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6:35 am, May 8th, 2014 - 197 comments
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Geez! This is meant to be a good price for a taxi from Auckland airport to the CBD or North Shore? Just about more than some airfares.
Easier to get a bus around NZ, or a ship traveling overseas, than to fly.
The shuttle from the airport to town is reasonably priced
This is what happens when there is no train from an airport to a city.
Cheaper by far to hire a car.
Yep, it’s about 3 days’ hire, probably. Hell, I could drive my own car from Wellington to Albany for less than that, if I had nothing better to do.
As an exercise a little while ago I worked out how cheaply I could get to Albany (for business reasons); the best I got was about $41 from Karori by overnight bus.
On taxis, remember it being about $100 from the airport to Albany in 1999, which shocked me at the time. This was before Albany really took off, SH1 went straight through the middle and the Western route was a rural-ish road from Glenfield through Whenuapai and Hobsonville.
In Wellington you can just walk, if you’re not too worried about your hairstyle.
and getting wet..
As of this exact minute, it’s not raining in Wellington.
are the residents thronging the streets..?
..dancing and singing ‘hallelujah!’..?
..up here in the best city in the country..
..it is sunny..balmy even..
That’s a funny way to spell “biggest car-park in the country”!
:p
as opposed to the biggest gummint-dept tearoom in the country..
..’step back from the trough..!’..
When was the last time you were in our stunning city, admiring our glittering harbour, being spoilt for choice of music venues every single night and marvelling at the abundance of public transport options phillip?
I’ll also have you know we have had an unnaturally balmy warm windless time of it lately…………..
I get all the Wellington news I need straight from the horses mouth 😀
That is incredibly funny Naturesong
i once stayed there for a whole week of ‘good days’…
..so i have experienced its’ charms..
..and fwiw..it would be my second choice nz city to live in..
..i don’t mind ‘interesting’-weather..
..i’m just riffing..really..
It’s OK, I was just joshing around myself. As a matter of fact I lived in your city for the biggest chunk of my life so far.
It was good however to return to the place of my birth and reconnect with those aspects of the region I loved as a child, wind, earthquakes, the sea and the hills. Don’t love earthquakes any more though.Not since Christchurch.
And speaking of wind, Sarah Palin may have been able to see Russia from her house but I can see the construction of wind turbines. The majestic glorious wind turbines of the Mill Creek Project. They look amazing set against a pink sunset. That’s your brighter future right there Noo Zuland. Green energy.
$17 from Brisbane airport to Brisbane city centre by train. Time Auckland airport had rail access like almost every other major airport in the world.
Michael Woodhouse, immigration minister, met Donghua Liu at Maurice Williamson’s friend at his hotel.
Dodgier and dodgier.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/243704/minister-rejects-claim-of-preferential-access
he met at a hotel, may as well have been a carpark
a seedy encounter in the ‘stay-a-while motel’..
..on the wrong side of town..
..money for services rendered..
..this money paid to the national party..
2 days running the Nats don’t front on Morning Report to discuss cash for their mates.
And both times Labour fronts and Espiner attacks them!
What about attacking the Nats for their failure to front?
What a biased Tory supporter Guyon is.
How did he get the job at RNZ? He is not an impartial observer.
RNZ under griffin is very govt friendly, check the board out. Joyce was in radio so RNZwas always going to be brought in line.
Gluon better have a good contract treating his potential future ministers as we does.
Do you have any evidence that the board is interfering in editorial decisions?
I cant understand why RNZ employed gluon. He is the biggest whiner ever on the radio and the prospect of him whining on till he retires is enough to make one want to emigrate. This country seems to be getting crummier and crummier by the day!
Guyon does put interviewees through the mill. But the good thing is that credibility develops if the response is well founded. And so far Labour has developed credibility. Re Mallard, Cunliffe, Norman etc.
This morning my guess is that Mr Key will be fuming as Money for Access and Influence has gained traction. And his lot have failed to front.
i just wish he would leave asking the same question over and over again to mary wilson
Not correct. Labour and Greens have made accusations that they cannot substantiate and in doing so have exposed their hypocrisy. They have put themselves in this position through their incompetence, surely it is the job of the media to expose their lies?
paula bennett lied on camera about her knowledge of the cabinet club. evidence is her answer to a question about it in the house in april.
Grumpy
Examples?
Guyon seems to have a regular politics spot these days.
Anyway, it’s pretty clear that his approach is to come up with a question that’s related to the topic at hand that appies to the politician he’s asking, and then ask them it.
He did it with Colin Craig, asking about Colin breaking the law by smacking, which was a stretch from whatever the interview was actually supposed to be about. He did it with Russel Norman, asking him if he would give equal time to someone who donated $60k vs a random Joe Bloggs constituent. He’s done it with Grant Robertson and Cunliffe about Cunliffe’s so-called ‘secret trust’.
Also I don’t think it’s very fair to say “National didn’t front, so when Labour front, gang up with Labour against National”. The interviewer is supposed to be impartial, which means any party going to be interviewed should not expect kind treatment or for the media to champion their cause.
agree. some here complained the left didnt get enough coverage…now too much?
Mallard kept him in his place all the left have been bagging Mallard for along time.
Mallards experience is priceless he is Labours best attack dog.
Its time for left to stop whining about bad treatment in the Media Mallard and Winston Peters no how to deal with Espiner.
The left should take note
+100 trickledown….Mallard and Peters are good for the Left win of 2014
Yes the left need to front for the media.
e.g. Mallard could have commented today about the governments failure to turn up for an interview about the topic, saying they were running scared. Then said something to Espiner like” I look forward to hearing you asking them some difficult questions if they ever turn up.”
+1
Grant Hall, Star Trust (legal highs) with the PM. ShonKey gets photographed with a lot of people I guess. Image is screen shot of a fb share.
https://db.tt/DzlQl0Pe
just a photo at a fundraiser?
xox
RNZ morning Report, bring back Geoff Robinson. Much better quality journalism. Guyon must be getting a fortune to spin so fast! The government has frozen the funding for RNZ so the quality is declining.
