I probably wouldnt jump for joy at BE’s announcement that there will be no more asset sales.
There are other ways to skin a cat.
One is to shut down a state owned company and pass on its work to the private sector, ie Learning Media.
Two is to have the company sell off its assets bit by bit, ie KiwiRail selling the Hillside foundry and AgResearch and Landcorp their farms.
Or you could do what Solid Energy does and contract out the operation of its mines to the private sector, so they are pretty much privately run anyway.
Or simply run it down and provide a completely crap service to such an extent people give up on it and go private – think EQC in Christchurch. Absolutely abysmal and rage-inducing. So much so that many people who work for them have been subjected to personal abused outside of their work which has had other effects within our small communities.
The history of the Christchurch recovery by Brownlee and his band of goons is well painted by now and I don’t think the history books will be kind to him.
The Let Down tenants echo the Occupy movement, which for a brief moment reminded us all that the banks have probably cost us more through the crash, subsidies and tax avoidance than they have contributed in tax revenues. Wealth trickles up to the 1%, not the other way around.
The rich are the ones that cause poverty through their financial system that rewards being rich and punishes working hard.
which for a brief moment reminded us all that the banks have probably cost us more through the crash, subsidies and tax avoidance than they have contributed in tax revenues.
These guys need to get with the programme. Between 2008-2010 the banks lost more money than they had made in their entire history. A clear sign that their record profits in the ten years leading up to the GFC were entire illusory – or fraudulent.
The movie last night “Salute” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAHsYmaodkA was a fantastic movie. Very inspiring movie which not only highlighted USA’s problems with racism but also Australia’s.
Yep – Maori TV News at 7pm (with subtitles for those who don’t know te reo) is a “must view” – especially on the mining and drilling issues, and the land issues which are still a problem for Maori today …… despite Waitangi T. settlements. Another side of Aotearoa many of us don’t see.
When selling off 20% of Air NZ, wouldn’t you have to balance the books by subtracting the cost of buying the airline in the first place against the “profit” of the sale this week?
You are turning an asset on your balance sheet (the ownership stake) into cash. So no.
BTW this is similar to what all private sector companies do when they run down recently purchased public assets. They slowly degrade the assets or get rid of them, transforming the balance sheet into cash that they distribute to themselves.
Tranzrail be one of the best examples, when “Sir” Michael Fay put the order to the GM to haul all possible cash out and do nothing about maintenance and upgrade.
Key has already told the party elite he wants out. He was forced to stay. This isn’t Key’s wish. This is his worst nightmare! Someone up there hates him.
I liked the other joke: ” He promised that the next time Mr Key visited, he would get a book on his own visit – although the laughter indicated he wasn’t necessarily telling the truth.”
Unbelievable … or maybe not given our corporate culture of greed for themselves and austerity for others. A Cleveland Wal-Mart has been asking for donations from customers to pay for some of their employees Thanks Giving celebrations.
Walmart only made US$3.70B dollars last financial quarter. If they were to give every one of their “associates” a $25 Thanksgiving voucher they might go broke…
(2M employees = $50M cost, = US$0.05B reduction in profit for the quarter = unacceptable)
That is where it starts to get a bit murky: wealth is carried in all forms, not just money…..land, art, property, shares, bonds etc.The basic principle is to prevent abnormal accumulation and to redistribute wealth. There are some basic contradictions here…capital is required for investment / reinvestment, so it helps if it accumulates (unless we find a better way of funding enterprise). If we tax the capital we also get into an investment prevention conundrum.
I don’t see the Waltons as much as a rich in liquid terms (they might be but who knows), but what they have is enormous control and consequently power. It does not appear healthy for any society for any small group to have outrageous power and influence.
There are some basic contradictions here…capital is required for investment / reinvestment
However, a lot of the uberwealthy aren’t using this capital for investment/reinvestment in productive ways. They are investing in paper financial assets and real estate, for instance, helping to fuel speculative bubbles but creating fuck all jobs. The classic example is JP Morgan. This bank currently holds US$50B in excess reserves at the Federal Reserve, collecting a couple of billion a year in interest.
You would think that the job of a bank would be to loan this excess money out to corporations and SMEs so that they could invest/re-invest in their enterprises.
But no, it’s easier just to take the interest free ticket clip, especially when there is no expectation of economic growth or increased consumer spending in western countries any time soon.
If we tax the capital we also get into an investment prevention conundrum.
How so? Is building a hydrodam, an electrified train network, researching the next generation of wood processing technologies not “investment”? These are all things which can be done by the tax dollar, and particularly in areas that the private sector aren’t interested in because the payoff cannot be easily and quickly extracted.
It does not appear healthy for any society for any small group to have outrageous power and influence.
At the level of wealth they have, they can, and do, challenge sovereign governments in order to further their own private interests.
Yes the ultra wealthy don’t reinvest in the US or here……maybe, I suspect they do. The job problem in the first world in probably got something to do with under-investment…Marx among others predicted the diminishing rates of return / profit. More recently this problem gets addressed by offshoring production to the third world etc. That of course does not last.
Then the lack of investment despite bank “deposits”…borrowing is at record lows but there are few takers, profits are ltoo low and risk is too high…for both lender and borrower. What a mess. As you say it stays in the bank but something has to pay the interest…usually more debt created out of thin air.
I don’t think spending tax dollars on infrastructure from a diminishing tax base is very useful when it wont lead directly to real investment in consumption, which in turn will drop the tax base. It is the classic problem with Keynes, he got away with it by virtue of cheap expanding energy supply.
No easy answers, what I do think though is that if we can minimize the disparities of wealth retention between top and bottom we are in a better position.
The job problem in the first world in probably got something to do with under-investment…Marx among others predicted the diminishing rates of return / profit. More recently this problem gets addressed by offshoring production to the third world etc. That of course does not last.
The job problem is the critical one to analyse IMO. We are not getting it right and the result is destroying our social capital and our people in the process. As a society we are missing out on the valuable output of creativity and production that we could be enjoying from these under utilised people (the so-called “output gap”).
Offshoring production to the third world has done little for the global economy other than to shift income share away from workers towards owners in an exercise of wage arbitrage. Yes us privileged types in the western world who still have strong incomes get the benefits of product/service price deflation (how on earth you can make and ship a 42″ LCD TV for $300 wholesale is beyond me but apparently it can be done) but that lovely price deflation comes at the cost of income deflation to a lot of workers who lost decent paying jobs.
And then this is the kicker: we’re talking about insufficient paid employment in society. Yet when we look around there is shit loads of work which society needs to get done, which we would all benefit from, but which is not being done. And then there are a lot of unemployed and underemployed people.
So we end up with this situation: a lot of useful, beneficial, productive work for society which could be done. A lot of motivated, capable people who want to enter work, or go from part time work to full time work.
And a political economic system which is so fucked up, it can’t put one and one together to make two – and in some instances, actually thinks that it is a good thing that good people rot in unemployment (as a buffer stock to control inflation, keep wages low, etc).
are they going down hill fast?
Maybe the cuts to food stamps is cutting sales?
Not that it should make paying wages any harder seeing as the staff salary is so low the staff are on food stamps too… the cut in food stamps means their pay has gone down hence the charity drive.
The majority of Walmart employees reportedly make less than $25,000 annually, and many of them rely on food stamps. A case study compiled by the Democratic staff of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce found that employees in one Walmart location received between $96,007 and $219,528 in food stamps over the course of a single year.
When are people going to realise that a corporation like this os not doing them a favour when they hire them?
Wow, we made $ 365 million with AIRNZ. Here is my comparison with some other lump sumps floating around out there such as the $ 13 Billion JP Morgan has to pay in fines for it’s role in the 2008 mortgage scam and the illegal foreclosures which cots thousands of Americans their homes.
$13 billion….hmmm small change compared to the scams….a mere trifle. Also, JPs are banksters, they probably paid by doing some fractional money creation….another scam.
If you can afford to rent or pay a mortgage then you shouldn’t be in a state house because there are other families or people worse off who need the accomadation
Elsewhere on the site, McDonald’s encourages its employees to break apart food when they eat meals, as “breaking food into pieces often results in eating less and still feeling full.” And if they are struggling to stock their shelves with food in the first place, the company offers assistance for workers applying for food stamps.
If a business can’t afford to pay their workers enough so that they aren’t living in poverty then that business should close.
Yeah and McDonalds can go get lost. Fast food chains do nothing but destroy environments (palm oil production/loss of native forest/loss of food sources and livelihoods to those who live in them and loss of wildlife) destroy workplace well being and job security and create health problems (if their products are consumed in excess)
Instead for ultimate nutrition and happiness for everyone:
Remove GST off everything but if it has to be just one essential, take it off all food
Abandon the global corporate food model – we are it’s slaves, not its customers.
Re introduce large scale food production co-ops and in turn introduce large scale grocery retail co-ops to challenge the supermarket industry.
Uncover questionable practices in the supermarket industry and regulate so that suppliers and customers aren’t disadvantaged.
Review food safety standards and improve where necessary. Bring in G.E food labelling
No more advertising nonsense (eg, Countdown feed four for $15)about “food on a budget”, Time we moved on from WW2 mind sets about decent food availability. No one should have to scrimp and save for an essential.
Finally if there’s a special occasion, a birthday, anniversary or celebration everyone has the means, due to afforable housing, food, bills and having well paid jobs, to go a decent restaurant if they chose to.
Rosie’s food for all mandate. Not brought to you by Fonterra, Unilever, Nestle or anyone else.
I thought I would check out how shares in our partially sold assets were going today.
Well ….
Air NZ shares have dropped so far today from $1.65 at opening to $1.580* … with a massive 34 million shares traded in 498 transactions. The big players are having a field day.
* now up slightly to $1.60
Meanwhile:
Meridian – oh dear. Having opened at $1.02, they are down to $0.995. Think this is the first time they have fallen below one dollar. .
Another day, another right-wing hero exposed for what he really is …
Allan Titford has been convicted of multiple crimes, including rape and arson.
Allan who? Google the name, and check out the websites cheerleading for him … “One New Zealand” (sic), E-local (a nasty rag, in your mailbox), “one law for all” (sounds familiar, Brash-fans?).
He’s the hero of 3 a.m. talkback saddoes and Kiwiblog t/rolls – the kind that pop up here all too often. They must be proud today.
Titford is being sentenced in the Whangarei District Court today after he was convicted by a jury on 14 charges of assault with a weapon, seven of assault, four of male assaults female, three of assault on a child, three of sexual violation, two of arson, and single charges of using a document with intention to defraud, threatening to kill, assault using a weapon, perjury, attempting to pervert the course of justice and discharging a firearm.
The sexual offences were committed against his former wife Susan Cochrane who in an unusual step waived her right for name suppression so Titford could be named.
[…]
His former wife Susan read her victim impact statement to the court, saying Titford had kept her “as a slave” for 22 years.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Cochrane said she had been kept as a slave by Titford for 22 years, and was a victim of his sexual offences.
Ms Cochrane was diagnosed with depression in 1995 and had thought of committing suicide numerous times over the last 20 years. But a “special bond” with her children stopped her.
At the High Court in Whangarei, he was sentenced to 16 years’ jail on rape charges and violent assaults on his wife. Judge Duncan Harvey said he had subjected his wife and family to repeated violent abuse in a reign of terror that dated back to 1989.
The court heard victim impact statements from his former wife, Susan Cochrane, and three of his children who said they had lived in fear of daily beatings from Titford and were made to work like slaves on the farm.
Titford is well-known for his 20-year campaign against the Waitangi Tribunal and the Treaty of Waitangi after the Roroa land claim led to the sale of his farm to the Crown in the 1990s.
He was also found guilty of burning down his homestead at Maunganui Bluff – an arson he blamed at the time on Maori.
Judge Harvey said Titford attempted to gain sympathy with the public by sabotaging his own bulldozer and burning down the homestead in a bid to gain more compensation from the Government.
“You attempted to burn down your homestead on one occasion, and on the second occasion you succeeded – all the while by blaming local Maori.
“These incidents received nation-wide publicity and, as a result of your actions, the local Maori people earned the anger of many people in New Zealand who sympathised with you because of what they saw as a grave injustice. It is time for the people of New Zealand to learn the truth.”
the local Maori people earned the anger of many people in New Zealand who sympathised with you because of what they saw as a grave injustice. It is time for the people of New Zealand to learn the truth.”
His supporters included (former) ACT people like Muriel Newman, and local newspaper editors.
Incredibly dignified and restrained comments by local Maori (Nathan? didn’t catch) on RNZ Checkpoint.
It should be compulsory listening for every bigot who has been regurgitating anti-Maori poison – and the media who played their part in ignoring the REAL story, and were scratching the Orewa race itch instead.
And we’re only learning the truth because his ex-wife chose to lift name suppression. She has more courage than a hundred right-wing bloggers and ranters.
Radio NZ news bulletins today have continually referred to Titford as “the anti-Treaty activist”. Fact is: he is an anti-Māori activist, a fervent hater of Māori culture, and a dyed-in-the-wool racist. His supporters have included such notorious race-baiters as John Ansell, Muriel Newman, Rodney Hide, Paul Holmes and Kyle Chapman.
Yet Radio NZ keeps referring to Titford as if he is some kind of political thinker, rather than a crude and violent bigot. I guess the script that these hapless newsreaders are obliged to follow is written by the same person who instructs Radio NZ newsreaders to describe the bloodthirsty S.S. leader Garth “The Knife” McVicar as a “victims’ advocate”.
While I recognise the point you’re making, Moz, Radio NZ were correct. He was an activist against the treaty. His motivation may have been racist, but that description is quite literally the fact of the matter.
Glad to see him gone though, and thanks for reminding of us of the names of his smug and supine supporters who I hope are all cringeing at what their backing of him actually allowed him to get away with.
He was an activist against the treaty. His motivation may have been racist, but that description is quite literally the fact of the matter.
You are, strictly speaking, correct. However, to credit his violent and relentless hatred of Māori as political is like crediting Kyle Chapman as a political analyst, or Garth McVicar as a justice analyst, or science-denier Leighton Smith—another Titford supporter by the way—as a science analyst. All of these are true, in a narrow sense.
Equally, I am an automobile expert, because I can inflate a tyre and pump in gas occasionally.
I don’t see anyone calling him an expert or an analyst.
He was treated as a noble, persecuted battler by (amongst others) North and South magazine, Paul Holmes, ACT, the National Party, numerous sympathetic television interviewers and the New Zealand Herald. His choleric and ignorant opinions were treated with respect and sympathy; while Titford lacks the polish and the social cachet of people like Michael Bassett and David Round, his “analysis” was, and is, about as rigorous as theirs.
Yesterday’s hourly repetition (on Radio NZ) that he is an “anti-Treaty activist” only further adds to the misleading perception of this violent, cynical, racist criminal.
Still, I don’t see anyone calling him either of the words you chose.
Fair enought, felix. You are correct. Maybe I mistook Titford for one of his rabid supporters, like Muriel Newman or Michael Bassett or Rodney Hide, all of whom speak like him, and all of whom ARE treated with (entirely unwarranted) respect.
Fact is he is an activist. Whether you or I agree with his activism is neither here nor there.
I agree with you. Titford is a racist anti-Maori activist who uses redneck dissatisfaction with the Treaty as a tool. He is absolute scum and lucky that Te Roroa are very gentle people. He was a Kyle Chapman in gumboots, with an unhealthy dash of sex criminal in the mix.
Titford is a racist anti-Maori activist who uses redneck [sic] dissatisfaction with the Treaty as a tool.
Murray, I love your description of Titford as “Kyle Chapman in gumboots”!
But please avoid abusing the term “redneck” by applying it to people like Allan Titford. Many hard-working and enlightened outdoor workers and farmers are thoughtful and intelligent people; the term you should use is “bigot” or “racist” or “reactionary” or “National Party supporter”.
Most of the really vile racists who infest our media—Larry “Lackwit” Williams, Leighton Smith, Michael Laws, Sean Plunket, Kerre McIvor, John Ansell, Nevil “Breivik” Gibson, Garth The Knife McVicar, David Round, Michael Bassett, Muriel Newman, Rodney Hide—enjoy indoor employment with no danger of physical harm, and minimal or zero responsibility. Other than Smith, who occasionally potters around in his vineyard, not one of them has a red neck from working outside.
That’s called ‘chutzpa’…..explained in terms of someone in the U.S.A.who had just been convicted of murder… after killing his parents but whose lawyer asked the judge for leniency because he was now an orphan.
Yes it does adam. Independent food production, in agriculture especially is becoming more of a threat to the global corporate food giants as this method of production gains popularity. It would seem, that corporates have a level of control over govt regulation. Hows that for a surprise! Corporates influencing govt!
Whats the bet that something like the Canadian equivalent of Fonterra (and I wonder does Fonterra in fact have a stake in the Canadian market?) are behind that influence in this case. Maybe not overtly, but they will be there.
Remember when Health was the portfolio that always hurt the government? Annette King is just making no impact at all on Ryall. She is looking exasperated.
Agree, King needed to go when clark did. She was health minister so it’s an epic fail on her.
plenty of material such as the way shifty has played with the wait lists via reclassification and done the classic money to private but risk stays public.
It requires effort to get it and discretion as health’s a small area with gov’t as the single employer virtually….there’s the issue, she’s past it let someone fresh like David Clark at it.
DC will reshuffle, gotta give the old guard a chance, respect for your elders etc
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 16.1.1
He already got fined for showing the suppression orders to be a farce, didn’t see anyone from the left dipping into their pockets to make the same point
Michelle Boag refers to the Legatum Institute praising our country…to suggest that no-one should be complaining about the state of New Zealand. The mentions Kazakhstan by comparison..saying we have nothing to complain about compared to them.
Mora fails again to question this strawman argument as usual…
It is also significant that she chose Kazakhstan as her example of a country where children fear being bombed. Of course, a more obvious and more appropriate example would have been Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen or Palestine. But Boag, being the right wing ideologue that she is, would never ever make that mistake; she quite cleverly kept the implied criticism to an official foe—Russia.
Unfortunately, while she is clever and always on the job, Brian Edwards and Jim Mora are neither; they simply let her comment go unchallenged and unmodified.
Man beats sister for being an ‘egg’
by JIMMY ELLINGHAM
When he thought his sister was being an “egg”, a Palmerston North beneficiary hit her in the face. On October 14, Michael Walker, 25, was at home, where he lived with his mother, sister and nephew.
When Walker and his sister argued over cleaning their mum’s vehicle, he went to the car, pulled out the car jack and smashed a window. His sister confronted him and he punched her in the face three times.
“He stated his sister was being an egg but then refused to explain his actions,” police prosecutor Sergeant Stu Oram told the Palmerston North District Court yesterday.
Walker admitted charges of assault and wilful damage.
The should just begin to quietly reacquire the shares cheaper, announcing at the last moment that they are doing so causing a rapid price spike, ensuring that the Government’s stake is worth more than ever before.
Or maybe I’m talking about what Goldman Sachs would do.
Maybe it goes down Te Atatu Rd, on second look, Not Hepburn. Still looks small, but lots of big households there due to economic constraints.
I see lots of grown kids moving back home or families moving back together, one house at $600 pw rent is better than two at $420. Three generation families..
Avondale and the sea side of Kelston are very popular with young families, still reasonably priced in Auckland with estuary views and close to transport.
Nats bright idea to gift the new Auckland seat to Colin Craig looks to be in a bit of trouble. TV3 is reporting that Bennett has called a crisis meeting of her electorate officials.
Except that the new Upper Harbour seat looks like a marginal at best for both National and Labour and likely to be Labour leaning in a swing year (which next year could easily be).Its a pretty dodgy prospect for them if they want to ensure that Craig wins a seat. So that leaves them with the option of turfing out a sitting Nat MP in a North Shore seat to accommodate Craig and so it gets messy. As for Bennett, sure she could go in on the list but losing her Westie base would be a pretty big blow.
McCully moves onto the list and Craig runs in East Coast Bays:
“East Coast Bays is also home to the City Impact Church, a multi-million dollar operation run by senior pastor Peter Mortlock and a potential Christian power-base for the Conservatives.”
That’s the most likely outcome. The only problem for Key is that it leaves him open to attack that he’s so desperate to get elected next year he’s prepared to turf out a sitting Nat MP.
She’ll want to go for Upper Harbour. So much for her Westie claims. On the other hand she may be told she can’t have it. Reserved for ‘The Teeth’ (Colin Craig) . She’ll have to go on the list. Poor wee Benny girl. My heart bleeds for her.
Actors aren’t actually the characters they play, though. Sheryl West was the Westie. Where Robyn Malcolm came from was irrelevant. Paula pretends she is the character she plays. If they decided to give her Epsom, she’d start eating cucumber sandwiches.
Fuck you asshole, it was in the Chch Press (yeah the paper edition) today…solo mum and bene buys 7 grand car so the welfare system can’t be too shabby huh
The fuck part of “in the Chch Press (yeah the paper edition) today” don’t you understand? Solo mum/bene has the money to buy a 7 grand car so she can obviously manage her finances enough to not only live on but also buy her dream car
So what? The solo mum can buy a (more than) decent car on the money shes given so isn’t that the main thing…oh sorry it doesn’t play into the “living wage” garbage
Have you tried to buy a second hand car lately? It took me a month or two to get my latest one. Old cars are not as cheap as they once were, and there’s not a lot going. In terms of reliability, it’s probably not worth buying anything much under $5-6 thou – and that’s taking a chance.
So why not go down to the smelter and tell the workers why it was a bad idea and see what reception you get?
However its a nice attempted distraction from the main point which is a solo mum on a benefit manages to buy a 7 grand car when all you hear from labour/greens is some whining and bleating about how bad the benes have it
Thats funny I’m absolutely stoked that a solo mom on a benefit can afford her dream car, it shows that National are quite generous whereas the looney left would have you believe National are miserly
Benes shouldn’t have dreams or be ashperashunal. They aren’t even allowed chocolate biscuits when belts are being tightened. And they should know their place, head down, over a bucket probably.
Given a chance to run down someone on a benefit without knowing all the details, the average RW will push any facts or understanding aside. Everybody knows that benes are not playing ‘The Game’ and get into an opposition huddle all turning and spitting at the same time. It leaves watchers on the left gobsmacked.
Maybe a NAct cabinet minister paid her off for not taking a sexual harassment case against him? Of course, I have as much evidence for this as you do for your version, but why worry about facts when we can take our prejudices for a walk?
What the story does show is that NAct voting car dealers are scum, following the moral and ethical prescriptions of your leader.
Yes, our generous tax payer donation of $ 1.7 billion to South Canterbury Finance was a bit ott, wasn’t it?
Got a comment on that..or are you bene bashing over 7k
Just wondering…..
I don’t think labour or National should have done what they did, I think they should have been left to go under and rather then bashing benes I’m praising National for being as generous as they are…as should you lot
Left debating 101: Ignore the main point and try to refocus the arguement on a different matter
Who cares what you think chris73, the party you support pulled together $1.7B for rich SCF investors no probs yet $3M for dead workers families and its deep pockets short arms syndrome.
left debating tactic: emotional arguments are used when failing to argue case
This is about how generous National are to benes ie they can afford to buy decent cars
What National is or isn’t doing for the miners families is a seperate issue, which you are more then welcome to start a thread about but has no relevance here
I’m not bashing benes (although her utter stupidity does make it tempting) I’m using her as an example of why the benefit system isn’t as bad as the posters on here make out
and for the record I’d agree to the govt to hire people (and pay them accordingly) to specifically target companies that don’t pay their taxes
You mean bennie-like too lazy and indolent to get on with peeling those spuds aye Piss ? Sitting on your bellicose arse waiting for others to do it all for you ?
Sad for Mrs Piss-Ford if those scummy no-pay Maccers people missed the Maccers sweet-and-sour dipping sauce.
The boundary changes. Some NAT MPs might be fucked off. That on top of low internal polling might have some people quietly counting numbers in their heads.
“The economy is set to grow 3.6 per cent next year, putting New Zealand in the top six developed countries according to an OECD report.
The forecast rate would put New Zealand well above the OECD average of 2.4 per cent forecast for next year, and ahead of Australia on 2.7 per cent.”
– Another reason why National will be returned to power and why there’ll be another series of “why didn’t the people vote for Labour” on this site after the election
Aha, greed and posing. “It’s all about my penis substitute!” Compensating much? I’ve been told that style matters more than size, though the two are hardly exclusive.
And there we see just how much empathy chris73 really has – an earthquake is simply a political opportunity. Let us all thank him for his honesty, though his idols might be embarrassed.
7000 grand can buy you a decent car but when your requirements for a decent are: purple paint job and (I’m assuming) rims then you probably will be dissappointed
But doesn’t change the fact she could afford a 7 grand car on what the government gives her so well done National for being so generous 🙂
Right debating points: try to bash bennies as bludgers and try to divert attention away from the real bludgers who siphon off way more of taxpayers money.
There was nothing in that article that said she was on a benefit. And besides, she could have been working part time, and scrimped and saved, begged and burrowed.
And anyway, if the dealer is going to sell an unwarranted car to someone, then it speaks more about him than anyone else.
My father has been a car dealer for 40-odd years, and he has never sold a car that was unwarranted to anyone.
Well whatever he is or isn’t he’ll get a gifted\seat and probably drag in 4% of votes with him as he seems to be averaging around 2.5% of the vote since the last election…imgine what it’ll do when its announced what seat he’ll run and win…
Probably get more votes then Peter Dunne and Mana combined 🙂
Ooh, homophobia! How quaint! FWIW, I’m both straight and taken, sorry.
So why do you masturbate while thinking about an 80-year old woman you’ve never met? You are one sick puppy, I have to say. If I had any perversions like yours, I wouldn’t advertise them.
Well, I just got “chris73” with his rape fantasy to show what rape culture is – it’s all about shaming people – both the women who are victims and the men who are the “owners” of women. His weird, perverted fantasy about raping my elderly mother shows just what he and his ilk practise.
Sorry ropata, I’m not going to watch that video. I know too many rape victims and trigger warnings apply to me too.
Debate using reason and evidence.
Don’t insult, use slogans, distract or derail.
Time for bed, I sense.
I know youngsters able to debate using less puerile arguments.
Watching TV3. Can’t believe the stupid Campbell Live programme on nonentity Crazy Colin shopping for broccoli and his ‘greetings card ‘philosophies’.
What a waste of TV time. Unbelievable that this person could be remotely regarded as one of our ‘leaders’. I thought Banks was about as low as we could get in idiocy but I was wrong.
It was like a Jon Stewart parody on Fox News or a Stewart joke based on Toronto’s experience
but they were serious1
Campbell tried unsuccessfully to mask his contempt for Craig but he and the camera people must be so ashamed of presenting us with this rubbish TV. .At least Gower wasn’t involved but still a new low in TV!
A regular little Martha Stewart. Like Brian Edwards’ bestie Michelle Boag who some months ago on Mora’s Flanel waxed long about her devilishly clever $1.59 purchase of half a head of cauliflower. Lasted three meals !
But National’s plan is (apparently) to parachute Craig in, so he becomes a Nat-substitute. So then he wouldn’t be a fringe candiadate, but a “mainstream” 50 percenter.
When/if there’s a post on all this, I’ll list Top Ten ways that Gower is wrong – and Epsom is not a model that can easily be followed. Too busy right now.
In America, they need parodists like John Stewart and Steven Colbert… in New Zealand, Colon Craig Rat Boy and Banks seem to render parody redundant… but in fact they make it more necessary.
I understand the Boundaries Commission have released the new boundaries.
I heard something on radio as a comment and it was suggesting that Bennets seat was to be combined with Upper Harbour. Cannot find anything on line about this. Anyone have more details
I did but cannot see any thing about the announcement. I would have thought the Electoral Commission would have it on their web site its of interest to quite a few people I would have thought. But nothing there nothing on TV3 or NZ Herald or Stuff
Someone must have the details but where?
Ron, scroll up the Open Mike page. There’s a link to the 3 News report on it. [22.1.1.1]. It’s not going to be announced officially til tomorrow. 3 News leaked it tonight. they are the only source.
Thanks should have scrolled up further. AS I am in East Coast Bays electorate it might prove interesting either way. Think I would emigrate if Craig wins this seat. Oh well back on street campaigning for me
Mate apparently the boundary changes were leaked to Patrick Gower today (which is interesting in itself). I imagine the official announcement will still be made tomorrow by the Electoral Commission.
Yes. It seemed like a Nat leak as all the focus was on Craig and National. Probably trying to prepare the way for McCully to move on & Craig to move in.
There should have been more focus on Labour’s options – so the coverage was telling.
If you’re correct and the boundary changes were leaked to Gower by the PMO, presumably as a way of furthering the narrative they’re trying to build around Craig’s electoral prospects next year (when the reality is that the new Auckland seat is most likely Labour leaning and not really suitable for Craig) then that is pretty shabby politics. You’d like too hope that the Electoral Commission can get on and do its work without politics and spin interfering.
What a great effort from All Whites 3-1 down and managed to get another one. Great comeback. It seemed that everyone expected Mexico to do well despite them having had a dip recently. The crowd were loving it. Sounds like it was a good game to watch.
3 degrees of insanity, is Paula Bennett appearing on my TV decrying the rack renting ‘holiday park’ in Her electorate,
What exactly does this abysmal Minister think happens when the State in the guise of the National Government She is a Minister in sells off State Houses by the 100 and only replaces 30 of every 100 they flick off,
They found in Arizona that tents were quite satisfactory for housing their unpopular malefactors. The people in the State love it, or at least some vocal ones. The rest can’t make themselves heard. And I think it is a lot cheaper, and that is what matters to those whose minds, ethics and standards have been gained by readings from mail order catalogues and supermarket brochures and of course watching well-groomed horses neighing on television.
Anyone know where the Geranium Lady, the useless TV gardening show one, where she sits in all of this ? Maybe ShonKey’ll jack up gifting her safe Tory seat to the Weirdo ?
North
You may as well prattle children’s rhymes about the geranium lady, just replace Mary with Maggie.
Wikipedia says this version dates from 1744 so the matters exercising our minds and enthusing our actions continue down the ages.
Mistress Mary, Quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With Silver Bells, And Cockle Shells,
And so my garden grows.[1]
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Stokan, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Maryland, Baltimore County If you live in one of the most economically deprived neighborhoods in your city, you might think the government is directing a smaller share of public funds to your community. ...
Wansolwara The news media’s crucial role in climate change and environment journalism was the focus of The University of the South Pacific’s Journalism Programme 2024 World Press Freedom Day celebrations. The European Union Ambassador to the Pacific, Barbara Plinkert, and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna were the chief ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Adams, Professor of Corporate Law & Academic Director of UNE Sydney campus, University of New England Last August, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched legal proceedings against Qantas. The consumer watchdog accused the airline of selling thousands of tickets ...
This episode of A View From Afar was recorded LIVE on May 6, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, May 5, 2024 at 8:30pm (USEST). In an analytical essay titled ‘A moment of friction’ political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan wrote how we are living within a decisive moment ...
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We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you love a dark comedy: Bodkin (Netflix, May 9)An English podcaster, an Irish podcaster and American podcaster walk into a pub and…make a TV show? ...
By Eleisha Foon, RNZ Pacific senior journalist A Pacific regionalism academic has called out New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS and says the security deal “raises serious questions for the Pacific region”. Auckland University of Technology academic Dr Marco de Jong ...
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The LIVE Recording of A View from Afar podcast will begin today at 12:45pm May 6, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, 8:30pm (USEST). In an analytical essay titled ‘A moment of friction’ political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan wrote how we are living within a decisive moment of ...
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The Student Volunteer Army is on the march, generating approximately 1.6 million hours of volunteering from roughly 35,000 secondary school students in just five years. For Rebekah Brown, the pathway to volunteering started with her singing coach. With a passion for the arts, the suggestion to volunteer at Acting Antics, ...
Keeping up with online communication can be exhausting, so Fran Barclay enlisted the help of Meta’s new ‘intelligent assistant’ to respond to all her messages. Could her mates tell the difference? For centuries, technology has ruled the ways in which we communicate. From the dawn of written language, to the ...
Jamie Arbuckle, a councillor who has become an member of parliament, says he has settled into having two roles so comfortably he's going to keep both pay cheques. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luis Gómez Romero, Senior Lecturer in Human Rights, Constitutional Law and Legal Theory, University of Wollongong Fifty years ago, Australian feminist Anne Summers denounced “the ideology of sexism” governing over so many women’s lives. Unfortunately, sexism is as lethal today as it ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marina Deller, Casual Academic, Creative Writing and English Literature, Flinders University NetflixComedy is opening up spaces for silences to be broken and trauma stories to be told. In 2018, Hannah Gadsby started a revolution with Nanette, asking audiences to rethink ...
The workplace can be a minefield of bad comms and passive aggression. Kinksters can help you navigate it. A friend and colleague recently gave me a compliment I loved. They told me I’d always been good at emotional communication and making people feel comfortable. “But I feel like it’s really ...
Even if some students are now just texting on their laptops. Stewart Sowman-Lund writes in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
Councils from Horowhenua, Kāpiti, Wairarapa, the Hutt Valley, Porirua and Wellington City will meet this Friday to work together on a plan for a Greater Wellington region water deal. ...
Renowned musician, advocate, and proud born and raised daughter of Tauranga, Ria Hall, is announcing her candidacy for Mayor of Tauranga and Pāpāmoa Ward for the upcoming election on July 20th. ...
The new Aotearoa histories curriculum is rich with potential. There’s still work to be done, but the education minister’s criticisms about ‘balance’ miss the mark, argues primary school teacher Jessie Moss. In 2015, Ōtorohanga College students presented to parliament a petition signed by more than 10,000 people calling for a ...
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For the past 12 years, Georgia-Rose Brown has balanced on the brink of making an Olympic Games – but always landed gracefully on the wrong side. Reaching the Olympics is a dream the gymnast has harboured since she was a six-year-old; a dream that would dwindle every four years, yet ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A new Commonwealth Prac Payment will provide students with $319.50 a week when they are on clinical and professional placements. The payment will be means tested and start from July 1 next year, which ...
Asia Pacific Report About 500 people honoured Palestinian journalists in the heart of the New Zealand city of Auckland today for their brave coverage of Israel’s War on Gaza, now in its seventh month with almost 35,000 people killed, mostly women and children. Marking the annual May 3 World Press ...
The Government Communications Security Bureau denies hosting a foreign spying capability flagged by the watchdog, differentiating it from the system recently criticised. ...
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Comment: Almost half the world is voting in national elections this year and artificial intelligence is the elephant in the room. There are genuine fears AI-generated or AI-edited deepfakes will potentially manipulate election outcomes not just in the US and UK, but critically in countries such as India. For that ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
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I probably wouldnt jump for joy at BE’s announcement that there will be no more asset sales.
There are other ways to skin a cat.
One is to shut down a state owned company and pass on its work to the private sector, ie Learning Media.
Two is to have the company sell off its assets bit by bit, ie KiwiRail selling the Hillside foundry and AgResearch and Landcorp their farms.
Or you could do what Solid Energy does and contract out the operation of its mines to the private sector, so they are pretty much privately run anyway.
Or simply run it down and provide a completely crap service to such an extent people give up on it and go private – think EQC in Christchurch. Absolutely abysmal and rage-inducing. So much so that many people who work for them have been subjected to personal abused outside of their work which has had other effects within our small communities.
The history of the Christchurch recovery by Brownlee and his band of goons is well painted by now and I don’t think the history books will be kind to him.
No more asset sales. So that’s all right then? Bolted door stable horse etc
Boris comes to the rescue of the super-rich!
The rich are the ones that cause poverty through their financial system that rewards being rich and punishes working hard.
These guys need to get with the programme. Between 2008-2010 the banks lost more money than they had made in their entire history. A clear sign that their record profits in the ten years leading up to the GFC were entire illusory – or fraudulent.
Thank you to The Maori Channel.
The movie last night “Salute” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAHsYmaodkA was a fantastic movie. Very inspiring movie which not only highlighted USA’s problems with racism but also Australia’s.
Yep – Maori TV News at 7pm (with subtitles for those who don’t know te reo) is a “must view” – especially on the mining and drilling issues, and the land issues which are still a problem for Maori today …… despite Waitangi T. settlements. Another side of Aotearoa many of us don’t see.
When selling off 20% of Air NZ, wouldn’t you have to balance the books by subtracting the cost of buying the airline in the first place against the “profit” of the sale this week?
You are turning an asset on your balance sheet (the ownership stake) into cash. So no.
BTW this is similar to what all private sector companies do when they run down recently purchased public assets. They slowly degrade the assets or get rid of them, transforming the balance sheet into cash that they distribute to themselves.
Tranzrail be one of the best examples, when “Sir” Michael Fay put the order to the GM to haul all possible cash out and do nothing about maintenance and upgrade.
Scum
Another day, another vomit-inducing sycophantic garbage piece in the NannyState Herald:
Monk tells Key of an eternal future at political helm
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11159738
What teh monk failed to mention is that Key will come back reincarnated as a shit eating beetle.
Yup that’s what we need. A dicktatorship.
Oh, wait…
On the other hand it could have the opposite effect? The kiss of death like sports commentators saying the team cannot loose this match from here.
Key has already told the party elite he wants out. He was forced to stay. This isn’t Key’s wish. This is his worst nightmare! Someone up there hates him.
Monk – Key – there’s a joke here somewhere
‘Golden-bellied capuchin’.
I liked the other joke: ” He promised that the next time Mr Key visited, he would get a book on his own visit – although the laughter indicated he wasn’t necessarily telling the truth.”
‘Apocalyptic’ Storm
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11159535
😎
Unbelievable … or maybe not given our corporate culture of greed for themselves and austerity for others. A Cleveland Wal-Mart has been asking for donations from customers to pay for some of their employees Thanks Giving celebrations.
Walmart only made US$3.70B dollars last financial quarter. If they were to give every one of their “associates” a $25 Thanksgiving voucher they might go broke…
(2M employees = $50M cost, = US$0.05B reduction in profit for the quarter = unacceptable)
Where did you get that stat? The linked article says that in 2012, Wal-Mart’s profit was $15.7b.
Or are they going down hill fast? And a drop to $3.65b profit means they will go broke?
Quarterly profits vs annual profits, Karol
Ah, OK. A slight drop then.
Also the Walton family collectively are personally worth $100B or more = the same wealth as the bottom 50M or so Americans.
That is where it starts to get a bit murky: wealth is carried in all forms, not just money…..land, art, property, shares, bonds etc.The basic principle is to prevent abnormal accumulation and to redistribute wealth. There are some basic contradictions here…capital is required for investment / reinvestment, so it helps if it accumulates (unless we find a better way of funding enterprise). If we tax the capital we also get into an investment prevention conundrum.
I don’t see the Waltons as much as a rich in liquid terms (they might be but who knows), but what they have is enormous control and consequently power. It does not appear healthy for any society for any small group to have outrageous power and influence.
However, a lot of the uberwealthy aren’t using this capital for investment/reinvestment in productive ways. They are investing in paper financial assets and real estate, for instance, helping to fuel speculative bubbles but creating fuck all jobs. The classic example is JP Morgan. This bank currently holds US$50B in excess reserves at the Federal Reserve, collecting a couple of billion a year in interest.
You would think that the job of a bank would be to loan this excess money out to corporations and SMEs so that they could invest/re-invest in their enterprises.
But no, it’s easier just to take the interest free ticket clip, especially when there is no expectation of economic growth or increased consumer spending in western countries any time soon.
How so? Is building a hydrodam, an electrified train network, researching the next generation of wood processing technologies not “investment”? These are all things which can be done by the tax dollar, and particularly in areas that the private sector aren’t interested in because the payoff cannot be easily and quickly extracted.
At the level of wealth they have, they can, and do, challenge sovereign governments in order to further their own private interests.
Yes the ultra wealthy don’t reinvest in the US or here……maybe, I suspect they do. The job problem in the first world in probably got something to do with under-investment…Marx among others predicted the diminishing rates of return / profit. More recently this problem gets addressed by offshoring production to the third world etc. That of course does not last.
Then the lack of investment despite bank “deposits”…borrowing is at record lows but there are few takers, profits are ltoo low and risk is too high…for both lender and borrower. What a mess. As you say it stays in the bank but something has to pay the interest…usually more debt created out of thin air.
I don’t think spending tax dollars on infrastructure from a diminishing tax base is very useful when it wont lead directly to real investment in consumption, which in turn will drop the tax base. It is the classic problem with Keynes, he got away with it by virtue of cheap expanding energy supply.
No easy answers, what I do think though is that if we can minimize the disparities of wealth retention between top and bottom we are in a better position.
The job problem is the critical one to analyse IMO. We are not getting it right and the result is destroying our social capital and our people in the process. As a society we are missing out on the valuable output of creativity and production that we could be enjoying from these under utilised people (the so-called “output gap”).
Offshoring production to the third world has done little for the global economy other than to shift income share away from workers towards owners in an exercise of wage arbitrage. Yes us privileged types in the western world who still have strong incomes get the benefits of product/service price deflation (how on earth you can make and ship a 42″ LCD TV for $300 wholesale is beyond me but apparently it can be done) but that lovely price deflation comes at the cost of income deflation to a lot of workers who lost decent paying jobs.
And then this is the kicker: we’re talking about insufficient paid employment in society. Yet when we look around there is shit loads of work which society needs to get done, which we would all benefit from, but which is not being done. And then there are a lot of unemployed and underemployed people.
So we end up with this situation: a lot of useful, beneficial, productive work for society which could be done. A lot of motivated, capable people who want to enter work, or go from part time work to full time work.
And a political economic system which is so fucked up, it can’t put one and one together to make two – and in some instances, actually thinks that it is a good thing that good people rot in unemployment (as a buffer stock to control inflation, keep wages low, etc).
are they going down hill fast?
Maybe the cuts to food stamps is cutting sales?
Not that it should make paying wages any harder seeing as the staff salary is so low the staff are on food stamps too… the cut in food stamps means their pay has gone down hence the charity drive.
When are people going to realise that a corporation like this os not doing them a favour when they hire them?
Another example of a corporation using tax payers money to subsidise its low wages and boost its own profits. Like our McDonalds in NZ.
and macdonalds have come out with some advice for their wage-slaves in america…who don’t earn enough to be able to feed themselves..
..that advice is to ‘break their food into pieces’..
..’cos that will help those hungry-employees ‘to feel full’…
(this is not a piss-take..!..)
http://www.alternet.org/mcdonalds-advice-employees-break-food-pieces-keep-you-full
phillip ure..
/snap
Wow, we made $ 365 million with AIRNZ. Here is my comparison with some other lump sumps floating around out there such as the $ 13 Billion JP Morgan has to pay in fines for it’s role in the 2008 mortgage scam and the illegal foreclosures which cots thousands of Americans their homes.
$13 billion….hmmm small change compared to the scams….a mere trifle. Also, JPs are banksters, they probably paid by doing some fractional money creation….another scam.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9421177/State-house-for-life-no-longer
– A good move, about time the rules were updated
That type of move is, quite simply, psychopathic.
There’s nothing wrong with living in a state house for life.
There is when you dont need it and other families do
yeah, because who needs security in where they live…
it’s pretty basic to the hierarchy of needs. Security of shelter, makes a great difference to a range of behaviours unhelpful to society overall.
If you can afford to rent or pay a mortgage then you shouldn’t be in a state house because there are other families or people worse off who need the accomadation
Is this unreasonable?
Yes.
It is grossly unreasonable that there is a shortage of state houses.
It is unreasonable to give tax cuts to the rich and then kick people out of their homes so the poor can scramble over the crumbs that remain.
Not quite getting the point of course but thats to be expected
You could read it again and again until you get the point..
Alien concept to him.
When considering other people, tories are compelled to make decisions based on the cold logic of necessity, even when it’s not actually necessary.
He got the point, you didn’t.
McDonald’s continues to give advice to it’s employees about how to live in poverty:
If a business can’t afford to pay their workers enough so that they aren’t living in poverty then that business should close.
Oh they can afford it alright!
http://www.policymic.com/articles/61545/if-you-knew-this-unbelievable-fact-about-mcdonald-s-ceo-you-would-go-on-strike-too
McDonalds for you, Logan Brown for me.
Logan Brown for everyone!!!
Ahhhhh, a socialist after my own heart!!!
Yeah and McDonalds can go get lost. Fast food chains do nothing but destroy environments (palm oil production/loss of native forest/loss of food sources and livelihoods to those who live in them and loss of wildlife) destroy workplace well being and job security and create health problems (if their products are consumed in excess)
Instead for ultimate nutrition and happiness for everyone:
Remove GST off everything but if it has to be just one essential, take it off all food
Abandon the global corporate food model – we are it’s slaves, not its customers.
Re introduce large scale food production co-ops and in turn introduce large scale grocery retail co-ops to challenge the supermarket industry.
Uncover questionable practices in the supermarket industry and regulate so that suppliers and customers aren’t disadvantaged.
Review food safety standards and improve where necessary. Bring in G.E food labelling
No more advertising nonsense (eg, Countdown feed four for $15)about “food on a budget”, Time we moved on from WW2 mind sets about decent food availability. No one should have to scrimp and save for an essential.
Finally if there’s a special occasion, a birthday, anniversary or celebration everyone has the means, due to afforable housing, food, bills and having well paid jobs, to go a decent restaurant if they chose to.
Rosie’s food for all mandate. Not brought to you by Fonterra, Unilever, Nestle or anyone else.
😯 and awe
I thought I would check out how shares in our partially sold assets were going today.
Well ….
Air NZ shares have dropped so far today from $1.65 at opening to $1.580* … with a massive 34 million shares traded in 498 transactions. The big players are having a field day.
* now up slightly to $1.60
Meanwhile:
Meridian – oh dear. Having opened at $1.02, they are down to $0.995. Think this is the first time they have fallen below one dollar. .
And MRP – opened at $2.15, now $2.10
EDIT
The Herald on the Air NZ price drop
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11160102
and Meridian
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11160157
and your point is? (I’m quite happy with the dividend payout for MRP by the way)
Depress the share price further so that Government can buy the shares back at a profit (it’s the free market way).
I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/11/18/13770/mess-gets-worse-hanford-s-nuclear-site?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=watchdog&utm_medium=publici-email
And were going to sign a free trade deal with these idiots.
Another day, another right-wing hero exposed for what he really is …
Allan Titford has been convicted of multiple crimes, including rape and arson.
Allan who? Google the name, and check out the websites cheerleading for him … “One New Zealand” (sic), E-local (a nasty rag, in your mailbox), “one law for all” (sounds familiar, Brash-fans?).
He’s the hero of 3 a.m. talkback saddoes and Kiwiblog t/rolls – the kind that pop up here all too often. They must be proud today.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9421979/Titford-sentenced-on-rape-and-arson-charges
Friends and supporters of Allan Titford … John Ansell and other crazies:
(Warning: link contains extreme racism, i.e. former National/ACT advisers)
http://blog.eternalvigilance.me/2013/05/treatygate-hamiltonintroducing-john-ansell/
Dodged a bullet in 2005, didn’t we? What was Helen’s great wrong again … something to do with a painting? That’s, like, totally worse!
urgh. Nice guy 🙁
3 News:
The Maori Land dispute: – which Titford is bitter about and claims he was treated unfairly.
RNZ calls it rape:
And shows how sexual violence, domestic violence and rape are accompanied by psychological/emotional torture.
the local Maori people earned the anger of many people in New Zealand who sympathised with you because of what they saw as a grave injustice. It is time for the people of New Zealand to learn the truth.”
His supporters included (former) ACT people like Muriel Newman, and local newspaper editors.
Time for some major apologies.
Yes. One of the websites I looked at had a older piece about Titford claiming victimhood at the hands of those nasty Maori.
Incredibly dignified and restrained comments by local Maori (Nathan? didn’t catch) on RNZ Checkpoint.
It should be compulsory listening for every bigot who has been regurgitating anti-Maori poison – and the media who played their part in ignoring the REAL story, and were scratching the Orewa race itch instead.
And we’re only learning the truth because his ex-wife chose to lift name suppression. She has more courage than a hundred right-wing bloggers and ranters.
+ 1 on that interview..
..dignity on a stick/to go..
phillip ure..
Radio NZ news bulletins today have continually referred to Titford as “the anti-Treaty activist”. Fact is: he is an anti-Māori activist, a fervent hater of Māori culture, and a dyed-in-the-wool racist. His supporters have included such notorious race-baiters as John Ansell, Muriel Newman, Rodney Hide, Paul Holmes and Kyle Chapman.
Yet Radio NZ keeps referring to Titford as if he is some kind of political thinker, rather than a crude and violent bigot. I guess the script that these hapless newsreaders are obliged to follow is written by the same person who instructs Radio NZ newsreaders to describe the bloodthirsty S.S. leader Garth “The Knife” McVicar as a “victims’ advocate”.
Meanwhile Stuff & NZ Herald have headlines about “sex and violence” charges.
While I recognise the point you’re making, Moz, Radio NZ were correct. He was an activist against the treaty. His motivation may have been racist, but that description is quite literally the fact of the matter.
Glad to see him gone though, and thanks for reminding of us of the names of his smug and supine supporters who I hope are all cringeing at what their backing of him actually allowed him to get away with.
He was an activist against the treaty. His motivation may have been racist, but that description is quite literally the fact of the matter.
You are, strictly speaking, correct. However, to credit his violent and relentless hatred of Māori as political is like crediting Kyle Chapman as a political analyst, or Garth McVicar as a justice analyst, or science-denier Leighton Smith—another Titford supporter by the way—as a science analyst. All of these are true, in a narrow sense.
Equally, I am an automobile expert, because I can inflate a tyre and pump in gas occasionally.
I don’t see anyone calling him an expert or an analyst.
I don’t see anyone calling him an expert or an analyst.
He was treated as a noble, persecuted battler by (amongst others) North and South magazine, Paul Holmes, ACT, the National Party, numerous sympathetic television interviewers and the New Zealand Herald. His choleric and ignorant opinions were treated with respect and sympathy; while Titford lacks the polish and the social cachet of people like Michael Bassett and David Round, his “analysis” was, and is, about as rigorous as theirs.
Yesterday’s hourly repetition (on Radio NZ) that he is an “anti-Treaty activist” only further adds to the misleading perception of this violent, cynical, racist criminal.
Still, I don’t see anyone calling him either of the words you chose.
Fact is he is an activist. Whether you or I agree with his activism is neither here nor there.
Still, I don’t see anyone calling him either of the words you chose.
Fair enought, felix. You are correct. Maybe I mistook Titford for one of his rabid supporters, like Muriel Newman or Michael Bassett or Rodney Hide, all of whom speak like him, and all of whom ARE treated with (entirely unwarranted) respect.
Fact is he is an activist. Whether you or I agree with his activism is neither here nor there.
He’s an arsonist, first and foremost.
I agree with you. Titford is a racist anti-Maori activist who uses redneck dissatisfaction with the Treaty as a tool. He is absolute scum and lucky that Te Roroa are very gentle people. He was a Kyle Chapman in gumboots, with an unhealthy dash of sex criminal in the mix.
Titford is a racist anti-Maori activist who uses redneck [sic] dissatisfaction with the Treaty as a tool.
Murray, I love your description of Titford as “Kyle Chapman in gumboots”!
But please avoid abusing the term “redneck” by applying it to people like Allan Titford. Many hard-working and enlightened outdoor workers and farmers are thoughtful and intelligent people; the term you should use is “bigot” or “racist” or “reactionary” or “National Party supporter”.
Most of the really vile racists who infest our media—Larry “Lackwit” Williams, Leighton Smith, Michael Laws, Sean Plunket, Kerre McIvor, John Ansell, Nevil “Breivik” Gibson, Garth The Knife McVicar, David Round, Michael Bassett, Muriel Newman, Rodney Hide—enjoy indoor employment with no danger of physical harm, and minimal or zero responsibility. Other than Smith, who occasionally potters around in his vineyard, not one of them has a red neck from working outside.
this appears Very interesting!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9422033/Mongrel-Mob-member-seeks-shorter-sentence-for-being-Maori
That’s called ‘chutzpa’…..explained in terms of someone in the U.S.A.who had just been convicted of murder… after killing his parents but whose lawyer asked the judge for leniency because he was now an orphan.
lolz Rodel
…and some flashing lights to go down on
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9421644/Prostitutes-claim-cop-made-them-flash
http://shropshiresheep.org/farmedanddangerous/
does this seem just stupid to anyone else
Yes it does adam. Independent food production, in agriculture especially is becoming more of a threat to the global corporate food giants as this method of production gains popularity. It would seem, that corporates have a level of control over govt regulation. Hows that for a surprise! Corporates influencing govt!
Whats the bet that something like the Canadian equivalent of Fonterra (and I wonder does Fonterra in fact have a stake in the Canadian market?) are behind that influence in this case. Maybe not overtly, but they will be there.
is michelle boag going to stand for act in epsom..?
..(you heard it here first..)
phillip ure..
Remember when Health was the portfolio that always hurt the government? Annette King is just making no impact at all on Ryall. She is looking exasperated.
Agree, King needed to go when clark did. She was health minister so it’s an epic fail on her.
plenty of material such as the way shifty has played with the wait lists via reclassification and done the classic money to private but risk stays public.
It requires effort to get it and discretion as health’s a small area with gov’t as the single employer virtually….there’s the issue, she’s past it let someone fresh like David Clark at it.
DC will reshuffle, gotta give the old guard a chance, respect for your elders etc
..and doesn’t Shearer look so much more comfortable in Foreign Affairs.
Name suppression didnt defeat the rumour mill up north. Did wail slick breach the suppression order to protect the women and children of the north??
He already got fined for showing the suppression orders to be a farce, didn’t see anyone from the left dipping into their pockets to make the same point
I like how you’re always speaking for him.
yet he has “never met the guy” 😉
We all save the best for our bucket lists.
Michelle Boag refers to the Legatum Institute praising our country…to suggest that no-one should be complaining about the state of New Zealand. The mentions Kazakhstan by comparison..saying we have nothing to complain about compared to them.
Mora fails again to question this strawman argument as usual…
It is also significant that she chose Kazakhstan as her example of a country where children fear being bombed. Of course, a more obvious and more appropriate example would have been Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen or Palestine. But Boag, being the right wing ideologue that she is, would never ever make that mistake; she quite cleverly kept the implied criticism to an official foe—Russia.
Unfortunately, while she is clever and always on the job, Brian Edwards and Jim Mora are neither; they simply let her comment go unchallenged and unmodified.
Man beats sister for being an ‘egg’
by JIMMY ELLINGHAM
When he thought his sister was being an “egg”, a Palmerston North beneficiary hit her in the face. On October 14, Michael Walker, 25, was at home, where he lived with his mother, sister and nephew.
When Walker and his sister argued over cleaning their mum’s vehicle, he went to the car, pulled out the car jack and smashed a window. His sister confronted him and he punched her in the face three times.
“He stated his sister was being an egg but then refused to explain his actions,” police prosecutor Sergeant Stu Oram told the Palmerston North District Court yesterday.
Walker admitted charges of assault and wilful damage.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9421303/Man-hits-sister-for-being-an-egg
PSA: Family violence is a workplace issue – it impacts on work. In Aussie provisions for coping with family violence are included in some collective agreements.
Has Airnz share price fall taken more off the Govt balances than they got in cash? It’s got to be close.
The should just begin to quietly reacquire the shares cheaper, announcing at the last moment that they are doing so causing a rapid price spike, ensuring that the Government’s stake is worth more than ever before.
Or maybe I’m talking about what Goldman Sachs would do.
Holy shit! Waitakere electorate gets split into Upper Harbour & Kelston – Would Bennett be Kelston? That would most likely be my electorate!
Mine too!
I doubt she’ll have a chance in hell. Last time won by a nose.
On 3 news, did you manage to see where the Kelston boundaries are?
PS: Hi neighbour!
looks like it starts at Heron Park on Gt North Rd, Boundary follows Ash and Rata, Gt North up to and finishes at Hepburn in Glendene.
Everything facing the sea included.
Paula Bennett looked pissed. He he.
2.09mins into video
http://www.3news.co.nz/Boundary-changes-could-swing-the-election/tabid/1607/articleID/322149/Default.aspx#.UoxGtuLe58F
Thanks, Andy. That looks like quite a small electorate – and I am in that area.
Maybe it goes down Te Atatu Rd, on second look, Not Hepburn. Still looks small, but lots of big households there due to economic constraints.
I see lots of grown kids moving back home or families moving back together, one house at $600 pw rent is better than two at $420. Three generation families..
Avondale and the sea side of Kelston are very popular with young families, still reasonably priced in Auckland with estuary views and close to transport.
I miss the smell of the mangroves..
Watching that they mention the new Kelston seat but fail to mention what happened to the rest of the Waitakere seat.
Hello there, unfortunately not, googling didn’t help much either.
Nats bright idea to gift the new Auckland seat to Colin Craig looks to be in a bit of trouble. TV3 is reporting that Bennett has called a crisis meeting of her electorate officials.
Colin Craig in as MP with 4% of the vote and Bennett loses her seat and goes in as a list MP…not bad (for National :))
Except that the new Upper Harbour seat looks like a marginal at best for both National and Labour and likely to be Labour leaning in a swing year (which next year could easily be).Its a pretty dodgy prospect for them if they want to ensure that Craig wins a seat. So that leaves them with the option of turfing out a sitting Nat MP in a North Shore seat to accommodate Craig and so it gets messy. As for Bennett, sure she could go in on the list but losing her Westie base would be a pretty big blow.
McCully moves onto the list and Craig runs in East Coast Bays:
“East Coast Bays is also home to the City Impact Church, a multi-million dollar operation run by senior pastor Peter Mortlock and a potential Christian power-base for the Conservatives.”
Sounds like a good play by National to do this
That’s the most likely outcome. The only problem for Key is that it leaves him open to attack that he’s so desperate to get elected next year he’s prepared to turf out a sitting Nat MP.
…and smuggle in a truly weird fundy who makes Key’s last neanderthal toy-boy John Banks seem like a normal 21st century kiwi.
Desperate indeed.
She’ll want to go for Upper Harbour. So much for her Westie claims. On the other hand she may be told she can’t have it. Reserved for ‘The Teeth’ (Colin Craig) . She’ll have to go on the list. Poor wee Benny girl. My heart bleeds for her.
Didn’t she grow up down by Taupo and move to Auckland’s North Shore? She’s about as bloody Westie as I am.
She’s about as westie as Robyn Malcolm.
Actors aren’t actually the characters they play, though. Sheryl West was the Westie. Where Robyn Malcolm came from was irrelevant. Paula pretends she is the character she plays. If they decided to give her Epsom, she’d start eating cucumber sandwiches.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/9420765/Costly-lesson-after-buying-car-without-WOF
– What a generous benefit system we have in NZ when a solo mum can afford to buy a $7000 car…
Fuck off moron, nowhere in the article it says she’s a solo mum or on benefit.
Chris is just running desperate distraction because he doesn’t want to talk about Titford and his right-wing fan club.
Who?
Fuck you asshole, it was in the Chch Press (yeah the paper edition) today…solo mum and bene buys 7 grand car so the welfare system can’t be too shabby huh
Or maybe you’ve read it on Whalespew, that truthful and reliable news source for right wing idjits, who ironically, is a beneficiary himself.
The fuck part of “in the Chch Press (yeah the paper edition) today” don’t you understand? Solo mum/bene has the money to buy a 7 grand car so she can obviously manage her finances enough to not only live on but also buy her dream car
Although it’s the corporate welfare system this Government runs which is the most generous – by far.
So what? The solo mum can buy a (more than) decent car on the money shes given so isn’t that the main thing…oh sorry it doesn’t play into the “living wage” garbage
Have you tried to buy a second hand car lately? It took me a month or two to get my latest one. Old cars are not as cheap as they once were, and there’s not a lot going. In terms of reliability, it’s probably not worth buying anything much under $5-6 thou – and that’s taking a chance.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/CategoryAttributeSearchResults.aspx?search=1&cid=268&sidebar=1&rptpath=1-268-&5=&14=&15=&18=0&18=4000&24=0&24=0&searchRegion=16&sidebarSearch_keypresses=0&sidebarSearch_suggested=0
– 941 listings for used cars for sale under 4 grand from Canterbury
She didn’t pay 7 grand to get a decent car, she spent 7 grand to get her “dream car” theres a big difference
I agree with you Chris.
Another bene living the high life off the back of the NZ tax payer, disgraceful.
chris73, when you come up with 4,5000 more cases of car buying sprees, please let us know as it will equal the social welfare for Rio Tinto.
So why not go down to the smelter and tell the workers why it was a bad idea and see what reception you get?
However its a nice attempted distraction from the main point which is a solo mum on a benefit manages to buy a 7 grand car when all you hear from labour/greens is some whining and bleating about how bad the benes have it
So have you come up with another 4,500 similar cases yet chris73?
Sounds like you are making the case for government stepping in and keeping more industry alive in NZ?
I’d back that.
I’m absolutely disgusted that society is providing a mother and her children with a modest, reasonable vehicle.
What’s wrong with this country? Next we’ll learn they didn’t have noodles for dinner every night last week.
Thats funny I’m absolutely stoked that a solo mom on a benefit can afford her dream car, it shows that National are quite generous whereas the looney left would have you believe National are miserly
Which is why John Key will be returned to power
one $7000 car per ten years is cheaper than one $3,500 car per five years, if you knew anything about living on nothing.
what a shit dumb story.
tell me chris73, how much did the average horse cost, as a chunk of wages, before cars came along?
“it shows that National are quite generous whereas the looney left would have you believe National are miserly”
Ah I see. So if I find one example of a rich guy with a nice car that would prove that taxes are still way too low.
Got it.
Benes shouldn’t have dreams or be ashperashunal. They aren’t even allowed chocolate biscuits when belts are being tightened. And they should know their place, head down, over a bucket probably.
Given a chance to run down someone on a benefit without knowing all the details, the average RW will push any facts or understanding aside. Everybody knows that benes are not playing ‘The Game’ and get into an opposition huddle all turning and spitting at the same time. It leaves watchers on the left gobsmacked.
Maybe a NAct cabinet minister paid her off for not taking a sexual harassment case against him? Of course, I have as much evidence for this as you do for your version, but why worry about facts when we can take our prejudices for a walk?
What the story does show is that NAct voting car dealers are scum, following the moral and ethical prescriptions of your leader.
Beautiful to watch Piss73 under pressure and getting all hoha.
Try living the life which comes with the bennie in the vast majority of cases, Piss arsehole you saviour of all that is right and proper.
Would be a richly deserved case of Tit-For-Tat-Ford.
Yes, our generous tax payer donation of $ 1.7 billion to South Canterbury Finance was a bit ott, wasn’t it?
Got a comment on that..or are you bene bashing over 7k
Just wondering…..
I don’t think labour or National should have done what they did, I think they should have been left to go under and rather then bashing benes I’m praising National for being as generous as they are…as should you lot
Left debating 101: Ignore the main point and try to refocus the arguement on a different matter
Who cares what you think chris73, the party you support pulled together $1.7B for rich SCF investors no probs yet $3M for dead workers families and its deep pockets short arms syndrome.
left debating tactic: emotional arguments are used when failing to argue case
This is about how generous National are to benes ie they can afford to buy decent cars
What National is or isn’t doing for the miners families is a seperate issue, which you are more then welcome to start a thread about but has no relevance here
Hahhahahah – as if bennie bashing isn’t emotive and not based in a rational approach to society or the economy!!!!
I’m not bashing benes (although her utter stupidity does make it tempting) I’m using her as an example of why the benefit system isn’t as bad as the posters on here make out
and for the record I’d agree to the govt to hire people (and pay them accordingly) to specifically target companies that don’t pay their taxes
You guys seem really desperate today. What’s up?
Got home early and waiting for wife to arrive with dinner
Nah you’re flustered. What do you not want to talk about?
You mean bennie-like too lazy and indolent to get on with peeling those spuds aye Piss ? Sitting on your bellicose arse waiting for others to do it all for you ?
Sad for Mrs Piss-Ford if those scummy no-pay Maccers people missed the Maccers sweet-and-sour dipping sauce.
Failed asset sales
Poor internal polling results
The stand off with Andarcko
Probably one of these
The boundary changes. Some NAT MPs might be fucked off. That on top of low internal polling might have some people quietly counting numbers in their heads.
You’re using an anecdote. The thousands that are getting pushed off benefits and generally being screwed over tell a different story.
God, I hope that the left keeps using emotional arguments – care and compassion are far better than greed and ignorance.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9421266/Economy-set-to-beat-global-growth-OECD
“The economy is set to grow 3.6 per cent next year, putting New Zealand in the top six developed countries according to an OECD report.
The forecast rate would put New Zealand well above the OECD average of 2.4 per cent forecast for next year, and ahead of Australia on 2.7 per cent.”
– Another reason why National will be returned to power and why there’ll be another series of “why didn’t the people vote for Labour” on this site after the election
what sort of car do you drive chris73?
Grand Vitara, can’t afford the land cruiser vx just yet but I’m working on it
Aha, greed and posing. “It’s all about my penis substitute!” Compensating much? I’ve been told that style matters more than size, though the two are hardly exclusive.
chris why not a lexus you have to low asperations to be a defender of policies for your level of income.
“Working on it” aye Piss ?
Like mounting the engine a la Bowel Motion ?
What sort of ShonKey Python cargo-cult is this Piss ?
Grend Vitara to Maori Land Bruiser ?
How asprayshinal !
You mean that National was responsible for the Christchurch earthquake?
When life gives Christchurch lemons National makes a three term government or something like that…you gotta play the cards that you’re dealt much
And there we see just how much empathy chris73 really has – an earthquake is simply a political opportunity. Let us all thank him for his honesty, though his idols might be embarrassed.
It’s not a decent car, you moron. It’s a heap of shit full of problems. As with many sales pitches, the reality didn’t meet the ashprishun.
7000 grand can buy you a decent car but when your requirements for a decent are: purple paint job and (I’m assuming) rims then you probably will be dissappointed
But doesn’t change the fact she could afford a 7 grand car on what the government gives her so well done National for being so generous 🙂
That’s not how you spell “Oops, I’m a bigoted piece of shit and I’ve been caught lying again”
Right debating points: try to bash bennies as bludgers and try to divert attention away from the real bludgers who siphon off way more of taxpayers money.
There was nothing in that article that said she was on a benefit. And besides, she could have been working part time, and scrimped and saved, begged and burrowed.
And anyway, if the dealer is going to sell an unwarranted car to someone, then it speaks more about him than anyone else.
My father has been a car dealer for 40-odd years, and he has never sold a car that was unwarranted to anyone.
Stuff edited the web page after it had gone up but the story was in the Chch Press and it said she was a solo mum on a benefit
So maybe they got it wrong in the printed version, hence the editing of the online version?
Bullshit.
Bit of a shake in Christchurch 8 mins ago 🙁
3.8 on geonet.
Thoughts with all of you in Christchurch.
Colin Craig goes supermarket shopping on Campbell Live … oh dear. Wants a higher tax on alcohol as well! (Nats spin doctors groan …)
If he’s National’s lifeline, they’re dead and buried.
He only needs to win a (gifted) seat and bring in some fundies with him which looks like its going to happen
But he isn’t actually a fundie Christian. Just a pretend Christian.
Thats between him and his god…you know like two minute len 🙂
another right wing diversion.
Len hasn’t campaigned on his religion.
Neither it seems is Craig – Craig just like to seem a bit of an anti-fun ascetic – frugal and abstemious.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9341193/I-m-answerable-to-my-God-Brown
– Fair call but does make it easy…
Well whatever he is or isn’t he’ll get a gifted\seat and probably drag in 4% of votes with him as he seems to be averaging around 2.5% of the vote since the last election…imgine what it’ll do when its announced what seat he’ll run and win…
Probably get more votes then Peter Dunne and Mana combined 🙂
So how long is your dick? You say that measurements are what it’s all about.
Ask your mum
She’s 80. So you’re prone to gerontophiliac fantasies? That’s too much information, really. Nobody wants to know about your sexual perversions.
Yet you’re asking about my old fella…interesting
Ooh, homophobia! How quaint! FWIW, I’m both straight and taken, sorry.
So why do you masturbate while thinking about an 80-year old woman you’ve never met? You are one sick puppy, I have to say. If I had any perversions like yours, I wouldn’t advertise them.
Crudity warning … http://youtu.be/iZ6L8X5yRZc
Just wanted to take the subject to a new low
Well, I just got “chris73” with his rape fantasy to show what rape culture is – it’s all about shaming people – both the women who are victims and the men who are the “owners” of women. His weird, perverted fantasy about raping my elderly mother shows just what he and his ilk practise.
Sorry ropata, I’m not going to watch that video. I know too many rape victims and trigger warnings apply to me too.
Well done. (That goes for both ‘crates and Ropata)
He was so fucking easy that it was a bore. Still, if he shows up again, I’ll wave the “pervert” flag and see what happens.
just my humble attempt to derail.. nothing to do with rape IMHO
It was pretty funny…in a gruesome kinda way…
Don’t forget the Weirdo’s supported by Best Bling Rankin. That should make all the difference to the price of Weetbix. Yay, God’s World is saved !
I know plenty of real Christians, the kind who practise what they preach – love. Craig is full of hate doused in grease.
Debate using reason and evidence.
Don’t insult, use slogans, distract or derail.
Time for bed, I sense.
I know youngsters able to debate using less puerile arguments.
grumpy old fella
scolds a smelly troll on line
stink lands on us all
“a gifted seat”
As long as National think that’s what it will be, I’m very happy.
(A little research on Epsom pre-2011 would be a good idea, but hey I’m not here to help).
And goodbye to our sexual and social freedoms.
Pogrom for gays, first on the list.
Next burning books on evolution.
Banning holding hands in our schools.
We should all be worried.
Watching TV3. Can’t believe the stupid Campbell Live programme on nonentity Crazy Colin shopping for broccoli and his ‘greetings card ‘philosophies’.
What a waste of TV time. Unbelievable that this person could be remotely regarded as one of our ‘leaders’. I thought Banks was about as low as we could get in idiocy but I was wrong.
It was like a Jon Stewart parody on Fox News or a Stewart joke based on Toronto’s experience
but they were serious1
Campbell tried unsuccessfully to mask his contempt for Craig but he and the camera people must be so ashamed of presenting us with this rubbish TV. .At least Gower wasn’t involved but still a new low in TV!
Agreed. the bigger story is where will Paula Bennett be doing her shopping after the 2014 election?
Craig would have lost thousands of votes in just 5 minutes.
I hope he’s on TV all next year!
Jeez – sounds like I gotta see this 🙂 . Will check tvnz on demand in an hour or so.
A regular little Martha Stewart. Like Brian Edwards’ bestie Michelle Boag who some months ago on Mora’s Flanel waxed long about her devilishly clever $1.59 purchase of half a head of cauliflower. Lasted three meals !
Oh. I don’t agree. Some people will see Craig as down to earth, pragmatic and will lap up the abstemious lifestyle.
Sadly I think you’re right.Not the Tories but the gullible.
Sure, some will.
But National’s plan is (apparently) to parachute Craig in, so he becomes a Nat-substitute. So then he wouldn’t be a fringe candiadate, but a “mainstream” 50 percenter.
When/if there’s a post on all this, I’ll list Top Ten ways that Gower is wrong – and Epsom is not a model that can easily be followed. Too busy right now.
Don’t give too many hints away
What a spoiler.
In America, they need parodists like John Stewart and Steven Colbert… in New Zealand, Colon Craig Rat Boy and Banks seem to render parody redundant… but in fact they make it more necessary.
rhinocrates-
‘Colon’ Craig.Sorry I shouldn’t but, ‘hehehe”
he’s an enema allRight!
CC is an improvement on those slimy invertebrates Brash, Banks and Dunne. May they be consigned to the political dungheap ASAP
I suspect that Dunne and Hide are going to be far superior to CC on multiple measures.
I understand the Boundaries Commission have released the new boundaries.
I heard something on radio as a comment and it was suggesting that Bennets seat was to be combined with Upper Harbour. Cannot find anything on line about this. Anyone have more details
Look above you!
I did but cannot see any thing about the announcement. I would have thought the Electoral Commission would have it on their web site its of interest to quite a few people I would have thought. But nothing there nothing on TV3 or NZ Herald or Stuff
Someone must have the details but where?
Ron, scroll up the Open Mike page. There’s a link to the 3 News report on it. [22.1.1.1]. It’s not going to be announced officially til tomorrow. 3 News leaked it tonight. they are the only source.
Gower also has some comments on his Twitter feed
https://twitter.com/patrickgowernz
Link up the page is here
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-20112013/#comment-731624
Thanks should have scrolled up further. AS I am in East Coast Bays electorate it might prove interesting either way. Think I would emigrate if Craig wins this seat. Oh well back on street campaigning for me
Mate apparently the boundary changes were leaked to Patrick Gower today (which is interesting in itself). I imagine the official announcement will still be made tomorrow by the Electoral Commission.
Yes. It seemed like a Nat leak as all the focus was on Craig and National. Probably trying to prepare the way for McCully to move on & Craig to move in.
There should have been more focus on Labour’s options – so the coverage was telling.
If you’re correct and the boundary changes were leaked to Gower by the PMO, presumably as a way of furthering the narrative they’re trying to build around Craig’s electoral prospects next year (when the reality is that the new Auckland seat is most likely Labour leaning and not really suitable for Craig) then that is pretty shabby politics. You’d like too hope that the Electoral Commission can get on and do its work without politics and spin interfering.
BTW, the new Kelston electorate, carves a slice out of
Cumliffe’sCunliffe’s New Lynn electorate. How will that impact on his vote?I think New Lynn gains labour leaning neighbourhoods of what is now Waitakere. You might want to check spelling of Mr Cunliffe’s name Karol?
Alternate realities. The NZ news is all All Whites, live blogs. Sommet Sports had Germany and…. someone. Now I think they have France and Ukraine.
What a great effort from All Whites 3-1 down and managed to get another one. Great comeback. It seemed that everyone expected Mexico to do well despite them having had a dip recently. The crowd were loving it. Sounds like it was a good game to watch.
3 degrees of insanity, is Paula Bennett appearing on my TV decrying the rack renting ‘holiday park’ in Her electorate,
What exactly does this abysmal Minister think happens when the State in the guise of the National Government She is a Minister in sells off State Houses by the 100 and only replaces 30 of every 100 they flick off,
The ‘rack renters’ move in, that’s what happens…
paulo bennitto is going to give them tents next
Tents? Pah! Try cardboard boxes. (But with a waxy coating to make them a bit more waterproof – we wouldn’t want to be mean to poor people).
alternatively, there is the newspapers…
ok, ok, I’m going, sheesh!
They found in Arizona that tents were quite satisfactory for housing their unpopular malefactors. The people in the State love it, or at least some vocal ones. The rest can’t make themselves heard. And I think it is a lot cheaper, and that is what matters to those whose minds, ethics and standards have been gained by readings from mail order catalogues and supermarket brochures and of course watching well-groomed horses neighing on television.
?What exactly does this abysmal Minister think? 100% Paura, doesn’t.
Anyone know where the Geranium Lady, the useless TV gardening show one, where she sits in all of this ? Maybe ShonKey’ll jack up gifting her safe Tory seat to the Weirdo ?
For the good of “the party” you understand.
North
You may as well prattle children’s rhymes about the geranium lady, just replace Mary with Maggie.
Wikipedia says this version dates from 1744 so the matters exercising our minds and enthusing our actions continue down the ages.
Mistress Mary, Quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With Silver Bells, And Cockle Shells,
And so my garden grows.[1]