Open mike 26/05/2016

86 comments on “Open mike 26/05/2016 ”

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1. Penny Bright 1

   26 May 2016 at 7:36 am

   Is this going to add pressure for the FBI to indict Hillary Clinton?

   What are the consequences for failing to comply with the Federal Records Act?

   “Hillary Clinton Is Criticized for Private Emails in State Dept. Review – NYTimes.com

   http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/us/politics/state-department-hillary-clinton-emails.html?referer=https://www.google.co.nz/

   5 Key Points From the Report

   Hillary Clinton should have asked for approval to use a private email address and server for official business. Had she done so, the State Department would have said no.

   She should have surrendered all of her emails before leaving the administration.
   Not doing so violated department policies that comply with the Federal Records Act.

   When her deputy suggested putting her on a State Department account, she expressed concern about her personal emails being exposed.

   In January 2011, the Clintons’ IT consultant temporarily shut down its private server because, he wrote, he believed “someone was trying to hack us.”

   The State Department began disciplinary proceedings against Scott Gration, then the American ambassador to Kenya, for refusing to stop using his personal email for official business.
   …”

   Penny Bright
   2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
   • Ad 1.1

     26 May 2016 at 8:37 am

     Penny Bright is Donald Trump minus the money and charm.
     • ianmac 1.1.1

       26 May 2016 at 9:04 am

       Penny Bright is an angel who treads where the weak fear to tread. Go Penny.
     • greywarshark 1.1.2

       26 May 2016 at 9:20 am

       Charm is something magical, appearance massaging, and Donald Trump’s is only popular because there is known lack of charm in other contenders. And choosing charm over principled substance is the act of confused and deluded people. Money dulls peoples’ sensitivities about everything; a powerful drug becoming exponentially stronger as the amount taken rises.

       The world needs stalwart principled Penny Brights, not charm or symbolic wealth, real wealth is in sustainable, fertile land, clean accessible water etc.

       Just thought I’d explain that for people who haven’t realised that for themselves already.
   • jcuknz 1.2

     26 May 2016 at 9:05 am

     Clinton maybe on the left of American politics but is hardly a true socialist and I would hate to see her running the world’s powerhouse. Democrats largely equate to NZ’s National Party.
     • Colonial Viper 1.2.1

       26 May 2016 at 12:00 pm

       Our National Party is way to the left of the US Democratic establishment.
       • te reo putake 1.2.1.1

         26 May 2016 at 12:11 pm

         Nope. National’s about the same in economics, to the right in social policy. The Democrats have at least begun to address disadvantage and have tried to improve lives for the American poor (thanks mainly to Hillary Clinton’s health measures), whereas it’s easily argued that the Nats have made life worse for the disadvantaged here in NZ. As someone who is not left wing yourself, you might want to consider which of those parties line up more with your own values, CV. I suspect the actual answer is ACT.
     • ianmac 1.2.2

       26 May 2016 at 12:17 pm

       That’s true. Democrats would be horrified at our left leading activities like free health care for all. Republicans are way out further to the Right. Terrifying for a the Land of the Free!
   • Chooky 1.3

     26 May 2016 at 10:58 am

     the content of the Hillary Clinton emails is even more damning and disturbing !!!! ( war crimes?)

     ‘Hillary Emails Reveal True Motive for Libya Intervention’

     http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2016/01/06/new-hillary-emails-reveal-true-motive-for-libya-intervention/

     https://news.vice.com/article/libyan-oil-gold-and-qaddafi-the-strange-email-sidney-blumenthal-sent-hillary-clinton-in-2011

     http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-kovalik/clinton-emails-on-libya-e_b_9054182.html

     http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/how-hillary-clinton-lied-her-way-war-libya

     http://www.globalresearch.ca/hillarys-dirty-war-in-libya-new-emails-reveal-propaganda-executions-coveting-libyan-oil-and-gold/5499358

     (and Andrew Little supports Hillary Clinton for President?…this is one reason why Winston Peters should be next PM and the leader of a Left coalition….Peters is at least an experienced and savvy politician, who is to the Left of Labour )
2. Tautoko Mangō Mata 2

   26 May 2016 at 7:48 am

   After pushing Canada into the TPP, Stephen Harper follows the money.
   “Harper has offers from multiple U.S. companies, including private equity giant KKR, sources tell CBC News”.
   http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stephen-harper-to-bow-out-from-federal-politics-1.3598913
   • Wensleydale 2.1

