Open mike 19/10/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 19th, 2012 - 64 comments
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64 comments on “Open mike 19/10/2012 ”

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  1. LBC 1
    18 October 2012 at 4:02 pm

    Had a little birdie whisper in my ear…..the great Clare Curran spent her entire time on the Parliamentary trip to the US….at Disneyworld playing with bugs bunny.

  2. Ad 2
    19 October 2012 at 7:34 am

    Anyone want to write a eulogy to Fisher and Paykel?

    It won’t die of course, but it was our last locally formed, high value-add, high design quality, proudly Pakuranga originated, globally renowned company with New Zealand designs and engineering of any global scale.

    Of course it had offshored much of its manufacturing over the last five years, but for the previous 50 years they were mostly here.

    It made some New Zealanders rich, domiciled dividends to local owners, but many thousands were given good jobs here too.

    This feels far sicker to me than Navman being sold and disembowelled. This is just sad. People are free to sell, no complaints. It’s still really sad.

    Huge praise to the Fishers and the Paykels and all the originating families. You made your mark on the world.

    • mickysavage 2.1
      19 October 2012 at 7:41 am

      Yep and where is the sign of the next F&P?  

      And what is the Government doing about this?

      Of course those on the right say that it is the mythical magical hand of the free market that creates intellectual property and technology and the State has no role to play but this ignores history and the actions of states like Japan and China who with major state planning created a high tech industry. 

      • Colonial Viper 2.1.1
        19 October 2012 at 8:57 am

        Its nuts to say Government can do nothing about situations like this.

        In Germany, the Board has to give the factory’s unions 12 months of notice that they are planning to offshore production.

        That usually stops it.

    • Enough is Enough 2.2
      19 October 2012 at 10:44 am

      Yet another example of the Chinese purchasing New Zealand assets.

      Where will it stop?

      Does the governmnet not realise what China is doing here

      • Draco T Bastard 2.2.1
        19 October 2012 at 2:31 pm

        It’s selling off the economy making the country poorer but this government (and probably the last government as well considering that they were the ones that opened up the barn door) doesn’t care just so long as their rich mates get more money.

    • millsy 2.3
      19 October 2012 at 11:42 am

      This really pisses me off. Each and every shareholder and the Board of Directors is guilty of treason and being unpatriotic.

  3. mickysavage 3
    19 October 2012 at 7:47 am

    The Maori Council is off to Court to seek an injunction to stop MRP’s share sale.

    Good on them.  This sort of action has occurred before.  In 1987 the Maori Council successfully injuncted the Government from selling various parcels of land.

    The principles here seem to me to be pretty clear.  Maori had an interest in water pre treaty, this was never taken away because as Key said the common law thought that no one owned water, and Maori’s interests are preserved.  It was a taonga under article two.

    Of course the Government will not settle this.  They will be hoping that court action will fail.  But if they do fail they will look weak and powerless and the red neck brigade will be up in arms.

    Interesting times …

     

    • tc 3.1
      19 October 2012 at 9:16 am

      And dunno who it was saying on RNZ this morning (could’ve been Flavell) when asked this is part of the confidence and supply agreement with MP and it’s been broken he said it’s not a deal breaker.

      What flexible morals they have or maybe we’re just being pedantic.

  4. ak 4
    19 October 2012 at 8:11 am

    How many John Keys does it take to change a light bulb?

    I forget.

  5. Janice 5
    19 October 2012 at 8:23 am

    Poor DunnoKeyo, he is exhibiting all the symptoms of early onset dementia. The short term memory loss coupled with the historic memory of exchange rates of 25 years ago are all warning signs for family and party members to take note. Soon there will be an exhibition of not remembering that he couldn’t remember something, and he will accuse the media/opposition of getting it wrong. From here it will be all downhill – a jar of jellybeans in the office and sending Bronagh off to consult astrologers……

  6. ak 6
    19 October 2012 at 8:39 am

    Two John Keys walk into a bar with an Englishman, an Irish man and a Scotsman.

