Open mike 19/01/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 19th, 2016 - 79 comments
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79 comments on “Open mike 19/01/2016 ”

  1. Paul 1

    It’s the economy, stupid……

    ‘Dairy futures point to weak demand’
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11575842

    NZ sharemarket falls again
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/294349/nz-sharemarket-falls-again

    Weak growth and dairy prices weigh on kiwi
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11575715

    With wave of Iranian oil imminent, a shudder in Saudi Arabia
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11575666

    • Draco T Bastard 1.1

      Quoting first article:

      ASB Bank said there was a chance of a small tick up in dairy prices at this week’s auction , “but the overall trend remains still weak and highlights one of the key areas of downside risk to the NZ economy,” the bank said.

      Highlights the problem of putting all our eggs in one basket. Thanks banks, farmers and government for all being so bloody stupid.

      With wave of Iranian oil imminent, a shudder in Saudi Arabia

      If the governments of the world were doing what they should be doing then demand for oil and other fossil fuels should be declining steadily.

  2. Tautoko Mangō Mata 2

    Interactive map on ISDS
    http://teamdata.oneworld.nl/projects/isds/movementmap-claimants/

    Also good long read on ISDS
    “Why companies sue countries (and how they do it) ” http://longreads.oneworld.nl/en/about-isds/

  3. Tautoko Mangō Mata 3

    Think tanks: how independent are they?

    “Big business orders its pro-TTIP arguments from these think tanks”

    http://www.bilaterals.org/?big-business-orders-its-pro-ttip

    The information came from this study
    https://decorrespondent.nl/3874/How-we-looked-into-think-tanks-and-TTIP-and-feel-free-to-use-our-data/853522027644-4f371269

  4. Penny Bright 4

    This growing global inequality, in my view, is becoming simply obscene.

    http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/18/richest-62-billionaires-wealthy-half-world-population-combined

    “Oxfam said a three-pronged approach was needed: a crackdown on tax dodging; higher investment in public services; and higher wages for the low paid.

    It said a priority should be to close down tax havens, increasingly used by rich individuals and companies to avoid paying tax and which had deprived governments of the resources needed to tackle poverty and inequality.

    Three years ago, David Cameron told the WEF that the UK would spearhead a global effort to end aggressive tax avoidance in the UK and in poor countries, but Oxfam said promised measures to increase transparency in British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, such as the Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands, had not been implemented.

    Goldring said: “We need to end the era of tax havens which has allowed rich individuals and multinational companies to avoid their responsibilities to society by hiding ever increasing amounts of money offshore.

    … ”

    I agree.

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

  5. Whispering Kate 5

    Once again RNZ has this morning has some economist (if he could call himself one) being interviewed this morning on the Business Report (or whatever it is called) and part of the discussion was about there probably would be, once again, no pay rises forthwith this year for workers. It came to pass that the “economist” said that there were other ways to recompense workers, the interviewer had the sense to ask him “what other ways were there?” and – I just couldn’t believe my ears, he pontificated on that “praise” and “pats on the back” and “a job well done” went a long way to make it worthwhile for workers.

    Where do these people come from for God’s sake. How patronising can you get. Did anybody else hear this and what do they think of it. Is it just me or what? My partner said “calm down its just spin” – how are they allowed to get away with this absolute bullshit – this is the second day in a row I have heard about a “glowing economy” ad nauseum from RNZ. Tell that to people who haven’t had a pay rise for God knows when and costs going up all the time. Pat on the back – its sick making and going back to early Victorian days when one fobbed their hat and grovelled just to survive. How about recompensing for the hard work in pay increases – isn’t that what its all about – slavery is supposed to have been abolished years ago – I think not.

    • Paul 5.1

      5 minutes of propaganda by RNZ business section on behalf of big corporates.

