“You keep using the word activists rather than scientists…”
Lynn Freeman confronts, and thereby angers, Matthew Hooton Politics From the Left and From the Right, Radio NZ National, Monday 13 July 2015
Lynn Freeman, Matthew Hooton (“Right”), Mike Williams (“Left”)
With the temporary absence of regular Nine to Noon host Kathryn Ryan, many long-suffering listeners were no doubt hoping that her replacement Lynn Freeman might do a better job today. If you did hope for that, well…. your hopes were justified! Unlike Kathryn Ryan, Lynn Freeman was not prepared to indulge Hooton’s crude attempt to belittle and traduce scientists, and dealt to him in a way he hasn’t experienced since Andrew Campbell and Laila Harré used to trounce him on this same program a few years ago.
We join the discussion at the 20:20 mark, with just over four minutes remaining. Williams is winding up another poorly thought out, mealy-mouthed and wandery contribution…
MIKE WILLIAMS:…but I seriously don’t believe this is an issue which grabs many people.
LYNN FREEMAN: Do you agree with that, Matthew? Are we going to hear much more about climate change targets?
MATTHEW HOOTON: Oh we’ll hear a great deal more about this. Again, this is something that comes from overseas, predominantly in the European Union. When you mentioned that activist group that, um, rates countries, errrr, basically they’re telling ALL countries they’re not doing enough, they’re telling all countries that they’re going to embarrass themselves at this big jamboree in Paris, I think forty thousand delegates are expected to jet in to Paris for I think it’ll be the twenty-FIFTH U.N. conference, the Earth Summit—-
LYNN FREEMAN: Although they do say that China, even China’s doing better than New Zealand.
MATTHEW HOOTON: Well, isn’t that preposterous! I mean, [scoffs] isn’t that absol—, that shows the fallacy and absurdity of what, um, these activist groups say, um, anyone who thinks that New Zealand is, ahh, more important or, or, is not doing as much as China on this issue cannot be taken seriously. The E.U. groups are very keen on comparing everything, um, to 1990 rather than 2005 and the reason for that is that that is in Europe’s, in the European Union’s financial interest. If climate change targets are based on 1990, they had the collapse of communism in the East that led to a massive environmental clean-up as you always get when socialism is abandoned and the environment improves. Ahm, and also there’s that move to clean and green nuclear power away from coal, which, ham, they’ve done in Europe, and Europe always looks good against a 1990 baseline whereas countries like China and India prefer a 2005 baseline because that makes THEM look good. But as I say, what’s going to happen? Orders will come out of the European Union’s—-um, the head office of Greenpeace will be telling its subsidiaries around the world that what you’ve got to say in your local economy is that your country’s about to embarrass itself in Paris. We’ve seen this every time there’s one of these big conferences. And so I think we’ll see a lot of this in the media, ahhhh, the conference will of course FAIL in Paris, ahm, because the whole approach being used, ahhm, by the U.N. on this issue is flawed. As I say, twenty-five conferences, they’ve all failed. The Kyoto framework has failed, and this will fail. In fact the only country in the world that’s done, did anything useful on this issue is New Zealand, at Copenhagen when we launched the Global Research Alliance on methane emissions. Now they are fourteen per cent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. New Zealand’s initiative to reduce that—let’s say it reduces them by ten per cent, that would reduce global emissions by one point four per cent.
LYNN FREEMAN: Does that mean we shouldn’t try?
MATTHEW HOOTON: Well we ARE trying to do that. That’s our GOAL. That’s what New Zealand is leading. That’s like removing all the carbon emissions of seventy New Zealands. And so the ONLY THING at, at Copenhagen that may reduce global emissions that was launched, was launched by Tim Groser and it was the Global Research Alliance. Now, all these STUPID targets that the activists are so keen on, ahhhhmm, will achieve nothing. Let’s say New Zealand had, which I think the activists say, we should have, umm, a forty per cent reduction over a 1990 baseline compared with thirty per cent over 2005, these are just WORDS.
LYNN FREEMAN: Well, you keep—
MATTHEW HOOTON: They make no difference to the planet WHATSOEVER!
LYNN FREEMAN: You keep using the word “activists” rather than, you know, on many occasions, terms like “scientists”, so we’ve got we’re you’re coming from. We’ve only got a couple of minutes. Mike—-
MATTHEW HOOTON:[in a defiant and peremptory tone] The activist group that was reported as being scientists on Morning Report are NOT scientists, they are ACTIVISTS.
LYNN FREEMAN: They’re not sole voices is what I’m trying to say, Matthew. But anyway, last word to Mike because we’ve given you a lot of time on climate change. Are you as pessimistic, Michael?
MIKE WILLIAMS: No I’m not, and uh, um, no. Um, and, and, there has been successes in the past, particularly, ah, the elimination of chlorofluorocarbons which were causing the hole in the ozone layer. They have been virtually eliminated, so there, there IS hope, umm, y’know, CO2 emissions… Methane is a different matter. Methane hangs around in the atmosphere a lot longer than CO2 so—-
HOOTON: Mmmm.
MIKE WILLIAMS: Uh, I’d support Matthew in his support for Tim Groser trying to do something about methane. It may be only a small percentage of emissions but it DOES hang around, so I think that, y’know, something WAS achieved….
[Williams droned on in this fashion for a few more seconds, but this writer was too nauseated to transcribe any more.]
In my transcript of the extremely polite but (for Matthew Hooton) devastating bollocking he got from Lynn Freeman yesterday, I transcribed the coup de grâce thusly…
LYNN FREEMAN: You keep using the word “activists” rather than, you know, on many occasions, terms like “scientists”, so we’ve got we’re you’re coming from.
Eagle-eyed Standardisti will have spotted the error immediately: of course, what Ms Freeman said was, “we’ve got where you’re coming from.”
Hooton showed a lack of professionalism by not declaring his conflict of interest. instead choosing an attempt to deceive listeners by wearing his media commentators hat and not his corporate lobbyist handle. Obviously it would be a very bad look to his corporate clients if he acknowledged climate change, referring to scientists as activists made this position very clear. In short a lack of a moral compass when money is concerned.
Please don’t dignify bigots by calling them “rednecks”. Working people and farmers (rednecks) are usually—not always—decent and hardworking and tolerant. Farrar, Blubberguts, Jordan Williams, Neil Miller, Mike Hosking and the rest of them are not decent or hardworking or tolerant.
The question should be where is Mike Williams when Hooton goes on these Randian rapages.
He’s sitting right beside him; you can hear him chortling supportively when Hooton makes one of his sour little quips. When it’s time for Williams to talk, he almost always prefaces whatever he says with “I agree with Matthew…”
Does anyone more suitable spring to mind to counter Matthew?
Andrew Campbell and Laila Harré both firmly countered him when they used to occupy the seat that Williams so ineffectively occupies now. There are many principled, intelligent and strong people more than capable of handling Hooton who is, as was clearly shown so starkly after Lynn Freeman’s intervention yesterday, an intellectual lightweight.
Any one of the following would do a far better job than Mike Williams: Morgan Godfery, Mihi Forbes, Gordon Campbell, Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury, Dita Di Boni, Raybon Kan.
It depends on what the job is, Moz. I think RNZ is paying them to fill a slot and keep ears tuned in. The fact that you are listening and talking about the segment strongly suggests they’re meeting their KPI’s.
Real estate company starts a witch hunt looking into a possible leak from a staffer. More interested in fat juicy profits from inflated Auckland house prices rather than calling for a registrar of foreigner’s buying here. The full article of is part of a claim of racism by a local Chinese Kiwi editor linked below.
“Meanwhile, Barfoot & Thompson chief executive Wendy Alexander said the company would start its own investigation to identify if it was the source of the leaked data. Barfoot sells one-third of Auckland properties and managing director Peter Thompson said if the data did belong to the firm it had been given illegally”.
