Gee who would have guessed this? The CTU have released emails confirming that Warners sat on drafting the press release announcing the lifting of the Hobbit don’t sign advice. Warners agreed in an email the dispute was over but did not release the agreed press release.
I understand that – but when they went public saying that the union did this and that I would’ve thought that the good faith was destroyed particularly given these emails they had already received.
If it had been me as soon as they tried to blame me for potentially losing the hobbit and effectively turned public opinion against me I would’ve released that email. What did they have to lose at that point – releasing emails that are sent to you has nothing to do with OIA requests etc.
Colonial Viper – I agree with you I just don’t see why the union also effectively covered it up by not releasing anything till now. I feel like I am missing something that was stopping them.
Wel, if you had released the email jacko would have dragged out the issue much longer, and so much mud would have been flung around that he still would have had dropkicks protesting for him.
Unions want workers to work too, remember?
But now the govt side has been released, the unions releasing their own side of it demonstrates nicely who was telling the truth at the time, and the movie’s been made. Middle-case result for the actual hobbit workers, but puts workers in a better position for next time.
Between wacko jacko and POAL’s dodgy math, employer credibility is scraping the bottom.
But this email from the union demonstrates immediately that they were telling the truth the whole time. They could drag the issue out as long as they want but at the end of the day I think it has been suitably shown noone working would have been affected by the whole thing (thats the whole point no?).
How would releasing this email showing the union was not taking action against the film have stopped people working?
At the end of the day just because you agree with the union cause doesnt mean they did everything right, I think its pretty obvious both parties screwed this up and to be honest its looking more like the union screwed up more.
They had a position where the other party was obviously lying and they did nothing about it. Good work? Yes Peter Jackson et al lied but they did so to achieve the ends they wanted which they got (not saying this is good but from their point of view was great) – the union came across as anti-everything yet apparently they were sitting on something that showed the other party was full of shit and did nothing. What the fuck?
At the end of the day just because you agree with the union cause doesnt mean they did everything right, I think its pretty obvious both parties screwed this up and to be honest its looking more like the union screwed up more.
lol
Funny thing about negotiations. Calling someone a liar while they’re still going on isn’t always productive. Given the description of Jackson in the emails from both sides, if the union had released these emails at the time and showed him to be a liar there might well have been a real risk that he’d up stakes out of general fuckwittedness.
And clearly the IRD hasn’t thought about the environmental impact => can’t use work laptop at home, have to buy one for myself = more ewaste = Fstupid.
Quote from above article: But Mr Peterson said the additional tax would cause some employers to think twice about allowing personal use of the devices.
“They’ll say you can’t take it home, it’s just too much trouble.”
Mr Peterson also said the suggested tax would be an administrative nightmare and “there will be all sorts of fiddling around with people trying to avoid it”.”
And clearly the IRD hasn’t thought about the environmental impact => can’t use work laptop at home, have to buy one for myself = more ewaste = Fstupid.
But they’d have a higher tax revenue from all the extra sales!!111
When quizzed further, he fell silent. I guess he hadn’t thought it through.
(context: TV3 coverage of housing affordability in Auckland last night. The coverage WAS racist – memo to TV3, “looking Asian” and “absentee landlord” are not synonyms – but a discussion about spiralling house prices is not).
The artist taxi driver on the outrageous bank corruption in the U$K , the same ones bailed out by the public who are having austerity imposed on them.
RBS Scandal of Banking thieves criminals and govt embezzlement
Scandal-hit RBS pays out £600m in bonuses
Asked why RBS can afford to pay bonuses to its staff but not what the public spent in bailing it out, Sir Philip described the bonus situation as “toxic for everybody”.
RBS fined £390m for ‘widespread misconduct’ in Libor-rigging scandal
Royal Bank of Scotland bankers continued to rig Libor rate until November 2010 – two years after it was bailed out by taxpayer
RBS fined £390m for ‘widespread misconduct’ in Libor-rigging scandal
Royal Bank of Scotland bankers continued to rig Libor rate until November 2010 – two years after it was bailed out by taxpayer
Jill Treanor, City editor
The Guardian, Wednesday 6 February 2013 20.27 GMT
Royal Bank of Scotland was handed a £390m fine on Wednesday for “widespread misconduct” in rigging the Libor rate until as recently as November 2010, two years after it was bailed out by the taxpayer and even after regulators had begun to investigate the key benchmark rate.
Regulators found that corrupt payments of more than £100,000 were made to those involved and that the bailed-out bank had “abetted” Swiss bank UBS – fined £940m – in manipulating the rate used to set prices on £300tn of financial contracts around the world, from ordinary household mortgages to business loans.
“This is another day of shame for Britain’s banks,” Greg Clark, the financial secretary to the Treasury, told MPs.
Our government commissions a report on economic development and city competitiveness – the report shows that Auckland’s planning approach is broadly right – brownfield developments, rail and public transport etc.
However our Government fails to ensure that the report has an evidence base according to Minister Joyce whose Ministry commissioned the report and he then slates the report for having this. He cannot say :
a) how much the report cost
b) why his officials were allowed to commission a report so poorly scoped and lacking supporting research that he as Minister could discount it before publication.
despite being invited onto Radio NZ to talk about the research his Ministry commissioned.
Great post Paddy which has me thinking I don’t know why David Cunliffe doesn’t push on and form a new left wing party. He has been treated very poorly indeed & I really think there is room, with a good following that would ensue, including current Labour MP’s. Take Nanaia Mahuta she would win her Waikato seat hands down as would a number of others like Dalziel, however I also believe a new left party would easily pass the 5 % threshold with a possible 9 to 10 MPs all up. I just don’t like the current direction, when you have
a former General Secretary bailing after a relatively short stint you have to think all is not ‘left.’ within the current Labour Party line up. And arguably policies that have come out are far too right/centralistic in my view.
Crunch the numbers & make a move DC, the sooner the better.
Of course I couldn’t and wouldn’t quote from a private email, but he’s a nice bloke.
I do believe, at the end, he’ll be the one that got away from us all.
Though I did say it was going to get messy and soon, so maybe too soon for epitaphs.
Dear Chris Trotter reminds us of that black day in Labour History. His deccription of that angry boy Chris Hipkins is so correct. I’ve a vivid recollection of his distorted hate filled face a screaming into the mike. The wretched have taken control. Shame too on Darien Fenton. She has a black name in the annals if the NZLP. http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2013/03/running-dogs.html?m=1
“The Pack are well rewarded. Ms Fenton and Ms Curran both rise two places in the pecking order, while Mr Twyford goes up three to take a seat on the front bench. Megan Woods enters the top twenty – a back-bencher no longer. Andrew Little rises with her. Mr Shearer’s chief swordsman, Chris Hipkins, climbs five places to claim the shadow portfolio of Education from Mr Cunliffe’s running-mate, Nanaia Mahuta.”
As my dear mum said, don’t waste time with bad people, fight fire with fire.
RNZ-Council for Educational Research-“secondary schools have deteriorated over the last three years.”
Diabetes-7% per capita, 19% showing early signs; Cheque anybody?
yes, the Hong Kong commissioned study STRONGLY SUGGESTS, tax reductions and rapid inter-city rail; overall marks for poor competitiveness like the 100’s of cops off the front-line of poor fitness. Yep!, but that’s ok, the US are going to “directly fund the Syrian opposition.”
so lets enjoy a SNickers Jah,
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings until she was Unchained from the squared circle of Le Mans disasterous latitudes. Her father projected that the eastern provinces could be reorganized, the lion placated; The Argo saga naught but another fleecing; “it’s the end of the Middle Earth as we know it.”
