Open Mike 26/01/2017

101 comments on “Open Mike 26/01/2017 ”

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1. Andre 1

   26 January 2017 at 6:29 am

   Trumpets started a #ThankYouTrump to honour Dear Orange Leader. Didn’t quite go as planned.

   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/thank-you-trump-twitter-rally_us_58884c75e4b0441a8f71db38?
   • Cinny 1.1

     26 January 2017 at 9:34 am

     Fantastic link that one Andre, thanks for sharing.

     “For caring about popular votes and crowd sizes more than the American people #ThankYouTrump”

     “#ThankYouTrump for freezing funding for science. Who needs innovation anyways?”

     “#ThankYouTrump for freezing all regulations. Who wants educated and concerned people looking out for our health, the environment and stuff.”
2. Andre 2

   26 January 2017 at 8:03 am

   Trump considering reinstating CIA black sites.

   http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-prisons-idUSKBN15922L
   • Ad 2.1

     26 January 2017 at 8:39 am

     And getting right back to torturing people, as a matter of policy.
     McCain the old sea dog is all over it.

     Still, re-gaining the ability to torture is just another lesson electing Trump was supposed to deliver to the left.
     • Andre 2.1.1

       26 January 2017 at 8:51 am

       You’ve got a lot more confidence in McCain bringing some sort of reason into it all than I do. Hope you’re right and I’m wrong.
       • Ad 2.1.1.1

         26 January 2017 at 1:49 pm

         Nah. You’re right.
         McCain’s showing more fight from Trump’s own team than most of the Dems are.
   • joe90 2.2

     26 January 2017 at 11:24 am

     Trump considering reinstating CIA black sites.

     21 November 2016 – black sites, torture ☑
3. Carolyn_nth 3

   26 January 2017 at 8:27 am

   Aussie SBS reports that the Netherlands govt is opening a fund to enable access to birth control & abortions in “developing countries”:

   The Dutch Government is planning to launch an international fund to finance access to birth control and abortion in developing countries, in order to fill the gap left after the Trump administration announced it would no longer fund any overseas aid organisations which discussed abortion.

   “Banning abortions does not result in fewer abortions,” Dutch Trade and Development Minister Lilianne Ploumen said in a statement.

   “It leads to more irresponsible practices in back rooms and more maternal deaths.”

   The World Health Organisation estimates that 22 million women experience unsafe abortions every year, the vast majority of whom are in developing countries.

   This is how Trumpism inspires strengthened support for liberal and left wing activities and organisations outside the US.
   • Psycho Milt 3.1

     26 January 2017 at 8:47 am

     The Netherlands has Trump’s number alright: https://www.facebook.com/zondagmetlubach/videos/1255295904562149/
     • Carolyn_nth 3.1.1

       26 January 2017 at 9:23 am

       Heh. thanks. Not so much “The Netherlands” per se, but a critic/satirist of both Trump and some Netherlands mainstream practices and politics.
   • Cinny 3.2

     26 January 2017 at 9:29 am

     Bravo
   • One Two 3.3

     26 January 2017 at 1:51 pm

     The money flows must not be halted!
4. Penny Bright 4

   26 January 2017 at 8:46 am

   How ‘independent’ are Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ)?

   Pay the piper – call the tune’?

   http://www.transparency.org.nz/Partners-and-Sponsors

   Partners and Sponsors

   Cornerstone Platinum

   The Office of the Auditor General

   NIS Gold

   School of Government, VUW
   Ministry for Justice
   Statistics New Zealand
   The Human Rights Commission
   Ministry of Social Development
   The Treasury
   Inland Revenue
   Department of Internal Affairs
   Corrections
   Department of Conservation
   Ministry of Transport
   Civil Aviation Authority
   New Zealand Transport Authority
   Maritime New Zealand
   Te Puni Kokiri
   The Ombudsman
   Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs
   The New Zealand Defence Force

   NIS Silver

   Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
   The Serious Fraud Office
   Crown Law

   NIS Bronze

   NZ Public Service Association
   Sponsors
   The Gama Foundation

   In Kind Donations

   Bell Gully
   VUW School of Government
   PwC
   Deloitte
   KPMG
   Human Rights Commission Launch Day
   School of Government Institute for Governance and Policy Studies Wellington
   Wellington Girls College
   Thorndon New World
   NZTE
   Institute of Directors
   BDO Spicers
   Russell McVeagh
   Chapman Tripp
   Gibson Sheat
   Susan Gluck-Hornsby
   Chen Palmer
   Juliet McKee
   Claudia Orange
   Te Papa
   _________________________

   Penny Bright

   ‘Anti-privatisation / anti-corruption campaigner’.

