Open mike 13/02/2015

Written By: - Date published: 6:45 am, February 13th, 2015 - 150 comments
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150 comments on “Open mike 13/02/2015 ”

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  1. Morrissey 1
    13 February 2015 at 6:54 am

    Not Phillip Hammond: Some Decent Englishmen
    No. 1: TONY BENN

    The vile and hypocritical public utterances of the British Foreign Secretary might lead some people to wonder if every British public figure is as despicable. In fact, there ARE decent and honorable English men and women—sadly, not enough of them are in politics. This series is to pay tribute to some of the good, decent English people out there, the antitheses of Blair, Mandelson, Campbell, Freedland, Duncan Smith, Heseltine, Hain, Straw and all those who make the very word “England” a curse to so many around the world.

    Tony Benn to BBC “If you wont broadcast the Gaza appeal then I will myself”

      • Morrissey 1.1.1
        13 February 2015 at 7:17 am

        There are many people like him in Britain. The furious denunciation, intimidation and scorn they have to endure is immense, as we saw in the Stalinist Show Trial that took place in London last week….

        • Paul 1.1.1.1
          13 February 2015 at 7:19 am

          Galloway is a brave man peaking against a powerful establishment.

          3. Russell Brand
          4. Dennis Skinner

          • Colonial Rawshark 1.1.1.1.1
            13 February 2015 at 1:45 pm

            I still find it odd that Galloway backed the Tories and Labour speaking against Scottish independence.

            • swordfish 1.1.1.1.1.1
              13 February 2015 at 5:32 pm

              Galloway set out his argument in broad terms in a (Newsnight Scotland) TV debate with veteran socialist Labour-turned-SNP politician, Jim Sillars. Here’s a few excerpts…

              Galloway: (In reply to Sillars) “But there are no Scottish State interests. This is the fundamental flaw at the heart of nationalism. The bus driver in Bathgate has far more in common with the bus driver in Bradford than with the man that owns the bus he drives, who happens to be the biggest donor to SNP coffers and the biggest funder of the Yes campaign……When Jim was a champion of the miners in Ayrshire, he had everything in common with the miners in Durham and nothing in common with the Yule and Dodds drivers who were scabbing on the miners strike, even though they were Scottish. This is a fundamental flaw in the nationalist argument.”

              Panel Journalist: “But when we look at the political make-up of the UK it’s fair to say the Conservatives and UKIP are more popular in England than here in Scotland. Isn’t there an argument for an independent Scotland being a social beacon for the rest of the UK ?”

              Galloway: “But it wouldn’t be. This nonsense on stilts is, Jim, what people are voting for, it’s for a currency union with the Treasury in London…..You wouldn’t be independent at all. You’d be entirely dependent on the fiscal/monetary policies set in the Treasury and in the Bank of England, the clue being in the name. What would happen though, and it’s already been announced by the SNP – a 3% cut in the taxation on private company profit.”

              Panel Journalist: “But, could it not be argued that a Yes vote in Scotland would be a seismic shift across these islands that could lead to political change and benefit in the way that you would like to see – the people of Merseyside and these other areas that you mention ?”

              Galloway: “Well, it would certainly be a shock !!! And a shock just like the one Mrs Thatcher introduced, laying waste to the Scottish industrial heartland which has never recovered. For example, when there are no MoD orders for the Clyde shipyards – the job loss will be the equivalent of the job loss at Linwood when the motor manufacturers pulled out of there. (The SNP) have made it clear, it would be a free market, low-tax – 3% cut in corporation tax……(To Jim Sillars) You know that, in the Labour heartland that we both come from, people are deeply sceptical about Alex Salmond and the kind of politics he represents…….We are both Socialists and we’re arguing about what the best way for the working people in this Country is. Now my view is that the working people are all. I care nothing for Scottish landowners, Scottish company owners, Scottish billionaires. I have nothing in common with them other than I was born on the same piece of rock, which is of singularly less importance to me than the relationship to wealth and power.”

              • Colonial Rawshark …
                13 February 2015 at 5:41 pm

                Right, thanks for this…I do agree with Galloway on one thing…the currency union with the UK would’ve been a big big mistake. Without the ability to issue your own money, issue your own debt, control your own interest rates and foreign exchange rates, you really are just a dependent province, not an independent state.

  2. Morrissey 2
    13 February 2015 at 6:59 am

    80 British Politicians Express Solidarity with Venezuela
    Telesur, 12 February 2015

    One hundred leading British figures, including 82 parliamentarians, have expressed their solidarity with Venezuela against right-wing destabilizing tactics and U.S. intervention.

    On the anniversary of last year’s wave of right-wing violent and anti-democratic protests that left 43 people dead and 800 injured, the politicians signed a statement condemning the sectors “whose declared aim is the ousting of the elected government.”

    Prestigious signatories include four former government ministers, while in total representatives of seven parties backed the call.

    The signatories express agreement with bodies such as the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) in “both condemning the ongoing wave of anti-democratic violence from extreme elements of Venezuela’s right-wing opposition … and in supporting the calls of Venezuela’s elected President Nicolas Maduro for peace and dialogue.”

    The statement also expresses opposition to U.S. meddling, backing the Organization of American States in its call for “respect for the principle of non intervention in the internal affairs of states, and therefore disagree with all external interference, including through U.S. sanctions on Venezuela.” ….

    Read more….
    http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/80-British-Politicians-Express-Solidarity-with-Venezuela-20150212-0015.html

      • tricledrown 2.1.1
        13 February 2015 at 8:50 am

        lost sheep shagger So they are on par with the US torturing,Murdocracy Media.

        • The lost sheep 2.1.1.1
          13 February 2015 at 9:02 am

          Not on a par according to these organisations. Worse.

          I see Human Rights Watch has posted a further warning today regarding the Venezuelan Governments permitting use of force by the military to suppress protest.

          http://www.hrw.org/news/2015/02/12/venezuela-new-military-authority-curb-protests

          So forgetting the silly sheep jokes Tricle – how about you answer the question…..what do you think of the human rights and press freedom issues in Venezuela?

          Morrissey?

          • tricledrown 2.1.1.1.1
            13 February 2015 at 9:58 am

            The Cia is not fermenting unrest in South America then Sheep Shagger.
            The Guardian published evidence that roght wing groups are being funded to ferment unrest in Venezuela.
            The very same right winger who are pushing the War on drugs.
            But are happy to have corrupt right wing politicians funded by the drug cartels!The Drug cartels don’t want the war on drugs to end as it is feeding demand in Venezuela the drug cartels run most of the suburbs.
            Thats why Venezuela has a very high murder rate.
            The right wingers are in the pockets of the Drug Cartels.
            They don’t want left wing governments decriminalizing it would take away their income.
            Argentina a prosecutor is murdered for trying to put a corrupt right wing politician on trial CIA drug money again.
            I don’t know if you watched sons of anarchy but its underlying story was about US corruption the Drug trade gun trade.
            The guns and money come from the US
            The Drugs come from South America.
            Decriminalizing all Drugs would do what getting rid of prohibition did in the 30’s.
            The CIA have been tethered to the drug trade since George HW Bush as head of the CIA used a $200 million cocaine deal for the Iran Contra deal as the CIA could not gey funding from Congress.

            • The lost sheep 2.1.1.1.1.1
              13 February 2015 at 10:09 am

              You have avoided the question once again Tricle. (And MORRISSEY doesn’t want to make any comment either?)

              Can you please give me a straight reply?

