Open mike 16/04/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 16th, 2016 - 60 comments
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60 comments on “Open mike 16/04/2016 ”

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  1. Ffloyd 1
    16 April 2016 at 7:04 am

    BREAKING NEWS!! First son Max Key hoes to China. And the world cares WHY???

    • greywarshark 1.1
      16 April 2016 at 9:11 am

      I like the vision of the PM’s son showing solidarity with Chinese peasants, hoe in hand in the fields. Go for it you NZ entrepreneur. Gung ho, hoe.

      • Ffloyd 1.1.1
        16 April 2016 at 9:43 am

        Lol gws. I did think the hoe thing looked appropriate for some reason. Tilling the soil and all that. However, *goes it is*. I thought no1 son was toddling off to Harvard to a double in maths and economics? You know, so it would look good on his cv and all. Lord luv a duck. I’m sure he would knock it all off in a couple of weeks, supposing he has his father’s IQ of 131 I believe it is. Same as Helen Clark’s he has said. Oops!!………… ‘Scuse me. Just got knocked off my chair by a flying pig.

        • greywarshark 1.1.1.1
          16 April 2016 at 10:59 am

          Ffloyd
          You obviously have a very agile brain that feeds satire through your fingers, and also sparks it in others. For instance, you refer to tilling the soil, soil makes me think of sod. So appropriate don’t you think.

          Of course he would ‘go’ to Harvard, where they run equality courses for ‘hos’. That’s where all NZs go to get their embedded economic and political propaganda. (Harvard can work with all classes and persuasions so they all get persuaded to The Right Way and Efficiency – think Shane Jones who went there and see how successful he has become.) Such a noble and august university and place of re-education. Better conditions than were provided to intellectuals in China and other places not as well-furnished as having walls papered with redundant banknotes.

        • Hanswurst 1.1.1.2
          16 April 2016 at 12:38 pm

          A lot of emphasis is (rightly) placed on family members’ being off limits in terms of using them to get at politicians in the public arena – or, perhaps more accurately, publishing stories about those family members that may reflect poorly on themselves or their politician relatives, and that would not have been deemed newsworthy had they not been related to a public figure. To be fair, there have been exceptions in the past (smears on Peter Davis purely because he was the husband of Helen Clark spring to mind).

          The recent spate of gossip and human-interest fluff about Max Key makes me rather uncomfortable, since it essentially means that, if he is involved (or is even rumoured to be involved) in anything embarrassing or stupid, but essentially private in nature, that must be fair game for all in the media – in fact, balanced reporting would demand that the media provide prominent coverage of it.

          • greywarshark 1.1.1.2.1
            16 April 2016 at 3:38 pm

            In case you are thinking of me Hanswurst. I feel the same about all politicians and their families and their wealthy fellow travellers or drivers for that matter. Going to Harvard is not a slip to be put down, it’s a hoist and if it’s on his own petard that is a side issue.

            Harvard is the castle of the rich magicians – the others go to Hogworts where they have to learn the difference between good and evil. At Harvard only part of their alumni (female?) are exposed to such philosophical matter.

          • Jenny Kirk 1.1.1.2.2
            16 April 2016 at 5:21 pm

            That’s all very well Hanswurst, and normally I would agree with you – politicians families should be kept out of the media.
            But its his father who keeps pushing him into the media, right in our faces, and for nothing else but extra publicity for himself – keeping the Key name in front of the voters.
            Its a dangerous game Key is playing …. his son is young and so many young people get into trouble along the way, why will his son be any different, and what will he do when that happens.

            • Hanswurst 1.1.1.2.2.1
              18 April 2016 at 9:14 am

              As I said, the media should be obliged to make an absolute smorgasbord of any embarrassment that comes Max Key’s way, and I shall have absolutely no sympathy for Mr. Key and only slightly more for his son if and when that does happen. What I would suggest is that the media should have largely ignored Max Key until such time as he did something inherently newsworthy, and if any publicity agents for the Keys came to them looking for media attention for Max Key, they should have been told to go f*** thenselves.

