Open mike 13/05/2013

92 comments on “Open mike 13/05/2013 ”

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1. Descendant Of Sssmith 1

   13 May 2013 at 6:33 am

   I’ve always detested the notion of user pays and hold the promotion of that concept as one of the fundamental strategies for the breakdown of socialist values in this country.

   The right truly know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

   They see service as benefitting the individual and not the collective and define everything in terms of individual effort for individual benefit.

   It used to be we had services run for the community good such as bus services, rail services, postoffices, government departments that actually had branches in your town and used local businesses to meet their needs.

   We all paid a more tax and all got more service.

   Paying less tax means we get less service.

   No party can increase services without increasing taxes. Until one party stands up and says we are going to tax you more to increase the revenue we get in then we will continue to get rubbish like this:

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8663784/Vulnerable-at-risk-in-police-fees

   And this

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8663702/Rest-home-luxury-plan-unfair-critics

   The irony of course is that the right are for collectiveness in things like insurance where you all pay a bit to spread the cost, or With owning shares where all the shareholders own collectively a little bit of a company, or trusts where there is in most cases a group of beneficiaries where it benefits them on an individual basis I.e. where profit can be made.
   • geoff 1.1

     13 May 2013 at 8:08 am

     Nice post. Does anyone know how much profit leaves the country each year? (thanks to the efficiencies of the private sector)
     • muzza 1.1.1

       13 May 2013 at 8:18 am

       Remember to add the servicing costs (interest payments), on the collective debt, both public and private, to understand how much NZ is having removed from it each, and every year!
     • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2

       13 May 2013 at 10:23 am

       http://canterbury.cyberplace.org.nz/community/CAFCA/keyfacts.html

       It’s a bit dated but should give you some idea of how much we’re losing.
   • Draco T Bastard 1.2

     13 May 2013 at 10:11 am

     They see service as benefitting the individual and not the collective and define everything in terms of individual effort for individual benefit.

     Except that they don’t. They think that individual effort should benefit them – and it doesn’t matter who made the effort. If they thought otherwise they wouldn’t be working so hard to lower wages.

     The irony of course is that the right are for collectiveness in things like insurance where you all pay a bit to spread the cost…

     Insurance is typical profiteering. Everyone pays in a little bit means that a few can take out a lot and if they can avoid having to pay out then they’ll never be shown as the rort that they are.
   • weka 1.3

     13 May 2013 at 12:16 pm

     Under present regulations, if there are no standard rooms available, rest homes cannot turn away a client even if they cannot afford to pay extra.

     But under the new proposal, some providers would be allowed to operate “premium-only” rest homes, where all residents would have to pay. The homes would still receive government subsidies and would not have to immediately accept residents who could not afford a room.
     …

     Submissions to the proposal, released under the Official Information Act, reveal public concerns about what “premium” might come to mean.

     One submitter said her aunt already paid an extra $20 a week to be a few metres closer to the dining room. “We have asked how much a room with an outside window would be – and it would be about $150 a week more.”

     We are so incredibly bad at looking after our elders. Myself, I intend to have an exit plan before I am forced to live in an institution with no outside window that is run by proto-fascists.
     • ghostrider888 1.3.1

       13 May 2013 at 12:38 pm

       failing to plan is planning to fail; thats why I’ve gone downbeat-small pleasures are there-by a source of great pleasure and profound luxury to me.

       I caught a bit of an examination of the Chinese economic migrant experience on channel 29, families moved from rural canton to Peking; many do not appreciate how fortunate we are. And as for the Costa del Sol, it is a beautiful day here in the Bay!
   • ghostrider888 1.4

     13 May 2013 at 12:32 pm

     Rent-a-robo-cop.
2. Paul 2

   13 May 2013 at 6:37 am

   “British fugitive caught sunbathing in Spain”
   The Herald’s main online headline as I type.

   Says it all about this rag.
   • prism 2.1

     13 May 2013 at 12:18 pm

     Paul :shock:!
3. The Al1en 3

   13 May 2013 at 7:29 am

   Sky city – Another open goal for the opposition leader.
   Go on, get Grant to phone Campbell and set it up.
   Lead or fuck off as I go earning my living.

   http://thestandard.org.nz/governing-for-their-rich-mates-again/#comment-632220

   “If you had the chance, in what ever reality, to go on Campbell live and tell the prime minister what was what, you would right? You’d go on there and demand he call an immediate general election because he has no mandate to pervert NZ as his government sees fit.
   You’d give him examples of where he’s fucked up, lied, misled and protected fraudsters in his own government, and you’d do it with passion and conviction because deep down you believe our people are worth more than money, and above all else, our sense of fair play, our humility and way of life are not for sale.

