do we all seem like we are 5 years old to you?

            A little bit, sometimes, to be honest.

          • miravox 10.5.1.1.2
            23 September 2013 at 2:05 pm

            I can only see everything you pass an opinion on, Matthew, as being designed to “shift opinion and policies to support the business plans of [y]our clients.”

            Given that you’re paid for your opinions and the above quote is your definition of what you do, I don’t see it as being unreasonable to interpret what you say and write as being for a client. If it’s for the NActs or someone else in support of them, there’s barely a difference.

        • David H 10.5.1.2
          23 September 2013 at 2:18 pm

          So in other words, you are not paid to be a Nasty little scumbag. It just comes naturally!

          • felix 10.5.1.2.1
            23 September 2013 at 7:09 pm

            No, Matthew is most definitely paid to spread the National Party’s muck.

            Of course the money doesn’t come directly out of a bank account called “Official National Party Bullshit and Lies Fund” though, as both parties in these sorts of dirty deals must maintain plausible deniability.

            In much the same way as John Key put that 1.5 million through the National Party’s network of money-laundering trusts and plausibly claimed that he didn’t buy his seat.

    • veutoviper 10.6
      23 September 2013 at 11:40 am

      Totally agree, Karol, that Hooten’s performance and accusations were disgraceful. And also agree with Ianmac’s comments that the accusations need to be dealt with quickly.

      However, I wonder whether his performance today, and particularly his failure to listen to Ryan’s warnings etc, may lead to RNZ/ Nine to Noon considering him a liability and perhaps ‘retire’ him from the programme in future. One can but hope…..

      • Colonial Viper 10.6.1
        23 September 2013 at 11:47 am

        It’s also a clear sign that the Right are panicking like headless chickens about Cunliffe.

        (I see MM below has said as much…)

        Which is really odd, given that they’ve seen Cunliffe in action for more than 10 years in Government and in Oppostiion so it’s not like he’s an unknown quantity just appeared on the scene.

        • Maureen 10.6.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 12:58 pm

          The CV obviously needs cleaning up but heck, it wasn’t even the issue under discussion. They were talking about the deputy and the new caucus line up about to be announced when Hooten suddenly veered off into Andrea Vance, the CV and the liar accusations. The man is not a commentator worthy of RNZ; he’s obsessed.

          • Rogue Trooper 10.6.1.1.1
            23 September 2013 at 1:39 pm

            that’s the politics of (intellectual) envy coming at ya’ in stereo-surround-sound.

          • felix 10.6.1.1.2
            23 September 2013 at 7:13 pm

            “when Hooten suddenly veered off into Andrea Vance, the CV and the liar accusations.”

            He wasn’t being paid to talk about the caucus reshuffle.

            “The man is not a commentator worthy of RNZ; he’s obsessed.”

            He’s not a commentator any more than Suzanne Paul is a cosmetics commentator.

    • marty mars 10.7
      23 September 2013 at 11:43 am

      I heard most of it too and it was as low as you can go – hollowhooton was a rabid dog trying to be a big man and I hope he gets kicked off the show. Only good thing is it shows how scared they are of Cunliffe.

    • Sosoo 10.8
      23 September 2013 at 12:00 pm

      Hooton is a waste of time – a 21st century sophist.

      • amirite 10.8.1
        23 September 2013 at 12:12 pm

        If he’s alleging that Cunliffe has been lying here:

        http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/debates/debates/speeches/50HansS_20120403_00000912/cunliffe-david-dairy-industry-restructuring-amendment

        that’s a serious, serious defamation.

        • karol 10.8.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 12:44 pm

          Ha! thanks. I was looking for that quote, which is:

          nd I was also a management consultant tasked with advising on the formation of Fonterra from Kiwi Cooperative Dairies and the New Zealand Dairy Group.

          I have long taken an interest in this most crucial industry for the New Zealand economy and am proud to have been part of the Government that set up Fonterra in the first place.

          That matches up with my google findings below. Basically, it was in the pre-Fonterra merger operations that Cunliffe was involved in.

