General Debate 18 March 2015

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Keeping Stock

Superb cartoon of Len “No-mates” Brown in the Herald this morning

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11418747
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March 18, 2015 8:02am
flipper

Flipper hears that there are some very upset people (seriously p****d off is the way one source describes them) at the Court of Appeal, particularly Justices E France, J Wild and F Miller.

The reason?
The Crown Law Office (M Heron/ U Jagose (?) and P Dacre) sat on information that clears John Banks, and did not disclose it either to the C o A or to J Banks’ counsel, David Jones.
Had the information withheld been disclosed to Jones and the CoA, experienced observers assert, the appeal would have been allowed immediately, and no retrial ordered. That would have been the end of the matter, apart for some later consequences for certain individuals.

To recap, the Crown sent solicitor Rowan Butler to interview Dotcom over the new evidence (from two US businessmen) that Banks would present to the CoA. Banks’ counsel had observed the rules and disclosed that to the Crown. The interview with Dotcom (in the presence of his then counsel, P Davison) took place on September 29, 2014, and Butler reported to Crown Counsel Dacre in a memorandum, also on September 29. The “Butler Memorandum” introduces a new Dotcom claim – that there were two meetings with Mr and Mrs Banks, one of June 5, 2010 and the other on June 9, 2010. He had earlier asserted that there was only one meeting on June 9. Wylie J, however, found that the lunch was on June 5, as later also attested by the US businessmen.

The crux of the date issue is that both Mr and Mrs Banks were proven to have been elsewhere on June 9, and could not have been at a “second” meeting/luncheon with Dotcom on that date.

Now, understand this: This information was known to the Crown on September 29, 2014. It was not disclosed to Jones/Banks, nor to the Court of Appeal when it heard the case on October 29, 2014 – one month later. In fact the existence of the Butler memorandum was kept secret by the Crown until finally it was released (received by) to David Jones (Banks) on February 27, 2015.

On March 2, 2015 (the weekend intervened) David Jones filed a memorandum with the High Court requesting a section 347 (discharge) hearing. Flipper hears that the Crown has now agreed to this hearing. But that is not all the bad news for the Crown. It is also said that David Jones has gone back to the Court of Appeal because it appears, on the face of evidence now disclosed by the Crown, that the Court was deliberately misled.

It is of concern to some that SG Mike Heron should have been a party to that, and there have been comments linking the withholding decision to his deputy (described by one legal as “that creature”), Una Jagose, since appointed Acting Director of the GCSB.

Where this unhappy saga will end is open to speculation. But it surely is:
• Good news for John Banks who has now spent more than a month (all up) in the Courts and appeared before more than 15 Judges;
• Bad news for the Crown Law establishment;
• Likely to give rise to assertions of malfeasance;
• Likely to adversely impact on the careers (future Bench appointments) of those involved on the Crown side of the case.
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March 18, 2015 8:04am
Nookin

Flipper,
What role did the QC representing the crown play? I seem to recall that he defended the retention of the information?
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March 18, 2015 8:09am
Paulus

Was talking to a Medical Professional last evening and the subject of Putin came up.

His immediate undiagnosed opinion from the piece shown on TV suggested that Putin’s absence was possibly because of his having a recent Prostate operation. This, he said, that Putin’s walk and his very wide leg sitting position, which is normal for such a condition in the earliest days of recuperation, as it is actually “very” uncomfortable to sit appeared possible.
In addition the puffiness of Putin’s face would indicate that he was on steroids, again a normal part of the treatment.
Possible ?
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March 18, 2015 8:09am
Keeping Stock

@ flipper – Penny Bright is a “transparency watchdog”. I look forward to her condemnation of Crown Law for its persecution of John Banks, and its lack of transparency.

Oh; hang on. I forgot that the original prosecution was taken by Penny’s mate Graham McCready. Perhaps Penny needs to change her title to “anti-corruption and transparency watchdog, but only against certain people”; that would more adequately describe her political hackery and hypocrisy.
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March 18, 2015 8:11am
Lance

@KS
Surely our Penny is not a hypocrite, not biased, not a supporter of corrupt people?

Oh the horror
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March 18, 2015 8:13am
Lance

A mercy killing

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/67430489/microsoft-kills-off-internet-explorer
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March 18, 2015 8:15am
wreck1080

Steven Joyce being a dick on the radio this morning. Justifying GST on overseas purchases that we need a broad base tax system — at the same time we do not have capital gains which is far simpler to implement than forcing foreign companies to comply with NZ tax law. So that argument fails .

Then, why are they not looking more into tax avoidance by the biggies, such as apple, google, and other companies who base their affairs from dublin and luxembourg.

He should admit to cherry picking.
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March 18, 2015 8:15am
EAD

Was reading the Southland Times about the “mystery shitter” and the following article caught my eye: http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/66737554/Invercargill-identity-Louis-Crimp-dies

I’d never realised Louis had passed away, so a belated RIP Louis. He gave much of his wealth to those in need and the wider community in general. A Philanthropist of the highest order.

Of course, for the right-on PC brigade this did not matter one bit and in their eyes was a man to be hated because he used to describe Maori in a way which the PC brigade wouldn’t bat an eye-lid if the roles were reversed and it were Harawaria or Turia talking. They would always find “offence” (real or imagined) at the truths Louis Crimp spoke. Crimp speaking his mind was “unacceptable” to them,

Ah yes, “unacceptable”: that marvellously elastic weasel word so beloved by PC totalitarians used to quash dissenting thought. But as Delingpole so excellently observed recently http://www.breitbart.com/london/2015/03/13/sack-danny-cohen-not-jeremy-clarkson/, “what it actually tells is about nothing more than the personal prejudices of the gag-inducingly self-righteous, epically presumptuous, painfully right-on gimp who is using it.”

I mean – just look at the abuse the PC Nazis used to dish out to this wonderful, generous man as they try to find “word crimes”

http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2012/08/critic_on_louis_crimp.html
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March 18, 2015 8:16am
itstricky

Steven Joyce being a dick on the radio this morning. Justifying GST on overseas

Has there been a post by DPF yet, berating the Government’s stupidity? I mean he did that for others that have suggested it. Perhaps he’s leaving it for The TPU to do a guest post.
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March 18, 2015 8:21am
flipper

Nookin (3,703 comments) says:

March 18th, 2015 at 8:09 am
****

I recall seeing some comment by someone in the NZ Herald. And Judith Collins said in the SST on Sunday last that the Crown is now trying to build a new case – or words to that effect – based on Dotcom’s new claim. ( Not much of a silk purse from that sow’s ear. 🙂 )

I am unaware of any formal Crown “justification” at this stage, but the contortions should be hilarious……and then there are the disclosure rules which have been flouted. (A pattern seen in other cases, no?)

