Open mike 05/05/2014
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6:40 am, May 5th, 2014 - 234 comments
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- Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies, Excerpt Five.
Military politics as a distinct “partial regime.” Notwithstanding their peripheral status, national defense offers the raison d’être of the combat function, which their relative vulnerability makes apparent, so military forces in small peripheral democracies must be very conscious of events … Continue reading ...13 hours ago - Leadership for Dummies
If you’re going somewhere, do you maybe take a bit of an interest in the place? Read up a bit on the history, current events, places to see - that sort of thing? Presumably, if you’re taking a trip somewhere, it’s for a reason. But what if you’re going somewhere ...15 hours ago - Home again
18 hours ago - Dead even tie for hottest August ever
Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The month of August was 1.49˚C warmer than pre-industrial levels, tying with 2023 for the warmest August ever, according ...19 hours ago - The Hoon around the week to Sept 7
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the debate about how to responde to climate disinformation; and special guest ...19 hours ago
- Have We an Infrastructure Deficit?
An Infrastructure New Zealand report says we are keeping up with infrastructure better than we might have thought from the grumbling. But the challenge of providing for the future remains.I was astonished to learn that the quantity of our infrastructure has been keeping up with economic growth. Your paper almost ...1 day ago - Councils reject racism
Last month, National passed a racist law requiring local councils to remove their Māori wards, or hold a referendum on them at the 2025 local body election. The final councils voted today, and the verdict is in: an overwhelming rejection. Only two councils out of 45 supported National's racist agenda ...1 day ago - Homage to Simeon Brown
1 day ago
- Government of deceit
When National cut health spending and imposed a commissioner on Te Whatu Ora, they claimed that it was necessary because the organisation was bloated and inefficient, with "14 layers of management between the CEO and the patient". But it turns out they were simply lying: Health Minister Shane Reti’s ...1 day ago
- The professionals actually think and act like our Government has no fiscal crisis at all
Treasury staff at work: The demand for a new 12-year Government bond was so strong, Treasury decided to double the amount of bonds it sold. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, September ...2 days ago - Weekly Roundup 6-September-2024
Welcome to another Friday and another roundup of stories that caught our eye this week. As always, this and every post is brought to you by the Greater Auckland crew. If you like our work and you’d like to see more of it, we invite you to join our regular ...2 days ago - Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies; Excerpt Four.
Internal versus external security. Regardless of who rules, large countries can afford to separate external and internal security functions (even if internal control functions predominate under authoritarian regimes). In fact, given the logic of power concentration and institutional centralization of … Continue reading ...2 days ago
- A Hole In The River
There's a hole in the river where her memory liesFrom the land of the living to the air and skyShe was coming to see him, but something changed her mindDrove her down to the riverThere is no returnSongwriters: Neil Finn/Eddie RaynerThe king is dead; long live the queen!Yesterday was a ...2 days ago - Bright Blue His Jacket Ain’t But I Love This Fellow: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power E...
My conclusion last week was that The Rings of Power season two represented a major improvement in the series. The writing’s just so much better, and honestly, its major problems are less the result of the current episodes and more creatures arising from season one plot-holes. I found episode three ...2 days ago - Who should we thank for the defeat of the Nazis
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Open access notables Diurnal Temperature Range Trends Differ Below and Above the Melting Point, Pithan & Schatt, Geophysical Research Letters: The globally averaged diurnal temperature range (DTR) has shrunk since the mid-20th century, and climate models project further shrinking. Observations indicate a slowdown or reversal of this trend in recent decades. ...2 days ago - Media Link: Discussing the NZSIS Security Threat Report.
I was interviewed by Mike Hosking at NewstalkZB and a few other media outlets about the NZSIS Security Threat Report released recently. I have long advocated for more transparency, accountability and oversight of the NZ Intelligence Community, and although the … Continue reading ...2 days ago
- How do I make this better for people who drive Ford Rangers?
Home, home again to a long warm embrace. Plenty of reasons to be glad to be back.But also, reasons for dejection.You, yes you, Simeon Brown, you odious little oik, you bible thumping petrol-pandering ratfucker weasel. You would be Reason Number One. Well, maybe first among equals with Seymour and Of-Seymour ...2 days ago - A missed opportunity
The government introduced a pretty big piece of constitutional legislation today: the Parliament Bill. But rather than the contentious constitutional change (four year terms) pushed by Labour, this merely consolidates the existing legislation covering Parliament - currently scattered across four different Acts - into one piece of legislation. While I ...2 days ago
- Nicola Willis Seeks New Sidekick To Help Fix NZ’s Economy
Synopsis:Nicola Willis is seeking a new Treasury Boss after Dr Caralee McLiesh’s tenure ends this month. She didn’t listen to McLiesh. Will she listen to the new one?And why is Atlas Network’s Taxpayers Union chiming in?Please consider subscribing or supporting my work. Thanks, Tui.About CaraleeAt the beginning of July, Newsroom ...3 days ago - Inflation alive and kicking in our land of the long white monopolies
The golden days of profit continue for the the Foodstuffs (Pak’n’Save and New World) and Woolworths supermarket duopoly. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 5:The Groceries Commissioner has ...3 days ago - The thermodynamics of electric vs. internal combustion cars
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler I love thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is like your mom: it may not tell you what you can do, but it damn well tells you what you can’t do. I’ve written a few previous posts that include thermodynamics, like one on air capture of ...3 days ago
- Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Three.
The notion of geopolitical “periphery.” The concept of periphery used here refers strictly to what can be called the geopolitical periphery. Being on the geopolitical periphery is an analytic virtue because it makes for more visible policy reform in response … Continue reading ...3 days ago
- Venus Hum
Fill me up with soundThe world sings with me a million smiles an hourI can see me dancing on my radioI can hear you singing in the blades of grassYellow dandelions on my way to schoolBig Beautiful Sky!Song: Venus Hum.Good morning, all you lovely people, and welcome to the 700th ...3 days ago - I Went to a Creed Concert
Note: The audio attached to this Webworm compliments today’s newsletter. I collected it as I met people attending a Creed concert. Their opinions may differ to mine. Read more ...3 days ago - Government migration policy backfires; thousands of unemployed nurses
The country has imported literally thousands of nurses over the past few months yet whether they are being employed as nurses is another matter. Just what is going on with HealthNZ and it nurses is, at best, opaque, in that it will not release anything but broad general statistics and ...3 days ago
- A Time For Unity.
Emotional Response: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses mourners at the tangi of King Tuheitia on Turangawaewae Marae on Saturday, 31 August 2024.THE DEATH OF KING TUHEITIA could hardly have come at a worse time for Maoridom. The power of the Kingitanga to unify te iwi Māori was demonstrated powerfully at January’s ...3 days ago - Climate Change: Failed again
National's tax cut policies relied on stealing revenue from the ETS (previously used to fund emissions reduction) to fund tax cuts to landlords. So how's that going? Badly. Today's auction failed again, with zero units (of a possible 7.6 million) sold. Which means they have a $456 million hole in ...4 days ago
- Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Two.
A question of size. Small size generally means large vulnerability. The perception of threat is broader and often more immediate for small countries. The feeling of comparative weakness, of exposure to risk, and of potential intimidation by larger powers often … Continue reading ...4 days ago
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And thus we come to the second instalment of Amazon’s Rings of Power. The first season, in 2022, was underwhelming, even for someone like myself, who is by nature inclined to approach Tolkien adaptations with charity. The writing was poor, the plot made no sense on its own terms, and ...6 days ago - Alcohol debris and Crocodile Tears
I write to you this morning from scenes of carnage. Around the floor lie young men who only hours earlier were full of life, and cocktails, and now lie silent. Read more ...7 days ago - When Do We Look Away?
Hi,The first time I saw something that made me recoil on the internet was a visit to Rotten.com. The clue was in the name — but the internet was a new thing to me in the 90s, and no-one really knew what the hell was going on. But somehow I ...7 days ago - The decades just fly by
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Billions of dollars in value uplift was identified around the Transmission Gully project, but that was captured 100% by landowners and not shared to pay for the project. Now National is saying value capture should be used for similar projects. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/ Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my ...1 week ago - Weekly Roundup 30-August-2024
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Oh dear. Sometimes people just need to prod the sleeping dog. We currently have a parliamentary dispute over the nature of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, as signed between the British Crown and New Zealand Maori: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/526451/sovereignty-debate-split-on-party-lines Specifically, the National Government takes the traditional view that Maori ceded sovereignty ...1 week ago - Rigour, PLEASE
You may have noticed I have been taking my time getting home. You may have wondered if that might have anything to do with our brave little nation being constitutionally and morally abused by this woeful excuse for a government. It does. I have enjoyed being able to turn the ...1 week ago - Making A Difference.
