General Debate 5 June 2012

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Peter

When will we reach Peak Greenist?
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June 5, 2012 8:01am
philu

2017..?

phillip ure@whoar.co.nz
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June 5, 2012 8:06am
hj

BNZ Economist Tony Alexander disagrees with Savings Working Group re effect of immigration on house prices. [doesn’t address infrastructure issues]:
The Savings Working Group two weeks ago released their report on New Zealand’s
savings problem warning that we stand on the edge of an abyss. That terminology is
somewhat sensationalist and hopefully hasn’t panicked anyone into leaving the country in
case we go the same way as Greece and Ireland. Actually we already did that back in the
1980s when the economy had to be deregulated to face a changed world and the
government had to get its finances back in order after years of ballooning deficits.
One of the claims made in the Savings report is that migrants push up house prices and
therefore maybe if some controls were placed on immigration prices would not be so high
and we Kiwis would save through bank accounts and such like rather than buying each
other’s houses. They report cites a particular study showing that about a 1% of
population boost in immigration lifts house prices about 10%.
However there is another study of migration and housing which finds that looked at from
a local as opposed to national level one cannot find evidence of more than about a 0.2%
– 0.5% lift in house prices. This study also suggests that maybe it is not the migrants
(foreigners) affecting house prices if such an effect exists, but returning Kiwis – which is
what we will examine here.
http://tonyalexander.co.nz/regular-publications/newspaper-column/impact-of-migration-flows-on-nz-house-price-inflation/
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June 5, 2012 8:08am
Pete George

Join the cross-party cross-media campaign to push for addressing our Super issues. We need action this term, it can’t wait until 2015 – or 2018.

Summary and bloggers: ADASS
Facebook: FADASS
Twitter: @TADASS1
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June 5, 2012 8:08am
mister nui

Labour and the melons continue to cry about the migration of Kiwi’s to Australia, yet neither will allow us to explore and exploit our resources – the money and jobs in Oz are there because of their resources. Look at what these contemptuous assholes are depriving low paid Kiwis of;

WORKING in Australia’s booming mining and resources sectors is becoming even more lucrative after a survey has revealed employees in the sector can expect the highest salary increase of all industries this year.

Recruiting group Hays’ latest salary guide was based on 1500 employers, revealing recruiting trends across Australia and New Zealand.

The survey revealed 55% of mining and resources employers increased salaries in 2011 between 3% and 6%, with a further 20% being extra generous allocating a wage increase of more than 6%.

However 19% of employers gave increases below 3%, while the final 6% gave no pay increases.

The increases are above the average for all industries, where 46% of employers increased salaries last year between 3% and 6%.

Looking ahead, 55% of mining and resources employers say they plan to up salaries between 3% and 6% when they next review, while a further 15% will make an increase above 6%.

Again this is above the average for all industries, where the general consensus is to give a pay rise between 3% and 6%.

Hays resources and mining senior regional director Simon Winfield said recruitment in the mining and resources sector was full of activity right now.

“To say the booming resources and mining sector is the highlight of Australia’s recruitment market is an understatement,” he said.

“Of course the greatest salary increases have been seen in Western Australia, most notably for mine managers, certain areas of occupational health and safety, geologists, engineers and in maintenance and production.

“But even in Western Australia this is not a universal trend and some companies are relying on the quality of their benefits, rosters, camp accommodation or project strength to attract and retain staff.”

Winfield said problems like the skills shortage could prove a boon for workers because employers were placing more emphasis on retaining staff.

“Retention is an increasingly important priority and benefits are rising as a result,” Winfield said.

“They include health insurance, novated car leases, share options, income protection, flexible super contributions, long service leave and even time rosters.”

Moving over to the eastern states, Winfield said the gap was closing between Queensland and Western Australia and there was a notable salary trend taking place in New South Wales.

Employers in NSW were also using the residential lifestyle to attract possible candidates.

In South Australia, Hays noted companies were increasing salaries but remained reluctant to compete with other mining states by matching salaries.

For some, the results of the survey may not be surprising, considering Australia is in the grips of a thriving resources boom but at the same time experiencing a critical skills shortage which is making specialist roles such as engineers and skilled trades incredibly difficult to find.