BTW… admire your patience in your endeavours to educate pennythedim
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March 18, 2015 8:25am
Lance

@itstricky
Criticizing the host of this blog because he didn’t snap to the click of your left wing fingers, and smarty on his OWN BLOG…. is deeply arrogant.
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March 18, 2015 8:25am
Tauhei Notts

That dairy price move overnight was very worrying.
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March 18, 2015 8:31am
flipper

Keeping S…

Very well put!
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March 18, 2015 8:32am
Nukuleka

Well, I guess that everyone involved in the ‘X Factor’ debacle is sitting back and feeling very pleased with themselves! Great publicity for TV3 and Mediaworks with no doubt increased viewing numbers for their ghastly programme and therefore greater advertising revenue- plus brownie points for doing ‘the right thing’ in sacking the two-headed monster Kills/ Moon. International media publicity for Kills/ Moon who will be rejoicing in their new- found world-wide celebrity status as the nastiest X Factor judges ever. Great exposure for the Joe Average contestant who was the recipient of their well-honed barbs. Applause for the other judges who can now bask in their roles as the nice guys. And a general warm feeling amongst the 70,000 who signed the online petition to know that democracy is truly alive and well in this great country of ours- the voice of the people is indeed heard and acted upon.

Am amazed that this beautifully and spectacularly contrived affair didn’t manage to make it into Parliamentary Question Time! That really would have been the icing on the cake for TV3 and Mediaworks!
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March 18, 2015 8:33am
oldpark

@ Flipper 8.04 am

So the sound of silence from the NZ Law society, and all the trendy attack MSM dogs have stayed in their kennels on reporting the miscarriage of justice., against John Banks. Hope it dosn’t turn out that might is right, and the NZ Legal fraternity, or so called prosecutors get a free pass on omission. Would be great to see them charged with the crime of being guilty of perverting the course of justice,and attempting to support alleged perjury by Kim Dotcon and his ex wife,at an earlier trial.
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March 18, 2015 8:34am
mandk

@ wreck1080

Capital gains tax would be far from simple to devise and implement, and its main effect would be to spawn a huge avoidance industry.

Good news for the tax lawyers and accountants. Bad news for the Crown accounts.
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March 18, 2015 8:35am
itstricky

Criticizing the host of this blog because he didn’t snap to the click of your left wing finger

Just asking whether there has been a post yet. I guess the answer is no, then?

What does it matter what fingers are clicked, or what wing they are? Are you suggesting that if right wing fingers were clicked, something would happen? You’re kind of only proving exactly how one eyed comments and votes are here. ie. even more grain of salt required to digest “General Debate” today.
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March 18, 2015 8:36am
IGM

See in “Manawatu Standard” another left-wing outburst by the woman (masquerading as a journo) who was threatened in Taranaki recently. After reading her rendition it is easy to see how people can become offended. Maybe WO should take a read of this before he once again jumps to her defence.
Gang members not allowed onto a flight because of patches gets no MSM coverage, yet when Sikhs want to take daggers to a cricket match all hell breaks loose. Where is the balance, maybe colour has a bit to do with it?
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March 18, 2015 8:41am
Lance

@itstricky
Oh come on!.. nobody that’s thick!

It’s DPF’s blog, I am saying he can do has he pleases and is not answerable to you.

If I (or you) want to bring up a topic there is this General Debate thread.

Talk about having the state the bleeding obvious.
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March 18, 2015 8:42am
peterwn

To those complaining about the likelihood of GST on imported goods. What is your stance on big time tax avoidance? Remember that in theory GST should be collected on all imports. The under $400 exemption is a ‘convenience’ thing done at a time when the total value of such imports was modest. If the Government can devise a means of collecting the GST economically without a processing impost on small imports, then it should do so, and there is no basis to complain about this.
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March 18, 2015 8:47am
itstricky

It’s DPF’s blog, I am saying he can do has he pleases and is not answerable to you.

So why does it matter what “wing” my fingers are?
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March 18, 2015 8:47am
EAD

President of Agora Investments, Bill Bonner, on the world the Central Banks have created whereby the rich get richer, the poor get poorer why we are now due for a crash:

http://thecrux.com/bill-bonner-get-ready-for-a-zero-returns-world/

“As we mentioned yesterday, central banks are not really “printing money.” Nor are they really stimulating the economy.

Instead, they are putting credit on sale. This gooses up asset prices. It encourages speculation and quick-buck gambling. It does not raise consumer prices or help the real economy.

Instead, the rich get richer – because assets go up in price. And the poor get poorer – because real investment, the kind that produces jobs and incomes, goes down.

Curiously, even former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan, now at liberty to speak the truth, said so: “The single biggest problem in our economy,” according to Greenspan, “is a lack of real capital investment.” ”

In EAD’s opinion, it is time to have a real free market economy – one where the free market determines interest rates, rather than central banks who keep insolvent governments and banks afloat whilst slowly but surely destroying the real economy and capitalism. Speculators on assets won’t be happy, but we’ll return to a more fair and just world.
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March 18, 2015 8:48am
itstricky

If I (or you) want to bring up a topic there is this General Debate thread.

Right you are!
Here’s one for Griff:
http://www.wired.com/2015/03/florida-science-must-not-named/
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March 18, 2015 8:50am
wreck1080

@mandk:: you’re a word twister .

I didn’t say CGT is easy, I said a CGT is relatively simple relative to coercing foreign nations to comply with and enforce NZ tax law.
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March 18, 2015 8:50am
Ed Snack

There’s nothing illegal about the tax dealings of Apple, Google etc, in Europe or elsewhere. The EU quite specifically legislates for a company to be able to trade anywhere in the EU from any country in the EU and be liable only for the taxation in the country that they are domiciled in.

What you (Wreck1080) are arguing for is that these companies should voluntarily hand over a significant slice of their earnings to politicians to enable even greater waste. But companies don’t actually pay tax, some combination of their employees, customers and shareholders (with a dash of wider stakeholders) do. So you’d tax those people more, for what, the sin of making money that people pay for voluntarily ?
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March 18, 2015 8:53am
The only red for me is that of Manchester United

EAD @8.16

Louis Crimp was tireless in his battles at ending the monopoly that is the Invercargill Licensing Trust. The ILT which continues to stiffle free markets in the hospitality trade in Invercargill. The city could do with one or two small sophisticated bars, but the trust won’t allow anyone else to operate a bar within their catchment. The trust has killed any chance of Invercargill night life being anything else but the booze culture that they let exist now.

It’s still silly that in this day and age in Invercargill you can’t buy a bottle of wine at the supermarket.
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March 18, 2015 9:11am
Griff

Here is the reason why the GOP in the states is full of anti science nutters and authoritarian loons (we have a few on kb) for you itstricky.
http://members.shaw.ca/jeanaltemeyer/drbob/TheAuthoritarians.pdf
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March 18, 2015 9:12am
kowtow

Internet shopping ,isn’t it great. You can order stuff from overseas and delivered to your door, often at wildly lower prices than retailers here charge.

The retailers argue distance and shipping as the reason they bum us ,sorry charge us, so much……..that does not wash.
Same with milk, the retailers claimed they had to charge the international price of milk…… bullshit ,it was the duopoly supermarket mark up.

Competition is what keeps the bastards honest and we don’t seem to have enough of it.

This GST thing ,is it retailers pulling national’s strings or is it national wanting more money off us?
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March 18, 2015 9:16am
wreck1080

@ed snack:

Who said it was illegal?

Companies do pay tax. I’m not sure where you get this peculiar idea.

I get the impression you are just against taxation because governments do not spend money wisely.
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March 18, 2015 9:17am
Griff

Competition is what keeps the bastards honest and we don’t seem to have enough of it.

This GST thing ,is it retailers pulling national’s strings or is it national wanting more money off us?

Competition on a level playing field is what is desirable.
I dont like having to pay gst on stuff I buy offshore but I do see that not doing so unfairly disadvantages the New Zealand retailer and has an effected in their viability.
Adding 15% tax still allows one to import goods when the new Zealand retail market is making unfair profits.
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March 18, 2015 9:26am
kowtow

But but but we’ve always been propagandised that those bastard big bellied Buddhists are even more peaceful and tolerant than the religion of peace mozzies……….

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/03/myanmar-court-jails-insulting-buddhism-150317063346508.html

New Zealander gaoled for insulting Big Belly Buddhie.

Je Suis, will we get an international outpouring of French Republican expressions of solidarity? Ho hum ,don’t think so.
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March 18, 2015 9:37am
EAD

Yes only Red is Manchester United,

While Invercargill has improved immensely from the backwater it once was, the ILT is a throwback to Soviet Russia – a state sponsored cartel of the highest order. One thing that doesn’t get enough attention is the way it uses its charitable arm to boost it’s commercial business such as motel and restaurant businesses. Give money to groups with a wink wink nudge nudge that you use their commercial business.

They use their state enforced near monopoly pricing power to stifle competition.

Because they earn monopoly profits, their charitable arm has more money than it can realistically give away, it spends vast sums on white elephants. I mean, a provincial town at the bottom of the world with an indoor velodrome? Another centrally planned “bridge to nowhere” waste of money
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March 18, 2015 9:37am
cricko

It’s all over Rover.
Now Israelis will be too frightened to vote for anyone but Netanyahu.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/middle-east/67427049/chuck-norris-stumps-for-troubled-benjamin-netanyahu-campaign

And Obama better hope Chuck doesn’t find out about the state dept financing the opposition.
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March 18, 2015 9:37am
dime

GST on overseas purchases..

Its just horrifying to watch a lobby group pressure the government into nailing their competition.

We see it over and over. Usually its in the name of public safety, sometimes its down to “fairness”. the result – less competition, a shittier, less efficient economy,

adapt FFS.

currently there are 1.5 billion people online!? it will be 4 billion in 5 years or so.. thats a lot of customers for kiwi websites to sell too. lets not be too hasty to nail overseas companies, it may come back to haunt us.

the retail experience in this country is poor. very few stores offer an experience, so why would you go out of your way to support them? then you have westfields who came in and jacked all the rents, everyone else followed suit and retailer margins skyrocketed.

protecting the current high margins helps no one but landlords. retailers are down over the last few years, maybe we need to lose a few more to take pressure off rents.
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March 18, 2015 9:39am
Tarquin North

Nukuleka, I agree with what you’re saying. The only problem is when the new found throng of viewers actually watch this dross and realise how awful and contrived it really is they will hopefully vote with their remotes and turn it off permanently. I’ve seen better karaoke in the local pub.
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March 18, 2015 9:43am
EAD

I got timed out but do you know what the real scary thing is about the ILT? Many in Invercargill think the ILT is the most amazing thing as it means the profits of booze goes back to the community.

Replace booze with food or clothes or fuel or electronics and you see how stupid this argument is. Heck, why don’t we form a charitable arm for every single commercial activity so no profits can go back to “evil” capitalists and everything would go back to the “community”.

We’ve tried that before – it was called Communism.
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March 18, 2015 9:46am
Odakyu-sen

Crude oil (NYMEX) down to $US42.85.

Go you good thing!

Meanwhile, Zed Glen Innes in Auckland is $1.96 for 91 per liter (while $1.68 at Takanini). I expect prices to drop at the pumps.
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March 18, 2015 9:46am
dime

Gee whaleoil is still butt hurt by national. todays hes saying that “kiwis” have a sense of fairness and cops, firemen and teachers should get hefty pay increases before any tax cuts are offered.

just more evidence that this is all a game for WO and he is hardly right wing.
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March 18, 2015 9:47am
dime

“Crude oil (NYMEX) down to $US42.85.

Go you good thing!”

its going lower.

isnt it freaking amazing that the yanks are once again the worlds biggest oil producer!

an thats despite obamas best efforts to fuck them.

that country really is blessed.
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March 18, 2015 9:52am
kowtow

odakyu sen

Yes price of fuel should come down but again the retailer will pretend other causes outside of their control to bum us, sorry charge us more.This time the rising US $.

Of course no mention of the huge proportion of that price being TAX!

We’re so lucky ,we get double bummed, by the retailers and the gummint.
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March 18, 2015 9:54am
IGM

kowtow: Time for oil costings to be regulated once more. Then there will be “transparency” (the new buzz word), as to who gets what. Deregulation by Labour of this industry, has been a disaster, leading to collusion all around.
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March 18, 2015 10:06am
doggone7

Keeping Stock @ 8:11 am

I chuckled at the use of “persecution” when talking about John Banks. In numerous interviews to do with his dealings with and denials about Kim Dotcom, Banks stumbled about trying to come up with answers which would come out as plausible. Not just the interviews about the “unknown donations”, but about flying in a helicopter, like knowing who Dotcom was, like having met him and so on.

Those possum in the headlights appearances had the contempt for the truth being palpable.

With that in mind it is rather ironic that Crown Law is slagged its lack of transparency.
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March 18, 2015 10:11am
Odakyu-sen

kowtow,

I realise that a huge proportion of the pump price is tax. However, crude oil feeds into the production of so many raw materials. In addition, cheaper logistics costs and air travel will also be nice.

I’m not a Greenie, but we should use our resources as efficiently and avoid waste.

Remember, when you are paying 33 cents in the dollar as income tax, every dollar saved is equivalent to $1.30 earned. (You have to earn $1.30, then pay your 33% tax, to get a dollar in your hand.)
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March 18, 2015 10:14am
Jack5

IB Stricky and Wreck1080: good on you for bringing up the Gummint’s move to put GST on international purchases under $400.

And ignore Lance at 8.21 about criticising DPF, who runs a robust blog. I’ve never seen DPF upset about fair criticism.
Pete George is the good boy of the class, and Lance is trying to rival him.

Capital goods tax would be far easier to institute than tax on these minor overseas transactions. We already have some capital goods tax, but its very tiny, very poor (relates to taxpayer’s self-decided intentions), and it’s very weak. Most countries in the world have successful capital gains taxes.

It will be nigh impossible to impose GST on all downloads, as many from quite small firms who will be happy to tell NZ’s IRD to go take a flying fuck. Also there is no GST on second hand goods, and how will the IRD tell whether the firm you buy the download from is a person or a tiny firm in Oklahoma? Then, in NZ, firms have to be registered for GST. How is the IRD going to rope in firms, in China, America, and Europe? What about all the little sellers on eBay?

There is a huge world change going on in international retailing. Because of NZ’s isolation, our drawn out, mountainous geography, and our tiny size, retailing of many items in NZ is cumbersome and expensive in transport and holding inventory. The internet is a brilliant way to distribute goods we would normally import, and many things we make ourselves. It will prevail!

It’s interesting that Labour is supporting National on this. National is acting for the retailers, Labour for unions etc. The MSM are backing National and Labour because the economically failing MSM are desperate for retailers’ advertising spend.

Good on you wreck1080 and ibstricky. Long term, the Gummint is pissing against the wind on this, but in the short term they are going to fuck us around.

