General Debate 31 March 2011

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Brian Harmer

Need coffee
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March 31, 2011 8:37am
East Wellington Superhero

Me too.
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March 31, 2011 8:41am
Rick Rowling

[Irony] Another election year, another year of well balanced political cartoons by Chris Slane in The Listener. [/Irony]
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March 31, 2011 8:46am
Manolo

Karl du Fresne on GWRC:

Greater Wellington Regional Council, which looks increasingly like a retirement home for former Labour MPs unable to wean themselves off the public teat, has been busy congratulating itself over the announcement of a multimillion-dollar urban rail upgrade.

All this must have come as a surprise to long-suffering rail commuters, who thought the upgrade was already nearing completion. Wasn’t that given as the reason for the constant delays on Wellington lines over the past year or so? And weren’t commuters repeatedly assured that the end was in sight?

But never mind, because Greater Wellington is getting on with the things that really matter. Its propaganda sheet tells us that the council’s partnership with the mana whenua iwi has been reinforced by the adoption of a Maori name: Te Pane Matua Taiao.

The name was developed by a group of Maori language experts – at what cost wasn’t revealed – and council chair Fran Wilde welcomed its gifting to the council as a taonga. This splendid news will no doubt help soothe the frayed tempers of all those commuters who just want to get to work on time.
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March 31, 2011 8:57am
Longknives

Holy Moly! You don’t mess with the Bulls- http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/africa/4830724/South-African-rugby-star-facing-axe-murder-charges
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March 31, 2011 9:02am
thedavincimode

The deal was sealed last night.

King will go before the election and be replaced by Cunners who will use his position to attack the Government on the economy; being the only front that they think they can make progress on. It was already agreed by the conclusion of the front benchers gab-fest in Dunedin and last night was the sign-off – perhaps by Little.

King was only a place-warmer anyway. Goff is on notice.

This is consistent with the all the carefully chosen words and the fact that nobody actually expressed support for the way he dealt with Haitaitainakednessgate. Its also consistent with the body language and comments, including by Cunners, from the post gab-fest media scrum. Not everypne is happy with this (I’m not referring the the pie-sniffer). Its also consistent with the fact that Cunners was Hulun’s preferred successor anyway – remember Goff’s little implosion when he was overseas. The chardonnay faithfull don’t want to bite the bullet before the election.

Cunners will then replace Goff after Goff’s inevitable election failure. His deputy will likely be a another place-warmer pending the outcome of the union/rainbow tussle and the performance of Little. That placemaker will likely be there for the 2014 election but no-one is committed to that yet. Goff will stand down before Xmas assuming the inevitable so as to give Cunners a clear start going into 2012.
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March 31, 2011 9:05am
Puzzled in Ekatahuna

Regarding the cost of the rebuilding of Christchurch, which is to give us a Zero Budget shortly, of figures projected at $ 30 billion, is $ 4,500,000,000 [4.5 billion] a Government GST windfall?

Should a more NZ orientated ETS be negotiated rather than the fucking dopey international shambles we currently have, with more stupid targets announced just minutes ago by Nick Smith?

Besides slashing Government departments to pay for it, are companies going to be checked that they paying full tax?

Is it correct that
“Fonterra reported a net profit of NZ$293 million or 21 cents per share for the first six months and is forecasting a distributable profit of NZ$550-690 million for the full year.
[…] Fonterra paid NZ$7 million tax on operating profits in the first half … an effective tax rate of 2.3%”

Is the pathetic situation of millions in unpaid fines going to be rectified, and how much will that return compared to pursuing students now overseas to repay loans
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March 31, 2011 9:08am
Grant Michael McKenna

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2011-03-30-former-rugby-player-arrested-for-axe-killings/
No idea whether the men he killed did rape his daughter or not. Under South African law police are not permitted to name a suspect in a crime until they have appeared in court, and they might withhold the name in order to protect the dignity of his daughter.
I was rather amused by the comment made by one Marius de Kock: “Typical Blue Bull… can’t/won’t run 100m faster than a member of the public he wants to kill…”
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March 31, 2011 9:09am
hj

