Open mike 02/08/2016

187 comments on “Open mike 02/08/2016”

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1. Paul 1

   2 August 2016 at 6:34 am

   Does the government care about anything?
   Not worried or I’m comfortable seems to be a stock answer from ministers nowadays.

   Govt aware EU investigating NZ tax rules

   The government is aware that the European Parliament is investigating New Zealand in the wake of the Panama Papers but said it is not worried.

   The Panama Papers revealed how some of the world’s richest people use foreign trusts, including in New Zealand, to hide their wealth and avoid paying tax.

   In June, the European Parliament set up a special committee to investigate matters that were raised by the papers and it wants to blacklist countries that are operating as tax havens.

   http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/309922/govt-aware-eu-investigating-nz-tax-rules

   • Gangnam Style 1.1

     2 August 2016 at 6:42 am

     According to the Herald http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11685355 “That was why the Government had agreed to act on all of the recommendations from the Shewan Inquiry to ensure New Zealand’s disclosure rules were fit for purpose.” All? Well ‘most’ http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/81497014/Shewan-report-recommends-greater-disclosure-annual-returns-by-foreign-trusts

   • James 1.2

     2 August 2016 at 8:25 am

     You missed an important piece:

     Mr Woodhouse was aware of this because of the European Parliament’s website but did not believe the government had received official notification of any investigations or any action against New Zealand.

     But the government was confident “any objective inquiry” would find New Zealand was fully compliant with OECD standards.

     Mr Woodhouse said the EU should look elsewhere.

     • One Anonymous Bloke 1.2.1

       2 August 2016 at 8:32 am

       His assurances are of great value. No, really, they are. Honest.

     • mickysavage 1.2.2

       2 August 2016 at 8:40 am

       Everything is fine. National says so.

       • s y d 1.2.2.1

         2 August 2016 at 9:00 am

         There are no sheep on our farms

         • Pasupial 1.2.2.1.1

           2 August 2016 at 11:46 am

           “We have no SIS, we have no secrets,
           We have no rebellion; we have no valium, valium, no, no…”

           • Agora 1.2.2.1.1.1

             2 August 2016 at 2:16 pm

             Study exposes BBC’s anti-Corbyn bias

             http://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2016-07-29/study-exposes-bbcs-deep-anti-corbyn-bias/

     • Wensleydale 1.2.3

       3 August 2016 at 12:08 am

       “Mr Woodhouse said the EU should look elsewhere.”

       And I’m sure the EU hold Mr Woodhouse’s opinion in high esteem. “Nothing to see here. Move along.”

   • Colonial Viper 1.3

     2 August 2016 at 9:48 am

     maybe the EU should stick with investigating the massive frauds perpetrated by Deutsche Bank, and also why the entire Italian banking system is teetering on the edge of collapse.

2. Paul 2

   2 August 2016 at 6:38 am

   Is Winston Peters the only MP prepared to stand up for New Zealand’s rights regarding housing?
   Are we to be tenants in our own land as Labour and National bow down to their masters in the U.S. and China?
   Free trade deals signed by both parties have reduced our sovereignty and rights.

   http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/309923/foreign-home-buyers-data-release-'politicised‘

3. Paul 3

   2 August 2016 at 6:44 am

   The Herald cannot spell.
   Their online headline presently reads as follows……

   Has Auckland property lost it’s shine?

   This is what happens when you cut back on quality staff.
   Too much time spent on Instasham and Fakebook.

   • Gangnam Style 3.1

     2 August 2016 at 6:53 am

     Yeah they need a proof reader “The grouping of 28 European nations has compiled a list of countries with lax tax laws, band following the release of the so-called Panama Papers it confirmed New Zealand is under investigation.”

     • One Anonymous Bloke 3.1.1

       2 August 2016 at 8:33 am

       It’s actually Dave Dobbin and the Lax Tax Laws. Great entertainment. At the end of the day New Zealanders would rather listen to some music.

       • s y d 3.1.1.1

         2 August 2016 at 9:02 am

         we sleep in a well made bed…etc?

         • Pasupial 3.1.1.1.1

           2 August 2016 at 11:51 am

           syd
           Ah; I see your previous phrase (at comment 1.2.2.1) wasn’t accidental then.

           http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/no-depression-in-new-zealand

   • mary_a 3.2

     2 August 2016 at 12:00 pm

     Hi Paul (3) … I see it’s been corrected now, from it’s to its. Someone at NZH must be reading the comments on alternative news media.

4. gsays 4

   2 August 2016 at 6:58 am

   We need a catchy phrase to describe the shaky coalition that is in power currently.

   National: no idealogues, stack it high sell it cheap, heartless ladder pullers (education (night schools), housing, health).

   Maori party: some knights and dames of the brown table, happy for some crumbs.

   Act: hard right, margin of error flunkies.

   United future… Pious bouffant who will lay down for anyone with a few baubles.

   What term encapsulates this mob that governs us?

   • Paul 4.1

     2 August 2016 at 6:59 am

     Corrupt.

     • gsays 4.1.1

       2 August 2016 at 11:16 am

       Hi paul, corrupt is a great start.

   • BM 4.2

     2 August 2016 at 8:37 am

     Democratically elected majority.

     Suck on that.

     • Jones 4.2.1

       2 August 2016 at 8:56 am

       Classy BM.

     • gsays 4.2.2

       2 August 2016 at 9:11 am

       Hi BMW, perhaps “with some poor mannered supporters” could be added to the description.

     • save nz 4.2.3

       2 August 2016 at 10:13 am

       @ BM – elected majority

       With help from their no questions asked immigration policy, trying to get as many folks resident from Asia and overseas to support Mr Key – currently something like 1.5% per year increases in population from migration. Over the 9 year term of the Natz this can change the population over 13%.
       It is already predicted that Asian will be the 2nd largest demographic in NZ and over take Maori. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11166485
       Illegal Tweets from the All blacks on election day.
       Changing legalisation to render people unable to vote (with high Maori demographics).
       Dirty politics.
       Manipulating and controlling the MSM messages.
       Stopping investigative journalists by any way they can.
       Burying bad news.
       Corrupting and co opting the Maori party to help them in their dirty deeds.

       • gsays 4.2.3.1

         2 August 2016 at 11:12 am

         Hi save nz,
         You can add Canterbury environment crowd, Saudi sheep shenanagins and a few schools with unnecessary statutory management to the list of ‘Democratic actions’ this corrupt mob have undertaken.

     • Stuart Munro 4.2.4

       2 August 2016 at 2:24 pm

       Says who – mass disenfranchisements right left and center. If you didn’t get to vote you have an absolute right to oust the Key junta.

     • Andrea 4.2.5

       2 August 2016 at 10:47 pm

       “Democratically elected majority.”

       Are you sure?

       Looked more like a subset of the minority who vote… We don’t do ‘democracy’ here.

   • Sabine 4.3

     2 August 2016 at 9:31 am

     no
     the question should be

     What term encapsulates this group that voted for this.

     Cause at some stage the people that voted for this need to be held accountable.

     • Planet Earth 4.3.1

       2 August 2016 at 9:35 am

       Majority?

     • BM 4.3.2

       2 August 2016 at 9:37 am

       What do you mean by held accountable?