     26 May 2016 at 9:59 am

     Of course. Jobs for the boys. “You did what we asked of you, Stephen. Here’s a pat on the head and a slice of cake. It’s made from the tears of poor people, and everyone else whose life you ruined while you were in power. Enjoy.”
   • save nz 2.2

     26 May 2016 at 11:11 am

     Very good episode about NZ Fishing… looks like a TPPA model already operating for the .1% aka Talleys etc….

     http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/05/25/waatea-5th-estate-fishing-double-standards/
3. Tautoko Mangō Mata 3

   26 May 2016 at 8:19 am

   WikiLeaks releases Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) documents

   Today, Wednesday, 25 May 2016, 11:30am CEST, WikiLeaks releases new secret documents from the huge Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) which is being negotiated by the US, EU and 22 other countries that account for 2/3rds of global GDP.

   This release includes a previously unknown annex to the TiSA core chapter on “State Owned Enterprises” (SOEs), which imposes unprecedented restrictions on SOEs and will force majority owned SOEs to operate like private sector businesses. This corporatisation of public services – to nearly the same extent as demanded by the recently signed TPP – is a next step to privatisation of SOEs on the neoliberal agenda behind the “Big Three” (TTIP,TiSA,TPP).

   http://www.bilaterals.org/?wikileaks-releases-trade-in-30405
   link to leaked documents below:
   http://www.bilaterals.org/?tisa-draft-annexes-2015
4. te reo putake 4

   26 May 2016 at 8:56 am

   I have been given a sneak peak at Bill English’s budget. One stand out item is a new $5000 incentive for Paula Bennett to go away. Minister English describes it as a pragmatic response to having a not particularly sharp tool in his toolbox.
   • left for dead 4.1

     26 May 2016 at 9:13 am

     And blunting “the rest of the tools” trp
     • Whateva next? 4.1.1

       26 May 2016 at 9:38 pm

       The Nats are all tools
5. DH 5

   26 May 2016 at 8:59 am

   So how does one comment on this without being labelled racist or xenophobic?

   “House flip: Beach Haven home jumps $175,000 in price to $1.08m in just two months”

   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11644044

   Excerpts….

   “An extra $175,000 was paid for the relatively plain house at 26 Sea Vista Ave on the North Shore and Jonny Gu, the Barfoot & Thompson agent who sold it, said it went over the phone last Thursday to a person in China.

   “I’m not sure if he’s Chinese or is immigrating,” Gu said of the buyer. “The house is empty. It was telephone bidding. There’s been nothing done to it between the sales. Similar things happen all the time. The buyer is Chinese because the seller is Chinese,” Gu said.”

   and…………

   “Property records showed the house was owned by Xiaohong Wang who is also listed as owning a number of Auckland properties spread throughout Henderson, Blockhouse Bay, Unsworth Heights, Whakatane, West Harbour, Orewa and Torbay. The owner is also listed as having houses in Dunedin and Hamilton East.”
   • Wensleydale 5.1

     26 May 2016 at 10:01 am

     You don’t. Just sigh wearily and shake your head. It’s the safest option.
   • DoublePlusGood 5.2

     26 May 2016 at 10:26 am

     It’s vacant? Should probably put people needing a state house in there, and send Gu’s client an e-mail to say thanks for leaving it vacant for them.
     • Bill 5.2.1

       26 May 2016 at 12:52 pm

       Indeed. And the same for any other property vacant for the purposes of speculation.

       More realistically and much, much easier, just pass legislation on squatters rights.
       • Draco T Bastard 5.2.1.1

         26 May 2016 at 1:14 pm

         If a family moves into an empty house and they’re not moved on in a year then they get to keep it freehold. They can only be moved on if the owner is moving in or they have a signed lease agreement showing someone else is moving in. If either of these two things are proved to be a lie then the family that was moved on gets the house freehold.

         I suspect that there won’t be empty houses for long.
         • Bill 5.2.1.1.1

           26 May 2016 at 2:31 pm

           From memory, 12 years was the period under pre-existing squatting legislation (not NZ) after which ownership defaulted. There was also stuff around breaking and entering (easily circumvented) and the need to have it occupied 24/7 for some fairly short period of time to secure it and bring it under squatting legislation. There was also the matter of changing the locks without damaging shit so that the owner couldn’t just walk in and repossess or claim that entry had been forced. (Original locks were passed back to the owners).

           Anyway, whether or not previously existing (but now largely trashed) squatting laws from overseas are looked at as templates, there is the other issue of tenancy’s. Make them for life and embed circumstances that make the lease transferable to the next generation of a family.

