Open mike 22/04/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 22nd, 2016 - 51 comments
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51 comments on “Open mike 22/04/2016 ”

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    • Tiger Mountain 1.1
      22 April 2016 at 7:41 am

      purple tears today for Prince fans

      great guitarist, several people I know are still raving about his Auckland shows and extra glad they attended

    • Rosie 1.2
      22 April 2016 at 8:32 am

      What a shocking start to the morning, as well as an earworm for the day.

      btw, TRP, did you really give the PM the middle finger salute the other day? Did he see? Or was he staring off into the distance dreaming of Hawaii?

      • Te Reo Putake 1.2.1
        22 April 2016 at 12:01 pm

        Hi, Rosie. I was in a large airport, which has a central staircase leading up to to the viewing area and the Koru lounge, which is where I presume he and his entourage were going. At the top of the stairs, he turned and looked out at the arrival hall, presumably hoping to see crowds of adoring fans looking and pointing at the Dear Leader. I’m not sure if he saw my friendly one fingered salute, but the nice thing was that everyone else seemed to be ignoring him.

        It was a really cringeworthy moment in some ways and for me, emblematic of how out of touch he’s getting. OK, it’s only a small thing, and I don’t want to over egg it. It certainly wasn’t Nixon getting into the chopper on the White House lawn, but it was kinda sad in its own right.

        It’s also nice that we’re small enough a country that you can bump into the PM. I also met Muldoon in cafes in Welly a couple of times. He didn’t need four security guards to make him feel safe. If I’d given him any grief, I’m sure he’d have just thumped me himself. I also once shook Don Brash’s hand, but that memory just makes me feel icky.

        • Gangnam Style 1.2.1.1
          22 April 2016 at 1:07 pm

          Muldoon used to just walk down to the beach at Hatfields, my Gran had a batch there & we would see him all the time over summer, just on his own or with his wife in his shorts, jandals & singlet. I remember once swimming & he was just having a quick dip in the waves & when I came out my grandma said “I hope you gave him a couple good kicks”, I was too young to really understand but knew everyone called him ‘piggy’.

        • Rosie 1.2.1.2
          22 April 2016 at 1:08 pm

          Thanks for the story. Your observation of the PM’s loss of public acknowledgement is interesting – fits quite well with his diminishing approval rating. Remember all that booing in February? That wouldn’t have happened, even a year ago. There will come a time when people will be embarrassed that they ever took a selfie with him and put it on the fb page.

          I’m sure your small and solitary act of expressing disapproval was witnessed by plenty of others, and that’s a good thing, it tells others they don’t have to take it either, quite encouraging. Good on you for being a good influence!

          Re Muldoon. As a kid I witnessed his getting around the countryside in a typical NZ low key way, unhindered by body guards. I remember my National voting parents being thrilled that he sat in the row in front of us on a domestic flight in the South Island.

          Sorry about your interaction with Don “my wife’s from Singapore” Brash. Hope it washed off.

          • Te Reo Putake 1.2.1.2.1
            22 April 2016 at 2:13 pm

            The Brash meeting had a mortifying postscript, Rosie. It was during the election campaign and that night’s news led with reports on what campaigning Clark and Brash had been up to that day.

            They chose to lead with Brash, and bugger me, there was I shaking his hand.

            I had some serious grovelling to do to the local Labour MP when we went out door knocking that weekend and I still get grief about it to this day from other party members, who never tire of reminding me of the day I shook Don Brash’s hand.

            For my part, I claim that I was putting a hex on him, which clearly worked, and therefore the 2005 election result is all down to me.

            • Rosie 1.2.1.2.1.1
              22 April 2016 at 2:25 pm

              Awesome work TRP. The power of your hex was profound! Maybe you should hang around airports more often and wait for the PM to show up and shake his hand…………… 😀

            • stunnedmullet 1.2.1.2.1.2
              22 April 2016 at 4:11 pm

              You’ll never be able to wash that shite off.