More foot-in-mouth due to poor preparation. The heel of Pegasus was as quenching as Na Drini Cuprija; At a Hungry meeting 63% wish to ban foreign property buyers (above 30.9C no increase in pressure is going to liquify CO2 of Gauss) Still, try telling anechoic chamber that Tiberius freed both slave and lion. Gnaeus either / found an Island or an Ogygian deluge.(what else are you gonna do when it’s hot outside, little shade and freakin sport’s on the box)
As of March 2012 NZ had $304 billion of foreign investment already. Joyce wants to take that up to $500billion yet no-one can even demonstrate that we’ve benefited from the existing investment.
In the 2011/2012 year NZ exported $62billion and imported $60billion, our terms of trade were good. It’s the investment positon which caused our last current account deficit of $9billion, NZ sent $16billion offshore in dividends to those foreign investors and collected only $5.4billion from offshore investments.
If we take in another $200billion like Joyce wants we can extrapolate that to an extra $10billion in dividends, sending $26billion offshore. It’s real headbanger stuff.
But seriously, I think there needs to be more examination of orthodox economics on the left. Our international trade is all foreign exchange related. In simple terms NZ sold $76billion worth of $NZD and bought back only $68billion. We can’t carry a $9billion differential in our foreign currency dealing, the $NZD would crash bigtime. So we take in more overseas investment in order to buy back all the $NZD we sold.
IMO all the talk about intervening in the forex market to bring down the $NZD is completely on the wrong track, because we’re already intervening to keep the $NZD up. If we want to get the $NZD down we’d be better off looking at cutting back on the foreign investment and/or overseas borrowing instead of trying to play the forex markets.
How appropriate/ proper/ LAWFUL is it for Auckland Council CEO Doug McKay to investigate himself, when it is HIS actions which are the subject of the complaint???
DUH?
ANTI-CORRUPTION ‘WHISTLE-BLOWERS’ EXPOSE HOW AUCKLAND COUNCIL CEO DOUG MCKAY HAS AUTHORISED THE ‘BLOCKING’ OF EMAILS TO ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE OR AUTHORITY
(For more background information exposing the, in my considered opinion, dodgy role of the CEO of Auckland Council, and the General Counsel for Auckland Council – see the following ten new ‘Items fo Evidence’ which I was allowed to ‘adduce’ in the Occupy Auckland vs Auckland Council Appeal (in which I defended myself as a ‘Named Respiondent’).
Can not say I blame him as he gave up a very successful legal career for what? I had dinner with him once it was a great night out and we were all buoyant with Labour’s future, a different era to now!
just to reiterate,
19% (1 in 5) New Zealanders has Glucose Metabolism Disorder (precursor)
215000 people live with diabetes which is to double in the next couple of decades; sticky mess.
Campbell- “Third most obese nation in the world.”
Family Court changes
-“domestic violence will increase” -a Real Judge, Murfitt, speaks across the bench.
(HB already ranks #1for Wrath in a national survey by police into provinces Seven Deadly Sins; Lust and Envy not far behind; Greed, not as Bad here…)
the freakin MSM; gold prices dropping, with a tailing that “the Central Banks of Russia and China” have sluiced ” Enormous purchases of Gold.” ya don’t say, where you been the last couple of years?
Moria?
“Big Fat Lies” 🙂
by the age of 20 was onto Jim’s Black, and back then there was also Jim’s Rye; Absolutely Fabulous in Wainuiomata, strangely enough (some Diesel Progress), yet you probably already ran that up on the Test Bench. (just quaffed a non-diet Sprite; gonna burn now)
Haha: I read that Japanese women believe in the power of beer, naturally brewed and without additives that is (“Reinheitsgebot”), they even bathe in it, as it keeps their skin smooth and young. No need for sugar there, aye.
It’s getting interesting on Chris Trotter’s blog.
Here’s a response to his latest post:
Felix Marwick said…
“Even from the Media Table, the animosity directed towards caucus members who spoke in favour of the rank-and-file’s resolutions (the most effective of whom, by far, was Lianne Dalziel) was unmistakeable.”
Really Chris?
I recall us being surprised (and for news purposes) quite happy that MPs and delegates were expressing the views that they were. Generally we’ve been excluded from such debates in the past.
I certainly don’t remember any of my colleagues expressing animosity at those that were critical of the hierarchy.
I do, however, recall you going and high fiving with delegates when the 40% caucus vote remit was passed. I also recall you telling a political editor to “get f**ked” when they joked that perhaps the remit should have had support of 60% of the conference.
And I do wonder how it’s consistent that the Shearer camp, which had been derided at the time by its critics inept and incompetent, suddenly became Machiavellian enough to co-opt the entire press gallery to their cause?
For the record; I do not give a flying bollock as to who leads the Labour Party. I, unlike you, am not a player in that game.
Felix Marwick
Chief Political Reporter
Newstalk ZB
“Felix” is latin for the “happy one” or “lucky one”, I suppose, and the surname sounds like “Marmite” to me. Combining the two gives me a messy impression, of perhaps a brownish smeared face after attempted eating, reminding me of guess who, Adolphus H., ruling 1933 to 1945.
NZ media are to me mostly gutter media, that is most, not all, and 1ZB qualifies for “gutter”, hence not to be taken seriously.
Actually, I was merely suggesting that saying any particular journo is reminiscent of AH lowers the credibility of other statements.
As to Marwick, it seems to me that he was already doing what you suggested: commenting on the bits that he personally was acquainted with. The clue is in the use of phrases like “I recall us being surprised”… and “I certainly don’t remember “… and “I do, however, recall you going”… and “I also recall you telling”…
Without simply repasting what has already been posted, Marwick seems to be suggesting that Trotter’s claim of animosity from the media table was possibly skewed by Trotter’s own animosity towards the media table.
Now if this does not open the eyes of more now, I do not know what will!
It shows that Labour MPs have in large numbers totally lost their ways, and they had their knives out, disliking “democracy” from the party members. They were “working” on members and colleagues, so no wonder we got the Cunliffe “hanging” and demotion after all that. It is disgusting from my point of view.
I trust that someone of the TS team or moderating collective may feel up to write a post on it. I am too worn out for now, so have a read and reflect perhaps.
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Heart-warming images of House Speaker Trevor Mallard cradling a baby in Parliament have been welcomed around New Zealand, but the Public Service Association warns most families can only dream of such support in the workplace. ...
Applying New Zealand’s international human rights commitments, particularly those in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, can help in resolving the situation at Ihumātao, Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt says. ...
Climate campaigners impersonating bank staff have taken to the streets this week to expose ANZ Bank’s sponsorship of the fossil fuel industry. In the series of satirical actions in Wellington, Dunedin, and Auckland, the ‘bank staff’ promoted ...
Auckland Action Against Poverty joins the Children’s Commissioner , The Green Party , The New Zealand Drugs Foundation , Child Poverty Action Group and other organisations in the calls for an immediate end to the drug testing benefit sanctions. ...
Negotiations between Port Otago workers represented by the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) and the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) and management failed today and the unions have issued notice of an overtime ban from Saturday 7th September. ...
Queenstown Lakes District Council’s comments that it has applied for a consent to pollute waterways to avoid 'prosecutions by the Otago Regional Council' are unacceptable,’ Fish & Game New Zealand Chief Executive Martin Taylor says. ...