“..End The War On Drugs – Say Nobel Prize-Winning Economists..”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/06/end-drug-war_n_5275078.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
“..Pot’s a Cancer Killer..
It’s been shown by a large number of investigators to [reduce] growth of brain – lung – breast – prostate –
and thyroid cancer cells..”
(cont..)
http://www.weather.com/health/shocking-things-you-dont-know-about-weed-20140407
Oh dear Phillip, talk about kicking an own goal while exposing yourself as an utter fucking hypocrite over testing drugs on animals,
Why didn’t you re-publish the whole quote from Dr Tashkin MD, here let me help,
”Its been shown by a large number of investigations to (reduce) growth of brain, lung, breast, prostate, and, thyroid cancer cells in ANIMAL MODELS” unquote Donald P. Tashkin MD,
Tsk tsk Phillip how dare people test legal highs on all those lovely furry animals, BUT, when it comes to the drug of Phillips choice its a damn good thing to infect said furry animals with various cancers and then feed them Marijuana, (talk about being hypocritical),
Then laughably there is this, and, i stopped reading and started laughing at page 6 of Phillips link,
”It impairs the activity of immune cells in your lungs”
”Substantial loss of airway cells”
”Faster progression of aids”
”Clusters of tuberculosis in users”
And last but not least from only reading 6 pages out of 16, ”Pre-cancerous changes in the airways of heavy Marijuana users, (is that you Phillip), who don’t smoke tobacco,
Yeah a real ”wonder drug” and we havn’t even delved into Dr Tashkin’s information on mental health and psychological changes in users yet…
During Question Time yesterday Grant Robertson asked Mr Key a careful question about the content of the information on whether Judith Collins was a conflict of interest or not.
Did the Cabinet Committee (is that the right name for the experts who check the legalities?) get all the information that has since emerged or just the preliminaries?
Mr Key of course gave a non-committal answer and joked in response. (Aha?)
It is possible that if it can be shown that the Committee was not given all the information then Mr Key has mislead the House. Watch this space I think.
ianmac .. It was reported that Wayne Eagleson spent hours grilling Collins’ staff in the past few days … this surely suggests the possibility info had been hidden … keep the popcorn hot …
Slippery the Prime Minister actively looking for a good enough reason to sack Collins i would suggest,
i imagine that the ‘weeks leave’ the PM has given Collins is an open offer for Her to ‘reconsider Her future’ based around the current red herring being dragged across the trail, Collin’s health scare,
Collins has mounted the classic compulsive liars defense in the face of Grant Robinson’s pit bull tenacity, from the superior smirk to anger to emotion and now to ‘a health scare’ Collins has played the drama queen to the nth degree,
Clever stuff from Labour yesterday in discontinuing Her cross examination in the face of the ‘health scare’ spin dreamed up by the Beehives 9th floor in an attempt to spike Labours line of attack,
Slippery the PM is now between that rock and a hard place, it’s too close to the election to sack Collins and the only means of getting Her away from being front and center is the dreamed up ‘health scare’, something i should expect the PM would wish to become permanent,
Collins of course must know that the only way She can have any hope of leading the National Party is if they lose this election and act fast to stage a quick coup befor the Joyce camp can recover from such a loss,
In the smoke and mirrors of politics Collins may yet come out of this as the winner…
i think he was looking for a leaker… or finding the person who created a paper trail.
Didn’t he say that no new information had emerged, as far as he was concerned? From that can we infer that he was aware of the meeting brief that described improving the profile of Oravida Ltd, of which David Wong-Tung is a director?
http://polity.co.nz/blog-front
Is this the smoking gun?
“Cabinet Office” ie not a committee, Ianmac.
“The Cabinet Office is a ‘government secretariat’ that provides impartial support to central government decision-making processes. ”
I doubt that we will ever know what information was given to the Cabinet Office by Key and his people which led to them (supposedly) advising Key that Collins’ actions were kosher. Key has consistently refused to release the CO advice despite repeated pressure in the House and by the media. IIRC there are rules etc that allow Key not to do so; and CO advice is not disclosable under the OIA. (Sorry, don’t have references to the rules on this, and don’t have time to research/refresh my memory on these today.)
Thanks Veutoviper. I am not clever enough to find out about the Cabinet Office for myself but now I do know. 🙂 Pity that the Committee is not discoverable. I wonder if submissions are only available to the Government? Could Grant submit a full dossier?
Cabinet Office is part of the parliamentary administration, but I am not familiar enough with the CO rules etc to know whether Robertson or someone else in Parliament could submit the full MFAT disclosures for a further assessment.
Would love to have the time today to research this; but achievement against this week’s To Do list is looking absymal so this must take precedence today. But it will bug me(!) ; so will try to do a search in the next few days and get back to you.
I/S has the Ombudsman looking into it.
Thanks Veuto- again. The plot thickens. Good old NRT. Wonder if Grant has anything brewing.
Morning to you Veuto .. pse would you hv a look at my question at #10 ? Thx 🙂
Question for the anti-fractional reserve banking crowd.
The main objection seems to be that banks can create money based on lending out a proportion of their deposits continuously.
How does that impact on the supply of actual currency in the economy i.e. is there more physical currency circulating as a result of the banks lending actions?
The physical supply of M0 currency (notes and coins) is usually controlled by a govt. authority like the Reserve Bank. For most economies M0 is usually some very small fraction (0.1 -2.0%) of the total credit (M3) available.
The absolute M0 supply does increase over time to match population growth, but it’s an insignificant aspect of the economy as a whole. I have not seen anyone explain how M0 creation is linked in any direct manner to the creation of M3 credit by the private banks.
What about economies who don’t control the amount of currency in circulation. How does fractional reserve banking creation of money impact those nations?