       • Bea Brown 4.3.2.1

         2 August 2016 at 10:13 am

         I think she means line them up and shoot them.
         Or perhaps just the gulag.

         [This site doesn’t accept advocating violence. Suggesting that others are advocating violence without evidence is also bad form. Please tone it down in future. TRP]

         • Sabine 4.3.2.1.1

           2 August 2016 at 10:22 am

           are you advocating violence? Or are you just bored and like to put your hands into shit and fling it about?

       • Sabine 4.3.2.2

         2 August 2016 at 10:21 am

         accountable
         əˈkaʊntəb(ə)l/Submit
         adjective
         1.
         required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.
         “ministers are accountable to Parliament”
         synonyms: responsible, liable, answerable, chargeable; More
         2.
         able to be explained or understood.
         “the delayed introduction of characters’ names is accountable, if we consider that names have a low priority”
         synonyms: explicable, explainable; More

         • Bea Brown 4.3.2.2.1

           2 August 2016 at 10:41 am

           So you want those voters to be held liable for their vote or to justify it or be answerable for it. And what then – charged? For what? And what are the penalties you have in mind?
           Your helpful recourse to a dictionary raises even more questions about how you want to hold voters accountable for exercising their democratic rights.
           It sounds a bit ominous so please do explain.

           • Sabine 4.3.2.2.1.1

             2 August 2016 at 10:49 am

             here honey, have a some tissues to wipe away your crocodile tears.

             poor misunderstood thing you.

             • BM …

               2 August 2016 at 10:55 am

               How are National voters going to get held accountable?

               • Sabine …

                 2 August 2016 at 11:01 am

                 well the national voters coming to my shop complaining about stuff are being told by me that thy voted for this government, three times to be precises, which means they must like what they get served and as such should simply shut the fuck up or vote differently the next time.

                 you know, you buy it you own it.
                 or you break it you own it.

                 you know accountability.

                 so mate, you kids not finding a house to live any where in nz. shut the fuck up, you voted for that shit.

                 the road that was build with tax payers money going to be a toll road, shut the fuck up you voted for that shit.

                 need surgery and can’t get one cause waiting lists, you voted for that shit so shut the fuck up.

                 have cancer and are unemployed and the lady tells you to get a fucking job or no benefit? you voted for that shit, so shut the fuck up.

                 you know, you voted for that shit, now eat it. all of it. and don’t ever come around to me and complain.

                 so there? happy mate?

                 • weka …

                   2 August 2016 at 1:46 pm

                   god, I so hope that you really do do that.

                   • Sabine …

                     2 August 2016 at 3:46 pm

                     i do.

                   • weka …

                     2 August 2016 at 4:22 pm

                     🙂

                   • mosa …

                     2 August 2016 at 11:58 pm

                     Weka i make sure i remind people every day that they voted for this bastard and we are all suffering because of it.
                     And its like corporal punishment, kiwis must love getting a hiding because they keep voting for the cane at every election.

                 • Reddelusion …

                   2 August 2016 at 3:55 pm

                   Your shop sounds like wonderful comic relief, do we get the swearing with an accent

                 • Chuck …

                   2 August 2016 at 5:32 pm

                   Then Sabine you are very lucky the Nat voters that come into your shop are so understanding of your condition*… and kept coming back to buy stuff from you.

                   Even after slagging them off each time they do 🙂

                   *Leftism.

                 • mosa …

                   3 August 2016 at 12:01 am

                   SABINE i love your shit … dont stop.
                   Give them hell.

                 • Wensleydale …

                   3 August 2016 at 12:20 am

                   If I knew where your shop was, I’d hang around outside as traumatised National voters emerged sobbing into their hankies. It’s nice to have it confirmed that the customer is not always right. Sometimes the customer is a whining self-absorbed git.

               • te reo putake …

                 2 August 2016 at 11:01 am

                 Hmmmm. We could make them pay a fair share of tax. Or nationalise the flogged off power companies. Or just make them look their grand kids in the eye while they explain how they voted for the young to be locked out of home ownership.

                 • DoublePlusGood …

                   2 August 2016 at 1:05 pm

                   Nationalise their investment properties as state houses too.

             • Bea Brown …

               2 August 2016 at 11:00 am

               Sorry I hadn’t realised you were just spraying.

               • Sabine …

                 2 August 2016 at 11:03 am

                 oh honey, you are not having a good day. chocolate?

               • Paul …

                 2 August 2016 at 5:14 pm

                 Please explain how you defend this government’s housing policy.

5. Paul 5

   2 August 2016 at 7:09 am

   We have far too many pressing needs in the world to be blowing billions on the Olympic Games, which has morphed into a bloated corporate show, drowning in drugs and all about petty national rivalries.
   It appears to be a precursor to war rather than a chance to heal the world’s divides.
   It is a rich nation’s event.
   The Olympics has passed its use by date.

   http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11685549

   • Ad 5.1

     2 August 2016 at 7:30 am

     As a career path, Olympic athlete is not a high public subsidy per person.

     But the evaluative ruler for the whole event itself would be:
     would the city have been better off or worse off in the long term if they hadn’t happened there?

     On the negative side: Toronto, Athens.

     On the meh side: Los Angeles, Moscow, Sydney

     On the positive side: Barcelona, London, Beijing, Seoul

6. Paul 6

   2 August 2016 at 7:22 am

   A article well worth reading.
   Supports much of what cv has been posting.

   “Climate Change Activism: A Post-Mortem

   As I write these words, much of North America is sweltering under near-tropical heat and humidity. Parts of the Middle East have set all-time high temperatures for the Old World, coming within a few degrees of Death Valley’s global record. The melting of the Greenland ice cap has tripled in recent years, and reports from the arctic coast of Siberia describe vast swathes of tundra bubbling with methane as the permafrost underneath them melts in 80°F weather. Far to the south, seawater pours through the streets of Miami Beach whenever a high tide coincides with an onshore wind; the slowing of the Gulf Stream, as the ocean’s deep water circulation slows to a crawl, is causing seawater to pile up off the Atlantic coast of the US, amplifying the effect of sea level rise.

   All these things are harbingers of a profoundly troubled future. All of them were predicted, some in extensive detail, in the print and online literature of climate change activism over the last few decades. Not that long ago, huge protest marches and well-funded advocacy organizations demanded changes that would prevent these things from happening, and politicians mouthed slogans about stopping global warming in its tracks. Somehow, though, the marchers went off to do something else with their spare time, the advocacy organizations ended up preaching to a dwindling choir, and the politicians started using other slogans to distract the electorate.”

   http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/2016/07/climate-change-activism-post-mortem.html

   • Ad 6.1

     2 August 2016 at 7:32 am

     Stop reading wrist-slitting melancholy. And stop encouraging others to do the same.

     Accept the world is going to end, as are we all, and still do good in the world.
     It’ll do wonders for your complexion.

     • weka 6.1.1

       2 August 2016 at 7:53 am

       Yeah the sun is going to explode eventually, we should give up now.

     • Paul 6.1.2

       2 August 2016 at 7:57 am

       I do good for other
       Yet I am not prepared to buy into the line that NZ is a paradise, as propagated by Hosking, Henry and you.