The Jacinda and Ashley Show: Before the neoliberals could come up with a plausible reason for letting thousands of their fellow citizens perish, the Ardern-led government, backed by the almost forgotten power of an unapologetically interventionist state, was producing changes in the real world – changes that were, very obviously, saving ...1 week ago
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Help us tell the Government that reintroducing military-style firearms should not be up for debate. ...10 hours ago - Release: Government on the wrong side of Māori wards
The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Government’s bid to treat Māori wards different to other wards. ...1 day ago
- Release: Labour congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki
The Labour Party congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki on being crowned as the eighth Te Ariki Nui – head of Te Kiingitanga. ...3 days ago
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The Green Party welcomes the coronation of the new Maaori Kuiini, Te Arikinui Nga Wai Hono i te Po, today in Turangawaewae. ...3 days ago - ECE teachers deserve better than this Government
The Green Party is unsurprised but disappointed by today’s announcement from the Government that will see our Early Childhood Centre teachers undermined and pay parity pushed further out of reach. ...4 days ago
- Urgent intervention needed on supermarkets
The Green Party is calling on the Government to intervene in the supermarket duopoly dominating our supply of groceries following today’s report from the Commerce Commission. ...4 days ago
- Release: Rainbow youth neglected in mental health funding
Labour backs the call from The Rainbow Support Collective members for mental health funding specifically earmarked for grassroots and peer led community organisations to be set up in a way that they are able to access. ...4 days ago
- Release: Transport in NZ has to be more than just roads
As expected, the National Land Transport Programme lacks ambition for our cities and our country’s rail network and puts the majority of investment into roads. ...5 days ago
- Speech: Barbara Edmonds Building Nations 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa, Thank you for your warm welcome and for having my colleagues and I here today. Earlier you heard from the Labour Leader, Chris Hipkins, on our vision for the future of infrastructure. I want to build on his comments and provide further detail on some key elements ...5 days ago
- Govt transport plan deepens fossil fuel fix
The Green Party says the Government’s new National Land Transport Programme marks another missed opportunity to take meaningful action to fight the climate crisis. ...5 days ago
- Greens call for public to back Wrybill in BOTY and beyond
The Green Party is calling on the public to support the Ngutu Pare Wrybill not just in this year’s Bird of the Year competition but also in pushing back against policies that could lead to the destruction of its habitat and accelerate its extinction. ...6 days ago
- Building consents data bad news for construction
News that the annual number of building consents granted for new homes fell by more than 20 percent for the year ended July 2024, is bad news for the construction industry. ...1 week ago
- Te Pāti Māori Pay Tribute to Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII
Papā te whatitiri, hikohiko te uira, i kanapu ki te rangi, i whētuki i raro rā, rū ana te whenua e. Uea te pou o tōku whare kia tū tangata he kapua whakairi nāku nā runga o Taupiri. Ko taku kiri ka tōkia ki te anu mātao. E te iwi ...1 week ago
- Release: Gaps still to be addressed in callouts response
The Government must guarantee New Zealanders will not be at risk after making changes to the way mental health callouts are handled. ...1 week ago
- Poroporoaki: Kiingi Tuheitia passing
Haere e te Kīngi o te kotahitangi Haere ki o nui, ki o rahi I te pō ...1 week ago
- Green Party pays respects to Kiingi Tuuheitia
The Green Party is paying tribute to the Māori King, Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero XVII, after he passed away earlier this morning. ...1 week ago
- Potaka Brings Whakaata Māori to its Knees
Today’s Whakaata Māori announcement is yet another colossal failure from Minister Potaka, who has turned his back on te reo Māori, forcing a channel offline, putting whānau out of jobs, and cutting Māori content, says Te Pāti Māori. “A Senior Māori Minister has turned his back on Te Reo Māori. ...1 week ago
- Release: National restricts access to disability care homes
With disability communities still reeling from the diminishing of Whaikaha, a leaked document now reveals another blow with National restricting access to residential care homes. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt must help save 230 manufacturing jobs
Labour is calling on the Government and Mercury Energy to find a solution to the proposed Winstone Pulp mill closure and save 230 manufacturing jobs. ...1 week ago
- Govt shirks its responsibility to Whakaata Māori
The Green Party has called out the Government for allowing Whakaata Māori to effectively collapse to a shell of its former self as job cuts and programming cuts were announced at the broadcaster today. ...1 week ago
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Today New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will restore democratic control over transport management in Auckland City by disestablishing Auckland Transport (AT) and returning control to Auckland Council. The ‘Local Government (Auckland Council) (Disestablishment of Auckland Transport) Amendment Bill’ intends to restore democratic oversight, control, and accountability ...1 week ago - Release: PM fails in constitutional role and leadership
The failure of the Prime Minister to condemn his Minister for personally attacking the judiciary is another example of this Government riding roughshod over important constitutional rules. ...1 week ago
- Waititi urges Rotorua Lakes Council to immediately stop works at Lake Rotokākahi
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and Member of Parliament for Waiariki, which includes Rotorua, has written to Rotorua Lakes Councillors requesting they immediately stop sewerage piping works at Lake Rotokākahi in Rotorua. “Mana whenua have been urging Rotorua Lakes Council to stop works and look at alternative plans to protect the ...1 week ago
- Release: Patient care at risk from redundancies
Patient care could suffer as a result of further cuts to the health system, which could lose thousands of staff who keep our hospitals and clinics running. ...1 week ago
- Greens call on Govt to wake up on child poverty
The Green Party says the latest statistics on child poverty in this country highlight the callous approach that the Government is taking on this issue of national shame. ...1 week ago
- Release: Police are off the beat under National
Foot patrols around the country have decreased 15 percent since National took office, despite National’s Mark Mitchell claiming otherwise. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Climate denial is an insult to Pacific leaders
Winston Peters’ climate denialism at the Pacific Islands’ Forum is an embarrassing new low. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt must end solitary confinement
The Green Party is urging the Government to end the use of solitary confinement within our prisons after new research revealed some prisoners have been held in confinement for more than 900 days. ...2 weeks ago
- Fossil fuels never the answer in climate crisis
The Government’s moves to enable the import of Liquefied Natural Gas is another step away from the sustainable and affordable energy network that this country needs. ...2 weeks ago
- Government must respect Court’s Uber employee decision
Today’s court ruling upholding the rights of Uber drivers is a message to the Government that it must not tamper with employment protections. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Uber court decision recognises workers’ rights
The Court of Appeal decision that Uber drivers are entitled to employee rights such as minimum wage, sick leave, holiday pay and collective bargaining is welcome news for the drivers involved and their unions. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls on Govt to divest from illegal settlements
The Labour Party is calling on the Government to tell the two major wealth funds, the NZ Super Fund and ACC, to withdraw investments from companies listed by the United Nations as complicit in Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt backtrack on fast-track still not enough
Labour welcomes news that the National Government is backing down on its reckless proposal to give Ministers final sign-off on significant projects, but it’s still not enough. ...2 weeks ago
- Fast track still on track to environmental destruction
Our environment remains at risk despite the Government's proposed changes to its controversial fast-track legislation. ...2 weeks ago
- Ohinemuri River pollution highlights mining risks
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- Govt Incarcerating our Mokopuna into a Failed System
Information released by the Minister for Children has revealed that almost 800 mokopuna Māori have been taken by the state this year, putting it on track for the largest displacement of tamariki Māori since the introduction of Section 7AA in 2019. “Oranga Tamariki is running a crusade against whakapapa Māori ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Chris Hipkins’ Speech to Local Government New Zealand
...2 weeks ago
- Release: Regional deals can’t leave ratepayers picking up the bill again
On the back of a patronising speech to local councils the Government has rushed out an announcement on regional and city deals that leaves out the crucial component – funding. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt in thrall to tobacco lobbyists
The National Government has put the interests of tobacco lobbyists ahead of New Zealanders and their health. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt overreach on councils an assault on local democracy
The Government’s move to enforce austerity measures on councils is an assault on local democracy. ...2 weeks ago
- Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations
A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report. “It will have the mandate ...1 day ago - Passport wait times back on-track
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...1 day ago
- New appointments to the FMA board
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- District Court judges appointed
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- Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand
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- New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender
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- Improving access to finance for Kiwis
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- Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia
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- Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer
Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations. “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...3 days ago
- More choice and competition in building products
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- Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul
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- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea
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- International tourism continuing to bounce back
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- Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency
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- Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape
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- Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services
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- Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review
Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...4 days ago
- Government backs women in horticulture
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- Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout
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- Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003
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- IVL increase to ensure visitors contribute more to New Zealand
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- Delivering priority connections for the West Coast
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- Road and rail reliability a focus for Wellington
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- Building reliable and efficient roading for Taranaki
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- Supporting growth and resilience in Otago and Southland
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- Delivering connected and resilient roading for Northland
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- Top of the South to benefit from reliable transport infrastructure
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- Government delivering reliable roads for Manawatū-Whanganui
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- Restoring connections in Hawke’s Bay
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- Transport resilience a priority for Gisborne
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- Prioritising growth and reduced travel times in Canterbury
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- Supporting growth and freight in the Bay of Plenty
A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Bay of Plenty through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and unlock land for thousands of houses, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in the Bay of ...5 days ago
- Getting transport back on track in Auckland
A record $8.4 billion for transport investment in Auckland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will deliver the infrastructure our rapidly growing region needs to support economic growth and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Aucklanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, phantoms projects, ...5 days ago
- Record investment to get transport back on track
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- Consultation is open on gambling harm strategy
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‘
Is Judith Collins Rob Muldoon’s love child?
I’m not sure, but I think she and Key share a top drawer as well as nasty friends and an uncanny likeness to the man.