“New major projects as well as expansions and of course the ongoing skills shortage is fuelling a very active and fierce race for the top talent,” Winfield said.

The survey found employers were acting quickly to reduce the impact of the skills shortage, with many companies turning to contract staff, interstate candidates or sponsorship to fill the skills gap.

“[Employers] are becoming more flexible in terms of experience and will provide training to get a candidate to the required level,” Winfield said.

“At the trades level they will recruit candidates with heavy industrial experience and there has been an increase in graduate vacancies and apprenticeships.”

With the skills shortage in full swing and with the resources boom taking place in parallel, a phrase has been coined to describe the unique talent needed.

Dubbed “orange collar”, the term is derived from the fluorescent orange, high-visibility uniform commonly worn by employees in the industry.

According to Hays, orange collar workers are identified by their highly technical and specialist skills.

“They are likely to work in remote locations and are typified by their level of relevant training, adherence to compliance and long-term commitment to a project,” Winfield said.

“The sheer number of mining projects in Australia will see employers continue to compete for orange collar candidates over the year ahead.”

Download the Hays Salary survey and see the money being paid for yourself.
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June 5, 2012 8:10am
hj

One reason NZ First does badly in polls is that the pollsters use a lot of people with strong foreign accents. The other reason is that people probably don’t see NZ First as a credible governing party (or the Greens for that matter) but as a brake on competition for land from foreign sources.
Thankyou
and Yours sincerely..!
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June 5, 2012 8:16am
kowtow

At least the brave ,oppressed Chinese who occupied Tian An Men Square had something to protest about. Unlike the bums and entitled ones who recently littered our public places, ably assisted by an adoring and uncritical MSM.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/blog/asia/chinese-silence-tiananmen-under-scrutiny
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June 5, 2012 8:23am
Scott Chris

Vatican attempts to stamp out internal dissent

The Vatican has sharply criticised a book written by a US nun and theologian on sexual ethics.

The Holy See’s orthodoxy office said the 2005 book, Just Love, by Sister Margaret Farley posed “grave harm” to the faithful.

It said her ideas on masturbation, homosexual acts, homosexual unions and remarriage were in “direct contradiction” with Catholic teaching.

Sister Farley said her ideas were coherent with theological tradition.
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June 5, 2012 8:32am
Advocatus Diaboli

John Key had made a mockery of our honours list by giving a non New Zealander (Prince Philip) our highest honour which should only be given to 20 living New Zealanders.
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June 5, 2012 8:33am
hj

UN (IPCC) overestimate recoverable fossil fuels.

“The UN is one of the most powerful organizations in the world influencing international policy – the IPCC, the Population Council, the FAO – their work informs how governments and NGOs address a host of issues from women’s rights to civil conflict, from water resources to world hunger. Historically the UN has been a leader in study and inclusion of factors often ignored or understated by individual governments – they have taken the lead on climate change, warned of the coming water conflicts, etc. and led the way in a host of areas.

Unfortunately, the UN has not been a leader on Peak Oil or energy depletion. Consider the IPCC’s assumptions about available fossil fuels in the ground – UN analysis completely ignores the emergence of geological limits. While many people have attempted to correct this, and some members of the IPCC and many of the climate change community have recognized that the geological limits that we face on oil and other fossil fuels are highly relevant, at this point, the IPCC is still using inaccurate figures. Kjell Aleklett and James Hanson have worked together on this – and shown that the IPCC’s assumptions are cornucopian.
http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2012-06-04/commentary-why-doesn%E2%80%99t-un-take-peak-oil-account
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June 5, 2012 8:33am
Monique Watson

Pete I like what you’ve done with Badass and Madass et al. I was recently musing on why the hell I bother blogging sometimes and I realize it is a deep-rooted belief that we persistent voices on the interweb will have an effect on NZ politics.
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June 5, 2012 8:34am
bhudson

hj,

However there is another study of migration and housing which finds that looked at from
a local as opposed to national level one cannot find evidence of more than about a 0.2%
– 0.5% lift in house prices. This study also suggests that maybe it is not the migrants
(foreigners) affecting house prices if such an effect exists, but returning Kiwis…

From the same Tony Alexander piece you selectively quoted from.
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June 5, 2012 8:35am
philu

(todays’ best-of..)