On March 15, the real world impact of online hate became abundantly, horrifically clear. As a shooter opened fire at two Christchurch mosques, the online image board 8chan anticipated, celebrated and amplified his killing spree. ...
Friday, 23 August: Government delegates from around the world, including New Zealand, are meeting in New York for the third of four meetings at the United Nations to agree a Global Oceans Treaty that could help to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030. Greenpeace ...
The excuses about a reportedly unwanted $57,000 payrise for Dunedin City Council CEO Sue Bidrose are laughable, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. ...
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance has launched the “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” committing to no more than 2% annual rate hikes over the next Council term, and has written to all Mayoral and Council candidates asking them to sign. The pledge will ...
This Saturday, Pakuranga Hunt Day at the Ellerslie Racecourse will see anti-horse racing protesters demonstrating at the corner of Ascot Avenue and Greenlane East. ...
Mayoral candidate John Tamihere will meet with Pacific Island leaders and community elders today at Puhunui Reserve in South Auckland to commit to a Pasefika Cultural Centre. ...
Cruel and invalid Forced Swim Tests carried out at Victoria University of Wellington, will be exposed at the University Open Day today, so prospective students can be warned about the flawed and unethical research being conducted at the institute. ...
The organiser of the annual YWCA Equal Pay Awards has expressed her disappointment with the latest Gender Pay Gap figure for New Zealand workers. The figure rose slightly from 9.2% in 2018 to 9.3% for the quarter ended 30 June 2019. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearm Owners (COLFO) is urging firearms owners to pass on information to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Attack on Christchurch Mosques now that the period for submissions has been extended to 27 September. ...
An application was filed in the Employment Relations Authority in Wellington today, seeking an injunction to prevent the Board of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation from removing the President from office. ...
The Government’s commitment to support literacy and numeracy training in the workplace is a strong signal from Government on recognising the importance of upskilling, reskilling and increasing productivity alongside their commitment to address the challenges ...
“The infrastructure sector sees a major role for the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga in lifting the nation’s sagging infrastructure performance,” says Paul Blair, incoming CEO of Infrastructure NZ. ...
The AA is calling on the Government to bring forward critical highway projects while time is spent properly developing the plans for a rapid transit system in Auckland. ...
Between 2015/16 and 2017/18, DHBs spent $280 million treating patients due to adverse drug reactions, reveals the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union in its latest briefing paper on health productivity . ...
The Pay Equity Coalition Auckland (PECA) is pleased the gender pay gap has decreased slightly. Statistics released today show the gap is now 11.9%, nearly 2 percent less than last year. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearm Owners (COLFO) is urging firearms owners to make sure they pass on any information they have to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Attack on Christchurch Mosques before submissions close tomorrow (Friday). ...
The big electricity companies consider solar energy “disruptive” and want pricing to suppress it. In contrast, advocates of local energy say that solar, energy efficiency, and other local energy solutions are the cheapest ways to reduce carbon emissions. ...
The Earthquake Commission and Shine Lawyers are delighted to announce that EQC has reached an agreement with the Gibling family, agreeing to cover the cost of repairs of remaining earthquake damage on their property. ...
Four months into the inquiry, the Royal Commission is gathering significant information and continues to receive valuable submissions from the public, from current and former State servants, experts and community groups. ...
While Fish & Game New Zealand is pleased to see Federated Farmers Environment Spokesperson Chris Allen say that 'we all want good, fresh water', he conveniently overlooks some key facts. ...
What: Wellington demo “Save the Amazon Forest/Salve a Amazônia!” When: Friday, 6 September 2019 from 12:30-13:30 Where: Embassy of Brazil in Wellingtona ...
Rt Hon Trevor Mallard, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, welcomes the visit of His Excellency Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal. ...
A cross political Mental Health and Addictions Wellbeing group will be launched on Wednesday 28 August hosted by Sir John Kirwan and Moe Milne (ONZM) who have both been at the forefront of our country’s often difficult conversations about mental ...
Confirmation that the government will be progressing an independent Parliamentary Budget Office is great news for democracy and transparency, Federated Farmers says. ...
At first glance, Simon Bridges’ strident opposition to the government’s proposal to establish an independent office to cost political parties’ election spending plans looks childish and petty. ...
Euthanasia-Free NZ is appalled that Parliament spent so little time debating Part 2 of the End of Life Choice Bill and voted to leave it full of holes. ...
Jordan Williams, a spokesman for the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance and its nationwide sister group the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is slamming Auckland Mayor Phil Goff for his comments today that John Tamihere would need the Government’s support to ...
A ‘one size fits all’, inflexible and punitive regulatory regime for water quality just gets backs - and costs - up and most importantly will not work, Federated Farmers says. ...
Mediation yesterday between secondary principals and the government has resulted in a deal that the principals' negotiating team is recommending to its members. ...
Clubs New Zealand welcomes the decision of Justice Minister Andrew Little to put forward a bill amending the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act to allow all licensed premises to remain open for Rugby World Cup matches. ...
The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation has ordered a review looking at labelling of added sugars in food and drinks. An option under investigation is ‘a pictorial approach applied to sugary beverages / sugar-sweetened beverages’ ...
Labour market data released by Statistics New Zealand today indicates that a gender pay gap persists in New Zealand, despite improvement in some areas. ...
In the midst of the 6th Great Extinction Event the coalition, STOP Trashing Our Planet is urging voters to take full responsibility for the legacy we are leaving our children. ...
LGNZ will carefully consider the proposed National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) to assess if it meets the Government’s aim of enabling urban development or simply adds more red tape to the planning process. ...
Statistics out today from the Government show that the gender wage imbalance, or gap, in the average wage is 11.9%, a strong 2 percentage point improvement from 13.9% last year. The gender pay imbalance in the median wage is 9.3%. ...
Newstalk ZB Drive host and Herald on Sunday columnist Heather du Plessis-Allan is taking on the challenge of keeping 2019 Auckland Mayoral contenders Phil Goff and John Tamihere in line and on point in tonight’s live NZ Herald Newstalk ZB debate. ...
After twenty years Napier residents have endured heavy sleep and health disruptive noise and air pollution from freight trucks gridlock operations to and from the Napier port and other regions. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Docking, Post-doctoral researcher, La Trobe University Basketball fans around the world were recently sickened by the footage of NBA star Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon rupturing during a game. But while many think it’s only elite athletes who suffer from Achilles tendon ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University The possibility of blackouts affecting half of Victoria has attracted plenty of attention to a document once read only by industry insiders and policy wonks: the Electricity Statement of Opportunities. The Statement, updated ...
George Clooney sold his tequila company for a billion dollars – but is the stuff any good? The Spinoff finds out. Imagine being so stupidly sexy you sneeze and sell a billion-dollar booze company. That’s what George Clooney did last year, flicking off the tequila business he started accidentally with an ...
The departure of "two Pākehā men" from the government's justice reform group will not hurt the quality of its final report, another member of the team says. ...
Combatting internet-related harm is being stymied by inter-industry disagreement and a lack of information about the extent and nature of the problem, a new report says. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, J.W. Nevile Fellow in Economics and host of The Airport Economist, UNSW Amid the tributes to former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer and the stories of his authenticity, courage and quirky interests – like trains and military history – what ...