   Would you? I know I would.
   Ask David Shearer if he’ll do it.”
   • The Al1en 3.1

     13 May 2013 at 7:39 am

     And just because, I’ll give David his closing line to Key

     “You can steal our assets, but you can’t and won’t be allowed to steal our kiwi way of life.”
     • Rob 3.1.1

       13 May 2013 at 10:41 am

       Yes that great “kiwi life” as you go on about, as long as it is a carbon copy of pre Thatcher UK.
       • prism 3.1.1.1

         13 May 2013 at 12:27 pm

         Talking about Thatcher, her biographer was on Radionz this morning. I heard him comment sadly on how welfare costs had gone up as a result of her actions, which just increased the numbers ‘being paid for doing nothing’.

         Of course it’s their fault. It’s not the fault of the leaders of the country who have levers and pulleys to push and pull and billions within their purview. Purview is one of the weasel, superior words they would use in their reports on such matters.

         Not simple words like ‘We’ve stuffed up big time here, and the country is not going to the dogs twice as much as before, it can’t afford to. We are sorry about this and are working to help you the British public who need work with livable wages, by setting up schemes that will start multiplier effects in each county. And encouraging employment by reducing company tax for each new employee in small businesses and each 10 for employers with over 50. And we are trialling some innovative measures that will provide at least short term employment which will be monitored and analysed for effectiveness.’ Or something like that.
   • Paul 3.2

     13 May 2013 at 7:53 am

     Bit confused.
     Did Shearer decline to turn up on Campbell Live?
     Shearer has been invisible on the media on GCSB, Asset Sales etc.
     I’ve only heard him warbling on about Gilmore, which is a distraction, not an issue.
     • The Al1en 3.2.1

       13 May 2013 at 8:00 am

       “Did Shearer decline to turn up on Campbell Live?”

       Not that I’m aware of, but he will if he doesn’t front tonight.

       It’s called a direct challenge.
     • Red Rosa 3.2.2

       13 May 2013 at 8:04 am

       DS turn up? Speak out? Not a chance.

       I still think the Invisible Man is on a retainer from the Nats.
       • yeshe 3.2.2.1

         13 May 2013 at 11:02 am

         Please ask Cunliffe to do it …
   • Enough is Enough 3.3

     13 May 2013 at 11:40 am

     The most effective way to continue growing Sheaer’s popularity is in fact to keep him away from the important issues.

     Let him waffle on about Gilmour becuase that isn’t really an issue that changes our lives in any way. But when it comes to selling our assets and selling policy to corporates, it might be best to leave the opposition to those who won’t fuck up the message.

     Is anyone out there is cyberland ever confident when Shearer opens his mouth over these things.

     So it is a good strategy to keep him away from these things. Or alternativley we could just just replace him with someone who can articulate a simple message.
   • ghostrider888 3.4

     13 May 2013 at 12:41 pm

     Check-out.Records, 44 Willis St.Pow!
4. Ad 4

   13 May 2013 at 7:51 am

   Any idea when the next polls are out?
   • mickysavage 4.1

     13 May 2013 at 8:21 am

     Probably this Thursday (Roy Morgan) and expect a bounce back to Labour.
     • Ad 4.1.1

       13 May 2013 at 8:31 am

       Much obliged.
     • veutoviper 4.1.2

       13 May 2013 at 10:11 am

       “…and expect a bounce back to Labour.”

       I was expecting that with the last one, but it did not happen and went the other way with National up and Labour down. So, regrettably, I am not holding my breath.
     • Enough is Enough 4.1.3

       13 May 2013 at 11:42 am

       I wouldn’t be so confident Presland with a Labour bounce.

       Gilmour to one side, it has not been a bad couple of weeks for the governent with unemployment down etc.

       It is all bullshit and the good results have nothing to do with their management, but the public will still be reading those headlines and only ever hearing waffle from the ‘leader’ of the opposition.
     • McFlock 4.1.4

       13 May 2013 at 12:24 pm

       a bounce would be consistent with the roy morgan pattern. Couple of percent may be.
       I think it the gilmour thing only covered half the polling period or so?
       • veutoviper 4.1.4.1

         13 May 2013 at 12:31 pm

         The last Roy Morgan poll released on 3 May covered the period 15 – 28 April, which included the Labour/Green NZ Power announcement IIRC; but showed National up by about 6%, and both Labour and Greens down.

         Assuming the next poll covers the period April 29 to May 12, then most of that period will cover the Gilmore fiasco. I cannot remember exactly what day the story broke.
         • McFlock 4.1.4.1.1

           13 May 2013 at 12:40 pm

           My, time flies when you’re laughing at a dickhead’s expense! 🙂

           Wikipedia knows who Aaron Gilmore is – reckons the story broke on 2 May. So it will be for much of the polling period, my mistake.
5. Ad 5

   13 May 2013 at 7:55 am

   Just in case we thought our prejudices were wrong, book yourself an hour of quiet time and have a good scroll and view through this one:

   http://www.salon.com/2013/05/12/top_5_investigative_videos_of_the_week_some_rich_people_are_just_jerks_partner/

   I just loved it. Some great (albeit US) sources in there.
   • ghostrider888 5.1

     13 May 2013 at 12:52 pm

     better Ads than Television on the Wire. 😀
   • BLiP 5.2

     13 May 2013 at 5:40 pm

     ‘

     What a top link. Thank’s Ad.
6. vto 6

   13 May 2013 at 8:05 am

   So the Auckland housing package thing announced by the government proves, yet again, that the free market has failed. The free market is incapable of providing housing for all people so the government has had to step in.