I’m wondering why it appears so difficult to find out who buys what. All house sales, price and location are notified to Valuation NZ and published every 3 months ( or they used to be ). It can’t be too difficult to match this to council records ( also public knowledge ) as to who owns a house and where the rates bill is sent to.
The suspicion must be that the Nat Gummint doesn’t want to know.
Mr. Fixit fronting the housing issue on RNZ this am. Where’s Housing Minister Smith ? Or better still, where’s Teflon John ? The latter seems to have been quiet of late. Is he overseas ?
The Nats spent a day ignoring the issue.
Then they decided they had to send Joyce, so clearly
Does anyone else find his manner when being interviewed highly aggressive?
Joyce was in full motormouth mode on Morning Report. Ferguson never got a look in. The government is desperately rushing around all over the place papering over cracks as they appear. Housing, swamp kauri, zero hours, you name it.
…and remember the bollocking that David Cunliffe got for spending a few days off with his family down south?!…who was the journalist who whipped that up?
Like it or not, that role is something I doubt few people would want to take on. The sort of pressure and long hours takes a toll on you mentally and physically.
I suspect he’s lying low to give the great unwashed time to forget about his latest round of taradiddles and shenannigans. I think he always does that when the heat starts to go on
Step 1) Take data
Step 2) Give data to specialist in data/statistical analysis
Step 3) Make data public
On the flip side:
Step 1) Accuse data leaker of targeted racism
Step 2) Mount massive campaign to make the public think data is inherently racist
Step 3) Get cronies to make random number generator website
Step 4) Put ads on website
Step 5) Profit
The original story is about foreign investment in NZ, specifically how it is driving up the property market and making homes and renting unaffordable in Auckland…but hell we cant have a reasonable public debate about that, it will ruin me and my friends chances of making millions in yet another property boom! You’re trying to take money out of my pocket!
If anything, this saga should be about the need for accurate data, or even better a registrar on foreign buyers of homes in NZ. Wait for this government to do absolutely nothing about it, and use the line “Oh well actually this is the market at work here….it has nothing to do with easy access to low interest loans or offshore buyers needing an easy and relatively tax exempt method of acquiring high return investments.”
This is why we need a NEW left of centre, progressive party, because Labour have with signing the NZ – China FTA practically sold our country out, and National supported it. Today Steven Joyce basically admitted that due to provisions in the FTA with Mainland China, we cannot stop Mainland Chinese residential and other property investors from buying property here. If we bring in a law to ban all foreign buyers for investment, this will be in breach of the FTA.
I raised this trade agreement Article and some concerns to many people before, but most New Zealanders are sleep wandering into their own future lives as tenants in their own country.
Chinese investors cannot be treated less favourably than New Zealanders, as otherwise we would breach the FTA and could be sued for it.
Those supporting the TPPA and other FTAs should perhaps care read this, and learn from it.
Either Labour learn from past mistakes and now distance themselves from this provision in the FTA with Mainland China, and renew themselves from within, by learning from past mistakes, or they will be history, I fear.
How many millionaires and billionaires have we got in NZ?
What “balance” is there in financial and other resources, between Mainland China and NZ?
I think we know the answer. Money is power and can buy you almost anything, on the “free market” we have, with its variances.
We can buy property in China, but not the land, it will only be leasehold. And their property is only cheap in some regions, where there is not so much economic activity. The fact that housing in major Chinese centres is now so expensive, even for tiny flats, that is one reason for many Mainland Chinese with capital to look for alternatives elsewhere.
The housing price inflation in major international centres, including London, Sydney and so, is in part due to many wealthy Mainland Chinese “investing” in property there, some for homes to live in during at least parts of the year, some just as pure investment, to earn a return and profit.
Try buying a property in China, it will not be as easy as it is here.
On RNZ this morning someone was saying that for a foreigner to buy property in China requires you to have lived there for 5 years before your eligible, and it’s lease-hold, and there are other restrictions you have to work through too.
In China nobody, except the state, can “own” the land, all land used for residential or other purposes ins basically treated as leasehold land, which can be used for granted purposes, but the land cannot be owned as such, like freehold land in NZ.
Investment means every kind of asset invested, directly or indirectly, by the investors of a Party in the territory of the other Party including, but not limited to, the following:
g) any right conferred by law (i.e. resident status – my words) or under contract and any licences and permits pursuant to law;
I think this is a little bit of a smoke-screen by Joyce. If it really were true that we couldn’t change our law in this regard, I think more pople would be mentioning it.
Another interpretation, is that if we make it so you must be a resident of NZ to buy an investment property, then we are in no way treating Chinese citizens differently to NZ citizens: if a Chinese citizen is a resident, they can buy property, just like an NZ citizen being resident can.
What we may not be able to do, though, is base it on citizenship explicitly. This would mean a NZer who has permanently emigrated to Australia, but who still holds NZ citizenship, would not be able to buy and hold NZ property.
If you read Article 138 of the China NZ FTA, it does not limit investment into whatever investment type to citizenship being a requirement. Investors from China are meant to be treated the same as New Zealanders, that is within New Zealand:
“Article 138 National Treatment
Each Party shall accord to investments and activities associated with such investments, with respect to management, conduct, operation, maintenance, use, enjoyment or disposal, by the investors of the other Party treatment no less favourable than that accorded, in like circumstances, to the investments and associated activities by its own investors.”
I heard Andrew Little say on Radio Live (just before midday), that he is going to seek advice on this provision, and what it really means for investors (whether it allows certain restrictions also for Mainland Chinese, even when ALL foreign investors may be presented such).
Article 141 appears to clarify what Article 138 says, and how it must be applied:
“Article 141 Non-Conforming Measures
1. Article 138 does not apply to:
any existing non-conforming measures maintained within its territory;
the continuation of any non-conforming measure referred to in subparagraph (a);
an amendment to any non-conforming measure referred to in subparagraph (a) to the extent that the amendment does not increase the non-conformity of the measure, as it existed immediately before the amendment, with those obligations.
2. The Parties will endeavour to progressively remove the non-conforming measures.
3. Notwithstanding anything in paragraph 1, Article 138 shall not apply to any measure, which with respect to each Party, would not be within the scope of the national treatment obligations in any of that Party’s existing bilateral investment treaties.”
I read this as saying, that existing non-conforming measures may be enforceable, but that they are not supposed to be tightened, i.e. made more restrictive for investors. Also do parties commit to progressively remove “non-conforming measures”.
If Labour want to tighten investment in real estate by non New Zealand, off-shore investors, then that would also affect Mainland Chinese, and that would then lead to a breach of the FTA, it seems. So New Zealand’s hands are tied, as I understand it. The present (rather liberal) foreign investment rules for residential real estate can be upheld, but cannot be further tightened, not for Mainland Chinese investors.
Like I said, if the restriction is “must be a resident of NZ”, that impacts on Chinese citizens and NZ citizens equally and so would appear to obey the limitations of article 138.
A consequence of that may be that if you’re a NZ citizen living in Australia, that you can’t own property in NZ. I’m not sure if that would be acceptable to the NZ public.
A consequence of that may be that if you’re a NZ citizen living in Australia, that you can’t own property in NZ. I’m not sure if that would be acceptable to the NZ public.
I think it would be. If they’re not living here then why do they need to own land/housing/business here?
Because they plan to return seems to be a pretty good reason to me for wanting to own land and a house here.
I lived, and worked, in Australia for some years in the 1990’s. While I lived there I bought a house to live in. I always planned to return to New Zealand and I kept ownership of my house here. When I left Australia I sold my house there as I was leaving permanently.
Why would you refuse me the right to keep a property here to come back to?
Because they plan to return seems to be a pretty good reason to me for wanting to own land and a house here.
I would expect some reasonable time table to be included in the law. Something like having to live here 80% of the time on average while you own the house.
Why would you refuse me the right to keep a property here to come back to?
Because of the detriment rentiers do to the economy. Really, go read Adam Smith and a few other classical economists on that one. Also read Piketty.
No, that wasn’t your point at all. You said that ” resident status is either temporary or permanent – it does not matter where you domicile” with the implication that people who are permanent residents and citizens would get to buy and own houses whether they lived here or not.
Both Lanthanide and I are saying that if you don’t live here then you don’t get to own houses (For me I also include land and businesses) whether you’re a permanent resident/citizen or not. Of course, people who aren’t either citizens or permanent residents can’t live here permanently.
MSOne. An interesting interview Plunket v Joyce. I think Mr Joyce was not very pleased with Sean since he had to answer the questions, not allowed to distract and especially testy about the long delay in addressing the Housing problem. Be interesting if the is a followup with a Labour voice.
Attorney-General backs Solicitor-General in John Banks case.
In my view – Crown Law should have have appealed the Court of Appeal decision.
The New Zealand 14 July
By Isaac Davison
Attorney-General Chris Finlayson has backed Crown Law and the Solicitor-General following questions about their conduct in the prosecution of John Banks.
After Mr Banks was acquitted of filing a false electoral return in May, Mr Finlayson said he would “take a close look” at the Crown’s prosecution of the former Act Party leader .
He said this morning he had completed his investigation and he was satisfied with the conduct of Crown Law in relation to the case.
“Mr Banks has had a distinguished career in both central and local government and I acknowledge the distress this matter has caused his family and him,” Mr Finlayson said.
“I am, however, satisfied that Crown Law’s supervision of the litigation was satisfactory and in line with the Prosecution Guidelines 2013.”
Mr Banks was highly critical of Crown prosecutor Paul Dacre, QC and Solicitor-General Mike Heron, QC, after his acquittal, saying they had “a lot to answer for”.
At the time, the Court of Appeal had ruled that Crown Law had misled the court by withholding evidence.
Mr Finlayson, who is the minister responsible for the Crown Law Office, gave his full support to Mr Heron.
“Because of the personalised nature of some of the allegations about the conduct of the Solicitor-General, I state for the record that he has my full confidence. He is an outstanding Solicitor-General,” he said.
The Crown took over the case from serial litigant Graham McCready, who took a private prosecution against Mr Banks in relation to donations he received from Kim Dotcom during his mayoral campaign in 2010.
Crown Law briefed an independent barrister for the case because it was politically sensitive and because Mr Dotcom, who is facing extradition to the United States, was a witness in the trial.
Mr Finlayson said the next step in the case would be determining costs, which he said was a matter for Crown Law and Mr Banks’ lawyer.
Copying and pasting an entire NZ Herald story is a breach of copyright law and exposes the publisher (this website) to risk of prosecution. Feel free to do it on your own site, however.
Imagine if the Labour Party had a list of house buyers names and picked out the ones like Cohen, Goldsmith, and Levi and talked about how Jews were buying up Auckland. Does anyone think that would be acceptable? Why is Chong, Li and Wu more acceptable?
[lprent: If you are worried about this, then you should definitely avoid looking at the Statistics department site.
As well as ethnicity, that also looks at things like gender, age, religion, meshblock, household income, property, bathrooms, bedrooms, property sizes and literally hundreds of other factors and derivatives. When you correlate that with other public databases like LINZ via meshblock and geographical locations, you reap information about
Since the end of the 19th century, all states have carried out statistical analysis of populations and businesses with correlations in the analysis. This allows them to anticipate demand and identify issues in the past and the future via trends.
The new factor that was added into this correlation was an rough estimate (because of the government not collecting data) of a specific group buying property. That could have just as easily been the gender of the purchaser(s), age on the purchaser(s), or immigration status of purchaser(s) or immigration status of the purchaser(s) or a range of other useful and relevant information if the government chose to collect that. Frankly I have no idea why they haven’t been doing so.
I’d ask you what you thoughts are on that. However in the light of my next paragraph, that becomes somewhat pointless.
In my view your comment is a stupid Godwin, which I don’t like. But I especially don’t like that you didn’t even make it bother to make it explicit, which makes it an idiotic dogwhistle. Banned for one month.
Idiot. You should know by now to make your arguments explicit. But you always seem to deteriorate back to the stupid dogwhistles. When you come back next time, you will avoid dogwhistles where you don’t fill in your argument. Otherwise I will just start doubling up on this. ]
Silly comment, we do not have an apparent investment spree from off-shore people with identifiable “Jewish” names. And for all other groups with identifiable “ethnic” origin links, there is no significant disproportionate representation between census figures on the population share in Auckland, and on buyers names of residential real estate for 3 months.
I get the impression you are trying to make some sinister allegations and comparisons.
The only thing this list showed was that x amount of Chong, Li and Wu appeared on a list of property sales vs x amount of Chong, Li and Wu on the electoral role.
So if the List would have Cohen, Goldsmith and Levi on the list, one could compare the number of properties sold to Cohen, Goldsmith and Levi, vs the amount of Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis living in Auckland as per electoral role.
Does not mean all of the Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis would be overseas investors from the US or Israel, but it would mean that we seem to have an influx of Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis from The US and Israel, and many of them might not be New Zealand Citizens or Permanent Residence, and then we could ask the question again ” Just how smart is a country that sells its land to overseas speculators?” (some could even argue that not everyone with a traditionally Jewish surname ,as that what was you implied, be of Jewish faith, or have ever lived in Israel. That is where you dear Fisiani get to hysterically screech racism!!!!
Feel better now?
Btw. Have you send a Letter to National asking for this public registar of overseas Property Owners in NZ, so that we could have proper data to look at and discuss, or would you rather not?
I’ve had not one but TWO one-month bans from this site, with one of those lengthened to a two-month ban. Shortly after that, I was banned from Blubberguts’s notorious Whaleoil site for a week; I am now banned from that site permanently. I’m also permanently banned from Brian Edwards’s site.
Oh!—I nearly forgot!—I’m also banned from Brett Dale’s site.
Last week I was banned for one day from The Standard with my good friend Te Reo Putake blowing the whistle.
Personally I’d let fisiani keep talking (digging) – we need to be honest and open, and separate nationality from ethnicity and global economics/geopolitics. It is a debate we need to have. The potential for Scapegoats based on look and names has led down a bad path in the past – lets’s remember Jewry went (or were forced) into finance because usury was unpalatable to Christians in Europe at a time.
so you did write that letter to the National Party demanding a registar of all overseas purchases of residental, commercial and rural properties in NZ, not only AKL, but all of NZ, including Farmland. 🙂
Dogmatic to the idealism, or question the facts? You know most people in England have English sounding names – around 85%? Han Chinese make up around 90% of mainland China – from the latter in Auckland 9% of residents – are we not allowed to explore? Can we not make this a yard stick for nationality, rough first guess as it may be?
This is not about internment camps – FFS. It actually belittles how far we’ve come.
‘China now stands where Britain stood: an economic colossus with expectations of this country that New Zealanders are only reluctantly beginning to comprehend. The thought that the Chinese might want something in return for opening up their market to our milk powder and baby formula has come very late to the ordinary Kiwi.
That Labour is leading the discussion about how much, precisely, the Chinese have a right to expect from New Zealanders is entirely fitting. After all, it was Labour who sealed the deal. It was Labour, too, who presided over the electorally unmandated “turn” towards Asia in the late-80s. That they are, at last, addressing the misgivings expressed to me by Sonja Davies’ all those years ago, is to be applauded – not condemned.
Labour’s Chinese whispers have nothing to do with racism. They’re about national sovereignty and the people’s will.’
