Open mike 14/04/2015

116 comments on “Open mike 14/04/2015 ”

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1. Paul 1

   14 April 2015 at 7:23 am

   China’s March exports shrink 15 percent year-on-year in shock fall
   http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/13/us-china-economy-trade-idUSKBN0N405D20150413

   The world economy is on the brink of a worse crash than 2008.
   • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1

     14 April 2015 at 8:27 am

     I’d take that with a bucket of salt if I were you.

     Defying expectations, China posted its first trade deficit in March since February 2012 on surging imports, completely out of whack with market forecasts.

     March 2013.

     Make that two buckets.
2. Paul 2

   14 April 2015 at 7:32 am

   Auckland’s property prices.
   Who do you believe ?

   The Dear Leader who says there is no crisis.
   http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/20174463/prime-minister-responds-to-calls-for-action-on-house-prices

   Or a reputable economist, who says that ‘Auckland’s housing market has officially disembarked from the rest of the country.’

   http://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/74904/bernard-hickey-argues-aucklands-housing-market-has-officially-disembarked-rest-country.
   • Draco T Bastard 2.1

     14 April 2015 at 7:41 am

     Dear Leader’s rich mates in the banking sector are making a killing in the housing debt market and so he sees no crisis there.
   • Skinny 2.2

     14 April 2015 at 8:14 am

     It suits National just fine. Property owners in Auckland gleefully await their annual property valuation, and year upon year up the price goes. many increases are stratospheric. In return Auckland is as blue as the ocean, so what do you think would happen if the incumbent National led Government took measures like limiting foreign ownership, or introducing a capital gain tax, or even a death duty tax.

     What would happen is they would lose the Auckland vote and be booted out of office.
     • vto 2.2.1

       14 April 2015 at 9:39 am

       Yes that right. But it shows the lack of thinking that goes on today……

       If all house prices dropped then our mortgages would be lower, the amount we had to pay for a home be lower, and we would actually have significantly more money.

       Yet so many people do not see this.

       Anyone know why?
       • Skinny 2.2.1.1

         14 April 2015 at 10:03 am

         Which is a direct reflection of our poor political system. Major issues such as the Auckland Housing problem should be subjected to a cross party consensus to resolve the issue. Party lines is the huge hinder and so yesteryear.
         • vto 2.2.1.1.1

           14 April 2015 at 10:09 am

           I think its a two-fold thing….

           first, the bright shiny allure of seeing a supposedly real pot of gold at the end of a rainbow in the form of a housing valuation. (anyone ever caught up with that rainbow gold?)

           second, the political thing. The short term nature of decision-making that our system fosters. Something like this which would reduce prices would take some time to bed in.

           ………………………………………….

           test:
           If every house in NZ went up by 50% tomorrow what would be achieved?
         • Bearded Git 2.2.1.1.2

           14 April 2015 at 10:27 am

           @Skinny Sorry but this IS a political/philosophical issue. National are cynically happy with the exorbitant valuations of Akl houses as it benefits their voters. Labour, on the other hand, sees supply of sufficient housing, especially affordable housing, as fundamental plank in a fair society.

           It is developers who are dragging their feet with developments (land banking) or who are developing the wrong type of houses (4/5 bedrooms on large lots spreading ever outwards) that are causing the problems in Akl.

           It is nothing at all to do with the RMA. So really this is an issue the Super City should be able to sort out itself, with central government weighing in with major state house construction. We need a change of government for his to happen.
       • Ron 2.2.1.2

         14 April 2015 at 10:21 am

         Well No it would not. If house value falls then all those with recent mortgages would find that they owned houses with less than the security put up to purchase the house. The banks would then ask you to cough up with more security or payback your mortgage immediately. How would you go if you had a house valued at 800,000 with a 700,000 mortgage. The house value drops to 500,000 and you no longer have sufficient cover so the bank would want more money from you to reduce the mortgage to below 500,000.
         This is the main reason that no political party will ever seriously try and solve the escalating house costs.

         If all house prices dropped then our mortgages would be lower, the amount we had to pay for a home be lower, and we would actually have significantly more money.
         • vto 2.2.1.2.1

           14 April 2015 at 10:27 am

           Of course. I didn’t mention the instant-term / short-term pain in adjusting as figured it was self-explanatory. There would be some short term pain for those in such a situation but that short term pain must be put aside in the interests of the mid and long term benefit for all New Zealanders.

           The point raised doesn’t make the grade as a reason not to aim for lowering house prices.

           Lower house prices are an exceptionally good thing for the country.
           • Ron 2.2.1.2.1.1

             14 April 2015 at 10:39 am

             Short term pain. Obviously you either dont have a recent mortgage or maybe no mortgage. It would not be a short term pain it would be devastating. People affected would possibly lose their homes and their deposits. Yes their next home might be cheaper if they ever manage to get around to purchasing one again. They would have entered the market in good faith and then suddenly their house is devalued and they can be out on the street. Not going to happen. There are better ways to cope with the housing problem.
             • vto …

               14 April 2015 at 10:43 am

               Yes it is painful.

