General Debate 11 April 2013

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Judith

Excellent to see China finally opening up and allowing some archaeological exploration. The country is full of artefacts with huge significance to science and humanity. Pity they destroyed some of the Pyramids before they could be properly examined.

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/04/10/10-million-year-old-dinosaur-embryos-excavated-in-china-shed-light-on/
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April 11, 2013 8:14am
Viking2

So are we feed up with the crap from Labour and the press yet?
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April 11, 2013 8:15am
Keeping Stock

Just when the Herald seems to have reached a new low, the editorial staff produce an excellent and balanced editorial on the Kitterridge GCSB report. After all the political rhetoric from the likes of Norman and Robertson, it’s a breath of fresh air…

http://keepingstock.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/the-herald-on-kitteridge-report.html
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April 11, 2013 8:16am
first time caller

Surely Annette King is not worried about the quality of hospital food dropping? How the hell could it possibly get worse?? If heat and eat is served on business class air travel, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig have folk lining up to buy, I say it’s a great opportunity for improvement!
Or is she just desperate to stay in with her union buddies…
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April 11, 2013 8:21am
Judith

Keeping Stock (8,713) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 8:16 am
—————————
And yet you carry on reading the Herald, which proves they are doing their job well. 😉
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April 11, 2013 8:21am
Pete George

KS – after Robertson’s performance on this it would be interesting to hear what DPF thought of his leadership credentials now.

Norman has been strong on rhetoric, but in his speech in Parliament yesterday he also made good points about lack of adequate oversight:

If we are to have these kinds of draconian, authoritarian, dictatorial powers in the hands of a State agency that breach the highest levels of our rights and our freedoms, then there needs to be very strong oversight and very powerful justification for any agency to exercise these kinds of powers. There needs to be very strong oversight.

I agree, and I think that needs to be the primary focus, on establishing far better oversight.

And that’s also what the Herald concluded:

The bureau’s transgressions were the product of confusion arising from the 2003 GCSB Act, the sole source of authority and law within the agency. Its shortcomings were magnified by failures of oversight by successive GCSB directors, Inspectors-General of Security and Intelligence, and prime ministers Helen Clark and John Key.

It will, she suggests, take a year and a solid effort to address the culture at the bureau. It should take far less time for the Government to clarify the GCSB Act and address the failings of oversight. Anything less is untenable.

Anything less is untenable. GCSB (“rogue agency”) needs strong oversight
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April 11, 2013 8:24am
Judith

first time caller (378) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 8:21 am
—————————

OR it could drop a hell of a lot further – there is always room for degradation when it comes to food.

1000 more people looking for work in a food service industry that is already suffering job losses – wonder where their next jobs will come from? Still it doesn’t really matter does it – most of those workers are ‘beige’ – as long as our mates can get the top jobs, with a bit of a nudge from ourselves, who really cares aye! 😉
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April 11, 2013 8:26am
Pete George

Re hospital food workers it’s the nett job loss (or feasibly gain) that’s important. If someone else prepares the food then presumably they would have to employ more people than they do now.
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April 11, 2013 8:31am
Judith

Pete George (17,048) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 8:31 am
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Yep, estimated at 200 jobs from the existing 1200 = 1000 with no job.
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April 11, 2013 8:32am
Pete George

If 200 people can replace 1200 that suggests huge inefficiencies.

Another thing to consider is if Ryall does what he says the money saved will employ more health staff. Obviously not as many, but another, say, 500 nurses would be significant.
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April 11, 2013 8:45am
Judith

No one wants to talk about the Elephant in the Room that just won’t go away eh?

Good on Thomas – I agree 100%. By all means talk about the man’s police service at his funeral, but to cite his ‘integrity beyond repoach’? It is an insult to Thomas, his family and law-abiding New Zealanders

I put a tenner on Thomas – that review will be wish-washy and geared primarily to ‘the police having done the best job possible at the time’. Bloody disgraceful – I guess they hoping AAT will up and die and the matter will go away – but I know the Thomas family and it WON’T. Time it was dealt with once and for all – and its time the police tried to find the real killer – alive or dead.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/8535110/Charge-police-who-rigged-Crewe-case
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April 11, 2013 8:46am
first time caller

Frankly Judith, I am more concerned about the quality and efficiency This opportunity may present. This food won’t be produced without jobs as Pete says.
BTW I don’t believe the union is any more interested in the jobs/ employees than their union membership fees being paid either.
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April 11, 2013 8:46am
Judith

Pete George (17,049) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 8:45 am
If 200 people can replace 1200 that suggests huge inefficiencies.
———————————-

Exactly – and it is unrealistic, unless they are allowing for nurses to go looking for meals and heat them etc when they are required at all hours of the day and night. And what about when there is a special diet request in Wellington – but the meals are in Auckland and Christchurch? Does the person just starve until one is sent down to suit?