       • Mainlander 6.1.2.1

         2 August 2016 at 1:29 pm

         No Paul you are a miserable cut & paste doomsayer, as Ad correctly alludes to, try going outside into that nasty climate you speak of so often, it might do you the world of good

         • Stuart Munro 6.1.2.1.1

           2 August 2016 at 2:22 pm

           Ad Hom much? Explain the suicide rate asshole.

         • Reddelusion 6.1.2.1.2

           2 August 2016 at 3:58 pm

           +100

         • Paul 6.1.2.1.3

           2 August 2016 at 5:16 pm

           Isn’t the point of Open Mike to broach topics worthy of conversation?

         • reason 6.1.2.1.4

           2 August 2016 at 6:37 pm

           …. and Mainlander comes from a long line of village idiots ….. giving stupid advice like a useless Dr Dill……

           Dr Ad is also sad …….. his advice …………. ignore whats bad.

           And sing ……………. sing …………. Always look on the bright side of life, de do de do de do………. “Life’s a Piece of Shit, When You Look at It.”

           It helped Brian…… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo

     • marty mars 6.1.3

       2 August 2016 at 4:55 pm

       It is the opposite of melancholy – as you’d know if you bothered to read the article.

   • Colonial Viper 6.2

     2 August 2016 at 5:00 pm

     Stop reading wrist-slitting melancholy. And stop encouraging others to do the same.

     i’ll tell you what wrist slitting melancholy is, it’s the message that all human beings are born sinners.

     Compared to that, the message of the Archdruid is one of outright positivity.

     By the way, wasn’t the end of the world going to come through fire, floods, pestilence that kind of thing? You don’t think that climate change may have a role to play in that?

7. b waghorn 7

   2 August 2016 at 7:50 am

   lprent the replies aren’t working on my laptop its windows 10 but set up with google . I get them on the smarter than me phone though.

   • weka 7.1

     2 August 2016 at 10:00 am

     Likewise. I can see them on my iphone but not on my mac (Firefox, OS10.9)

   • b waghorn 7.2

     2 August 2016 at 12:34 pm

     Working now cheers

     • b waghorn 7.2.1

       2 August 2016 at 6:18 pm

       Oops replies only appear after I’ve commented each time I log on.

8. SmallFurryAnimal 8

   2 August 2016 at 7:57 am

   “Hitlery” news today. (Think FACTA, but for blogs…I guess that would include this one given the US propensity for jumping geographic boundaries)

   http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/madame-president-clintons-coming-war-on-the-blogosphere-and-your-countermeasures_08012016

   • joe90 8.1

     2 August 2016 at 10:01 am

     Best you organise your bug-out pack, freeze dried tucker and gold so you’re good to go.
     /

9. SmallFurryAnimal 9

   2 August 2016 at 8:03 am

   HILLARY CLINTON
   @ real DonaldTrump thinks that democrats care about his opinion, how does it feel putting your stuff where it doesn’t belong ?

   DONALD J TRUMP
   @Hillary Clinton. Ask Bill.

   • te reo putake 9.1

     2 August 2016 at 8:52 am

     Fake. Better right wing memes needed. #wrathofkhan

     • One Two 9.1.1

       2 August 2016 at 12:11 pm

       Bill Clintons sexual ‘indescretions’ are no, meme

       They are a matter of record!

       You were boots n all into Assange, and straight out accused him of rape a number of times in articles and comments, yet edit, censor and shout down any suggestion about Bill Clintons rape accusations

       Why the glaring inconsistency?

       • te reo putake 9.1.1.1

         2 August 2016 at 12:33 pm

         No inconsistency. It is not me that has accused Assange of rape, it’s the Swedish authorities. I just think he should face the charges and defend himself in court, like the rest of us have to when charged with offences. The supposed tweet does not exist. It’s made up. It is a gender based insult against Hillary Clinton, not Bill Clinton. And even if it were, Bill Clinton currently has no legal case to answer on his alleged behaviour, which is not the case for Assange, obviously. Your argument fails completely.

         • One Two 9.1.1.1.1

           2 August 2016 at 1:01 pm

           Failure (of the hypocrisy test) is authoring articles such as ‘Broken’ while making excuses for swinging dicks like Bill Clinton

           Simultaneously claiming that Hillarys “lifetime of public service” mitigates the bribes taken from corporate america and the war crimes for which Hillary is, at best an accomplice

           Hillarys crimes against humanity (man/woman/environment) deserve no excuse or cover story, yet you have done exactly that in an overt way, using this site as the medium and moderating approach as tactics

           The complete bias toward Hillary is as ludicrous as your claims of “gender based insults”

           The gender based insult is Hillary Clinton herself!

           • te reo putake 9.1.1.1.1.1

             2 August 2016 at 1:11 pm

             I’ve never made excuses for Bill Clinton. As I noted he’s not charged with anything and the one thing we do know about (Lewinsky) there is no excuse for. But that’s a moral argument, not a legal one, as far as I can tell. Two consenting adults etc. I’m in a good mood, so I’ll just point out that the current time off for lying about authors is a six week ban. And take it easy on telling me what I have or should not have written, OK?

             btw. if you don’t understand what a gender based insult is, just say so. Or google the term and educate yourself.

             • Colonial Viper …

               2 August 2016 at 5:06 pm

               Skolkovo Russian innovation centre flows funds to the Clinton Foundation

               Speaking of facts.

               As Schweizer continues, “soon, dozens of U.S. tech firms, including top Clinton Foundation donors like Google, Intel and Cisco, made major financial contributions to Skolkovo, with Cisco committing a cool $1 billion. In May 2010, the State Department facilitated a Moscow visit by 22 of the biggest names in U.S. venture capital—and weeks later the first memorandums of understanding were signed by Skolkovo and American companies…

               Of the 28 “partners,” 17, or 60%, have made financial commitments to the Clinton Foundation, totaling tens of millions of dollars, or sponsored speeches by Bill Clinton…

               Russians tied to Skolkovo also flowed funds to the Clinton Foundation. Andrey Vavilov, the chairman of SuperOx, which is part of Skolkovo’s nuclear-research cluster, donated between $10,000 and $25,000 (donations are reported in ranges, not exact amounts) to the Clinton’s family charity”

               Apparently no charges have been laid around how Sec State Clinton used her influence to flow funds to the Clinton Foundation so by your standards TRP, nothing to see here.

               (Except more of the same crony $$$ behaviour from Hillary Clinton while in office).

               http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-01/hillary%E2%80%99s-latest-headache-skolkovo

             • One Two …

               2 August 2016 at 5:39 pm

               The gender based insult is Hillary Clinton herself

               You can add Slick Willy and his pedo friends to the same list!

     • McFlock 9.1.2

       2 August 2016 at 1:44 pm

       John Oliver speaks the truth.

       Damaged, sociopathic, narcissist.

       • Colonial Viper 9.1.2.1

         2 August 2016 at 5:09 pm

         Speaking of sociopathic, did you see how Hillary Clinton leaped for joy on TV at Qaddafi’s brutalising and mob killing?

         That’s actual sociopathic, btw.

         • McFlock 9.1.2.1.1

           2 August 2016 at 5:22 pm

           No, I did not see that, because you made it up.

