Open Mike 05/03/2018

98 comments on “Open Mike 05/03/2018 ”

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1. eco maori 1

   5 March 2018 at 6:45 am

   Good morning Duncan on the AM Show TV3 m
   Mark said Labour and Green support the ttp 11 contract.
   The greens are not supporting the ttp11
   And i have seen poles that show 54% of people are against this connetract.
   We have seen what companies do in country’s with now laws this contract is going to give these companies the power to act behave as if they are above the law in New Zealand.
   Ka kite ano
   • tracey 1.1

     5 March 2018 at 8:28 am

     Mark was a cricket player. Now he “i reckon” for a living. Nuff said.
2. tracey 2

   5 March 2018 at 8:31 am

   Read the following in a stuff comment. Woukd be interested to know if others are hearing the same whispers?

   “Worse still NZ, the Waitangi Estate, that 1000 acres gifted to the people of NZ by Lord Bledisloe all those years ago – you know, the place that a small piece of paper was signed by many that made NZ a nation, the place that we all own. Well, there are plans afoot, under the radar right now of course, to build a hotel complex for the same type of people that are spoken of in this article, the elite. Coincidentally there happens to be a decent golf course frequented by many Kiwis out for a hit and a giggle within metres of this proposed complex that will also be gobbled up. No doubt for the good of all NZers of course, but only for the super rich of good character for sure.

   Too bad about the views that are unrivalled in this country, the historic significance, the serenity, or the fact that it is a place enjoyed by everyone. No, we will likely see high fences and gated areas to protect the privacy and enjoyment of those few able to afford it.

   Every Kiwi should be talking about this – friends, neighbours, even visitors to our land that such a proposal could even be considered. Write to your MP, even you deep south people, because once this starts, where will it stop? There is a reason this is being kept quiet you know.  

   “
   • James 2.1

     5 March 2018 at 9:35 am

     I wouldn’t put too much weight on the comments section of stuff.
     • Tracey 2.1.1

       5 March 2018 at 9:47 am

       Which is why I am throwing it out there to see what has been heard. This seems quite specific.
     • Chris 2.1.2

       5 March 2018 at 10:17 am

       So every comment’s shite?
       • James 2.1.2.1

         5 March 2018 at 11:17 am

         Not at all. But I would be surprised if it’s true. It just doesn’t pass the “sniff test”.
   • veutoviper 2.2

     5 March 2018 at 10:53 am

     I would be very surprised if this was true in light of the nature of the land, its status vis a vis the gifting of it by the Bledisloes in 1932, the legislation relating to the land and its historical significance.

     Why don’t you do some research yourself , tracey? A quick Google brought up a number of links which look worth following through but I’m not doing it as have other priorities. But here is one I looked at which gives some good background to the Waitangi Estate and its two types of land etc

     https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/51SCMA_ADV_00DBHOH_BILL12851_1_A421951/31106c55f6c5ab0ff8165497c8db74cc2c79bdd4

     This is a PDF which is a Departmental Submission in 2015 by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage to the Maori Affairs Select Committee re proposed changes to the Waitangi National Trust Act 1932. The WNT Act incorporated the Waitangi National Trust Board, vested the 500-hectare WNT estate in it, and conferred powers on the Board. The proposed 2015 amendments related to technical changes to the Board membership provisions relating to the Governor-General, PM etc.

     I don’t know whether these membership provisions were passed by Parliament in 2015 (haven’t checked) but the PDF contains some very clear explanations about the 506 hectares owned by the WNT; and the adjourning 545 hectare Endowment land also gifted by the Beldisloes in 1932.

     These explanations start at para 18 onwards and there is also a good map on page 18. So there is a good start for someone to do more research.

     https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/51SCMA_ADV_00DBHOH_BILL12851_1_A421951/31106c55f6c5ab0ff8165497c8db74cc2c79bdd4

     A bit more about the WNT here, including more background re the Bledisloe gifting of the land.
     http://www.waitangi.org.nz/waitangi-national-trust/about-the-trust

     But the Act is probably the key to whether any of that could be dispersed for the uses suggested. I very much doubt it.
     • patricia bremner 2.2.1

       5 March 2018 at 12:06 pm

       Hi veutoviper, hope your’e getting on top of the cause of your pain. So understand. Our youngest son now 50, was diagnosed with coeliac disease 8 mths ago. That often causes irritable bowel and diviticulitus along with the illness which goes with it.
       He has done everything to help himself now he knows, and it is 6 months since he was last in hospital with dehydration. He is well now as he shops online from the coeliac’s section of his supermarket in AUS, and got his own toaster,bread knife etc. But some conditions people think of as minor can have major impacts.

