Open mike 09/08/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 9th, 2012 - 110 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner).

Step right up to the mike…

110 comments on “Open mike 09/08/2012 ”

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  1. BillODrees 1
    9 August 2012 at 6:13 am

    Duh! It was staring us straight in the face. 

    And we foolishly put it down to a simple cocktail of stupidity and nastiness, extended by a few glasses of Martinborough and a little Chanel fragrance in the air.   It is even simpler than that.  Someone wants/needs to make a few dollars! 

    Annette wants to be Mayor of Wellington.  iPredict is currently trading at $0.75 on there being a by-election in Rongotai. 
    https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?do=contract_detail&contract=B.E.RONGOTAI

    When/if Annette creates a by-election there is no certainty that a) her replacement is solid ABC and b) the selected candidate actually wins. 

    438 votes is all that separates Labour from National in Rongotai!  And Chris Finlayson was  the Natz boy in 2011. And Russel Norman was the Green candidate! Top drawer stuff!   A three way race or even a two way race would not be attractive to the ABC gang. 
    http://electionresults.org.nz/electionresults_2011/electorate-45.html

    As Shearer won the Caucus leadership by only one vote, the Rongotai issue must be playing on some minds!  The 2013  50% “endorsement” vote for the ABCs is at risk.

    Getting rid of Shearer in 2013 only requires a $0.27 punt to win a $1.00!!!! 
    https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?do=contract_detail&contract=SHR.DEPART.2013

     And iPredict is only asking $0.40 for Grant Robertson.  
    https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?do=contract_detail&contract=LABLEAD2.ROBERTSN

    So one $0.75 gets me a Dollar if Annette creates a by-election, which in turn would buy me nearly four shares in Shearer loosing, which pays $4.00. 
    So I can turn $0.75 into $4.00 in six months. All I have to do is keep Cunliffe overseas! 

    Now which Labour MP comes to mind when you think of iPredict and a dodgy cash raising scams? 

    See, I told you it was as simple as ABC! 

    (all a bit of fun to take our minds of the stupid mess in which we find ourselves.  Try your own version of this game)

     

  2. Pete George 2
    9 August 2012 at 7:36 am

    Continued silence from Shearer on the caucus crapping on Cunliffe plus the Grey speech seems to have turning the blog tide from frustration and despair to anger. A party member’s resignation petition has been started – I doubt it will get legs but it’s indicative of the level of feeling – and even Red Alert is turning sour.

    Is Shearer facing a Labour revolt?

    Regardless of whether this spreads and grows or not it’s an awful look for Shearer’s leadership (or lack thereof).

    And it’s a worrying sign for New Zealand politics, which needs a strong and credible opposition. It’s getting neither from Labour.

    • Te Reo Putake 2.1
      9 August 2012 at 7:38 am

      🙄

    • RedBlooded 2.2
      9 August 2012 at 8:17 am

      🙄

    • Jimmie 2.3
      9 August 2012 at 9:08 am

      PG no offence but why do you copy & paste the exact same comment on Kiwiblog & the standard?

      Its kinda weird & shows that you’re not really making an effort to introduce a new thought on a particular topic.

      Be original man, anything else is plain boring and/or odd.

      I would suggest that you take a break from blog commenting for a while – get out in the real world, take a breath of fresh air, and you will find that you will get better perspective on life.

      Just saying ya know…..

      • lprent 2.3.1
        9 August 2012 at 9:18 am

        The comment is there to get you to click on the link to his site where you will get a larger version on the ill informed and badly written views on how the world should work according to Pete George.

        It is called link-whoring for obvious reasons, and we tolerate it provided it is related to the post (anything is a topic for Open Mike) and is kept short. Since the intent is to sell a link, the text is a come hither and really isn’t designed to promote discussion here, KB, or the other sites that it has been pasted into.

        • weka 2.3.1.1
          9 August 2012 at 12:05 pm

          Even worse Jimmie, Pete gets banned here periodically, for eventually stepping over a line. But that line happens in the context of him pissing of large numbers of people by doing things like grabbing post one of Open Mike each day, link whoring, concern trolling, and posting excessive amounts of the most inane, stupid and disingenuous posts we see here. 
           
          Hence the 🙄 lines. 😉

      • Pascal's bookie 2.3.2
        9 August 2012 at 9:21 am

        I like how he writes in the authoritative, but everyone thinks he’s an idiot.

      • Pete George 2.3.3
        9 August 2012 at 9:45 am

        Jimmie that one was a test to see which blog would produce the most diversionary disses.

