The Wall Street Journal has a nifty gadget to allow you to work out your own US deficit reduction plan.

In my deficit reduction plan, I have $390 billion increase in tax revenues – but all through reducing deductions – not increasing tax rates.

I leave military expenditure alone, but cut $111b from annually appropriated spending.

I trim $525b from benefits or mandatory entitlements (mainly social security).

In total I reduce the 2020 deficit from $1.1 trillion to a mere $76 billion.

Sadly I project the US will not take meaningful steps to rein in their deficit and debt. They may hit the fiscal cliff, but will then do a deal by the state of the union. And I predict the spending cuts will be incredibly small and insignificant.

The Herald reports:

Most Kiwis support paying compensation to David Bain, even though Justice Minister Judith Collins says many New Zealanders will be upset at any taxpayer payment for the man once convicted of murdering his family.

A Herald-DigiPoll summer survey found 74 per cent of those polled believe Mr Bain should be compensated if the judge who reviewed the case recommended that. (The survey was started on December 7, before Justice Ian Binnie’s recommendation of compensation became public.)

The results are reasonably meaningless. My view is that Bain should get compensation if an independent report concludes he is innocent on the balance of probabilities, and that report has followed the NZ law of evidence.

The Binnie report has been shown to be significantly flawed. It is quite possible another report could reach the same conclusion. But we need to be sure, before any compensation is agreed to, that you are not handing over millions of dollars to someone if they probably did kill their family.

Ms Collins dismissed the poll for asking an invalid question, as Justice Binnie was asked not to make a recommendation on compensation.

One of the many mistakes Binnie made – not understanding your terms of reference is a most basic error.

Labour justice spokesman Charles Chauvel said the “ad hoc” process had become “rotten”. He said Justice Binnie’s report was “perfectly adequate” and did not deserve “bile” from an “Auckland tax lawyer” like Ms Collins.

Chauvel thinks the Binnie report is “perfectly adequate”. I’ll be generous and presume he is speaking as a politician, and not a lawyer.

Mark Blackham blogs the 12 toughest PR jobs of 2012. They are:

1. Government: Plan for schools in Christchurch
   
2. Government: Class size increase plan
3. Government: Introduction of the Christchurch Central Development Unit
4. Government Communications Security Bureau: Kim Dotcom
5. Solid Energy: Job cut announcement
6. Ports of Auckland: Strike
7. Fonterra: Trading Among Farmers scheme
8. ANZ-National: Merger day
9. Wheedle: Launch day
10. Government: Report on Pike River
11. Sanitarium: Continued non-production of Marmite
12. All Blacks: Inclusion of AIG as sponsor

The Government handled 3 and 10 well and 1 and 2 badly. No 4 was a mixture of good and bad.

The corporates that did their comms job well were Solid Energy, Ports of Auckland, Fonterra, ANZ and Sanitarium. Wheedle was a fail, because comms can only do so much. Didn’t follow the All Blacks AIG issue that closely.

Stuff reports:

School principals fear they could soon be powerless to confiscate weapons and illicit drugs from pupils, under changes to the Education Act.

The Education Amendment Bill, now before Parliament, includes changes to the surrender, retention, search and seizure powers held by schools.

Under the proposed changes, teachers would not be allowed to search pupils or their property but would be able to search property owned by the school, such as lockers and desks.

Dogs would no longer be allowed to search schools for drugs, and schools would not be able to test pupils for drug use.

Schools could suspend pupils for refusing to hand over a weapon or drugs.

Wellington College headmaster Roger Moses said the impact of the bill was still unclear, but any move to reduce schools’ ability to search and seize could make them less safe.

“If contraband of any kind is brought into the school we want the ability to search for that stuff. It is going to make it more difficult for schools to police internally.”

I’ve blogged on this before, and I agree with the concerns of principals.

I think the right to privacy should be limited when applying to students on school property. Generally, if you don’t want something discovered or searched – don’t bring it to school. Just brings your textbook and lunch.

