Open mike 08/06/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 8th, 2010 - 31 comments
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Open mike is your post.

It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

Comment on whatever takes your fancy.

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Step right up to the mike…

31 comments on “Open mike 08/06/2010 ”

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  1. theseeker 1
    8 June 2010 at 6:21 am

    will nick smith win his court case and hold his seat in nelson?

  2. Lazy Susan 2
    8 June 2010 at 7:33 am

    So much for freedom of speech. Didn’t she just say what the White House should be saying.

  3. Bored 3
    8 June 2010 at 8:52 am

    Had a really good long weekend during which time I only looked at this site for about 10 minutes. A couple of things grabbed my attention (beside the usual right wing plonkers flying their sad little kites):

    1.The propensity of posters to this blog to get into detail fast without regard to either the big picture or reference to issues outside of detail (e.g. debating tax breaks by the dollar as opposed to the implications). I contend that when we do this we are caught by the arguments and language of those you object to, we are not framing the questions and debate.

    2. The lack of grip the arguments of the left are having with the general public as evidenced by the popularity of the Key government in the polls .they can make any number of anti democratic actions, feed their mates from the trough and still stay well on top.

    Seems to me that the left is neither framing the language nor the questions of the debate: in its major party format (Labour) it appears to be little other than Nact LIte. Voters are quite savvy, they remember that Goff was one of the original Rogernomes, they regard the rump of the Helen regime as managers as opposed to reformers. The reforms (if you can call them that) are all coming fast from the right, and Labour need a big clean out to be able to respond with any credibility.

  4. Hilary 4
    8 June 2010 at 9:07 am

    The Dominion Post this morning reports a survey by the right wing Trans Tasman on our government departments mainly on how well they are implementing government policy. The Ministry of Education gets bad marks for not being enthusiastic about national standards – however their role is also to advise the minister on best practice which standards definitely is not. Conversely, the Ministry of Social Welfare gets praise. They don’t seem to have asked any disabled person trying to apply for a benefit lately.

    • Tigger 4.1
      8 June 2010 at 10:47 am

      The results are clearly designed to turn public opinion away from Ministries they want to reform or whose CEOs are being ‘difficult’. They might as well have saved the money and just published a list – CEO’s We Like and CEOs Who Are Being Bad.

  5. ianmac 5
    8 June 2010 at 10:45 am

    At about 9:45 (more than 3/4 through) this morning on Nine to Noon, the local expert Kay Bereton (?) said that the length of time that a person is on the DPB is usually about 6 months. The rise in DPB in recent times is from women losing their jobs- recession.
    The average time that a person is on an Unemployment Benefit is 1year 5 months. 15 % are still on the benefit after 10 years. About time some facts in the dialogue?
    http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20100608-0909-Welfare_system-048.mp3

    • prism 5.1
      8 June 2010 at 11:37 am

      I wonder if the review of benefits will say about DPBs that they are doing a job which is important to the economy and social structure, and that the thrust of action will be to help them to do a good job, with training in child psychology and house maintenance, and goal setting for themselves and gaining skills so they can find at least a few hours a week part-time work. I also think Paula Bennett’s path be charted and her steps be used as a basis for others to follow.
      She has gone from DPB to confident, well paid MP. Let all DPB’s be as aspirational.

      Also that voluntary, unpaid work is recognised as being useful, making a contribution to society, and that it provides a work structure that will aid in moving into paid work later.

      Also that a hugely expensive group to support, old age pensioners called euphemistically, superannuants. I think that there should be a demand of some voluntary work by all older people who are fit enough. It may be helping with family child care, it may be delivering meals on wheels, reading or playing music to children or older people, helping in the community some way is only right. And this can be a reply to the likely future demand that the amount budgeted be reduced by raising the retiring age. I think if made mandatory at 68 or 70, this will come close to the workhouse approach and many low-income people never to have retirement at all.

  6. prism 6
    8 June 2010 at 10:54 am

    The USA reporter this morning on 9toNoon talking about their current mid-term elections says about two contenders in California, that they are from Silicon Valley, one is entrepreneur from E Bay and has spent too much money on her campaign at $78 million (I think $70m of her own money) according to the other who only spent $25 million! Where is democracy able to flourish in this money-saturated arena. As someone recently quoted, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore had a great skit, with a line something like ‘Integrity, I admire yours and I am willing to pay for it’.

    And the Tea Party candidates are agin everything. Now moving forward into a brighter future………..

    • prism 6.1
      8 June 2010 at 1:08 pm

      I missed the small ironic point about the two big-spending Californian contenders – they have a major agenda item – to cut spending in the state that is the powerhouse of the USA.

  7. prism 7
    8 June 2010 at 12:19 pm

    The railway men from Hillside are marching in Dunedin and will rally in the Octagon. They want the right to put in a tender so they have a chance at the carriage work being planned. Good on them. The various governments have been running down this country’s manufacturing and engineering value adding capacity for too long.

    • Bill 7.1
      8 June 2010 at 12:42 pm

      When? And why not hit the local Nat list MP’s office down by The Exchange? The Octagon is a freezing cold, desolate, noisy and windy hell zone this time of year.

      Meanwhile, down at Woodhouse’s office (I think that’s his name) there is a busy 5 way intersection with waiting motorists begging for some entertainment.

  8. the pinkpostman 8
    8 June 2010 at 2:43 pm

    My understanding is that Brownlee competely ignored Maori over the Petrobas decision. There was also no discussion in parliament . So where was the Maori Party ? Its time that the Maori people woke up to the fact that this party is an out and out section of the National Party. Sharples and Turia are traitors to the Maori people and its time they woke up to this fact.
    Am I angry ? you bet I am ! the Maori Party wasted its chance to bring a wonderful balance of Social Democratic policies to Aotearoa they threw it away by going against the wishes of their own people and siding with the Kiwi /not Iwi party .

  9. kaplan 9
    8 June 2010 at 3:19 pm

    I love this…
    TVNZ’s Henry falls prey to prankster (view video)
    Especially the comments from Key.
    “Key told Mr Pryor that the issue was very sensitive with the New Zealand electorate, but that commercialization [sic] was the best option for the future of whaling.”
    I wonder if he’ll issue a denial.

    Captcha = Mistaken (Should have been PissTaken)

    • Lazy Susan 9.1
      8 June 2010 at 4:27 pm

      Ha ha. TVNZ fun police clearly not getting the joke though and have got YouTube to pull it because of a “copyright claim”.
      Will the funsters at TV3 be bold and pop it in the news? After all, it perfectly fits the profile for what our main TV networks call news.

      • bobo 9.1.1
        8 June 2010 at 5:43 pm

        “It all added up,” said Mr Henry. “There was a website, he’d put out press releases and then there was the newspaper story. He’d gone to more lengths than most people would.”

        Choosing a timely issue and promoting a view that wasn’t entirely implausible also helped the man’s air of legitimacy, said Mr Henry.

        But his suspicions were raised by his interview subject’s lack of knowledge on the issue, said Mr Henry. “His arguments were enormously superficial. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.”
        —

        Is he referring to John Key or Mr Pryor ??

        • I dreamed a dream 9.1.1.1
          8 June 2010 at 9:17 pm

          Well, I just had a look at the video. It’s really hard to tell who he’s referring to. They both talk the same way.

      • jimmy 9.1.2
        8 June 2010 at 9:00 pm

        even better this blog got a reply from TVNZ’s PR department!

        http://www.spareroom.co.nz/2010/06/08/breakfast-pranked-full-clip/

    • Lazy Susan 9.2
      8 June 2010 at 5:07 pm

      Granny’s got the video though.

  10. I dreamed a dream 10
    8 June 2010 at 4:37 pm

    John Key going to South Africa to watch All Whites play Italy – read here

    Smile and Wave at it again!

  11. bobo 11
    8 June 2010 at 4:53 pm

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10650488

    John Key to watch All Whites take on Italy, and meet up with his mate Silvio Berlusconi .

    And what is so important that this headline needs a breaking news alert on the herald??

  12. Bright Red 12
    8 June 2010 at 5:57 pm

    Anyone know what radio interview this refers to with Key talking about ‘technically’ selling NZ Post?:

    Now NZ Post On The Block

    Press Release by Progressive Party

    Desperation to sell something or anything is the only way to explain the prime ministers’ declaration that Kiwibank won’t be sold but NZ Post might be, Progressive Wigram MP Jim Anderton says.

    “The Prime Minister is now once again saying Kiwibank won’t be sold while he is leader.
    He has made that declaration before and then forgotten about it, so there is every reason to suspect he will go back on his word again. Plainly, his political commitments mean little to the prime minister.

    “In making his statement about Kiwibank today, Mr Key announced on radio that it is ‘technically’ or ‘theoretically’ possible that NZ Post will be sold.

    “That’s like being technically or theoretically pregnant. Either National is going to sell NZ Post or it isn’t.

    “Mr Key is using sneaky language. He should simply say National won’t sell NZ Post. It does a good job in pubic ownership.

    • bobo 12.1
      8 June 2010 at 7:03 pm

      Selling NZ post is selling Kiwibank via stealth as they share postshops? Is Kiwibank still viable if NZ Post was to be privatized?

  13. mickysavage 13
    8 June 2010 at 5:57 pm

    Did you know that National MP Michael Woodhouse has formed a group “Parliamentarians for Athritis”?

    What next? Ministers in support of the Bubonic Plague? MPs in favour of Anthrax?

  14. Jan 14
    8 June 2010 at 10:05 pm

    A great Australian union video

    Remember that great video produced by Australian unions — “What have the unions ever done for us?” It won the Labour Video of the Year competition earlier this year.
    a href= “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4PcQfz0MfU&feature=player_embedded”

    The people who made it are at it again — with a terrific new video entitled “It’s Going to Ruin Us.” Australian unions are eager for people around the world to view it. Have a look yourself — and spread the word! (sourced from Labourstart)
    Captcha sharp and it is! 😉