               But not as painful as the situation we have now (which those with high mortgages refuse to consider).

               edit: perhaps a solution is to require banks, who are equally responsible for the situation and have long profited from the situation, to share in the pain. After all, mortgages are just ledger entries and not real money so there is neglible effect on them.
               • Ron …

                 14 April 2015 at 10:51 am

                 Or maybe encourage people to look further afield I was out Pukekohe recently and there are a number of houses in the 400-500 thousand range three bedroom good section etc but Aucklanders will not commute.
                 For those of us that used to work in Wellington and had to purchase out in Akatarawa which meant a 30 minute bus trip to Railhead and then an hour on train into city every day but there was little choice.
                 • Draco T Bastard …

                   14 April 2015 at 12:48 pm

                   Have you got any idea as to how much commuting costs?
                   • Ron …

                     14 April 2015 at 8:40 pm

                     Not as much as driving that’s for sure, Buy a monhly pass and it’s not too bad
                   • Draco T Bastard …

                     14 April 2015 at 8:54 pm

                     The word commuting isn’t specifically about using public transport and thus also involves cars and driving.
                 • vto …

                   14 April 2015 at 12:56 pm

                   You’re missing the point ron.

                   Lower house prices right across the board are good for every single part of the population, not just those at the bottom.
                   • Colonial Rawshark …

                     14 April 2015 at 1:55 pm

                     vto – a lot of people would agree with you: lower house prices are better – and stopping people treating housing like a speculative asset would also be damn good.

                     The mechanisms HOW are important though. Ron raises some good points: but they are all manageable by the government.

                     Eg.

                     1) The government institutes a moratorium on mortgagee sales, repossessions and ‘margin calls’ by the bank: this will apply to all mortgages for which payments are no more than 30 days over due.

                     2) If a retail bank wants out of the mortgage that is ‘underwater’, fine. Government will facilitate that: the government will pay out the face value of the mortgage and the mortgage asset and administration will be taken over by Kiwibank.

                     3) The government will limit the loss of value anyone suffers on their primary home to a maximum of 5% of the original purchase value.

                     My bet is that with these, and other steps, an orderly reduction in house values of a few percentage points per year is very possible. And by also ensuring income inflation of a couple of percent a year, housing affordibility will rocket upwards over a 5 to 10 year period.
                   • vto …

                     14 April 2015 at 2:17 pm

                     Sure the ‘how’ needs to be done as easily as possible, but the schemes suggested there, and dracos below, are so complex as to be unachievable imo. In Chch post-earthquakes we have seen the myriad variances and circumstances that have inadvertently arisen in the wake of the red-zone government offers, and that is a simple scheme.

                     There is also the issue of affordability. Government could not afford it. Government is struggling to afford Christchurch.

                     All stakeholders in property would need to share the burden. Banks are certainly stakeholders and share responsibility for the problem. They also unendingly profit from being a property stakeholder. Perhaps, put simply, the LVR on each property is maintained pre and post-value adjustment. Done.
                     ….. but still the distortions would fly
                   • Draco T Bastard …

                     14 April 2015 at 2:30 pm

                     Sure the ‘how’ needs to be done as easily as possible, but the schemes suggested there, and dracos below, are so complex as to be unachievable imo.

                     WTF is complex about it?

                     In Chch post-earthquakes we have seen the myriad variances and circumstances that have inadvertently arisen in the wake of the red-zone government offers, and that is a simple scheme.

                     No, that was an overly complex system designed, as far as I can make out, to save both the government and the insurance industry money. What the government should have done is declared the Red Zones, paid everyone in them the full market value and then turned round to the insurance companies and told them to pay up.

                     There is also the issue of affordability. Government could not afford it.

                     This is incorrect. The government can, quite literally, afford everything in NZ.
         • Draco T Bastard 2.2.1.2.2

           14 April 2015 at 12:47 pm

           There’s an answer to that to. When the government passes legislation that drops the process of houses you have it so that they also offer to buy the house at previous market rates. The current owners get a lease at normal social housing rents.
           • Herodotus 2.2.1.2.2.1

             14 April 2015 at 5:59 pm

             Limit the ability for banks to raise bank debt.
             If there are greater controls over bank debt: equity ratios then there would be less money available for the banks to loan out.
             A property that was $1m last year in Auckland is now $1.13m ( based on the increase of the medium house price in Auckland ) Wages are static so what has changed ? The availability of plenty of cheap money, and banks openness to lend.
             Also why is it that a family who are the owner:occupiers paying the same interest rate as someone who has multi properties ? What other business will the banks accept debt of 50%, 60 or even 80 % and still charge the same mortgage rate as for the sole family home ? Shouldn’t the family’s rate be lower and the commercial enterprise pay more. Isn’t it under the current scenario a family subsidising the commercial multi property owner by both paying the same rate ?
             https://www.reinz.co.nz/shadomx/apps/fms/fmsdownload.cfm?file_uuid=6E818C4E-73F0-48C6-A4A4-43F2D0D229B3&siteName=reinz
             • Draco T Bastard …

               14 April 2015 at 6:40 pm

               Limit the ability for banks to raise bank debt.

               There are many policies that need to be enacted that will drop the price of houses in NZ. That would certainly be one of the policies that needs to be enacted.

               What I was getting at there was a response from government that could alleviate peoples fear of losing.

               Isn’t it under the current scenario a family subsidising the commercial multi property owner by both paying the same rate ?

