Kiwiblog

The InternetNZ Council has been meeting this afternoon. Lots of fun topics ranging from governance of the Internet to the commerce commission broadband decision.

One item of note is that a short while ago, the Council voted to formally approve the creation of parliament.nz as a moderated second level domain.

This will be the 13th second level domain for .nz, and the first new moderated 2LD created since the original ones done by when the universities ran the system.

NZPA has a useful article on the political corectness debate. to add to it, here’s ten examples off the top of my head:

1) Former Labour MP Lesley Soper calling for maiden speeches to be renamed.

2) Helen Clark refusing to allow grace to be said for the Queen (and Head of Church of England) but agreeing to enter a Mosque through the women only back door.

3) Michael Cullen’s only comment on the new shadow attorney-general being on his sexual orientation.

4) Instructions to (Australian) police to treat muslims differently in cases of domestic violence.

5) Allowing publicly funded organisations to ban women from premises on the grounds of Maori culture.

6) Banning (in Ireland) the word “brainstorming” because the term might offend people with epilepsy as well those with brain tumors or brain injuries

7) Proposing that 50% of the Aids Foundation Board must be Maori.
Changing the qualifications system so that only sucesses, not failures (or deferred sucesses as proposed to be called in the UK) are recorded.

9) Advocating for bullet points to be called dot points as bullets have a militaristic connotation.

10) Seatoun School banning a popular lunchtime religious meeting.

I should enter these into a pc wiki at some stage!

The death of Rosa Parks highlights for me how much the world has changed in the last few decades. I find it almost impossible to understand how a country which has done so many great things, and was founded on principles of liberty, still had segregration in the 1950s and 1960s.

I don’t regard as objectionable that the US had slavery up until the early 1800s because that was very much a different world, and many generations ago. Don’t get me wrong slavery is an offence against decency, but the world was so different then, that you can’t judge by today’s standards too harshly.

However the 1950s is not ancient history. It is the era my parents grew up in, the era of fighting for democracy and against tyranny. And again I find it hard to comprehend how the US could have had such appalling stuff such as seperate seats on buses for the races.

NZ is not immune here. Up until the year I was born, Maori were not allowed to enrol in general seats. Disgraceful.

I long for the day when a person’s skin colour has no more significance than their eye or hair colour! We have certainly come a long way.

The BBC had a poll a while back on who people would like to rule the world through a world government. It had Michael Moore and Noam Chomsky in it, so was an all around cringe affair.

Right Wing News did a survey of right wing bloggers of whom they would like in their 15 person world cabinet. Key people included:

Condoleeza Rice: US Secretary of State
John Howard: Australian Prime Minister
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Governor of California
Junichiro Koizumi: Prime Minister of Japan
V

I am somewhat appalled that the SFO is calling for all law enforcement agencies to have the power to over-ride a person’s right to silence. The SFO already has this power, sadly.

As the Police Association say, the right to silence is “a fundamental part of English law”. We should resist any attempts to wind it back except in extreme cases like terrorism.

You see the right to silence, is not about crime, but about privacy.

There are many many good reasons citizens may not want to tell the state what they have been doing. For example you may have had nothing to do with the robbery in an apartment block, but you don’t want to be forced to have recorded down the fact you were there because you are sleeping with Miss X.

The right to silence is what seperates liberal western democracries from the totalarian regimes of former Eastern Europe. Long long may it last.

Michelle Malkin highlighted that USA Today had photoshopped a photo of Condi Rice to make her look like the lead in The Omen.

USA Today have removed the photo and done an explanation.

Not quite on the scale of bringing down Dan Rather, but still a good deed.

The new President of Iran has said he wants Israel “wiped off the map”.

Now we all know Iran is developing nuclear weapons, so one can’t just laught this off as rhetoric. This is a statement from the *President* of Iran.

Now what would you do if you were Israel? If the rest of the world doesn’t take some action to stop Iran gaining nuclear weapons, then Israel will have very legitimate fears for its security.

I am sure I recall that helpful Dr Cullen telling us that if we voted National, then interest rates would go up.

Yet despite the forces of goodness keeping National out by doing a deal with Winston, Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard has increased the official cash rate by 25 basis points to 7.0% today.

And hey looking at the graph below, there seems to be, well you know, like a pattern.

I see Phillip Field has made 438 immigration appeals in the last three years – more than double the next closest MP.

