Daily Review 18/02/2016

16 comments on “Daily Review 18/02/2016 ”

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1. Manuka AOR 1

   18 February 2016 at 6:36 pm

   Whenever questions about surveillance/ spying/ investigation of the population have arisen under this govt, they have quickly suggested that only very few people are being spied on here in nz. I think they even said “Less than ten” one time not long ago. And suggested that these were all ISIS jihadis or their would-be teenage brides, iirc.

   Two articles in today’s news paint rather a different picture. In the first, “Thousands” of requests were made by the gov for information about us here in Aotearoa NZ. And almost all of those met with full disclosure – more so than in any other country apparently: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/77024791/Govt-agencies-made-thousands-of-information-requests-to-just-10-companies
   • weka 1.1

     18 February 2016 at 7:38 pm

     So if my bank gives information to IRD or WINZ without any legal onus to do so, they’re not breaking the law? I’m not sure what point the Privacy Commissioner is making.
2. Gangnam Style 2

   18 February 2016 at 6:38 pm

   “According to official documents released to me yesterday, the panel didn’t consult the advice of any vexillologists. Instead, they asked for the ‘expert’ advice of a Nike sportshoe designer who previously designed washing machines.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11510969 from Sept 2015. Wasn’t someone arguing (Alwyn) that the flag process included ‘expert designers’ or something? I can’t find any info to support that.
   • alwyn 2.1

     18 February 2016 at 7:01 pm

     I, little innocent me, believed what the panel posted on their website.

     They said, among a great deal of stuff
     “In finalising the long list we invited a number of cultural (including tikanga), vexillology (the study of flags), art and design experts to review the selection, to ensure the designs are workable and there are no known impediments”
     From
     https://www.govt.nz/browse/engaging-with-government/the-nz-flag-your-chance-to-decide/open-letter/
     Was I wrong? I listened once to a politician who said he would beat John Key in an election. I even believed he, initials DC, had a chance. That was something I should have laughed at as being false.
     • alwyn 2.1.1

       18 February 2016 at 7:21 pm

       From Gangnam’s link
       “Grant McLachlan is a former Parliamentary researcher and a National Party campaign director”.
       I wonder if he got fired?
     • Gangnam Style 2.1.2

       18 February 2016 at 7:24 pm

       Fair enough Alwyn, its hard to know who to believe with this shambles (& I feel supporters of the flag change have been led up the garden path so to speak.)
       • alwyn 2.1.2.1

         18 February 2016 at 8:09 pm

         Actually McLachlan has been making the same claims for a long time. Here is essentially the same column from 5 months ago.
         http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11514705&ref=rss
         and a response to him basically calling him a liar
         http://www.changetheflag.nz/responding_to_grant_mclaughlin_s_claims
         Personally it doesn’t bother me. I don’t like any of them very much, although I think the one that was chosen was probably the best of the options.
         Red Peak on the other hand was crap.
         • Gangnam Style 2.1.2.1.1

           18 February 2016 at 8:39 pm

           I think they were all terrible, Lazer Kiwi was the best of a very poor lot but Red Peak was utterly awful.

           I think Key made a big mistake fronting the issue, he should have stayed out of it, hes tainted the process.
3. Karen 3

   18 February 2016 at 7:30 pm

   Somebody may have already referred to this Australian Financial Review article about John Key’s upcoming visit but just in case you missed it:

   http://www.afr.com/brand/rear-window/anz-20160217-gmwfz2

   Seems there are some murky connections that could be exposed. Loved the intro too:

   “New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is in Sydney on Thursday. Lock up your ponytailed daughters!”
4. weka 4

   18 February 2016 at 7:52 pm

   Following on from the previous convos on having some additional public holidays, maybe we should try this here.

   Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has introduced a bill in the Senate that would make Election Day a national holiday called “Democracy Day.”

   “We should be doing everything possible to make it easier for people to participate in the political process,” Sanders said in statement about the bill. “Election Day should be a national holiday so that everyone has the time and opportunity to vote. While this would not be a cure-all, it would indicate a national commitment to create a vibrant democracy.”

   http://mic.com/articles/123713/bernie-sanders-just-introduced-a-bill-that-would-transform-voting-in-america#
   • McFlock 4.1

     18 February 2016 at 9:17 pm

     ooo that’s a good one
     • weka 4.1.1

       18 February 2016 at 9:26 pm

       Probably should be midweek, otherwise it would just be a long weekend 😉
       • Pasupial 4.1.1.1

         18 February 2016 at 10:50 pm

         Weka

         I note your link is from August 2015, which makes sense; as I understood that the senate was in recess, and I imagine Sanders has quite enough on his plate at the moment! The proposal is similar to a notion that Bradbury has been suggesting for a few years now:

         I would suggest election day becomes a Wednesday and that Wednesday is considered a public holiday and we work at building election day into a celebration of our democratic process. If we want to build national identity and lift participation rates then we have to invest in that relationship and not leave it to the free market.

         – See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/05/29/why-making-the-election-a-public-holiday-would-lift-voting-numbers/#sthash.lUmIQ4fh.dpuf
       • Andre 4.1.1.2

         19 February 2016 at 7:05 am

         In the US, Election Day is always the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Ie, the Tuesday that falls between November 2 and November 8.

         Some states already make it a civic holiday, government departments are shut and some businesses also close.
5. Foreign Waka 5

   18 February 2016 at 8:47 pm

   Prime Range Meat in Southland, 75% owed by Chinese investor Lianhua cannot be contacted whilst the company has no stock, workers are sent home not knowing whether they will see any money or compensation, there is no right to a benefit either as technically they are not unemployed. No notice was given prior to this situation. What a scandal and no one in Parliament is making a peep – shame on them. There are families with no income and they are just left stranded. What utter disgrace, inhuman really, no culture – like cattle.
   • sabine 5.1

     18 February 2016 at 9:17 pm

     Yes, i linked to this the other day.

     Foreign investment its good for us, jobs n such. Pretty sad situation all around.

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