   Future Independent MP for Mt Albert?
   • Stunned Mullet 4.1

     26 January 2017 at 9:05 am

     zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
     • Leftie 4.1.1

       26 January 2017 at 6:32 pm

       What’s wrong Stunned Mullet, you don’t like facts?
       • stunned mullet 4.1.1.1

         26 January 2017 at 8:22 pm

         The odour of cat’s piss makes me doze off.
         • Robert Guyton 4.1.1.1.1

           26 January 2017 at 8:55 pm

           That’s very unpleasant slur, stunned mullet. Smearing a person by using what might seem to you clever words but is by general consensus, mean-spirited, is more suited to other blogs, such as K*w*blog and it’s ilk. That stuff hurts – do you mean to cause personal pain to someone who comments here? I’m guessing you don’t really. Maybe you haven’t thought it through.
           • Stunned Mullet 4.1.1.1.1.1

             26 January 2017 at 9:50 pm

             FFS Robert have you ever met Penny, she has a hide like a wooly mammoth and if you haven’t noticed she is the ultimate in blogosphere spray and walk away.
             • Robert Guyton …

               26 January 2017 at 10:07 pm

               I haven’t and I don’t subscribe to the tough-hide theory, aside from believing that some people can appear to have one. In any case, your way with words is more appreciated, by me anyway, when you use it to amuse, rather than abuse. That said, it’s not really my business at all. Mainly, the connection between what I read and my senses is very lively, so if you’d written something about roses, I’d smell them.
               • Leftie …

                 27 January 2017 at 11:52 am

                 Very nice responses there Robert.
     • Morrissey 4.1.2

       27 January 2017 at 12:24 pm

       Idiot. She has written a very good and thoughtful post, and all YOU have to offer is abuse.
   • Leftie 4.2

     26 January 2017 at 6:31 pm

     Thanks Penny.
5. Penny Bright 5

   26 January 2017 at 9:08 am

   The Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, in my view, isn’t worth the paper upon which it is written.

   Seriously.

   It’s not based upon measurable / objective yardsticks – but essentially the subjective opinions of anonymous businesspeople

   How many people know that for the ten previous occasions that NZ was perceived to be ‘the least corrupt’ country in the world (sometimes 1st equal) – NZ hadn’t even ratified the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC)?

   I’ve now attended five International Anti-Corruption Conferences, listened to and met experts, read voluminous material and ‘put my mind’ to the NZ corruption reality, and my opinion is considered.

   In my view, New Zealand is a corrupt, polluted tax haven that needs a massive ‘clean up’.

   Penny Bright

   Proven ‘anti-privatisation / anti-corruption campaigner’.

   2017 Independent candidate
   Mt Albert by-election
   • Red 5.1

     26 January 2017 at 11:14 am

     Ok penny we will go with your index, purely impartial and no bias
     • Leftie 5.1.1

       26 January 2017 at 6:28 pm

       Penny Bright makes a good point though, Blue. Talking about not being impartial and biased. Check out the who’s who of TINZ’s Board of Directors. It reeks of the National party.

       <a href="http://www.transparency.org.nz/Governance
   • Leftie 5.2

     26 January 2017 at 6:32 pm

     +1 Penny.
6. Paul 6

   26 January 2017 at 9:22 am

   Malcolm Evans’ cartoon on the CIA.
   A picture says more than a thousand words.

   http://thedailyblog.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-26-at-9.15.13-AM-768×497.png
   • greywarshark 6.1

     26 January 2017 at 9:51 am

     Thanks Paul – good one.
     I’ll never forget Chile and its chilling aftermath after USA backed coup.
   • Red 6.2

     26 January 2017 at 11:27 am

     Zamechyatselno Paul (translation, very good in Russian)
     • Paul 6.2.1

       26 January 2017 at 7:45 pm

       Thanks for the education.
7. Cinny 7

   26 January 2017 at 9:28 am

   Ten out of 59 National MP’s are not seeking re-election, that’s quite a lot. Rejuvenation? Or leaving a sinking ship?

   Either way an early election should be called, not sure why taxpayers are footing the bill for MP’s that don’t even want to be part of the government anymore.
   • Red 7.1

     26 January 2017 at 11:17 am

     Obviously have options outside of parliment not like labour career troughers where a return to union organiser or dental nurse assistant is not really that attractive
     • Leftie 7.1.1

       26 January 2017 at 6:35 pm

       Prove it, Blue.
8. Carolyn_nth 8

   26 January 2017 at 11:00 am

   Just up this morning on Spinoff: an interesting long read of an interview of Laila Harre by Toby Manhire.

   “‘I was the captain of the Titanic and I had to stay with the ship’: Laila Harré on the Internet-Mana debacle and rejoining Labour”

   Laila Harre’s well considered views, grapple with the complexity of left wing parliamentary politics. There’s praise and criticism all round for Labour, the Greens and Internet-Mana.

   She says she had realised well before the 2014 election day that The Internet Party was a bit of a doomed enterprise. However, she had still expected that she and Hone Harawira would good seats in parliament.

   Harre talks about the Moment of Truth. She was MC, but still thought while on stage at the event, that there would be a further big reveal about Kim Dotcom’s email, which was publicly released before that day.

   Like many, she thinks the other aspects about 5 eyes surveillance in NZ, revealed at the MoT was significant, but they got publicly over-shadowed by Kim Dotcom’s confusions about his own Big Reveal. Harre still thinks the KDC released email on the day, may have been authentic – she says it’s never fully been investigated.

   Harre also talks a lot about her current membership of the Labour Party, seems to not be seeking a candidacy, and has both praise and criticisms for the current Labour Party.
   • gsays 8.1

     26 January 2017 at 11:39 am

     hi carolyn, cheers for the link,
     tis good news laila is back into politics.
     could possibly hold my nose and vote for them.
     • Carolyn_nth 8.1.1

       26 January 2017 at 2:02 pm

       Thanks, gsays.

       Typo in my above comment. Should be:

       However, she had still expected that she and Hone Harawira would good get seats in parliament.

       Also, I see investigative journo at NZH, David Fisher, is following up the Harre interview, with headlines about the Dotcom email, released just before the MoT, being authentic (allegedly).

       Wonder if Fisher is aiming to pursue this further?

       On the day of the Moment of Truth, the Herald received a copy of an email which purported to show Key had been involved in a conspiracy against Dotcom since at least 2010.
       …
       The Spinoff’s Toby Manhire said to Harre the email “was almost certainly not authentic”.

       Harre replied: “I can’t say that it was almost certainly not authentic.”

       She said Dotcom believed it to be authentic and she had formed a view based on the conversations she had at the time.

       She said “if the provenance of it had been able to be tested in a kind of environment where people weren’t at legal risk, then I think things would have been very different”.

       Harre claimed Key had avoided directly denying the meeting mentioned in the “email” was genuine.

       “Even if you go back to John Key’s reaction at the moment that came out was not to deny that this had taken place. It was to say you need to talk to my chief of staff about what happened at meetings.

       “There was never a denial. And then the more powerful people, I guess, within the reporting class decided that this was something to go for, just to say it’s not authentic.

       It seems Dotcom is still trying to pursue the issue via discovery in the courts.

       The alleged email stated: “We had a really good meeting with the Prime Minister. He’s a fan and we’re getting what we came for. Your groundwork in New Zealand is paying off. I see strong support for our anti-piracy effort.

