Open Mike 10/05/2017

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 10th, 2017 - 108 comments
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108 comments on “Open Mike 10/05/2017 ”

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  1. Ed 1
    10 May 2017 at 6:17 am

    No wonder we have a parliament that does nothing for the poor.
    MPs are on the whole a group of the rich.
    The 1% does not represent the people.

    Some of the biggest property-owning MPs include National Cabinet Minister and Selwyn MP Amy Adams, who declared eight properties including farm land, commercial property, an apartment and two residential properties.
    National and Otaki MP Nathan Guy declared farm land, a family home, two rental properties and Thorndon house. He also has interests in 13 commercial properties.
    Mt Roskill-based National list MP Parmjeet Parmar has declared seven properties including four residential rental properties, a family home, and commercial property.

    Register of Pecuniary and Other Specified Interests of Members of Parliament:
    Summary of annual returns as at 31 January 2017

    Register of Pecuniary and Other Specified Interests of Members of Parliament: Summary 2017

    MPs’ latest home ownership, interests revealed

  2. Ed 2
    10 May 2017 at 6:39 am

    The US never learns…….
    Neverending war
    The beneficiaries – we all know who they are

    US poised to step up battle with Taliban

  3. Cinny 3
    10 May 2017 at 7:45 am

    Timing, especially after the register of pecuniary interests was released yesterday.

    The IMF had this to say about our housing crisisTax measures related to housing could be considered to reduce incentives for leveraged real estate investments by households. Such measures could help redirect savings to other, potentially more productive, investments and, thereby, support deeper capital markets.”

    Outgoing Minister Joyce on Newshub this morning, claimed that everything was just fine. Of course he won’t want to introduce a capital gains tax, especially with so many of the outgoing governments MPs owning so much property.

    • James 3.1
      10 May 2017 at 8:11 am

      So if that’s nationals reason for not introducing a capital gains tax – what’s labours ? because after years of saying we need one – now they are against it.

      • Cinny 3.1.1
        10 May 2017 at 8:30 am

        Not sure James, luckily there are more than two parties to choose from.

        My family has a few properties, and we would all be happy to pay a capital gains tax should the law change. I’ve too many friends struggling to enter the property market to turn a blind eye no matter what my personal situation is

        • indiana 3.1.1.1
          10 May 2017 at 8:35 am

          If you are happy to pay it, why not voluntarily pay it in advance now?

          • AB 3.1.1.1.1
            10 May 2017 at 8:48 am

            This is a common and totally weird riposte from righties. Obviously they enjoy the thought of principled people voluntarily sharing the burden of creating a decent society, while they themselves get off scot free. I guess a sense of fairness is not their strong suit

            • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1.1.1.1
              10 May 2017 at 9:45 am

              I guess a sense of fairness is not their strong suit

              IMO, it’s bound up in their desire to not have to pay for anything while getting all of the benefits. After all – you can’t get rich if you go round paying for things.

          • Cinny 3.1.1.1.2
            10 May 2017 at 9:09 am

            I wonder if any MPs voluntarily pay it now? Many Nat MP’s have quite a few properties.

            If we sold a property, the long term leasers would be with out a home, would that be fair on them especially in the capital, I hear homes are hard to find there.

            Property has been owned for more than ten years, is not being flicked off every month for profit, big big difference.

            • james 3.1.1.1.2.1
              10 May 2017 at 2:43 pm

              Oh – go National people with more than one home = greedy rick bastards – but when you do it – its all good because you are providing a home?

              Do you give rental for life agreements – like is supported by several commenters on here? or are you giving them the usual contract that gives you the power to kick them out when you want?

              “If we sold a property, the long term leasers would be with out a home, would that be fair on them especially in the capital, I hear homes are hard to find there.”

          • mauī 3.1.1.1.3
            10 May 2017 at 9:09 am

            Is this as close as social responsibility comes for a tory?

            • Cinny 3.1.1.1.3.1
              10 May 2017 at 9:31 am

              I think it might be Maui

              House prices are way to expensive, near on impossible for any to enter the market at present.

              Outgoing government does what to fix it, nada, rather they continue to exploit it for their own gains while suggesting others make volunteer CG payments. Not bothering to make any themselves, because the law says that they don’t have to.

              Was looking at the new register, Nick Smith owns his electorate office, I wonder if any other MP’s do. I wonder how much Smith charges for the lease?

          • Molly 3.1.1.1.4
            10 May 2017 at 9:42 am

            Perhaps because there is no guarantee it will not be spent on something like this?

            or this?

          • Ed 3.1.1.1.5
            10 May 2017 at 9:50 am

            Tax, not charity, is the solution.

