Open mike 04/05/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 4th, 2016 - 117 comments
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openmikeOpen mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

117 comments on “Open mike 04/05/2016 ”

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  1. The Chairman 1
    4 May 2016 at 8:43 am

    Where do the opposition stand on big data and the investment approach?

  2. Penny Bright 2
    4 May 2016 at 8:45 am

    Seen this?

    A poll on who people want to be Mayor of Auckland:

    http://www.poll-maker.com/results675069x66314137-28#tab-2

    Kind regards

    Penny Bright

    (Her Warship 😉

  3. Puckish Rogue 3
    4 May 2016 at 8:47 am

    John Key learned from Helen Clark and now Andrew Little looks to be learning from John Key:

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/refugee-tweet-not-met-with-littles-kindness-2016050317#ixzz47a1K5V4S

    🙂

  4. adam 4
    4 May 2016 at 8:52 am

    I was just disturbed by some of the comments at the on youtube about the new Ghost busters movie. You know one of those times when you read comments and just think – wow that was some really weird stuff. I was not alone.

    • Puckish Rogue 4.1
      4 May 2016 at 9:17 am

      The problem is the trailer really isn’t any good, the movie may be funny (Spy is one of my fav movies) but the trailer itself looks like shite

      First off the caption 4 scientists at the start (it was three scientists and a blur collar worker) makes it sound as if its in the same universe but it supposedly isn’t

      The ghosts look like they’re straight out of a video game, they then throw in a (what looks like) a whole original scene with original gag, which means theres less to look forward to in the movie, and the gag itself concludes with yet another scene of Melissa McCarthy getting smacked around

      Considering the talents of the women involved the trailer just looks really bad

      Of course that’s just my opinion and it may well be an excuse for some sexist a-holes to vent their spleens, personally I hope the movie is better then the trailer which it could be because I remember not thinking much about Spy with the trailer but the movie was really funny

    • Colonial Viper 4.2
      4 May 2016 at 9:44 am

      AFAIK they’ve fucked up the new Ghost Busters movie.

      They sold it as a sequel to the awesome original – (e.g. they could have brought Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver back in cameo roles helping the new team) but when you look at it hard, it is clearly a total reboot, forgetting that the entire original movie ever happened.

      And I don’t think it will live up to the original.

      Useless.

  5. Penny Bright 5
    4 May 2016 at 9:02 am

    VERY ‘dirty politics’…..

    FYI I have until 4pm today to provide more information to OMSA (Online Media Standards) to back up my complaint against recent articles published by Cameron Slater on his WhaleOil blog regarding Watercare and my property.

    Yesterday, at MY request, Watercare very promptly and efficiently replaced a faulty water meter.

    I should know by next Monday whether or not this water meter was ‘tampered with’.

    It seems that Cameron Slater has ‘sources’ who are, in my view, effectively stalking me, snooping around my property, taking photos and apparently then lying about what they are seeing.

    Not only have I made a complaint to OMSA, I am considering making a formal complaint to Police regarding harassment.

    This is NOT acceptable.

    How would YOU like it?

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

    • Puckish Rogue 5.1
      4 May 2016 at 9:27 am

      Its not like there isn’t justifiable concern here:

      • adam 5.1.1
        4 May 2016 at 10:01 am

        Puckish Rouge, now justifying stalking.

        New low, even for you scared one.

        • Puckish Rogue 5.1.1.1
          4 May 2016 at 10:23 am

          adam, now justifying illegal behaviour.

          .

          • Crashcart 5.1.1.1.1
            4 May 2016 at 10:52 am

            She used the wrong tools. No need for an angle grinder. A pair of good bolt cutters should go through most pad locks. I also hope she is not doing this regularly as she is not using the correct PPE. You should always use gloves with an angle grinder and I couldn’t see if the safety guard was in place.