  2. Penny Bright 2
    22 April 2016 at 6:37 am

    Seen this?

    http://www.vox.com/2016/4/21/11421966/panama-papers-nine-questions-embarrassed-to-ask

    9 questions you were too embarrassed to ask about the Panama Papers

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

    • ianmac 2.1
      22 April 2016 at 9:08 am

      Interesting Penny.
      So the USA has plenty of tax havens in the USA. Await further disclosures.
      Luckily NZ has no tax havens in NZ???

  3. Jenny 3
    22 April 2016 at 7:05 am

    We had climate change denial….

    Now for some time the tendency has been, climate change ignoring….

    Corrupt politicians who don’t want to be openly drawn out in public on their support for the fossil fuel companies, or alternatively, otherwise good politicians too gutless to challenge the status quo, but who still don’t want to look like complete idiots by publicly denying climate change. These are the usual offenders, but they are not the only ones…

    The NZ Herald gives us one of the most egregious examples yet….

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11626557

    The NZ Herald seem to be having some trouble getting these two little words out.

    Let me spell it out slowly one letter at a time so that the Herald reporters and sub-editors can understand it:

    C-L-I-M-A-T-E… C-H-A-N-G-E

  4. Jenny 4
    22 April 2016 at 7:18 am

    This news feed from Scientific American from 24 hours ago is probably where the Herald got their story, before they mangled it. Notice the unflinching use of the words “climate change”.

    http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bleaching-hits-93-percent-of-the-great-barrier-reef/

  5. North 5
    22 April 2016 at 7:23 am

    Read the whole article and it’s clear that Messrs Bolton and Dell talk irrelevant, indulgent shit. Much like the stupid Michelle Boag who likes to shrewishly claim the whole thing’s down to first home buyers wanting to start off in Remuera or St Mary’s Bay.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/personal-finance/news/article.cfm?c_id=12&objectid=11626666

    • Molly 5.1
      22 April 2016 at 10:17 am

      “John Bolton, chief executive and founder of Squirrel Home Loans, and someone who benefits from ever-increasing prices said many people were on good incomes but refused to give up on the latest and flashiest possessions meeting rising basic living expenses (eg. rent and power) in order to save for their first home.

      “You’ve got to be disciplined. You don’t need the $17,000 car new fangled transport options … There’s nothing wrong with a $3000 car. walking fifteen miles in the mud with cardboard soles to get to your income plateaued place of employment.

      “It’s so frustrating when you see people with enough money in KiwiSaver because that is taken out of their hands before they get their profligate ways with it but their ability to save is atrocious possibly due to the fact that not only are costs rising, and incomes remaining static, Kiwisaver has just taken another cut . They’ve got heaps of consumer finance debt because there is no other way they can survive on their income and have some semblance of a balanced life. We have to tell them to pay down some of that debt before they buy a house but unless they are in the position to utilise our services, we won’t waste our time on helping with their budget. So that allows us to ignore those currently drowning in debt due to static incomes and rising costs.”

      Mr Bolton said many people seemed to regard items such as Sky TV going to the doctor or dentist as required as necessities, instead of luxuries.

      “I do tell people to do without Sky healthcare when it’s appropriate. When you go through people’s expenditure it’s amazing where the money goes and when people get sick or have toothache, they buy less takeaways, and sometimes stop eating altogether.

      “People have to learn that borrowing for these things doesn’t give them assets. The TV Healthcare is not an asset. The sound system WOF or registration is not an asset. The new sofa Paying your bills is not an asset. (I’ve just looked up the definition of assets and I’m pretty clear on this … liabilities and operating expenses next week… however, I’ll give it a go…) They’re liabilities – because the people who bought them didn’t have the money to begin with.

      What I am saying is. I have no concern with rising costs of houses because it benefits me. My nominal take increases as the amount borrowed does. I don’t care about issues such as stable housing or levelled incomes because… I don’t care. I have nothing to offer those who find themselves increasingly living a precarious financial life due to rising living costs, but will be happy to berate those who are on the cusp of getting a mortgage with me as long as they get out of their contract with Sky, and buy a used Toyota. Yes, I can see the flying pigs – but bubble, what bubble?”

