I disagree, though, when he says Cunliffe is capable of forging a new political, economic and social consensus. I think he had three years to do that as Labour finance spokesman and failed to make any impact. Some might say he didn’t have support but Ruth Richardson managed to completely transform National as opposition finance spokesperson between 1987 and 1990 and that was against the wishes of the party hierarchy. I also don’t really think Cunliffe is genuinely as left as he tells activists. I think that’s just to give them a bit of a thrill.
Thanks for your considered and helpful views Matthew.
I am sure they are motivated by the best of intentions and the desire to make the next Government more left wing and sensitive to the environmental issues that we face, particularly in relation to climate change.
EDIT
I am also interested in your response to this passage in Trotter’s post:
“Hence the near unanimous hatred directed at Cunliffe by the mouthpieces of the neoliberal establishment. Fran O’Sullivan, Jane Clifton and Matthew Hooton have gone to extraordinary lengths to besmirch Cunliffe’s character and ridicule his ideas. In a pincer movement with Shearer’s caucus allies they have attempted to cast the Member for New Lynn as a sly, egomaniacal (if ultimately inept) Cassius, plotting constantly to bring down Labour’s sensible Caesar.”
Not sure what “extraordinary lengths” I have gone to. I have always thought he is a nice enough fellow. It’s the people at MFAT and in Labour who I know who have worked with him to seem to hate him for his pomposity and laziness – but I don’t know him well enough to have personally observed these traits.
I know who have worked with him to seem to hate him for his pomposity and laziness – but I don’t know him well enough to have personally observed these traits.
Christ – disingenuous or what? “I’m not going to say bad things about him, but wait – I’m going to pass on nasty gossip about him from other people”.
If Hooton were in Parliament, he’d set all-new records for getting thrown out of the House for constant “I personally wouldn’t call the Member a Nazi because it’s unparliamentary, but …” shenanigans.
TIM!!!! (@ Karol and the womderfuly like=moded) /…….I thought you said you wern’t gunna comment nemor…….
True. It’s just that stating the bleeid ng obvious is SO hard – worse than giving up smoking.
When is it that Spin Doctores like Hooten and others are not actually as clever as most would have you believe -I’ll wager most think the guy is actually irrelevant and the past participle of te spent brigade (“going fprward”).
The real problem is a defunct MSM. ………being challenged daily
Oh so you don’t think that, ‘not knowing Cunliffe well enough to observe these traits’ while at the same time claiming that that you ‘think’ that Cunliffe is not as ‘left’ as what He tells activists isn’t besmirching Cunliffe’s character,
It’s just a series of unfounded pieces of Bullshit dredged up from the mind of someone that when the high priests of Torydom were dishing out the silver spoons shoved your one a long way into the wrong orifice where it’s obviously still lodged…
Seriously tho’, his associations with neonazis and racists is something far less funny and something that needs exposure to sunlight.
I personally don’t think that Hooton is a neo-nazi… I just see that he’s a completely amoral money-grubber who has no qualms about shilling for work amongst them until the media spotlight shows just how evil they are and how that’s not a “good look” for Effluvium.
Hooten says he doesn’t know him (Cunliffe) well enough to have personally observed these traits (pomposity and laziness).
Well I have observed totally different traits in Cunliffe, and I do not believe he is what the MSM and others are making him out to be – lazy, traitorous, unlikeable etc etc etc.
As an example :
We had an extraordinary public meeting in Whangarei during the last (2011) election campaign.
We held it in a school hall in the middle of a Decile 1, low income, state housing area with a population predominantly Maori., and had a large audience.
Cunliffe gave a clear and convincing presentation on economics – world economics, NZ trade , and what could be done to fix our tattered economy. He didn’t “talk down” to his audience, he put in a few jokes every so often, he answered questions with facts/figures in such a way that everyone understood him.
The feedback after that public meeting was – no-one had ever told them these details in such an easy to understand manner before, could he come again, and what a great informative evening it had been for them all.
You cannot tell me that a man who is able to deliver such a presentation to such an audience and get such a response is either pompous or lazy. He would have had to work hard to put such a presentation together. He would have had to change the presentation to suit that particular audience. He was friendly, affable, and articulate.
Maybe, but there is that disturbing rant he had at the Otara market during the last election campaign that’s on YouTube. Will have put some middle ground voters off and being on the web in will never go away.
I looked for it but now can’t find it. However, I have seen it and it is nothing to be disturbed about. I think the claim at the time was “it will not appeal to the middle class.” I took it to mean that wing of the middle class who are presently on the gravy train and do not want to see the flow of gravy disrupted.
To be fair it was neither disturbing or really kicking the right wing’s ass. He just ran through Labour’s slogans and normal accusations that were repeated all the time through the election. It was passionate and reasonably good but nothing too special – Whaleoil etc picked it up and ran with it because he put on a polynesian accent and that basically makes him the ku klux klan. Here is the link:
It was one of those whale-oil type “scandals” where only the most twisted right-wing hacks can work out what’s scandalous about it.
To anyone else it was just a video of David campaigning. Oh the horror. It’s also not at the Otara market, that’s just right-wing shorthand for brown people in Auckland.
If you think that that is a ‘faux Polynesian’ accent then your obviously not as intelligent as what you think you are,(but then we all know that except you),
What Cunliffe is doing there is slowing down His speech and over-emphasizing some words in an effort to give as much understanding as possible to what was obviously an audience of mixed race where presumably many would have English as a second language,
If you want ‘faux Polynesia’ check out Seone’s Wedding or any of the other stuff done by that particular crew for TV,
That particular tape of Cunliffe makes your radio voice of ‘large plum in the mouth as you talk down to the peasants’ sound like the rantings of an old English Lord inescapably addicted to Heroin pontificating on the sins of the hired help when all the time your nothing but a over-paid leach at the trough paid to goose the ego’s of the major suckers of the States teat by telling them that every thing they do is just fine…
LOLZ, the turd i was addressing the comment at doesn’t seem to think so, really needs His sense of humor updated as well as a few of His other personal traits like His propensity to talk s**t….
He uses a faux Polynesian accent ‘cos he’s talking to brown people
What a racist thing to assume Matthew, you should be ashamed of yourself…
As bad12 has pointed out, Cunliffe was speaking to a crowd of people that may have had English as their second language, he was using a loudspeaker, and the crowd were dispersed so the talking was slowed down.
Its a racist observation Matthew…hang your head in shame
And you Matty screech just a bit in a distinctly effete way when someone’s got ya.
Cathryn Ryan on Nine to Noon repeatedly has to chide you for the entitled wee schoolboy you are with your overtalking and cat-fighty style. Never heard it myself but that’s…
Yes. It is so important, when one is talking to the fuzzy wuzzies to talk in language they understand. Come down to their level, and such. One must refer to “da rich fullas” rather than “the rich” otherwise they will simply not understand what one is saying. And if they do not understand what one is saying one will not be able to protect them.
Bolger used to ape accents all the time. I sort of thought it was a subconsciously empathetic thing.
Although I couldn’t stand Bolger as PM, he was surprisingly egalitarian in some ways. Just not smart enough to realise his government policies were trashing the poor.
I’m not sure that anyone else can descend to that level. Interpreting and understanding “Ook” is a hell of a lot easier than expressing a simple sentence in it. It is a “subtle” language you have mastered and it has been quite apparent for some time that you don’t understand English.
(my apologies to Pratchett – but that one just begged for it :twisted:)
I’m reminded of a WWII doco that I had to switch off because it was so overwrought about Hitler’s evilness (yes, the man was evil, but I think we don’t need that repeated every thirty seconds).
One of their arguments was (read it in a conspiracy-theory American accent): “He would change the way he spoke to appeal to different audiences!!!!!”
If you’re criticising Cunliffe for using “fellas” in one context when he may well say “folks” or “people” or “wankers” in another, I sure hope you speak to your dear old granny at morning tea the way you talk to your mates at the pub after a few. Because otherwise you’d be terrible hypocrites, and also linguistic freaks.
Gormless,(obviously), it’s fella not fulla, your the only one round here thats fulla and i will leave you with the easy task of inserting what comes after the fulla…
Gormless, are you objecting to Cunliffe using the word, or how he said it? I couldn’t detect any obvious accent other than a Noo Zeelund one. And why object to fella/fulla? Why not object to his using the words Maori words like tamariki etc? You’re grasping at some pretty insubstantial straws if you think the use of one word, however it is said, means anything.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
I hope you’re joking, Cunliffe like all our current crop of politicians is a pretty hopeless orator, the most recent good orator in NZ politics was David Lange in my opinion.
Revealing of what? You and Matthew Hooton are grasping at straws here, as was Whale oil in the first place. I draw your attention to a comment made earlier this week by Max Moss, who is on Cunliffe’s LEC. This is a person who actually knows Cunliffe, and certainly runs counter to the claims of pomposity and laziness, as well as the suggestion of inauthenticity.
One thing I do know about Cunliffe is that you can actually chat with him as a regular man in a room, without the vulgar sense of his “working the room” or trying to “win them over.”
And when he had the ‘chat’ on the Herald as did other politicians. I found that he was the easiest to understand, because he does not over explain things, he keeps it simple.
It disturbs me that anyone not in the WhaleSpew Army could be disturbed by Cunliffe’s Otara speech. He’s on top of a vehicle with a megaphone and speaks clearly and slowly in his own voice. If you want to hear a fake accent, just listen to Key being a regla blok prendin to be prumster of Noozillid.
hmm, don’t think Mr Key is pretending….he just can’t speak very well….lacks ability to enunciate…just thought I’d mention that….I agree with your comment apart from that….
Well done Olsen except you miss the times when Key dumps the bloke impersonation in favour of the dude persona……to wit his use of the word “munted” when he gets on some rubbish guffawing laughter every 6 seconds radio show.
How’s that for sham ? Trying to paint himself up as an out there dude tradey or something.
Bloody embarrassing. Cringey stuff. And for you Oleo…..must you scrape the bottom of your own barrel so ?
Goodness Jane – (and Hooten et al) that wasn’t a “disturbing rant” Cunliffe gave at the Otara market (I’ve just watched/listened to it on U-Tube Sat 12 Jan). That was a basic street corner speech which is typical of any election campaign. And I didn’t hear Cunliffe say “da rich fullas” as a putdown of bro language. I heard him say “the rich fellas” which is typical NZ (Pakeha) talk. You guys are imagining or making up things about Cunliffe without any foundation whatsoever.
MH – I would say that your first comment above comes as close as possible to uninformed “character assassination”. Oh, yes, indeed, you sure do go to “extraordinary lengths” to revile him, and then have the gall to confess “I don’t know him well enough to have personally observed these traits” (of your imagination). There are few more condescending “put-downs” than to describe Cunliffe as “a nice enough fellow” (with the implied BUT). Exactly how many people at MFAT and in Labour do you actually know – or who would want to know you? Name the people who “seem” (N.B.) to hate him (what kind of people indulge in any kind of “hatred”?)
Please take care to check facts against delusions.
Do you really, think that is, for instance what ‘impact’ has David Parker had as Labour Finance spokesperson,
I think that if a person of your ilk supports David Shearer as the Labour Party leader then the members of Labour are right in having a really close look at just where His sentiments lie in the left/right paradigm of politics,
I doubt whether you have actually even met a genuine ‘member of the left’ so as to give you the perspective to judge who genuinely holds left-wing views,
I think you should crawl back into the dark spaces of the smelly, slime encrusted sewers which is your normal habitat and desist from provoking the likes of me to amounts of anger that at the least are bad for my health…
I’m always interested what people think is a “genuine member” of the left or right, as one who is generally accused of being a RWNJ on this site could you enlighten me.
Here, this might help, STFU, F off over to the Sewer where you will be aquainted with the definition of any number of Right Wing Nut Jobs,
Read the pages of the Standard and you will be aquainted with the wide ranging views of ‘genuine lefty’s plus the views of the odd Right Wing Nut Job, even a 5 year old could spot the difference…
hs, do you really not understand that Matthyawn isn’t a genuine lefty, and that everything he says or writes is paid for, and that he’s just here to disrupt and sow confusion?
In case you hadn’t noticed there’s some fairly diverse views among the mix at this site, although sometimes it does resemble a rather vitriolic echo chamber when the locals choose to attack someone.
For example the site sysop is a lefty voter with a self proclaimed ‘right’ lean in economics, then you have the likes of DTB who would suggest that most ‘lefties’ on this site are rampantly to the ‘right’.
Hence my request for you to define your view of ‘left’ and ‘right’.
For example the site sysop is a lefty voter with a self proclaimed ‘right’ lean in economics, then you have the likes of DTB who would suggest that most ‘lefties’ on this site are rampantly to the ‘right’.
Actually, I don’t. I happen to think that most of those on the left here are actually on the left I just happen to think that the Labour Party is on the right.
lolz hs, I’m sure you know that Hoots is a paid lobbyist and spin merchant. I’m sure you know that when he’s paid to appear in the media and talk politics he’s also being paid by his clients to do so in their interests. I find it inconceivable that you think he switches off the machine just for the standard.
I certainly don’t believe there were as many PR hacks in councils and government twenty or even ten years ago – it’s like HR departments they seen to have proliferated during the last couple of decades and are overflowing with weasels.
Things seem to have got along OK before they all came along……. grumpy old man rant over and out !
And that’s probably true, hs … but do you really think Matthew either
(a) completely believes everything he says when being paid for it, which is why he says exactly the same stuff when commenting in a personal capacity or
(b) isn’t smart enough to protect his paid-for “unbiased pundit” brand by continuing to say the same shit he’s paid for out-of-hours?
Jaysus Matthew, for someone who makes a living out of political commentary you are woefully poorly informed. You are a shocking dunderhead. Go to the corner.
The dogs on the street knew that Cunliffe was censored throughout the Goff era. He did all the work and had to leave the speeches for Phil Goff to try to build his leader ratings. The same shite continued under Shearer.
for someone who makes a living out of political commentary you are woefully poorly informed
No, Hooton doesn’t make his living from commentary – that just helps his media profile. He’s a professional spin doctor and lobbyist – a free-market Goebbels if you like. You can be sure that his company, “Effluvium” or whatever it’s called is not woefully poorly informed. You can be sure that it – and he – is very well paid. Hooton doesn’t shit without someone being sent an invoice.