               There’s a huge amount of such subsidies happening. You especially see it in telecommunications and power where the retail sector is massively subsidising the business sector. In both of those you see the retail sector paying massively more than the business sector which amounts to a massive subsidy.

               At one point (when I was with one of the larger telcos) the management had a meeting to show us how well we were doing and in that meeting they showed us that the company was losing money on their VIP customers while still making a profit. The entire profit was coming from the residential sector after paying for the loss of the business sector. There’s no other word for that sort of transference of wealth but subsidy.
3. Arandar 3

   14 April 2015 at 7:42 am

   Worrying about how someone posted twice yesterday in my name.
   It was not me.
   How does that happen?
   And what do I do about it?
   • Draco T Bastard 3.1

     14 April 2015 at 8:03 am

     How does that happen?

     Without a login anyone can use the name. The moderators discourage it but they can’t actually stop it.

     And what do I do about it?

     Register and login to the site. Then when you post a comment it will appear in blue as mine is and nobody else will be able to use the name.
     • Ron 3.1.1

       14 April 2015 at 10:28 am

       I must admit I have found dual use of names confusing. Could you please explain how one registers. I can see a log in option but not an option to register in first place.?

       Register and login to the site. Then when you post a comment it will appear in blue as mine is and nobody else will be able to use the name.
       • weka 3.1.1.1

         14 April 2015 at 11:24 am

         I think you need a wordpress account to register. Or a gravatar account. Or both?
   • felix 3.2

     14 April 2015 at 8:11 am

     Was it just your name, Arandar?

     Or did your picture appear as well?
   • Bill 3.3

     14 April 2015 at 11:08 am

     Hi Arandar. What comments are you referring to? I’ve searched the comment stream and all comments under my search are coming up with your email and avatar.
   • Prickles 3.4

     14 April 2015 at 11:25 am

     Arander I noticed yesterday when I was reading the Standard that your name and email address were already in the boxes below the comments. I did wonder why but as they were gone by the next time I looked I didn’t give it a thought. I have never commented here before – just read it all daily – so have no idea how such a thing would happen. I was on an ipad at the time.
     • r0b 3.4.1

       14 April 2015 at 11:32 am

       Thanks Prickles, I have seen exactly this anomaly too.
       • weka 3.4.1.1

         14 April 2015 at 11:38 am

         that makes sense, there’s been some odd things happening lately. Lynn’s still working on the mobile version right?
         • r0b 3.4.1.1.1

           14 April 2015 at 2:06 pm

           Yup, I believe so.
4. Whateva next? 4

   14 April 2015 at 7:54 am

   Listening to Kim Hill interviewing the Minister about Zero Hour Contracts.
   First time I have heard National say anything about them. Thank goodness Labour, Unions and the very decent John Campbell have been actively exposing these utterly dreadful practices.
   I got the impression National may not have gotten around to looking at these issues at all, and without Campbell Live to let the rest of us know, Zero Hour Contracts would have become the norm, as they have in other countries.
   Luckily, fear of sales dropping after exposure has empowered the slaves to a small degree.
   • Ron 4.1

     14 April 2015 at 10:53 am

     maybe we could start a campaign to get Kim back on Morning Report. Suzi could get a job in a ministers office surely?
5. Paul 5

   14 April 2015 at 7:55 am

   Meanwhile in the virtual reality world of Fearfax, no such momentous events exist.
   Instead consumers of their ‘news’ can read this as the main headlines.

   Scrutiny on doctors
   Selfie-sticks a public scourge
   Trolley bus cost shock
   $14,000 bike stolen
   Surprising visitors came for CWC.

   And the Herald pumps out the following vital information as the leaders.

   Trio on the run after ram-raid burglary
   Colin Slade’s $700k move to French club
   Two Farro stores cop alcohol sale bans
   ‘I shot him’: deputy kills black suspect
   Disabled man in car, carer goes fishing

   As George Carlin said.

   “But I’ll tell you what they don’t want. They don’t want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They don’t want well-informed, well-educated people capable of critical thinking. They’re not interested in that. That doesn’t help them. That’s against their interests. “
6. Arandar 6

   14 April 2015 at 8:18 am

   Draco. Thank you. I’ve tried to follow your advice and cannot work out how to register and log in. I’m a techno fool I know.

   Felix. Yes, picture as well.
   • felix 6.1

     14 April 2015 at 8:24 am

     The picture is tied to your email address, so it’s a bit concerning if someone else can use that.

     Perhaps if we yell HITLER NAZI TROLL HELENGRAD we can attract a mod to have a look.
     • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1.1

       14 April 2015 at 8:30 am

       
7. Arandar 7

   14 April 2015 at 8:55 am

   Felix. That’s what I thought. I sent a couple of emails to thestandardnz last night when I found the two comments.

   Ps. Am on an iPad and don’t have the reply facility. Sorry about that too – spreading my woe all over this thread.
   • te reo putake 7.1

     14 April 2015 at 9:19 am

     Hi, Arandar, I’m sure a mod with the technical abilities will have a look ASAP. But, in the meantime, have a go at logging in, as DtB suggests. The log in box is at the top right of the page.
     • Arandar 7.1.1

       14 April 2015 at 9:26 am

       TRP, thanks for that.

       I’ve moved to laptop so can reply now.