Which economies are you talking about? Not New Zealand’s at any rate.
🙄 🙄 🙄
It’s actually a good question.
still best treated as a loaded question coming from gos though
“The main objection seems to be that banks can create money based on lending out a proportion of their deposits continuously.” 🙄
You must have missed the plethora of statements from the central banking community these past months that clearly admit they just make up zeroes as often as they wish and that there is no longer any factually structural relationship between deposits and distributed funds.
You have been lied to for a long long time.
Here is one article Gosman that hopefully will send you out on a mission of realisation.
There are many more out there.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/18/truth-money-iou-bank-of-england-austerity
No, I asked if the amount of money the banks supposedly create out of thin air actually impacts the amount of money in circulation (even indirectly via the RB putting more notes and coins in to circulation as a result).
Yes
So it does in you mind then. This should be easily idenitifed then in the amount of notes and coins in circulation increasing over time then.
No
Nope, most transaction these days are electronic. Don’t need notes and coins for electronic transfers. So we end up with exponential amount more money in the system without there being an exponential increase in notes and coins.
do you know how, in these electronic days, a bank can take the money from an account electronically but it doesnt turn up in the destination account for 24 hours?
does the bank gain much from having the money in limbo for 24 hours, and which bank benefits?
Not capable of doing your own research Gosman? I seem to recall you saying you saying you had a financial background so I’m sure it shouldn’t be too tough for you.
Can’t you answer a reasonably straight forward question? Given the anti-fractional reserve bank people’s asertions that their view of the world is so blindingly obvious surely someone can explain how it impacts on the amount of physical money in circulation.
It means the money in circulation does not mean what those using the money in circulation thought it means because the money in circulation is just a means to an end and that end is to make you believe what is in circulation is money.
A circular argument freedom?
it’s the only way they’ll learn ianmac 😉
Yes I can however I’m not going to play your strawman game. Do your own research and if you then have a point to make, make it.
What strawman game? This is Open Mike and I am asking questions in relation the the whole Anti Fractional Reserve Banking theory. How is that a strawman?
Because it is Open Mike and not Ask.com
Gosman, you have operated in the same manner since you first came here. Like I said, with your self-confessed background I’m sure that 15 minutes of googling and reading will provide an initial answer to your question (although to be honest, I doubt you haven’t done that already). Come back with the REAL question that you are angling towards.
“What strawman game?”
you
remember how you outed your own MO a while back?
But Gosman, you’re not remotely interested in anyone’s answers to your inane questions.
You’re simply playing silly little games and trying to set up a person with a rhetorical question, so you can make whatever “cunning” reply you have in mind.
God, you’ve done it enough times. That’s why no one can be bothered responding to you.
That’s not actually how it works. None of the deposits the banks have are loaned out – not even a fraction of them. When a bank makes a ‘loan’ it creates the full amount. The amount that they can create is, supposedly, limited by their capital reserves but the Reserve Bank acts as lender of last resort. What this means in effect is that if the banks don’t have enough reserve they get to loan from the Reserve Bank and that loan will never be turned down. Thus the private banks can create unlimited amounts of money.
No, we end up with lots more electronic money. I’ve read articles (many years ago now so don’t remember where) that estimated that between 50% and 80% of inflation in the is due to the banks printing money.
EDIT: My bad, missed Gosman’s reference to physical money.
+1. And of course when the bank creates the loan “money” they don’t create the interest due on said loan so it is never repayable in the macro picture.
Thanks for explaining that DTB it seems that we proceed with systems in place and think we understand them but often not. So this fractional business keeps being named, and yet using that term is incorrect.
Anyone know — is there any information available anywhere about how Stone Shi/DeyiShi made his millions in China ?
Veutoviper .. have you been able to find anything in your excellent researching ? Big thanks to you and Frank MacSkasy.
(He does appear to have many names under which his holdings are/were registered in this country. And his connection with Jenny Shipley seems to have been hidden in the morass of changing company names and directors .. but for sure she was in there with Pure and Natural before it obtained a new identity.)
Oh, there is just so much more to be found out about the levels of this gross corruption and it has to be exactly why Collins still holds her Ministerial warrant… here’s hoping we will find it all before the election.
Hi yeshe, I have not done any specific research on where Deyi (“Stone”) Shi made his millions – and the lack of information on this jumped out at me when researching Collins’ China trips and connections with him. But there are obviously big bucks there, considering the millions he spent to buy Mark Hotchins’ mansion in Auckland.
As you pointed out, Frank M has done excellent research on the company connections which are eye opening.
There are a lot of links on Google if you google “Deyi Shi”, but I don’t have time currently to check these in detail. But there seems to be little on his background prior to coming to NZ from a quick glance. Curious.
But must go right now. Sorry.
thx veuto .. we can keep exploring … who knows what is really out there ? see you here soon …
This is a somewhat trite comment, but goes to the comprehension level of those supporting the Government. I have been watching the progress of the Stuff poll on Judith Collins over the last few days. It has been clear what the public think, 63.4% think Collins should go. The ratio has been very stable between yes and no. There are two yes sectors to the vote, a “Yes, but only just”, 8.9%, the majority of yes votes are in the other sector, which says
27.7% voted for “Yes, the controversy doesn’t affect how she works”
Well and good I thought, but something had bothered me about the those voting Yes
and then it struck me
The issue is how she works!
NZIER:
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/auckland-needs-grow-become-global-city-5958405
NZIER claim to be independant.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/auckland-needs-grow-become-global-city-5958405
so how do they get away with it? They get away with it because of commercial interest (on the one hand) and comfortable progressive elites (on the other) who are blind to the negative effects of competition from offshore, choosing to believe that (really), there is a great store of loot guarded by a dragon which just needs to be unlocked and redistributed..
We get told that population growth is essential to maintain economic growth. So they say! To continue that growth what is the end point by which we change to “Enough! We will stop now!” -or is it a long term problem for future economists and polititians?