           Whereas trump is so alien to the concept of empathy that “the simple presidential duty of comforting the families of fallen soldiers may actually be beyond his capabilities”.

           • One Two 9.1.2.1.1.1

             2 August 2016 at 5:40 pm

             You people are damaged goods bro

             So very damaged and with such low levels of consciousnes

             • McFlock …

               2 August 2016 at 5:49 pm

               And yet all you had to do to demonstrate it was link to video of her “leaping for joy”.

               You don’t operate at any higher level of consciousness than I do. Your pretension is no substitute for intelligence.

   • mosa 9.2

     3 August 2016 at 12:06 am

     Thats Brilliant SFA.
     Bill still brings so much joy to a troubled world.

10. Puckish Rogue 10

    2 August 2016 at 8:49 am

    http://nypost.com/2016/08/01/melania-trumps-girl-on-girl-photos-from-racy-shoot-revealed/

    Does the NY Post want Trump to win because this is only going to increase his popularity

    • te reo putake 10.1

      2 August 2016 at 8:59 am

      The Murdoch owned NY Post supports Trump. These are desperate days for the Donald.

    • ianmac 10.2

      2 August 2016 at 9:06 am

      Yes PR. The Democrats should retaliate by publishing nudies of Hilary.

      • Puckish Rogue 10.2.1

        2 August 2016 at 9:12 am

        Lets not…

        I mean do they really think showing pictures of his hot wife from 20 years ago is going to hurt him?

        • Sabine 10.2.1.1

          2 August 2016 at 9:35 am

          considering that Mike Pence VP is the one who represents a very large swath of extremely conservative christian , yes it could.

          also consider this.
          what would the republican party have said if the man who fathered five children with three women would have been a Obama or b a women who had five children with three men?

          So will it hurt him with the ones that look at women as objects to be replaced when to old, or to be used as a trophy who does not smile nor speak, i don’t think so.

          but then there are over three hundred million in that country, It will be good fun till election time, here and there.

          • Puckish Rogue 10.2.1.1.1

            2 August 2016 at 9:59 am

            I think a lot of people will look at her and go “shes hot” (and sadly because of it vote Trump) and still more will think its not a good look for the NY Post and vote Trump out of sympathy

            Or not

            • Sabine 10.2.1.1.1.1

              2 August 2016 at 11:08 am

              as per below the ones who look as women as a thing that has to be hot yeah, they would vote and also props like masturbating over the first lady.

              however, she might be keenly aware that she can be dumped at any given moment like the previous mrs. trumps and be replaced with a 20 year younger model.

              personally i don’t care, she was a model and did as models do. However, being the ‘first lady’ of the moral, christan, no sex education, abstinence only, virgin brides, no sluts evangelic party this could cause a bit of a brain freeze for some of the more ‘fundamentalist’ christian voters;

              popcorn and vodka required for this season.

              • Puckish Rogue …

                2 August 2016 at 11:42 am

                “personally i don’t care, she was a model and did as models do. However, being the ‘first lady’ of the moral, christan, no sex education, abstinence only, virgin brides, no sluts evangelic party this could cause a bit of a brain freeze for some of the more ‘fundamentalist’ christian voters;”

                Sure if Trump was running as a typical GOP candidate but Trumps a bit different so I don’t think it’ll hurt him, its more likely it’ll help

                Whatever happens at least it’ll be entertaining

                • Sabine …

                  2 August 2016 at 3:49 pm

                  i am not talking about Trump the “representative of the oval office’ i am talking about Mike Pence.
                  lil game the last time the republicans were in power that had the little bush and cheney. who do you think pulled the strings?
                  this time with trump / pence who do you think will pull the strings?

                  • Andrea …

                    2 August 2016 at 11:04 pm

                    Could this be true? http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/07/john-kasich-donald-trump-vice-president

                    Or just a fight in the playpen…

                    Was Pence offered anything similar? If ‘yes’ then that grey-beige bland gent is really the one to watch.

11. UglyTruth 11

    2 August 2016 at 9:04 am

    • ianmac 11.1

      2 August 2016 at 9:34 am

      Ugly Truth. The tape really confirms our worst fears about TPPA. And now if it is ratified by all, the world will shift forever. What will happen to my grandchildren?

      Funny that much of manufacturing, including that of USA and NZ, has shifted to China and yet Obama’s aim is to shut out China from the Pacific region.

      • UglyTruth 11.1.1

        2 August 2016 at 6:23 pm

        The TPPA conforms to the general pattern of consolidation of political power in the hands of those with little motivation to act in the public interest. I’m optimistic that this pattern of behaviour will collapse and the future for new generations will be far brighter than what we know today.

        The US is apparently still wedded to the doctrine of full spectrum dominance, the military exercises in the East China Sea signify meaningful opposition to this IMO.

    • Garibaldi 11.2

      2 August 2016 at 10:44 am

      I want to see the Labour Party reject the TPPA outright. Imo if this is not done then there is no hope for us as a sovereign nation.

      • UglyTruth 11.2.1

        2 August 2016 at 5:50 pm

        Real sovereignty isn’t the same an the political supremacy that the state calls sovereignty. There’s a massive paradigm shift involved in achieving sovereignty, Brexit was a good example of how steps can be taken.

    • GregJ 11.3

      2 August 2016 at 5:31 pm

      @UglyTruth

      Just a quick request – would you mind just putting in a short line of context when putting up a link? I personally don’t like clicking/selecting links without some idea of what it is I’m looking at. Thanks. 🙂

      • UglyTruth 11.3.1

        2 August 2016 at 5:43 pm

        Fair enough, I’ll do that next time.

        • GregJ 11.3.1.1

          2 August 2016 at 5:48 pm

          Thanks! 🙂

          [Edited to say] Good video BTW!

12. Anne 12

    2 August 2016 at 9:37 am

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/309937/maori-party-stance-on-helen-clark-is-'political-utu‘

    • ianmac 12.1

      2 August 2016 at 9:44 am

      Seems just petty to me.

      • Anne 12.1.1

        2 August 2016 at 10:00 am

        I thought Nanaia Mahuta’s comments at the end of the interview were telling. She listed pieces of legislation passed by the NAct govt. which cut across the Treaty of Waitangi… yet we’ve not heard a peep out of the Maori Party.

        She also reminds us we already have our own Indigenous Rights Treaty and didn’t need to sign up to another one. Very good point.

        The Maori Party are being disingenuously spiteful and petty minded – as you say ianmac. They represent a small Maori elite and not the rest of the Maori populace. The sooner they’re gone the better.

        • BM 12.1.1.1

          2 August 2016 at 10:02 am

          Very colonialist of you Anne, knowing whats best for Maori.

          • te reo putake 12.1.1.1.1

            2 August 2016 at 10:11 am

            Actually, BM, what’s good for maori is good for all of us. And Anne is correct to point out that the maori party have done nothing of substance for the people they claim to represent since they were formed. Indeed, given the increase in negative stats for maori, it’s easily argued that they have helped harm maori as part of the NACT government.

            When I first saw the item, I did toy with the idea of writing a post. But, really, who cares what they say? Their actions (and inactions) speak louder than their words.

