Author Archive

The Land of the Free

Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, October 16th, 2013 - 15 comments

The Republican majority in the US House of Representatives changed their standing orders to remove the right of any Representative to move that a Senate resolution be adopted. Watch Rep Chris van Hollen explain it. If his motion was allowed to come to the floor, there would be enough moderate Republicans in the House who would support the Democrats, and the gridlock that threatens the world economy would be removed. No wonder the Republicans are tanking in the polls.

Why drop on Len today?

Written By: - Date published: 9:22 pm, October 15th, 2013 - 177 comments

Len’s acknowledged affair can’t have been a secret until today – there are affidavits involved. It can’t have been about  the campaign for mayor – otherwise the Slaters would have dropped it  before the election. I think there is a bigger story that may come out tomorrow, involving Len’s opponent in the previous mayoral election. For what it’s worth, I also don’t think Len’s affair is a hanging offence. He’s a good man and has been a very good mayor, for Manukau and for Auckland.

Dotcom on what Banks knew

Written By: - Date published: 12:59 pm, October 15th, 2013 - 27 comments

The District Court is hearing evidence today as to whether John Banks should stand trial for signing a donations return that he knew to be false. Kim Dotcom has given evidence – the Herald reports that when he agreed to give Banks a donation of $50,000, Banks asked for it to be split and to be made anonymous., so that if Banks helped DotCom in the future it would not be known that he had donated to him.

Kiwiblog’s Dunne deal – breaking the law or breaking the rules?

Written By: - Date published: 4:27 pm, October 2nd, 2013 - 21 comments

Banner ads for UnitedFuture’s signature policy on flexible superannuation have been appearing on Kiwiblog for the last week or so with no promoter’s statement. Yesterday a post promoting the policy with David Farrar’s byline included a photo of Peter Dunne  and the parliamentary crest. After several commenters queried whether it was indeed written by Farrar, DPF responded: [DPF: It’s not a press release. It’s a paid advertisement as indicated by the tag, and also the use of the parliamentary crest which is required for advertisements by MPs]. It didn’t have a promoter’s statement either.

Julia’s valedictory

Written By: - Date published: 9:52 am, September 15th, 2013 - 35 comments

Julia Gillard on power, purpose, and Labor’s future. Well worth a read.

The innocent have nothing to fear?

Written By: - Date published: 10:50 am, August 21st, 2013 - 18 comments

It’s not just journos who should watch out if the GCSB Bill goes through. David Miranda, partner of Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, was detained by British police yesterday while in transit through London. All his electronic equipment was confiscated. After the nine hour limit was up this “terrorist” was released into Britain! All because his partner has been the journalist who wrote about Snowden’s revelations about internet surveillance by GCHQ, NSA, and GCSB.

Murdoch’s knives out in Oz election

Written By: - Date published: 9:07 pm, August 5th, 2013 - 13 comments

Rupert’s at it again. The Murdoch media were vicious in their pursuit of Gillard but it wasn’t personal. Now they’re after Rudd. And with Rudd as well, it isn’t personal or even political, it’s business as usual. Content download on high-quality broadband is the main threat to pay tv, and Labor’s NBN is perceived as worse for Murdoch’s SkyTV than the Coalition’s version.

Guardian at the gate

Written By: - Date published: 7:21 am, August 3rd, 2013 - 82 comments

There is a fascinating article in today’s Guardian re links between Britain’s GCHQ (equivalent of our GCSB) and the US’s NSA. All three are linked in the UKUSA network. It puts a whole new light on why Key wants to loosen our laws.

Robert Wade in Christchurch

Written By: - Date published: 9:20 pm, July 11th, 2013 - 7 comments

Robert Wade will speak on “Inequality and the We st” in Christchurch tomorrow Friday – 4pm in Lecture Hall A3, Arts Centre, University Drive, Christchurch. His lectures in Auckland and Dunedin have been packed – had to move the venue in Dunedin and could have filled it twice over in Auckland. He is speaking in conjunction with the launch of Max Rashbrooke-edited book “Inequality; A New Zealand Crisis” produced by Bridget Williams Books. All welcome.

Congratulations Meka Whaitiri

Written By: - Date published: 9:51 pm, June 29th, 2013 - 12 comments

Labour has a strong new addition to its caucus – Meka Whaitiri beat two strong candidate fields, first in her selection and then in today’s by-election. Her percentage of the votes cast was higher than Parekura’s in his first go in 1999 – I’m picking he knew what he was doing when he encouraged her to put her name forward.

