Daily Review 11/03/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 pm, March 11th, 2016 - 46 comments
Categories: Daily review - Tags:

budget cut light at end of tunnel

 

 

Daily review is also your post.

This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

46 comments on “Daily Review 11/03/2016 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. weka 1
    11 March 2016 at 6:12 pm

    Due to neoliberal ideology the light at the end of the tunnel has been blocked off.

    • Reddelusion 1.1
      11 March 2016 at 6:37 pm

      And nirvana is in our reach if we simply adopt socialist ideology as proven time and time again ( sarc)

    • ropata 1.2
      11 March 2016 at 8:21 pm

      there was a glorious kaleidoscope of hope at the end of the tunnel but then rogernomes decided that the light fittings could be sold, the power co’s could go, and so could the steel beams holding up the tunnel. there were no safety inspectors so the tunnel collapsed.

      another triumph of capitalism

  2. weka 2
    11 March 2016 at 6:19 pm

    More Canterbury waterways drying up,

    For advocacy group Fish and Game, the depletion of Canterbury’s waterways was becoming more pronounced.

    North Canterbury regional manager Rodd Cullinane had visited Waimairi Stream and found dead eels on the shingle.

    “There’s not a teaspoon of water in it,” he said.

    “We’ve seen dramatic drops in other rivers as well, like we’ve never seen before.”

    He blamed increasing amounts of irrigation, a practice that altered the way waterways were supplied and replenished.

    “We don’t believe [Environment Canterbury] at all. We are absolutely positive that it’s linked to the massive draw-off of irrigation in in-land Canterbury.”

    Environment Canterbury (ECan) surface water science manager Tim Davie said irrigation did lead to lower water levels, but in this case, low rainfall was the primary cause.

    “The lack of rainfall over the past two years, particularly over the winters, is the dominant factor. Waimairi Stream has gone dry in the past after periods of dry weather.”

    He said ECan was monitoring irrigation consents to ensure no-one was exceeding their allotment.

    “We are making sure that nobody is irrigating from ground water or surface water in excess of their consented limits and we continue to monitor flows in Waimairi Stream and other streams in the region.”

    Goodo Mr Davie. Despite there being two underlying causes (low rainfall and increased irrigation) one of which we can’t control, let’s ignore the one we can control and reassure ourselves that it’s all ok because farmer’s are only taking what they’ve been permited for. Because it’s the money that is important.

    I am curious how you monitor water flows in a dried up stream bed.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/77605645/christchurchs-vanishing-streams-worry-residents

    • miravox 2.1
      11 March 2016 at 6:39 pm

      “We are making sure that nobody is irrigating from ground water or surface water in excess of their consented limits”

      Is there provision for adjusting consents in dry years? If not, then how is there not a link between irrigation and low river levels in dry years even is people are not exceeding their allotment?

      • Sacha 2.1.1
        11 March 2016 at 6:59 pm

        ‘Their consented limits’ bear no relationship with what’s required to preserve water tables, especially the ones supplying them city folk who were about to get a majority on ECan before the govt rescued the corporate farmers.

        • miravox 2.1.1.1
          11 March 2016 at 7:58 pm

          Those competing water interests were what the elected ECan was struggling with when they were so rudely interrupted, yes?

          I have a sneaking suspicion that they were correct in their concerns.

      • weka 2.1.2
        11 March 2016 at 7:28 pm

        From what I can tell river flow limits are based on trying to balance the needs of commerce with the need to protect the environment, with the environment being the secondary consideration. That balance point appears to be relatively arbitrary.

        I found Davie’s statements alarming for the huge disconnect. He may have been quoted out of context, but if not, he is basically saying that creeks have no value compared to money. Which is astounding coming from a water scientist. Even if he places no value on the creek for its own sake (he’s not alone there), science shows us that waterways don’t exist in vacuums, that they’re important parts of ecosystems. My guess is that if the waterway (and the ecosystem it exists within) has no economic benefit or iconic status he considers its value meaningless.

        • miravox 2.1.2.1
          11 March 2016 at 8:02 pm

          ‘Balance’. Another of those strange words that seems ill-defined in any policy communication that uses it.

          I found his comment very alarming also. For the reasons you state, but also because it seems he’s attempting to manage the framing – one of those either/or things – either the irrigation or the lack of rain – not the interaction between both (and other things too, I expect).

          • weka 2.1.2.1.1
            11 March 2016 at 8:34 pm

            Exactly. That he can’t see that irrigation take will make low rainfall problems worse is bizarre. Or he doesn’t care, as you say he’s framing things to suit an agenda.

  3. Anne 3
    11 March 2016 at 7:24 pm

    Looks like the wee Barclay boy might be in a spot of bother with the police?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11604071

    • mickysavage 3.1
      11 March 2016 at 7:49 pm

      I am going to post something tomorrow but I think wee Todd may have a wee problem of the career threatening John Banks kind.

      • Sacha 3.1.1
        11 March 2016 at 8:04 pm

        I don’t get why Police would be interested in an ’employment dispute’.

        • Muttonbird 3.1.1.1
          11 March 2016 at 8:20 pm

          The prime minister and the president of the National Party are comfortable and have already endorsed little Todd so the Police will not take it any further.