Current leader of the National Party, Simon Bridges.Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Is Simon Bridges really trying to channel Donald Trump? Or is he taking his cue from Scott Morrison? Or is he looking to emulate Boris Johnson? Whatever the inspiration, there’s been a clear change in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra [embedded content]Michelle Grattan talks about the sad news of the passing of former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer with University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Professor Deep Saini. They also discuss Scott Morrison’s recent announcement about joining ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriel Crowley, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University In February, about 600,000 cattle were killed by catastrophic flooding across north Queensland’s Carpentaria Gulf plains. The flood waters rose suddenly, forming a wall of water up to 70km wide. Record depths were ...
Simon Day dined alone at Monique Fiso’s Wellington restaurant Hiakai, and discovered it was the perfect way to appreciate the meaning of this special food. “Would you like a few more minutes with your phone?” the waitress at Hiakai asked sympathetically as I mashed a final goodbye text to my wife ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Willamson, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Australia’s gender pay gap is diminishing, says a new report, but some contributors to it seem harder to overcome than others. For me, the finding hit close to home. The report, by KPMG for ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Te Tiriti o Waitangi: The Treaty of Waitangi by Toby Morris with Ross Calman, Mark Derby, and ...
Honey producer Comvita has confirmed a full year net loss of $27.7m with China market access restrictions and tougher regulations locally affecting the company's sales. ...
James Elliott realises John Tamihere's uncosted bridge proposal wasn't actually a metaphor, but a fine example of 'folks is mighty generous with money what they ain’t got'. ...
A new poem by Oamaru-born poet Nick Ascroft.SupermanHalfway up the ascent zigzagging from Royal Terrace to upper Stuart Street carrying four too-heavy grocery bags I begin to understand that I will not make it. My huffing personage – from the fingers, white with the strain, to a face the colour of rhubarb – will ooze into the pavement and roll slowly ...
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in reality television and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s.Sound the alarm, because it’s time for another absolute chaos pod. We’re talking haunted dolls in Waipu, we’re talking giant hands taking over Wellington, we’re talking soft serve cones dipped in powdered Milo. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Press, Adjunct Professor, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania This week, the ABC revealed that the Australian Defence Force wants to roll out military technology in Antarctica. The article raises the issue of what is, or is not, ...
New Zealand teacher aides say their pay reflects an outdated idea of what they do. Elizabeth McLeod hears from four TAs, and one parent, about the classroom realities they face every dayCleaning up poo, defusing violent situations, copping physical and verbal abuse: these are the realities of a teacher aide’s ...
The lanky sidekick from Jono and Ben journeys around New Zealand trying to solve small town problems. Does he succeed?Guy Williams, hardly a shy, retiring type, has been screaming out for his own vehicle for years. A loud, lanky, fearless comic, he’s spent nearly a decade in MediaWorks purgatory, sat ...
Ballot Box.Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – The nature of New Zealand general election campaigns could be significantly changed with the proposed establishment of an “umpire” to adjudicate over political party manifesto policies. A suggestion has been put forward by the Government for the establishment of a parliamentary watchdog ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Ihumātao Delphine Herbert and Dan Satherley (Newshub): Tainui to buy Ihumātao land – sources Danielle ...
Extinction Rebellion takes a tour of downtown Wellington to point out the coal industry stalwarts and ask why they’re still there in the face of a climate emergency. “There are coal companies in Wellington??”That’s the incredulous response every single time we mention taking the public on a tour of the biggest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel A. Ankeny, Professor of History and Philosophy, and Deputy Dean Research (Faculty of Arts), University of Adelaide The South Australian government recently announced its intention to lift the long-standing statewide moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops, following a statutory six-week consultation ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vicki Sentas, Senior Lecturer, UNSW Law, UNSW Being strip searched by the police can be intrusive, humiliating and harmful. Typically, strip searches involve being required to strip naked in front of police officers, who often give the direction to “squat and cough”, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Remond, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Hi, I was just wondering if something’s wrong with me because I’m never happy and never want to do anything and I’m getting really lazy and I really hate school. Thanks – Anonymous ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Zaphir, Researcher for the University of Queensland Critical Thinking Project; and Online Teacher at Education Queensland’s IMPACT Centre, The University of Queensland From as early as Grade 3 teachers start teaching children how to put across their own points of view. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW It’s four years since then Prime Minister Tony Abbott warned Australia had been heading to “a Greek-style economic future”. He was referring to what he said had been happening under the previous Labor government. When Labor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samia Khatun, Senior Lecturer, SOAS, University of London Some 1,000 kilometres inland from Sydney, over the Blue Mountains, past the trees that drink the tributaries of the Darling River, there stands a little, red mosque. It marks where the desert begins. The ...
Online gambling is growing fast in New Zealand, but critics say new government ideas for regulating websites focus on what's good for the industry, rather than protecting people from harm. ...
An "extreme pro-Beijing" writer has caused controversy in the Chinese community and awkwardness for the Labour Party by standing for political office in Auckland. ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Concern about slow progress for major transport projects, smoking researcher under pressure over funding, and hikoi marches from Ihumātao to Ardern’s office.NZTA is struggling to get spending out the door, so the money isn’t flowing through the economy, reports Thomas Coughlan ...
Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard will look at whether people making submissions on proposed law changes should be forced to disclose conflicts of interest. ...
Rugby and league legend Honey Hireme has put all her careers on hold - including her Warriors debut - to take care of her mum, who has terminal cancer. ...
In the ongoing battle to prevent 480 houses being built on ancestral land, a petition with more than 26,000 signatures was delivered to the Prime Minister’s Mt Albert office yesterday. Leonie Hayden was there.Lead by the inimitable Pania Newton, about 100 kaitiaki set off from Ihumātao near Māngere yesterday morning ...
Every scholarship exam and approximately every two external assessments are wrapped in their own single-use plastic bag. We’re asking the NZQA to cut it out, writes year-13 student Sophia HoneyEvery year after an exam, I see the same conversation happen. Friends turn to each other, talk about how difficult that ...