    No one recalls ever being briefed on what happens next.

  7. ak 7
    19 October 2012 at 8:57 am

    What’s the difference between John Key and a tasty snack of haddock and chips enjoyed in the blissful bucolic ambience of a small Merseyside village near Sefton?

    One’s a kai in Lunt.

    • McFlock 8.1
      19 October 2012 at 7:41 pm

      Nicely shows labour’s progress, and national’s faltering.
            
      I’ll be intrigued to see what it’s like in six months time – that line for labour has to flatten sometime 🙂
       

  9. Ad 9
    19 October 2012 at 9:18 am

    Shane Jones settles back on the hotel bed after putting in the tape Winston has just given him, pushes play, and it’s grainy footage of some lunchroom and a guy up the front who appears to have lost all syllabic precision …

    Ah well.

    At least Shane enjoyed it.

  10. starlight 10
    19 October 2012 at 10:12 am

    ‘I dunno and i just can’t think,hey, did anyone tell fossy to sort super out?’
    ‘Yes it was you boss,you can’t do it,cos it will cost you your job boss’ say’s gerry
    ‘Why,what could i have said to put my job on the line ?’
    ‘Your words boss,you wont touch super,or you will resign’ says gerry
    ‘FFS i didn’t say that, did i, surely not,how stupid,how silly,i’ll just ignore it
    and it will go away then ‘
    ‘Where is Bennett, has anyone seen her today,we need a diversion,NOW’
    ‘I will sort it’ says gerry.

  11. prism 11
    19 October 2012 at 10:17 am

    NZs economic plight and much mismanagement leading to our poor situation being discussed right now on Radionz by one of the Fletcher family. Is making points that sound like sense from a businessman with nous. And is criticising present ideologyeconomic .

    • deuto 11.1
      19 October 2012 at 10:33 am

      Hugh Fletcher.

      From RNZ site “Hugh Fletcher steps down at the end of this month from the board of Fletcher Building, he is the former chief executive of Fletcher Challenge and has had a 34-year involvement with the family firm.”

      Hugh is married to Chief Justice Sian Elias.

    • millsy 11.2
      19 October 2012 at 11:44 am

      Pity he did nothing to stop Fletcher Challenge from being dismantled. That could have been a New Zealand company that could have held its own in a globalised world.

      • prism 11.2.1
        19 October 2012 at 9:58 pm

        millsy I think he talked about that on the interview. Could be interesting to hear his views on it.

  12. deuto 12
    19 October 2012 at 10:51 am

    As plans for the day (gardening, lawns etc) have been frustrated by the rain, have read a couple of interesting articles this morning.

    While a somewhat ignoramus when it comes to the history/timelines etc for the internet, blogging etc, I could not believe my ears earlier in the week when Maurice Williamson spoke in the urgent debate on the WINZ kiosk debacle. Williamson said amongst other things that blogging had only been around for about 5 years ….. Hello? His speech is here.

    http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/15500

    I am pleased to see that Toby Manhire has raised this in his Herald opinion piece today “MPS out of touch”. .

    Bloggers”, Uncle Maurice? They sound just awful. “Yeah, blogging only came into fashion just towards the end of the Labour Government. Blogging has been around only four or five years now.”

    Toby’s article covers more than just this and is worth a read.

  13. Dv 13
    19 October 2012 at 11:47 am

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7838696/Flies-spark-ministerial-evacuation

    Level 19 of Bowen House will be swept and fumigated from midday, forcing Attorney General Chris Finlayson, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne and around 15 staff out.

    So the Bull shit levels are causing difficulties.

  15. ianmac 15
    19 October 2012 at 3:12 pm

    Headline in the Herald:
    Who is to Blame for Armstrong Myth?
    “Strewth,” I thought. “Now they are seeing the truth about poor old John.”
    Oops. It was the other Armstrong, Lance Armstrong. Sorry John.