      First up
      ‘Employee confidence back in positive territory – survey’
      Westpac Senior economist Anne Boniface.
      Another spokesperson for the banksters is allowed to go unchallenged.
      Westpac’s profits for 2015 was $916 million; clearly no free money to pay its workers.

      http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/businessnews/audio/201785906/employee-confidence-back-in-positive-territory-survey
      http://www.westpac.co.nz/business/economic-updates/our-economics-team/
      http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/73612560/asb-anz-bnz-and-westpac-rake-in-459-billion-of-profits

      Then the report you referred to.
      ‘HR report reveals NZers least confident of wage rise’
      Blair Cashin from Randstad was saying the same type of stuff last year as well.

      http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/businessnews/audio/201785907/hr-report-reveals-nzers-least-confident-of-wage-rise
      http://www.randstad.co.nz/about-randstad/our-company/the-team/meet-the-team-in-wellington
      http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/65466063/Unhappy-workers-eye-the-exit

      • Whispering Kate 5.1.1

        Thank you Paul for linking all the conversations. I am a bit of a technophobe and am learning to link information I hear – but for me, all takes time!! I just cannot fathom why there isn’t a sort of code of compliance these radio stations and TV channels have to apply. They have a Broadcasting Standards one I know but to just be allowed to put such utter crap out there without certain standards applying seems odd to me. RNZ is meant to be pretty up front with what it broadcasts – I think its going to be yet another source of information I am going to turn off.

        Personally what that man said this morning has to be the worst sort of rubbish I have heard for a long time.

        • Paul 5.1.1.1

          It’s not what he said. You would expect the Head of a company like Randstad to say something like this.
          It’s the fact that our only state broadcaster provides a megaphone for these views – unchallenged.

          • Tc 5.1.1.1.1

            As designed with griffin at the helm and a nat stacked board.

            • Paul 5.1.1.1.1.1

              Details of the Board here.

              http://www.radionz.co.nz/about/board-profile

              RICHARD GRIFFIN

              Chair of the Radio New Zealand Board of Governors
              Richard Griffin was appointed to the board as a governor in May 2010. He has an extensive career in print media, radio, television and public relations. A past Radio New Zealand Political Editor and a life member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, he served as Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to Prime Minister, Jim Bolger from 1993 until 1998. He was Manager of Policy Development, Government Relations and Communications for TVNZ from 2000 to 2007. Mr Griffin is a Director of the public relations consultancy, Fraser, Griffin, Wood.

              JOSH EASBY
              Deputy Chair – Radio New Zealand Board of Governors
              Josh Easby has over 35 years of experience in business development. He has held senior positions within the New Zealand and UK commercial radio industry, and more recently with Australasian Media group APN News and Media Ltd. He played a vital role in the consolidation of the New Zealand radio industry in the 1990s and has held senior operational roles in the New Zealand commercial radio and publishing markets.
              He is a past executive member of the commercial Radio Broadcasters Association and was General Manager for Radio Hauraki. He has published several books, is a keen soccer fan and has had administrative involvement with clubs in England and New Zealand.

              TIWANA TIBBLE
              Radio New Zealand Board of Governors
              Tiwana Tibble has been the chief executive of the Ngati Whatua o Orakei Maori Trust Board since 1998. Prior to that he was the Company Secretary and Financial Controller at the Maori Development Corporation Ltd.

              GARY MONK
              Radio New Zealand Board of Governors
              Gary has had a long involvement in New Zealand primary industry. Having completed a law degree he embarked on a career in the seafood industry in 1976 and established Intersea Limited in 1983. He is a shareholder and non-executive Chairman of Mathias International Limited, a privately owned New Zealand company trading in agricultural primary products, and is a Director and non-executive Chairman of New Zealand Light Leathers Limited, a tannery based in Timaru exporting deer leather to Europe, China and the USA.

              SHEENA HENDERSON
              Radio New Zealand Board of Governors
              Sheena Henderson, previously Global Brand director for Fonterra, is a Christchurch-based consultant specialising in branding, marketing and corporate advisory work.