It will be another ‘novopay’. Which is the next issue – the GOVT is considering putting the health sector on a ‘novopay’ type scheme. Oh yipee – the last effort was SO successful!
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April 11, 2013 8:51am
Judith

first time caller (379) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 8:46 am

——————————–

What unions? We don’t have unions in NZ. We have eunuchs – they had their privates removed some time ago. They are just there to give a false sense of security to any worker that wants to question the status quo – not an ounce of power in any of them.
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April 11, 2013 8:55am
wreck1080

I think this drought has been great for farmers.

The drought has caused the dairy prices to rocket (20-30% increase in one month).

This is despite any real figures on the actual production drop. These higher prices will mitigate the financial damage to farmers.

And, it is quite possible that the higher prices have set a new base level for dairy which will be sustained post drought.

This drought is pretty much over in my area as rain patterns seem fairly normal to me.

I reckon the farmers couldn’t have planned this short sharp drought any better.
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April 11, 2013 9:05am
Harriet

The military over the years had to lay-off nearly all of it’s catering staff and have their needs provided by the market place.

Hospitals should not be treated any differantly.
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April 11, 2013 9:49am
liarbors a joke

“Exactly – and it is unrealistic, unless they are allowing for nurses to go looking for meals and heat them etc when they are required at all hours of the day and night.”

Don’t be silly Judith. You obviously have never stayed in a hospital of late. Generally a kitchen staff member comes around and takes your food order 3 or 4 hours before hand…so no, nurses wont be running around heating up meals. You will be served what you have ordered by the kitchen assistant at the appropriate meal time.
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April 11, 2013 10:13am
Dennis Horne

@Judith. Do you ever actually understand what your read? For a nitpicker you pay scant attention to detail. Designed more to sidetrack the argument than clarify the thrust…

“This included a comment made in 1967 from then Chief Inspector W R Fleming, who said: his integrity is beyond reproach.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/8535110/Charge-police-who-rigged-Crewe-case

That is, Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Bush was quoting a colleague from 1967, not giving an opinion. Perhaps it was unfortunate under the circumstances because it was likely to be misunderstood.

Yes, it is a pity this matter was never cleared up. I believe the evidence was planted, that does not prove AAT innocent although I believe he probably is. Certainly there appears no clear evidence against him.

I don’t believe the Police will try a cover-up. They know it would make it worse.

Unfortunately the gardening damaged the Police reputation enormously, so much so that when there is clear and overwhelming evidence against a suspect, dopey people can be bainwashed it’s all a terrible mistake.
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April 11, 2013 10:16am
liarbors a joke

“What unions? We don’t have unions in NZ. We have eunuchs – they had their privates removed some time ago. They are just there to give a false sense of security to any worker that wants to question the status quo – not an ounce of power in any of them.”

Do be silly Judith. We have the EPMU at my place of employment and I cannot speak highly enough of them. Last year we received an 11% pay rise plus a one per cent cash payment…all courtesy of the EPMU and their direct negotiations with our management.
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April 11, 2013 10:16am
Chuck Bird

Arthur Thomas

Did you hear Pat Booth on the news at 9? He stated what I and I believe other thought. That was that the comments made at Hutton’s funeral inferred that Thomas was guilty.

I have heard for years that many senior police believed Thomas was guilty despite his pardon and compensation. About a year ago I met a retired police sergeant at the pub. He was about 70 and had terminal cancer. We discussed the Thomas case and he was sure Thomas was guilty. He could not give a logical reason but I believe he said there were things he knew that he was not prepared to divulge.

I would be pretty sure that Thomas would have also heard the rumours of the attitude of some of the police. If that was the case I can understand why Thomas was so upset at the comments made by Deputy Commissioner Mike Bush.

The further comments made by Police Commissioner Peter Marshall, “It was regrettable that the eulogy was being used to question the integrity of the review.” is appalling. Even if Hutton did not plant the cartridge there numerous other ways the police are responsible for the wrongful conviction of Thomas.

Mr Bush and Mr Marshall should be asked if they believe that Thomas is innocent and if they believe at the very least poor behaviour by the police resulted in the wrongful conviction of Thomas.
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April 11, 2013 10:20am
peterwn

Re hospital food –
1. Many people out of choice buy and microwave pre-prepared food. So they would not notice much difference in hospital.
2. Virtually all dietary requirements would be met by having several types of meals, possibly there may be a selection of ‘single’ items so a suitable meal can be selected in the odd case a standard package is not suitable.
3. It would not be the intention to involve nurses unless there were stringent dietary issues when it would be prudent for a nurse to check the meal. Nurses do not clean wards, so they would not serve meals.
4. The proposed service would make it easier for meals to be available for patients at odd times, eg a patient in treatment or being transported at meal times.