       I’ve tried logging in several times but it says I’m locked out.
       • te reo putake 7.1.1.1

         14 April 2015 at 9:38 am

         Hmmm, that might also be related to the misuse of your identity, but I’m sure it can be sorted pretty quickly. Just as an aside, it might be worth checking your fb and email accounts just in case the hack is wider than just here at TS.
         • weka 7.1.1.1.1

           14 April 2015 at 10:01 am

           and change all passwords.
           • Kiwiri - Raided of the Last Shark 7.1.1.1.1.1

             14 April 2015 at 11:52 am

             and shift one’s thinking from password to passphrase …… advice from Snowden himself:

             http://rt.com/usa/248401-snowden-oliver-password-protection-advice/
             • Kiwiri - Raided of the Last Shark …

               14 April 2015 at 12:05 pm

               and more tips such as:

               * Long enough to be hard to guess
               * Not a famous quotation from literature, holy books, et cetera [or lyrics]
               * Hard to guess by intuition—even by someone who knows the user well
               * Easy to remember and type accurately
               * For better security, any easily memorable encoding at the user’s own level can be applied.
               * Not reused between sites, applications and other different sources.

               http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passphrase
               • weka …

                 14 April 2015 at 12:21 pm

                 I notice they don’t give any useful examples (that list is pretty hard to achieve).
                 • Molly …

                   14 April 2015 at 4:37 pm

                   Snowden’s suggestion was “MargaretThatcheris110%sexy” – perhaps something similarly unlikely could be worked up for our current PM.
                   • weka …

                     14 April 2015 at 4:48 pm

                     eeeww (but good example from Snowden thanks).
                   • Kiwiri - Raided of the Last Shark …

                     14 April 2015 at 5:44 pm

                     How about “JohnKeyi$110%truthful”?

                     One up on Snowden’s suggestion, with an additional symbol.
       • Anne 7.1.1.2

         14 April 2015 at 9:59 am

         Yes Arander I picked up on those two comments and didn’t think they sounded as having come from you.
     • Lanthanide 7.1.2

       14 April 2015 at 10:17 am

       Lynn disabled log-ins for the average user literally years ago. Only the few people who had signed up before then can still log-in. And authors.
       • te reo putake 7.1.2.1

         14 April 2015 at 10:54 am

         I wasn’t aware of that, Lanth, thanks. I only got a log in organised when I became an author, never really thought about it prior to that.
       • Draco T Bastard 7.1.2.2

         14 April 2015 at 12:41 pm

         Hadn’t realised that.
   • r0b 7.2

     14 April 2015 at 11:30 am

     A couple of times over the many years, when not logged in to TS, I have found the comment / reply fields populated with someone else’s data, apparently at random. The most recent case was within the last couple of months.

     Suspect it is a cache / cookie confusion issue perhaps when two people are connected via the same ISP / subnet – but I’m just waving my hands in the air there.
     • Bill 7.2.1

       14 April 2015 at 11:43 am

       I’ve searched the back end comment stream (email, avatar and comments all line up)and then yesterday’s individual pages through firefox search option. Can’t find anything unusual. Again. Can somebody point me to the comments in question?

       Didn’t happen to use a public computer and leave stuff sitting?
       • Arandar 7.2.1.1

         14 April 2015 at 2:08 pm

         Hi Bill,
         No I use only my own laptop and my own iPad and iPhone. I comment very rarely though I read daily and haven’t commented probably for a couple of months now…

         The two comments yesterday were on the Get rid of the leftwing Bastard thread and the Miranda Devine thread. Neither were from me.

         I got my husband to help me check back through the previous couple of days posts and comments for anything else that might have been posted by someone using my name and picture. When he went onto The Standard website, on his iPad, there was someone else’s name and email in the Leave a Comment area. He’s never gone to The Standard before – usually gets me to read to him all the interesting stuff – lazy beggar!

         I thought that was odd and I’d guess that’s what’s happened; my name and email ended up on someone else’s tablet. How that also involves my picture I don’t know but then I don’t know much anyway and SFA about any of this stuff.

         Problem, my changing my passwords won’t stop this happening, will it? Since this isn’t passworded in the first place?
         • Bill 7.2.1.1.1

           14 April 2015 at 2:23 pm

           Okay. I’m stumped. I’m no tech head. All I can do for the time being is note on those comments that they weren’t made by you. Hopefully Lynn will be able to get to the bottom of it. Seems like an apple thing though.
       • r0b 7.2.1.2

         14 April 2015 at 2:09 pm

         You won’t see anything at all unusual, just what appears to be a regular comment from that individual. In this case only Arandar can say which comments they didn’t write. Ahh – reading back – it is the (only) two comments made by that username yesterday. Nothing obvious springs to mind looking at the IP address involved.
     • logie97 7.2.2

       14 April 2015 at 11:55 am

       Was browsing from my iPad yesterday and noticed the Leave a Comment had someone elses name and email address there. Was concerned as it was a sort of “Spooks” name. Anyway, I just deleted it and carried on browsing.
       Must check today when I get back to the iPad.
     • logie97 7.2.3

       14 April 2015 at 12:05 pm

       rOb – it happened to me yesterday while I was browsing on my iPad. The “Leave a Comment” section had Name and Mail boxes with strange names in it. I just deleted them and carried on browsing. Will check my iPad again when I can get to it.
     • Lanthanide 7.2.4

       14 April 2015 at 12:54 pm

       Have never seen that. I know that one other person from my work has posted a comment on TS, although only once and several years ago now.
8. vto 8

   14 April 2015 at 9:19 am

   Farmers support the free market. They sell to the highest possible buyer in the world. Farmers also support the National Party in droves, with their free market philosophy etc.