           And scrap any and all ‘right to buy’ schemes that currently apply to HNZ stock or regional council stock.

           It’s really easy stuff and there’s absolutely no excuse for it not having been done before now.
   • save nz 5.3

     26 May 2016 at 11:06 am

     And hence the problem with the housing crisis. It will only take Xiaohong Wang and the new Chinese buyer a bit of paperwork and they can become an NZ citizen too! So those that advocate Resident/Non resident status as a way to stop the problem, need to find out that National have opened up citizenship to anybody and also our social welfare system is now on it’s last legs. The new residents have not even hit 65 years yet – if people think that housing is the main issue, think again, there is a major time bomb and how do you discriminate??? You can’t. Rich and poor migrants can take as much as they like from NZ, our government and opposition does not seem to think that it is a problem….
     • Chooky 5.3.1

       26 May 2016 at 11:08 am

       +100 save nz
       • save nz 5.3.1.1

         26 May 2016 at 11:40 am

         Our national bird, developed without predators, their adaptions are pretty useless when opened up to globalism and competition.

         21st century predators are more like corporate raiders, kleptocrats and tax haven refugees…
   • Colonial Viper 5.4

     26 May 2016 at 12:08 pm

     Would you like a political party to “jump on this” with a bunch of measures to prevent property sales to foreign nationals, and to prevent speculative flipping of houses?

     Cool.

     Any political party willing to actually announce actual regulatory measures, instead of raising a fuss about Chinese last names?
     • save nz 5.4.1

       26 May 2016 at 12:50 pm

       There is a speculation tax under National – does any one know if anyone has been caught or declared anything? Or is it just usual smoke and mirrors.

       In addition there is a capital gains tax on property and has been for years, if you buy with the purpose of on selling you pay the capital gain. Not sure why The block, my first home and so forth are openly profiting from property without paying the tax, let alone all these overseas examples – but if there was a an easy case to prove for IRD….. the evidence is there. And the examples like the above herald link regularly appearing in the news, should be easy for IRD to do a case.

       I agree Chinese are bearing the most scrutiny which may not be fair, but it is also not fair for ethnic groups who have lived in NZ for years and paid taxes, being tarred with the same brush too and not fair for current Kiwis without the 2nd passport to be priced out of their own cities by non residents or new residents who have never paid a day of tax in NZ (and often have more money that Kiwis could ever hope to achieve on local wages), who leave their properties empty and are just used as an asset storage for money out of their home countries.

       But why the opposition parties are reluctant to do anything about it, who knows. They don’t even mention it as a factor or deny it is a factor, like many commentators who have forecasted a plummet in property for years and been completely wrong because immigration is most certainly keeping the housing bubble going and other factors like the cost of building here and building monopolies are ignored in favour of anti democratic measures on zoning. (Threat if you don’t vote right in the unitary plan, the government will do it for you. It is not democracy more like dictatorship and Labour are as pro this non democratic approach as National from what I can see).

       Someone do puppet theatre and show politicians that land being freed up, is not a house to live in, just a further way for the rich to profit.
       • Colonial Viper 5.4.1.1

         26 May 2016 at 3:20 pm

         But why the opposition parties are reluctant to do anything about it, who knows.

         If an Opposition party were serious about the damage caused by foreign based property investors, they would require such people to divest their NZ property portfolios within say 5 years.

         Instead, they appear busy attempting to appear like they are concerned about the issue.
   • Bill 5.5

     26 May 2016 at 12:49 pm

     So how does one comment on this without being labelled racist or xenophobic?

     Easily. Does it matter whether the buyer is Chinese, German, Italian, British or Kiwi? If, in your mind it matters, then you’re being either xenophobic or racist, so don’t bother with any “but I’m not really racist” tripe.

     If, on the other hand, you realise that the problem exists because of massive mal-distribution of wealth that allows some small percentage of people to build up huge portfolios to the detriment of a large percentage of people, then simply comment from that perspective.
   • weka 5.6

     26 May 2016 at 1:09 pm

     “So how does one comment on this without being labelled racist or xenophobic?”

     Put it in context. People overseas with an advantageous exchange rate and better lending rates and ability to generate wealth have been buying propertly like this in NZ for a long time. Down south it’s not the Chinese so much, which is why you hear people down here talking about the bloody English and Americans.

     And let’s not forget that NZers have been doing this to NZers for an even longer time. It’s called gentrification. The reason we have babies living in cars is because NZ wanted to be neoliberal and some of us wanted to make wealth at the direct expense of other people.