And don’t worry about capital gains tax. I’m not in favour of increasing the total tax take, but would far rather see a capital gains tax and GST dropped back to its original 10 per cent, a level at which the original Labour implementers of GST probably promised would never rise.
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March 18, 2015 10:18am
dime

“kowtow: Time for oil costings to be regulated once more. Then there will be “transparency” (the new buzz word), as to who gets what. Deregulation by Labour of this industry, has been a disaster, leading to collusion all around.”

yeah, regulation is always the answer!!!

Say Labour and the gweens regulate the oil companies in NZ (god help us). They set the cost of oil at a “fair” $2 a litre. They maybe give a card to some race based group which entitles them to pay $1.50 per litre.

The cost of oil plummets. Labour & the Gweens say – the cost will remain at $2. we are going to use the extra tax to build up wail! cause its good for global warming and then we are going to use some of it to feed the kids!!!

profit goes down, gas stations dont invest any more anymore, we end up with shitty service, shitty gas stations and paying even more for gas.

yep, good ole regulation will sort us out!
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March 18, 2015 10:20am
flipper

See below
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March 18, 2015 10:23am
flipper

According to Fox, Benny Netanyhu has declared victory in israel polls, but latest exit polls show dead heat
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March 18, 2015 10:24am
publicwatchdog

My view on the John Banks developments are that lawful ‘due process’ should be followed in a proper way, and my expectation is that Crown Law should ‘lead from the front’ in making sure that ‘justice is done and is seen to be done’.

The Court should not be ‘misled’ by anyone.

Penny Bright
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March 18, 2015 10:27am
kowtow

dime

Gweens would make it an environmental crime to use “fossil fuels”. Labour, if it meant the price of governing might support them.

Madness I hear some say.Consider this:

Notional are at the behest of maori attacking tobacco private property rights in an effort to rid the country of said product by 20 something or other.

Notional also supported the Communist , sorry Green, Bill to criminalise good parents!

We live in very dangerous times and there is no party in parliament genuinely interested in the electorate.
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March 18, 2015 10:31am
lolitasbrother

About Capital Gains tax above: Just before the election were those excellent columns on CGT, here on Kiwiblog.
I would be good if Mr.Farrar would bring brought in a guest writer to present this subject, and tie up some of the loose ends that were left in the wake of the utter defeat of Cunliffe.
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March 18, 2015 10:37am
Old.Mickey.Blue.Eyes

publicwatchdog (3,757 comments) says:
March 18th, 2015 at 10:27 am
My view on the John Banks developments are that lawful ‘due process’ should be followed in a proper way, and my expectation is that Crown Law should ‘lead from the front’ in making sure that ‘justice is done and is seen to be done’.

The Court should not be ‘misled’ by anyone.
_____________________

Yet, when due process goers against your view of right and wrong eg The John Key Tranzrail shares, you continue to argue the toss. Penny you are a deluded hypocrite, and I look forward to you paying your rates when the court has followed due process and confirms what we all know, you have no valid reason to not pay your rates.
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March 18, 2015 10:38am
kowtow

More Local govt lunacy and infringement on private property rights.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/336558/mediation-move-over-paint-dispute
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March 18, 2015 10:39am
Akaroa

Ol’ Odakyu-Sen – (is he/she really Japanese i wonder?) – posted yesterday at 7.42 a list of ways for the newcomer to this blessed land to ‘fit in’ with his/her Kiwi neighbours/workmates.

Well, Odakyu Sen, me ol’ Oriental mate, my experience on arriving and starting to live in New Zilnd in 1974 was almost exactly opposite to the pattern of ‘assimilation’ you suggest. I couldn’r disagree more with your pansy, creepy way of ingratiating oneself with the locals.

Perhaps it was because I was working with other RNZAF people, several of whom were either ex-RAF or had UK experience, but I found the best way to assimlate and – most importantly, (repeat) most importantly – maintain the respect of one’s colleagues – (that’s most important!) -was to behave naturally, retain ones overseas life values, and NOT slavishly strive to become an ‘overnight’ Kiwi. (Have patience -it will come!)

Consequently I never tried to be other than a Pommie immigrant until one day – surprise surprise – the scales fell from mine eyes and i found that i had magically become accepted and regarded as just another bloke from Wellington.

By that time I had unconsciously and gradually absorbed the Kiwi mindset and outlook – a gradual process.

The true, acid test of the reformed-Pom-Kiwi, of course, is who he/she backs in an AB vs England game.

Me? ABs all the way!!
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March 18, 2015 10:40am
stephieboy

I enjoyed a lovely walk this morning that took me into the heart of neighbouring Mt Roskilll and past Mt Roskill Grammar School. This school represents in many ways the great success that multiculturalism and diversity is in our great city. The school is incredibly diverse boasting I understand the largest Indian student population in Auckland and New Zealand.

It was immensely satisfying to see the richness in the diversity of students including not only the more typical Asians and Pacifica but Somalis, Iraqis , Afghanis and Lebanese . Not to mention a fair sprinkling of White students Mt Roskill Grammar has itself built up a strong record of achievement both academically , culturally and in Sports . Their dux for 2011 became the top student in Medical school so far in successive years.

This richness in diversity was also reflected in my walk that included a circuit of the immense Keith Hay park with morning joggers and walkers like me . What freedom , what richness , what harmony !

I would like to add a delightful thing as I walked yesterday around the Mt Roskill War Memorial Park not far from Keith Hay. There is refurbished 400 meter track used for both athletics and recreational walkers . Two ladies in Burkas were doing their morning stint around the track . At first it bemused me then thinking about it , as I indicated , found it rather quaint and a delight.

Here In Auckland everyone getting on with their lives and the shared rejoicing of the presences and great possibilities and potential that diversity and multiculturalism can and does bring . Contrasted to the culture of complaint ,bellyaching and the big whinge from ,the antis and ill informed bores !
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March 18, 2015 10:46am
publicwatchdog

However, I believe that as John Banks knew that Kim Dotcom had made donation(s) to his 2010 Auckland Mayor campaign, that those donations should not have been listed as ‘anonymous’.

Also, I believe that it was WRONG for John Banks to rely upon his Treasurer for the compilation of his candidate’s returns, particularly donations, when his Treasurer was NOT present at all meetings at which John Banks asked for money
/donations for his campaign.

How was that taking ‘personal responsibility’ for John Banks’ actions in requesting donations from known people, then relying upon his Treasurer to compile the details of these donations when his Treasurer didn’t have the same knowledge, as did John Banks, of from where exactly those donations came?

There seems to be a LOT of ‘pinhead dancing’ happening here – but to me – that’s the ‘guts’ of the issue.

Penny Bright
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March 18, 2015 10:46am
publicwatchdog

The ‘validity’ of my rates assessments and invoices has yet to be tested by the way of Declaratory Judgment in the High Court.

Penny Bright
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March 18, 2015 10:49am
dime

“Notional also supported the Communist , sorry Green, Bill to criminalise good parents!

We live in very dangerous times and there is no party in parliament genuinely interested in the electorate.”

at the risk of turning this into a smacking thread..didnt JK’s support ensure that the shitty bill was watered down a bit!?

in a way, all national have done is prolong our misery. they have kept all the centre left policies but have been smart enough to only rack up 50 billion in debt and not actually send us broke. maybe if helen had another term, labour would have fucked us to the point where we wanted fundamental change.. then again we could have ended up like aussie – spitting out our medicine and demanding to go back on the tit.