          • weka 1.1.1.2.3
            16 April 2016 at 5:42 pm

            I’m with Jenny on this one. Both Keys have used their fame to put the younger one in the spotlight. Celebrity’s get celebrity exposure (which is separate issue in terms of appropriate media attention). Key junior has already ceded his right to ‘family political’ privacy.

            http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11623391

        • Gangnam Style 1.1.1.3
          16 April 2016 at 2:11 pm

          “I thought no1 son was toddling off to Harvard to a double in maths and economics?” – no, he got a job advising/mentoring young high achievers helping them go to Harvard, the fact that he has no qualifications or higher education doesn’t mean he only got the job because he’s the PMs son, oh no no no. Has any other politician exposed their children to the public like Key? They mostly keep that stuff private don’t they?

  2. Ffloyd 2
    16 April 2016 at 7:41 am

    GOES! China very excited.

    • Anne 2.1
      16 April 2016 at 8:35 am

      Will there be a red carpet from the steps of the aircraft and does he inspect the troops on the tarmac before embarking on his first state visit? Most important of all , will the Chinese Premier be there to greet him and did we send a posse of fawning journos to record this historic event?

      Please let us know what the tyke was wearing… we’re all ears.

      • Jenny Kirk 2.1.1
        16 April 2016 at 8:40 am

        Gawd – his dad will do anything for publicity ! Did you see him (the freaky Dad) posing as an outdoorsy type on the newshub night before last ….. it was creepy !

        • North 2.1.1.1
          16 April 2016 at 9:32 am

          It clearly doesn’t worry Key that his son is near emblematic of ‘let them eat cake’. Nor that it’s his photo-op whoring on top of the publicity seeking of the surly, entitled wee boy that contribute to this.

          In the US during Depression years Barbara Hutton’s private railcar would be stoned by angry starving poor as it motored through countryside rail stations.

    • pat 3.1
      16 April 2016 at 9:42 am

      as usual Monbiot doesn’t pull any punches..

      “Every invocation of Lord Keynes is an admission of failure. To propose Keynesian solutions to the crises of the 21st century is to ignore three obvious problems. It is hard to mobilise people around old ideas; the flaws exposed in the 70s have not gone away; and, most importantly, they have nothing to say about our gravest predicament: the environmental crisis. Keynesianism works by stimulating consumer demand to promote economic growth. Consumer demand and economic growth are the motors of environmental destruction.

      What the history of both Keynesianism and neoliberalism show is that it’s not enough to oppose a broken system. A coherent alternative has to be proposed. For Labour, the Democrats and the wider left, the central task should be to develop an economic Apollo programme, a conscious attempt to design a new system, tailored to the demands of the 21st century.”

      Sadly I fear we lost our chance in 2009….

      • Stuart Munro 3.1.1
        16 April 2016 at 11:04 am

        The problem is not Keynesianism but all the ersatz copies of it. Government spending to support soft economies is sensible – but you can’t be stupid about it – if you have a car industry like Leyland it must remain state of the art or it will perish. Same goes for dairy or fishing – you need light-footed adaptive operators, not crude commodity mills.

        The same can be said of neo-liberalism – there can be social savings from private sector involvement – but if they don’t turn up, as in the case of Max Bradford’s insane ‘reforms’, the government must reverse them or apply penalties until they do.

        What we have in NZ now is fake government, it is unconcerned with whether its actions work at all. Large corporates like Serco simply rip off gormless governments like this. Key has reduced us to the economic version of Hobbes’ dystopia, the war of all against all – which is what you get when there is no government. They’ve abdicated.

        • pat 3.1.1.1
          16 April 2016 at 11:31 am

          both logical observations….however….

          “Consumer demand and economic growth are the motors of environmental destruction.”

          …we have a minor complicating factor

        • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1.2
          16 April 2016 at 11:59 am

          there can be social savings from private sector involvement

          No, actually, there can’t. The private sector is less efficient than the public sector and on top of that you’ve also got the dead-weight loss of profit.

          but if they don’t turn up, as in the case of Max Bradford’s insane ‘reforms’, the government must reverse them or apply penalties until they do.