   This follows other well proven failures of the free market, private enterprise, deregulation policies of this government (and previous one). Those other examples;

   1. Mining safety, resulting in 29 dead men at Pike River.

   2. Housing (again), resulting in billions and billions of leaky homes.

   3. The New Zealand stock market, the NZX. The absolute heart of free market private enterprise itself, fails to spark and function effectively to such an extent that again the government has to help them along by offering taxpayer businesses such as power companies.

   4. Christchurch rebuild. Free market not even given a chance as this government intervenes all over the place.

   5. Diary farming. Unable to gain funding from the private sector the dairy farmers trapise off the government for $400million to get their private business underway. Also unable to get the necessary consents they get the government to throw the rules out and simply take the consents.

   Failure.

   Complete and utter failure of the private enterprise free market model.

   And this failure comes in the some of the biggest sectors in the country. Sectors which cry “free market free market” but act “taxpayer money taxpayer money”.

   The failure is monumental and complete.
   • Draco T Bastard 6.1

     13 May 2013 at 10:30 am

     I don’t think it’s failing at all – after all, the right people are benefiting quite well and getting hold of the communities wealth just as planned.

     Of course, it’s not doing the majority of people any good but that doesn’t matter – they’re not the right people.
   • McFlock 6.2

     13 May 2013 at 12:29 pm

     not just mining safety – the entire solid energy mismanagement has resulted in lots of west coast layoffs.

     Suck to be a miner on the coast – Labour is aligned with the anti-mining greens who’d make you redundant, and nats strip the mines to pay down short term debt because they can’t balance the books.

     Such a tragic government – the only benefit they have for the environment comes about because of their inability to manage the economy.
     • ghostrider888 6.2.1

       13 May 2013 at 12:56 pm

       Flybuys:
       (on the float of more Air New Zealand)
       Ryall- “may be opportunities for ‘mums and dads’ to invest.
       Oram- they “would be misguided investing”. YEP. (shakes head and prepares for shower).
7. mickysavage 7

   13 May 2013 at 8:20 am

   Michelle Boag was just on Radio NZ and showed why National cannot be trusted. When Bryce Edwards talked about National leaking information on Hapless Gilmore she asked him to prove it and then said that it was more likely that the departments were leaking it.

   She can only have been talking about MBIE’s release of emails.

   I am certain that once the OIAs have been answered it will be concluded:

   1. That the information was released not leaked.
   2. That there was political pressure to get the information out as soon as possible.

   Boag’s characterisation of the release as a leak was disingenuous in the extreme and shows either a complete lack of knowledge of what she was talking about or an intent to deceive or distract.
   • Ad 7.1

     13 May 2013 at 8:35 am

     That’s just NZ politics – come on you know it. Labour leaks like throwing burley into the Manukau Heads when it senses the need to bring the sharks in to kill one of their own.
     • mickysavage 7.1.1

       13 May 2013 at 8:41 am

       Aye but there has to be a better way.

       I would prefer a couple of staunch lefties in Parliament such as John Minto to this current arrangement. At least he would speak his mind and talk about things the way they are.
       • vto 7.1.1.1

         13 May 2013 at 8:45 am

         Well perhaps Gilmore will revert to form tomorrow with his last speech in Parliament and throw the dirt straight back at those colleagues of his in what should be renamed the Aaron Gilmore Party.

         Perhaps he could call Key on his own lies.

         Now that would show backbone…….. Come on Gilmore straighten that back for once.
       • tinfoilhat 7.1.1.2

         13 May 2013 at 8:51 am

         Well why don’t you start getting behind the Greens and Mana instead of white anting for your mates in Labour.

         Alternatively you could throw your weight behind John in the mayoral race rather than Len Brown who’s spent this morning lauding the sky City deal.
         • mickysavage 7.1.1.2.1

           13 May 2013 at 8:57 am

           Len Brown?

           His inclusive progressive style of leadership pleases me, his emphasis on public transport, a compact city form and the world’s most liveable city impresses me and demands my support, but his failure to resolve the POAL dispute, his support for the Sky City deal with passive support for the pokies for the convention centre deal and his less than fulsome support for a living wage are causes of concern.

           But if I supported John all that I would do is making it more likely that Maurice Williamson became mayor.

           So this particular contest is easily resolved.