    • Draco T Bastard 16.1
      19 October 2012 at 5:38 pm

      Can’t say that I’m surprised as the US seems to dislike anything that may topple the entrenched two party system and give choice and voice to the many.

      • prism 16.1.1
        19 October 2012 at 10:04 pm

        DTB
        I was interested to hear someone from Germany criticising MMP. The new head of the Roundtable agency thought we’d made a mistake. It seems to me that right wingers like the two party system.

        • Draco T Bastard 16.1.1.1
          19 October 2012 at 10:16 pm

          The RWNJs don’t like democracy so they try to maintain the least democratic system they can. If we brought in full participatory democracy they’d be jumping up and down saying that it was a total failure (even if it wasn’t) and demanding that we bring back MMP.

  17. Penny Bright 17
    19 October 2012 at 5:01 pm

    TAKING ON THE 1% IN AUCKLAND!

    19 October 2012

    Mike Giddey
    Committee Secretary
    Democracy Services
    Auckland Council

    OPEN LETTER/ REQUEST FOR SPEAKING RIGHTS AT THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL GOVERNING BODY MEETING – THURSDAY 25 OCTOBER 2012
    – 10AM RECEPTION LOUNGE, AUCKLAND TOWN HALL.

    Dear Mike,

    The subject matter will be the following ‘Open Letter’ of complaint to the Office of the Auditor-General, of which Sarah Lineham ( Local Government Sector Manager), has verbally confirmed receipt, Friday 19 October 2012:

    OPEN LETTER TO THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL

    Under s.18 of the Public Audit Act 2001, we the undersigned request that you please conduct an urgent investigation into the following matters:

    1) The allegedly corrupt ‘conflict of interest’ of the CEO of Auckland Council, Doug McKay, who is also a member of the extremely powerful private lobby group – the Committee for Auckland.

    http://www.committeeforauckland.co.nz/membership/member-organisations

    2) Please investigate how many contracts have been awarded by Auckland Council and/or any of the following Auckland Council Controlled Organisations to member companies of the Committee for Auckland:

    a) Watercare Services Ltd

    b) Auckland Transport

    c) ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development Ltd)

    d) ACIL (Auckland Council Investment Ltd)

    e) AWDA (Auckland Waterfront Development Agency Ltd)

    f) RFA (Regional Facilities Auckland)

    g) APL (Auckland Property Ltd)

    3) Please investigate the following potential ‘conflicts of interest’:

    a) The CEO of Watercare Services Ltd, is Committee for Auckland member – Mark Ford.

    b) The Chair of the Board of ATEED – David McConnell, and Deputy Chair Norm Thompson are both members of the Committee For Auckland.

    c) Directors on the Board of ACIL, Pauline Winter and Brian Corban are both members of the Committee for Auckland.

    d) Director Evan Davies and CEO John Dalzell of AWDA, are both members of the Committee for Auckland.

    e) Deputy Chair Dame Jenny Gibbs, and CEO Robert Domm of RFA, are both members of the Committee for Auckland.

    4) Please also investigate the failure of Auckland Council to ensure that CEO Doug McKay carry out his statutory duties under s.42 (2) (e) of the Local Government Act 2002:

    http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2002/0084/latest/DLM171859.html

    42 Chief executive

    (2)A chief executive appointed under subsection (1) is responsible to his or her local authority for—

    (c)ensuring that all responsibilities, duties, and powers delegated to him or her or to any person employed by the local authority, or imposed or conferred by an Act, regulation, or bylaw, are properly performed or exercised; and

    (d)ensuring the effective and efficient management of the activities of the local authority; and

    (e)maintaining systems to enable effective planning and accurate reporting of the financial and service performance of the local authority;

    A Local Government Official Information Act reply from Auckland Council dated 21 November 2011, from Darryl Griffin, (Auckland Council Manager for Democracy Services), confirms the lack of transparency in the spending of public monies by Auckland Council, in refusing to make available for public scrutiny the ‘devilish detail’ ie: the names, the scope, term and value of 5000 contracts related to 12,500 suppliers contracted to Auckland Council, on the basis that:

    ‘To collate and publish these would be a major exercise logistically and cost-wise’.