Dime agrees with HJ, we need more chinese etc they dont like the welfare state either. immigrants may get us out of our FAT western ways?!
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March 18, 2015 10:49am
Nukuleka

Professor Peter Lineham of Massey University asserts that NZers visiting Catholic countries need to be careful not to insult Catholicism or else they might share the same fate as Phil Blackwood in Myanmar. My challenge to Professor Lineham is to provide an example of anyone being imprisoned in a Catholic country for a similar ‘crime’ as Mr Blackwood committed when he published an image of Buddha wearing a set of headphones to publicise his bar.

And I’m not talking about someone raping a nun or murdering a Bishop, Professor Lineham.
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March 18, 2015 10:53am
dime

stephieboy – thats great. as long as i dont have to live next to poor people who will steal my kids bike im all good.

oh yeah, no muslims either. luckily they like to carve out their own little pockets which are always lovely. i understand that overseas, muslim suburbs are so nice that the police dont even have to go there anymore!
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March 18, 2015 10:53am
Liberty

GST on overseas purchases..

In an ideal world we would have a Libertarian government. Then we would not have GST.
But as the majority like to live in a socialist cesspit. To feed such a monstrosity.
A vile Tax such as GST is required. For GST to work fairly. It must apply to all purchases.
The current fad of private importing undermines the basic principles behind the tax.
One of arguments by the state bureaucrats is it cost to much to collect under $400.
Yet the corner dairy has to account for the GST on a 50c sweet.
If it to difficult for the state to collect under $400 to be fair all retail sales under $400
should be GST free. A nice idea but unworkable.
Far better for the bureaucrats to to stop procrastinating and collect GST
on all sales regardless if a local sale or goods imported.
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March 18, 2015 10:54am
dime

Time to invest some more cash. NZ shares.

What companies do you guys like at the moment? my research starts today..

Old peoples homes – seems to be going off. is Dime too late though?
Retail – I should have got into briscoes 18 months ago dammit. might be too late!?
Which power company?

ill jump into 4 companies i think.. 4 industries.. see how i go.

too scared to get into US companies. dont trust their dodgy economy.
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March 18, 2015 10:56am
EAD

Stephie,

even for you, your 10.46am is a top notch trolling effort – especially on a right wing blog. I gave it an uptick even!

Apart from guffawing words like “rejoicing”, “harmony”, “richness”, “satisfying”, “great satisfaction”, did you actually list one real, tangible benefit?
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March 18, 2015 10:56am
Old.Mickey.Blue.Eyes

Have to confess, watched the first 30 minutes of batchelor last night, was curious to see what/who has been collected for the show following the TV3’s other recent hist with reality shows. The batchelor, some guy call Arthur Green and 21 sorry/desperate looking bunch of girls. They made Arthur appear as some of successful entrepreneur and all round major success story siting clean paleo as the his source of entrepreneurial wealth. The website list him as a director, the companies office does not. He owns circa 1% of the company, not a founder/entrepreneur as claimed by the show……..o dear, another miss perhaps for TV3 & Juleio Christie ?
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March 18, 2015 10:58am
Fletch

Gabbana fires back at Elton John –

Gabbana responded directly to John’s post, writing, simply “Fascist!!” Then, in an interview with Corrier Della Sera, the designer expanded on his criticism, calling John “ignorant” for his hypocritical intolerance:

“I wasn’t expecting it. I wasn’t expecting it from someone like Elton John I used to think – and I stress ‘used to’ – was intelligent. What’s going on? You preach understanding. You preach tolerance. And then you put the knife in? All because someone else doesn’t see things your way? Is that supposed to be a democratic way of thinking? Enlightened? He’s ignorant, in the sense that he denies ways of seeing things that may not be his but are just as deserving of respect.”
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March 18, 2015 11:00am
Fletch

WTF?

Obama has removed Iran, Hezbollah from 2015 TERROR THREAT REPORT.

President Barack Obama’s appointees have airbrushed Iran out of the terror section of the 2015 annual report on national security threats, just as he tries to negotiate a nuclear weapons deal with Iran’s theocratic leaders.

The 2015 “Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community” excludes Iran and its network of jihadi groups who are motivated by Islam’s Shia sect, from the report’s terror section.

Instead, the assessment focuses entirely jihadis motivated by the Sunni sect of Islam, including those in al-Qaida and ISIS, sometimes known as the Islamic State.

“Sunni violent extremists are gaining momentum and the number of Sunni violent extremist groups, members, and safe havens is greater than at any other point in history,” the report admits.

That’s a big shift from 2014, when Iran’s network of jihadis — chiefly, the Hezbollah army in Lebanon — got their own subsection.

“Iran and Hizballah – Outside of the Syrian theater, Iran and Lebanese Hizballah continue to directly threaten the interests of US allies. Hizballah has increased its global terrorist activity in recent years to a level that we have not seen since the 1990s,” said the 2014 report.

http://dailycaller.com/2015/03/16/iran-removed-from-terror-threat-report-as-obama-negotiates-nuclear-deal/
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March 18, 2015 11:02am
Fletch

The White House will no longer respond to Freedom Of Information requests –

WASHINGTON — The White House is removing a federal regulation that subjects its Office of Administration to the Freedom of Information Act, making official a policy under Presidents Bush and Obama to reject requests for records to that office.

The White House said the cleanup of FOIA regulations is consistent with court rulings that hold that the office is not subject to the transparency law. The office handles, among other things, White House record-keeping duties like the archiving of e-mails.

But the timing of the move raised eyebrows among transparency advocates, coming on National Freedom of Information Day and during a national debate over the preservation of Obama administration records. It’s also Sunshine Week, an effort by news organizations and watchdog groups to highlight issues of government transparency.

“The irony of this being Sunshine Week is not lost on me,” said Anne Weismann of the liberal Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW.

“It is completely out of step with the president’s supposed commitment to transparency,” she said. “That is a critical office, especially if you want to know, for example, how the White House is dealing with e-mail.”

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/16/white-house-foia-regulations-deleted/24844253/
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March 18, 2015 11:05am
stephieboy

dime. you may of missed this at the end of my post ,

” Contrasted to the culture of complaint ,bellyaching and the big whinge from ,the antis and ill informed bores !”

Stealing a bike ? Not as bad as I would think of embezzling and fleecing trusting investors of millions and life savings .
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March 18, 2015 11:09am
stephieboy

Fletch things are not as straightforward as your USA Todaylink tries too make out.

From this Forum :

White House office to delete its FOIA regulations

The bolded is deceptive and out of context. This practice, says your link, began during the Bush administration. Blame the court if you don’t like this.

In 2009, a federal appeals court in Washington ruled that the Office of Administration was not subject to the FOIA, “because it performs only operational and administrative tasks in support of the president and his staff and therefore, under our precedent, lacks substantial independent authority.”

http://www.debatepolitics.com/breaking-news-mainstream-media/219428-white-house-office-delete-its-foia-regulations.html
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March 18, 2015 11:20am
Kimbo

@ Nukuleka

Professor Peter Lineham of Massey University asserts that NZers visiting Catholic countries need to be careful not to insult Catholicism or else they might share the same fate as Phil Blackwood in Myanmar. My challenge to Professor Lineham is to provide an example of anyone being imprisoned in a Catholic country for a similar ‘crime’ as Mr Blackwood committed when he published an image of Buddha wearing a set of headphones to publicise his bar.