Open mike 01/03/2013 
Speaker Trevor Mallard was left to look after Jones, while his usual caretaker, Winston Peters, underwent surgery. A truly adorable scene from Parliament yesterday has gone viral, after Speaker Trevor Mallard cradled an extremely drunk Shane Jones in his arms while the House was in session. Loud “awwww”s could be ...42 mins ago
Western media have defended their decision not to cover the fires so as not to give them any oxygen. Social media outrage continues to grow around the sentiment that mainstream western media is devoting too little coverage to an ongoing series of fires in the Amazon rainforest, and in doing ...2 hours ago
A Long Time Ago, In A Parallel Universe Far, Far Away: The political journalist scratched his head in confusion. Only then did he notice the name of the building: ‘The Jacinda Ardern Presidential Library and Public Resource Centre’. Making his way inside to the information desk, he asked the librarian ...7 hours ago
8 hours ago
Nothing from me tody - I'm off to Christchurch to pretend to be other people for a weekend. Normal bloggage should resume on Tuesday. ...9 hours ago
Spark is bracing for a customer backlash as rugby fans all across the country struggle to get a picture on their wireless router. With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching, an elderly Taranaki couple are furious after being told that they still won’t be able to watch the tournament, even ...22 hours ago
Several explosions have been reported across Auckland, as well-meaning environmentalists have already begun purchasing too much petrol Starting from next week, customers will no longer need a car to purchase petrol directly from the pump, a development that two major fuel providers are billing as an opportunity to help fight ...23 hours ago
A new study claims to find that a mother’s exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy may decrease the IQ of male children – but is it correct? (Photo: Getty Images) Anti-fluoride campaigners are promoting ... 1 day ago
Television advertising has a huge impact on our lives. Even if we don’t recognise that, we know it has to be true, since otherwise why would advertisers spend so much on it? Its significance, however, is greater than simply the influence it has on what we purchase and consume. It ...2 days ago
by Jan Rivers More than 30 years ago a Commission of Inquiry was held in New Zealand to investigate, amongst other things, whether women with cervical cancer were aware that they had been part of a research project and whether they were properly informed of the treatment options ...3 days ago
Everyone Wants To Be Fuhrer: When fascist groups are discussed, the image conjured-up in the minds of most New Zealanders is one of pathetic misfits. This negative impression is reinforced by the latter’s idiotic embrace of the swastika. Even in the second decade of the twenty-first century, the baleful legacy ...3 days ago
In the previous two posts, I laid out the context and set the theoretical framework to answer a question: whether indigenous economies should take the LEAP. This final part outlines ways to conceive of practicing mana motuhake within the existing legal system by carving out special jurisdictions that enable Indigenous ...5 days ago
Fully Informed? Labour’s 2017 promises raised expectations that were little short of revolutionary. Unfortunately, they were never adequately shaken through the fiscal sieve. The hard economic work was not done – and it shows. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s critics have long complained that her grasp of the way the New ...5 days ago
You cannot expect to pound communities into the ground day after day, year after year, decade after decade and just expect them to take it lying down. There’s a point at which the place will explode. And we’re faced with some very big ructions on both sides of the Atlantic ...7 days ago
1 week ago
Going Down? Once truth and propaganda become fused in the minds of one’s followers, debate and discussion become redundant. If one’s opponents are all outrageous liars, then engaging with them in any way is pointless. Rather than waste its time, a political party should, instead, target all its messages at ...1 week ago
We need to fundamentally reframe our systems settings to address the drivers causing and underpinning inequality; structural change in systems especially financial. The Equality Network Hui was held in Wellington on 27 June 2019. The hui covered important topics such as child poverty; a living wage; taxation; public health; mental ...1 week ago
The views-per-page for some of my recent postings:Depressing, isn't it? Provide thoughtful and wise commentary on the mainstream of British politics and no-one notices. Make a passing reference to Tommy DICKHEAD Robinson in a thread title and you get hundreds of views. Write something about anti-Semitism and you get another ...1 week ago
The government has announced plans to move the Treaty of Waitangi and other taonga to a new site. Great news! So where are they going? Right next to the old one:The new plan will see a new 22,000-square-metre archive built on the former site of Defence House - the former ...1 week ago
Back in June, StatsNZ went public about a project to track population data on an hourly level by using people's cellphones. It wasn't as bad as it initially looked - they were receiving no individual data, only counts by suburb - but there was still a huge consent problem, so ...1 week ago
I did an interview on the TVNZ Breakfast Show about the situation in Hong Kong. I tried to frame the issue as a collective action problem between two sides with very different end games. The video is here. Because of time constraints we could not discuss the fact that the ...1 week ago
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ... 1 week ago
Alone, Alone. All, All Alone: Will it be a good or a bad thing, when humanity’s bright blue spacecraft is stricken by the civilisation-destroying problem of Climate Change, that no Huston Control will be standing-by to rescue the crew?“WE HAVE A PROBLEM, HUSTON.” These were the words used by the ...1 week ago
Divided Loyalties: Can the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, be relied upon? That’s what the boys and girls at Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon needed to be reassured about. Because, from the perspective of Washington, it’s looking more and more like Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Party comrades are getting ready ...2 weeks ago
This handy Queer Theory Glossary is from thetranswidow.com In case you’ve had trouble keeping up with the spate of new queer theory terms, here’s a handy glossary for your reference. Queer – A straight person with an interesting haircut. Non-binary/genderqueer – A chubby young female, typically 16-28, who has ...2 weeks ago
The winter grazing issue is becoming a highly sensitised one that I hope will not become so politicised that it delays solutions and results in the suicides of some very stressed farmers.Winter grazing has hit the headlines after a determined campaign, including the release of a video of some very ...2 weeks ago
The Green Part has been accused of lack of transparency in two recent situations. The first was the claimed media lockdown during Green's annual conference and the second was Julie Ann Genter's refusal to release a letter she had sent to Phil Twyford.I do get frustrated when journalist's succumb to ...2 weeks ago
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...2 weeks ago
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a press conference on August 19 that her government is likely to impose new restrictions on prisoners’ rights to send letters. She said the law could be changed in “weeks.” ...2 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Docking, Post-doctoral researcher, La Trobe University Basketball fans around the world were recently sickened by the footage of NBA star Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon rupturing during a game. But while many think it’s only elite athletes who suffer from Achilles tendon ...30 mins ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University The possibility of blackouts affecting half of Victoria has attracted plenty of attention to a document once read only by industry insiders and policy wonks: the Electricity Statement of Opportunities. The Statement, updated ...2 hours ago
Internet freedom advocates have slammed the Government for proposing censorship of online gambling sites. ...2 hours ago
George Clooney sold his tequila company for a billion dollars – but is the stuff any good? The Spinoff finds out. Imagine being so stupidly sexy you sneeze and sell a billion-dollar booze company. That’s what George Clooney did last year, flicking off the tequila business he started accidentally with an ...2 hours ago
As Indonesia cracks down on protests in the disputed West Papua territory, the Government has declined to condemn the violence. ...2 hours ago
The departure of "two Pākehā men" from the government's justice reform group will not hurt the quality of its final report, another member of the team says. ...2 hours ago
Combatting internet-related harm is being stymied by inter-industry disagreement and a lack of information about the extent and nature of the problem, a new report says. ...3 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, J.W. Nevile Fellow in Economics and host of The Airport Economist, UNSW Amid the tributes to former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer and the stories of his authenticity, courage and quirky interests – like trains and military history – what ...3 hours ago
4 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriel Crowley, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University In February, about 600,000 cattle were killed by catastrophic flooding across north Queensland’s Carpentaria Gulf plains. The flood waters rose suddenly, forming a wall of water up to 70km wide. Record depths were ...4 hours ago
Simon Day dined alone at Monique Fiso’s Wellington restaurant Hiakai, and discovered it was the perfect way to appreciate the meaning of this special food. “Would you like a few more minutes with your phone?” the waitress at Hiakai asked sympathetically as I mashed a final goodbye text to my wife ...4 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Willamson, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Australia’s gender pay gap is diminishing, says a new report, but some contributors to it seem harder to overcome than others. For me, the finding hit close to home. The report, by KPMG for ...5 hours ago
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Te Tiriti o Waitangi: The Treaty of Waitangi by Toby Morris with Ross Calman, Mark Derby, and ...5 hours ago
Honey producer Comvita has confirmed a full year net loss of $27.7m with China market access restrictions and tougher regulations locally affecting the company's sales. ...5 hours ago
James Elliott realises John Tamihere's uncosted bridge proposal wasn't actually a metaphor, but a fine example of 'folks is mighty generous with money what they ain’t got'. ...6 hours ago
Fees for company directors are not keeping pace with their rising workload, according to a new survey. ...8 hours ago
New Zealand teacher aides say their pay reflects an outdated idea of what they do. Elizabeth McLeod hears from four TAs, and one parent, about the classroom realities they face every dayCleaning up poo, defusing violent situations, copping physical and verbal abuse: these are the realities of a teacher aide’s ...8 hours ago
The Warehouse Group has upgraded its full year profit expectations again. ...8 hours ago
New Zealand-owned Kiwibank says it is winning more customers, demonstrated by a strong increase in deposits and lending. ...9 hours ago
Dairy's huge role earning export dollars for New Zealand is facing a threat some say could bring it to its knees. ...11 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vicki Sentas, Senior Lecturer, UNSW Law, UNSW Being strip searched by the police can be intrusive, humiliating and harmful. Typically, strip searches involve being required to strip naked in front of police officers, who often give the direction to “squat and cough”, ...11 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Remond, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Hi, I was just wondering if something’s wrong with me because I’m never happy and never want to do anything and I’m getting really lazy and I really hate school. Thanks – Anonymous ...11 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Zaphir, Researcher for the University of Queensland Critical Thinking Project; and Online Teacher at Education Queensland’s IMPACT Centre, The University of Queensland From as early as Grade 3 teachers start teaching children how to put across their own points of view. ...11 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW It’s four years since then Prime Minister Tony Abbott warned Australia had been heading to “a Greek-style economic future”. He was referring to what he said had been happening under the previous Labor government. When Labor ...11 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samia Khatun, Senior Lecturer, SOAS, University of London Some 1,000 kilometres inland from Sydney, over the Blue Mountains, past the trees that drink the tributaries of the Darling River, there stands a little, red mosque. It marks where the desert begins. The ...11 hours ago
Online gambling is growing fast in New Zealand, but critics say new government ideas for regulating websites focus on what's good for the industry, rather than protecting people from harm. ...11 hours ago
More than 100,000 Chinese citizens have studied in New Zealand in the past 20 years. ...12 hours ago
An "extreme pro-Beijing" writer has caused controversy in the Chinese community and awkwardness for the Labour Party by standing for political office in Auckland. ...12 hours ago
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Concern about slow progress for major transport projects, smoking researcher under pressure over funding, and hikoi marches from Ihumātao to Ardern’s office.NZTA is struggling to get spending out the door, so the money isn’t flowing through the economy, reports Thomas Coughlan ...12 hours ago
New Zealand's only national book sales chart, as recorded by Nielsen BookScan New Zealand and described by Steve Braunias. ...14 hours ago
A ban on fossil fuel vehicle imports from 2035 was set to go to Cabinet, before a change of heart. ...14 hours ago
Rugby and league legend Honey Hireme has put all her careers on hold - including her Warriors debut - to take care of her mum, who has terminal cancer. ...14 hours ago
The IPCC's Mark Howden speaks to Eloise Gibson about Aussie farmers' growing acceptance of climate change and his take on NZ’s methane debate. ...14 hours ago
NZ can't spare naval ships to help a US-led mission near Iran - but there's a good chance we don't need them at all. ...14 hours ago
In the ongoing battle to prevent 480 houses being built on ancestral land, a petition with more than 26,000 signatures was delivered to the Prime Minister’s Mt Albert office yesterday. Leonie Hayden was there.Lead by the inimitable Pania Newton, about 100 kaitiaki set off from Ihumātao near Māngere yesterday morning ...14 hours ago
Every scholarship exam and approximately every two external assessments are wrapped in their own single-use plastic bag. We’re asking the NZQA to cut it out, writes year-13 student Sophia HoneyEvery year after an exam, I see the same conversation happen. Friends turn to each other, talk about how difficult that ...14 hours ago
Gee who would have guessed this? The CTU have released emails confirming that Warners sat on drafting the press release announcing the lifting of the Hobbit don’t sign advice. Warners agreed in an email the dispute was over but did not release the agreed press release.
New Zealand you have been had.
Epping Road, Gosman et al care to apologise?
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/129382/warner-bros-emails-reveal-deal-announcement-delay
Epping Road, Gosman et al care to apologise?
I like your optimism micky.
Why have these emails only been released now? Surely this whole thing could have been avoided if they had released this email at the time?
At the time?
What, you mean while they were negotiating in good faith?
With people who wanted the emails kept secret even after the OIA request?
I understand that – but when they went public saying that the union did this and that I would’ve thought that the good faith was destroyed particularly given these emails they had already received.
If it had been me as soon as they tried to blame me for potentially losing the hobbit and effectively turned public opinion against me I would’ve released that email. What did they have to lose at that point – releasing emails that are sent to you has nothing to do with OIA requests etc.
Colonial Viper – I agree with you I just don’t see why the union also effectively covered it up by not releasing anything till now. I feel like I am missing something that was stopping them.
Wel, if you had released the email jacko would have dragged out the issue much longer, and so much mud would have been flung around that he still would have had dropkicks protesting for him.
Unions want workers to work too, remember?
But now the govt side has been released, the unions releasing their own side of it demonstrates nicely who was telling the truth at the time, and the movie’s been made. Middle-case result for the actual hobbit workers, but puts workers in a better position for next time.
Between wacko jacko and POAL’s dodgy math, employer credibility is scraping the bottom.
But this email from the union demonstrates immediately that they were telling the truth the whole time. They could drag the issue out as long as they want but at the end of the day I think it has been suitably shown noone working would have been affected by the whole thing (thats the whole point no?).
How would releasing this email showing the union was not taking action against the film have stopped people working?
At the end of the day just because you agree with the union cause doesnt mean they did everything right, I think its pretty obvious both parties screwed this up and to be honest its looking more like the union screwed up more.
They had a position where the other party was obviously lying and they did nothing about it. Good work? Yes Peter Jackson et al lied but they did so to achieve the ends they wanted which they got (not saying this is good but from their point of view was great) – the union came across as anti-everything yet apparently they were sitting on something that showed the other party was full of shit and did nothing. What the fuck?
At the end of the day just because you agree with the union cause doesnt mean they did everything right, I think its pretty obvious both parties screwed this up and to be honest its looking more like the union screwed up more.
lol
Funny thing about negotiations. Calling someone a liar while they’re still going on isn’t always productive. Given the description of Jackson in the emails from both sides, if the union had released these emails at the time and showed him to be a liar there might well have been a real risk that he’d up stakes out of general fuckwittedness.
This whole thing could have been avoided if Jackson, Key and Brownlee had acknowledged the truth, instead of covering it up.
Good on you Greg!
You have struck a nerve on Kiwiblog with your post on this issue!
WELL DONE!
Cheers!
Penny Bright 🙂
Congratulations to Dame Anne Salmond: New Zealander of the Year.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8366898/Dame-Anne-wins-NZer-of-the-Year
A good choice.
ae
Noooo!
IRD considering taxing personal use of employee laptops etc. Time to get tech smart and find a loophole here folks.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10868425
And clearly the IRD hasn’t thought about the environmental impact => can’t use work laptop at home, have to buy one for myself = more ewaste = Fstupid.
Quote from above article: But Mr Peterson said the additional tax would cause some employers to think twice about allowing personal use of the devices.
“They’ll say you can’t take it home, it’s just too much trouble.”
Mr Peterson also said the suggested tax would be an administrative nightmare and “there will be all sorts of fiddling around with people trying to avoid it”.”
But they’d have a higher tax revenue from all the extra sales!!111
/sarc
Oh, and way to encourage the use of technology.
Laptops must be where all that multi-billion dollar tax evasion and income hiding is happening.
Laptop trust funds for all, Comrade 😆
Last night Peter Dunne announced a bold new immigration policy, on Twitter …
When quizzed further, he fell silent. I guess he hadn’t thought it through.
(context: TV3 coverage of housing affordability in Auckland last night. The coverage WAS racist – memo to TV3, “looking Asian” and “absentee landlord” are not synonyms – but a discussion about spiralling house prices is not).
It gets better …
You’d think this was a parody Twitter account. It’s not.
