Open mike 29/08/2011

78 comments on “Open mike 29/08/2011 ”

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1. logie97 1

   29 August 2011 at 7:14 am

   Hillary Calvert on RadioNZ this morning putting on a brave face over non-recognition for her contributions to ACT. Talk about confused.

   http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport around 06:43.

   “Are you disappointed…?”
   “Yes. (Whoops what have I said) Ahhh No. Bluster, bluster,… good of the party… bluster..”

   You have to feel some sympathy for her.
   • logie97 1.1

     29 August 2011 at 7:51 am

     …me thinks the leader speaks with forked tongue. Calvert said she entered her name for list consideration and Brash says she withdrew from the ballot. Who would you believe…? One of them has aspirations to be the nation’s leader. Morning Report Brash’s version around 7:43.
     • Jim Nald 1.1.1

       29 August 2011 at 9:38 am

       Hilary’s composure, voice and vocalisation was extremely remarkable for that interview. Well done! She surprised listeners with her excellent performance in conveying how superbly she had, before going on Radio NZ, controlled herself in swallowing and holding down broken glass and bullshit.
     • prism 1.1.2

       29 August 2011 at 4:32 pm

       Brash said that Calvert withdrew her nomination when the ACT management made it clear they were wishing to make changes, going forward to the future etc. She obviously realised that she was dog tucker. She supported him rolling over Hide, now she finds that Dr Jekyll and Hide are two heads on the same coin. Brash is rolling her out of the way like a draught excluder stopping the door opening on a bright, new future.
       • mik e 1.1.2.1

         29 August 2011 at 5:45 pm

         Brashes new mantra bugger of before breakfast {gone by lunch time]
   • The Voice of Reason 1.2

     29 August 2011 at 7:55 am

     Calvert: too crazy or not crazy enough? Brash reckoned on RNZ the mystery 3rd spot will be given to a high profile New Zealander. So not former ACT president Catherine Isaac then.
     • Pete George 1.2.1

       29 August 2011 at 8:39 am

       Calvert’s just a casualty of the Exclusive Brashians.
     • kriswgtn 1.2.2

       29 August 2011 at 8:54 am

       the so called 3rd place high profile New Zealander spot goes tooooooooo

       Roger Kerrs wife, Cathern Isaac

       who?? meh
       • Jim Nald 1.2.2.1

         29 August 2011 at 9:43 am

         I shall begin to say, “ACT’s women … airrr … woman … *cough* … who, men? … ”

         Never mind.
       • prism 1.2.2.2

         29 August 2011 at 4:25 pm

         So the ACT team includes Roger Cur’s wife. Funny how the same names and associates keep cropping up. But also that with a small coterie they manage to remain in parliament, influential beyond their deserts.
   • Bored 1.3

     29 August 2011 at 8:06 am

     Sympathy for a Devils frock…yeah right!
   • mickysavage 1.4

     29 August 2011 at 8:32 am

     I’m going to miss Hillary.  It is not often that you can combine that blind hypocritical ideological earnestness in such an obviously bat shit crazy person.
     • ianmac 1.4.1

       29 August 2011 at 10:24 am

       Is it possible that the ACT strategy is that by with-holding the name of number 3 on the list, speculation will keep them in the lime-light? Can’t understand why a party with 2% support gets this much exposure. Surely it isn’t in National’s interest – is it?
       • Ianupnorth 1.4.1.1

         29 August 2011 at 10:39 am

         The Herald’s take on this http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10748123
          
         Em, where is Cactus Cow Kate – have they blanked her as well?
         • The Voice of Reason 1.4.1.1.1

           29 August 2011 at 10:55 am

           Not only ‘where is Cactus Kate?’ but where is the diversity? Surely they should have a token ethnic like that deluded asian guy they dumped after he stopped being useful last election. Surely there must be someone out there who both supports ACT and isn’t a dry balled, shirt tucked into Y fronts chinless wonder?
           • Jim Nald 1.4.1.1.1.1

             29 August 2011 at 11:28 am

             Lessons for ACTing up before electioneering:

             – you are much encouraged to treat your puppet politicians like toilet paper (don’t forget to flush after .. and remember to flush well)

             – anyone and everyone is dispensable, except for the greedy and mega rich whose Invisible Hands pull the strings or do the wiping
         • Lanthanide 1.4.1.1.2

           29 August 2011 at 12:20 pm

           I don’t think Cactus Kate was well-served by her blog where she comes across as elitest and uncaring.