           But I would still prefer to see Minto in Parliament.
           • tinfoilhat 7.1.1.2.1.1

             13 May 2013 at 9:05 am

             Yeah more platitudes, bullshit and lies, that’s about what we’ve come to expect from you. You’ll say anything but when push comes to shove you’ll be the first to gut the real left and working class as long as you and your mates retain power.
             • mickysavage …

               13 May 2013 at 9:31 am

               Don’t be like that.

               I have set out my reasons.

               Do you think I should concentrate only on the negative? The positives are very important.
         • veutoviper 7.1.1.2.2

           13 May 2013 at 10:26 am

           I found it interesting that Meteria Turei was given a very long interview on the Sky City deal this morning On Nine to Doom (scheduled from 0905 to 0930). Recording not yet available.

           Turei was excellent and Ryan did not continually interrupt.

           Where is Labour?

           I did not hear all of Morning Report this morning so I could be wrong, but don’t recall one mention of Labour on any issue of the day.
       • ghostrider888 7.1.1.3

         13 May 2013 at 12:57 pm

         Hone
     • Anne 7.1.2

       13 May 2013 at 8:48 am

       Labour leaks like throwing burley into the Manukau Heads when it senses the need to bring the sharks in to kill one of their own.

       Labour kills for different reasons. It’s confined to a few members of caucus and based on jealousy, ambition and a desire to hang on to their little bit of power. The most infamous of them went to ground at the beginning of the year and has since only been seen sitting in the debating chamber – where he feels safe?
   • Lanthanide 7.2

     13 May 2013 at 9:19 am

     I found that interview pretty funny. There was Michelle, trying to reconcile her previous dumb comments about ‘maybe Aaron can stay in the backbenches with his head down till the next election’ with the news he’s resigning without sounding completely hopeless.

     Then once Bryce contradicted her point about MMP and suggested National were up to dirty tricks, she got very very defensive and steely.
     • Pascal's bookie 7.2.1

       13 May 2013 at 9:59 am

       Bit tough for her to deny it was dirty tricks when Whale was gloating last night about ‘the back room boys’ having gotten the job done, and Lusk identified in a story this morning.

       But she has to try, because the way they’ve done it is ugly on the one hand, while on the other, she is in the opposite camp from Whale Lusk Collins. It’s a tough line to walk, balancing the internal and external narratives.

       Gilmore was due to talk to party president Peter Goodfellow by telephone yesterday afternoon, and Goodfellow wanted a meeting in Wellington today.

       However, it is understood the party drafted in fixer and consultant Simon Lusk to persuade Gilmore to go.

       The MP was said to be privately seething last night and party members are anxious about what he might say in a valedictory speech planned for tomorrow.

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8663752/MP-quits-with-a-heavy-heart
8. The Al1en 8

   13 May 2013 at 8:39 am

   As I head out the door, Sky city.

   If the convention centre is going to be a $90m a year money maker, and the government wants us to invest our money in stuff other than housing, why didn’t they get the new mum and dad investors of mighty river power to fund it instead of flogging off our assets?
   $400m build, using their figures, it would be in surplus in four or five years. Of course, the government could have built and added a revenue stream for kiwis forever.

   Why does a convention centre have to be connected to a casino, why should sky city get a government gift of law changes and a licence to print money?
   • ghostrider888 8.1

     13 May 2013 at 1:43 pm

     Screamadelica those Pet Sounds Some Velvet Morning Country Girl. 😉
9. Lanthanide 9

   13 May 2013 at 9:17 am

   Just for the record, this morning Geoff Robertson on Morning Report cut off someone from Sky City (CEO? Not sure) who was rambling on about the convention center deal.

   Yes, that’s right, Geoff cut someone off mid-sentence. It was about 8:45am.

   This underscores the point I made a week or so ago about the outrage that Geoff should dare to cut off a unionist talking about Pak’n’Savs youth rates issue because she was somehow saying something that Geoff didn’t want to hear, rather than the more obvious case of she had simply used up the time that had been allotted to her story.

   I think if you pay close attention to Morning Report and Checkpoint, that you’ll find that it is not uncommon for stories or interviews to be cut off prematurely due to time constraints.
   • freedom 9.1

     13 May 2013 at 9:42 am

     didn’t hear this morning’s show.
     Have no reason to doubt it happened as you say.
     Good to know he is unprofessional with everyone, equally.
   • veutoviper 9.2

     13 May 2013 at 10:17 am

     I also heard that, and laughed – particularly as it was not to go onto “an important issue”, but merely to allow Kathryn Ryan to promote today’s Nine to Doom.
10. Draco T Bastard 10

    13 May 2013 at 10:47 am

    Small change will make a big difference

    A social lending scheme – run through a private-public partnership – will help ease the pressure on those families who can’t easily access mainstream financial services.

    Methinks that these two have forgotten what social means.

    “There is definitely an appetite amongst the private sector to operate in a more philanthropic space…

    No there isn’t or they’d already be doing it. What there’s an appetite for in the private sector is government money.

    It’s also strange that they see the solution to people not having enough money is to make it easier for these people to borrow rather than look at ways to increase their income.