   Yet here are Federated Farmers complaining about the free market not filling their free market business requirements with low-paid employees. The farmers are not willing to pay what the market requires for people to work in their businesses so they import cheaper labour from o.s.

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/67648025/criteria-too-tough-on-migrant-workers–federated-farmers

   Complete hypocrisy and lack of credibility.

   Then to top that nerve in making such a brazen hypocritical claim, they add another with this …. “Macpherson said this ruled out most migrant workers, and the approach was short-sighted. “Even if they’re just milking the cows,” he said, “they’re still working at the starting point of New Zealand’s wealth.” ”

   When will they learn that this is not the starting point of NZ’s wealth. The starting point is the mothers who gave birth, the school teachers who taught them how to read dairy shed instructions, the port workers and truck drivers without whom the goods would get nowhere, the builders who first provide them with a home to live in.

   So many farmers have thinking like this which bears no relation to reality.
   • Jimmy 8.1

     14 April 2015 at 10:22 am

     Thats weird I talk to farmers all the time, never hear this view expressed.
     Seems you are stereotyping a little VTO.
     This http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/67679361/analysts-predict-dairy-disaster-ahead
     This is the main reason farmers are having trouble retaining and employing staff.
     Also I wouldn’t worry too much about dairy farmers being National voters, their are only about 12000 of them in the country, only as many votes as a largish Auckland suburb.
     I know of a lot of farm employees who will be out of work next season, as dairy farmers come to grips with the probability of several years of low payout.
     Also lots of farms are automating to varying degrees as well.
     • vto 8.1.1

       14 April 2015 at 10:34 am

       Me too jimmy re talking to farmers. Note also that this view was expressed by Fed Farmers who represent farmers. So no generalisations – just picking up on Fed Farmers commentary. They said it.

       Regarding having trouble employing and retaining staff – farmers simply need to meet the market. They need to pay more to meet the supply and demand curve. And they need to treat their workers better.

       It is simple free market economics, which the farmers support and vote for. Why don’t they comply with it? Why do they stick their hands out when the going gets a little tough for them? They come across as a little soft
9. vto 9

   14 April 2015 at 9:25 am

   I see Tony Abbott has today announced tax penalties for those citizens who don’t vaccinate their children.

   ………

   tories, National Party supporters and conservatives ……..

   they

   just

   don’t

   think
10. Tony P 10

    14 April 2015 at 9:27 am

    Any reason why TS is not showing the most recent posts in my Feedly? Hasn’t for a few days now.
11. vto 11

    14 April 2015 at 9:36 am

    When Nick Smith claims there are excessive rules under the RMA and piles up all the District Plan rulebooks from around the country to show how many rules people have to comply with, is that misleading and deceptive?

    https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/overhauling-resource-management-act

    Because of course, those 80,000 pages are to cover all of the country’s councils. It is not 80,000 pages for every Council. Yet Smith claims it is.

    Nick Smith lies and deceives.
    • McFlock 11.1

      14 April 2015 at 11:31 am

      yep. Any joking references calling him on it from the msm political commentariat? lol no need to answer that one
12. Penny Bright 12

    14 April 2015 at 10:46 am

    Penny Bright / Lisa Prager ‘Open Letter’ to NZ Solicitor-General Michael Heron – “Please do NOT drop the John Banks retrial!”

    14 April 2015

    Michael Heron
    NZ Solicitor-General

    Dear Solicitor-General,

    As two of the three original complainants to the Police about John Banks for alleged electoral fraud arising from his 2010 Auckland Mayoral campaign, we urge you, in the public interest, NOT to drop his retrial.

    In our considered opinion, in order for ‘justice to be done and be seen to be done’, the issues are these:

    If John Banks knew the identity of any of his substantive electoral donors, they should not have been declared as ‘anonymous’ in his candidate’s electoral returns.

    As John Banks’ campaign Treasurer was not present at all times / meetings where electoral donations were discussed or solicited, in our view, he was not in a position to know whether the list he had compiled of donations which were listed as ‘anonymous’ was accurate or not.

    In our view, John Banks should not have relied upon his Treasurer’s work, in compiling this list of ‘anonymous donations’, without first carefully double-checking it himself, before signing it as the 2010 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

    To us, there seems to have been a significant amount of legal ‘pin head dancing’ as it were – but if the New Zealand public is to have faith in you, as ‘the highest acting lawyer in the land’; our New Zealand ‘Justice’ and electoral systems, then the retrial of John Banks needs to go ahead.

    Yours sincerely,

    Penny Bright
    ………………………………

    ‘Anti-Corruption / Anti-Privatisation campaigner / Public Watchdog’

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

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

    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate

    Lisa Prager
    …………………….

    Community activist / advocate Public Watchdog
    • veutoviper 12.1

      14 April 2015 at 11:18 am

      Good on you, Penny.