           Act already had a bomb with David Garrett, they don’t really want to go through it again with Kate, especially with all of her dirty laundry on display in public (or in google cache if she took the blog down).
     • TightyRighty 1.4.2

       29 August 2011 at 2:55 pm

       You too are so alike, you’ll be pining for her. Opposites (politically) attract obviously
     • mik e 1.4.3

       29 August 2011 at 5:36 pm

       MS I thought that would have put her at the top of the list
2. aerobubble 2

   29 August 2011 at 9:14 am

   Don’t answer the question, so you can inflict us with
   your preconceived conclusion, ignoring us as part as the
   debate. Consent without consultation is not consent.
   Peak oil can’t be ignored, peak oil is crushing the
   economy, pushing people to drink, into poverty, and
   suicide. But the best the PM has is its too difficult,
   its up to society to look at itself he says. Totally
   abdicating any responsibility as the leader of our nation.
   Government has the power, the resources, and the duty
   to open the discussion on how we can raise our standard
   of living in light of peak oil, doing nothing will
   only insure that exploitation and self abuse will
   continue to rise across society. Parliment is filled
   with the representatives of the people, yet our
   undemocratic leader is happy to go on TV morning
   and tell us he can’t do anything and its up to us as
   a society to talk about it. Where would we do that/
   Where have we always done that? In the debating
   chamber where the people cannot be charged with
   being bludgers and have their privacy invaded by the
   minisiter, where the people cannot be ignore when the
   speaker forces the PM to give an answer. Our PM
   head of a coalition of parties was not the outright
   winner of the last election, Key had to hold his
   party together as they choked on the idea of sitting
   with Maori Party. Its a shocking indication of our
   lazy mornign interviews with the inane PM how they
   did not pickup on Key’s spin, that he won the last
   election, that he’s a winner, the guy grazed in and
   then grazed on the trinkets of office abdicating his
   role as leader of our nation. No doubt waiting for
   head office in the US to give him the new ideological
   answers, has the twit of a PM actually looked at the US
   recently, its run by feckless morons like him who
   dither and ignore peak oil at their peril.
3. pollywog 3

   29 August 2011 at 9:33 am

   Watched Hollow Men on Maori TV last night. Had to laugh at what a clueless fuck the Don was and how his answer to lifes problems seems to be lie and use a bigger hammer.

   Kinda scary how crosby/textor, Key and co have just blindly followed the right wing script laid down for the 05 election, as though a worldwide recession and the crumbling of capitalism since doesn’t really factor into their thinking.

   It’s still all about cutting jobs, lowering wages, bashing bludgers and demeaning maaris to distract from their fatcat muthafucka mates raping the system.

   Just goes to show how much John Key cannot be trusted. Only difference between him and Brash is he’s got the kiwi sheilas thinking he’s a stand up guy.
   • kriswgtn 3.1

     29 August 2011 at 9:47 am

     Totally agree Pollywog

     Been looking forward to watching this and kudos to MT for showing it

     The entire script is the same- Jokey had a major grooming makeover oh shucks and that shit course
     and kiwis fell for it

     Pity it wasnt on a major network,,get people talking
     • pollywog 3.1.1

       29 August 2011 at 10:02 am

       eh Wellikris !