    Labour has really lost the plot.
    • freedom 10.1

      13 May 2013 at 3:25 pm

      When told “this is a Stock market, there’s no money to steal here!”
      Bane rightly answers: “Then why are you here?”
      • ghostrider888 10.1.1

        13 May 2013 at 4:43 pm

        copycat, flirty pat 🙂
    • Murray Olsen 10.2

      13 May 2013 at 4:24 pm

      While agreeing with what you say, DTB, I can also imagine cases where a short term loan at minimal interest could be useful. Labour could well set something up with a small cash investment, rather than leaving the loan sharks to feed at will. The fact that they can’t even do this without thinking of a partnership with the private sector really does ram home how lost they are.
    • Bill 10.3

      13 May 2013 at 4:33 pm

      So what does Labour think of grants being obtained from WINZ or of an advance of benefit being given or of recoverable loans at 0% interest repayable over 2 years being obtained from WINZ?

      I guess we wont be seeing a relaxation of the restrictions or criteria set around those things under any labour led government because….well, because that would hurt the private sector they want to cozy up to.

      B’stards!
    • Olwyn 10.4

      13 May 2013 at 7:32 pm

      My immediate concern when I read your post Draco, has to do with the pitfalls of third-wayism. This PPP approach could well pave the way to benefits being replaced by loans after a set period, or other similarly nasty scenarios. So long as parties of the so-called left take up these third way conceptions, they create openings for more ruthless measures further down the track.
11. mickysavage 11

    13 May 2013 at 11:02 am

    The infamous Simon Lusk was drafted in to “fix” the Aaron Gilmore problem …

    According to Stuff “Fairfax Media understands the party drafted in fixer and consultant Simon Lusk to persuade Gilmore to go.”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8663792/Embattled-Gilmore-quits-Parliament
    
    [Lusk and Gilmore go back to the 2008 campaign. Gilmore was part of Lusk’s stable. They fell out when Gilmore didn’t pay Lusk’s fees. Eddie]
    • karol 11.1

      13 May 2013 at 11:08 am

      Isn’t Lusk in the Collins-Slater camp?
    • mickysavage 11.2

      13 May 2013 at 1:16 pm

      Oops just saw Pascal’s Bookie already linked to the story.

      But it is developing, Gilmore has sent threatening texts to four different members of the National Party including Cameron Slater promising Utu. Details are at http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8663792/Embattled-Gilmore-quits-Parliament in an update to the story.

      I can hardly wait for Gilmore’s speech to Parliament tomorrow. Will he lay bare to public scrutiny the inner machinations of the National Party? Someone start preparing the popcorn!

      EDIT: PB bet me to it again below.
      • freedom 11.2.1

        13 May 2013 at 3:26 pm

        Mickey, roughly what time in the proceedings would that speech be do you reckon?
        • mickysavage 11.2.1.1

          13 May 2013 at 4:57 pm

          Dunno. valedictory speeches often occur just before 5:30 pm but I suspect that Gilmore may need leave. He may pop up first thing. I wonder how this request will be treated?

          Edit see Veutoviper below at 14.1.2
          • freedom 11.2.1.1.1

            13 May 2013 at 7:05 pm

            thanks, meeting a client in Wellington tomorrow, but have a bit of a window before 5
            might have to see if there is an open seat in the gallery for this show
12. Penny Bright 12

    13 May 2013 at 11:15 am

    Seen this?
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    13 May 2013

    Press Release: Sue Henry Spokesperson, Housing Lobby:

    “We cannot and will not allow the failed ‘social housing’ model to take over State Housing.”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8662181/Govt-plans-to-ditch-Housing-NZ-properties

    “Housing Minister Nick Smith will be setting up the private charity sector to compete against the poor if he implements the failed social housing model from countries like the UK and Canada”, says Housing Lobby Spokesperson Sue Henry.

    “We must retain the State Housing system we have and central Government must be responsible for it.”

    “The private charity sector (trusts included) will never provide a better service for State tenants.”

    “Under the provision of housing being delivered by private charities the income-related rents would go and State tenants would be paying market rents, as the previous Housing Minister Phil Heatley acknowledged the housing subsidy would be halved. (‘The Nation 1&2 October 2011).
    Tenants would effectively only be temporary visitors in ‘transit’ housing.”

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1110/S00006/the-nation-phil-heatley.htm

    [“Duncan Okay, what happens if they move out of a state house?
    You move them out and they get a private dwelling or a social housing somewhere else, are they eligible for income related rents.

    Phil No, if they move from a state house they get income related rents which is worth about $9000 a year.

    Duncan What happens if you kick them out to private dwellings?

    Phil If they move to a private rental then they qualify not for income related rents which is about $8000 a year on average, they might get something like the accommodation supplement which is worth about $4000 a year.

    Duncan So you’re sitting here today telling me that for those people and there will be cases, they’re gonna be worse off?