          John Key will be texting Judith Collins on this as we speak…

        • mickysavage 3.1.1.2
          11 March 2016 at 8:51 pm

          Secret recordings may breach the Crimes Act and may affect the longevity of Todd’s career.

          • ScottGN 3.1.1.2.1
            11 March 2016 at 9:08 pm

            And may affect the longevity of Key’s already tenuous majority in The House.

            • miravox 3.1.1.2.1.1
              11 March 2016 at 9:12 pm

              Now that would be karma if a secret recording brought down the government.

              Especially one by helicoptered MP.

            • Kevin 3.1.1.2.1.2
              12 March 2016 at 9:08 am

              Don’t get too excited. You could put a monkey on a bike up for National in that electorate and it would get voted in with a very comfortable majority.

          • Graeme 3.1.1.2.2
            11 March 2016 at 10:16 pm

            Wonder if this is the exit strategy, let the plods charge him and a by-election that way. The denial strategy is pretty much a copy of Northland and they’d probably pull it off here with a decent candidate.

            Would a charge for sentence not exceeding two years be sufficient to force a resignation?

            Little jonny is in Queenstown for the golf this weekend, and probably a few other things. He was dining at Botswana this evening, a very bored cop standing by the back door one finger texting, thought there’d been a punch-up at the pie cart then went ’round the corner and saw the BMW’s parked up.

  4. Trey 4
    11 March 2016 at 7:27 pm

    Why are the police investigating MP Todd Barclay?

    • weka 4.1
      11 March 2016 at 7:30 pm

      allegations of secret recordings.

      Can we coin a something-gate term now?

    • Anne 4.2
      11 March 2016 at 7:33 pm

      From the link:

      The police involvement is believed to be related to allegations that the first-term MP made a secret recording of a staff member.

    • Muttonbird 4.3
      11 March 2016 at 8:09 pm

      It’s interesting that the Police are involved. Usually the ERA would deal with such things so chances are the offending by one or other of the parties (let’s face it, it’s Barclay) is serious enough to warrant a chargeable investigation.

      The National Party elite will dilute, threaten, and brush over this to a point where no charges are laid and the investigation will yield not further information.

      Why is it that members of the current government and RWNJs in general are such aggressively dishonest folk???

      • Trey 4.3.1
        11 March 2016 at 8:29 pm

        Or…… Another ex Nat MP, “Prominent New Zealander” with a super injunction name suppression will appear in court. Speaking of which isn’t the other prominent New Zealanders court date coming up soon

        • Jenny Kirk 4.3.1.1
          12 March 2016 at 9:11 am

          Yes , Trey – but everything will be suppressed, and I think they’ve shifted the Court hearings from Whangarei to one of the Auckland Courts.

      • ropata 4.3.2
        11 March 2016 at 10:33 pm

        The Gnats and their financial backers will do whatever it takes to accrue as much power and wealth and privilege as possible, and screw everyone else in the process. It requires an unprecedented PR campaign to keep up the pretense of democracy and working for the people.

  5. ropata 5
    11 March 2016 at 8:02 pm

    Australia’s housing problems seem familiar.

    The death of the great Australian dream https://t.co/424LlAQ8Fa
    Owning a home, complete with barbecue and backyard, is out of reach for millennials as prices soar— Guardian news (@guardiannews) March 10, 2016

    Housing policy is captive to property politics, politicians _talk_ about affordability but do 0 https://t.co/UVh15gmcYp via @ConversationEDU— bob the debugger (@ropata) March 11, 2016

  6. ropata 6
    11 March 2016 at 8:08 pm

    This twitter thread is the best thing I have read for ages. @Madicattt talks about the bicultural history of her family in great detail.

    Yes, it's a tangi but man these two frosty tops are beautiful and I love them pic.twitter.com/gyWrR81TkK— Maddy (@Madicattt) March 10, 2016

    See also: CV’s very thoughtful comment from yesterday

    • weka 6.1
      11 March 2016 at 8:55 pm

      those are two seriously good links, thank-you.

      • Muttonbird 6.1.1
        11 March 2016 at 10:26 pm

        I read the second one and you are right, it is a very good insight into the workings of a Chinese New Zealander.

        CV admits the wave off new immigrants have no desire to engage with, nor concept of, the democracy we enjoy here in New Zealand.

        They simply know nothing of it.

      • ropata 6.1.2
        11 March 2016 at 10:36 pm

        kapai ehoa 👍

  7. ianmac 7
    11 March 2016 at 8:09 pm

    But of course somehow should there be any case to answer it will be blotted out of public discussion because it will be a case before the Courts. Then sometime long after 2017 something might happen maybe perhaps.

    • ropata 7.1
      11 March 2016 at 8:22 pm

      a “prominent new zealander” will be facing “serious allegations” at some unspecified date, probably after the next election

  8. millsy 8
    12 March 2016 at 12:31 am

    Benefit calculator

    Its pretty much kept me occupied for the last 6 hours working out various permutations on how to live/exist on a benefit.

    Try it yourself. It is useful.