       Jeez there’s some dumass kiwi sheeple out here. At least us poly’s have an excuse. We still think the gov’t works for God 🙂

       oh yeah, i forgot to mention about that other right wing trump card for stimulating growth…taxcuts for the rich…PFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTT !!!

       hopefully mainstream middle NZ and all the hardworking kiwi battlers, to use the subliminal crosby/textor vernacular, can cut through the bullshit this election, see how stupid the PR spinners think they are and revolt against Key and co.

       …but i doubt it, as long as the mainstream media keep the focus on Keys face and not the international banksters hand up his arse moving his muppet lips.
       • kriswgtn 3.1.1.1

         29 August 2011 at 11:44 am

         hahhaha the thing is that people like Matthew Hooten-sprung pure and simple……

         Noone I know even knew it was gonna be shown- it only when I spam texted 200 contacts on my phone and then I facebooked it -alot of my mates who detest nact as much as me ended up watching it

         Maori tv has some kick ass hows on- not as much as they used too but not promoted as such,unless youre a reg watcher like our household,you will miss some really informative doco’s from all over the world not just here…

         The Bollywood movies are eye opener.But yeah pity mainstream TV channels dont show more of this stuff.

         I for one am over singing shows infomercials and cooking cookoffs
         bah
         TV now in NZ is bullshit
   • Draco T Bastard 3.2

     29 August 2011 at 10:04 am

     Kinda scary how crosby/textor, Key and co have just blindly followed the right wing script laid down for the 05 election, as though a worldwide recession and the crumbling of capitalism since doesn’t really factor into their thinking.

     It doesn’t factor into their thinking. The only thing that is of importance to them is the channelling of more of the communities wealth to the rich.
   • marsman 3.3

     29 August 2011 at 12:20 pm

     Don Brash is a total slime-ball.
     Key’s own words :- ‘Prime Waster’ John Key and ‘WasteMaster General’ Bill English! Perfect!
     English’s words for their perfomance:- ‘Inept and mismanaging the Economy’! Perfect!
   • Vicky32 3.4

     29 August 2011 at 2:17 pm

     Only difference between him and Brash is he’s got the kiwi sheilas thinking he’s a stand up guy.

     Not all of we sheilas, thankfully! (Although that nice Mr Key did plaster his ugly mug all over a postcard in my letter box this morning inviting me to join  the National Party! (The Labour and Green election stuff is informative, the National stuff isn’t.)
   • swordfish 3.5

     29 August 2011 at 4:01 pm

     “Only difference between him (Key) and Brash is he’s got the kiwi sheilas thinking he’s a stand up guy.” 

     Only a minority (49%) of kiwi sheilas according to the latest Fairfax poll (and given that Fairfax polls historically lean a little to the Right, that’s probably actually about 45%). Younger women appear to be the least enamoured with Key.
4. Anne 4

   29 August 2011 at 9:55 am

   Watching Hollow Men again after all these years was creepy. The same closet ideology, the same sham words, the same lies, the same scew-ball sychophants and crooked businessmen in the background, the same policies dressed up to look like non-policies and the same bunch of C/T shysters running the show. The only difference is an old Brash has been replaced with a younger Key.

   The behind the scenes stitch-up deal to get Brash back into parliament makes more sense now I’ve seen that film again.
   • pollywog 4.1

     29 August 2011 at 10:10 am

     werd Anne…

     with Bed n Breakfast (brash n banks) back in the big house Key will look positively tame and moderate.
     • Anne 4.1.1

       29 August 2011 at 10:31 am

       Bed n Breakfast lol.
       • Jim Nald 4.1.1.1

         29 August 2011 at 10:38 am

         Uh huh … it has started

         That nice man, Key, now has his brash bogeyman

         We should be seeing more of Key dishing out, for general public consumption, bigger servings of bullshit

         See:
         http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10748133
         • RobM 4.1.1.1.1

           29 August 2011 at 1:23 pm

           From the article linked to above:

           ” “It’s the classic neo-liberal economic theory that you pay what the market can bear, and I think you would see very low wage rates on that basis,” Key said on Newstalk ZB when asked about his view on the ACT Policy. ”