    Further evidence to support this request for an urgent inquiry is:

    A) The LGOIMA reply from Wendy Brandon, General Counsel for Auckland Council, dated 10 February 2012 – re: Committee for Auckland – CE membership.

    B) The LGOIMA reply from Wendy Brandon, General Counsel for Auckland Council, dated 14 March 2012 – re: Register of Interests and contracts.

    ____________________________________________________________________

    Penny Bright
    ‘Anti-corruption campaigner’

  18. McFlock 18
    19 October 2012 at 7:23 pm

    Oh look, it turns out that the MoJustice: 
    A)has computer kiosks; and
    B)has shut them down due to insecurities.
       
    Took them long enough to check, after all it’s not like Ng didn’t explain what the vulnerabilities were. It appears that no manager in MoJ had the immediate inclination to follow the instructions and see if they’d fucked up, too. 

    • captain hook 18.1
      19 October 2012 at 8:15 pm

      this country is turning into the laughing stock of nations.
      the whole place is being run by post moderns who think that only their own truths count and what is even worse if they talk about it then it is done.
      the whole place has become completely infantilised and run by overfed mental midgets with overweening faith in their own stupidity.
      they are becoming dangerous!

      • Jim Nald 18.1.1
        19 October 2012 at 8:35 pm

        Well done, MoJ. And great timing for the announcement, pre-long weekend.
        You do your political bosses proud.

      • blue leopard 18.1.2
        20 October 2012 at 12:08 am

        @ captain hook

        Yeah, I certainly agree this country is becoming good fodder for a laughing stock, though not a laughing stock “of nations”.

        I don’t consider many other countries are in a position to be laughing at us. i.e. the whole Western world is turning into a Mickey Mouse outfit. (Don’t know so much about other cultures so will stick to focussing on the fiascos of the western nations.). The whole western world is being over-run by mentally challenged power-tripping midgets; not solely NZ.

        And like Muzza said, the more undesirable traits you have the more desirable you are in this culture of avarice we are being sold.

    • muzza 18.2
      19 October 2012 at 9:10 pm

      Seems to me someone is looking for reasons to outsource more jobs!

      Ill say it again, the kiosk issues would not have been missed my major development and testing gates!

      HOOK – These people running our country, are simply the corruptable minions of those with more power. The more undesirable traites you have as a human being, the more desireable you are to those who feel the need to control us.

      It all went past dangerous a very long time back, you just have to look at how many people globally are being totally dominated, killed, mamed, pushed into poverty, bombed, slaugtered, removed off their lands, imprisoned, poisoned, polluted to death, medicated to death, sent ot war, sentenced to die..

      Still I reckon blogging on the net should fix it up!

  19. LBC 19
    19 October 2012 at 7:30 pm

    …anyone ask the Otago flake Claire Curran what she was doing at Disneyworld when she was on the Speakers tour?…no UFB briefings there unless Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck have something else to say about it.

    [lprent: Moved to OpenMike as it was clearly deliberately offtopic. Just had a look at your 12 comments to date. You look like one of those boring idiots who swallowed a book that should be entitled “Boring bloggers for Dummies” on how to push memes on dat social media. We’ve seen all of this stupid rap before, just say what you want to say and explain why.

    Make your pushing a lot more interesting, and lose the half-arsed leading question style that was so 2008 (and reminds everyone of stupid ACToids they have known). I usually decide that people using it are merely trolling because they obviously have never formed a opinion that they can argue for. And do read the policy so you don’t do something really stupid that triggers a reflexive moderating action. ]

  20. Georgecom 20
    19 October 2012 at 8:48 pm

    The governments No pay, sorry, Novo pay payroll system in the education sector is continuing to be shambolic.

    Question for me, why didn’t they test it first before rolling it out. Surely the likes of MSD IT folk could have done that work.