       Those who kindly told me the timetable to a hip operation. Well I have had my Xrays 2 weeks back. Have been told it is in a dangerous state by my Dr. So now I am awaiting the Specialist to “Look” and “Date stamp” my application as being in the next 4 months for an operation. Long slow wait.
       • veutoviper 2.2.1.1

         5 March 2018 at 12:34 pm

         Hi Patricia – much better and caused by similar but different autoimmune disease to your son, Want to discuss this (and hip) more but conscious that this is in no way related to the subject of tracey’s post and thread. LOL
         Will figure out how we can talk more elsewhere …
         • patricia bremner 2.2.1.1.1

           5 March 2018 at 1:38 pm

           Cheers.
3. eco maori 3

   5 March 2018 at 9:57 am

   Morning Rumble Rock radio Roger I have just made a check m8 move against the sandflys the music on the weekend was excellent Kia kaha guys Ka kite ano
4. James 4

   5 March 2018 at 10:03 am

   http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/03/cptpp-fears-the-government-has-rolled-over-says-critic-jane-kelsey.html

   The Government has rolled over – Dr Jane Kelsey.

   Reading the article it would be interesting to know what’s suspended and will be back in the agreement if the US decides to join.

   It could be a very smart move by the US to get a stronger position.
   • tracey 4.1

     5 March 2018 at 10:08 am

     Of course they have rolled over. I am just surprised a supporter of the Nats now cites Kelsey to support their premise 😉
     • James 4.1.1

       5 March 2018 at 10:29 am

       I disagree with her on the benefits of the TPP – but agree that this government has done a complete back flip.
       • McFlock 4.1.1.1

         5 March 2018 at 11:44 am

         whereas she can’t know if they’ve “rolled over”, or to what degree, without the additional side letters.
       • gsays 4.1.1.2

         5 March 2018 at 5:05 pm

         You got plenty of room for your jig on that pin, James?
         • James 4.1.1.2.1

           5 March 2018 at 8:48 pm

           No dancing. I’ve always been for the tpp.

           So do you think that labour have done a U – turn on the tpp now they are all for signing it ?
5. James 5

   5 March 2018 at 10:08 am

   All politicians should keep out of crap like dancing with the stars.

   Now we have a labour MP actively asking to be on it.

   http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/03/the-labour-mp-who-wants-to-be-on-dancing-with-the-stars.html

   Love the fact he didn’t click the article was satire (especially as the have satire in bold as the first word).
   • tracey 5.1

     5 March 2018 at 10:14 am

     What? No Max Key or Mark Richardson?
     • James 5.1.1

       5 March 2018 at 10:30 am

       Perhaps they are both smarter than the MPs who are dumb enough to go (or try to go) on this show.
       • alwyn 5.1.1.1

         5 March 2018 at 10:46 am

         Don’t be so mean James.
         The MPs we are blessed(?) with are meant to represent the people of New Zealand. Thus they have to include some who are, shall we say, a few cards short of a full deck.
         Any current MP who wants to go in for this show clearly qualifies as a representative of those citizens.
     • alwyn 5.1.2

       5 March 2018 at 10:36 am

       I’ve heard a rumour that a Meteria Turei was keen on the idea though.
       Hasn’t got much on her plate these days apparently.
       • Psycho Milt 5.1.2.1

         5 March 2018 at 10:46 am

         Any relation to Metiria Turei? I expect not, seeing as that Turei’s still busy working for the Green Party.
         • alwyn 5.1.2.1.1

           5 March 2018 at 11:21 am

           I asked but I was assured the person they were interested in was named Meteria.
           My source also told me that the program generally liked to use people who were known to the public. They were very unlikely to have a place for your friend who he said he had never heard of.
           Tell her not to get discouraged though. There must be something out there that she can do in the way of real work and she will be able to give up play-acting.
   • Bill 5.2

     5 March 2018 at 11:15 am

     To be fair James, he obviously didn’t read the article, but had received information that came from the article.