           FFS. Imagine Helen Clark coming back to lead the Mana Party and Goff responding to a policy announcement with: “It’s the classic Marxist economic theory . . . ”

           Is Key’s positioning any less ridiculous?
   • marsman 4.2

     29 August 2011 at 12:23 pm

     VOTE KEY

     GET BRASH
     LOSE NZ
5. Ianupnorth 5

   29 August 2011 at 10:49 am

   Isn’t convenience a wonderful thing – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10748141
    
   oh dear, too ill to speak on child poverty…….
6. PJ 6

   29 August 2011 at 11:30 am

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/blogs/the-bottom-line/5507460/The-Governments-secret-gambling-habit

   my head hurts, my heart hurts.

   I’m 28, have 2 degrees and halfway thru a MA. Half my friends live overseas. I never intended on joining them. But another term of crony capitalism will do my head in.
   • Bored 6.1

     29 August 2011 at 1:09 pm

     PJ, I got degrees years ago but not as a meal ticket….which seems to be the modern obsession. Now the employers dont even want them. A word of advice, be GOOD at something that degrees just dont teach. For example you cant learn sales at Uni, you cant learn customer empathy at Uni, you cant learn all sorts of real world stuff. And the debt you run up just wont repay itself.

     Sorry to be depressingly honest, good luck with the wide world, go offshore now whilst you can.
     • Ianupnorth 6.1.1

       29 August 2011 at 1:20 pm

       There was stuff in The Guardian about this recently http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/aug/24/value-of-degree-shrinks-for-graduates
        
       and also http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/aug/24/earnings-by-qualification-degree-level?intcmp=239
        
       which suggested graduates were paid less! It may not be much better elsewhere.
       • NickS 6.1.1.1

         29 August 2011 at 1:40 pm

         I’m resigned to getting paid jack all for a science postgrad degree (when I get it, in molecular bio or conservation and evolution), but IT in regards to network wiring/hardware set ups is looking rather attractive money wise…
         • vto 6.1.1.1.1

           29 August 2011 at 1:51 pm

           Dont worry about the money. Just be the best at what you choose and generally the money follows. And the best way to be the best at something is to do what you like best no less.
         • lprent 6.1.1.1.2

           29 August 2011 at 2:28 pm

           Yep. I looked at it when I was completing my undergrad science degree and realizing I was qualified as a bottle washer in the science community. So I went into management and stayed there until it got too boring. Did a MBA and realized that management was just inherently boring. That is when I seriously started moving into programming because PC’s were a lot more interesting than the mini’s I’d worked with in the previous degree. Never regretted it….
           • NickS 6.1.1.1.2.1

             29 August 2011 at 2:43 pm

             With a MSc I can actually get a semi decent job as long as the specialisation is one that employers are looking for 😛

             But it’s going to take time to deal with my depression, so I need a decent paying job in the meantime to keep me sane…
             • grumpy …

               29 August 2011 at 3:00 pm

               “But it’s going to take time to deal with my depression, so I need a decent paying job in the meantime to keep me sane…”

               advice – start a blog…..
               • NickS …

                 29 August 2011 at 3:13 pm

                 I only have so much motivation 😛

                 And I’d rather have a year long pass to CHCH city council pools 😛
           • PJ 6.1.1.1.2.2

             29 August 2011 at 3:09 pm

             cheers all for your comments.

             I’m not worried about money, at all! – can’t be in my profession! all I’d like is to earn enough from my passion to, one day, raise and support a family in the country I love. both my under-grad degrees are in the field I’m passionate (and, at least in my opinion, pretty skilled at) about, and my MA is in a related, and highly-specialised field that is teaching me the skills to turn my current start-up business into a long-term sustainable enterprise, that will,hopefully, one day fulfil my aim of supporting a family.
     • NickS 6.1.2

       29 August 2011 at 1:47 pm

       You’re forgetting about degree inflation, were by there’s too many people choosing to go to uni, instead of apprenticeships or polytechs, thus creating a market glut of BA’s, BL’s and BSc’s, which is one of the issues facing graduates. Along with teh annoying tendency of businesses in NZ to seek x number of years of experience, thus forcing graduates to head off overseas
       • KJT 6.1.2.1

         29 August 2011 at 2:49 pm

         That is because it takes graduates 3 years to get over, the 30 000 new words, and the attitude that they are worth more than someone who can actually do the job, they acquire at University.

         A degree plus experience is extremely valuable. A degree with out experience is worth less than someone with the experience.

         It is not more lawyers, accountants and masters of f–king up businesses, we need. It is more of the type of competent can do Kiwi’s we used to have, before they gave up and went offshore.
         • NickS 6.1.2.1.1

           29 August 2011 at 3:26 pm

           lol-fucking-wat?

           BCom and BA’s possibly, but with BSc’s, BA’s in geography, and mathematics (esp. stats) you do gain very relevant experience. From the work requirements for BE’s, to Lab course work and research projects for BSc’s that give them the basics and GIS experience for geography. Heck, if I had done geography with a few relevant pol.sci or sociology papers I’d be able to get a job with only a BA and good grades.

           As for attitude, from experience in sci.undergrad courses, we all knew that we’d need further experience/education to even have a chance of getting a foot in the door in a science position without the right contacts. And with Tegal flooding the micro-bio market with low level lab techs, you’d need either a MSc or 2-3 year polytech lab-technician course to get anywhere with a micro/molecular bio major…

           BCom and BL’s on the other hand are probably what you’re talking about, however due to being a bit asocial I don’t generally run into those…
     • mik e 6.1.3

       29 August 2011 at 5:46 pm

       Should be plenty of work around CH CH with the rebuild
7. joe90 7

   29 August 2011 at 11:46 am

   Even though the whole thing was a backdrop that could be manipulated to impress an American television audience the ‘schadenfreude’ is quite nice.

   After months of preparations, hours of television and radio talk all geared up for the big day, tons of merchandise manufactured, Glenn Beck could just about muster over a thousand people at his “Restoring Courage” last night in Jerusalem.
8. Brett Dale 8

   29 August 2011 at 11:57 am

   Thoughts and wishes to the people affected by Hurricane Irene in the USA.
   • felix 8.1

     29 August 2011 at 12:02 pm

     Gidday Brett! Where you been?
9. NickS 9

   29 August 2011 at 12:45 pm

   http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/another-twist-revealed-in-looting-lightbulb-case-4369150

   Someone in the Christchurch police needs to loose their fucking job over this, as it’s a rather blatant set of lies to the judge(s) that was involved in this case.
   • aerobubble 9.1

     29 August 2011 at 4:28 pm

     Police were victims, they had to risk their lives chasing looters in unstable buildings, they
     must have had enough with having to search buildings, not to risk their lives another time
     chasing a thief. Sure, police were wrong. The moment they discovered he only wanted
     light bulbs they should of clicked the guy wasn’t a thief but suicidally insane.

     If Police find a naked man on a bridge about to jump to their death, then do they arrest
     him for indecency or try to talk him down. Do they assume he’s an offender, or a
     victim of some male rape who just can’t take living anymore? Police have a tough job,
     and I can see how they thought this man had criminal intent, the judges seem to
     see right to the heart of the matter early on, and the prosecuter should have seen reason.