        • BM 3.1.1.2
          10 May 2017 at 8:49 am

          Maybe you could sell a few of your properties to your friends at a heavily discounted price?

          That would certainly help them out.

          • Cinny 3.1.1.2.1
            10 May 2017 at 9:13 am

            Do you really think property in Wellington will help those in Motueka and Nelson who already have good stable work in that region. A property in Wellington would be no good to someone looking for property in Nelson/Tasman. JS.

            BM, why won’t National introduce a capital gains tax? Too many MP’s with property portfolios perhaps?

            • BM 3.1.1.2.1.1
              10 May 2017 at 9:47 am

              You must be worth a fair bit Cinny

              Properties in Wellington, live in Picton.

              Do you charge the market rate? or do you charge your tenants a far cheaper rate?

              • Red …
                10 May 2017 at 10:12 am

                Don’t be silly BM, the left are only interested in other people’s property , do as I say not as I do

                • BM …
                  10 May 2017 at 10:36 am

                  I’ll hold judgement until after Cinny replies. 😀

                • Molly …
                  10 May 2017 at 11:30 am

                  We have a granny flat, no longer required by our “grannies”. Have charged a reasonable rate ie $210/wk including power and water for two bedrooms, separate drive, garage and section for ten years. Just put it up this year to $250 with a change of tenants because we can’t continue to absorb the power prices.

                  One long-term couple managed to save a deposit to buy a home of their own.

                  In fact, I think that the couple renting often had more disposable income than we did, but to our minds the cost of rentals is far too high, and we should only charge what was reasonable.

                  Never had to advertise, and tenants have been great.

                  • Molly …
                    10 May 2017 at 1:06 pm

                    BTW, consider this as a reciprocal deal after living in a Georgian flat in London for two years at a rental about 70% of what else was on the market.

                    It was two privately owned (by two brothers) semi-detached houses that had been split into flats. When I mentioned over a cup of tea that we were really happy to have found our place, and that he seemed to be considerably below the market rates, he replied, “That’s all we need. It doesn’t cost us much for upkeep.”

                    The flats were well-maintained and still remain a favourite past abode.

                    His attitude and consideration stay with me even after some two decades.

                  • james …
                    10 May 2017 at 2:44 pm

                    So it was OK for you to put up rents to cover your increased cost ?

                    • Molly …
                      10 May 2017 at 5:37 pm

                      It covered their increased costs which we had previously absorbed…

                      As the granny flat was for my partner’s parents, we had a separate valuation done at the time of purchase. Then worked out a rental figure that would cover the interest only on the extra cost. We calculated on the conservative side. last thing you want to do is rip off your relatives. (didn’t include rates, insurance, maintenance as we were paying that anyway)

                      This meant their savings were directly available, if they needed to get them in a hurry. when they did not need the unit, we rented it out for the same figure, topping up a little bit each week to pay back equity.

                      Tenants who don’t have to pay for power will often do things like leave heaters on all day so the place is warm when they come back from work, and will use dryers when it is convenient rather than when it is raining. We have absorbed the cost over the years of interest rate hikes and power costs, to give some stability.

                      Comparative charge for similar in this area is $340 without utilities.

                      any other questions?

                • Halfcrown …
                  10 May 2017 at 4:31 pm

                  Red @ 10.12 am wrote:-

                  “Don’t be silly BM, the left are only interested in other people’s property , do as I say not as I do”

                  Like Fay Richwhite and NZ Rail, I did not realise that they were left wing

                  http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/161039/Richwhite-and-Fay-make-big-rail-profit

              • Cinny …
                10 May 2017 at 1:58 pm

                I don’t live in Picton, and did not state that I owned properties, I stated that my family does.

                Interesting how I posted about MP’s being property developers and you turn around and make it about me James, simply because I disclosed that family would be happy to pay for a CG tax on property that was not the family home.

                FYI rent for the welly house purchased around 20 years ago is well well below market rates, because we have amazing tennants, and we look after them, including giving them a free weeks rent at Christmas. They are also saving up for a deposit, but finding it so difficult in todays current housing climate. They are so grateful to us for the cheap rent and we are grateful to them for taking such good care of the place.

                But enough about my family, how about we talk about the Tory family and their property investments instead?

                Do you know of any other MP’s that own their own electorate office like Nick Smith does? And any idea on how much he leases out to himself for?

                • Red …
                  10 May 2017 at 3:46 pm

                  Why not help them out with a deposit using the opportunistic capital gain you have on property, in lieu of paying CGT

                  • Cinny …
                    10 May 2017 at 4:02 pm

                    If there was a CGT wouldn’t it only be charged if a property was sold for a profit within a certain time period Red?