              DEBORAH TAYLOR
              Radio New Zealand Board of Governors
              Deborah Taylor is a self-employed business consultant from Queenstown. She has an extensive financial and legal background and is a former director and principal of a chartered accountants firm.

              MELISSA CLARK-REYNOLDS
              Radio New Zealand Board of Governors
              Wellingtonian Melissa Clark-Reynolds is a technology entrepreneur who has taken several companies from start up through to high growth.
              Her last business was MiniMonos – a children’s games site which aims to provide a community for children based in good values: providing environmental education while playing great games. She is now CEO of Looxie, an online media startup.
              She is featured in Her Business’s Hall of Fame, was named by Forbes Magazine as one of 10 Female Entrepreneurs to watch, and is also an Independent Director of the NZ Centre for Gifted Education.

              • Tc

                Business, finance, sales and marketing, fisheries and iwi led by bolgers old press secretary.

                Spot any broadcasting experience ?

                • Once was Tim

                  I spy with my little eye COMMERCIAL broadcasting experience; treating audiences as consumers not citizens; branding; demographic targeting; bean cunting (oops missed the ‘o’); cumfy little board room chairs; cronyism; etc.

                  One of the main things any (next) government should address as a priority IF THEY ARE CONCERNED about NZ remaining a 1st world democracy (actually we’re already a bit passed that) is appointments to public service positions ……
                  that’s alongside usurping judicial power and vesting it in the executive; legislation passed under urgency; etc. (Generally recognising that democracy isn’t elected dictatorships.)
                  I’m not sure however, that either National, Labour, (and now Greens) are up for all that but I’ll be watching policy promises

    • DH 5.2

      I don’t know what it is about economics. There’s something in it that makes many people who take up economics lose their humanity. Or maybe it just attracts the wrong type of people.

      Economists remind me of the old alchemists constantly trying to turn lead into gold. They’re formulaic, to the economist everything in life has a magic formula. There’s a perfect level of tax, a perfect level of economic growth, a perfect level of unemployment, a perfect level of inflation… etc etc. They try to be logical while at the same time acting irrationally.

      They’re an odd bunch, would be amusing if they didn’t do so much harm.

      • Pat 5.2.1

        economists …the high priests of the new religion….have faith my son

        • Rodel 5.2.1.1

          Read a few books on economics in my time. Generally aimed at about year 8-9 intellectual school level. Full of old world metaphors and few real definitions.
          i.e. ‘steam’.. dampening down’…’putting a lid on’… etc

          Q -Why did god invent economists?
          A -To make meteorologists look good. …(old joke and my apologies to current day meteorologists who are actually very skilled.)

          • Pat 5.2.1.1.1

            something to ponder..

            macro economics is the study of entire economies comprising aggregated production, labour, social policy, resources etc…in other words large grouped factors that are predictable in average……and

            ‘Oxfam said that the 62 richest people having as much wealth as the poorest 50% of the population is a remarkable concentration of wealth, given that it would have taken 388 individuals to have the same wealth as the bottom 50% in 2010. ”

            a very small group with (likely) diametrically opposed goals

      • Wairua 5.2.2

        .. and not a broadcaster in sight !

        Put Kim Hill on the board to safeguard broadcast standards.

        There should not be any partisan objections.

  6. just saying 7

    https://bootstheory.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/building-a-mass-movement/

    Message to Lynn and other writers.
    I’d like it if the above was posted as a guest post, in the next couple of days (with Stephanie’s permission of course). I’d like to discuss it here, and I think others might too.

    For some reason, I’m not able to copy and paste a snippet from the blog

    • BM 7.1

      That’s been discussed so many times on here.

      Just to save time, a quick summary.

      It’s all the fault of white heterosexual males and if you disagree you’re a supporter of rape culture, homophobia, misogyny and you’re a racist.

      Endless back and forth bickering and finger pointing.

      • just saying 7.1.1

        I’m sure you don’t want the left to be united, BM.

        Your summary is bullshit.

        • BM 7.1.1.1

          United doesn’t equal a tiny group of extremists berating and abusing the larger group of moderates until that group is forced to capitulate and agree absolutely with the extremists world view.

          If you think that’s the path to success, you’re going to be seriously disappointed.

      • Puckish Rogue 7.1.2

        Very succinct BM

      • marty mars 7.1.3

        It is too hard for a ‘basic’ person like you to get bm and I’m pleased about that because having a (insults deleted) like you pushing opinions gives us an idea of what we are up against and why ‘left unity’ is necessary.

        arsehole righties giving advice to the left? yeah nah – same for you pucker.

  7. Sabine 8

    in other news, all is well.

    http://www.cnbc.com/2016/01/18/gdp-growth-estimates-fall-below-1-percent.html

    and then there is this, guys, it’s gonna get better then it was in 2008! Yuppie! rejoice, our overlords know what they do, really they do.

    http://www.cnbc.com/2016/01/15/a-recession-worse-than-2008-is-coming-commentary.html

  8. Draco T Bastard 9

    Piketty, Rousseau and the desire for inequality

    Notice how this picture inverts one of the standard tropes of the right-wing commentariat. According to endless pundits, it is the egalitarian left, obsessed with a “politics of envy”, who irrationally focus on the distribution of wealth and income at the expense of what really matters, making people’s lives better. But here we see that a focus on inequality, indeed a lust for inequality, is characteristic of the wealthy who value inequality for its own sake and who rejoice in the subordination of their fellows.

    The RWNJs actually want others to be envious of them and probably get really upset when told that we’re actually disgusted by them.

  9. Draco T Bastard 10

    Can you guess which country just set a new world record for wind power?

    According to Energinet, Denmark’s electric utility, the country’s turbines accounted for the equivalent of 42 percent of all electricity produced for the year. It’s the highest proportion for any country — breaking a record the country set just last year — ​and represents more than a doubling compared to just 10 years ago.

    Proves that full renewable energy is possible. But, then, we already knew that here in NZ with ~70% of electricity produced by renewables. We just don’t have a government willing to go all out and produce the rest that we need via renewables including that needed for transport.

  10. greywarshark 12

    This is something that should be thought about and acted to advance now. It’s time has come, again. But for politicians it’s real work, not leading to a plum job out of the pollie heaven. So they will take it up reluctantly only if pushed. It’s euthanasia, assisted dying etc

    Pollies can be quick enough to send citizens to war and aggression in this or another country (I regard the raid on Tuhoe as a practice police-military action). But it is too uppity of citizens to want to have charge of themselves and their time of death, that is legal and accessible. Ask politicians to act dutifully to the citizens and responsibly in supporting and finalising a well-written, fair, adequate and suitable Bill and act before the end of this month, January, less than a fortnight away. Don’t leave it in the hands of authoritarian detractors who want to make decisions for others who should be able to decide themselves on this most important right.

    RADIONZ broadcast Matt Vickers a few days ago asking people to come forward and take up Lecretia’s plea.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/294319/have-your-say-on-euthanasia,-urges-lecretia%27s-husband

    Ms Seales took legal action for the right to die with dignity in a case that played out as the curtain fell on her life. She died hours after the High Court ruled it was a debate that needed to be had by Parliament and not the courts.
    Lecretia Seales’ husband Matt Vickers after her death and the judge’s decision

    Parliament picked up on that challenge, with its health select committee launching an inquiry in response to a petition calling for a law change to permit medically assisted dying in the event of terminal illness or other specific circumstances.
    Her husband Matt Vickers said it would be a tragedy if the chance to have a debate on the topic was wasted.

    This link put up by a commenter on RADIONZ comment channel RNZ Talk –
    Frithogar
    Make submissions here – note there is a verification process at the bottom of the page
    The closing date is February 1
    http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/sc/make-submission/0SCHE_SCF_51DBHOH_PET63268_1/petition-of-hon-maryan-street-and-8974-others
    and
    chienfou
    There’s a prospect of appearing before the committee to speak to your submission. I’d encourage anyone who possibly can to volunteer. It adds a lot of weight to the democratic process, especially if it’s not just the same old Wellington hacks turning up.

    Lecretia and Matt’s blog – http://lecretia.org/
    Lecretia’s Choice
    Lecretia Seales believed ill people enduring intolerable suffering with no hope of recovery should have the choice to request assistance to end their lives.

    Scoop reporting the Lecretia Seales tragedy and the initiative taken by her and her husband.
    http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=76594
    edited

    • Rosemary McDonald 12.1

      Have no fear greywarshark, this Bill will be passed.

      It is popular on the left, on the right and in the centre.

      Anyone who expresses concern that such legislation should be approached with extreme caution is written off as a sadistic godbotherer.

      My concern, for what it is worth, is that until there is legislation that entitles all New Zealanders to publicly funded health and disability care then legislation facilitating ‘voluntary euthanasia’ should be put on hold.

      It will be hard to incorporate protections against people being coerced into taking this option when the State is doing the coercing.

      • greywarshark 12.1.1

        Rosemay Mc
        Well I hope that you are right, it will be passed. It is rational from most points of view, and it is ethical also from most.

        But I understand that you may be concerned about coercion. Also there are lacks in the ‘publicly funded health and disability care’, and it would be good if someone could decide to go from a situation of excellent care, and not miserable conditions, not supported properly and fairly.. No legislation can be perfect, but we can try and also be watchdogs against misuse. I want people to have the right to decide after going through prescribed but not draconian, procedures.

        • weka 12.1.1.1

          tbh, I wouldn’t want the current government writing and passing euthanasia legislation. I just don’t trust them.

          Ideally a government would take a year to educate the citizens about what euthanasia is, what the issues are on various sides, and what the likely parameters are within NZ when it comes to enacting legislation. That time could be used to run workshops in communities and facilitate debate and discussion across a wide section of society as possible. Leaving this up to petitions and select committee hearings is not ok for such an important issue. It’s also not black and white about what should be legislated and that needs debate.

          I’m generally in favour of euthanasia but like Rosemary I have concerns from a health and disability perspective, as well as issues for the elderly. I also think we should be looking at this debate within the context of a resource depletion future but I don’t expect many to agree with me on that.

        • Rosemary McDonald 12.1.1.2

          Talking about deciding to go….

          like Charles Mitchell,

          http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/75922680/raglan-whitebait-pioneer-charles-mitchell-dies-age-64

          “….was the kind of environmentalist who loved progress, hated red tape and shared his knowledge with anyone who’d listen.

          In the face of advancing glaucoma and what seemed like an unending mountain of red tape, Charles took his life on September 13, Megan said.

          “The difficulty with having science on your side is that it is of no assistance if the denizens of officialdom do not understand that science.” ”

          Its truly awful that he could not face the prospect of impending blindness, but I can understand how someone who spent his entire working life battling government bureaucracy could be tipped over the edge.
          Accessing disability supports in New Zealand for those not under ACC’s Serious Injury service is a nightmare of hoop jumping and red tape untangling. For some, the prospect has been too much.
          For others, they have spent many years battling, and it has been a seemingly trivial speed bump that has been the tipping point.
          Two cases come to mind…the real issue was not entirely ‘unbearable pain and suffering’ but the loss of dignity at having to beg for basic supports in one case and the knowledge that the disability was going to have as much of an effect on loved ones in the other….in both of these cases the Voluntary Euthanasia lobby swooped down and commandeered the narrative and the underlying cause of the suicide was lost.

          I have no faith that this government is capable of constructing legislation that will provide the safeguards needed.
          Not when this government has made it quite clear that the rights of people with disabilities can be arbitrarily cast aside.