Not too sure why the unions are worrying about whether the quality of food would suffer. Anyway if food quality is ‘average’ only it gives an incentive to patients to get better quicker.
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April 11, 2013 10:26am
Ross12

I’ve just read the comments by Hague ( Greens) and Fenton ( Labour) re the Pike River report. It seems to me that many in the Opposition parties make comments on anything and everthing just to get their “names in lights”. It happens so often and is usually so obvious that the average voter ( like me) must be able to see through it.
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April 11, 2013 10:32am
All_on_Red

Some facts about the sinking of the Belgrano.
“In The Silent Listener, the book’s author Major David Thorp recounts how in 1984 he was ordered by Mrs Thatcher to carry out an investigation — never published — into the circumstances of the sinking.
Given access to every document related to the Belgrano, Thorp … found an Argentinian signal intercepted by the British in which the Belgrano was ordered to rendezvous with other Argentinian warships at a location east of the islands, and well inside the Exclusion Zone… ”
“It was absolutely not a war crime,’ said the Belgrano’s captain, Hector Bonzo, in an interview two years before his death in 2009.
‘It was an act of war, lamentably legal.’ Meanwhile, the Argentine admiral Enrique Molina Pico later admitted the location of the Belgrano outside the Exclusion Zone ‘did not mean it was withdrawn from the war’.
‘The integrated naval force had been deployed to carry out an attack on the British fleet in a co-ordinated operation with other naval groups,’ he wrote.
‘The heading away from the enemy fleet was only momentary, as the commander saw fit to wait for a more convenient time (to attack).

Arent the Left ignorant and don’t they just hate the truth
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April 11, 2013 10:44am
thedavincimode

I think this drought has been great for farmers.

One of the big problems this country faces is the fact that people such as the author of that comment have a vote and worse, get to raise children.
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April 11, 2013 10:54am
hamnidaV2

“inefficiencies” – What about people? What part do people play in this brave new World?
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April 11, 2013 10:59am
krazykiwi

hamnidaV2 – It’s the pursuit of efficiency that helped a generation of people become scientists, social service staff, artists, designers, IT professionals etc …. where if they’d been born 100 years ago they would have been hand farming or crowded onto factory production lines.

Efficiency is all about freeing people from monotony that prevents them from reaching their full potential.
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April 11, 2013 11:16am
graham

liarbors a joke at 10:16 am –

Do be silly Judith. We have the EPMU at my place of employment and I cannot speak highly enough of them. Last year we received an 11% pay rise plus a one per cent cash payment…all courtesy of the EPMU and their direct negotiations with our management.

11% seems an extremely generous pay rise, and good on the EPMU if they managed to achieve this for you. I would ask, though, how much were the pay rises in the previous years? If you have not had a pay rise in five years, for example, then 11% averaged out over those five years isn’t quite such a big deal. But you’re obviously satisfied with what they have achieved for you, so I’m guessing that’s not the case.

I have no qualms about Unions existing. I belonged to one when I first started working, but that was the late 80’s, I started working at the Post Office as a very green 17-year-old fresh out of school, and the guy signing me up recommended it so I just did what he recommended without giving much thought to it. As I progressed through my career, the Union offered me less and less and it was eventually an easy decision to leave.

I believe Unions have their place, and can achieve good results in certain industries. What I object to is the militant strong-arm tactics employed by some Unions, the insistence by some idiots that you cannot achieve anything on your own and need the Union to negotiate on your behalf (I’ve done very well all on my own, thank you very much), and in particular, the nasty and downright ugly situations that can occur when Unions and their members get annoyed because some people would like to exercise their right NOT to belong to a Union at a workplace where the Union is strong.
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April 11, 2013 11:34am
Manolo

The incompetent Luddite mayor drowns in debt: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8534891/City-venues-debt-takes-council-by-surprise
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April 11, 2013 11:38am
publicwatchdog

FYI Kiwibloggers 🙂

‘Open Letter’ / Privacy Act Request to the Director of the GCSB, Ian Fletcher
11 April 2013 (NOW SENT TO THE CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS!)

It appears that I was given an incorrect email address for the GCSB by the Prime Minister’s Office – info@gcsb.govt.nz – when the correct address is Information@gcsb.govt.nz

Following is my ‘Open Letter’ PRIVACY ACT (NOT Official Information Act) request, for which I would appreciate a prompt acknowledgment of receipt thereof.

Thanks.
…………………
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 April 2013

‘Open Letter’ / Privacy Act Request to the Director of the GCSB, Ian Fletcher from Auckland Mayoral Candidate, Penny Bright.

Dear Director,

I am concerned that I may be one of the 88 New Zealanders who has been unlawfully spied upon by the GCSB.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/nbpol/897270024-gcsb-could-be-in-real-trouble

This morning I contacted the Prime Minister’s Department, to find out the proper process to follow, in order to find out if I was/am one of the 88 New Zealanders who has been unlawfully spied upon by the GCSB.

I was advised to make a Privacy Act Request directly to the GCSB, to the following email address: info@gcsb.govt.nz

Under the Privacy Act, I hereby request copies of all information held by the GCSB about myself – Penelope Mary Bright (aka Penny Bright).