                    What are you doing to help people get into their own home Red?

                    And do you know of any other MP’s that own their own electorate office?

            • indiana 3.1.1.2.1.2
              10 May 2017 at 9:50 am

              The same reason why Labour will not introduce it – because they know that a CGT only further gouges hard working people that spent 25-30 years paying off a house whilst paying income tax. Because they know that any CGT earnings will not be realised for 15years or more and governments change in that time and mostly because if you look at Australia a CGT has not made housing affordability better – its just been a revenue generating machine like GST where a government can decide at any time to increase it.

              • Ed …
                10 May 2017 at 9:51 am

                You do realise how many countries have a CGT, don’t you?

              • DoublePlusGood …
                10 May 2017 at 1:22 pm

                Given that a capital gain from an increase in property price is something obtained without doing work, how exactly is this gouging any work?

      • dv 3.1.2
        10 May 2017 at 8:34 am

        There are some CG taxes.
        Investment property must have a declaration that it is for income (or similar)
        If an investment property is flipped with in 5 yrs? the profit must be declared.

        I wonder how much is declared to the tax dept.
        I wonder how many loop holes are there?

        • saveNZ 3.1.2.1
          10 May 2017 at 10:43 am

          You realise that capital gains taxes do not work to reduce property prices.

          The UK has a capital gains tax, stamp duty, 17.5% VAT, 45% top tax rate, national insurance rates, even taxes for a TV. It is a basket case for unaffordable houses and rents. That has led to Brexit as citizens try to work out why they are worse off, while the government tells them how much better off they all are.

          There is no point having taxes if anyone can just structure their tax affairs offshore such as the UK opening up their entire market to offshore corporations and non residents that don’t have to pay any taxes in the UK but can benefit from living there and assets there. This is completely legal but with globalism it has become a massive problem for those that are locals having to compete against the world with different rules and advantages.

          The left saying “increase taxes” is just falling on deaf ears and actually lose votes. Those that pay taxes know that many other’s are earning more but paying less taxes legally and are therefore pretty reluctant to pay anymore when they are already competitively less advantaged by the current rules.

          Meanwhile every 5 minutes some ‘private or public sector’ organisation are trying to take more and more profit, from parking in hospitals, forcing schools to ask for more donations, council employees outside schools to ‘fine’ people for dropping off kids, having to constantly give to charities and legal help for people who should be funded by the government unlike Scenic hotels and Sky city.

          Corbyn, Cunliffe and the Greens are not looking at 21st century global issues by calling for more taxes for the locals while allowing globalism with more and more citizens who take from locals but don’t pay much local taxes. More local taxes is not a popular message and it’s an out of touch message.

          Tighten up offshore capital and start taxing it, before you have policies to take more from locals already paying taxes. These days people can have relatives in NZ on welfare in million dollar houses while working offshore having paid little to zero taxes. NZ is becoming a nursery for offshore kids, the sick and the elderly.

          It’s time NZ started to crack down on the routs and actually make real opportunities for locals paying 100% local taxes, so that people can actually earn a real living here not based on paper pushing, construction or cows or the taxpayer funded service sector managing the artificially growing population.

          NZ is now a ponzi scheme with debt and assets sales paying for insecure jobs looking after people who will be so poorly paid they need tax subsidies. Clearly that’s not sustainable.

          • saveNZ 3.1.2.1.1
            10 May 2017 at 11:33 am

            BTW – NZ does have a capital gains tax and a speculation tax. Go back and look to see how much speculators paid in capital gains taxes when they bought a place for $300k more the next day.

            My guess is, not much. The taxes do not work if they are based on income and can be legally massaged against expenses.

            The recently caught P smugglers immigrated to NZ and did not put in a NZ tax return for the entire 26 years they lived here and nobody noticed while they drove their Ferraris around.

            The sad thing, is that the leftie local zealots seem obsessed about more taxes, seem to fail to understand that the tax system no longer works!

            Taxes only affect honest people who actually pay the taxes and are tax domiciled in the country.

            There are less and less of those in this country.

      • weka 3.1.3
        10 May 2017 at 9:35 am

        “So if that’s nationals reason for not introducing a capital gains tax – what’s labours ? because after years of saying we need one – now they are against it.”

        largely because of selfish people like you I suspect. It’s a good idea, Labour got slammed for it, not because it was a bad idea but because too many people chose to utterly misrepresent what Labour wanted to do. The spin machine went very hard on that one.

        • james 3.1.3.1
          10 May 2017 at 9:50 am

          “many people chose to utterly misrepresent what Labour wanted to do.”

          Well – if Labour put out a clear and concise policy on it – then it would be hard to misrepresent.