He must have a hell of a lot of houses that need work done on them!!

Winston – wake up – we have some work for you.

The UK is looking at removing the rights of NZers with British grandparents from being able to work in the UK and hence EU.

Head off and convince them otherwise, that’s a good chap.

Insolent Prick has some useful analysis of weak points in Labour, and how National’s new team may fare against them, as does Ross Browne.

The NZ Herald also looks at some of the new matchups, noting “McCully’s job is not to know who the Pakistan president is, but to drive a wedge between Peters and his minder, Helen Clark”. Indeed. They also state that Education is groundhog day with “English has already wiped the floor with Maharey over low-quality tertiary courses”.

To celebrate Wayne Mapp being appointed in charge of eradicating political corectness, I can’t resist blogging this photo taken on Friday of Wayne when a few of us had drinks and dinner at one of London’s private clubs – pure political incorrectness

Also pictured are Shane Frith and his girlfriend Erica, and Nikki Kaye. Shane and Nikki both hosted me for a few nights in London. Shane, Nikki and I have all worked with Wayne, so NZ politics was a frequent topic of conversation.

The club is The Lansdowne Club, and was very convivial. Oh yes it does definitely allow women members – in fact it is Erica who is the member.

Rather than manually editing my links (which is why they get updated so rarely) I have configured the blog to automatically read my links from the blogs I subscribe to from Bloglines.

Bloglines is great for reading multiple blogs, and allows you to subscribe to them with one click. Now when I find a new blog I want to read, and subscribe to it, it will automatically be made into a link.

Most of my previous links should still appear, but a few may not have. If you have disappeared let me know, and I can add back on.

Please note that if your blog does not have an RSS feed, I will not be able to automatically link to you now.

A spy reports that a kura kupapa building site in Ohakune has the sign below displayed. And at the weekend we read how a Maori hospital unit would not allow a female contractor onsite.

Shouldn’t the Human Rights Commissioner be taking action? After all these are publicly funded organisations?

To make it easy for people to look up who the spokesperson is on an issue, I’ve done a quick list by portfolio – in alphabetical order:

ACC Paul Hutchison
Agriculture David Carter
Agriculture (Associate – Horticulture) Craig Foss
Agriculture (Associate) Nathan Guy
Arts, Culture & Heritage Tim Groser
Arts, Culture & Heritage (Associate) Chris Finlayson
Arts, Culture & Heritage (Associate) Nicky Wagner
Asian Liasion Pansy Wong
Attorney-General Chris Finlayson
Biosecurity Shane Ardern
Broadcasting Georgina te Heuheu
Building & Construction Nick Smith
Building & Construction (Associate) Bob Clarkson
Children Policy Paul Hutchison
Civil Defence John Carter
Commerce Brian Connell
Communications Maurice Williamson
Conservation Murray McCully
Conservation (Associate) Eric Roy
Consumer Affairs Brian Connell
Crown Research Institutes Paul Hutchison
Customs Shane Ardern
Defence Murray McCully
Defence (Associate) Georgina te Heuheu
Disability Issues Paul Hutchison
Economic Development Katherine Rich
Economic Development (Associate) Mark Blumsky
Economic Development (Associate) Chris Tremain
Education Bill English
Education (Associate – Early Childhood) Tau Henare
Education (Associate – International Ed) Pansy Wong
Education (Associate – Trade Training) Colin King
Education (Associate) Allan Peachey
Energy Nick Smith
Energy (Associate – Mining) Chris Auchinvole
Energy (Associate) Phil Heatley
Environment Nick Smith
Environment (Associate) Jacqui Dean
Environment (Associate) Nicky Wagner
Ex-pats Liasion Lockwood Smith
Family Affairs Judith Collins
Finance John Key
Finance (Associate) Lockwood Smith
Finance (Associate) Craig Foss
Finance (Deputy) Bill English
Fisheries Shane Ardern
Fisheries (Associate) Phil Heatley
Foreign Affairs & Trade Murray McCully
Foreign Affairs & Trade (Associate – Pacific and ODA) John Hayes
Foreign Affairs & Trade (Associate) Tim Groser
Forestry Brian Connell
Health Tony Ryall
Health (Associate) Jackie Blue
Health (Associate) Jonathan Coleman
Health (Associate) Jo Goodhew
Housing Phil Heatley
Housing (Associate) Bob Clarkson
Immigration Lockwood Smith
Immigration (Associate) Pansy Wong
Information Technology Maurice Williamson
Internal Affairs Sandra Goudie
Justice Richard Worth
Justice (Associate) Kate Wilkinson
Labour & Industrial Relations Wayne Mapp
Labour & Industrial Relations (Associate) Paula Bennett
Law & Order Simon Power
Law & Order (Associate) Chester Borrows
Leader Don Brash
Leader (Deputy) Gerry Brownlee
Leader of the House Gerry Brownlee
Local Government John Carter
Local Government (Associate – Auckland) Richard Worth
Local Government (Associate – Wellington) Mark Blumsky
Local Government (Associate) Sandra Goudie
Maori Affairs Gerry Brownlee
Maori Affairs (Associate) Chris Finlayson
Maori Affairs (Associate) Georgina te Heuheu
Maori Affairs (Associate) Tau Henare
Pacific Island Liaison Judith Collins
Political Correctness Eradication Wayne Mapp
Racing Lindsay Tisch
Relationships with Non-Government Parties Don Brash
Research, Science & Tehcnology Paul Hutchison
Revenue Lockwood Smith
Revenue (Associate) Pansy Wong
Rural Liasion Shane Ardern
Senior Citizens Sandra Goudie
Senior Citizens Liasion Nathan Guy
SIS Don Brash
Small Business Liasion Chris Tremain
SOEs Katherine Rich
Sport & Recreation Murray McCully
Sport & Recreation (Associate) Eric Roy
State Services Gerry Brownlee
Statistics Brian Connell
Tourism David Carter
Tourism (Associate) Chris Auchinvole
Transport Maurice Williamson
Transport (Associate) David Bennett
Treaty of Waitangi Issues Gerry Brownlee
Treaty of Waitangi Issues (Associate) Chris Finlayson
Treaty of Waitangi Issues (Associate) Georgina te Heuheu
Treaty of Waitangi Issues (Associate) Tau Henare
Veterans’ Affairs Judith Collins
Welfare Judith Collins
Welfare (Associate – CYPFS) Anne Tolley
Welfare (Associate) Paula Bennett
Welfare (Associate) Chester Borrows
Whip (Chief) Lindsay Tisch
Whip (Junior) Anne Tolley
Women Liasion Jackie Blue
Youth Affairs Nicky Wagner
Youth Liasion Katherine Rich

Don Brash has announced rankings and portfolios for National’s 48 person Caucus.

The last Caucus had 15 out of 27 ranked. This has 27 out of 48 ranked. I thought it would be the top 27 as that is the number of seats in the main opposition area of the House.

No real major changes in rankings in that the top dozen stay much the same. English, Key, Collins and Rich all go up (deservedly) and this pushes down a wee bit (but not much) Power, David Carter and Lockwood Smith.

Three new MPs get ranked – Tim Grosser at 17 and Chris Finlayson at 18 and Tau Henare at 25.

Major portfolio movements are:

Gerry Brownleee picks up State Services

Nick Smith gets Energy

Tony Ryall gets Health in recognition for his effective opposition skills

Murray McCully gets Foreign Affairs and Defence, supported by ex MFATers Tim Groser and John Hayes. One needed someone crafty to handle Peters.

Tim Groser also gets Arts & Culture

Chris Finlayson is shadow Attorney-General plus Associate Maori and Treaty. CHris has very significant background for all these areas.

Lockwood Smith gets Immigration

Wayne Mapp gets the great title of “Political Correctness Eradication”. That will be such a cool business card.

Simon Power has law & order

Bob the Builder Clarkson appropriately gets Associate Building & Construction.

I can’t imagine too many upset people from this. Some deserved promotions and putting in some heavier firepower for prime targets in Health and Foreign Affairs.

Well the holiday’s over!

Got back into Wellington at 10.30 am this morning – just over 30 hours after I left London. Home by 11.15 am and then quick shower and change to be out the door for my 12.15 pm for a meeting at 12.30!

The meeting was with InternetNZ and a Government adviser on peering issues in NZ. Peering is basically when local ISPs agree to swap traffic directly and for no charge (as it benefits both of them), but some of the larger ISPs have stopped doing this lately, so there’s been a number of discussions on consequences and related regulatory issues.

Good to be back, and lot’s to do.

Bret Fausett fisks the European Commissioner responsible for Information Society and Media in response to her claims that the US Government actually decides what new top level domains are added to the root.

Bret points out the EU Commissioner is either speaking from a position of total ignorance, or is seeking to mislead. I am not sure what is worse.

For those who don’t follow the issue closely – the role of the US Government is basically a rubber stamp. It has never ever not approved a recommendation from ICANN relating to new TLDs.

If the EU get their way, then decisions on new generic top level domains will be a matter for Governments such as China, Iran and Brazil.

For those not up with the jargon, a blog father is the blog which more than any other inspired you to start your own blog.

The Politburo Diktat has started a family tree. It is mainly based on US blogs.

Could be interesting to do here, focusing on the mainly NZ blogs. So if you have a NZ blog, feel free to list in the comments

1) Your blog father/mother being the one blog that, more than any other, inspired you to start blogging.

2) Include your blog-birth-month, the month that you started blogging, if you can.

3. If you are reasonably certain that you have spawned any blog-children, mention them, too.

For me NZ Pundit is my blog-father and I started blogging in July 2003. No children I know of or admit to

If you are masoochistic, read this transcript of Winston Peters on Agenda.

He contradicts himself so many times I can’t even be bothered fisking him. The latter part with the panel is very good.

Good to see that as expected, the Iraqi constitution vote passed.

The turnour was a healthy 63% and the vote in favour was 78%.

Of the four Sunni dominated provinces, only two rejected it by over two thirds – 82% against in Salaheddin and 97% against in Anbar. The other two provinces were 55% against and 51% in favour.

While still a long way to go, Iraq now has the most democratic constutition of any Middle East state, excluding Israel.

They look so nice, but alas looks can be deceiving.

Alas Lamb and Lynx Gaede compete for the title of Dumb and Dumber as they are in fact fans of white supremacy and Hitler.

To be fair one shouldn’t blame them, but their parents who have brain washed them this way. Should almost qualify for child abuse. Let’s hope they shake it off as they get older.

As some may know I generally can’t sleep on planes so I always travel with a few books with me to read on the flight. I also need books for trains and buses and of course books for return flight.

My suitcase is now massively heavy, as in over 30 kgs, weighed down with all the great books I have purchased or borrowed over here. They are:

Wilt in Nowhere by Tom Sharpe – his latest work – as funny as ever at 77 years of age.

Clinton by Martin Walker – a really good read because it deals fairly with the scandals and the triumphs. Not an attack book or a hagiography. Fascinated by the account of when he was looking to stand for President in 1988 and Betsey Wright forced him to sit down and go through the list of women with whom he was rumoured to have had affairs, and tell her the truth so they could assess whether the women would keep silence. That would have been some meeting!

Also borrowed off Nikki, Clinton’s autobiography – My Life. Interesting, not great.

The book I have enjoyed the most is Pitt the Younger by William Hague. It’s an outstanding biography and Hague has received well deserved praise for the book. For the first time I understand how a 23 year old can become Prime Minister, and how he ruled for around 20 years, yet died broke. I will get William to sign it when I see him next!

I try to avoid hardbacks when travelling but when I saw in Scotland the latest Raymond E Feist novel – Flight of the Night Hawks, I swooped on it. He is my favourite fantasy author. Helps that he also is a regular participant on a Feist Fans e-mail list – posting several times a day – so you get to quiz him on the most obscure details sometimes.
(more…)

I’ve got behind with blogging photos of where I have been, so will try and get a few done before I fly back to NZ Tuesday morning (NZST) arriving Wednesday morning.

When I was up in Scotland I did a bus tour to Loch Lomond and then a cruise on the loch. By pure coincidence everyone on the tour were old married couples except myself and a French girl, so we sat next to each other and got on well.

The Loch had several castles on it’s shore. I suspect they are expensive to stay at.

And a more remote area of the Loch.
(more…)

Having grabbed an old seating plan of the House, I’ve coloured it in with what I believe to be the logical seating positions for the eight parties. Colours should be self explanatory. Note Progressive is shown as part of Labour.

The House has room for 122 MPs with room for 60 on the opposition benches, 61 on the government benches and the Speaker. As it happens the parties not in Government exactly total 60 MPs so I would be surprised if the final seating plan is not similiar to this.

I’ve resisted the urge to guess where each individual MP will be seated