Clifton on Aussie Imports
May 31st, 2010 at 10:00 am by David FarrarJane Clifton writes:
Green co-leader Russel Norman worked up quite a head of steam in Parliament yesterday about the menace posed to New Zealand by its predatory neighbour. …
But Dr Norman was plainly unconvinced. And when he pointed out that the Australian-owned banks that dominate the New Zealand banking system had self-interestedly repatriated 85 per cent of their profits during the recession, when New Zealand really needed the money, Mr English didn’t disagree that Australian shareholders did not have this country’s interests at heart.
But still the ripples of amusement continued.
Dr Norman’s final question brought the mirth right out into the open. “If Kiwibank is sold to Australia, will the Government require Kiwibank to change its theme song from God Defend New Zealand to Advance Australia Fair, or perhaps to Advance Australian Profits?”
Mr English grinned broadly as he answered: “I would find that question easier to answer if it were not asked with an Australian accent.”
For the MP warning against callous, grasping Australian “eeen-terests” and “proi-va-toi-sation” is himself … an Australian (though now a New Zealand citizen).
“Good onya, Digger!” enthused Maurice Williamson.
Reminds me a bit of the former NZ First MP Peter Brown who would launch tirades against immigrants, despite being himself an immigrant from the UK.
For the record Russel has been an Aussie for 30 years and a Kiwi for up to 13.
May 31st, 2010 at 10:24 am
He’s just in training, you know. Ready to go back to Queensland as Bjelke reincarnated.
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 10:31 am
For the record Russel has been an Aussie for 30 years and a Kiwi for up to 13.
Hair colour?
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 10:47 am
I think it was only the brown immigrants that Brown didn’t want. The limey ones were okay by him, from my recollection.
[DPF: He never quite said it like that, but yeah that was the strong impression]
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 10:48 am
Australian owned political parties certainly don’t have NZ’s best interests at heart.
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 10:53 am
Yeah, it’s final insult by Aussies that we need an Aussie to stand up for our own interests.
Vote:Can’t even get that done ourselves.
May 31st, 2010 at 10:56 am
Well no “limey” immigrant has ever called me a white mother fucker toad, so that at least sets them apart.
Letting your North American roots show show there toad.
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 11:08 am
I somehow don’t think Russel’s argument was that New Zealand is inherently superior to Australia, and therefore we deserve the profits more.
Instead, his point is likely that inequality is growing globally due, in part, to multinational banks siphoning off wealth in the form of interest margins and bank fees, to buy houses at overinflated costs, and the majority of people in New Zealand are worse off for it.
There is no hypocrisy whatsoever about making that argument for any country. It is simply yet another case where one of the big old parties attacks the person because they know they can’t win on the substance – and they don’t want to, they just want to serve their own personal interests.
[DPF: I don't think Russel was being a hypocrite. I just think it is funny to have an australian accent in the house condemning Australian banks]
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 11:17 am
A1kmm if New Zealanders were all that worried about Aussie banks’ profits, they could deal with the decidedly unprofitable Kiwibank (unprofitable without (a) its cross subsidy from NZ Post and (b) subsidy by way of interest free tax payer capital) or put their business with TSB or SBS both of which are genuine institutions 100% NZ owned and operated.
But they don’t, do they? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the Assie banks size and spread give them a certain strength no 100% oufit could ever match.
So why don’t you and Normal just fuck off and stop moaning about profitable;e businesses making profits?
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 11:23 am
It’s not what they’re saying – it’s whether or not you can smear them and deflect away from the issue.
Funny, I’m sure obfuscation was deplorable when the Labour government was doing it. Suddenly it’s quite heroic and funny now that a Nat government is doing it…
[DPF: Where's the smear. You really are hysterical today. The story is funny. It would be the same as if an MP with an American accent was railing against the United States etc]
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 11:24 am
That is the reality of (foreign) ownership, they can take their profits where they want.
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 11:33 am
Green co-leader Russel Norman worked up quite a head of steam… Jane Clifton writes: 28/05/2010.
Well it was their day on Friday.
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 11:50 am
[Mr English grinned broadly as he answered: “I would find that question easier to answer if it were not asked with an Australian accent.”]
