Open mike 21/04/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 21st, 2011 - 55 comments
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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Step right up to the mike…

55 comments on “Open mike 21/04/2011 ”

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  1. MrSmith 1
    21 April 2011 at 7:31 am

    We the NZ surf’s are about to be routed again by Telecom thanks to our corrupt Government and Steven Joyce, Telecom will get a regulatory holiday until 2020.  We need to start screaming about this, the Nact’s arrogance is becoming breath taking.
    Telecom shares jumped 10 cents yesterday on heavy buying (key and his mates my guess).
     

    • rd 1.1
      21 April 2011 at 9:40 am

      Interesting that they have adopted the regulatory holiday model of 2000 used for the finance companies for the implementation of broadband.
      That model was a raging success

  2. MrSmith 2
    21 April 2011 at 7:49 am

    Our commerce commission looking after the old boys club.

    The commission dropped charges against six Air New Zealand cargo executives (so along with there tax cuts they are LOvin it)

    The regulator’s general counsel of enforcement, Mary-Anne Borrowdale said:
    “The move reflects “the commission’s overall strategy to streamline and focus the case on those airlines with large turnover in New Zealand markets,’ said”

    Bullshit someone had a word in the ear of the national flunky that now heads the commerce commission and had the charges dropped “nice to have” friends in high places.

    • Zetetic 2.1
      21 April 2011 at 7:57 am

      just to let you know. your guest post is sitting in the queue waiting to go up. MrSmith.

      Great to have interesting posts that are not time-specific. We put them up when there’s a gap in the schedule. Some news breaks, they often get shifted to later.

      Same with yours KJT.

    • Bored 2.2
      21 April 2011 at 9:54 am

      Sort of reminiscent of the WineBox enquiry being nobbled.

    • MrSmith 2.3
      21 April 2011 at 5:42 pm

      P/S the best way to send a signal to these companies&corporation’s that get involved in cartel type behaviors is to prosecute the executives.
       
      So what do the Nact’s sops at the commerce commission do, they drop the case against the executives and continue to peruse the company, more blatant crony capitalism from the Wonkey and friends, when will the public and the MSM wake up.

  3. joe90 3
    21 April 2011 at 8:24 am

    Crazy, crazy for you….

    capcha: president

    • ianmac 3.1
      21 April 2011 at 9:33 am

      Disturbing Joe. Who knows if they are representative. Hope not.

      • joe90 3.1.1
        21 April 2011 at 10:17 am

        God and crown

        Critics say the constitution is the government’s attempt to cement its power beyond its term, alleging that it eliminates the system of checks and balances, prevents Hungary’s eventual adoption of the euro, forces its Christian ideology on the country and limits civil liberties.

        The new constitution’s preamble is laden with references to God, Christianity, the fatherland, the “Holy Crown of Hungary,” and traditional family values, raising opposition fears about the future rights of Hungary’s atheists, homosexuals and single-parent families.

  4. Olwyn 4
    21 April 2011 at 8:25 am

    Did anyone spot this on Stuff yesterday? Andrew Little, it seems, was forbidden by Paula Bennett from meeting with the regional manager of WINZ in New Plymouth, although Phil Goff, as leader of the opposition was allowed. “Bennett said she failed to see how a visit to Work and Income by a non-elected party candidate was in the best interest of the New Plymouth people.”
    But here is the gem: “If every candidate from every party had carte blanche to visit as they pleased, Work and Income offices would be inundated,” she said.
    To begin with, I cannot see why anyone whatsoever should be barred from meeting a regional manager of WINZ. And her reason for the ban is hilarious.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4909443/Andrew-Little-angry-at-snub

    • PeteG 4.1
      21 April 2011 at 9:53 am

      I cannot see why anyone whatsoever should be barred from meeting a regional manager of WINZ.
      I cannot see why a regional manager of WINZ should see anyone unless the see it as relevant to their job. I presume WINZ in New Plymouth has a few other employees who are delegated to deal with people.
       
      Andrew Little may have to adjust to not even being in the MP pile yet, and if he does manage to get there he will be starting from somewhere near the bottom in everyone else’s eyes.

      • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1
        21 April 2011 at 10:41 am

        More defense of Nationals stand-over tactics by PeteG – using illogical arguments.