     But yeah. Maybe NZ Politics should come with a satire tag all of its own.
6. eco maori 6

   5 March 2018 at 10:43 am

   ECO MAORIs Kiwi Bank ac 389019048573100 Please help me to sort the nz police out

   I decided against trying to use PayPal to receive donations .I decided to copy
   Thestandards safe way of appealing and receiving donations I set up a Kiwi Bank AC
   So he tangata the people of Aoteraoroa New Zealand who support ECO MAORI can use internet banking to make donations and know that there bank accounts are safe after they have made a donation . ECO MAORI will use the donations to SUE the nz police for all the breaches to mine and my Whano Privacy Rights & Human Rights a lot of people can see this has been happening to ECO MAORI when I win my case I will set up a
   Charitable Trust and I will pay the money that I used and any extra donations into this Trust account and appeal to anyone else in Aoteraoroa who need help with finance to SUE the nz police for there in justices I will copy bank statements on this site to let he tangata the people know that ECO MAORI has Honest Honorable and transparent intentions to use your hard earned Putea Money. P.S I see a couple of post I haven’t seen for a bit here on the standard I wonder what they are going to say about this .
   Kia Kaha Ka kite ano
   • JohnSelway 6.1

     5 March 2018 at 11:49 am

     I’m not sure of the wisdom in putting up your bank acc on a public forum
   • eco maori 6.2

     5 March 2018 at 12:25 pm

     Its a account with know internet axis Kiwi Bank same as Thestandards has for there donations the sandflys have blocked axis to that Australian website that had the book on Ropata Wahawaha .
     Ka kite ano
     • JohnSelway 6.2.1

       5 March 2018 at 12:43 pm

       * shakes head with confusion. Backs away slowly *
       • james 6.2.1.1

         5 March 2018 at 1:49 pm

         I think Eco Maori is trying to say that he has had difficulties with Give-a-little and paypay and is now taking direct donations to his bank account.
         • mauī 6.2.1.1.1

           5 March 2018 at 2:00 pm

           James you sound like a kind fellow, how about you start the ball rolling for Eco?
           • james 6.2.1.1.1.1

             5 March 2018 at 3:12 pm

             Because I do not believe in the cause they are fund raising for.

             Not saying that they are right or wrong – but I cannot donate to something I disagree with.
             • faroutdude …

               5 March 2018 at 3:34 pm

               As far as I can tell Eco is looking for some insect repellent, extra strength.
         • JohnSelway 6.2.1.1.2

           5 March 2018 at 2:06 pm

           I just really question the ethics of letting someone ask for donations on The Standard without actually being clear what the money is being used for and why.

           Just my 2c and I’ll leave it with the site mods and owner from here on in
           • Gabby 6.2.1.1.2.1

             5 March 2018 at 2:24 pm

             I have Dimp.
             Shh.
7. rhinocrates 7

   5 March 2018 at 11:08 am

   As a confirmed bibliophile, I’m not fan of Amazon at all, especially not their oppressive labour practises. Now it looks like it’s going to get worse, as this article from The Economist shows:

   https://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21737507-pushing-back-against-controlling-bosses-leaves-workers-more-likely-be-replaced?fsrc=scn/fb/te/bl/ed/labourmonitoringtechnologiesraiseefficiencyandhardquestionsfreeexchangeproductivity

   If you have to buy books online, there are alternatives, such as The Book Depository and Fishpond, while Abebooks and Alibris connect you with independent second-hand booksellers. However, the threat is not just Amazon; it’s likely to become a model for future labour relations and negotiations.

   And new disciplinary technologies create an additional risk for workers. Heaps of data about their activities within a workspace are gathered, while their cognitive contribution is reduced. In both ways, such technologies pave the way for automation, much as the introduction of regimentation and discipline in factories facilitated the replacement of humans by machines. The potential for automation increases the power of firms over workers. Anyone thinking of demanding higher pay, or of joining a union in the hope of organising to grab a share of the returns to increased efficiency, can be cowed with the threat of robots.

   And just a reminder that it is The Economist:

   The high pay of workers with exacting jobs in finance or technology can reasonably be seen as compensation for their burdensome working conditions.

   Sigh.
   • Molly 7.1

     5 March 2018 at 11:22 am

     For second-hand and new books, I also use Better World Books. A B-corporation since 2008, with a fairly high rating of 114/200. As with Book Depository – postage is included in the book price.

     Like you, usually avoid Amazon, but find the others to be really good.
   • adam 7.2

     5 March 2018 at 11:45 am

     A can of coke is good for Robots.