        • Bill 10.8.1.2
          23 September 2013 at 12:50 pm

          Nice one amarite. And the Dom Post article by Andrea Vance that I assume Hooted was referring to is here… http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9193525/Naked-ambition-behind-Cunliffes-rise-to-top

          It’s the usual hodge-podge of innuendo and rumour mongering – and if you put aside the context for the quote that she (perhaps mistakenly?) provides, then it’s not clear that he’s referring only to his time with BCG as opposed to general past activity:-

          BEFORE politics, a job with the Boston Consultancy Group delivered “boots on the ground, hands dirty business” experience and brought him and his wife back to Auckland.

          “I got to work in a dozen different industry sectors, helped with the split up of ECNZ [the Electricity Corporation], helped with the formation of Fonterra, worked in an ACC-type insurance company, fixed up a pulp and paper mill.”

          Those four years as a consultant offered him an edge when he entered Parliament in 1999, aged just 36.

        • Saarbo 10.8.1.3
          23 September 2013 at 1:50 pm

          That looks like serious defamation material alright.

          Hooten reckoned that he worked on the Fonterra Merger of NZ Dairies and Kiwi Co Op, I would love to know what he actually had involvement in because the National Party was dead set against the merger, they ideologically hate co ops…the question is whether he actually had any involvement, we know he is a major bull shit artist.

          Fonterra was a Labour Party creation.

    • Rogue Trooper 10.9
      23 September 2013 at 12:02 pm

      in a related machine cog; watching the MSM television news from ‘time-to-time’ (popular pollie fudge of the facts, that term) it frequently seems that the format and selection of content has changed very little since the Sherry of the seventies. Peter Williams, the weather girls, and so on. Ten minute articles on issues of national pride and patriotism, the latest (Not) science findings on whether coffee, chocolate, oral sex, cucumbers cause cancer, dreadful criminal acts carried out by the underclass, old, white professionals getting caught for fraud and their fingers in the till, what mis-pronunciation an MP was guilty of in the House, All-Black coaches and captains on what will lift the team, and therefore the nations’ place on the world stage, Rachel Hunter…

    • Puddleglum 10.10
      23 September 2013 at 1:15 pm

      What was the line taken by RNZ/The Panel over the reasons for Martyn Bradbury being dropped as one of their commentators?

      • King Kong 10.10.1
        23 September 2013 at 2:01 pm

        Because he was an annoying, shouty, mental.

        • miravox 10.10.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 2:26 pm

          And yet – Hooton is still there…

        • emergency mike 10.10.1.2
          23 September 2013 at 6:04 pm

          I think KK, that the official line was something to do with concerns over something he said possibly leaving them open to defamation charges. Like when when Matthew Hooten called Cunliffe a liar, kind of like that. I’m sure that RNZ will be consistent and ban him too.

          Though Bradbury did also call John Key a ‘nasty piece of work’ for making a throat-slitting gesture at his political opponents after a man tried to kill himself in parliament.

          [lprent: KK picked up a ban for diversion trolling earlier in the day in another post. ]

    • Puddleglum 10.11
      23 September 2013 at 2:27 pm

      It looks pretty clear that this is the line of attack that will be repeated and reinforced in multiple ways. Everything that Cunliffe says from now on will be inspected for opportunities to repeat the notion in the public’s mind.

      Presumably, the right wingers who advised ‘lefties’ to cease attacking Key and his character will now give Hooten, and others in the media, the same advice as regards Cunliffe? Or, perhaps they won’t.

      It’s a funny old world when the son of a salt of the earth Reverend, imbued with the values of small town New Zealand conservatism can apparently be quite reasonably accused of ‘lying’ through leaving out of date community contributions in his CV while a man who spends his entire employment in one of the most ethically dubious professions on earth, misleads the New Zealand public over his shareholdings and is not fully believed by 60% of New Zealanders has a character that, apparently, should never be brought into question in the media.

      From the links people have provided here, it is clear that Matthew Hooten is either very ill-informed about the process that led to the formation of Fonterra or he has chosen deliberately to misrepresent that process in order to smear David Cunliffe.

      Either way, it is not a very competent performance by a professional political commentator.

  11. tracey 11
    23 September 2013 at 11:27 am

    Whose paid mouthpiece was he today?