          But from memory – the policy was pretty clear – and it wasnt that people misrepresented it – it was that the majority of people were against it.

          So Labour gave up what they believed was the right thing to do in order to chase votes.

          • indiana 3.1.3.1.1
            10 May 2017 at 9:54 am

            They did and what they wanted to introduce was Death Taxes cleverly labelled CGT.

            • McFlock 3.1.3.1.1.1
              10 May 2017 at 12:31 pm

              yeah, that’s exactly the sort of misrepresentation tories did about a clear Labour policy. Good example. Now everyone can see what fuckwits tories can be.

      • Ed 3.1.4
        10 May 2017 at 9:49 am

        Labour is also a neoliberal party.

  4. Sanctuary 4
    10 May 2017 at 7:55 am

    The polling in the UK ahead of the election is all over the place, but a few observations can be made:

    1/ UKIP and the Tory party are one and the same under Teresa May and UKIP has collapsed as a result.

    2/ The lib-dems are not picking up Labour remainers, while relatively few ex-Labour Brexiteers are going to the Tories.

    3/ AMONGST DECIDED VOTERS the Tory lead over Labour is between 8-16 points, depending on the newspaper and poll, but the lead is swinging violently all over the place because…

    4/ Almost 39% of UK voters are undecided.

    The lates poll in the independent sees the Tory lead slashed by eight points – http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/election-2017-latest-updates-labour-conservative-tory-poll-lead-cut-8-points-a7726526.html

    IMHO, if the Blairites can keep their mouths shut and Corbyn and his team work hard to counter the media narrative then there is every chance May will not get her overwhelming mandate, but will only scrape home.

    • Adrian Thornton 4.1
      10 May 2017 at 8:52 am

      Watched the Labour GE2017 launch last night, and was impressed to hear a Labour leadership unbowed by a slavish obsession to the ‘middle’ and talk openly and clearly about running a campaign based on a “fair and equal society for all”, unfazed by the polls, sticking steadfastly to their core beliefs and Socialist principles.
      Ready to call out the banks, corporation’s, greedy landlords and rich to play their part in bringing this vision into reality by paying their fair share.

      Great to hear a Labour party that has absolutely nothing in common with their centre right opposition.

      It is easy to forget what a Labour sounds like…last night was a good reminder.

      • Xanthe 4.1.1
        10 May 2017 at 9:19 am

        Ahhhh its on RT…… russian sponsored interference in GB election obviously

        He does speak well tho, will be a real prime minister for all

        • Wayne 4.1.1.1
          10 May 2017 at 9:55 am

          Xanthe

          Prime Minister Corbyn; not going to happen.

          • Halfcrown 4.1.1.1.1
            10 May 2017 at 7:19 pm

            You are so right there Wayne.

            The Blairites and the Tory controlled media including the so-called independent BBC are going to make sure that Corbyn does not get any traction. Just like Cunliffe with the ABC club and our pathetic excuse of the media.

            When May wins the election, the only outcome I can see from May’s Brexit farcical general election is that the pitchforks may come out sooner than later.

      • Rosemary McDonald 4.1.2
        10 May 2017 at 9:24 pm

        Thanks for the link AT…and if anyone’s interested here’s the full transcript…

        Well worth it…http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/watch-read-jeremy-corbyns-speech-10386101

        “In fact, we expect hostility. Our challenge to a rigged system is bound to meet hostility.

        Change always involves taking on vested interests.

        And there is a real danger that the Tories’ fearmongering and spin machine will make some people settle for less than they should. Resign themselves to things the way they are – underestimating just how many more burdens the Tories could impose if their mission to rig the system for the rich isn’t halted.

        The stakes are high. We know from last week’s local elections how big the challenge is.

        We have to convince the sceptical and undecided. They are not sure which way to turn.”

        And who can blame them?

        People are alienated from politics and politicians.

        Our Westminster system is broken and our economy is rigged. Both are run in the interests of the few.

  5. James 5
    10 May 2017 at 8:31 am

    http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/92338186/online-bomb-threats-prompted-us-embassy-evacuation-during-fbi-directors-visit

    This guy like any other muppet who makes death threats should be facing some serious jail time.

  6. Ad 6
    10 May 2017 at 8:54 am

    Call me bonkers but Australia looks like it’s just passed a Labour budget.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/may/09/australia-federal-budget-2017-summary-at-a-glance-winners-and-losers

    – Tax the banks
    – Tax smokers
    – Absolutely wrinse property investors particularly foreigners
    – More on Medicaid and big injury recovery system with more tax
    – Encourage Bitcoin
    – Squillions at long term infrastructure especially rail

    Somewhat annoying to have our budget standards raised by the conservatives.