     A splash here, or a splash there.
   • JohnSelway 7.3

     5 March 2018 at 2:34 pm

     I just had a delivery from The Book Depository arrive today.
     Mind of Matter – The Images of Pink Floyd:
     https://www.bookdepository.com/Pink-Floyd-Mind-Over-Matter-Storm-Thorgerson/9781783056217

     A must for any Pink Floyd fan…
   • Grant 7.4

     5 March 2018 at 2:37 pm

     I think you’ll find Book Depository is owned by Amazon
     • Molly 7.4.1

       5 March 2018 at 4:04 pm

       Damn. You are right, it was acquired back in 2011..
   • Siobhan 7.5

     5 March 2018 at 4:06 pm

     Book Depository is really just Amazon…owned by Amazon and run on the same ‘principles’.

     It was set up by an ‘Ex’ Amazon employee, same tax haven status, left alone for a few years to be established in consumers mind as an ‘ethical alternative’.
     Though why anyone thought that I do not know.
     Nice font I guess.
     The name suggesting rosy cheeked English villagers collecting books in wicker baskets, in a lovely refurbished Victorian warehouse, and then sending those books POSTAGE FREE…presumably the workers paying for our postage out of the goodness of their hearts.

     But no, just another branch of Amazon for a good few years now.

     ABE, also owned by Amazon.

     I get regular emails asking me to sell my books through them, and while I occasionally have to buy from ABE if I cannot contact the actual seller overseas, I would rather not have Amazon clicking the ticket everytime I sell a book.
   • Ad 7.6

     5 March 2018 at 6:04 pm

     The Art&Object rare book auctions are good too, especially for New Zealand history, and if you like the live auction experience.
8. adam 8

   5 March 2018 at 11:33 am

   God bless Russia. This is the way to deal with people who defy you. How dare anarchists no less, question the FSB (Russia’s Federal Security Service). Lets have more of this in NZ, and way more closed courts. Capitalism can not be questioned.

   https://libcom.org/news/main-thing-moment-situation-was-come-out-alive-03032018
9. adam 9

   5 March 2018 at 11:44 am

   On the good news front.

   The teachers union strike in West Virginia is going real well. It would appear that the teachers themselves are in control of strike, and the corporate union types have lost control of the workers. In other good news, it’s spreading.

   https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=West+Virginia%3A+Teachers&oq=West+Virginia%3A+Teachers&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
10. Ad 10

    5 March 2018 at 12:02 pm

    A U.S. billionaire threatens to stop further investment in New Zealand if the bill before Select Committee to stop the right of foreign buyers to purchase homes goes ahead.

    He has worked assiduously with local Maori on the co-development near Parakai, and wants to do more.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12006548

    His objection is notably not for himself, but because the luxury dwellings he is building will have too small a pool of buyers to be worth the development risk.

    It was the last bit that caught my eye.
    • Pat 10.1

      5 March 2018 at 12:21 pm

      “It seems counter-intuitive to allow me to be a New Zealand resident under existing Immigration Act provisions while requiring me to then sell my residence under Overseas Investment Act provisions,” Kayne complained.

      It seems counter-intuitive to consider that a sellers immigration status would impact a foreign ‘buyer’ ban
      • Dv 10.1.1

        5 March 2018 at 12:43 pm

        Sounds like a win win
        He wont lose money and we don’t lose land to aliens
    • patricia bremner 10.2

      5 March 2018 at 12:22 pm

      So New Zealanders are not rich enough? Wow who would have guessed?
      • savenz 10.2.1

        5 March 2018 at 1:12 pm

        Yep, apparently those luxury developers in Queenstown have the same problem, Kiwis not rich enough. Maybe they can house swap or perhaps invest in NZ so that people who live here 365 days a year have wages high enough to afford what NZ has to offer.

        Personally over all the ‘luxury golf courses’ being built here.

        Haven’t we got enough already?

        It seems either mines (James Hardie), giant stanching cruel battery chicken farms for Tegel/Asian private equity firm Affinity Equity Partners (http://www.kaipara.org) , Golf courses or Hyatt hotels.

        Much of the so called foreign investment seems to be polluting or not really helping the NZ people. Some seem to be doing the opposite.

        Maybe rather than breaking foreign investment down in money spent, it should be more focused on foreign money being spent to help the NZ people not just $$$ amounts to make NZ a banana republic to build themselves a hideaway or earn as much profit as possible while polluting as much as possible?
        • patricia bremner 10.2.1.1

          5 March 2018 at 2:03 pm

          A number of speculative golf developments failed to get buyers on the Gold Coast Aus.
          Hotel investments also ended up lemons as an income stream often.