  11. adam 13

    Wow, almost a radical social democrat.

    http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/winstons-choice.html

    Only printed in the press, I wonder why?

  12. Paul 14

    Professor Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre Manchester, interviewed on Friday 8th January. This first of three videos covers the outcomes and significance of the recent UN climate conference in Paris.

  13. Manuka AOR 15

    David Cunliffe has a guest post today at TDB: “In a Land of Plenty”
    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/01/19/guest-blog-david-cunliffe-in-a-land-of-plenty/

  14. ianmac 16

    Gee that Josie Pagani works hard at undermining Labour and its membership. This time by supporting TPPA and by belittling Andrew Little. Andrew Geddis is there to correct Josie’s silly unfounded assertions.
    http://www.pundit.co.nz/content/opponents-of-the-tpp-have-been-vague-about-their-alternative#comment-42531

    • McFlock 17.1

      Lol

      pickups dropped off…

      • Sacha 17.1.1

        or as someone pointed out, they might be negging us.

        • weka 17.1.1.1

          How so?

          • Sacha 17.1.1.1.1

            Knew I should have added a smiley. I gather spurning is one of their strategies.

            • weka 17.1.1.1.1.1

              I hate it when I’m caught being a literalist 😉

              I had to google negging and then wished I hadn’t.

            • McFlock 17.1.1.1.1.2

              It was probably accurate with or without smileys.

              From what I’ve gathered, their ‘technique’ is all about damaging a woman’s judgement and self esteem so that she deigns to let the “artist” do what he wants to her. The only reason that would be necessary is if he were a pointless waste of space whom nobody would ever want to know, biblically or otherwise.

              Negging is probably just their automatic reflex to the rejection they know they deserve, A bit sad, really.

  15. Paul 18

    Really enjoying the new Checkpoint.

    • ianmac 18.1

      Watched the first half online. Intriguing. Really good. Some say that it could usurp the emptiness of TV news.
      Supposed to be available on Freeview 50 but not here anyway. Must find out if re-programming could find it here in Marlborough.

      • In Vino 18.1.1

        You probably need to update the tuning on your TV. Not many will automatically pick up a new channel that has become available – you need to make it scan what is now available…

      • Sacha 18.1.2

        “Some say that it could usurp the emptiness of TV news.”

        Sure felt more honest to me. Less invested in pointless smoothness and more into the reporting, interviewing and showing us real New Zealanders. Worked well without the pictures on my drive home today too.

  16. joe90 19

    Oh dear…

    So then this fucking nightmare played over the Trump-o-Tron, as four very old veterans saluted the screen from the stage. It is hands down the most pandering feat of jingoism/Creed-worship one could imagine. You can watch the full video below. Caution, contains a clip of Michael Jordan dunking a basketball.

    […]

    FUBU, aka “For Us By Us” is a line of hiphop branded clothing, i believe now partially owned by Samsung and manufactured in Korea & Cambodia. Here being worn in its 2 piece “FUBUSport” track suit form by an overweight white man actively booing Black Lives Matter mentions and foreign outsourced production. It’s so perfect I could cry.

    […]

    bold claim coming from a guy who’s military experience is solely limited to being enrolled in a private military academy in the 8th grade, which he claimed gave him “more training militarily than a lot of the guys that go into the military”

    https://storify.com/tinymediaempire/i-went-to-a-donald-trump-rally-and-saw-a-mean-wear

  17. joe90 20

    ‘Tis the time….

    All the young dudes
    (Hey dudes)
    Carry the news
    (Where are ya)
    Boogaloo dudes
    (Stand up Come on)
    Carry the news
    All the young dudes
    (I want to hear you)
    Carry the news
    (I want to see you)
    Boogaloo dudes
    (And I want to talk to you all of you)
    Carry the news

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfwVfEXJhQQ

    http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/18/mott-the-hoople-drummer-dale-griffin-dies-aged-67

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