Open mike 13/04/2015

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 13th, 2015 - 67 comments
Categories: open mike, uncategorized - Tags:

openmikeOpen mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

67 comments on “Open mike 13/04/2015 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Paul 1
    13 April 2015 at 8:28 am

    Yes! Kim Hill on Morning Report today.
    Even the way she introduced the newspapers showed her intellect and independence.
    “If it bleeds, it leads”, quietly mocking the journalistic standards of our MSM.

    Also, RNZ has been focusing on the Auckland housing crisis, given the fact that Barfoots have just announced that central Auckland ( i.e. not Waitakere, Manukau and the North Shore) prices have averaged over $1 million and the news that Penny Hulse has suggested that a cross party approach is needed to develop a long term plan to solve the crisis.

    The response from this arrogant government.
    Key – there is no crisis.
    Smith – there will be no cross party conversation.

    They clearly do not care.

    Wake up New Zealand.

    • Barbara 1.1
      13 April 2015 at 8:38 am

      Yes, I noticed she didn’t get the opportunity to chat with Key – Guyon got that honour – I don’t think Key could manage her “acid” tongue and I am sure he arranges before hand who he chats to when on air and she, certainly wouldn’t be one of them. I agree, she is a national treasure and we don’t hear enough of her on air.

    • Lanthanide 1.2
      13 April 2015 at 9:24 am

      Yes, Kim’s interviews are *so* much better than Suzie Ferguson’s.

      She actually *listens* to what the person is saying, understands it and then asks a relevant question!

      • Paul 1.2.1
        13 April 2015 at 1:59 pm

        And then I think of the clowns Henry and Hoskings….

        • Lanthanide 1.2.1.1
          13 April 2015 at 2:03 pm

          I think they’re probably both better interviewers than Suzie as well. Just they’re biased and keep putting their own views into everything, and in Henry’s case can’t help acting like a child.

          I think Hosking was quite effective in the leaders debate.

  2. Paul 2
    13 April 2015 at 8:34 am

    Key was unable to make a live feed to Radio New Zealand to discuss the housing crisis. His interview with Espiner was prerecorded.
    Was what because he was too busy having cosy chats with Pauly and Mikey?

    Servile, sycophantic puppets that they are.

    • Lanthanide 2.1
      13 April 2015 at 9:25 am

      A lot of the interviews on MR are pre-recorded. I’d guess about 1/3rd of them. I’m sure there have been many pre-recorded interviews with Key in the past, too.

    • millsy 2.2
      13 April 2015 at 2:27 pm

      Those that refuse to vaccinate thier kids are unlikely to be on a benefit. They are either middle class or survivalist types.

  3. vto 3
    13 April 2015 at 8:47 am

    Iwi Leaders Group still doing its best to lock birthright and racial privilege and oppression into our country with their claim for water ownership….

    You would think they would have learned after the early treatment of Maori in this country….

    You would think they would learn given that many of us escaped birthright and racial privilege and oppression in other lands…..

    Te Tiriti remains fundamentally and fatally flawed

    • Tracey 3.1
      13 April 2015 at 10:00 am

      Recognition and implementation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi remains flawed.

      • vto 3.1.1
        13 April 2015 at 10:10 am

        If the Iwi Leaders Group consider this to be the implementation of currently recognised Treaty… then the treaty itself is flawed, that is the point.

        • Tracey 3.1.1.1
          13 April 2015 at 12:40 pm

          I confess I wasnt quite sure of your point.

        • Sacha 3.1.1.2
          13 April 2015 at 10:52 pm

          The Treaty is fine when we honour it. The ILG is a convenient government-friendly corporatised replacement for the Maori Council.

          • vto 3.1.1.2.1
            14 April 2015 at 9:04 am

            I don’t think the treaty is fine as it creates unsustainable situations for people. They are unsustainable because people get different rights depending on their race at birth and that rarely works out. It hasn’t in NZ previously and yet here we are repeating it.

            Similarly, in Chch Ngai Tahu makes law over citizens by way of its place on the resource consent board for the CBD, yet the citizens have no representation or democratic place in Ngai Tahu. This is a breach of the most basic of democratic principles.

            Flawed and unsustainable. History says so.

  4. tc 4
    13 April 2015 at 9:49 am

    Granny monday front page distraction is BS about a world cup bid with the usual suspects and lines.