And I’m not talking about someone raping a nun or murdering a Bishop, Professor Lineham.

Lineham is a good scholar, and I’d suggest you acting like a typical institutionalised Roman Catholic, Nuku.

Here are some examples of what he is talking about, and I didn’t have to look hard: –

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doda_%28singer%29

In May 2010, the Warsaw prosecutor’s office charged Doda with the crime of “offending religious sensibilities” for remarking in a year-earlier television interview that she believed more in dinosaurs than she did in the Bible because “it is hard to believe in something written by people who drank too much wine and smoked herbal cigarettes.“[13] In January 2012 she was found guilty and fined 5,000 złoty by local court Warszawa-Mokotów.[14] Her appeal was not effective. In June 2012 district court in Warsaw upheld the verdict of the local court.[15]

and this guy was prosecuted as recently as 2012:

A leading Spanish artist faces up to a year in prison after being prosecuted for “offending religious feelings” in relation to a short film he made more than 30 years ago that claimed to show “how to cook Jesus Christ“.

Javier Krahe, who has been a popular and provocative figure in Spain for nearly half a century, made the film in 1978 but it was only shown on Spanish TV in 2004 as a backdrop to an interview with its creator. The little-known charge – comparable with but not identical to Britain’s blasphemy law, remains part of the penal code despite never having been applied before in Spanish legal history.

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/may/28/spanish-artist-cook-christ-film

Trying to mitigate this disgrace by comparisons with Myanmar is an ethically and intellectually deplorable sleight-of-hand. That ANY blasphemy laws exist in Catholic nations is a disgrace.

But if you want to ignore Lineham’s warning, that simply reinforces the danger to those who dare to publicly and forcefully disagree with Rome he is speaking about.
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March 18, 2015 11:23am
EAD

I remember hearing this story – the day a Hawker Hunter jet plane, as a protest against Government cuts to the RAF, flew a sortie past the Houses of Parliament and then violated London Bridge:

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2015/03/17/the-day-tower-bridge-was-so-rudely-violated/

If only our Skyhawks did a similar sortie down Lambton Quay, down Cuba Mall then around Parliament, Helen Clark might have thought twice about axing our fighter jets.
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March 18, 2015 11:27am
flipper

flipper (4,542 comments) says:

March 18th, 2015 at 8:04 am

Flipper hears that there are some very upset people (seriously p****d off is the way one source describes them) at the Court of Appeal …….

****

“And in breaking news…..”

Flipper now hears that the Court of Appeal has given the Crown until Friday (that is March 20) to provide a satisfactory explanation for deliberately flouting disclosure rules.

Oh dear. 0ne can imagine the contortions. They will be hilarious.
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March 18, 2015 11:30am
Andrei

The decline of the West in all its glory illustrated courtesy of Fairfax Media’s organ of communication Stuff
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March 18, 2015 11:37am
Odakyu-sen

In reference to Akaroa @ 10:40

“Perhaps it was because I was working with other RNZAF people, several of whom were either ex-RAF or had UK experience, but I found the best way to assimlate and – most importantly, (repeat) most importantly – maintain the respect of one’s colleagues – (that’s most important!) -was to behave naturally, retain ones overseas life values”

No doubt true for your case. 1974 was a long time ago, when New Zealand would surely have been far closer to Mother English. At that time, wartime servicemen would still have been in employment, since WWII had ended less than 30 years earlier. Your approach of “this is who I am, accept me for being me” is a very Western approach. Remember, your team was the winning team. It can not be denied that you were one of the “good guys” in the eyes of the NZ public in the 1970s (no matter what they might have said on the surface. In their hearts, you were kind of a proto-NZer already.)

I believe that the approach for an “alien” non-white non-native-English speaking immigrant to fit into New Zealand is totally different to your experience. (Although modern “multiculturalism” has made it easier.)

I know you will respect me if I tell you that I believe that my approach works (more so for Asian immigrants than for white native-speakers of English). I’ll explain why my approach would not work as effectively for someone like yourself.

Lose the foreign accent. [Actually, you should. I know you won’t, but your really should!]
Lose the “marker” clothing. [not applicable]
Make an efforts to socialize with other New Zealanders and become members of their sports teams and social clubs. [You’d do this naturally]
Avoid membership in clubs and societies that have the name of your ethnicity somewhere in the title. [I don’t think there’s an Auckland-English Society (assuming you’re ethnically English), although there are Scottish societies around]
Have some New Zealand mates. [You’ll automatically do that]
Watch a bit of NZ TV and read the newspapers a bit, so see what the New Zealanders and talking about. [You’ll automatically do that]
Follow the big sporting events (or at least know who the teams are). [You’ll automatically do that]
Don’t send your kids to special schools/ethnic language classes twice a week. [not applicable]
Maybe invite some of your New Zealand mates and their partners to your BBQs. [You’ll automatically do that]
Don’t insist on arranging your children’s marriages. [not applicable]

So, you see, my advice really isn’t for white native-English speakers so much.

As for appearing creepy and pansy-like… I’m sorry, I’d like to use the words “passive” and “friendly” and “showing an interest in your host country.” In the end, it’s a different approach for a different ethnic group in a different century.

Finally, you came to NZ with a sense of pride of your actions, your heritage and culture. And good for you. Many Asians, however, come here with a sense of *shame.

* “Shame” is a truly inadequate word to use. Ref: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/minority-report/201406/asian-shame-and-honor You have to understand the cultural context, or else it won’t make sense.
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March 18, 2015 11:44am
publicwatchdog

Just to remind Kiwibloggers that I WILL be standing as a 2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate, campaigning for DE-amalgamation of this corporate-controlled ‘Supercity’ ( for the 1%), which was forced upon us, without our consent.

I will be campaigning for the abolition of the mechanism for the, in my view, corrupt corporate control of the Auckland region, ‘Council (CORPORATE) Controlled Organisations (CCOs), through which the Auckland region is run ‘like a business, by business – FOR business’.

It’s time for some real ‘people power’ to take back control of our region, towns, cities, assets and resources from BIG business, property developers, speculators, investors and financial institutions!

‘Local’ government should be for citizens and ratepayers and communities – not be a GIANT ca$h cow – where, for the public majority, it’s effectively ALL pay -NO say!

Penny Bright

http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
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March 18, 2015 11:47am
Keeping Stock

My view on the John Banks developments are that lawful ‘due process’ should be followed in a proper way, and my expectation is that Crown Law should ‘lead from the front’ in making sure that ‘justice is done and is seen to be done’.

The Court should not be ‘misled’ by anyone.

