Open mike 19/06/2010

15 comments on “Open mike 19/06/2010 ”

• Comments are now closed

1. Tigger 1

   19 June 2010 at 6:57 am

   The MSM’s guide to spin. Step one – create a poll. You can load the questions any way you want because you won’t be telling readers what the actual questions were. Of course, this means you make sure you get the result you want. Step two – use poll to write a story about how the thing you made sure was the result is actually ‘news’. Ste three – die a slow death as you are overtaken by forms of distribution that you haven’t been able to monetise.
   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10652967
   • Lazy Susan 1.1

     19 June 2010 at 9:56 am

     Agreed Tigger. The so-called “news story” here was that there was a difference when comparing results between an “unscientific poll” and a “scientific” one!

     They might as well have run a half page “news” story concluding that contrary to popular scientific opinion it had turned out that the earth was indeed flat. Why? Well because they’d asked a couple of people on Queen Street who’d confimed it.

     And look at the pictures they’ve chosen! Journalism at it’s finest from the noble herald. The panic on the right is palpable.
2. Adrian 2

   19 June 2010 at 9:17 am

   Maybe this whole expenses outrage is being orchestrated by secret agents of the left. In the Herald this morning Derek Cheng breathlessly details “notable purchases of macadamia nuts and chewing gum”. These alarming revelations are more likely to inflame derision than damnation, and I’m picking up that it is backfiring on Key and co particularly among those who wavered at the last election. Pettiness is never popular.
3. vto 3

   19 June 2010 at 9:27 am

   I do love how ‘brokers’ and capital markets people like Mark Weldon suggest that SOEs need to be privatised because ……. get this …… NZ’s capital markets will die without them.

   That’s the free market that we know and love fullas. Your capital markets are yours – they are not NZs. You own them privately. You have created them. You have scared the investors off. (Perhaps that is why few invest in them). If your business is going to die then that is for you to deal with – don’t ask the taxpayer to help out. You deal with it Weldon – its your problem.

   While it may make some commercial sense to privatise for capital-raising, to suggest that it should be done to support the NZX, a publicly-listed private organisation is, well, dumbfounding actually.
   • Jenny 3.1

     19 June 2010 at 9:46 am

     Selling off SOEs vital for the health of finance markets claim Financiers

     Whoop de doo!

     This is like pirates claiming that booty is vital for the health of piracy.

     No doubt these banksters, hoping to have the ear of an ex-financier Prime Minister after 2011, John Key’s old workmates in the finance sector will have their way with privatising state assets.

     I notice that the two year programme that they have set for these privatisations fits in closely with the electoral cycle.

     The dawning realisation must be, that if National is returned to the Treasury benches in 2011, The National Party and business will announce this as an endorsement for privatisation of state assets.

     Claiming that they have been given a mandate, nothing can be considered to be off the table, no matter what other previous assurances to the contrary have been given.
4. joe bloggs 4

   19 June 2010 at 9:47 am

   Great insights from John Armstrong in today’s NZ Herald:

   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10652927

   “Labour gets the headlines, National gets the job done” – completely cuts through all the spin from the lefties and shows the week in politics like real NZ saw it.

   Armstrong also touches on the counter-productivity of the Labour party’s hostility towards the Maori Party – as has been seen on many occasions on this site.

   Perceptive man that John Armstrong – good to see that he’s finally cast off the shackles and allegiances to the left that he’s previously displayed
   • I dreamed a dream 4.1

     19 June 2010 at 10:29 pm

     “Great insights from John Armstrong”

     I wouldn’t call it “great insights”. He was merely stating the obvious that is the opinion of many here already.

     “cuts through all the spin from the lefties and shows the week in politics like real NZ saw it.”

     It is true that the public of New Zealand at the moment may see things a bit differently from many so-called leftists here. But that’s not because of spin from the left, but rather it is the right/NACTs that are very good at spinning, from the PM down, and the public swallow their spin, hook line and sinker.

     “Labour party’s hostility towards the Maori Party”

     The hostility is from Tariana Turia since she split from Labour as a result of the F&S issue. While she’s there, I don’t see any real opportunity for Labour and the Maori Party to come together. But realize that in politics, how the parties align depends on how the voters deal the cards come Election 2011 — there are no permanent foes in politics. Just think of the UK situation of the LibCon government. Enemies before an Election can be Allies after.