I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours sincerely,

Penny Bright
‘Anti-privatisation and anti-corruption campaigner’

2013 Auckland Mayoral Candidate

Occupy Auckland Appellant (in my own name)
http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz
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April 11, 2013 11:52am
mandk

hamnidaV2
If you provide a public service that employs, say, 200 people when 100 could actually do the job, you are spending unnecessarily.
How do you fund the unnecessary spending? By reducing other public expenditure? No, because other public services (e.g. schools) are more important. From taxes on businesses? No, they are then in less of a position to employ people.
From personal income taxes or GST? No, because people then have less to spend in the shops and employment declines because shops shut. Do you print extra money? No, because you are still producing the same amount of goods and services, and the only thing that happens with the extra money is that prices rise.
I know that this is a simplified account, but I’m not sure you could cope with anything more complex.
There are now fewer and fewer places in the world that match your ideal. N Korea is one of the last. Hurry there before it is too late!
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April 11, 2013 12:11pm
voice of reason

“Manolo (9,466) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 11:38 am
The incompetent Luddite mayor drowns in debt: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8534891/City-venues-debt-takes-council-by-surprise”

Manolo – have a look at their website -http://www.pwv.co.nz/about-us/our-staff/leadership-team/

No doubt a top heavy organisation, too many highly paid chiefs. Why on earth do they need 3 “Directors” and an HR executive. Saving $240k PA at this place would be a piece of cake
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April 11, 2013 12:12pm
freemark

Fortunately Penny, I don’t think the GSCB, or anyone at all, gives a shit about you. But when are you going to start asking the hard questions of Shearer & Len Brown?
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April 11, 2013 12:16pm
liarbors a joke

“publicwatchdog (1,306) Says”

..go away you fruit bar..no ones interested
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April 11, 2013 12:19pm
Judith

liarbors a joke (447) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 10:13 am
————————-

But there is to be a cut back in kitchen assistants, and yes, the last time I stayed in hospital and needed a meal, the nurses ran around to find one in the middle of the night, and bought it too me, because the kitchen staff were not available.

Nurses frequently sort out food issues for patients – even though they shouldn’t have to and this system will make that worse, especially for patients with special dietary needs. From experience I know that the medical staff frequently contact kitchen staff to bring up an emergency meal that is constituted of special types of food that the patient needs. How will that happen in the new system? An email to Auckland and what?
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April 11, 2013 12:26pm
Judith

Chuck Bird (3,269) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 10:20 am

…He could not give a logical reason but I believe he said there were things he knew that he was not prepared to divulge.

This has been the standard reply of the police for years. I have spoken to many of them in both a professional and private capacity and the answer is always the same. Thomas is guilty, but they can’t say how he is guilty. The fact is they can’t say because they know he is not guilty – but to accept that means there is/was corruption within the ranks, and that is too hard to accept. I know of young cops, straight from police college who have been feed the ‘Thomas line’ and quote it willingly when asked. And yet most of them struggle to know the basic of details about the case.

This is not going to go away – they thought a million dollars might make it – but it won’t – there is a man’s life, his family’s life, and the early death of his mother that needs to be made amends for – money won’t do that, but the conviction or acknowledgment of those responsible will assist.
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April 11, 2013 12:33pm
voice of reason

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/dont-kiss-dont-swear-rules-of-a-dubai-stopover-20130326-2grsc.html

Now David Boons record will definitely never be broken.
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April 11, 2013 12:36pm
liarbors a joke

” the last time I stayed in hospital and needed a meal, the nurses ran around to find one in the middle of the night,”

There ya go then. You wanted a meal in the middle of the night! Its a public hospital, not a restaurant. I think you are grasping at straws with your argument.
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April 11, 2013 12:39pm
Pete George

Mana partiers think they might have been spied on by the GCSB, especially Me Too Minto. And Bomber Bradbury wonders if his name might have attracted attention. Is GCSB spying on me?
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April 11, 2013 1:18pm
lilman

In intensive care for family member nurses were busy and helpfull.
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April 11, 2013 1:20pm
F E Smith

An interesting quote on Andrew Bolt’s blog today:

CHILD abuse is being vastly over-reported in Australia, with the head of the government’s family research body identifying a wide gulf between notifications of alleged abuse and the claims being substantiated.

Australian Institute of Family Studies director Alan Hayes will today argue that with five times as many abuse allegations as confirmed cases, the nation needs to rethink its approach to child protection by avoiding “moral panic”.

While he does not minimise the significance of the harm that flows from child abuse, which he describes as extremely serious, he believes the system must be improved and that the unanticipated “spill over” of current policy is the “resistance of men to enter professions that have a close engagement with children”.

He argues that men are discouraged from working with children by a system that has become alarmist, with fear of accusations of sexual abuse being one possible reason for a decline in the proportion of men entering teaching and other child-focused professions.

Only one in five being confirmed is extremely low. Even allowing that some will occur where no abillity to confirm exists, it is still high. It really does point to an excessive level of false complaints.

And I have to say that I for one would never become a school teacher, either primary or secondary. I think any male who does so is, quite frankly, nuts. The problem is that accusations can be made 30 or 40 years after any alleged incident, by which time the accused man likely has no memory of the pupil or even many job related incidents from that year.
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April 11, 2013 1:21pm
Nostalgia-NZ

‘The Crucible’ revisited.
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April 11, 2013 1:26pm
Judith

liarbors a joke (448) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 12:39 pm

——————
hey, take a reality check – it was not that I wanted to eat (suddenly decided some food would be great) – it was that I HAD to eat due to certain medical treatment, time frames etc.