              What do you think of the human rights and press freedom issues in Venezuela?
              Do you think the ‘opposition and interference’ justifies the governments erosion of human rights and press freedoms as documented by independent and credible NGO’s?

              • Colonial Rawshark …
                13 February 2015 at 1:47 pm

                What do you think about the USA wanting to see the last of Chavez’ government fail, and actively working to return millions of Venezuelans to poverty in order to do it?

                Frankly, Venezuela has a far freer media environment than the USA has so what the fuck are you bitching about?

                • Tim Holmes …
                  14 February 2015 at 3:09 am

                  Okay, so the US, where mentalists claim freely that 9/11 was framed, are unfree, compared to any non-state Venezuelans are supes free and can have sweet yarns are free. Idiot. CV, you’ve jumped the shark

          • Murray Rawshark 2.1.1.1.2
            13 February 2015 at 10:10 am

            HRW is heavily connected to the establishment of the US and A. The “human rights” they are most concerned about are the rights to make a buck. They would support the rights of Sly City against the Kiwi people.

            Why the hell should the Venezuelan government allow an anti-democratic media to subvert their democracy? I think they’re too lenient.

            • The lost sheep 2.1.1.1.2.1
              13 February 2015 at 10:50 am

              Amnesty International and Reporters without Borders are RW lackeys also MR?

              And you support the right of governments to suppress human rights and press freedom if they consider ‘democracy’ is threatened?

              So who decides whether the threat exists and such suppression is justified? The government itself?, or some other body like….?

              And would you be happy for that principle to apply in NZ?

              • Murray Rawshark …
                13 February 2015 at 11:09 am

                That principle already does apply in NZ. Look at what happens to journalists who threaten FJK’s “democracy”. What about the poaka campaign against Nicky Hager? Bradley Ambrose?

                Go for a walk. Remember your gumboots.

                • The lost sheep …
                  13 February 2015 at 12:11 pm

                  Nonsense MR.
                  Show me any credible source that puts NZ and Venezuela’s human rights and press freedom ratings on an equal footing?

                  I’ll make it even easier for you. Show me any organisation that doesn’t put NZ among the best 10% of countries and Venezuela among the worst 30%?

                  And you think no one noticed that you completely avoided the inconvenient questions I asked?

                  • Murray Rawshark …
                    13 February 2015 at 3:39 pm

                    Should the Weimar Republic have arrested Julius Streicher and dumped Der Spiegel’s printing presses in the Baltic? Yes. That’s what Maduro’s government is facing, and I think they’re stupidly lenient.

                    • The lost sheep …
                      13 February 2015 at 3:57 pm

                      And you think no one noticed that you completely avoided the inconvenient questions I asked?

                      But nice fantasy about government suppression of free speech.
                      Brings to mind an image of freshly polished jack boots.

              • tricledrown …
                13 February 2015 at 11:18 am

                Lost sheep you are reporting only half the story Venezuelan Right Wing fascist dictatoships held power for most of the last century.
                They shared power at one stage.
                Then Chavez took power only to be overthrown then he won power back.
                Now Maduro has power.
                Their is a slow burning civil war in Venezuela.
                The Human rights abuses And corruption have continued right througout the Venzuelan history nothing new.

                • The lost sheep …
                  13 February 2015 at 12:18 pm

                  Thanks for acknowledging the human rights abuses and corruption of the past and current Venezuelan Govts. Tricle.

                  That is the other half of the story that doesn’t get mentioned by people like Morrissey who regularly post pro Venezuelan government material here.
                  And those same pro Venezuelan govt. people here seem to be totally unwilling to address these issues.

                  Would that be because they are willing to excuse levels of corruption and abuse in a Socialist country that they would not accept in a Capitalist one?

                  Or is it that admitting that Socialist Governments can be just as abusive and corrupt as any other doesn’t fit with the narrative that Socialism would eliminate such issues?

                  I don’t see why we should support any country that has such a poor record on human rights and press freedoms. And I think the implication that it is somehow ‘justified’ by ‘opposition’ is the most frighteningly corrupt concept of all.

                  • Colonial Rawshark …
                    13 February 2015 at 1:50 pm

                    You’re full of imperialist shit. The US would like nothing more for a puppet military dictatorship to take over Venezuela and let Exxon Mobil back in to grab billions of barrels of Venezuelan oil while making sure the people of the country get nothing, while the Venezuelan elite class get paid off.

                    That’s what they tried to do to Chavez a few years back, and that is what they will try to do again.

                  • Gosman …
                    13 February 2015 at 1:58 pm

                    I think the reason is that many leftist can never acknowledge the downsides of their vision for a new society. They only see upsides and anyone who objects us obviously delusional or out for their own ends or both. What this means is when presented with hard evidence of the failure of regimes imposing a system that reflects their views they tend to blame external forces fir the problems not the policies they themselves support. It is a firm of cognitive dissonance on the left which I find truly fascinating. CO’S reply to you above this is a good example if this in action. Most of Venezuela’s problems are the result of actions of the US. This explains away everything nasty or economically illiterate that the Chavezta regime does.

                    • thatguynz …
                      13 February 2015 at 2:00 pm

                      Really Gos? So has there been either now or any time in the past, any form of “influence” or meddling in Venezuela’s government by the United States? A simple yes or no will suffice.

                    • Gosman …
                      13 February 2015 at 2:12 pm

                      Rather irrelevant because the impact of any meddling by the US is dwarfed by the negative impact of the policies that the Venezuela government has decided to impose on that poor nation’s citizens. What I do find interesting is that people like you try to blame the US for actions by Venezuelan’s that any rational acting person would do given the circumstances email e.g. stopping selling items that have price controls on them.

                    • thatguynz …
                      13 February 2015 at 2:26 pm

                      A simple yes or no will suffice.

                    • thatguynz …
                      16 February 2015 at 10:55 am

                      No response as expected.

                  • Molly …
                    13 February 2015 at 3:17 pm

                    Even on your own link the sentence “Venezuela’s traditional media, which are dominated by a few privately-owned publishing companies, are currently undergoing profound structural change.” should have stood out.

                    The privately owned media have never supported the democratically elected left leaders of Venezuela.

                    Many private radio and television stations utilised without license, some of the public broadcasting bands and when those bands were reclaimed by the Chavez government – they used their predominance to claim suppression of the press.

                    The reality is that the majority of media in Venezuela is still privately owned and still anti-government.

                    HRW does not have credibility.

                    • The lost sheep …
                      13 February 2015 at 3:29 pm

                      How about Reporters without Borders Molly?
                      Or Amnesty International?
                      Are they credible?

                      And are you implying that Government should exercise control over the media?

                    • Gosman …
                      13 February 2015 at 4:25 pm

                      I do believe that is what she is implying.

                    • Molly …
                      13 February 2015 at 7:31 pm

                      No, I’m saying that the premise that the government is controlling the media is negated by your own link:
                      “Venezuela’s traditional media, which are dominated by a few privately-owned publishing companies…”

                      To say that the state is not allowing dissenting views is incorrect.

                      Most of the airtime is given to anti-government commentary. Most of the anti-government reports are the ones picked up by international media who have the same ideology.

                      That is not to say there is no corruption or need for improvement. That occurs in every country.

                      I wonder if you raised the same freedom of press concerns regarding the police going after Bradley Ambrose, the dismissal of Malcolm Evans due to his cartoon on the Israeli occupation, the Defence Force dismissing Jon Stephenson’s articles even when they knew they were accurate, and the police investigation into Nicky Hager.