    Total fantasy ! A quick bit of research shows Oz went after the last ones given to russia (2018) and Qutar (since moved to a winter tournament) 2022 and complained about the ‘process’.

    FIFA makes keys cronies look like babies in terms of endemic corruption and deception.

  5. Ennui 5
    13 April 2015 at 9:54 am

    I’m feeling older sadder and no more wise today as I hear news of the passing of Sydney Batt.

    My mind transforms me back to 1975..my flatmates and I head into the old Christchurch Town Hall on Manchester St. The place is fizzing, TV cameras set ringside as the fights begin. Samoan Joe versus Abdullah the Butcher, slack jawed yokels in the stools rolling eyes and bellowing advice. King Curtis steps in versus Mark Lewin. Old ladies thrust umbrellas at the baddies, a young cop patrols their frantic malice.
    After we head out to the only bar open after 10, the top floor of the United Service in the Square where we are offered DB or Lion Brown. Propping up the bar the two commentators from the wrestling event Ernie Leonard and Steve Richard. Then Curtis appears buying a round for sworn “enemy” Lewin. What entertainment!

    We slide out the door into the frosty night onto our bicycles and home to a cold bed. The following night On The Mat replays on our black and white TV. We have no PC, no mobiles, no reality game shows. We do have a bursary and no student debt, we can afford the rent with some left over and of course we will get a summer job at the freezing works. Rugby on the bank at Lancaster Park on Saturday afternoon, entry fee a dollar. Life is good.

    Happy days. Thanks for the memories Sidney Batt aka Steve Richard RIP.

  6. Bearded Git 6
    13 April 2015 at 10:04 am

    Greens polling 13% of primary vote in Oz-whoop whoop! It’s here:

    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-and-joe-hockey-lead-coalition-poll-dive-20150412-1mjcff.html

    Interestingly the SMH cannot bring itself to mention this in the analysis of the poll. Greens polled 9% in the election of 2003.

  7. Ennui 7
    13 April 2015 at 10:12 am

    I did not have spelling autocorrect in the 70s thank God. In reference to above RIP Steve Rickard.

  8. Hami Shearlie 8
    13 April 2015 at 10:15 am

    I would venture to suggest that Kim Hill would be someone John Key fears. hence Key not being interviewed by Kim this morning – the msm would do well to follow her example , but that would involve some research, some intelligence and especially courage!

  9. Adrian 9
    13 April 2015 at 11:47 am

    Matthew Hooton using ” corruption ” John Key ” and ” National ” in the same sentence sounding like he should be a contributor on here. Has the world gone mad, has it shifted on it’s axis?

  10. b waghorn 10
    13 April 2015 at 12:24 pm

    http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/poll-should-parents-who-do-not-vaccinate-their-children-be-denied-benefits-2015041309
    I ticked no although I’m pro vaccine its not fare to force one sector of society to conform

    • McFlock 10.1
      13 April 2015 at 12:46 pm

      I really worry about this idea, actually, because it’s once again visiting the sins (or stupidity) of the parents upon the children, and also because it targets only poor people rather than including wealthy idiots (like the remmers measles outbreak a year or two back).

      Sure, a few will vaccinate under this pressure. But the ones who don’t are still in desperate need, otherwise they wouldn’t have benefits to cut. There is no “herd immunity” from the effects of poverty.

      • Lanthanide 10.1.1
        13 April 2015 at 1:37 pm

        I share your concern but I’m not sure what an effective alternative is.

        These people either don’t understand, or don’t care, that they are actively putting the lives of others at risk, over something that has very low risk for the recipient and obviously also gives great benefit to the recipient.

        • McFlock 10.1.1.1
          13 April 2015 at 1:54 pm

          Community service that consists of seminars where they have to see all the glorious photos of vaccine-preventable diseases would be good.

          Or picking up litter. Hell, mandatory first aid courses.

          Something that affects the parents, not the kids.

          • Lanthanide 10.1.1.1.1
            13 April 2015 at 2:01 pm

            I guess something like that as a first approach, and only going to more punitive measures if that isn’t effective.

            But then why bother wasting time and money – just cut to the chase.