            I normally skip Penny’s posts as they tend to ramble and what I have seen are normally self serving excuses for why she shouldn’t have to pay her rates or water bills like the rest of us. Not sure why people see her as being different to any tax dodger. Those who don’t pay result in the rest of us having to pay more to make up for the short fall. Just like tax. Maybe I should read a few of her posts to get an idea of what her excuses are.

            • Nick 5.1.1.1.1.1
              4 May 2016 at 10:16 pm

              @Crashcart. Do you mean Penny is like big corporations Google, Apple, etc that have reasons not to pay taxes, and leave it to the rest of us to make up the shortfall…. Those corporations have really good excuses…. Hmmm…. Loans to parent was one recent excuse…. All under the disguise of ‘legal’

          • reason 5.1.1.1.2
            4 May 2016 at 12:41 pm

            If puckish is stalking penny we should give her some tips on what this little creep looks like …….

            [r0b: deleted – completely over the top]

    • save NZ 5.2
      4 May 2016 at 11:42 am

      Penny – lay a police complaint. Slater is a known offender to police in numerous petty and bizarre from Hacking Labour’s computers to illegal name suppression releases and defamation cases. Apparently his own wife claims ” he has no thought of the consequences for himself or others or indeed his family”.

  6. ianmac 6
    4 May 2016 at 9:20 am

    Breaking news:
    “MediaWorks chief executive Mark Weldon has resigned.”

    • ianmac 6.1
      4 May 2016 at 9:23 am

      Which is a bit odd given that last week the Mediaworks Board endorsed him.
      Never mind Mark. Your great mate Key will help you out – unless you taint his PMship in which case he will dump you hard.

      • Puckish Rogue 6.1.1
        4 May 2016 at 9:32 am

        Does seem odd

        • TC 6.1.1.1
          4 May 2016 at 9:41 am

          Not if you look at their ratings, especially around the ‘news’ which ad buyers use as a measure of how valuable the outlet is seen by viewers

      • Ffloyd 6.1.2
        4 May 2016 at 12:12 pm

        I am wondering if Weldon was endorsed so that he could then resign citing personal reasons. This would supposedly save him the indignity of being SACKED!! Karma rules! And the likelihood of a mass walkout. Put JC

  7. Tautoko Mangō Mata 7
    4 May 2016 at 9:33 am

    ACC blockaded by Greenpeace this am.

    “Greenpeace have used six tonnes of dairy sewage to blockade ACC’s multi-storey building in the middle of Wellington.
    Just after 6.45am, six thousand litres of cow urine and other dairy waste, sealed in eight heavy-duty tanks, were placed across the two main entrances into ACC’s offices on Molesworth Street in an escalating row over the government department’s link to the controversial Ruataniwha irrigation scheme in Hawke’s Bay.

    – See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/05/04/six-tonnes-of-dairy-sewage-used-to-blockade-capital-city-acc-office-greenpeace/#sthash.eVxaJGhS.dpuf

    These trucks should then be driven down to the Beehive and used together with a large fan to await the announcement of the select committee report on TPP submissions.

    • Sabine 7.1
      4 May 2016 at 9:37 am

      here,
      have a glass of cow shit.

      🙂

    • Mainlander 7.2
      4 May 2016 at 9:54 am

      according to the latest radio news these muppets are protesting at the wrong building apparently the new ACC offices are somewhere else now and have been moved into recently, will be interesting and rather funny if this is the case
      Great way to protest though somewhat amusing

      • Chooky 7.2.1
        4 May 2016 at 10:22 am

        …more corruption from jonkey nactional

        ….what has ACC funds to do with funding a controversial dam…that most in the community do not want… because it will destroy the rivers and water for everyone?

      • alwyn 7.2.2
        4 May 2016 at 10:26 am

        Perhaps it should be returned to sender.
        Dump it on Russel Norman’s lawn perhaps.
        After his years of throwing the stuff round during his Parliamentary years he should be able to handle it.

    • vto 7.3
      4 May 2016 at 10:03 am

      Ruataniwha…

      The dam will run dry

      The streams running into the dam will run dry.

      The ground will suffer collapse.