    Phil No because if they’re in a state house, the amount of rent they pay depends on their income, so if their income doesn’t change when they shift from public to private…

    Duncan But you’re telling me that they’re going to move to – potentially move to a private dwelling, so you can get other high needs people into that state house that they could be worse off. Can you sit here and say no one will be worse off?

    Phil No, no I can’t. There’s a whole bunch of people in state houses at the moment who are being subsidised and have been there for a long time who we’re encouraging to move on.

    Duncan How are they going to afford to go, because these people are already poor aren’t they?…”

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    “Private charities would not be ‘transparent’ or accountable and nepotism would be rife, as proven by the following UK research” :
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    CORRUPTION IN THE UK PART TWO – Transparency International …
    http://www.transparency.org.uk/component/cckjseblod/?…publication...

    ” 4.5.1 Types of social housing corruption

    The social housing sector neatly demonstrates how closely aligned fraud and corruption can be. For example, the recent BBC documentary, The Great Housing Rip Off, estimated that approximately £3.5 billion of housing benefit is directed towards landlords who house tenants in very poor accommodation. While this is a misuse of entrusted power, it is more likely to be considered a fraudulent use of housing benefit.138

    The main types of corruption in the social housing sector are:

    • Tenancy fraud and corruption;
    • Abuse of position by social landlords;
    • Collusion and corruption in procurement…..”
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    “Overseas, the ‘social housing model’ has delivered wealthy, duplicated administrative bodies, severe cuts in rent subsidies and cardboard box cities and tenement slums,” continues Sue Henry.

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=4180

    “Privatisation wave#2: demunicipalisation by any means

    It was soon evident that the Right to Buy had natural limits – not least that poorer tenants would never be able to afford or access a mortgage – and although discounts would continue to rise over the decade, reaching 70% of market price,[10] the Conservatives unveiled a second privatisation wave from 1985 onwards that focused on selling council homes en masse to alternative landlords in the private and charity sectors. All manner of initiatives were tried and failed, and through resisting, tenants won the statutory right to be balloted on any privatisation proposals and be able to block them if they lacked majority support.

    By the late 1980s, however, many local authorities began selling off their entire housing stocks to existing and specially formed not-for-profit companies called housing associations in response to the government’s financial straitjacket and the realisation that they would financially benefit. Housing associations – or Registered Social Landlords as they are known – were regulated and barred from floating on the stock exchange, but they were also private companies that had greater freedoms to charge market rents, evict tenants and build private housing, and had limited democratic accountability.”
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    “People need to be reminded that here in New Zealand, care for the elderly devolved from private charity groups to now multinational companies, when the bulk-funding was cut.”

    http://www.business.auckland.ac.nz/Portals/4/Research/General/Wokiring_Paper_07_1_.pdf

    “We cannot and will not, allow this to happen to our State houses and our families.”

    Sue Henry
    Spokesperson
    Housing Lobby
13. Penny Bright 13

    13 May 2013 at 11:17 am

    STATEMENT BY PENNY BRIGHT, 2013 AUCKLAND MAYORAL CANDIDATE:

    ” MY POSITION ON ‘SOCIAL HOUSING’ IS UNCHANGED FROM 2010″:

    http://waterpressure.wordpress.com/2010/09/07/response-from-auckland-mayoral-candidate-penny-bright-to-waitakere-housing-call-to-action/

    “…INCREASED HOUSING PROVISION:

    1) First – I believe we need to head off the proposed housing decrease through giving private sector organisations huge chunks of existing housing stock and to ban any sale of existing state housing stock.

    I am opposed to ‘devolution’ of the provision of housing to ‘not-for-profit’ NGOs, as I believe it is still privatisation.

    For example – care for the aged has devolved from the ‘not-for-profit’ church groups to ‘for profit’ multinational companies.

    http://www.business.auckland.ac.nz/Portals/4/Research/General/Wokiring_Paper_07_1_.pdf(Pg 17)

    “The CEO of Presbyterian Support noted that the charitable organisations “reluctantly” exited the market which was increasingly dominated by “large national and multinational providers” (Presbyterian Support East Coast, 2005).

    2004 also saw the sale of facilities belonging to the Auckland Methodists and Hastings St John of God (Presbyterian Support East Coast, 2005).

    Charitable providers seemed to find the government’s then $80 daily subsidy5 made their business unsustainable (“No budget money for providers of residential care”, 2005).

    In contrast to the charitable providers, the large for-profit providers are expanding within the market.
    The Macquarie Group recently purchased Eldercare NZ .”

    I believe we need to retain Housing New Zealand (HNZ) as a ‘one stop shop’ entity.

    Housing is a Government responsibility, and if all Council tenants came under the HNZ umbrella, they too would have more affordable rents at 25% of their net income.

    (As happened when Auckland City Council pensioner housing was taken over by HNZ in 2004). …………”

    Penny Bright

    ‘Anti-corruption/anti-privatisation’ campaigner

    2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
14. Pascal's bookie 14

    13 May 2013 at 1:06 pm

    “Utu”.