          • weka 12.1.1.1.2

            2 August 2016 at 10:11 am

            It’s not like you support Māori to define their own reality BM. The neoliberal agenda is beyong that.

        • weka 12.1.1.2

          2 August 2016 at 10:06 am

          Seems like legitimate reasons to me,

          Along with the contentious foreshore and seabed law in 2004, Ms Fox said there were other decisions by Miss Clark’s Labour government that cast doubt on what kind of Secretary-General she would be.

          “The Labour Party refused to sign the Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which is a part of the UN agenda.

          “The Labour Party in its time saw the Tuhoe raids and of course also there is the Foreshore and Seabed amendment which took the rights of Māori away to go to court.”

          I’d add to that ‘haters and wreckers’.

          Ms Fox said someone seeking the top role at the United Nations should be able to acknowledge their past mistakes and apologise for them.

          That seems to be the crix of it. If Clark still believes that she was right on all the things above, then it’s completely reasonable for Māori to not support her to the UN role.

          Te Tiriti is not a replacement for the Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

          • Karen 12.1.1.2.1

            2 August 2016 at 1:13 pm

            Seems it was Winston who stopped Labour signing the declaration.

            http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11685387

            • weka 12.1.1.2.1.1

              2 August 2016 at 1:39 pm

              Yeah, but it’s Peters making that claim, so I’ll take it with a grain of salt.

        • weka 12.1.1.3

          2 August 2016 at 10:09 am

          I thought Nanaia Mahuta’s comments at the end of the interview were telling. She listed pieces of legislation passed by the NAct govt. which cut across the Treaty of Waitangi… yet we’ve not heard a peep out of the Maori Party.

          She also reminds us we already have our own Indigenous Rights Treaty and didn’t need to sign up to another one. Very good point.

          I can’t see that (they might have removed it). If it’s still visible can you please cut and paste?

          • Karen 12.1.1.3.1

            2 August 2016 at 10:15 am

            Marama Fox had a very different view back in April when she backed Helen Clark.

            http://www.waateanews.com/Waatea+News.html?story_id=MTMyNjY=&v=605

            • Rosemary McDonald 12.1.1.3.1.1

              2 August 2016 at 10:36 am

              “But Maori party co-leader Marama Fox says that’s what happens when politicians have to choose between what’s right and what’s popular.”

              Or what fits the agenda of your political bedmates.

              Well spotted Karen.

              Marama, (and the rest of the Maori Party past and present)

              ….https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:If_you_lie_down_with_dogs,_you_get_up_with_fleas

              Lie down with dogs you get up with fleas.

              “The quote has a large almost universally agreed meaning of “You should be cautious of the company you keep. Associating with those of low reputation may not only lower your own but also lead you astray by the faulty assumptions, premises and data of the unscrupulous.””

              I’d also add…shit sticks.

              • weka …

                2 August 2016 at 11:03 am

                Yeah, but let’s face it, the only choices they’ve had are National or Labour, both of whom have done pretty serious negative shit to Māori.

                Let’s also remember that the Māori Party may be part of forming the next left wing government. How will we deal with the shit then? Or would we prefer they went with National again?

                • Rosemary McDonald …

                  2 August 2016 at 11:09 am

                  “Māori Party may be part of forming the next left wing government.”

                  On what do you base that statement?

                  I’m not being argumentative here….but I just can’t ever see this happening.

                  • adam …

                    2 August 2016 at 11:29 am

                    The Māori party has a mandate from its people to be inside the tent. That is policy, so they will support who ever has a majority to get a seat at the table.

                    Now if the Māori party get 3-4 seats (a possibility) and Green/labour are the majority – then the Māori party will support them.

                    I actually think it’s quite smart of Marama to raise this as she has – it shows Māori, where labour are at. It also keeps alive the issues for Māori and keeps their issues front and centre, rather than floating in the ether.

                  • weka …

                    2 August 2016 at 1:37 pm

                    Lots of people assume that the Māori Party are right wing, but I don’t think they are. Their primary political loyalty is to Māori. What reason is there that would stop them supporting a L/G government? Policy? History?

                    Plus what adam said.

                    • The Chairman …

                      2 August 2016 at 1:47 pm

                      “Their primary political loyalty is to Māori”

                      Yet, race doesn’t determine ones political allegiance.

                      Therefore, how can political loyalty to a race represent their vast and varying political desires?

                    • weka …

                      2 August 2016 at 2:21 pm

                      Why don’t you ask them*? That’s the point. In this instance, your views on how people form political allegiances are not that relevant compared to theirs.

                      *or failing that, just read/listen to what is in the public domain. Plenty of Māori talking about it, but you have to be willing to hear what they say.

                    • The Chairman …

                      2 August 2016 at 2:38 pm

                      No, the point was I was asking you.

                      Moreover, you wrongly assume I don’t read/listen to what’s in the public domain.

                      I forewarned the Party would split long before it happened, for that very reason. People of one race don’t necessarily share the same political view or desires.

                    • weka …

                      2 August 2016 at 3:02 pm

                      “People of one race don’t necessarily share the same political view or desires.”

                      Of course not, I haven’t said they did.

                    • The Chairman …

                      2 August 2016 at 3:15 pm

                      “Of course not”

                      Indeed. Therefore, I’ll ask you again. How can political loyalty to a race genuinely represent the vast and varying political desires of said race?

                    • weka …

                      2 August 2016 at 4:24 pm

                      I haven’t said that either, but feel free to have that conversation with yourself.

                    • The Chairman …

                      3 August 2016 at 7:02 am

                      “I haven’t said that either”

                      Not directly. However, At 1.37pm yesterday you stated lots of people assume that the Māori Party are right wing, but you don’t think they are, stating their primary political loyalty is to Māori.

                      Yet, you agree race doesn’t determine ones political allegiance, but concluded loyalty to their race somehow substituted a political positioning (i.e. left, right, centre).

                      Therefore, the line their primary political loyalty is to Māori is little more than feel good waffle. It means little in political reality.

                      A political Party can’t be solely loyal to a race, people of one race don’t necessarily share the same political view or desires. Its role requires it to take a political positioning on matters. thus loyalty to a race doesn’t substitute a political Party’s positioning.

                      Which, in case you missed it, was the point I was making.

                    • weka …

                      3 August 2016 at 8:18 am

                      Well done on finally saying what you think. But let’s be very clear that very little of that is related to my own views or comments. I really don’t like my politics misrepresented and you’re pretty close to doing that here. Please don’t do it again.

                    • The Chairman …

                      3 August 2016 at 1:36 pm

                      Crikey! Settle down weka.

                      Your comments can often have indirect meaning, leaving your position on certain matters unclear. Which is why I initially questioned you (to establish what your position was) and later went on to point out to you how your comments can be misconceived.

                      Nonetheless, I’m still unclear what your position is. Where do you see the Māori Party sitting in the political spectrum?

              • YNWA …

                2 August 2016 at 4:11 pm

                Any chance John Key had anything to do with this?

            • Anne 12.1.1.3.1.2

              2 August 2016 at 10:44 am

              Oh dear… she doesn’t know whether she’s Arthur or Martha. 😀

            • Karen 12.1.1.3.1.3

              2 August 2016 at 12:57 pm

              Just want to make it clear that I thought Helen Clark’s handling of the Seabed and Foreshore issue was appalling and easily the worst thing she ever did. I thought she had acknowledged that it was wrong and apologised but can’t remember where or when (except that it was after she was PM).

