What seems to matter above all to Terry Hall (as in his Stuff/Business Day Op Ed today), is the best time to invest – not whether the investment is good for most of NZers, or whether it’ll be good/bad for the economy long term?
And it seems protests and campaigns (which reflect the fact that most Kiwis are opposed to privtisation of utilities) are just good PR for Might River Power’s asset sale….. and ha, ha, ha, ha…. stupid protesters, they are just providing this PR and not getting paid for it.
Somewhere, high up in the Beehive, someone must have said: “Bugger!” After months of planning all the ducks were in a row – the timing should have been perfect for the Mighty River float.
…
Did the opposition parties and the many protesters marching through streets and writing letters demanding that the Government abandon the partial privatisation programme realise that they were actually stoking demand for the shares? And that they weren’t getting a cent for their promotional efforts?
Carol, having read the investment types for years I have come to the conclusion that there is no right time to buy but there is an “advantageous moment”. For the last century and a half we have had currency devaluation (or asset valuation), look at the property market as a case in point (and not the bubble period but the last 100 years). Investment has been simple and mainly safe whilst this trend has been a constant upwards movement, the “smart” investor picks the most “advantageous moment” to buy as this has a real impact on the time frame to get a return.
If you look at Mighty River the most advantageous moment is when he price is lowest: who is going to pay a high sum when their is some doubt about title? The low price will suit investors as they will be working on the principle that the state will uphold “private property rights”.
PS There is good news in the trends on price: it has tracked energy availability and consequent “growth”, that is all about to reverse. Investors are going to have to learn a new game.
Dams grow old and Earthquakes undermine foundations. Its always in the interest of a seller to
be ‘helped’ by the buyer beware ideal. Secondly, its not safe to say that middle to long term
energy companies will do better, since much of their market is heating homes, insulation,
roof heat exchanges, solar, all add up to growing undermining of energy profits. I think
you should question why National no longer believe energy companies are assets of national
importance. As for the peculiar relationship of an aluminum smelter and its whole own government energy supplier. Now the smelter will start buying shares and have a seat on the board, yeah that’s really going to help drive up profits.
Aero, I have a far more cynical approach to how power companies will act in the face of “competition” from insulation, solar etc. They will merely charge more, because like Telecom before them those who have to have the electricity will need to buy, whatever the price. The competitive market thing I have seen before, it wont stop what I would describe as “passive” cartel behavior.
Another factor stopping keeping price up will be the capital cost of alternatives: those of us who can afford to buy these will leaving the less well off to bear the cost.
A further factor that will mitigate against the fall of electricity prices will be the diminution of oil based energy, demand will shift. This is the primary reason why we must hang on to our electricity as a strategic asset. It is also a primary reason these rentier parasites want to own the generation of electricity.
All up it says that we must NOT sell if we don’t want to become power peasants.
Power is a necessity and as such if a society puts it in the hands of profiteers then the poor of that society will be the ones who end up paying for the extravagant lifestyles the new owners think is owed to them.
“Did the opposition parties and the many protesters marching through streets and writing letters demanding that the Government abandon the partial privatisation programme realise that they were actually stoking demand for the shares?”
I reckon this is fallacious political posturing because I suspect “persons” (corporate groups included) with large profits need something more secure to invest in than the speculative markets, which are in a dire state of bubbledom.
Haven’t they had Josie Pagani for a while. Their idea of a leftie – my idea of a well-educated middle class woman spouting out the predictable truisms of the comfortable class whose thinking about the world is exemplified in its image of the three monkeys minus one – Hear no evil, See no evil, but feel free to Speak evil.
We also had Trotter and Bomber appear briefly. Seems to me however all that happens when a “lefty” gets on the radio is that the “left” give them as much s**t as the “right” do. We are truly a house divided.
So Josie is off to a good start…. praises school dinners idea, 1st….. then goes on to slam the logic of Shearer’s speech and the failure to pitch to potentially “new” Labour voters, or to recognise the long tail of failure in NZ’s education system… that 20% fail rate implied.
Oh… no…. that % has just grown. Josie just mentioned possibly 40%!
Yes, clearly both Josie and Hooton are focused on pitching to middleclass voters (and the middle and upper sections of the middleclasses as well). The rest don’t seem to exist in their view.
Hooten played the race card so many times its not funny.
So thats the rights new policy as theyn have no policy play the race card that will move NZ forward
yeah right.
Well unfortunately the lady with “ISSSSHHHHHHyouse”, her producer or that Extemely, Utterly, Indisputably, “every-man’s BEST friend – in the-afternoon” wouldn;t know what right, centre, or left actually is or was.
Sometimes I wonder why the likes of a Slack and others even bother. I spose his balls must have been feminised by all that cycling and Devonport living.
Well, I don’t think there are the contradictions that the author identifies to discredit particular philosophic approaches of the government. So called “neoliberalism” was always a PR front for the powerful elites to do whatever they deemed necessary to shift the wealth in their direction. This is indeed made easier by NZ’s top-down form of government, and limited amount of checks and balances in the system (eg without an upper house).
Key’s NZ Inc can operate easily in this environment, while continuing to mouth a lot of neoliberal free-market PR. Both running the government like a business, and the need to deal with regular elections, make for a short term approach. Anyway, running the public sector like a business has been integral to the “neoliberal” shift.