“…Homeless and Overweight: – Obesity Is the New Malnutrition…”
a
“…The Cardboard Internet and Other Curios by Bartek Elsner | Wired Design | Wired.com

“…Inhale – President Obama…”

“…A CIA spook spills his secrets…”

“…The Secret Life of Transgender Rocker Tom Gabel…”

“…5 Facts About the Massachusetts Economy Under Mitt Romney…”

“…How a Bunch of Corporate-Backed Buffoons Took Over U.S. Climate Policy…”

“…The Amazon Empire: How the Online Colossus Snuffed Out Competitors and Their Next Battle for Publishing…”

“..No Religion? – 7 Types of Non-Believers…”

“…How the Corporate Media Obscure the Truth About Mitt Romney’s ‘Vulture Capitalism’ at Bain…”

“…The rise of the Right: Why liberals cannot afford to lose…”

“…11 Surprising Foods You Can Freeze…” (photos..)

“…George Soros: European Union Could Become ‘German Empire’…”

“…Dear Libertarians: Stop Being Nuts…”

“…The Last Diet You Will Ever Need…”

“..Mitt Romney’s reaction to high unemployment is creepy…”

“…Bank of America Withheld Loss Figures Ahead of Merrill Vote…”

“…Robert Kuttner: Can Merkel Be Moved?…”

“…Infographic: When The Lights Go Out – The World Eats Junk…”

“…20 Things You Need To Stop Doing…”

“…Tapu Misa: League tables putting kids on path to nowhere…”

“…John Armstrong: Greens want serious tilt at power…”

“…Rich drug-using nations pocket profit from coke…”

“…Greens sound warning on Govt’s ‘reckless’ path…”

“…Job numbers touted by Prime Minister John Key for a proposed international convention centre at SkyCity are much higher than official estimates…”

“…Receivers and law firms have collected tens of millions of dollars in fees during the clean-up of New Zealand’s collapsed finance company sector…”

“..Paul Krugman:..What should be done about the economy?..”

“..Rightwinger Compares Gays To Cannibals – Says Conservatives Should ‘Reclaim’ Discrimination

“…Dirty dairying laid bare…”

“…After success at last year’s general election, the Green Party’s next big thing must be the local body polls next year…”

“…people who follow a vegetarian diet are likely to have less heart disease – less colorectal cancer – less type-2 diabetes – and they’re less likely to be obese..”

“…Bid to have oil permit quashed…”

“…Cyclist wins round-the-world race in record time…”

“…Libyan militiamen surround Tripoli airport…”

“…Murder suspect Luka Rocco Magnotta arrested in Berlin…”

“…Prince Philip admitted to hospital…”

phillip ure@whoar.co.nz
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June 5, 2012 8:37am
bhudson

Advocatus Diaboli,

As consort to the Queen of New Zealand, on what basis would Prince Philip not qualify for the Order of New Zealand?
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June 5, 2012 8:37am
TimG_Oz

You know, if you google “ADASS”, you get a very different and eclectic set of results….
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June 5, 2012 8:40am
hj

@ Kowtow
we have an MP who unfurled an anti coal mining banner in Tienanmen Square (although no one thought to bring a camera).
i suppose we can forgive a bit of bullshit 😉
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June 5, 2012 8:43am
hj

More of phils wall paper!
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June 5, 2012 8:46am
Advocatus Diaboli

@bhudson

It should ONLY apply to New Zealand Citizens who have contributed some worthy to New Zealand Society, not foreign consorts.

To quote part of an herald article, sums up my feelings well.
“Mr Holden said the honour was a “slap in the face” for New Zealanders working to better their communities. The people who are doing the work, getting their hands dirty, turning up to the soup kitchens and running the sausage sizzles … they are the New Zealanders. Mr Holden said honouring someone known for public gaffes, including racist remarks, sent the wrong message.”
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June 5, 2012 8:52am
joana

The Parole Board dodging and spinning on Morning Report this morning in the Andrei Schwab case. If they are only there to do what Probation tells them , why do we even have such a board? A lot of cost cutting could be done there.
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June 5, 2012 8:58am
bhudson

Advocates Diabolical,

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards is a long standing programme which is of great benefit to young New Zealanders and our communities. Prince Philip is the founder and patron. How does that not qualify as services to New Zealand communities?
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June 5, 2012 8:58am
Pete George

Give it time Tim, it’s only just beginning.