              Interesting to hear Andrew Little on Checkpoint last night say that as president of the Labour Party he opposed the Act but it was a parliamentary decision.

              I do think, however, Helen Clark would do more for indigenous rights than some of the other likely contenders for the post of UN Secretary-General.

              • Karen …

                2 August 2016 at 1:07 pm

                And it seems Tariana Turia supports Helen for the job!!!

                http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/politics/maori-party-co-founder-endorses-helen-clark-top-un-job

                • Rosemary McDonald …

                  2 August 2016 at 1:16 pm

                  “And it seems Tariana Turia supports Helen for the job!!!””

                  Oh my, my, my.

                  What contortions these people go through to get through another day in politics.

                  “these people” = all Members (past, present and future) of Parliament.

                  Can’t trust any of them to hold a line.

                  No wonder we’re in so much trouble.

          • Anne 12.1.1.3.2

            2 August 2016 at 10:41 am

            http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1975/0114/latest/DLM435368.html

            • weka 12.1.1.3.2.1

              2 August 2016 at 11:04 am

              Why did you post that link?

            • Anne 12.1.1.3.2.2

              2 August 2016 at 11:12 am

              weka @ 12.1.1.3
              Sorry, weka I misread your comment. Nanaia made the remarks at the end of the embedded interview on RNZ – not the item itself.

          • adam 12.1.1.3.3

            2 August 2016 at 10:48 am

            Anne I’m going to call you on misrepresenting Nanaia on the issues of the Indigenous Rights Treaty. She did not say what you are saying. She was talking about caveats, which would restrain the Treaty of Waitangi.

            Funny, Nanaia did almost apology for the foreshore debacle, then she is almost falling over herself to defended the hard right knee jerk legislation labour passed as better than what we have. Sad.

            Dover is still bitter he lost his seat to the Maori party. So the irony is not lost on me with his bluster.

            Good on Marama being the fox amongst the chickens.

            • Rosemary McDonald 12.1.1.3.3.1

              2 August 2016 at 11:06 am

              “Good on Marama being the fox amongst the chickens.”

              I respect those who speak out according to their principals.

              But only if their principals are consistent…not changeable according to the political climate.

              fox
              fɒks/Submit
              noun
              noun: fox; plural noun: foxes
              1.
              a carnivorous mammal of the dog family with a pointed muzzle and bushy tail, proverbial for its cunning.
              synonyms: literaryReynard
              the fur of a fox.
              2.
              a cunning or sly person.
              “a wily old fox”
              3.
              NORTH AMERICANinformal
              a sexually attractive woman.
              verbinformal
              verb: fox; 3rd person present: foxes; past tense: foxed; past participle: foxed; gerund or present participle: foxing
              1.
              baffle or deceive (someone).
              “the abbreviation foxed me completely”
              dated
              behave in a cunning or sly way.
              “to his mind everybody was dodging and foxing”
              https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=fox&rlz=1C1OPRB_enNZ513NZ516&oq=fox&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.4307j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=fox+definition

              Which definition fits Marama? (If we’re going to play on words.)

              • adam …

                2 August 2016 at 11:12 am

                I’d say all of the above.

                If you are going to follow the wishes of your people, and be inside the tent. Then I’d hope she is/has a bit of each.

                But as for chickens – was my use a verb, or a noun? Or indeed both?

            • Anne 12.1.1.3.3.2

              2 August 2016 at 11:25 am

              I did not misrepresent Nanaia and I take offence at you saying so Adam. You are being obtuse and pedantic. I don’t give a f*** about the process the govt may have adopted re- legislation/regulations. The effect is still the same – to undermine the many disadvantaged Maori living on or below the minimum wage, or having their special rights eroded. That is what I took from Nanaia’s comments and she sure knows a darn sight more about the subject than you do.

              • adam …

                2 August 2016 at 11:45 am

                You brought up the point to discredit Marama, I’m saying you got it wrong. If that is being obtuse and pedantic, then guilty as charged.

                This debate has nothing to do with the position of Māori, except that Māori have a differing opinion on Helen Clark.

                I mean claims of utu to treachery. Far out, from a few comments about the Treaty, and the foreshore.

                Nothing quite like those in the centre, and their ability to make a storm in a tea cup.

                • Anne …

                  2 August 2016 at 11:53 am

                  Māori have a differing opinion on Helen Clark.

                  Wrong. The “Maori Party” have a differing opinion, and its based on spite and petty political posturing.

                  Can’t understand why you’re standing up for them. They’re Nats in Maori guise. Have you changed you allegience and become a roaring Tory? 😮

                  • weka …

                    2 August 2016 at 1:42 pm

                    Anne, I hope that you are not saying that all Māori have the same view on Clark other than the Māori Party.

                    How about addressing the points that adam raised?

                    
                    Anne I’m going to call you on misrepresenting Nanaia on the issues of the Indigenous Rights Treaty. She did not say what you are saying. She was talking about caveats, which would restrain the Treaty of Waitangi.

                    • Anne …

                      2 August 2016 at 3:04 pm

                      How about addressing the points that adam raised?

                      I have. @ 12.1.1.3.3.2

                    • weka …

                      2 August 2016 at 4:26 pm

                      That comment doesn’t address what adam raised.

                  • adam …

                    2 August 2016 at 10:00 pm

                    Well I was hopeful you’d answer my question, but instead you came back with an ad hominem.

                    Ironic really, as the only media personality I see whose seething about Marama Fox and her comments is Paul Henry. Actually your comments have been pretty consistently in line with his.

                    Back to the question, I know I’m a sucker for punishment.

                    “Anne I’m going to call you on misrepresenting Nanaia on the issues of the Indigenous Rights Treaty. She did not say what you are saying. She was talking about caveats, which would restrain the Treaty of Waitangi.”

    • te reo putake 12.2

      2 August 2016 at 1:15 pm

      Typo of the day from a Herald headline:

      Dame Tariana Turia supports Helen Clark in her big to be United Nations Secretary General

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11685672

      • Anne 12.2.1

        2 August 2016 at 4:38 pm

        Typo aside, I retract my statements about Tariana Turia yesterday evening (I think) when this story broke. I was wrong. She has been able to move on from the F&S scandal and good on her for doing so.

    • Daveosaurus 12.3

      2 August 2016 at 5:16 pm

      No surprise at all. It’s not without reason that I call that bunch the Kūpapa Party.

13. Atiawa 13

    2 August 2016 at 10:46 am

    Since the introduction of compulsory voting in Australia in 1924, the turnout has never fallen below 90%. Voting, like compulsory education or jury service is a civil duty that cannot simply be ignored.
    Is there a brave enough political party that is prepared to insist that a referendum at the time of a General Election be held to allow voters the opportunity to decide upon compulsion versus voluntary voting?