          Far simpler to renationalise or, in some instances, actually nationalise. Many banking services such as EFT-POS would certainly suit being a state monopoly.

          • Stuart Munro 3.1.1.2.1
            16 April 2016 at 5:52 pm

            Korea runs neoliberalism successfully. Companies accepting government contracts will be restructured or dissolved if they fail to achieve objectives. In fact government departments need similar performance incentives from time to time – the worst example I knew being the Chatams shipping service back in the day – ultra costly and underperforming.

            Current NZ neo-liberalism is simply fraud – Serco underperforms, the minister (Collins) doesn’t punish, either for a gratuity or some other benefit. If the bimbo did her job it could work – since she won’t it can’t.

            The same laxity and corruption dooms state enterprises equally – Bill the numpty destroying solid energy.

            You can have a black cat or a white cat, either will catch mice – unless it’s a fat cat, which is simply useless.

    • Draco T Bastard 3.2
      16 April 2016 at 11:04 am

      The freedom that neoliberalism offers, which sounds so beguiling when expressed in general terms, turns out to mean freedom for the pike, not for the minnows.

      QFT

    • RedLogix 3.3
      16 April 2016 at 1:29 pm

      In the same vein, Bernie’s speech at the Vatican:

      Some might feel that it is hopeless to fight the economic juggernaut, that once the market economy escaped the boundaries of morality it would be impossible to bring the economy back under the dictates of morality and the common good. I am told time and time again by the rich and powerful, and the mainstream media that represent them, that we should be “practical,” that we should accept the status quo; that a truly moral economy is beyond our reach. Yet Pope Francis himself is surely the world’s greatest demonstration against such a surrender to despair and cynicism. He has opened the eyes of the world once again to the claims of mercy, justice and the possibilities of a better world. He is inspiring the world to find a new global consensus for our common home.

      http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/15/towards-common-good-mr-sanders-goes-vatican

      Notice how it’s a proper speech; not broken up into staccato little sound-bites as has become the custom from our local pollies.

      • Macro 3.3.1
        16 April 2016 at 9:31 pm

        And I like this bit – he certainly doesn’t pull any punches

        Over a century ago, Pope Leo XIII highlighted economic issues and challenges in Rerum Novarum that continue to haunt us today, such as what he called “the enormous wealth of a few as opposed to the poverty of the many.”

        And let us be clear. That situation is worse today. In the year 2016, the top one percent of the people on this planet own more wealth than the bottom 99 percent, while the wealthiest 60 people – 60 people – own more than the bottom half – 3 1/2 billion people. At a time when so few have so much, and so many have so little, we must reject the foundations of this contemporary economy as immoral and unsustainable.

      • Incognito 3.3.2
        16 April 2016 at 11:47 pm

        that a truly moral economy is beyond our reach.

        I thought “economy” was all about limited resources and, if so, it must be linked to ethics to be optimal. Similarly, politics ought to contain a strong ethical component. However, the current yardsticks appear to be GDP and legality – pretty legal will suffice.

        A society that has no or does not follow clear ethical principles is doomed; ethical conduct is paramount in democracies and economies. By extension, regard for the environment and the whole planet rely on strong ethical foundations.

        I’d suggest that Max studies ethics & economics rather at Harvard but Hooton studying philosophy hasn’t done him much good either as far as I can tell – that’s as far I wish to take it, even on OM.

  4. Jenny Kirk 4
    16 April 2016 at 8:41 am

    On a more serious subject –
    “ The most recent issue to get the “more to Kiwi than iwi” treatment – from a disaffected group of extreme, right-wing, former politicians – is water rights. “

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11623343

    Good comments in story by Lizzie Marvelly in the Herald this morning – suggesting its about time rightwing Pakeha got over their gripes with Maori having a say in what needs to happen with our fresh waterways. Totally endorse these – up here in the north, its the tangata whenua complaining about the disgusting state of fresh waterways which might finally get some action from the authorities on them.

    • ianmac 4.1
      16 April 2016 at 8:56 am

      Yes Jenny. That full page ad in our paper annoyed me. I care about water but the ad seems to say don’t back concerns about clean water and the selling of it because I would be supporting Iwi. Instead I should be supporting the Government position that “No one owns the water.”
      Bullshit!

      • Robert Glennie 4.1.1
        16 April 2016 at 3:10 pm

        Iwi/Kiwi was a Don Brash thing that should stay in the era of Brash. It won him a lot of National supporters who must have been wondering what to do after the 2002 election pounding, but Iwi/Kiwi was ultimately what cost them the election too – by turning off the very centrist people needed to get National into office.

    • Bearded Git 4.2
      16 April 2016 at 9:23 am

      +1 Jenny, good article

  5. Jenny Kirk 5
    16 April 2016 at 8:56 am

    Also in today’s Herald : this guy will do/say anything to get media attention.

    Now he’s jumping on Helen’s bandwagon. Who can compete with that ! I bet we’ll hear about this non-stop when he talks to the UK PM et al, as well.

    “Prime Minister John Key and Foreign Minister Murray McCully will start campaigning in force for former rival Helen Clark this week, travelling overseas to push her case for the United Nations Secretary-General role.”

  6. greywarshark 6
    16 April 2016 at 9:03 am

    This morning on Radionz – gold. Informative, incisive, humorous analyst of Middle East politics. Someone to follow and listen to if we want a clearer picture of what drives that side of the world.

    He made a point about Hussein and about Libya that added insight to me. I was getting going with my morning cuppa but something stuck and that was that one of the leaders, I think Hussein, was in power for decades and aimed to stamp out every free thinker, every intellectual, every NGo, every social assistance group, and when he went there was nothing to replace him. The people had been oppressed so long that they had been forced into silence and suppression of ideas. And I think he said that is the space that tyrants can move into.

    We are said to have been reasonably well treated by this right wing government. They have not been as harsh as they could have been! But they are moving to shut down dissent, socially and environmentally concerned groups. The Method is under way.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201797316
    This is the summary of the talk.
    8:12 Iyad el-Baghdadi
    Iyad El-Baghdadi is a writer, human rights activist, and entrepreneur who became prominent for tweeting and commenting on the Arab spring. A stateless Palestinian born and raised in the United Arab Emirates, from which he was expelled in 2014, he became well-known for The Arab Tyrant’s Manual, a collection of satirical tweets that has been translated into 13 languages, and is working on a two-volume book, The Arab Spring Manifesto, which is due to be completed this year.

    Meantime, till audio is up here is something that looks and sounds good called Field work in Tibet. A number of great Lincoln scientists are over there doing something with grasslands research, and there is a great photo of the team there. Sounds a positive good project by NZs to slot into the brain over the other crap that tends to swamp us.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/countrylife/audio/201797231/fieldwork-in-tibet
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201797231

  7. greywarshark 7
    16 April 2016 at 9:18 am

    This morning on Radionz – gold. Informative, incisive, humorous analyst of Middle East politics. Someone to follow and listen to if we want a clearer picture of what drives that side of the world.

    He made a point about Hussein and about Libya that added insight to me. I was getting going with my morning cuppa but something stuck and that was that one of the leaders, I think Hussein, was in power for decades and aimed to stamp out every free thinker, every intellectual, every NGo, every social assistance group, and when he went there was nothing to replace him. The people had been oppressed so long that they had been forced into silence and suppression of ideas. And I think he said that is the space that tyrants can move into.

    We are said to have been reasonably well treated by this right wing government. They have not been as harsh as they could have been! But they are moving to shut down dissent, socially and environmentally concerned groups. The Method is under way.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201797316
    This is the summary of the talk.
    8:12 Iyad el-Baghdadi
    Iyad El-Baghdadi is a writer, human rights activist, and entrepreneur who became prominent for tweeting and commenting on the Arab spring. A stateless Palestinian born and raised in the United Arab Emirates, from which he was expelled in 2014, he became well-known for The Arab Tyrant’s Manual, a collection of satirical tweets that has been translated into 13 languages, and is working on a two-volume book, The Arab Spring Manifesto, which is due to be completed this year.

    Meantime, till audio is up here is something that looks and sounds good called Field work in Tibet. A number of great Lincoln scientists are over there doing something with grasslands research, and there is a great photo of the team there. Sounds a positive good project by NZs to slot into the brain over the other crap that tends to swamp us.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/countrylife/audio/201797231/fieldwork-in-tibet
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201797231

    (This is the second time I have put this up. I don’t know what I did. If it turns up in a few minutes again, my apologies.)

  8. greywarshark 8
    16 April 2016 at 9:24 am

    Third time try to get comment up. What is going on with levers, bells and whistles in the background?

    This is first part of longer comment. Maybe I can get it up in two pieces. Maybe there were too many links in first one.

    This morning on Radionz – gold. Informative, incisive, humorous analyst of Middle East politics. Someone to follow and listen to if we want a clearer picture of what drives that side of the world.

    He made a point about Hussein and about Libya that added insight to me. I was getting going with my morning cuppa but something stuck and that was that one of the leaders, I think Hussein, was in power for decades and aimed to stamp out every free thinker, every intellectual, every NGo, every social assistance group, and when he went there was nothing to replace him. The people had been oppressed so long that they had been forced into silence and suppression of ideas. And I think he said that is the space that tyrants can move into.

    We are said to have been reasonably well treated by this right wing government. They have not been as harsh as they could have been! But they are moving to shut down dissent, socially and environmentally concerned groups. The Method is under way.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201797316
    This is the summary of the talk.
    8:12 Iyad el-Baghdadi
    Iyad El-Baghdadi is a writer, human rights activist, and entrepreneur who became prominent for tweeting and commenting on the Arab spring. A stateless Palestinian born and raised in the United Arab Emirates, from which he was expelled in 2014, he became well-known for The Arab Tyrant’s Manual, a collection of satirical tweets that has been translated into 13 languages, and is working on a two-volume book, The Arab Spring Manifesto, which is due to be completed this year.

    • joe90 8.1
      16 April 2016 at 11:23 am

      In 2011 Iyad el-Baghdadi called the Syrian shit fight.

      Iyad El-Baghdadi
      ‏@iyad_elbaghdadi

      A warning I direct to the world: If you don’t do something soon to help #Syria’s people, it will become a jihadist magnet. Big time.

      2:01 PM – 20 Dec 2011

      https://twitter.com/iyad_elbaghdadi/status/149248118859370496

      https://twitter.com/iyad_elbaghdadi

      http://www.el-baghdadi.com/

    • Colonial Viper 8.2
      17 April 2016 at 1:02 am

      “He made a point about Hussein and about Libya that added insight to me. I was getting going with my morning cuppa but something stuck and that was that one of the leaders, I think Hussein, was in power for decades and aimed to stamp out every free thinker, every intellectual, every NGo, every social assistance group, and when he went there was nothing to replace him. The people had been oppressed so long that they had been forced into silence and suppression of ideas. And I think he said that is the space that tyrants can move into.”

      This is utterly fucking bullshit western imperialism interpretation.

      Those countries became destroyed states because that is what the USA wanted, and what the USA implemented.

  9. greywarshark 9
    16 April 2016 at 9:33 am

    lprent
    I am having trouble getting comments up. I have had a medium length comment not go up twice. Tried refreshing F5 and also Home, and restarted but no result.

    I hope this short one will get through. There was a link to cloud in last attempt. There was something about earth in one before. I have to go and do some real work now so can’t wait around to pass on some good links on Radionz. Bye for the weekend.

    • lprent 9.1
      16 April 2016 at 9:56 am

      I saw that. Just released the last one. Do you want the other two? They looked identical at a cursory scan.

      There was a new security system added in yesterday. But it is currently in ‘learning mode’. I will have a look at that

      • greywarshark 9.1.1
        16 April 2016 at 10:44 am

        lprent
        Thanks. In last one I tried shortening by putting half only – to see if system was rejecting multiple links.

        So there should be a top and bottom bit – the last comment put up was on Arab writer only, I think. The other two had that, plus short piece on Tibet with link to that on Radionz.

        If you have time you could check and remove the one just up and replace it with earlier complete one. But don’t worry if you don’t have time there are no earthshaking revelations dredged from deep in my intellect on there!

        Also nice heading. I have yet to read all about its formation but looks good, and no doubt is an indication of how the blog will go strongly into future, with small improvements that enhance its reputation. (End of PR announcement!)

  10. dv 10
    16 April 2016 at 9:33 am

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11623505

    It’s not fun. I’m over it, seriously. I feel poor,” confessed French teacher Cecile Bourgeois, 39, about her attempts to find a $500,000 home on her $74,000-a-year salary.

    “It’s just the increase in the prices in Auckland … I can’t save enough if it keeps increasing.”

    How is Auckland going to have enough teachers, nurses to supply the needs, let alone minimum wage workers.

    • Descendant Of Sssmith 10.1
      16 April 2016 at 1:04 pm

      I guess we can go back to the state providing homes at a reasonable rent for it’s workers close to the work location.

  11. Draco T Bastard 11
    16 April 2016 at 9:56 am

  12. Kiwiri 12
    16 April 2016 at 10:10 am

    Expect Nats to run the following lines for NZ GE2017?? Are Labour and Greens prepared for these lines?

    “Our economy is transitioning. It is well synchronised with what is happening” to our main trading partners and around the world.

    “You can trust the government to manage the transition”

    “You cannot trust Labour and Greens with the transition”

    Ahem … Crosby Textor?
    Read more:
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/malcolm-turnbulls-election-pitch-stamped-made-in-china-20160415-go7jt3.html

  13. joe90 13
    16 April 2016 at 10:13 am

    Yeah, let’s do something,….nah…
    /

    At Prime Minister’s Questions today Jeremy Corbyn accused Conservative MEPs in the European Parliament of voting against measures to stop tax avoidance.

    The vote in question was the European Parliament’s annual tax report which included plans to make companies report where they make their profits and pay taxes.

    It took place on 25 March this year; across Europe it was backed by 444 MEPs to just 110 who voted against.

    From Britain, Conservative, Ukip, and DUP MEPs voted against the report, though many did not show up or not vote.

    David Cameron says the UK backed the plans at the Council level despite the way his MEPs voted on the tax report.

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/these-are-the-british-meps-who-voted-against-plans-to-crack-down-on-corporate-tax-evasion-a6982271.html

  14. Bill 14
    16 April 2016 at 12:06 pm

    oh joy

    So February was 1.04°C above the 20th C average for the month of February and…March has come in at 1.07°C above the 20th C average for the month of March.

    Wider context?

    2014 was the hottest year on record (data from 1850 to present)… until 2015 came along. And now it looks as though this year will be even hotter again.

    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/15/march-temperature-smashes-100-year-global-record

  15. One Two 15
    16 April 2016 at 12:14 pm

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IOuDX7YsYHM

    De Niro interview about Tribeca

  16. weka 16
    16 April 2016 at 12:31 pm

    I think these are two different earthquakes rather than aftershocks (big ones in Souther Japan yesterday), but it is time to give up the idea that the big one always happens first? I don’t mean from a science perspective, I mean from the perspective of people living in a quake zone.

    This is good, I hear someone in NZ had developped an app for here as well (people get a warning txt/noise that the quake is on its way), but it requires lots of people to sign up for it to work. Haven’t heard how that’s going,

    It is through bitter experience that Japan has learnt the strategies to mitigate damage, injury and death. Not only does it implement some the best building construction practices but it has also established an early warning network.

    This system relies on the lightning analysis of the developing quake, establishing its location and strength. Alerts are then broadcast that can give people more distant from the epicentre vital seconds’ notice.

    Just 10 seconds is more than sufficient to drop and get under a sturdy table or open the doors of a fire station.

    edit, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36045140

  17. Draco T Bastard 17
    16 April 2016 at 1:07 pm

    Young Iraqis Overwhelmingly Consider U.S. Their Enemy, Poll Says

    But from an American perspective, the report’s most salient features pertain to anti-Americanism among young Arabs abroad.