Thanks Monique. There’s more that can be done to harness the power of the blofgs and of social networking generally. There are a lot of social bubbles, but it’s not hard to harness them together to amplify the influence.
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June 5, 2012 9:01am
Advocatus Diaboli

bhudson – The award should only apply to New Zealand Citizens, not foreign born consort.
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June 5, 2012 9:02am
labours a joke

http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8478543/greens-unlikely-to-go-with-nats-in-2014

praise the lord..
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June 5, 2012 9:05am
Manolo

Good on you, bhudson, for your blind loyalty to every and anything National.
Tell me, do you also support Cullen’s elevation to Knight, that wonderful move supported by the daring John Key?
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June 5, 2012 9:06am
bhudson

Advocatus Diabloli,

I note that Mr Holden is chair of the Republican Movement of Aoteraroa. To what extent does that colour his views on Prince Philip’s award?

It would seem a little like me criticizing Michael Cullen’s knighthood (which I haven’t done. Although many others here have.)
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June 5, 2012 9:06am
Pete George

According to @Hilary_Barry he visited here only ten years ago, he’s a virtual Kiwi. Virtually unheard of.
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June 5, 2012 9:07am
Keeping Stock

Advocatus Diaboli said

John Key had made a mockery of our honours list by giving a non New Zealander (Prince Philip) our highest honour which should only be given to 20 living New Zealanders.

Nonsense AD – the DoE’s award is ADDITIONAL to the 20 living New Zealanders on the list, is not unprecedented, and on the basis that the ONZ is awarded for “service to the Crown and to New Zealand” can easily be justified.
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June 5, 2012 9:07am
bhudson

Manolo,

I noted yesterday that I would not have nominated Cullen. I also noted that it would be somewhat churlish for any government to refuse honours to members (or supporters) of opposition administrations. It would be a farce if a person could only receive an honour when a govt of similar political persuasion was in power.

That truly would undermine the significance of our honours system.
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June 5, 2012 9:10am
Manolo

Tolerance “religion of peace”-style: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/06/04/kuwait-court-gives-10-years-for-twitter-insults/
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June 5, 2012 9:11am
joana

Miss NZ not a NZer. Why was she allowed to enter the competition?
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June 5, 2012 9:11am
Paulus

It is reported that the Duke of Edinburgh is seriously ill – and has not been good since his time in hospital in December.

I would believe that those involved in the New Zealand honours list would have been fully aware of this.
He has served the Queen faithfully for the last 60 years, and more, consequent upon this he deserves a medal, for the longest sentence anybody can serve.
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June 5, 2012 9:13am
joana

I am still wanting to know more re Margaret Bazley and the deep sleep programe..It is a slow dig this one.
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June 5, 2012 9:13am
hj

bhudson (1,931) Says:

So we have disagreement between economists as to the benefits of immigration and the Savings Working Group do say what I said they do (i.e I pass the comprehension test with a flying C-). The SWG was set up by the Government. The G went on to set up the Productivity Commission. The Australian Productivity commision found that there was no discernible benefit to Australians from immigration, it had all been captured by the migrants (although betya the developers made a buck there!). The NZ Govt told the Productivity Commision to look into “with special attention to” particular factors but not immigration.
Given the political will of the left* and the mutual masturbation of banks, property developers, realestate interests, political parties (National and Labour) I allege bias on behalf of the vested interests.

*”anti immigration feeling has no place in the Green Party” [more people = greener planet] Keith Locke
http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/greens-counter-peters-welcoming-immigration-policy
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June 5, 2012 9:17am
Manolo

I also noted that it would be somewhat churlish for any government to refuse honours to members of opposition administrations.

I couldn’t agree more. Honours should be granted ONLY to people who have contributed to NZ society. Michael Cullens is not one of them. In fact, he has worked against our economy, and done much damage to the country.