Vote:That’s right, focus on the questioner, not the question. Anything to try and avoid the issue.
May 31st, 2010 at 11:54 am
I’m not sure what your point is, DPF. Are you implying that it is impossible for someone from Australia, who has lived here for over a decade, to care about New Zealand?
[DPF: No. I think it would have been bloody funny listening to an ocker accent lecturing on evil aussie banks. It's called humour. No suggestion at all Russel did anything wrong. Peter Brown did do wrong, because he was being a hypocrite. Russel is just situational humour]
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Certainly not rimu, its DPF’s pathological fear of gingas that drives his argument.
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Uuuummmmmm Did I miss something or can NZers own shares in these banks and aren’t they quoted on NZX?
I would like to know how many shares in Westpac/ANZ/NAB/CBA are owned by ACC? the combined Kiwisaver funds of all NZ? the Cullen Fund? the Green Party Superannuation Scheme (especially now they aren’t rorting the rental rules)? the combined trade unions superannuation funds of NZ?
Russel is a tosser. He sets himself up and makes himself and his party look like total nobs when he asks these “tewwibly clever” (not) questions in the house.
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 12:13 pm
They are total nobs david. Let him talk.
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 12:48 pm
i watch question time…and tho’ highly critical of norman in the past..
..i have been impressed at how skilfull he is becoming in ‘leaning in on’ the likes of bill english…and others..
..(i am sure some of them dread facing supplementaries from him..eh..?..)
..the automatic sneers/jeers from national/labour have pretty much ceased.
.(english didn’t get the memo..he was on his annual visit to double-dipton..eh..?)
..they now watch/listen to him with a certain wariness….(respect’ as an able adversary…?..)
..and i saw that exchange that clifton reports…and that both her and farrar seem to find so uproariously funny..(go figure..!)
..norman actually made a strong case…citing the outflow of monies each year…in their repatriated-profits…
.plus more…
(whiich he will continue to make..)
(and..what exactly is so funny about that..?..farrar..?..f.f.s..!..?..)
..and that was all english could say to address those very real concerns..was..’nyah..!..nyah..!..you’re an aussie..!’
and he is our minister of finance…?
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Gee Philly is it that time of the month again?
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Say NO to foreign control of Aotearoa. The Greens are foreign controlled.
Send Norman back to Queensland.
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 2:24 pm
The final question did not deserve a serious response. It was a question designed to run along emotional lines rather than pertinence to the issue.
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Peter Brown was representing his constituents,what’s wrong with that.?
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 4:04 pm
hearing the deeply accented pair of Hans Kriek and Russell Norman telling a Kiwi dairy farmer how he should farm his own land in the Mackenzie country is enough to get my blood boiling
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 6:22 pm
i lived in aussie for 5 years.. i didnt think i had the right to lecture Australians about their country. if i lived there 20 years i wouldnt have felt as though i had the right.
then again, im not a socialist ginga with a lisp
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 6:28 pm
according to the Green party backed ‘indigenous rights’ doctrine, Norman (being a late arrival) should have fuck all say in anything
Vote:May 31st, 2010 at 7:22 pm
RRM and MikeG are right on the button.
Vote:I developed an unhealthy loathing for the smart bastard, Michael Cullen as he would never ever answer a question but would deflect the question with a witticism.
It is very important that Bill English and John Key do not fall into the same trap.
If the only politicians we can have are all going to be too gutless to give a straight answer to a straight question then I would far rather have Michael Cullen and Co. Everybody, except Philu, knows that Cullen and Co are despicable bastards, but Key and English are, prima facie, decent people. So to see them descend to the depths of depravity occupied by Cullen & Co is exceedingly sad.
June 1st, 2010 at 12:52 pm
I regret my posting at 7.22 yesterday.
Vote:The NZ Herald reported that John Key did give an answer to the question.
That is what puts him so far above those urchins that we had up until November 2008.
June 1st, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Quite a good quip.
Vote:I agree with david 12:09 – any New Zealander can purchase shares in the Aussie banks. I myself own a few shares in an Aussie bank. So surely the answer is to become an owner of the bank by becoming a shareholder of the bank, rather than expecting the government to run banks.