                    • The lost sheep …
                      13 February 2015 at 9:46 pm

                      Some fair points there Molly, that I’m happy to answer. But before I do, I’d appreciate you answering the straightforward questions I asked you first?
                      I only do so, because they are very relevant to how I answer your further questions..

                      “How about Reporters without Borders?
                      Or Amnesty International?
                      Are they credible?

                      And are you implying that Government should exercise control over the media?”

                    • Molly …
                      13 February 2015 at 11:12 pm

                      Lost Sheep. Spent some time looking into HRW a couple of years ago, and found the funding behind was particularly dodgy and so was some of the advocacy and criticisms they did – which is why I commented on them in particular.

                      Briefly looked at Reporters without Borders and immediately came across the Wikipedia entry that claims pro US bias when reporting countries – including Venezuela.

                      Amnesty International also has received merited criticism for bias.

                      My feeling is, that you cannot fully rely on any institution to give completely accurate and trustworthy reports unless all monies and associations of that entity are transparent.

                      The issue with Venezuelan media still stands. The majority is anti-government and often virulently so. The attempted coup against Chavez had been proposed and supported by those privately run stations, and this was an democratically elected government. Images were deliberately shot and presented during that coup that misled the viewing public – and international media.

                      It is incorrect to say that there is a full out war on dissenting voices in the media there, when the majority of media is still operating and speaking out against the elected government.

                      Now, are you going to answer regarding NZ authorities persecution of members of our own press?

                    • ropata:rorschach …
                      14 February 2015 at 2:22 am

                      gosman and lost sheep’s obsession with Venezuela = grasping at straws to defend their rotten capitalist ideology, which has been pillaging the world for most of the last century.

                      Reagan and Thatcher threw out all the rules, took away democracy and handed sovereignty to the new economic elite.

                      Shame on LS and Gos for trying to defend a global crime that has caused untold suffering.

                    • The lost sheep …
                      14 February 2015 at 8:48 am

                      @Molly
                      I’m a great believer in Trotsky’s rule that you will find the truth in a comparison of the lies. Which I am keen to discuss in light of the comments you make.
                      But before I comment further, can you state your sources of credible information for the situation in Venezuela?

                      I also believe that debate is a process of point and counter point. With a crucial aspect being that you answer a fair point that was put to you before you move on to further questions of your own.

                      So can you please answer the question I have already put to you twice….

                      “are you implying that Government should exercise control over the media?”

                      It’s a straight forward question that should be very easy for you to answer.

                    • Molly …
                      14 February 2015 at 11:07 am

                      The Lost Sheep.

                      “But before I comment further, can you state your sources of credible information for the situation in Venezuela?”

                      I’m going to say “No.” Despite my initial comment making reference to “one of your own links” you keep asking me to jump through hoops to find links that you feel comfortable with before you will even discuss the topic.

                      That is your job.

                      You can then disagree with any points I make and then defineyour own opinion on it, not someone else’s cut and paste.

                      Do you really think that commenters who disagree with you must necessarily perform a series of jumping through your own self-created hoops, before you enter into dialogue?

                      I read up to ten to fifteen books a week – advantages of not watching TV. Some resonate, some don’t. I’m not keeping a book list so that I can feed the gratuitous needs of someone like you. If I come across any websites that I like, I will take time to check out the sources and funding for them before adding to my bookmarks. I watch documentaries online and critique them with my children. Very rarely do I find sources that I agree with unequivocally.

                      I don’t live in such a rarified state, that I think that is possible or even desirable.

                      Everything is up for debate, but only if during that debate you are providing good reasoning or quality new information.

                      You have done neither. I doubt your sincerity.

                    • The lost sheep …
                      14 February 2015 at 5:15 pm

                      @Molly
                      You talk about everything being up for debate – but you are not going to answer straight forward questions simply put, and you refuse to post a single credible source to counter either the information I provided, or to back the concrete assertions you made?

                      Those are the actions of someone completely unwilling to engage in genuine debate.
                      You know very well that you can’t sustain any sensible comparison between the situation in NZ and the one in Venezuela, and so you are refusing to engage.

                      I’ve seen the Venezuela situation all before, and in fact this is exactly why I am an ex communist /socialist.
                      Govt comes to power on a strong ideology that is going to create a nirvana. Things don’t work out that way. Govt starts to blame outside interference. Things continue to go wrong so Govt starts to try and control information exposing that. Some of the people start to object to ideology. Govt links them to outside interference. Govt tries stronger methods to control ‘outside interference’, even when that actually involves controlling citizens. Legislation changes occur. The judiciary are subjugated. Violence starts occurring. All internal opposition is defined as outside interference and defense of the ideology is linked with the defense of the Country . The military are increasingly used as a control mechanism.
                      That’s about where Venezuela is now, and I’m just amazed that some of you who set such high standards for govt behavior here in NZ are willing to be apologists for a govt behaving in a way you would never accept here.

                      It goes downhill badly from here of course.
                      The next stage is when the Govt decides protection of the ideology is synonymous with the interests of ‘The State / The People’, and democracy is deemed to be a barrier.
                      In Venezuela this will be circumvented however. The Military will intervene at the point they lose patience with the political situation. Out of the frying pan etc.

                    • Colonial Rawshark …
                      14 February 2015 at 5:27 pm

                      All the things you talk about, destruction of a free press, corruption of the judiciary, puppet politicians using violent and totalitarian means to control its population – that is what the USA has become, and what the USA encourages in the creation of servile client states.

                      Keep in mind that having Venezuela (and its oil) at the beck and call of US oil majors is exactly what the USA wants.

                      On the other hand, Venezuela has lifted millions of its poorest citizens on to the rungs of the middle classes, and the 1%’ers cannot tolerate that.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      14 February 2015 at 5:37 pm

                      “…straight forward questions simply put,”

                      That’s a joke. Leading questions liberally adorned with fishhooks.

                      Oh, and Molly answered your question at 7:31 pm yesterday.

                      “No…”

      • greywarshark 2.1.2
        13 February 2015 at 1:12 pm

        Why can’t you let a good comment stand alone lost sheep?
        Why have to dumb down Morrisey’s one about something positive with your spiteful, denigrating comparisons? You really are trying to ram your RW attitudes down our throats.

        We want to be able to honour and admire people of worth. They can be admired for what they have achieved even if everything about them, and in the world isn’t perfect.
        edited

        • Colonial Rawshark 2.1.2.1
          13 February 2015 at 1:51 pm

          Apparently Shit Sheep the Right Winger is now so very concerned about human rights abuses and press freedoms. Typical two faced dick. Never heard him speaking out for Snowden, Assange or Manning, incidentally.

          • The lost sheep 2.1.2.1.1
            13 February 2015 at 2:22 pm

            You have never heard me express any opinion about many things CR. But don’t let that stop you making wild speculations about what I actually believe in!

            • Colonial Rawshark 2.1.2.1.1.1
              13 February 2015 at 2:57 pm

              Did you speak out for Nicky Hager? Or Bradley Ambrose? Or Andrea Vance? Did you criticise the police raid on TV3?

              Or is your current fascination with press freedom some new found fling you’ve just decided to adopt?

              • The lost sheep …
                13 February 2015 at 3:08 pm

                Had a consistent concern for press freedom and human rights issues, where ever they occur, since 1967.

                • phillip ure …
                  13 February 2015 at 7:44 pm

                  what happened in 1967..?