        • mcflock 4.1.1.1
          21 April 2011 at 1:40 pm

          Yeah – missing the point that the manager didn’t make the decision that Little wasn’t relevant to their job – Paula Bennett did. Which looks a wee bit like petulance and a conflict of interest.

      • Sam 4.1.2
        21 April 2011 at 3:42 pm

        The average bloke in teh street does not get to see a WINZ regional manager.  They see case managers.

        As Andrew Little, although a “Union Boss” , is just another face in teh crowd he is not entitled to extra privileges, that will come after the election, when he as Leader of her majesty’s loyal Opposition can visit the Taranaki Regional Manager of WINZ.
        Simple really.

        • Olwyn 4.1.2.1
          21 April 2011 at 4:24 pm

          The WINZ manager in question, had the bloke in the street managed to get in touch with her, would no doubt steer him toward a case worker, or whoever else is relevant to his problem. But I am not sure it’s the minister’s prerogative to forbid someone from speaking to a WINZ manager. And the likelihood of WINZ offices becoming “inundated” were she to let a candidate speak to the WINZ manager in his electorate, seems a remote one.

          • Colonial Viper 4.1.2.1.1
            21 April 2011 at 4:35 pm

            I dunno, all these Red Candidates with Red Stop Asset Sales signs everywhere, it seems that the commies are multiplying as we speak…

        • Colonial Viper 4.1.2.2
          21 April 2011 at 4:36 pm

          Sorry mate, but a confirmed candidate for political office is not just another “face in the crowd”. They have both a platform and a formal interest in what is happening.

          • PeteG 4.1.2.2.1
            21 April 2011 at 4:56 pm

            But that doesn’t give them the right to unrestricted access to meet with any public servant they want. Standing for MP is a bit different to union access rights to workplaces.

            Nothing to stop him trying to see anyone he wants to.
            Nothing to stop people refusing to meet him either.

            • Colonial Viper 4.1.2.2.1.1
              21 April 2011 at 5:01 pm

              But that doesn’t give them the right to unrestricted access
               

              He wasn’t after unrestricted access though, was he?
               
              And the National Minister intervened for political reasons, even though it was supposed to be a purely operational matter. That’s improper Ministerial behaviour from National all over again.

              • Pascal's bookie …
                21 April 2011 at 5:13 pm

                Pete, the manager isn’t refusing to see him.

                The Minister is banning the manager from seeing him.

            • Deborah Kean 4.1.2.2.1.2
              21 April 2011 at 7:08 pm

              Nothing to stop people refusing to meet him either.

              I believe you missed the point Pete. She didn’t refuse to see him, Bennett refused on his/her behalf!

        • Draco T Bastard 4.1.2.3
          21 April 2011 at 4:48 pm

          I’m pretty sure that the average Jo could ring up the regional WINZ managers secretary, make an appointment to see her and actually do so. What wouldn’t, and shouldn’t, happen is that the Minister for Social Development would get involved to deny that appointment.

          • Colonial Viper 4.1.2.3.1
            21 April 2011 at 4:56 pm

            Exactly. National Ministers often use the excuse “it’s an operational issue” to deny taking any responsibility.
             
            Unless they want to block Labour in which case they just intervene how they feel like.

            I hope little uses this incident to his advantage in the electorate.
             
             

        • mcflock 4.1.2.4
          21 April 2011 at 5:01 pm

          Managers like to get the perspectives and input of people who might be able to put them in a media fracas.

          For example, I knew of a number of student association  advocates who had the direct line of the WINZ student services manager – the national student services manager. Freely given to them. Why? Because if there was a complaint that wasn’t being handled, the boss knew about it immediately. If the complaint was legit, it was sorted before the mournful newspaper picture. If the complaint was BS or a ministerial policy issue, WINZ had a heads up on the matter before the reporters or opposition mps were digging around.

          Basically, if Bennett has any media competence she would have weighed up the damage of a “banned from speaking to winz managers” article (which appeared) against the damage caused by Little speaking to the staff who administer her policy.

          • pete 4.1.2.4.1
            21 April 2011 at 5:35 pm

            What’s more, the Regional Commissioner in question (Gloria Campbell) is particularly approachable, regularly meets with community groups and individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds, and even accepts phone calls and enquiries from individuals, not to mention approaches in the street and supermarket.   There’s not the slightest doubt that she would have agreed to meet Little.   This was nothing more than blatant, spiteful political interference from an arrogant lightweight. 

  5. Salsy 5
    21 April 2011 at 8:27 am

    NZ Left in dark over Agria takeover
    Notice how this is being swept under the carpet..

  6. Carol 6
    21 April 2011 at 9:25 am

    They’re baaaacck!  So Greeen Peace must have worked out how to deal with the legal aspects of protesting the oil exploration?

    Three protest boats have sailed back to an area off the East Cape of the North Island overnight but organisers will not say how they plan to disrupt a survey ship looking for oil.
    Two yachts and a fishing boat left Hicks Bay yesterday and reached the exploration area last night.
    Greenpeace spokesman Dean Baigent-Mercer said today the boats had not found the Brazilian exploration ship Orient Explorer by late last night but would be in the area looking today.
    The protest, which included local iwi, put swimmers in the path of the exploration ship earlier this month but resulted in exclusion notices being issued when the navy took police out to the area.

     
     
     

  7. RobC 7
    21 April 2011 at 9:33 am

    An outstanding demonstration of  “trickle-up” in the USA

  8. Colonial Viper 8
    21 April 2011 at 9:52 am

    Live in Hamilton?
     
    Well looks like you’re forking out an extra $400K for yet another RWC screw up, hope you’re a fan!!!
     
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10720739

    • Jim Nald 8.1
      21 April 2011 at 9:59 am

      Nah worries.
      Just dump the bill on the ratepayers, thank you.
      How about someone get started on the ‘human errors’ committed on the taxpayers’ books since Nov 2008?

      • Colonial Viper 8.1.1
        21 April 2011 at 10:06 am

        Can “Human Errors” be actual people as well as actions? Because there’s a whole bunch of them sitting on the Treasury benches!!!!

  9. todd 9
    21 April 2011 at 10:21 am

    These Need Your Moniker
     
    http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/04/these-need-your-monika.html
     
    Keep it Kiwi
     
    Stop Asset Sales
     
    No New Oil and Coal
     
    ECE Cuts Don’t Heal

  10. Colonial Viper 10
    21 April 2011 at 10:45 am

    Apple logs your whereabouts without permission – and makes it accessible to everyone who can turn on your phone or your PC
    http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2011/04/how-apple-tracks-your-location-without-your-consent-and-why-it-matters.ars

    • Draco T Bastard 10.1
      21 April 2011 at 3:20 pm

      Privacy advocates are taking things a step further by calling out Apple for abusing user trust. “Apple has some explaining to do. iPhone owners place a great deal of trust in Apple, and Apple has a responsibility not to abuse that trust,” Princeton University Center for Information Technology Policy researcher and regular Ars contributor Timothy B. Lee said.

      And just what will a corporate do when it has such trust and power over its customers? Abuse it.

      but law enforcement has been using data like this since around 2009 to build evidence against criminals using the iPhone,”

      And that is the sole reason why it logs the data without telling you.

  11. logie97 11
    21 April 2011 at 11:09 am

    Quick fix for emergency housing.
    Apparently Judith Collins knows of a good source of fit-for-human-habitation during accommodation crises. (How’s she doing with those converted shipping containers…?)

  12. logie97 12
    21 April 2011 at 1:41 pm

    Rugby World Cup.
    Have heard moaning from down on the farm that our little tournament is being taken over by a faceless greedy cabal.  
    Actually, NZ is just the venue for this international competition – it is not ours. It belongs to the IRB of which we are one member.  The NZRFU wanted to join the big league and host this thing, and, through use of the myopic media, got the rugby fraternity in behind it.  Well it’s time this fraternity woke up to the fact that they are in the big league now and need to accept its demands.  Dig deep into your pockets – that’s the price you pay and hope that the “tourist” payoff (as it was sold) compensates.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10720739 

    Apparently the V8’s racing around the streets – a nice-to-have – is also facing a blowout on budget.  Fortunately, Auckland saw the light, and Hamilton public were sold a pup.  Might possibly see some scrutiny by the Minister for Local Government over that one – ratepayers coughing up again.

  13. joe90 13
    21 April 2011 at 3:17 pm

    Why GE, Coca Cola and IBM are getting into the water business.

    Water is becoming a high-stakes business where there’s money to be made everywhere you look — from greasy wool to microchips.

  14. todd 14
    21 April 2011 at 3:30 pm
    SAFE: Say No to Cage Eggs

    http://nocages.org.nz/pepper/nocages/submission

    We have the power to determine the fate of three million battery hens. We have an opportunity to ban cruel cages. The good thing is that all it requires is 30 seconds of your time and a commitment to not buy cage eggs. Please click on the link to pledge your support by signing SAFE’s e-card submission, calling for a ban on battery hen cages. This could be our last chance in 20 years!

  15. Pascal's bookie 15
    21 April 2011 at 5:38 pm

    Quote of the day: The Tea Party does too know its stuff, and libertarians are right about the founders, and neither of them thar two groups are ignorant pickaninnies so stop saying that edition:

    “Private Property..is a Creature of Society and is subject to the Cals of that Society whenever its Necessities shall require it, even to its last Farthing.”  The contributions that private property makes to public needs are not, therefore, “to be considered as conferring a Benefit to the Public…but as the Return of an Obligation previously received or the Payment of a Just Debt.”

    Ben Franklin. 

    (Common as Air, pp. 132-133.  The Franklin quote is from “Queries and Remarks on a Paper entitled ‘Hints for the Members of [the Constitutional] Convention No II in teh Federal Gazette of Tuesday Nov 3d 1789.]

  16. Draco T Bastard 16
    21 April 2011 at 6:36 pm

    Journalism Needs Courage

    But the mainstream media are notorious for letting the public down. Why can’t the mainstream media fulfil this role adequately? Well the answer lies in timidity, conformism, a cynical and unwarranted sense of superiority in relation to the public, and vested interest.
    There is little room for new ideas in the mainstream media. You see copycat rundowns and copycat angles on stories: the same view of what is newsworthy and the same assessment of the essence of the story, unfortunately too often ignoring the fundamental issue at the heart of a story for the trivial political squabble over a detail. Those in positions of power love this. As long as we are not engaged in questioning the basis of many assumptions, they can get on with the serious business of running the country without being challenged by a public distracted by trivia, led by media addicted to sloganeering politicians and media beholden to proprietors like Murdoch, Stokes, Packer and Rinehart whose interests they must protect.

    Covers some of the reasons as to why the MSM is a total failure.

  17. joe90 17
    21 April 2011 at 7:00 pm

    The truth about American exceptionalism.

    Americans did not become rich because of our rugged individualism or entrepreneurial drive or technical inventiveness. We were born rich. Ann Richards’ famous description of George Bush Sr. as an individual is equally applicable to the United States as a whole, “He was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple.”

  18. Deadly_NZ 18
    21 April 2011 at 7:36 pm

    IS it me or is Campbell live giving the Immigration Minister a nice reaming about being a heartless bitch, and deporting some poor guy who has a business, employs Kiwi’s, is WILLING to pay for his own health care.  And what happens ?? it all falls of deaf ears.  The arrogance of this lot is astounding.  Well now the Gov’t know where some of their 34 million went, see Johnny’s saying thank you, so very nicely.

    • vipers revenge 18.1
      21 April 2011 at 7:48 pm

      Do you mean this $36 million that Mallard  lumbered the Nats with.
      http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/4916324/Trevor-Mallard-behind-river-of-yachting-funding

    • ianmac 18.2
      21 April 2011 at 7:54 pm

      John is doing some good in depth interviews and in the case of Kate Shepard, a followup tonight. As for the exportation that seems so wrong. And as with the Kate Shepard story where 3 ministers would not front, this timer it was Kate Wilkinson who ducked for cover. John might become a bright light on the horizon.
      (Still no story on the Hide/Act/Epson as promised from Tuesday. Mmmmm?)

    • gobsmacked 18.3
      21 April 2011 at 7:57 pm

      Wilkinson should be hauled over the coals for that Campbell Live story.

      But she won’t be, because it’s a long weekend, she’s on holiday, and by the time somebody gets to ask her on camera (or in parliament) what the hell’s going on, the poor bugger (Martyn Payne) will be back in England and forgotten.
      The report said John Carter and Shane Jones had taken up his case. So why are we only hearing about it on the eve of his deportation?

  19. Deadly_NZ 19
    21 April 2011 at 7:51 pm

    Damn this was in reply to message 10.

    Ha you reckon thats bad try this one
    Cops refuse to say if they secretly snarf cellphone data
    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/21/police_cellphone_searches/
    And a bit more here about a third of the page down.
    http://www.forensicfocus.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1468
    Now this is scary.