  12. amirite 12
    23 September 2013 at 11:28 am

    And in the Granny Herald, this makes the news under the Politics section:
    Max Key joins Prince William on grouse hunt
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11128657

    f#*ks sake

  13. mickysavage 13
    23 September 2013 at 11:31 am

    Matthew Hooton is losing it on Radio New Zealand and smearing Cunliffe. He has no idea of the work that Cunliffe did for BCG so his claims cannot be substantiated or confirmed.

    Hooton has this habit of:

    1. Twisting a second hand report of something that Cunliffe may or may not have said,
    2. Says that this interpretation is not true and therefore Cunliffe is lying.

    This is a deeply cynical approach to commenting on political matters. The way I see it Radio New Zealand should not put up with this sort of behaviour.

    • felix 13.1
      23 September 2013 at 11:38 am

      It’s not commentary. It’s paid-for spin.

      Radio NZ should have no part of it.

    • Sosoo 13.2
      23 September 2013 at 12:19 pm

      The report gives this impression, but only because of contextual material supplied by the reporter and not the quotes from Cunliffe.

    • karol 13.3
      23 September 2013 at 12:36 pm

      Doing a bit of google digging.

      Cunliffe was with BCG 1995-1999. Fonterra was formed in 2001.

      But I’m seeing a few BCG top team ending up at Fonterrra. Also, at least one BCG person was involved with NZ Dairy etc in the merger that led up to the formation of BCG.

      Galia Barhava-Monteith, Founding Trustee

      Maury Leyland

      More on her.

      Gary Romano

      Mr Romano joined Fonterra in 2005 but had worked in the dairy industry since 1997.

      A chemical engineer, he was a senior executive in NZ Dairy Group, the big Waikato-based company rolled into the huge industry merger which formed Fonterra in 2001.

      Mr Romano has been in management jobs at Alcoa of Australia, the Boston Consulting Group and Dairy Partners America.

      • mickysavage 13.3.1
        23 September 2013 at 12:53 pm

        You are onto it Karol.

        The formation of Fonterra took years and years. The bill was introduced in June 2001 and there was a lot of work that occurred beforehand.

      • miravox 13.3.2
        23 September 2013 at 1:05 pm

        Add to that: , from Scoop, dated 2001, a BCG press release say they worked with NZ Dairy for more than 10 years, co-producing the report on industry structure

        Friday, 15 June 2001, 3:49 pm
        Press Release: Boston Consulting Group
        As the farmer vote for Global Dairy Company approaches, there is a huge amount of press, much of it confused, about the views of advisors to the New Zealand Dairy Industry

        The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has worked with the industry for over ten years including jointly preparing the so-called McKinsey Report on Industry Structure, which recommended a single, integrated organisation as the best way to maximise the value for farmer shareholders. In addition, BCG has worked extensively with the marketing arm of the industry, both in the New Zealand Milk and NZMP businesses.

        McKinsey report was 1998/99 from the looks of this press release on Scoop

        • karol 13.3.2.1
          23 September 2013 at 1:12 pm

          Thanks, I have found some other documents about that from around the same period. Post coming up.

  14. tracey 14
    23 September 2013 at 11:34 am

    Generation zero together with auckland transport blog are working together to improve auck transport for less money.

    they have developed a candidate scorecard to help voters who are concerned about auck transport

    http://www.generationzero.org.nz/localelections

  15. tracey 15
    23 September 2013 at 11:36 am

    I thought families were out of bounds… is it different if you volunteer them?

    [lprent: Generally they are except if politicians rely upon them. Unfortunately I have no context to figure out what you’re talking about. I must either finish working on that damn mobile interface or turn it off. ]

  16. joe90 16
    23 September 2013 at 12:51 pm

    Yale Climate Forum: No Slowdown in Global Warming

    In recent months, a lively media conversation has taken place in regard to what the surface temperature record is telling us. Here, a group of leading Atmospheric and Ocean experts put the data in context.

  17. captain hook 17
    23 September 2013 at 1:45 pm

    tough deal for the meatheads who want o jump on their hardly davisons, imagining that they are freeeeeeee……
    The era of lardasses using everything up is nearly over.
    that will be a challenge.
    wont it!