    • Dr Terry 2.4
      9 August 2012 at 9:32 am

      The ugly “hate Cunliffe” campaign reveals the politics of envy, worsened by stabbing him in the back while he is abroad. Certain members clearly are threatened by Cunliffe’s superior talents. There are indeed a lot of “dead bodies” in Labour and I doubt Cunliffe would desire to preside over this funeral. Would the Greens for one moment even want to be in coalition with Labour as it is at this time?

      • Pete George 2.4.1
        9 August 2012 at 9:52 am

        Would the Greens for one moment even want to be in coalition with Labour as it is at this time?

        It might be ok, just never let any MP leave the country.

        Seriously, this sort of destructive behaviour should be a serious concern to Greens. The Green and Labour cultures are further apart than the policitics of Act and Mana. And as we can see, Labour clashes, whether inter party or intra party, are not pretty.

        • Jackal 2.4.1.1
          9 August 2012 at 2:57 pm

          Pete George

          The Green and Labour cultures are further apart than the policitics of Act and Mana.

          You can’t be serious? Act has policy that is directly targeted at Maori to ensure they remain repressed. Acts membership is bursting at the seems with openly racist bigots who are not afraid of promoting their divisiveness with a bit of race baiting. The Mana party on the other hand is concerned with poverty, which disproportionately effects Maori. The proposed Hone Heki tax, which abolishes GST is lightyears away from Acts tax policy that would mean no new initiatives for ten bloody years. Act is already dead in the water, while Mana is still a rising force.

          In contrast to the division between the Act and Mana parties, the Greens and Labour find many similarities between their policies… So much so that some claim they’re stealing each others ideas. Their policy on how to eradicate child poverty and ensure the conservation estate is respected are now almost identical. There are differences, but there are more similarities that make a coalition between Labour and the Greens workable. One cannot say the same thing about Mana and Act.

          Stop with the inflammatory nonsense PG.

          • Pete George 2.4.1.1.1
            9 August 2012 at 3:32 pm

            I didn’t say ‘policies’, I said ‘cultures’. The Labour and Green parties have vastly different cultures.

            In practice Labour is closer to National than the Greens on most policy.

  3. ad 3
    9 August 2012 at 8:05 am

    Dear Mr Shearer,

    I invite you to a tour fo the heartland. Not the pastoral base you’re travelling through now. But here, The Standard.

    According to all rankings, this site is the Leader of the Digital Opposition. We are the crowded town hall that in analogue space now rarely exists.

    We are the proving ground for a Labour-Green coalition by 2014. Nowhere else does what we are doing.

    Over the past 48 hours your caucus has shown itself to be out of control, with attacks from within on Louisa Wall and David Cunliffe.

    Please explain how you will demonstrate the leadership that forms a united Labour caucus.

    Please explain how you will set things right with these MPs.

    At the moment it looks like you have neither the will nor the power to lead a united caucus. At the moment you do not appear capable of unifying us. Show us your leadership.

    Your leadership is being questioned on this site because normally such egregious behaviour by your MPs would have been dealt with swiftly and surely.

    Without your action in this matter Labour activist discontent will focus on the constitutional review and make for a deeply destabilised November Labour annual conference. This conference will of course evaluate everything you have done to date.

    The futre of the activist base of a Labour-Green coalition could be formed here on this site, by your participation. Or, by your sustained absence, broken. Trust me, it’s breaking already.

    Failure to apepar in front of New Zealand’s progressive activist base, as Leader of the Opposition, means of course we will all get to describe you in a single word.

    No-one wants this.

    Sincerely.

    • Socialist Paddy 3.1
      9 August 2012 at 8:13 am

      I agree Ad.

      I hear there are some in Labour’s caucus who despise the Standard. This hate is obviously motivated by fear.

      When a simple post can attract over 380 comments and outpourings of disgust you know something is up.

      Shearer needs to man up and demote the person responsible.

      And the MPs should show some guts and come over and debate matters. 

      • RedBlooded 3.1.1
        9 August 2012 at 8:22 am

        Also agreed, would love to know the Labour leadership were paying attention to The Standard comments, positive and negatives.

      • King Kong 3.1.2
        9 August 2012 at 9:50 am

        If you truly believe that the caucus has a “fear” of a bunch of half witted shut ins and spotty political nerds then Labour has got bigger problems than I thought.

        How many commentators were responsible for the 380 comments? My guess would be under 100. Not really the power base of Labour activists that you think it is when half of those are greens stirring shit and alot of the rest retarded Marxists (quite a bit of crossover between those groups as well).

        If you think this site is a heavy weight political power broker then you are deluded. It has probably the equivalent impact that online strategy war gamers have on the war in Afghanistan.