     And then let’s not forget that Māori still haven’t recovered from the last time this all happened in the 1800s.

     That’s how to not make it racist. It’s an issue of class not race. Talk about the wealthy Chinese not the Chinese. Talk about the wealthy NZers who support this government that thinks it’s ok for people to live in cars, or object to a CGT. Talk about the middle classes who have turned a blind eye while all this was developping because they could still afford to buy houses and make wealth from that. Talk about the salaried Gen Ys who are complaining about not being able to buy a house but are silent on tenancy rights.

     btw, there are NZers sitting on empty houses too.
6. Once was Tim 6

   26 May 2016 at 9:58 am

   No better example of how we’ve been captured by ‘user pays’ free market ideology over the past 30 years than with Allison ??’s (CEO of Transpower) interview with Rinny Ryan on Nine to Noon.
   ….. “It’s only fair” etc., i.e. only if you’re not a dirty filthy bennie do you have a right to uninterrupted electricity supply – it’s the obvious basis of their planning (“going forward” – as a matter of fek, ekshully, so to speak, to coin a phrase).
   Long gone, the idea of gummint soshul responsibility in favour of a corporatised commercial, purchase agreement-driven bizzniss.
   To my mind, it was also a indicator of how our 4th Estate has been captured. Not once did the lady with the fair and balanced portfolio ask, or question how the most vulnerable in our sussoity will be protected.
   Yea Nah – there’ll always be winners and losers eh?
   • Wensleydale 6.1

     26 May 2016 at 10:06 am

     Oh, Tim. Poor people aren’t supposed to be able to take advantage of modern conveniences like electricity. They’re supposed to huddle around a rusty iron barrel full of burning refuse, holding their shaking hands over the flames in a desperate attempt to avoid dying from hypothermia. It’s the will of the market, don’t you know.
     • Once was Tim 6.1.1

       26 May 2016 at 10:45 am

       That’s true Wensleydale. But come the crunch, I’d put money on those with an ability to huddle round the rusty iron barrel being in a better position to survive than those with their balanced portfolios, or those that want to provide all those ‘wrap around’ services to (going forward), or those that see their bullshit is failing and try to ‘re-image’.
       Yea Nah, there are good signs their bullshit and spin time is up, but I think not quite yet. I hope I’m still around to witness it all
       • Colonial Viper 6.1.1.1

         26 May 2016 at 3:24 pm

         No better example of how we’ve been captured by ‘user pays’ free market ideology over the past 30 years than with Allison ??’s (CEO of Transpower) interview with Rinny Ryan on Nine to Noon.

         It is awesome to see another woman in charge of one of NZ’s largest, most important strategic organisations and us reaping all the benefits that entails.
   • TC 6.2

     26 May 2016 at 10:24 am

     We dont have a 4th estate in so far as outlets which adhere to the principles that definition stands for.

     They have become enablers of current ideology due to them being owned/controlled by big business interests.

     Its an old paradigm no longet valid
     IMO.
     • TC 6.2.1

       26 May 2016 at 10:26 am

       Can this be deleted please as my device has no delete option being shown!
   • TC 6.3

     26 May 2016 at 10:25 am

     We dont have a 4th estate in so far as outlets which adhere to the principles that definition stands for.

     They have become enablers of current ideology due to them being owned/controlled by big business interests.

     Its an old paradigm no longer valid
     IMO.
   • ianmac 6.4

     26 May 2016 at 12:11 pm

     I listened to that Tim, and could not penetrate the CEO jargon peppered with double speak. In fairness to Katherine, I think she was also unable to penetrate. Apart from saying long term changes will be necessary and some Providers will collapse, and more remote users will be in difficulty, I don’t know anything more than that which was already known
     http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201802144/transpower-predicts-massive-shakeup-in-power-sector.
7. Once was Tim 7

   26 May 2016 at 10:10 am

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/80404662/social-housing-minister-paula-bennett-hits-back-at-media-over-the-word-crisis

   And ain’t she just a ‘glass half full’, good time think poztiv kinda gal (going forward).
   I mean to say – if she could pull hersef up by her bootstreps, why can’t othas?
   (perhaps because the means that enabled her to trensushun from her past, and which she took advantage of, have all but been removed.)
   What a very UGLY woman – in every sense. Christ! to think in a previous loif we once crossed paths. Hers will be a very interesting case study for some enterprising member of a resurrected 4th Estate some time in the future.
8. Pat 8

   26 May 2016 at 10:15 am

   “Forbes says a national response is required or “all the beautiful spots in New Zealand” will eventually become like Aspen.”

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/80292197/call-for-national-response-to-wanaka-queenstown-housing-issues
   • Graeme 8.1

     26 May 2016 at 3:13 pm

     Queenstown’s sister city relationship with Aspen has been controversial all along. When it started in the 80s it was an aspirational thing with the town wanting to be like Aspen and to learn about how Aspen had dealt wiht some of the issues Queenstown was facing. These were the same as now, affordability and economic and social stratification.

     Recently the appropriateness relationship has been questioned because of the huge differences between the two towns, Aspen being essentially a “one company” town, like most North American resorts, where as Queenstown is much more diverse development community.

     One thing that has come out is that not many here want to the town to become like Aspen, and it is unlikely to for the reasons above. This is leading to many and varied shades of angst depending on the position and aspirations of the angstee.

     Our council has been very successful at processing planning consents, the number of consented but undeveloped sections is huge, http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/80132940/almost-10000-vacant-properties-in-queenstown But they have been totally unable to shape the outcomes in any way. We get competing and fragmented developments and infrastructure lagging behind, and holding back some needed projects.

     Then you get developers squabbling amongst themselves holding things back even more than council or govt could even dream of http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/79975711/more-than-2000-potential-queenstown-homes-caught-in-environment-court-appeal The bun fight over development on Frankton Flats (still ongoing) has been going on for 20 years, and the resulting delayed projects are causing most of our traffic congestion now.
9. Bob 9

   26 May 2016 at 10:27 am

   My one hope from the budget that, in my mind, could solve the most issues in one hit:
   Raise the minimum wage significantly (say $17 – $18 / hour)

   This would have an immediate effect on the working poor, it would have an inflationary effect on the economy which would allow the reserve bank to look and increasing mortgage rates and help slow house price growth and it would help to noticeably increase the current tax take without raising taxes (through both GST and PAYE).
   The negative is that it may cost jobs in small businesses in the short term, but in the medium term any truly viable business will pick those staff back up once that extra money starts to flow back into the economy.

   I have no idea if this will work, but note to Andrew Little, the above is how you sell an idea, not:
   Since National came into power blah blah blah, John Key, blah blah blah, my idea will work (no explanation as to how or why people should embrace it).
   • Colonial Viper 9.1

     26 May 2016 at 12:05 pm

     Well you talked about raising mortgage interest rates which means that you’ve lost 250,000 votes to start with. What next?
     • Puckish Rogue 9.1.1

       26 May 2016 at 1:12 pm

       🙂
   • Draco T Bastard 9.2

     26 May 2016 at 1:40 pm

     it would have an inflationary effect on the economy which would allow the reserve bank to look and increasing mortgage rates and help slow house price growth

     LOL

     Interest rates don’t affect House price growth. When a house sells a few days later with 20k plus profit the interest is meaningless. Besides, the speculators are probably using revolving credit with interest rates far above the OCR and mortgage rates.

     and it would help to noticeably increase the current tax take without raising taxes (through both GST and PAYE).

     This is catering to the delusion that the government actually needs an income.

     I have no idea if this will work, but note to Andrew Little, the above is how you sell an idea, not:
     Since National came into power blah blah blah, John Key, blah blah blah, my idea will work (no explanation as to how or why people should embrace it).

     To address a problem you do need to identify it else you’re just talking shite.
10. Chooky 10

    26 May 2016 at 11:11 am

    (What is all this about ?!)

    ‘Romanian man claims to be CIA asset to beat arms trafficking charge’

    https://www.rt.com/usa/344379-cia-farc-arms-trafficking-alibi/

    ….”The weapons were to be used by the FARC to kill Americans.

    However, those FARC buyers “were, in fact, confidential sources… working for the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and acting at the direction of DEA agents,” the indictment said…
11. te reo putake 11

    26 May 2016 at 11:47 am

    Some number crunching:

    NZ adult minimum hourly wage: $15.25
    Talley’s minimum hourly wage: $14.32
    Talley’s donations to National $42.5k
    • adam 11.1

      26 May 2016 at 11:52 am

      Come on money in politics means nothing, just ask Hillary…
12. adam 12

    26 May 2016 at 11:51 am

    Budget day….. Did we look at the Price Tag??
13. b waghorn 13

    26 May 2016 at 12:19 pm

    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11645350

    Drama at the bee hive
    • weka 13.1

      26 May 2016 at 12:33 pm

      What does the sign say?