To give him a knighthood is an insult to the people, and a blunder by Key’s government. All it does is reinforce the notion that former politicians, despite of their grievous deeds, are always rewarded by their “mates”. The National Party just confirmed it.
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June 5, 2012 9:17am
Paulus

another

Was in Sydney and Melbourne recently – people we spoke to are very unhappy with the economy there – even shops empty in both central Sydney and Melbourne, and major stores almost empty of buyers, and staff.

W.A. and some of Qld may be booming but these major cities are in trouble – no work and no money. House prices out of control – will bang soon.
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June 5, 2012 9:18am
joana

Moderate , modern Indonesia [ Key’s new besties ] order muslim and NON-muslim women to wear Hijaab. see Winds of Jihad.
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June 5, 2012 9:24am
Longknives

Speaking of Tiananmen Square- I went to Beijing for work a few years ago, stood in line and eventually got a viewing of the pickled Chairman Mao in his glass coffin. I hate to upset our Green Party friends but I must say he is looking rather horribly worse for the wear after all these years…
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June 5, 2012 9:27am
jaba

labours a joke .. “The Greens don’t think they’ll be part of the next government unless Labour ousts National in 2014”.
1/ correct, The Greens don’t think
2/ they still leave the option open (god forbid)
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June 5, 2012 9:30am
hj

My type of hero is the Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) of Saving Private Ryan. He was just an ordinary teacher and that’s all he ever wanted to be. The Governments hero is typically a booze magnate with an ocean going ship thing.
I think the airline pilot who organises on behalf of people with leaky homes deserves an OBE.

Sir Leaky Home.
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June 5, 2012 9:31am
Mark

@Manalo “I also noted that it would be somewhat churlish for any government to refuse honours to members of opposition administrations.

I couldn’t agree more. Honours should be granted ONLY to people who have contributed to NZ society. Michael Cullens is not one of them. In fact, he has worked against our economy, and done much damage to the country.

To give him a knighthood is an insult to the people, and a blunder by Key’s government. All it does is reinforce the notion that former politicians, despite of their grievous deeds, are always rewarded by their “mates”. The National Party just confirmed it”.

Manalo based on your criteria there would be a very long list of recipients who should not have been knighted if impact on the economy is the measure.

Muldoon strikes me as the likely leader of your list.

In all probability Muldoon would head your list
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June 5, 2012 9:32am
Mark

@Monique Watson “…it is a deep-rooted belief that we persistent voices on the interweb will have an effect on NZ politics”.

That is the most sadly deluded statement of hope of I have seen on this blog.
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June 5, 2012 9:36am
Pete George

I disagree Mark, “we persistent voices on the interweb” have and can have an affect on NZ politics. I’ve seen direct reactions from MPS to things I’ve done on blogs. The more we work at interconnecting the more we can interconnect.

We have the means, so if we have the determination we will make a difference (those of us who can be bothered).
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June 5, 2012 9:42am
Colville

Of course Cullen contributed to NZ society Manolo.

He brought us a train set that 99% of us will never use.
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June 5, 2012 9:45am
Monique Watson

@ Mark
Who shat in your boot this morning?
Maybe we should hand power over to a group of individuals with spurious checks and balances including a lack of a televised parliament, where money poured straight into advertising dictates the outcome of elections, be it unionist or business. Personally, I think we are moving forward. into a more democratic society. just ask Mugabe 😉
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June 5, 2012 10:02am
bereal

Maybe this will cat-ch on.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2154283/Cats-away-Artist-turns-dead-pet-flying-helicopter-killed-car.html?ITO=1490

i like cats, it’s just that i like them better dead.
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June 5, 2012 10:02am
wreck1080

The herald has Sir Bob Jones as a columnist now.

Great score, I admire Bob as he speaks sense and is uncorrupted by the pervasive political correctness that has infiltrated society.
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June 5, 2012 10:03am
Monique Watson

Why he bought a trainset beats the fuck out of me.
if you’re gonna invest in anything when you’re at the arse end of the world, surely you’d pony up for a shipping line.
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June 5, 2012 10:04am
bereal

Cullen bought the trainset for only one reason.

To clean out the treasury for the incomming National led government.