        • RedBlooded 3.1.2.1
          9 August 2012 at 10:12 am

          I said paying attention, not basing their whole future on it. They and all parties need to listen to all of their constituents and whether you like it or not people who comment here are voicing their valid opinions that any party should listen to. Some of the people who comment on here are also out on the street (not “half witted shut-ins”) working for the party and are entitled to their opinion both here and at local meetings, without the fear of being insulted with crass bullies like you KK.

        • Socialist Paddy 3.1.2.2
          9 August 2012 at 10:35 am

          For every hundred commentators here there are probable 5,000 readers.  That is the activist base.  Without these people Labour would struggle.

          • King Kong 3.1.2.2.1
            9 August 2012 at 10:53 am

            And you are sure that theses silent lurkers fully support the comments here that you want Labour to take notice of.

            My suspicion is that alot of them are more like zoo patrons, coming to watch funny looking fuckers lob shit at each other.

          • Karen 3.1.2.2.2
            9 August 2012 at 3:08 pm

            I’m one of those 5,000 readers and although I don’t add any comments, I can assure you I read the Standard every day as an antidote to the shallow, one dimensional views in the mainstream media. I also read Kiwiblog, but find many commenters on that site don’t really discuss anything in depth and seem to be really bigoted and nasty just like a bunch of red-neck crackers really.

            • The Woodpecker 3.1.2.2.2.1
              9 August 2012 at 4:40 pm

              +1, but without the Kiwiblog

            • Dem Young Sconies 3.1.2.2.2.2
              9 August 2012 at 7:48 pm

              +1
              As so far as the Standard goes. Although I would rather castrate myself than visit the Penguin and the rest of the RWNJs at ‘Red-neck Crackerblog’.

        • mike e 3.1.2.3
          9 August 2012 at 4:33 pm

          kk so why do you bother with your neanderthal comments.
          did someone let you out of the weta workshops closet.

    • QoT 3.2
      9 August 2012 at 8:42 pm

      Leader of the Digital Opposition

      Lprent, I’m just saying, total candidate for a new strapline.

      • lprent 3.2.1
        10 August 2012 at 12:41 am

        You’re right. It is a hell of a strapline. I’ll test it out with the other authors.

        Damn it. The reason I support people silly enough to want to be politicians is because otherwise I would feel this frigging sense of responsibility to do the frigging job myself. That seriously interferes with programming.

        We’ve shown how you can do the digital job with a minimal budget, crowd sourced, and probably with a wider readership than anything else on the labour/green spectrum apart from Greenpeace. But Labour limps on with a website that is still a shocker for finding information and looks half dead, and red alert which is starting to have a permanent mid winter slump. I must recheck the greens digital stuff again…

  4. Bored 4
    9 August 2012 at 8:09 am

    Meanwhile in Employerland here’s todays forecast…..

    Raining..expect flight delays for visitors, and some telecom outages stuffing up online services….means extra work and overtime to be paid

    Check the post box and bank account, lovely recession, debtor days blown out by 10 in last quarter to unreasonably unhealthy level….talk to bank re extending overdraft for working capital to cover the slow payers on big projects.

    See Debt Collection re bills being chased…write off significant amount as one company has gone belly up, send legal letter to government department.

    Employees telling me they want a pay rise….check Profit @ Loss ledger, revenue flat, behind target, profitability down…so you want a pay rise?

    Taxman GST, fabulous. Pay now, do not anny, ever! Check who we can pay late as we juggle cash.

    Cold weather, people sick..more rain, transport delays, lost work hours.

    All good fun when the economy and weather is good, now for the painful time. Do you employees want to share some pain? Paycuts? I thought not.

    • IrishBill 4.1
      9 August 2012 at 9:31 am

      You’re in business mate. You take the risks and in return you profit more than workers do in the boom times. That’s the deal. If you can’t make your business work in a country that has one of the most business-friendly environments in the world then maybe it’s just not meant to be.

      • Bored 4.1.1
        9 August 2012 at 10:08 am

        Hole in one Bill, as we say “on the money”. Yes the good years are good and the bad can kill you. The reason I laid it out was to put some balance in some of the posts I see where all employers equal blood sucking parasites. My biggest gripe is actually other businesses (especially corporates) and their “business school managerial” class who occupy their power structures BUT who have no ownership or cares thereof.

        • IrishBill 4.1.1.1
          9 August 2012 at 10:59 am

          I agree with you on that. I think you’ll find most people at TS have nothing against small employers (in fact I think you’d find a few of them are small employers) but would share your view of the corporates. And let’s face it, large enterprises employ something like 80% of all private sector workers and many, if not most, large enterprises in NZ are multinationals. I think that when people rail against business they’re generally talking about big capital rather than the small, locally owned, IT firm that employs ten people. In fact I think most here would welcome a degree of corporate welfare if it were for small, kiwi owned businesses rather than the big aussie and US owned ratbags it mostly goes to.

        • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.2
          9 August 2012 at 7:53 pm

          Good of you to speak out Bored. Does Labour even see the small business owners going under on and off the main street of small towns and cities all over NZ.

          • rosy 4.1.1.2.1
            9 August 2012 at 8:02 pm

            Does Labour even see the small business owners going under on and off the main street of small towns and cities all over NZ

            However disillusioned I am with Labour, it seems they do recognise the small businesses in small town NZ. One of the reasons for the heartland meetings, and talking in business language during those meetings, I suspect. Whether they have the solution right or not is a whole other topic.

            • bad12 4.1.1.2.1.1
              9 August 2012 at 8:17 pm

              Well yeah, according to the Gospel of Dave as outlines to the Pip-Growers in Nelson we all have to grow a lot more apples and get really smart with them,

              Apple pie anyone…

      • prism 4.1.2
        9 August 2012 at 10:14 am

        IB
        How smug. Presumably you don’t try this difficult enterprise. Rental properties, housing do-ups instead maybe? Or professional post with tenure?

        • IrishBill 4.1.2.1
          9 August 2012 at 11:03 am

          We don’t do tenure in New Zealand because our labour laws are not (quite) as barbaric as those in the US.

          Perhaps my humour was a bit gruff. I think that small business in NZ has it hard in good part because nobody in this country has much money. When the world bank says we’ve got a great business environment they mean for big multinational business. I think these two facts are connected.

          • prism 4.1.2.1.1
            9 August 2012 at 11:16 am

            IB
            Yes I agree with that. But small business is not a baddie and needs to be encouraged and most business is hard under the conditions and the political jerks we have now. Let’s have more business and good tax laws and better pay to revolve round the business. I know tht’s the sort of thing you want.

            And let’s hear more talk about the multiplier. More economic literacy. It isn’t hard to come up to the 101 level which then means we would all be informed to the level of most of our pollies and small business managers. And though a little bit of learning can be a dangerous thing, being on the same level playing field is fairer and other applicable cliches.

            • KJT 4.1.2.1.1.1
              9 August 2012 at 11:29 am

              Small business is hard because New Zealanders are not paid enough to buy their products, finance is extremely difficult to get beyound the house mortgage and the playing field is slanted to help offshore large corporates.

              Business owners need to realise that the same things that hurt NZ employees, hurt them too.

              Again we have a recessive National Government. And again we see local shops and businesses closing.

              I went back to a wage job when National got back in. Knowing that there would be the inevitable right wing policy caused downturn.

              Most people here are/were either SME owners or supportive of small NZ business.

              Small innovative business deserves our help.

              Business which can only compete by being the lowest payer on the block does not deserve help and even under right wing terms should fail.
              “A business which cannot pay the costs of its resources should fail to allow more efficient use of resources”.
              Businesses which require tax payer top ups to employees so they can live are not viable.

              I suppose we should be more clear, that we are attacking corporates, especially financial ones, who have power, and income, way in excess of their usefulness.

              • Colonial Viper …
                9 August 2012 at 1:18 pm

                National is the party of big business and corporates. Labour gifts them the SME sector by not differentiating between struggling small businesses and the ticket clipping corporates who rip them off.

                • Bored …
                  9 August 2012 at 2:24 pm

                  Thanks all the respondents (IB, Prism, KJT, CV), seems we have identified that there is an opportunity for Labour to differentiate themselves with small business (make National the party of the “evil corporates”).

                  From where I sit the future for corporates looks grim, they are too growth orientated, and find it hard to add value at a local level plus hold longer term “goodwill” based arrangements. As we become a non growth localised solid state economy small business will become the norm.

    • Draco T Bastard 4.2
      9 August 2012 at 12:22 pm

      Do you employees want to share some pain?

      Have you considered sharing the relevant information with them (i.e, show them the books) and asking?

      • Colonial Viper 4.2.1
        9 August 2012 at 2:25 pm

        +1

      • Bored 4.2.2
        9 August 2012 at 2:35 pm

        I do indeed, funny thing is that most people who ask for a raise get a bit of a shock when their true cost versus profitability is revealed. I can be a bit biased because I prefer all business partners and as many employees as possible to have some skin in the game i.e profit share etc.

        Myself I have always pushed my base salary as low as possible and the risk versus reward as high. Certainly keeps you focused on not getting burnt. On the downside some months pickings can be slim and it pays to make sure your valuable staff (which is everybody) get enough to keep them going and focused, which is why retained earnings are vital. Too many employers forget that all businesses need a buffer, and pay themselves out. Then they lose key staff and consequently go bust.