  18. tracey 18
    23 September 2013 at 2:55 pm

    Sorry lyn… the comment about max going grouse shooting

  19. big brother and the screw u co 19
    23 September 2013 at 3:21 pm

    Seems Key is as well practised at lying as that other egoist back in the 1940,s
    He appears adept at scoring as much icon status as the media can foist upon him maybe is investments in the afore said industry are so critical to the running of the country the fact that we could be close having the screws put on us because of our growing national debt might have escaped him and then what will hear in excuses when theres nothing left to sell and hes voted out suppose he’ll just leave and go back to where he has friends because anyone who thinks this twerp Key will come back and fix his mess has got to be in cuckoo land

    • yeshe 19.1
      23 September 2013 at 3:40 pm

      bbatcuco …. any hope of you finding an edit twerp key and making your post more accessible ? thx 🙂

  20. lprent 20
    23 September 2013 at 8:44 pm

    That was annoying. The database jammed again for no apparent reason.

    • lprent 20.1
      23 September 2013 at 9:29 pm

      Identified the site attacking the site. Added another layer of defence (in this case a 5 minute block) against sites that are not identified as requesting too many pages too fast.

  21. karol 21
    23 September 2013 at 8:52 pm

    The speeches on TICs, live streamed from Wellington via The Daily Blog was worth watching.

    Great to se Annette Sykes speaking. Some similar speakers to the Auckland town hall meeting – but Dotcom was in bed with a broken leg and we got Cunliffe instead of Shearer.

    Russel Norman made a very good speech, and much food for thought in Cunliffe’s well crafted speech: “What would a good government do?” Firstly he’s not going to make brash promises. he’s going to repeal amendments and instigate a thorough review – not necessarily in that order. His stated aim is to balance needs for security with citizens rights to freedom and privacy. He did point to significant details in both the GCSB Aand TICs Bills that are very dodgy.

    Seeby Woodhouse- now I wasn’t so ken on his speech in Auckland. But, now he says, that soon after giving that speech he went to the US and Europe. in the US and on returning to NZ he got pulled aside and interrogated by officials about the purpose of his trip. The officials also had detailed information on things like Seeby’s credit card spending while in Europe.

    Chilling!

    • Rosie 21.1
      23 September 2013 at 9:30 pm

      We’ve just returned from the meeting.

      What I appreciate about the line up of speakers, as with the Auckland meetings is that every speaker has something unique to bring to the talk and they come from such a variety of backgrounds, so you don’t end up with a repetitive kind of message. Many thanks to all the speakers for sharing their knowledge and many thanks to the anti GCSB coalition for organising it, and TDB for livestreaming it.

      Annette Sykes and Valerie Morse both spoke with strength and spoke to the heart, well mine at least.

      Seeby Woodhouse’s experience with American Customs and then on his return home with NZ Customs said alot for the lack of trust we should have in our govt, the GCSB Act and the soon to be passed TICS Bill. The fact that he travels all the time and this is the first time he has been “interviewed” by customs about his movements and his choice of credit card for booking flights, only after he spoke at the public meeting in Auckland is a bit sus eh?. He was very careful to not jump to conclusions or accuse the govt of spying but it is all a bit disturbing. Such a mild mannered ordinary non radical guy too – the govt doesn’t discriminate! Maybe you can’t even be secure in privacy under the guise of “respectable business person”.

      It was a great night. My only gripe was where on earth was everyone? Why wasn’t the Church full?

  22. blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 22
    23 September 2013 at 10:57 pm

    ” A light-touch Regulation” A very business-friendly country.

    “We are the third easiest country in the world to do business in, according to the World Bank’s 2012 Doing Business report. [that truly is the name of the report I didn’t make it up]. They also rated us the easiest place in the world to set up a business, the best for protecting investors and the fourth easiest for getting credit.”

    So please oh wealthy ones, please Masters, come over here we want your money and we will do anything [and I mean anything ]to have the sweet scent of your immorality here. We keep wages so wonderfully low-it is almost like having slaves and the citizens will do just about anything for a buck these days, they are so desperate, and they all believe our lies here; so come on over and join the free-for-all.

    signed ‘our’ government?

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