          But, many hung on and 10 years later their investment base value rose and the capital gains tax diminished. They often just kept up with inflation though. GST?
    • Pete 10.3

      5 March 2018 at 12:44 pm

      He wants to live here? In which case he would only need to purchase one house to live in.

      Oh, he doesn’t want to live here he wants to make money here. Living here is the excuse, the ticket to do that. “You’re only worth it if I can make a financial killing.”

      No doubt a lovely man like Peter Thiel. In some words what they do is colonisation. Another word could be the horrible G word which people like Trump hate, as well I guess as his mates like Thiel – Globalisation

      If America is so great make your money there by investing in US companies who are going to make money by manufacturing in factories at home. You know making all the American stuff at home rather than the poorly paid factories in China.
      • Ad 10.3.1

        5 March 2018 at 1:04 pm

        He claims to live here well above the 100 day minimum.

        It would be a useful policy goal to eliminate the need for an investor category of migrant.
11. Bill 11

    5 March 2018 at 12:16 pm

    I see the centre’s holding up well 🙂

    The Five Star Movement has garnered the most votes in Italy’s general election.

    I wish I spoke Italian so I could read their platform instead of relying on mainstream liberal media, favouring the centrist ground, probably don’t report on the Five Star Movement all that fairly or accurately.

    As it stands, I’m not altogether sure whether the Five Star Movement is a good thing, a bad thing, or something that falls between those subjective markers.
    • joe90 11.1

      5 March 2018 at 12:51 pm

      Google Chrome offers up a translate option..

      https://www.movimento5stelle.it/programma/download.html

      ..and will translate the pdf files.

      Works for me Chrome but not in Firefox

      https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=it&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.movimento5stelle.it%2Fprogramma%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F02%2FAffari-Costituzionali.pdf
      • Bill 11.1.1

        5 March 2018 at 1:02 pm

        Cheers joe90.

        I’d done ye olde “page translate” on their web site. But when it came to anything of substance it was all in downloaded pdf form and I couldn’t quite see where the translate option was (if there was one).

        But seeing as how you’ve done it for me… 🙂
    • weka 11.2

      5 March 2018 at 1:12 pm

      
      Alex Coleman
      ‏ @ShakingStick

      In case you were wondering if there was anything more ludicrous than the result, USA based commenters are calling the Italian electoral system a farce.
      

      https://twitter.com/ShakingStick/status/970450931161509888

      😉
      • adam 11.2.1

        5 March 2018 at 4:32 pm

        Anyone in USA calling the Italian system a farce, is just sweet irony.
12. McFlock 12

    5 March 2018 at 12:38 pm

    So it looks like the Russell McVeigh complaint spread through the law industry might be hitting law student clubs: UO law camp could be cancelled.

    Thing is, while law students were frequently the worst to work venue security for, 10-15 years back they weren’t the only clubs with dodgy attitudes to alcohol, female freshers and club outings. And nor was it restricted to one university.

    Soooo – I wonder how far this will go…
    • weka 12.1

      5 March 2018 at 1:05 pm

      Have a look in yesterdays OM, some interesting comments/links.
      • McFlock 12.1.1

        5 March 2018 at 2:17 pm

        Yeah. And if they’re talking about the dude i’m thinking of, I’ll be really disappointed. But I’ve no idea who’s precisely who these days.
        • weka 12.1.1.1

          5 March 2018 at 4:19 pm

          this one too,

          https://twitter.com/MichelleL0max/status/970398877714010113
          • McFlock 12.1.1.1.1

            5 March 2018 at 4:31 pm

            Oh FFS.

            Who the fuck reads a story about lots of alcoholic antics and people being pressured to take off their clothes at a minimum when they don’t want to and talks about Victorian morals? Big fucking surprise.

            Anyway… shit. I liked Henaghan. I hope he comes up with something more impressive than an apologist saying “15 minutes”.
            • weka 12.1.1.1.1.1

              5 March 2018 at 4:42 pm

              Is he the dude that’s just taken up a post at Ak?
              • McFlock …

                5 March 2018 at 4:55 pm

                Don’t know about that, but at this stage the msm is reporting he was present for a skit that involved stripping and also for some liquor stuff, but not the jelly wrestling (so far).

                Basically turning up to events, staying a bit, and pissing off, and then things got more visibly out of control. But that’s the situation so far, and he’s being zeroed in on by the ODT and other media. So a bit of a pressure test, and even if that’s the extent the uni might throw him under the bus, anyway.