He is such a nasty, vindictive person, if he could have got away with it he would have burned the
money rather than leave anything in the coffers.

Didn’t he say something along the lines of, “I’ve spent the lot, there’s nothing left. Ha ha, eat that.”
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June 5, 2012 10:13am
jaba

googled Norman yesterday .. is it true that the Greens financial genius has never had a proper job (I mean it worked for Helen Clark) and if so isn’t he like a nun (can’t say priest) giving sex education?
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June 5, 2012 10:16am
bereal

Another great quote from Michael Cullen, ‘We’re socialists, what did they expect.”

I’m suprised that there wasn’t a honour for Ruth Dyson this time around.
How much did that great manager of the peoples money leave us owing to A.C.C. ?
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June 5, 2012 10:22am
hmmokrightitis

wreck, Sir Bob basically rehashed the same load of bollocks he wrote over 20 years ago. The Herald lapped it up. He will be laughing his head off that (a) the dunny paper that is the herald wants him as a columnist (b) the left wing morons that write in it want him to spew forth his ill-thought through crap and (c) he can recycle decades old crap for cash.

Right up there with his idea for a lake in CHC. The man is a lover of a great wheeze – nothing wrong with that – but to consider him a thinker and leader is like thinking the same of shearer, malard, et al
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June 5, 2012 10:23am
hmmokrightitis

Oh, and my $0.02 on Cullen: summed it up nicely for me yesterday when I saw him spouting forth on rationale for the award -“We ran a decade of surpluses”. Even a ill-trained monkey could have done that in the period he was at the financial helm. That he did so and still managed to lead the country into a recession as a global first, and leave the cupboard bare is testament to his abilities.

The man is a poxy, scabby pustule on the arse of a drunken homeless person that is the labour party.
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June 5, 2012 10:29am
David Garrett

Joana: You obviously know lots about Dame Margaret Bazley and the “deep sleep scandal”, so why not just share it rather than make veiled references to a “scandal” that even those of us who were around at the time know nothing about?

All I will say is it’s very easy to criticise medical – and particularly psychiatric – treatments of a generation or more ago through lenses made today. My aunt was detained in Tokonui hospital until my father as next of kin gave his consent to her having a lobotomy in 1952. The decision bothered him for the rest of his life, but my aunt was able to leave hospital and live in the community, leading a reasonably active life for the next 35 years. While lobotomy is considered barbaric now, in the 1940’s the alternative was often literally a padded cell, and death from either self harm or pneumonia.

This of course does nothing to excuse the action of one Dr Leeks (I think that is his name) who used ECT as punishment at Lake Alice. Rather than continue to slur the woman, it would be best if you make it plain just what you are accusing her of – being complicit in a treatment that at the time was considered beneficial, or misusing treatment as punishment?
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June 5, 2012 11:11am
Fletch

I am currently reading The Amateur, by Edward Klein – and yes, it’s about Obama in the Whitehouse.
Very good book; it is at number #4 in Amazon’s Best Seller list (the top 3 spots taken by the Grey “mommy porn” books.).

In this stunning exposé, bestselling author Edward Klein—a contributing editor to Vanity Fair, former foreign editor of Newsweek, and former editor-in-chief of the New York Times Magazine—pulls back the curtain on one of the most secretive White Houses in history. He reveals a callow, thin-skinned, arrogant president with messianic dreams of grandeur supported by a cast of true-believers, all of them united by leftist politics and an amateurish understanding of executive leadership.

In The Amateur you’ll discover:

* Why the so-called “centrist” Obama is actually in revolt against the values of the society he was elected to lead
* Why Bill Clinton loathes Barack Obama and tried to get Hillary to run against him in 2012
* The spiteful rivalry between Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey
* How Obama split the Kennedy family
* How Obama has taken more of a personal role in making foreign policy than any president since Richard Nixon—with disastrous results
* How Michelle Obama and Valerie Jarrett are the real powers behind the White House throne

The Amateur is a reporter’s book, buttressed by nearly 200 interviews, many of them with the insiders who know Obama best. The result is the most important political book of the year. You will never look at Barack Obama the same way again.

http://amzn.to/Mu5MGj

No question that Obama has no clue as to how to run a country.
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June 5, 2012 11:28am
travellerev

Here is a nice bit of gossip you won’t find in the News papers!