    Could do worse than promise the same tax treatment of banks here.

    • Ed 6.1
      10 May 2017 at 9:28 am

      Surprise, surprise.
      The Australian Conservative Party is to the left of New Zealand’s Labour Party.

      New Zealand is the home of the cargo cult of the cranks. Our political and economic leaders worship Ayn Rand and Friedrich von Hayek’s religion.
      Only neoliberal ideology is allowed here, even by the Green Party.

      And our politicians and media say…
      Repeat after me….

      “The market will solve our problems.
      The market will solve our problems.
      The market will solve our problems.
      The market will solve our problems.”

      Ad nauseam….ad infinitum

    • Draco T Bastard 6.2
      10 May 2017 at 9:51 am

      – Encourage Bitcoin

      Ok, their economy is fucked.

      Allowing anybody and everybody to create currency always fucks up the economy.

      • McFlock 6.2.1
        10 May 2017 at 12:35 pm

        I thought there was a computational restriction that limited the rate and absolute numeric expansion of bitcoins?

        • Draco T Bastard 6.2.1.1
          10 May 2017 at 1:22 pm

          Yep, there is. That’s not the problem. The problem is that by allowing Bitcoins you also need to allow every other such currency which means to say that everyone with a PC can have their own currency.

          We’ve been here before and it trashed the economy. It’s why such private currencies were banned back in the early 17th century.

          The only currency that has a chance of working is one produced and distributed by the government and backed by the nations economy. Everything else, including present day bank money, must inevitably lead to the collapse of the economy.

          • McFlock 6.2.1.1.1
            10 May 2017 at 1:59 pm

            17th Century, huh?

            Why not just treat an established digital currency as a foreign currency? I mean, I can see why every store or whatever having its own currency would be stupid, but bitcoins seem to be pretty robust and established. Obviously the devil is in the description, but legally pretending they’re just another asset is a bit stupid, too. They are in design, form and fact an established means of exchange. If you include a threshold of significance, you don’t need to recognise every digital currency attempt plan as a valid foreign currency.

            • Draco T Bastard 6.2.1.1.1.1
              10 May 2017 at 2:18 pm

              Why not just treat an established digital currency as a foreign currency?

              Why treat it as a viable currency at all? History does show that it isn’t. Being a ‘cryptocurrency’ or ‘established’ doesn’t change that.

              If you include a threshold of significance, you don’t need to recognise every digital currency attempt plan as a valid foreign currency.

              Ah, so only rich people and banks would be able to create their own currency?

              • McFlock …
                10 May 2017 at 2:43 pm

                Well, I’d suggest that if enough people were using it as a means of exchange, then the fact on the ground is that it’s a means of exchange.

                This has nothing to do with rich people or banks as such, although obviously either would be better situated to develop a currency that reaches the threshold than joe bloggs.

                But then more people seem to use bitcoin than the Cook Island dollar.

                When you say “history shows that it isn’t” a viable currency, do you mean bitcoin specifically?

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  10 May 2017 at 4:50 pm

                  When you say “history shows that it isn’t” a viable currency, do you mean bitcoin specifically?

                  No, private currencies in general. They simply don’t work. They boost inflation and are massively unstable. It really is what caused the GFC – the private banks and financial institutions were creating far too much money and they still haven’t stopped.

                  • McFlock …
                    10 May 2017 at 4:56 pm

                    But if bitcoins have computational limits on their expansion, doesn’t that also place limits on their ability to be inflationary overall?

                    Banks and financial institutions created money of the same currency they operated in. Bitcoins don’t – even if bitcoins did inflate dramatically, they’d simply have a lower exchange rate.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      10 May 2017 at 11:21 pm

                      But if bitcoins have computational limits on their expansion, doesn’t that also place limits on their ability to be inflationary overall?

                      /facepalm

                      It’s not just about bitcoins but about all the other currencies that would come about because of this stance by the Australian government which would make the total unlimited (as soon as they allow one then they’d have to allow all of them including all the ones that don’t yet exist – that’s how the rule of law works) and there’d be no way you could determine if a currency would hold value from one day to the next – or even if it would exist from one day to the next.

                      Banks and financial institutions created money of the same currency they operated in.

                      Yep and that itself is causing problems. Adding bitcoin and all the other cryptocurrencies into the mix will make those problems worse.

                    • McFlock …
                      10 May 2017 at 11:37 pm

                      If there are other digital currencies that satisfy requirements for stability, reliability, and have millions of users, why shouldn’t they be recognised as a foreign currency? The Bosnian Mark didn’t exist 40 years ago. It counts as a foreign currency today. 50 years time, who knows?