                From what I recall doing venue security for law gigs, there was always a lot of drinking, a lot of hidden pukers (who we had to kick out then sort out), a lot of screwing (who we had to prevent/stop), and a lot of people pissed off they couldn’t one-up the others.

                Not fun jobs. Lots of arseholes. But faculty usually kept themselves straight.
13. bwaghorn 13

    5 March 2018 at 12:41 pm

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/03/04/93965/the-conflicting-interests-of-commentators#

    Bryce Edwards using the words labour and possible dirty politics in the same sentence. I fucking hope not
    • joe90 13.1

      5 March 2018 at 12:58 pm

      The sewer spent the weekend ginning this up, too.
    • weka 13.2

      5 March 2018 at 1:05 pm

      Funny how this issue of conflict of interest is being talked about more seriously now that we have a centre left govt. 🙄

      And Bryce Edwards is part of the problem.
      • bwaghorn 13.2.1

        5 March 2018 at 7:15 pm

        it’s all to complicated for a mere shepherd , maybe labour should open up like the greens
        • BM 13.2.1.1

          5 March 2018 at 7:19 pm

          Less sheep sex, more reading.
          • Incognito 13.2.1.1.1

            5 March 2018 at 10:12 pm

            And less than 2 hours ago you said that most of Ad writes is “just intellectual wank”!? What you call this?

            https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-05-03-2018/#comment-1457275
        • weka 13.2.1.2

          6 March 2018 at 11:57 am

          I think Labour should, and I was under the impression they’re in their own internal process on this so hopefully the Greens setting the bar high will encourage Labour to do this well.
    • veutoviper 13.3

      5 March 2018 at 1:31 pm

      IMO, for the most part Edwards’ article is a pretty good summation of the situation and the problems.

      Like you, however, I disagree with his conflation of the Tracey Bridges’ situation and Dirty Politics as he does in this extract:

      “In this sense, the Bridges issue is more akin to some of the issues brought up by Nicky Hager in his Dirty Politics book – about the misuse of government power in political communications.

      Surely, it’s time for a bigger conversation about the use of so many PR professionals in the media. Some of these pundits may well have earned their place as respected political commentators in their own right. But is it good for democracy that punditry is awash with people who are representing undeclared vested interests?”

      My view is that the current situation with the employment, contracting etc of lobbyists, PR professionals in the public service is a end (possibly unintended) result of the corporatisation of the public service beginning in the 1980s.

      As an old ex PS (state Sector) employee whose career spanned both sides of that era, I remember well the strict rules of conduct and integrity applicable in respect of conflicts of interest; engagement with the media; acceptance of gifts, hospitality, etc pre the mid-1980s changes. Sadly, post the changes, I saw the slow erosion of these rules and the integrity of the public service to the point that later generations of PS employee/contractors never receive any training or education in such matters.

      Rather than intentional ‘Dirty Politics’, I think some of these conflicts etc now arise from sheer lack of education or consideration of the possible consequences.

      Not denying that some cases may be intentional, but without clear rules of engagement, conduct etc and training in these, it is hard to identify and isolate such cases.

      But it is actually good to see these issues being brought into the public arena for discussion- even though it was the National opposition that brought the Tracey Bridges case to notice to diss the new government!

      Not holding my breath, but perhaps this – and the Greens announcing rules for their Ministers and MPs re transparency and banning treating and similar perks (as used to be the case for all public servants) – may be a first step to moving back to a better overall public service based on clear rules re integrity and conduct.
      • weka 13.3.1

        5 March 2018 at 1:42 pm

        This is the problem with Edwards. He has generally meaningful analysis, so gets kudos, and then he says stupid shit like that.

        That Dirty Politics uses PR and media channels doesn’t mean that all PR and use of media channels is DP.

        And too damn right the conversation needs to go wider. No shit Sherlock. What was he saying, and doing, in 2014?
        • veutoviper 13.3.1.1

          5 March 2018 at 2:05 pm

          I think Sherlock was well dead in 2014.