Actually, he called it “Excelsium”, which is something someone who lives in his mum’s basement would call his avatar in World of Warcraft. “He’s Excelsium, and he’s a fifth-level mage and he… he, he has a magical sword, and he shoots acid from his fingers! He’s, like TOTALLY AWESOME!”
Hooton is really just a frustrated teenager at heart.
He can’t be much of a politician if he can be “censored” for four years. There were plenty in the National hierarchy trying to “censor” Richardson but she found ways around that. That’s how you achieve political, economic and social change. Change agents let alone revolutionaries don’t wait for permission from the existing order.
Interested in your response Matthew to Trotter’s claim that you are attempting to besmirch Cunliffe and this represents an unholy alliance between the mouthpieces of the neoliberal establishment and ABC.
Has the pay-check from RadioNZ National dried up over the summer break and you are now bored so have to drag your pompous ‘silver spoon’ banality into the Standard,
The ‘smooch-fest’ between you and Williams on that piece of pathetic puffery makes you sound like you have something hard lodged within the rear of your anatomy and are in dire need of an urgent flushing,
Your support of Shearer as Labour leader on it’s own should be enough for the caucus to trigger the Party wide vote on the issue of leadership…
So is trying to set the tone of the ‘ts’s’ discussion around a piece that was already linked to yesterday by diong a 7:21 am link to it. (ie top of the open mike).
I could be wrong Mathew. But I don’t recall you instigating discussion on topics here before. Don’t you normally just respond with a view to obscufate and derail? I think you do.
But not this time. Which could be an indication of how much ‘nonsense’ it is to suggest you and your ilk are desperate to elevate Shearer and (by extension) an ongoing neo-liberal trajectory.
‘Shearer is a good guy. Labour’s sleepwalking plan is a fine plan. Cunliffe is dead in the water. Cunliffe is allegedly incompetant and lazy and arrogant – Cunliffe isn’t liked’ – and I (Mathew Hooten) am more than happy to keep on referencing those allegations and opinions in one way or another ie, to besmirch without actually besmirching in a direct fashion.
Oh. Apart from the wee nuggets, like in your above comments, where you directly suggest that Cunliffe is a crap politician.
And, of course, mustn’t forget the obvious fact that Rhinoviper points out (again) – this time around at 1.3.1. on this thread.
“That’s how you achieve political, economic and social change.”
As opposed to donations in plain brown envelopes, swipe cards to parliament, policy for cash, and dodgy in-house agenda driven focus/polling groups like we have now.
Care to declare/deny any emails, texts, call logs or meetings?
“Change agents let alone revolutionaries don’t wait for permission from the existing order.”
I’m suspecting you know as much about change agents and revolutionaries as you do about David Cunliffe.
When real change comes, and it will, if you’re not on the first plane out with the other smug rich pricks, I’m sure they’ll be a spot up against the proverbial wall for your efforts.
Some politicians being “censored” indicates that they are, in fact, doing a bloody good job! You are (even now!) an admirer of Richardson? Enough said!
Hooton, you give Richardson as an example of being ‘censorsed’ the truth being more like
some nats thought her policies were detrimental to the health and wellbeing of those
it would affect,(although it would be a first in the right thinking of the people) indeed
her policies caused difficulties for a huge number of people,
when you remove $50pw off beneficiaries of course stress will follow,it shows
that Shipley/Richardson women could not give a continental about peoples lives and as it turns out they didn’t,but Shipley/Richardson could claim tens of thousands a year in perks and tax payer paid benefits, spot the difference.
While i am at it Shipley and Richardson left a $20 billion debt, is that good financial
management of tax payer dollars ?
Incidently,a peice of good journalism would be to find out what ex politicians are
still recieving tax payer funded air travel and remuneration, i understand it continues
to get paid until the leave this mortal coil.
This while beneficiaries are being targeted by your idol Shearer re: painter on the roof
Shearer’s credentials for the leadership of Labour are lacking and wanting.
The defence of Shearer by the right of politics and media raises questions about
his true allegiance, please, tell us more about ‘that’ barbie.
Cunliffe has been ‘censored’ by the Right clique inside caucus, even though he
won 9 out of the 10 meetings in a membership vote for the leadership, his shackles
are still on tightly and he cannot be seen to be doing anything unless the ‘clique’ give
him permission.
A manager in ChCh was bemoaning the quality of staff available, she wanted government to do something about people like the lady who took a break and never came back.
Now objectively, not something you’ll find in a third market (one on the edge of the world). Surely a manager is expected to know her customers and her employees, and that if an employee walk off the job she should have some idea why. Like Shearer, why doesn’t he know why the roofer was up there while on sicky?
Aging population, and better pay conditions in OZ mean there are fewer young people entering the work market and those that are around want to be skilled up so they can fly the ditch (only way they will own their own home). Scarcity means managers like her have to offer more, have to be aware of her employees needs, to get skills and move on to better jobs. Instead we have this blame culture from the rich, that somehow its the poor who created the economic malaise, the young who have the expertise to run the country, the sick who shouldn’t be fixing their damn roof since their TB stopped them working.
I think what passes as informed debate on TV and radio is bunkum, neoliberal talking points selected to keep wages down, keep bonuses up and power to change the econmic out of the hands of those who would change it (to serve the needs of the people).
Nice little distraction by Hooten there. However, I’m still trying to figure out why Richardson ignoring the party she belonged to, and setting her own agenda, is considered a good thing. Of all the attempts at misdirection in this thread by Hooten, that’s the one that stands out for me. It’s the idea that an individual can go against the party’s wishes and take in a different direction, and that that is not only acceptable but desirable. That idea isn’t about Cunliffe, it’s about Shearer.
The New Zealand Labour Party must find a way to achieve reform and renewal through it’s members and affiliates. Only then will we have a strong Labour victory in 2014 that will enable the execution major changes: changes that will take the country on a new path to health and prosperity.
A year ago the launch of the Constitutional Review was greeted enthusiastically by the members. Members, branches, LECs, Sector groups and NZ Councillors all worked hard to get a number of significant proposals to the Conference.
The Conference was memorable for two reasons:
-the delegates passionately debated the key items and the balance of power shifted to the membership and affiliates…….on paper.
-a potentially great Conference and subsequent passionate injection of positive activity was distorted by the damaging play to marginalise Cunliffe.
We need to find the positives from the Conference and get past the destructive cr*p formulated by a few Machiavellians in the Caucus.
My view of the constitutional changes is that if the Membership want the Parliamentary Labour MP’s to adhere to Labour Party policy,(especially while in Government), it is the membership at the annual Labour Party Conference who should vote whether or not to ‘trigger’ a Party wide vote on the issue,
Further to that it is my view that the Party wide vote should also elect the Cabinet in Labour lead Governments…
There has been a lot of discussion about the wider member leader vote, the 40% + 1 threshold and how it might be triggered in February. If it does get triggered, how every it happens what is the process then? Is there a set timeline? A postal ballot will take time to setup, candidates will need time to decide if they want to stand, time for campaigning, the voting process may take a few weeks. What is the best case for it to be complete? I’d say at the minimum six weeks, most likely it will drag on for 12+ weeks.
Who leads the party while all this is going on? Their is a reasonable chance it could all get toxic, DS, DC openly combatitive, caucus split, Patrick Gower asking everybody and anybody who’s side they are on every single night and earnestly analyzing every phrase, utterance or look. The Greens trying to stay out of it but getting more involved, Winston taking shots, backbenchers leaking and National sitting quietly and watching with glee.
When it’s over and the winner announced then what? Will the vanquished need to resign? If DC wins will it have got so bad that Mallard, King and Hipkins all go? If DC loses how many may go? Byelections towards the end of the year? It could dominate all year!
All looks very scary but then the alternative is DS stays.
“Mallard, King and Hipkins all go” They should have gone last election. But no there they sit, actively fucking up the Labour party for their own ends. Fucking Parasites. The sooner they go the better for all, and they can take some of the other dead wood and dinosaurs with them! And as for Gower how can he report if he’s just told to fuck off in no uncertain terms, every time he asks a question??
“Mallard, King and Hipkins all go” They should have gone last election. But no there they sit, actively fucking up the Labour party for their own ends. Fucking Parasites. The sooner they go the better for all, and they can take some of the other dead wood and dinosaurs with them! And as for Gower how can he report if he’s just told to fuck off in no uncertain terms, every time he asks a question??
Damn Internal server error 500 rears it’s ugly head again.
If I had to place a bet, it would be on that both Morgan and Jones are considerably more *informed/trained* and cogent of affairs than you could ever wish/pretend to be!
They’re both right wing commentators, muzza, so your support for them is curious (or is it?). Morgan has the moral highground on the gun question though and has gone up in my estimation just for having the guts to take on the NRA and its apologists.
Well, the former Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan may be the voice of reason in his American show, Chris, but his work history and personal morals strongly suggest a right wing orientation. And Rupert Murdoch isn’t known for picking Spartists to run his newspapers!
Point being if your old boss is rupert, the political affiliation is sort of a given.
Happy for mr morgan to enlighten us all with his road to Damascus conversion from murdoch’s mouthpiece to voice of the people’s heavy hitter.
If you read support for either of them in my response, you were very much mistaken. No need to have watched to know how it would have played out, with each character living up to their *expectation*, which is required to embed mind-sets.
It’s theatre, they are both pawns/tools in a game which seeks to control the perceptions/minds, via controlling a fake, *debate*!
Indeed. One is reminded of the Romans who lost the plot because they kept their wine in lead-lined containers, or a similar lead-related decline caused by drinking rice wine from bronze vessles in the late Chinese Shang dynasty.
Let us not get waylaid by the MMS talking heads like Trotter and Hooton.
Framing stories as battles between X and Y makes good press and TV sound bites.
The changes required to get ths country out of the trough of inequality and underperformance is not about two personalities.
As Laboutites we must focus on engaging with our family, friends, neighbours, communities, businesses and organisations to understand their needs and aspirations and to drive bottom up policy using our new Constitution.
Focus on the real stuff, not the side-shows.
The Trotter story is a matter for Shearer to sort.
I find it amazing that you are all still flailing around and shadow boxing about the leadership.
The battle is lost, the Feb vote is a formality. The caucus beat you. Move on.
Cunliffe got pwned. Quite unfairly probably but it will not make a blind bit of difference to the outcome. Shearer is your leader. You will not change that before the next election.
Barnsley, Hooton n the media are trying to make it a personality thing .
This Trotter story is bad for all the Labour Party.
True, members were beaten by the Caucus in November. Until the leadership has achieved legitimacy through endorsement from the members and affiliates there will be turmoil in the party.
The issue is between the members and the leadership. If the February endorsement is a “formality” then many members n affiliates will loose interest in the party.
Who will do the work for the Local Election layer this year?
“Europeans, take note: The U.S. government has granted itself authority to secretly snoop on you.
That’s according to a new report produced for the European Parliament, which has warned that a U.S. spy law renewed late last year authorizes “purely political surveillance on foreigners’ data” if it is stored using U.S. cloud services like those provided by Google, Microsoft and Facebook.”
This is something all of us should be very mindful of, when using US based service providers and cloud servers, and any traffic between the US and other countries falls into the same category as the article in “future tense” (from 08 Jan. 2013) should make clear.
There are always certain risks to consider, and this is just one of them.
while I think of it; see Sue Kedgley’s analysis of the ongoing rent of Transmission Gully to the taxpayer, pulling clay uphill and all that motor-scraping
Is to distract from the real issue: giving Labour Party members a democratic say come February, confirming the Leader.
Is to suggest that the Labour Leadership is a position which does not need or want democratic confirmation by the membership in 2013.
Is to try and turn this into an irrelevant Cunliffe versus Shearer cage fight, instead of the true crux: bringing democracy to the Labour Party, as the membership clearly intended at Conference in Nov 2012.
Is the LP membership’s participation in choosing a leader more important than the memberships ability to influence the policy decisions of the caucus? How much say does the membership now have in the latter?
Well it’s what he’s paid to do, and does it well. The smug trolling designed to undermine and distract and the cherry picking rather than responding when requested so he can keep on his message
It’s like a modern version of Muldoon in some ways and boy haven’t the NACT made that look like the good old days the way they’ve sent the economy and living standards off down the hill with wilful negligence.
They said the next revolution would be on TV, what they didn’t say was it will start on the internet.
I’ve entered a song on the audience website, to win NZonAir funding, to record the single and make a video.
I’ve chosen the protest song The faeces of the species, as a direct challenge to key’s constituency chairman who complained about the Inside child poverty documentary aired in the 2011 election campaign, and now has his feet firmly under the table.
Way to go Sir, kids with third world diseases on their beautiful little faces, and you complain about unfair electioneering. Fuck off.
Don’t care if you like the song (I do, I love it) or not, but a vote a day for the next couple of weeks and it’s win/win.
I need the publicity to kick off my campaign, and a video on tv, or a refusal by NZonAir to follow through for political reasons would sort of do the trick.
Please, bookmark the song page and vote as many times until it gets a top ten placing and thus eligible for the prize.
Email to friends/colleagues, tell them it’s for food for kids and maximum embarrassment for the pm.
I’m staying anonymous, not going to make a penny from it personally, and well up for the front line fight.
Use the system to beat the system with a mouse click.
lprent
She did – somewhere above 1 1 1 3
Rosy – “Bolger used to ape accents all the time. I sort of thought it was a subconsciously empathetic thing.”
And she mentioned ‘subconcious’ too which I am sure I didn’t read?
RNZ
-Law Society litigate a closer relationship with Lifeline; the demands of being a lawyer are greater than they have ever been
-longer hours
-demanding clients
-technological speed cracking the whip
now,
Down to Business
-NZ TWI the highest in FIVE years, around 75.9
-Japanese are about to begin printing rice paper money in a “fashion not seen before”
-Cloudy forecast for mortgage interest rates in the latter half of this year and expected to be much higher over the coming 3-4 years-Shamubeel Eaqub, NZIER (I like that man)
-Rural Exodus-property values dropping (has occurred already in central and southern HB)
-Nov Trade Deficit widened, 4th consecutive month in a row
-NZ $ 84.70 US; 85 coming
yet,
the NZX 50 Index is at a new FIVE year high; business as usual.
sorry about the random graffiti (servers’ fault message)
did you know that Zephaniah was familiar with court circles and current political issues?