  5. Dv 5
    9 August 2012 at 8:20 am

    This is interesting from KapiMana (local paper Porirua) by Andrea ONeil
    Not on line

    “Horses Died on Hobbit Time

    John Smythe aFormer horse wrangler formerly working for 3 foot 7 about the death of 3 horses. maintains he has been fired for speaking out.

    The first, was a small horse killed by ‘highly strung gelding”
    We questioned it but was told to do our jobs.

    The second was when a horse was put in a paddock with a sheer bluff down to a stream.
    Again the wranglers questioned the decision, but were assured the horses would be OK
    Two days latter the horse was found submerged in the creek.

    Then it was decided all horses would be stabled because of the 2 deaths. They were fed on grain, and a third horse died because of the grain feed when used to grass.

    When Mr Smythe talked to management about the decisions he lost his job.

    Mr Smthe formerly owned a horse trekking business and a shepherd

    3foot7 did not answer questions but release a statement
    we worked closely with American Humane Association and have taken grat care to follow thre guidelines. We also worked closely with a local vet …. ”

    Sort of sounds as if we know best by 3foot7. Not a good look.
    Also I would have thought there was interest in this BUT i haven’t seen anything on any other new.

  6. Dv 6
    9 August 2012 at 9:48 am

    From John Armstrong
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10825624
    “Faced with plenty of tricky questions during a press conference yesterday, the Minister of Education reverted to her preferred gambit of answering such questions with a bland statement about something which more often than not bore little relation to what was being asked.”

    I have a solution for the schools who dont believe the Stds data has any relevance.
    Take a lead for the Minister

    Schools should such questions with a bland statement about something which bear little relation to what is being asked.

    • Vicky32 6.1
      9 August 2012 at 7:18 pm

      Schools should such questions with a bland statement about something which bear little relation to what is being asked.

      Indeed! 🙂

  7. Southern Limits 7
    9 August 2012 at 10:00 am

    Oil market volatility is the new norm. So far 2012 is the fourth most volatile year for oil prices since 1982. The other top three years were 2007, 2008 and 2009. Since the production of oil from conventional sources peaked in 2005 we have reached a new paradigm: highly volatile oil prices. My take on the situation: http://www.southernlimitsnz.com/2012/08/the-new-paradigm-volatile-oil-markets.html

    Other resources coming to the same conclusions:

    http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/01/weve-hit-peak-oil-now-comes-permanent-price-volatility/
    http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/energy-futurist/the-future-of-oil-prices/508?tag=search-river
    http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/2011/01/onset-of-catabolic-collapse.html
    http://www.peakprosperity.com/blog/hard-floor-and-soft-ceiling-oil-prices-part-1/72339
    http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988312000060

  8. prism 8
    9 August 2012 at 10:19 am

    I wonder why Whanganui does not want the weird guy? They elected Michael Lhaws as Mayor so obviously have a tolerance for ‘different’ people.

    • Bored 8.1
      9 August 2012 at 2:46 pm

      As I said yesterday it all started with an “H”……

      Wongers is of course right next to the Rangitikei electorate which voted in Bruce Beetham, so there is no accounting for what weirdness might have crossed over. I’m speculating (maybe unfairly I admit) that the Rangitikei Rednecks would have a way of “fixing” the “different” person even Wonganoovians might be alarmed by!

    • Anne 9.1
      9 August 2012 at 8:47 pm

      When I heard the killed soldiers were only Lance corporals I knew Key wouldn’t be attending the funerals.

  10. seeker 10
    9 August 2012 at 11:27 am

    David Shearer emphatically endorses David Cunliffe here; albeit, typically, he is only quoted at the end of Tracey’s article.

    “But Shearer yesterday hit out at the speculation and said Cunliffe had his full backing.

    There was no suggestion that Cunliffe would be demoted.

    “God no, the guy’s got a huge brain. He’s really across economy policy. Hell no, I want him to be there and want him to keep doing what he’s doing . . . I don’t think there would be anybody else in the caucus who could do it as well as him, to be honest.”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7443334/Fresh-ructions-hit-Labour

    • Colonial Viper 10.1
      9 August 2012 at 1:16 pm

      As I said below:

      This is about how Shearer deals with those Labour MPs who BACKSTABBED A COLLEAGUE to the media at the cost of the entire Labour Party.

      Shearer hasn’t even begun to address that publicly; it would be nice to know if he is addressing it internally.

  11. weka 11
    9 August 2012 at 11:59 am

    What is this new expression “across”? eg He’s really across economy policy

    Does that mean he understands it? Is good at it? Where did it come from (NZ or ?)?

