Open mike 06/10/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 6th, 2011 - 59 comments
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59 comments on “Open mike 06/10/2011”

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  1. mickysavage 1
    6 October 2011 at 7:13 am

    They say that the best test of a person’s leadership capabilities is to put them in a crisis and see how they respond and yesterday in Parliament provided a good opportunity to see Goff’s and Key’s responses to a crisis.

    Goff was superb.   His speech given immediately after the incident was one of the best I have seen.  He showed passion, grit and determination and the ability to react and think on his feet even after being confronted by a potential tragedy.

    Key’s response showed the real Key.  He lashed out at Labour, accusing them of something they clearly were not responsible for, made a gesture some have been arrested for and then slunk in his seat when he realised what he had done.

    Over the past two years Goff has been hammered by the forces of the right, by the media and a meme has been constructed that he is not leadership material.  This attack has worked well, the population at large are indifferent to him and even amongst the ranks of the left he is treated with caution.

    But I believe yesterday should be a reason for all of us to reflect on this.  Goff is the real deal, compassionate, determined and capable.  Key is anything but.

    This country needs a left coalition to kick this rabble out.  Whatever your political flavor be it Green, Mana or Labour get out there and campaign for votes and get people enrolled.  Because this country needs Goff and not Key. 

  2. lprent 2
    6 October 2011 at 7:16 am

    Good start to the day. My immediate reaction – how long before Key folds? He isn’t a PM, more like a pushover.

  3. Carol 3
    6 October 2011 at 7:39 am

    The government has been focused on cutting public service spending, yet has had a budget blow-out on spending on Treasury consultants:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5739634/Treasury-defends-13m-consultants-bill

    Treasury is defending its use of 200 consultants at a cost of more than $13 million while advising the Government to trim the ranks of the public service.

    The five-page list of consultants is a who’s who of Wellington’s legal, accounting, academic, public relations and consulting elite – and also includes former public service chief executives and Treasury staffers contracting back to the organisation.

    […]
    The Green Party, which obtained the figures, said Treasury had spent an average $6.6m a year on external consultants in the first two years of the National Government – more than double the average annual spend under the previous Labour Government.

    • Jim Nald 3.1
      6 October 2011 at 8:20 am

      Cuts for you, but not for them.

      • mik e 3.1.1
        6 October 2011 at 8:49 pm

        Treasury Taking us to the cleaners.Thats probably what Key is going to do with the cleaners sack them then bring them back on contract so he can say they don’t need a pay rise.

    • vto 3.2
      6 October 2011 at 8:49 am

      Betcha the charge-out rates of those consultants are completely obscene too. Bloody all cosy in the Wellington zone. Are any of them charging as little as $100/hour? Betcha not. $200? $400? $800?

      How much are these cok-suckers paid? Wankers. Being paid for out of the taxes paid by those on rates like $15 to $45 per hour… No wonder people are jumping into the public gallery at Parliament.

      Wellington of course is the highest paid town in the country and it is completely undeserved. The only reason is because that is where the rules are made. Obscene.

      • Draco T Bastard 3.2.1
        6 October 2011 at 10:06 am

        Betcha the charge-out rates of those consultants are completely obscene too.

        Oh hell yeah, it’ll be far above what it would cost to just have them permanently hired on a salary.

      • Lanthanide 3.2.2
        6 October 2011 at 12:14 pm

        If the consultants are salaried and a lot of them probably are, then they wouldn’t even be getting that money themselves.

        Admittedly the companies they work for will probably have expensive overheads too, like swanky offices in the central city. But really the owners of the business will be the ones that are creaming it.

  4. vto 4
    6 October 2011 at 9:06 am

    The ‘rebel’s who have overthrown Gaddafi in Libya would have to be the cleanest and tidiest soldiers I have ever seen. Every single time they have been in photos or on the tele they have had clean shirts and pants, nice caps, good boots, sometimes stuff has even been ironed. No dust or dirt anywhere, no ripped clothing, no broken things.

    It has been very strange.

  5. TightyRighty 5
    6 October 2011 at 9:10 am

    Who’d believe it? people believing the science is settled calling people believing in opposing theories names and questioning their credibility.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/5741262/Vindicated-Ridiculed-Israeli-scientist-wins-Nobel

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1
      6 October 2011 at 10:11 am

      Yes, it happens but one example in how many? And, no matter how much you try, this can’t be linked to climate change as the evidence still supports the theory that we’re causing it.

