Kiwiblog

The Herald series continues:

Hekia Parata hit out at the impact the “capricious ideas of officialdom” have had on small towns struggling to keep themselves going, saying she had seen communities such as the Ruatoria she grew up in “succumb to the disease of dependency”.

A former public servant and consultant in the business she ran with husband Wira Gardiner, she said in some communities state intervention had become the norm rather than the exception.

“Caregivers and providers and facilitators and sector workers replace aunts, uncles, neighbours and friends.”

Bravo.

She knows now that even the Ruatoria of her childhood was economically challenged. “But its cultural wealth and social richness, its determined self-belief and hard work kept it viable.”

However, in such communities state welfare – “rather than social welfare” – had become a first resort, spawning “an intergenerational life sentence, rather than a life line”. In such communities, “despair and alienation are masked by drugs and alcohol and abuse, and displaced anger makes victims of children and their mothers, where low expectation in schools is predictably repaid with low achievement; where fault and blame laying has become the defence of failure”.

She said she felt called to Parliament to “lay bare the causes of these symptoms” and act to find durable solutions.

Her recipe for doing so was for the state to play a lesser role in communities and instead be filtered through organisations that worked and lived with the people affected. She also believed cultural diversity should be invested in, “not because it is fashionable, but because it carries identity and the potential for innovation and new technologies”. The final ingredient was education.

“All other aspirations for economic growth, raised standards of living, national confidence and pride, will flow from getting these basics right.”

There is a reason why Hekia had such a high list ranking.

Paul Quinn

Background: Iwi affiliations include Ngati Awa, Tuhoe and Te Arawa. Former Maori All Black from 1977 to 1979. Degree in economics, he most recently ran his own business advisory and consultancy company. Has worked in the forestry sector and on Treaty settlements, including as a negotiator for Ngati Awa’s Treaty claim. Director of the NZ Rugby Union since 2002 and remains active at a grass roots level on the committee of his old Marist St Pat’s rugby club.

In his own words: “[The Treaty settlement process] is but one specific reason why I now stand in this House. It is my response to the total lack of leadership provided by the previous administration in getting on with the job, particularly when it was obvious there was a better way. I note they magically found that better way some six months out from an election.”

Paul, like Hekia, has an excellent background and will be able to make a contribution across a number of areas.

Iain-Lees Galloway

Background: One of Labour’s ‘fresh faces’ intake, 30-year-old has two pre-school children. Was president of the Massey University Students’ Association in 2005 and a campaigner for NZ Nurses’ Organisation prior to Parliament. Maiden speech focused on the need for community organisations to help parents support their children and the importance of investing in research and development.

Many of Labour’s new MPs were student association presidents.

Personal: Mr Lees-Galloway is evidence that National is not the only party taking new MPs that don’t fit in with the party’s stereotypical image. He was educated at King’s College, comes from a beef farming family and wryly admitted his parents remained “thoroughly perplexed” by seeing him on Labour’s side of the House.

His candidacy in Palmerston North presented them with the dilemma of choosing between their own son or their beloved National Party. “They came up with a novel if somewhat drastic solution: they moved out of the electorate. I’m sure [National and Rangitikei MP] Simon Power will be relieved to know he now has two more voters whose loyalty is unquestionable.”

I’m not sure Simon’s majority needed the help, but I’ve yet to meet an MP who doesn’t appreciate every extra vote!

The Herald reports:

The Green party has called on the Government and Fonterra to condemn the death sentences handed down in China to two men involved in the tainted milk scandal.

The two men were sentenced to death yesterday while Tian Wenhua, the woman at the head of Fonterra joint venture Sanlu Group, was given a life sentence by a court in Shijiazhuang.

This is no surprise. In fact Phil Goff back in September said it was “almost certain” that those responsible would be executed. Mind you, I thought such a public statement from the then Trade Minister was somewhat unwise, as it could be read as agreement (unintentionally of course).

A helpful forest owner has sent me a copy of the latest communication he’s received from MAF – see http://www.maf.govt.nz/sustainable-forestry/ets/ets-advert-lores-web.pdf

It tells land owners that “if you own forest land established before 1 January 1990 you must notify the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) of any deforestation greater than two hectares of forest since 1 January 2008.