Of course some students, especially females, need to have some personal stuff with them. So no one is saying there should be random searches of all property. But if staff have reasonable grounds to believe there could be weapons or drugs, they should have the legal ability to search items on school property.

Hopefully the Select Committee will modify the Bill, to take account of concerns.

Chris Trotter looks as the David Shearer backstory, and while it is one I approve of heartily, he seems less enamoured:

Some political observers have drawn comparisons between Mr Shearer and his chief antagonist, Prime Minister John Key. The young Labour activist, Connor Roberts, summed up the pair’s similarities and differences with his now famous quip: “John Key went overseas and made fifty million dollars; David Shearer went overseas and saved fifty million lives.”

This focus on Mr Shearer’s and Mr Key’s “overseas” experiences has led many to assume that both men were out of the country during the pivotal years 1984-1993. In Mr Shearer’s case, however, this is untrue. For nearly the whole period of the Fourth Labour Government (1984-1990) he was here, in New Zealand, studying, teaching and consulting. If he was a Labour Party member at any time during those tumultuous years, then he was a very quiet one. He certainly wasn’t among the ranks of those who fought against Rogernomics. He has, however, often spoken to journalists about his admiration for David Lange’s speeches.
 

This inability to get worked up about the core elements of neoliberal “reform”: labour market flexibility; privatisation; deregulation; monetary and fiscal discipline; explains his rather odd belief (for a Labour leader) that the contest between Left and Right is “a phony debate”. Such ideological agnosticism – explained away as good old Kiwi pragmatism – does, however, offer us a way into the most unusual and contradictory aspect of Mr Shearer’s entire career: his support for mercenary armies, or, as they prefer to be known these days: private military and security companies (PMSCs).

That impression was intensified by Mr Shearer’s experiences three years later as the UN’s Senior Humanitarian Advisor in the West African nation of Liberia. Just across Liberia’s northern border, in the ravaged state of Sierra Leone, the PMSC known as Executive Outcomes had been employed under contract to the Sierra Leone Government. Shearer was deeply impressed by this mercenary army’s lightning-fast defeat of the Liberian-backed forces assailing the ruling regime.

A year later, in 1996, Mr Shearer was advising the UN in Rwanda. It was here, just two years earlier, that a brutal genocide had taken place while the United Nations watched – and did nothing. Trying to stitch the rudiments of civil society back together after a disaster on that scale cannot have been easy.

This was followed by what might be called the John Le Carré phase of Mr Shearer’s career; his two-year stint (1996-1998) as a research associate at the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) in London. Like its sister institute – The Royal Institute of International Affairs, also known as Chatham House – the IISS has always laboured under strong suspicions of being a sort of “front organisation” for Britain’s foreign affairs, defence and intelligence “community”. This was most clearly illustrated in 2003 when the IISS released a report strongly favouring the UK’s participation in a US-led invasion of Iraq. Like the infamous “sexed-up” report released by the Security Intelligence Service (MI6) just two weeks later, the IISS also warned against Saddam Hussein’s (non-existent) “weapons of mass destruction”. Since 2003 the IISS’s Director of Transnational Threats and Political Risk has been Nigel Inkster – formerly the Deputy Director of MI6.

The Press editorial:

The year is coming to a bad conclusion with no fewer than five serious attacks on police officers. In the most serious incident, in Northland, an officer was beaten unconscious and kicked and pummelled as he lay on the ground. One of his assailants attempted to use his Taser stun gun on him but could not get it to work. A witness later told the police that she feared the officer would be killed. In another incident, in Huntly, an officer was king-hit by a man from a drunken mob as the officer attempted to make an arrest after a boy-racer complaint. In a third incident, a young woman officer attending a family violence complaint had her ankle broken so badly it required surgery.

After such a spate of incidents it is understandable that the frontline officers’ union should call for all officers to carry guns. It is understandable but it is also faulty.