            • McFlock 10.1.1.1.1.1
              13 April 2015 at 2:13 pm

              lol tempting

              But with most vpd you wouldn’t really need to go straight to compulsory once the less punitive measures result in an uptake that takes the vaccination rate to the herd immunity threshhold. AFAIK measles would be the main one for which this would be a problem.

              • Colonial Rawshark …
                13 April 2015 at 8:00 pm

                I suggest you let your authoritarian “I know better than you” tendencies run free McFlock and Lanth, you will feel the force and it will give you strength and power.

                • McFlock …
                  13 April 2015 at 8:32 pm

                  The force? Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up any practical reason parents should be allowed to let their children suffer and die. Should we re-legalise smacking because similarly religious parents think it is good for their children? At least their position will be slightly more verifiable in that case.

                  • Colonial Rawshark …
                    13 April 2015 at 9:04 pm

                    Oh that’s actually very good.

                    BTW, let’s play the fear game then. Exactly how many children have died in NZ due to not being vaccinated? Say over the last 10 years? Compared to say the number of children who have died in drownings or vehicle accidents or avoidable treatment injury.

                    Oh yeah, two tenths of fuck all, right. So it pays to know what the major causes of child mortality actually are. And almost certainly, they are not ones which can be vaccinated against.

                    • TheContrarian …
                      13 April 2015 at 9:13 pm

                      Yeah there used to be things like polio, smallpox and other nasties they made children very sick an killed a fair few too. Wonder what happened to those diseases.

                    • Lanthanide …
                      13 April 2015 at 9:25 pm

                      There are outcomes from diseases other than death, you know:

                      Common measles complications include ear infections and diarrhea.

                      Ear infections occur in about one out of every 10 children with measles and can result in permanent hearing loss.

                      About one child out of every 1,000 who get measles will develop encephalitis (swelling of the brain) that can lead to convulsions and can leave the child deaf or with intellectual disability.

                      Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a very rare, but fatal disease of the central nervous system that results from a measles virus infection acquired earlier in life. SSPE generally develops 7 to 10 years after a person has measles, even though the person seems to have fully recovered from the illness. Since measles was eliminated in 2000, SSPE is rarely reported in the United States.

                      Love that bit about being “eliminated”.

                      http://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/complications.html

                      Chicken pox can re-occur as shingles later in life, and obviously can lead to scarring.

                    • Colonial Rawshark …
                      13 April 2015 at 11:08 pm

                      Yeah there used to be things like polio, smallpox and other nasties they made children very sick an killed a fair few too. Wonder what happened to those diseases.

                      A massive plethora of new vaccinations have been introduced by Big Pharma in the last 20 years. Yet you have to dig back half a century for the big vaccination success stories. Why is that? Maybe its because all these new vaccinations can only go after very small targets. Worth noting that the deadliest infections which kill scores of people a year in NZ are not ones that you can vaccinate against.

                    • McFlock …
                      13 April 2015 at 11:17 pm

                      Worth noting that the deadliest infections which kill scores of people a year in NZ are not ones that you can vaccinate against.

                      [headdesk]

                    • Lanthanide …
                      14 April 2015 at 9:37 am

                      “Worth noting that the deadliest infections which kill scores of people a year in NZ are not ones that you can vaccinate against.”

                      And when you can vaccinate against these, they will no longer be the killers of scores of people a year…

          • Ergo Robertina 10.1.1.1.2
            13 April 2015 at 7:52 pm

            It’s not compulsory, but DHBs ask doubters in for one to one sessions if they are holding out on vaccinating their kids, instead of relying on mass communication/practice call ups etc.
            Apparently it’s been effective with many parents, who feel their concerns are being directly addressed by a senior person.
            It would be interesting to know what proportion go ahead with vaccinating after attendance.
            For community service infringements to work (such as litter collecting) the punishments would need to be reasonably significant in respect of the hours put in by parents (also to make it feasible logistically, with supervision etc) . This could be discriminatory as some families have more child care options than others.

            • McFlock 10.1.1.1.2.1
              13 April 2015 at 8:12 pm

              True.

              The other thing is that I don’t know about aussie rates, but NZ rates are approaching 90% target anyway. Some regional and demographic variation, but all in all not too bad and constantly improving. Dunno who made immunization a DHB target: might be one of the few good things the nats have done.