Klein’s disaster capitalism is also consistent with this: it involves having an underlying philosophy that favours the elite, and the willingness to be opportunistic in the face of unexpected disasters.
Of course, with the likes of Brownlee in charge of some things, cock-ups will also happen…. and these do sometimes provide openings for the opposition to make the running….. they aren’t doing this as well as they could.
First: Business is fundamentally the same for the players regardless of whether we are neo lib or Keynesian or whatever in terms of government. Business rules toward profit apply under any regime and the pathology of the resulting relations to production (to coin Marx) will be the same. Interestingly this approach also applied to Soviet enterprises, with the same predictable social results.
Second: good point on running governemtn like a business. The end result is that you cease to be a citizen with citizens rights: you become a client, a consumer and a tax payer. The relationship fundamentally changes to one measured not by your rights but by cash etc. Public servants become managers,….it sounds subtle but it is significant.
This is indeed made easier by NZâs top-down form of government, and limited amount of checks and balances in the system (eg without an upper house).
An upper house is not a check on abuse of power. If the same party controls both houses then both become a rubber stamp for what the government wants to do. MMP is a better check on such abuse but we’ve essentially ended up with a single party in power ATM and so the abuse has become more obvious than normal. If we want checks and balances on the abuse of power then those need to be in the hands of the people and not the politicians.
Anyway, running the public sector like a business has been integral to the âneoliberalâ shift.
Agreed and, after 30 years of doing so, the inefficiencies are really starting to show through.
A top-down corporate approach to running New Zealand – one people united under a single business plan – sounds reassuringly centralist and commonsense.
It promises to move us beyond the stale old political dichotomies of Left v Right, or liberal v conservative.
A top-down corporate approach is full on conservative and antidemocratic. I think the liberals will have something to say about that.
“The problem with New Zealand democracy is that we don’t have very good checks and balances on central government power.”
That’s true. In fact, the lack of limits on executive power is clearly shown with NACTs sell off of our assets against the will of the people.
Edwards suggests this centralising tendency has a lot to do with New Zealand’s legacy as a settler colony – the need for a strong hand to carve out a new country.
Bollocks, it has to do with a few peoples desire for power and nothing else.
This is also what the Auckland super-city merger was about, she says. With globalisation, cities too are in international competition for people and investment. So the same NZ Inc logic of intervening to foster the conditions for more rapid growth applies.
“The goal is to create space for business to flourish. It is about freeing up the resources for certain actors, the bigger corporates, to have more opportunities. It isn’t about the little local businesses. With actions like the Roads of National Significance, it is about how it will benefit the larger players.”
Got to agree with that. This government has always been about catering to the big multi-nationals while ignoring the local community.
The newly constituted ACC Board needs to demonstrate its commitment to culture change in the organisation by immediately changing the way it commissions the services of specialist medical assessors, Green Party ACC spokesperson Kevin Hague said today.
…
There is no doubt that ACC has a standard practice of using specialist medical assessors who are likely to make an assessment favourable to ACC,” said Mr Hague
“The many claimants’ stories I have on file show, in particular, it is common for ACC medical assessors to have views which are unusual in their specialty, and who are willing to offer opinions outside of their recognized scope of practice.
“Dr Du Plessis, who was interviewed in Melanie Reid’s story is far from unique.
…
“The Green Party has suggested several ways of doing this to the Minister. One is to engage with the specialists’ professional colleges to have them appoint medical assessors. Another is simply to extend the contracts ACC already has with District Health Boards so that DHB specialists make the assessments,” said Mr Hague.
Mr Hague has also raised with the Minister ACC’s intention to now exercise greater control of the clinical “gateway” into the scheme.
But with Rebstock in charge, can we expect the ACC Board to listen to the Greens?
Jokey Hen after Russia disappointed he couldn’t bag a free trade agreement. Jokey Hen at the pacific forum denigrating China our present hope for survival. This man should have duct tape applied to his mouth every morning. I understand there is a comedian who makes a good living from an act like this.
We have a long trading association with Russia. Even when they were awful ‘Reds’ and their money wasn’t freely exchangeable internationally we traded with them – our butter for their larders (whoops I mean Ladas, cars that is. Incidentally a USA woman living here was very upset then because they were produced by prisoners who weren’t receiving wages. Doesn’t this happen now in the USA and perhaps here?)
Anyway I digress, but just make the point that we have found ways to trade with Russia and it doesn’t require our Prime Minister to hang all our hopes on his high political contacts and acumen. Hah!
Radionz 8.20 this morning – http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport
NZ – Russia deal has great potential, but huge pitfalls
New Zealand firms will have to wait for at least a year to get free access to the Russian market, and there’s no guarantee it will ever happen. (6âČ40âł)
Download: Ogg Vorbis MP3 | Embed
Hopefully the interpreter understood all Johnny Boy’s fractured words and got them correct, it would be awful if we were also committed to Russia’s contexts!
We study the role of parental wealth for childrenâs educational and occupational outcomes
across three types of welfare states and outline a theoretical model that assumes parental
wealth to impact offspringâs attainment through two mechanisms, wealthâs purchasing
function and its insurance function. We argue that welfare states can limit the purchasing
function of wealth, for instance by providing free education and generous social benefits,
yet none of the welfare states examined here provides a functional equivalent to the
insurance against adverse outcomes afforded by parental wealth. Our empirical evidence of
substantial associations between parental wealth and childrenâs educational success and
social mobility in three nations that are marked by large institutional differences is in line
with this in line with this interpretation and helps us re-examine and extend existing typologies of mobility regimes.
Germany and Sweden are at the top of the list spending close to 30% of their GDP on welfare, we spend 18.5%, so I’m wondering what your epitome of a welfare state is Carol.
I was thinking more of other Scandanavian countries. Not the US for sure. And Germany is still a bit of a banksters paradise, so I don’t expect that much social mobility there.
Arguably then, if we do see our future trade interests as being part of Asia, we should detach ourselves from the TPP as discreetly as we can. Because, to repeat:
(a) The TPP is little more than a Washingtonâled security alliance in the guise of a trade pact, and is being directed tactically against a China that we should be seeking to befriend;
(b) US farmers will ensure that the TPP cannot deliver us the freer agricultural access that would be the only worthwhile quid pro quo for the level of concessions the TPP will require of us. And of course;
(c) The TPP negotiations and the level of concessions they entail pose a genuine threat to our national autonomy, and;
(d) The negotiations are being conducted amidst a total secrecy blackout that makes a mockery of Parliament and the democratic process.
The People’s Republic of China has decided to counter-program against the TPP with the RCEP – the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a proposed free trade zone encompassing ASEAN, China, Japan, India, Australia, and South Korea.
A Maori claim on commercial wind use isn’t sitting well with the Greens.
Ngapuhi member David Rankin, along with two colleagues, has lodged an application with the
Waitangi Tribunal for the commercial use of wind and has lodged a pre-emptive claim for any commercial wind farms in Northland.
Green Party Co-Leader Metiria Turei doesn’t think the claim has merit.
“It undermines the very serious claims that are going on at the moment around water. I don’t think it’s a wise claim to make, and I don’t think it’s justifiable.”
Labour leader David Shearer says at first glance it looks peculiar to him as he’s never thought of wind being anything other than the wind.
“I’d have to have a look at what they’re trying to do but at the moment, I guess I’d be sceptical about it.”
Meanwhile Prime Minister John Key says those sorts of assets are there for the entire country.
“My view is pretty clear. No-one owns water, no-one owns wind, no-one owns sunlight, no-one owns the sea. I could give you quite a long list if you like.”
So we can see that …
1) The Greens get top billing, because Metiria Turei is clear.
2) Key is repeating his familiar line – it’s deliberately misleading, it’s a dog-whistle, but .. it’s clear.
3) Shearer doesn’t know what to say. He sounds surprised.
The possibility of a wind claim was being discussed last week. So, did nobody in Shearer’s office say “Here’s what will happen, so be prepared. What’s your response?”. Or did they tell him and he forgot?
Again and again – basic Labour failure to anticipate and communicate. Why?
Your analysis of Shearer’s muddled “statement” is spot-on.
We used to keep being told how Shearer was tough and would eventually develop into a smooth and competent leader. After all, they said, he had “faced down warlords in Iraq”.
Who came up with that line? Was it those PR masterminds John and Josie Pagani?
I’ve not YET read any of the above but i am currenlty watching Skoi News Srtay Lia.
Needless to say they’re on about “boat people” AGAIN!
Firstly………can SOMEONE inform our politicians and media that seeking asylum IS NOT ACTUALLY ILLEGAL. IF Jonky or Joolya think it is, then perhaps they should FIRST rescind by whatever means it talkes, the international law both countries signed up to. IF gubbamints under a Gillard or a Jonky want to change the rules – then they should first have said they no longer want to be signatories to the international law that those who preceeded them signed up to. Simply trying to implement tactical solutions out of expediencey and panic never really works, as they may come to learn soon enough.
Secondly …….. Elsewhere on some other soshul netwerking blog (I’m not an addict of soshul netwerking), I predicted that there would be proposed legislation that (at least past) pot-smoking [illegal activity] ferral Kapiti redneck has proposed. Sure enough – it’s come to pass. Cheers Nafe..
Thirdly ………I’ll make another suggestion. It IS that Jonky (in his bid to provide some sort of relief to Joolya’s itching undercarriage) has already made certain promises – or at least given her an “understanding”
!700 refuge seekers have arrived on AUstralian Territory (which in itlelf could be challenged).
I’ll make a predication. ONCE the law has passed where people obeying already entrenched international law, and law that both NZ and OZ signed up to becomes overwhelming – Cnut likker, Putin likker, ANYONE likker if there’s a dollar init…… will “offer assistance.
WE actually bailed out the Austrralians once before – under different circumstances agreed. Something they’ve NEVER had the decency to accknowledge and something they’re desperate to forget!
I made the first comment -where-ever it was when Jonky and Joolya were kissing as he visited OZ. The timing was very interesting. VERY shortly after – we began having little exercises …… We were PRACTICING what we’d do if we (as NZers) were to be inundated by those bloody “illegal”, pesky Ali Gill soilim seekers roiving on boats.
It’s not just Pulla Bent that licks a keezus…….. old Nafe is desperate to get respectable too.
Hey – brings me to another point…….i..e. Public Servants would actually do themsleves a favour if more blew whistles. The ones that don’t have obviously NOT woken up to the fact that our Public Service (Including SSC) is no longer politically independant.
I await the first load of (ex-AUSTRALIAN) “illegals” “boat people” ” queue jumpers” etc.
(NONE of the caracterisations are actually true – shame ter is not 4th Estate left).
And – if Public Servants are in any doubt…….perhaps they cudda shudda wudda been watching 60 mis last night.
For me (as an ex PS) it was the BEST thing I ever did. Though the revelation that certain CEO’s and Snr Mgmnt are often lying, incompetent. bigoted, state security risks on a cruise, ….though that reevelation is sometimes recognised, it actually show JUST how fragile the system is.
If you can embarrass them – they’ll react.
John Fucking Key aye! Oi Oi Oi. They actually really operate on EGO.
The were Poe Bronsons and various others that stepped in his shoes way before he ever did.
Oh…..PS
Oifer Dole Unce His twear frens in Stray Lia en thear Priom Minsta of the re sint loss of Jool lears far the.
Es bruths en ssssstas, your pain is ear pain. In the ENZEK sprit, we stend ferrrm with you.
I hope that more of us become more savvy with regard to the derivatives market. I find it difficult to understand this subject, (as I believe most do) yet we need to engage with it. I suspect this sector is pivotal to addressing the major issues arising in our country and world-wide and needs to become central to our dialogue.
If I am understanding correctly,
~any tangible asset is likely to sell like hot-cakes due to the state the derivatives market is in (preferable to have your name on something tangible in the event the derivatives bubble bursts)
~the derivatives market is not regulated and has ballooned becoming 10-20x larger than world gdp
“In the past, prices were based largely on supply and demand, but they are now driven up by investors placing self-fulfilling bets on higher prices for oil, wheat and other products.
The study finds strong evidence of a direct causal link between speculative buying and selling, and changes in commodity price curves resulting in increasing prices.”
Blue Leopard … if you haven’t already, find The Big Short by Michael Lewis; an amazing book from last year on how the whole banking and markets system functions — it is beyond belief, and beautifully written .. reads like fiction, so extraordinary it is.
(Although I am exceedingly scathing that more people did not foresee the problem; this is to say that people who worked in the financial circles were incapable of recognizing the signs of a bubble….it is clearly to such peoples’ advantage to plead ignorance…)
“It is likely the commissioners would be required until 2015. For this reason, the Government proposes to defer the 2013 election for Kaipara District Council until October 2015.”
1: Corruption
2: Payoff for corruption
3: Govt commisars sent in to cover it all up
4: Possible deferred elections
Nah we don’t have corruption in NZ eh bro,
Mr McKerchar, 61, was chief executive when the council illegally struck rates and was also at the helm in the lead-up to its debt blowout.
He had refused to discuss whether he contributed to the council’s poor financial health.
Argh, the brothers strike another blow for the rest of us!
Last week it was reported that the former chief executive of the council, Jack McKercher, had received severance payments totalling $240,000 when he quit.
So why did Mr McKerchar get a quarter million payout if he was in charge when dirty deals going down? You get fired for that and then put in prison.
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Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that âNew Zealandâs economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerfulâ. They also believe that âNew Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerfulâ. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
âYou talking about me?âThe neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hallâs âGlide Timeâ caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Our two-tiered system for veteransâ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veteransâ affairs spokesperson Greg OâConnor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxonâs management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last yearâs severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labourâs environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our countryâs most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Governmentâs Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a âget out of jail freeâ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealandâs good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National governmentâs lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for TÄmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Governmentâs democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Governmentâs proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change thatâs great for the planet and great for consumers after her memberâs bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the countryâs books after Teanau Tuionoâs membersâ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his memberâs bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Todayâs advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Governmentâs newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealandâs urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. âOur Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealandâs hydrogen future, with the opening of the countryâs first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. âI want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealandâs own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealandâs energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. âThe report shows that New Zealandâs emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,â Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where heâll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Governmentâs work to restore law and order. âAttending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealandâs human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the worldâs largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. âThe reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealandâs wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin  NgÄ mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho  Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.  I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. âOur Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealandâs overseas missions.  âOur diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealandâs interests around the world,â Mr Peters says.  âI am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. Â âOver 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. âIt is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. âOur coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
âChina remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,â Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. âRecently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachersâ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.  âThe Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. âScience, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During todayâs meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. âThe Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in TaupĆ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĆ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĆ Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. âThe coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. âThis project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sectorâs productivity,â Mr Jones says. âThe project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Governmentâs plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. âBenefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Governmentâs commitment to doubling New Zealandâs renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealandâs latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. âOur Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. âNew Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Governmentâs intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. âThe introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Todayâs announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Governmentâs plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. âInflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sectorâs role in the export-led recovery of the economy. âI am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Governmentâs support for the revitalisation the sector.  "New Zealandâs wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. âThe inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. âMy meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Leeâs recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmannâs defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Leeâs âforensicâ and ânuancedâ application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Itâs one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayersâ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of âsix decades of treacheryâ over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazineâs 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish Iâd writtenIf I wish Iâd written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
âThree Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.â ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunalâs report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallaceâs debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that heâs always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe itâs something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. Sheâs ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whÄnau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says âoutlook not greatâ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, itâs not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The âfinancial sustainability targetâ, which was âallocatedâ to Waitaha, is consistent with whatâs happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous governmentâs affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: Whatâs KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertsonâs valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Taiwanâs semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules â and costs â that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didnât know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race heâd dreamed ...