Tax Havens and the Rule of Law

Written By: - Date published: 9:55 pm, June 18th, 2013 - 10 comments

Nicky Hager recently participated in a multi-country investigation of a huge leak of tax haven information. He will speak about what they discovered and the implications for New Zealand and other countries. 5:30pm, Friday 21 June, Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace, Wellington. All welcome – should be fascinating.

Special pleading from the Electricity Authority

Written By: - Date published: 10:17 pm, June 6th, 2013 - 36 comments

Dr Brent Layton of the Electricity Authority has produced a 28-page paper to refute the claims of Molly Melhuish, Dr Geoff Bertram and Bryan Leyland that “the Authority’s approach is a light-touch approach to regulating the electricity markets.” Layton says that forcing prices and asset values down will have a “chilling” effect on  fearful investors.  The ‘”chilling” metaphor is particularly inapt when used to defend wealth transfers from the poor to the rich.

The Battle of Auckland

Written By: - Date published: 9:47 pm, May 29th, 2013 - 8 comments

“The Auckland that never was” in my view is the most interesting chapter in Chris Trotter’s “NO LEFT TURN”. It details the Ministry of Works’ post-war plan  outlined in a document The Shape of Things to Come that was scrapped by the Sid Holland National party. Now we see history repeating itself. In what Labour accurately describes as a “War on Auckland” Key, Joyce and Brownlie are following in the footsteps of the much unloved Sid Holland.

Selection and election

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 pm, May 26th, 2013 - 3 comments

I’ve always been in favour of contested selection for parliamentary candidates. Being a Member of Parliament requires commitment, energy and above all a robust mental and physical constitution – clear values and strong bodies.When Parekura Horomia was selected in 1998 there were a little over 20 Labour party members in the electorate. This time its different. Media reports have party membership at 850, and the three selection meetings in the huge electorate attracted 180 in the Hutt, 110 in Tolaga Bay, and 430 in Napier. That’s the base from which Meka Whaitiri, Labour’s chosen candidate comes.

High interest in Ikaroa-Rawhiti

Written By: - Date published: 3:37 pm, May 23rd, 2013 - 22 comments

Labour will hold three selection meetings in the very large electorate, in Seaview, in Tolaga Bay, and the final one in Napier on Sunday. Labour has a very strong slate of six high-calibre candidates. New members are flocking to the party, and with over 500 electorate members having a say this time the meetings will be full on as well as full. All Party members can attend; anyone can register to get the result.

Pot and Kettle

Written By: - Date published: 11:36 am, May 10th, 2013 - 60 comments

Key on Gilmore on front page of today’s DomPost: “In the end, to make a contribution, you have to have integrity, and to have integrity there has to be a directness and fullness in your answers.” That’s why Key has no integrity about GCSB – there was no directness and fulness in his answers about it, either in Parliament or to the “knucklehead” media.

The oxymoronic “responsible Minister”

Written By: - Date published: 6:43 pm, May 6th, 2013 - 19 comments

Spying on Kiwis is ok if “the responsible Minister” says so – this was how the Herald described today’s announcement from John Key regarding the GCSB clean-up Bill. Responsible Minister? Yeah right -that’s an oxymoron when applied to John Key.

75 workplace deaths a year ok then?

Written By: - Date published: 9:36 pm, April 30th, 2013 - 116 comments

The Independent Taskforce on Workplace Safety  finds the New Zealand workplace health and safety system is “not fit for purpose” and is an indictment of employer self-regulation. An average of 100 people die each year in New Zealand, and the Taskforce thinks National’s target of reducing workplace deaths by 25% by 2020 is modest – I think it means the government still doesn’t get it. One death at work is one too many –  zero tolerance should be the policy.

Asset values, power prices and regulation

Written By: - Date published: 9:03 pm, April 29th, 2013 - 11 comments

Geoff Bertram states in today’s DomPost  that he advised the Select Committee on the Mighty River Power sale that  power companies’ excessive profits were potentially subject to regulatory interest by any government that placed consumer interest ahead of the companies’ interests, and that this would significantly affect their values. The Government and the companies cannot say they were not warned.

Farmers unhappy about lower power prices?

Written By: - Date published: 8:32 pm, April 28th, 2013 - 40 comments

Former banker Bruce Wills and current head of Federated Farmers has joined the chorus attacking NZPower. Given the tired old  arguments he raises, it would be interesting to know if his farmer members would rather have lower power prices, or banker Bruce as their spokesman.