    • fisiani 13.1

      2 August 2016 at 11:08 am

      Voting is not a civil duty. It is a civil right. Rights do not mean a duty. You have a right to stand for election, you do not have a duty to do so.
      Will the Left stoop to compulsion to get the missing million to vote? Many people choose not to vote. That is not the same as ignoring. Just because the majority want a National led government does not mean that we need to force people to cast their vote. Next you’ll be enticing them with KFC.

      • Sabine 13.1.1

        2 August 2016 at 11:27 am

        ohhhh, don’t want disenfranchiserd people going to the poll then now?

        let me put it differently,

        voting is a right that was fought for people who had no rights, and opposed by people that ‘held all the rights’ . You seem to be supporting the ones that opposed the universal rights to a vote.

        voting is a right and a duty. And why should it not be compulsory?

        • Bob 13.1.1.1

          2 August 2016 at 4:20 pm

          Are you saying we should take away peoples rights to not vote in protest?

          • Sabine 13.1.1.1.1

            2 August 2016 at 4:24 pm

            no i am saying that if voting would be compulsory it should include the option of
            NONE OF THE ABOVE
            cause protest.

      • Atiawa 13.1.2

        2 August 2016 at 11:39 am

        Yeah yeah yeah. Soon you’ll be saying that paying taxes is a civil right. Oh that’s right, you do.
        Because voting is a matter of secrecy, there is nothing to stop the voter from invalidating their vote.
        In the May 2005 UK elections, turnout varied significantly from 74.6% in Dorset West to 41.5% in Liverpool Riverside. By contrast, the turnout of all but 2 electorates in the Australian elections in October 2004 was over 90% – the exceptions were Kalgoorlie with 83.53% & Lingiari with 77.71%, both covering remote areas with transient populations -. ( Source; Tim Evans, Director Election Systems & Policy, Australian Electoral Commission 16 January 2016 ).

        • fisiani 13.1.2.1

          2 August 2016 at 12:32 pm

          You have a right to not vote. It’s called democracy.

          • Atiawa 13.1.2.1.1

            2 August 2016 at 1:35 pm

            ” There are many things that people do not wish to do and which they would not do if they were able to exercise “individual freedoms”, but which parliament has legislated to require. The role of parliament in a parliamentary democracy includes passing laws to ensure the effectiveness of that democratic system”.
            Source: Submission to JSCEM by the Australian Public Interest Advocacy Centre.

          • miravox 13.1.2.1.2

            2 August 2016 at 5:47 pm

            “You have a right to not vote. It’s called democracy.”

            Wow. I can’t believe I almost agree with you. Now if we can tie that in with the right not to be disenfranchised, civics education and fair political funding, we might have a win.

      • Draco T Bastard 13.1.3

        2 August 2016 at 11:44 am

        Oh, look at that, a RWNJ arguing against personal responsibility.

        • Bob 13.1.3.1

          2 August 2016 at 4:22 pm

          It’s a privilege not a responsibility, that’s where you are getting confused

          • Draco T Bastard 13.1.3.1.1

            2 August 2016 at 4:23 pm

            No, it’s a responsibility. That’s how democracy works – people taking full responsibility for their governance.

    • b waghorn 13.2

      2 August 2016 at 12:31 pm

      $50 to every one as they vote , with the option to either decline accepting it or donating it to one of 3 or 4 designated charities .

      • fisiani 13.2.1

        2 August 2016 at 12:56 pm

        $50 KFC voucher surely.

        • b waghorn 13.2.1.1

          2 August 2016 at 3:30 pm

          I would of thought one for the local bdsm club would be more to your taste, i’m sure if you’re nice they might even let you stroke a pony tail or two.

          • Sabine 13.2.1.1.1

            2 August 2016 at 3:53 pm

            you sure are generous. but it does seem that fisiani has a thing for kfc. must be that secret spice ingredient.

            I would like to see obligatory voting, but then i would also like to see the option of “none of the above” added. If ‘none of the above’ wins, all parties have to go back to the drawing board and try harder.

            • b waghorn 13.2.1.1.1.1

              2 August 2016 at 4:04 pm

              How much would it cost to chase all those people that can’t be bothered voting , then you fine them when you catch them, then they hate the system even more and some refuse to pay the fine so they get hounded and fined a
              bit more.
              Far better to make it a day off work and a and occasion .
              Make the likes of starship and kidscan recipients of the donated cash, and others can have a lunch out with the family or whatever. And those on poor street get a little bonus . What’s not to love?

              • Sabine …

                2 August 2016 at 4:10 pm

                I would not go and fine them, nor have i advocated it.

                but i do think that making it compulsory with education starting in the schools would not be too bad. You will always have those that will not play ball, but instead of fining them i would have them take say 5 lessons in school about – voting history, a world without voting, civic lessons and community politics and their importance.
                i think that would be a better approach. Punitive measures do not change behavior education does.

            • Draco T Bastard 13.2.1.1.1.2

              2 August 2016 at 4:14 pm

              If ‘none of the above’ wins, all parties have to go back to the drawing board and try harder.

              It’s always been a concern of mine about the idea of ‘none of the above’ is what happens when a government isn’t chosen?

              This idea of leaving the caretaker government in place and holding another election is a possible option but it would probably have a lot of opposition due to the cost. It may be possible to overcome some of that opposition by going to online voting but even that has its nay-sayers.

14. joe90 14

    2 August 2016 at 11:01 am

    Slip sliding away….

    Gallup has Trump as the first nom on record whose convention actually made people less likely to support him (36/51) pic.twitter.com/ySZEpOIPVG— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) August 1, 2016

    But what's prob more interesting is who the RNC moved- @ThePlumLineGS has the breakdown: https://t.co/WdXT1YyEUT pic.twitter.com/33cnJqdGUy— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) August 1, 2016

    In other words CLE just magnified Trump's existing issues. Turned on white men/WWC. Turned off white women/college grads, indies, young ppl.— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) August 1, 2016

    GallupMore/Less Likely to Support Trump Post-RNCWhite M +19Non-college whites +16——White F -7White BA/BS -12Indies -2618-29 -38— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) August 1, 2016

    edit: According to Nate Silver Clinton now has a better than 82% probability of winning.

    So sad.

    http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-election-forecast/#now

    • joe90 14.1

      2 August 2016 at 3:34 pm

      Yeah, mine inspections, who needs ’em.
      /

      In Pennsylvania, Trump says amounts of mining inspections "unbelievable…It’s not gonna happen anymore, folks." pic.twitter.com/W3etPcOivw— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 2, 2016

      • McFlock 14.1.1

        2 August 2016 at 3:38 pm

        Not the owners, as long as you don’t mind a little blood in your coal.

        • joe90 14.1.1.1

          2 August 2016 at 3:46 pm

          What’s a little blood between billionaires

          Billionaire distressed asset investor Wilbur Ross has explained his reasons for backing Donald Trump to be the next U.S. president, highlighting the presumptive Republican nominee’s lack of political correctness and attention to middle-class America.

          http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/15/wilbur-ross-says-us-needs-a-new-radical-approach-to-government.html

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilbur_Ross#Sago_Mine_disaster

15. The Chairman 15

    2 August 2016 at 12:04 pm

    “Although I personally believe Richard has done a good job to date for the Council and the city…I nevertheless do not believe that any manager in a public (or private for that matter) enterprise should be paid over 11 times the salary of the lowest paid worker in that organisation,” Macpherson said.