Failure to notify deforestation of more than 2 hectares by 31 January 2009 may result in the landowner committing an offence under section 129 of the Climate Change Response Act 2002.”  The document gives people just a week to do it.

Penalties under that Act include an $8,000 fine for a first offence, rising to $24,000 for a third offence – all for changing the use of just 2 hectares of your own land!  ( see http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2002/0040/latest/DLM1662698.html?search=ts_act_climate+change+response+act_resel )

Note also, that offences under section 129 are strict liability – that is, you don’t have to have intended to break the law or even know about it.  Don’t notify MAF that you cut down a few trees on your own land last year and the little green men from MAF will haul you before the courts.  No wonder the design of the MAF document looks like something out of an authoritarian state.  It will certainly attract attention.

It does make you wonder though what sort of snooping state Labour’s climate change policies were going to create.  Already we know that MAF has taken photos of every property in New Zealand to check how many trees were on them on 31 December 2007 so they can come back later and check later that you haven’t been a naughty kiwi and tried to export a few logs. Trees are now the property of the state!

And by the way, isn’t the Emissions Trading Scheme meant to be on hold pending the Select Committee review?  Sounds like someone forgot to tell MAF.

Veet, for those who don’t know, is an unwanted hair removal product.

Bernard Hickey blogs at the excellent interest.co.nz on home affordability:

Plunging mortgage rates and another fall in house prices improved home loan affordability by a record amount in December to its best level in 4 years, the monthly Home Loan Affordability report from www.interest.co.nz shows. At current rates of improvement, housing is likely to be broadly affordable again for most home buyers towards the end of 2009.

In other words, back to sanity.

You can see the impact of both the fall in prices and of interest rates. And both should continue to fall. The tax cuts in October and again in APril will help also as they boost take-home pay.

40% is generally regarded as the maximum home owners should pay towards their accommodation. That’s probably unrealistic for many, but it would be good t get it below 50% anyway.

Another good article in the Herald on the problems with the new copyright law.

A number of artists who are members of ARPA, are disagreeing with that body’s support for the law. This isn’t a case of artists vs users. Many from the creative sector are aghast at the new law.

It should go without saying that copyright is an important economic right. Producers of works should be able to benefit from their creations.

But the music industry’s tactics are short-sighted and counter-productive.

A couple of years ago I spoke in Hawaii at a form on intellectual property. It was to an audience that was 100% pro-IP and pro-property rights. Fellow panelists were from major drug companies, major IT companies and the like. So this was not some sort of geeky “everything should be free” gathering. Think the opposite.

What I found fascinating was the near total disdain the other intellectual property proponents had for the tactics of the music and entertainment industries. They regarded them as damaging the overall cause of respect for intellectual property rights through their efforts to criminalise half the 15 year olds in America, and boot the other half off the Internet.

Within NZ, I am told the local reps for the global entertainment industries are quite good types. The problem is they have no ability to vary the line dictated to them by the US based mutinationals.

One bright note on the copyright front, is that the White House is now licensed under Creative Commons.

From the Herald series:

Tim Macindoe

Tim Macindoe set out to shatter any illusions that the road to Parliament was as smooth as his leader John Key had made it look.

Last year’s election was fifth time lucky for Mr Macindoe, who has been a National Party candidate in every election since MMP was introduced in 1996.

Fifth time lucky!

The former chief executive of Arts Waikato, deputy principal of St Peter’s School in Cambridge and prison tutor at Christchurch Women’s Prison said education and dealing with children at risk were among his priorities.

“I have been concerned for more than a decade that our country is in danger of losing its soul. Every tragic incident of child abuse or illegal drug sale to the young and the vulnerable or senseless violent crime that occurs in our country is an attack on our society as a whole and the values that most of us hold dear.”

Tim will no doubt be concentrating on holding the marginal Hamilton West seat. Hamilton West has been held by the Government of the Day for over 40 years, except from 1993 to 1996.

Kelvin Davis

Background:
Ngapuhi iwi, married with three children, lives in Kaitaia. A teacher in Northland since 1988, his most recent job was as principal of Kaitaia Intermediate from 2001 to 2007. Likes rugby, fishing, shooting and boating.