He announced to Judah God’s coming judgement, an immediate sign was the Scythian (fierce horse mounted peoples’) incursion into Canaan (from Southern Russia) in the 7th C BC.
main theme, coming day of the Lord, God’s punishment of the nations including apostate Judah, with the pronouncement of Doom ending on a positive note with His merciful restoration.
Baal was a common name for the chief male god amongst peoples, also
-master and owner of a house
-landowner
-owner of cattle
-son of “grain”
-storm god Hadad
Baal cult included, addiction, animal sacrifices, ritualistic meals, licentious dances. Human fertility was sacred and the High places had chambers for sacred prostitution;
I will sweep away both men and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. The wicked will have only heaps of rubble (formidable obstacles), when I cut off man from the face of the earth, declares the Lord.
(Zephaniah speaks of fire)
I will stretch out my hand against Judah, I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the pagans and the idolatrous priests-those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who swear by the Lord and also by Molech (sometimes involved in child sacrifice).
On that day, declares the Lord, a cry will go up from the Fish Gate (merchants who had grown rich through corrupt business practices would be destroyed.
At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent. Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine.
(remember how the distributor / oil pump drive used to round off on the old V6?
I had an old 1963 Ford Falcon 170 Super pursuit, and it had a bad habit of screwing them off inside the oil pump, so that if you didn’t have a long thin magnetic screwdriver, it was the sump off, then the oil pump removal to get it out. I got to be quite an expert at the removal of those bloody things on the side of the road and i kept a spare in the glove box at all times.
The World Economic Forum, hardly a hot bed of anti-capitalism, is warning that climate change, income inequality, and fiscal instability are THE issues which must be addressed IMMEDIATELY (at Davos).
Between the lines the WEF is saying we are in a global economic meltdown. Captain Mumblefuck and ABC are in denial even as capitalists elsewhere are waking up and frightened.
What the Captain Mumblefuck neo-liberals fail to see is that if we don’t get a moderate reformer like Cunliffe (comparable to FDR and Mickey Savage in the 1930’s), we are going to get a Hitler or Stalin.
One way of forcing meaning onto suffering, thereby making it more bearable, is to rename it sacrifice and believe it integral to the divine economy. We confront the the fears that threats to life arouse in us by claiming that destruction for our own, submitting to it or performing acts of violence ourself. It is not religious belief that makes us violent, violence turns us to the intense motifs of sacrifice that are particularly expressed in religion. Considering, however, the broader context of anthropogenic violence in Encyclopedia of Wars-Charles Philips and Alan Axelrod- found of 1,800 violent conflicts throughout history, only 23 of them were religious.
“There isn’t much precedent in Islamic tradition for suicide terrorism. Modern suicide terrorism became a political force with the atheistic anarchist movement that began at the end of the 19th century”-Atran (see also If You’re Not Religious Is Nothing Sacred?)
“Fictive Kinship”-living as if related-is served well by a belief in a (monotheistic) deity. Sacred values have an important functional hold over us.
Quite a passionate discussion above. Much will depend I guess on Mr Shearer’s big speech on 27 January that Chris Hipkins is hosting. The word is it will have another big policy announcement.
Thank you Matthew for the update from Party Central.
This is at the Young Labour hosted Summer School. It is in Trevor’s electorate rather than Chris Hipkin’s, I suspect.
Where: Brookfield Scout Camp, 562 Moores Valley Road, Wainuiomata
(only 40mins from Khandallah)
When: Friday 25 January – Sunday 27 January
You can contact Young Labour at summerschool@younglabour.org.nz. Find out more and register now at younglabour.org.nz/summer-school.
All paid up members are welcome. It will be a great time for all the Labour Party membership to build on the good work started at the November Conference.
Book your Air NZ flights now if you are from the regions. Auckland -Wellington return under $200.
Clare Curran will buy drinks for anyone who says they read The Standard regularly.
Matthew we have heard this “next big speech” talk for more than a year now, and the guy remains as opaque as he ever was. It is as if party central is taking its cues from North Korea.
Yeah, showing up there smooching the Rogernomes will be a better look than fishing for clients among the Neo-Nazis and racists at the Marlborough Sounds Symposia who inspired Anders Brevik, won’t it, Hoots?
Just an addendum, but I think that there’s a very interesting post that could be written on Matthew Hooton’s very dirty clients if someone could do the digging…
No doubt there are some aspects he wants hidden very deeply indeed.
Looking at all the above I am guessing that this will be keys GO TO place when he wants to feel good and confident about his chances of winning next election. I can see where he is gettin g his material from to stir up the Shearer/Cunliffe divide. Does’t even have to try,it’s all there ready and waiting.
John Key has stated that overriding the Commission is needed to protect Chorus’s profit margins and its ability to deliver broadband and the UltraFast Broadband rollout. It would seem Chorus’s profit margins have been hamstringing the development of NZ’s internet to a larger extent than already thought.
Insiders from Chorus subsidiary contractors have informed the Pirate Party that there has been massive issues with the UltraFast Broadband rollout with Chorus underpaying regional contracted businesses allowing them not enough time to complete jobs and payments being based on minimal possible time to complete jobs. Technicians are having issues and some regional contractors are finding the UFB contract is not the golden goose it once seemed.
Gee, why am I not surprised? Perhaps it’s because NAct set up the whole lot as a wealth siphon that takes taxpayer money and gives it to their rich mates.
The simple reality is that if we hadn’t sold off Telecom and went for competition we’d be a hell of a lot better off (~$17b worth), we’d already have FttH to most of the countries population and telecommunications would be a hell of a lot cheaper than they are.
If Chorus’s profits drop so does its share price which will allow an overseas buyer into the market in purchasing Chorus for a knock down price – then you will see what it costs to repair phone lines – payable in Yuan.
This country needs a climate change Churchill not a climate change Chamberlain.
Te Reo Putake claims that there will be a unanimous caucus vote in support of David Shearer in February, which will prevent the membership from having their say.
For this to happen even David Cunliffe would have to vote for David Shearer.
Even if he is the only one to do so, Cunliffe should vote against him.
Mcflock,
I just wanted to let you know that I tried out a few of the tobacco leaves that have been hanging under the house for about 8 and a half months, and it tastes just like a slightly harsher version of Camel. The reason I mention it is because you were saying that the tobacco variety I used was too bland. And it is if not cured for long enough. I may have to take it all down now. I’d hate to imagine how harsh it will be if I leave it for the entire 12 months.
*disclaimer: tobacco is very unhealthy, and it goes without saying (but I will to salve my conscience) that you’d be better off quitting, and you may well have done so.
Interesting. I might take up growing it again.
The real fun I had was progressively destroying my crop trying different methods in a fruitless search for ideal pipe tobacco (in place of being too uncoordinated to roll a decent cigar :)). Sort of like organic alchemy.
I would suggest taking it down and blending with this year’s crop, but I fear you have followed too much of my horticulture speculation already
i do a mix, well cured leaves that i grow are pretty much cigar material in terms of taste,but if you mix in the smaller leaves which seem to have less of the active ingredients in them and/or some of the half cured leaves you get a blend thats slightly harsh but still a nice smoke,
i am hard out at the moment pulling plants that have basically done their dash and cutting bigger leaves, in my main garden fertilized for the rest of the year on my kitchen scraps i am getting some great 750cm-800cm leaves…
I have one plant in my garden which is about 17 months old. I harvested the big leaves last year, but left a few plants in the vege garden expecting them to die. But it was a very mild winter. I pulled the rest out in spring, but thought I’d leave one to deter insects.
It’s thriving, and now I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be easier (if it would work) to keep the plants for as long as possible – keep cutting the flowers off, and reharvest the leaves every autumn.
I know that tobacco is usually grown as an annual. Have you ever kept them going and kept on harvesting? Easier than sowing seed every year. I find that the plants grow very slowly in the first few months. It would be good to be able to speed th process up a bit.
JS, yeah they will grow all yeah round even in a harsh Wellington winter, but, the babies don’t like the cold and are best planted in the first week in November,
I havn’t tried growing any as a multi year crop, just had a seed get away and germinate, but, the literature i have read says that the second time round the foliage gets smaller than the 8 sets of big leaves to be expected for the first crop,
I grew 20 in the first year and that wasn’t enough for a years supply, 40 the next year and still not enough, 60 last year and run out in October, LOLZ insanity took over this year and i have grown a s**t-load,
I start my seeds under lights in August/ September, separate them at about a inch high and use the lights on them untill they start blocking the light from one another and then put them on the windowsills untill it’s warm enough to plant them out, (November),
So this years from planting to pulling the ones that are starting to yellow,(they have used all the food in the soil),and flower,(really only need a couple of plants for seeds),is a pretty fast 10 weeks, and, i think that the clever plants have subtracted the weeks they spent on the window sills as part of the life-span cos while this years are far more productive and better quality they haven’t grown as tall as last years,
A really clever ‘tool’ for hanging them is to straighten out paper clips leaving the hook in one end and a V in the other, i’ve got my garden shed strung with strings across the roof inside and it can take a couple of hundred pairs of leaves at a time, the strings i set about 10cm, 4 inches apart, i am getting good smokable leaves after 3 weeks but not all of them dry out and brown up at the same time so there’s a constant sorting going on which isn’t hard work but is time consuming,(oh my kingdom for a sky-line),
Another tip is to use thick paper sacks to store the cut leaves in, i use paper rubbish sacks cut in half and staple the bottom of the half that needs it, paper sacks keep the leaves from becoming too unstable and if you need to dry the cut stuff the hot water cupboard or the windowsills on a sunny day are good,
If you want to dry cured leaves fast, in a paper bag on the dash board of a car in the sun works like an oven and you have to keep an eye on them coz the moisture gets sucked out of them real quick,
LOLZ if you crispy critter them like i did to a bag full of slightly wet but cured leaf the other day they can be fixed by tossing in half a dozen wet leaves overnight, it’s amazing to see leaves so dry that they could turn to dust overnight become soft and able to be handled again…
Wow.
Thanks for all this advice.
I have mine hanging in a similar fashion, using the green wire gardening twine hooked through the thick stem into spaced loops in the wire across the shed.
Do you have any tips for speeding up the looping/hooking/hanging process? Takes forever!
Still with tobacco at $35 for 30 grams, it’s worth the effort.
Ummm, are you pairing the leaves together, the advice is to pair the leaves with the center stems facing each other,
If you have bunches of leaves on one wire it might slow down the drying, i am lucky to have cleaned up what is quite a big area i have under the house,it’s about 4 times the area of a shed and i have that rigged with the same set up as the shed to be able to hook my pairs of leaves on,
LOLZ, the disgusting wet muddy s**t i dug out of there is actually my main garden in a raised bed made from shipping pallets which both the Ware Whare and Bunning’s give away here,(for fire-wood snigger), i systematically work my way up and down the garden over the 9 months i am not growing anything feeding it the kitchen scraps, ash from the ashtray, and bits of paper like shopping receipts and rolly paper packets,
Theres no effort in digging the garden that way as once a week i just dig a spade wide trench across it, dump in the scraps,add a small bucket of compost and hey presto utter crap soil is pumping my plants so hard out that everytime i look at it i have a bit of a giggle,
But i digress, back to hanging leaves, when my shed is full, i first run my pairs of leaves through the basement area which isn’t quite warm enough to cure them but allows them to get to that stage where they fold in on themselves,
While that happens i am checking in the shed for leaves that are near cured and moving them closest to the door, as i move them closer to the door and as space becomes available i rotate the rest of the leaves around the shed,
It’s something i do about twice a week, i don’t know how your shed sits in relation to the Sun,mine has a warm side facing the sun, so when the leaves come out from the basement they go into the shed on the un-sunny side,(the roof of the shed gets full sun), and i then rotate them round the shed as i take the cured stuff out,
Most of my cured stuff is still wet but brown when i take it out of the shed as it sucks in moisture from the less cured leaves that are constantly arriving in the shed, thats why i use the paper bag method of giving the leaves a final dry,
To use the paper bag method i first strip out the center stem,(they get buried with the kitchen scraps), i then give the leaves a first cut by squeezing a bunch in one hand and cutting them as thin as possible with the scissors,
It’s easy then to put a paper bag of cut but still damp stuff in the hot water cupboard, on a window sill in the sun, (with the curtains closed works best),or if some real heat is necessary, on the dash board of the car in a sunny spot, (gotta check them every half hour if you use the paper bag of cut stuff on the cars dashboard method tho, it doesn’t take em long to crispy critter,
LOLZ, only 30 grams, my addiction is atrocious, i have been smoking 2, 50 gram packets for the past 40 odd years,
The legal aspects as i understand them are that it is ILLEGAL to either sell or give what you have grown away, and, my reading of the law says that you can grow enough to provide YOU with 15KG of cut and smokable leaves in any year…
The legal aspects as i understand them are that it is ILLEGAL to either sell or give what you have grown away, and, my reading of the law says that you can grow enough to provide YOU with 15KG of cut and smokable leaves in any year…
Ahh didn’t know that. Nevertheless, unless they get the mainstream economy more inclusive, people will do what people will do to survive.
Aha, as the anti-smoking fanatics have all agreed, to make a smoke-free New Zealand via the current means would have a packet of tobacco costing 100 bucks by the time those fools have finished it’s pretty much a forgone conclusion that a black market will become established,
I can tell you now that tobacco as a bush crop has a greater range of growing areas than dope as tobacco doesn’t need a full sun enviroment to grow leaves, where-as dope does to grow heads,
From what i have been told the stuff,(tobacco), can be found growing wild all over the far North…
What gave me the idea (which percolated as the price went steadily up) was the old man’s neighbour dug up his entire back quarter-acre section and grew tobacco, in South Auckland, about ten years ago. Must have been a heavy smoker:-D
It broke down cultural barriers between neighbours, as my father was a keen gardener at the time, and was fascinated by watching the wholesale cropping of a back yard. I asked my father if it was legal to grow, and he said it was legal to grow – illegal to sell.
I take a bit of comfort at the extent of your habit. Sometimes I feel guilty about smoking about 30 grams a week!
Btw, I hang each leaf from a separate “hook” on a separate loop. One of the reasons it takes so damn long.