            • Lanthanide 10.1.1.1.2.2
              13 April 2015 at 9:27 pm

              Still be better if we didn’t have to waste such resources on people’s irrational fears.

              • Colonial Rawshark …
                13 April 2015 at 11:05 pm

                Tell that to the parents whose kids died of the safe and approved UK MMR vaccination in the late 80’s.

                • McFlock …
                  13 April 2015 at 11:24 pm

                  So obviously the period where it no longer becomes appropriate to “dig back” for success or failure stories is somewhere between thirty years and “half a century“. Wow, lucky for you that makes your example okay while ruling out many of the major killers eliminated or decimated by vaccines over the last century.

                • Lanthanide …
                  14 April 2015 at 9:38 am

                  Luckily we’re not actually using MMR vaccinations from the late 80’s, eh?

                  Are you going to suggest we shouldn’t buy new cars made today, because cars in the 60’s were unsafe and ran on leaded petrol, too?

        • RedBaronCV 10.1.1.2
          13 April 2015 at 8:47 pm

          We could fix this problem by taxing the anti vaccine rich up to the limit of their income. Why should poor people be denied a choice so that their kids increase herd immunity for the rich unvaxed to live off.

          “These people either don’t understand, or don’t care,” that even if they are rich they need to vaccinate.

          There Lan fixed your problem

        • miravox 10.1.1.3
          13 April 2015 at 9:27 pm

          New Zealand immunisation rates appear to be increasing without compulsion or sanctions – and this appears to be for groups that would be affected by government top-ups. For example, The Wairarapa DHB , with relatively large low income populations has a good record. It identifies knowing the immunisation status of children who present for other conditions, outreach, coordination with NGOs and government agencies and health promotion as important factors in increasing immunisation rates. I haven’t found, in an admittedly brief search, how these factors are put into action.

          [NZ] Childhood immunisation rates have increased significantly in the … (three years to 2014…) In the three months to 30 June 2013, 90% of all children 8 months of age and 92% at two years of age were fully immunised. Rates for Maori children, which had historically been much lower than other groups, were 84% and 90% respectively.

          – In the three months to 30 June 2013, 93% of Wairarapa 8 month olds, both for Māori and Total population, were fully immunised and 93% of Wairarapa two year olds and 95% of Wairarapa Māori two year olds were fully immunised.

          − Immunisation rates for Maori children were considerably higher than comparable national coverage rates.

          It’s depressing to find these nasty little authoritarian kneejerk reactions against low income people without any informed discussion about how people are working to achieve success in more collaborative ways.

          I hope Campbell Live can do a more informed follow-up. The govt should be pleased with that – they can chalk it up as one of their health achievements 😉

    • Puckish Rogue 10.2
      13 April 2015 at 3:20 pm

      This is tricky as you’d like to think people would immunise without the use of threats but in the end the health of the children should overide the stupidity of the parents

      • McFlock 10.2.1
        13 April 2015 at 9:43 pm

        So why increase the poverty of the households the children live in, if the health of the children is the primary concern? It doesn’t compute.

        But if you wanted to save a trace-element part of the government budget and get some news stories about irresponsible beneficiaries who can’t care for their kids, I can see why the policy would be appealing.

    • logie97 10.3
      13 April 2015 at 3:27 pm

      Kim Hill on 7th February interviewed an American Eula Biss
      who has written “On Immunity:An Inoculation”.
      Compelling listening and if you missed it …

      http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/20150207

      • Ergo Robertina 10.3.1
        13 April 2015 at 7:59 pm

        I heard that interview back in February. It struck me as an author who had needed a hook for a narrative, rather than a genuine conversion from doubter to believer.

    • Ergo Robertina 10.4
      13 April 2015 at 7:37 pm

      It’s 61% opposed on that poll at present.
      The NZ Medical Association pointed out (on 3 news this evening) that the Australian move widens inequality between rich and poor by making vaccination effectively compulsory for those on lower incomes (because they can’t afford to forgo the benefits).

      • Colonial Rawshark 10.4.1
        13 April 2015 at 8:03 pm

        Some of the idiots commenting above will be the next to green light compulsory contraception for poor people or they will get their benefits docked. Why? Because evidence clearly shows that the kids of poor people get measurably worse health outcomes, so why expose children to the irresponsible actions of their parents when you can simply incentivise them to do better.