In his own words:
“It’s time we stopped wallowing in self-pity and instead looked for solutions … blaming the system implies we are too weak as a people to help ourselves, that we are victims.”

I was hugely impressed with his maiden speech.

Amy Adams

Personal:
As a lawyer and farmer, she said she was recently called a “typical Nat”. She said before people stereotype her they should know she was brought up by a solo mother who struggled to put herself through a psychology degree before working with disadvantaged families.

In her own words:
“[Agriculture] was our past and it remains our future. It is the primary sector that will help us as a country find our way through these troubled financial times.”

Amy has a safe seat for life, but it won’t take that long for her to start moving up the ranks. She could be our first female Minister of Agriculture!

NZPA reports:

Prime Minister John Key has urged the Remuneration Authority to freeze MPs’ pay at its next review due to the tough economic times.

Mr Key today said he had also written to the Remuneration Authority asking it to exercise restraint when considering all salary rises in its jurisdiction.

The authority, which is independent and free to ignore Mr Key, determines pay rises for MPs, the judiciary and specified statutory officers and members of local authorities and community boards.

We won’t know until late 2009 if they take heed, but I think they will.

Mr Key said it was still a case of the Government leading by example.

“The New Zealand economy is facing what looks to be a difficult time ahead,” he said.

“It is only right that in these changing economic times, as ordinary New Zealanders tighten their belts, MPs and ministers also play their part.

“While the Remuneration Authority is an independent body I would hope that it recognises the current economic climate calls for a cautious use of taxpayer money.”

Mr Key said the National Party would also file a submission with the authority calling for a zero pay increase in parliamentary salaries.

As I have said many times before, I think the law should be changed so MPs salaries never change during their term of office. The Remuneration Authority should set pay rates for an entire three year term, a few months before each scheduled election.

NZ First have confirmed that Winston Peters is going to remain Leader for now, but not necessarily until the 2011 election.

This is not unexpected, but what is a pleasant surpise is some backbone from Peter Brown:

Deputy leader Peter Brown said several supporters had told him they thought Mr Peters should resign, but he believed the party would suffer if he did.

He believed NZ First could successfully return to Parliament in 2011, but it would take some major changes.

The party’s funding and Mr Peters’ actions would both need to be more transparent.

“I personally think he’s a great guy and he’s got a lot of talent, but we can’t even give the perception that we are a one-man band.

“In reality we weren’t, but he would go off on a tangent and we wouldn’t know a thing about it, ie the Spencer Trust, and that’s not acceptable.”

Well done Peter Brown. No it is not acceptable for the money intended for the party to be deposited into private trusts run by the Leader’s staff and brother, without the Board even knowing the existence of such trust.

Apart from the difficulty of being out of Parliament, NZ First do have significant challenges. Winston will be 66 at the next election and Deputy Leader Peter Brown will be 72.

Oh dear, the conference industry is upset at all these cancelled public sector conferences:

The conference industry has lashed out at the National Government for the cancellation of two conferences since the election, saying it should support the $1 billion industry and not be trying to destroy it.

This is a simplistic argument. Different conferences have varying value. In tight times, one sometimes has to say no to those conferences that were of marginal value.

The New Zealand Medical Association chairman Peter Foley said GPs had not found previous conferences “particularly useful”.

“It seemed a waste of valuable funds and professional time to have this conference proceed so close to the more focused seminar planned by the College of GPs.”

I attend many conferences myself. Some are very useful. Some are of marginal value, and you don’t reattend.

But the purpose of having a conference is not to support the conference industry. It is to provide value to those attending in excess of the cost of attending.

From around the traps:

1. Homepaddock has a photo of the Kurow Hay Family. Cute.
2. Bomber at Tumeke actually supports discrimination on the basis of nationality or where someone is born. Someone send him a NZ First membership kit.
3. Stephen Franks has another post on the issue of freedom of assocation and why he supports a liberal but not libertarian regime.
4. Bill Ralston blogs on what he sees as the demonising of men.
5. Paul Walker has a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon explaining corporate welfare. I love Calvin.
6. Whale Oil has got himself a blog tattoo. He left the URL off though!
7. Greg Mankiw notes that much of the Obama stimulus package will take years to take effect – possibly after it is needed.
8. Iain Dale blogs his hopes and fears for Obama.