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The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist NgÄhuia te AwekĆtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. Itâs not as if we havenât done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didnât say: âOh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.â No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarcticaâs glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer âyesâ to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if theyâre experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
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What is it with these investment types?
What seems to matter above all to Terry Hall (as in his Stuff/Business Day Op Ed today), is the best time to invest – not whether the investment is good for most of NZers, or whether it’ll be good/bad for the economy long term?
And it seems protests and campaigns (which reflect the fact that most Kiwis are opposed to privtisation of utilities) are just good PR for Might River Power’s asset sale….. and ha, ha, ha, ha…. stupid protesters, they are just providing this PR and not getting paid for it.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/7642726/Asset-sale-falters-as-NZ-shares-soar
Carol, having read the investment types for years I have come to the conclusion that there is no right time to buy but there is an “advantageous moment”. For the last century and a half we have had currency devaluation (or asset valuation), look at the property market as a case in point (and not the bubble period but the last 100 years). Investment has been simple and mainly safe whilst this trend has been a constant upwards movement, the “smart” investor picks the most “advantageous moment” to buy as this has a real impact on the time frame to get a return.
If you look at Mighty River the most advantageous moment is when he price is lowest: who is going to pay a high sum when their is some doubt about title? The low price will suit investors as they will be working on the principle that the state will uphold “private property rights”.
PS There is good news in the trends on price: it has tracked energy availability and consequent “growth”, that is all about to reverse. Investors are going to have to learn a new game.
Dams grow old and Earthquakes undermine foundations. Its always in the interest of a seller to
be ‘helped’ by the buyer beware ideal. Secondly, its not safe to say that middle to long term
energy companies will do better, since much of their market is heating homes, insulation,
roof heat exchanges, solar, all add up to growing undermining of energy profits. I think
you should question why National no longer believe energy companies are assets of national
importance. As for the peculiar relationship of an aluminum smelter and its whole own government energy supplier. Now the smelter will start buying shares and have a seat on the board, yeah that’s really going to help drive up profits.
Now National are blaming Maori water rights and trying to lump air in as well HOOten spreading cynicism again.
Aero, I have a far more cynical approach to how power companies will act in the face of “competition” from insulation, solar etc. They will merely charge more, because like Telecom before them those who have to have the electricity will need to buy, whatever the price. The competitive market thing I have seen before, it wont stop what I would describe as “passive” cartel behavior.
Another factor stopping keeping price up will be the capital cost of alternatives: those of us who can afford to buy these will leaving the less well off to bear the cost.
A further factor that will mitigate against the fall of electricity prices will be the diminution of oil based energy, demand will shift. This is the primary reason why we must hang on to our electricity as a strategic asset. It is also a primary reason these rentier parasites want to own the generation of electricity.
All up it says that we must NOT sell if we don’t want to become power peasants.
+1
Power is a necessity and as such if a society puts it in the hands of profiteers then the poor of that society will be the ones who end up paying for the extravagant lifestyles the new owners think is owed to them.
@ Carol
“Did the opposition parties and the many protesters marching through streets and writing letters demanding that the Government abandon the partial privatisation programme realise that they were actually stoking demand for the shares?”
I reckon this is fallacious political posturing because I suspect “persons” (corporate groups included) with large profits need something more secure to invest in than the speculative markets, which are in a dire state of bubbledom.
More detail at post 15
Looks like there’s a”new” leftie up against Hooton in Nine-to-Noon today: Josie Pagan:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/20120910
Or could they just not find a truly left wing commentator, and are just recycling the old faux-leftie?
I predict a re-enactment of Passchendaele. Again.
Maybe that useless husband of hers can hold her hand when it’s over and try to stanch the bleeding.
The identical armies fighting the old war the same way all over again with the same predictable results……..
Haven’t they had Josie Pagani for a while. Their idea of a leftie – my idea of a well-educated middle class woman spouting out the predictable truisms of the comfortable class whose thinking about the world is exemplified in its image of the three monkeys minus one – Hear no evil, See no evil, but feel free to Speak evil.
They could find one. There are plenty around and they’ve found them before. So if they don’t have one it’s probably because they don’t want one.
And they could have spelled her name correctly, too. How many times has she been their tame leftie?
She’s been their pet for at least a couple of months, on and off.
felix
I liked Leila Harre – have never forgotten her as she was so clear about her ideas and pleasant to listen to.
Yeah she was good, as was Sue Bradford.
We also had Trotter and Bomber appear briefly. Seems to me however all that happens when a “lefty” gets on the radio is that the “left” give them as much s**t as the “right” do. We are truly a house divided.
Leila Harre always handed out a whupping to Matthew Hooton. Maybe the SPCA had something to do with her not being asked back for a year or so.