Penny Bright

Let’s just be doubly sure here Penny. You are saying that if it is found that the Crown has abused “due process” against John Banks and the criminal case against him collapses, you will accept that he is innocent, and you will withdraw all the allegations of corruption you have made against him? Or are you all mouth and no trousers?
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March 18, 2015 11:49am
peterwn

Penny – you reasons for not paying rates frankly amounts to lots of ‘pinhead dancing’. Almost everyone else pays they rates – so why not you.
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March 18, 2015 11:57am
Tauhei Notts

Dime at 10.56
I like Briscoes, as despite the GST wrangle over <$400 offshore purchases it still has a decent dividend yield.
Best of the power companies I think is Genesis. With dropping interest rates their fully imputed dividends look juicy.
But my mate in the electricity game says that commercial power usage is rising steadily whereas better insulation and other things have meant a decrease in domestic power usage. Which companies are big into industrial users? I don't know. If anybody does know I would love to hear the answer.
The above advice is terribly illegal as I am not an accredited financial advisor, but if I knew as much as many accredited financial advisors that I have met do, then I wouldn't be able to afford to sit near the front when I take the missus to my mate's daughter's wedding in Shepherd's Bush next month. Premium economy- the best way to go.
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March 18, 2015 12:00pm
Inandout

This piece of scum is another example of a laughingly short sentence for a serious home invasion.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/67432715/wallace-jailed-for-attack-on-elderly-kapiti-couple
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March 18, 2015 12:05pm
starboard

More proof that our justice system is a wreck. This filthy lowlife scumbag gets 5 years for basically a home invasion. It will be out in 2 and its only 18 years old. Having wrecked an elderly couples lives , once released it will continue on to murder somebody. Kill it now.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/67432715/wallace-jailed-for-attack-on-elderly-kapiti-couple
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March 18, 2015 12:07pm
stigie

“I look forward to you paying your rates when the court has followed due process and confirms what we all know, you have no valid reason to not pay your rates”.

She wont pay her rates under any circumstances, i look forward to her hovel being sold to the highest bidder !~
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March 18, 2015 12:10pm
publicwatchdog

Keeping Stock – my 10.46am post early states my position on John Banks.

Penny Bright

http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
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March 18, 2015 12:10pm
RRM

Mongrel dog with behavioral issues – put it to sleep.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/67432715/wallace-jailed-for-attack-on-elderly-kapiti-couple
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March 18, 2015 12:18pm
publicwatchdog

peterwn – unlike yourself, I believe that Auckland Council must be held accountable to the ‘rule of law’, and rates assessment notices and rates invoices need to comply with s.45 and s.46 of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.

Are you an Auckland Council ratepayer – perchance?

If so – have YOU checked YOUR rates assessment notices and rates invoices against the above-mentioned statutory requirements?

Or are you too ‘sheepish’ to do your own ‘due diligence’ -as I have?

Penny Bright

http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
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March 18, 2015 12:19pm
RRM

Penny ‘Bright’

Why do you insist upon placing ‘apostrophes’ around words you seek to ’emphasise’?

It just makes you look like Phil Ure.
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March 18, 2015 12:26pm
The only red for me is that of Manchester United

EAD @9.46

Of course the ILT is a form of communism. As long as the citizens get a free fire alarm, cheap booze and a free lunch for the over 70’s they’re all happy. Southlanders are big drinkers and the trust know that and exploit it. Think of Invercargill Brewery. Producing some great craft beers and well respected throughout the county. I don’t know if the owners would have liked to have a little bar and eatery on site, but it’s what most craft beer places do. A nice craft pint and maybe some tapas. Employee some young front of house people and a chef out the back. The ILT won’t let that happen. Crikey, you can’t even get Invercargill Brewery on tap in an ILT establishment. It’s hidden away in the fridge. Venture Southland won’t support because they don’t want to go against the monopoly that is the trust. Although they “give back” to the community it’s still sports teams that win with funding. It’s time the public got a say in how they want that behemoth run.

The velodrome was only as good as it was going to be until another city built one. Hamilton did. And it is a lot cheaper to travel from Auckland with all your gear than it is to fly to Invercargill or take a vehicle across Cook Strait. I wonder how much of a lifespan the velodrome will have.
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March 18, 2015 12:27pm
Akaroa

Re:Odakyu-Sen at 1144.

And thanks for your responsive comments to my earlier input. I have to take you up on your assertion, inter alia, that “…Many Asians, however, come here with a sense of shame.”

Now, I don’t claim to know how the Asian mind works – but I have lived in Asian societies for a few years and I’ve consequently interacted with Asians pretty closely as a result. In my book your average Asian – (OK! Bear with me! I’m not going to ‘diss’ all Asians!) – is hard-working above all, inquisitive, modest and intlligent. But most of all he/she is intent on getting ahead and self improvement.

I have to temper that generally upbeat outlook on Asians by saying it doesn’t necessarily apply to every single Asian in their own country. I met some really lazy Arabs – (are they Asians?) – in Aden, but during the time I spent in Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Malaysia most local people I came into contact with had the work-and-self-improvment-ethic in abundance. That’s why i don’t mind seeing Auckland become 50% Asian, as i read this week is likely.

But into this paeon of praise of Asians, I’ll have to introduce a sour note by relating how, when I first left the UK in 1954 as a serviceman en route to Hong Kong I travelled by Troopship. We arrived at the head of the Suez Canal early one morning and paused. Various Arab types came aboard. I was on duty and one of these individualsd sidled up to me and uttered the immortal words, ‘Wanna buy a watch?”

As it happened I did, and I showed interest. So the Arab, in true Arab slinky manner said, ‘Pssst! Meet me in first lavatory cubicle in five minutes and I show you watch”

OK. You’ve guessed it! It wasn’t a watch he wanted to show me! No sirree! My response of a swift kick uo the backside and an oath probably put Arab-UK relation back even further that day!!

And that, boys and girls was my first head to head contact with a foreigner in his own environment! But I have not let it colour my overall opinion of those I have subsequently met of Middle Eastern origin(!!)
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March 18, 2015 12:31pm
Paulus Gnome

Gough has said ‘he had several options ahead of him, including offers from the private sector as well as staying in Parliament, he acknowledged he would “obviously” have to make up his mind on the mayorality before the end of this year.’

If Gough is so confident about his abilities, I believe he should be brushing up on the phrasing that goes with the position; like ‘do you want fries with that’ even though I doubt they want the creep either.

We need another fking socialist fkwit like we need a train-set to move 3/8 of fa over an even shorter distance at huge expense.
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March 18, 2015 12:32pm
stigie

“It just makes you look like Phil Ure”.

Give Penny a bit of credit there RRM, no one has the punctuation skills of the parasite !~
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March 18, 2015 12:35pm
minus

Penny Bright – rates assessment notices and rates invoices need to comply with s.45 and s.46 of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002

• And people refusing to pay rates, BY THE SAME LEGISLATION, are required to observe section 60: test their refusal in the high court against the Council – not by the Council referring them but by their own volition.

• We note too, and trust the court will, by your own confession here on kiwiblog, your defence through section 45 and 46 has only been from late last year.

• We would also expect someone in your position, claiming truth and transparency, to admit that publishing 40 or so A4 pages of contract information [current Auckland Transport x 8] with both your rates assessment and invoice would not give you the pecuniary interest of decision makers to scrutinise for conflict of interests as you would wish, and so would still not be satisfactory in your considered opinion as reason to pay rates.

• Do you confirm that as the Council has not fulfilled your considered opinion of their duty in informing you properly to date, that you will refuse to pay any rates arrears owing until the date they do comply with their own local government act?
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March 18, 2015 12:57pm
Odakyu-sen

Akaroa,

I’ll try to clarify this “shame” thing. (From the reference, “Asian shame is intricately tied to the fear of rejection and loss of both familial and cultural community support.”)

When an Asian (gosh this is a big generalization, but bear with me) comes to Auckland, they lose their familial and cultural community support. No language, no literature, no churches, no “food like momma used to make,” no sports teams, no sport, no news in the media. This is why the “Asians” have congregated in Auckland to re-create their communities and places of worship.