                  • The lost sheep …
                    13 February 2015 at 9:43 pm

                    er…..i that is the first time i can remember being politically aware Phillip.
                    That first awareness was the realisation of the possibility of being conscripted into the Vietnam war….

                    • phillip ure …
                      13 February 2015 at 10:03 pm

                      so..you didn’t want to go..i am presuming..

                      ..but as a rightwinger..

                      ..you wd b all gung-ho for this latest spear-carrier job..?

                      ..or did you want to go and stop the yellow peril in vietnam..

                      ..i mean..if not us..who..?..eh..?

                      ..i mean..that was the yellow-peril..

                      ..our political-masters told us if we didn’t go there to stop them..

                      ..the dominos wd fall..and they wd invade us here in nz..

                      ..that was a total crock of shit then..

                      ..and groundhog-day alert..!

                      ..those arguments..(most recently pushed by trp..)

                      ..are still a total crock of shit..

          • Gosman 2.1.2.1.2
            13 February 2015 at 2:42 pm

            I’ve never seen you rail against Japanese occupation policy in Indochina between 1941 and 1945. That doesn’t mean you support their actions does it?

        • The lost sheep 2.1.2.2
          13 February 2015 at 2:18 pm

          Morrissey and others declined to discuss human rights and press freedom issues in Venezuela last time I raised the issue, on the basis i had diverted from the topic in hand at the time.
          I said I would bring it up next time someone raised Venezuela specifically, and so i have.

          Every day here many people raise issues of human rights and press freedom in countries such as NZ or Britain or the USA, and this is universally considered to be a completely valid and vitally important thing to do?

          So how does it work that questioning freedom and rights issues in Venezuela is seen as “spiteful, denigrating comparisons……trying to ram your RW attitudes down our throats.”?

          Surely we should question such things openly and freely where ever they occur?

          It seems to me there is a major double standard here greywarshark. The implication is clearly that some people here set a lower standard of democratic behavior for a country that is Socialist than they would accept from countries of other ideologies?
          And they would rather I didn’t bring up such inconvenient matters here on TS. Perhaps they would prefer such ‘opposition’ to be suppressed?

          • greywarshark 2.1.2.2.1
            13 February 2015 at 4:25 pm

            @ the lost sheep
            Baaa. Concern troll. I vill overwhelm you with my sanctimonious speech of reason about whatever subject I choose to disconnect discussion on in the threads I join.

            • The lost sheep 2.1.2.2.1.1
              13 February 2015 at 4:42 pm

              “concern troll” is just another mechanism for avoiding fronting up to straightforward but inconvenient points.

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                14 February 2015 at 7:06 pm

                Lost Sheep rehabilitates Lord Haw-Haw, because it’s all about the freedom of the press.

  3. Paul 3
    13 February 2015 at 7:18 am

    If you want evidence that the Herald is nothing other than a rag designed to propagandise the vile nightmares of the 0.1%, this article about some U.S. finance operator, who made his billions in Russia in the 1990s, (wonder how?!) , claims Reagan as his hero, took part in the recent Davos conference at which Key attended and now wants to impose on this country his nightmarish views on education.
    Obviously having destroyed their own nation, and realising Americans might just rise up against their corporatocracy, these criminals are moving to places like NZ and aiming to continue the pillage they started in the 1980s. Monetising education . They see the price of everything and the value of nothing.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11401132

    And as for the Herald.
    If you buy it, you should divest now.

    • Murray Rawshark 3.1
      13 February 2015 at 10:15 am

      I read that article and felt sick. The guy obviously sees a quick buck in charter schools. If they come with a government gift of land and buildings that you get to keep whatever happens, I can see why. We do not need his charter schools to teach STEM subjects well. We need to attract scientifically qualified people to teaching.

    • The Murphey 3.2
      13 February 2015 at 5:04 pm

      Nz is in deep trouble

  4. Paul 4
    13 February 2015 at 7:40 am

    RNZ reports on the droughts in the South Island.

    ‘We haven’t seen these conditions before’

    I would have expected an article like this about drought to have mentioned the words ‘climate change.’ But no …RNZ sticks to the extreme weather line.

    Secondly, there is absolutely no mention of the levels of irrigation going on which would have exacerbated the problem.

    These are political decisions, RNZ, not to report either climate change or water usage by corporates.
    Who is your master?
    The people of NZ or the corporate elite.
    Sadly I think we know the answer.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/266002/'we-haven't-seen-these-conditions-before‘

    • vto 4.1
      13 February 2015 at 7:46 am

      Its not a true drought though is it – it is a poor-farming-model drought.

      If the east coast gets say 100 units of rain per year and the farming model needs 200 units of water per year then … ummmm ………

      where is the commonsense in all of this?

    • DoublePlusGood 4.2
      13 February 2015 at 11:03 am

      Haven’t seen these conditions before? Didn’t we just have a drought over much of the country a summer or two ago?

    • Colonial Rawshark 4.3
      13 February 2015 at 1:54 pm

      USA may return to mega droughts in the near future

      Whoops. I think the US will be looking to takeover Canada shortly.

      http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31434030

    • greywarshark 4.4
      13 February 2015 at 10:08 pm

      Someone said to me that there was a report that National had done some research and realised that Radionz had a bigger audience than television and they should start moving RW people into it. Has anyone heard of that. I guess it would have been 5 years or so ago.

  5. logie97 5
    13 February 2015 at 7:55 am

    Helen Clark interview – found it on BBC page.
    John Key is not in the same league when it comes to answering interviewer where his first instinct is to deny. (Except when he is vox/pop radio)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31423012

    • Rodel 5.1
      13 February 2015 at 10:01 am

      Thanks logie97
      It was good to have an intelligent (and competent) PM for 9 years.
      Imagine if she returned.

      • phillip ure 5.1.1
        13 February 2015 at 11:14 am

        if you were poor..it wasn’t..

        ..it was nine yrs of neglect/marginalisation/demonising/welfare-cuts..

        ..actions that virtually all of the ‘left’..just sat silently watching..

        ..(i’m looking @ you.!..unions..!..)

        ..aside from unite…not a peep from them…

        ..especially not the fucken engineers..eh mr little..?

        • logie97 5.1.1.1
          13 February 2015 at 12:10 pm

          phillip ure

          You may be right. However left leaning parties are still beholden to centuries of privileged order and organisation. You may be a champion of revolution but others would be prepared to get there more gradually. I guess, from your comment, that it is a matter of indifference to you whether we have a nominally left of centre government with a form of social programme or a Tory administration realigning the purse strings to the privileged undemocratic organisations.

          But on a finer point I was observing what it was (and ought to be) to have someone who is learned and articulate as a leader of a nation as opposed to a cliche driven mono-syllabic populist prick.

  6. phillip ure 6
    13 February 2015 at 8:11 am

    “..This Country Cut Drug Addiction Rates in Half – by Rejecting Criminalization..

    ..Fifteen years ago –

    – the Portuguese had one of the worst drug problems in Europe..”

    (cont..)

    http://www.alternet.org/drugs/country-cut-drug-addiction-rates-half-rejecting-criminalization

    • phillip ure 6.1
      13 February 2015 at 8:22 am

      “..How the Drug War Destroys Women’s Lives..

      ..One glance at the mass of black and brown faces locked in prison on nonviolent drug charges –

      – and it’s clear that the so-called War on Drugs has deep roots in racism.

      But what about the drug war’s impact on gender?..”