  12. bad12 12
    9 August 2012 at 12:26 pm

    Gee i have been supporting the ‘give David Shearer a chance camp’ waiting to see what we could actually expect from Shearer as a Labour Prime Minister,

    What a difference a day makes, i had the chance to read a speech Shearer made to Grey Power the other day and a few paragraphs into it Shearer deliberately launches into a bit of beneficiary bashing, and, i have to say that i have never seen the present Slippery little Shyster we have as Prime Minister mount such an open attack,

    I havn’t been a member of the Labour Party for at least 20 years and guess what Shearers speech to Grey Power has just about given me the political motivation to sign up as a member,

    In all honesty tho, if i do so it will only be for the negative ideal of ridding the Labour Party of a leader(spit) who would fit right at home among the ACT party,(all 2 of them),

    http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/david-shearer-speech-to-grey-power/5/131125

    The google = Labour leader David Shearer speech to Grey Power…

  13. Colonial Viper 13
    9 August 2012 at 1:14 pm

    Don’t get distracted from the issue, peeps. This is not about whether Shearer thinks Cunliffe will be demoted or is not performing.

    This is about how Shearer deals with those Labour MPs who BACKSTABBED A COLLEAGUE to the media at the cost of the entire Labour Party.

    • bad12 13.1
      9 August 2012 at 1:24 pm

      CV, have you got a link to where Labour MP’s have actually back-stabbed David Cunliffe, other of course than Duncan Garner sez so therefore it is???…

      • Pete George 13.1.1
        9 August 2012 at 1:39 pm

        a) You could accuse Garner of having or assisting agendas, but I doubt you can show when he has ever made things up like that.
        b) No denial, no clarification, so the story stays as read unchallenged.
        c) No unprompted defence or endorsement of Cunliffe.

        There’s nothing to suggest the story is false, and there’s nothing to suggest Shearer disapproves of it. That leaves:

        a) Shearer backs the story (and could be a source), or
        b) Shearer doesn’t have the will or want to stick up for Cunliffe.

      • Jackal 13.1.2
        9 August 2012 at 3:33 pm

        Good point bad12. Duncan Garner was recently removed as head of The Nation program soon after making unfounded statements against Shearer. Of course a bullshit excuse was made up to save face.

        Garner has form on this kind of thing, as does Chris Trotter, Cameron Slater, David Farrar and all the other hacks who are working for Keys government. They have nothing constructive to offer, because National is not a constructive party, and so attacking Labour is their preferred option.

        PG is showing his political naivety… Anybody recall when Garner told Chris Carter: “I am going to fucking get you, Carter. If it takes me to Christmas I am going to fucking destroy you.” Clearly he’s motivated to do as much damage to Labour and its MPs as he can… Whatever Duncan Garner reports, especially when there’s no corroborating information, should be taken with a grain of salt.

        • bad12 13.1.2.1
          9 August 2012 at 8:30 pm

          Yeah, Labour people might have their reasons for wanting to believe Garner but allowing the likes of a TV3news reporter to set the political agenda of the left is pretty much the attitude of defeatism,

          Whether those reasons are anti-Mallard or anti-Shearer does not to me really matter, allowing the Garner’s of this world a say in the political process simply gives encouragement for them all to be spreading rumor and innuendo as fact…

  14. Kotahi Tāne Huna 14
    9 August 2012 at 1:22 pm

    Supreme Court decides against Right to Life in abortion case.

  15. Fortran 15
    9 August 2012 at 2:02 pm

    Helen Kelly will take Rongotai.

    • bad12 15.1
      9 August 2012 at 2:20 pm

      Yes please, should Helen Kelly receive the nomination for Rongotai i will definitely be joining the Party and actively working to have Her elected…

    • King Kong 15.2
      9 August 2012 at 2:46 pm

      The fact that she tried to shut down one the biggest employer and economic powerhouse of Rongotai will make that a bit harder than you think. People there absolutely hate her

      • McFlock 15.2.1
        9 August 2012 at 2:53 pm

        link?

      • Kotahi Tāne Huna 15.2.2
        9 August 2012 at 2:55 pm

        🙄 hey this works for other complete wastes of oxygen too!

      • Te Reo Putake 15.2.3
        9 August 2012 at 3:02 pm

        King Kong: plodding, self indulgent and dullwitted. And Peter Jackson’s remake of the film of the same name wasn’t much better, either.

        • mike e 15.2.3.1
          9 August 2012 at 4:37 pm

          trp he ended up getting shot to pieces like the pathetic arguments of his names sake.