      This is the history around the globe.

      …… shame that colonial thinking still holds sway in these islands …….

    • weka 7.4
      4 May 2016 at 10:04 am

      ACC? What?

      • Rosie 7.4.1
        4 May 2016 at 1:28 pm

        Greenpeace claims that ACC are investing in the Ruataniwha dam project:

        http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/303003/litres-of-urine-dumped-in-central-wgtn

        • weka 7.4.1.1
          4 May 2016 at 1:49 pm

          thanks. And wtf? Maybe I’m getting old, but isn’t it really weird to see a government department acting like a big business?

          • Rosie 7.4.1.1.1
            4 May 2016 at 2:25 pm

            It is WTF. Morally questionable that a government department is playing Monopoly when it’s core function is to assist people recovering from injuries and promoting injury prevention. I guess this happens when you’ve “corporation” in your name?

            Must have a lot of dosh floating around since 2008 when they forced patients to part pay for their physio treatments, (usually approximately $30 per session) via the removal of subsidies for physios. Would rather they spend any surplus (and a surplus was announced some time ago from memory) on ACC patients and return fully funded physio, as it always was prior to 2008.

            I am in no doubt that many people have missed out on treatment and are in pain because of this approach.

          • Reddelusion 7.4.1.1.2
            4 May 2016 at 2:26 pm

            Acc are effectively and insurance company they need to invest thier premiums somewhere to pay future claims, in that regard they are no different form any insurance company trying to match thier assets to future liabilities

            • weka 7.4.1.1.2.1
              4 May 2016 at 2:58 pm

              Not really. Insurance companies exist to make money. ACC was a government initiative to make sure people didn’t get left destitute after an accident and to curb the tendancy for NZ to become a litigious society. It’s social security. So completely different.

  8. Chooky 8
    4 May 2016 at 10:18 am

    ‘LEAKED: Explosive TTIP documents expose plans for corporate takeover, dismantled climate protection’

    https://www.rt.com/uk/341690-ttip-leak-documents-greenpeace/

    “Climate protection, jobs, food safety and online privacy rights will be whittled away under the controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), an explosive tranche of leaked documents suggest.

    The leaked texts, which shed light on secretive EU-US trade negotiations, indicate TTIP could tear asunder environmental and consumer protections many Europeans hold dear.

    Greenpeace Netherlands published the documents on Tuesday to dismantle a veil of secrecy over the watershed deal and lay bare its implications for climate protection, human health, labour rights, internet privacy rights and the very social fabric of Europe itself…

    • Tautoko Mangō Mata 8.1
      4 May 2016 at 11:04 am

      Also heartening are these on World Trade Online.

      China’s Foreign Ministry, Knocking Obama TPP Column, Faults U.S. For ‘Narrow Vision’
      “It is China’s stance that world trade rules should be jointly written by all countries, instead of being dictated by any single country.”
      Tue, 5:35 PM

      Following Greenpeace Leak, France’s Hollande Says TTIP May Be Rejected
      “Europe is offering a lot and we are getting very little in return. This is unacceptable,” said France’s minister of state for trade.
      Tue, 5:04 PM

      http://insidetrade.com/

  9. alwyn 9
    4 May 2016 at 10:23 am

    Helen Clark made an apology on behalf of New Zealand to Chinese residents for the way Chinese were treated in New Zealand a century ago.
    I wonder when Little is going to have to do the same on behalf of his party for the way his miserable lot of MPs have been stirring up race hatred?
    When is he going to slap Twyford down?
    Or does Little have the same bigoted views as Phil?
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11632998

    • North 9.1
      4 May 2016 at 10:32 am

      You give more of a fuck about protecting the Fake Man than you do about racism or this young woman. Because you’re a Key-Troll out of Con Troll.

      • alwyn 9.1.1
        4 May 2016 at 12:41 pm

        Usual lies from the idiot North.
        When are you going to put up about the B**S you spout?

