Bait and switch

Written By: - Date published: 9:25 am, October 5th, 2011 - 27 comments
Categories: business, capitalism - Tags: , ,

The national icon suddenly announces that the future of the thing we pride ourselves is at stake. Some big mean foreigners are going to take if off us. Oh no, oh no! Fortunately, there’s a solution. It just requires a few tens of millions of taxpayer dollars. Sound familiar? As with the Hobbit, now with the All Blacks. We got suckered once. Will we again?

The gambit is only halfway through with the All Blacks.

First, we’ve had the shock announcement that the All Blacks may not be able to afford to go to the next World Cup. Funnily enough, this revelation just so happens to have come during the early stages of the Rugby World Cup.

Second, the IRB ups the stakes and indicates they’re not going to compromise by saying ‘so what if you don’t come’. What an incredible affront while we’re hosting the World Cup and on track to win it!

The next stage will be a reinforcing of the ‘crisis’. The All Blacks cry poverty, the IRB says ‘tough’. Heartfelt interviews. Tough men in tears etc etc.

As the crisis rises (just before the final?) helpful proxies muse that maybe manna from heaven (also known as our tax dollars) could cut this Gordian knot.

The government, seeing the political advantage of ‘saving the national game’ organises an emergency meeting to coincide with the victory parade, where it signs a big fat cheque of public money.

The genius of this is that the three parties – the local icon, the international bully, and the government – don’t actually have to be in collusion for them to work together to rip us off.

And rugby is the winner on the day.

27 comments on “Bait and switch ”

  1. Jim Nald 1

    YOU are making me cry !

  2. vto 2

    I am sick to death of being asked to pay for other people’s entertainment and sports and other hobbies…

    Bloody velodromes, free concerts, stadiums all over the place, fan-zones, fat-cat yachts, it just goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on ………………

    • joe90 2.1

      Ditto vto, in my neck of the woods it’s council funding of the masters games that leaves me seething. The beneficiaries of the councils largess with my over the top rates charges are the suppliers of food, beverages and accommodation and we continue to elect the people with interests in the businesses that profit.

      Yep, I’m talking about you Annie.

    • Afewknowthetruth 2.2

      Ditto. Many of us are sick to death of city/district councils’ spend, spend, spend policies ….. huge amounts of inftrastructure that will be of no use whatsoevr 5 years from now, when the golobal economic system has imploded.

      However, anyone who has investigated local politics soon realises it’s all a rort system based on short term thinking. Unfortunately the dumbed-down masses remain clueless and continue to support the insanity in droves.

      There is an awful lot of evidence that most local bodies finances will implode over the next 2 years, as businesses fail and rates go unpaid. In the meantime councils will just keep doing it till they can’t.

    • Vicky32 2.3

      Bloody velodromes, free concerts, stadiums all over the place, fan-zones, fat-cat yachts, it just goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on ………………

      Oh yes, the Auckland city council has just been pressured into paying $1 million for ‘fan zones’… why? As you say, ‘someone else’s hobby’. It stinks!

  3. Afewknowthetruth 3

    And the corporations and money-lenders who operate the whole system and are orcherating the present crisis end up laughing all the way to the bank, blurting out between fits of laughter: “You braindead suckers, you still think it’s about sport!”

  4. Craig Glen Eden 4

    First it was South Canterbury Finance then Radio Works now the All Blacks? when are all these job creators going to pay their own way Corporate bludging and welfare has to stop.

  5. Afewknowthetruth 5

    Oops. That should have been:

    corporations and money-lenders who operate the whole system and are orchestrating the present crisis

  6. I agree with giving money to the film industry because its proven to bring in millions. I dont know why the left would complain about that (you guys didnt make a fuss when Scribe was getting 500 Thousands to do an album)

    I think it would be sick that the government gives rugby more money. how about funding womans sport (and by womans sport i dont mean fuckin netball)

    Our woman basketballers, swimmers, track and field, footballers could really do with some funding.

    • Blighty 6.1

      we complain because the Hobbit was never going anywhere. It was always going to be filmed in NZ.

      Just like the AB’s will always attend the World Cup.

    • felix 6.2

      Do you want to know why there was no fuss when Scribe got $500,000 to make an album, Brett?

      Or why there were no paparazzi outside your house when you had that orgy with the Dixie Chicks?

      Same explanation applies to both mysteries.

    • Draco T Bastard 6.3

      Why are we subsidising foreign film producers for little or no gain? If we’d just used tax payer dollars to bankroll the entire production we would have had an income in the billions rather than millions of income and millions of loss.