      I am heartily sick of the commentators who have limited perspective being given column inches in our national paper.

    • Paul 5.2
      22 April 2016 at 1:43 pm

      The perfect riposte to Mr Bolton and other baby boomers who say it just requires hard work to buy a house.
      It’s not the same as before.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11626989

  6. Olwyn 6
    22 April 2016 at 8:36 am

    This article has made a good job of articulating the difference between Clinton and Sanders, which reflects something of what is happening on the left everywhere. The idea is that we are not talking about A being more left wing or right wing than B, but about continuing with things as they are or trying to bring about a paradigm shift. Articles like this are important because both the right and the BAU left like to minimise the real difference and muddy the waters around it. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/benjamin-studebaker/bernie-vs-hillary-matters-more-than-people-think_b_9209940.htm

    Along related lines, Martyn Bradbury has suggested that Labour adopt the policy platform of a “new social contract.” Such an idea would be meaningful only if it involved a paradigm shift along Sanders lines (even if it didn’t go as far to the left in terms of policy) and a great bore if it turned out to be just another round of framing. http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/04/21/exclusive-inside-internal-party-research-the-dangers-for-key-the-clues-for-labour/

  7. Tautoko Mangō Mata 7
    22 April 2016 at 8:50 am

    Just up on World Trade online.

    Big Pharma Slams New Zealand Plan To Implement TPP Patent Term Extension

    ;U.S. and foreign brand-name drug companies are blasting New Zealand’s proposal to implement its Trans-Pacific Partnership obligation to provide patent term extensions on the grounds that it would limit the length of the extensions they could receive, saying it does not reflect the intent of the agreement and deviates from the systems other major economies have put in place.

    https://insidetrade.com/

    • tinfoilhat 7.1
      22 April 2016 at 9:06 am

      If big pharma is against something in the TPP it suggests that at least one thing in it must be worthwhile.

      • Pat 7.1.1
        22 April 2016 at 9:11 am

        unable to read due to paywall but suspect they are pissed that we are proposing to implement the disputed 5 year data period, whereas they believe it is 8 years plus….and them being pissed doesn’t equate to good news but rather is an indication what we have been sold is not as clear cut as they would like you to believe…itwould also make the already poor analysis even more inaccurate.

        • Colonial Viper 7.1.1.1
          22 April 2016 at 10:46 am

          That’s how I read it too. NZ wants to legislate a loose limit whereas Big Pharma believes that the TPP (which they wrote) indicates that there should be no limit.

      • Draco T Bastard 7.1.2
        22 April 2016 at 12:49 pm

        You read that wrong. They’re not against the TPP – they’re saying that the NZ government isn’t implementing it hard enough for their liking.

  8. Tautoko Mangō Mata 8
    22 April 2016 at 9:17 am

    If the papers involved in the TPP negotiations were released as requested by Jane Kelsey, then maybe the intent of the agreement might become apparent.
    I thought the intent of a FTA was to remove tariffs, not INCREASE patent or copyright periods.

  9. Sabine 9
    22 April 2016 at 9:31 am

    Muppets, i rest my case 🙂

  10. Rosie 10
    22 April 2016 at 9:46 am

    Business as usual for farmed animal cruelty:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/79073855/pig-farrowing-crates-to-remain-in-spite-of-animal-welfare-concerns

    Of course the the decision was welcomed by the pork industry. It also gave an opportunity to reiterate their lies about inhumane conditions sows and piglets are kept in:

    “NZPork chairman Ian Carter welcomed NAWAC’s decision.

    “Farmers care for their animals. We know that our specialist farrowing systems are the best way to look after the welfare of sows and piglets around the time the piglets are born and up until weaning,” he said.”

    • weka 10.1
      22 April 2016 at 10:29 am

      Something about having to keep them in cages to prohibit flying.

      • Gangnam Style 10.1.1
        22 April 2016 at 1:09 pm

        Its unbearable to think about if you have any kind of empathy.