      (cont..)

      http://www.alternet.org/drugs/sexism-drug-war

    • AsleepWhileWalking 6.2
      13 February 2015 at 8:47 am

      So glad someone else is onto this. Check out what this dude has to say about the *war* on drugs. Myths exploded here:

    • tricledrown 6.3
      13 February 2015 at 10:05 am

      Prince Phil.
      Prince Charles biography has some interesting insights into hippy Prince Charles he used to ditch his body guards and sneek over to the nneighbors for a few joints and conversation.

      • phillip ure 6.3.1
        13 February 2015 at 10:12 am

        yeah..i linked to that one earlier @ whoar…

        ..it’s funny..

        ..i also found an interesting doco..

        ..a handheld camera was given to a heroin addict..

        ..for him to make a record of what life is like as a heroin-addict..

        ..(i haven’t watched it..and probably won’t..as i already know..

        ..but for others i can see the educational/awareness-benefits from watching it..

        ..because of course we must follow that portugese-model..

        ..just some med-pot is not enough..

        ..all addictions should be treated as the health-issues they are..)

  7. The Fairy Godmother 7
    13 February 2015 at 8:14 am

    What do you think about all the panic about children hit by car walking to school. Its not good the accident happened but I’m worried that children will be even more restricted in their movements as a result and how are they going to grow up and make good decisions if they have no freedom to walk up the road to school.

    • dv 7.1
      13 February 2015 at 8:31 am

      In the video it seemed to be the 10 yr old making the bad decision to run between the cars. (the 5year old followed)

      The road is a very busy road and the kids probable need some supervision though.

      • The Fairy Godmother 7.1.1
        13 February 2015 at 9:30 am

        Yes it is a very busy road but there are pedestrian crossings on that road. Its probably more that schools and parents need to talk to the children about the safe way to walk to school. I know we had those sorts of rules when I walked to school as a five year old with some of the neighbours kids. Perhaps because so many children go to school and everywhere else by car they just haven’t been taught how to be safe as a pedestrian. Oh and it doesn’t help the environment either.

  8. AsleepWhileWalking 8
    13 February 2015 at 8:43 am

    Oil prices will plunge in two or three months as global Crude Storage Capacity is maxed out. Could it be because fewer and fewer people can afford to buy it??

    http://kingworldnews.com/danger-one-heavily-watched-indicators-world-just-hit-80-year-high/

    • tricledrown 8.1
      13 February 2015 at 9:21 am

      The quantitative easing ie bailing out big caused another speculation bubble on commodities like Gold,Oil Minerals etc.
      Now the US has slowed its QE the EU is now having to start another round of QE.囧
      Because Goldman Sachs and other big banks will be the main beneficeries(Corporate Welfare recipients)they will play casino speculatiion with this money until it runs out and then their inside man (ex Goldman Sachs boss is the European treasury boss)will insist on another round.
      Greece may be the fly in the oinkment while the capital gaignsters are feeding like pig’s in the $1.8 Trillion bailout trough.
      The slippery slope created by Greece ditching the failed Austerity program could mean even more QE.
      Goldman Sachs will be rubbing their hands with glee.
      Money for nothing the perpetrators of Greece’s massive debt Goldman Sachs get money for free while the ordinary Greek people have lost jobs 27% unemployment 54% youth unemployment.
      Goldman Sachs(loan sharks) who corrupted Greek politicians and Ratings agencies to allow Greece to borrow beyond its abilities have faced no sanctions taken no resposibility and are doing exactly the same now!

    • fisiani 8.2
      13 February 2015 at 11:51 am

      Why has all the talk of Peak Oil gone silent?
      Is it like the so called manufacturing crisis which has seen rises every month for the last 13 months.

      • Colonial Rawshark 8.2.1
        13 February 2015 at 1:56 pm

        Because peak oil occurred in 2005/2006 and we are well into conventional production declines.

        What we are seeing is increasing unaffordability of oil and even economic commentators admit that lower oil prices are going to hurt the economy not help it.

        These kinds of inversions to the norm and volatility will only grow as we fall more steeply down the oil production descent curve.

    • mickysavage 9.1
      13 February 2015 at 10:05 am

      And even the NBR is turning on Key. Occasional Standard commenter Matthew Hooton has posted an article about SkyCity titled “Close to Corruption” where he neatly dissects the mess that the SkyCity deal is becoming. Well worth a read …

      http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/skycity-debacle-offers-morbid-fascination

      • Murray Rawshark 9.1.1
        13 February 2015 at 10:21 am

        Close is being kind. I can’t for the life of me see this whole Sly City business as anything but corruption. As seen all over the world, corruption and organised crime find fertile ground in casinos. FJK reminds me of Batista.

      • Skinny 9.1.2
        13 February 2015 at 12:48 pm

        There is too much double speak flowing off Hooton’s folked tongue in that NBR article. At no stage is he really taking the stick to SkyCity and he rounds it out by saying the Government has no choice but to stump up $130 million of our money. Of course that’s a fabrication of epic proportions by the slithery tongued one.

        Quite simply put in gambling terms the Government is the House and the House sets the rules and never loses. SkyCity are not in a strong bargaining position. Not if they want to keep their gambling empire operating in this country. Hooton knows this and I say he is just like Hosking and clipping the ticket. Why do I think this is because he has chosen to obmit It in the NBR article.

      • Draco T Bastard 9.1.3
        13 February 2015 at 1:05 pm

        Quoting the article:

        The procurement process for the Auckland centre was a farce and as close to corruption as we ever see in New Zealand.

        No Matthew, it was outright corruption and we’ve been seeing a lot more of it over the last few decades especially from National.

        The best option would be for the government to walk and restart the procurement process

        No, the best option would be for the government to walk and to forget even the idea of supporting the building of a convention centre. If ‘the market’ wants Auckland to have a new convention centre then ‘the market’ can damn well provide.

        The problem is that SkyCity has a guaranteed casino monopoly in Auckland and changing that would create enormous litigation risk. Beyond that, SkyCity knows too much. They have been talking privately with Mr Key and Mr Eagleson for many years. Abandoning the project would therefore create unmanageable political risk. Plus there are long-standing personal friendships to consider.

        And that’s the outright corruption of this deal.

  10. Skinny 10
    13 February 2015 at 9:34 am

    Len Brown missing in action (swanning off to Christchurch for the cricket world cup opening) over crucial reclamation vote, which saw the Right puppets narrowly win 9-8.

    I was hopeful anti reclamation lobbyist Matthew Hooton could give us his oil on the issue. Alas he may have picked up some work from POAL, which wouldn’t be a surprise considering their history of taking out opposition.

    m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11401122

    • phillip ure 10.1
      13 February 2015 at 10:21 am

      that wd be some ‘more’ work..

      ..cd that be a fiendishly-clever way for him to get spin-work..?

      ..appear here appearing to oppose something..

      ..so that those he opposes will rush to hire and thus silence him…

      ..can’t see why that wouldn’t work…

      (i am sure that tactic must be covered in ‘rapacious-capitalism for dummies’..

      ..a book i am sure he has a well-thumbed copy of..).

      • Skinny 10.1.1
        13 February 2015 at 10:48 am

        Yeah that would figure things are a bit crowded in the snake oil world of public relations, what with a few notable new entrant’s into the market, C & T etc.

        Actually my sister is learning Spanish in preparation for her annual 6 weeks winter holiday reckons she seen Hooton on campus. Apparently he is learning mandarin. Good for him up skilling and all. Though I thought he could get some lessions from Jude Collins who is fluent, hussle some business from her husband while he is at it.