       “John Key told me in private that they are granting Dotcom residency despite pushback from officials about his criminal past. His AG will do everything in his power to assist us with our case. VIP treatment and then a one-way ticket to Virginia.”

       Warner Bros senior vice president for worldwide communications Paul McGuire said at the time: “Kevin Tsujihara did not write or send the alleged email, and he never had any such conversation with Prime Minister Key.”

       He said the statement – made two hours after the Herald first asked questions – came after a “thorough internal review”.

       He said: “The alleged email is a fabrication.”
   • The Chairman 8.2

     27 January 2017 at 11:42 am

     Interesting interview

     I see the interview attracted Julie-Anne Genter’s attention, resulting in her Twitter outburst.

     And now the headlines.

     So much for demonstrating how well the Greens and Labour are going to work together.
   • The Chairman 8.3

     27 January 2017 at 12:50 pm

     As for the rest of the interview, the following paragraphs struck a chord.

     “My own conclusion is that it’s really not going to be possible to build an alternative party to Labour on the left. I guess coming to terms with the importance of Labour institutionally to our democratic fabric… The one pre-condition, it seems to me, to having a progressive, innovative government is to strengthen the Labour Party. There are other things that may or may not need to happen but that is one thing that absolutely must happen for that to be possible. So I think the priority is to rebuild public confidence in the Labour Party and inject new ideas and energy into the party.”

     “I think the international evidence would very clearly point to the biggest risk being in social democrat parties not strongly connecting to their traditional base, and not strongly articulating their core policies around equality, wages, education, not being frightened of trade unions, all of that,” says Harré. “I just think the international evidence is overwhelmingly telling us that. And if anything I think it’s very clear that you take a much greater risk if you are not clear about where your base is.”

     “I do think that there is a lack of appreciation within Labour – not necessarily at the senior levels, but possibly in some quarters – of their vulnerability. They’ve barely moved above 30% since 2014. That was their worst election result. And they can’t blame anyone else for that. It was a terrible campaign for Labour. I think there is a lack of appreciation about the real vulnerability of their position in the political framework.”
9. Pat 9

   26 January 2017 at 11:00 am

   http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/323140/'denials-of-a-housing-crisis-are-now-simply-lies‘

   “Yes, homeowners vote more than renters, but that should not be the guide for good government and good policy. On housing, every government since the early 1990s has been a failure.

   It is time the political classes took off their blinkers and actually delivered on their responsibilities.”

   hmmm… whats the common denominator here?
10. Fisiani 10

    26 January 2017 at 11:54 am

    The first 3000 days of National turned the economy from projected unending deficits into surplus The next 3000 days will see the further blossoming of the brighter future. The message is clear National equals prosperity The relentless negativity of the Left is countered by the massive house build and infrastructure growth that is all around. How can Labour ever get above 30%? People vote for change when times are rough. We are booming.
    • Robert Guyton 10.1

      26 January 2017 at 12:40 pm

      And they said breathing helium was harmless! I guess it’s knowing when to go back to air.
    • Ad 10.2

      26 January 2017 at 1:54 pm

      You forgot to add:

      – low unemployment
      – high gdp
      – high polling
      – high ‘right direction – wrong direction’ polling
      – high population happiness

      The test is all on the opposition to show that there’s a credible alternative that can sustain all of the above, AND:
      – lower homelessness
      – increase home ownership
      – increase wages and salaries
      – get better healthcare and schools
      – protect water
    • gsays 10.3

      26 January 2017 at 5:53 pm

      Hi fisiani, and that’s not counting the 10 bridges in northland!
    • Leftie 10.4

      26 January 2017 at 6:37 pm

      Do you really believe your BS Fisiani?
11. weka 11

    26 January 2017 at 12:52 pm

    Hey everyone, I’m in the middle of writing a post that has a passing but important reference to John Key and I need a good succinct description of Key’s background that conveys his relative evilness in the world e.g. his work history in finance and connections with the power brokers in the world, but framed in more formal terms (I’d rather not use the shorthand word evil) . Anyone?
    • McFlock 11.1