      • TightyRighty 5.1.1
        6 October 2011 at 11:03 am

        wow draco, proving how stupid you are while trying to be smart. Trust an idiot such as yourself to miss the subtle intellectual point of my comment. between the voice of reason, felix and yourself , intelligence is a scarce resource

        • Draco T Bastard 5.1.1.1
          6 October 2011 at 11:10 am

          wow, tr manages to respond by saying…

          nothing at all.

        • The Voice of Reason 5.1.1.2
          6 October 2011 at 7:19 pm

          I feel so … validated.

        • mik e 5.1.1.3
          6 October 2011 at 8:59 pm

          TR our govt has just spent $36 million on research to find out the results back 98% of all other science based research.Its not like Chicago school economics or corrupt Catholic based propaganda .No wonder your so gullible no doubt your heroes are Palin and McCarthy 50s version of palin Roger Kerr our version .You would be better of in Galileo time Newton ex cetera where science was denied and the majority of people believed in fairy stories like the ones you believe in.Yeah apples don’t fall from treas the world is still flat and you are just plain stupid.

  7. joe90 7
    6 October 2011 at 10:04 am

    Streaming live.

    http://gothamist.com/2011/10/05/live_video_stream_occupy_wall_stree.php

    (9.30 am our time) Starting at 4:30 p.m., Occupy Wall Street protesters will be joined by tens of thousands of students, transit and city workers, teachers, and other union officials for a march from City Hall to the Financial District. Unlike last Saturday’s tense confrontations between protesters and police on the Brooklyn Bridge, organizers have gotten an event permit for today’s activities from the NYPD, according to the Journal, so it is expected to go a lot smoother than last weekend. But with more than 3,000 people expected to show up, it’s anyone’s guess how things will actually go. You can watch the live stream below, and we’ll update this post as the day progresses.

  8. joe90 8
    6 October 2011 at 10:32 am

    Moore:
    “They’re kleptomaniacs, is what they are. They’re out of control. I think there is some sort of sociopathic illness and they know what us to life in a kleptocracy. Where the kleptomaniacs run the show.

  9. freedom 9
    6 October 2011 at 11:24 am

    Would you like to know what OccupyWallSt wants to say to you but the MSM are too far gone to bother, get the reports from the source

  10. Penny Bright 10
    6 October 2011 at 11:37 am

    Today – Thursday 6 October 2011 – I’m launching my campaign as an Independent ‘Public Watchdog’ Candidate for Epsom – to help shine a HUGE public spotlight on ‘WHITE COLLAR CRIME’, CORRUPTION (and its root cause – PRIVATISATION) and CORPORATE WELFARE!

    Have done the research and have FACTS and EVIDENCE which proves that NZ has endemic ‘grand corruption’ in the form of ‘State Capture’ – where vested corporate interests get their way at the ‘policy’ level before legislation (which serves their interests) is passed.

    Have politically explosive findings and solutions for a genuinely ‘open’ ‘transparent’ and accountable NZ – where the public – not corporates – can and should benefit from our public monies, assets and resources.

    These, in my view, are the issues which should politically help to set this election alight! (As it were 🙂 In my considered opinion, John Key and National /ACT are VERY politically vulnerable on the issues privatisation, corruption and ‘white collar’ crime…..

    WHEN?
    KICK OFF! TODAY Thursday 6 October.

    TIME?: 2 – 4pm

    WHERE? Auckland Horticulture Centre 990 Great North Rd Western Springs!

    If you can make it – I think you’ll enjoy it! 🙂

    (It will be filmed and You Tube clips will be made covering the ‘KEY’ points.)

    Penny Bright

    Media Spokesperson
    Auckland Water Pressure Group

    Judicially-recognised Public Watchdog on Metrowater, water and Auckland regional governance matters.

    ‘Anti-corruption’ campaigner.
    Attendee: Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference 2009.
    Attendee: Transparency International Anti-Corruption Conference 2010

    Independent ‘Public Watchdog’
    Candidate for Epsom

  11. Brett Dale 11
    6 October 2011 at 11:42 am

    It seems all New Zealand Politicial parties are still some what bigoted against Gay people, when the parties were asked about their polices on gay Adoption and Gay Marriage, instead of doing the right thing and saying, “Yes we believe that gay people should have the legal right to adopt and get married, the parties mostly came up with these bs answers.

    I guess all parties are trying not to lose the votes of their bigoted supporters.

    • felix 11.1
      6 October 2011 at 11:54 am

      So I see you didn’t read the ACT, maori, or Green answers to the first question.

      Or the Green answer to the second.

      How to you remember to breathe?

      • Brett Dale 11.1.1
        6 October 2011 at 12:03 pm

        Oh i read it felix, it just seemed to be political talk, why didnt ALL PARTIES just say “Gay people have the right to marry and adopt.”

        • felix 11.1.1.1
          6 October 2011 at 12:19 pm

          So you read it but you didn’t understand it.

          You must experience human communication in much the same way the Simpsons’ dog does.

          • Brett Dale 11.1.1.1.1
            6 October 2011 at 1:01 pm

            Felix

            Classy felix.

            I understand politicians on all side of the fence, wont do anything to offended the bigots.

            • felix 11.1.1.1.1.1
              6 October 2011 at 1:15 pm

              Ok Brett, let’s go through them one at a time and we’ll figure out which words you had trouble with. Here’s what you quoted:

              ACT supports ending the discrimination same sex couples face when trying to adopt a child.

              Please explain what you think that sentence means, in your own words.

  12. Brett Dale 12
    6 October 2011 at 11:46 am

    Here are the parties statements, this has been posted on another blog.

    ACT – ACT supports ending the discrimination same sex couples face when trying to adopt a child. The Adoption Act 1955 is out-dated and the criteria for adoption should focus on how fit a person or people are to be parents, not their sexual orientation.

    Labour – Labour believes that the current adoption laws are antiquated and discriminatory, which need to be modernised and updated. The current Act fails to take into account the number of legislative changes introduced over the past decade areas such as assisted reproduction technology, surrogacy and the legal status of de facto relationships and civil unions. A Labour-led government will enact legislation that will require the Law Commission to review and update adoption law to better reflect modern New Zealand. Labour has already drafted and tabled a Bill to give effect to this.

    Maori Party – If there is a need for children to be cared for we believe strongly that whānau, regardless of sexual orientation, must be encouraged to care for these children within the family.

    Greens – The Green Party’s policy on this is that parenting skills are distinct from sexual orientation or gender identity. We support equal criteria for both ‘rainbow’ and heterosexual couples in their assessment for suitability and eligibility for parenting. Spokesperson Kevin Hague has formed and convenes a cross party group to reform adoption law.

    National

    We are aware of issue with the Adoption Act. It’s an old piece of legislation and has been identified as an area for potential review. We are currently running a very full justice agenda focused on making New Zealand safer, putting more police on our streets, and reducing crime. In the context of the current economic environment reform of adoption laws is not a priority for the Government.

    Gay Marriage

    Labour – Our initial focus has been to ensure that existing rights under marriage should also extend to civil unions, and we will complete that work. But Labour believes in formal equality before the law for people in any relationship status, including marriage.

    Greens – The Green Party strongly supports full equality and believes that this will eventually be achieved either through the amendment of the Marriage Act to include us, or through the repeal of the Marriage Act (which would leave civil unions as the method by which the state formally recognises relationships, and marriage as a purely religious institution).

    ACT – To be clear now, I should have voted in favour of the Bill in all its stages. I admit I don’t understand why, having legalised civil unions between two people, irrespective of their gender, there is still pressure to provide for same sex ‘marriage’. In the English language I have always understood ‘marriage’ to be between a man and a woman.

    National – In the context of the current economic environment and our strong focus on providing stability, reducing debt, and returning to surplus by 2014 the government currently has no plans to amend the Marriage Act.

    • Lanthanide 12.1
      6 October 2011 at 12:16 pm

      “We support equal criteria for both ‘rainbow’ and heterosexual couples in their assessment for suitability and eligibility for parenting.”

      Personally I find the term ‘rainbow’, especially in quotes like that, as somewhat offensive.

      Of all of the answers, I find only National’s to be particularly contemptible in that they deliberately avoid actually stating their stance on either issue, once again using the global financial situation as a shield to hide behind. I don’t agree with ACT’s second position, but at least they had the balls to say it.

    • millsy 12.2
      6 October 2011 at 3:44 pm

      Dont know why we need a ‘Marriage Act’. Civil unions can take care of the legal/tax/benefit side while Marriage can be something that 2 people can pursue on their own terms.

      Yes, I am talking about the deregulation of marriage.

  13. Lanthanide 13
    6 October 2011 at 12:11 pm

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/5742308/Tiny-gains-in-wage-packets

    Of the first 7 comments, 4 are blaming National and Key and another could be making a veiled jab (catching up with Oz).

    Why does this sentiment not seem to show up in any of the opinion polls?

    • Draco T Bastard 13.1
      6 October 2011 at 12:22 pm

      I think that the reporter is using median there when they should be using average. There’s no way that the median wage equals the average wage and yet that is what is being reported.

    • Enough is Enough 13.2
      6 October 2011 at 12:45 pm

      That sentiment does show up in the opinion polls with roughly one in four voters blaming Key and National for society’s problems. Unhappy people are more likely to comment on a stuff story than a higly paid Tories.

      We just need to increase that ratio to get rid of them.

  14. Draco T Bastard 14
    6 October 2011 at 12:41 pm

    Forbes finds NZ second best place in the world to do business.

  15. Ianupnorth 15
    6 October 2011 at 1:12 pm

    RIP Steve Jobs
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/oct/06/steve-jobs-obituary

    Steve Jobs who has died aged 56 following a long battle with pancreatic cancer, made an unprecedented impact on the world’s consumer electronics markets with a string of hit products, including the iPod media player, iPhone smartphone and iPad tablet computer. In little over a decade, he took Apple – the company he co-founded in 1976 – from near-bankruptcy to being the world’s second most valuable company by market capitalisation, after the oil giant Exxon, with more than $50bn in the bank.

  16. happynz 16
    6 October 2011 at 1:14 pm

    I just logged on to my internet and I was greeted with the news that former Apple CEO Steve Jobs has passed away.

    Whatever your views are concerning Apple, I think their can be no denying Jobs’ impact on technology and how people relate to technology.

    Vale.

  17. Lanthanide 17
    6 October 2011 at 1:51 pm

    Probably the stupidest poll stuff has ever run:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5741410/NZX-CEO-Mark-Weldon-steps-down

    Who would you like to replace Mark Weldon as head of the NZX?
    * Dan Carter
    * John Key
    * Theresa Gattung
    * Bernie Madoff
    * Gareth Morgan
    * Paul Reynolds

    I voted Key, of course.

  18. prism 18
    6 October 2011 at 1:54 pm

    I love quips. What a good way to break a smile and a chuckle when there are so many sombre things around us. Quentin Crisp seemed a very quirky chap 1908-1999. I like this one of his I’ve come across.

    Never try to keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It’s cheaper that way.

  19. Bored 19
    6 October 2011 at 3:19 pm

    See that evil fucker Keys latest photo op? He will talk at the slain SAS mans funeral.

    Scumbag.

    • Deadly_NZ 19.1
      6 October 2011 at 3:39 pm

      A desperate man will grasp at any straw. Nice to see him at his ‘best’ in the chamber after being called out by Goff. Yep Scumbag my vote too. Key’s Expression said it all.

  20. randal 20
    6 October 2011 at 3:32 pm

    Nice one bored. the whole world has turned into jerkeys photo op. Why dont they fly him out to the wrecked container ship inTauranga harbour and keep him there till it sinks.

  22. uke 22
    6 October 2011 at 5:45 pm

    Seems the Tauranga oil spill is worse than originally envisaged.
     
    Get a taste, everybody, of the risks of NACT’s deepwater oil exploration bonanza. Plus fracking – hey, let’s inject some poisonous chemicals into the land!

    • prism 22.1
      6 October 2011 at 7:17 pm

      One part of the fuel ship is buried in the reef and the other in deep water. It sounds as if the ship ran aground on the reef. Late at night. Was anyone awake monitoring the controls or was the ship on fly-by-wire? Comments are that no-one understands how it happened. Too late, the damage is done whether understood or not.

      What we need to understand is that high-tech solutions for demanding projects in difficult sites can not be guaranteed 100% to prevent disasters that may change the local environment for ever, and kill off food sources the world is dependent on. Even making nutritious-like food substitutes from oil aren’t going to fill our bellies. Resigned withdrawing from such projects is the new way forward for thinking power brokers.

      • uke 22.1.1
        7 October 2011 at 6:56 am

        Resigned withdrawing from such projects is the new way forward for thinking power brokers.

         
        Guess that just leaves the unthinking power brokers being given a free pass by an unthinking NZ government.

  23. ianmac 23
    6 October 2011 at 10:05 pm

    That’s funny. Went to listen on Radio replay, to Bomber Bradbury on the Panel after mike e said about the free expression of Bomber, but there is no Part 2. Does that mean that it has been censored off air? Surely not? Jim? Will write to them and ask why not.

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