Peter Dunne is a lying distorting bastard too. Example… “they don’t like foreigners owning property but say it is nothing to do with race”
That’s right Dunne. What don’t you get about what “foreigner” means and what “race” means?
You are either thick or deceptive and slimey.
Where have the Greens made a statement about Asians and immigration?
The artist taxi driver on the outrageous bank corruption in the U$K , the same ones bailed out by the public who are having austerity imposed on them.
RBS Scandal of Banking thieves criminals and govt embezzlement
Scandal-hit RBS pays out £600m in bonuses
Asked why RBS can afford to pay bonuses to its staff but not what the public spent in bailing it out, Sir Philip described the bonus situation as “toxic for everybody”.
RBS fined £390m for ‘widespread misconduct’ in Libor-rigging scandal
Royal Bank of Scotland bankers continued to rig Libor rate until November 2010 – two years after it was bailed out by taxpayer
RBS fined £390m for ‘widespread misconduct’ in Libor-rigging scandal
Royal Bank of Scotland bankers continued to rig Libor rate until November 2010 – two years after it was bailed out by taxpayer
Jill Treanor, City editor
The Guardian, Wednesday 6 February 2013 20.27 GMT
Royal Bank of Scotland was handed a £390m fine on Wednesday for “widespread misconduct” in rigging the Libor rate until as recently as November 2010, two years after it was bailed out by the taxpayer and even after regulators had begun to investigate the key benchmark rate.
Regulators found that corrupt payments of more than £100,000 were made to those involved and that the bailed-out bank had “abetted” Swiss bank UBS – fined £940m – in manipulating the rate used to set prices on £300tn of financial contracts around the world, from ordinary household mortgages to business loans.
“This is another day of shame for Britain’s banks,” Greg Clark, the financial secretary to the Treasury, told MPs.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/feb/06/rbs-fined-libor-rigging-scandal
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/business-news/scandal-hit-rbs-pays-out-600m-in-bonuses-1-5454195
Dear Jonkey et al .. if you think the environment doesn’t really matter, try holding your breath while counting your money …
This is a frightener ….
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/02/14/1594211/death-spiral-bombshell-cryosat-2-confirms-arctic-sea-ice-volume-has-collapsed/?mobile=nc
Our government commissions a report on economic development and city competitiveness – the report shows that Auckland’s planning approach is broadly right – brownfield developments, rail and public transport etc.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2547838/competitiveness-expect-backs-auckland-council-plans.asx
However our Government fails to ensure that the report has an evidence base according to Minister Joyce whose Ministry commissioned the report and he then slates the report for having this. He cannot say :
a) how much the report cost
b) why his officials were allowed to commission a report so poorly scoped and lacking supporting research that he as Minister could discount it before publication.
despite being invited onto Radio NZ to talk about the research his Ministry commissioned.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2547839/steven-joyce-critical-of-report-on-nz-competitiveness.asx
Chris Trotter on the events of the 2011 Labour Conference and what has happened since.
The winners and the losers of the reshuffle depended on how loyal they were to David Shearer.
Pretty scary stuff.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/opinion/8367976/Dishing-out-rewards-to-hungry-enforcers
Interesting. Thanks for the link, SP.
Lucky no-one is prepared to vate for them. They are unfit to run a country.
Great post Paddy which has me thinking I don’t know why David Cunliffe doesn’t push on and form a new left wing party. He has been treated very poorly indeed & I really think there is room, with a good following that would ensue, including current Labour MP’s. Take Nanaia Mahuta she would win her Waikato seat hands down as would a number of others like Dalziel, however I also believe a new left party would easily pass the 5 % threshold with a possible 9 to 10 MPs all up. I just don’t like the current direction, when you have
a former General Secretary bailing after a relatively short stint you have to think all is not ‘left.’ within the current Labour Party line up. And arguably policies that have come out are far too right/centralistic in my view.
Crunch the numbers & make a move DC, the sooner the better.
“Great post Paddy which has me thinking I don’t know why David Cunliffe doesn’t push on and form a new left wing party.”
He told me he won’t. I think it’s because he’s committed to the party, or something like that.
Thanks The Allen very loyal of him all things considered.
I always work on if you don’t ask you don’t get.
Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose.
This time we all lose.
My friend. Getting the response “No” to your question is some marvellous progress.
Of course I couldn’t and wouldn’t quote from a private email, but he’s a nice bloke.
I do believe, at the end, he’ll be the one that got away from us all.
Though I did say it was going to get messy and soon, so maybe too soon for epitaphs.
Who really knows?
Reality is he probably thought I was Patrick Gower trying to trap him, so I didn’t read too much into his reply. 😆
Ha!
Dear Chris Trotter reminds us of that black day in Labour History. His deccription of that angry boy Chris Hipkins is so correct. I’ve a vivid recollection of his distorted hate filled face a screaming into the mike. The wretched have taken control. Shame too on Darien Fenton. She has a black name in the annals if the NZLP.
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2013/03/running-dogs.html?m=1
“The Pack are well rewarded. Ms Fenton and Ms Curran both rise two places in the pecking order, while Mr Twyford goes up three to take a seat on the front bench. Megan Woods enters the top twenty – a back-bencher no longer. Andrew Little rises with her. Mr Shearer’s chief swordsman, Chris Hipkins, climbs five places to claim the shadow portfolio of Education from Mr Cunliffe’s running-mate, Nanaia Mahuta.”
As my dear mum said, don’t waste time with bad people, fight fire with fire.
RNZ-Council for Educational Research-“secondary schools have deteriorated over the last three years.”
Diabetes-7% per capita, 19% showing early signs; Cheque anybody?
yes, the Hong Kong commissioned study STRONGLY SUGGESTS, tax reductions and rapid inter-city rail; overall marks for poor competitiveness like the 100’s of cops off the front-line of poor fitness. Yep!, but that’s ok, the US are going to “directly fund the Syrian opposition.”
so lets enjoy a SNickers Jah,
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings until she was Unchained from the squared circle of Le Mans disasterous latitudes. Her father projected that the eastern provinces could be reorganized, the lion placated; The Argo saga naught but another fleecing; “it’s the end of the Middle Earth as we know it.”
More foot-in-mouth due to poor preparation. The heel of Pegasus was as quenching as Na Drini Cuprija; At a Hungry meeting 63% wish to ban foreign property buyers (above 30.9C no increase in pressure is going to liquify CO2 of Gauss) Still, try telling anechoic chamber that Tiberius freed both slave and lion. Gnaeus either / found an Island or an Ogygian deluge.(what else are you gonna do when it’s hot outside, little shade and freakin sport’s on the box)
Steven Joyce has been pushing the foreign investment angle again, seems to have a fixation on it….
“We must welcome more foreign investment – Joyce”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10868108
As of March 2012 NZ had $304 billion of foreign investment already. Joyce wants to take that up to $500billion yet no-one can even demonstrate that we’ve benefited from the existing investment.
In the 2011/2012 year NZ exported $62billion and imported $60billion, our terms of trade were good. It’s the investment positon which caused our last current account deficit of $9billion, NZ sent $16billion offshore in dividends to those foreign investors and collected only $5.4billion from offshore investments.
If we take in another $200billion like Joyce wants we can extrapolate that to an extra $10billion in dividends, sending $26billion offshore. It’s real headbanger stuff.