The photo of Key in your link really shows him in a different light to most of his photos! Warts and all…
…and that ridiculous rug…
do you think hes been reading slater yesterday and today.
well..he did put it about a bit…
Whoah, Jude that was one hell of a tanty you threw yesterday, and guess what Lady, its’ not the media’s fault Williamson lost his job, it’s Williamsons’ fault he lost his job.
hey jude..!..don’t take it bad…
..take a milk-spill…and make it better..
..remember…to keep that rage-lid on tight..
..and will you now go dairy-free..?..go vegan..?
..to make it better ..better..better..oowww!!!!
..la-la-la-lalala-lah..la-la-lah…hey jude..!
..hey jude..!..don’t send that txt..!
..and stop threatening – to piss on the media..
..the only dirt – we want to see..
..is the name of that official…was it mr lee..?
..hey jude…yr in a hole..
..shouldn’t you really..stop digging..?
..we know …it’s getting under yr skin..
..but you deserve nothing better..
..sitting in yr oravida-sin-bin..
…i really doubt you’ll be able to make it all..
… better..better..better..etc..
A round of applause! Lol, and an earworm for the morning.
Thanks Phillip … and do you think Oravida is derived to mean Golden Life, or Life of Gold ?
And in the same interview with Sabin, Collins was so avariciously callow in dismissing any concerns about the swamp kauri pillage in Northland as her husband’s company stores $50 million worth until price increases further .. Crusher is crashing, and it can’t come soon enough.
@ yeshe..it means ‘gold of the collins’…
chrs 2 u rosie..yr ‘jude’ was the trigger…
another ‘song for judith’…?
(something about ‘milkshakes’..?..’boys’..?..’yard’..?..)
or maybe kings of leon..?
..doing ‘milk’..?
..with its’ evocative (for judith) cry from the heart:
..’staayyy..for meeee..!’..
BLip….lol!…she does look a bit like him and he did play around a bit!
Talk of people looking like each other, the reporter at the center of ‘Crusher’s’ latest piece of verbal ugliness bares an uncanny resemblance to the Mana Parties Sue Bradford…
Sue’s daughter.
Oh is she? I thought she had a remarkable resemblance to Sue. Thanks for the info.
What I found ironic about Collins’ interview last night – apart from her bizarre behaviour – was that she was being interviewed by Brook Sabin (son of National MP Mike Sabin) and puts the boot into another offspring of a former MP.
Ironic is the wrong word, but cannot think of the right one.
Thanks for the education this morning vv – I had been wondering about the Sabins as well!
Yes, well ironic alright. Her rage must be so blind that she will lash out at anyone including the son of her comrade so to speak, or maybe she see’s the son’s challenge of her a betrayal of code. Who knows. She certainly has let the Ban- Shidhe out from under the hills though.
Seriously bad? Actually she is prettier than her mum.
Just testing to see who is wide awake this morning…
unnecessary comment, seriously, ianmac.
@ ianmac..
not if you saw/knew her mother at that age..
..age weathers us all..
..tho’ i do think my son has it much more together than me at his age..
..on/in most levels/areas..
..(but then again..that’s a low bar..)
“age weathers us all” thanks phillip, love it. i have seen people from my past after not seeing them since their teens/early 20s & i think ‘jaysus, they got old!”, then i look in the mirror and & laugh at myself for being a bit of a dick.
really ianmac???
Hate-child.
key has announced there will be no testing of legal-highs on animals..
..not rats..not rabbits..not dogs..
(..nice to see some traction on what has been an outlier-issue..)
..now we should really look at all the other unnecessary-testing on animals..
..animals tortured/killed to test fucken dishwashing-liquids/make-up etc..
..everyone is ‘relaxed’ about that..?
..and the reasons these torturing-scum don’t use the computer-modelling tests available to them..
..instead of these horrible torturings/killings of animals..
..is ‘cos of cost..
..it is cheaper to torture the animals instead…
..how fucken sick is that..?
Yes, it’s high time people knew that animal testing is more about profit than safety. There’s also no excuse to use to use household cleaners, make up and skin care that has been tested on animals when there is an excellent selection of such products on the market, all very good quality and many of them made in NZ.
+100 phillip and Rosie…and all in the name of ‘Science’
….and looks like John Banks has come up trumps on this one too….he is very very good on Morning Report
”Rats should be treated with dignity and respect”–Banks, sounds like another piece of self serving bullshit from the head rat Himself…
+1
its humans he doesnt give a rats arse about.
nah..!..i have been head of the queue to pour buckets of shit over banks..
..on numerous occaisons/for numerous reasons..
..but on this issue..
..him being the only one to actually vote against animal-testing..
..(instead of just mouthing against it..then doing a neck-injury-threatening volte-face..
..and actually voting for it..eh..?..)
..banks is the only one standing tall..
..everyone else voted to torture/kill animals..
..to test legal-highs..
..the record stands..
Didn’t JB he make his millions in the food and booze business?
dunno..i’m not according him sainthood..
..he still eats them…
..(and seems to have a wee bit of a blind spot there…
..no to testing..yum!-yum! to eating them..)
..you will find that many of those 40,000 who signed that no-testing on animals petition..
..also have that banks’-mote in their eyes..
and speak of the banks’-mote..
..russel norman is cooking dinner for john campbell..
..chicken..
..they no doubt tutt-tutted over animal testing..
..as they ate that chicken..
..eh..?
yes i think he had a chain of restaurants called Camelot…never saw any ratatouille on the menu though
@ chooky..
..heh..!
re JB’s Camelot restaurants……yes i think they specialised in steak and chip wedges and had things like shrimp cocktail entrees…also I remember they had folksy stained glass lampshades hung low over the tables
rats are very nice intelligent creatures…and sensitive…we used to have pet rats kept in a cage in the laundry …when they died of old age i really missed them…they had a psychic presence which lingered….the kids used to keep rats in their pockets….my Mother used to keep another grandson’s pet rat in her kitchen too…although i rather drew the line at that
Animal testing of cleaners and cosmetics is in the name of profit, not of science.
@ Murray Olsen
‘Science’ and ‘Profit’ are very much intertwined
…atomisation, dissection, reductionism, experimentation, objectification, materialism = Science and scientific method …ever since Francis Bacon
Very lucid, but how will that work when he is in court and his first words are “I don’t recall that”.
Being a cynic, my take is that Key has had some polling done and now finds that he cannot stick with his original comment that rats OK; rabbits and dogs, not OK.
The interview with John Banks on Morning Report was priceless! Much as I cannot stand the man as a politician, I know through personal experience that Banks has been longterm dedicated advocate for animal rights. But his take on Key’s backdown in this interview had me rolling on the floor laughing. “He looked deep into Moonbeam’s eyes ….”
Key’s MR interview on animal testing
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2594687/key-rules-out-using-animals-in-legal-high-safety-tests
The must hear Banks one
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2594698/no-animal-testing-for-herbal-highs
Oh I always thought the cat was called moonshine, but if Key ever did look at it or play with it I am sure it would open him up.
Phillip,
goes to show that Cunliffe/Labour called it right in terms of their position on the issue. And yes it is a good opportunity to extend the debate.
Labour has made a number of good calls lately on policy and political positions.
Steven Joyce is hiding the figures on how much money he is funnelling to his mates through his department.
The NBR has been chasing it and so far all the department has said is that it paid out $231 million total in 2012/13 and another $97 million in 2013/14. MBIE is refusing to say how much is forecast or how the decisions are made.
“The data on MBIE handouts excludes the nearly $400 million Mr Joyce’s New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) will hand out in corporate welfare in John Key’s first three terms, and the $140 million a year handed out by the government’s Callaghan Innovation agency. There is also at least $50 million a year spent subsidising the tourism industry’s international marketing. God knows how much the Ministry of Primary Industries hands out to the farming sector. This all adds up to billions.” See http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/joyce-blocks-answers-corporate-welfare-bd-155317
nice.
The story is by Hooton. Perhaps Collins has pointed him to some of the skeletons in Joyce’s cupboard. She is desperate to shift the focus.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/right-risks-revolting-dc-p-155645
Hooton says that the Collins and Williamson corruption stories put National’s lead in the polls at risk.
i hope no one is paying him to state the obvious
@ wynham..
..collins is threatening all and sundry..
..that she will go postal if she is fired..
..and that there will be few left standing..
..and key certainly won’t be amongst those still vertical..
Bad12 always refers to our PM as “Slippery the prime minister”.
If ever Bad needed confirmation of that description I suggest he listen to the Morning Report interview with Guyon Espiner.
Mumble,mumble,obfuscation,change the suject,etc. It was all there. Slippery even went to the extreme of declaring that Judith Collins ‘is a human being’ !
In my book, Collins is facing a stiff dose of “chickens coming home to roost”. She has been one of the Nacts most vicious bullies especially when she was in Opposition. Now under pressure she, like all bullies, is folding.
Here is the link to Espiner’s interview with Key
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2594684/pm-john-key-on-judith-collins
And this is Brent Edwards’ take on the interview and Collins
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2594685/collins-feeling-the-pressure
This earlier Morning Report item is also related and worth listening to.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2594677/judith-collins-faces-further-pressure.
And a further item is currently on air with an interview with Grant Robertson on the further MFAT emails that have now been released on Collins’ “Oravita Tour”. It gets more and more clear that this was not just a cup of tea on the way to the airport.
Thanks Veuto – – – my computer savvy is limited !
So is/was mine – but I am getting good at links!