        • Reddelusion 9.1.1.1
          4 May 2016 at 2:30 pm

          He can’t because it’s exactly that, BS, to put up would simply be more bs, so don’t encourager him, just treat his mumblings as that of a slightly deranged and unhinged individual

    • Psycho Milt 9.2
      4 May 2016 at 10:42 am

      Your linked article shows a New Zealander of Chinese descent who’s suffering the same disadvantage as other Aucklanders from the government’s refusal to address the problem of foreign purchasers driving up house prices. She also mentions that because the bulk of the foreign purchasers are Chinese, locals are looking with disfavour on anyone who looks Chinese and that’s upsetting for her. I’m sure it is, and it’s a further inevitable consequence of the government’s refusal to address the problem. Relevance of Labour MPs to the problem: 0.

    • Gangnam Style 9.3
      4 May 2016 at 12:43 pm

      Right after Key apologises for the Jihadi Brides bullshit maybe? Or are muslims fair game in good ol’ NZ. (Not in my name!)

  10. Chooky 10
    4 May 2016 at 10:26 am

    Hello I’m from Goldman Sachs and I am here to help you:

    https://www.rt.com/shows/keiser-report/341658-episode-max-keiser-909/

    “In this episode of the Keiser Report, Max and Stacy discuss the nine most terrifying words in the English language: “I’m from Goldman Sachs, and I’m here to help.” They explore why it is that Goldman Sachs Bank USA is so eager to attract small-time depositors.”

    In the second half, Max continues his interview with Jim Rickards about his new book, The New Case for Gold. They look at the SDR (the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights) and why it is that China is accumulating them.”

  11. Draco T Bastard 11
    4 May 2016 at 10:29 am

    The Aluminum Airship of the Future Has Finally Flown

    With a proposed lifting capability of 66 tons and no need for a landing strip, these airships should be able to deliver just about anything just about anywhere in the world. Cargo can either be loaded into the Aeroscraft’s internal cargo bay or slung under the blimp using the company’s proprietary ceiling suspension cargo deployment (CSCD) system. which automatically balances the hanging load to prevent it from swinging around and crashing the dirigible.

    Could be useful in developing stuff in out of the way places without damaging the environment too much. Be great, for example, in installing and maintaining wind turbines pretty much anywhere.

    • alwyn 11.1
      4 May 2016 at 12:48 pm

      Do you have any idea of how it handles in the wind?
      They describe “high speed” as being above 20 mph, which does tend to imply that in a typical Wellington breeze it would go backwards.
      Quite something though, isn’t it. I imagine there will be a few UFO reports after it has been in an area.

      • McFlock 11.1.1
        4 May 2016 at 1:29 pm

        Designed max speed of the prototype is 120kph.

        I suspect that above 20mph they get into aerodynamic stabilisation rather than needing thrust vectoring, tethers, and gas shifting.

        It has a hefty sail area, but they really seem to be concentrating on giving it more control than the old ones in the 1930s, especially at low speed/hover.

        • alwyn 11.1.1.1
          4 May 2016 at 2:00 pm

          Thanks for the link.
          The biggest one proposed, the ML86X sounds more like a couple of super tankers side by side than a plane.
          920 ft long and 355 ft wide!

          • McFlock 11.1.1.1.1
            4 May 2016 at 3:49 pm

            yeah. Thing about airships, like sea ships, is that they actually become more efficient the bigger they get.

            As a comparison, the Hindenberg was 800ftx135ft and had a nominal gross mass of 215tons, rather than the ML86X 500tons.