    “For years, many have argued that Muslims and Arabs, like other humans, don’t appreciate being bombed or occupied,” says Haroon Moghul, a fellow at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. “Finally, we have a study to confirm this suspicion.”

  18. Rodel 18
    16 April 2016 at 7:29 pm

    So glad to see William and Kate swanning around Bhutan and doubtless mingling with royalty there. Wonder if Will and Kate are aware that several thousands of Southern Bhutanese have been imprisoned, and more than 2000 tortured, according to Amnesty International. Very few of them were formally charged. Thousands fled to India and Nepal and after many many years some made it to New Zealand…..Great opportunities for the fawning media but I doubt they can think past the photo ops. I wonder what the Bhutan refugees in NZ think about it… just saying…

  19. Tautoko Mangō Mata 19
    16 April 2016 at 8:12 pm

    “Colombia: there’s no place for clean water under ’free trade’”

    The latest country to be hooked under ’free trade’ agreements is Colombia, writes Pete Dolack, sued for tens of billions of dollars by US and Canadian gold mining companies for valuing its national parks and the high-altitude Andean wetlands that provide 70% of the nation’s water above the profits of foreign corporations. Free trade or clean water? You can’t have both.

    Yet another standoff between clean drinking water and mining profits has taken shape in Colombia.

    Two corporations are insisting their right to pollute trumps human health and the environment. As is customary in these cases, it is clean water that is the underdog here.

    Two million people are dependent on water from a high-altitude wetlands, which is also a refuge for endangered species, that a Canadian mining company, Eco Oro Minerals Corporation, wants to use for a gold mine.

    The wetlands, the Santurbán páramo in the Andes, has been declared off-limits for mining by Colombia’s highest court due to the area’s environmental sensitivity. Eco Oro is suing the Colombian government because of this under the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

    The dispute will likely be heard by a secret tribunal that is an arm of the World Bank, even though the World Bank has provided investment capital for Eco Oro to develop the mine.

    http://isds.bilaterals.org/?colombia-there-s-no-place-for

    This is so wrong! Where does the accountability for these tribunals lie?

    • Macro 19.1
      16 April 2016 at 9:58 pm

      Its ok TMM it won’t happen here. Tim and John have said so!

      That is the whole crappy thing about these isds tribunals – there is no appeal.

      John and Tim and the rest of the Nats and Act and the dunny and Goff are intent on signing away what little sovereignty we have left.

      as Bernie said at the Vatican

      “Over a century ago, Pope Leo XIII highlighted economic issues and challenges in Rerum Novarum that continue to haunt us today, such as what he called “the enormous wealth of a few as opposed to the poverty of the many.”

      And let us be clear. That situation is worse today. In the year 2016, the top one percent of the people on this planet own more wealth than the bottom 99 percent, while the wealthiest 60 people – 60 people – own more than the bottom half – 3 1/2 billion people. At a time when so few have so much, and so many have so little, we must reject the foundations of this contemporary economy as immoral and unsustainable.”

    • Draco T Bastard 19.2
      17 April 2016 at 12:09 am

      This is so wrong! Where does the accountability for these tribunals lie?

      There isn’t any which is what the corporations wanted and got.

  20. Draco T Bastard 20
    16 April 2016 at 8:26 pm

    Mum fuming after disability allowance turned down

    But the Greaves’ application for that was turned down and Ms Greaves says she was only told recently that the reason was simply that WINZ lost some of her documents.

    Yeah, all those paper documents that WINZ supplicants have to fill in are, apparently, just so easy to lose.

    /sarc

    I’ve just been informed that I’ve been over paid $8.58 on my Accommodation Supplement and so they’ll be taking that back. When I enquired as to why I was informed that they had made an error at their end. They also told me that they don’t claim back amounts for less than $10 when it’s their error.

    They’re still going to be taking the money off of me.

  21. Chooky 21
    16 April 2016 at 9:59 pm

    ‘Thousands to descend on London to demand David Cameron’s resignation’

    https://www.rt.com/uk/339755-cameron-resignation-protest-london/