After John Key’s surprise of signing a partnership with NATO he will have dinner with Prime Minister Harper of Canada who will arrive fresh from the 2012 Bilderberg meeting in Virginia at the pad of another known Bilderberger Prime Minister Cameron. Still feel John Key has the best interests of New Zealanders at heart?
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June 5, 2012 11:53am
wikiriwhis business

Bilderburg now meeting with plan for one world bank and cashless society our politicians never speak on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBQ0YpVk0UM&feature=relmfu
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June 5, 2012 1:26pm
mikenmild

Ever seen ‘The Secret Rulers of the World’ doco or read its companion book, ‘Them’?
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June 5, 2012 1:30pm
Ryan Sproull

I’ve got a new rule for reading books and websites.

“Only read things I do not know or positions I do not agree with.”

It’s cut down my Chomsky and Pilger intake considerably.
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June 5, 2012 1:32pm
mikenmild

Ryan
You won’t have to read ‘The Amateur’ then, as you already know that it is full of unsubstantiated nonsense!
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June 5, 2012 1:41pm
Manolo

How entertaining to see how the lenght the corrupt MSM will go to to protect and defend the incompetent Messiah.
As far as trivialrev is concerned, she must have run out of tin-foil paper ages ago.
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June 5, 2012 1:57pm
Manolo

The infamous S word: http://www.cnbc.com/id/47678760
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June 5, 2012 2:03pm
publicwatchdog

In defence of ‘freedom of speech’ – can any Kiwibloggers see why the NBR should effectively censor this comment – by removing it after it was initially published?

(Perhaps it upset ex-Business Round Table stalwart – Lindsay Fergusson, who seems to have an apoplectic reaction to my considered opinions on topics such as the following?)

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/nbr-online-poll-massive-support-pension-age-change-gb-120388

How about pushing for OPENING THE BOOKS so the public can see the ‘devilish detail’ which explains EXACTLY where our public monies are being spent at central (and local) government level – so we can look at where the scalpel can be taken to long-term ‘corporate welfare’ beneficiaries?

What are the NAMES of all the consultants and private contractors carrying out work that used to be provided ‘in-house’ by staff directly employed across the full range of central government services?

What is the SCOPE, TERM and VALUE of these private sector contracts?

If the recent USA research is anything to go by, could NZ cut our central government budget in half by ‘cutting out the contractors’?

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1111/S00095/wheres-nationals-corporate-welfare-reform.htm

Could NZ save over $40 BILLION by ‘cutting out the contractors’?

Wouldn’t that leave a LOT more public money for public ‘social’ welfare if huge cuts were made to private ‘corporate welfare’?

Wakey wakey folks!

Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’

http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com
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June 5, 2012 2:14pm
Fletch

You won’t have to read ‘The Amateur’ then, as you already know that it is full of unsubstantiated nonsense!

I assume you’re just being sarcastic mm 🙂
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June 5, 2012 2:27pm
Fletch

I see that Met Service finally has their own app on the iTunes store. Good stuff. They even have video updates of a weather forecaster doing his thing in front of a map.

http://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/metservice/id525900888?mt=8
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June 5, 2012 3:19pm
KevinH

On the subject of Prince Phillip , it would be worth knowing that apart from his honours and titles accorded to him in his role as the Queens consort he has never received any recognition from the Commonwealth at large to which he along with the Queen has devoted a sustantial part of his life supporting in one way or another.
Therefore Prince Phillip’s honour from New Zealand is truly unique and a credit to New Zealand in that our country has acknowledged the Prince and accorded him the respect and dignity often overlooked by others.
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June 5, 2012 3:24pm
joana

David G.
I can understand you having sympathy for Margaret Bazley when you , yourself have ”a past.” Others are investigating her involvement in the Deep Sleep programe.
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June 5, 2012 3:36pm
chiz

US military developing new superpowered stinkbombs.
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June 5, 2012 3:51pm
chiz

Planetary Resources in Seattle recently announced plans to mine asteroids. There may be some problems with space law.
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June 5, 2012 3:54pm
David Garrett

Joana: I didn’t express any sympathy for Margaret Bazley. I was asking you what you were on about…you can say anything you like on here when you are using a pseudonym…what’s stopping you?