      I notice that today’s High Court daily list for Auckland HC includes an’ In Chambers’ telephone conference on the Crown v John Banks case at 9.00am – Justice Fogarty. Presumably this is about the retrial …..

      https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/business/calendar/daily-lists/2-National%20Court%20List%20-%20Tuesday%20-%2014.04.2015.pdf
13. freedom 13

    14 April 2015 at 10:54 am

    As we are heading back into Iraq, you would think we might have heard about this report being released.
    -I wonder if we’ll see any journalists asking the PM for his comments?

    http://yournewswire.com/declassified-cia-document-reveals-iraq-war-had-zero-justification/
    • rawshark-yeshe 13.1

      14 April 2015 at 11:11 am

      kudos due to one Helen Clark on our behalf … great link, thx freedom.

      Those three in the picture should be up on war crimes charges with the greedy and vile Blair who still wishes to rule the whole world.
      • Chooky 13.1.1

        14 April 2015 at 4:20 pm

        +100 freedom and r-y …and here is an admission, but of course Obama did not support the first Iraq war:

        “In an interview with VICE founder Shane Smith, Obama said the rise of the Islamic State was a direct result of the disastrous invasion.

        “ISIL is a direct outgrowth of al Qaeda in Iraq that grew out of our invasion,” Obama said. “Which is an example of unintended consequences. Which is why we should generally aim before we shoot.”

        – See more at: http://yournewswire.com/declassified-cia-document-reveals-iraq-war-had-zero-justification/#sthash.iT4qCCAv.dpuf
14. Clemgeopin 14

    14 April 2015 at 11:07 am

    A thought provoking speech about the Labour party by Michael Cullen.

    http://polity.co.nz/content/sir-michael-cullen-labour
    • Anne 14.1

      14 April 2015 at 11:35 am

      Also;

      http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/04/12/live-event-table-talk-making-sense-of-the-campbell-live-affair/

      Might be worth tuning into…
      • weka 14.1.1

        14 April 2015 at 11:40 am

        cool, that’s tonight.
      • vto 14.1.2

        14 April 2015 at 11:55 am

        Discussion of the lack of a true media in NZ?

        Why do we need one of those?

        All we need to know is;

        1. when the next rateable valuation on the house is out.
        2. who is next on XFactor
        3. what Mike Hosking thinks about the Americas cup
        4. the name of the next royal baby
        5. ….

        For proof of this fact see the front pages of all daily newspapers and tv news shows.
        • Kiwiri - Raided of the Last Shark 14.1.2.1

          14 April 2015 at 6:15 pm

          when the next rateable valuation on the house is out

          so ratepayers are psychologically really happy paying more and more to Council as the paper value of their houses get pumped higher and higher, thanks to greater numbers of working New Zealanders getting themselves more indebted to banks which are mostly overseas
      • Draco T Bastard 14.1.3

        14 April 2015 at 2:19 pm

        John Key dismisses Campbell Live as entertainment

        Prime Minister John Key says Campbell Live’s primary role was to entertain rather than hold the Government to account.

        Looks like the RWNJS have got their C/T lines out now that National’s apparent attempt to kill off investigative journalism is blowing up in their face.
        • Chooky 14.1.3.1

          14 April 2015 at 4:21 pm

          +100…John Key is getting very worried about the public backlash to the axing of Campbell Live…. and his part in it…as well as that of his friends

          Here is the sort of investigative journalism from Campbell that John Key is really worried about…and why he wants to axe Campbell’s programme

          http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/campbelllive/keys-meeting-with-gcsb-boss-revealed-2014052019
    • Ron 14.2

      14 April 2015 at 6:46 pm

      Thought provoking maybe but in some ways I see Cullen and Clark as the cause of the problems that Labour had at last election. Not too sure we should be paying too much heed to Cullen at all.
15. Rodel 15

    14 April 2015 at 12:32 pm

    Occasional trip- ups on hurried keyboards are no problem but a minor spelling point from a self confessed pedant.

    Don’t confuse ‘their’, and ‘there’. …

    ‘Their’ is a possessive pronoun: I like their new car.
    ‘There’ is an adverb meaning ‘at that place’: park the car over there.

    There, that feels better.
    • Northshoreguynz 15.1

      14 April 2015 at 4:24 pm

      How to comfort a grammar nazi?
      They’re, there, their.
      • Rodel 15.1.1

        14 April 2015 at 8:14 pm

        No its not Deutsch grammar- just English spelling..and by the way …

        a |ā, ə|( an before a vowel sound) [ called the indefinite article ]

        ref. Open mike 01/04/2015
        “Used to be an (sic) girl group many years ago. ……! ”
        Bye!
    • Anne 15.2

      14 April 2015 at 9:58 pm

      And from another pedant: I do wish people would learn to distinguish between bought and brought.

      Bought is the past tense for buy.
      Brought is the past tense for bring.

      I bought a loaf of bread from the dairy.
      I brought the washing in off the line.
      • Clemgeopin 15.2.1

        14 April 2015 at 11:55 pm

        “I bought a loaf of bread from the dairy.
        I brought the washing in off the line”

        I brought a loaf of bread from the dairy.
        I bought the washing machine on line.
16. Puckish Rogue 16

    14 April 2015 at 12:33 pm

    http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/doctor-mp-back-no-jab-no-pay-scheme-2015041408#axzz3XEsnbz35

    – Well that makes things more interesting
    • vto 16.1

      14 April 2015 at 12:37 pm

      Of course for Dr Lance O’Sullivan to have any credibility he will also need to call for financial penalties for those who are not on a benefit. For example, tax penalty if you don’t immunise your children.