      26 January 2017 at 2:04 pm

      A money-market speculator for over a decade, his negotiable relationship with social decency was applied to his subordinates as well as the general public interest and earned him the title “the smiling assassin”.
    • Carolyn_nth 11.2

      26 January 2017 at 2:20 pm

      It has been argued that Key had direct knowledge of the two-track Dirty Politics, orchestrated from/by his office staffer.
    • Adrian Thornton 11.3

      26 January 2017 at 4:08 pm

      I heard some one describe him as a fair weather friend, which at the time I thought was a bit lame, however, after thinking about it, I think it really suits him.
      A bit old fashioned, but a very damning insult to anyone who values loyalty and friendship.
      • Sabine 11.3.1

        26 January 2017 at 5:01 pm

        and they called him smiling assasin? +1
    • gsays 11.4

      26 January 2017 at 8:00 pm

      Wiser folk than me say that you either serve god or Mammon
    • Jenny Kirk 11.5

      26 January 2017 at 9:08 pm

      Weka – @ 11 – how about machiavellian !
    • weka 11.6

      27 January 2017 at 12:33 pm

      Thanks everyone, I went a different route, but linked to this string of descriptions 🙂
12. Freekpower 12

    26 January 2017 at 1:04 pm

    The raising of the minimum wage debate gave me a moment to pause and recall the whole related issue of secondary tax. During the 2014 election Labour came out with a manifesto commitment to abolish secondary tax. A great policy announcement that I was pleased to hear. Secondary tax seems to just be a draconian measure to punish those the lowest incomes.

    The national party response at the time (see link below) was to state they were already going ahead with the policy anyway and that the IRD Business Transformation plan will “address the PAYE system, including secondary tax and end-of-year square-ups.”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/policies/10416636/Labour-to-axe-secondary-tax

    And here we are, three years on and nothing has changed. Secondary tax is still in place and causing as much trouble as ever for hard-working low income earners. Labour need to point out things like this next time National respond to their policy announcements with such blatant untruths
    • Blackcap 12.1

      26 January 2017 at 5:51 pm

      You do realise I hope that everyone pays the same rate of tax whether they have 1, 2 or 3 jobs and tax is taxed on income not the amount of jobs you have. If because of secondary tax you pay more tax than you should be paying, you can claim it back at the end of the financial year from the IRD and you get your refund normally within 10 working days.
      There is a fallacy that people think that by being on secondary tax you pay more tax but that is not the case.
      • Freekpower 12.1.1

        27 January 2017 at 11:19 am

        Hi Blackcap. I do realise this. However the problem is that low income earners can’t afford to wait until the end of the year to have their correct net income amount squared up. They generally require that money week by week to purchase necessities. A simple fix would be to allow a tax code to exist for those working two jobs that are expected to earn under a certain amount and tax them each week appropriately.

        According to the link above, we know that seemingly both National and Labour agree with this ^^ problem definition. We also know that National have had a chance to do something about it since the article was published and have done nothing.
13. Carolyn_nth 13

    26 January 2017 at 1:42 pm

    Andrea Vance on Twitter saying Helen Clark has resigned according to “sources”, and she’s seeking clarification.

    Edit: Stuff confirms. To stand down in April
    • Sacha 13.1

      26 January 2017 at 1:50 pm

      Media have sourced from a staff email: https://www.yahoo.com/news/clark-step-down-undp-chief-april-230424622.html
    • james 13.2

      26 January 2017 at 3:19 pm

      Not a huge personal fan of Helen – but I have to say she has represented New Zealand extremely well and deserves the respect she has been given on the world stage.
      • Chris 13.2.1

        26 January 2017 at 3:34 pm

        I’m no fan, either. Not surprising she’s off after not getting the top job. Not in her nature to hang around after something like that.
        • Leftie 13.2.1.1

          26 January 2017 at 6:46 pm

          Unlike John key, at least Helen Clark doesn’t run away, and she finishes out her terms of appointment.
          • james 13.2.1.1.1

            27 January 2017 at 11:25 am

            What an amazing statement of fact. Of course its bullshit but there you go.

            Remind me again – why was there a byelection in Mt Albert in 2009?

