More Muldoonism

Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, April 29th, 2010 - 15 comments
Categories: democracy under attack, economy, national/act government - Tags: ,

This post reproduced with permission from No Right Turn.

The government announced a package of measures for the aquaculture industry this afternoon – including a power for Ministers “to amend regional coastal plans in exceptional circumstances where it is in significant regional or national interest”. So instead of regional councils deciding which areas are used for aquaculture in accordance with the wishes and interests of local communities, the Minister will. And they will even unilaterally decide what is in a region’s interests, irrespective of what the people of that region may say to the contrary.

That piggy little cackle you can hear is the ghost of Robert Muldoon again. He may be dead, but his authoritarian centralising urges are still alive and well in the National Party.

15 comments on “More Muldoonism ”

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  1. vto 1
    29 April 2010 at 11:23 am

    Eaxctly. This is another bag of shit from this government.

    If they had said they would be doing this and the ecan thing prior to the election they would not have got as many votes.

    They should be fucking sued under section 9 of the Fair Trading Act. “Misleading and deceptive conduct in trade”. Fuck it fucks me off that govts operate to one set of rules and standards and yet expects us other schmucks to operate to some different and much higher set of rules and standards.

    There aint no way these coozers should be up for gongs and the like (which is pretty much par) when their standards of operation fall so far below that which joe and joy public live to. It is just a gip.

  2. Craig Glen Eden 2
    29 April 2010 at 11:28 am

    Its more than Authoritarian its more than Nanny state its straight out undemocratic, but don’t worry I am sure that champion of democracy the NZ Herald will run front page stories for days telling all how we are losing our Democratic rights under this shabby lot!

  3. vto 3
    29 April 2010 at 11:30 am

    and yet more ranting …..

    This govt clearly has no idea how to get economic growth except by taking from the environment and adding to business.

    Bloody 1800’s-type simple colonial extraction mentality.

    How will they achieve economic growth when there is no more environment to extract? Because that day will come – there is nothing more certain. They should be thinking outside the brainless extraction square now and save the environment, rather than thinking outside the brainless extraction square later and fuking the environment.

    I despair

  4. Bill 4
    29 April 2010 at 11:34 am

    What does that do in relation to the F&S?

    Didn’t iwi have the veto on any development approved by regional councils?

    But now the minister can veto the veto?

    Am I getting this right?

    Politicians and their business brethren wouldn’t be screwing us all again would they?

    Nah! Can’t be.

  5. Draco T Bastard 5
    29 April 2010 at 12:02 pm

    He may be dead, but his authoritarian centralising urges are still alive and well in the National Party.

    Dictatorship has always been in the make up of the National Party. They really don’t like democracy as it slows down their exploitation of everyone else.

  6. toad 6
    29 April 2010 at 12:14 pm

    Agriculture Minister David Carter (surprisingly, telling the truth):

    “We had to act here in Canterbury because the situation was untenable if we are going to seriously make progress in delivering this irrigation,’ he said.

    “I would have thought what happened recently with Environment Canterbury would be a signal to all regional councils to work a bit more constructively with their farmer stakeholders.’

    Who’s next?

    • vto 6.1
      29 April 2010 at 12:21 pm

      Yes I saw that too. Open admission of the true reason behind the sacking of Ecan.

      Carter, Key, Hide, Smith are now proven liars, proven goons and proven corrupt.

      Why didn’t Carter say this would be done prior to the election?

      So what that means is that, notwithstanding any environmental devastation that may result, if farmers don’t get what they want then the Council involved will be sacked. Sounds like a direct express intention to flout the law (RMA).

    • RedLogix 6.2
      29 April 2010 at 12:31 pm

      Well it’s not so much a matter of ‘who’s next’, Horizons have already done a massive backdown over the Manawatu nitrates issue.

    • Draco T Bastard 6.3
      29 April 2010 at 12:35 pm

      Carter yesterday announced $1.27 million in new irrigation-related funding through the community irrigation and sustainable farming funds including $83,500 for the Central Plains Water project.

      And even more taxpayer subsidy for big business. Certainly seeing the bludgers coming out of the woodwork now.

      How many National MPs have farms in the area?

    • Galeandra 6.4
      29 April 2010 at 9:23 pm

      Hey Toad, doesn’t ‘farmer stakeholders’ imply something separate and slightly feudal? Does he mean that regional ratepayers shouldn’t receive equivalent consideration if they don’t have a direct financial interest in water resources etc? And I guess a ‘signal’ is a threat to any other councils which are antsy about the cowshit brigade?

  7. Ianmac 7
    29 April 2010 at 1:10 pm

    It is what happens next that is the worry. Does it mean that almost any water extraction scheme will be fast tracked without a chance to object?

    And does it mean that the science of downstream negative effects can be ignored? River life such as salmon fishing : note the North American Indian tribe visiting recently and mourning their Government allowing dams to be built which killed off the salmon. Water for town water supply for 500,000 being degraded.

  8. Red Rosa 8
    29 April 2010 at 6:19 pm

    The irony in this particular award, when the SCF/Hubbard house of cards is looking shakier by the day, is particularly striking.

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1004/S00215.htm

  9. Puddleglum 9
    29 April 2010 at 7:12 pm

    These repeated – and so far successful – attempts at a major resource grab on behalf of already wealthy elites and National Party supporters and funders, done under the guise of promoting economic prosperity for all, is becoming remarkably overt and explicit. The supercity, opening up mining on schedule 4 lands, sacking Ecan, removing the regulatory processes for aquaculture, tax cuts for higher income earners, ETS on the never-never, private prisons and schools, putting the juicy bits of AAC on a platter …

    Do they actually believe what they are doing IS going to be good for everyone in the long run? Is that behind the utter self-righteous blatancy of it all? Is that why they seem to have decided that one plebiscite provides them with carte blanche to remove any and all mechanisms that help rein in extreme exploitation and the inevitable corruption that rides pillion? Or is it the arrogance that comes from a year of high poll ratings – and the teflon-prepared free ride in the media? What makes them think they can do this and actually get away with it?

    anti-spam word: representing (cruelly ironic nostalgia?)

    • dave brown 9.1
      29 April 2010 at 8:59 pm

      They do it because they can and we let them. We didnt let Muldoon and he had to hand over to Roger to Roger us.
      They only pretend to believe in democracy so as to pull the wool. They are a dictatorship.
      We are in the middle of a global crisis for the bosses which is why they are screwing us openly like with the Super city to make us pay for it. Its bullshit and bullying for us or bankruptcy for them.
      Any restiveness among the natives will be mediated away or if it doesnt go away terrorised witness the raids on SoG and the fear sown among the dak brigade, and full on Search and Surveillance.
      Police ass moaning for guns. Chasing kids in cars to death. ACC cuts driving sexually abused victims to suicide. Paula bullying beneficiaries.
      This is what a capitalist crisis looks like, and now we need to see what a socialist response looks like.

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