PL 2 3 3
đ Made a dog’s breakfast out of him do you think.
So Josie is off to a good start…. praises school dinners idea, 1st….. then goes on to slam the logic of Shearer’s speech and the failure to pitch to potentially “new” Labour voters, or to recognise the long tail of failure in NZ’s education system… that 20% fail rate implied.
Oh… no…. that % has just grown. Josie just mentioned possibly 40%!
And what a joke! Both Hooton and Josie dishing out advice to Labour as to what they should do.
Nothing wrong with that, the right wingers are always giving Labour advice.
The problem is that Labour takes notice.
Aye. The right were heavily in support of Shearer becoming leader.
I count amongst those right wingers, many, perhaps most of the Greens, although IMO they’re sneaky barstewards! đ
Faux left.
More retardedness from Pagani. She’s concerned that 40% of kids aren’t reaching the top, or even the middle.
FFS.
Also nice to hear her stories about sending her kids to school in France. Heartland Labour stuff that.
Yes, clearly both Josie and Hooton are focused on pitching to middleclass voters (and the middle and upper sections of the middleclasses as well). The rest don’t seem to exist in their view.
Hooten played the race card so many times its not funny.
So thats the rights new policy as theyn have no policy play the race card that will move NZ forward
yeah right.
Well unfortunately the lady with “ISSSSHHHHHHyouse”, her producer or that Extemely, Utterly, Indisputably, “every-man’s BEST friend – in the-afternoon” wouldn;t know what right, centre, or left actually is or was.
Sometimes I wonder why the likes of a Slack and others even bother. I spose his balls must have been feminised by all that cycling and Devonport living.
The following article is quite kind to National in giving a possible coherency to National’s authoritarian “me first” looting:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/7637382/The-business-of-NZ-Inc
I suspect Jim Anderton is right in believing in cock-up theories over conspiracy theories – but the cock-ups do appear to favour Gerry’s mates.
Well, I don’t think there are the contradictions that the author identifies to discredit particular philosophic approaches of the government. So called “neoliberalism” was always a PR front for the powerful elites to do whatever they deemed necessary to shift the wealth in their direction. This is indeed made easier by NZ’s top-down form of government, and limited amount of checks and balances in the system (eg without an upper house).
Key’s NZ Inc can operate easily in this environment, while continuing to mouth a lot of neoliberal free-market PR. Both running the government like a business, and the need to deal with regular elections, make for a short term approach. Anyway, running the public sector like a business has been integral to the “neoliberal” shift.
Klein’s disaster capitalism is also consistent with this: it involves having an underlying philosophy that favours the elite, and the willingness to be opportunistic in the face of unexpected disasters.
Of course, with the likes of Brownlee in charge of some things, cock-ups will also happen…. and these do sometimes provide openings for the opposition to make the running….. they aren’t doing this as well as they could.
Two comments:
First: Business is fundamentally the same for the players regardless of whether we are neo lib or Keynesian or whatever in terms of government. Business rules toward profit apply under any regime and the pathology of the resulting relations to production (to coin Marx) will be the same. Interestingly this approach also applied to Soviet enterprises, with the same predictable social results.
Second: good point on running governemtn like a business. The end result is that you cease to be a citizen with citizens rights: you become a client, a consumer and a tax payer. The relationship fundamentally changes to one measured not by your rights but by cash etc. Public servants become managers,….it sounds subtle but it is significant.
An upper house is not a check on abuse of power. If the same party controls both houses then both become a rubber stamp for what the government wants to do. MMP is a better check on such abuse but we’ve essentially ended up with a single party in power ATM and so the abuse has become more obvious than normal. If we want checks and balances on the abuse of power then those need to be in the hands of the people and not the politicians.
Agreed and, after 30 years of doing so, the inefficiencies are really starting to show through.
Quoting article:
A top-down corporate approach is full on conservative and antidemocratic. I think the liberals will have something to say about that.
That’s true. In fact, the lack of limits on executive power is clearly shown with NACTs sell off of our assets against the will of the people.
Bollocks, it has to do with a few peoples desire for power and nothing else.
Got to agree with that. This government has always been about catering to the big multi-nationals while ignoring the local community.
Green MP Kevin hague is continuing on the ACC case. Press Release from yesterday:
http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/truly-independent-medical-assessments-must-be-top-priority-new-acc-board
But with Rebstock in charge, can we expect the ACC Board to listen to the Greens?
With Rebstock in charge we can expect ACC to be made ready for sale.
The Atlantic on the extortion of taxpayer money by professional sport.
http://theatln.tc/PTZLjd
The Glazers are good at this, threatened to relocate their NFL team if they didn’t get a shiny new stadium.
Their takeover of Manyoo has been a masterclass in bleeding out the cash cow also.
And you can probably guarantee the owners are regular “welfare BAD” republican supporters…
Jokey Hen after Russia disappointed he couldn’t bag a free trade agreement. Jokey Hen at the pacific forum denigrating China our present hope for survival. This man should have duct tape applied to his mouth every morning. I understand there is a comedian who makes a good living from an act like this.
We have a long trading association with Russia. Even when they were awful ‘Reds’ and their money wasn’t freely exchangeable internationally we traded with them – our butter for their larders (whoops I mean Ladas, cars that is. Incidentally a USA woman living here was very upset then because they were produced by prisoners who weren’t receiving wages. Doesn’t this happen now in the USA and perhaps here?)
Anyway I digress, but just make the point that we have found ways to trade with Russia and it doesn’t require our Prime Minister to hang all our hopes on his high political contacts and acumen. Hah!
Radionz 8.20 this morning – http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport
NZ – Russia deal has great potential, but huge pitfalls
New Zealand firms will have to wait for at least a year to get free access to the Russian market, and there’s no guarantee it will ever happen. (6âČ40âł)
Download: Ogg Vorbis MP3 | Embed
Hopefully the interpreter understood all Johnny Boy’s fractured words and got them correct, it would be awful if we were also committed to Russia’s contexts!
Vlad says kweewee is just trying to get another notch on his belt.
in other words it is just more tory weasel words.
Exceptional upward mobility, a myth.
http://www.psc.isr.umich.edu/pubs/pdf/rr12-766.pdf
ABSTRACT
We study the role of parental wealth for childrenâs educational and occupational outcomes
across three types of welfare states and outline a theoretical model that assumes parental
wealth to impact offspringâs attainment through two mechanisms, wealthâs purchasing
function and its insurance function. We argue that welfare states can limit the purchasing
function of wealth, for instance by providing free education and generous social benefits,
yet none of the welfare states examined here provides a functional equivalent to the
insurance against adverse outcomes afforded by parental wealth. Our empirical evidence of
substantial associations between parental wealth and childrenâs educational success and
social mobility in three nations that are marked by large institutional differences is in line
with this in line with this interpretation and helps us re-examine and extend existing typologies of mobility regimes.
Flicking through the article, it seems that the comparisons are focused on the US, Germany and Sweden – not my idea of the epitome of welfare states.
Germany and Sweden are at the top of the list spending close to 30% of their GDP on welfare, we spend 18.5%, so I’m wondering what your epitome of a welfare state is Carol.
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_wel_sta_the_wel_sta_and_soc_exp_of_gdp-welfare-state-social-expenditure-gdp
I was thinking more of other Scandanavian countries. Not the US for sure. And Germany is still a bit of a banksters paradise, so I don’t expect that much social mobility there.
Good write up on the TPPA by Gordon Campbell:
The TPPA is getting worse for NZ by the day.
You might find this article kind of interesting DtB. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/NI08Ad02.html
Quoting article:
I LOL’d đ
Derp:
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/labour-won-t-scrap-national-standards-shearer-5070882
The curse of Pagani still afflicts Labour I see.
/facepalm
The shear stupidityâŠ
More of a deliberate act than stupidity!
Yet again, communication failure from Shearer …
Newstalk ZB –
A Maori claim on commercial wind use isn’t sitting well with the Greens.
Ngapuhi member David Rankin, along with two colleagues, has lodged an application with the
Waitangi Tribunal for the commercial use of wind and has lodged a pre-emptive claim for any commercial wind farms in Northland.
Green Party Co-Leader Metiria Turei doesn’t think the claim has merit.
“It undermines the very serious claims that are going on at the moment around water. I don’t think it’s a wise claim to make, and I don’t think it’s justifiable.”
Labour leader David Shearer says at first glance it looks peculiar to him as he’s never thought of wind being anything other than the wind.
“I’d have to have a look at what they’re trying to do but at the moment, I guess I’d be sceptical about it.”
Meanwhile Prime Minister John Key says those sorts of assets are there for the entire country.
“My view is pretty clear. No-one owns water, no-one owns wind, no-one owns sunlight, no-one owns the sea. I could give you quite a long list if you like.”
So we can see that …
1) The Greens get top billing, because Metiria Turei is clear.
2) Key is repeating his familiar line – it’s deliberately misleading, it’s a dog-whistle, but .. it’s clear.
3) Shearer doesn’t know what to say. He sounds surprised.
The possibility of a wind claim was being discussed last week. So, did nobody in Shearer’s office say “Here’s what will happen, so be prepared. What’s your response?”. Or did they tell him and he forgot?
Again and again – basic Labour failure to anticipate and communicate. Why?
Your analysis of Shearer’s muddled “statement” is spot-on.
We used to keep being told how Shearer was tough and would eventually develop into a smooth and competent leader. After all, they said, he had “faced down warlords in Iraq”.
Who came up with that line? Was it those PR masterminds John and Josie Pagani?
I’ve not YET read any of the above but i am currenlty watching Skoi News Srtay Lia.
Needless to say they’re on about “boat people” AGAIN!
Firstly………can SOMEONE inform our politicians and media that seeking asylum IS NOT ACTUALLY ILLEGAL. IF Jonky or Joolya think it is, then perhaps they should FIRST rescind by whatever means it talkes, the international law both countries signed up to. IF gubbamints under a Gillard or a Jonky want to change the rules – then they should first have said they no longer want to be signatories to the international law that those who preceeded them signed up to. Simply trying to implement tactical solutions out of expediencey and panic never really works, as they may come to learn soon enough.
Secondly …….. Elsewhere on some other soshul netwerking blog (I’m not an addict of soshul netwerking), I predicted that there would be proposed legislation that (at least past) pot-smoking [illegal activity] ferral Kapiti redneck has proposed. Sure enough – it’s come to pass. Cheers Nafe..
Thirdly ………I’ll make another suggestion. It IS that Jonky (in his bid to provide some sort of relief to Joolya’s itching undercarriage) has already made certain promises – or at least given her an “understanding”
!700 refuge seekers have arrived on AUstralian Territory (which in itlelf could be challenged).
I’ll make a predication. ONCE the law has passed where people obeying already entrenched international law, and law that both NZ and OZ signed up to becomes overwhelming – Cnut likker, Putin likker, ANYONE likker if there’s a dollar init…… will “offer assistance.
WE actually bailed out the Austrralians once before – under different circumstances agreed. Something they’ve NEVER had the decency to accknowledge and something they’re desperate to forget!
I made the first comment -where-ever it was when Jonky and Joolya were kissing as he visited OZ. The timing was very interesting. VERY shortly after – we began having little exercises …… We were PRACTICING what we’d do if we (as NZers) were to be inundated by those bloody “illegal”, pesky Ali Gill soilim seekers roiving on boats.
It’s not just Pulla Bent that licks a keezus…….. old Nafe is desperate to get respectable too.
Hey – brings me to another point…….i..e. Public Servants would actually do themsleves a favour if more blew whistles. The ones that don’t have obviously NOT woken up to the fact that our Public Service (Including SSC) is no longer politically independant.
I await the first load of (ex-AUSTRALIAN) “illegals” “boat people” ” queue jumpers” etc.
(NONE of the caracterisations are actually true – shame ter is not 4th Estate left).
And – if Public Servants are in any doubt…….perhaps they cudda shudda wudda been watching 60 mis last night.
For me (as an ex PS) it was the BEST thing I ever did. Though the revelation that certain CEO’s and Snr Mgmnt are often lying, incompetent. bigoted, state security risks on a cruise, ….though that reevelation is sometimes recognised, it actually show JUST how fragile the system is.
If you can embarrass them – they’ll react.
John Fucking Key aye! Oi Oi Oi. They actually really operate on EGO.
The were Poe Bronsons and various others that stepped in his shoes way before he ever did.
Oh…..PS
Oifer Dole Unce His twear frens in Stray Lia en thear Priom Minsta of the re sint loss of Jool lears far the.
Es bruths en ssssstas, your pain is ear pain. In the ENZEK sprit, we stend ferrrm with you.
Hey watch Joolya ditch Jonky though when she wakes up to the fact that the guy is a total pratt.
Enuff Fnear tho. Earta here
I hope that more of us become more savvy with regard to the derivatives market. I find it difficult to understand this subject, (as I believe most do) yet we need to engage with it. I suspect this sector is pivotal to addressing the major issues arising in our country and world-wide and needs to become central to our dialogue.
If I am understanding correctly,
~any tangible asset is likely to sell like hot-cakes due to the state the derivatives market is in (preferable to have your name on something tangible in the event the derivatives bubble bursts)
~the derivatives market is not regulated and has ballooned becoming 10-20x larger than world gdp
http://www.siliconvalleywatcher.com/mt/archives/2008/10/the_size_of_der.php
~and is effecting real world prices.
“In the past, prices were based largely on supply and demand, but they are now driven up by investors placing self-fulfilling bets on higher prices for oil, wheat and other products.
The study finds strong evidence of a direct causal link between speculative buying and selling, and changes in commodity price curves resulting in increasing prices.”
http://money.cnn.com/2012/03/21/markets/oil-gas-prices-speculators/index.htm
Blue Leopard … if you haven’t already, find The Big Short by Michael Lewis; an amazing book from last year on how the whole banking and markets system functions — it is beyond belief, and beautifully written .. reads like fiction, so extraordinary it is.
Cool, cheers Yeshe, I haven’t read it, I will keep an eye out for it đ
Summary here for you B.L. … such a readable book about eminently unreadable subjects !
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathryn-schulz/review-michael-lewiss-emt_b_504796.html
“eminently unreadable subject”
lol I like that!
Good link cheers
(Although I am exceedingly scathing that more people did not foresee the problem; this is to say that people who worked in the financial circles were incapable of recognizing the signs of a bubble….it is clearly to such peoples’ advantage to plead ignorance…)
For sure this would have been put up, I managed to miss this takeover.
Kaipara District Council Supplied Four government-appointed commissioners will replace elected councillors of the heavily indebted Kaipara District Council.
1: Corruption
2: Payoff for corruption
3: Govt commisars sent in to cover it all up
4: Possible deferred elections
Nah we don’t have corruption in NZ eh bro,
Mr McKerchar, 61, was chief executive when the council illegally struck rates and was also at the helm in the lead-up to its debt blowout.
He had refused to discuss whether he contributed to the council’s poor financial health.
Argh, the brothers strike another blow for the rest of us!
So why did Mr McKerchar get a quarter million payout if he was in charge when dirty deals going down? You get fired for that and then put in prison.
perhaps too ‘big’ to jail?
Its just another very clear signal of the direction we are allowing this country to be taken in!
Was the payoff was hush money, these bros always stick togeher!
People, don’t care, or don’t know, does this guy just get to hang out without any consequence of his actions?
What does this say about out society, and what is it telling people to behave like!