Here is the interview with Grant Robertson on Morning Report I referred to above.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2594696/labour-says-collins-oravida-ties-too-close
From that interview – and earlier short mentions on Morning Report – the emails released by MFAT are providing a lot more indepth details of the discussions on the ‘private dinner’ prior to it taking place that indicate that it was anything but a private dinner with friends and friends of friends.
An old adage has just come to mind : “Follow The Money.”
No more needs to be said really.
+100 veutoviper …..Grant Robertson was superb on Morning Report…..GO Labour!
vv, I wonder if it’s going to be one of those weeks where one reaches for the popcorn.
Several weeks ago on the regular Thursday morning Radio Active interview with Grant Robertson and Alistair Thompson, Robertson said there was more to be uncovered in the Collins – Oravida affair and he really has kept up the pressure on her since then. Alistair Thompson’s view was it a case if when, not if, in regard to Collins resigning. (My words not his, I’m paraphrasing and condensing the message).
It certainly has got the feeling of a ‘popcorn’ week. Fingers crossed etc etc. Despite the grey Wellington day, I am feeling more positive on the political front than for months – hence the myriad of comments this morning! PG’s return had put me off coming here, but decided not to allow him to achieve that and just ignore him.
Must google that Radio Live Interview. My instincts tell me that the Oravida affair has a lot more legs – and that appears to be the case this morning/
I understand the PG reaction, but glad that you can rise above it – it’s the best way. I have to admit that when Greywarbler suggested to move my Open Mike domestic violence comment on to Stephanie Rodgers article on Saturday I did plan to and then saw it was a PG maelstrom so chose not to.
That interview btw, was on Radio Active and they don’t have their interviews available to listen to on line. they broadcast on line as well as on 88.6FM but that’s it.
I should imagine this Thursday should be a very interesting discussion. They are usually on between 8.15am and 8.45am and the interview lasts up to 20 minutes. Just bear in mind it won’t be a RNZ format type interview. The facilitator is a DJ first and foremost (and an excellent one)
Lolz, i need no such confirmation, Slippery was attached as a handle to the current Prime Minister around here even befor He assumed the position….
“She has been one of the Nacts most vicious bullies ….” Yes Wyndham. Hard to feel sympathy to a White Hawk Down, given the spite that she was pleased to dish when she was “up.”
Thanks Drax and Warbs for your replies over the weekend to my comment about neighbours not calling 111 as Sarwen Lata was being murdered, on 25th November last year and apologies for the late response. (You’d be surprised at how busy the unemployed can be).
You both made suggestions as to why folks might be disinclined to help a neighbour in crisis. I thought they were good points. It also made me think of the contrast in neighbourhood behaviour in a suburb where a friend lives. Everyone knows everyone and despite the area being a higher crime area, crimes are solved quickly as neighbours keep their eyes and ears open to activities in the street.
Then this morning there was this article in the Dom Post which encourages migrant women to seek help but doesn’t discuss the importance of neighbours, and indeed family, friends and workmates keeping an eye on a potential victim of domestic violence. No woman should feel she is alone when she is feeling so unsafe.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/10007821/Migrant-women-urged-to-seek-help-to-stay-safe
It’s going to be hard to top Todd Barclay in this week’s edition of “Dodgy Nat Candidate Watch” but new to the list is Brett Hudson, who was selected for Ohariu, last week. Here he is displaying the stunning ignorance that only a Nat can:
““National is working hard and delivering real progress for New Zealand families,” said Mr Hudson.”
From http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1405/S00003/national-selects-brett-hudson-as-ohariu-candidate.htm
I guess he’s “comfortable” with being Nat’s puppet for Ohariu
Lolz, rid Ohariu of ‘the Hairdo’ Pathetic Dunne and electorate vote Hudson to change the Government should be the message…
This could actually be the lefts answer to the citizens of Epsoms cynical election of ACT…..vote the seat to National to keep United Fuckwit out…..splendid.
Yep, there is at least one commenter here at the Standard that has said She/he will be campaigning in the Epsom electorate to get the National Party candidate elected,
My bones wont allow me the luxury of letterbox stuffing otherwise i would print up a pile of ‘electorate vote Hudson for Ohariu’ pamphlets for that electorate,
Neither Epsom or Ohariu are likely to favor a Labour candidate so some reverse tactics are probably the best means of ensuring National do not win in September…
Nat electorate vote in Epsom I understand bad, but Ohariu? And who would do that organising work to promote a vote for Hudson? Would it not be better to focus on the party that came closest last time?
Hudson btw, a previous sales rep for Oracle. (actually they call them “ambassadors” now, lol) I know a guy who worked for that company and in the same role. Was on about 200K. This Hudson dude wouldn’t have a clue about what happens in the real world, all those guys in that industry are running in a status race, the house, the cars, the troty wives etc. Never has there been a truer stereotype.
Rosie, whilst I don’t disagree that Oracle sales people are overpaid and would probably not have a clue about real people, but there is another story here.
In my company nothing moves unless somebody sells something. No sales means no delivering, lots of “expertise” in downtime mode costing a fortune. Everybody is valuable and some of that “expertise” due to supply and demand, restrictive practices etc get paid much more than the humble sales person. Yet the sales person is expected to keep the cash coming in, gets pressured, and has no job security unless that happens.
To me (much to pretty much everybody else s disgust) sales people are the Gods of commerce. Nasty, materialistic collectors of flash cars and trophy wives maybe. But as they don’t get thanked greatly, for doing the hardest job they take the cash instead, (and I suspect vote National to rub it in).
We live in a strange world!
Hi Ennui. I should declare that I have spent many years working as a sales rep previously, although my salary was $40K, not 200K, I should add!
I do understand the vital role they play in keeping the company not only afloat but profitable. And yes indeed it is a thankless role and one that can tear the rep in two directions between customer and boss, if there isn’t enough support coming from above.
I was being rather caustic about Brett Hudson but I do know his type and I don’t trust them one bit. I’ve no problem with people making money and lots of it. My problem is either how they obtain it, or how they display it, or how they use it as a power lever.
That-person-I -know, he falls into the latter two categories. What is kind of annoying too, is the fact that he’s not particularly talented or intelligent in the realm of real life and social interaction (he’s shallow, dour and lacks a sense of humour) but he can sell, that’s where his skill lies.
I’m sure he’ll know Hudson as they would have worked in the same office around about the same time (although I do need to check time lines) The funny thing is, this-person-I know once showed me photo’s of his colleagues property that he had for sale (excessively large and full of poor taste items) and accused him of the same, being shallow, whilst we sat there in his McMansion.
A strange world indeed.
Rosie, nice observations, you speak from experience. When you get to the cogs of commerce it is all rather basic and boring….I don’t know how anybody can study it, glorify it etc as anything other than transactions and dollars. The business pages drive me to distraction, economists seem to know nothing of what really goes on….all so dull. I hope you are enjoying better whatever you do today.
“I hope you are enjoying better whatever you do today.”
I really am laughing, as I am currently unemployed! I have gone for a couple of sales reppy type interviews but I felt myself glaze over as soon as they started with the corporate speak and knew my heart wasn’t in it. I can’t really bear flogging stuff any more. Also, pay and conditions have reduced for reps as a reflection of the retail market being so tight now. Many companies have removed a portion of the mileage allowance and I refuse to subsidise company costs by covering their fuel costs.
All I’ve really wanted to do is to be able to help others and what little formal education I have in this area, a community studies cert and a health psychology diploma isn’t even adequate for entry level work in the fields I’m interested in.
What I am enjoying doing with my “spare time” is helping out where I can with political activities here in Ohariu and looking after the abundance of wild ducks that hang around at my house.
I hope your chooks are well and happy.
Being the plant he is he doesn’t sound like he has any intention of seeking the electorate vote and said he would pursue the party vote.
I do recall your suggestion and reasoning for a push for a Nat electorate vote but I think Charles Chauvel lost out by just approx 1800 ish votes last time so perhaps if enough hard work is done, Virginia Anderson can win it??? I’m feeling so cautiously confident of this that I’d be willing to put a 50 cent bet on it! (it would be more but I can’t afford it lol)
Did you see that surprisingly good editorial from the right wing Romanos in the Wellingtonian last week? It was beaut. A hole proof argument for the resignation of Dunne. If the heat on Dunne keeps up it may be an easier job to unseat him than we’d expect.
Yes Rosie, Charles Chauval lost by 1646 electorate votes in 2011, that was as a high profile Labour Party politician, in fact Pathetic Dunne’s majority went up by 640 votes from the 2008 result where Chauval came within 1006 votes of Dunne,
National’s Katrina Shanks actually made those numbers look good for Chauval in those two elections and i doubt the relatively unknown Labour candidate will have the same amount of success as Charles Chauval did,
From the Party Votes recorded it is easy to see that National Party supporters are fully conversant with ‘tactical voting’ splitting their party votes off to National while electorate voting for Dunne,
my view is that the only slight chance for the Labour candidate to have any chance is to ensure,(if possible), that Hudson the National Party candidate gets a higher amount of the electorate vote,
Whichever way i look at the Ohariu electorate that will be the decisive factor, in a large part of the electorate it may be easier to convince the ‘blue rinsers’ to vote National than to go against everything the ‘silver spoon’ they have supped from since birth has ingrained in them and vote Labour,
A high turnout of the Electorate vote for both National and Labour may well see us rid of Dunne, a high turnout of the electorate vote for Labour alone tho i doubt will create enough of a swing to unseat him…
Thanks bad, that a helpful analysis. Yes, I had a look at the voting patterns for 08 and 11 a while ago and saw that the voters of Ohariu, like Epsom sure do know how to use MMP to suit their purposes.
From Memory Shanks came a fairly poor third the last two times, so I can see how it would be ideal if those blue rinsers you speak of gave their vote to the sales rep and weaken Dunnes chances. Maybe this will happen naturally as Dunne becomes increasingly less popular in the electorate, purely for conservative moral reasons rather than political.
Stephanie Rodgers said something once here on TS about being involved in the Labour campaign for Ohariu. Maybe she would like to offer her thoughts, I’m sure they would be welcome.
I am indeed involved in the Ohariu campaign – but it’s a complex topic! Virginia Andersen is a great candidate for Ohariu and I know we’re all working hard to win the electorate vote. No one expected National to field a particularly strong candidate for the obvious reasons. And a lot has happened for Peter Dunne since 2011.
Hi Stephanie and thanks. I bet it is a complex topic! And I’m assuming you may not be able to show the party’s hand, too much.
Although I didn’t meet Virginia Anderson I did listen to what she had to say at a recent meeting PPO hosted in J’Ville to discuss the Employment Relations Amendment Act. She comes across as very intelligent, sharp and strong. I am impressed by her.
Great to hear the campaign team has the wind in their sails – we’ll have you all to thank if we do it, if we turn this electorate red! Hey, what a party that would be, unseating Dunne after 30 years!
Well we could use all the help we can get – so if you know anyone who wants to lend a hand, they can sign up on the Facebook page!
https://www.facebook.com/virginia.andersen.ohariu
Speaking of the young tobacco lobbyist, have you seen this yet?
http://porcupinefarm.blogspot.co.nz/2014/05/suck-on-this-suckers.html
Lol. Brilliant.
What is your point?
I think the point is the lad saying he doesn’t encourage smoking, while lobbying for Phillip Morris.
Lobbying for a Tobacco company doesn’t necessarily mean you are attempting to encourage smoking. It is also not illegal. Frankly this smacks of the sort of witch hunting that used to be happen around membership of the Communist party in people’s youth. Just as I think it is ridiculous to focus on that I think it is ridiculous to castigate a potential candidate based on who he preciously worked for.
BTW the linked to article and associated graphic doesn’t makes the point you are suggesting it does or at least not in a clear an unequivical manner.
are you ms collins chief political advisor?
“Lobbying for a Tobacco company doesn’t necessarily mean you are attempting to encourage smoking.”
HA HA HA – good one gossamer
” I think it is ridiculous to castigate a potential candidate based on who he preciously worked for.”
then you havent been paying attention at all have you – who he worked for is but one facet of the argument of why hes not fit for selection
I think it is a matter of the National party members of the electorate to decide whether he is a suitable candidate or not. It then becomes a matter for the voters of the electorate to decide if they think he is a suitable MP. Some left wing person on a blog has little influence over this.
you said that promoting the business of phillip morris didnt mean he was encouraging smoking, dont change it to occupations dont preclude people from being mps.
two seperate issues.
Take the example of the Prostitutes Collective. Someone working for this organisation does not mean they necessarily encourage the use of prostitutes or at least that more people should use one. There is a lot of issues you can advocate for without expanding the take up of what you advocate on.
Sophistry in extremis
More to the point, why are you accusing Barclay of not contributing to his corporate employer’s bottom line? Are you saying that he was a fraud in the job or just lazy?
Are you stating lobbying on behalf of the Prostitutes collective means you are encouraging the use of Prostitutes?
I have no idea of the work Mr Barclay did for the company. Do you?
Do you believe that young Barclay esq. felt any moral twangs about accepting tens of thousands of dollars from big Tobacco corporate Philip Morris?
Or do you believe that he slept easy the whole time, which is why he is such a good fit for the National Party?
I have no idea if he did or didn’t. I don’t particularly like many organisations but I don’t condemn people based on the fact people may have once worked for them. I understand that people are employed to do a job not to agree with the ideas or views expressed by the organisation they are part of.
So you believe that Barclay probably had no moral qualms about accepting big tobacco money? I wonder what the principled burghers of Clutha Southland are going to make of a National Party who gave them such a poorly suited candidate.
This is obviously a golden opportunity then for a candidate of a left leaning party to win in Clutha Southland at the upcoming election. Do you want to have a wager on whether this will happen?
christ your an idiot gossamer
“Are you stating lobbying on behalf of the Prostitutes collective means you are encouraging the use of Prostitutes?”
well when the prostitutes collective starts selling prostitutes then your can compare them to phillip morris
the prostitutes collective advocates for their members – phillip morris sells t-backy
What is it that the members of the Prostitutes collective sell? I’d suggest advocating on their behalf is giving tacit support to what they do.
Well, National should pull the tobacco lobbyist from their candidate list, and give the people of Clutha Southland a serious choice, a candidate who knows about the issues of the electorate and understands farming, instead of sliding in a Big Tobacco lobbyist who is wholly unsuitable.
I’d suggest this is up to the National party and the members of the Clutha Southland electorate and not a hard core leftist like yourself to decide. Nice to see you so concerned about who should represent right leaning people. I myself would like left leaning people being represented by morons. Luckily for me that seems to be the case more often than not 😉
sheesh gossy..!..
..just going on yr pot-prohibition-‘views’ in this thread..
..you get the ‘moron’-gong today..
..eh..? (insert-smiley..)
Well I think we should give Gosman the benefit of the doubt.
After all he’s here advocating on behalf of the National Party – when clearly he doesn’t actually believe in a thing they stand for.
No.
The difference is like that between a lawyer and a fence. Your tobacco lobbyest is more like the latter.
But then a person who’s cool with prostitution is doing nothing wrong, as well as nothing illegal.
I don’t think you understand what the Prostitutes Collective does, Gosman.
no-one said otherwise – so again your inventing a point that was never mentioned in order to distract and derail
we are all entitled to say and discuss what ever we feel like (unless your some jack boot statist of course – are you?) – and the eyebrows raised about that particular appt was as much about his age, connections to certain party members, overall work and life experience and the fact that the revolving door relationship between politics and industry lobbyists is usually considered a less than desirable situation – regardless of left or right
it was never exclusively about phillip morris in and of itself
either you know this and are playing your usual bullshit or your shooting your mouth off without knowing the issue
one makes you a bit of a pain in the ass – the other makes you look like an idiot
Lobbying for a tobacco company, given the outcomes for those who take up the dreaded weed, gives an indication that the person is unable to link personal actions to community and social responsibility.
As a potential government representative for all demographics, who all need to have a long-term view of policy effects this is an “experience” that indicates a severe skill deficiency.
Really? So people who advocate for Marijuana normalisation would be in a similar boat in your mind I presume.
slight difference there gossy..
..tobacco kills..
..in many cases..cannabis heals/helps…
Cannabis has the potential to cause the same sort of physical harm as Tobacco AND additional harm via long term psychological damage (especially when taken frequently at a young age). Don’y try and act like Cannabis is some life preserving wonder drug. We are not all as stupid as you might be.
Why do you think Barclay accepted a job with a Big Tobacco corporate? After all, Philip Morris’ products have caused millions of deaths worldwide over the last 50 or more years. Do you think Barclay considered that before he started accepting money from Philip Morris?
The same could be argued for any number of companies from Pharmaceutical distributors through to Confectionary manufacturers. Yes Tobacco is harmful to you but so is Homeopathy if you use it instead of proper medicine. I don’t think that should rule out people from becoming an MP if they worked as a Homeopath or in the industry just as i don’t think working as a lobbyist for a tobacco company carrying out their business in a legal manner should rule you out from public office.
So did Barclay experience moral doubts about accepting Big Tobacco corporate cash, or do you think that he was paid enough by Philip Morris that he found that he could ignore any minor moral qualms that he may have had?
Tobacco distribution is not illegal in this country. Therefore Mr Barclay has done nothing wrong working for a company involved in this sector. You might not like it but I suspect you won’t be involved in deciding if he is elected to parliament.
No, he has merely avoided doing anything illegal.
Although it’s revealing that you should confuse the two. Especially if we remember that, legally speaking, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Which means that (in your worldview) if one can get away with murder one has done nothing wrong…
Only in your perverted view of the world. Someone can get away with murder if they think they are acting in self defence though so in essence you do raise an interesting, if irrelevant, point. What this has to do with Mr Barclay’s previous job is unclear though.
You said it was not illegal therefore it is not wrong.
Murder is illegal, but proving it is another matter.
And murderers are innocent until proven guilty under the law.
You’re an idiot. If it’s self defense, it’s not murder. According to the law, anyway (cf: s160 and s48 of the same Act).
The point I’m getting at is that your definition of “wrong” rests solely on legality. It’s almost as if you have no internal set of ethical principles which guide your actions, legal or otherwise. I.e. completely amoral.
could you plse give some evidence/links of cannabis causing cancer…?
..and yr ‘ long term psychological damage’..?
here is mine..
http://whoar.co.nz/?s=medicinal+marijuana+
(..and here is an excerpt from one..)