Motorhead-“Ace of Spades” (not Whisky In The Jar)
Heh, yep that’s a headbanger…
But seriously, I think there needs to be more examination of orthodox economics on the left. Our international trade is all foreign exchange related. In simple terms NZ sold $76billion worth of $NZD and bought back only $68billion. We can’t carry a $9billion differential in our foreign currency dealing, the $NZD would crash bigtime. So we take in more overseas investment in order to buy back all the $NZD we sold.
IMO all the talk about intervening in the forex market to bring down the $NZD is completely on the wrong track, because we’re already intervening to keep the $NZD up. If we want to get the $NZD down we’d be better off looking at cutting back on the foreign investment and/or overseas borrowing instead of trying to play the forex markets.
Hold your breath and one turns blue. (appreciate your analysis, like Poission)
How appropriate/ proper/ LAWFUL is it for Auckland Council CEO Doug McKay to investigate himself, when it is HIS actions which are the subject of the complaint???
DUH?
ANTI-CORRUPTION ‘WHISTLE-BLOWERS’ EXPOSE HOW AUCKLAND COUNCIL CEO DOUG MCKAY HAS AUTHORISED THE ‘BLOCKING’ OF EMAILS TO ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE OR AUTHORITY
Gary Osbourne http://www.allaboutauckland.com/video/1907/accusations-of-corruption-within-councils
Grace Haden http://www.allaboutauckland.com/video/1907/accusations-of-corruption-within-councils/1
Penny Bright http://www.allaboutauckland.com/video/1907/accusations-of-corruption-within-councils/2
Also – what Bernard Orsman wrote about it in today’s NZ Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868429
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’.
2013 Auckland Mayoral Candidate.
(For more background information exposing the, in my considered opinion, dodgy role of the CEO of Auckland Council, and the General Counsel for Auckland Council – see the following ten new ‘Items fo Evidence’ which I was allowed to ‘adduce’ in the Occupy Auckland vs Auckland Council Appeal (in which I defended myself as a ‘Named Respiondent’).
http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/OCCUPY-AUCKLAND-APPEAL-APPLICATION-BY-APPELLANT-BRIGHT-TO-ADDUCE-NEW-EVIDENCE-pdf.pdf
Doug was handpicked by Hide/Key for these and his many other talents Penny.
Duncan Garner just played Chauvel’s speech on radio. Said it was a slap in the face for half the Labour caucus.
Can not say I blame him as he gave up a very successful legal career for what? I had dinner with him once it was a great night out and we were all buoyant with Labour’s future, a different era to now!
Seems Aucklanders is going to get the same treatment as ChCh/Dunedin when it comes to bailing out the rugby heads.
*Council votes to accept Eden Park ‘gift’ *
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/auckland-city-council/news/article.cfm?o_id=13&objectid=10865550
Anyone like to open a book on the liklihood of a positive outcome!
just to reiterate,
19% (1 in 5) New Zealanders has Glucose Metabolism Disorder (precursor)
215000 people live with diabetes which is to double in the next couple of decades; sticky mess.
Campbell- “Third most obese nation in the world.”
Family Court changes
-“domestic violence will increase” -a Real Judge, Murfitt, speaks across the bench.
(HB already ranks #1for Wrath in a national survey by police into provinces Seven Deadly Sins; Lust and Envy not far behind; Greed, not as Bad here…)
the freakin MSM; gold prices dropping, with a tailing that “the Central Banks of Russia and China” have sluiced ” Enormous purchases of Gold.” ya don’t say, where you been the last couple of years?
Moria?
Get rid of all sources of added sugar and fructose from the diet. That generally sorts things real quick. (Typing as I sip my JD & coke…)
“Big Fat Lies” 🙂
by the age of 20 was onto Jim’s Black, and back then there was also Jim’s Rye; Absolutely Fabulous in Wainuiomata, strangely enough (some Diesel Progress), yet you probably already ran that up on the Test Bench. (just quaffed a non-diet Sprite; gonna burn now)
Colonial Viper:
Haha: I read that Japanese women believe in the power of beer, naturally brewed and without additives that is (“Reinheitsgebot”), they even bathe in it, as it keeps their skin smooth and young. No need for sugar there, aye.
It’s getting interesting on Chris Trotter’s blog.
Here’s a response to his latest post:
Felix Marwick said…
“Even from the Media Table, the animosity directed towards caucus members who spoke in favour of the rank-and-file’s resolutions (the most effective of whom, by far, was Lianne Dalziel) was unmistakeable.”
Really Chris?
I recall us being surprised (and for news purposes) quite happy that MPs and delegates were expressing the views that they were. Generally we’ve been excluded from such debates in the past.
I certainly don’t remember any of my colleagues expressing animosity at those that were critical of the hierarchy.
I do, however, recall you going and high fiving with delegates when the 40% caucus vote remit was passed. I also recall you telling a political editor to “get f**ked” when they joked that perhaps the remit should have had support of 60% of the conference.
And I do wonder how it’s consistent that the Shearer camp, which had been derided at the time by its critics inept and incompetent, suddenly became Machiavellian enough to co-opt the entire press gallery to their cause?
For the record; I do not give a flying bollock as to who leads the Labour Party. I, unlike you, am not a player in that game.
Felix Marwick
Chief Political Reporter
Newstalk ZB
“Felix” is latin for the “happy one” or “lucky one”, I suppose, and the surname sounds like “Marmite” to me. Combining the two gives me a messy impression, of perhaps a brownish smeared face after attempted eating, reminding me of guess who, Adolphus H., ruling 1933 to 1945.
NZ media are to me mostly gutter media, that is most, not all, and 1ZB qualifies for “gutter”, hence not to be taken seriously.
Your first paragraph dramatically lowers any value your second might have had,
Interesting. If Marwick is “not a player in the game” why is he injecting himself on to the playing field now?
If Trotter’s recollections of Conference did not match his, it would have been a simple matter of stating his own experience for the record.
I wonder, did NewstalkZB also run with the story that a Cunliffe takeover bid had been imminent at Conference?
If so…how did Marwick reach that conclusion?
Actually, I was merely suggesting that saying any particular journo is reminiscent of AH lowers the credibility of other statements.
As to Marwick, it seems to me that he was already doing what you suggested: commenting on the bits that he personally was acquainted with. The clue is in the use of phrases like “I recall us being surprised”… and “I certainly don’t remember “… and “I do, however, recall you going”… and “I also recall you telling”…
Without simply repasting what has already been posted, Marwick seems to be suggesting that Trotter’s claim of animosity from the media table was possibly skewed by Trotter’s own animosity towards the media table.
Floating Down the Mighty River with only one paddle!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8369736/Aussies-may-get-slice-of-Mighty-River
Chris Trotter exposes more about the scheming and back-stabbing at the last Labour Conference in November last year.
“Running Dogs” is the title of his blog post today:
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/running-dogs.html
Now if this does not open the eyes of more now, I do not know what will!
It shows that Labour MPs have in large numbers totally lost their ways, and they had their knives out, disliking “democracy” from the party members. They were “working” on members and colleagues, so no wonder we got the Cunliffe “hanging” and demotion after all that. It is disgusting from my point of view.
I trust that someone of the TS team or moderating collective may feel up to write a post on it. I am too worn out for now, so have a read and reflect perhaps.
‘Despite the high dollar…”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10868511
“women are not doing enough housework” (please don’t shoot the messenger Queenie, just the piano player’s been thinking…)
Suffer the little children and at least let them pee
http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/transgender-girl-s-parents-sue-for-her-right-to-use-the-bathroom-201415013.html
cutting through the waves
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/international-politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503226&objectid=10868418