     “John Armstrong good to see that he’s finally cast off the shackles and allegiances to the left that he’s previously displayed”

     Maybe he’s not that far right, but I didn’t think he was aligned to the left.

     —

     Anyway, I agree with Armstrong’s main point of “the size of the mountain Labour has to climb between now and next year’s election.”
5. joe bloggs 5

   19 June 2010 at 10:06 am

   and as for that tosser cry-baby Russell give-me-my-flag-back-you-brute Norman, the Police have since said there was not enough evidence to substantiate Mr Norman’s complaint.

   Interesting given all the TV footage – clearly the Police saw the same level of pushing and jostling from Norman that he has complained about being treated to.

   He looked like an idiot, behaved like a child and was treated accordingly. He’s not one-tenth of the man that Rod Donald was.
   • Salsy 5.1

     19 June 2010 at 1:05 pm

     Okay I can forgive your warped view of John “Ive got a crush on Key” Armstrong, but Russell Norman being literally walked over by the Chinese delagation should have all NZers worried particularly after reading Fran O’Sullivans article: China ready to back NZ’s UN bid which draws attention to the agreement between ANZ and a major Chinese bank (CDB), witnessed by Key, potentially for the purpose of securing NZ dairy farms:

     There are indications that China – which has growing numbers to feed – is keen to secure its own international food supply chains. A deal signed yesterday by the China Development Bank and ANZ could pave the way for such investment here.

     The May Wang-led bid for a bunch of dairy farms controlled by the Crafar farms’ receivers is not likely to pass muster with the Overseas Investment Office because it is led by people with dubious business histories. But a bid led by a credible Chinese food player would be difficult to turn down.
     • ianmac 5.1.1

       19 June 2010 at 2:51 pm

       It does seem probable to me Salsy, that once having learned the technology from NZ dairy farming, the Chinese would then set up a vast Dairy Industry of their own in China. If so, the value of NZ dairying would collapse. As it is, the indications are for a volatile market anyway. I shall stick to my knitting!
6. G8 6

   19 June 2010 at 11:02 am

   The last 2 weeks have seen if my living memory the largest media beat up in local government history. Some of it deserved. For Mayor Brown to be 2 points ahead of Banks on a Herald poll (today) that wouldn’t draw much on his South Auckland strong hold truely must be of concern to the other team. Quax/Ross aka Banks shit department will now find a backlash building especially given Quax expenses of $1,500 he said he would refund then flip flops and votes against having to repay them. This is the same man that voted against the formation of a Safer Communities Committee within Council but once formed was pleased to accept the Chairmans role as it paid more! People of the East beware and cast your vote to David Colins and Sharon Stewart they at least have the interest of their community at heart unlike the CBD focused C&R Dicks.
7. John 7

   19 June 2010 at 12:57 pm

   http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/06/18-2
   Some People here in NZ see Sea Shepherd as illegal pirates which of course they’re not it is the eco-outlaw Japanese Whalers who are the pillagers,a common sense definition of piracy,holding conservation treaties they have signed as so much worthless paper.Here is a link showing Sea Shepherd successfully protecting endangered with extinction blue fin tuna in the mediterranean sea.
   This refutes the Japanese belief that stopping the destruction of the Oceans is somehow racist against them!
8. ianmac 8

   19 June 2010 at 2:55 pm

   I wonder why the PEDA issue has gone quiet? Was that all that came of it?
9. john 9

   19 June 2010 at 6:18 pm

   http://kpfa.org/archive/id/61891

   Hi a link showing how our society is being exploited by the rich and the corporate government of John Key with its emphasis on protection of the property of the rich and their wealth base becoming less and less taxed.At the expense of social provision here in NZ. Most tax falling on workers and poorer people through increased gst. If link doesn’t work goto http://www.informationclearinghouse.info and the interview with Michael Hudson.
10. Anne 10

    19 June 2010 at 9:23 pm

    I doubt we’ve heard the end of the PEDA issue ianmac. It is obvious the Nats have been told to keep their mouths shut and that probably includes their bloggers and commentators. Labour will be squirrelling away behind the scenes, and I imagine a journalist or two will be quietly digging hard too. I hope so anyway.

• Comments are now closed

• Log in
• Donate
• Contribute post

• Articles RSS