It goes without saying that assaults on police officers are deplorable and everything possible should be done that might deter them. But to allow officers routinely to carry weapons would be to cross the Rubicon in law enforcement in New Zealand. It would subtly but fundamentally alter the relationship between the police and the public with insufficient gain in safety to both to justify it.

I agree that we should resist the general arming of the Police. I think having firearms available in all vehicles is sadly necessary and should be done. But I don’t think the case has been made for the general arming of all Police.

However it is fair to say, that such a day may come in the future. If the level of violence against Police officers increases, there will be a point at which a change in policy may have to be considered.

Two sweltering days for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

You know it is a rare day in Wellington when people are not just on the beach, but actually in the water. It was a rare no wind day. A perfect Christmas present for the city.

Took this while walking home from my parents place in Roseneath. A nice view to end the day on.

The next day I drove up to Vinegar Hill Camping Grounds near Hunterville, where some friends were staying.  It was also a blisteringly hot day and the campsite is just in a beautiful location next to the Rangitikei River. I wish I had the time to stay on.

Miss Z showing off her strength. It was a kids and dogs day during the day, with whiskey and poker for the evening!

This was doggie heaven. A river to cool off down, and lots to explore.

One of the favourite games was throwing a stick into the river and see the dogs retrieve it. The largest dog is a damn good swimmer and would battle a pretty strong current to stop the stick getting away.

The day got so hot, that eventually I took the plunge myself and decided to let the current take me down to the far end of the campsite – around half a km downstream. It was superb fun, except for the fact I hadn’t realised there was one set of rapids on the way! I got the odd cut but hell it was worth it!

So a great Christmas and Boxing Days with family and friends. Tomorrow head to the South Island to catch up with more friends. Not back in Wellington until mid to late January!

Jay Boreham at Stuff reports:

Police have helped a South Auckland family of 13 avoid eviction by transforming their Housing New Zealand home, bringing it up to proper living standards.

The Flat Bush Neighbourhood Policing Team gained the support of the local community and businesses to upgrade the home, which was in such a poor state of repair the family was on its last chance with HNZ.

A great initiative by the local Police.

Constable Karen Ancell said 11 children lived at the house with their 32-year-old mother who was pregnant.

I’m sorry? 11 kids? No mention of father or fathers. And pregnant again? This is why the Government changed the law this year, to reform our welfare system.

“We have stepped in to get the house up to scratch so the family can make a fresh start,” Ancell said.

“They are struggling, to say the least, and some of the children are starting to come to police attention.”

More than 40 volunteers helped with the make over while businesses donated materials and services.

What a wonderful community. Hopefully their generosity will serve as a lesson.

The volunteers fumigated the house, repaired damaged walls and painted the interior. Outside they tidied the grounds, erected raised garden beds and planted vegetables.

Police, Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity representatives also donated furnishings to completely refurnish the house.

The community’s input for a family they had never met was huge, Ancell added.
 
“It’s about giving a family a fresh start. They are in a good place to change now, whereas in the past that hasn’t been the case.”

But giving them a home they can be proud of is just the first step. The police are also working to give the family the tools to become good members of society.

They will receive mentoring, budgeting advice, counselling and health checks as well as anger management and parenting training.

“They are in a bit of debt and it is very difficult to make headway out – it’s a vicious circle.”

It is an opportunity for a fresh start. But part of that is self-responsibility. If you are struggling to cope with 11 kids, why would you have a 12th? Contraception is generally free, as are long-term procedures.

Michael Dickison at NZ Herald reports:

Pensioners are holding out in a dwindling minority opposing gay marriage – as 2013 looks possibly to be the year for it to become reality.

A Herald-DigiPoll survey into same-sex marriages found a stark generational divide: 60 per cent of respondents older than 65 said marriage should remain only between a man and a woman. But 70 per cent of people under 40 said the law should be changed to allow same-sex marriages.

Labour MP Louisa Wall, who is behind the bill to legalise gay marriage, said studies out of universities had found even stronger support among young people, above 80 per cent.