Just been sent a link to this column by a reader (who says they saw it on Whoar). It is by former Green MP Nandor Tanczos:

But then National is not an environmental party. It is the Green Party’s job to influence governments on the issues that count and why would National listen to them? The Greens made it very clear in the election campaign that they were not interested in talking to National.

I thought at the time that it was an extraordinarily stupid thing to do, to fasten your lifeboat to a sinking ship. Greens do best when there is an outgoing Labour Government, but this election the results were disappointing. The Green Party might well have won their biggest caucus yet, if they had been prepared to stop licking Labour’s hand.

There is a question of whether National would have paid any attention to them anyway. Senior National MPs were privately hinting so early last year and Mr Key’s approach to the Maori Party indicates a new openness. There was never a better time for the Greens to see if they could forge a new political space, genuinely independent of Labour and National. Unfortunately for us all, they lacked the courage to try.

Nandor is quite correct here. The Greens did throw away an opportunity to have any influence for the next term or two.

No-one (including me) thinks the Greens would ever choose to support a National-led Government over a Labour-led Government. Well, I suppose even that is not impossible – in Hamburg last year the Greens supported the CDU over SDP and are in coalition with them. But back to NZ.

The Greens could have said “Our preference is a coalition with a Labour-led Government but we would consider an abstention on supply and confidence agreement with a National-led Government if a Labour-led Government is not viable”.

If they had done that, then the Greens may have been able to negotiate a number of significant policy concessions. National had been quite careful not to rule out doing a deal with the Greens.

John Key showed with the Maori Party agreement, that he can think outside the square. I think he would have tried to negotiate a deal with the Greens in good faith, if they had not put all their eggs with Helen Clark and Labour.

Now the Greens face a bleak future. Their high polls turned into less then 7% on the day. Over four elections now they seem trapped in a zone of 5% to 7% and twice have been just over 5.0%. They only have to fall under that threshold once and they are all gone.

All National Party members will be saddened to hear of the passing away of Lady (Jacqueline) Chapman on Monday.  Sir George and Lady Chapman hold a special place within the National Party, having served it tirelessly for decades.

Lady Chapman was 81 when she died. She was still active and I recall seeing her at last year’s Rimutaka selection meetings.

My condolences go out especially to Sir George, but also to all the Chapman family and friends.

The funeral is at St Margaret’s Church, Dunns Street, Silverstream at 11 am on Friday.

Phil Goff is upset that Tony Ryall may have caused a $350,000 primary health conference to be cancelled.

I think Mr Goff should keep campaigning in defence of taxpayer funded conferences.

I have thousands of books and want to catalog them. Ideally what I want is a hand scanner which I can use to roll over their ISBN bar code, and software will automatically identify the book’s title and author.

I’ve looked a bit on Google, but can’t see too many products – at least not locally.

Has anyone got something similiar they would recommend? Cost is an issue, but functionality is more important.

Today was a special day in the history of the world. Regardless of whether or not one supported or preferred the Republican or the Democrat candidate, the fact is Barack Obama won a very healthy victory in the election to be the 44th President of the United States.

As AP reported yesterday:

When Barack Obama was born in 1961, the marriage of his black father and white mother would have been illegal in half the United States, and blacks across the South were virtually barred from voting.

The United States is a great country, and it is great not because it is perfect, but because in just a few decades it can go from the stains of segregation (and slavery before that) to electing an African-American to the most powerful job in the country, and the world.

And the stench of slavery is not ancient history, but only a few generations away:

In 1989, Douglas Wilder, the grandson of a slave, became the first African-American to win an election for governor. The Democrat did it in Virginia, a former slave-owning state. Wilder ran for president in 1992, but quickly bowed out.

There will be plenty of days to disagree with the policies of President Obama, to complain about the media hype. But for me today is not one of them. Today is a day to celebrate a peaceful transition of office in the most powerful country on Earth, and to celebrate Obama’s achievement in becoming the first African-American President.

His inauguration speech is here.

In a few days the celebrations will end, and I have no doubt the mettle of Obama will be tested both in domestic and foreign policy. It will be interesting to observe how he responds to the many challenges of the job.

Thanks to Whale Oil for you-tubing the TV footage of the PM breaking his arm.

We also like today’s Herald cartoon.

Today’s three:

Rahui Katene

Rahui Katene was blunt about her views of the Crown’s treatment of Maori and the Treaty settlements, saying claims of strong race relations was a “national myth”.

However, she said it remained her strong belief that the best way for Maori to achieve their goals was to work within the system to do so.

I would be worried if an MP advocated not working within the system.

Michael Woodhouse

Was chief executive of Mercy Hospital Dunedin for seven years. President of the Private Surgical Hospitals Association. Worked at Dunedin Hospital and as a senior manager for ACC. Passionate advocate of the use of the private sector to reduce waiting lists. Married with three daughters, the born and bred Otago man says he has “blue and gold blood running through my veins”. He is a premier grade rugby referee.

I dare say many on the waiting lists would also welcome a reduction.

Mr Woodhouse’s ancestors include Lawrence’s first butcher and James Woodhouse, who emigrated from England and discovered gold near Roxburgh: “No great wealth passed down, however, as he purchased the Bannockburn Hotel and fathered eight children.” In the days of transient clerics, family legend had it that his great great grandmother grabbed whichever man of the cloth was in town at the time of the birth of each child. “Thus, according to legend, descendants of James and Mary were christened Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican and so on. If true, my great grandfather was born when the Catholic priest was passing through.”

Heh, a cute story.

Rajen Prasad

Aged 62. A list-only candidate, ranked very high at 12. Labour’s spokesman for voluntary and community sector, and associate spokesman for ethnic affairs and social development (family and Child, Youth and Family). On social services select committee.

I feel quite sorry for him, as he may get to just serve a few years in opposition before retiring.

“The leaky home problem has been well publicised and many of us know of families whose mental health has suffered; some have taken their lives in desperation. I ask [members] to find out the extent of the problem in your areas and meet some of the desperate people who are victims. You will find their stories compelling. Many currently live in limbo and are out of pocket while lawyers, builders, and developers are benefiting enormously from their situation. I hope this can be resolved.”

He should talk to his former leader about this, as she famously said it (leaky homes) was all a beat up by the NZ Herald.

A (female) friend of mine got sent this by her boyfriend. How would you react? Discuss.

Spies have forwarded on this email:
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:46:03 +1300
From: info@nationalistalliance.org.nz
Subject: Nationalist Land base

Hello Patriots

Nationalist Land base

Introduction

With an ever decreasing European population we face the real risk of  having no power in our Nation. It currently crumbles through the  current system of bad government policies, greedy politicians and businessmen. We must act to build a unified mini state that we could build up in future to be a base for other like minded Europeans to come to from other dieing countries.
Oh yes a whites only mini state is just what we want in NZ. Mind you I suspect Jewish Europeans are also unwelcome, even if they are white. Aryans only basically.

Donations needed

We need your commitment. This is your chance to put in some support  for our cause and its future. You can be remembered for something real. Please help us to make this  happen. We need your help!

All Organisations that Help will have a shield of banner on the wall of the meeting house. All individuals who help will have their name on  the plaque we put on the longhouse wall. We have a few people already  who will commit to sell their own properties and move as close to the  base as possible. Some of us have set up Auto payments and personal donations. Please put your donations into this bank account:

Name: Nationalist Alliance
Number: 03 1591 0227948 00
Bank: Westpac (Eastgate, Christchurch

Wow donate now and you get your own shield of banner.

Location

The First Base we set up will be in North Canterbury area somewhere.  This will be reviewed at the time of purchase. Once we have created a strong area with an active base for recruiting and building a money base we will be able to buy other areas around New Zealand.

First North Canterbury, then New Zealand. Lucky Clayton Cosgrove gets to host the first neo nazi base. At least they might take care of the boy racers!