                      Recognising an established currency doesn’t legitimise every nerd’s latest wet dream about getting rich off a bitcoin clone. All it does is halve the tax rate on digital currencies that satisfy the same thresholds as bitcoins.

    • Rosemary McDonald 6.3
      10 May 2017 at 9:54 am

      “Could do worse than promise the same tax treatment of banks here.”

      Costs will be immediately passed onto customers…unless of course they are prevented from doing so….the bankers’ $15.7 billion wallow will be safe.

      http://www.smh.com.au/business/federal-budget/federal-budget-2017-banks-would-pass-on-new-tax-to-customers-20170509-gw0upu.html

      • Draco T Bastard 6.3.1
        10 May 2017 at 1:24 pm

        Costs will be immediately passed onto customers

        True which proves that it’s not the rich or the corporations that pay for anything. They just get rich overcharging everyone else.

    • Adrian Thornton 6.4
      10 May 2017 at 10:20 am

      I have thought that this type of budget had to come from a smart neo liberal party sooner or later, how else can the neo liberals save their project.
      When you have the IMF stating that it isn’t working…
      http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/neoliberalism-is-increasing-inequality-and-stunting-economic-growth-the-imf-says-a7052416.html
      …you know you have got serious systemic problems.

      Which is why I have been surprised at the rigidity of both the Tories, and the DNC, they seem so blindly tied to their ideologies, that they just can’t seem to be able to shift from their entrenched positions and goals for long term gains, why wouldn’t they just throw a few bones to the masses like the Aussies just have?
      Why didn’t Clinton choose Sanders or Warren as her running mate?, she would be president today for sure.
      I mean sure the Tories will most probably get into power again, but they will be under ever increasing pressure and serious tension from their disenfranchised citizens, that will spill out into something nasty and ultimately detrimental to their goals.

      This could well be a sign post of neo liberal political strategies going forward, if it works…anyway it looks like very smart and quite brave (but or course cynical) politics from where I am sitting.

    • RedLogix 6.5
      10 May 2017 at 10:59 am

      @Ad

      A number of media commentators in Australia have been saying pretty much the same thing. While there is a certain amount of window dressing, it certainly a move into Labour territory.

      In many ways I prefer the Australian political system with it’s multiple layers; it tends to moderate extremism.

      Edit: And then I found this amusing:

      http://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/federal-budget/conservatives-fume-over-taxandspend-budget-dubbed-laborlite/news-story/0c2c1ebf37648eb0078efc7252ab4cdc

      • Ad 6.5.1
        10 May 2017 at 11:30 am

        Agreed. Target Labor and Labour voters and secure a really long term future.

        English and Joyce are following precisely the same lines, except they can’t bring themselves to raise taxes on any corporate area.

        In both countries:
        – Unemployment 5% more or less
        – Controlled low inflation
        – GDP growth between 2.5 and 3.5%
        – Both stabilising commodity-based quarry-enclave economies fairly successfully, and
        – Both addressing their housing bubbles …

        …they are seeking to expand the strength of the state without annoying the public too much. Like a very coded neo-Keynsean regime.

        With all of those fields taken away from political attack, the field still remains open to both Labor and Labour to demonstrate that all of the above doesn’t help ordinary folk with wage increases, career paths, education paths, and real cash that helps real families get ahead.

        Great contest coming.

        • Adrian Thornton 6.5.1.1
          10 May 2017 at 12:14 pm

          @ Ad “addressing their housing bubbles”….you are joking aren’t you?

          • Ad 6.5.1.1.1
            10 May 2017 at 12:27 pm

            In terms of the housing price bubble, we are a long way from where we were in October last year when the Bright Line test and other measures came in. Everyone was panicking that it would burst.
            It didn’t. It’s deflating pretty gently here.
            Even in W.A., so far it’s only the really high-end houses that are feeling it. Could be worse if the same happened here.

            Of course, as noted, all of the above doesn’t help ordinary folk.
            And it’s a cold winter for leftie politics to build on leading to September.

  7. Whispering Kate 7
    10 May 2017 at 10:01 am

    What is going on with RNZ these days. There is a hatefest going on, on a daily basis with Susie and Guyon over anything that is Labour – especially Susie. At every opportunity they get they slag off Labour – this morning they were encouraging the Maori Party to lay into Labour over Charter Schools. Susie and Guyon couldn’t give a monkey’s toss over the Maori Party and were just using them as a tool to snide and have a go at Labour. Their endgame obviously is to margionalise Labour and have the Maori vote go over to Maori. Now I know that Charter Schools are an issue with Maori – but in the big picture surely there are better things that need to be discussed in a mature manner – homeless and the mentally unwell for a start.