And If you are under 40, you were aged 14 or younger when homosexual law reform occurred in 1986. In 25 years times (or less), same sex marriage will be as uncontroversial as homosexual law reform itself now is.

“For older people, homosexuality was foreign; it meant things like mental illnesses. It was illegal. People could go to jail – so, of course, they can’t relate to it.

“Older New Zealanders wouldn’t have seen two same-sex people who love each other.”

I think this is very true for many. Most people under 40 know several same sex couples and don’t distinguish between those relationships, and their own ones.

Gay marriage would become an increasingly contested fight through 2013 and the Government should not be rushing through the process to avoid it becoming an election issue in 2014, he said.

There is no rushing of process. In fact it is impossible for the Government to rush the process. It is a private members’ bill, and the select committee hearing submissions is chaired by an Opposition MP.

The committee will report to Parliament on February 28, with a second reading scheduled for March 20. A third and final reading could happen in May.

This is the standard timings under Standing Orders. The first reading was 29 August 2012, and the select committee has six months to report back.

Michael Dickison at NZ Herald reports:

Auckland City Mission leaders say they were not aware of foreign tour groups at their Christmas lunch and have called for any “irresponsible” operator who may have sent one to offer a donation.

About 2800 people gathered at the Viaduct Events Centre on Tuesday for the charity lunch, with most guests arriving with tickets. About 200 people without tickets were let in after them.

TVNZ reported on Christmas Day that “a smattering of Chinese tourists on organised tours” had arrived, and showed city missioner Diane Robertson saying: “If somebody’s turned up and is now looking at … how we care for people, I’m not worried about that.”

An outburst of concern followed online and on talkback radio. Several people said any such tour operators were taking advantage of Christmas charity.

You can just imagine them – “Oh there’s a free Xmas lunch at the Viaduct – we’ll include that in the tour!”.

It reminds me of when VUWSA started handing out free cash to students in the form of hardship grants. They were surprised when demand exceeded supply, and every year reported they needed more money to hand out to students, as more and more students found they had a need for free cash. This proved that more and more students were living in poverty it was claimed. i think it proved that more and more students are quite clever.

That’s not to take anything away from the great work done by the City Missions. they are wonderful institutions that I have collected for in the past. But it does show that there are always some people who will take advantage of generosity.

Stuff reports:

Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi has signed into law a new constitution shaped by his Islamist allies, a bitterly contested document which he insists will help end political turmoil and allow him to focus on fixing the economy.

Anxiety about a deepening political and economic crisis has gripped Egypt in past weeks, with many people rushing to buy dollars and withdraw their savings from banks.

The Egyptian pound has tumbled to its weakest level against the US currency in almost eight years.

The new constitution, which the liberal opposition says betrays Egypt’s 2011 revolution by dangerously mixing religion and politics, has polarised the Arab world’s most populous nation and prompted occasionally violent protest on the streets.

The presidency said Mursi had formally approved the constitution the previous evening, shortly after results showed that Egyptians had backed it in a referendum.

The text won about 64 percent of the vote, paving the way for a new parliamentary election in about two months.

The charter states that the principles of sharia, Islamic law, are the main source of legislation and that Islamic authorities will be consulted on sharia – a source of concern to the Christian minority and others.

Countries that don’t separate religion and state almost always are worse places to live  than those countries which do.

Egyptians have the right to a democracy. All human beings have that right. but I hope the majority appreciate that there are other rights beyond having a vote.

Stuff reports:

Gerry Anderson, puppetry pioneer and creator of the hit TV show Thunderbirds, has died.

Anderson’s son Jamie said his father died peacefully in his sleep at a nursing home near Oxfordshire, England, after being diagnosed with mixed dementia two years ago.

His condition had worsened dramatically over the past six months, his son said.

Anderson’s television career launched in the 1950s.

Once Thunderbirds aired in the 1960s, “Thunderbirds are go!” became a catchphrase for generations.

I loved Thunderbirds. I even knew trivia such as Thunderbird 4 was (almost) always in pod four of Thunderbird 2.