        • weka 10.1.1.1
          22 April 2016 at 3:26 pm

          Totally. The person who made that statement above about crates being the best system is just as much a sociopath as people like FJK.

  11. adam 11
    22 April 2016 at 11:19 am

    If you have not seen this well worth it – Democracy Spring.

    • Rosie 11.1
      22 April 2016 at 1:21 pm

      Thanks for the update adam. That was a good listen. When do we get a turn?

      The French are resisting, the British are resisting, the Americans are resisting. What are we doing?

      • adam 11.1.1
        22 April 2016 at 4:17 pm

        Nothing to see here, Odd that the small faction which have taken over the national party a so willing to sell us out to the corporations. Feels a little like Roger Douglas era all over again, running faster and further than anyone to prove how loyal we are to a very odd ideology.

        • Rosie 11.1.1.1
          22 April 2016 at 5:15 pm

          Sometimes it feels like we’re running in the opposite direction of other countries at times. They are demanding change and we are silent.

          It’s not like we have nothing to protest. Our biggest demand should be the resignation of Key on the grounds that he promoted the law change in 2011 which opened our country up to be a tax haven and for refusing to be honest about his own financial arrangements. The Icelandic people ousted their PM for a lesser moral failing.

          • adam 11.1.1.1.1
            22 April 2016 at 7:21 pm

            I have to agree.

          • Colonial Viper 11.1.1.1.2
            22 April 2016 at 7:29 pm

            The Icelandic people told the banks and the international banking system as a whole to fuck off post 2008 GFC.

            They also extended some protection to Wikileaks and Assange.

            NZers did little in this vein.

  12. adam 12
    22 April 2016 at 11:22 am

    I’m sure this is called fixing an election

  13. whispering kate 13
    22 April 2016 at 12:54 pm

    If the opposition parties truly had this country’s best intentions at heart they would be urgently convening a meeting of Labour, Greens and New Zealand First right now, nutting out over the next couple of months some really good platform policies, renaming themselves into a new solidified one party, forget their petty oneupmanship selfishness and agree for once in their lives that this country is in the real shit – forget about who wants to be leader, have a democratic party where all the minds share their best ideas and get someone in the party to be the mouth piece – someone who can articulate what half, at least, of this country desperately need – fairness for everybody, not just the middle classes and the 1%. Michael Wood stands to mind, never have heard him not say something which wasn’t worth listening to.

    Is it ever going to happen, never – too many people full of their own importance and too craven to make the hard decisions, we once used to do this and didn’t we all stand proud in our little place in the world. Now we are just shabby yes men who bow and scrape to anything which smells of money. Its pathetic how this country allows such standover tactics – allowing our land to be sold, our jobs taken over by foreigners, our natural resources plundered,bribery with funds for the flag it just goes on and on on a daily basis. What a laughing stock we must be to the world. Its soul destroying what is happening to this country.

    • McFlock 13.1
      22 April 2016 at 2:39 pm

      renaming themselves into a new solidified one party

      but that’s not the MMP way.

      Besides, a single party requires more policy compromise from the membership, even if you could imagine the Greens trading getting their environmental policies recognised by accepting Ron Prosser’s latest ideas on immigration. But then all that would happen is the largest sub-party would exercise the most control over policy, anyway.

      But I do like the idea of parties demonstrating that they can work together, not even necessarily at ithe policy level – the opposition parties have joined together to protest the shitty food at Dunedin Public Hospital since the outsourcing, that’s a good example of something that should be replicated in electorates across the country. Local issues, root-level cooperation as a demonstration that coalition negotiations can be undertaken in good faith.

    • DoublePlusGood 13.2
      22 April 2016 at 4:46 pm

      “never have heard him not say something which wasn’t worth listening to. ”

      That’s an outstanding triple negative there. What did you actually mean?

  14. rhinocrates 14
    22 April 2016 at 2:46 pm

    The Spinoff’s politics podcast. Topics, Panama Papers, Labour’s extended trainwreck, Helen Clack as UN Sec Gen.