    That boy just don’t give up.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8666101/Gilmore-threatens-revenge-on-enemies
    • veutoviper 14.1

      13 May 2013 at 1:14 pm

      Snap. Just posted this on the Gilmore Goes stream.

      Now will they try to stop him give his valedictory speech? IIRC, the Speaker did not respond to Mallard’s question asking whether Gilmore would be given a chance to give a valedictory speech at the start of last Thursday’s Question Time.

      About to check Slater’s sewer to check whether he has posted on this yet – then hop in the shower.

      Slater’s post essentially suggests that there are other emails etc that could be released on G’s sordid little life – or words to that effect. Not going back to check. Showertime asap.
      • ghostrider888 14.1.1

        13 May 2013 at 2:35 pm

        you should smell my arm pits. (just a little bathroom humour).
      • veutoviper 14.1.2

        13 May 2013 at 3:06 pm

        In reply to my own comment and question – Can they stop Gilmore making a valedictory speech? – I have now checked the NZ Parliament website and found this provision in Chapter 7 of Standing Orders – see (2) and (3) below.

        356 Maiden and valedictory statements
        (1) A member who has not made a maiden speech during an Address in Reply debate or has not already made a maiden statement may make a maiden statement.

        (2) A member who is about to retire or resign from the House may make a valedictory statement.

        (3) A maiden or valedictory statement may interrupt a debate, and is made at such time that the Speaker or the Business Committee determines.

        Presumably under (3), the Speaker or the Business Committee could determine that Gilmore cannot make his valedictory speech tomorrow and put it off until doomsday.

        But if they did that, I suspect that Gilmore would go to the media. And the opposition would have a field day. The NATZ might have sighed in relief too soon.

        Gilmore certainly seems to have lost the plot- or cracked. As I said yesterday, I am pretty sickened by the whole saga as it has panned out as I suspect that there are deeper mental health/psychological issues here.
        • Arfamo 14.1.2.1

          13 May 2013 at 3:13 pm

          He’d probably prefer to try and fire any thunderbolts under parliamentary privilege. Does he get that for a valedictory speech though?
          • ghostrider888 14.1.2.1.1

            13 May 2013 at 4:51 pm

            He’s got Garry Gilmore eyes.
    • Red Rosa 14.2

      13 May 2013 at 1:29 pm

      Maybe he has a voodoo doll or two as well..

      We’ll miss this guy! 10 days of entertainment for the Left and embarrassment for the Right. Run the pic of him and Key occasionally to remind us.

      Classic Nat Prat. In it for the Social Climbing and Sticking it to the Plebs. Plenty more in caucus, but much smoother versions.
15. johnm 15

    13 May 2013 at 1:09 pm

    Yankey’s Chum in the U$K Cameron and his Tory scum government have caused the suicide of a disabled woman with their class war austerity bedroom tax. Don’t forget Yankey and Dave come out of the same stable.

    “This Is What Austerity Looks Like – First Suicide Due To Bedroom Tax Reported”

    http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/

    “Then she walked 15 minutes through the sleeping estate to Junction 4 of the M6.
    And at 6.15am she walked straight into the path of a northbound lorry and was killed instantly. Stephanie Bottrill had become the first known suicide victim of the hated Bedroom Tax.”

    One Comment:
    “This heartbreaking story has touched me and brought me to tears. I really hope one day every evil, crooked, lying scheming bastard in Government pays a similar price. I would be first in line to change my name to Pierrpoint and hang the lot of them from lamposts outside Parliament and let them ROT. They bring shame on humanity! Cameron. IDS, Grayling, Hoban, McVey, Lansley I hope they burn in HELL!”
    • Draco T Bastard 15.1

      13 May 2013 at 5:56 pm

      Actual link
    • johnm 15.2

      13 May 2013 at 6:47 pm

      The Artist taxi driver’s reaction to this obscenity of the bedroom tax and suicide.

      “They don’t understand as £20 is nothing for an MP it’s breakfast, a taxi ride, a posh box chocs, for those affected by bedroom tax it’s for basics like food & heating! and remember MPs can claim all these luxuries back at the taxpayers expense. Stephanie Bottril must not have died in vain. We must fight in her memory and for the others who have died (from Government, ATOS & DWP bullying & threats) and stop this lying, evil government from killing more.”
16. ghostrider888 16

    13 May 2013 at 1:18 pm

    Tiwai – money down the pot in lieu.
17. ghostrider888 17

    13 May 2013 at 1:22 pm

    Shades of Mad Macs
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10883260
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10883232
    (“turning the roads over to criminals”)
18. ghostrider888 18

    13 May 2013 at 1:40 pm

    What is about mothers and pieces of silver?
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10883201.
19. SukieDamson 19

    13 May 2013 at 2:31 pm

    Is this what austerity/balancing the books/state asset sales looks like?