      • bad12 15.2.4
        9 August 2012 at 3:15 pm

        Joke post of the week don’t you think, i do live there and while not personally having met Helen Kelly from what i have seen of Her published comments She would be able to represent the diverse views of this electorate with aplomb,

        What you really mean with your ill thought out comment is that Sir(spit)Peter Jackson and His acolytes,(those that suck at that fat pricks appendage), despise Kelly for standing up for the rights of the average worker in the industry thus making it harder for the likes of Jackson to be able to view another zero on the bank balance,

        While Jackson and the few make and stash the bulk of the profits of movie making while denying the average worker is just that,a waged employee, there is very little to be gained by anyone in this electorate from Jackson’s movie making except bragging rights,

        Bragging rights do not serve to put food upon the table and while Jackson and His inner circle are busily spending their gains elsewhere there is hardly a huge economic boost to the local industry out here on the island…

        • King Kong 15.2.4.1
          9 August 2012 at 3:30 pm

          What nonsense. The presense of the studios has made a massive difference to local industry in Miramar.

          Have a look at the shops for godsake. new cinema, restaraunts, bars etc.

          You will find alot of the employee’s who are fiercely loyal to Jackson live in Rongotai as well.

          If Kelly stood there you might find Weta acting like a super PAC against her.

          • McFlock 15.2.4.1.1
            9 August 2012 at 3:34 pm

            Only if they believe the CTU wanted to “shut down” weta, you tool.
                     
            And if they’re dumb enough to believe that, they’d not be voting labour anyway – nact all the way. 

      • Pascal's bookie 15.2.5
        9 August 2012 at 3:36 pm

        Finlayson 2008: 10,594

        Finlayson 2011 9,132

        He went nuts on the Hobbit hating thing. I got at least two flyers in the mail box, and he talked it up on the stump. I think there was even a billboard, but can’t be sure. In an election where National recieved it’s record highest ever blah blah he managed to lose votes running on the Hobbit hating meme.

        To paraphrase Palin, I can see Weta from my house ( ie I live in the place you call “there”), my kid’s mates are mostly in weta families. I haven’t heard shit about any hate. Not one peep. The Nats get laughed at a lot though.

        • bad12 15.2.5.1
          9 August 2012 at 3:51 pm

          If the billboard you are thinking of was among the forest of them at the Miramar cut it got kicked over early in the piece, strangely enough even the ACT one survived…

  16. McFlock 16
    9 August 2012 at 3:18 pm

    On a completely seperate note, the Dotcom case has been moderately interesting. Apparently police had blocked all the phone lines, so when Mona Dotcom needed medical attention to do with her pregnancy the police ended up dialling 111 themselves.
         
    Which raises the point: if the police thought there was enough of a risk of violence to use overwhelming force and armed police, two helicopters, and mobilise the STG, why didn’t they have an ambulance at a safe hold point?
    Surely if you think violence is enough of a risk to carry automatic weapons, then at least one ambulance in your pocket would be a prudent step – particularly if your target is a “large” man and there is a pregnant woman on site.
          
    Posers for the FBI is the answer. 

  17. Southern Limits 17
    9 August 2012 at 3:38 pm

    The Maugeri Oil Report that caused Monbiot’s reversal is complete bunk. Rich Turcotte tears it to shreds: http://awe.sm/j2ZsQ

  18. bad12 18
    9 August 2012 at 4:06 pm

    In news today, Slippery the Prime Minister has said He will not be attending the service for the 2 soldiers killed in Afghanistan,

    Apparently our Prime Minister finds that attending a baseball game in which His son is playing is Far Far more important than actually fronting up and showing due respect to those who have served and died in a war on behalf of the Prime Minister,

    Respect for our allies in such a war was also missing in action the other day when the Prime Minister made snide reference to Hungarian soldiers serving next to the Kiwi troops in Afghanistan cracking jokes which insinuated that those Hungarian soldiers were cowardly in their service in that country,

    The sooner New Zealand troops are home from that country the better, and, the sooner that disrespectful Slippery little shyster is removed from the office of Prime Minister the sooner we all might gain a small modicum of hope that as a country we do have a brighter future…

  19. Draco T Bastard 19
    9 August 2012 at 4:41 pm

    Oh dear

    ourism New Zealand has unveiled a new campaign to capitalise on the release later this year of the first of three Peter Jackson Hobbit films.

    Launching proper in August, the new advertisement will amount to “the latest evolution of the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign”, says the tourism group’s boss in a press release.It will “draw together the themes ’100% Pure’ and ’100% Middle Earth’”.

  20. marty mars 20
    9 August 2012 at 5:12 pm

    It is the United Nations’ International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples today.

    The Mana Movement have produced a scorecard. Needless to say the Government has scored zero – which I consider optimistic.

    • Give consent to projects affecting our lands and resources, particularly water:
    (Article 32)
    Government pushed ahead with selling shares in state-owned power companies without the consent of Māori, and before Māori ownership interests in water have been determined and settled. Government has indicated they will legislate against Māori ownership in water. FAIL

    FINAL ASSESSMENT: ZERO

    http://news.tangatawhenua.com/archives/18687

    Metiria Turei has also issued a very strong statement

    “If the international commitments that New Zealand signs up to are to have any meaning, then the Government must honour them at all times, not just when it is convenient,” said Mrs Turei.