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Albert_by-election,_2009

            So are you making comments that are uneducated or just telling porkies?
            • Leftie 13.2.1.1.1.1

              27 January 2017 at 11:59 am

              Neither. Does truth hurt? BTW, Shearer wasn’t the Prime Minister.

              What’s the real reason as to why PM elect John key dumped his PM responsibilities, after the Roskill by election and ran away before the term was over, just months out from a general election?
              • james …

                27 January 2017 at 12:07 pm

                What the heck are you going on about – you said “at least Helen Clark doesn’t run away, and she finishes out her terms of appointment”

                I just pointed out that what you are saying is bullshit.

                Nothing to do with anything else. So – again you ignorant of the facts or just telling lies?
                • Leftie …

                  27 January 2017 at 12:16 pm

                  You know what I am on about, and what’s bullshit about finishing off her terms of appointment? Clark’s second term ends in April, that’s when she’s leaving.
                  • james …

                    27 January 2017 at 12:21 pm

                    OK – here is a simply yes / no question for you.

                    Did Helen Clarke finish off her term as Mt Albert MP after the 2008 election? (The one where she had an appointment until 2011?)

                    Yes – No?

                    Come on you can do it….
                    • Leftie …

                      27 January 2017 at 12:36 pm

                      No, because she resigned from parliament after losing the 2008 election. It’s not like she was PM and resigned midway through the term like John key did.
                    • Morrissey …

                      27 January 2017 at 12:37 pm

                      The only thing she showed dogged determination over was her vicious and entirely unwarranted pursuit of the exiled Algerian parliamentarian Ahmed Zaoui.

                      She failed, of course.
                    • james …

                      27 January 2017 at 12:41 pm

                      nested replies at an end, so replying to Leftie here.

                      You know that an MP for Mt Albert is job as well and she had campaigned for it and won – so when she quit – she did do so through the term.

                      No matter how you try to spin it – she did, and your original comment is inaccurate.

                      Makes me laugh how hard people spin trying to get out of being caught posting bullshit.
                    • Leftie …

                      27 January 2017 at 1:00 pm

                      Yes she quit because she lost the election and said at that time she was stepping down. How much “through of the term” was it James? So how inaccurate is my original comment really?
                    • james …

                      27 January 2017 at 1:39 pm

                      “How much “through of the term” was it James?”

                      So now its not that she dosnt finish off her terms – you are saying that she quits right at the start of it – so thats ok.

                      If she wasn’t prepared to take the job if she lost the PM role she should have gone list only and not stood for Mt Albert.

                      Either way – you are still wrong.
                    • Leftie …

                      27 January 2017 at 2:01 pm

                      Did she have a crystal ball? Lol nah James, you are just splitting hairs. After losing the election, her time in NZ politics was over, she wasn’t going to do a Jenny Shipley.
      • Morrissey 13.2.2

        27 January 2017 at 12:21 pm

        What did you like better: her ruthless, dishonest and illegal pursuit of Ahmed Zaoui or her hateful rhetoric against Maori?
        • Chris 13.2.2.1

          27 January 2017 at 3:27 pm

          I think it’s a three-way tie alongside the continued decimation of what was left of our social welfare system following the Bolger/Shipley/Richardson demolition job of previous 9 years.
    • Morrissey 13.3

      27 January 2017 at 12:22 pm

      Good riddance.
14. mosa 14

    26 January 2017 at 3:56 pm

    Anyone taking a punt on the election date ? An announcement is due in a couple of weeks with the last legal date for a dissolution is Nov 18. I think they will play it safe and go later after the feel good budget is bedded in.
    My pick is for Saturday November 4th.
15. Chris 15

    26 January 2017 at 4:40 pm

    Bennett needs to understand that fixing problems she’s personally experienced…

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/88522319/government-promising-action-to-tackle-the-gender-pay-gap-in-2017

    …doesn’t mean it’s okay to create problems she didn’t experience…

    https://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/hon-paula-bennett-minister-of-hypocrisy/