    • Rolfcopter 11.2
      4 May 2016 at 6:44 pm

      A soon as I saw the green version further in the article, all I could think of was Thunderbird 2

  12. save NZ 12
    4 May 2016 at 10:53 am

    “After the leaks showing what it stands for, this could really be the end for TTIP
    The documents show that US corporations will be granted unprecedented powers over any new public health or safety regulations to be introduced in future. If any European government does dare to bring in laws to raise social or environmental standards, TTIP will grant US investors the right to sue for loss of profits ”

    http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/ttip-leaks-shocking-what-are-they-eu-us-deal-a7010121.html

  13. save NZ 13
    4 May 2016 at 10:55 am

    Six Tonnes of Dairy Sewage Used to Blockade Capital City ACC Office – Greenpeace

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/05/04/six-tonnes-of-dairy-sewage-used-to-blockade-capital-city-acc-office-greenpeace/#sthash.dk6TmEkC.dpuf

    P.s Russel should organise a delivery for parliament

  14. Macro 14
    4 May 2016 at 10:57 am

    Why NZ’s GHG Emissions is never going to reduce under this incompetent and corrupt excuse of a “government”.

    • Draco T Bastard 14.1
      4 May 2016 at 1:39 pm

      This government isn’t incompetent as they’re achieving exactly what they set out to achieve – the sale of NZ and NZers to the worlds rich. We’re becoming serfs to the new aristocracy.

      • Macro 14.1.1
        4 May 2016 at 1:57 pm

        Yes you are totally correct in that assessment. What I should have said was “viewed from the standpoint of were they able to Govern this country for the benefit of its people and the environment, they are completely incompetent.”

  15. Lanthanide 15
    4 May 2016 at 11:14 am

    So it seems that Winston Peters is perfectly happy to talk about potential coalition deals with National ahead of the election – even a full year ahead:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/79349660/has-winston-peters-scuppered-david-carters-chances-of-london-high-commissioner-post

    • Puckish Rogue 15.1
      4 May 2016 at 11:23 am

      I’m surprised Winstons showing his cards this early…still it could mean a bidding war from Labour

      • mac1 15.1.1
        4 May 2016 at 11:44 am

        It could also mean the the Grey Fox is showing what teeth he still has, and how sharp, by dealing to the third most powerful man in the country. Going with National or with Labour/Greens, doesn’t matter at the moment for Winston in this situation.

        It’s two fold. He has Got Carter in payback, and he has shown his teeth.

        “it could mean a bidding war from Labour”. I don’t believe that the Peters/Carter stoush is in any way an indication of what Peters might want in terms of bids, apart from stating that the opening bids should start realistically.

        As for bids, well, Winston never really has had much reserve……..

        • Puckish Rogue 15.1.1.1
          4 May 2016 at 12:59 pm

          The reserve isn’t much but theres always high interest from motivated buyers

    • Jenny Kirk 15.2
      4 May 2016 at 12:51 pm

      The moral of that story is : lefties, do not trust Winston !

      • Puckish Rogue 15.2.1
        4 May 2016 at 1:11 pm

        That someone still has to issue that warning (for the left or right) is a worry

      • McFlock 15.2.2
        4 May 2016 at 1:32 pm

        two morals: don’t assume his support, and Carter might want to be a little less biased if he wants a cushy sinecure after his tenure.

    • weka 15.3
      4 May 2016 at 1:14 pm

      Maybe, but there’s nothing in that article to suggest talks are happening other than the usual beltway journo with an inside source implication. Not that I would be surprised if they were. I’d hope Peters would be talking to Labour too.

    • Macro 15.4
      4 May 2016 at 2:08 pm

      I think that just indicates that that would be one of the “bottom lines” for NZF in any post election discussions. I consider it highly commendable that such persons who have been given golden handshakes to get them out of Parliament should be removed from such positions. I would think that Labour and The Greens would also concur with the sentiments Peters raises here.
      It also gives the snub to that disaster of a “Speaker” – Carter. To reward him with the High Commissioner in London would be a disgrace.

  16. Robert Glennie 16
    4 May 2016 at 12:19 pm

    National fiddles and New Zealand housing is suffering for their fiddling.

    https://willnewzealandberight.com/2016/05/04/government-fiddles-whilst-new-zealand-housing-burns/

    What is so hard about restricting the purchase of property to Permanent Residents and Citizens only?

    • save NZ 16.1
      4 May 2016 at 12:43 pm

      @Robert

      What is so hard about restricting the purchase of property to Permanent Residents and Citizens only?
      It’s “apparently” against ‘free’ trade. The .1% need to be able to buy and control EVERYTHING.

      But also with the highest level of experimental immigration for years in NZ and 67,000 new arrivals last year alone, many trying to gain citizenship and residency here, (including laughably ability to buy investment property as a way to gain citizenship) as well as rumours of bonded labour ands shady immigration practises, the problem is not going to go away but at least a ban would be a start.

      Immigration would be great… if we had the jobs, if we had the houses, if we had the transport… if we had a real skills shortage not just lazy immigration…if the government had put more money into schools, police, hospitals and social security to fund the increase in population….. if transnational profits were not one of our biggest exports….etc

      Go Natz – going for the record in budget deficits and government borrowing…. sarc

      There new slogan should be

      Working to put NZ families out on the street!

    • weka 16.2
      4 May 2016 at 1:17 pm

      “What is so hard about restricting the purchase of property to Permanent Residents and Citizens only?”

      The PM of NZ owns property offshore. He’s hardly likely to be philosophically aligned with banning foreign ownership.

      What would happen to all those holiday homes in NZ owned by people from elsewhere? 😉

  17. Magisterium 17
    4 May 2016 at 12:29 pm

    The Standard seems to have once more been hit with an unexpected outage. Perhaps it’s time to move the site to a proper hosting company that knows what it’s doing?

    • Puckish Rogue 17.1
      4 May 2016 at 1:04 pm

      I read that as “an unexpected outrage”

    • weka 17.2
      4 May 2016 at 1:20 pm

      “Perhaps it’s time to move the site to a proper hosting company that knows what it’s doing?”

      Was that an intentional dig at Lynn?

      • Draco T Bastard 17.2.1
        4 May 2016 at 1:52 pm

        Yes it was.

      • Magisterium 17.2.2
        4 May 2016 at 2:20 pm

        You have to admit though, this site’s uptime is shocking. It feels like a site being served off an old PC in someone’s bedroom.

        • dv 17.2.2.1
          4 May 2016 at 2:21 pm

          May be you could help with a donation.

        • weka 17.2.2.2
          4 May 2016 at 2:57 pm

          Here you go, http://thestandard.org.nz/contact-us/donate/

          Lynn just brought some new hardware, so I’m sure a donation will be handy. I assume the outage today was part of the same issue the other and hence the upgrade he is currently doing.

          • Magisterium 17.2.2.2.1
            4 May 2016 at 8:45 pm

            lol at servers that have outages for “hardware upgrades”, what is this – the twentieth century? VMs, baby.

            • b waghorn 17.2.2.2.1.1
              4 May 2016 at 9:00 pm

              What an increadible dick head you are.

            • dv 17.2.2.2.1.2
              4 May 2016 at 9:03 pm

              Mag – So how much have you donated to help out.

              May be you should do a guest post about how you run a blog site.

              • Magisterium …
                4 May 2016 at 11:24 pm

                People pay me money for my advice on how to run websites, I don’t give it away for free 🙂

                • dv …
                  5 May 2016 at 9:17 am

                  I hope your advice is not as rude as you appear here.

                  lol at servers that have outages for “hardware upgrades”, what is this – the twentieth century? VM

                • dv …
                  5 May 2016 at 9:19 am

                  I hope your advice is not as rude as you appear here.

                  lol at servers that have outages for “hardware upgrades”, what is this – the twentieth century? VM

                  So this is an example of your professional advice then-

                  How much have you donated then to run this site.

            • North 17.2.2.2.1.3
              4 May 2016 at 10:39 pm

              Magisterium I know it’s nigh impossible not to be fabulously magisterial but fuck your meekish superior shit.

    • save NZ 17.3
      4 May 2016 at 1:26 pm

      Probably the huge amount of traffic on the site as people abandon MSM.