        • Ergo Robertina 10.4.1.1
          13 April 2015 at 8:19 pm

          Some will (like David Seymour, quoted today on the vaccine move); others would be aghast at that idea. I guess it runs more cleanly along the left-right divide than vaccines.
          However I agree the authoritarian shift we’re seeing in vaccine has potential for mission creep.
          This Trotter piece from a couple of years ago may be of interest:

          http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/05/03/from-problems-to-problemettes-how-neoliberalism-is-redefining-poverty/

          • Colonial Rawshark 10.4.1.1.1
            13 April 2015 at 8:59 pm

            “Mission creep” – that’s the exact phrase for it. The principle is exactly the same: force poor people to undergo medical treatments that they would otherwise not consent to by using financial pressure on them. The bonus is that big pharma corporates profit from this action.

            The medical ethics of it are very similar as well. In fact, the medical ethics are arguably better re: forcing adults to have unwanted medical treatment vis a vis forcing a child.

        • McFlock 10.4.1.2
          13 April 2015 at 8:24 pm

          🙄
          Really? Who exactly do you believe will be the next to green light compulsory contraception for poor people?

      • RedBaronCV 10.4.2
        13 April 2015 at 8:49 pm

        AS it should be – given some of the crap vaccination programmes of the past why should parents not be wary

  11. Lanthanide 11
    13 April 2015 at 1:40 pm

    McDonald’s have now also given up 0-hours contracts: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/67714247/mcdonalds-set-to-abandon-zerohour-worker-contracts

    Frankly I was a bit surprised it was KFC that moved first on this, usually McDondald’s is leading the way in terms of workplace pay and conditions.

  12. rawshark-yeshe 12
    13 April 2015 at 2:03 pm

    Stephen Hawking does Monty Python Galaxy Song …. yes, it’s true ! and wonderfully absurd …

    http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/12/listen-to-stephen-hawking-cover-monty-pythons-galaxy-song

  13. Clemgeopin 13
    13 April 2015 at 6:55 pm

    Watch TV3, Campbell Live today to help save it.
    7 pm.

  14. Penny Bright 14
    13 April 2015 at 8:34 pm

    So National Prime Minister John Key has effectively endorsed Labour MP Phil Goff as a future Auckland Mayor?

    Is that the ‘political kiss of death’ for Phil Goff?

    If Phil Goff was really going to campaign for anything meaningful to take back the Auckland region from, in my view, corrupt corporate control, like abolishing Auckland Council CCOs – would he have John Key’s effective Auckland Mayoral endorsement?

    Not in my considered opinion.

    Penny Right

    (Who first met Phil Goff in 1985, when he was the Minister of Housing in the 1984 – 1987 Labour Government which introduced neo-liberal ‘Rogernomic$. )

    http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz

  15. TheContrarian 15
    13 April 2015 at 8:58 pm

    I’m not what you’d call a hardcore greenie but I get the need to recycle, not waste power, invest in renewables etc.

    So I’m down in Wellington for business and from my top floor hotel room I’m looking out over the city and directly in front of me is building, lit up like a Christmas tree and nary a soul inside. Possibly the cleaners are due to arrive soon but nonetheless it fucking grinds me gears.

    • b waghorn 15.1
      13 April 2015 at 9:19 pm

      I reckon you could carry that on to street lights what’s the point of them after midnight cars come with lights .

      • TheContrarian 15.1.1
        13 April 2015 at 9:21 pm

        Na, you don’t want pedestrians fumbling around in the dark… However few there may be.

        • b waghorn 15.1.1.1
          13 April 2015 at 9:29 pm

          Honestly! the cost must be huge just so a few insomniac s don’t stub there toes, besides fumblimg in the dark can be fun.

  16. Penny Bright 16
    13 April 2015 at 10:45 pm

    In my view – the Solicitor-General should NOT drop the John Banks retrial.

    If John Banks knew the identity of the donor(s), then they should not have been listed as ‘anonymous’ in his candidate’s return, as I understand it.

    How could John Banks rely on his Treasurer to accurately compile his list of ‘anonymous’ donors, when his Treasurer was not present at all meetings where electoral donations were discussed and solicited?

    Where is the ‘personal responsibility’ in John Banks thus signing his 2010 Auckland Mayoral candidate’s returns?

    Penny Bright

    http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz