Shadbolt threatens Government
December 14th, 2007 at 7:46 am by David FarrarThe Invercargill Mayor is quoted in the Herald:
Mr Shadbolt said a proposed $8 million cut for the institute would lead to a loss of 1400 students and be bad for the region.
“This is a direct attack on everything we’ve done and everything we’ve achieved in the last five years and we’re not going to stop on Friday and say, ‘Oh well, that’s the end of it’,” he told Radio New Zealand.
“There’s an election coming up and we’ll be doing everything we possibly can. We’re going to launch a campaign to bring down this Government if they are going to launch a campaign to bring down our province.”
Except sadly for Tim and Invercargill, their campaign will be limited to $120,000.
December 14th, 2007 at 8:09 am
When Mick Jagger in 1965 called Invercargill ‘the arsehole of the world’, some people said he was just talking out of his atlas and others noted it was appropriate he was just passing through, but I would enjoy the irony if, regarding the EFB, it is this part of the country that turns and bites Helen in her – well, whatever
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:18 am
Talking to some clients down there yesterday, there’s moe anger than they had over their school closures. Look out Liarbour, there’s a storm a coming…
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:19 am
Tim has already spent most of his limit with the full page ad in the NZ Herald this morning
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:52 am
$120,000?
So you don’t think the Invercargill City Council is an “instrument of the Crown”?
Because if it is, then the limit is $0.
[to be honest, I'm not sure either, but it's a pretty broad term - someone ask Dean Knight, he's a famous local Government lawyer
]
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:52 am
In the Southland Times: http://www.stuff.co.nz/southlandtimes/4323121a6568.html
Justice Minister Annette King … said the suggestion that Mr Shadbolt could face prosecution under the bill was “absolute nonsense”.
The idea behind the bill was to prevent huge election campaigns such as that run by the Exclusive Brethren and the National Party before the last election, she said. “The rules are very clear and provided they obey the rules they won’t have any problems.” National Party Invercargill MP Eric Roy said the bill could send Mr Shadbolt to jail. Mr Shadbolt said he was yet to decide what action he would take.
“Do we can the campaign and buckle to this ridiculous act or do we fight it and risk going to prison and losing the mayoralty — it’s suddenly become a lot more of a high stakes game that I imagined.”
The rules are very clear?!
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:57 am
In the Justice Minister’s mind, they are. But remember we’re talking about a woman whose sole contribution to Kiwi jurisprudence is ‘Annette’s Law of Common Sense’ – and I’m buggered if I can find any evidence that gem exists anywhere other than her imagination either. Judging from her piss-poor performance in the portfolio so far, sense (common or otherwise) isn’t really King’s strength.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:58 am
There’s something fundamantally rotten spreading through the tertiary sector. Akld Uni (which has a bad rep for how it treats its staff) is raising the bar to who it will admit and I suspect this trend will mirror thru the country.
Education is simply being taken out of reach for the masses.
As a published author with much life experience I think I would be a safe contender for polytech training but I did breath a sigh of relief that I am beginning my second yrs degree study in 2008 and it can’t be taken from under me.
Labour is applying a scorched earth policy in education and with Akld Uni’s help (which is also lead by a woman, socialist?) the level of poverty, ignorance , malnutrition and illness will manifestly quadruple under Labour. National has not addressed these issues yet but it is obvious the present govt and its cronies are against the education and enlightenment of this nation and send a message of how much easier it is to control the illiterate.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:01 am
Don’t under rate Shadbolt. He’s had more practice as a protestor than Klark. It was his creativity that gave free tertiary education in Invercargill. Expect more.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Tane,,
why aren’t you on this blog today Annette.
When the EFB is passed you’ll lock everyone up and throw away the key you commie machochist.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:07 am
Keep ‘em coming Yvette…..the bloated uni sector is getting its arse kicked, Invercargill Institute is colateral damage unfortunately, and major setback for the region, but its about financial viability in the long run.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:30 am
What do the local MPss ( both National) say on Shadbolts mission.
Do they support ‘bums on seats ‘ funding – which led to the wananga fisaco and twilight golf
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:32 am
dont mess with Tim. he can bring the govt down without spending a penny!
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:36 am
hinamanu – But if we are to keep cutting taxes we must take money from somewhere and surely taking it out of education is a good idea. I mean it’s not as though that will have a consequence in the long term.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:45 am
“I mean it’s not as though that will have a consequence in the long term.”
Well it seems the dairy board has hit on the solution.
Give a huge payout then raise the prices of it’s products.
If the next yrs returns are too low, raise the price of the products.
Don’t worry Luke,, the govt has a huge surplus after earning it off the roads and will continue to do so. Don’t forget the higher the price of fuel goes the more tax is added to it. Those Beehive boys don’t miss a beat!
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Why doesn’t Liarbore just take Tim outside and put a bullet through is brain and send the cost of the bullet to the people of Invercargill.
Liarbore could raise petrol taxes by 5 cents a litre.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:57 am
“Why doesn’t Liarbore just take Tim outside and put a bullet through is brain…”
Umm, there’s a lil sumfin called the EFB. when you understand it, you’ll find the gun is already to his head.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:00 am
What do the local MPss ( both National) say on Shadbolts mission.
Do they support ‘bums on seats ‘ funding – which led to the wananga fisaco and twilight golf
Must suck when your brain can only comprehend two alternatives, but I guess that just prooves you are a Labour supporter … the “you dont agree with A so you must agree with B” is a very dumb arguement to put forward, ever thought there could possibly be an option C or even god forbid an option D?
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:05 am
GWW – SIT isn’t about wananga-style training…Chch trades businesses are spewing about this…so fuck off you loser
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 11:05 am
It is about time universities toughened up their criteria severely in New Zealand. Way too many students who would be better suited to non-academic careers go to Uni (and acdemic courses at polytech).
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 11:19 am
“Way too many students who would be better suited to non-academic careers go to Uni (and acdemic courses at polytech).”
the actual problem is the age of students being accepted.
I am in classes with 17 yo’s doing degrees. some of them can’t get past the first year. They can’t even finish all their first year assignments.
They have no life skills or experience and simply get themselves into needless debt. what’s impt though is they have very little base knowledge.
Their general knowledge is apalling. They can’t even connect to the early nineties. Most of all their work ethic isn’t strong enough for academic study.
In essence they need to be teens and lead teen lives. Academic study is time consuming and mentally intense. you have to have the commitment and studious attitude to not only be successful but even to attempt it.
As a tutor told me you don’t take on media studies to learn to be a journalist. You do because inside you already are. These younger ones simply aren’t.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 11:22 am
My bet is Helen will front up with $8 Million, blame the issue on mistakes made by officials and turn up for a photo op with Tim.
There’s an election approaching and although Labour hasn’t a lot to loose in Southland it won’t want a nationwide Shadbolt led campaign questioning its education credentials.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Just heard Cabinet had a meeting about Shadbolt’s campaign yesterday and have been furiously rounding up the attack dogs to get stuck into him…
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 11:56 am
So buggerlugs says that SIt is running courses in Christchurch.
Shadbolt wants to bring down the government so that SIT can run courses in 600km away.
The Christchurch polytech can run courses in their own city.
Does SIT have some special competance in trade training , after all the staff live in Christchurch, the lectures would be held in Christchurch, the only connection with Invercargill is the name on the diploma.
This is just the type of wasteful duplication that is no longer affordable.
With both Southland MPs allready National they have no leverage as national wants to cut spending and give tax cuts of a few dollars a week for average workers
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Helen doesn’t understand; it only would take her a few minutes to get from Invercargill to Christchurch in a crown car!
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
I do believe this an issue that needs to be addressed urgently – therefore I agree that the govt (Through a bunch of bureaucrats) need to sort this out.
This has been a successful educational institute – therefore I say fund it immediately.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
GWW you fuckwit. Check your facts before posting (and I don’t mean Wikipedia)
SIT was specifically asked 10 years ago to deliver trades training in Chch because CPIT couldn’t deliver. A trades training report done for the TEC recently showed having the two institutions delivering trades training was needed in Chch and that SIT’s provision shouldn’t be cut.
Now fuck off and lick your balls.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Shadbolt should start a campaign for Southland to secede from NZ and enter political union with Australia.
Then watch the economic boom and mass migration that would follow.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
If it comes to a shit fight my money is on Tim.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Speaking of shit fights. At great risk of being off topic, the news that Mr Annette King aka Peter Hausman is billing HB Health for $511,000 for legal fees instituted by his own request for an inquiry into his conflict of interest case at HB Health.
dpf:worth a new thread maybe?
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
The whole tertiary sector is a crock of shit Its turning out low level graduates with skill levels well below international standards.
Its out of balance Too many grads with unwanted skills and not enough with skills that are needed to progress our society.
Its inward looking and up until now has had no accountibility for its outputs.
The TEC is a joke run by a bunch of tossers who dont know which way is up.
There is no strategic planning to co ordinate the outputs.
It needs a shake up and a shake out ..yet another Gumint sector where billions of tax payer dollars are wasted
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
kehua – true, I’d bet on the wifebeater over the cottager’s wife anyday.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Hinamau, that is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. Intelligent 17 year olds move from high school to university and do extremely well having already developed a learning habit which is unbroken by taking time out for “life experience”. If a 17 year old is a bit thick then I think it is generally pretty safe to assume that they will be no less thick simply by reason of working for a year or two in what will most likely be a somewhat menial job. I do however love your implication that the one and only useful thing that young adults are currently still permitted to do i.e. get themselves an education, (lord knows no one wants to give a youngster any responsibility in a job nowadays although at 18 they could join the army go overseas and shoot someone) is in fact too much for them. My observation of adult students at University was that for all their diligence they often were unable to work out that frequently one has to accept what a teacher / lecturer says on faith in the expectation that it will become clear in the future. Questioning everything you are told is, I am sure, a fine approach if you are a Newton or an Einstein but most of us cannot aspire to be that in which case such an approach normally smacks more of egomaniacal arrogance and obnoxiousness than a critical and inquiring mind.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
“Shadbolt should start a campaign for Southland to secede from NZ and enter political union with Australia.
Then watch the economic boom and mass migration that would follow.”
I might move back down if that happens….
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
GD is dead right. But then we all know that you cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear. If only someone would tell the government that. There is an insidious and dangerous idea out there in education circles that anyone is capable of learning anything.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Timbo sounded a bit tired and croaky on NatRad this morning. I just hope he wasn’t coming off an “emotionally charged” night at the council christmas bash.
Quite why he thinks a potential national government, wedded as it would be to the idea that the state is a bloated wasteland of inefficiency just waiting for the rigour of the market and able to slashed to the bone to fund limitless tax cuts to crony big business would be good for Southland is an interesting point to muse.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
toms – perhaps allowing SIT to compete in the ‘rigour of the market’ would show up a whole lot of other ITPs – which is why the TEC would never let it happen.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
WELL SAID RossK. It would be better all round is these starry-eyed young idealists had to get some experience of the REAL world BEFORE signing up for several years of environmental or social policy or Marxist economics uni indoctrination.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Well – two things.
Hopefully Timothy will be brave enough to say “shove the EFB where the sun dont shine” and he will make as many comments as he likes a lets whoever the authority is take legal action. The legal action would be against the council – or in other words the people of invercargill.
A brave government to let that happen.
Secondly I see a couple of comments about the Auck Uni limiting students. Lets face it – the bums on seats thing is just a license to waste money. It used to be that anyone could go to uni AS LONG AS YOU COULD PASS THE TEST – which was set pretty high – and you were under 21. That seemed to work pretty well. you had to get pretty good passes to be able to come back next year.
Vote:Why should the taxpayer (who fund I think pay 80% of uni course as it is despite student fees) be paying for people to warm seats in the lecture theatre.
December 14th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Tim Shadbolt, on Radio Le Trou du Cul du Monde
“It it will be a little like Hadrian’s Wall and again the bloody Scots will be north of it. It will run from just below the Milton Hilton [that can be on Helen's side] across to Queenstown which will also be on the obverse side – that place is becoming so full of Jaffa wankers and Ruddy Kevin’s Aussies it no longer fits with our southern culture. We plan locating parts of the wall very strategically so it will flood valleys on the north side and we will have the turbines on our side. We have tons of coal around Lumsden and the oil waiting to be piped from the Southern Basin will be our oyster – well, other oyster, ha! Don’t think you can screw with our provincial initiatives and then use your bloody EFB to shut us up about it and I’m not sorry about the ‘F’ in EB]. Helen prattles on about no one being old enough to appreciate History – well she doesn’t exactly observe anything from it either: look at the mini shirt back in the ’60′s – brief in Auckland, shorter in Christchurch and bloody almost non existent in Invercragill, and any other trend to hit the country we have taken to a greater extreme down here. Has she never looked at the Southern United States [obviously too bloody anti-American to even consider it], South Africa, the Ukraine or Georgia or Southern Russia and realised anything about people living in the south of anywhere – we’re not to be bloody screwed around with.”
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Barry –
Vote:yep I agree with you on A.U. – access to university courses should be based on student ability and prior knowledge of the subject. These are good guides as to the student’s ability to cope with the course and pass the exams. Restricting course entry is not elitism its fostering excellence.
December 14th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
I’m normally a harch critic of TV news in this country but I must give kudos to TV3 and especially Duncan Garner for some concise explaining about how the EFB could affect Southlanders rights to democracy. Also good to see Key on TV actually talking about this issue.
Got to finish by saying that Steven Price is a god send for the opponents of the bill. He contradicted himself rather well.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Sofia- that’s brilliant.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Well you wouldn’t want them buying the election would you?
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 11:43 pm
Toms, remind me what you said about Phillip Field? I think your credibility is about zero.
There is already plenty of money to fund tax cuts without needing to cut government spending – although there are plenty of areas where spending on back room bureaucrats could be cut a little.
Vote:December 15th, 2007 at 12:59 am
Hinamanu
Well done, clap clap. Within your five paragraphs you managed to encapsulate the ignorance generally shown by (dare I say it?) ‘mature students’! You point at your supposed ’17 yo’s’ as,
‘In essence they need to be teens and lead teen lives. Academic study is time consuming and mentally intense. you have to have the commitment and studious attitude to not only be successful but even to attempt it.’
Whilst ignoring that in NZ ‘your’ teens do just that. From this early age they juggle everything that ordinary life dictates, for eg, financial independence ie paid work while keeping up with social commitments and full time study. This is the norm. Accept it.
Vote:December 15th, 2007 at 2:42 am
http://www.friendsofsit.co.nz/messages.htm
read it and weep, labour apologists…
Vote: