Open mike 04/06/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 4th, 2016 - 78 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

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 …

78 comments on “Open mike 04/06/2016 ”

  1. Paul 1

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, selfish, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    ‘One in 100 Kiwis homeless, new study shows numbers quickly rising
    Homelessness in New Zealand has been skyrocketing and now a new study proves just how big the issue is.
    The “severely housing deprived” had accelerated from 2006 to 2013, says a study by University of Otago, Wellington.
    At least one in every 100 Kiwis were homeless in 2013, this included those living with family and friends.
    This figure had increased from 2006 data which showed one in every 120 people were homeless, while in 2001, this was at one in 130 people.’

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/80719962/one-in-100-kiwis-homeless-new-study-shows-numbers-quickly-rising

    • Stunned mullet 1.1

      Of that 1/100 derived from census returns aren’t 70% or so living with friends or family ?

      • Paul 1.1.1

        Paula Bennett, John Key, stunned mullet……

        All in denial over the issue of homelessness in New Zealand.
        Part of the cruel, selfish, uncaring and cruel section of the populace poisoned by the antisocial neoliberal cult.

      • DoublePlusGood 1.1.2

        Have you not been to the CBD of Auckland or Wellington, Stunned Mullet?

        • Paul 1.1.2.1

          Probably is driven through it in his SUV with the tinted windows up while staring at his IPhone.

          Look up

      • gsays 1.1.3

        tha’ts right sm, and the rest don’t want help, dear leader told us.

  2. Well here’s something… which makes me kinda angry…

    Phil Goffs little plan to relocate the Ports of Auckland to other areas – including places like Murawai…not only does it pander to Keys agenda to make Auckland city council have to sell off public assets and … privatize the ports… ( to the tune of 3-5 billion dollars ) it falls all too conveniently within the tax bribe of Keys 3 billion tax bribes…

    So as Goff feigns opening up of areas for ‘ housing’ he assists Key in forcing Auckland city council to raise funds by selling off assets.

    I would say that for the man who was given ‘dispensation’ to agree to disagree and cross the floor to vote with National regards the TTPA he has already shown his true colours. I would suggest that Labour cut off the neo liberal darlings in order to purge the neo liberal from the MOU.

    Else , in disagreeing with old seadogs and in an era of more pragmatic rationalism he is found to be wanting. It is for no small reason that the Maori named the Waitemata the ‘ feminine ‘ harbour and the Manukau the ‘ masculine ‘ harbour…

    Cosmopolitans such as Goff have absolutely no clue when they speak of relocating the main ports of Auckland to such places as the Thames and Murawai. Absolutely no idea of the treacherous shifting sands and bars of these waterways. And the colossal amount of funds needed to keep those waterways free from obstruction. And even then… the total impracticality of those locations to begin with.

    The Orpheus cries out from its grave as testament to Goff’s folly…and its prophetic fulfillment is thus :

    • weka 2.1

      good points Katipo. I moved your comment to Open Mike as it was too off topic for the Green AGM thread.

      • WILD KATIPO 2.1.1

        I would say… that in a way it was… however… if Labour is to tolerate subversives such as Goff, and hand out special treatment as such, – with special dispensations to cross the floor to vote for the TTPA… that it would behoove Labour to monitor carefully the tightrope they are walking…

        As Goff becomes a liability to the whole concept of the MOU.

        They are effectively saying one thing , – yet allowing such subversives like Goff to undermine confidence in the MOU as a genuine movement away from the supply side/ starve the beast model of neo liberal economics.

        The whole concept of Goff advocating selling off of the Ports of Auckland plays right into the hands of Keys govt in demanding Auckland council sell off assets to fund infrastructure.

        And as for suggesting such ludicrous locations as Murawai???!!!

        Good lord!!!….does the man not know his history ???…

        Has he not heard of the Orpheus ???

        The mans mad!

    • Ad 2.2

      The Ports of Auckland operation could be shifted to Tauranga and to Marsden Point.

      Goff would not have to sell Ports of Auckland land to do it – instead he could turn all of that land into the next waterfront development – just as the current one is ready to go into construction. It’s the operations that would be divested.

      Granted it would take quite some funding of Kiwirail to form the track to Marsden, and further hundreds of millions to upgrade the northern line. Probably also it would need the Avondale-Onehunga line paralleling SH20 to do it as well. None of them easy tasks, until you compare them to the SH1 expressway programme accelerated for Wellsford-Whangrei within NZTA.

      Many of those moves would take three terms of central and local government commitment to achieve – so nothing to get too anxious about for a while.

      • WILD KATIPO 2.2.1

        Well I do hope your right, another poster suggested Northland if it could be done, so there’s Tauranga way as well. As for Ports needing to be sold I’m pretty sure it would. But any suggestion of major Ports anywhere on the West coast is out of the question , I’m surprised it was even looked at. There would be calamity after calamity , mark my words. An outrageous suggestion.

    • Stuart Munro 2.3

      I remember coming into the Manukau late one night, with a skipper new to it. He had 3 crew with torches out on the whaleback and must’ve lost a kilo just in sweat getting in. Smart fellow too, he’d been pushing boats for twenty years.

  3. Once was Tim 3

    Essential listening for the politicians (and probably the voting public):
    Natrad Saturday with Kim Hill
    Dr Dacher Keltner is the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of the 2009 book, Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life, consulted on the 2015 Pixar film Inside Out, and his new book is The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence (Penguin).

    Podcast not up yet

  4. Com’on , chap post what needs to be posted.

    Its not only shifting the ports…. its lives as well.

    [Good points, but off topic, moved to Open Mike] – weka

    • weka 4.1

      I moved it to Open Mike. Good points but too off topic.

      • WILD KATIPO 4.1.1

        Yes …I can understand… my point is … that often at the sake of political expediency…and a little lack of convenient joining of the dots… the consequences of overlooking the pragmatics can lead to the loss of lives… I need not remind you of the loss of 29 lives at Pike River due mainly to the destruction of unions ( aka the Employment Contacts Act or the later Employment Relations Act ) and lack of union mines inspectors monitoring conditions…

        And I find it quite… pertinent that the Edmond Fitzgerald also lost 29 lives… and you know as well that if integrity is to have its place in the MOU… if workers are to account for anything in this equation… then all things must therefore be considered. Not just political expediencies.

      • WILD KATIPO 4.1.2

        Aye…well then Weka… I guess I’ll have to run with yer… I just wish… there was more a clamp down on the devious and the insipidly dishonest. With playing with honest men and women’s lives and dressing it up as bright ideas instead of calling it the deceptive plans it is… I don’t truck that sort of forked tongued weakness. Its sickening.

  5. Paul 5

    The Herald fawns over the rich. My, don’t they have a tough life?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11648864

    • whispering kate 5.1

      Hi Paul. There’s another article in the paper today about a couple who experience for the weekend really high end luxury living. Sick-making really when so many are in real need, like rubbing their faces in it. We cancelled our Herald over two years ago because of the tripe and trivia which was being delivered each morning to our place. Bias and rigged for the Government we no longer could stand it. Since then we have been hounded by their marketing team and each time they get a barrage from me about how we do not need social gossip, health issues, travel ideas etc – that we want a “proper” newspaper. Last week we were offered a week’s free with home delivery of the newspaper, so for a bit of a laugh really we said okay.

      Well I can tell you it has gone from bad to worse – I just cannot believe that New Zealanders can read this drivel every day and soak it in for real. The editorial writers are a disgrace and the only use these newspapers are going to be for us is lining for our cat’s overnight litter tray.

      And, they are going to be getting a email from me addressed to the owner’s of the paper saying its an insult to the people of NZ that they have fed this crap to read every day.

      • Paul 5.1.1

        And another article about a fight over $20 million Waiheke Island farm.
        The adventures of the rich and famous.

        Go back to sleep New Zealand.

  6. Bearded Git 6

    Actually, for a change, Claire Trevett’s piece in the Herald today is almost fair, and I mean almost. Worth a read.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11650364

    Suddenly Little is smart enough to have his caucus totally under control and he has unified the opposition…meanwhile Key’s popularity is dropping…is Claire reading the runes and seeing change?

    • She’d be an idiot not to… if she knows what side her bread is buttered on… and like all primeval organisms … she can sniff the breeze to smell the carcass to her own advantage.

      • tc 6.1.1

        Yes maybe she’s seen penguins polling otherwise she’d be putting the boot in like earlier in the week.

        Someone else probably drew the dogwhistle round this cycle like soper and wifey who have been busy.

  7. ropata 7

    Searing edition of Waatea 5th estate last night

    Discussing: “Housing”, “Labour Green Memorandum”, and “Economy Meltdown”

    Former Labour Party Leader, current MP for New Lynn and people’s hero – David Cunliffe
    Winner of best columnist at the Canon media awards – the brilliant Rachel Stewart
    The best MP in the NZ First Party – Tracy Martin
    Political commentator, blogger and author – Comrade Chris Trotter
    And NZ First bad boy – blogger and commentator – Curwen Rolinson

    • That,… was a particularly good showing… the speakers articulated their opinions with clarity.

      And the good will was evident. I was quite impressed with Curwen Rowlinson. Equally impressed at the general sense of unanimity among all of them. Also David Cunliffe, he showed a real power as a headperson in humility and facilitating of the collective desire to work cohesively.

      Rachael Stewart was total business . Refreshing, … and was the perfect contrast to Chris Trotters more measured and pensive analysis of the events unfolding.

      Excellent stuff.

    • ianmac 7.2

      Pretty good Ropata. Worth the listen. Upbeat for the Left.

    • Bearded Git 7.3

      Thanks for posting that Ropata-brilliant.

      It was good to hear Trotter at the end saying how important it was for the Nats to lose in 2017 because they are out of ideas (they never had many) and that the ideas they have got and cannot help pursuing are making the country’s problems worse.

      • Gangnam Style 7.3.1

        Great episode, all were good, even Trotter. I have always like Tracey Martin, utterly underrated in my opinion. & Curwen is great, an awesome young man.

        “Seeing people sleeping in their cars breaks my heart” – totally how I feel.

        • ropata 7.3.1.1

          Yep, and the sentiment that “this is not a New Zealand that I recognise”.
          The analysis of the Nat voting mindset was particularly good.

          I agree with Cunliffe, the economy is hollow & the only thing giving us the illusion of GDP growth is record immigration levels & a foreign investment bubble. We are at a tipping point

  8. Jenny 9

    Arise Sir Winston, Prime Minister of New Zealand?

    TRACY WATKINS
    Last updated 05:00, June 4 2016

    “It may even have been put on the table already if the chit chat about talks on the side between NZ First and National go-betweens is true.”

    TRACY WATKINS
    Last updated 05:00, June 4 2016

    Tracey Watkins gives us her opinion of the chance of Winston Peters becoming Prime Minister.

    Though I had not been articulated it as bluntly as Watkins has, it had been stuck in the back of my mind as well. Here and Here

    But unlike Watkins I had not imagined that this would be a bauble that the Labour/Greens would be offering Peters, but instead would be a sweetener offered by the National/ACT/Peter Dunne cabal.

    What form this would take would be hard to say. The most likely would be a power sharing arrangement where for the first half of the next government’s term John Key would remain Prime Minister to be replaced by the premiership of Sir Winston for the second half.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/80719055/arise-sir-winston-prime-minister-of-new-zealand

    • ianmac 9.1

      Given the venom exuded by the Key Government to de-seat Winston in 2008, it is hard to imagine National welcoming him back into the fold let alone as PM. But Politics is a weird pit. Have him in or loose the election. Mmmm.

      • Jenny 9.1.1

        When a week in politics is a long time, 2008 is somewhere in the Jurassic period.

        Sure the Nats were sore at losing their previously safest of safe National electorates to Winston Peters.

        But I am not aware of much venom coming from National toward Winston Peters these days.

    • Bearded Git 9.2

      Never-they might offer Peters deputy PM though.

    • Wayne 9.3

      Surely this is much more likely with a left based govt.
      It is credible for the PM to come from a party on say 15%, with Labour on say 30%. But it would look ridiculous if the larger party was on 45%.
      The idea of WP being the PM for say the first 18 months has been widely mooted, but almost invariably on a NZF/Labour coalition. I guess the Greens would get something, but nothing too substantial in such a deal.

  9. Paul 10

    If you are told not to report the pressing social issues in John Key’s New Zealand, this is what the corporate press finds to distract you.

    ‘US woman finds human remains in secondhand freezer’
    ‘Distinctive Porsche stolen from Sydney home”
    ‘The Bachelor’s Naz apologises to the nation video’

    Go back to sleep New Zealand………

    • Paul 10.1

      Let us not forget.
      The media puppets are complicit in the crimes being perpetuated on the vulnerable of New Zealand today.

    • greywarshark 10.2

      Paul
      +1
      In all the media in all the world, those items have to walk into ours. When can we concentrate on our learning about our own interesting little country.?

      People internationally do, but we can’t think about our own lives and nation and analyse what to do, too much dull cultural cringe, and cargo culting waiting for the more advanced nations, we think, to bring us news from their home and to teach us their advanced ways.

      But home is where the heart is. Media bring us news from our heart-land. Or get out of the country back to your owners in your corporate headquarters you bunch of toadies, mercenaries and confidence tricksters.
      edited

  10. The Chairman 11

    Labour and the Greens say this (the MoU) is not a monogamous relationship.

    Little said he would welcome any other party committed to changing the government.

    Should the Mana Party accept this invitation?

    Would Labour now be willing to work with Mana to ensure Hone wins Te Tai Tokerau?

    Thoughts?

    • b waghorn 11.1

      They didn’t help Hone last time, if he dumps the internet party he might get my vote.

    • Bill 11.2

      If … and this may be the case…one of the motivations for the MoU was to effectively neuter the right wing within Labour’s caucus, then sure, why not?

      • The Chairman 11.2.1

        This open invitation has put Labour in an interesting predicament.

        As highlighted by b waghorn, Labour weren’t prepared to assist Hone last time, therefore, has this open invitation now changed that?

        If so, then it could be an attempt to neuter the right within.

        I’m surprised Hone hasn’t accepted this open invitation. It would get him and his Party back in the media spotlight while allowing him policy input.

        • Bill 11.2.1.1

          I’m surprised Hone hasn’t accepted this open invitation.

          Thing is – Hone isn’t a part of any parliamentary presence. And the ‘invitation’ would appear to extend no further than parliament.

          • The Chairman 11.2.1.1.1

            ”The ‘invitation’ would appear to extend no further than parliament.”

            How did you come to that conclusion, Bill?

            • Bill 11.2.1.1.1.1

              There has been a mention of non-parliamentary parties (NGOs or such like) being invited on board? If there has been, I missed it.

              • The Chairman

                Little saying he would welcome any other party committed to changing the government sounds like an open invitation to me.

  11. b waghorn 12

    Any techies out there got advice on a cheapish basic laptop brand that would suit a cave man who only does basic stuff on it.
    Cheers

    • ropata 12.1

      get one with SSD. forget touch screen. try a second hand Macbook…

      • b waghorn 12.1.1

        Ssd ?

        • joe90 12.1.1.1

          SSD.

          • b waghorn 12.1.1.1.1

            Cheers

            • greywarshark 12.1.1.1.1.1

              My source says that SSD tends to be on the more expensive ones, but not always. Thought that would help

              This looked packed with information. too much?
              http://www.storagereview.com/ssd_vs_hdd

              • greywarshark

                bwaghorn
                I seem to remember that you are sheep oriented = a shepherd?
                This was on Radionz this morning.

                http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201803333
                Philip Armstrong: sheep
                9:05 AM.Kim Hill talks to the Head of the Department of English at the University of Canterbury, and co-director of New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies about his new book, Sheep.

                There was interesting stuff about whether sheep are bright and if not why not. The clever ones are a problem and get put down. They have been seen rolling on their backs to get under an electric fence to better grazing.
                Or lifting the bar on the gate to get in with the rest of the flock to the tasty vegetable garden. And I think rolling across a cattle stop.

                • b waghorn

                  On the road at the mo will listen if I get a chance.
                  My view is sheep and cattle are bright in their own way but easily panicked but as you say being overly clever/cheeky is likely to shorten their lives

                  Cheer’s for those who gave a few computer tips

    • ropata 12.2

      These 2 look pretty good.
      http://www.trademe.co.nz/1098036671
      http://www.trademe.co.nz/1096885684

      Dell XPS models always get good reviews. Never owned one myself.
      They are both $799 refurbs. The first one has 256GB SSD (making it v. speedy), the other has a big 500GB HDD & a larger screen.

  12. Gabby 13

    Can Mana be trusted not to fuck up mightily this time around?

  13. greywarshark 15

    Gangnam Style
    Thanks for comments on mine 2/6/16 on callous disdaining attitude to a young mother becoming pregnant a second time and being in dire conditions
    Very good comment greywarshark, whenever I see this kind of comment from our less emphatic compatriots (“why do they have babies if they are poor/homeless/not me?”) I am reminded of this little clip from 30 Rock. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCYPqrmLwqs

    That’s a cutting piece of social comment from 30 Rock. You may have heard the interview on Radionz today Saturday, about studies on how the effects of having much money and power distorts or demolishes the human connections between classes.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201803328 29.12 m
    Dacher Keltner: power and corruption
    8:12 AM.Kim Hill talks to the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, whose new book is The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence.

    Then there was a description of how the bullying, callous attitudes of Australian politicians is formed, in special self-funded college within at one, (perhaps more), university which the institution can’t control. I thought of the recent hooligan behaviour at a NZ airport, of some boys from a sports team of an eminent education institution here where parents challenged its right to control their children’s behaviour to an accepted civil standard.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201803330 15.54 m.
    Van Badham: privilege in Australia
    8:45 AM.Kim Hill talks the Australian theatre-maker, novelist, social commentator, and columnist for Guardian Australia, who has written widely about privilege and politics.

    The rise of the rich, the bowing to and encouraging of individualistic, self-centred, hedonism or simplistic narrow self-interest is behind the lack of concern by both men and women about others’ suffering here in NZ. And it is being taught and reinforced in elite educational establishments, and I expect soon, military schools. The lack of socialisation of these children shows up in the lack of respect for others and condoning assaults, sexual violations, stealing through fraud, corruption becoming common amongst the better-off.

    (And can I ask that more people put a bracket in front of their youtube offerings. The posts being filled with black boxes, some without any comment or explanation is destructive to the worth of a discussion site.
    edited

    • Gangnam Style 15.1

      Thank you, interesting stuff.

      I was hoping the ‘joke’ wasn’t too black…Slightly off topic but I can’t recommend Tina Feys book enough, I actually heard the audio book read by her, amazingly funny & political & fascinating & so, so honest.

      I say the ‘jump back up your mother’, whenever I hear the ‘poor people shouldn’t have babies’ vacuous bile, simple pleasures are the best.

    • The New Bapsae 15.2

      “…a really strong social welfare system that didn’t limit how high you could climb, but it did certainly stop how far you could fall”
      I almost wept.

      • greywarshark 15.2.1

        The New Bapsae
        I haven’t read you before. I hope your comment at 15.2 is heartfelt, and not sarky – the quote would be my ideal for a social welfare system.

  14. adam 16

    Teehee, God this is Brilliant.

  15. adam 18

    59 Seconds of sound advise to win any argument for a Social democrat, Socialist or anarchist against any Tory.

  16. Ad 19

    OMG I’m at the Warriors game and they’re winning against the Broncos! Bookies getting wrinsed tonight.

  17. whateva next? 20

    Meanwhile on Planet Key:
    https://t.co/GLK7RH1ZeR, I can’t even be bothered to think, “FFS”

  18. Macro 21

    JFK responds: “Look! At the end of the day, what is a million bucks? How many kids would that sort of chicken feed, feed? Ok! so it might buy 10 2 bedroom relocatable cabins with showers and full kitchen and stuff – enough to house the 8 carloads of people in one carpark sleeping in cars who don’t want to be helped. But think of the money my mates will make hosting a golf tournament. AND the photo ops! I could be famous shaking hands with a famous winner. It’s good to be seen with winners. And let’s face it – Hungry kids and homeless people are losers – no votes there.”

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.