It is a friggin hospital buddy – a place where things happen without planning and where there has to be flexibility.
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April 11, 2013 1:29pm
All_on_Red

:It is a friggin hospital buddy – a place where things happen without planning :

Without planning? You really talk a lot of shit
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April 11, 2013 1:47pm
Dennis Horne

@Judith. You never see the big picture. The whole argument for centralised kitchens demolished because you once needed a meal in the middle of the night? Preposterous.

It is inevitable there will be meals available to be heated any time of the day or night. It’s impossible to plan exact numbers so the freezers will hold leftover meals. They will still be freshly frozen. Yummy.

In the event they’re not good enough for you then order a McDo or take a packet of cabin bread and UHT milk. If you get desperate ring me and I’ll see you get something to suck on, 😉
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April 11, 2013 2:10pm
liarbors a joke

..Dont be silly Judith…
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April 11, 2013 2:29pm
Rowan

Judith (2,016) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 12:33 pm

Chuck Bird (3,269) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 10:20 am

“…He could not give a logical reason but I believe he said there were things he knew that he was not prepared to divulge.

This has been the standard reply of the police for years. I have spoken to many of them in both a professional and private capacity and the answer is always the same. Thomas is guilty, but they can’t say how he is guilty. The fact is they can’t say because they know he is not guilty – but to accept that means there is/was corruption within the ranks, and that is too hard to accept. I know of young cops, straight from police college who have been feed the ‘Thomas line’ and quote it willingly when asked. And yet most of them struggle to know the basic of details about the case.”

Good call Judith, sounds much like the witch sniffers who ‘know’ that Thomas, Bain, Watson etc are guilty as charged. They have next to no evidence to support there illogical arguments but they ‘know’ and there opinion on the matter is ‘factual’ so thats all that matters. Sad really. Also the investigation into who killed the Crewes will be like the old PCA ones, exonerate the police of any wrongdoing and muddy the waters.
The likely killer is long since dead so any review will be like the conclusions in the various books written about the case, unable to be satisfactorily proven.
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April 11, 2013 2:35pm
stigie

Good God…Penny is being spied on by the GCSB !!
What fucking next ?
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April 11, 2013 2:45pm
Pete George

The Auditor General won’t be investigating the appointment of Ian Fletcher.

Decision on request to inquire into the appointment process for the Director of the Government Communications Security Bureau

On 4 April 2013, the Auditor-General was asked to carry out an inquiry into the appointment process followed in 2011 for the Director of the Government Communications Security Bureau.

The Auditor-General does not intend to carry out an inquiry into this issue.

The Prime Minister has responsibility for this appointment. Unlike for chief executives of other government departments, the relevant legislation does not prescribe any particular process that has to be followed before making that appointment. The person appointed serves at the Prime Minister’s pleasure. As with many other ministerial appointments, the responsible Minister therefore has considerable discretion about how appointments are made. He or she is accountable to Parliament and the public in the usual way for those decisions.

The State Services Commission provided support to the Prime Minister in this appointment process. Although it appears that the process initially envisaged by the State Services Commission did not eventuate, we do not regard that as necessarily requiring investigation. It is relatively common for recruitment processes to adapt as they progress, depending on the applications received.

The Auditor-General considers that the questions raised about this appointment process can be adequately addressed through the normal processes of public and parliamentary accountability.

http://www.oag.govt.nz/media/2013/gcsb

That is Robertson’s original attack line dealt to.

Up until this campaign Robertson had kept a low profile. He has now made it clear where his priorities lie – beltway bullshit, and stuff the country.

Labour’s lineup of potential Prime Ministers is looking a little less flash.
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April 11, 2013 2:50pm
Keeping Stock

In light on Penny Bright’s post above, there must be well more than 88 political activists around the country. I’m waiting now for someone (Martyn Bradbury, for example) to kick up a fuss because they WEREN’T spied on, possibly unlawfully, bY the GCSB. 😀
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April 11, 2013 2:52pm
Pete George

But KS, Martin Bradbury has already kicked up a fuss saying “Me too!”.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/04/11/did-the-gcsb-spy-on-mana-members/

The Privacy Commissioner gives him and anyone else who is paranoid or full of self importance some advice:

Think you’ve been spied on by the GCSB? Ask for your file, says Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff.

Shroff said people who suspected they had been spied on could request their files from both the GCSB and the SIS.

“If they don’t receive the information they’ve asked for, as they’re entitled to under the Privacy Act, then they can complain to me and I can consider . . . the reasons that those files may have been withheld,” she said.

“If someone suspects they’re one of the 88, they could request information from GCSB.”

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8538432/Ask-for-your-GCSB-file-Shroff

I think if Bradbury could volunteer to be spied on he probably would just to be a part of the spooked crowd.
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April 11, 2013 3:01pm
Judith

Dennis Horne (838) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 2:10 pm
————————

You’re a twat Dennis 🙂

That fact was, it wasn’t an ordinary meal required – and I have known other friends and family who have required specialist food at various times, which has taken time to find when the kitchens were held within the hospitals. I do not believe they will be able to cater for all types of food requirements (and yes, they are requirements, not just ‘fancys’). The standard hard, soft, sugar free, low fat – will be on offer no doubt – but what about the other sorts – I guess you have to bring your own, but then who will heat it? – That’s right – the Nurses, which was exactly my point in the first place. This will mean more work for our nurses who already deal with a heavy work load, and seldom get the recognition they deserve.