For Asians, they desperately want to “do the right thing in the eyes of their community” and for many, the very act of leaving their home country to come to Auckland is a deeply shameful thing. (“How could you leave your family and all your community responsibilities to go an live in another country. Shame on you!”). That is why they seek so hard to re-create that community.

Of course, I over-dramatize. Thank God for the Internet and on-line shopping.
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March 18, 2015 1:13pm
Keeping Stock

Keeping Stock – my 10.46am post early states my position on John Banks.

Penny Bright

I presume you mean “clearly states” Penny, and I am pleased to hear that. No doubt you will be aware that John Banks is entitled to be considered innocent until proven otherwise, and given that it is highly likely the case against him will collapse due to the unreliability of the key witness, I look forward to your apology via this page to the Hon. John Banks for the untrue and unproven accusations you have levelled against him.
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March 18, 2015 1:14pm
stephieboy

Andrei, no worries the raucous Russian Tabloids are alive and well projecting their own version of a dumbed down news especially of its not critical of Putin,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/6668906/British-tabloids-inspire-Russias-school-for-scandal.html

EAD, I would of thought the words “rejoicing”, “harmony”, “richness”, “satisfying”, “great satisfaction”, would suggest a tangible benefit .

As you claim to be deeply knowledgable about the issue what are your choice of words ?
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March 18, 2015 1:15pm
dime

Tauhei Notts – cheers!

I think if briscoes dips any more, i’m in. Will do some research on the warehouse too – if the pascoes are in it, im even more interested. i have a soft spot for that idiot jeweler from whangarei too!
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March 18, 2015 1:22pm
kowtow

nuku

Any link for the Nutty Professor story?
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March 18, 2015 1:39pm
minus

Lawmakers Say TPP Meetings Classified To Keep Americans in the Dark
Democratic lawmaker says tightly-controlled briefings on Trans-Pacific Partnership deal are aimed at keeping US constituents ignorant about what’s at stake

After a Winston win in Northland, if it is impossible for John Key to pass the TPP, it may be a good thing.
If it triggers a new Election, it will interesting to see how the Key issue, the TPP, can be discussed if it is still classified.

With a briefing set between members of Congress and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and the Labor Department for Wednesday, the lack of transparency and the inability to discuss openly what they learn in the meetings has especially drawn the ire of progressive Democrats who say the TPP is being jammed through without a full airing of its negative consequences.

As The Hill reports:
Members will be allowed to attend the briefing on the proposed trade pact with 12 Latin American and Asian countries with one staff member who possesses an “active Secret-level or high clearance” compliant with House security rules. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) told The Hill that the administration is being “needlessly secretive.”
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March 18, 2015 1:51pm
Ross12

So the Greens and their mates stop Chatham Rock from developing an alternative phosphate source and now they come out trying to tell the fertilizer companies not to import from the Western Sahara

https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/26701142/greens-call-for-western-sahara-phosphate-boycott/

Why don’t say what they really want to say —we want to close all agriculture in NZ.
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March 18, 2015 1:51pm
Sponge

If it triggers a new Election

If anything triggers a new election then I have very serious concerns about the future of this country. Key and National have gone from having their finger on the pulse of NZ to having a tin ear. Christ, look at all they have done to piss off their core voters recently:

*The Sky City fiasco – a backdown from a situation that they should have never let happen in the 1st place.
*The mishandling of the Sabin affair.
*This current GST on imported item shambles. Silly use of political capital pissing around on little things like this.
*MP’s renumeration.
*The arrogance in Northland which has now made them look foolish as they try and recover lost ground.

I could go on. I am a big National supporter but they are really pissing me off on a number of issues. They have all of the air of the dying days of the vile Clarkes reign and I do not like that at all.

If they don’t get their act together, and fast, then any election could well result in untold damage to the nation. They would still get my vote but only because there is no other credible option.
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March 18, 2015 2:48pm
cha

Obama has removed Iran, Hezbollah from 2015 TERROR THREAT REPORT.

With a little help from their mates in high places the Mujahedin-e Khalq were delisted some time ago.

.

But this is just the beginning. What the media has generally failed to mention is that these former officials are now in the national/homeland security business. Just take a quick look around Wikipedia, Forbes, and OpenSecrets.org, and here is what you will find:

Tom Ridge has his own security consultancy (Ridge Global, LLC) and lobbying firm (Ridge Policy Group). He chairs the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s national security task force and sits on the boards of at least one military contractor (TechRadium, Inc.) and one company (Geospatial Corporation) that serves the oil and gas industry.

Francis Fragos Townsend chairs an industry association for intelligence contractors (the Intelligence and National Security Alliance) and is the head of lobbying for a holding company (MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc.) that owns the military contractor AM General.

Rudolph Giuliani has a security consulting firm (Giuliani Partners) and is a partner in a law firm with prominent oil and gas and lobbying practices (Bracewell & Giuliani). He used to own a private equity fund that teamed up with Bear Stearns to invest in security companies.

Louis Freeh has a security and investigations consulting firm (Freeh Group International Solutions, LLC) and a law firm (Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan, LLP), where he represents, among other clients, a Saudi prince in a bribery investigation involving an arms deal.

Hugh Shelton has served on the boards of directors of several military contractors, such as L-3 Communications, CACI International, Inc., and Protective Products of America, Inc.

Bolton, Mukasey, Rendell, and Dean are affiliated with major law firms whose clients include not just standard military contractors but many other more mundane corporations, as expert Nick Turse has shown, also benefit from military largesse. (Bolton is also affiliated with several pro-war think tanks.)

http://www.salon.com/2012/03/28/guest_op_ed_mek_and_its_material_supporters_in_washington/
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March 18, 2015 3:01pm
Akaroa

Re-Odakyu-sen at 1.15.

Hi, and thanks for your response. I can easily understand what you are saying about Asians in an alien environment.

Also, Europeans so often regard Asians as just one big amorphous group, whereas, in actuality, there are a myriad of divisions and differences in outlook, culture and beliefs between the many disparate Asian groups within Asian nations. And in so saying I defer to the old English colonial belief that ‘foreigners start at Calais’ and ‘the Far East starts at Suez!!’

It was something of an eye-opener to me after I started to get abroad to begin to realise that there is so much ‘class-distinction’ or similar between various Asian or non-European groups. In Aden, for instance, the predominate local people were either Arabs or Somalis. There was little love lost between them, and one day i was quite taken aback to hear an Arab refer to the Somalis as ‘Those Black B–tards’ He was pretty dark himself!

But, then, earlier in Hong Kong, I had been made aware of the class differences between the coastal Cantonese Chinese and the more refined – (in their eyes) – Chinese people who originated in Peking (!!) or – especially – Shanghai. I came away from HK with the opinion, rightly or wrongly, that the long-nosed Shanghai-lese really looked down on the coastal flat-faced Hong Kong Cantonese.

But we in NZ can’t talk! Think “Bl–dy Jaffas” or ‘Dumb West Coasters!” (Maybe, in trying to get my head around Kiwi culture I’ve listened to the wrong people!)

A fascinating subject is national differences, and the opinions and beliefs – often erroneous – that one section of humanity may have about another! I’m sometimes amazed we’re not permanently at war one with another!!

(Just kidding, folks!!)
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March 18, 2015 4:26pm

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