    Oh, by the looks of it maybe MSD staff DID test the system first.

  21. Draco T Bastard 21
    19 October 2012 at 9:23 pm

    An interesting point:

    What these two factors mean, I think, is that if baby boomers abuse their demographic power (which they already are to some extent), then they risk alienating younger generations to the point where the latter simply leave New Zealand. I think this kind of “demographic purge” is a real risk, and may have already begun.

    The author is going on more about the declining use of cars in the younger generations but it can certainly be generalised to other aspects such as education where the older generations got free education while the younger are having to pay. Maybe the reason why our young are leaving is because NZ has become so static that there’s nothing interesting to do (and, no, I’m not just talking about going out to party).

    • Rogue Trooper 21.1
      20 October 2012 at 9:18 am

      🙂

    • Colonial Viper 21.2
      20 October 2012 at 9:23 am

      +1 Draco.

      Nothing interesting to do, and even if there were, no opportunities to do it.

      You should see what my upper middle class friends are doing with their 4 day Labour Weekend. A boat trip, cruising around out of town in their new MX-5, doing a winery and restaurant tour of the provinces.

      What recession? What unemployment? What child poverty? All that bad stuff is in an irrelevant universe far far away.

  22. captain hook 22
    19 October 2012 at 9:29 pm

    I’m beginning to think that they have planned al lthis shit.
    If people realise that their privacy is up for grabs and open slather then they wont bother troubling the boorokrats anymore.
    q.e.d.

    • muzza 22.1
      19 October 2012 at 9:37 pm

      Certainly makes it easier to demonise the local serivces, if you had an agenda which involved outsourcing, just like the IRD have done. How surprising will the KPMG report be I wonder…

      If you own the legislative and the money system, you can do what you want eh, pretty staight forward really!

  23. muzza 23
    19 October 2012 at 9:46 pm

    Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis was arrested in an undercover operation by the FBI after he parked a van containing what he believed to be explosives outside New York’s Federal Reserve.

    The ‘explosives’ had already been made safe by undercover agents who had supplied them to him.

    That line right there, tells all thats needed about what a fix up this is!

    In his conversations with the undercover agent he had spoken of how he had wanted to “destroy America” by attacking its economy and of his “beloved Sheikh Osama bin Laden”.

    Oh look another undercover intelligence sting this time using the “on behalf of AQ”, to link those who speak against the money system as being terrorists..How convenient!

    America fcuk yeah!

  24. Draco T Bastard 24
    20 October 2012 at 12:35 am

    US and Australia in cahoots for years over Assange intel

    Australia has been handing key intelligence on Julian Assange to Washington for over two years. Newly-released cables indicate the US conducted an “active and vigorous enquiry” as early as 2010 to ascertain if they could try Assange for espionage.

    ­The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) revealed it had been in cahoots with the US over the Assange case for over two years, saying it had turned over documents as early as 2010 that pertained to the whistleblower’s activities.

    Murkier and murkier.

    • McFlock 24.1
      20 October 2012 at 1:20 am

      I’d be surprised if five eyes hadn’t been looking at him from the time Wikileaks started. No surprise.

      • Draco T Bastard 24.1.1
        20 October 2012 at 1:38 am

        I’m not really surprised but it does show that TPTB get really irritated and nasty when things they want to be kept hidden get released to the general public. IMO, this keeping things hidden is the actions of dictators.

  25. blue leopard 25
    20 October 2012 at 12:41 am

    I note that Master Key attempted to assure those from Yaldhurst School today:

    “We take on board fully their concerns. I give them my word we’ll be looking at what they say, I can’t guarantee we’ll agree with them, we haven’t made any decisions yet,” he said.

    ~TVNZ News Item

    Heck, they’ve been given his word….they must feel so much better now…

    Perhaps his advisors could tell him as well as keeping off the blatent porkies, that references to “words” or “promises” need to be avoided for for a wee while…after the last few months such statements from our PM are laughable.