    He believed the council should prioritise a Living Wage minimum of $20 per hour for council staff, before increasing the chief executive’s take home pay by $50,000.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/82704161/hamilton-city-councils-top-job-receives-50000-top-up

    Thoughts?

    • Colonial Viper 15.1

      2 August 2016 at 12:09 pm

      Bureaucratic managerial class slapping itself on the back with obscene amounts of money, deluding themselves that they are supermen who are ‘worth it’.

      • The Chairman 15.1.1

        2 August 2016 at 12:25 pm

        While robbing low income workers of the ability to own a home.

        With house prices skyrocketing, one would assume increasing low incomes would be part of the solution.

    • save nz 15.2

      2 August 2016 at 1:05 pm

      Oh, that’s just trickle down, there Chairman.

      $50,000 to me, “thinking” about prioritising a living wage to you. Ok right can’t afford to pay the living wage but how about another pay rise for me for my efforts of thinking about you, cos we are in a democracy and all? Plus these councils have to spend a fortune on PR now, to make sure the rate payers know that the councillors are doing such a great job.

      Of course pay is bench marked to what others in the same sector get, not what they actually do or should be paid. Anti performance pay – where you get a pay rise because you have to keep up with others at the same role in the trough of neoliberalism.

      • The Chairman 15.2.1

        2 August 2016 at 1:34 pm

        Rebalancing incomes is part of the required solution. Benchmarking needs to be revised to help address this.

        Not only is it holding people back, the negative consequence is also the impact on consumer demand (thus, business returns) and growing household debt.

        Unfortunately, National doesn’t seem to acknowledge the role they play in growing inequality, nor seemingly, does this council.

    • weston 15.3

      2 August 2016 at 8:31 pm

      Fuck that were constantly told that paying people peanuts gets you monkeys but if you ask me the opposite is true i think you could sack a huge number of vastly overpaid ceo.s put the job back up on the notice board at a third of the pay and find plenty of people who could do the job much better .And most definately have the base rate of the lowest payed workers at at least 20 bucks an hour .

16. Tiger Mountain 16

    2 August 2016 at 1:46 pm

    oh the hot tears at bedtime if the Mana and Māori parties co-operate in the Māori electorates and win back a few seats

    there could be a Labour led government right now if Labour had not campaigned against Internet Mana (yes in unison with all the other parties, but Labour put special effort in also to assist Kelvin) and torpedoed Hone in Te Tai Tokerau

    • The Chairman 16.1

      2 August 2016 at 2:57 pm

      When I suggested on here that Hone should accept Labour’s open offer to join them and the Greens to overturn the Government, it was suggested to me the offer was only open to those already in parliament. Implying Labour and the Greens would rather work with the Maori Party, than with Mana. Go figure?

      • Sabine 16.1.1

        2 August 2016 at 3:54 pm

        i have never heard of that. hmmm, personally i would like to think that anyone that wants to join should do so.
        hmm, now i must ask da labour man about that.

      • save nz 16.1.2

        2 August 2016 at 4:03 pm

        For the sake of the country Hone and Labour need to get together and have a truce.

        National have screwed Maori more than Labour!

        And Labour should apologise for going against Mana. It was crazy politics, pure and simple. Who knows why they did it?? I just think there is a lot of manipulation from the Natz on Labour and Greens and clearly The Maori party is under their spell too.

        Maybe Hone is hard to work with, who knows what to believe, but he has much better ideas for poverty and change for Maori than any one else.

        I think the dream team is a mix of Labour, Greens, NZ First and Mana. That is who I would like to see in government with the majority. They are all better together in policy than individually as they cancel out the weird bits (spying and luke warm TPP from Labour would hopefully be cancelled out by the other three, more taxes on the middle class would hopefully be cancelled out by NZ First, etc, hopefully they start to think about creating well paid jobs internally with local people rather than shipping in cheap workers etc, education would start to be about education rather than foreign fees, they get rail working, they stop privatising everything, they have responsible relationships with China, Australia, US and EU, not losing all our rights like John Key is doing for less and cheaper milk powder sales.

    • weka 16.2

      2 August 2016 at 4:29 pm

      there could be a Labour led government right now if Labour had not campaigned against Internet Mana (yes in unison with all the other parties, but Labour put special effort in also to assist Kelvin) and torpedoed Hone in Te Tai Tokerau

      How so? Can you post the maths to demonstrate that?

17. joe90 17

    2 August 2016 at 2:56 pm

    [rant on]

    We have a bloke in our community with a not so proud past of violent offending, although AFAIK not against women or children, and he’s done some quite serious time for his crimes. For many many years this bloke has stayed out of the limelight and out of trouble – until recently.

    The bloke lost the plot and did something mightily stupid and potentially fatal to the public, the law responded and he did such a marvelous job of barricading himself inside his home he required assistance to get himself out and was duly carted off to the cells. Meanwhile, local dog control officers arrived supposedly to deal with the bloke’s three dogs and were told by the law to corral the animals in the back yard.

    The attending plods knew the bloke well and were well aware of the part the dogs played in keeping him on the straight and narrow, knew he couldn’t afford any extra cost and knew arrangements would be made for their care until a permanent solution was found.

    But no, the fucking arsehole control officers took the blokes dogs, impounded them and three days later and off their own bat, euthanised all three.

    The bloke is distraught, the attending plods on the day knowing how the death of his dogs will affect the bloke are incensed and locals and other dog owners who know the bloke are infuriated. Added to the mix is the sneaking suspicion the fucking jobsworth who ordered the dogs be killed acted with malice toward the bloke. And they’ll get away with their actions because law and order and the bloke has neither the wherewithal nor skills to follow up.

    Pricks!.

    [rant off]

    • Sabine 17.1

      2 August 2016 at 4:00 pm

      there is an fb page where people are happy to raise funds to help release impounded dogs. https://www.facebook.com/fundraisingforimpoundeddogs/?fref=ts
      Usually dogs are held for seven days before being put to sleep or given up for adoption.
      three days is not on order.
      Have you thought of putting through an official complaint to the council, and also it may help going public.
      The pound workers are already having a hard time, what with homeless dogs everywhere cause their peeps can not find pet friendly rentals, and the pound workers that i encountered (i iz a serial adopter of old pooches) absolutely hate putting down healthy friendly dogs.

      this sucks. Lodge a protests with the council together with the others on his behalf.
      Dogs sometimes escape or run away and get impounded, the least we want to know for sure is how long a pound would hold the animal before either killing it or giving it up for adoption.

    • weston 17.2

      2 August 2016 at 8:38 pm

      Which council was this joe90 ?

      • joe90 17.2.1

        2 August 2016 at 11:49 pm

        Whanganui

        • weston 17.2.1.1

          3 August 2016 at 7:23 pm

          were they just ordinary dogs or could they be type cast ie pit bulls or menacing or whateva ?

18. joe90 18

    2 August 2016 at 5:03 pm

    heh

    Scumbag Millionaire

    Belittle Women

    Nudie and the Beast

    33,000 thousand emails under the sea

    Honey, I deported the Kids

    A weekend at Putin’s

    etc etc…

    #DonaldTrumpTheMovie

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