Strikes: One Law for All

Written By: - Date published: 10:09 pm, April 26th, 2013 - 28 comments

National’s  Labour laws announced today have new sanctions on workers’ strikes: parties will have to provide notice of a strike, and employers will have a new right to fine workers for “partial strikes.” Also today the Herald’s Insider  reports business reaction to Labour’s NZPower and invokes the threat of capital strike,  posed as a threat to an elected government’s right to govern. If Simon Bridges wants to see fairness,  then capital strikes by business should surely face the same constraints as worker strikes.

Axe-grinders of the world unite…

Written By: - Date published: 9:02 pm, April 23rd, 2013 - 26 comments

Brokers and analysts, you’ve nothing to lose but your fees. (although there’s already been $200million from the taxpayer). Now Steven Joyce has turned to the axe-grinders for support. There couldn’t be a clearer indication that Joyce and National are on the side of investors with money to burn, while Labour and the Greens with are on the side of the consumers who worry about turning on the heater.

Power profits and the consumer

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 pm, April 22nd, 2013 - 16 comments

New Zealand’s energy pricing over the last twenty years was thoroughly canvassed by Dr Geoff Bertram last year in a paper presented to the Fabian Society as part of its “Light-handed Regulation” series.  In the light of the Labour/Greens’ announcement last week about NZ Power his paper is well worth a read.

When they’re laughing at you…

Written By: - Date published: 4:15 pm, April 22nd, 2013 - 160 comments

You know it’s getting near time to go.

In Saturday’s DomPost, Chelsie Preston Crayford shows what she thinks of John Key and asset sales.

Exhuming the Dancing Cossacks

Written By: - Date published: 9:10 pm, April 19th, 2013 - 24 comments

Some commenters on PowerCo have said Labour/Greens will once again be devastated by ad’s like National’s famous “dancing cossacks.” I don’t think so. That ad attacked 1975 Labour’s compulsory superannuation plan. If  voters hadn’t been seduced by Muldoon then we would now have a sovereign wealth fund that would be in advance of Australia’s. Key and Joyce are like Muldoon – shysters.

Nats 40.5% in Roy Morgan

Written By: - Date published: 8:20 pm, April 18th, 2013 - 61 comments

I don’t think this is a rogue poll – and it came before the Powerco announcement! The trend line is certainly clear now and should reassure Eddie. John Key better get his knighthood sorted.

“I genuinely have no clue”

Written By: - Date published: 4:04 pm, April 16th, 2013 - 54 comments

Finally, John Key comes clean. Watch this!

Clueless hicks?

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 pm, April 14th, 2013 - 31 comments

I live in Wellington and like it. I’ve just visited Auckland for a party, and it was fun for a day and a half. Separately, I  met some Aucklanders unusually riled up about the Government, and then read Matt McCarten in today’s Herald re Gerry Brownlee and Nick Smith on Auckland’s gridlock! One does feel sorry for the northeners. Good billboard too.

Key shoots back(wards)

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, February 26th, 2013 - 82 comments

John Key is under real pressure over the Solid Energy debacle. He got out the six-shooter – aiming at a 2007 speech by Trevor Mallard to try to blame Labour. Trouble is he’s shot himself. In 2011 he said  he “supported Solid Energy’s plan to dig up lignite and turn it into briquettes, saying the Government wanted companies such as Solid Energy, which is Government-owned, to expand.” Expect more shots from the lip.

Fabian “Voyage” comes to Christchurch

Written By: - Date published: 4:30 pm, February 22nd, 2013 - 3 comments

Christchurch readers please open here InvitationA5_Mar2013_1 to find your invitation to this free “economic revue” at the Court Theatre, Sunday March 3, 1pm for 1:30. Speakers Bernard Hickey, John Walley, Rick Boven, Sel Pellett and Bronwyn Hayward; with Michele A’Court starting them off. Titanic-themed, how New Zealand can avoid the iceberg is the topic. All welcome.

Mr Answerer

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 pm, February 20th, 2013 - 70 comments

Oh dear. Lockwood Smith was by common consent one of the best Speakers we’ve had. David Carter seems to be heading in a different direction. Lockwood required Ministers to give direct answers. Today in the House Carter gave the answer for Hekia Parata, interpreting her words to  get her off the hook. He may well have put himself on one though, if that is the way he is going to go.

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