You’ve given me lots of new ideas to experiment with.
Thank you and bon apetit – or whatever the smoking equivalent is:-)
God don’t ever let anyone including yourself ‘guilt trip’ you over smoking, it’s an addiction and you were hooked after the first pack,
I am not so sure that hanging them separately would slow down the drying process, in theory it should speed it up, maybe my having a ‘mass’ of leaves in the shed at one time traps the heat of the Sun, does your shed get all day sun on at least it’s roof???,
I have found that leaving the door of the shed closed most of the time speeds the process a little bit and even when i leave the door open it’s only by 50 odd mm’s,
LOLZ, i have taken over a dead and weed infested piece of the HousingNZ estate and have a series of raised garden boxes down there as well, HousingNZ are planning on building on it at some stage but untill then i have done what all good colonizing white boys do and simply moved in on the basis of ‘they are not using it’, now where have i heard that before LOLZ,
Taking the cost out of the addiction leaves me with the money to provide a good diet across the whole range of foods where growing a vege garden would have left me with the cost of the addiction and little better off…
Let’s face it – vegetable growing is a hobby which barely covers costs and in a bad season – not even that.
There is an untended reserve over the fence. I’ve been working on the soil which is horrendusly alkaline due to decades of home fire ash being chucked over….
Advanced manufacturing: How to make a nuclear submarine
Not that I am advocating that NZ does this, obviously. But this conveys how much knowledge and expertise is required to successfully do “high tech, high value” manufacturing. Bringing NZ to this point is a generational project, and our short term political outlook can’t achieve it.
Yep, seen it a while back and loved it… agree that we shouldn’t be/couldn’t be doing that, but it serves to show how much an industry is tied up with a town.
These are real people, learning real skills in real trades and if that industry is shut down because some bean-counter decides to outsource it, then those people see their futures end and the community dies.
So when we hear that a paper mill is shutting down a line, then look at this and see how an industry supports the real aspirations (not Key’s “ashperayshums”) and livelihoods of a community.
All of Key’s and Shearer’s talk of “outsourcing” as a road to economy? Look at the real costs of “economy”.
Watch this documentary, and if you’re uncomfortable thinking about warships, then think about towns dependent on paper mills, meat works and refrigerator manufacturers.
You got to hand it to the Brits, you can see how they managed to keep an Empire going for so long, and how – amazingly – they have kept going with some pride even after the end of their Empire. Not every post-Imperial power can boast such a feat.
Cameron is a nasty bit of work. His economic policies were even more destructive than John Keys, and those big riots were not accident; rather the result of his brutal austerity measures. The UK govt steals from the poor to give to the rich, kind of the reverse of Robin Hood.
He is no friend of New Zealanders, his government introduced immigration measures that put an end to decades of OE’s.
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Come around for teaDance me round and round the kitchenBy the light of my T.VOn the night of the electionAncient stars will fall into the seaAnd the ocean floor sings her sympathySongwriter: Bic Runga.The Prime Minister stared into the camera, hot and flustered despite the predawn chill. He looked sadly ...
Has Winston Peters got a ferries deal for you! (Buyer caution advised.) Unfortunately, the vision that Peters has been busily peddling for the past 24 hours – of several shipyards bidding down the price of us getting smaller, narrower, rail-enabled ferries – looks more like a science fiction fantasy. One ...
Completed reads for March: The Heart of the Antarctic [1907-1909], by Ernest Shackleton South [1914-1917], by Ernest Shackleton Aurora Australis (collection), edited by Ernest Shackleton The Book of Urizen (poem), by William Blake The Book of Ahania (poem), by William Blake The Book of Los (poem), by William Blake ...
First - A ReminderBenjamin Doyle Doesn’t Deserve ThisI’ve been following posts regarding Green MP Benjamin Doyle over the last few days, but didn’t want to amplify the abject nonsense.This morning, Winston Peters, New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister, answered the alt-right’s prayers - guaranteeing amplification of the topic, by going on ...
US President Donald Trump has shown a callous disregard for the checks and balances that have long protected American democracy. As the self-described ‘king’ makes a momentous power grab, much of the world watches anxiously, ...
They can be the very same words. And yet their meaning can vary very much.You can say I'll kill him about your colleague who accidentally deleted your presentation the day before a big meeting.You can say I'll kill him to — or, for that matter, about — Tony Soprano.They’re the ...
Back in 2020, the then-Labour government signed contracted for the construction and purchase of two new rail-enabled Cook Strait ferries, to be operational from 2026. But when National took power in 2023, they cancelled them in a desperate effort to make the books look good for a year. And now ...
The fragmentation of cyber regulation in the Indo-Pacific is not just inconvenient; it is a strategic vulnerability. In recent years, governments across the Indo-Pacific, including Australia, have moved to reform their regulatory frameworks for cyber ...
Welcome to the March 2025 Economic Bulletin. The feature article examines what public private partnerships (PPPs) are. PPPs have been a hot topic recently, with the coalition government signalling it wants to use them to deliver infrastructure. However, experience with PPPs, both here and overseas, indicates we should be wary. ...
Willis announces more plans of plans for supermarketsYesterday’s much touted supermarket competition announcement by Nicola Willis amounted to her telling us she was issuing a 6 week RFI1 that will solicit advice from supermarket players.In short, it was an announcement of a plan - but better than her Kiwirail Interislander ...
This was the post I was planning to write this morning to mark Orr’s final day. That said, if the underlying events – deliberate attempts to mislead Parliament – were Orr’s doing, the post is more about the apparent uselessness of Parliament (specifically the Finance and Expenditure Committee) in holding ...
Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC’s plan to build a plant in the United States looks like a move made at the behest of local officials to solidify US support for Taiwan. However, it may eventually lessen ...
This is a Guest Post by Transport Planner Bevan Woodward from the charitable trust Movement, which has lodged an application for a judicial review of the Governments Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024 Auckland is at grave risk of having its safer speed limits on approx. 1,500 local streets ...
We're just talkin' 'bout the futureForget about the pastIt'll always be with usIt's never gonna die, never gonna dieSongwriters: Brian Johnson / Angus Young / Malcolm YoungMorena, all you lovely people, it’s good to be back, and I have news from the heartland. Now brace yourself for this: depending on ...
Today is the last day in office for the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Adrian Orr. Of course, he hasn’t been in the office since 5 March when, on the eve of his major international conference, his resignation was announced and he stormed off with no (effective) notice and no ...
Treasury and Cabinet have finally agreed to a Crown guarantee for a non-Government lending agency for Community Housing Providers (CHPs), which could unlock billions worth of loans and investments by pension funds and banks to build thousands of more affordable social homes. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest:Chris Bishop ...
Australia has plenty of room to spend more on defence. History shows that 2.9 percent of GDP is no great burden in ordinary times, so pushing spending to 3.0 percent in dangerous times is very ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Winston Peters will announce later today whether two new ferries are rail ‘compatible’, requiring time-consuming container shuffling, or the more efficient and expensive rail ‘enabled,’ where wagons can roll straight on and off.Nicola Willisthreatened yesterday to break up the supermarket duopoly with ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 23, 2025 thru Sat, March 29, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
For prospective writers out there, Inspired Quill, the publisher of my novel(s) is putting together a short story anthology (pieces up to 10,000 words). The open submission window is 29th March to 29th April. https://www.inspired-quill.com/anthology-submissions/ The theme?This anthology will bring together diverse voices exploring themes of hope, resistance, and human ...
Prime minister Kevin Rudd released the 2009 defence white paper in May of that year. It is today remembered mostly for what it said about the strategic implications of China’s rise; its plan to double ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Voters want the Government to retain the living wage for cleaners, a poll shows.The Government’s move to provide a Crown guarantee to banks and the private sector for social housing is described a watershed moment and welcomed by Community Housing Providers.Nicola Willis is ...
The recent attacks in the Congo by Rwandan backed militias has led to worldwide condemnation of the Rwandan regime of Paul Kagame. Following up on the recent Fabian Zoom with Mikela Wrong and Maria Amoudian, Dr Rudaswinga will give a complete picture of Kagame’s regime and discuss the potential ...
New Zealand’s economic development has always been a partnership between the public and private sectors.Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) have become fashionable again, partly because of the government’s ambitions to accelerate infrastructural development. There is, of course, an ideological element too, while some of the opposition to them is also ideological.PPPs come in ...
How Australia funds development and defence was front of mind before Tuesday’s federal budget. US President Donald Trump’s demands for a dramatic lift in allied military spending and brutal cuts to US foreign assistance meant ...
Questions 1. Where and what is this protest?a. Hamilton, angry crowd yelling What kind of food do you call this Seymour?b.Dunedin, angry crowd yelling Still waiting, Simeon, still waitingc. Wellington, angry crowd yelling You’re trashing everything you idiotsd. Istanbul, angry crowd yelling Give us our democracy back, give it ...
Two blueprints that could redefine the Northern Territory’s economic future were launched last week. The first was a government-led economic strategy and the other an industry-driven economic roadmap. Both highlight that supporting the Northern Territory ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Progressing a holistic strategy to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s geothermal resources, possibly in applications beyond energy generation, is at the centre of discussions with mana whenua at a hui in Rotorua today, Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is in the early stages ...
New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I directed Building Consent Authorities to begin providing quarterly data last year to improve transparency, following repeated complaints from tradespeople waiting far longer than the statutory ...
Increases in water charges for Auckland consumers this year will be halved under the Watercare Charter which has now been passed into law, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The charter is part of the financial arrangement for Watercare developed last year by Auckland Council ...
There is wide public support for the Government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed public consultation on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the submissions show that people understand the importance of having a strong biosecurity ...
A new independent review function will enable individuals and organisations to seek an expert independent review of specified civil aviation regulatory decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Director of Civil Aviation, Acting Transport Minister James Meager has announced today. “Today we are making it easier and more affordable ...
The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed. “I am delighted that a solution has been found to ensure Napier residents will continue to ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey attended a sod turning today to officially mark the start of construction on a new mental health facility at Hillmorton Campus. “This represents a significant step in modernising mental health services in Canterbury,” Mr Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed confirmation the economy has turned the corner. Stats NZ reported today that gross domestic product grew 0.7 per cent in the three months to December following falls in the June and September quarters. “We know many families and businesses are still suffering the after-effects ...
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge – one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country – has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today. “We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from ...
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed changes to international anti-money laundering standards which closely align with the Government’s reforms. “The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) last month adopted revised standards for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism to allow for simplified regulatory measures for businesses, organisations and sectors ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register. “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New ...
The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “To date, the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has received more than 250 ...
[Comments following the bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; United States State Department, Washington D.C.] * We’re very pleased with our meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. * We came here to listen to the new Administration and to be clear about what ...
The intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be made safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight with the construction of a new and long-awaited roundabout, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop. “The current intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road is ...
The Ocean Race will return to the City of Sails in 2027 following the Government’s decision to invest up to $4 million from the Major Events Fund into the international event, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand is a proud sailing nation, and Auckland is well-known internationally as the ...
Improving access to mental health and addiction support took a significant step forward today with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announcing that the University of Canterbury have been the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme. “I am thrilled that the University of Canterbury ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened the new East Building expansion at Manukau Health Park. “This is a significant milestone and the first stage of the Grow Manukau programme, which will double the footprint of the Manukau Health Park to around 30,000m2 once complete,” Mr Brown says. “Home ...
The Government will boost anti-crime measures across central Auckland with $1.3 million of funding as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Fund, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “In recent years there has been increased antisocial and criminal behaviour in our CBD. The Government ...
The Government is moving to strengthen rules for feeding food waste to pigs to protect New Zealand from exotic animal diseases like foot and mouth disease (FMD), says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. ‘Feeding untreated meat waste, often known as "swill", to pigs could introduce serious animal diseases like FMD and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held productive talks in New Delhi today. Fresh off announcing that New Zealand and India would commence negotiations towards a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the two Prime Ministers released a joint statement detailing plans for further cooperation between the two countries across ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the forestry sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the horticulture sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges. The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts. Annette Gray Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU). “This unit will boost critical care services in the lower North Island, providing extra capacity and relieving pressure on the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and emergency department. “Wellington Regional Hospital has previously relied ...
Namaskar, Sat Sri Akal, kia ora and good afternoon everyone. What an honour it is to stand on this stage - to inaugurate this august Dialogue - with none other than the Honourable Narendra Modi. My good friend, thank you for so generously welcoming me to India and for our ...
By Harlyne Joku and BenarNews staff Residents of an informal Port Moresby settlement that was razed following the gang rape and murder of a woman by 20 men say they are being unfairly punished by Papua New Guinea authorities over alleged links to the crime. Human rights advocates and the ...
Nearly 25 years after the "corngate" saga, the debate on genetic modification is back thanks to the Gene Technology Bill currently in select committee. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Brodie, Research Scientist in Marine Ecology, CSIRO jittawit21, Shutterstock Picture this: you’re lounging on a beautiful beach, soaking up the sun and listening to the soothing sound of the waves. You run your hands through the warm sand, only to ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Although New Zealand and Australia seem to have escaped the worst of Donald Trump’s latest tariffs, some Pacific Islands stand to be hit hard — including a few that aren’t even “countries”. The US will impose a base tariff of 10 percent on all ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton both agree Australia should react to US President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff regime by continuing to seek a special deal. They just disagree about which of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanne Orlando, Researcher, Digital Literacy and Digital Wellbeing, Western Sydney University UK Prime Minster Keir Starmer met with Adolescence writer Jack Thorne to discuss adolescent safety at Downing Street on Monday. Jack Taylor/ GettyImages Netflix’s Adolescence has ignited global debate. ...
By Anneke Smith,RNZ News political reporter A stoush between the Chief Human Rights Commissioner and a Jewish community leader has flared up following a showdown at Parliament. Appearing before a parliamentary select committee today, Dr Stephen Rainbow was asked about his recent apology for incorrect comments he made about ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rakesh Gupta, Associate Professor of Accounting & Finance, Charles Darwin University US President Donald Trump’s new trade war will not only send shockwaves through the global economy – it also upsets efforts to tackle the urgent issue of climate change. Trump has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Toohey, Professor of Law, UNSW Sydney It had the hallmarks of a reality TV cliffhanger. Until recently, many people had never even heard of tariffs. Now, there’s been rolling live international coverage of so-called “Liberation Day”, as US President Donald Trump ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Fuller, Clinical Trials Director, Department of Endocrinology, RPA Hospital, University of Sydney mavo/Shutterstock In the ever-changing wellness industry, one diet obsession has captured and held TikTok’s attention: protein. Whether it’s sharing snaps of protein-packed meals or giving tutorials to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sebastian Maslow, Associate Professor, International Relations, University of Tokyo Two months into US President Donald Trump’s second term, the liberal international order is on life support. Alliances and multilateral institutions are now seen by the United States as burdens. Europe and ...