    Bennett’s analysis is truly beyond human comprehension.
    • bwaghorn 15.1

      26 January 2017 at 6:33 pm

      ”she had personally experienced the gender pay gap when working as a dishwasher and nurse aid.”
      that whole article is just a vehicle for getting the poor girl made good meme out there, sound familiar ?
      • Chris 15.1.1

        26 January 2017 at 6:53 pm

        Can’t wait for the dirty politics stuff to come racing back to bite him in the bum…or more likely the jugular. The only question is whether it’s going to be when he knew about Dotcom, or the much cosier arrangement he had with Slater than he let on. Either way, my money’s on Key getting the legacy he deserves. It’s very important to the future of NZ that the official history of Key is as accurate as it can be.
      • Leftie 15.1.2

        26 January 2017 at 6:56 pm

        Yes Bwaghorn, but it’s not going to work. Over 8 years of trampling over people without a care, no amount of Crosby
        Textor reinvention is going to help Paula Bennett. The public won’t buy it. The damage has already been done.
    • The Pink Postman 15.2

      28 January 2017 at 3:01 pm

      What I want to know is how did Bennett manage to go to University when she was an unmarried mother ?
      She must have had help other than the Solo mother payment.
      My understanding is that her family were well off. She was not what a call a real solo mum.
      • Chris 15.2.1

        28 January 2017 at 5:07 pm

        She received what used to the Training Incentive Allowance that was paid to people getting a DPB or the invalid’s benefit who enroll in full-time study. It could be used to pay for tertiary fees for an undergraduate degree and in some cases post-graduate. Was a really successful programme. I’ve got a niece who was on the DPB and did a three year nursing course and has now been off the DPB and working as a nurse full time for a number of years now. A friend of hers did a law degree with the help of the TIA and now has her own family law firm. The TIA basically paid for the cost of studying – fees, books etc.

        When Bennett became minister of social welfare one of the first things she did was abolish the Training Incentive Allowance. It was a wholly despicable thing for her to have done.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paula_Bennett#Allegations_of_inconsistency

        https://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/hon-paula-bennett-minister-of-hypocrisy/

        https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-26012017/#comment-1292133
        • Anne 15.2.1.1

          28 January 2017 at 7:21 pm

          Yes and what was even more despicable:

          when two young solo mums used the same allowance to do exactly what she did, and then had the allowance pulled by her… and then had the temerity to complain at the unfairness… she released their winz details including their income – all of which they were entitled to have.
          • Chris 15.2.1.1.1

            28 January 2017 at 7:40 pm

            Do you know if Labour’s promised to reinstate the TIA, Anne?
            • Anne 15.2.1.1.1.1

              28 January 2017 at 8:00 pm

              I seem to remember Labour promising to reinstate it in 2011. I’m guessing its still there and – along with other social policy – will be in this year’s election manifesto. It might be given a new name because pollies of all shades love to hoodwink voters into believing they have ‘exciting new ideas’ that have never been tried before. More often than not they get away with it because your average voter has such a poor political memory.
16. Sabine 16

    26 January 2017 at 5:03 pm

    http://www.rawstory.com/2017/01/russian-cybersecurity-pro-who-worked-for-company-linked-by-us-to-election-hacks-charged-with-treason/

    Quote” Founded in 1997 in Moscow, Kaspersky Lab is a cybersecurity and anti-virus provider present in almost 200 countries, and its products and technologies are used by over 300 million users. Kaspersky was recently accused by U.S. intelligence agencies of hacking into election data to help President Donald Trump win. Russia dismissed these allegations, and it is not clear if the arrests have any links to U.S. allegations.

    Andrei Soldatov, an expert on Russian security services and the internet, called the arrest of the Kaspersky manager “unprecedented.”