  18. Gangnam Style 18
    4 May 2016 at 1:24 pm

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/79349660/has-winston-peters-scuppered-david-carters-chances-of-london-high-commissioner-post

    Winston Peters says he’ll block David Carter’s appointment to diplomatic roles as “undeserved golden handshake”

    Absolutely!

  19. save NZ 19
    4 May 2016 at 1:37 pm

    John Gascoigne: Immigration – what worked for US will fail in NZ

    extract…

    “Accordingly, the absurdity of invoking the American experience in support of our present immigration policies must be self-evident. New Zealand is not America, or Argentina for that matter. However, there are disconcerting parallels between New Zealand and the Argentine experience. For example, the infrastructural costs of an additional million people crowding into Auckland would be astronomical. Those costs will be met by the resident population. The hugely detrimental environmental effects, let alone the impacts on housing and social cohesion, must also be considered.

    America has always beckoned as the land of unlimited opportunity. By contrast, in an increasingly uncertain world, New Zealand beckons as the perfect bolthole. A sunny place for shady foreigners. And a back door entry to Australia, if required.

    The highly adverse effects from our present immigration policies are now glaringly apparent. Our resources, unlike America’s, are finite. Accordingly, the argument that more of the same will eventually lead to diametrically opposite and hugely beneficial outcomes all round is, quite simply, totally implausible.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11632895

    • Draco T Bastard 19.1
      4 May 2016 at 2:04 pm

      Yep, real economics gets in the way of the dreams of avarice that NZ politicians routinely engage in.

      We have enough resources to keep a reasonable population at reasonable living standard indefinitely. Going above that reasonable population level must result in the decrease of that reasonable living standard. IMO, that ‘reasonable population’ for NZ is about 4 million people. It may stretch to 6 million but beyond that is likely to be unsustainable.

  20. Gangnam Style 20
    4 May 2016 at 3:01 pm

    Keys “ethical” “lawyer” criticised by judge for a “far from satisfactory” explanation regarding why he “witnessed” a signature made in Las Vegas while he was in New Zealand, as well as evidence with inconsistencies.

    – from http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/79453991/John-Keys-lawyer-linked-to-sham-trust-involved-in-failed-Auckland-property-development

    • maui 20.1
      4 May 2016 at 4:22 pm

      Feel sorry for John he seems to attract some really bad people in his life, from lawyers, waitresses, gossip journos to hate bloggers. It has to be just bad luck..

    • Tiger Mountain 20.2
      4 May 2016 at 4:53 pm

      the article is full of head shakingly disturbing stuff but really is a lawyer witnessing a signature signed in Las Vegas while he was sitting in Auckland a hanging offence?
      give Whitney a break–drumroll–oh thats right this is real life not “Better call Saul”

      • Gangnam Style 20.2.1
        4 May 2016 at 5:34 pm

        I wonder if Whitney designed Keys “Blind Trust” too.

        • Muttonbird 20.2.1.1
          4 May 2016 at 9:05 pm

          Good question, and one I hope Nippert and Fisher keep asking on our behalf.

    • Colonial Viper 20.3
      4 May 2016 at 10:53 pm

      This was always the tact that Labour should have taken in attacking Key: what is the PM doing mixed up with a firm and with a lawyer who specialises in tax avoidance schemes.

      Not – his lawyer’s not really a lawyer any more, not since February! Horrors!

      Geeezus utterly hopeless and braindead

  21. North 21
    4 May 2016 at 5:44 pm

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/79453991/John-Keys-lawyer-linked-to-sham-trust-involved-in-failed-Auckland-property-development

    Tiger Mountain – a hanging offence to do the witnessing 7000 miles away from the signing ? If it’s not here’s the hanging offence – being on oath in front of a High Court judge and telling him/her that “in the presence of” can mean 7,000 miles away if you think you know the signature.

    This from a lawyer of round about 40 years experience ? That’s so pathetic it might have been conceived by the loathsome Fake Man himself.

    • Graeme 21.1
      4 May 2016 at 7:13 pm

      No wonder he resigned from the Bar. Got in first?