Starving public services of resources, gutting the workforce and then proposing private market solutions has been a key strategy of this government, says Vanessa Cole, spokesperson for Public Housing Futures. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hayley Geyle, Ecologist, Charles Darwin University Sarah Maclagan/Author provided The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is one of Australia’s most iconic yet at-risk animals — and the last surviving bilby species. Once found across 70% of Australia, its range has contracted by ...
The government’s own Regulatory Impact Statement acknowledges that organic producers will bear the financial burden of adapting to the risks posed by GMO expansion. ...
The committee has "rammed it through with outrageous haste", with a report now expected tomorrow, but excluding thousands of submissions, Duncan Webb says. ...
The US president’s sweeping programme of global tariffs will hit every country abroad, including New Zealand, and dramatically raise prices at home. This is an excerpt from The World Bulletin, our weekly global current affairs newsletter exclusively for Spinoff Members. Sign up here.In a dramatic, flag-draped address from the White ...
Alex Casey talks to Bariz Shah and Saba Afrasyabi, the couple who launched a project to change 51 lives in honour of those lost in the Christchurch mosque attacks. When Bariz Shah and Saba Afrasyabi walked into Naeem’s house in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, they knew immediately that he needed their help. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Deane, Professor of Trade Law, Taxation and Climate Change, Queensland University of Technology US President Donald Trump has imposed a range of tariffs on all products entering the US market, with Australian exports set to face a 10% tariff, effective April ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hayley Geyle, Ecologist, Charles Darwin University Sarah Maclagan/Author provided The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is one of Australia’s most iconic yet at-risk animals — and the last surviving bilby species. Once found across 70% of Australia, its range has contracted by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Shutterstock Recent media coverage in the Nine newspapers highlights a surge in non-medical ultrasound providers offering “reassurance ultrasounds” to expectant parents. The service has resulted in serious harms, such as misdiagnosed ectopic pregnancies and ...
The three MPs whose rule-breaking haka caught the world’s attention didn’t attend their scheduled hearing yesterday. Constitutional law expert Andrew Geddis has the rundown of what happened, why, and what’s likely to come next. I see Te Pāti Māori and the privileges committee are in some sort of stand-off – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Turner, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University The Eurasian and North American tectonic plates in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland.Nido Huebl/Shutterstock Earth is the only known planet which has plate tectonics today. The constant movement of these giant slabs of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Meta has stolen millions of books to train its AI, including books by kaituhi Māori. What does that mean for mātauranga and its status as taonga? New Zealand authors are among the millions whose books have been pirated and scraped by Meta to train its AI. The New Zealand Society of ...
Some hoped the open of the New Zealand markets would open with a bounce as certain tariffs fell short of the worst-case scenario, but investors were met with a deflated thud.The New Zealand market fell immediately as stock market darling Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s shares were punished, with no update ...
Healthcare dominated the debate in an unusually sober and serious question time. “Hey David!” a group of high school students in the public gallery called out as Act leader David Seymour entered the debating chamber. Standing in the middle of the floor, before any other MPs had arrived, he happily ...
Interesting piece by Chris Trotter at http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/behind-mask-whos-backing-david-shearer.html?m=1
I disagree, though, when he says Cunliffe is capable of forging a new political, economic and social consensus. I think he had three years to do that as Labour finance spokesman and failed to make any impact. Some might say he didn’t have support but Ruth Richardson managed to completely transform National as opposition finance spokesperson between 1987 and 1990 and that was against the wishes of the party hierarchy. I also don’t really think Cunliffe is genuinely as left as he tells activists. I think that’s just to give them a bit of a thrill.
Thanks for your considered and helpful views Matthew.
I am sure they are motivated by the best of intentions and the desire to make the next Government more left wing and sensitive to the environmental issues that we face, particularly in relation to climate change.
EDIT
I am also interested in your response to this passage in Trotter’s post:
“Hence the near unanimous hatred directed at Cunliffe by the mouthpieces of the neoliberal establishment. Fran O’Sullivan, Jane Clifton and Matthew Hooton have gone to extraordinary lengths to besmirch Cunliffe’s character and ridicule his ideas. In a pincer movement with Shearer’s caucus allies they have attempted to cast the Member for New Lynn as a sly, egomaniacal (if ultimately inept) Cassius, plotting constantly to bring down Labour’s sensible Caesar.”
Not sure what “extraordinary lengths” I have gone to. I have always thought he is a nice enough fellow. It’s the people at MFAT and in Labour who I know who have worked with him to seem to hate him for his pomposity and laziness – but I don’t know him well enough to have personally observed these traits.
So are you saying that you went to some lengths to besmirch Cunliffe’s character but they were not extraordinary lengths?
No, I’m saying I haven’t besmirched his character at all.
I know who have worked with him to seem to hate him for his pomposity and laziness – but I don’t know him well enough to have personally observed these traits.
Christ – disingenuous or what? “I’m not going to say bad things about him, but wait – I’m going to pass on nasty gossip about him from other people”.
Could you be just a bit less obvious?
It’s obvious what’s got Hooten miffed at David Cunliffe, it’s in the ‘words i don’t know him well enough’,
Obviously Cunliffe treats Hooten as He should be treated, like LEPERS where treated prior to enlightened medical treatments…
Hey Hoots…despite what you have written, Trotter’s piece wasn’t about Cunliffe. It was about Shearer. Stop prancing around the point.
Hey Matty. Explaining is losing.
If Hooton were in Parliament, he’d set all-new records for getting thrown out of the House for constant “I personally wouldn’t call the Member a Nazi because it’s unparliamentary, but …” shenanigans.
Pointless Rhino. Shit. Hill. Pushing.
I hope I’m still around when little piggies start squeeling. (Who MOI?????, M-O-I????)
So just so I can understand things Matthew you have said today:
“I think he had three years to do that as Labour finance spokesman and failed to make any impact.”
“I also don’t really think Cunliffe is genuinely as left as he tells activists. I think that’s just to give them a bit of a thrill.”
“It’s the people at MFAT and in Labour who I know who have worked with him to seem to hate him for his pomposity and laziness ”
“He can’t be much of a politician if he can be “censored” for four years”
AND
“I’m saying I haven’t besmirched his character at all.”
Please reconcile these statements.
All just statements of fact
So you repeating gossip leaked to you by ABC is a statement of fact?
I fear Matthew that you are reinforcing Trotter’s statement about you by your comments.
Is this intended?
Or is this a sly double play where you besmirch Cunliffe and Shearer at the same time?
And if ya don’t believe me – listen to Rinnie Ryan! She’ll set you str8
Hahaha, I guess it makes sense that you don’t remember anything you say on radiolive or nine to noon.
If you did, you’d never walk into a studio again.
Hootens got Keys disease. It’s the memory that goes first, and the bullshit just runs down their chins!
TIM!!!! (@ Karol and the womderfuly like=moded) /…….I thought you said you wern’t gunna comment nemor…….
True. It’s just that stating the bleeid ng obvious is SO hard – worse than giving up smoking.
When is it that Spin Doctores like Hooten and others are not actually as clever as most would have you believe -I’ll wager most think the guy is actually irrelevant and the past participle of te spent brigade (“going fprward”).
The real problem is a defunct MSM. ………being challenged daily
Oh so you don’t think that, ‘not knowing Cunliffe well enough to observe these traits’ while at the same time claiming that that you ‘think’ that Cunliffe is not as ‘left’ as what He tells activists isn’t besmirching Cunliffe’s character,
It’s just a series of unfounded pieces of Bullshit dredged up from the mind of someone that when the high priests of Torydom were dishing out the silver spoons shoved your one a long way into the wrong orifice where it’s obviously still lodged…
Jesus Hooten Can you even lie straight in bed???
Nah, he’s so twisted, he needs two assistants to help him screw his pants on in the morning.
Eeeew.
>:)
Seriously tho’, his associations with neonazis and racists is something far less funny and something that needs exposure to sunlight.
I personally don’t think that Hooton is a neo-nazi… I just see that he’s a completely amoral money-grubber who has no qualms about shilling for work amongst them until the media spotlight shows just how evil they are and how that’s not a “good look” for Effluvium.
Hooten says he doesn’t know him (Cunliffe) well enough to have personally observed these traits (pomposity and laziness).
Well I have observed totally different traits in Cunliffe, and I do not believe he is what the MSM and others are making him out to be – lazy, traitorous, unlikeable etc etc etc.
As an example :
We had an extraordinary public meeting in Whangarei during the last (2011) election campaign.
We held it in a school hall in the middle of a Decile 1, low income, state housing area with a population predominantly Maori., and had a large audience.
Cunliffe gave a clear and convincing presentation on economics – world economics, NZ trade , and what could be done to fix our tattered economy. He didn’t “talk down” to his audience, he put in a few jokes every so often, he answered questions with facts/figures in such a way that everyone understood him.
The feedback after that public meeting was – no-one had ever told them these details in such an easy to understand manner before, could he come again, and what a great informative evening it had been for them all.
You cannot tell me that a man who is able to deliver such a presentation to such an audience and get such a response is either pompous or lazy. He would have had to work hard to put such a presentation together. He would have had to change the presentation to suit that particular audience. He was friendly, affable, and articulate.
Maybe, but there is that disturbing rant he had at the Otara market during the last election campaign that’s on YouTube. Will have put some middle ground voters off and being on the web in will never go away.
Could you provide a link to this disturbing rant please???…
It was a film of Cunliffe kicking the Right Wing’s ass. So yeah, they’d be disturbed haha
I looked for it but now can’t find it. However, I have seen it and it is nothing to be disturbed about. I think the claim at the time was “it will not appeal to the middle class.” I took it to mean that wing of the middle class who are presently on the gravy train and do not want to see the flow of gravy disrupted.
LOLZ, perhaps i should send the above commenter a tape of some of the ‘discussion’ that goes on in this house,
She would then fully ‘appreciate’ what a ‘disturbing rant’ really sounds like…
To be fair it was neither disturbing or really kicking the right wing’s ass. He just ran through Labour’s slogans and normal accusations that were repeated all the time through the election. It was passionate and reasonably good but nothing too special – Whaleoil etc picked it up and ran with it because he put on a polynesian accent and that basically makes him the ku klux klan. Here is the link:
Taa much…
It was one of those whale-oil type “scandals” where only the most twisted right-wing hacks can work out what’s scandalous about it.
To anyone else it was just a video of David campaigning. Oh the horror. It’s also not at the Otara market, that’s just right-wing shorthand for brown people in Auckland.
It’s here: http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=qvenqcfX1j8&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DqvenqcfX1j8&gl=GB
He uses a faux Polynesian accent ‘cos he’s talking to brown people
You use a faux political commentator accent, so what’s your point, here?
If you think that that is a ‘faux Polynesian’ accent then your obviously not as intelligent as what you think you are,(but then we all know that except you),
What Cunliffe is doing there is slowing down His speech and over-emphasizing some words in an effort to give as much understanding as possible to what was obviously an audience of mixed race where presumably many would have English as a second language,
If you want ‘faux Polynesia’ check out Seone’s Wedding or any of the other stuff done by that particular crew for TV,
That particular tape of Cunliffe makes your radio voice of ‘large plum in the mouth as you talk down to the peasants’ sound like the rantings of an old English Lord inescapably addicted to Heroin pontificating on the sins of the hired help when all the time your nothing but a over-paid leach at the trough paid to goose the ego’s of the major suckers of the States teat by telling them that every thing they do is just fine…
thats funny bad
LOLZ, the turd i was addressing the comment at doesn’t seem to think so, really needs His sense of humor updated as well as a few of His other personal traits like His propensity to talk s**t….
,(but then we all know that except you),
“Thick and full of himself” as even his own clients say according to The Hollow Men
I wonder how it feels to have the people whose club he aspires to join snigger at him…
I would rather listen to Cunliffe’s truths, than Hootons LIES!
He uses a faux Polynesian accent ‘cos he’s talking to brown people
What a racist thing to assume Matthew, you should be ashamed of yourself…
As bad12 has pointed out, Cunliffe was speaking to a crowd of people that may have had English as their second language, he was using a loudspeaker, and the crowd were dispersed so the talking was slowed down.
Its a racist observation Matthew…hang your head in shame
Come on Matthew, DC is adaptable.
As are you when you want $ off the pinkos to hawk their silly ideas.
That a good one, sounds like your alluding to Hooten having been paid by the anti-Cunliffe crew to spread some rumor and innuendo…
Kate please tell us details …
???
Capitalists lesson no 1: a dollar is worth a dollar no matter where it comes from.
Cunliffe went to Pukenui School in Te Kuiti, bro he’s probably been putting on a pakeha accent and the maori accent comes pretty naturally!
Matthew, what a wanky thing to bring up, sort yourself out!
And you Matty screech just a bit in a distinctly effete way when someone’s got ya.
Cathryn Ryan on Nine to Noon repeatedly has to chide you for the entitled wee schoolboy you are with your overtalking and cat-fighty style. Never heard it myself but that’s…
…What…I’m…Told…By…The…Connected…People…I…Know…Smirk…Smirk.
15 sec search on google will do it every time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvenqcfX1j8
Not sure what is disturbing about it – pretty standard political rhetoric.
It is the faux maori accent, and I would call it revealing, rather than disturbing.
lolz. That sneaky left wing bastard, trying to pass as polynesian.
I think it’s revealing too, but not of Cunliffe.
Yes. It is so important, when one is talking to the fuzzy wuzzies to talk in language they understand. Come down to their level, and such. One must refer to “da rich fullas” rather than “the rich” otherwise they will simply not understand what one is saying. And if they do not understand what one is saying one will not be able to protect them.
Bolger used to ape accents all the time. I sort of thought it was a subconsciously empathetic thing.
Although I couldn’t stand Bolger as PM, he was surprisingly egalitarian in some ways. Just not smart enough to realise his government policies were trashing the poor.
Ole, the conclusions you jump to are exactly what I meant by “revealing”.
OK. I am thick, I get it. I wonder what accent Cunliffe would employ when talking to me.
I’m not sure that anyone else can descend to that level. Interpreting and understanding “Ook” is a hell of a lot easier than expressing a simple sentence in it. It is a “subtle” language you have mastered and it has been quite apparent for some time that you don’t understand English.
(my apologies to Pratchett – but that one just begged for it :twisted:)
no accent, just very small words.
I’m reminded of a WWII doco that I had to switch off because it was so overwrought about Hitler’s evilness (yes, the man was evil, but I think we don’t need that repeated every thirty seconds).
One of their arguments was (read it in a conspiracy-theory American accent): “He would change the way he spoke to appeal to different audiences!!!!!”
If you’re criticising Cunliffe for using “fellas” in one context when he may well say “folks” or “people” or “wankers” in another, I sure hope you speak to your dear old granny at morning tea the way you talk to your mates at the pub after a few. Because otherwise you’d be terrible hypocrites, and also linguistic freaks.
lol QoT.
What Maori or Polynesian accent? He uses some Maori words, is that what you mean?
Like “fulla”?
Gormless,(obviously), it’s fella not fulla, your the only one round here thats fulla and i will leave you with the easy task of inserting what comes after the fulla…
Gormless, are you objecting to Cunliffe using the word, or how he said it? I couldn’t detect any obvious accent other than a Noo Zeelund one. And why object to fella/fulla? Why not object to his using the words Maori words like tamariki etc? You’re grasping at some pretty insubstantial straws if you think the use of one word, however it is said, means anything.
I am not objecting to anything. He is putting on an accent to appeal to his audience. It says something about how he views them. That is all.
Yeah it was brilliant off the cuff oratory work. Did you mistake Cunliffe for someone of Pasifika origin?
“brilliant off the cuff oratory work”
I hope you’re joking, Cunliffe like all our current crop of politicians is a pretty hopeless orator, the most recent good orator in NZ politics was David Lange in my opinion.
Revealing of what? You and Matthew Hooton are grasping at straws here, as was Whale oil in the first place. I draw your attention to a comment made earlier this week by Max Moss, who is on Cunliffe’s LEC. This is a person who actually knows Cunliffe, and certainly runs counter to the claims of pomposity and laziness, as well as the suggestion of inauthenticity.
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-07012013/#comment-570340
One thing I do know about Cunliffe is that you can actually chat with him as a regular man in a room, without the vulgar sense of his “working the room” or trying to “win them over.”
And when he had the ‘chat’ on the Herald as did other politicians. I found that he was the easiest to understand, because he does not over explain things, he keeps it simple.
It disturbs me that anyone not in the WhaleSpew Army could be disturbed by Cunliffe’s Otara speech. He’s on top of a vehicle with a megaphone and speaks clearly and slowly in his own voice. If you want to hear a fake accent, just listen to Key being a regla blok prendin to be prumster of Noozillid.
@ Murray Olsen
hmm, don’t think Mr Key is pretending….he just can’t speak very well….lacks ability to enunciate…just thought I’d mention that….I agree with your comment apart from that….
Well done Olsen except you miss the times when Key dumps the bloke impersonation in favour of the dude persona……to wit his use of the word “munted” when he gets on some rubbish guffawing laughter every 6 seconds radio show.
How’s that for sham ? Trying to paint himself up as an out there dude tradey or something.
Bloody embarrassing. Cringey stuff. And for you Oleo…..must you scrape the bottom of your own barrel so ?
Goodness Jane – (and Hooten et al) that wasn’t a “disturbing rant” Cunliffe gave at the Otara market (I’ve just watched/listened to it on U-Tube Sat 12 Jan). That was a basic street corner speech which is typical of any election campaign. And I didn’t hear Cunliffe say “da rich fullas” as a putdown of bro language. I heard him say “the rich fellas” which is typical NZ (Pakeha) talk. You guys are imagining or making up things about Cunliffe without any foundation whatsoever.
MH – I would say that your first comment above comes as close as possible to uninformed “character assassination”. Oh, yes, indeed, you sure do go to “extraordinary lengths” to revile him, and then have the gall to confess “I don’t know him well enough to have personally observed these traits” (of your imagination). There are few more condescending “put-downs” than to describe Cunliffe as “a nice enough fellow” (with the implied BUT). Exactly how many people at MFAT and in Labour do you actually know – or who would want to know you? Name the people who “seem” (N.B.) to hate him (what kind of people indulge in any kind of “hatred”?)
Please take care to check facts against delusions.
Do you really, think that is, for instance what ‘impact’ has David Parker had as Labour Finance spokesperson,
I think that if a person of your ilk supports David Shearer as the Labour Party leader then the members of Labour are right in having a really close look at just where His sentiments lie in the left/right paradigm of politics,
I doubt whether you have actually even met a genuine ‘member of the left’ so as to give you the perspective to judge who genuinely holds left-wing views,
I think you should crawl back into the dark spaces of the smelly, slime encrusted sewers which is your normal habitat and desist from provoking the likes of me to amounts of anger that at the least are bad for my health…
I’m always interested what people think is a “genuine member” of the left or right, as one who is generally accused of being a RWNJ on this site could you enlighten me.
F off over to the sewer, there is that enough ‘enlightenment’ for you…
Very enlightening.
Here, this might help, STFU, F off over to the Sewer where you will be aquainted with the definition of any number of Right Wing Nut Jobs,
Read the pages of the Standard and you will be aquainted with the wide ranging views of ‘genuine lefty’s plus the views of the odd Right Wing Nut Job, even a 5 year old could spot the difference…
Even more enlightening.
hs, do you really not understand that Matthyawn isn’t a genuine lefty, and that everything he says or writes is paid for, and that he’s just here to disrupt and sow confusion?
Felix
1. Yes I do know that
2. I doubt that very much
3. There’s no doubt he enjoys coming here for a bit of sport.
I’d still like a genuine reply to my question to Mr bad12
Try the answer at 8.47am, that genuine enough for you…
No just another mindless rant.
In case you hadn’t noticed there’s some fairly diverse views among the mix at this site, although sometimes it does resemble a rather vitriolic echo chamber when the locals choose to attack someone.
For example the site sysop is a lefty voter with a self proclaimed ‘right’ lean in economics, then you have the likes of DTB who would suggest that most ‘lefties’ on this site are rampantly to the ‘right’.
Hence my request for you to define your view of ‘left’ and ‘right’.
Actually, I don’t. I happen to think that most of those on the left here are actually on the left I just happen to think that the Labour Party is on the right.
lolz hs, I’m sure you know that Hoots is a paid lobbyist and spin merchant. I’m sure you know that when he’s paid to appear in the media and talk politics he’s also being paid by his clients to do so in their interests. I find it inconceivable that you think he switches off the machine just for the standard.
I find it inconceivable that anyone would be paid to post or comment at this site.
I find it inconceivable that anyone would be paid to impart PR spin, but they say the world is a mysterious place.
Indeed, but apparently government and councils are full of them funded by the tax and ratepayer ?
until they make their bones enough to go work for National party HQ.
It’s the only form of publicly-funded education that national actually support.
I certainly don’t believe there were as many PR hacks in councils and government twenty or even ten years ago – it’s like HR departments they seen to have proliferated during the last couple of decades and are overflowing with weasels.
Things seem to have got along OK before they all came along……. grumpy old man rant over and out !
And that’s probably true, hs … but do you really think Matthew either
(a) completely believes everything he says when being paid for it, which is why he says exactly the same stuff when commenting in a personal capacity or
(b) isn’t smart enough to protect his paid-for “unbiased pundit” brand by continuing to say the same shit he’s paid for out-of-hours?
“Astroturfing”
Trouble is, he’s shit at it. I get the impression that he does it just to show his equally ignorant clients that he’s delivering value for money.
Jaysus Matthew, for someone who makes a living out of political commentary you are woefully poorly informed. You are a shocking dunderhead. Go to the corner.
The dogs on the street knew that Cunliffe was censored throughout the Goff era. He did all the work and had to leave the speeches for Phil Goff to try to build his leader ratings. The same shite continued under Shearer.
for someone who makes a living out of political commentary you are woefully poorly informed
No, Hooton doesn’t make his living from commentary – that just helps his media profile. He’s a professional spin doctor and lobbyist – a free-market Goebbels if you like. You can be sure that his company, “Effluvium” or whatever it’s called is not woefully poorly informed. You can be sure that it – and he – is very well paid. Hooton doesn’t shit without someone being sent an invoice.
“Effluvium” Or Effluent? Oh well it’s all shit to me.
Actually, he called it “Excelsium”, which is something someone who lives in his mum’s basement would call his avatar in World of Warcraft. “He’s Excelsium, and he’s a fifth-level mage and he… he, he has a magical sword, and he shoots acid from his fingers! He’s, like TOTALLY AWESOME!”
Hooton is really just a frustrated teenager at heart.
He can’t be much of a politician if he can be “censored” for four years. There were plenty in the National hierarchy trying to “censor” Richardson but she found ways around that. That’s how you achieve political, economic and social change. Change agents let alone revolutionaries don’t wait for permission from the existing order.
Interested in your response Matthew to Trotter’s claim that you are attempting to besmirch Cunliffe and this represents an unholy alliance between the mouthpieces of the neoliberal establishment and ABC.
I think that’s nonsense
Has the pay-check from RadioNZ National dried up over the summer break and you are now bored so have to drag your pompous ‘silver spoon’ banality into the Standard,
The ‘smooch-fest’ between you and Williams on that piece of pathetic puffery makes you sound like you have something hard lodged within the rear of your anatomy and are in dire need of an urgent flushing,
Your support of Shearer as Labour leader on it’s own should be enough for the caucus to trigger the Party wide vote on the issue of leadership…
So is trying to set the tone of the ‘ts’s’ discussion around a piece that was already linked to yesterday by diong a 7:21 am link to it. (ie top of the open mike).
I could be wrong Mathew. But I don’t recall you instigating discussion on topics here before. Don’t you normally just respond with a view to obscufate and derail? I think you do.
But not this time. Which could be an indication of how much ‘nonsense’ it is to suggest you and your ilk are desperate to elevate Shearer and (by extension) an ongoing neo-liberal trajectory.
‘Shearer is a good guy. Labour’s sleepwalking plan is a fine plan. Cunliffe is dead in the water. Cunliffe is allegedly incompetant and lazy and arrogant – Cunliffe isn’t liked’ – and I (Mathew Hooten) am more than happy to keep on referencing those allegations and opinions in one way or another ie, to besmirch without actually besmirching in a direct fashion.
Oh. Apart from the wee nuggets, like in your above comments, where you directly suggest that Cunliffe is a crap politician.
And, of course, mustn’t forget the obvious fact that Rhinoviper points out (again) – this time around at 1.3.1. on this thread.
“That’s how you achieve political, economic and social change.”
As opposed to donations in plain brown envelopes, swipe cards to parliament, policy for cash, and dodgy in-house agenda driven focus/polling groups like we have now.
Care to declare/deny any emails, texts, call logs or meetings?
“Change agents let alone revolutionaries don’t wait for permission from the existing order.”
I’m suspecting you know as much about change agents and revolutionaries as you do about David Cunliffe.
When real change comes, and it will, if you’re not on the first plane out with the other smug rich pricks, I’m sure they’ll be a spot up against the proverbial wall for your efforts.
LOLZ, well said….
Some politicians being “censored” indicates that they are, in fact, doing a bloody good job! You are (even now!) an admirer of Richardson? Enough said!
Hooton, you give Richardson as an example of being ‘censorsed’ the truth being more like
some nats thought her policies were detrimental to the health and wellbeing of those
it would affect,(although it would be a first in the right thinking of the people) indeed
her policies caused difficulties for a huge number of people,
when you remove $50pw off beneficiaries of course stress will follow,it shows
that Shipley/Richardson women could not give a continental about peoples lives and as it turns out they didn’t,but Shipley/Richardson could claim tens of thousands a year in perks and tax payer paid benefits, spot the difference.
While i am at it Shipley and Richardson left a $20 billion debt, is that good financial
management of tax payer dollars ?
Incidently,a peice of good journalism would be to find out what ex politicians are
still recieving tax payer funded air travel and remuneration, i understand it continues
to get paid until the leave this mortal coil.
This while beneficiaries are being targeted by your idol Shearer re: painter on the roof
Shearer’s credentials for the leadership of Labour are lacking and wanting.
The defence of Shearer by the right of politics and media raises questions about
his true allegiance, please, tell us more about ‘that’ barbie.
Cunliffe has been ‘censored’ by the Right clique inside caucus, even though he
won 9 out of the 10 meetings in a membership vote for the leadership, his shackles
are still on tightly and he cannot be seen to be doing anything unless the ‘clique’ give
him permission.
A manager in ChCh was bemoaning the quality of staff available, she wanted government to do something about people like the lady who took a break and never came back.
Now objectively, not something you’ll find in a third market (one on the edge of the world). Surely a manager is expected to know her customers and her employees, and that if an employee walk off the job she should have some idea why. Like Shearer, why doesn’t he know why the roofer was up there while on sicky?
Aging population, and better pay conditions in OZ mean there are fewer young people entering the work market and those that are around want to be skilled up so they can fly the ditch (only way they will own their own home). Scarcity means managers like her have to offer more, have to be aware of her employees needs, to get skills and move on to better jobs. Instead we have this blame culture from the rich, that somehow its the poor who created the economic malaise, the young who have the expertise to run the country, the sick who shouldn’t be fixing their damn roof since their TB stopped them working.
I think what passes as informed debate on TV and radio is bunkum, neoliberal talking points selected to keep wages down, keep bonuses up and power to change the econmic out of the hands of those who would change it (to serve the needs of the people).
Thanks Matthew. I subscribe to Murray Ball’s quote.
Nice little distraction by Hooten there. However, I’m still trying to figure out why Richardson ignoring the party she belonged to, and setting her own agenda, is considered a good thing. Of all the attempts at misdirection in this thread by Hooten, that’s the one that stands out for me. It’s the idea that an individual can go against the party’s wishes and take in a different direction, and that that is not only acceptable but desirable. That idea isn’t about Cunliffe, it’s about Shearer.