My only consolation is all you idiots that can only see a dollar saved value will no doubt end up in hospital sometime (probably with ulcers wondering about which beneficiary or ‘maree’ is ripping you off ) and then you’ll require special food! I hope I’m around to tell you to ‘suck on this’!!
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April 11, 2013 3:35pm
krazykiwi

I see Qantas is removing pork (and alcohol meal ingredients) from meals on flights bound for Europe, via Dubai.

I have no problems with the addition of Arabic announcements – that’s pretty normal for airlines (and even trains!) moving between countries with different languages.

But the removal of pork is pathetic, and unnecessary appeasement, particularly as pork can be purchased in Dubai.

Shame on you Qantas!
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April 11, 2013 3:35pm
liarbors a joke

“I guess you have to bring your own, but then who will heat it?”

” Oh my Gawd ” ” Who will heat it ” ??!! Think of the children !…pleeeaseee…” think of the children !! ”

Dont be silly Judith..
6 1
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April 11, 2013 3:57pm
ex-golfer

So now we have all the dissident wannabes crawling out from under their rocks claiming they might have been spied on.
Good grief, are these people that starved of attention?
It seems to me that only those with something to hide or feel guilty about should be worried.
The rest of us just get on with our lives.
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April 11, 2013 4:05pm
Pete George

“David Shearer doesn’t believe OAG decision not to investigate Fletcher appointment to GCSB weakens Labour’s criticism of his recruitment”

Yeah, right. Maybe he means Labour’s criticism couldn’t have become any weaker.
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April 11, 2013 4:10pm
ex-golfer

Penny
The GCSB doesnt need to spy on you.
Your stupidity is freely available and transparent to all.
Sorry to burst your ego.
9 1
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April 11, 2013 4:12pm
Pete George

I was wrong. Shearer’s criticism is getting weaker.

Labour Leader David Shearer is promising to keep on pressuring the Prime Minister over the appointment of Ian Fletcher to head the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB).

The Auditor-General has turned down a request for the appointment to be investigated, saying the Prime Minister had responsibility for the appointment and had discretion in how it could be made.

Mr Shearer believes the Auditor-General has highlighted concerns by acknowledging the recruitment process envisaged by the State Services Commission didn’t happen.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/63176691-shearer-will-keep-pressuring-pm-over-fletcher

Good grief.
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April 11, 2013 4:23pm
muggins

Rowan (796) Says:

April 11th

Good call Judith, sounds much like the witch sniffers who ‘know’ that Thomas, Bain, Watson etc are guilty as charged.

Rowan, David Bain is guilty and there are many logical arguments that prove just that. Those that say he is not guilty are just myth perpetrators. So far as who murdered the Crewes goes, I’m thinking most likely Demler. So far as who murdered Ben and Olivia goes it could have been Watson but it also could have been an unshaven mystery man with long hair,take your pick.
But so far as David Bain goes, 95% of the evidence points to him and we know he is a liar, look at all the lies he told Binnie.
Why did he need to lie to Binnie if he was innocent?
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April 11, 2013 4:24pm
Nostalgia-NZ

Yawn.
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April 11, 2013 4:25pm
muggins

Judith (2,018) Says:

April 11th, 2013 at 12:26 pm
liarbors a joke (447) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 10:13 am
————————-

But there is to be a cut back in kitchen assistants, and yes, the last time I stayed in hospital and needed a meal, the nurses ran around to find one in the middle of the night, and bought it too me, because the kitchen staff were not available.

No-one “needs” a meal in the middle of the night,have a thought for those overworked nurses that had to run around after you. Imagine if everyone decided they “needed” a meal at any time of the day or night.
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April 11, 2013 4:33pm
OneTrack

PG -“Good grief.”

Labour just don’t have anything else and are now left with scrapping the bottom of the barrel. Actually performing their opposition function of calling the government to account on its POLICIES is beyond them.
1 2
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April 11, 2013 4:48pm
Longknives

So the GCSB is spying on Penny. Christ I hope those guys get paid well….could you imagine a worse job?
9 3
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April 11, 2013 5:24pm
Pauleastbay

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2307040/Margaret-Thatcher-protests-Teachers-hatred-The-drama-mistress-masted-Milibands-school-helped-organise-Maggie-death-parties.html

Two pathetic cocks, its bad enough what they have done but one is a special needs teacher who was only five when when Thatcher was stabbed in the back by her own party and the woman teaches troubled youth. You can imagine what sort of effect a piece of crap like this is having on already troubled kids.

Leftie pieces of shit.
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April 11, 2013 5:45pm
Pauleastbay

Longknives (2,365) Says:

April 11th, 2013 at 5:24 pm
So the GCSB is spying on Penny

I can imagine all the rent a mob desperately wanting to find out if they have been surveilled, sort of like a campagn medal for real humans.