I have “owned” my past – to use the current argot – If Dame Margaret has one, she will have to do the same…So what exactly IS the “deep sleep scandal” that you keep dropping dark hints about? Very simple question…
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June 5, 2012 4:07pm
SGA

@DG

David – I just ran a quick google search and found this bizarre (presumably bogus) page –
http://www.amazon.com/The-Sex-Collectors-Vol-Stitch/dp/B007TO2Z7Q
Wikipedia will give info on “deep sleep treatment” for psychosis, but whether that’s what’s being discussed here is anyone’s guess.
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June 5, 2012 4:32pm
RRM

Utter madness – basically a small, transportable mortar for hand-launching a miniature nuclear warhead for use in the battlefield against troops:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davy_Crockett_%28nuclear_device%29

I seem to be spending an inordinate amount of my reading time in the evenings lately on Youtube… watching old newsreels and documentaries about military aircraft, rocket launches and nuclear tests from the cold war era.

While I’m glad that Lange took us down the road he did (to have nothing to do with nuclear weapons) nevertheless I admire the exploratory zeal of the technical people involved in developing all these radical new ways of blowing everybody off the face of the earth; and their apparently genuine hope that by doing a good job building the bombs they’d ensure it would never be necessary to actually use them.

Their curiosity and openness to new discoveries, and their apparent humility in the face of the power of what they discovered, are quite inspirational to me; as a designer of technical things in an age where all we seem to do is improve efficiencies a few percent here and there.
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June 5, 2012 4:41pm
David Garrett

SGA: Thank you for that entertaining link!! So tell us Joana…are you accusing Dame Margaret Bazley of being: 1) a bag lady for the Mr Asia syndicate: 2) a seductress in the pay of the CIA; 3) A CIA agent who uses her wicked whiles to enslave the people of New Zealand; 4) All of the above?

Or is this about something else entirely? Do please answer…. and please include in your answer your opinion of the veracity or otherwise of the link just posted by SGA…

WARNING! Your answer will impact upon your credibility here and anywhere else you: 1) Use the pseudonym “joana”; and 2) by the content of your posting, demonstrate that you are the “Joana” who is an acolyte of Winston Peters….
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June 5, 2012 4:56pm
bhudson

DG,

This ‘joana’ is also a fan of Kyle Chapman.

(Some of her recent comments may have hinted at this. I am on my mobile at the moment so can’t easily look up the comment she made a year or more ago where she told us that he is actually a good guy – perhaps he is just misunderstood.)
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June 5, 2012 5:25pm
David Garrett

Guys, you have to check out the link posted by SGA…I have met Dame Margaret – very briefly at some function – and with the greatest of respect to her…the idea that she could be a seductress in the pay of the CIA is…well, “fanciful” is perhaps a good adjective..

And a serial murderer?….A key player in a global conspiracy? Well I know our much beloved SIS is not known as a leading western intelligence agency, but if Dame Margaret passed positive vetting by them, and is guilty of any of the accusations on that website, we might as well have my son’s cub pack take over national security…
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June 5, 2012 5:30pm
SGA

If you click the show “more” on that link, her involvement with John Banks is exposed as well.

On the other hand, Wikipedia claims she is a Chelsea supporter, so anything is possible.
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June 5, 2012 5:35pm
David Garrett

Damn…I am disappointed!! I have been away from the ‘puter a wee while and thought we woud have heaps of comment by now!! (no disrepect to those who you have sullied…)
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June 5, 2012 7:30pm
Leaping Jimmy

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/7044136/Racist-Howick-puts-stop-to-special-school

Fuck I get real sick of Goebbels level spin in this, 2012.

Aren’t those Stuff journos just utter, complete scum.
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June 5, 2012 10:09pm
joana

David G .
Lecturing someone else on credibility….Wow.. What a laugh.
You have only just discovered Greg Hallet..a bit slow there aren’t you? I thought you were a well informed lawyer.
And as for people remembering my comments..I can’t remember any of your comments..I have better things to do with my time.
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June 6, 2012 11:27am

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