Well said, Weka
The New Zealand Labour Party must find a way to achieve reform and renewal through it’s members and affiliates. Only then will we have a strong Labour victory in 2014 that will enable the execution major changes: changes that will take the country on a new path to health and prosperity.
A year ago the launch of the Constitutional Review was greeted enthusiastically by the members. Members, branches, LECs, Sector groups and NZ Councillors all worked hard to get a number of significant proposals to the Conference.
The Conference was memorable for two reasons:
-the delegates passionately debated the key items and the balance of power shifted to the membership and affiliates…….on paper.
-a potentially great Conference and subsequent passionate injection of positive activity was distorted by the damaging play to marginalise Cunliffe.
We need to find the positives from the Conference and get past the destructive cr*p formulated by a few Machiavellians in the Caucus.
My view of the constitutional changes is that if the Membership want the Parliamentary Labour MP’s to adhere to Labour Party policy,(especially while in Government), it is the membership at the annual Labour Party Conference who should vote whether or not to ‘trigger’ a Party wide vote on the issue,
Further to that it is my view that the Party wide vote should also elect the Cabinet in Labour lead Governments…
+1
+1
Interesting: Monbiot on violent crime and lead poisoning.
intriguing.
Normally I take such reports with a grain of salt, but then so does Monbiot. And it certainly seems to be the gist of the evidence.
There has been a lot of discussion about the wider member leader vote, the 40% + 1 threshold and how it might be triggered in February. If it does get triggered, how every it happens what is the process then? Is there a set timeline? A postal ballot will take time to setup, candidates will need time to decide if they want to stand, time for campaigning, the voting process may take a few weeks. What is the best case for it to be complete? I’d say at the minimum six weeks, most likely it will drag on for 12+ weeks.
Who leads the party while all this is going on? Their is a reasonable chance it could all get toxic, DS, DC openly combatitive, caucus split, Patrick Gower asking everybody and anybody who’s side they are on every single night and earnestly analyzing every phrase, utterance or look. The Greens trying to stay out of it but getting more involved, Winston taking shots, backbenchers leaking and National sitting quietly and watching with glee.
When it’s over and the winner announced then what? Will the vanquished need to resign? If DC wins will it have got so bad that Mallard, King and Hipkins all go? If DC loses how many may go? Byelections towards the end of the year? It could dominate all year!
All looks very scary but then the alternative is DS stays.
So many doubts Jane! Have some faith in the uncertainty of democracy!
The only alternative is the certainty and comfort of AUTOCRACY and we wouldn’t want that now, would we. Would we?
+ 1
“Mallard, King and Hipkins all go” They should have gone last election. But no there they sit, actively fucking up the Labour party for their own ends. Fucking Parasites. The sooner they go the better for all, and they can take some of the other dead wood and dinosaurs with them! And as for Gower how can he report if he’s just told to fuck off in no uncertain terms, every time he asks a question??
“Mallard, King and Hipkins all go” They should have gone last election. But no there they sit, actively fucking up the Labour party for their own ends. Fucking Parasites. The sooner they go the better for all, and they can take some of the other dead wood and dinosaurs with them! And as for Gower how can he report if he’s just told to fuck off in no uncertain terms, every time he asks a question??
Damn Internal server error 500 rears it’s ugly head again.
Never underestimate the stupidity of an american radio talk show host. If Alex Jones was slightly smarter, he could be a moron.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/video/2013/jan/08/alex-jones-pro-gun-tirade-piers-morgan-video
If I had to place a bet, it would be on that both Morgan and Jones are considerably more *informed/trained* and cogent of affairs than you could ever wish/pretend to be!
Keep spinning bro, and watch out for actors!
Have you watched it? The dude’s a fucking idiot.
They’re both right wing commentators, muzza, so your support for them is curious (or is it?). Morgan has the moral highground on the gun question though and has gone up in my estimation just for having the guts to take on the NRA and its apologists.
I don’t think Piers Morgan comes across as right wing – no idea how he votes or anything, but he has always seemed fairly centrist when interviewing.
News of the world editor, appointed by murdoch.
Say’s all I need to know about the bloke.
Well, the former Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan may be the voice of reason in his American show, Chris, but his work history and personal morals strongly suggest a right wing orientation. And Rupert Murdoch isn’t known for picking Spartists to run his newspapers!
edit: Snap, A1len.
I’ll have to remember next time my political affiliation is determined by old boss.
Point being if your old boss is rupert, the political affiliation is sort of a given.
Happy for mr morgan to enlighten us all with his road to Damascus conversion from murdoch’s mouthpiece to voice of the people’s heavy hitter.
Just dial 0000, piers.
If you read support for either of them in my response, you were very much mistaken. No need to have watched to know how it would have played out, with each character living up to their *expectation*, which is required to embed mind-sets.
It’s theatre, they are both pawns/tools in a game which seeks to control the perceptions/minds, via controlling a fake, *debate*!
The Allen – correct observation!
Fascinating study on the link between leaded petrol and the high crime rates of the 1990’s
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/01/lead-crime-link-gasoline
Indeed. One is reminded of the Romans who lost the plot because they kept their wine in lead-lined containers, or a similar lead-related decline caused by drinking rice wine from bronze vessles in the late Chinese Shang dynasty.
Although running out of rich lands to conquer and make vassal states feeding wealth to keep the imperial centre running didn’t help.
hey, did “lee.adama” get me e-mail?
Let us not get waylaid by the MMS talking heads like Trotter and Hooton.
Framing stories as battles between X and Y makes good press and TV sound bites.
The changes required to get ths country out of the trough of inequality and underperformance is not about two personalities.
As Laboutites we must focus on engaging with our family, friends, neighbours, communities, businesses and organisations to understand their needs and aspirations and to drive bottom up policy using our new Constitution.
Focus on the real stuff, not the side-shows.
The Trotter story is a matter for Shearer to sort.
Good point. No derails by talking heads.
I find it amazing that you are all still flailing around and shadow boxing about the leadership.
The battle is lost, the Feb vote is a formality. The caucus beat you. Move on.
Cunliffe got pwned. Quite unfairly probably but it will not make a blind bit of difference to the outcome. Shearer is your leader. You will not change that before the next election.
Barnsley, Hooton n the media are trying to make it a personality thing .
This Trotter story is bad for all the Labour Party.
True, members were beaten by the Caucus in November. Until the leadership has achieved legitimacy through endorsement from the members and affiliates there will be turmoil in the party.
The issue is between the members and the leadership. If the February endorsement is a “formality” then many members n affiliates will loose interest in the party.
Who will do the work for the Local Election layer this year?
“Europeans, take note: The U.S. government has granted itself authority to secretly snoop on you.
That’s according to a new report produced for the European Parliament, which has warned that a U.S. spy law renewed late last year authorizes “purely political surveillance on foreigners’ data” if it is stored using U.S. cloud services like those provided by Google, Microsoft and Facebook.”
See the following link and story for details:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/01/08/fisa_renewal_report_suggests_spy_law_allows_mass_surveillance_of_european.html
This is something all of us should be very mindful of, when using US based service providers and cloud servers, and any traffic between the US and other countries falls into the same category as the article in “future tense” (from 08 Jan. 2013) should make clear.
There are always certain risks to consider, and this is just one of them.
while I think of it; see Sue Kedgley’s analysis of the ongoing rent of Transmission Gully to the taxpayer, pulling clay uphill and all that motor-scraping
Heads up Standardistas: Hooten’s Methodology
Is to distract from the real issue: giving Labour Party members a democratic say come February, confirming the Leader.
Is to suggest that the Labour Leadership is a position which does not need or want democratic confirmation by the membership in 2013.
Is to try and turn this into an irrelevant Cunliffe versus Shearer cage fight, instead of the true crux: bringing democracy to the Labour Party, as the membership clearly intended at Conference in Nov 2012.
Is the LP membership’s participation in choosing a leader more important than the memberships ability to influence the policy decisions of the caucus? How much say does the membership now have in the latter?
Yeah, I’m hoping someone will do a post soon on how Labour works internally, with a focus on what options the membership has for action.
Well it’s what he’s paid to do, and does it well. The smug trolling designed to undermine and distract and the cherry picking rather than responding when requested so he can keep on his message
It’s like a modern version of Muldoon in some ways and boy haven’t the NACT made that look like the good old days the way they’ve sent the economy and living standards off down the hill with wilful negligence.
Heads up Standardistas: The Al1en’s Methodology
They said the next revolution would be on TV, what they didn’t say was it will start on the internet.
I’ve entered a song on the audience website, to win NZonAir funding, to record the single and make a video.
I’ve chosen the protest song The faeces of the species, as a direct challenge to key’s constituency chairman who complained about the Inside child poverty documentary aired in the 2011 election campaign, and now has his feet firmly under the table.
Way to go Sir, kids with third world diseases on their beautiful little faces, and you complain about unfair electioneering. Fuck off.
Don’t care if you like the song (I do, I love it) or not, but a vote a day for the next couple of weeks and it’s win/win.
I need the publicity to kick off my campaign, and a video on tv, or a refusal by NZonAir to follow through for political reasons would sort of do the trick.
Please, bookmark the song page and vote as many times until it gets a top ten placing and thus eligible for the prize.
Email to friends/colleagues, tell them it’s for food for kids and maximum embarrassment for the pm.
I’m staying anonymous, not going to make a penny from it personally, and well up for the front line fight.
Use the system to beat the system with a mouse click.
http://www.theaudience.co.nz/the-al1en/the-faeces-of-the-species-1/
Viva revolution.
Can you put it up somewhere where you don’t have to use a flash player, as all I get is silence.
It, and other songs are up at https://soundcloud.com/theal1en
But for the vote to count, it has to be http://www.theaudience.co.nz/the-al1en/the-faeces-of-the-species-1/
So far I have two votes, and one was from me.
A mouse click from a bunch of us and it’s getting noticed.
Game on. If you want to play, just join in.
TA
The subsconcious is amazing – Rosy mentions ape and lprent’s synapses go to the hairy Librarian at Ankh-Moorpork. What a tangled web our brains are.
She did?
lprent
She did – somewhere above 1 1 1 3
Rosy – “Bolger used to ape accents all the time. I sort of thought it was a subconsciously empathetic thing.”
And she mentioned ‘subconcious’ too which I am sure I didn’t read?
RNZ
-Law Society litigate a closer relationship with Lifeline; the demands of being a lawyer are greater than they have ever been
-longer hours
-demanding clients
-technological speed cracking the whip
now,
Down to Business
-NZ TWI the highest in FIVE years, around 75.9
-Japanese are about to begin printing rice paper money in a “fashion not seen before”
-Cloudy forecast for mortgage interest rates in the latter half of this year and expected to be much higher over the coming 3-4 years-Shamubeel Eaqub, NZIER (I like that man)
-Rural Exodus-property values dropping (has occurred already in central and southern HB)
-Nov Trade Deficit widened, 4th consecutive month in a row
-NZ $ 84.70 US; 85 coming
yet,
the NZX 50 Index is at a new FIVE year high; business as usual.
Ching Ching
oi
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sorry about the random graffiti (servers’ fault message)
did you know that Zephaniah was familiar with court circles and current political issues?
He announced to Judah God’s coming judgement, an immediate sign was the Scythian (fierce horse mounted peoples’) incursion into Canaan (from Southern Russia) in the 7th C BC.
main theme, coming day of the Lord, God’s punishment of the nations including apostate Judah, with the pronouncement of Doom ending on a positive note with His merciful restoration.
Baal was a common name for the chief male god amongst peoples, also
-master and owner of a house
-landowner
-owner of cattle
-son of “grain”
-storm god Hadad
Baal cult included, addiction, animal sacrifices, ritualistic meals, licentious dances. Human fertility was sacred and the High places had chambers for sacred prostitution;
I will sweep away both men and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. The wicked will have only heaps of rubble (formidable obstacles), when I cut off man from the face of the earth, declares the Lord.
(Zephaniah speaks of fire)
I will stretch out my hand against Judah, I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the pagans and the idolatrous priests-those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who swear by the Lord and also by Molech (sometimes involved in child sacrifice).
On that day, declares the Lord, a cry will go up from the Fish Gate (merchants who had grown rich through corrupt business practices would be destroyed.
At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent. Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine.
(remember how the distributor / oil pump drive used to round off on the old V6?
I had an old 1963 Ford Falcon 170 Super pursuit, and it had a bad habit of screwing them off inside the oil pump, so that if you didn’t have a long thin magnetic screwdriver, it was the sump off, then the oil pump removal to get it out. I got to be quite an expert at the removal of those bloody things on the side of the road and i kept a spare in the glove box at all times.
Nice bit of history there mate. Good to remind people that yes, there was much culture and civilisation way before the Romans.
What did the Romans ever do for us?
OK the aqueduct,,,,,,,
The World Economic Forum, hardly a hot bed of anti-capitalism, is warning that climate change, income inequality, and fiscal instability are THE issues which must be addressed IMMEDIATELY (at Davos).
Between the lines the WEF is saying we are in a global economic meltdown. Captain Mumblefuck and ABC are in denial even as capitalists elsewhere are waking up and frightened.
What the Captain Mumblefuck neo-liberals fail to see is that if we don’t get a moderate reformer like Cunliffe (comparable to FDR and Mickey Savage in the 1930’s), we are going to get a Hitler or Stalin.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/jan/08/climate-change-debt-inequality-threat-financial-stability
Excellent Link; not looking so “foolish” on the Left now, are we.
One way of forcing meaning onto suffering, thereby making it more bearable, is to rename it sacrifice and believe it integral to the divine economy. We confront the the fears that threats to life arouse in us by claiming that destruction for our own, submitting to it or performing acts of violence ourself. It is not religious belief that makes us violent, violence turns us to the intense motifs of sacrifice that are particularly expressed in religion. Considering, however, the broader context of anthropogenic violence in Encyclopedia of Wars-Charles Philips and Alan Axelrod- found of 1,800 violent conflicts throughout history, only 23 of them were religious.
“There isn’t much precedent in Islamic tradition for suicide terrorism. Modern suicide terrorism became a political force with the atheistic anarchist movement that began at the end of the 19th century”-Atran (see also If You’re Not Religious Is Nothing Sacred?)