    “It destroys a system that has been 20 years in the making, the system of relations between intelligence agencies and companies like Kaspersky,” he told The Associated Press. “Intelligence agencies used to ask for Kaspersky’s advice, and this is how informal ties were built. This romance is clearly over.”quote over

    what do people make of this?
    • McFlock 16.1

      26 January 2017 at 5:18 pm

      I get the impression that it’s the Russians who made the arrest, but it’s not clear from the article.
      • Sabine 16.1.1

        26 January 2017 at 5:31 pm

        i know but its kind of odd? no? disappearing the evidence? 🙂
        • Carolyn_nth 16.1.1.1

          26 January 2017 at 6:13 pm

          One article I read did say something about Putin et al covering their tracks after aiding Trump.

          or this from NY Times (with all its biases), says this:

          The arrest raised the possibility that Mr. Mikhailov and Mr. Stoyanov had interfered in this cooperation [to hack the US Democratic National Committee]. The newspaper article, in Kommersant, which cited unidentified sources in Moscow’s technology industry and the F.S.B., said the treason charges related to work on criminal hacking investigations.

          Alternatively, the detention of an official who would have been in a position to engage in the election hacking in America could indicate a good-will gesture to the United States, which has penalized Russia for the electoral meddling.
          • Sabine 16.1.1.1.1

            26 January 2017 at 6:23 pm

            yep, that was my first impression.
        • McFlock 16.1.1.2

          26 January 2017 at 6:25 pm

          The gist seems to be that it has to do with something outside the guy’s kaspersky employment. And an FSB official has also been arrested, which suggests that maybe it is what it says on the sticker.
17. Red 17

    26 January 2017 at 5:05 pm

    Just read on another blog an interesting milestone, this is labour 3000th day in opposition, the greens must be nearing 20000, the green gig Is good if you can get it Mp salary, no responsibility and list mp to boot and little likely anything changing soon
    • JanM 17.1

      26 January 2017 at 5:27 pm

      So do you think opposition parties have no viable place in a democratic parliamentary system?
      • bwaghorn 17.1.1

        26 January 2017 at 6:34 pm

        asking red if he thinks? not so any one would notice.
      • Red 17.1.2

        26 January 2017 at 8:19 pm

        Hard to call labour and green an effective opposition, so tax payer ROI pretty poor, but hey only my and the majority opinion over 3000 days
        • Leftie 17.1.2.1

          26 January 2017 at 9:15 pm

          But Blue, the majority didn’t vote for National. How effective was National when it was in opposition for over 3200 days?
    • Carolyn_nth 17.2

      26 January 2017 at 6:18 pm

      Have you no idea the work Green MPs and other party list MPs do? Sitting on select committees, attending local events to engage with the community, being available to citizens in their local area to respond to their issues.

      I was up at Warkworth recently when there was a big community event all over the main street. Julie Anne Genter was in front of the Green Party stall, and seemed to be in high demand to talk to locals. In contrast, the NZ First stall was pretty quiet. Genter seemed also to be getting more attention than the people on Labour & Nat stalls – at least in my short time there.
    • Sabine 17.3

      26 January 2017 at 6:26 pm

      do you think Mrs. Bennet has earned her wages?
      Do you think Mr. Smith has earned his wages?
      What about the Housing Benefit Double Dipper from Dipton, the unelected wannabe Prime Minster of NZ Mr. Surplus Bill English.
      What about the elected MP, one week notice, smiling Assassin John Key, i think he is still MP for something. He is earning his wages?
      How about List MP Alfred Ngaro? Is he worth his pay?

      and question, do you want to abolish the wages for MPs in opposition and would that also apply tot he National Party?
      • Red 17.3.1

        26 January 2017 at 8:38 pm

        Yes on everything barring your Last point. Jeez a Little dig really touchedd a few raw nerves,I guess it’s been a long time, not sure how a fourth term by nstiondl is going to go down, mass apoplectic outrage 🙂
        • Leftie 17.3.1.1

          26 January 2017 at 9:22 pm

          Lol no surprises with that answer from you Blue. Dreams are free, more than likely, you are going to get disappointed.
18. Daphna 18

    26 January 2017 at 7:59 pm

    There are a range of Redline articles on Pike river here:
    https://rdln.wordpress.com/2016/11/14/pike-river-tragedy-without-end/

Links to post

1. Punching Nazis, and practicing resistance « The Standard: posted on 27 January 2017 at 12:42 pm

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