Proposed Features of the base
• Meeting house (longhouse) for Gatherings of leaders and active Nationalists.
• Bunk Rooms for young single people who are either visiting or want  to live in cheap accommodation.
• Unit sized Gotages for couples and small families.
• Schooling for our children.
• Work shop for engineering activities, wood work, and other relevant  items we could create.
• Training area for sport fighting.
• Survivalist Training.
• Teaching improved lifestyles through returning to a nature based living style.
• Large Vegetable garden to not only supply the community with fresh vegetables but also give surplus to local people to build support.
• Tap into a natural water supply.
• Social Bar for fundraising and building unity with social activities.
• Protected community.
• Create a few small businesses so that we can create a trade system and bring in profits from outside our communities that will help us to  buy more land and keep building.

Well the vegetable garden and natural water supply sound most laudable. A school for their own childrenwould be fascinating.

Benefits

• High concentration of like minded folk to elect local officials into the area.
• Elect an MP for the area.

First take over the Waimakariri District Council, then get your own MP. Watch out Clayton!

• Keep our children away from the multicultural brainwashing of current system schools.
• Get our people back on track with a more stable and relaxed
lifestyle that teach self care and community care.
• Encouraging, supportive and friendly interaction with like minded people.
• Safety in numbers.
• Ability to put our European skills and intelligence to create new  technologies and build something to be proud of.

Kyle Chapman

Personally I like the idea of all the white supremacists living together.

The Press reported this morning:

The Redwood home could be yours for a little more than $100, despite its rating value of $594,000.

The most the lucky buyer will pay is $1100.

Real estate agent Brad Maxwell and wife Janice own the Redwood property through a family trust and are selling it through a new sales method they hope will catch on.

Would-be buyers will book a seat at an internet auction for $100 each, with the lowest unique bid between 1c and $1000 getting the house.

The Maxwells have ensured they will not lose out on the deal. They have calculated that selling between 5000 and 6000 seats will bring in what they want for their home, and only then will the online auction run.

The DIA pointed out, this was illegal in several ways:

However, Internal Affairs gambling compliance manager Debbie Despard said today this was illegal gambling.

Despard said under the Gambling Act 2003 the auction was illegal in several ways.

“There is a huge element of chance in this so-called auction in which people pay to participate,” Despard said.

“It is also online gambling, which the Act defines as ‘remote interactive gambling’.”

Gambling with prizes exceeding $500 can only be conducted by societies raising money for authorised charitable purposes, she added. But this sales scheme was being conducted by a private person for personal profit and could not be licensed.

“Participating in illegal gambling is a criminal offence,” said Despard.

Furthermore, any sale and purchase agreement stemming from the auction would be on shaky ground because the Gambling Act says contracts relating to illegal gambling are illegal for the purposes of the Illegal Contracts Act.

Internal Affairs had advised the Trade Me and Premier Realty that the proposed sales method was illegal and was also contacting the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand.

DIA do a good job in educating people on the law. They’ve given me some helpful advice from time to time.

Having said that, our gaming laws are very restrictive and it would be great if the Government reviewed them with an eye towards permitting more gaming, so long as there is adequate transparency around the games.

I have problems with the TAB having a monopoly over sports betting, and the restrictions on online gaming which are more onerous than Australia.

But these are issues for the Government and ultimately Parliament.

The Wood Chipper has an excellent blog on what will happen to Ohariu in 2011.

This graphic is an excellent way of showing what has happened to Peter’s vote, from the high in 2002. It has gone from attracting support from all parties, to mainly support from National voters only. Somewhat ironically, as from 2002 to 2008 Peter backed a Labour-led Government.

If Peter does not stand in 2011, then this graph shows pretty clearly that it should become a very safe National seat.

AP reports:

BANGKOK, Thailand – A few lines in a novel that sold just seven copies have earned an Australian writer three years in a Thai prison.

The conviction of Harry Nicolaides yesterday for insulting the monarchy is one of a recent flurry of such cases, underlining Thailand’s sensitivity about how to safeguard the royal institution when 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej – the world’s longest-serving head of state – passes from the scene.

Nicolaides, 41, was sentenced for insulting the king and Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn in his self-published 2005 book Verisimilitude, which he has said sold seven copies.

The Thai monarchy is in fact getting more and more involved in politics, which makes its exemption from criticism even more deplorable.