      John Key!
      Move the Gatekeepers.
      They’re [something] corruption.
      Blocking access to the ANZ bank.

      (so is that re the CC protest?)

      Would have been nice if the Herald had said.
      • Bill 13.1.1

        26 May 2016 at 1:03 pm

        John Key! Move the gatekeepers.
        They’re harbouring corruption.
        Blocking access to the ANZ Bank.

        http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/304847/man-arrested,-parliament-in-lock-down

        I’d advise those responsible to give up on any notions they may have had about getting into advertising – that’s one incredibly mangled and imprecise slogan.
        • weka 13.1.1.1

          26 May 2016 at 1:18 pm

          Ta. Another shot shows this on the other side,

          FIND OUT WHO IS STOPPING
          NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST BANK
          BEING INVESTIGATED VISIT

          passion0.wix.com/nourijture

          That’s almost a haiku!!

          (pretty sure I didn’t get the link right).

          Not only shouldn’t they go into adverstising, they shouldn’t go into protesting either.
      • Puckish Rogue 13.1.2

        26 May 2016 at 1:33 pm

        Good luck with moving the gatekeepers
14. greywarshark 14

    26 May 2016 at 1:31 pm

    A little book with snippets of news from Britain in 1932:
    From a list of promises that a William Cobbett et al of Oldham were asked:

    10. Will you endeavour to procure an Act of Parliament which shall enable those who elect representatives in Parliament to vote by ballot, and also to shorten Parliaments to one or two years?

    11. Will you endeavour to procure an Act of Parliament which shall effectually shorten the hours of labour in all mills and factories, so as not to exceed ten hours on any day, and only eight hours on Saturdays?

    And from a letter from Francis Place (a tailor whose campaigning had made trade unions legal):
    “…We must have petitions in hundreds for short Parliaments and voting by ballot as means of procuring reforms in every possible way, and to the greatest possible extent.

    It is very difficult, and requires much time to move a nation like this, even when it has been demonstrated that very small exertions will produce the greatest good. Even those who are disposed to move are seldom agreed to work together. If some fundamental points were selected, and all agreed to push for them, success would be certain.

    Francis really understood the issues. He would feel right at home with us now.
    edited.
    • greywarshark 14.1

      26 May 2016 at 4:34 pm

      The book was dated 1832. Only 100 years difference! And sounded so current.
15. Draco T Bastard 15

    26 May 2016 at 1:31 pm

    A Huge, Huge Deal

    It all comes down to a simple point. You may not like Gawker. They’ve published stories I would have been ashamed to publish. But if the extremely wealthy, under a veil secrecy, can destroy publications they want to silence, that’s a far bigger threat to freedom of the press than most of the things we commonly worry about on that front. If this is the new weapon in the arsenal of the super rich, few publications will have the resources or the death wish to scrutinize them closely.

    The rich have found another way to silence critics – sue them into oblivion.
    • joe90 15.1

      26 May 2016 at 2:03 pm

      A practise run while he waits for his candidate to make it near impossible to crtitise anyone with money.

      “You see, with me, they’re not protected, because I’m not like other people but I’m not taking money. I’m not taking their money,” Trump said on Friday. “We’re going to open up libel laws, and we’re going to have people sue you like you’ve never got sued before.”

      http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2016/02/donald-trump-libel-laws-219866

      edit:

      Press in the age of billionaires

      There’s an increasing number of powerful public figures with similarly near-unlimited wealth. Whether or not they win, cases like this can bleed news companies dry — which might make them less likely to publish news and criticism in the first place.

      Thiel is a pledged Trump delegate, which is an unusual move for a Silicon Valley tycoon. However, in backing Hogan’s lawsuit Thiel shows one place he and his fellow bombastic billionaire agree — an antagonistic relationship with the media, and an attempt to suppress critical coverage.

      Trump has a history of suing over coverage he doesn’t like. He has also said he’s in favor of “closing up the internet” — a nonsensical statement that is nonetheless troubling for everyone from tech billionaires to free speech advocates — both of which Thiel purports to be. Thiel is, ironically, a “primary supporter” of the Committee to Protect Journalists, an organization dedicated to protecting press freedom around the world.

      http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/05/25/3781705/thiel-gawker-trump/
16. Puckish Rogue 16

    26 May 2016 at 2:26 pm

    Ah well you can’t predict them all, better a boring a budget then a “mother of all budgets” I guess
    • Lanthanide 16.1

      26 May 2016 at 2:27 pm

      That’s my thinking.
      • Puckish Rogue 16.1.1

        26 May 2016 at 2:41 pm

        So now I’m guessing the opposition will attack this budget as not doing enough and the government will say its a firm hand on the till
17. Graeme 17

    26 May 2016 at 2:39 pm

    Good shot Winston

    https://nz.news.yahoo.com/top-stories/a/31697564/peters-corners-key-over-auckland-housing-crisis-quote/

    Nice to see the old tusker land one.
    • Puckish Rogue 17.1

      26 May 2016 at 2:55 pm

      Its a good shot
      • Graeme 17.1.1

        26 May 2016 at 3:16 pm

        Unfortunately the camera, or editing of the clip, didn’t show the reaction.

        Will await return serve.

        And stock up on popcorn
        • Puckish Rogue 17.1.1.1

          26 May 2016 at 3:20 pm

          John Key is very good at quips so this’ll be an interesting match, one-love to Winston
    • gsays 17.2

      26 May 2016 at 6:16 pm

      “Is the prime minister able to remember any promise he has made an hour after making it?”

      Excellent.
18. greywarshark 18

    26 May 2016 at 4:56 pm

    If the Budget was boring, Slavoj Zizek is not. Here is 10 minutes of his volcanic output.
    He says that for the last few decades the Left didn’t really want change. They are settled into Comfortable Capitalism he claims. He is always interesting.
    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0PH_EIBnyo
    • Ad 18.1

      26 May 2016 at 5:58 pm

      Zizek is far too obsessed with symbolic exchanges. Including his own.

      His view that the left hasn’t really changed is such horseshit. It’s held its own against massive direct assaults.

      It’s far more accurate to say that the far monetarist right won, allied with religious rightists and others.

      Also that monetarist-dominated states have generated far greater capacity to absorb crisis since the late 1970s. Our own current government is one of the best examples in the world of this.

      He needs challenging, and is not really applicable here.
19. greywarshark 19

    26 May 2016 at 5:07 pm

    I signed a petition to ask gummint to be more helpful about state housing.
    This resulted in an agreement to allow one week’s emergency housing from the state. Something along emergency lines. But actually there is a full time emergency going on, but it’s a start. This from Kyle MacDonald thru Action Station. (The flagman was Kyle Lockwood.)

    Thank you for helping to make a difference,
    Yesterday I flew down to Wellington to deliver our petition to the Minister. It was because of your support, and the support of more than 9000 others, that Minister Anne Tolley agreed to meet with me. Together we showed her this issue cannot be ignored.

    When I asked her what could be done to help people and families facing the impossible choice between homelessness or unmanageable debt over the coming winter months, the Minister acknowledged the urgency of the situation and told us she would look into possible solutions.

    Just a few hours after our meeting, the Minister’s office called to tell us that changes to the policy will be brought forward from September to 1 July. These changes will mean that the first week of emergency housing would be covered by a special needs grant rather than a loan. A week is not going to be long enough if there is nowhere to go once that week is up, so the Government still has a lot of work to be done to make sure there are enough houses for people to move into.
20. Once was Tim 20

    26 May 2016 at 6:40 pm

    Good discussion – in fact excellent on tonight’s Checkpoint, as it ended – links not up yet.
    But I’d suggest that if there’s one thing the indigent are fekkn sick of herring (goan ford) is the paternalistic kaka from the comfortable: a la “we need to provide repa ren serves”.
    There’s STILL this fucking condescending attitude (or framing – if you prefer) that the poorer in our community are in some way ‘faulty’

    It’s a fucking structural issue that begun some time in the early 80’s – possibly before.

    @ Draco – I know you perceive a solution – but it ain’t gonna happen until the inevitable happens (and even then only as an option) – when it all disappears up its own arse. My hope is that it is peaceful
21. North 21

    26 May 2016 at 7:24 pm

    Just watching fuckwit Key on Parliament TV. What a bitch monologue from that illiterate ! Doesn’t have to be quality it’s just a game.
22. te reo putake 22

    26 May 2016 at 9:38 pm

    So you’ve got nothing? I meet people like you most days, CV. Blowhards with no clues, nothing positive to say, and focussed only on the deep and abiding love they have for the sound of their own voices. Luckily for the rest of us, the Onanists are never going get beyond perfecting the art of the hand shandy. It’d just be nicer if they did it behind closed doors and didn’t want the rest of us to pay for their tissues.

    On second thoughts, in spite of my earlier request, I’ve removed the entire sub-thread to Open Mike because there wasn’t a skerrik of anything to do with the post from either of you. Ever thought of becoming facebook friends so the two of you can have at one another at your mutual leisure? – Bill
    • Colonial Viper 22.1

      26 May 2016 at 9:44 pm

      My friend, seems like you’re the one who has nothing.

      BTW who are the socialist MPs in Labour?
      • te reo putake 22.1.1

        26 May 2016 at 9:53 pm

        I’m not your friend, CV. You’re part of the problem, not part of the solution. Time for you to start reading Ayn Rand, pal. You’ll feel right at home. She was a self obsessed bigot, too.

        [trp, I’m pretty sure that neither I nor anyone else really cares what you and CV think of one another. I’ve asked you both to pack it in. If you really find the urge t have a go insatiable, take it to Open Mike or whatever, but don’t carry on with your carry ono under this post. thanks.] – Bill
        • te reo putake 22.1.1.1

          26 May 2016 at 10:07 pm

          Fair enough, Bill. However, I think it’s still relevant to the post that commenters moaning about climate change, but having no clue what to do about it and at the same time whining about those who do have sensible suggestions is worth my writing about. CV is most definitely part of the reason there is largely a collective ignoring of the problem. His attitude, which mirrors most of the right, is that there is no answer, so meh. Your post is great, but it is meaningless unless we can look to find the solutions to the real and present danger we face.
          • Bill 22.1.1.1.1

            26 May 2016 at 10:10 pm

            Yeah, and if you look back over in that part of the thread you’ll see that a couple of suggestions were being made by both you and CV. Seems neither of you can read what the other is writing without having a go though. And it’s damned boring.
            • te reo putake 22.1.1.1.1.1

              26 May 2016 at 10:14 pm

              Ok, no worries. Peace and out as I’m told the young folk say.
    • Bill 22.2

      26 May 2016 at 9:51 pm

      So, I’m asking the pair of you nicely to cut it out. Cheers.
    • Reddelusion 22.3

      26 May 2016 at 10:01 pm

      Serious anger issues and preoccupation there Trp with cv I don’t necessary agree with all what cv says but he articulates it well and does it without a lot of personal abuse, something in that you may want to explore
      • te reo putake 22.3.1

        26 May 2016 at 10:12 pm

        Oh, bollocks. No anger there, but a deep disliking of wankers who are all mouth and trousers. CV adds nothing to the debate but negativity and frankly, climate change needs solutions fast. I’m happy to acknowledge that I find it weird that TS has a right wing bigot as an author. But perhaps it’s some sort of charity thing and I missed the email.
        • Colonial Viper 22.3.1.1

          26 May 2016 at 10:40 pm

          I need to remind you TRP that attacking Standard authors is strictly against the rules of the site.

          Please restrain your anger and observe some proper decorum.

          BTW if Climate Change needs fast, urgent answers, why did Andrew Little gloss over the whole topic in his recent speech? And did you support him doing that?
          • te reo putake 22.3.1.1.1

            26 May 2016 at 10:47 pm

            Diddums. You weren’t the author of the post. And being an author is not a get out of jail card when you’re being a wanker. Check my own output; I get straightened up from time to time and I generally cop it sweet. To quote the well known English philosopher Jamie Vardy, chat shit, get banged.
            • Colonial Viper 22.3.1.1.1.1

              26 May 2016 at 10:49 pm

              OK cool. So, did you approve of Andrew Little completely dodging climate change as a crisis issue that we need to face up to?
              • te reo putake …

                26 May 2016 at 11:03 pm

                You’re the one dodging the issue, pal. Snap out of your funk and start contributing some answers. You’re a bright guy, put some effort into finding solutions and stop whingeing. Or, as I suggested, bugger off to ACT, where they like people with your kind of attitudes. And no, I’m not kidding. I went through this kind of crap a long, long time ago with Douglas and Prebble. You sound exactly like they did thirty years ago. Full of everything that was wrong, but no solutions beyond making themselves feel better by belittling those who are trying to make a difference. Life is really simple; if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. And like it or not, you’re definitely not a solutions based guy. So, read some Rand, see if misanthrope floats your boat. I reckon you and ACT are made for each other. That doesn’t make you a bad person, IMHO, but it might make you an honest one.
                • Colonial Viper …

                  26 May 2016 at 11:09 pm

                  OK so you got nothing then. Thanks for clearing that up.
                  • te reo putake …

                    26 May 2016 at 11:14 pm

                    Jaysus, what a wanker.

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