    It’s a good cold shower for Clark and Labour supporters (it’s the old Presbyterian in me that finds resonance with this):

    http://thespinoff.co.nz/20-04-2016/politics-podcast-key-and-nz-as-tax-haven-labours-woes-and-helen-clark-un-bid/

    Summary:

    Little may have “united” the factions, but that seems to have meant putting the worst on the front bench. Hardly a solution, more like solipsism or appeasement. The party still has its head up its arse and it’s not getting traction because is spokescreatures just aren’t doing the hard work of getting to know their portfolios and need to get out of their own self-imposed confines and listen to people. Instead, they seem self-entitled, shallow and desperate and haven’t done their research. Labour’s members still think of their portfolios as sinecures or tokens of status.

    Negative comparisons are made with Tony Ryall and Paula Bennett. When you suffer in comparison with those two, something’s very wrong.

    Kelvin Davis is noted as an exception. He’s not on the front bench, Captain Mumblefuck is.

    Repeat after me: “Government in waiting, government in waiting, government in waiting…” Do you look like a government in waiting? No. Attacking personalities and cooking up scandals won’t work if you’ve got nothing of SUBSTANCE to offer as an ALTERNATIVE. DUH.

    Also, re UN, Yes, Clark is an impressive politician, but Maori have a surprisingly low incidence of amnesia. Privilege is when you say “Get over it.”

  15. Northsider 15
    22 April 2016 at 2:51 pm

    ANZAC day is an occasion for extensive coverage of Gallipoli and WW1 in all media. I just listened to a good RNZ program on the popular Gallipoli exhibit in Te Papa. An ever increasing number of Kiwi youth travel to the commemorations in Turkey and many more attend the Dawn Services around the country.

    There is relatively very little interest shown by these youth in other New Zealand history. The Musket Wars, The Land Wars, The Gold Rushes, the mass migrations into NZ and inside NZ are very reverent to modern NZ.

    Do our youth blind themselves to a deeper and more relevant engagement with our past and with what shapes our present by focusing on events at that cove far far away?

    • b waghorn 15.1
      22 April 2016 at 3:03 pm

      “”. I just listened to a good RNZ program on the popular Gallipoli exhibit in Te Papa. “”
      How about getting off you’re arses te papa staff and opening at 8 am in the school holidays so people have more of a chance of getting to see the Gallipoli exhibition. Opening at 10 am WTF

    • Heather Grimwood 15.2
      22 April 2016 at 3:37 pm

      A possible explanation is that Gallipoli and Anzac story is incorporated into primary school syllabus. ……gold rush emphasis would be much less and the other topics haphazardly discussed.

  16. adam 16
    22 April 2016 at 4:27 pm

    So I’m guessing we will get another sickening anzac day, when we won’t talk about the Northland war, the Taranaki War, nor the invasion of the Waikato.

    Just more filth about how losing at anzac cover made a nation. Nothing about the suppression of the anti-war movement. The curtailment of civil liberties. That the PM Massey declared war without parliament.

    Jack about the Pioneer Maori Unit, and the abject racism which meant they spent the bulk of the war moving boxes.

    Nothing about Archibald Baxter – A National Treasure.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Baxter

    Nope just more cheap jingoist crap, whilst we send more men and women to fight a meaningless war in the middle east.

    • Bill Drees 16.1
      23 April 2016 at 3:39 pm

      Media NZ and Wellington politicos promote an Anglo centric culture. A common comment during the flag referendum was “….died for the flag”. The daily feed of royal family tripe, the daily use of London news-sources, the deference towards titles: these are all markers that ignore the varied background of the people of Aotearoa.
      The gooey predictable coverage of ANZAC day is a limited way to explore what makes modern NZ.

  17. Robert Atack 17
    22 April 2016 at 8:59 pm

    I heard NZ had 67,000 long term/permanent immigrants in the last month of number taking(?) If that kept up we would see a doubling of the population in less than 6 years.
    2009 – 2010 wasn’t that long ago, 6 years isn’t very long.