      • Pat 21.1.1
        4 May 2016 at 7:37 pm

        that thought crossed my mind…..and I note he is still referred to as JKs lawyer by all and sundry.

    • Graeme 21.2
      5 May 2016 at 10:42 am

      Following this through when I got a bit more time and it’s getting even smellier.

      The guy the Whitney was telling porkies (witness in absentia) for was Rob Nielsen, who has serious form around Queenstown for “failed” property developments in the 00’s. There’s a lot of people here who would like to have a talk to him…

      So Whitney got himself in a difficult position in the High Court in late August 2014, and resigns from the bar in Feb 2016. The time frame would be about right for things working through the Law Society, hopefully someone wiht the resources will have a dig here.

      But there’s also the ethical issue of assisting an undischarged bankrupt, and known commercial hazard, to engage in business and effectively circumvent the OA.

      From Wylie J judgment https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/pdf/jdo/b4/alfresco/service/api/node/content/workspace/SpacesStore/87c59959-7ff4-48be-9731-653c4f3537e3/87c59959-7ff4-48be-9731-653c4f3537e3.pdf

      “Conclusion
      [129] Looking at all of these various indicia in the round, in my judgment, the Rosebud Trust was a sham trust from the outset. It was never intended to effect the rights and obligations of the parties in the way that a valid trust would. The intention from the outset was to mislead, to conceal Mr Nielsen’s identity and to enable him to carry on business in this country, notwithstanding his bankruptcy. It follows that the trust was void ab initio.”

      How the hell does this square with Key’s statement that Whitney was “highly ethical” and that was why he chose him as his lawyer

  22. logie97 22
    4 May 2016 at 8:22 pm

    Key and McClay cannot get their ducks in a line over the newly revealed
    “trusted-ethical-personal–lawyer-of-many-years” shyster Whitney, and who said what at where and when and how it was said.

    Perhaps it might be helpful to know how Whitney of the “sham trusts” knew of an IRD investigation/review of the International trust business in the first place? Surely he didn’t learn about the review over a little coffee chat with his confidant, PM John Key.

  23. Paul 23
    4 May 2016 at 8:38 pm

    Wonder how Paul Henry is feeling?

    • Rodel 23.1
      4 May 2016 at 9:39 pm

      Perhaps looking to a future in Australia ?

      • Muttonbird 23.1.1
        4 May 2016 at 9:42 pm

        Paul Henry would be a good fit in Australia. He makes Peter Dutton look like Mother Teresa.

      • North 23.1.2
        4 May 2016 at 10:46 pm

        No. His “Australia” failed a year or more ago. That’s why he’s back here. Mind you all sins forgiven when he ferals the Fake Man. Which he will do , for brilliant, brilliant ‘fun’. Having silently, cunningly, assessed the tide.

  24. North 24
    4 May 2016 at 9:21 pm

    Please Paul @ 23 – “………Wonder how Paul Henry is feeling?”
    – even the question is dangerous to my health. Potential die laughing !

    Reckon he’s feeling like a bit of a miffed chipmunk at the moment actually, head nervously swivelling, sniffing the air, tail fanning, reaching for (celebrity) nuts to nibble on.

    I’ll tell you though……..when Henry starts getting bitchily feral at Key (and it will happen – Henry though weirdly an ‘unkind fun’ practitioner is not without a gram of moral, philosophical stripe)…….that’s when we’ll know the Fake Man is the Fukd Man.

    Hilarious times ahead. As someone said the other day…….” the rats are all eating themselves. ” Brilliant mind’s eye !

  25. North 25
    4 May 2016 at 10:21 pm

    Oh Muttonbird I was in a dairy SH 1 Ohaeawai today and a guy whom I know came in for a “mockingbird” but of course it was a muttonbird he was after so we all had a bloody good old laugh and it was great. My recall came from seeing the name “Muttonbird” above the magnificent brevity “Fat.” Crack up ! Seems like John’s letting everyone who loved him slip down the sludge hole. Punks got scammed. Good Job !