On a lighter note – what’s this with Dan the man having a tanty over photographers catching a shot of his son. Bit rich Dan coming from you isn’t it – you sell your happiest day of your life with your beloved to a woman’s magazine and gladly take the money which is bad enough but then you push yourself into the faces of us all by allowing yourself to be plastered all over billboards and the back ends of buses assailing our senses in your underdaks with everything on display for all to see. For some of us its the last thing we want to see, not everybody is fixated on your body beautiful. Not very private of you Dan, all over the town in your underwear. Calm down, take a chill pill, you cannot easily just cherry pick when you want the adoring public to fawn all over you, at least your kids are cute and innocent and unlike the undaks a pleasure to look at. Concentrate on the game and try and stay on the field longer than 10 minutes – now that’s important.
I don’t think an ‘occasional’ photo of someone such as himself with his kid in a public place is so terrible. If they were following or excessively publishing photos, that’s another story.
as the recent herald article shows, many chinese have racial attitudes about themselves being hard workers and good savers, and that’s to be expected. every group who is doing well develops daffy ideas about why they’re so great that emphasises strong moral character and underplays the blind luck of historical contingency. many also may see nzers as lazy, and while wrong, it’s an understandable mistake. developed countries with egalitarian histories have a strong leisure culture, and as legendary china-based economist michael pettis points out, high consumption is a sign of economic strength, not moral weakness. but if you come from somewhere grim to a place where people are so good at having fun, it must be disconcerting. i mean, i know it is, i’ve talked to people.
something similar is happening in europe, where you get the virtuous german creditors and the vicious greek debtors. the only cure for such understandable but ultimately bullshit attitudes is the study of history.
Human beings are simply one species among many, inhabiting part of the earth at one point in its long lifespan. We’ve got remarkable gifts, but then so does every other living thing. We’re not the masters of the planet, the crown of evolution, the fulfillment of Earth’s destiny, or any of the other self-important hogwash with which we like to tickle our collective ego, and our attempt to act out those delusional roles with the help of a lot of fossil carbon hasn’t exactly turned out well, you must admit. I know some people find it unbearable to see our species deprived of its supposed place as the precious darlings of the cosmos, but that’s just one of life’s little learning experiences, isn’t it? Most of us make a similar discovery on the individual scale in the course of growing up, and from my perspective, it’s high time that humanity do a little growing up of its own, ditch the infantile egotism, and get to work making the most of the time we have on this beautiful and fragile planet.
Submitted by Martin Armstrong via ArmstrongEconomics.com,
Spain has shown that it is fully on board with the Brussels authoritarian direction of ending democracy. Those in power have simply convinced themselves that the people do not understand what is good for them so they must impose their will upon the people but raw force. How does this differ in any what from the justification of imposing communism? This is the death of all freedom and it is upon our doorstep.
Here are the new laws in Spain:
1. If you photograph security personnel and then share these images on social media: up to €30.000 fine (particularly if photo exposes violence used against a member of the public). This fine could increase depending on the number of Instagram or social media followers you have.
2. Tweet or retweet information or the “location of an organized protest” can now be interpreted as an act of terrorism as it incites others to “commit a crime” (now that “demonstrating” in many ways has become a crime). Sound “1984”-ish? Read about Orwell and his time in Spain.
3. Snowden-like whistle blowing is now defined as an act of terrorism. If you write for a local publication, be careful what you print, whom you speak to, and whether the government is listening.
4. Visiting or consulting terrorist websites – even for investigative purposes – can be interpreted as an act of terrorism. Make sure you use “Tor” browser, reject cookies, and don’t allow pop-ups. Not to mention, don’t post it on your Facebook timeline!
5. Be careful with the royal jokes! Any satirical comment against the royal family is a new crime “against the Crown”. For example, “What did Leticia and the Bishop have to say after they ––“ (SORRY CENSORED).
6. No more hassling elected members of the government or local authorities – even if they say one thing in order to be elected, but then go and do the exact opposite. Confronting them about this hypocritical behavior. Even if you see them in the street chatting to a street cleaner, dining at their favorite expensive restaurant, or having their shoes shined by that physics graduate who cannot find a decent job in the country, hassling them about their behavior is now a criminal offence.
7. Has your local river been so polluted by that plastic factory along the edge that all life has extinguished? Well, tough! Greenpeace or similar protests are now finable from €601–€30.000.
8. Protests in a spontaneous way outside Parliament are now illegal. For example if Parliament passes a hugely unpopular bill, or are debating something extremely important to you or your community, it is now finable from €601 – €30.000. Tip: Use Google Maps to protest just around the corner – but don’t tweet the location!
9. Obstructing an officer in the course of their business, “resisting arrest”, refusing to leave a demonstration when told, or getting in the way of a swinging baton are all now finable offences from €601 – €30.000.
10. Showing lack of respect to officers of the law is an immediate fine of €100 – €600. Answering back, asking a disrespectful question, making a funny face, showing your bottom to an officer of the law, or telling him/her that their breath reminds you of your dog’s underparts is now, sadly, not advisable.
11. Occupying, squatting, or refusing to leave an office, business, bank or other place until your complaint has been heard as a protest is now a €100 – €600 fine (no more flash mobs).
12. Digital protests: Writing something that could technically “disturb the peace” is a now a crime.Bloggers beware, for no one has yet defined whose peace you could be disturbing.
So, while all this racist crap is being whipped up into a frenzy by all and National sundry, what is johnkey up to while on holiday in Hawaii?? Just resting???
i thought it a we bit funny the less than IMO honorable j/ banks has a crack at the lesser honorable IMO limp wristed attorney general! hehe haha birds of a feather. both are deluded idiots along with the bog! oops boag.
Former BMJ editor Richard Smith has been honest about this too.
”My confidence that “things can only get better” has largely drained away, but I’m not a miserable old man. Rather I’ve come to enjoy observing and cataloguing human imperfections, which is why I read novels and history rather than medical journals.”
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
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Are New Zealand homes for New Zealanders to live in or are they part of a global property market?
+100…good question
That is probably a question that needs to be put to referendum and then have national policy set by it.
“You keep using the word activists rather than scientists…”
Lynn Freeman confronts, and thereby angers, Matthew Hooton
Politics From the Left and From the Right, Radio NZ National, Monday 13 July 2015
Lynn Freeman, Matthew Hooton (“Right”), Mike Williams (“Left”)
With the temporary absence of regular Nine to Noon host Kathryn Ryan, many long-suffering listeners were no doubt hoping that her replacement Lynn Freeman might do a better job today. If you did hope for that, well…. your hopes were justified! Unlike Kathryn Ryan, Lynn Freeman was not prepared to indulge Hooton’s crude attempt to belittle and traduce scientists, and dealt to him in a way he hasn’t experienced since Andrew Campbell and Laila Harré used to trounce him on this same program a few years ago.
We join the discussion at the 20:20 mark, with just over four minutes remaining. Williams is winding up another poorly thought out, mealy-mouthed and wandery contribution…
MIKE WILLIAMS:…but I seriously don’t believe this is an issue which grabs many people.
LYNN FREEMAN: Do you agree with that, Matthew? Are we going to hear much more about climate change targets?
MATTHEW HOOTON: Oh we’ll hear a great deal more about this. Again, this is something that comes from overseas, predominantly in the European Union. When you mentioned that activist group that, um, rates countries, errrr, basically they’re telling ALL countries they’re not doing enough, they’re telling all countries that they’re going to embarrass themselves at this big jamboree in Paris, I think forty thousand delegates are expected to jet in to Paris for I think it’ll be the twenty-FIFTH U.N. conference, the Earth Summit—-
LYNN FREEMAN: Although they do say that China, even China’s doing better than New Zealand.
MATTHEW HOOTON: Well, isn’t that preposterous! I mean, [scoffs] isn’t that absol—, that shows the fallacy and absurdity of what, um, these activist groups say, um, anyone who thinks that New Zealand is, ahh, more important or, or, is not doing as much as China on this issue cannot be taken seriously. The E.U. groups are very keen on comparing everything, um, to 1990 rather than 2005 and the reason for that is that that is in Europe’s, in the European Union’s financial interest. If climate change targets are based on 1990, they had the collapse of communism in the East that led to a massive environmental clean-up as you always get when socialism is abandoned and the environment improves. Ahm, and also there’s that move to clean and green nuclear power away from coal, which, ham, they’ve done in Europe, and Europe always looks good against a 1990 baseline whereas countries like China and India prefer a 2005 baseline because that makes THEM look good. But as I say, what’s going to happen? Orders will come out of the European Union’s—-um, the head office of Greenpeace will be telling its subsidiaries around the world that what you’ve got to say in your local economy is that your country’s about to embarrass itself in Paris. We’ve seen this every time there’s one of these big conferences. And so I think we’ll see a lot of this in the media, ahhhh, the conference will of course FAIL in Paris, ahm, because the whole approach being used, ahhm, by the U.N. on this issue is flawed. As I say, twenty-five conferences, they’ve all failed. The Kyoto framework has failed, and this will fail. In fact the only country in the world that’s done, did anything useful on this issue is New Zealand, at Copenhagen when we launched the Global Research Alliance on methane emissions. Now they are fourteen per cent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. New Zealand’s initiative to reduce that—let’s say it reduces them by ten per cent, that would reduce global emissions by one point four per cent.
LYNN FREEMAN: Does that mean we shouldn’t try?
MATTHEW HOOTON: Well we ARE trying to do that. That’s our GOAL. That’s what New Zealand is leading. That’s like removing all the carbon emissions of seventy New Zealands. And so the ONLY THING at, at Copenhagen that may reduce global emissions that was launched, was launched by Tim Groser and it was the Global Research Alliance. Now, all these STUPID targets that the activists are so keen on, ahhhhmm, will achieve nothing. Let’s say New Zealand had, which I think the activists say, we should have, umm, a forty per cent reduction over a 1990 baseline compared with thirty per cent over 2005, these are just WORDS.
LYNN FREEMAN: Well, you keep—
MATTHEW HOOTON: They make no difference to the planet WHATSOEVER!
LYNN FREEMAN: You keep using the word “activists” rather than, you know, on many occasions, terms like “scientists”, so we’ve got we’re you’re coming from. We’ve only got a couple of minutes. Mike—-
MATTHEW HOOTON: [in a defiant and peremptory tone] The activist group that was reported as being scientists on Morning Report are NOT scientists, they are ACTIVISTS.
LYNN FREEMAN: They’re not sole voices is what I’m trying to say, Matthew. But anyway, last word to Mike because we’ve given you a lot of time on climate change. Are you as pessimistic, Michael?
MIKE WILLIAMS: No I’m not, and uh, um, no. Um, and, and, there has been successes in the past, particularly, ah, the elimination of chlorofluorocarbons which were causing the hole in the ozone layer. They have been virtually eliminated, so there, there IS hope, umm, y’know, CO2 emissions… Methane is a different matter. Methane hangs around in the atmosphere a lot longer than CO2 so—-
HOOTON: Mmmm.
MIKE WILLIAMS: Uh, I’d support Matthew in his support for Tim Groser trying to do something about methane. It may be only a small percentage of emissions but it DOES hang around, so I think that, y’know, something WAS achieved….
[Williams droned on in this fashion for a few more seconds, but this writer was too nauseated to transcribe any more.]
ERRATUM:
In my transcript of the extremely polite but (for Matthew Hooton) devastating bollocking he got from Lynn Freeman yesterday, I transcribed the coup de grâce thusly…
LYNN FREEMAN: You keep using the word “activists” rather than, you know, on many occasions, terms like “scientists”, so we’ve got we’re you’re coming from.
Eagle-eyed Standardisti will have spotted the error immediately: of course, what Ms Freeman said was, “we’ve got where you’re coming from.”
Hooton showed a lack of professionalism by not declaring his conflict of interest. instead choosing an attempt to deceive listeners by wearing his media commentators hat and not his corporate lobbyist handle. Obviously it would be a very bad look to his corporate clients if he acknowledged climate change, referring to scientists as activists made this position very clear. In short a lack of a moral compass when money is concerned.
Very disappointing and quite disgraceful Hooton.
Why is this charlatan given the 9 to Noon platform?
all part of the DP continuim, along with farrar and blubber boy on red neck radio, Hoskings and Henry on the idiot box and granny etc etc
farrar and blubber boy on red neck radio
Please don’t dignify bigots by calling them “rednecks”. Working people and farmers (rednecks) are usually—not always—decent and hardworking and tolerant. Farrar, Blubberguts, Jordan Williams, Neil Miller, Mike Hosking and the rest of them are not decent or hardworking or tolerant.
The question should be where is Mike Williams when Hooton goes on these Randian rapages.
The question should be where is Mike Williams when Hooton goes on these Randian rapages.
He’s sitting right beside him; you can hear him chortling supportively when Hooton makes one of his sour little quips. When it’s time for Williams to talk, he almost always prefaces whatever he says with “I agree with Matthew…”
Does anyone more suitable spring to mind to counter Matthew?
Does anyone more suitable spring to mind to counter Matthew?
Andrew Campbell and Laila Harré both firmly countered him when they used to occupy the seat that Williams so ineffectively occupies now. There are many principled, intelligent and strong people more than capable of handling Hooton who is, as was clearly shown so starkly after Lynn Freeman’s intervention yesterday, an intellectual lightweight.
Any one of the following would do a far better job than Mike Williams: Morgan Godfery, Mihi Forbes, Gordon Campbell, Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury, Dita Di Boni, Raybon Kan.
It depends on what the job is, Moz. I think RNZ is paying them to fill a slot and keep ears tuned in. The fact that you are listening and talking about the segment strongly suggests they’re meeting their KPI’s.
Obviously their KPIs do not include anything to do with encouraging robust, let alone intelligent, discussion.
Nope, it’s all about the ears!
Real estate company starts a witch hunt looking into a possible leak from a staffer. More interested in fat juicy profits from inflated Auckland house prices rather than calling for a registrar of foreigner’s buying here. The full article of is part of a claim of racism by a local Chinese Kiwi editor linked below.
“Meanwhile, Barfoot & Thompson chief executive Wendy Alexander said the company would start its own investigation to identify if it was the source of the leaked data. Barfoot sells one-third of Auckland properties and managing director Peter Thompson said if the data did belong to the firm it had been given illegally”.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11480344
This is why we need whistleblower protection legislation. In this case, the information is most definitely in the public interest.
I’m wondering why it appears so difficult to find out who buys what. All house sales, price and location are notified to Valuation NZ and published every 3 months ( or they used to be ). It can’t be too difficult to match this to council records ( also public knowledge ) as to who owns a house and where the rates bill is sent to.
The suspicion must be that the Nat Gummint doesn’t want to know.
Clearly the case.
Follow the money….
+100
See no evil….
Shhhhhh…
Mr. Fixit fronting the housing issue on RNZ this am. Where’s Housing Minister Smith ? Or better still, where’s Teflon John ? The latter seems to have been quiet of late. Is he overseas ?
The Nats spent a day ignoring the issue.
Then they decided they had to send Joyce, so clearly
Does anyone else find his manner when being interviewed highly aggressive?
Joyce was in full motormouth mode on Morning Report. Ferguson never got a look in. The government is desperately rushing around all over the place papering over cracks as they appear. Housing, swamp kauri, zero hours, you name it.
The Nats won’t do jack and plenty of Aucklanders don’t want them too either, not as long as their property prices keep skyrocketing.
It’s all about the money and the votes.
I saw the PM when he was in Queenstown recently for Winterfest. He looks bloody knackered.
…and remember the bollocking that David Cunliffe got for spending a few days off with his family down south?!…who was the journalist who whipped that up?
Patrick Gower.
Just look how much he has aged since being PM. I don’t think this sort of role is good for anyone’s health.
Or is it that lying ages you?
Like it or not, that role is something I doubt few people would want to take on. The sort of pressure and long hours takes a toll on you mentally and physically.
I suspect he’s lying low to give the great unwashed time to forget about his latest round of taradiddles and shenannigans. I think he always does that when the heat starts to go on
Key is in Hawaii according to Spy in Herald. Showing photo of someone called Amelia Finlayson? (bunny!)A friend of Max’s.
Step 1) Take data
Step 2) Give data to specialist in data/statistical analysis
Step 3) Make data public
On the flip side:
Step 1) Accuse data leaker of targeted racism
Step 2) Mount massive campaign to make the public think data is inherently racist
Step 3) Get cronies to make random number generator website
Step 4) Put ads on website
Step 5) Profit
The original story is about foreign investment in NZ, specifically how it is driving up the property market and making homes and renting unaffordable in Auckland…but hell we cant have a reasonable public debate about that, it will ruin me and my friends chances of making millions in yet another property boom! You’re trying to take money out of my pocket!
If anything, this saga should be about the need for accurate data, or even better a registrar on foreign buyers of homes in NZ. Wait for this government to do absolutely nothing about it, and use the line “Oh well actually this is the market at work here….it has nothing to do with easy access to low interest loans or offshore buyers needing an easy and relatively tax exempt method of acquiring high return investments.”
Great comment – more light than heat, thank goodness!
I’m changing all my passwords to ‘pissoffasshole’
“Customs’ preferred option is to require passwords for electronic devices without meeting a threshold, such as suspicion of criminal activity.”
“couldn’tpassthe policeexam?” might work, too 🙂
edit: although on second thoughts, it might be a quick self-selection to the rubber-glove room…
This is why we need a NEW left of centre, progressive party, because Labour have with signing the NZ – China FTA practically sold our country out, and National supported it. Today Steven Joyce basically admitted that due to provisions in the FTA with Mainland China, we cannot stop Mainland Chinese residential and other property investors from buying property here. If we bring in a law to ban all foreign buyers for investment, this will be in breach of the FTA.
I raised this trade agreement Article and some concerns to many people before, but most New Zealanders are sleep wandering into their own future lives as tenants in their own country.
I do not usually get too excited about Sean Plunket and his often biased comments on Radio Live, but today he did an excellent job interviewing Steven Joyce. Here is an audio:
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Will-we-ever-know-who-is-buying-Auckland-houses/tabid/506/articleID/91147/Default.aspx
Read Article 138 of the New Zealand – China Free Trade Agreement:
http://www.chinafta.govt.nz/1-The-agreement/2-Text-of-the-agreement/12-Chapt-11-Investment/index.php
Chinese investors cannot be treated less favourably than New Zealanders, as otherwise we would breach the FTA and could be sued for it.
Those supporting the TPPA and other FTAs should perhaps care read this, and learn from it.
Either Labour learn from past mistakes and now distance themselves from this provision in the FTA with Mainland China, and renew themselves from within, by learning from past mistakes, or they will be history, I fear.
If that’s the case then I presume we are equally able to buy property in China
How many millionaires and billionaires have we got in NZ?
What “balance” is there in financial and other resources, between Mainland China and NZ?
I think we know the answer. Money is power and can buy you almost anything, on the “free market” we have, with its variances.
We can buy property in China, but not the land, it will only be leasehold. And their property is only cheap in some regions, where there is not so much economic activity. The fact that housing in major Chinese centres is now so expensive, even for tiny flats, that is one reason for many Mainland Chinese with capital to look for alternatives elsewhere.
The housing price inflation in major international centres, including London, Sydney and so, is in part due to many wealthy Mainland Chinese “investing” in property there, some for homes to live in during at least parts of the year, some just as pure investment, to earn a return and profit.
Try buying a property in China, it will not be as easy as it is here.
So is all land in China essentially leasehold, or is that just a rule for foreign investors?
On RNZ this morning someone was saying that for a foreigner to buy property in China requires you to have lived there for 5 years before your eligible, and it’s lease-hold, and there are other restrictions you have to work through too.
In China nobody, except the state, can “own” the land, all land used for residential or other purposes ins basically treated as leasehold land, which can be used for granted purposes, but the land cannot be owned as such, like freehold land in NZ.
We’re fine – read g):
Investment means every kind of asset invested, directly or indirectly, by the investors of a Party in the territory of the other Party including, but not limited to, the following:
g) any right conferred by law (i.e. resident status – my words) or under contract and any licences and permits pursuant to law;
I think this is a little bit of a smoke-screen by Joyce. If it really were true that we couldn’t change our law in this regard, I think more pople would be mentioning it.
Another interpretation, is that if we make it so you must be a resident of NZ to buy an investment property, then we are in no way treating Chinese citizens differently to NZ citizens: if a Chinese citizen is a resident, they can buy property, just like an NZ citizen being resident can.
What we may not be able to do, though, is base it on citizenship explicitly. This would mean a NZer who has permanently emigrated to Australia, but who still holds NZ citizenship, would not be able to buy and hold NZ property.
If you read Article 138 of the China NZ FTA, it does not limit investment into whatever investment type to citizenship being a requirement. Investors from China are meant to be treated the same as New Zealanders, that is within New Zealand:
“Article 138 National Treatment
Each Party shall accord to investments and activities associated with such investments, with respect to management, conduct, operation, maintenance, use, enjoyment or disposal, by the investors of the other Party treatment no less favourable than that accorded, in like circumstances, to the investments and associated activities by its own investors.”
I heard Andrew Little say on Radio Live (just before midday), that he is going to seek advice on this provision, and what it really means for investors (whether it allows certain restrictions also for Mainland Chinese, even when ALL foreign investors may be presented such).
So hopefully we get an answer from Labour soon.
Article 141 appears to clarify what Article 138 says, and how it must be applied:
“Article 141 Non-Conforming Measures
1. Article 138 does not apply to:
any existing non-conforming measures maintained within its territory;
the continuation of any non-conforming measure referred to in subparagraph (a);
an amendment to any non-conforming measure referred to in subparagraph (a) to the extent that the amendment does not increase the non-conformity of the measure, as it existed immediately before the amendment, with those obligations.
2. The Parties will endeavour to progressively remove the non-conforming measures.
3. Notwithstanding anything in paragraph 1, Article 138 shall not apply to any measure, which with respect to each Party, would not be within the scope of the national treatment obligations in any of that Party’s existing bilateral investment treaties.”
I read this as saying, that existing non-conforming measures may be enforceable, but that they are not supposed to be tightened, i.e. made more restrictive for investors. Also do parties commit to progressively remove “non-conforming measures”.
If Labour want to tighten investment in real estate by non New Zealand, off-shore investors, then that would also affect Mainland Chinese, and that would then lead to a breach of the FTA, it seems. So New Zealand’s hands are tied, as I understand it. The present (rather liberal) foreign investment rules for residential real estate can be upheld, but cannot be further tightened, not for Mainland Chinese investors.
Like I said, if the restriction is “must be a resident of NZ”, that impacts on Chinese citizens and NZ citizens equally and so would appear to obey the limitations of article 138.
A consequence of that may be that if you’re a NZ citizen living in Australia, that you can’t own property in NZ. I’m not sure if that would be acceptable to the NZ public.
Also, treaties can be re-negotiated.
I think it would be. If they’re not living here then why do they need to own land/housing/business here?
Because they plan to return seems to be a pretty good reason to me for wanting to own land and a house here.
I lived, and worked, in Australia for some years in the 1990’s. While I lived there I bought a house to live in. I always planned to return to New Zealand and I kept ownership of my house here. When I left Australia I sold my house there as I was leaving permanently.
Why would you refuse me the right to keep a property here to come back to?
I would expect some reasonable time table to be included in the law. Something like having to live here 80% of the time on average while you own the house.
Because of the detriment rentiers do to the economy. Really, go read Adam Smith and a few other classical economists on that one. Also read Piketty.
You’re confusing it folks – resident status is either temporary or permanent – it does not matter where you domicile.
That can be changed by legislation and apparently needs to be.
My point is non-resident – no own, and still quite open if you live overseas for a while etc.
No, that wasn’t your point at all. You said that ” resident status is either temporary or permanent – it does not matter where you domicile” with the implication that people who are permanent residents and citizens would get to buy and own houses whether they lived here or not.
Both Lanthanide and I are saying that if you don’t live here then you don’t get to own houses (For me I also include land and businesses) whether you’re a permanent resident/citizen or not. Of course, people who aren’t either citizens or permanent residents can’t live here permanently.
Then that FTA is detrimental to NZ and we should drop out of it. It’s as simple as that.
MSOne. An interesting interview Plunket v Joyce. I think Mr Joyce was not very pleased with Sean since he had to answer the questions, not allowed to distract and especially testy about the long delay in addressing the Housing problem. Be interesting if the is a followup with a Labour voice.
Seen this ?
Attorney-General backs Solicitor-General in John Banks case.
In my view – Crown Law should have have appealed the Court of Appeal decision.
The New Zealand 14 July
By Isaac Davison
Attorney-General Chris Finlayson has backed Crown Law and the Solicitor-General following questions about their conduct in the prosecution of John Banks.
After Mr Banks was acquitted of filing a false electoral return in May, Mr Finlayson said he would “take a close look” at the Crown’s prosecution of the former Act Party leader .
He said this morning he had completed his investigation and he was satisfied with the conduct of Crown Law in relation to the case.
“Mr Banks has had a distinguished career in both central and local government and I acknowledge the distress this matter has caused his family and him,” Mr Finlayson said.
“I am, however, satisfied that Crown Law’s supervision of the litigation was satisfactory and in line with the Prosecution Guidelines 2013.”
Mr Banks was highly critical of Crown prosecutor Paul Dacre, QC and Solicitor-General Mike Heron, QC, after his acquittal, saying they had “a lot to answer for”.
At the time, the Court of Appeal had ruled that Crown Law had misled the court by withholding evidence.
Mr Finlayson, who is the minister responsible for the Crown Law Office, gave his full support to Mr Heron.
“Because of the personalised nature of some of the allegations about the conduct of the Solicitor-General, I state for the record that he has my full confidence. He is an outstanding Solicitor-General,” he said.
The Crown took over the case from serial litigant Graham McCready, who took a private prosecution against Mr Banks in relation to donations he received from Kim Dotcom during his mayoral campaign in 2010.
Crown Law briefed an independent barrister for the case because it was politically sensitive and because Mr Dotcom, who is facing extradition to the United States, was a witness in the trial.
Mr Finlayson said the next step in the case would be determining costs, which he said was a matter for Crown Law and Mr Banks’ lawyer.
“I will be making no further comments,” he said.
———————————————————–
Penny Bright
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11480610
Copying and pasting an entire NZ Herald story is a breach of copyright law and exposes the publisher (this website) to risk of prosecution. Feel free to do it on your own site, however.
Imagine if the Labour Party had a list of house buyers names and picked out the ones like Cohen, Goldsmith, and Levi and talked about how Jews were buying up Auckland. Does anyone think that would be acceptable? Why is Chong, Li and Wu more acceptable?
[lprent: If you are worried about this, then you should definitely avoid looking at the Statistics department site.
As well as ethnicity, that also looks at things like gender, age, religion, meshblock, household income, property, bathrooms, bedrooms, property sizes and literally hundreds of other factors and derivatives. When you correlate that with other public databases like LINZ via meshblock and geographical locations, you reap information about
Since the end of the 19th century, all states have carried out statistical analysis of populations and businesses with correlations in the analysis. This allows them to anticipate demand and identify issues in the past and the future via trends.
The new factor that was added into this correlation was an rough estimate (because of the government not collecting data) of a specific group buying property. That could have just as easily been the gender of the purchaser(s), age on the purchaser(s), or immigration status of purchaser(s) or immigration status of the purchaser(s) or a range of other useful and relevant information if the government chose to collect that. Frankly I have no idea why they haven’t been doing so.
I’d ask you what you thoughts are on that. However in the light of my next paragraph, that becomes somewhat pointless.
In my view your comment is a stupid Godwin, which I don’t like. But I especially don’t like that you didn’t even make it bother to make it explicit, which makes it an idiotic dogwhistle. Banned for one month.
Idiot. You should know by now to make your arguments explicit. But you always seem to deteriorate back to the stupid dogwhistles. When you come back next time, you will avoid dogwhistles where you don’t fill in your argument. Otherwise I will just start doubling up on this. ]
Silly comment, we do not have an apparent investment spree from off-shore people with identifiable “Jewish” names. And for all other groups with identifiable “ethnic” origin links, there is no significant disproportionate representation between census figures on the population share in Auckland, and on buyers names of residential real estate for 3 months.
I get the impression you are trying to make some sinister allegations and comparisons.
actually it would be as acceptable.
The only thing this list showed was that x amount of Chong, Li and Wu appeared on a list of property sales vs x amount of Chong, Li and Wu on the electoral role.
So if the List would have Cohen, Goldsmith and Levi on the list, one could compare the number of properties sold to Cohen, Goldsmith and Levi, vs the amount of Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis living in Auckland as per electoral role.
Does not mean all of the Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis would be overseas investors from the US or Israel, but it would mean that we seem to have an influx of Cohens, Goldsmiths and Levis from The US and Israel, and many of them might not be New Zealand Citizens or Permanent Residence, and then we could ask the question again ” Just how smart is a country that sells its land to overseas speculators?” (some could even argue that not everyone with a traditionally Jewish surname ,as that what was you implied, be of Jewish faith, or have ever lived in Israel. That is where you dear Fisiani get to hysterically screech racism!!!!
Feel better now?
Btw. Have you send a Letter to National asking for this public registar of overseas Property Owners in NZ, so that we could have proper data to look at and discuss, or would you rather not?
Great to hear fisiani is banned.
That’s one load of garbage I don’t have to scroll through any more.
+1
A short history of being banned….
I’ve had not one but TWO one-month bans from this site, with one of those lengthened to a two-month ban. Shortly after that, I was banned from Blubberguts’s notorious Whaleoil site for a week; I am now banned from that site permanently. I’m also permanently banned from Brian Edwards’s site.
Oh!—I nearly forgot!—I’m also banned from Brett Dale’s site.
Last week I was banned for one day from The Standard with my good friend Te Reo Putake blowing the whistle.
And look how much better you are as a result. Spare the rod, spoil the transcript. That is the saying, isn’t it?
Its so cute you think you’ve been banned alot
Come and see the violence inherent in the system! I’m being repressed!!!
I’ve never said that. If you want to see someone who is being repressed, consider the plight of one of our true heroes, Nicky Hager.
I don’t think I’ve been banned a lot. I’m not exactly Norman Finkelstein.
And after commenting here since 2007 I’ve never been banned. Haven’t even read the rules and I don’t try to be particularly polite.
Perhaps you should be looking at what you’re doing wrong and learning from that.
Oh I know what I’m doing wrong, Draco. It’s just that I can’t stop myself sometimes.
+1
Personally I’d let fisiani keep talking (digging) – we need to be honest and open, and separate nationality from ethnicity and global economics/geopolitics. It is a debate we need to have. The potential for Scapegoats based on look and names has led down a bad path in the past – lets’s remember Jewry went (or were forced) into finance because usury was unpalatable to Christians in Europe at a time.
Go on, keep trying to defend racial profiling purely based on surname. This is not the 1930’s.
so you did write that letter to the National Party demanding a registar of all overseas purchases of residental, commercial and rural properties in NZ, not only AKL, but all of NZ, including Farmland. 🙂
Just you know, to get proper data.
Who needs proper data when you just go to a real estate agent and decide whats happening on the basis that the names sound Chinese
see, we still need proper data. 🙂
Dogmatic to the idealism, or question the facts? You know most people in England have English sounding names – around 85%? Han Chinese make up around 90% of mainland China – from the latter in Auckland 9% of residents – are we not allowed to explore? Can we not make this a yard stick for nationality, rough first guess as it may be?
This is not about internment camps – FFS. It actually belittles how far we’ve come.
Chris Trotter has just posted some good historical perspective on the subject on Bowalley Road
Chris Trotter.
‘China now stands where Britain stood: an economic colossus with expectations of this country that New Zealanders are only reluctantly beginning to comprehend. The thought that the Chinese might want something in return for opening up their market to our milk powder and baby formula has come very late to the ordinary Kiwi.
That Labour is leading the discussion about how much, precisely, the Chinese have a right to expect from New Zealanders is entirely fitting. After all, it was Labour who sealed the deal. It was Labour, too, who presided over the electorally unmandated “turn” towards Asia in the late-80s. That they are, at last, addressing the misgivings expressed to me by Sonja Davies’ all those years ago, is to be applauded – not condemned.
Labour’s Chinese whispers have nothing to do with racism. They’re about national sovereignty and the people’s will.’
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2015/07/chinese-whispers.html
On a lighter note – what’s this with Dan the man having a tanty over photographers catching a shot of his son. Bit rich Dan coming from you isn’t it – you sell your happiest day of your life with your beloved to a woman’s magazine and gladly take the money which is bad enough but then you push yourself into the faces of us all by allowing yourself to be plastered all over billboards and the back ends of buses assailing our senses in your underdaks with everything on display for all to see. For some of us its the last thing we want to see, not everybody is fixated on your body beautiful. Not very private of you Dan, all over the town in your underwear. Calm down, take a chill pill, you cannot easily just cherry pick when you want the adoring public to fawn all over you, at least your kids are cute and innocent and unlike the undaks a pleasure to look at. Concentrate on the game and try and stay on the field longer than 10 minutes – now that’s important.
+1
I don’t think an ‘occasional’ photo of someone such as himself with his kid in a public place is so terrible. If they were following or excessively publishing photos, that’s another story.
All eyes on Pluto – Newsnight
I am so looking forward to seeing the pictures. Great link, thanks Draco T Bastard.
yep good link draco ta
So interesting.
Thank you
Is the Auckland council taking advice from the same people advising the Labour party ?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11480632
as the recent herald article shows, many chinese have racial attitudes about themselves being hard workers and good savers, and that’s to be expected. every group who is doing well develops daffy ideas about why they’re so great that emphasises strong moral character and underplays the blind luck of historical contingency. many also may see nzers as lazy, and while wrong, it’s an understandable mistake. developed countries with egalitarian histories have a strong leisure culture, and as legendary china-based economist michael pettis points out, high consumption is a sign of economic strength, not moral weakness. but if you come from somewhere grim to a place where people are so good at having fun, it must be disconcerting. i mean, i know it is, i’ve talked to people.
something similar is happening in europe, where you get the virtuous german creditors and the vicious greek debtors. the only cure for such understandable but ultimately bullshit attitudes is the study of history.
Great post from JMG
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/2015/07/darwins-casino.html
Hope we have all been keeping an eye on the Hager case. Fascinating. Middle of the Crown case to finish tomorrow. Compelling Crown? Hardly so far!
http://eveningreport.nz/2015/07/13/nicky-hager-case-breaking-news-reportage/
Zero Hedge,
13 July, 2015
Submitted by Martin Armstrong via ArmstrongEconomics.com,
Spain has shown that it is fully on board with the Brussels authoritarian direction of ending democracy. Those in power have simply convinced themselves that the people do not understand what is good for them so they must impose their will upon the people but raw force. How does this differ in any what from the justification of imposing communism? This is the death of all freedom and it is upon our doorstep.
Here are the new laws in Spain:
1. If you photograph security personnel and then share these images on social media: up to €30.000 fine (particularly if photo exposes violence used against a member of the public). This fine could increase depending on the number of Instagram or social media followers you have.
2. Tweet or retweet information or the “location of an organized protest” can now be interpreted as an act of terrorism as it incites others to “commit a crime” (now that “demonstrating” in many ways has become a crime). Sound “1984”-ish? Read about Orwell and his time in Spain.
3. Snowden-like whistle blowing is now defined as an act of terrorism. If you write for a local publication, be careful what you print, whom you speak to, and whether the government is listening.
4. Visiting or consulting terrorist websites – even for investigative purposes – can be interpreted as an act of terrorism. Make sure you use “Tor” browser, reject cookies, and don’t allow pop-ups. Not to mention, don’t post it on your Facebook timeline!
5. Be careful with the royal jokes! Any satirical comment against the royal family is a new crime “against the Crown”. For example, “What did Leticia and the Bishop have to say after they ––“ (SORRY CENSORED).
6. No more hassling elected members of the government or local authorities – even if they say one thing in order to be elected, but then go and do the exact opposite. Confronting them about this hypocritical behavior. Even if you see them in the street chatting to a street cleaner, dining at their favorite expensive restaurant, or having their shoes shined by that physics graduate who cannot find a decent job in the country, hassling them about their behavior is now a criminal offence.
7. Has your local river been so polluted by that plastic factory along the edge that all life has extinguished? Well, tough! Greenpeace or similar protests are now finable from €601–€30.000.
8. Protests in a spontaneous way outside Parliament are now illegal. For example if Parliament passes a hugely unpopular bill, or are debating something extremely important to you or your community, it is now finable from €601 – €30.000. Tip: Use Google Maps to protest just around the corner – but don’t tweet the location!
9. Obstructing an officer in the course of their business, “resisting arrest”, refusing to leave a demonstration when told, or getting in the way of a swinging baton are all now finable offences from €601 – €30.000.
10. Showing lack of respect to officers of the law is an immediate fine of €100 – €600. Answering back, asking a disrespectful question, making a funny face, showing your bottom to an officer of the law, or telling him/her that their breath reminds you of your dog’s underparts is now, sadly, not advisable.
11. Occupying, squatting, or refusing to leave an office, business, bank or other place until your complaint has been heard as a protest is now a €100 – €600 fine (no more flash mobs).
12. Digital protests: Writing something that could technically “disturb the peace” is a now a crime.Bloggers beware, for no one has yet defined whose peace you could be disturbing.
The elites are showing how fearful they really are.
So, while all this racist crap is being whipped up into a frenzy by all and National sundry, what is johnkey up to while on holiday in Hawaii?? Just resting???
i thought it a we bit funny the less than IMO honorable j/ banks has a crack at the lesser honorable IMO limp wristed attorney general! hehe haha birds of a feather. both are deluded idiots along with the bog! oops boag.
‘Shocking Report From Medical Insiders’
http://journal-neo.org/2015/06/18/shocking-report-from-medical-insiders/
Former BMJ editor Richard Smith has been honest about this too.
”My confidence that “things can only get better” has largely drained away, but I’m not a miserable old man. Rather I’ve come to enjoy observing and cataloguing human imperfections, which is why I read novels and history rather than medical journals.”
http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2014/01/31/richard-smith-medical-research-still-a-scandal/
Thanks for these links, Chooky and ER.
That’s a disturbing report.