    I am past even listening to RNZ these days – why Labour is so loathed by everything and everybody in the Media is a frightening aspect to even contemplate but its smacks of a right wing hellbent on crushing any sort of balance in the media in election year.

    • Rosemary McDonald 7.1
      10 May 2017 at 10:22 am

      In the news item on Natrad this morning about Chester and Paula using a vehicle to bulldoze anti TPPA protesters they kept using the term “anti free trade protesters.”

      What???

      Was a time when Natrad did give air time to those who were willing to call the TPPA for what it is …anything but a ‘free trade’ deal.

      http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=201786811

      (Rod Oram btw…I wonder if his job at Natrad is safe?)

    • Anne 7.2
      10 May 2017 at 10:29 am

      Yes, I’ve stopped listening to Morning Report because of the anti-Labour bias that has become so prevalent especially from “Susie”.

      I did however watch (back to back) two online replays of recent weekly interviews with Bill English and Andrew Little. The difference between her approach to both interviews was stark:

      Bill English.
      She was relaxed, smiling and almost gracious to him. She did not interrupt him to any noticeable degree.

      Andrew Little.
      Barely polite, no smiles and constant interruption. She did not let him complete any answers to her questions. The time has come for him to show more mongrel and stop letting them get away with it.

      • Anne 7.2.1
        10 May 2017 at 10:57 am

        Martyn Bradbury has produced an interesting hypothesis over at TDB which fits into this subject of political interviewing. Bradbury is inclined to go over the top but this time he’s got it about right:

        http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/05/09/why-jonathan-coleman-called-the-peoples-mental-health-report-advocates-left-wing-anti-government-protesters/

        • RedLogix 7.2.1.1
          10 May 2017 at 11:09 am

          Bring back Kim Hill. She’d happily eviscerate Ministers of all political shades.

          • Anne 7.2.1.1.1
            10 May 2017 at 11:23 am

            I would set my alarm for 6am if Kim Hill came back. Ain’t going to happen.

      • james 7.2.2
        10 May 2017 at 1:38 pm

        “The time has come for him to show more mongrel”

        I think we would all love to see more of that …. Plays right into the Angey Andy meme.

      • TootingPopularFront 7.2.3
        10 May 2017 at 11:20 pm

        This is standard Crosby Textor approach that is being used to shape the UK general election, this is dirty politics 2.0, the mainstream media in both countries is so severely compromised in favour of the Tory/National parties that no positive press about the opposition is allowed any traction. May is having all of her campaign meetings stage-managed so that only Tory activists and tame media are invited, questions pre-vetted and answers carefully prepared in advance so no off-message mistakes are made. The media in NZ are wilfully ignoring bad news for the government and attempting to play up divisions in Labour (Willie Jackson and the list, Charter schools, Maori Prisons, etc.) and are using immigration as a proxy for attacks on everyone but the government without examining the real issues – housing crisis, water crisis, record levels of poverty, mental health, charter schools…

        • Anne 7.2.3.1
          11 May 2017 at 9:25 am

          Yes. It’s C/T M.O. and what is pathetic…

          I suspect many in the media don’t even realise they are being used and manipulated. Their stupidity and lack of honesty will one day come back to bite them big time and I hope I’m still around to laugh and jeer when it happens.

    • Morrissey 7.3
      10 May 2017 at 10:44 am

      I agree with your analysis of Guyon Espiner’s snide anti-Labour behaviour. Another thing that has concerned me lately is the overt change in the way the news is being read—it’s now very similar to the contemptibly short “news updates” on the commercial radio stations. The worst offenders are Grant Walker and Anna Thomas.

    • weka 7.4
      10 May 2017 at 11:35 am

      Espiner just blamed Labour’s CGT tax policy for losing the last election. James Shaw pulled him up on it.

      I thought the whole Jackson/Labour/Charter Schools thing was just shit stirring. And I agree, RNZ seem to be getting worse at this.

      • garibaldi 7.4.1
        10 May 2017 at 6:34 pm

        I agree with the above comments about RNZ’s piss poor interviews. Why don’t the Opposition wake up to how they are being treated and smack the bastards down in their tracks?