The Head Witch Doctor is pissed off:

Garrett decided to garnish one of his contributions to Kiwiblog with a little historical allusion:

Delahunty is an reconstructed communist of the worst kind, and Clendon is one of those clowns who wishes they had 50% instead of 5% Maori blood…as an aside, when mad Delahunty sprinkes her speeches with te reo, Hone [Harawira] could hardly conceal the contempt and derision on his face…he quite clearly regards the Greens as the same kind of useful idiots Lenin thought trade unionists were….
http://readingthemaps.blogspot.com/2011/03/garrett-flunks-history-again.html

So if Lenin didn’t call trade unionists “useful idiots” another quote or situation is needed to demonstrate Hones alleged contempt for the demented Delahunty?
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March 31, 2011 9:21am
Longknives

Isn’t this the second Bulls player facing murder charges within a year? Yikes- that makes even the Hurricanes off-field indiscretions seem pretty insignificant!
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March 31, 2011 9:24am
hj

I think this describes the Green Party Maori Nationalism supporters rather well:
😉
“In political jargon, the term useful idiot was used to describe Soviet sympathizers in Western countries. The implication is that though the person in question naïvely thinks themselves an ally of the Soviets or other ideologies, they are actually held in contempt by them, and were being cynically used. The term is now used more broadly to describe someone who is perceived to be manipulated by a political movement, terrorist group, hostile government, or business, whether or not the group is Communist in nature.”
Modern usage

“Useful idiot” is often used as a pejorative term for those who are seen to unwittingly support a malign cause through their ‘naive’ attempts to be a force for good. For example, the term has been used by some commentators to describe people the commentators believe are effectively supporting Islamic terrorism, often by favouring an approach based on appeasement. For example, Anthony Browne wrote in the United Kingdom newspaper, The Times:[3]
“ Elements within the British establishment were notoriously sympathetic to Hitler. Today the Islamists enjoy similar support. In the 1930s it was Edward VIII, aristocrats and the Daily Mail; this time it is left-wing activists, The Guardian and sections of the BBC. They may not want a global theocracy, but they are like the West’s apologists for the Soviet Union — useful idiots. ”

A 2010 BBC radio documentary lists among useful idiots of Stalin several prominent British writers including H. G. Wells and Doris Lessing, the Irish writer George Bernard Shaw, and the American journalist Walter Duranty and the singer Paul Robeson.[4]

On the October 29, 2010 episode of his show Real Time, Bill Maher characterized the Tea Party protesters as “corporate America’s useful idiots.”[5]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Useful_idiot
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March 31, 2011 9:34am
mawm

No idea whether the men he killed did rape his daughter or not.

Given the quality of policing it would have been very unlikely that these thugs would have had a chance to defend themselves in court. Even those who get to court, like the current President, aren’t convicted because of political interference.

There is no indication of the age of his daughter but the number of children, some even younger than 1 year old, being raped is mind boggling. A woman or child is raped every 26min in SA. That’s a lot of raping. In some areas the incidence of HIV/AIDS of sexually active people exceeds 40%. If you are a woman in South Africa your odds of being raped – and getting infected with HIV, is very high.

The biggest shame is that there is no political will to fight this epidemic and the indolent police force are not interested. A perfect recipe for taking the law into your own hands.
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March 31, 2011 9:39am
Mr Magister

I’m sure many fathers would do the same.

By the by, wouldn’t this be a very good example of where a (partial) defence of provocation would be applicable? Just as well we don’t have lawmaking by knee-jerk reaction —– oh…
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March 31, 2011 10:33am
david

Re Darren Hughes non-resignation, has anyone considered that until he drops the letter on Locky’s desk he can fly anywhere and stay anywhere on the taxpayer’s dime without question?

He might … just might … be taking a bite from the big apple where has has a known supporter with some influence and a spare bedroom.

Of course until he goes, he is officially still an MP and gets all the privileges that go along with that. Air dollars anyone?
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March 31, 2011 10:48am
big bruv

I applaud the actions of the South African father/rugby player.

I am sure that most fathers would want to react the same way given the horrific nature of the attack on his daughter by those sub human savages.
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March 31, 2011 11:12am
RightNow

I’d expect the police have told Hughes not to leave the country.
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March 31, 2011 11:24am
Bryla

It’s completely, totally, 110% SAFE. However I think that for purposes of clarity we need to establish some new nomenclature.

From now on nuclear contamination and poisoning will become “nuclear enhancement”. Nuclear melt-down will become “nuclear problem resolution”. Nuclear catastrophe will become “example of nuclear safety”.

In Japan today, a prime example of nuclear safety is the resolution of all problems at Fukishima power plant, leading to nuclear enhancement of the entire country as well as the Asia Pacific region.

After such a result, who now can argue about the complete and total SAFETY of nuclear power?
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March 31, 2011 11:48am
wreck1080

mongrel mob funeral….

http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/local/news/coffin-on-ute-upsets-city-shoppers/3946514/

Strange, brave photographer, lucky they didn’t get their beans smashed.
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March 31, 2011 11:58am
David Garrett

While Hughes may not be able to leave the country (very unlikely since he hasnt been charged with anything) it is certainly correct that until the Speaker receives his resignation he is entitled to travel and stay anywhere in the country on the taxpayer’s dollar. I wonder why the MSM have not highlighted this unexplained delay between Goff (not Hughes himself) announcing Hughes would resign and the said resignation actually occuring?
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March 31, 2011 12:07pm
Viking2

Timing is everything David.
As you say not charged, may be cleared in the interim so may chose to stay. Now that could piss a lot of self righteous people off but like Tizard it would be his choice. He could become Independent no. 2. and join Chris the travel bug.
No one yet has mooted that possibility although Hughes apparently has said he will resign by next Tuesday. BUT, is it from the Labour Party or Parliamanent?
After all he has a lot of super and stuff to collect.

Fun to watch.
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March 31, 2011 12:34pm
Manolo

Rats abandoning ship.

Libyan foreign minister Moussa Koussa flees to UK

Libya’s foreign minister Moussa Koussa, one of Col Gaddafi’s closest aides, has arrived in London and told officials he is quitting, the Foreign Office says. It said Mr Koussa had indicated he was no longer willing to represent the Libyan leader’s regime internationally.

The FCO added it wanted to “encourage those around Gaddafi to abandon him and embrace a better future for Libya”.
A Libyan government spokesman earlier insisted Mr Koussa had been travelling abroad on a diplomatic mission.
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March 31, 2011 1:02pm
kowtow

The rape epidemic and in this case the subsequent chop chop simply epitomises the depths of depravity and lawlessness that post apartheid South Africa has been brought to.

And the Living Godman Nelson Mandela and the hoods and thugs of the ANC will not make it better.But the lefty academics, churchmen,celebrities , media stars and general do-gooders couldn’t give a shit for the raped and murdered of South Africa as that boogy man ,the horrible right wing colonialist has been dethroned and the natives are back where they belong!
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March 31, 2011 1:46pm
The only red for me is that of Manchester United

I have a nagging suspicion that the issue of the price of milk will get used by Labour as an election issue. Milk out of the price range for struggling families etc. Very much like how “corngate” became an issue when it really wasn’t.
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March 31, 2011 1:59pm
RightNow

“the price of milk will get used by Labour as an election issue”

One party’s campaign issue is another party’s dream. In this case it’s the Green’s dream.
People just need to become vegans, and stop spending on those over-priced dairy and meat products.
Just like they need to stop driving cars and using electricity.
Then people like me can have first choice of meats at the butcher, and drive on the open road without being blocked in by cars the size of piggy banks that never seem to break 80kmh
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March 31, 2011 2:14pm
wreck1080

Just saw the sentence handed down to the Matamata horse breeder who killed his wife.

You can only assume from the light sentence that the wife must have been partially at fault .
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March 31, 2011 3:07pm
Viking2

Why the Balck Caps Lost.

Model vows naked strip if India win World Cup
Last updated 14:58 31/03/2011

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/4832853/Model-vows-naked-strip-if-India-win-World-Cup

No woner the Indians always win. Finding needs changing for the BC.
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March 31, 2011 3:23pm
cha

You can only assume from the light sentence that the wife must have been partially at fault

Hell yeah, the woman wanted out of an abusive marriage but of course it’s partially her fault that a murderous arsehole blew a hole in her. Twatcock.
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March 31, 2011 3:45pm
dime

Hope he gets off!!!

from the SMH.

A former top South African rugby player has allegedly hacked three people to death in a revenge attack after his daughter was reportedly gang-raped and infected with HIV.

The 34-year-old, who reportedly played for the Blue Bulls but has not been named, is due to appear in court today (AEDT) in Durban on three murder charges and one of attempted murder.

The three people were reportedly butchered with an axe last week. One person was decapitated and the head found in a dustbin nearly two kilometres away.
Advertisement: Story continues below

It is alleged the man stalked his victims for several days.

A man reported to have escaped from being killed said his attacker said he was avenging the rape of his daughter.

Lamontville resident Khangelani Mdluli, 27, said the man had also said “you infected my daughter with HIV”.
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March 31, 2011 4:04pm
wreck1080

@cha, please explain the light sentence then. Any normal person would interpret the light sentence by assuming there must have been a degree of provocation. I just can’t understand this.

If not, he should have at least gotten close to 20 years (under NZ law at least, but in my opinion he deserves the death penalty). This ‘man’ is a monster up with the worst of them.

Sentencing laws in this country are an utter joke.
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March 31, 2011 4:10pm
Manolo

An obvious contradiction from the anti-American president.

Shh! Obama gets anti-secrecy award

President Obama finally and quietly accepted his “transparency” award from the open government community this week — in a closed, undisclosed meeting at the White House on Monday.

The secret presentation happened almost two weeks after the White House inexplicably postponed the ceremony, which was expected to be open to the press pool.

http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0311/not_a_secret_anymore_a00ccd98-0d9e-4822-8936-168f3a51b959.html
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March 31, 2011 4:22pm
starboard

“Sentencing laws in this country are an utter joke”

..coulda told ya that..what do you expect in Nil Ziland , land of wet the bus ticket.

…cue Rex W and Pete G.
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March 31, 2011 4:44pm
Longknives

Viking thanks greatly for posting that link- I love how they use that nothing article to post that photo of the camera chasing Paraguayan model again! Enjoyed it immensely!
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March 31, 2011 4:51pm
reid

Goff will stand down before Xmas assuming the inevitable so as to give Cunners a clear start going into 2012.

dvm, not a bad theory at all, overall. Not sure that Silent-T was Hulun’s choice, although given he actually is (a Silent-T), then maybe actually he was, come to think of it. Perhaps she thinks he’s kind of in a weak sense the male equivalent of her. Hulun Lite.

BTW, you forgot to say that when Goff does stand down, he’ll be blaming everyone else but himself for the whole sorry saga that was his leadership from start to finish.

This man never accepts responsibility not publicly and I’ll bet eleventy gajillion bucks, not in private, either. He has never been fit to be a politician, and yet, apparently he’s the best Liarbore has. That says quite a bit, doesn’t it.
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March 31, 2011 7:03pm
Viking2

You are welcome longknives. but I had to wonder if you got to answer her phone or even get to push her buttons?
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March 31, 2011 7:09pm
hj

[Censored Frogblog – Green Party]
Frog attempts to justify parties most extreme position on foreshore and seabed:

I was saddened to receive this open letter from Mike Stevens. Mike is Ngāi Tahu and his family go muttonbirding each year on the Tītī islands in Foveaux Strait. They are the only hapū who still preserve the birds they catch in traditional kelp bags (pōhā). As you can see from the story below, the source of kelp for these bags is now threatened by pollution. They may not take any birds off the island in pōhā this year, for the first time ever.
http://blog.greens.org.nz/2011/03/31/pollution-threatens-maori-tradition/#comments

As if Pakeha haven’t seen mussells disappear and fish numbers dwindle and sedimentation in the local harbour. We don’t interpret it racially as the the Greens do (however).

Michael Stevens | November 15, 2010 at 10:41 pm | Reply

The problem is not as simple as you would have it Memory. Many of the marine resources being damaged by effluent (e.g. bull-kelp) are generally only valued by Maori kin-groups :roll:. And, as a minority people, Maori concerns are mostly ignored. This is especially true when doing otherwise would greatly inconvenience the settler power-culture. Put differently, damage is being done, but mostly to Maori property-rights, which have always been treated as expendable. I think that is the key point to this topic, and not, as you hint at, the supposed irrational aesthetics of Maori.
http://biodiversityvoice.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/topic8/
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March 31, 2011 7:25pm
reid

Put differently, damage is being done, but mostly to Maori property-rights, which have always been treated as expendable.

Crikey hj, Michael doesn’t seem to have ever heard of the Waitangi Tribunal.

How peculiar. It’s quite a big thing to miss, isn’t it.

I wonder if Michael is a pol studies student? He certainly acts like one.
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March 31, 2011 7:47pm
reid

BTW, I think Fallow serves a good purpose by bringing to public attention the potential consessions of the TPP.

Of course I’m not saying they’ve happened yet – duh – it’s just a negotiating position, but still.

See, big pharma hate Pharmac and they are also the ones who tried to get homeopathic medicines banned under Liarbore and well done King for not folding on that. That’s the sort of bullshit they play, and fuck that.

Why the fuck should we pay Glaxo-Kline $60 for a tablet when under Pharmac we pay $5?

Why?

Yet that’s what it’s asking, and lots, lots more. So they’ll drop the “lots more” gradually and we’ll be left with that stark reality, possibly. Who knows, but it’s possible.

I don’t quite understand why we’re so keen to make a deal with the States. They’re a shell of what they were even ten years ago, another ten doesn’t bear thinking about. They are waning and there is no recovery in sight. What could they possibly do, to reverse the current trends. Even when they go back to the gold standard, which they will, to try and keep the USD or whatever they call it as the reserve, even a gold-backed USD is not what it used to be because a reserve currency has to be backed up by empire and the US doesn’t have it and can’t get it without exporting which it can’t because it’s off-shored almost it’s entire manufacturing base.

Anyway it’s interesting seeing the Empire-swap happen before our eyes.

I was a bit disappointed in the Libya thread last night to see no-one made the obvious observation that Gaddaffi’s approaches to Chinese and Iranian interests was and is the reason why the US/UK are in there. It’s a quite obvious geopolitical spoiling action, to prevent Libya and many other regional states going toward Russia, China, Iran or any combination. Fucking obvious, really. The US/UK 50-year hegemony in the region is under threat, so they’re getting rid of anyone who’s making overtures to the other side.
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March 31, 2011 8:07pm
Viking2

What happens when you use the wrong measuring stick. You get the wrong answer.
Is this the problem in NZ?

I have always thought so.

GDP no real guide to wealth or welfare

* Adam Creighton
* From: The Australian
* March 31, 2011 5:31PM

AFTER the tsunami slammed the Japanese coast, economists rushed to update their forecasts for Japan’s GDP. A major investment bank cut its 2011 growth rate from 1.5 per cent to 1.4 per cent, but ratcheted up its 2012 forecast from 2.1 per cent to 2.5 per cent.

If that forecast turns out to be correct, by 2012 Japan’s economy will be bigger than it would have been without the disaster. Sure, the tsunami would retard factory output in the short-term owing to power shortages and crippled infrastructure, but vast rebuilding efforts would stimulate demand for machines and workers, wrenching Japan from its economic slump.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/gdp-no-real-guide-to-wealth-or-welfare/story-e6frg9if-1226031525990
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March 31, 2011 8:43pm
reid

vast rebuilding efforts would stimulate demand for machines and workers, wrenching Japan from its economic slump

Very good point V2

I’m quite looking forward to seeing how we rebuild ChCh and what it does to the economy here.

It’s given a really significant opportunity to fundamentally reshape and refocus the public sector as well, because of it. Personally I’m not full of confidence Key or his cabinet will properly handle it and maximise the long-term benefits inherent within this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, based on their collective performances before all this stuff started to happen.

Under Hulun I don’t know about you but I found it rather like living in dreary cold Communist Eastern Europe in the 50’s, but under Key, it’s like it was with Lange. Quite a lot of interesting stuff happening.
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March 31, 2011 9:11pm
Robboy

@wreck1080: “@cha, please explain the light sentence then”

He’s white and has $40 million in the bank.
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March 31, 2011 9:22pm
thedavincimode

Reid

This is not a theory. Its going down.

[Cue spooky music]
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March 31, 2011 9:26pm
reid

tdvm, I just worked it out.

Silent-T is Hulun’s secret Mini-me.

Crikey.

This could turn out badly.
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March 31, 2011 9:28pm
bhudson

reid,

Grant is “mini me”. Cunnliffe is only the aging and distrusted regent
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March 31, 2011 9:40pm
Hurf Durf

Ginger eco-socialist nutjob: stalling the NZ economy by a half isn’t “ambitious enough.”

I’m still waiting for the Greenpeace-loving media to make the connection of the ETS and rising power bills. I doubt they ever will, though. It disrupts the narrative.
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March 31, 2011 9:44pm
Robboy

Earthquake with 181 lives lost = “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” with “long-term benefit”. Sick.
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March 31, 2011 9:47pm
thedavincimode

Reid

No. She doesn’t have a mini-me. She thinks more strategically than that. Its all about the movement and control. She simply thinks Cunners is the means to wrestle back control and I expect that she would have favoured him originally because she figured he was the best chance out of that sorry-arsed bunch to bridge the divide and keep Labour in the mix.

But Cunners is too obsessed with his own sense of self-importance to realise that in the longer term he is just a placemaker too. But for now, such as he is, he’s the best thing they have going because the economy is their only hope and he’ll be used accordingly (I’m not suggesting he is competent in that area because he has never offered an alternative – just criticised). I think the Hughes thing (and this is speculation) has thrown a wobbly into the mix because they had high hopes for him – he was on the fast track. So for now, the strategy is just consolidate and stay in the frame. Cunners achieves that and there is still has the prospect that it was seeing Full Moon in her nightie that send the young fella off down the road. Meaning that Hughes might come back in time.
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March 31, 2011 9:59pm
reid

Thanks for clarifying, bhudson. The tentacles run deep, don’t they.
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March 31, 2011 10:11pm
reid

Earthquake with 181 lives lost = “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” with “long-term benefit”. Sick.

Crikey Robboy talk about miss the point. Care to explain precisely how you draw that conclusion from what I said?
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March 31, 2011 10:12pm
reid

I think the Hughes thing (and this is speculation) has thrown a wobbly into the mix because they had high hopes for him – he was on the fast track.

It’s very sad isn’t it tdvm.

Poor Liarbore. Whatever will become of them.

Chortle.
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March 31, 2011 10:16pm
reid

Robboy about to retire so let me say this.

Don’t allege what you alleged about me about anyone, ever again, you gutless fuck.

IF you have the inhuman arrogance to suggest you know me well enough to allege I was thinking what you suggested I was thinking, who the fuck do you think you are.

Words have power Robboy. Words have power. Don’t ever forget it. Use them always wisely, never emotively.

I phrased the above to get your attention, my penultimate line, is the point.
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March 31, 2011 11:40pm
publicwatchdog

Missed this one folks?

30 March 2011 – NZ Court of Appeal rules against kiwisfirst publisher Vince Siemer, (who was debarred from defending himself in Court), in record $920,000 defamation case.

How does ‘Justice’ work in ‘clean, green New Zealand’ – perceived to be ‘the least corrupt country in the world’ (along with Singapore and Denmark,according to the 2010 Transparency International ‘Corruption Perception Index’)?

Justice Hammond ruled in yesterday’s record $920,000 Court of Appeal ruling against kiwisfirst publisher Vince Siemer, yet Vince Siemer was debarred from defending himself in court, at the actual defamation hearing.

How bad is THAT?

errr… isn’t it ‘Basic Justice 101′ that there are always (at least) TWO sides to the story – and BOTH sides should be heard in Court?

IF YOU DON’T KNOW YOUR RIGHTS – YOU DON’T HAVE ANY!

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1990/0109/latest/DLM225527.html?search=ts_act_New+Zealand+bill+of+rights+Act+1990_resel&p=1#DLM225527
New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 No 109 (as at 03 September 2007), Public Act

25 Minimum standards of criminal procedure

Everyone who is charged with an offence has, in relation to the determination of the charge, the following minimum rights:

(a) The right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial court:

(c) The right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law:

(e) The right to be present at the trial and to present a defence:

(f) The right to examine the witnesses for the prosecution and to obtain the attendance and examination of witnesses for the defence under the same conditions as the prosecution:

How come in New Zealand – Judges can just ‘make it up’?

How come in New Zealand – Judges can exercise ‘judicial discretion’ and make decisions which are NOT based on the ‘RULE OF LAW’?

Vince Siemer has been jailed three times, although he has never broken any law.

I have witnessed for myself, in my view, the obvious bias and open hostility shown to Vince Siemer by Judges, (particularly High Court Judge Judith Potter), and Judges refusing to record court proceedings.

I regard Vince Siemer as a fellow ‘Public Watchdog’ on judicial matters.

Vince Siemer’s website http://www.kiwisfirst.co.nz is, in my considered opinion, the leading source of information exposing the lack of transparency and arguably corrupt practices within the NZ judicial system.

Have a look for yourself and see why they want to close Vince Siemer down.

Isn’t it high time for some accountability for New Zealand Judges?

Time for an enforceable ‘Code of Conduct’ for all New Zealand Judges?

Time for a ‘Pecuniary Register of Interest’ for all New Zealand Judges?

Time for ALL Court proceedings to be recorded?

How come in New Zealand – ‘perceived’ to be the ‘least corrupt country in the world’ – we don’t already have this basic framework in place, which would help to ensure genuine transparency and accountability in our judicial system?

Check out for yourself, ‘The Bangalore Principles for Judicial Conduct’, (a model enforceable ‘Code of Conduct’ written by Judges – for Judges), and ask yourself why our NZ Judges are exempt from such accountability.

Penny Bright
Public Watchdog 🙂
Anti-corruption campaigner
http://waterpressure.wordpress.com
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March 31, 2011 11:45pm
publicwatchdog

Don’t tell me that the goldfish all agree with the above – but can’t quite bring themselves to say so? 🙂
Or maybe just all asleep in the goldfish bowl?

🙂

Penny
http://waterpressure.wordpress.com
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April 1, 2011 12:14am
RightNow

mmm, nutbar
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April 1, 2011 12:21am
thedavincimode

Who is this Penny? What are her qualifications?
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April 1, 2011 6:37am
publicwatchdog

“# thedavincimode (1,438) Says:
April 1st, 2011 at 6:37 am

Who is this Penny? What are her qualifications?”

It’s not hard to find out – just check out this blog. 🙂

Check out http://www.kiwisfirst.co.nz while you’re at it – and see for yourself why they want to shut Vince Siemer down?

http://waterpressure.wordpress.com

Penny Bright
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April 1, 2011 7:34am
Bobbie black

“Justice Hammond ruled in yesterday’s record $920,000 Court of Appeal ruling against kiwisfirst publisher Vince Siemer, yet Vince Siemer was debarred from defending himself in court, at the actual defamation hearing.”

That is unusual, what was the reasoning?

“Vince Siemer has been jailed three times, although he has never broken any law.”

You mean remanded in custody pending trial?
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April 1, 2011 7:41am
Nookin

bb
No. He was ordered to remove defamatory comments on a web-site but decided that obeying court orders was optional. He has been imprisoned for contempt of court.
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April 1, 2011 8:41am
thedavincimode

Siemer is a nutter who thinks that Stiassney screwed him over. Unfortunately for Siemer, he’s the only person to think that and his tilting via the judicial process reminds me of the scene in ‘Those Daring Young Men in Their Flying Machines’ when the yank and the mad kraut duel it out in balloons over the oxidation pond.

Siemer represents the kraut in this metaphor. The courts pricked Siemer’s balloon and he too wound up landing in the shit. The fact that Mrs Dim thinks he’s god’s gift says it all.
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April 1, 2011 8:51am
Bobbie black

Thanks Nookin, so Penny, he did break laws, contempt of court being one of the most fundamental laws for the proper functioning of any legal system in any country.

Whether he thought he was morally correct, he still broke the laws of the country.
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April 1, 2011 8:58am
publicwatchdog

Which LAW did Vince Siemer break?

Suggest you exercise some independence of mind, assume nothing, and double check the FACTS and EVIDENCE upon which ‘Nookin’ and ‘thedavincimode’ are relying, for their arguably uninformed opinion.

Have you looked at http://www.kiwisfirst.co.nz for yourselves?

Please note that Vince Siemer played a key role in helping to expose the Judge Wilson scandal.

Was he wrong on that point?

Or do you think that it’s ok that a Judge should not recuse themselves when their ‘business partner’ appears before them as counsel for one of the parties?

How is that exercising ‘judicial independence’, if a Judge is NOT independent from one of the parties appearing before him/her?

Or do you think that it is acceptable the NZ Judges should effectively be beyond the law, and ‘regulate themselves’ according
to voluntary and unenforceable judicial ‘guidelines?

Do you agree that the principles of transparency and accountability should apply to the NZ judiciary?

Do you agree that ALL court proceedings should be recorded?

(How can justice be done or be seen to be done when there is no record in court of WHAT was done?

Do you agree that Judges – (like MPs) should have enforceable ‘Codes of Conduct’?

Do you agree that Judges, (like MPs) should have a ‘Register of Pecuniary Interests’?

If you don’t agree – why not?

Shall we try having an intelligent debate/ discussion ON THESE ISSUES?

I know for some of you arguably intellectually lazy folk it may be a little bit much like hard work to check out the facts and think for yourselves – but just try having a go!

(You may end up actually enjoying it 🙂

Penny Bright
Public Watchdog
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
http://waterpressure.wordpress.com
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April 1, 2011 1:38pm
thedavincimode

I’m sorry. Was there some “evidence” that Siemer neglected to supply in his case against Stiassney that would have won the day for him?
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April 1, 2011 1:46pm
publicwatchdog

# thedavincimode (1,444) Says:
April 1st, 2011 at 1:46 pm

I’m sorry. Was there some “evidence” that Siemer neglected to supply in his case against Stiassney that would have won the day for him?”

Vince Siemer was debarred from defending himself in the defamation hearing, so his ‘side of the story’ was simply not put before the Judge.

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1990/0109/latest/DLM225527.html?search=ts_act_New+Zealand+bill+of+rights+Act+1990_resel&p=1#DLM225527

New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 No 109 (as at 03 September 2007), Public Act

25 Minimum standards of criminal procedure
Everyone who is charged with an offence has, in relation to the determination of the charge, the following minimum rights:

(a) The right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial court:

(c) The right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law:

(e) The right to be present at the trial and to present a defence:

(f) The right to examine the witnesses for the prosecution and to obtain the attendance and examination of witnesses for the defence under the same conditions as the prosecution:

Judge Cooper then effectively fabricated evidence, by taking unrelated parts of different articles written by Vince Siemer, and ‘mixed and matched’ them, in order to create the impression that Vince Siemer was ‘racist’ against Jewish people.

Check it out for yourself – http://www.kiwisfirst.co.nz

Yes – all happening here, in ‘clean, green NZ’ – ‘perceived’ the least corrupt country in the world.

Damn shame about the ‘reality’.

Penny Bright
Public Watchdog
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
http://waterpressure.wordpress.com
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April 1, 2011 2:59pm
Rodders

(oops. deleted. wrong thread)
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April 1, 2011 3:04pm
thedavincimode

Sounds like the law is operating perfectly adequately. Why was he “debarred” from representing himself then?
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April 1, 2011 3:29pm

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