    “The Key Government must honour the pledges it has made and negotiate in good faith with the representatives that Maori select for themselves on the issue of water rights and asset sales.

    “The Key Government also needs to give proper consideration to the findings of the Waitangi Tribunal.

    http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/govt-must-honour-declaration-rights-indigenous-peoples/5/131288

    One of the best qualities of The Greens for me is their commitment to tino rangatiratanga.

    http://mars2earth.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/united-nations-international-day-of.html

  21. Carol 21
    9 August 2012 at 6:30 pm

    Nice one from John CLarke:

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10825782

    4. For what would you throw the remote at the television?

    The news. I’m a great admirer of escapist fiction, publicity handouts and celebrity drivel in a general sense but why call it The News. Perhaps it’s the title that doesn’t work.

  22. rosy 22
    9 August 2012 at 6:54 pm

    So in first public servants are under-performing workers in a bloated public sector so need to be gotten rid of, the next thing you know they’re highly skilled, knowledgeable people who can be sold to other countries for their expertise.

    • muzza 22.1
      9 August 2012 at 8:36 pm

      Exporting environmental standards would have to be some sort of joke surely!

    • Draco T Bastard 22.2
      9 August 2012 at 8:41 pm

      And just who’s supposed to do their work while they’re off doing other peoples?

  23. Millhouse 23
    9 August 2012 at 8:53 pm

    Remember that time before the election when the Prime Minister left a trade mission to the Middle-East at great cost because he was “personally devastated” at the loss of RNZAF personal in a helicopter crash:
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10640901

    Apparently he is not so devastated that two young men were shot dead in Afghanistan in the service of New Zealand. His son’s baseball is more important apparently:
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7448686/Key-to-miss-soldiers-funeral

    How low can you go?

    • Colonial Viper 23.1
      9 August 2012 at 9:14 pm

      The main reason Key is going to the US is to meet with top tier banks and financial insitutions there. It is partly a sales trip and preparations for asset sales will be discussed.

      That’s why he can’t cancel the trip to attend our soldiers’ funerals.

      • Millhouse 23.1.1
        9 August 2012 at 9:25 pm

        Still it is grotesque. I’m sick of the left in New Zealand being accused of being weak on defence and armed services issues. The right may wrap themselves in the flag but that doesn’t hide their indifference and cynicism. They are willing to send young men and woman into harms way but not willing to pay for it (National can whine about skyhawks all the want. Every major defence purchase has been made by labour since the sixties)

        • Colonial Viper 23.1.1.1
          9 August 2012 at 9:29 pm

          Oh I’m not making any excuses for him, quite the opposite: his talk about attending his son’s baseball game as the main reason for going is a ruse.

          • Millhouse 23.1.1.1.1
            9 August 2012 at 9:33 pm

            No troubles CV. I just cannot get over the cynicism when it comes to the live of young people in uniform.

          • bad12 23.1.1.1.2
            10 August 2012 at 12:14 am

            Interesting, i would have thought that Slippery the Prime Minister would have fallen all over Himself to be seen attending the funeral of the Kiwi Soldiers killed in action,

            Perhaps after all but accusing the Hungarian troops serving next to the Kiwi’s in Afghanistan of being cowards He has had a sudden case of ‘shyness’ at being close to military matters,

            Perhaps i connect matters of seemingly totally differing nature far to easily but the 2 incidents of military matters simply draws me back to a 3rd one earlier in the piece,

            I cannot for the life of me ‘see’ why it is that after cancelling the upgrade to the surrounds of the National War Memorial soon after coming into office in 2009 He is now dead keen for this now to go ahead, its as if our Slippery Prime Minister, one who cannot be said to have ever entertained a close relationship with the truth, is expecting the war memorial to have a far greater use in the future than the annual pilgrimages to the 2 world war ceremonies thus far,

            Could our Prime Ministers wee trip back to ‘ the masters’ country be purely educational so as to appraise Him of what is expected of us in the next one…

  24. Frank Macskasy 24
    9 August 2012 at 10:36 pm

    “Grotesque” is the word I was looking for when I blogged on this issue here; http://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/john-key-and-his-priorities/

    By tomorrow morning, thast link will be with most of the country’s media.

    Whatever our feelings on our involvement in Afghanistan, if the government is going to send our men and women into harms way in another country, the least that the PM of the day can do is attend their funerals.

    Who knows, it may make our leaders more wary before deciding to kow-tow to Washington.