     Not everyone who runs into a unstable building is there to steal stuff.
     • McFlock 9.1.1

       29 August 2011 at 10:26 pm

       But saying to the judge that the victims of the theft were fearful is NOT a heat-of-the-moment misunderstanding. Unless they spoke to the victims, it is either an assumption or an outright lie (typed, printed and hand-delivered).
       Someone should be in the shit.
       • aerobubble 9.1.1.1

         31 August 2011 at 10:27 am

         Yes, I don’t know how to spin Police prosecutor position. Maybe they could argue
         that since they were dealing with so many opportunists criminals, while courts
         were out of commission, and chaos reigned in eaarth shatter ChCh, the papers
         got misfiled – and the statements did not seem unreasonable even if now they
         are clearly reprehensible.
         • McFlock 9.1.1.1.1

           31 August 2011 at 12:14 pm

           They probably will argue something along those lines, but the fact is that the case got kicked back to a judge several times with incorrect and prejudicial information submitted to the court each and every time. 
            
           This really is the thin end of the wedge when it comes to corruption of the judicial system – and the only thing that saved the guy was the fact that he wasn’t up in front of someone like Judge Jeffries, despite “let’s joke about rape in custody” (not as pithy as “crusher”, but more accurate) Collins.
10. tc 10

    29 August 2011 at 1:02 pm

    Maori TV should repeat the hollowmen after the RWC in and around something big they can promote as these jokers have just slipped further back into the shadows but are very much in control now.

    Hasn’t Sideshow come a long way with the media…..got the aww shucks I made a boo boo to replace the ‘ I’m not stupid enough to think these things don’t come back to bite you’……we’ll see oh slippery one, time will tell.
11. randal 11

    29 August 2011 at 1:16 pm

    Hooton wasn’t pushjing his 210,000 jobs on rnz9-n00n this morning. instead he was making out he knew everything there was to know about the Labour party. What doesn’t he know about everything except that National will get a drubbing in the final poll.
    yes indeedy.
12. prism 12

    29 August 2011 at 1:36 pm

    Useful policy proposition for Labour No.1.
    Have a workforce managed outside the WINZ regime that supplies work-ready teams for NZ agricultural, horticultural seasons. These people would be esteemed, graded into teams. Team A would be the top, experienced fit and committed to doing and finishing the job and able to earn high pay from their efforts which they would be allowed to keep not having that miserly claw-back attitude that has deadened initiative and aspiration by Soc Welfare throughout the years.

    There would be a Team B, working towards a Team A classification, Team Ca for trainees and newbies, and Team Cb those confronting this sort of hard work for the first time. They would work in different areas where they were needed and the travel and change of locale would be an added incentive for young people. They would be able to go onto the unemployed benefit when work finished or was cancelled, and would get a gym/sports membership in out of season time so they could keep fit.

    The extremely hard physical work required by some jobs requires fit strong hard-working people, and their qualities should be recognised. We applaud the All Blacks for being physically fit and skilled at physical activity, why don’t we also appreciate those who do the physical jobs. There was a clash between mandarin growers needs in different areas this year in NZ as they had a big crop. We could help with these situations and provide semi-permanetnt work for young adults, much as the freezing works or the wharves provided holiday jobs for students in previous years.

    This policy is aimed at –
    1 Raising physical work to a similar standard of recognition and respect to that of sport.
    2 Providing work for those young people who find satisfaction in work that is more physical
    than intellectual.
    3 Enabling young people to have a path to get into the work force and receive respect and
    wages, rather than disrespect and the dole.
    4 Once in the ‘Agriteam’ young people would have opportunities to round out their education
    with new skills, or to catch up on earlier education steps missed during their school years.
    5 Including both school leavers and young adults but in separate peer groups and tailoring the
    work team management with regard to higher need of care for teenagers.
    6 Encouraging self-respect and individual motivation to control and manage their own lives
    rather than ceding control by social welfare department or filling time and an identity gap
    through criminal gang membership.
    7 Encouraging and also monitoring, fitness activities in the off-season times, so that people are
    work ready when the seasonal work starts, but in off-season carry on with positive life
    schedules including gym activity and sport, and any off-season occupation that is suitable.

    I think the above presents a reasonable case for the policy introduction.
    • Colonial Viper 12.1

      29 August 2011 at 2:54 pm

      I reckon you should email this to Damien O’Connor.
      • prism 12.1.1

        29 August 2011 at 6:40 pm

        @ColonialViper – Right.
        • Descendant Of Smith 12.1.1.1

          31 August 2011 at 9:01 pm

          Why would you condemn people to the misery of seasonal work – weather dependent, unable to have lengthy job security making it difficult to make long term commitments such as obtaining mortgages, uncertainty as to how much work their will be next season – if any for many, variability of need depending on whether crops dovetail or overlap, low pay.

          Surely we can be more ambitious than that.

          Flaxmere in Hawkes Bay is a prime example of community that is offered this work year after year – and they do it – and then they are left to rot the rest of the year.

          One employer makes a concerted effort to look after the workers from that community but even they can’t give many of them continuity of work.

          It’s a good example to look at because both the unemployed and the sole parents in that community do lots of seasonal work.
    • aerobubble 12.2

      29 August 2011 at 4:38 pm

      Many people drop by the wayside after injury in high end sports. Its naive to expose
      people to unnecessary risks to their long term health as some political gimmick to
      solve the jobs problem. We don’t need more people in the health system.
      People need to be engaged in work that plays to there own goals, not the goals
      of politicians. All government work schemes are dubious.
      Instead of create a false market in wearing out the young people in mindless
      physical exertion why not just remove the weight of business monopolies on
      the population so they can trade between themselves. Lower GST, raise
      a capital gains tax. Turn oney over faster in the economy, rather than
      slow it and funnel it to the top of the public and private heirarchy.
      People used to be able to afford to give the neighbors boy some money to
      mow the lawn, or run an errand, or wash a car, its because we have no money,
      or are in debt, or are paid a pittence, due to the economics of neo-liberals.
      Funnel the money to the wealthy just does not work.
      It won’t take long for the youth gang to work on a industrial site and
      they all come down with cancers and other nasties.
    • kriswgtn 12.3

      29 August 2011 at 7:05 pm

      theyre some good ideas ther Prism But then you get the problem of

      1- same work for same pay?? you can t pay someone less than someone for doin same work-

      2- an increase in wages for this work is long overdue

      I pickled apples and kiwifruit for 5 seasons back when I didnt have any qualifications and i couldnt get work

      The price of a bin paid to those who work for contract has hardly increased in 20 yrs
      • prism 12.3.1

        29 August 2011 at 9:42 pm

        @kriswgtn
        I have packed apples, never picked as I was too old and wouldn’t have been able to reach the required harvest amount. I have heard that it is hard – of course there are always stories of so and so who was creaming it, because he was so good and fast. The contract pay thing has to be scrutinised, there needs to be a floor wage with commission or something. Another difficult job is vine pruning where the demands for speed, I understand, lead to bad RSI in significant numbers of workers.

        Your reference to No.1 – Do you mean that having different levels of Teams would result in differing wages? It could be that the top Teams would get perks that wouldn’t be the same as any fringe benefits available to lower grade/ learner teams. And more skill resulting in more ‘productivity’ – that over-used word – should be rewarded with commission or bonuses.
13. the pink postman 13

    29 August 2011 at 1:50 pm

    I have just watched Saturdays Nation on tape. Good line up of three young upcoming Labour MP’s . Each one had a lot to offer and were interesting speakers.So what does Garner keep referring too. Goff’s leadership. Is Garner completly thick or is he told told keep harping on about Phil Goff’s leadership by his National Party friends? I for one am sick to death of the domination the Right has over our TV viewing. Holmes . Garner and Plunket are becoming the spokespeople for the Act/Nat party.
    • aerobubble 13.1

      29 August 2011 at 4:40 pm

      Its not so bad. Goff. Goff. Goff. Goff. Goff. Its call penetration the brand.
      Goff does not come across as a saleman like Key does, will people buy
      the soft sell or the hard? Trust your own brand.
14. felix 14

    29 August 2011 at 2:08 pm

    Ho ho, I was wondering where I’d heard all Pete George’s “new way of doing politics” schtick before.

    All that guff about how all the politicians should be able to agree on what’s in the best interest of everybody? And just get behind the biggest party and get it done without all the arguing and time-wasting?

    Just figured it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUCg7Oov88s
15. Bored 15

    29 August 2011 at 2:19 pm

    I was laughing very loudly when I read this one….it is an attempt to state a position in a fast changing world where price certainty and the ability to sell are diverging rapidly. Terry seems to think that he is about $33 million in front when his assets and liabilities are balanced. Now that the market knows that to be his stated position the buyers will be busy discounting their offers. More fantasy and commercial unreality as the Serepesos empire unfolds.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5523771/Terry-Serepisos-assets-sell-off-plan
    • vto 15.1

      29 August 2011 at 2:39 pm

      If that is the case then there is no doubt that he will come out the end under water. Poor fulla.
      • The Voice of Reason 15.1.1

        29 August 2011 at 4:29 pm

        He really should sell the Phoenix as a priority. Both to do the right thing by the club, but also to stop the media bugging him every five minutes about whether they are going to be dragged down with him. Then he can sell the rest of his empire for, say, $150 mil, enter bankruptcy and start again.
         
        The real sadness is that he is still apparently relying on $100 million turning up from the scam artist he’s already wasted money on. It’s the same sort of delusion that inspires people to send money to Nigeria or put it into the pokies.
16. thejackal 16

    29 August 2011 at 3:26 pm

    Grr! God damn government departments stone-walling me again… that kind of rubbish makes people pick up a sword so to speak, instead of a pen.
17. Lanthanide 17

    29 August 2011 at 3:56 pm

    John Key achully strikes again:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5527319/Key-against-scrapping-minimum-wage

    “I think the question then would be, how much would that take actually off the state then? Because people need a certain amount for subsistence living,”

    “Of course we want to get people in work, but what is equally important in that young group actually, I think, is getting them into training. 

    “It’s also addressing why they’re not in work. In some of the cases they’re not in work because their basic foundation skills, their literacy and numeracy, are so poor they actually can’t hold together a job. They actually basically can’t carry out that work.” 
    • felix 17.1

      29 August 2011 at 4:24 pm

      Key’s such a nice man compared to that mean old Brash.

      Never mind that he’s going to slash the minimum wage for young people. And never mind the downward pressure that puts on all low wages.

      Nah, just focus on how reasonable it all seems, relatively speaking. “John Nicey Key saves young workers from that evil old fuck” is the story, chaps.
18. William Joyce 18

    29 August 2011 at 5:28 pm

    He’s quoted as saying a National government couldn’t adopt conservative policies, because a socialist streak runs through all New Zealanders.
    “My basic point was that New Zealand is a very caring country. Some of the things we see take place in the rest of the world where there are overt signs of poverty and begging is not something we want to see in New Zealand. In that regard, New Zealanders do have a heart.” – Link

     
    The headline “Key says he has a socialist streak” should have been….
     
    Prime Minister admits that conservative policies have no heart
    • Anne 18.1

      29 August 2011 at 7:57 pm

      Mr Key said, from memory, it was in response to a conversation about some very right wing policies. – from link.

      That would be right. But remember George Bush was still in power so chances are he was talking to a Republican hack regardless of his fancy title – Charge d’Affairs if I remember correctly.

      Translated what he was really saying to him was:

      “Look, we want to introduce conservative policies like yours, but we gotta go slow and careful because our voting plonkers have got a socialist streak they’ve inherited from Labour, but don’t worry as soon as we get into power we’ll be working to change that.”
19. thejackal 19

    29 August 2011 at 11:37 pm

    NZ Breaches International Convention

    If the flagrant abuse of New Zealand’s Nuclear Free Legislation I blogged about yesterday wasn’t bad enough, it was also revealed by the Greens that the New Zealand Superannuation Fund Board of Trustees invested $2.5 million in five companies involved in the production of cluster bombs.

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