          Oh, did you mean Edwards? No idea.
          • weka 13.3.1.1.1

            5 March 2018 at 2:14 pm

            It was a rhetorical question. DP was published in 2014.
      • OncewasTim 13.3.2

        5 March 2018 at 5:34 pm

        Good comment vv.
        Especially re consideration given to codes of conduct et al.
        We no longer have a public SERVICE. We have a series of CEOs and their enterage running little feifdoms with coal face peons doing all the work and taking the blame when thinhs go tits up.
        Where has there been ANY accountability by Snr Management in MSD, or NZTA, or MPI, or MoBIE or……..
        Bradbury is correct in his claim that this govt’s biggest enemy will be parts of the PS.
    • james 13.4

      5 March 2018 at 1:51 pm

      Why? Are you saying that they never get involved?
      • weka 13.4.1

        5 March 2018 at 2:04 pm

        Labour in DP? How about you provide some examples if you think they do.
    • Bearded Git 13.5

      5 March 2018 at 2:12 pm

      David Farrar never owns up to, and is never introduced as, the pollster for the National Party when he goes on The Panel. Similarly it should be made clear that the Taxpayers Union is a right wing lobby group when Jordan Williams appears, but it never is.
      • Stuart Munro 13.5.1

        5 March 2018 at 4:53 pm

        He probably deserves a stronger warning than that – he’s a far-right agent. He involved himself in a couple of takedowns – Colin Craig and Len Brown – he didn’t confine himself to lobbying.
14. Penny Bright 14

    5 March 2018 at 1:19 pm

    Where is the EVIDENCE that I’ve ever said ANYTHING about Auckland Council or the Auckland Council CEO that was factually inaccurate?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/aucklander/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503367&objectid=11342260

    “Ms Bright has made wild and inaccurate accusations about the council and its probity and is using this as the basis for not paying her fair share to the ongoing running of Auckland.

    These assertions are completely unfounded and her actions are at the expense of all Aucklanders,” says council chief executive Stephen Town.

    My latest formal request to Auckland Council elected representatives to ‘do their jobs’ and INSTRUCT the CEO to provide details of awarded contracts to be made available for public scrutiny.

    27 February 2018
    Finance and Performance Ctte.

    Scroll through to 1.50 minutes for my 5 minute presentation:)

    https://councillive.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/video/270218-finance-and-performance-committee-item-1-5

    Documents I had appended to the Minutes of the 27 February 2018 Finance and Performance Committee meeting.

    Included are current details of awarded contracts for:

    Auckland Council
    Auckland Transport
    Watercare Services
    ATEED

    Also includes my invitation to The Hague by the World Justice Project to the 2017 International Rule of Law Forum as a ‘NZ expert’.

    Plus the list of names, positions and email addresses of fellow ‘International Rule of Law experts’ who attended this Forum at The Hague.

    http://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2018/02/FIN_20180227_MAT_6804.PDF

    5.1 Public Input – section 17A ‘value for money’ review of Auckland Council and CCO services – Penny Bright

    A. 27 February 2018 Finance and Performance Committee:

    Item 5.1: Public
    Input, Penny Bright- tabled document

    Penny Bright
    • savenz 14.1

      5 March 2018 at 2:25 pm

      “Ms Bright, a former boilermaker turned “anti-corruption whistle blower”, is unschooled in the intricacies of law, but won 21 of the 22 trespass cases brought against her by the former Auckland City Council.”

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=11521031
    • gsays 14.2

      5 March 2018 at 7:24 pm

      Fwiw Penny, more power to your arm from the Manawatu.
    • Sacha 14.3

      5 March 2018 at 7:35 pm

      “Ms Bright has made wild and inaccurate accusations about the council and its probity”

      The judge must have thought there was enough evidence, given that you lost the case.
15. joe90 15

    5 March 2018 at 1:30 pm

    The final Fonterra dividend for the year was paid in September 2016 and an interim dividend paid in April 2017.

    The offences allegedly occurred between October 2016 and April 2017 at Hukanui, a small settlement just off State Highway 2 between Eketāhuna and Pahiatua in Northern Wairarapa.

    Although the 11 different charges all relate to cows, they come under two broad categories – lameness and surgical bandages.

    One charge alleges the trio and their company failed to ensure the health of 74 cows by failing to both protect them from, and diagnose them with, lameness.

    They are also charged with reckless ill-treatment of 54 cows suffering from chronic lameness by failing to get them appropriate treatment.

    A different charge alleges 25 cows were recklessly ill-treated to the point where they had to be euthanised.

    Seven of the 11 charges related to surgical bandages not being removed from specific cows, with one of those cows having to be euthanised.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/101972619/national-mps-son-husband-allegedly-failed-to-stop-cows-going-lame
    • veutoviper 15.1

      5 March 2018 at 2:32 pm

      Thanks for the update.

      No excuse whatsoever for that level of disregard for animal welfare, if true/proven.