And of course there was Thundebird 6 also!

A great pioneer show.

Mike Smith blogs at The Standard:

I thought back to when we started the Standard. I was in the room too; our aim was to set up a labour movement blog and offer a counter to Kiwiblog’s pro-National line; not to join Farrar in making the prospect of Labour government the principal target for attack.

A fascinating statement, somewhat at odds with the traditional line that The Standard had nothing to do with Labour, and is just a bunch of individuals. Mike was of course the Labour Party General Secretary at the time, so his revelation that he was part of the group which established The Standard is significant. I blogged some time ago that it was an initiative started by Helen Clark’s office, and this confirms it.

On the subject of left blogs, Grant Robertson blogs at Red Alert:

In terms of Red Alert, watch out in the new year for a re-launch with a different approach and way of doing things. Exciting times ahead.

I guess that means fewer SMOGs. Will some MPs have their keys taken away from them?

Kamal Ahmed at Sunday Telegraph writes:

NZ on Air announced:

NZ On Air extends support for current affairs with The Vote

The Vote extends NZ On Air’s support for current affairs under the Platinum Fund.  Q + A and The Nation have also been supported for another season on TV ONE and TV3 respectively.

Ten new programmes will involve a series of informative and engaging debates on issues of national importance.  Each programme will incorporate interaction with viewers and conclude with a citizen’s vote.  It will be presented by Guyon Espiner and Duncan Garner.

This is excellent. Ten one hour shows on a topical issue, which hopefully will canvass the variety of views on an issue.

It is ironic that as some people lie and say there is no public broadcasting in New Zealand, in reality we are getting more than ever. TVNZ used to use the charter money as a general revenue source and did almost no public broadcasting with it.

Now with that money in a dedicated contestable platinum fund for current affairs, we have The Nation, Q+A, The Vote, Media 3 and Backbenches. Also Native Affairs on Maori TV.

Last week saw the funeral of Rob Talbot. He was aged 89 but still very active until close to the end.

Rob was a South Canterbury MP for 21 years until 1987, when he was succeeded by Jenny Shipley. He is one of the relatively few surviving members of the Muldoon Cabinet.

He was a great friend of America, and served as Chairman of the NZ American Association. Ambassador Huebner was one of many who paid tribute to Rob. There is an annual Rob Talbot prize for an individual who advances friendship and mutual understanding between New Zealanders and Americans.

A 2008 story on Stuff reported:

As a senior official in Robert Muldoon’s government in the 1980s, Rob Talbot was the man who signed off on New Zealand’s first cellular network.

Fast-forward 25 years and Mr Talbot, now a sprightly 84-year-old, was proud to become one of the first people in the world to own the new generation iPhone.

Eyeing up fellow devotees as he queued for four hours outside a Wellington Vodafone store, Mr Talbot conceded he may have been the oldest person in line. But he said he was “definitely the youngest at heart”.

A former National MP who served as postmaster-general, Mr Talbot said he still got a kick out of new technology and described his latest acquisition as “the greatest piece of technology yet”. …

He travelled to Sweden in 1983 to enter contract negotiations with Ericsson, which was where he encountered the first mobile phone, affectionately known as “the brick”.

I recall the bricks! They used to come with a bag and shoulder strap to carry them around.

I didn’t make the funeral, but hear it was well attended. Rob has many friends and family who will miss him.

Abby Gillies at NZ Herald reports:

A company has been cleared after firing two senior workers and health and safety representatives caught drinking in the locker room during a liquor ban.

Henry Nee Nee and Andy Nathan claimed they were unfairly dismissed from Auckland-based import and export handling company C3 following the February incident that involved a group of employees drinking on site.

They said they were singled out for disciplinary action because they were union delegates and representatives on the health and safety committee.

Does being a union delegate mean you can drink on the job?

I would have thought being a health & safety rep would require model behaviour.

Nathan denied drinking on the premises and Nee Nee said he had drunk only ginger beer.