Very sad if this is the only way they can validate their pathetic empty lives . Sort of like the kid farting in class , any attention is better than no attention is all .
7 2
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April 11, 2013 5:50pm
Ross12

Well done to NZ First for pulling up Turei on her idea of legalising dope for Maoris.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/16682567/are-the-greens-just-marijuana-fans-stewart/
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April 11, 2013 5:56pm
Dennis Horne

@Judith. Poor Judith.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/twat?q=twat
twat
Pronunciation: /twɒt, twat/
noun
1 vulgar slang a woman’s genitals.
. a person regarded as stupid or obnoxious.
Origin: mid 17th century: of unknown origin
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April 11, 2013 6:28pm
Pete George

Ross12 – yes, that’s a fair call from Barbara Stewart. Not a good look for an MP to be promoting illegal activities.
3 0
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April 11, 2013 6:41pm
nasska

Kiwiblog’s very own “Nestor notabilis” is back having served his time. 🙂

Ref: https://www.dropbox.com/s/c9a61c4r1h9hzxn/Kea%204.jpg
2 0
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April 11, 2013 6:56pm
Kea

nasska, stop posting suggestive pictures of my missus on KB 😉
2 0
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April 11, 2013 7:04pm
Pauleastbay

Kea

I’ve been away, didn’t even know you’d done a lag. You get to start all over again, mint
2 1
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April 11, 2013 7:05pm
Kea

Pauleastbay, yeah I hope I have some “street cred” now. I think I have limited insight into my offending and am likely to offend again lol 🙂
6 0
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April 11, 2013 7:08pm
Steve (North Shore)

Seems some here think Hospital food should be five star first class.
If you pay, you can have it; if I pay for you, then you can fuck off. After surgery all you want is a small amount of food and a rest.
For those who want more then you may not be sick, injured and just need your Mum.
Hospital is not a fucking Hotel, it is a place you want to avoid
4 2
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April 11, 2013 7:55pm
Kea

Steve, you need to work on your bedside manner !

Are you sure you were not talking about prisons ? 🙂
3 1
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April 11, 2013 7:59pm
nasska

A group of Cubans desert their island on their way to Miami.
In the middle of their arduous journey, one of the Cubans
(the oldest one) suffers a major heart attack and as a last
wish asks for a flag to say good-bye to his dearest Cuba.

Having abandoned everything in Havana, the other Cubans
search desperately in their boat to find something that
will resemble a flag of their country…a T-shirt, a
handkerchief…anything.

Almost ready to abandon all hope, a 20-year-old girl interrupts
their frantic search to offer a tattoo of the flag that is
inscribed on the left cheek of her buttocks. The young girl
pulls down her shorts and slowly lowers her underwear showing
the Cuban flag on a beautifully shaped, tanned buttock cheek.
She approaches the dying man and sticks her ass right on his
face.

The old man caresses the “flag,” grabs the cheek with both
hands and starts kissing the flag with great passion, saying,
“My dear Cuba, I say good-bye to you with great sadness.
My land, my flag, Havana…I will miss you so.”

After going on for almost 15 minutes non-stop, he says to the
girl, “Now, Chica, turn around, por favor.
I want to kiss Castro good-bye!”
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April 11, 2013 8:00pm
Judith

muggins (2,334) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 4:24 pm

…Why did he need to lie to Binnie if he was innocent?

————————————–

I don’t think he did lie.
Perhaps you could tell us why you lied to everyone on this blog regarding the email you received on 22 January from K.C – then maybe we would have more of an idea on what constitutes a liar?
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April 11, 2013 8:23pm
nasska

Breaking News:

France takes nuclear threat on board and surrenders to North Korea.
2 1
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April 11, 2013 8:44pm
Longknives

“I don’t think he did lie.”

Bain’s story chops and changes and gets weirder every time he tells it. He is either batshit insane or he is lying…
3 3
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April 11, 2013 9:00pm
Judith

Longknives (2,366) Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 9:00 pm
——————————

Really? So how many times have you heard him tell it, and what were the bits that were different?
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April 11, 2013 9:07pm
publicwatchdog

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8538432/Ask-for-your-GCSB-file-Shroff

Here you go Kiwibloggers 🙂

FURTHER INFORMATION YOU WILL NEED – IN ORDER TO REQUEST YOUR FILES FROM THE GCSB UNDER THE PRIVACY ACT:

If you think YOU may have been one of the 88 New Zealanders upon whom the GCSB has unlawfully spied – here’s how you contact them:

Email: Information@gcsb.govt.nz

Phone : (04) 472 6881

Kind regards,

Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate

PS: I have had a formal acknowledgment from the GCSB that they’ve received my Privacy Act request, and I will hear from them in ‘due course’.
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April 11, 2013 9:24pm
stigie

Oh dear, looks like we have all been spied on !!
4 0
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April 11, 2013 9:36pm
Kea

What I want to know is how the GCSB has spent millions spying on people like the Waihopai terrorists, Tame Iti and other rabble (Hi Penny), yet done nothing about them !