      I am not quite sure what to read into the coincidence between the Fonterra dividend payments dates and the period between which the alleged offences occurred.

      I am getting a bit of deja vu in respect of this situation, however. I seem to recall a similar situation with another MP some years ago – but cannot remember who at the moment.
      • joe90 15.1.1

        5 March 2018 at 5:05 pm

        IIRC, the 2016 payout wasn’t too flash.
        • veutoviper 15.1.1.1

          5 March 2018 at 5:10 pm

          Thanks, but still no excuse for bad animal management/animal welfare.
16. savenz 16

    5 March 2018 at 2:21 pm

    Poll: Are you for or against the CPTPP, or just don’t know?

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2018/03/poll-are-you-for-or-against-the-cptpp-or-just-don-t-know.html
17. ropata 17

    5 March 2018 at 5:00 pm

    FYI
    As part of the “NZ Festival” of Arts (in Wellington), two of our best political cartoonists will be speaking at Circa on Friday
    https://www.festival.co.nz/2018/events/political-pricking/
18. joe90 18

    5 March 2018 at 5:13 pm

    The early morning tRump twitter tantrum’s going to be monumental.

    The grand jury investigating alleged collusion between Russia and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has issued a subpoena seeking all documents involving the president and a host of his closest advisers, according to a copy of the subpoena reviewed by NBC News.

    According to the subpoena, which was sent to a witness by special counsel Robert Mueller, investigators want emails, text messages, work papers, telephone logs and other documents going back to Nov. 1, 2015, 4½ months after Trump launched his campaign.

    […]

    n addition to the president, the subpoena seeks documents that have anything to do with these current and former Trump associates:

    Steve Bannon, who left the White House as chief strategist in August.

    Michael Cohen, a personal lawyer for Trump who testified before congressional investigators in October.

    Rick Gates, Trump’s former deputy campaign manager, who pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy and lying to the FBI.

    Hope Hicks, who resigned last week as Trump’s communications director.

    Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s campaign manager until June 2016.

    Paul Manafort, a former Trump campaign manager and Gates’ business partner, who pleaded not guilty to money laundering, conspiracy and making false statements last week.

    Carter Page, a former Trump campaign aide.

    Keith Schiller, a former bodyguard for Trump who left as director of Oval Office operations in September.

    Roger Stone, a longtime Republican political operative and Trump campaign adviser who sources have told NBC News is the focus of investigators interested in his contacts with WikiLeaks during the campaign.

    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/special-counsel-wants-documents-trump-numerous-campaign-associates-n853386?
    • veutoviper 18.1

      5 March 2018 at 5:34 pm

      WOW, just WOW. I gave up watching the debacle happening in what was my second home town for almost 7 years way back when, as it was doing my head in.

      This I must watch …
19. Ad 19

    5 March 2018 at 5:15 pm

    If anyone in Auckland is interested in joining with a great big series of practical ecological activisms and efforts at the very very flaxroots level, there’s a month of them occurring in Auckland’s west:

    http://www.ecomatters.org.nz/ecowest-festival?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=down-dirty

    Inside this link is a fat set of events and groups to hang with.

    Personally I love Ecoday festival itself simply as a great trackmeet of the good and the great working through all sorts of orgamisations to green the world.

    But also with the impending closure of all tracks in the Waitakere Ranges, we are also a focus for national and regional biosecurity efforts. This gets pretty important towards central and local budget time coming up in the next two months.
20. adam 20

    5 March 2018 at 5:31 pm

    Just WoW, maybe this is why h.r.c lost. Communications, yeah right – racist and xenophobic – gotta ask, when are these people going to leave? I’m supposed to believe 13 russian did it, when Jennifer Palmieri can write this on twitter?

    “You guys. I just got into unmarked gypsy cab at sfo airport with a Russian driver. If I disappear- it’s a tan Lincoln continental.”

    https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/former-clinton-campaign-official-slammed-after-xenophobic-twitter-comments/
21. eco maori 21

    5 March 2018 at 7:38 pm

    The project I can see the sandflys are shaking in there boots now a .
    I can remember when your opposition was reading the weather on 3 there was some subliminal messaging going on back then ECO MAORI picked that up that sort of behavior just added to discrimination against lady’s Ana to kai P.S one just has to look at old footage to back up my claims Ka kite ano
22. Tricledrown 22

    5 March 2018 at 9:55 pm

    Backward Minded you must be one of those Russian Bot Meddlers.
    Incendiary comment from our Boring Meme too Weinstien.

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
    

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