However, the investigation concluded Nee Nee had invited a group of six employees to drink beer in the locker room and all five drank 66 bottles of beer between them.

66 bottles between five? That’s would be impressive if it were not at work.

In disciplinary meetings, Nee Nee and Nathan admitted they had initially falsely denied their involvement, saying they had acted unwisely.

In April they were dismissed for serious misconduct – a decision they appealed against.

ERA member Eleanor Robinson found that unlike the other men involved in the incident, Nee Nee and Nathan “had tried to mislead C3 about what had occurred … and had not admitted their culpability until the disciplinary meetings on 5 April 2012”.

So, as if often the case, it was the lying that got them sacked.

As an employer I’ll often only give warnings even if dismissal is warranted. But if an employee lies, that makes it incredibly difficult to ever have sufficient trust in them again. We all stuff up at work from time to time – but lying about it makes it worse.

Cactus Kate has published her awards for 2012. Some of them are:

• Best political radio show host – Larry Williams
  
• Gallery Journo of Year – Patrick Gower
• Best columnist – Shelley Bridgeman
• Joker of the Year – Kim Dot Com
• Best Labour Backbench MP – Trevor Mallard
• Best National Backbench MP – Maggie Barry
• MP of the Year – Paula Bennett

As always her reasonings are very funny.

The ODT reports:

At least one redundant Hillside worker has been denied a Christmas hamper of community-donated goods, organised by Labour Party Dunedin South MP Clare Curran.

Hillside plant and process improvement leader David Fenwick said he was told by Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) Hillside branch delegates he would not receive a community hamper because he was a National supporter and a ”scabber”.

Lovely people aren’t they.

Mr Fenwick was part of the 20-strong ”sunset crew” tasked with closing down all but Hillside’s heavy lift and foundry, and would be made redundant in late February or early March. He said he was asked, with other workers, to gather in the Hillside car park for hampers to be given out but did not receive one.

”I asked if there was a hamper for me and was told no, because I was a National supporter and a scabber. The union people simply don’t want me to have a hamper because I voted National and always have.

”They seem to regard me as a scab, but there’s no truth in that. I’ve never crossed any picket line to go to work. It’s quite malicious. Being a National supporter is my right.”

Not on Planet Labour.

Okay, let’s see if I can improve upon 9.5/20 as I got for 2012 predictions. Here goes ,y predictions for 2013.

1. At least two state owned power companies will have successful partial floats.
2. Tracey Martin will be elected/anointed Deputy Leader of NZ First.
3. Holly Walker’s Lobbying Disclosure Bill will not be paseed into law in 2013, even if amended.
4. There will be at least three new Ministers by the end of 2013 (new being not Ministers today).
5. Louisa Wall’s marriage bill will pass into law by June 2013, with at least 75 votes at third reading.
6. David Shearer will demote at least two front-benchers to the backbenches.
7. David Carter will be elected Speaker of the House, but it will not be a unanimous vote.
8. Paul Foster-Bell will become an MP in 2013.
9. The 2013 census will see two new general seats and one new Maori seat.
10. David Cunliffe will not be rehabilitated and remain off the front bench.
11. An MP will get engaged and a different one will get pregnant.
12. Current or former Members of Parliament will contest both the Wellington and Auckland Mayoralties.
13. David Clark’s Mondayisation Bill will pass 61 votes to 60 at 3rd reading.
14. During the year at least three National MPs will announce they will retire at the 2014 election.
15. Over the year, National will on average of all public polls, poll higher than Labour and Greens combined but not Labour, Greens and NZ First.
16. Brendan Horan will not be an MP by the end of 2013.
17. The 2013 Budget will project a small surplus for 2014/15.
18. NZ will not win the election for the UN Security Council, as too many countries think we are part of Australia who have just got elected.
19. Winston will get thrown out of the House by the new Speaker.
20. The thresholds for parliamentary representation will remain unchanged at 5% party vote or 1 electorate seat.