        • In Vino 7.4.1.1
          10 May 2017 at 8:35 pm

          Yes, this morning was very poor. Dear Susie favourably interviewed a Principal of a Charter School who was fairly obviously to the right of most of us, allowing her to bleat that Labour were hitting Maori where it hurt by opposing their beloved Charter Schools. A snipe against unions was allowed to pass, with no question or redress. (or was that Seymore of ACT being given an easy ride?) Chris Hipkins was then badgered about how Labour were in disarray (2 MPs that she had keenly publicised) and how Labour really were risking losing Maori support. Shallow sensationalism with no substance. (That said, I thought Chris Hipkins handled it all very poorly: platitudinous bureaucratic burble..)
          If Willie Jackson knew that this was how the media would treat his statement, he is pretty much a saboteur, and it was not clever of Andrew little to bring him in.
          But RNZ through their bias are consciously pushing such anti-left impressions on almost every occasion they can.
          RNZ are even addicted to commercial advertising – they advertise their own programmes relentlessly, playing along with the horribly commercialised nature of the rest of our media.

  8. ianmac 8
    10 May 2017 at 10:11 am

    Scoop has a brand new open layout. I like the new look.
    http://www.scoop.co.nz/

    • weka 8.1
      10 May 2017 at 11:37 am

      I thought it was an improvement until I started scrolling down 😉

      Aren’t they doing something special for election year?

      • ianmac 8.1.1
        10 May 2017 at 2:48 pm

        I think that Scoop aims to be printing factual material without bias. No place there for Paddy Gower then.

  10. Morrissey 10
    10 May 2017 at 10:49 am

    Gordon Campbell on the Kim regime
    Werewolf, April 28, 2017

    Supposedly, we’ve been on the verge of thermonuclear war for the past fortnight. In the circumstances, it would be nice to know (a) what the guy in Pyongyang is thinking about all this and (b) what an achievable strategy goal for the US might look like. During the Cuban Missile Crisis for instance, the US had a very clear objective and eventually offered a quid pro quo of the removal of some of its own missiles from Turkey. This time, there’s no clarity about what the US is seeking, or offering.

    It hasn’t helped that the US and the global media consistently agree on calling North Korea and its leadership “crazy” and “irrational” and urging it to “come to its senses”. When you treat your opponent as being beyond reason, it gets hard to comprehend what their strategy is, let alone work out the terms of a viable compromise.

    Thankfully, Foreign Policy magazine has just published a useful article attacking the “crazy” meme. Kim is a survivor, not a madman, it argues. The Kim regime may be cruel and ruthless but it has followed a consistent logic for decades – in which it regards its possession of a nuclear deterrent as its best insurance policy against its foreign enemies.

    What that should tell us is that anyone expecting or pressing North Korea to unilaterally give up its nuclear deterrent is not chasing an achievable goal. In fact, insisting on disarmament would be the best way of pushing it into a corner where it could feel obliged to use its nuclear arsenal. The Kim regime may be paranoid, but it has genuine enemies, domestic and foreign. ….

    Read more….
    http://werewolf.co.nz/2017/04/gordon-campbell-on-the-kim-regime/

  11. saveNZ 11
    10 May 2017 at 11:07 am

    Look at the names here on the directors of ORAVIDA WATERS LIMITED (5631588)

    (Mark Mitchell and Shipley feature).

    https://www.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/5631588/directors

  12. Poission 12
    10 May 2017 at 12:50 pm

    Australian liberal government releases budget.

    1.5 billion special tax on banks.
    Freeze on bankers bonuses.
    Creates register for senior bankers.
    Limits on foreign property ownership.
    Tax on ghost houses for foreign investors.

    https://www.businessinsider.com.au/federal-budget-2017-2017-5

  13. ianmac 13
    10 May 2017 at 3:31 pm

    “Canterbury artist Sam Mahon takes on Nick Smith.”
    A cartoon can be very effective but how about a life sized model of Nick Smith in action over a glass of water. Powerful??? Sam intends trailering his finished life-sized model through towns and on to Parliament. Graphic!
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/90150543/canterbury-artist-sam-mahon-takes-on-nick-smith-again

    • Rosemary McDonald 13.1
      10 May 2017 at 3:50 pm

      “Nick Smith in action over a glass of water.”

      Cheers!

      I followed the link from Bryce Edwards latest contribution…

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11852963

      “When, where and how to protest.”

      Most informative article…but he missed one recent article from another commenter that I personally found inspiring. (Although this particular author would hate that description!)

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11848404

      “It seems to me that, at the moment, to get any media attention at all, you have to generate a disquiet, a disruption, something inappropriate.

      Speaking of which, there was a small anti-war protest at one of the Anzac parades on Tuesday. This attracted a fair bit of media attention on the AM Show.

      There was a clip of a young boy who vented his disapproval at the protesters. He harangued the protesters in a rather stentorious manner, saying: “It’s totally inappropriate to protest on this day, it’s just wrong, wrong, wrong!”

      So here’s the thing about protesting, folks, it’s MEANT TO BE INAPPROPRIATE, THAT’S THE WHOLE POINT OF PROTESTING.”

      Respect.

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