It does not sound like good value for money to me. I would expect such subversives to have met with unfortunate “accidents” as befitting a shadowy government agency.
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April 11, 2013 9:46pm
Reid

It does not sound like good value for money to me. I would expect such subversives to have met with unfortunate “accidents” as befitting a shadowy government agency.

You mean nerded to death? You mean Tama Iti gets showered with complicated algorithms of pure ones and zeroes until he just can’t take it anymore? I agree, nothing else is working. Let’s hope it reveals something embarrassing like, his moko is actually painted on every morning because when they tried to do it for real, he cried like a little girl and they had to stop.

PS: I have had a formal acknowledgment from the GCSB that they’ve received my Privacy Act request, and I will hear from them in ‘due course’.

Congratulations Penny. One step closer to beating the system, using NZ Post to thwart “the man.” Well done. How fiendish of you.
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April 11, 2013 9:55pm
Rowan

Muggins @ 4.24

How many times have I heard your pathetic naive simplistic explanations for any of the evidence in the Bain case Muggins?
Far far to many, you clearly have no understanding of the evidence or of common sense. You need to resort to lying to make what you are trying to say sound more impressive but it doesn’t and just convinces me more that you are a deluded twisted old fool badly in need of being admitted to a secure psychiatric institution.
You are clearly way out your depth here old bean, maybe go back to your goat!
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April 11, 2013 9:57pm
Rowan

Muggins
Is it a prerequisite to be a senile old goat in order to join Kent Parkers ‘counterspin’ witch-hunt, or is that just what belonging to his cult following does to you and your ability to discuss things rationally. Either way some very sad twisted individuals there.
Just wondering are you deliberately lying or just incapable of telling the truth?
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April 11, 2013 10:12pm
labrator

PS: I have had a formal acknowledgment from the GCSB that they’ve received my Privacy Act request, and I will hear from them in ‘due course’.

But has it been ‘judicially recognised’?

I also like how you quote ‘Anti-corruption campaigner’, so if you go to court, you don’t have to back that up, you’re just quoting someone else…
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April 11, 2013 11:18pm
Kea

A special moment. I see the cops listen to her as much as the rest of us. 🙂

http://www.3news.co.nz/VIDEO-Hysterical-scenes-during-arrest-of-Occupy-protestor-Penny-Bright/tabid/309/articleID/240742/Default.aspx
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April 11, 2013 11:31pm
Pete George

What I want to know is how the GCSB has spent millions spying on people like the Waihopai terrorists, Tame Iti and other rabble (Hi Penny), yet done nothing about them !

a) It wasn’t up to the GCSB to do anything about them, they were spying on behalf of the police and NZSIS, not on their own account.

b) It has been said that no charges have eventuated from this spying but it doesn’t nothing has been done about them.

c) There is no evidence about who they spied on. Some people are speculating, and others are hoping it was them so they can get some attention, but no identities have been confirmed as far as I have seen.
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April 12, 2013 5:56am
Manolo

The Messiah’s ~~classy~~ trashy friends: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/04/11/carney_on_jay-zs_explicit_song_about_cuba_trip_the_white_house_has_nothing_to_do_with_it.html
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April 12, 2013 7:59am
muggins

Rowan (800) Says:

April 11th, 2013 at 9:57 pm
Muggins @ 4.24

How many times have I heard your pathetic naive simplistic explanations for any of the evidence in the Bain case Muggins?
Far far to many, you clearly have no understanding of the evidence or of common sense. You need to resort to lying to make what you are trying to say sound more impressive but it doesn’t and just convinces me more that you are a deluded twisted old fool badly in need of being admitted to a secure psychiatric institution.
You are clearly way out your depth here old bean, maybe go back to your goat!

Rowan, why is it when you know you are losing an argument all you are able to do is to insult the messenger. You never attempt to debate the evidence,and we all know why. And that goat was the Bain’s goat, I believe David had four to choose from.
And as I keep telling you it is David Bain who is the liar,you are confusing me with him.
Do you really believe his story about that goat?
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April 12, 2013 4:03pm
muggins

Rowan (800) Says:

April 11th, 2013 at 10:12 pm
Muggins
Is it a prerequisite to be a senile old goat in order to join Kent Parkers ‘counterspin’ witch-hunt, or is that just what belonging to his cult following does to you and your ability to discuss things rationally. Either way some very sad twisted individuals there.
Just wondering are you deliberately lying or just incapable of telling the truth

Rowan , I won’t call you a sad twisted individual just because you believe every word David Bain says. And I won’t call you a senile old goat just because you lack basic comprehensive skills.
As I have already told you, you are getting me mixed up with David Bain. He is the person who deliberately lies. He is capable of telling the truth on occasion and because of that some people like yourself don’t know when he is telling the truth and when he is not.
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April 12, 2013 4:16pm
Judith

muggins (2,342) Says:
April 12th, 2013 at 4:16 pm
————————-

I think you have got your story very muddled Muggins – it is not David Bain that tells lies it is you. In January you received an email from a member of the police after which you proceeded to misrepresent the contents of that email in various posts on this blog for several weeks.

To jog your memory, the first sentence of that email was: “No police officer was in the room during the medical examination of David Bain”.
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April 12, 2013 4:25pm

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