“..“..Any day now – Alabama – which was ranked the most conservative state in the country by Gallup last year –
will become the first state in the South to legalize a type of medicine derived from marijuana.
When “Carly’s Law” or Senate Bill 174 – arrived in the state House of Representatives at 2 a.m. on March 21-
politicians on both sides of the aisle reportedly stood up and began chanting for the bill to pass.
The measure – which received unanimous support in both chambers –
will fund a $1 million study at the University of Alabama –
on the effectiveness of cannabidiol in treating seizure disorders.
But the “Heart of Dixie” isn’t the only Southern state opening up to the possibility that cannabis may have medicinal value.
Here are some others fighting to pull back the veil on medical weed:..”
(‘carly’ is a young girl who used to suffer hundreds of seizures a year..
..and no conventional medicines worked to ease that..
..but cannabis oil does..)
..and i see you never went to a waste-station during yr absence..
..you’re still full of waste-material..eh..?)
http://www.cancernz.org.nz/assets/files/smokefree-resources/IS_TC_Cannabis&Cancer_9Sept2010.pdf
“The effects of cannabis on health have not been studied anywhere near as much as those of tobacco smoking. However, a review has concluded that the airways of cannabis smokers have changes that indicate cancer risk , for example, “chronic inflammatory” and “pre-cancerous changes”.
This review also found one well-designed study that suggested that cannabis smoking caused cancer in the upper airways of young adults, and that the risk was highest in the most frequent users.”
Therefore there is evidence that it does have the potential to cause the same sort of physical harm as smoking Tobacco. You may disagree the risk is as high or that the evidence is not compelling but there is no doubt evidence.
correction..those ‘hundreds of seizures every year’..
..should read ‘every day’…
gosman..yr bullshit claims are blown away by the fact that we now have a great many people who have smoked a lot of cannabis for a long time..
..but there is no blip in lung cancers etc..from these people..
..the same with yr ‘psychological-harm’..rubbish..
..pot makes you schitzo! has long been the prohibitionist-claim/lie the likes of you peddle..
..yet once again..the facts/stats blow that one away too..
..’cos as with those decades of heavy cannabis use not showing cancer-outcomes..in those users..
..the ‘schitzo’-levels in the population are about the same now..
..as they were before the wholesale uptake of cannabis in the 60’s..
..you really are just blowing hot-air..aren’t you..?
What you are stating is you disagree with the conclusion of that review. That is fine. You don’t have to believe it. Just as some people don’t agree with lots of scientific conclusions. You can’t deny that there is some evidence linking the use of Cannabis and increased risk of cancer though. It exists.
Phil said what I would’ve if I’d returned earlier.
Marijuana normalisation is advocated mostly by those who will not benefit from changing the legislation, using studies to back up their claims.
Tobacco lobbyists are highly paid liars who do benefit from continued use and whose employers suppressed for many years scientific studies that showed devastating and ongoing harm from the use of their products.
Also, ignore the fact that nicotine was added specifically to make it addictive thereby ensuring the continuation of use for the whole of their customer’s shortened life.
Are you able to distinguish differences or do you need a return to basics?
I’d suggest this is based purely on your own personal prejudices and not on any evidence supporting the view that everyone who works as a lobbyist for a Tobacco company is a liar. If you can provide evidence that Mr Barclay knowingly lied during his time working for the Tobacco company in question though you will have won the argument. Have you such evidence?
notice how your avoiding the substance of all discussion with you in order to focus on hair splitting?
The focus on the discussion is what excatly? Is it that Tobacco use is bad for you and society generally and therefore anyone who has worked for a company involved in that sector is bad and therefore is not fit for public office? As I pointed out that is a ridiculous position to hold.
what’s to lie about..?
..he’s/they’re just peddling death..
..they are in a dirty/death-peddling-addiction-industry..
..surely you aren’t denying that fact..?
..heroin dealers don’t need to lie either..
..their product does all the talking for them…
..it’s that captive-addict-audience they both service..
..and there..the addiction is all..
There is evidence that pure Heroin is not that physically harmful to you. It is the adulturated substance that causes problems.
i agree it is the adulterants that fuck junkies up..
..if they were able to register as heroin addicts..and get pure-product..
..the harm-minimisation results would be significant..
.this is what switzerland does..
..heroin addicts pick up one dose on the way to work..
..and another on the way home..
..criminals aren’t in the picture..
..and of course there is no crime needed to be committed by those addicts to feed a blackmarket-addiction..
..the purity-thesis is also confirmed by doctors who get hooked on their product..ie pure morphine..whatever..
..yes..they get the addiction..
..but they don’t suffer the physical-wasting junkies relying on blackmarket-supplies do..
..but we are a long way from any such outbreak of sanity here..
..where/when the most conservative southern states in america are unanimously passing such a law..for pot..
..and yet here we can’t even get fucken medical-marijuana over the line..
..let alone sane policies around other drugs/addiction-issues..
..our political leaders are both clowns..and fools..
..’scared’ little people..
yet we have this harmful/legal-high crap coming out our ears..
..and the most harmful drug of all..alcohol..
..normalised/peddled in ads on television..
..aarrgghh!!
..the lunatics have taken over the asylum..
..and of course..some of the most strident opponents to ending cannabis prohibition..
..are those who ‘own’ dung…the booze-pushers..
..they well know that decriminalised-cannabis will see a major move away from their dangerous/addictive ‘product’..
..it’s all about ‘preserving-market’ for them..eh..?
..and ‘their men’ dung/key etc..
..as always..when seeking the/any real story..
..follow the money..
Barclay lobbied on behalf of Big Tobacco, against the Government’s “attempts” to restrict the harmful effects of smoking on New Zealanders. Now, he plans to join the Government on the other side of the argument. Comfortable about that, are you? It doesn’t have to be illegal to be wrong. Remember “legal highs/synthetic cannabis”?
There are other ways of measuring right and wrong. Barclay chose to side with the pedlars of nicotine and now he wants to govern us. His background will worry many people, especially those who have lost family members to the various cancers cigarette smoking causes.
Do you have evidence of what his current views on Tobacco usage are and that he will be pushing the Tobacco company point of view forward if he becomes an MP?
We know he supported the actions of Philip Morris – unless of course, he was dishonest with them and they paid him under false pretences. If he didn’t support their kaupapa, he’s a hypocrite – not the sort of person you’d want representing you in Parliament. If he did side with the tobacco pedlars, he was actively working against the best interests of new Zealanders – not the sort of person you’d want representing you in Parliament.
Not the sort of person you’d want to represent you in parliament – Are you a resident of the Cluth Southland electorate then?
By the way, even assuming he was a big supporter of increased tobacco usage (there doesn’t seem to be any evidence supporting this though) he can change his mind. I believe a number of politicians may have had radically different views when younger. Phil Goff springs to mind.
I’ve lived in Southland for 28 years. The Southlanders I’ve spoken with on this issue are disgusted that the National Party have served up this tobacco lobbyist. None will vote for him.
edit: Different views when he was younger!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
!
He resigned from Philip Morris last week!
Younger!
Pathetic.
Excellent. Care to wager that National will lose the electorate then?
It’s always been said that a fence-post would win Clutha/Southland for National (been proved true too). Your comment/wager has no bearing on the quality of the tobacco lobbyist/candidate or his ethical standards, which are being described around here as non-existent.
So not enough people in the Clutha Southland electorate care enough about the issue to vote for an alternative candidate then. Case closed.
‘So not enough people in the Clutha Southland electorate care enough about the issue to vote for an alternative candidate then. Case closed.’
Not enough people care about the issue?
Nonsense statement from Gosman. The election has not taken place yet, so you can’t know.
The ‘case’ is far from closed.
Case wide open and looking less than secure for what might have been an easy-win for a candidate who hadn’t recently quit a job in an industry that most people regard as odious. Let’s remember, it’s “most people”, not you, Gosman, who will decide whether Barclay is suitable for representing Southlanders in parliament. I’m hearing a lot of, “Hell no!”
Then have the wager with me. I’ll even give you odds of 2 to 1.
what is it about tories and gambling?
Is your opinion worthless unless it gets you money?
Tobacco lobbyists in order to sell their product by necessity are “economical with the truth” ( admittedly my definition of a liar, perhaps not yours ) or they are a really ineffective lobbyist, one who would be fired fairly quickly.
He did not mention that he was a bad lobbyist – so I am also assuming he was fairly competent in the role.
But you are right Gosman – just because I don’t have a transcript of all his commercial utterings I cannot prove that he lied (even by my definition) in any specific incident.
Just as I cannot prove that any baker has put active yeast into all his bread products – but if he didn’t, his failure would be fairly noticeable.
Not likely – just 9 months in the role, he’d probably only learnt where the toilets were and what home time was.
For a new graduate a corporate affairs role takes 2-3 years to get any basic competence at, and that’s with proper mentoring.
Are you the only right winger on duty today?
What’s your view on the Collins debacle?
he’s just been bottling it up for a while. Normal destructive service will be resumed shortly 🙂
She should have resigned when this first came out. End of story.
She should only resign if it came out?
There’s that moral vacuum again.
Thought you guys had gone to ground…..
they are recovering from the national party conference this weekend. i suspect some of them have no memory of the weekend.
hehehe
and you know he sums up a few nat ministers right now,
“its just a job”
… ethics dont come into it.
Or it could be that Johnny No-Mates has given up on trying to get Colin Craig into Auckland and has told the Conservatives to have a scout around the churches in Clutha to see if there’s a potential candidate down there. After all, if Todd the Toddler loses the seat it will be no great loss to the Nats as long as they get a Conservative in his place…
I’ve managed to locate the words to National’s “Party” song.
It was heard being sung at the end of their recent conference while they were eating Hors d’oeuvres and clinking champagne flutes. Feel free to join in.
It goes like this………eeeerm….eeeerm.
It’s time to play the music
It’s time to light the lights
It’s time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight.
It’s time to put on makeup
It’s time to dress up right
It’s time to raise the curtain on the Muppet Show tonight.
Why do we always come here
I guess we’ll never know
It’s like a kind of torture
To have to watch the show
Chorus
And now let’s get things started
Why don’t you get things started
It’s time to get things started
On the most sensational Aspirational celebrational Muppetational
This is what we call the Muppet Show!
Instrumental Break
[MC]To introduce our guest star
That’s what I’m here to do
So it really makes me happy
To introduce to you (drum roll)
Shonnnnnnnn Keyyyyyyyyy!!!
Chorus
And now let’s get things started
Why don’t you get things started
It’s time to get things started
On the most sensational Aspirational celebrational Muppetational
This is what we call the Muppet Show!
Love it!
lol
Bit of help?
This page has a clear date stamp of today… but all the comments are apparently from a year ago ???
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/wr-opening-salvo-dump-rental-properties-now-lf-133603
Is the article itself a year old, in which case where is the correct publication date NBR?
Or is NBR just being really green and recycling comments ?
That is a bit of a head-scratcher isn’t it, Hooton talking of David Shearer as the leader of the Labour Party,
Perhaps this is a re-print of something wee Matty previously wrote, a little trumpet blow in Hooton’s direction to show how clever Matty is at seeing the future,
What will drive more than a few out of ‘rental investments’ is the Labour plan to plug the loophole where such ‘investors’ get to right off any losses incurred on the property against other taxable income,
i don’t know the numbers of people who piled into ‘rental investments’ based upon the taxes on ‘other income’ they could write off against the properties but the numbers i would suggest are high and the closing of this tax loophole will force more than a few to divest themselves of rental properties…
Don’t even remember it. Must have been a while ago.
Thanks for replying Matthew, I think you would agree it is very sloppy presentation of information. Especially for a publication of the NBR’s stature. Would you be so kind as to mention this to your editors?
You could imagine the kerfuffle if PG tried to use it to establish a fact. He is bound to try to establish a fact one day, and I would hate for something like a publishing date to trip him up.
I agree with the worrying impact on Pete George and will pass on the suggestions you raise.
“You could imagine the kerfuffle if PG tried to use it to establish a fact. He is bound to try to establish a fact one day, and I would hate for something like a publishing date to trip him up.”
Wonderful – has to win as comment of the day!
@ veuto..+ 1..
..that’s funny..
Must be a glitch – if you click on ‘More articles by Matthew Hooton’ it takes you to a page of articles by David Cohen.
is hooton cohen..?
..is this ‘the story’ here..?
Judith Collins has just confirmed that she will not resign. Good!
The chances of Left coalition winning the election just skyrocketed.
i’m torn..
i want to see her gone..sacked/fired..
..but i also want her as a stinking/rotting albatross around keys’ neck..
..all the way thru to the election..
..the recycling options from/with the collins are both potent and ongoing..
John Armstrong has emerged from the shadows….
“But Key’s reference to the length of the conversations has to be regarded as another way of him saying he canvassed various options with respect to her immediate future as a minister.
For Key not to have offered Collins some much-needed respite from the intense scrutiny that she has been under for weeks would have been neglectful of not just National’s interests, but of Collins’ as well.
Clearly Collins is very much in the wrong place mentally right now. That is plainly evident after she lashed out at TVNZ’s Katie Bradford yesterday, only to to subsequently issue a public apology to the political reporter.
Key this morning described Collins’ outburst at the press gallery journalist as being “completely inappropriate”. He added that Collins would be “very careful going forward”.
The trouble is every time Collins moves one step forward, her reputation takes five steps back. Rather than endeavouring to close down the whole farrago prompted by her highly-questionable dealings with the milk exporting company Oravida, Collins says or does something to further inflame matters……”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11249704
The real problem is that Slippery Key moves the goalposts after she gaffes.
Firstly he says she’s on her last warning then when she fucks up he says the warning was for a different topic! Opening the door for a “three strikes” wet bus ticket for all of his ministers every time there’s a screw up screwing up.
Perhaps what we are seeing is a cathartic civil war in the National Party.
Joyce, with all the gifts of MBIE to help him win support among business backers of National, is getting aid from McCully (fast OIA responses) and others to weaken Collins.
Collins, with the gift of self-belief and popularity among grass-root Nats, is willing to risk all, including the election, to gain control.
Labour should leave them space on the front pages!
interesting take on it ps. espesh the mccully mfat connection to oias.
and mccully and joyce have been np strategists for some time.
its always interesting to see who says nothing at times like these.
thanks for yoyr thoughtful observation.
now, back to oriveida and something to stick to that lovely mr key.
Groser has helped trip up Collins also. The short wee mon is very traditional and would NOT cope with having a woman, Collins, as his boss. He is definitely in the Joyce Camp now.
The short wee mon will also be getting it in the ear from Fonterra. Fonterra will also have been chatting with John Key and Bill English.
Imagine how Fonterra are feeling: Collins goes into bat for another trader who wants to make hay in China from Fonterra’s botulism crises! Fonterra spent a few $100m opening the market and Oravida wanted to sneak in via the back door!
Collins has pissed off Fonterra, the biggest lobbyist in Parliament.
Therefore Collins has pissed off Federated Farmer, the second biggest lobbyist in Parliament.
If those two go public with their annoyance every Fonterra shareholding farmer will see Collins as a TRAITOR.
She is so close to going. Key must be afraid of how she will behave if she is fired.
How are Collins and Finlayson?
Finlayson does seem to be gliding through very quietly of late.
Surely our Attorney-General would be a good person for a comment on the Cabinet Rules?
Finlayson would find both Collins and Joyce odious. He would wish both of the ill, IMO.
so let’s hope some media type person ‘innocently’ gets him on record about the Cabinet Rules 🙂
thanks ps.
“Lobbying for a Tobacco company doesn’t necessarily mean you are attempting to encourage smoking.”
Being a member of The Mighty Mongrel Mob doesn’t mean you support the activities of your fellow mobsters either, does it, Gosman.
If the Mongrel Mob activities are legal then there is nothing wrong with belonging to them. It is only when people carry out illegal activities under the Mongrel mob banner that belonging to them becomes an issue.
Do you take an equivalent stance on our involvement in the Five Eyes network?
Yes
Guess that is a reply to 14.1.1 above.
That also makes you culpable in terms of being a citizen of one of those governments.
Do you claim that culpability or do you acknowledge that personal control of those organisations to which we all belong plays a part in our guilt by association?
(Moved as sensibly suggested by Gosman 16.1.1.1)
I don’t think one automatically leads on to the other. For example in war a nation can carry out some dreadful actions like the fire bombings of Dresden and Tokyo or the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That does not mean all citizens of the nations making up the Allies in the war are culpable for these decisions or that the war itself is suspect because of them.
a person employed to lobby for a tobacconist is not just a citizen wandering by.
Gosman, do you believe the 23 year old, Todd Barclay, who has only ever worked in Government Minister’s offices and lobbied for a tobacco firm has enough life experience to be an MP where his job is to represent the full cross-section of the electorate?
He is not looking at becoming a list MP but an electorate one. It is not for me to decide if he is suitable or not as I don’t live in his electorate. If the people of his electorate decide to vote for him who am I to quibble about his supposed lack of experience.
Hi Gosman,
I don’t think freedom was asking you to decide Barclay’s political fate (you can’t, as you point out) but, instead, was inviting you to express what you believe about his life experience in relation to the tasks of an electorate MP.
The beauty of democracy is we leave it up to the voters to decide the suitability or otherwise of a candidate. As for if I would vote for him. I don’t know a lot about him or his opponents. He does seem a little on the young and inexperienced side but that does not necessarily preclude you from being a good electorate MP. Certainly the fact he worked as a lobbyist for a Tobacco company doesn’t rule him out as far as I am concerned.
So you believe that the principled burghers of Clutha Southland should have been given a choice of decent National Party candidates, instead of having a tobacco industry lobbyist served to them from Wellington on a blue platter?
I don’t believe I stated that at all.
ok Gosman, let’s look at Colonial Viper’s question from a different angle.
Should National Party members of Clutha-Southland be given a choice about who becomes their candidate?
Is the way Mr Barclay is being selected as a candidate outside National party rules on candidate selection? If the answer to that is no then what is the problem here again? If the National party voters in the electorate don’t like the candidate they are free to vote for a candidate of another party. This seems to me to be a perfect opportunity for other candidates to take advantage of. Assuming of course the majority of voters in the electorate care enough about the issue. Do you think they will vote for another candidate?
I’d like to see who else in the National Party put their hand up for the job of candidate for Clutha Southland; you can bet there would be a few amongst them who would make our inexperienced tobacco lobbyist look properly shallow in comparison.
Why do you care who National selects as a candidate anyway? If this wasn’t a left wing blog what you are doing would be termed concern trolling.
It’s not that I care so much (and I actually do know a lot of voters who live in the Clutha Southland), it’s that I am amazed that you care so little about the appalling Big Tobacco choice of candidate that National HQ has served up on a plate to that electorate.
I have not said a word about voting Gosman. I was clearly pointing to the candidate selection process. I just find it funny when supposedly intelligent people defend a candidate selection system where the members’ views are deemed irrelevant and yet these same people are somehow represented, by submitting to an arbitrary decision by their Party leaders that they, the members, had no input into.
Good thing I gave up trying to understand National voters a long time ago, even the ones I love. Some might say you should never fully understand your friends, or your family, it takes away all the mystery.
National is by far and away the most successful political party in NZ since the end of the second world war. You might not understand their internal processes or why people support them but you can’t deny that it seems to work for them. I am sure they don’t give two hoots what a bunch of largely hard core leftists think of them.
Actually, that’s exactly what being a democracy means.
“I don’t think one automatically leads on to the other.”14.1.1.1.1
“It is only when people carry out illegal activities under the Mongrel mob banner that belonging to them becomes an issue.14.1
A bit of a contradiction there. But I do agree with your statement at 14.1.1.1.1 because fundamentally, regardless of whether you are a member or not, – your personal input or control of the decisions made by that organisation – make up a large part of whether you are responsible for those decisions or not. Mongrel Mob member, MP or democratic citizen.
Unfortunately, some of these organisations are set up to look like you have equal power to another but in actuality do not deliver.
No contradiction at all as far as I can see. Perhaps you will explain why you think one exists.
Gosman – for some reason I can’t reply to your comment above regarding National’s electoral success in the post-world war 2 era? You are, strictly speaking, right though much of that success comes from exploiting the FPP gerrymander. In the MMP era National and Labour so far have 3 terms each.
legallity isnt part of the question captain deflection
certain types get too easily mixed up between the concepts of ‘what is moral’, and ‘what is legal.’
Morally I think selling Homeopathy or most other types of CAM products/remedies is reprehensible. Does that mean people involved with this sector should be denied the opportunity of becoming an MP?
the thing is with homeopathy..there..gossy..
..is that farmers who have vets that use it..
..see how effective it can be..
..and i don’t think animals are subject to the placebo-effect..
..(i also have seen it work wonders on dogs..)
..i’m no expert on the subject..
..but just those vet-facts/personal-experiences..
..give me pause for thought..
Who’s denying anyone the opportunity of becoming an MP?
The tobacco lobbiest is allowed to run.
So is Aaron Gilmore.
But for either to be nominated would show tory arrogance. A lot of that’s been coming to light, lately.
Only to hard core leftists like you. People like me don’t think it is arrogant.
Arrogant people don’t think arrogant people are arrogant?
Fuck me.
Ah Felix. Did you miss me? I certainly didn’t miss your usual frivolous inputs to any discussion.
frivolous? He was spot on.
Didn’t know you’d been away.
“Who’s denying anyone the opportunity of becoming an MP?”
you keep saying it and when directly confronted on the issue you go all quiet
so i will ask the same question – Who’s denying anyone the opportunity of becoming an MP?
your being really weak on this one
first home owners in auckland, based on neither owner having bought a home before or held a mortgage before, are paying $200 a week more than counterparts outside auckland.
but they dont get $200 a week more from similar jobs to counterparts.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/editors-picks/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503539&objectid=11249447
This is what you get for having more than 30% of the country’s population squashed into less than 0.3% of the country’s land area.
As an added benefit, it depopulates and economically degrades all the other regions of the country. You would have thought given these facts that just a little teensy bit of central planning might be in order to even things out a bit, but no, every political party seems determined to make Auckland even bigger and denser than it is now.
Right, a little update.
Despite badgering me for weeks whilst I was on sick leave, and on three occasions questioning the veracity of my Doctor’s certificates, after my disciplinary hearing on Monday, at 5.58 pm on Friday, I finally got confirmation through I was sacked.
Not surprised at the outcome, but still gutted none the less. Cancelled my wff payments so I don’t get overpaid, booked up my ‘working for me seminar’ at winz, and ready to do what I can to get back in to work.
I don’t know what options I have, other than full hearing and more costs I can’t pay or walk away and take the hit, but I’ll decide after consultation with the brief later today. It appears a pervy old man can’t buy my silence, but can buy protection for his reputation.
Better off out of it, but what a way to go.
Bugger.
Wishing you all the best for this next stage.
Yes
Guess that is a reply to 14.1.1 above.
That also makes you culpable in terms of being a citizen of one of those governments.
Do you claim that culpability or do you acknowledge that personal control of those organisations to which we all belong plays a part in our guilt by association?
For some reason it was appearing down here even though I replied to you above. To keep this sensible repost your question above.
Really sorry to hear of the outcome for you The AIlen. Good luck for your post consultation decision making on what to do next and all the best for your next move.
It really is disheartening how dodgy employers get away it, again and again. I’ve seen it happen so many times to others and have been the victim of dodgy bosses twice in a row – its so wrong that your experience is not uncommon.
Hope you find something nice to treat yourself to today.
Kia Ora.
+100…good luck The Allen!
+1. I was trying to find the right words of support for you, the Al1en; but Rosie has said it much better. I am thinking of you, as I am sure many others here are. I have been through similar but the fact that others have been down the same road does not make it any easier at the time. But you will get through. It has been obvious to me reading your posts on this issue. Kia Kaha. Keep us up to date.
+1 and take care of yourself Al1en.
Take the high road Al1en, it has better views and it’s always best to avoid the hassle of stumbling over messed up riverbeds. As you say, there does not appear to be any rewards in battling further. Do remember though, you can now freely offer advice to people as to whether they should use that particular business or not. There are lots of legal ways to adjust someone’s business reputation. I am not a spiteful person but have certainly had the unquestioning generosity of my youth sorely tested these past few years.
Look after yourself, and when jumping the WINZ hoops, breath deep and let the pointless busywork ahead be a positive challenge. There is a job out there. I keep getting told there is. Problem seems to be WINZ are talking to us all about the same job 😉
best of luck with the job hunt.
Mediation costs nothing and there is absolutely no reason to be represented by a lawyer. If you choose to be represented by a lawyer, then they can claim costs as a part of any confidential settlement.
Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement.
I didn’t get a call back from my guy, so haven’t heard his considered opinion yet, but hope to tomorrow. The worst thing about the outcome is knowing I didn’t really do anything wrong, got victimised and then assaulted, and have been dismissed on the ‘evidence’ of witnesses I know weren’t present at the time.
Realistically, without being Rumpole of the Bailey, I know I can’t rip the truth out from these people. I couldn’t even get my ex boss to speak during the kangaroo court. Two and a half hours and he said nothing, just stared in to any space except my eye line.
I am full of contempt for this tool, but still bound by confidentiality, so naming and shaming isn’t an option as yet. I do have the privacy commission to fall back on, which is free to apply to, so that will probably be my next move, but first to get that job.
Thanks again.
Hang in there, TA. And thanks for the update. You are not alone.
My thoughts are with you, mate.
gosman you are just being silly and throwing red herrings around. Whats his name from dipton is just a silly little twerp but you wont admit it.
Explosive new art show exposes Auckland’s revolutionary labour history: http://readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/2014/05/building-bombs.html
Good to see the government’s helping the poor live on air:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/10010529/Budgeting-services-to-get-a-boost
Soon people will be so good at managing their finances benefits won’t be needed at all. If fact, I’m surprised Bennett isn’t saying something like “we really want to support people manage their money so well that there’s even some left over each week they can pay back to the government as a contribution to the benefit system overall.”
Bennett says the funding “will ensure the services are able to keep up with demand”. What she doesn’t say is that that demand is increasing because it’s compulsory when people apply to Work and Income for special needs grants and advances, which people need to apply for because main benefit levels are so ridiculously low. Bennett, this government and Labour have absolutely no idea.
+1
Talking about that:
‘Don’t ever imagine there’s not a cost’
A column by Sarah Wilson.
Is Maurice Williamson really a ventriloquists dummy, i had that thought as Williamson was manhandled out of TV3’s ‘the Nation’ studio on the weekend, perhaps Maurice had just filled his incontinence pants and couldn’t bring Himself to perambulate after such a dramatic event,
Maurice having just had the silver spoon rudely ripped from His over privileged mouth should face further questioning over His story,
Claiming that it wasn’t Donghua Liu who asked Him for help after putting the bash on both wife and mother-in-law Williamson claimed that it was a member of the police force who gave Him the information that Liu was in trouble for the incident,
i don’t believe Williamson’s explanation for a moment, But, if he was being truthful the plod who shared this information with Him should face discipline for giving out such information…
Ah, bad, on reading the transcript, I don’t think that’s how it went down. The final bit of the interview, Williamson is explaining why he mentioned Liu’s business interests in NZ when talking on the phone to the police.
to use a quaint old phrase I think Judith collins has gone “furgerko”.
Finally, after reading 14 ways a link to the entire Umberto Eco Ur-Fa**ism essay.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://pegc.us/archive/Articles/eco_ur-fascism.pdf&chrome=true
79 years ago today.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/05/john-scopes-arrested-for-teaching-evolution-may-5-1925-106325.html?