    Kal at – http://econ.st/17OYd3I
20. Morrissey 20

    13 May 2013 at 4:43 pm

    LIARS OF OUR TIME
    
No. 5: Rawdon Christie

    Television One Breakfast, Monday 13 May 2013, 7:20 a.m. ….

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    RAWDON CHRISTIE: Now, speaking of replacements, a FORMIDABLE replacement, it seems, is Claudette Hauiti…

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    See also…..
    No. 4: Willie and J.T.: “The X-Factor. Nah, nah, there’s some GREAT talent there!”
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06052013/#comment-628803
    No. 3: John Key: “Yeah we hold MPs to a higher standard.”
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06052013/#comment-628703
    No. 2: Colin Craig: “Oh, I have a GREAT sense of humour.” (TV3 News, 24 April 2013) http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-25042013/#comment-624381
    No. 1: Barack Obama: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty.”

    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19042013/#comment-621738
21. Morrissey 21

    13 May 2013 at 4:55 pm

    LIARS OF OUR TIME
    
No. 6: New Zealand Herald PR department

    The New Zealand Herald, Monday 13 May 2013, Page 4….

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    Congratulations—you’re reading New Zealand’s best newspaper.

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    See also….
    No. 5: Rawdon Christie: “…a FORMIDABLE replacement, it seems, is Claudette Hauiti.”
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-13052013/#comment-632594
    No. 4: Willie and J.T.: “The X-Factor. Nah, nah, there’s some GREAT talent there!”
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06052013/#comment-628803
    No. 3: John Key: “Yeah we hold MPs to a higher standard.”
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06052013/#comment-628703
    No. 2: Colin Craig: “Oh, I have a GREAT sense of humour.” (TV3 News, 24 April 2013) http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-25042013/#comment-624381
    No. 1: Barack Obama: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty.”

    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19042013/#comment-621738
22. joe90 22

    13 May 2013 at 5:03 pm

    After signing off> as the ISS Commander Chris Hadfield performed Space Oddity.
23. prism 23

    13 May 2013 at 5:24 pm

    We’re with Vodafone and our system has been down for most of the afternoon. I don’t know what caused it. Anyone else affected?
    • BLiP 23.1

      13 May 2013 at 5:50 pm

      ‘

      Nope . . . Vodascum has actually be rocking and rolling all day in Manukau. Mind you, MrsBLiP is claiming not have received various texts I sent to her in the city.
24. BLiP 24

    13 May 2013 at 7:09 pm

    ‘

    My google-fu is not up to scratch, obviously, because I cannot find a link to download the “ MacKenzie Agreement “. Anyone know where I can lay my cursor upon it?
    • karol 24.1

      13 May 2013 at 7:39 pm

      Nope. Thanks for the tip. I can only find articles about it:

      NBR.

      Scoop business
    • freedom 24.2

      13 May 2013 at 7:53 pm

      no joy, but here is the Mayor’s email: mayor@mackenzie.govt.nz

      ” North Otago Federated Farmers’ high country chairman Simon Williamson, described the agreement as a “definite way forward”, but the key was “where it goes from here”. “It is going to take some fairly serious funding to get it off the ground,” he said.

      Perhaps they could garner donations from those that have already profited ?
      “http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8659944/High-country-farmer-subdivision-profits-released

      p.s in related commentary,
      is Simon Williamson Maurice Williamson’s son (whose name is Simon) ? or is that just coincidence
    • joe90 24.3

      13 May 2013 at 7:54 pm

      Some tips to improve your google-fu.

      http://webapps.stackexchange.com/questions/753/hidden-features-of-google-search/

      http://www.hackcollege.com/blog/2011/11/23/infographic-get-more-out-of-google.html

      edit:

      file type pdf: The Mackenzie Agreement Williamson Holdings, Southdown Holdings, Five Rivers site:.nz

      results
      • BLiP 24.3.1

        13 May 2013 at 11:00 pm

        ‘

        Thanks, joe90.
25. joe90 25

    13 May 2013 at 8:56 pm

    I especially like Will Davies’ conclusion:

    Eastern bloc socialism had to keep going through the 1970s and 80s, inspite of lagging growth and failed ideological hegemony, because nobody knew what else to do. This is the stage neoliberal policy-making has now reached. The difference is that there is still one area of our economy that is still moving and changing, namely the money economy, with corporate profits high and financial innovation ongoing. What seems to have changed, post-2008, is that the price paid for this monetary dynamism is that the rest of us all have to stand completely still. In order that ‘they’ in the banks can cling on to their modernity of liquidity and ultra-fast turnover, ‘we’ outside have to relinquish our modernity, of a future that is any different from the present. Finance is to our stagnant societies what the space race and the Cold War were to the Eastern Bloc countries of the 1970s and 80s – a huge cost that the state imposes on its public, with the result that cities and economies start to become tedious processions of the same.

    http://potlatch.typepad.com/weblog/2013/04/brezhnev-capitalism.html

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