Actually, it is. Without population growth you don’t have more people to sell things to which means that the amount of products being sold will always be in decline (except food and other essentials which will be static) and not be in growth which would mean that the interest charged by the banks can’t be paid. End result will be an economy that will crash and default on all debt.
This is why NZ tends to chase export growth – there’s far more population overseas. Of course, those populations are quite capable of producing their own goods from their own resources and will eventually do so meaning that exports from NZ will also be in decline.
“We get told that population growth is essential to maintain economic growth.”
There is no certainty as to what population growth will do to percapita incomes:
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/research-policy/wp/2014/14-10
That just tells me that you failed to understand what I said. Increasing productivity requires a larger market (more people) else prices must go into deflation and unemployment increase.
And, yes, I agree with that article as well. Increasing population no longer improves economies of scale as they did in the 19th century.
xox
Exit Business Round Table, enter NZIER. They have changed the label to ‘refresh’ the tired old crock of a wealth and power. The mantra is the same old snake oil, with a twist.
Maybe I misunderstand something in the intent of your comment philj, but the Business Roundtable re-branded to The New Zealand Initiative back in 2012. Perhaps if you link to what you were referring to, it may help identify the confusion. 🙂
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Initiative
The NZIER have been around for 50+ years
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Institute_of_Economic_Research
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/roundtable-and-nz-institute-morph-nz-initiative-ck-115751
translation: a bunch of suits who have no intention of building a sustainable economy that benefits as many humans as possible, will repeat tired slogans and broken promises to promote business practices that create little of value for anyone but shareholders and bankers.
given the possible/pending(?) mana/internet-party deal..
..this piece from robert reich is kinda interesting..
“..The Six Principles of the New Populism (and the Establishment’s Nightmare)..
More Americans than ever believe the economy is rigged in favor of Wall Street and big business and their enablers in Washington.
We’re five years into a so-called recovery – that’s been a bonanza for the rich –
but a bust for the middle class.
“The game is rigged and the American people know that.
They get it right down to their toes” says Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Which is fueling a new populism on both the left and the right.
While still far apart – neo-populists on both sides are bending toward one another – and against the establishment.
And it’s not only the rhetoric that’s converging.
Populists on the right and left are also coming together around core principles..”
(cont..)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/the-six-principles-of-the_b_5277568.html
Commentary worth considering:
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/05/pressure-labour-mounting-observation-owl/
hahahahahahahahahahaha.
Considered it.
Dull
what exactly is it with your constant linking to one of nationals dirty tricks warriors?
To free thinking folk it’s definitely “Nationals dirty tricks warrior” site, to fools like Puckish it’s the bible. 🙂
i wont give him the clicks
Not the bible, I’m not religious but Origin of the species… 😉
Yeah, the homo habilis section.
Puckish, I’m sure you mean: origin of the faeces… 🙂
Darwin …..Slater
Not in the same universe
PR Still trying to get us to look at wail? C’mon we have lives.
Should governments run surpluses? (video)
Answer: No, as it crashes the economy.
Interesting, a lawyer acting for the US Government has asked the Court in Auckland to make public the information that has so far been suppressed by the Courts in the DotCom extradition proceedings,
So the Courts should, our system of Justice requires there be a full disclosure of all information that a prosecution plans to put befor the Courts, and our system of Justice cannot be seen to be ‘bent’ to the will or norms of what occurs in other jurisdictions,
Source: RadioNZ National news at 11.00…
But what about the US giving back the dot com data they have been told to by our courts?
In view of the publicity about Money for Influence there may be something in store for the Minister of Immigration in this Question today:
“Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Immigration: Did the Government instruct Immigration New Zealand to review the Investor Plus scheme of $10 million; if so, for what reason?”
Does it suggest smoke to you?
popcorn ready !!
Holly Walker had a good go at the Money for Privilege today. It must be a worry as Gerry Brownlie spent a lot of time trying to protect Michael Woodhouse.
Winston asked his questions about the Woodhouse involvement which was very embarrassing for Woodhouse. In particular the change to Immigration law towards lower entry fee ($10mil) and the dropping of the requirement to speak English. With a letter of support apparently ref Mr Key.
And Now question “12Hon TREVOR MALLARD to the Minister of Immigration: Why did he personally call on Donghua Liu to receive his representations on immigration policy following Donghua Liu making a donation to the National Party?”
Trevor has been kicked out for questioning if there was money from Mr Liu for meeting Woodhouse.
Interesting times. Mr Woodhouse is not looking his chirpy self.
more interesting was woodhouse said pm knew nothing about the meeting and, i think he said, the pm did not support a policy change along the lines peters suggested.
I think that Peter’s letters contradicted Woodhouse ignorance. Not sure who wrote them.
Was there ever a more biased Speaker than David Carter ?
Please, did anyone hear and is able to write the interjection from Trevor Mallard that caused his exit just before close of QT this afternoon ??
ianmac said it was for asking if woodhouse got paid to meet with liu.
woodhouse said his meeting with liu was for about an hour.
No that’s not correct Tracey.
See comment just below…
Posted on it at 26.1.1 yeshe.
It was a supplementary to his original Qustion 12 on the order paper. He asked if Liu had offered Woodhouse cash for a particular law change. Woodhouse took offence. Mallard was already walking out before the Speaker told him to go.
thanks anne. i didnt see it.
i did see woodhouse say the meeting was for an hour, that key knew nothing of the meeting and key did not support lius desired law changes.
look forward to reading the docs peters tabled.
Mallard refused to withdraw his money supplementary question. So left. Anne Tolley called out the same remark against Labour. She was asked to withdraw it and did so. Too much happened to track it all actually.
Worth watching Q4, 9, 12.
Thanks all .. bright fireworks! will watch on replay ..
hipkins ejjected too
Species that get too specialized are likely to become extinct.
The history of organisms is the history of the adaptable winning over
the overly specialized. So the question are human too specialized?
I would say Yes, we are the intellectual organism, the more
we disconnect from our environment, our mother earth, the more
unfit we become, by being too specialized. e.g the uber unfit,
neo-liberals are wholely disconnected from the reality of the
economy; through their intellectual ideology that openly ignores
and belittles, the biggest player in the market (government
– however detestable you find government ignoring it is moronic),
and has a whole mythology that removes working parts of our
economy from any mention. Its marvalous listening to the ACT
party, hearing them spout economic myths that dictate we must
ignore the impact and input from everyone from unions on down
(and offer up policy that hands over profits to the few at the top).
And right at the bottom of the ACT list is the reminder, theres
the ‘always attack Green’.
If you were wanting dinosaurs of politics, what
better than a free market party, that freely dictates ignoring
all of the actors in the market place, using foresinc cutting edge
dismal science, and misappropriated measuring tools when that fails.
You see the trade, the reason for specialization, is immediate
profit, in nature or on wall street, the ubiquity of a
food-energy source see the few specialize on a single source, i.e.
the oil economy.
Why fascism fails, its reliance on cheap short term emotions,
which eventually dies up when serious facts cannot be ignored
(Hitler destroyed Germany).
Immediate profitability, conditions as selected by parliaments in
the west, is now exposing our species to extinction. China is moving
away from it holistic view as its politburo becomes billionaires,
Russia has long forgotten communism as Putin uses the history…
Unfettered capitalism corrupts capitalism completely. ACT the
party most likely to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Endogenous Money in the Media
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/john-armstrong-on-politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502865&objectid=11251436
John Armstrong: Red hot PM hits back in withering style
BY TELLING ‘RED HOT’ LIES TO PARLIAMENT?
http://polity.co.nz/content/key-lies-parliament-proof#.U2qlNplmZ4B.twitter
Key lies to Parliament: The proof
ROB SALMOND | 8TH MAY 2014 | 0 COMMENTS
Yesterday, John Key lied to Parliament. He made a very specific claim about a set of official documents, and those same documents show clearly that the claim was false.
First, here’s Key’s statement in Parliament, in response to a question from Labour’s Grant Robertson:
The [MFAT] paperwork shows right through this that not only did the Minister have a very busy programme, which the member wants to gloss over, all on judicial and justice issues, but, secondly, all the way through it talks about a private dinner.
I added the underlining to the critical phrases, in which Key assures Parliament that there was complete consistency throughout the planning process for Collins’ visit, and that the now infamous dinner with Oravida and the mystery Chinese border official was always intended to be private.
Well, let’s go to the tape, provided by those very same documents, as I summarized yesterday:
8 October
Collins specifically requests that MFAT invite Stone Shi and Julia Xu to whatever official event [redacted] attends1.
This document shows Collins attempting to engineer an official meeting between herself, Oravida, and [redacted Chinese Border Official].
15 October
MFAT officials learn2:
It appears Stone Shi has organised directly for the Minister to meet with a [redacted] (do they mean [redacted]) on Sunday evening. She would like you [NZ Ambassador to China] and Connie to attend.
Collins’ office directly requests briefing for the dinner, and also asks for Ambassadorial attendance3.
This document shows Collins not only arranging an official dinner for herself, Oravida, and [redacted Chinese Border Official], but requesting the New Zealand Ambassador to China attend, giving it even more official clout.
16 October
Collins’ office demands MFAT explain “why the Sunday dinner with [redacted] has not been included in the visit programme.”4
This document is utterly damning. It shows Collins wanted the dinner to have official status so badly that she question’s MFAT’s decision to leave it off the official programme.
These documents clearly contradict Key’s statement to Parliament not once, not twice, but three times. He was referring specifically to these documents in his statement. He lied.
If Key is anywhere near Wellington today, he simply has to come to the House to correct his answer. Deeply embarrassing that may be, but he cannot allow such blatant untruths to stand uncorrected.
They say its never the crime that gets you, it’s the cover up. How wretched must Judith Collins feel now that she has reduced the Prime Minister to lying in Parliament on her behalf, all in order to conceal an obvious and ugly truth.
In my considered opinion, I predict that the longer Prime Minister John Key continues to defend the indefensible Judith CORRUPT Collins, by lying about the FACTS of her now infamous ‘increasing the public profile of Oravida’ (the company owned by her CLOSE personal friend (Stone Shi) , of which another CLOSE personal friend (Julia Xu) , plus her husband David Wong Tung are Directors ) – then the more National will continue to plummet in the polls.
Then again, I guess that ex-Wall Street bankers like John Key, don’t have much idea about serving the public or the public interest, thus can’t really be expected to ‘lead from the front’ when it comes to following the ‘highest ethical standards’?
How is lying to Parliament and the public exhibiting ‘the highest ethical standards’ Prime Minister John Key?
http://cabinetmanual.cabinetoffice.govt.nz/files/manual.pdf
Conduct of Ministers
2.52 A Minister of the Crown, while holding a ministerial warrant, acts in a number of different capacities:
(a) in a ministerial capacity, making decisions, and determining and promoting policy within particular portfolios;
(b) in a political capacity as a member of Parliament, representing a constituency or particular community of interest;
(c) in a personal capacity.
2.53 In all these roles and at all times, Ministers are expected to act lawfully and to behave in a way that upholds, and is seen to uphold, the highest ethical standards. Ultimately, Ministers are accountable to the Prime Minister for their behaviour.
What happens when it is the PRIME MINISTER who does not ‘uphold or is seen to uphold, the highest ethical standards’?
What is HE going to do about that?
Sack himself?
An unlikely turn of events.
Seems we will have to leave that to the public on 20 September 2014……
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption /anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’
Does anyone know details about Labour’s Kiwisaver policy?
As far as I know they’ve said the minimum employee+employer contribution will be raised from 6% to 9% in 0.5 annual increments.
They have also said that the Reserve Bank/Minister of Finance will be able to vary the Kiwisaver contribution. Will this be on top of the 6-9% or is 9% the maximum. If it’s not the maximum how high could it go?
If the variable savings rate is only going to be varied by small amounts (how small?) in conjunction with a continued variable Official Cash Rate and alongside a Capital Gains Tax how will it be possible to know if the VSR has had any effect?
Google?
or he could ASK LABOUR 🙂
He could, if he were honestly interested in the answer.
it would be like asking about uf policy. you would have to specify which day you were talking about.
In PG’s case – probably 1st of April
Yes.
My impression is that the idea is that the rate will go up at 0.5-1% annually, but that the RB will also be able to vary the same figure.
So for example if the RB had to stimulate the economy more, then perhaps instead of going up at 0.5% in a given year, it might only go up at 0.25% in that year.
Then once it’s “topped out”, the RB might be able to lower it and then raise it back up later, and possibly with permission from the government, raise it over the 9% cap.
FYI –
7 May 2014
‘Open Letter’ /OIA request to Prime Minister John Key :
“Why has New Zealand STILL not yet ratified the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC)?”
Dear Prime Minister,
Please be reminded that according to the 2013 Transparency International ‘Corruption Perception Index’, New Zealand, (along with Denmark) is ‘perceived’ to be the least corrupt country in the world.
http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2013/results/
However, New Zealand is still one of a handful of countries which has STILL not ratified the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
(UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC)
http://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNCAC/Publications/Convention/08-50026_E.pdf
(Signatories to the UN Convention Against Corruption
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CAC/signatories.html
In a letter to Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ), dated 7 August 2013, your Minister of Justice Judith Collins stated:
“New Zealand ratification of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption
Thank you for your correspondence of 31 May 2013 to myself, Hon Murray McCully, and Hon Tim Groser regarding New Zealand’s ratification of the
United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
Like you, I also believe that ratifying UNCAC would be advantageous. Ratification of the Convention is important to ensure New Zealand retains its international reputation for transparency, integrity, and trustworthiness, which can have flow-on economic benefits for the country.
It is for these reasons that I have announced a package of legislative reforms that will allow New Zealand to ratify UNCAC. the reforms will be progressed as part of an Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Bill which I intend to introduce into Parliament later in 2013.
As you may be aware, it is the policy of the New Zealand Government that binding treaty actions such as ratification is not taken until New Zealand’s domestic law is compliant with the treaty obligations. As you state in your letter, only minor amendments are necessary to bring New Zealand into compliance with the UNCAC obligations.
The Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Bill will contain the required amendments. After the Bill is passed and the changes are enacted, officials will promptly take steps to deposit New Zealand’s instrument of ratification of UNCAC.
Yours sincerely,
Hon Judith Collins
Minister of Justice.”
NZ Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill
http://www.transparency.org.nz/docs/2013/Hon-Judith-Collins-Minister-of-Justice-Letter-to-TINZ.pdf
Your Minister of Justice Judith Collins’ press release of 18 October 2013:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1310/S00301/bill-supports-zero-tolerance-for-organised-crime.htm
Bill supports zero-tolerance for organised crime
Friday, 18 October 2013, 10:03 am
Press Release: New Zealand Government
Hon Judith Collins
Minister of Justice
18 October 2013 Media Statement
Bill supports zero-tolerance for organised crime
Justice Minister Judith Collins says the Government’s comprehensive approach to fighting all forms of organised crime will help safeguard New Zealand’s economy, international reputation and public safety.
This month a number of international bodies are evaluating New Zealand’s compliance with international standards related to financial crimes – including the OECD, which will report on New Zealand’s compliance with an international convention to combat bribery of foreign public officials.
“I welcome the release of these reports.
This Government takes all forms of organised crime and corruption very seriously,” Ms Collins says.
http://www.3news.co.nz/New-laws-to-fight-organised-crime/tabid/1607/articleID/317781/Default.aspx
New laws to fight organised crime
Friday 18 Oct 2013 10:33a.m.
The Government will bring in a bill before the end of the year to strengthen laws against money laundering, identity theft, human trafficking and corruption.
Justice Minister Judith Collins says she intends to have a comprehensive set of laws in place to fight all forms of organised crime.
“It’s important to consider bribery and corruption within the big picture of organised crime, which undermines public safety, national security, economic development and good governance,” she said today.
“This bill will help ensure New Zealand maintains its reputation as a responsible international citizen and that our domestic law enforcement agencies have the tolls they need to fight all forms of organised crime.”
Unfortunately, it is now May 2014, and your Minister of Justice Judith Collins’ Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Bill, has STILL not been presented to Parliament:
http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/legislation/bills/?Criteria.Keyword=Organised+Crime+and+Anti-Corruption+Legislation+Bill%2C&Criteria.Timeframe=&Criteria.Parliament=-1&Criteria.DocumentType=&Criteria.Status=&Search=Go
Legislation
Bills
This section lists bills before the House and its committees, and provides access to more detailed information about each one. You will also find the schedule of divided bills and progress of legislationhere. To find out more about bills before select committees, see the committee business summary.
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No documents were found
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT REQUEST:
Please provide the information which explains why Minister of Justice Judith Collins’ ‘Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Bill’, has STILL not been presented to Parliament.
Yours sincerely,
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’
what’s with all the neat-lawns..?..people..?
..let it grow..!
..if we all stopped mowing our lawns..
..and stopped growing animals to eat..
..we could all drive around in suv’s..
..climate-warming..?..meh..!..
“..The revenge of the lawn..”
..’.ecocidal obsession with nice grass’..”
http://boingboing.net/2014/05/07/the-revenge-of-the-lawn.html
“obsession with nice grass”
Yeah, we gathered
heh..!
I wonder if Lockwood Smith is still doing it tough in his 4000 pound ($7500) p.w rental accomodation in London or has settled into something a little more affordable in say…Scunthorpe or even Brixton. What a thoroughly distasteful rodent he is.
God almighty Marius – you tempt me!
Still, a diplomatic residence on Hampstead Heath would probably be a stretch even for this gubbamint – but it would be kind of fitting.
So what do the lefties on here that defended Martin say now?
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/nbnat/12773294-martin-sorry-over-letterhead-saga
Don’t want to upset WinstonFirst eh…
pop over to wo, then come back and tell us what you think about it and what you think should happen to martin now and why.
Trevor Mallard has done it again. This time he asked the Minister of Immigration (Woodhouse) if Lui offered cash for a particular law change. Woodhouse chose to take offence and accused Mallard of alleging corruption on his part. Speaker demanded Mallard apologise. Mallard walked out without apologising on the grounds he had made no such allegation which was correct.
I wonder of this is a deliberate ploy. I find it difficult to believe Mallard asked the question without prior approval. If that is the case then it would suggest they know something not yet in the public arena.
if they dont have something my gut tells me mallard is risking a backlash but t.i agree it must be part of a strategy.
i dont like this style of politics, its not my cup of tea.
Mallard probably leading a challenge to Speaker’s bias and running cover for Nat Ministers.
Mallards fishing around
I defend her. I don’t think she did anything wrong,even if she should have used the other letterhead. Your case is incredibly weak, Pukish Rogue. Why do you bother?
Me too. The Nats (and their proxies) can play the ‘pox on all your houses’ strategy all they like but Martin’s actions are not in the same league as that we’ve seen from Govt Cabinet Ministers.
By the way Winston’s hands had the shakes. Hope he is well. May have been excited?
aye..i saw that too…
I noticed the speaker(carter)was shakey,when Brownley was trying his monkey wrench tactics.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11251436
https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/23283863/key-turns-the-tables-on-the-greens/
Some advice to Labour, taking on John Key directly is a bad idea…no on second thoughts keep going after John Key and ignore the weaker links in National 🙂
You must have been a real joy as a kid with “….but xyz did it too” as your standard rebuttal when you were called out on anything? I truly hope you’ve learnt some accountability in your (seemingly stunted) transition into adulthood.
John Key is a proven liar. The fact that you see nothing wrong with that does in fact speak volumes about you.
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/05/cunliffe-drawcard-labour-fundraiser/
So whats that about access to MPs?
Hint: what does it say about opposition fundraising in the Cabinet Manual?
Theres nothing wrong with it, just like theres nothing wrong with National doing it except that the left is trying to make something out of it
Basically National does it = Bad, the left do it = Good
The Cabinet Manual disagrees with you when ministers are involved. Is it a bit like the Geneva Conventions when the Coalition of the Willing needs to invade another country? Quaint and outdated?
John Key disagrees with you and I’ll take what he says over you:
For a bit of a laugh try watching from about 11:40 onwards
I tried to watch that but I can’t understand a word the stand up comedian said. The captions say he’s Prime Minister. I find that hard to believe. What country is he from? His accent is really strange.
Really, what you should do is have a look at the Cabinet Manual for yourself and learn not to take things on faith. It only hurts the first couple of times.
You might find it hard to believe however hes the most popular PM of the MMP era and has a popularity rating Cunliffe can only dream about
Popularity helps when we look for winners of New Zealand’s Got Talent. Honesty and competency are more desirable in politicians. I see more of that among the Greens and Mana than anywhere else.
I note you didn’t mention Labour
Christ 10 /7
What utter Bull Helen Clark was more liked for longer her popularity was just as high for longer .
Actually Clark’s personal preferred PM rating was higher right through to the 08 election than Key’s is now.
Now thats bollix or do you not remember the 2% rating she had (you’re a lefty so of course you don’t), she did become very respected but respected and liked are two different things
Yeah I remember the low rating she had when she was Leader of the Opposition before the 1996 election. Look what happened though. She got elected in 1999 on the back of the 3rd term shambles that was the Shipley Govt. Went on to become the most popular PM ever. You are scraping the bottom of the barrel here bro and failing to learn the lessons of history.
Now compare the ratings when Key was leader of the opposition and did you just say the most popular PM ever?
How do you think the government is managing Christchurch, chris 73?
Very well. there’ll always be issues after a couple of big earthquakes but all things considered its going very well
Shame the councils not doing as well though
“Very well.”
You clearly don’t live in Canterbury then.
Please don’t tell what bad would be!
By the way, the present council has only beren in charge for a short time.
Brownlee has had the job since 2011.
39 months and counting.
That’s right chris, the way this govt is fucking around in chch it looks like there will “always” be issues.
All of which is irrelevant given there’s a very real prospect he’ll be the first National Party PM not to win 3 terms in the post WW2 era.
I wouldn’t worry about that, he’ll get his third term
Are you sure mate? It all looks a bit shaky right now. And let’s face it – he did such a good job in the last campaign (with Natioanal at a high of 47%) he managed to get a marvellous one seat majority (if everything goes well on the day).
Well yes because all of Labours (or Cunliffes more accurately) stuff ups of late haven’t been forgotten and will be brought out in the election campaign
Do you think Key has forgotten that tricky Cunliffe had to “refresh” his CV or won’t bring up Cunliffes leafy suburb or baby bonus debacle or the secret trusts and anything else that I can’t remember off the top of my head
That Key won’t hammer home a vote for the Greens is a vote for Dot Con (hes gone awfully quiet recently hasn’t he…) and Labour and finally, in your heart of hearts, do you really see Cunliffe defeating Key in the debates?
At best Cunliffe is mono tonal and hasn’t had to deal with anyone of note whereas Keys gone up against the best Labour can produce…Clark (You might be used to shouting people down at home, but you’re not shouting me down), Cullen, Goff, Shearer and even Campbell admitted defeat (didn’t go on much about the GCSB after the interview did he)
So yeah John Keys my pick to form the next government
What was NZ’s debt when Key came to government in 2008?