  7. Colonel Kentucky 7

    NZders love to give money away while screaming they are broke. What they mean, but won’t or can’t articulate, is that they want to choose who gets their money so they feel superior while they give. There appears to be a hierarchy: pointless extravagances like sports events near the top, along with earthquake victims and kids with special cases of cancer. Then in the middle it’s local heroes and overseas victims of circumstance. Right down the bottom, closer to the screaming bloody broke, are the workers, the poor, the sick and elderly and anything that might improve the problems most eagerly complained about. Give anything to them, close a shop for 3 hours and suddenly the company is going to go broke. Recession? What Recession? Cost cutting in the public sector, but tens of millions to buy off rugby officials votes? One of our major cities is practically levelled, thousands of livelihoods gone overnight and yet the next most common resource, next to silt and mud clogging the street, is money. Like the silt, it pools in certain areas and not in others. If public and private debt is now the same thing, and our creditors knew we had so much stuffed under the mattress we wouldn’t have received credit rating downgrades. Oh but I forget, giving money to gangsters means we get to have them return to take some more which energises our local retail and hospitality economy. No word about whether we could get the same net profit from an average advertising campaign or promotion. It pays not to take it too seriously. The Left try to take wealth redistribution seriously and look where it got them. What you’re seeing here, though, is the much praised Right Wing “market” in action – the Republican Dream – and it’s not so good at creating what it says it will.

    • Draco T Bastard 7.1

      What you’re seeing here, though, is the much praised Right Wing “market” in action – the Republican Dream – and it’s not so good at creating what it says it will.

      It’s great at delivering all the communities wealth to the few though.

      • Ianupnorth 7.1.1

        Building a brighter future*
         
         
        *For the top 10% of the community only; funding will be from the other 90%

    • Misanthropic Curmudgeon 7.2

      Colonel Kentucky says NZers “want to choose who gets their money”. Whats wrong with that: its their money!

      Surely you are not saying that their money out be taken/received but they ought have no input into where it goes (and so that whoever does decide gets the credit/salary to do so?!?!)

  8. Colonel Kentucky 8

    Just this morning, on my way to work, I was accosted by barefoot tubercular starving school children and while I pushed their brown snotty noses away, it occurred to me, why don’t we have a whip round to pay for some virgins to massage Dan Carter’s groin? I think it would really raise the spirit of the nation.

  9. freedom 9

    “The IRB is the huge winner from the Rugby World Cup – it made a surplus of $42 million in 1995, $151 million in 1999, $180 million across the Tasman in 2003 and $330 million four years ago.”

    With the sponsorship money at an all time high, TV rights a global sellout, the RWC fee paid in full and the merchandising still to be counted, we can safely deduce an income of approximately $500 million dollars for the IRB from this year’s cup.

    “The [RWC 2011] are aiming to make $269 million from 1.36 million ticket sales…
    Rugby World Cup 2007 in France generated $397 million from the sale of 2.24 million tickets, and Australia collected $225 million in 2003 from total attendances of 1.9 million.”

    Ticket sales may be the only source of income for the NZRU from the RWC2011, but in anyone’s book, $269 million dollars is a fair stack of cash.

    With over 200 million tax/ratepayers dollars already paid to the NZRU, I do not accept they need more public funds

    Either the IRB is ripping of its members or the NZRU is ripping off the Government

    • Draco T Bastard 9.1

      Either the IRB is ripping of its members or the NZRU is ripping off the Government

      Both.

  10. davidc 10

    “It cannot carry on… frankly the prospects of us going to England in 2015 under the current model are very slim. We cannot continue to sign on for an event that costs us so much money.”

    Steve Tew’s moan had nothing to do with this World Cup, his comments were aimed toward the All Blacks getting a bigger appearance fee and the possibility that the All Black’s sponsers may get some “leverage” off the event by a relaxation of the rules banning any non RWC advertising. Its just a negotiation gambit that will drag on for a few years yet. England is a vast market and they LOVE the All Blacks.

  11. Irascible 11

    The BBC, last week, carried a story from the IRFU that siuggested that the boady was having regrets about giving the hosting rites (rights) to NZ instead of Japan as, in the opinion of the management, the economic returns from an Asian host far out weigh the returns to be gained from a couple of islands in the South Pacific.
    The report compared the incomes of the professional sporting bodies and argued that they needed to centre themselves on Asia because these were the income generators of the 21st century.
    There is obviously no love for the NZRFU where income for the IRFU is concerned.
    If the NACTional govt falls for this economic piracy by the IRFU there is another example of Key’s economic policy of gamble and smile as the chips fall to others on the table.

  12. Ianupnorth 12

    Have a look at the ‘Grassroots Trust’ – a pokies charity; look how much they take from the most deprived communities; look where they give their cash. This money doesn’t pay for kids sport, it pays for lard arses to sit in corporate boxes.
     
    Rugby has plenty of money, it just isn’t spent well.

  13. Misanthropic Curmudgeon 13

    Never seemed to be a problems when Labour was biffing 30 million about for rich-boy yaught races.

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
    12 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
    12 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
    15 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
    6 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 2024-03-28T12:42:22+00:00