“Fictive Kinship”-living as if related-is served well by a belief in a (monotheistic) deity. Sacred values have an important functional hold over us.
Quite a passionate discussion above. Much will depend I guess on Mr Shearer’s big speech on 27 January that Chris Hipkins is hosting. The word is it will have another big policy announcement.
Thank you Matthew for the update from Party Central.
This is at the Young Labour hosted Summer School. It is in Trevor’s electorate rather than Chris Hipkin’s, I suspect.
Where: Brookfield Scout Camp, 562 Moores Valley Road, Wainuiomata
(only 40mins from Khandallah)
When: Friday 25 January – Sunday 27 January
You can contact Young Labour at summerschool@younglabour.org.nz. Find out more and register now at younglabour.org.nz/summer-school.
All paid up members are welcome. It will be a great time for all the Labour Party membership to build on the good work started at the November Conference.
Book your Air NZ flights now if you are from the regions. Auckland -Wellington return under $200.
Clare Curran will buy drinks for anyone who says they read The Standard regularly.
Matthew we have heard this “next big speech” talk for more than a year now, and the guy remains as opaque as he ever was. It is as if party central is taking its cues from North Korea.
Yeah, showing up there smooching the Rogernomes will be a better look than fishing for clients among the Neo-Nazis and racists at the Marlborough Sounds Symposia who inspired Anders Brevik, won’t it, Hoots?
Just an addendum, but I think that there’s a very interesting post that could be written on Matthew Hooton’s very dirty clients if someone could do the digging…
No doubt there are some aspects he wants hidden very deeply indeed.
Looking at all the above I am guessing that this will be keys GO TO place when he wants to feel good and confident about his chances of winning next election. I can see where he is gettin g his material from to stir up the Shearer/Cunliffe divide. Does’t even have to try,it’s all there ready and waiting.
The material comes from the ABCs.
NZ’s Incumbent Politicians Hell-bent on Encumbrance
Gee, why am I not surprised? Perhaps it’s because NAct set up the whole lot as a wealth siphon that takes taxpayer money and gives it to their rich mates.
The simple reality is that if we hadn’t sold off Telecom and went for competition we’d be a hell of a lot better off (~$17b worth), we’d already have FttH to most of the countries population and telecommunications would be a hell of a lot cheaper than they are.
If Chorus’s profits drop so does its share price which will allow an overseas buyer into the market in purchasing Chorus for a knock down price – then you will see what it costs to repair phone lines – payable in Yuan.
This country needs a climate change Churchill not a climate change Chamberlain.
Te Reo Putake claims that there will be a unanimous caucus vote in support of David Shearer in February, which will prevent the membership from having their say.
For this to happen even David Cunliffe would have to vote for David Shearer.
Even if he is the only one to do so, Cunliffe should vote against him.
If he does, he will eventually triumph.
The Market and Mother Nature
http://www.dailycamera.com/opinion-columnists/ci_22349392
from Scientific American
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2013/01/10/what-will-it-take-to-solve-climate-change/
Out of Africa
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/tobacco-farms-drive-major-deforestation-in-tanzania
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=43417&Cr=deforestation&Cr1=#.UPDVvPIp2mQ
Smoke Those Trees (no filters)
Plus the fact I seem to piss my money away.
Mcflock,
I just wanted to let you know that I tried out a few of the tobacco leaves that have been hanging under the house for about 8 and a half months, and it tastes just like a slightly harsher version of Camel. The reason I mention it is because you were saying that the tobacco variety I used was too bland. And it is if not cured for long enough. I may have to take it all down now. I’d hate to imagine how harsh it will be if I leave it for the entire 12 months.
*disclaimer: tobacco is very unhealthy, and it goes without saying (but I will to salve my conscience) that you’d be better off quitting, and you may well have done so.
I did quit – gardening
Interesting. I might take up growing it again.
The real fun I had was progressively destroying my crop trying different methods in a fruitless search for ideal pipe tobacco (in place of being too uncoordinated to roll a decent cigar :)). Sort of like organic alchemy.
I would suggest taking it down and blending with this year’s crop, but I fear you have followed too much of my horticulture speculation already
Good idea!
i do a mix, well cured leaves that i grow are pretty much cigar material in terms of taste,but if you mix in the smaller leaves which seem to have less of the active ingredients in them and/or some of the half cured leaves you get a blend thats slightly harsh but still a nice smoke,
i am hard out at the moment pulling plants that have basically done their dash and cutting bigger leaves, in my main garden fertilized for the rest of the year on my kitchen scraps i am getting some great 750cm-800cm leaves…
Hi Bad12,
I have one plant in my garden which is about 17 months old. I harvested the big leaves last year, but left a few plants in the vege garden expecting them to die. But it was a very mild winter. I pulled the rest out in spring, but thought I’d leave one to deter insects.
It’s thriving, and now I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be easier (if it would work) to keep the plants for as long as possible – keep cutting the flowers off, and reharvest the leaves every autumn.
I know that tobacco is usually grown as an annual. Have you ever kept them going and kept on harvesting? Easier than sowing seed every year. I find that the plants grow very slowly in the first few months. It would be good to be able to speed th process up a bit.
JS, yeah they will grow all yeah round even in a harsh Wellington winter, but, the babies don’t like the cold and are best planted in the first week in November,
I havn’t tried growing any as a multi year crop, just had a seed get away and germinate, but, the literature i have read says that the second time round the foliage gets smaller than the 8 sets of big leaves to be expected for the first crop,
I grew 20 in the first year and that wasn’t enough for a years supply, 40 the next year and still not enough, 60 last year and run out in October, LOLZ insanity took over this year and i have grown a s**t-load,
I start my seeds under lights in August/ September, separate them at about a inch high and use the lights on them untill they start blocking the light from one another and then put them on the windowsills untill it’s warm enough to plant them out, (November),
So this years from planting to pulling the ones that are starting to yellow,(they have used all the food in the soil),and flower,(really only need a couple of plants for seeds),is a pretty fast 10 weeks, and, i think that the clever plants have subtracted the weeks they spent on the window sills as part of the life-span cos while this years are far more productive and better quality they haven’t grown as tall as last years,
A really clever ‘tool’ for hanging them is to straighten out paper clips leaving the hook in one end and a V in the other, i’ve got my garden shed strung with strings across the roof inside and it can take a couple of hundred pairs of leaves at a time, the strings i set about 10cm, 4 inches apart, i am getting good smokable leaves after 3 weeks but not all of them dry out and brown up at the same time so there’s a constant sorting going on which isn’t hard work but is time consuming,(oh my kingdom for a sky-line),
Another tip is to use thick paper sacks to store the cut leaves in, i use paper rubbish sacks cut in half and staple the bottom of the half that needs it, paper sacks keep the leaves from becoming too unstable and if you need to dry the cut stuff the hot water cupboard or the windowsills on a sunny day are good,
If you want to dry cured leaves fast, in a paper bag on the dash board of a car in the sun works like an oven and you have to keep an eye on them coz the moisture gets sucked out of them real quick,
LOLZ if you crispy critter them like i did to a bag full of slightly wet but cured leaf the other day they can be fixed by tossing in half a dozen wet leaves overnight, it’s amazing to see leaves so dry that they could turn to dust overnight become soft and able to be handled again…
Wow.
Thanks for all this advice.
I have mine hanging in a similar fashion, using the green wire gardening twine hooked through the thick stem into spaced loops in the wire across the shed.
Do you have any tips for speeding up the looping/hooking/hanging process? Takes forever!
Still with tobacco at $35 for 30 grams, it’s worth the effort.
Get a good mate to help you with it for a portion of the end result haha
By the way, tobacco makes an excellent complementary community currency, bypassing the mainstream banker controlled economy.
My mates disapprove
Ummm, are you pairing the leaves together, the advice is to pair the leaves with the center stems facing each other,
If you have bunches of leaves on one wire it might slow down the drying, i am lucky to have cleaned up what is quite a big area i have under the house,it’s about 4 times the area of a shed and i have that rigged with the same set up as the shed to be able to hook my pairs of leaves on,
LOLZ, the disgusting wet muddy s**t i dug out of there is actually my main garden in a raised bed made from shipping pallets which both the Ware Whare and Bunning’s give away here,(for fire-wood snigger), i systematically work my way up and down the garden over the 9 months i am not growing anything feeding it the kitchen scraps, ash from the ashtray, and bits of paper like shopping receipts and rolly paper packets,
Theres no effort in digging the garden that way as once a week i just dig a spade wide trench across it, dump in the scraps,add a small bucket of compost and hey presto utter crap soil is pumping my plants so hard out that everytime i look at it i have a bit of a giggle,
But i digress, back to hanging leaves, when my shed is full, i first run my pairs of leaves through the basement area which isn’t quite warm enough to cure them but allows them to get to that stage where they fold in on themselves,
While that happens i am checking in the shed for leaves that are near cured and moving them closest to the door, as i move them closer to the door and as space becomes available i rotate the rest of the leaves around the shed,
It’s something i do about twice a week, i don’t know how your shed sits in relation to the Sun,mine has a warm side facing the sun, so when the leaves come out from the basement they go into the shed on the un-sunny side,(the roof of the shed gets full sun), and i then rotate them round the shed as i take the cured stuff out,
Most of my cured stuff is still wet but brown when i take it out of the shed as it sucks in moisture from the less cured leaves that are constantly arriving in the shed, thats why i use the paper bag method of giving the leaves a final dry,
To use the paper bag method i first strip out the center stem,(they get buried with the kitchen scraps), i then give the leaves a first cut by squeezing a bunch in one hand and cutting them as thin as possible with the scissors,
It’s easy then to put a paper bag of cut but still damp stuff in the hot water cupboard, on a window sill in the sun, (with the curtains closed works best),or if some real heat is necessary, on the dash board of the car in a sunny spot, (gotta check them every half hour if you use the paper bag of cut stuff on the cars dashboard method tho, it doesn’t take em long to crispy critter,
LOLZ, only 30 grams, my addiction is atrocious, i have been smoking 2, 50 gram packets for the past 40 odd years,
The legal aspects as i understand them are that it is ILLEGAL to either sell or give what you have grown away, and, my reading of the law says that you can grow enough to provide YOU with 15KG of cut and smokable leaves in any year…
Ahh didn’t know that. Nevertheless, unless they get the mainstream economy more inclusive, people will do what people will do to survive.
Aha, as the anti-smoking fanatics have all agreed, to make a smoke-free New Zealand via the current means would have a packet of tobacco costing 100 bucks by the time those fools have finished it’s pretty much a forgone conclusion that a black market will become established,
I can tell you now that tobacco as a bush crop has a greater range of growing areas than dope as tobacco doesn’t need a full sun enviroment to grow leaves, where-as dope does to grow heads,
From what i have been told the stuff,(tobacco), can be found growing wild all over the far North…
Lol.
What gave me the idea (which percolated as the price went steadily up) was the old man’s neighbour dug up his entire back quarter-acre section and grew tobacco, in South Auckland, about ten years ago. Must have been a heavy smoker:-D
It broke down cultural barriers between neighbours, as my father was a keen gardener at the time, and was fascinated by watching the wholesale cropping of a back yard. I asked my father if it was legal to grow, and he said it was legal to grow – illegal to sell.
I take a bit of comfort at the extent of your habit. Sometimes I feel guilty about smoking about 30 grams a week!
Btw, I hang each leaf from a separate “hook” on a separate loop. One of the reasons it takes so damn long.
You’ve given me lots of new ideas to experiment with.
Thank you and bon apetit – or whatever the smoking equivalent is:-)
God don’t ever let anyone including yourself ‘guilt trip’ you over smoking, it’s an addiction and you were hooked after the first pack,
I am not so sure that hanging them separately would slow down the drying process, in theory it should speed it up, maybe my having a ‘mass’ of leaves in the shed at one time traps the heat of the Sun, does your shed get all day sun on at least it’s roof???,
I have found that leaving the door of the shed closed most of the time speeds the process a little bit and even when i leave the door open it’s only by 50 odd mm’s,
LOLZ, i have taken over a dead and weed infested piece of the HousingNZ estate and have a series of raised garden boxes down there as well, HousingNZ are planning on building on it at some stage but untill then i have done what all good colonizing white boys do and simply moved in on the basis of ‘they are not using it’, now where have i heard that before LOLZ,
Taking the cost out of the addiction leaves me with the money to provide a good diet across the whole range of foods where growing a vege garden would have left me with the cost of the addiction and little better off…
Let’s face it – vegetable growing is a hobby which barely covers costs and in a bad season – not even that.
There is an untended reserve over the fence. I’ve been working on the soil which is horrendusly alkaline due to decades of home fire ash being chucked over….
Those looking for a milder smoke should favour the lower leaves on the plant.
Advanced manufacturing: How to make a nuclear submarine
Not that I am advocating that NZ does this, obviously. But this conveys how much knowledge and expertise is required to successfully do “high tech, high value” manufacturing. Bringing NZ to this point is a generational project, and our short term political outlook can’t achieve it.
Yep, seen it a while back and loved it… agree that we shouldn’t be/couldn’t be doing that, but it serves to show how much an industry is tied up with a town.
These are real people, learning real skills in real trades and if that industry is shut down because some bean-counter decides to outsource it, then those people see their futures end and the community dies.
So when we hear that a paper mill is shutting down a line, then look at this and see how an industry supports the real aspirations (not Key’s “ashperayshums”) and livelihoods of a community.
All of Key’s and Shearer’s talk of “outsourcing” as a road to economy? Look at the real costs of “economy”.
Watch this documentary, and if you’re uncomfortable thinking about warships, then think about towns dependent on paper mills, meat works and refrigerator manufacturers.
You got to hand it to the Brits, you can see how they managed to keep an Empire going for so long, and how – amazingly – they have kept going with some pride even after the end of their Empire. Not every post-Imperial power can boast such a feat.
Cameron is a nasty bit of work. His economic policies were even more destructive than John Keys, and those big riots were not accident; rather the result of his brutal austerity measures. The UK govt steals from the poor to give to the rich, kind of the reverse of Robin Hood.
He is no friend of New Zealanders, his government introduced immigration measures that put an end to decades of OE’s.