Comments on: Seriously, there are better uses for $10 mil

By: felix

felix — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:23:33 +0000

Wow.

Now if you could only learn to type a coherent sentence in reply this would be a day to remember, wouldn’t it?

By: Zaphod Beeblebrox

Zaphod Beeblebrox — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:54:06 +0000

Barack Obama would agree with you too. Did you read about the new aid package for Africa proposed by the G8?
Aid money is being tied to actual agricultural projects not give to NGOs to drive around the countryside in SUVs or given to corrupt governments to spend on their friends.
Problem of course is that at some stage they will have to deal the government officials when giving the aid. Key would be to get the money into the local farming economies.

By: Koala Jack

Koala Jack — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:41:15 +0000

There are even better uses for 10m.But seriously guys….Seriously.

By: Cactus Kate

Cactus Kate — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:48:22 +0000

Good lord. Finally at Standard post I can agree with.

By: Zetetic

Zetetic — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:58:18 +0000

the liberal line seems to be we have some kind of guilt debt to Niue. This debt overrides our default duty to spend our aid money to generate the greatest amount of wealth we can for the most people.

Niue sought membership of the British Empire for protection. They became a protectorate. We annexed in 1901. Offered autonomy in 1965. They turned it down until 1974..

I’m all for aid. More aid, that’s my motto. But aid should be used to aid. Not replace the indigenious economy. Now Niue’s economy is the Government. It employs a quarter of the inhabitants. Compare to 6% in New Zealand. Most people are employed by the government. It makes up most of GDP. It’s all funded by aid.

We’ve destroyed the economy of Niue. Created a black-hole for aid dollars instead. I don’t see why we should keep up this enormously expensive and inefficient charade. We could be using the money to give sustainable, viable economies a hand up. Not creating something that can only ever survive with ever larger injections of money.

By: Rex Widerstrom

Rex Widerstrom — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:51:30 +0000

Hold on… you mean we haven’t stopped spending money on Bulls and Reefton? I feel a referendum coming on…

By: roger nome

roger nome — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:19:50 +0000

Think before you post Pat … Think ….

By: Ari

Ari — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:34:07 +0000

Right. Better that we put meaningful conditions on the aid instead.

By: Ari

Ari — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:27:39 +0000

We shouldn’t ignore our own backyard, but we also shouldn’t send “aid” to countries that use it kleptocratically rather than for the good of their people.

By: sally

sally — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:17:01 +0000

I don’t want to spin it at all – I actually agree with you guys that this is a little heavy handed.

But there’s a serious issue at stake here regarding how Key has handled this.

By: Maynard J

Maynard J — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:27:05 +0000

I had heard that, though he is seen as championing it. Bit of creative license? It has a nice ring to it.

By: Zaphod Beeblebrox

Zaphod Beeblebrox — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:23:55 +0000

Actually, it is in our interests. If we stopped giving aid, nearly everyone would pack up and leave. We would have to find housing, health services etc for them. its the same for Tokelau.

Having said that, global warming may mean that they (and half of the Pacific) will be forced to migrate anyway.

Conversely we may not be able afford them. Thats if they decide to sell their votes at the U.N. and other international organisations.

By: Anita

Anita — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:06:50 +0000

The referendum is not Baldock's (his never got the signatures), it is sponsored by Sheryl Savill of Focus on the Family

By: Maynard J

Maynard J — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:57:37 +0000

I would like to propose a new verb – “Baldocking” – for the mangling of an otherwise reasonable question into something thoroughly incomprehensible.

By: Idiot/Savant

Idiot/Savant — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:48:11 +0000

Because Niue doesnt vote?

But the Niueans here can. They’re citizens, after all.