      Easy. Done.
      • weka 16.1.1

        14 April 2015 at 12:47 pm

        +1 Or better yet, no subsidised health care (including A and E) or education. Hitting the more well off where it hurts in a proportionally similar way to beneficiaries will make the point better.
    • weka 16.2

      14 April 2015 at 12:44 pm

      “– Well that makes things more interesting”

      Not really. That some doctors in NZ are protofascist isn’t new. Seymour is quoted in that article, I bet you could even find some of his voters that are doctors.
17. Gosman 17

    14 April 2015 at 1:16 pm

    Looks like Venezuela is headed for an unholy mess later on this year.

    https://www.stratfor.com/image/low-oil-prices-are-crashing-venezuelas-economy
    • tricledrown 17.1

      14 April 2015 at 1:28 pm

      No doubt a right wing facist dictator will eventually take over and normality will return.
      • Gosman 17.1.1

        14 April 2015 at 2:20 pm

        Or the people will get sick of the lies and failures of the Bolivarian Revolution and vote in an economically literate government.
18. Charles 18

    14 April 2015 at 1:17 pm

    Is Bob Jones going nuts in his old age, or was he never really present? Just finished reading his latest offering here:
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11432112

    Where he displays his inability to decern between a safe situation and a dangerous accident; and while the commenters give a rousing applause and hurrah; and no doubt while the “Nappy Media” Herald protects him from more exacting commenters.

    Bob’s angry that he was saved from safety, and brutally stopped from expressing the courage of his convictions. Other’s in dangerous situations should be left to drown, he implies with characteristic aloof ignorance, because once apon a time something else unrelated happened. Furthermore, other people expressing personal traits opposite to his should be restricted from the inalienable human freedoms he champions.

    Also, if he could use the readership of the Herald instead of creating his own readership, that’d be good too, because no nappies for him, no way.

    Don’t you feel better about the world knowing nothing has changed? Everyone is still calling for self-extinction, but still too cowardly to do it themselves.
    • hoom 18.1

      14 April 2015 at 2:31 pm

      Unfortunately I read it too.
      If he really believed half of what he writes he’d have refused the offers of Nanny help from the boat & would have proudly drowned much to the relief of the rest of the country.
19. Draco T Bastard 19

    14 April 2015 at 1:18 pm

    Here we go again

    Translation: “give us more money or we’ll leave”. To which the government’s response should be “here’s the door”.

    What’s the bet that this government will give away a few more tens of millions of our money to a massively profitable foreign company?
20. Clemgeopin 20

    14 April 2015 at 1:25 pm

    Key’s shocking comments today about Campbell Live.

    John Key is dismissing the Campbell Live current affairs programme, claiming it’s a show geared up purely for the purpose of entertainment.

    John Key told NewstalkZB the show plays no role in holding the government to account.

    “Well, it’s role in life is not to hold the government to account. It’s to entertain its viewers and basically follow news stories, but a great many of those don’t involve the government. Some do.”

    “Look I don’t know anything about the show other than what I read in the paper, but if you look at what you read in the paper, it’s rating badly and it’s been rating poorly over the last while.”

    Asked whether the programme’s work in Christchurch was worthwhile, Key said “I don’t know, I don’t see enough of it to be honest.”

    “Whether it stays or goes is a matter for Mediaworks.”

    Media commentator Gavin Ellis believes broadcasters have a moral obligation to hold those in power to account, through current affairs programming.

    “If they won’t voluntarily meet civic responsibility then maybe we need to look at some form of regulation to require them to provide good, competent, professional news and current affairs.”

    Ellis understands demand for entertainment content is on the rise in this fast-moving internet age.

    “There is an equal appetite, I would say, for serious current affairs straight after the news. I really do lament the possibility of us losing that.”

    Ellis describes the current set-up of two main commercial networks, with no current affairs obligations, as ‘laissez-faire’ and questions the ability of broadcasters to produce quality current affairs without any form of regulation.

    The musician Sharon Van Etten, who was a surprise guest on Campbell Live and appeared to make the host cry with delight, has tweeted in support of saving the show.

    According to the television ratings website Throng, Campbell Live has experienced a ratings boost since its fate was mooted by Mediaworks.

    For yesterday, April 13, 2015 over 333,000 viewers tuned in for 7pm slot.