What is it now?
you missed the memo from blinglish – don’t be too overconfident about a national victory.
I always vote, just hope the rest of the supporters do as well…
What has happened to unemployment under ‘our most popular PM ever’ since 2008?
How many people have emigrated to NZ under ‘our most popular PM ever’ since 2008?
New Zealand migration rose to an 11-year high in March, the second-highest gain on record, as fewer kiwis left for Australia.
The country gained a seasonally adjusted 3,800 net new migrants in March, the most since February 2003, said Statistics New Zealand. A net 400 people left for Australia in March, down from 600 in February, according to seasonally adjusted figures.
In the year through March, New Zealand gained a net 31,900 migrants, a 10-year high, as 98,000 people arrived while 66,100 departed. That’s more than 12 times the 2,500 annual net migration gain in the year through March 2013 and compares with an average net gain of 11,700 migrants over the past 20 years.
Employment grew strongly in the first three months of the year but so did the supply of workers, leaving unemployment unchanged and wage pressures subdued.
Statistics New Zealand’s household labour force survey recorded a rise of 22,000 or 0.9 per cent in the number of people employed in the March quarter, but that was matched by a 22,000 increase in the labour force, leaving the unemployment level unchanged at 147,000 and the unemployment rate steady at 6 per cent.
Over the year ended March the working age population increased by 50,000, boosted by a strong net inflow of migrants.
But the labour force grew by 82,000 over the same period as the participation rate (the employed and those looking for work, as a share of the working age population) climbed to 69.3 per cent – a record high and up from 67.9 per cent a year ago.
So.
More jobs to go around at the same time as more people joined looking for work.
Answer the question
Net migration 2008 to 2014 ?
your last sentence is half right.
You’ve wilfully decided to ignore the further complications that the Cabinet Manual outlines in the instance of access to CABINET MINISTERS! There’s no point in even debating this with you.
Just because you don’t like the answer doesn’t mean its wrong
I know that you’re really too stupid to understand this but there’s a difference between access to MPs and access to ministers. Ministers have power and influence that MPs, especially opposition MPs, don’t.
this is what happens when you engage with people who have stopped thinking for themselves and refuse to read documents, relying instead on slater to think for them
Try watching this then:
NZ Fact Checking. Just read “Do National ministers attend Cabinet Club meetings ‘in their ministerial capacity’?”
Not very impressed with the logic/methodology of this report. Is inconclusive wishywashy. Hope that to gain credibility it becomes more rigorous.
http://nzfactcheck.wordpress.com/2014/05/07/do-national-ministers-attend-cabinet-club-meetings-in-their-ministerial-capacity/
More than $1 trillion is being gambled on high-cost oil projects
And that is where all the opposition to policies to prevent climate change is coming from.
I nearly puked about 10 minutes ago while eating my dinner andwatching the news. Every time I looked up there was john keys or one of his simulacras leering out of the box. This is not news! It is just bullshit and TVNZ is complicit. Is the National Party paying for all this free advertising. I wouldn’t mind if they were worth looking at but keys greasy smile is just too much for any food to not gag at.
What was the story about??
lol…this is why i dont watch tv except on Election Night and for debates the week before…much better for your health!
Be good if someone in the know could do a post on Christchurch.
Watching Campbell Live and hearing about the half billion dollar debt, which the government pressuring the council to sell its assets, reminds me of Naomi Klein and Shock Doctrine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shock_Doctrine
Frank Mackasay wrote a great blog on a tale of two cities, comparing the rebuild of Christchurch with the rebuild of Napier after 1931.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/05/08/a-tale-of-two-tragedies/
Terrible.
Just finished watching Campbell Live.What of an indictment of this government and its neo-liberal approach.
Listen to the people, Mr Brownlee.
Front on T.V.
That last item in the history of Gerry’s engagement with the media summed it up. (the 10%/50% waffle from Brownnose)
I well remember a discussion (I think involving Gerry the woodwork teacher) whereby analogies with the Brizzy floods were dismissed out of hand – missing the point completely relating to the whole insurance scam that he and others have allowed to take place.
Given that both Council and the Zillun government have bits of land in safe places which could have been ‘swapped’ for ‘badland’ – WHY did what was obviously diminished rateable land values ever figure in the equation?
Cudda shudda wudda just done a land swap and have insurance companies pay for the bricks and mortar (in a relatively safe place).
Christchurch (my birthplace) has been subjected to a real scorched earth policy.
And even NOW … the future of rail is being ignored in the grand plans – especially given that there is basic rail infrastructure going North, South, West and Lyttleton. The idiocy is astounding. It’s not somewhere I’ll ever return to but the best of luck to those that choose to stay whilst consultants and tories hold sway.
4 fuckn years later! There’s been one helluva lot of ticket clipping going on (anyone remember those ozzie assessors in the early stages? followed by RE-assessors, dithering, excuses…. etc.)
Brownlee said in parliament today that the govt has spent 15 Billion on the Chch rebuild … yet when govt debt is mentioned National say it is due to the Chch earthquake, so what was the other 35+ Billion of debt spent on?
If you just watched Campbell Live, it is hard to describe what has happened in Christchurch is a ‘rebuild.’
They haven’t even finished the demolition yet.
It looks like a desolate wasteland.
$15 billion, Gerry. On what?
Yes, I saw it in January, it is more shocking in real life than seeing pictures on TV. I can’t recall his precise wording – it may be that he said the 15 Billion was spent on Chch he may not have said
‘on the rebuild’ – which clearly hasn’t occurred yet – although it requires a lot of planning, so what that money has been spent on may not be visible but still necessary. Perhaps some of that 15 Billion was spent on pies to help Brownlee cope?
I think Government wants Christchurch City in a hole so it can take over and sell assets build what it wants done, and maybe do an ECan on Ch Ch City Council especially since Leanne is Mayor.
this, exactly this, ianmac.