        • rawshark-yeshe 10.1.1.1
          13 February 2015 at 12:34 pm

          and how do we know he is not already doing exactly that for jc and oravida etc, skinny ?

          • Skinny 10.1.1.1.1
            13 February 2015 at 12:57 pm

            Too close to an outfit viewed as corrupt, bad for business, any potential dodgy client’s wouldn’t want the GCSB looking into their affairs. Especially Chinese who know Beijing is amping up the anti on white collar crims lurking down here.

  11. Philip Ferguson 11
    13 February 2015 at 10:26 am

    Syriza is calling for solidarity as the big guns in the EU continue to put the squeeze on Greece:
    https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/syriza-calls-for-solidarity/

    Phil

    • Gosman 11.1
      13 February 2015 at 1:02 pm

      Good luck if you want to see much in the way of sympathy protests here.

      I believe the Greeks will soon real use the limitations of democracy soon enough.

      • Skinny 11.1.1
        13 February 2015 at 1:24 pm

        Your a bit behind the times Gosman, Putin has their back.

        You get the whisper the other day like I did on SkyCity shares. Nice collect on Joyce & Morrinson’s little manipulation of the market.

        • Gosman 11.1.1.1
          13 February 2015 at 1:47 pm

          Putin will soon be running short of hard currency given the collapse in the Oil price. He won’t have money to lend.

          • Colonial Rawshark 11.1.1.1.1
            13 February 2015 at 1:57 pm

            LOL give it 2 or 3 years Gossie

          • Skinny 11.1.1.1.2
            13 February 2015 at 2:34 pm

            Trade dear boy, of course Russia would be very keen on the Greeks telling the German’s whistle for their money, bit of payback in history.

            • Gosman 11.1.1.1.2.1
              13 February 2015 at 2:37 pm

              The Greeks would have to leave the EU as well as the Eurozone if they wanted to be rescued by Russia. The new Greek Government didn’t promise that and in fact stated they would stay with the Euro.

              • Skinny …
                13 February 2015 at 2:49 pm

                The new Greek leader is a kept man, he will do what Putin says if he doesn’t want to be thrown out of office.

                Where is your offsider Hooton today, I want to tear his snake oil column too bits. Let me guess…flaked out under a table of ponsonby bar, deary me you would think Jude Collins would have barked at him to eat some Tapa’s her husband put on his tab.

    • DoublePlusGood 12.1
      13 February 2015 at 2:02 pm

      So, the first page of those google results are almost all about a comedy made by trans people, with trans actors, that respects trans people’s identities and doesn’t involve misogynistic stereotypes about trans people.
      Watch some of that sort of comedy, and see how it differs from your sense of humour and you might just see what Stephanie was on about.

      • McFlock 12.1.1
        13 February 2015 at 2:06 pm

        dare I ask what fuck-useless drivel ure is trying to defend/justify now?

        • Skinny 12.1.1.1
          13 February 2015 at 2:38 pm

          Straight to the point lol.

            • Skinny 12.1.1.1.1.1
              13 February 2015 at 3:21 pm

              Sorry Phil thought Flock was replying to DPG.
              Hey I texted Percy about his hairdo, apparently he was low on tacking product for his rug.

              You could have balanced things out with a crack at Nats tricky Alfie Ngaro, I haven’t seen a comb over like that since Koro.

              • McFlock …
                13 February 2015 at 3:23 pm

                I was replying to DPG.

                That “whoosh” was just phil coughing into the bong.

                • Skinny …
                  13 February 2015 at 3:34 pm

                  Oh right, Mc Flock, careful we are being watched by the special branch. Sorry was muti tasking which I’m not much chop at, playing with tackle off fishing soon hoping to have smoke snapper for tomorrow’s cricket. Got a leave pass from the boss lady, if I get the house work done in time.

              • phillip ure …
                13 February 2015 at 3:40 pm

                @ skinny..

                ..has he tried velcro..?

                • Skinny …
                  13 February 2015 at 4:07 pm

                  No but I suggested he talk to Mc Carten, he already had, may take a while as he is currently commando. Just wondering if Key is using carpet, you know the lochs comment?

                  • phillip ure …
                    13 February 2015 at 4:23 pm

                    is mccarten the labour party comb-over maintenance-expert..?

                    ..i didn’t realise he was so multi-talented..

                    • phillip ure …
                      13 February 2015 at 4:33 pm

                      maybe you shd flick this one to parker..?

                      http://www.cracked.com/funny-2412-comb-overs/#ixzz3RamTdoY1

                      (here is the promise made..)

                      ‘Going bald? – Don’t worry!

                      As long as you still have that outer strip of hair there’s hope!

                      And nobody will ever notice!

                      Really – we promise.’

                      ..(link has great hair-disarray pics of d. trump..)

                    • phillip ure …
                      13 February 2015 at 5:00 pm

                      does mccarten ever do workshops on it..?

                    • Skinny …
                      13 February 2015 at 5:07 pm

                      Matt does what Hosking does for SkyCity by endorsing a transplant outfit.

                      That was a laugh, the comb over link, men are vain. Silly Alf Ngaro carry’s an umbrella everywhere and is seen walking the streets of Wellington on a sunny but windy day with his brolly up practically sitting aloft on his head, trying to hide his identity with hideously large blow fly sunglasses.

                    • phillip ure …
                      13 February 2015 at 5:21 pm

                      aah..!..he laid new-lawn..

                    • phillip ure …
                      13 February 2015 at 5:43 pm

                      which begs that question you raised..

                      ..if it means so much to parker..

                      ..why doesn’t he go and get some hair taken off his back/bum..

                      ..and stuck into his head..?

                      ..(he can afford it..)

                      ..i mean..imagine the maintenance/constant-stress of a serious comb-over..?

                      ..surely you’d go for the new lawn..or a number one..

                      ..as yr only options..?

                      ..the comb-over..is just ‘sad’..

                      ..no/little dignity there…

                      (yes…we’re looking @ you..foss-the-hapless..!)

                      ..and i mean..surely having d. trump as the comb-over-world icon..

                      ..must make parker ideologicaly-uneasy..?

                      ..you’d think..?

              • phillip ure …
                13 February 2015 at 5:17 pm

                ‘koro’..

                now yr talking ‘comb-over’..

                ..a titan..

                ..from memory he used the plaster/stick to the scalp approach..

                ..with..it must be said..limited success..

                • Skinny …
                  14 February 2015 at 9:14 am

                  No go there Phil as Percy is one of those new age men who gets a chest, back & crack wax jobby monthly, ouch the pain in that.

                  You might be right about using velcro, there is a technique where they sew strips into the scalp. I will do some studying and flick him a link. Maybe the Labour Party can post it on there web site and add a donation button, they may as well they ask members to donate for everything else.
                  Pretty sure Shearer will be keen on a rug for his mayoral bid, get one over Lenny with the ladies.

                  • phillip ure …
                    14 February 2015 at 9:59 am

                    his life seems to revolve around different regions of body-hair..

                    ..maybe he cd ask for a party member hair-volunteer..?

                    ..or..if he shuns the velcro-idea..maybe labour cd hire a comb-over minder for him..?

                    ..someone equipped with the tools of the trade..

                    ..to ensure that things are always in place..

                    ..especially before/during public-appearances..

                    ..and i must say..the thought of either shearer or goff as mayor of auckland..

                    ..kinda has me dry-heaving..

      • Stephanie Rodgers 12.1.2
        13 February 2015 at 3:15 pm

        Thanks, DPG. That pretty much covers it.

  13. Gosman 13
    13 February 2015 at 1:00 pm

    The Greeks are coming face to face with political and economic reality.

    http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21642210-how-european-central-bank-can-dictate-terms-greek-government

    Should be interesting to see how the new Greek government spins any backsliding from their election promises.

    • vto 13.1
      13 February 2015 at 1:03 pm

      Oh that reality? The one that prints money from a machine and claims it is some sort of reality……

      The greeks should print shitloads of euros, load them into some trucks and drive them to the German border. This is what happens anyway – the euro shysters print shitloads of euros, load them into some software and email them to greek inboxes.

      sham sham sham

      shame shame shame

      • greywarshark 13.1.1
        13 February 2015 at 1:16 pm

        @ vto
        That’s a very effective juxtaposition. Sham : Shame. Clever. And so frequently applicable.

      • Gosman 13.1.2
        13 February 2015 at 1:44 pm

        I don’t think the Greeks have the ability to print Euro’s.

        • Colonial Rawshark 13.1.2.1
          13 February 2015 at 1:58 pm

          The entire Greek national debt would go away with about 2 days worth of ECB printing – but that’s the point isn’t it?

          The Central Banks and their investment banking fraternity are in charge of the spigot. They are allowed free money, hundreds of billions of it, but nations like Greece have to be kept enslaved.

      • b waghorn 13.1.3
        13 February 2015 at 5:54 pm

        Slightly off topic but how stupid are we humans to create something ie money and then let it in slave us.

  14. Colonial Rawshark 14
    13 February 2015 at 2:02 pm

    Russia Today propaganda on Kiev’s Maidan Square massacre

    Russia Today has always questioned western media narratives of how dozens of anti-government protestors were killed by pro-Russian snipers a year ago. Western outrage at the massacres helped sweep out the Yanukovich government and unconstitutionally put in place a pro US administration.

    But maybe Russia Today was right in asking the questions that the west didn’t.

    Now, the BBC has finally come around to the idea that maybe some of the gunmen involved were actually part of the protestor camp, and fired shots at their own people to help discredit the Yanukovich government.

    http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31359021

  15. Sans Cle 15
    13 February 2015 at 2:17 pm

    Dr. Zina O’Leary (Social Psychologist) is giving a seminar on “The Art of Persuasion” next Tuesday, 17th Feb in the Auckland Art Gallery 12 noon. Need to RSVP today.

    https://www.anzsog.edu.au/events/events-calendar/2015/02/16/ssc-new-zealand-partnership-program-event/583/dr-zina-oleary-the-art-of-persuasion-auckland-register-now

  16. Tautoko Mangō Mata 16
    13 February 2015 at 2:54 pm

    If you think that the Sky City issue is a big deal, then you may be surprised (unpleasantly) to know that it is nothing compared with the potential of the TPPA (Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement that the US and the National Government are trying to push through by stealth. The tactic is to keep the proposed text secret so that it is very difficult for the public to express their genuine concerns or be able to do cost benefit analyses because of the lack of available detailed information.
    One of the major areas which will be affected greatly is our health system.
    NZ and Australian health advocates are joining forces, using the medical journal the Lancet to push for a fairer more transparent process with respect to the TPPA negotiations (Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement.)
    “Co-lead author and Canterbury psychiatrist Dr Erik Monasterio, says the TPPA, like other ‘new generation’ trade deals, threatens governmental ability to deliver affordable health care and legislate to protect public health and reduce health inequities. “And all the while, the text is shrouded in secrecy.”
    “The negotiations are not about the way most of us think of trade – you and me buying and selling things. Instead they are protecting the massive investments profits of multinational companies that are bigger than the whole New Zealand economy. They want to make sure that countries won’t be able to pass laws or change policies, no matter how important to the local country, if that would cut profits of an overseas investor.”
    “It’s an unprecedented expansion of intellectual property rights that will push up the cost of affordable and life-saving medicines, hitting hardest the already vulnerable households in New Zealand and other countries such as Vietnam and Malaysia’”, says Dr Monasterio.
    The deal also threatens public health by freezing government ability to pass laws for better health. Dr Monasterio says that governments could be sued for protecting health – but governments can’t sue back. “This will stop important health initiatives on tobacco, alcohol, the obesity epidemic, climate change, antibiotic resistance, and other major future challenges”.
    “We are asking for heath impact assessments, for each nation, and then their public release, so that parliaments and the public can discuss the issues– before political trade-offs are made and the agreement is signed”, ends Dr Monasterio.”
    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1502/S00039/new-zealand-leads-lancet-call-for-tppa-transparency.htm

    Please discuss the TPPA with as many people as you can. There will be protests held on 7th March and we need to tell this government that our sovereignty is not to be signed away to multinational corporates. Our health and our environment are at risk.

  17. Ovid 17
    13 February 2015 at 3:12 pm

    @Lynn – I think there might be something skew-whiff with the blog feeds in the right hand column. There have been no new posts there for 3 days.

  18. freedom 18
    13 February 2015 at 3:41 pm

    Assistance please

    I have been trying to locate a video record or transcripts of the opening addresses to Parliament on 10-02-2015.

    Neither Hansard, nor In the House seem to have any record of the speeches.

    I have not wanted to locate Parliamentary ‘new year’ speeches before and am now wondering is it normal procedure not to record these speeches when Parliament begins a new year?

    Thank you

    • rawshark-yeshe 18.1
      13 February 2015 at 3:55 pm

      @freedom … is this what you are looking for … Key in main frame and replies listed below …

      http://www.inthehouse.co.nz/video/35428

      and nb Andrew Little and Winston are must-watch !

      • phillip ure 18.1.1
        13 February 2015 at 4:40 pm

        i wd also recommend watching the speech from marama fox from the maori party..

        ..she possibly said as much about poverty/inequality as has been heard in that house/forum in yrs..(esp. in scene-setting speeches like this..)

        ..i am surprised her speech has been so ignored by most..

        ..it deserves better..

      • freedom 18.1.2
        13 February 2015 at 5:02 pm

        A hearty thankyou rawshark-yeshe .

        Try as I might I just could not locate it. I must have repeatedly skipped a page or something when going through the archive listed because I checked that Debate on the Prime Minister’s Statement archive.

        Any clue how to find the Hansard transcript then? -as i have probably walked past that a dozen times today also 🙂 just kidding, –
        i’ll track the bugger down eventually, it’s not exactly a life or death scenario

        thanks again

    • Penny Bright 18.2
      13 February 2015 at 7:48 pm

      FYI folks …..

      ______________________________________________________________________________________

      13 February 2015

      Fran Wilde
      Chair of the Greater Wellington Regional Council /’Private Citizen’

      URGENT ‘Open Letter /OIA request’ to Fran Wilde, Chair of the Greater Wellington Regional Council / ‘Private Citizen’- re: an email you allegedly distributed on Tuesday 10 February 2015 encouraging those emailed to support the Draft Wellington Reorganisation Proposal.

      Dear Fran,

      I do not claim to be ‘an expert on everything’, but as a proven ‘anti-corruption whistle-blower’, I do have an understanding,in my considered opinion, of allegedly arguably and potentially ‘corrupt conflicts of interest’.

      Please be reminded of s.105A of the New Zealand Crimes Act 1961:

      “105A Corrupt use of official information

      Every official is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who, whether within New Zealand or elsewhere, corruptly uses or discloses any information, acquired by him or her in his or her official capacity, to obtain, directly or indirectly, an advantage or a pecuniary gain for himself or herself or any other person.”

      ______________________________________________________________________________________

      I have been forwarded the following email, which you allegedly posted on Tuesday 10 February 2015 at 10.29pm.

      _____________________________________________________________________________________

      From: Fran Wilde [mailto:fran@franwilde.com]
      Sent: Tuesday, 10 February 2015 10:29 p.m.
      To: fran@franwilde.com
      Subject: Wellington region needs your help urgently!

      Greetings

      First an apology for sending a bulk email – my contacts list is too big to personalise on this occasion.

      Just before Christmas the Local Government Commission (LGC) published a Draft Proposal for reform of local government in our region. The report is a blueprint for our future 20 or 30 years from now. Links to the report and to a smaller summary are at the bottom of this message.

      Wellington is now at a critical time. For more than a decade our economic performance relative to other regions has been dismal and we have infrastructure and social challenges that can’t be addressed by our fragmented local government structure. The new Auckland and post-quake Christchurch are getting huge attention from central government. Wellington appears to be irrelevant. Of course local government isn’t the answer to everything, but it plays a critical role and right now just can’t be an agent for the transformational change we need.

      The LGC proposal is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to leapfrog our region into the future – one unified region-wide council to deliver infrastructure, economic development etc, with well-funded local boards replacing current local councils to take care of community issues. One organisation with one Mayor and one CEO and one rates bill. And most importantly the ability to take a regional view of the big issues.

      The LGC is seeking submissions and will have hearings. Following that, it may publish a final Proposal the same as, similar to or different from the draft – or it could decide to make no change at all. To proceed along the lines of the Proposal it requires “demonstrable community support” from every single TA area in the region – i.e. Wellington City, Kapiti Coast, Upper Hutt, Carterton etc.

      Submission close in just under three weeks – at 4.00pm on Monday March 2nd. Those who oppose change are particularly active are canvassing their local council areas. In my view it’s absolutely imperative that Wellingtonians who want change make their voices heard. Change will not happen unless we say we want it – i.e. “demonstrable community support”.

      Please take two minutes to make a submission right now. It’s really easy – you don’t have to write a long piece. All that is required is a short email with your name and address and a message saying that you support the Proposal. Send your email to submissions@lgc.govt.nz

      Alternatively, you might want to click on the link below which is the LGC submission form, fill it in then email it to submissions@lgc.govt.nz

      Wellington reorganisation proposal – Submission form

      You don’t have to appear at the hearings if you make a submission – only if you request to appear.

      Finally, in order to get the numbers to show “demonstrable community support” please could you help by talking to or sending these links through to anyone else you know who supports improving local government in our region. It could be people in your family or your street or your workplace – or friends who live in other parts of the region.

      Remember the deadline is 4.00pm Monday March 2nd – please could you send in your views now!

      Regards

      Fran

      http://www.lgc.govt.nz/assets/Wellington-Reorganisation/Wellington-reorg-Draft-Proposal-Wellington-Volume-1.pdf

      Summary

      http://www.lgc.govt.nz/assets/Wellington-Reorganisation/Wellington-reorg-Draft-Proposal-Wellington-Volume-2.pdf

      Full report

      IMPORTANT: The information contained in this e-mail message may be legally privileged or confidential. The information is intended only for the recipient named in the e-mail message. If the reader of this e-mail message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use, copyingU or distribution of this e-mail message is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail message in error, please notify the sender immediately. Thank you.
      ______________________________________________________________________________________

      1) Please provide the information, which confirms that none of the email addresses to which you sent the above-mentioned email, originated from ANY email database, which was accessible to you, in any way, in your capacity as Chair of the Greater Wellington Regional Council.

      2) Please provide the information which confirms in what ‘capacity’ you sent the above-mentioned email.

      3) Please provide the information which confirms how it it is not a ‘conflict of interest’ for you to send out this above-mentioned email, which is actively promoting ‘one side’ (as it were) of the Draft Wellington Reorganisation Proposal:

      “The LGC is seeking submissions and will have hearings. Following that, it may publish a final Proposal the same as, similar to or different from the draft – or it could decide to make no change at all. To proceed along the lines of the Proposal it requires “demonstrable community support” from every single TA area in the region – i.e. Wellington City, Kapiti Coast, Upper Hutt, Carterton etc.”

      – as opposed to just encouraging those emailed to participate in the Draft Wellington Reorganisation Proposal, particularly given that you are arguably, in my considered opinion, a potential candidate for the position of Mayor for this proposed Greater Wellington Regional Council, which you are, in my considered opinion, actively supporting.

      4) Please provide the information which confirms that you exercised ‘due diligence’, and took the precautionary step, given your position as current Chair of the Greater Wellington Regional Council, and sought competent legal advice, before sending out this above-mentioned email.

      Yours sincerely,

      Penny Bright

      ……………………..

      Attendee: 2009 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference
      Attendee: 2010 Transparency International Anti-Corruption Conference
      Attendee: 2013 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference
      Attendee: 2014 G20 Anti-Corruption Conference

      2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate (polled 4th with 11,723 votes)
      ______________________________________________________________________________________

      Kind regards,

      Penny Bright
      http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz

  19. phillip ure 19
    13 February 2015 at 4:54 pm

    the drought has broken..!

    ..after four days of female panelists on moras’ show..

    ..that wd have the most enthusiastic feminist despairing for womanhood…

    ..today we were able to drink..

    ..her name is jolisa gracewood..

    ..it is her first appearance..

    ..and may there be many more…

    • phillip ure 19.1
      13 February 2015 at 5:07 pm

      and as a suggestion to the producers of the panel..

      ..it is way past time there was a cleanout of the deadwood-dumb in the panelists..

      ..both male and female..

      ..and wd it not be more interesting to do a left/right pairing on a regular basis..?

      ..as two just cooing in agreement..be they left or right..

      ..can be a bit of a snooze-fest..

      ..and helps resolve/clarify for listeners not a whit…

      ..and think how it will make life easier for yr host..doing that cleanout..

      ..’cos listening to him/mora trying to extract some semblance of intelligent/relevant comment..

      ..from some of them..

      ..is teeth-grinding/behind-the-sofa radio..

      ..tension..yes..

      ..but not good-tension..

      ..and he seems to be having no fun at all..

      ..whereas today..?

      ..with two intelligent/lucid commentators..

      ..he was as relaxed as..

      ..even seeming to enjoy it..

      ..certainly more so than on other days this week..

      ..(as you well know..so what’s stopping you..?..)

  21. rawshark-yeshe 21
    13 February 2015 at 6:22 pm

    This is hysterical, if it were not so awful .. spinning the spin of the spin ..

    “In today’s NBR article, ‘Govt, SkyCity refuse to respond to convention centre queries’ (not currently online), Grant writes that ‘spin doctors for Mr Key have refused to directly address NBR’s questions about the convention centre’. He reports on the responses, in particular, from ‘Chief spin doctor Sia Aston’, which have ranged from the opaque to the blatantly disingenuous.

    For example, in attempting to explain one inconsistency,

    Aston replied:

    ‘In trying to understand any differences in the language used around this issue, it’s probably just important to note that the situation has clearly changed and therefore the nuances in language have changed’.

    In response to further attempts to understand the evolving SkyCity deal, the spin doctor simply replied: ‘We have already answered your queries’.

    unfuxxing believable !

    see Bryce Edwards masterful gathering of all the published odium falling on Key and Joyce .. surely something must stick sooner or later ?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11401591

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