    Here is the link for full information:
    http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/entertainment/john-key-dismisses-campbell-live/?fb_action_ids=10152825825013297&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_ref=.VSxFC5vSCnZ.like
    • Paul 20.1

      14 April 2015 at 1:33 pm

      Well look at who Newstalk ZB employ to impart their version of the news.
      Mike Hosking!
      • Clemgeopin 20.1.1

        14 April 2015 at 2:06 pm

        Here is another report followed by good comments below:

        http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/67740334/prime-minister-john-key-labels-campbell-live-entertainment

        Key is a disgrace!
        • North 20.1.1.1

          14 April 2015 at 10:42 pm

          Clem’ at 20.1.1…….those comments by The-Once-Was-God-Key underline the pathology in the man. Which is to say (if the illiterate, gauche dork could manage the third word without Crosby Textor coaching)……”It is temeritous (KeySpeak – ‘temareteris’) to fancy holding ‘us’ to account……”. The hidebound arrogance is truly stunning ! It is however his undoing. Such spectacular third-termitis. Excellent ! The robber baron traitor is on his way out !
    • Draco T Bastard 20.2

      14 April 2015 at 2:21 pm

      snap!!!
    • Chooky 20.3

      14 April 2015 at 5:23 pm

      +100…why it is a political decision to axe Campbell live by John Key and his henchmen and women

      http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/04/14/why-the-axing-of-campbell-live-is-being-driven-by-dirty-politics/
21. Paul 21

    14 April 2015 at 1:42 pm

    The rock star economy……..

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11432381
22. Draco T Bastard 22

    14 April 2015 at 2:22 pm

    America has fewer and larger farms. Here’s why that matters

    So, why does farm size matter? As the total number of farms goes down, the number of big* farms is going up — and this shift hurts rural America. According to an analysis by Food and Water Watch: “Communities with more medium- and smaller-sized farms have more shared prosperity, including higher incomes, lower unemployment, and lower income inequality, than communities with larger farms tied to often-distant agribusinesses.”

    Isn’t the same thing happening in NZ as well? The Crafar’s had certainly tried to engorge their farm.
    • vto 22.1

      14 April 2015 at 2:28 pm

      Isn’t this phenomenon just what you describe often dtb? Namely, this is where capitalism always ends up, with all the wealth in the hands of a few?
      • Draco T Bastard 22.1.1

        14 April 2015 at 2:31 pm

        Yep and it always fails.
        • b waghorn 22.1.1.1

          14 April 2015 at 6:59 pm

          The thing with the land being accumulated buy fewer people out in sheep/beef country is that they are struggling to get staff due to less schools for kids and opportunities for spouses to have a life beyond horses and drinking.
23. logie97 23

    14 April 2015 at 3:13 pm

    People on here have quoted television viewer ratings down to the nearest 100 it appears.
    How are these figures arrived at?
    If it’s by phone polling, then we have never been asked in the 30 years of owning a landline, and as we no longer use one of those I guess we will never be asked.

    So on the off chance that the pollsters are interested …

    Do we watch Campbell in this household? Well yes if we bother to have the television on at 7 pm – and have a heads-up that his guest is going to have their position on something investigated.
    Do we watch Hoskings – never, cannot stand him having seen him on programmes previously.
    Used to watch TV1 post Holmes for a while but couldn’t put up with Sainsbury’s lack of understanding that he had a lapel mike and that we could hear him perfectly well without the shouting, rasping voice.

    … and one more thing. We used to watch the news between both channels. That was when it was 45 – 50 minutes of news and 5 minutes of weather forecasts.
    Now that it is progressing towards weather interrupted by an item or two of news, we are looking for and finding other sources of news on-line.
    • North 23.1

      14 April 2015 at 10:05 pm

      One thing I have to give Hosking is his capacity to wander, lyrically, superficially attractively, through the words……a constant purring, know-it-all patter into which one can be easily drawn……until the gratuitous sneer and the “I’m so cool…..so cool…..so cool……” gets its head. At which point……”Fuck up, Egg !”

      I wonder…….the writing on the wall for TheGodKey, can Hosking get to show a little love for Little ? Wouldn’t be surprised. The narcissistic punk is all into ‘celebrity’. The staff of his life. The $3 mill’ heist father-in-law like son-in-law. “Haw haw haw haw haw……a wonderful vintage !”

      For now……Marie Antoinette without the bouff’.
    • Incognito 23.2

      14 April 2015 at 10:50 pm

      You’ll find the answers about ratings here: http://www.agbnielsen.co.nz/
24. Chooky 24

    14 April 2015 at 4:13 pm

    ‘I have been controversial’: Guenter Grass, Germany’s Nobel-winning author, dies at 87′

    http://rt.com/news/249317-gunter-grass-dies-87/
25. Clemgeopin 25

    14 April 2015 at 6:50 pm

    Watch Campbell Live today to prevent that programme from getting the axe.
    7pm.

    Let us show the stupid RW head honchos of Media Works how bloody minded and wring they are.

    Also read below Campbell thanking us all.
    https://twitter.com/CampbellLiveNZ/status/587770033289334784/photo/1
26. North 26

    14 April 2015 at 9:36 pm

    Ummh…….I suspect your primary garment IS a nappy…….Sir Bob. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11432112

    And talking of beards I well remember the Old Days in Wellington with the very same on your own jutting jaw so as to affect the ‘style’ of some Italian rake…….exiting your Jensen Interceptor to enter some piss-up in solidarity with Robert Muldoon. An ostentatiously large cigar clamped in your teeth, fingers back-to-front in the air, mock-Churchillian, to give insult.

    The nappy is new…….the ‘prick’ is not !
    • the pigman 26.1

      14 April 2015 at 9:49 pm

      At the rate these pricks are going with the minimum wage and zero hours contracts, there’ll be noone left in the “elder care” industry by the time they’re in nappies. And in Bob’s case that day can’t be too far off.

      So when you see old Bob sitting in his nappyful of untended waste, be sure to offer him a two fingered salute.

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