Kiwiblog

The Herald reports:

New Zealand is among the top three countries in the world for its humanitarian response to international crises, according to an aid watchdog’s report.

That’s nice, but as normal I want to know why, so lets go to the full report:

The HRI is not an index on the volume or quantity of funding provided by Western governments for humanitarian assistance. Instead, it looks beyond funding to assess critical issues around the quality and effectiveness of aid in five pillars of donor practice:

And they are:

1. Are donor responses based on needs of the affected populations, and not subordinated to political, strategic or other interests? 30% weighting
2. Do donors support strengthening local capacity, prevention of future crises and long-term recovery? 20% weighting
3. Do donor policies and practices effectively support the work of humanitarian organisations? 20% weighting
4. Do donors respect and promote International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and actively promote humanitarian access to enable protection of civilians affected by crises? 15% weighting
5. Do donors contribute to accountability and learning in humanitarian action? 15% weighting

On a weighted 0 – 10 scale, the results are:

1. Denmark 6.87
2. Ireland 6.54
3. New Zealand 6.50
4. Norway 6.42
5. Sweden 6.32
6. European Commission 6.24

Others were UK 8th 6.12, Australia 13th 5.65, US 19th 5.16

For NZ they say:

New Zealand is in 3rd place this year. Despite its small size and limited field presence as a donor, New Zealand has shown a good level of commitment to applying the GHD Principles in the way it supports humanitarian action.

It is one of the best donors in terms of timely funding, and in learning and accountability. However, it could improve in terms of supporting beneficiary participation in programming and Funding to NGOs.

NZ’s scores in each pillar are:

1. 6.49
2. 5.46
3. 6.36
4. 6.29
5. 5.72

In terms of individual indicators, the best were:

1. Funding for accountability initiatives 9.14 vs OECD average of 2.75
2. Funding and commissioning evaluations 9.90 vs 4.25
3. Un-earmarked funding 7.91 vs 3.45
4. Facilitating humanitarian access 7.78 vs 5.52
5. Funding for reconstruction and prevention 5.99 vs 4.12

The bottom two relatively were

1. Funding UN and Red Cross Red Crescent appeals 2.53 vs 5.05
2. Funding to NGOs 2.73 vs 4.40

Matt Richens in The Press reports:

Tess O’Rourke was not a cricket fan before Sunday – and she certainly isn’t now.

But the 18-year-old still has her sense of humour despite being taken to hospital just minutes after arriving at the Canterbury Wizards’ Twenty20 game against the Auckland Aces on Sunday at QEII Park, where she was hit in the face by a Colin de Grandhomme six.

“I wasn’t watching. I had my face turned to the side, then bang.”

Her nose was broken in at least two places and she spent seven hours at Christchurch Hospital. She needed 12 stitches.

Ouch, ouch, ouch. A cricket ball to the face is just simply nasty.

She would go back to another cricket game only if she was in a corporate box. The Press contacted the Canterbury Cricket Association, which will invite O’Rourke to this Sunday’s game as its guest – in a corporate box.

They should give her a reasons pass for the box!

Asked if she had a message for de Grandhomme, O’Rourke cheekily said her younger brother Matt was keen on a cricket helmet for Christmas if he had a spare.

“I can only laugh now, but it hurt like a bitch at the time,” she said.

“My friends said if it was to happen to anyone, it would happen to me. I think it’s because I’m small and ginger.”

Now that’s a great sense of humour uder fire.

Bernard Orsman at the Herald reports:

The Auckland Council is divided on a proposal by Mayor Len Brown to set a maximum rates increase of 4.9 per cent next year.

Mr Brown narrowly won backing for his plan yesterday after a rebellion by eight councillors who voted for a maximum increase of 3.9 per cent proposed by the right-wing Citizens & Ratepayers group.

In his first major test as mayor, Mr Brown pleaded with councillors not “to be divided on this issue”, but could only muster 10 votes, including his own vote, to pass the plan.

Can’t get much of a closer divide than 10-8. Who were the three Crs who did not vote on such an important issues?

The 4.9 per cent target is a stretch of Mr Brown’s election promise to keep rates low and near the rate of inflation. It is nearly 50 per cent above the forecast rate of inflation of 3.4 per cent.

Stretch is the polite term for it.

Mr Brown, whose job as mayor is to deliver the budget, argued at yesterday’s strategy and finance committee that the maximum rate of 4.9 per cent was a responsible target and would work for a final figure of mid- to high-3 per cent. The final figure would “go down from here, not up”, he said.

That would be better, but will they manage even that?

The high-level committee meeting went off the rails when three former Auckland City councillors, Cathy Casey, Richard Northey and Leila Boyle, who is now chairwoman of the Maungakiekie-Tamaki Local Board, tried to relitigate a number of old issues, including the relocation of Monte Cecilia School and an elephant herd at Auckland Zoo, to the fury of other councillors.

Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse said the meeting needed to be really clear about what it was doing, while Ann Hartley was fuming at the parochial behaviour of her left-wing colleagues.

Obviously they felt the rates increase should be even more than 4.9%!

The Government is now borrowing $300m a week. This level of borrowing is simply not sustainable. The answer is not to tax and spend as Labour has promised (they have indicated they will increase at least the top tax rate) but to restrain or even reduce spending.

The OBEGAL (Operating Balance Excluding Gains and Losses) is forecast to just his surplus in 2015. To achieve that will require massive fiscal discipline – no spending sprees in both the 2011 and the 2014 election years. And even after 2015, massive restraint will be needed to give us a cushion going forward.

By 2015 core expenses are forecast to be 31.7% of GDP, down from 34.9% this year. That is going in the right direction but still too high in my opinion. I’d like to see both National and Labour indicate what their desired level of spending as a % of the overall economy is. These would not be legal straitjackets, but targets they can be measured against.

I think a realistic long-term goal is in the mid 20s – maybe as high as 28% but no higher. If we keep spending down, then the average economic growth will be significantly higher – and that is how we create jobs, grow wages, and close the gap with Australia.

I can’t recall the last time Parliament had a maiden speech and a valedictory speech on the same day. First NZPA report on the valedictory of Pansy Wong:

“It was beyond my wildest dreams when, 14 years ago, a girl born in Shanghai who grew up in a Hong Kong apartment where eight families shared a kitchen and bathroom, made an historic maiden speech in Parliament,” she said. …

“My political career has been an all-consuming one,” she said.

“It would not have been possible without my husband Sammy’s unrelenting support. As a consequence, his business interests were severely curtailed.”

“The playing field is far from being equal, but anything is possible if one works hard for it…nowadays it is accepted that Asian New Zealanders can succeed in the highest office.”

“It is time to turn a page in my life’s journey, to focus on personal and family priorities.

“The journey has been a remarkable one and it is time for me to exit political life.

“Sammy, I am coming home.”

I’m personally very sad to see Pansy go in these circumstances. I’ve known her since 1996, and she has always been delightfully cheerful and down to earth – has never let being an MP go to her head.

Pansy used to live in my apartment block so when I worked at Parliament, I’d sometimes get a lift in with her. We used to joke about the ghost of Muldoon haunting our apartment block (he used to live here also).

I was also the regional liasion to the Wellington Asian Committee for a couple of years, when I was Regional Deputy Chair. They were a powerhouse wheb it came to organising events and functions. It was always amusing as they planned a function and went around the committee, asking people how many tickets to a yum cha or the like they could sell for say $50 each. Most people would commit to selling 30 – 50 places each. Pansy would often take on responsibility for 100 places, and then when it came to me, I would sheeplishly commit to two tickets!

I often reflected that the only thing more surreal than me being the regional liasion to the Asian Committee, was that I also was regional liasion to the women’s committee also

So a sad farewell to Pansy, with the contrast being the maiden speech of Mana MP Kris Faafoi:

This is not the first time I have spoken in the House of Representatives.

In 1994 as a spirited 18 year old Jim Anderton chose me as his Youth MP.

That September day I arrived not realising I had to give a speech.

Flustered and nervous I scrambled to write something on the spot.

I also recall a young – well spoken – ginger headed Youth MP from up the line.

He spoke enthusiastically and seemed comfortable in his surroundings.

16 years on Darren nothing has changed!

Some say Darren is still a Youth MP

I didn’t know Kris had been a Youth MP. Knowing this, his switch from journalism to politics is more logical.

Can I take this opportunity to also acknowledge the other candidates in the recent by-election.

In particular I would like to acknowledge the Honourable Hekia Parata and Jan Logie.

On the whole the mood on the hustings was genuinely friendly.

Mana is one of the few electorates where spontaneous Pacific Island dancing is not an uncommon happening at campaign events.

I’m sure we are all glad my former TV colleagues did not make it to many of those.

Heh.

Dad – I don’t know how you did it – but when I went hunting through your Wairarapa College yearbook and noticed your nickname was Romeo – it sounds like you did OK.

My mother Metita – left as part of a repatriation scheme – she didn’t know she was leaving Tokelau until the day she left.

They departed their homeland as 16 year olds – they left behind their loved ones, their culture, their religion to seek a better life in New Zealand.

Through hard work and sacrifice – and some help from the state – they toiled to make sure their hard work counted for something.

My parents wanted to ensure their three sons and daughter were raised as New Zealanders – they also wanted us to hold on to the important aspects of their way of life from the Pacific.

One reason I always like maiden speeches, is they are a reminder of the families behind an MP, and the incredible sacrifices parents make for their children.

Last week I got a letter of congratulations from Ward Clarke – my High School Principal.

I have two vivid memories of Mr Clark.

He espoused the value of the afternoon nap.

And each year he delivered us this quote from William Penn which inspired me and which I would like to share as I come to an end -.

I expect to pass through life but once.

If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.

A very nice touching speech. Well done Kris.

The full report by the Auditor-General is a big read at 124 pages. Their summary says:

Overall, we have concluded that the current system for providing support to Ministers has flaws at each of the levels we examined. The system functions but, cumulatively, the problems are significant.

At an operational level, our testing of transactions did not show any pattern of major spending irregularities. We found only occasional examples of transactions that we considered were arguably or clearly outside the rules. We also concluded that the basic design of the financial management processes is sound, and the finance team within Ministerial Services is regarded as responsive and helpful.

So what are the problems, if the process is okay and the transactions are basically okay?

The legal status and purpose of the rules (which are set out in a document that we refer to as the Executive Determination) are confused and create ambiguity. The rules have a number of technical deficiencies, and the rule on travel expenses is unworkable in practice.

Their most important recommendation is:

On occasion, Ministers have challenged the role of the Department’s officials and whether they should be questioning Ministerial spending. In my view, the responsibility of the Department for the proper administration of Vote Ministerial Services needs to be put beyond doubt. This is an important first step, if major improvements are to be achieved.

Given the political context of the Department’s work, this has the potential to be a fraught question. That is why I have taken the unusual step of making a recommendation directly to the responsible Minister, in this case the Minister responsible for Ministerial Services. I am recommending that the Minister formally confirm to the Department and all Ministers that he expects the Department to play this role, and that Ministers should support the Department’s officials as they carry out their responsibilities. The end result should be a stronger system that better supports and protects Ministers, by enabling officials to catch and correct mistakes early and as a matter of routine.

I’ve worked both directly for Ministerial Services, and in a ministerial office. The problem highlgihted by the AG is that if a Minister and their SPS both insist something should be paid for, it is a brave official who queries it strongly. Ministerial Services is rated on how well it keeps Ministers happy, which can conflict with their role as rule keepers also.

What the AG is saying is that the PM has to give his political support to Ministerial Services, and back them to do their job, even if it means upsetting a Minister and/or staff.

The AG is pretty scathing (but in polite diplomatic ways) of the Ministerial Services handbook. She says it does not clearly set out what is a legal obligation, and what is just preferred practice etc. Also not enough practical advice and examples are given to senior private secretaries for running ministerial offices.

The AG also refers to the overlap between parliamentary and ministerial entitlements and spending. I have long advocated that some of the parliamentary agencies shoudl be merged together – the Parliamentary Service and Ministerial Services at a minimum. Arguably the PCO, Office of the Clerk and DPMC could all also be included in a super-parliamentary agency.

I am sure there would be huge cost savings from merging Parl Serv and Min Servs together. But even more importantly there would be better decision making, more consistency, IT systems that don’t have to learn to work with each other etc etc.

NZPA report these words from Andrew Little:

“There’s no tension at all — the party is united,” he told NZPA.

This is the day after he gloats about how an MP is lazy, and how his mission was to get rid of him. That is a strange way to describe no tension and total unity.

Matthew Dearnaley in the NZ Herald reports:

Prime Minister John Key says he supports a proposed inquiry into a donation by a Manukau trust to Auckland Mayor Len Brown’s election campaign.

Mr Key yesterday said he supported the view of Local Government Minister Rodney Hide “that it may be appropriate for the Auditor-General to look at the nature of whether the entity that actually gave [Mr Brown] a donation is capable of doing so or whether it’s within their rules to do so”.

He was referring to a donation of billboard space worth $3375 from the Counties Manukau Pacific Trust, which runs the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre.

One issue for the Auditor-General might be whether the value of the space is correctly recorded. I know of no billboard space in Auckland that goes for $1,000/mth. $2,000/mth is pretty much the minimum for an average billboard, and my understanding is the size and prominence of the trust billboard is such that the commercial value would be at least $3,000 + GST a month.

So if the billboard was up for three months, then the value of the donation and associated expense should be $10,125.

If the billboard was up for more than three months, then the associated expense for the Brown campaign would remain at $10,125 (as only last three months count), but the donation value would be even great – would be $20,250 if it was for six months.

So these two facts need to be established – the commercial value of the billboard space, and the length of time the billboard was up.

“We are a community charitable trust,” he said. Trust chairman Sir Noel Robinson said no costs were incurred or revenue lost by providing Mr Brown’s campaign with billboard space, which his board had made a decision to provide free to any mayoral candidate who approached it.

This is spin of the highest order. The trust CEO is on the Len Brown campaign team, along with two trustees and possibly a senior trust employee. And you expect us to believe that they would have stuck up John Banks billboards if asked.

The Auditor-General should ask for a copy of the board minutes where this decision was allegedly made.

Even if they made such a decision, it was obviously to give the illusion of political neutrality. Unless they actually wrote to all the other mayoral candidates advising them of the availability of the billboard space, how could they possibly expect another candidate to know that they could ask to use their space.

Mr Brown said yesterday that he was unconcerned about Mr Hide’s intention to ask Ms Provost to look into the trust’s donation.

Excellent. Let the facts be discovered.

Audrey Young at the NZ Herald reports:

Andrew Little is right: the threat by retiring MP George Hawkins’ to quit Parliament if the Engineers’ Union organiser was picked to replace shows the sense of entitlement that some MPs develop.

I’d go further and say it was a disgraceful abuse of the process. No one will know how many people in Sunday’s marathon selection in Manurewa favoured Louisa Wall over the Engineers’ candidate because of Hawkins’ blackmail to quit if Jerome Mika won.

But unfortunately for Little, the moral high ground has just collapsed under him with his extraordinary admission this morning that the ultimate aim had been to get rid of Hawkins.

“The key objective had been to remove George Hawkins and we achieved that objective,” he is reported in the Dominion Post.

He also called him a lightweight, which is as much an insult to the local members who put him there year after year. It’s one thing to think it – it’s another to say it.

The party deserves to feel as outraged by Little’s statement as Hawkins’ antics.

The Labour caucus this morning could have expected an explanation if not an apology from Little if he were at the caucus.

This shows the problem of Little’s dual roles. As EPMU National Secretary he can call an MP useless, but as party president he can not slag off a long-serving MP in that way. It will cause MPs and party members to questions whose interests he is representing – Labour’s, or the EPMU?

The re-emergence of factional fighting is Goff’s worst nightmare. It kept Labour out of office for nine years and then Helen Clark kept a tight lid on it for another nine years.

Goff is portraying the Little-Hawkins clash as a personality clash rather than a power struggle within the party to limit the power of the unions.

Whatever take you put on it, Labour goes into the summer break in a worse place than when it started the year.

BBQ season perhaps.

At a 10.30 am press conference Pansy Wong announced she is resigning effective 17 January 2011. She will not take any pay from 20 December.

This means a by-election, probably in late February 2011.

Pansy, subject to leave, will make her valedictory speech to the House this afternoon.

Pansy won the seat with a 10,872 majority. Even with the traditional swing against the Government, I can’t see it swapping hands. In fact the challenge for Labour may be to come second – in 2008 their candidate got only 21% of the vote and ACT’s Kenneth Wang got 15%.

UPDATE: John Key has announced by-election dates of Sat 5 March for the ballot. Nominations will close Tue 8 Feb.

Tracy Watkins and Kate Chapman at Stuff report:

A public spat has erupted between Labour Party head Andrew Little and MP George Hawkins after a replacement candidate was selected to represent the party in Hawkins’ Manurewa electorate last night.

Hawkins said this morning he was “very happy with the selection”.

“It wasn’t someone forced on the electorate by the engineers union who turn up once every 20 years to have a say, so we’re very pleased.”

This is what annoys a lot of rank and file members. They can spend years paying a sub and working hard for the party, and they get the same vote for selection ass a union affiliate member who gets bussed in to vote the way his union has told him to, and otherwise has no interest in Labour.

Little replied saying Hawkins was a lightweight within the party and had been on the sidelines for a long time.

Hawkins comments were unhelpful but not surprising from an MP who believed he had an entitlement to remain in the Manurewa electorate, Little said.

“The key objective was to remove George Hawkins and we achieved that objective.”

Is this Andrew speaking as EPMU National Secretary or Labour Party President? If I was a Labour MP I’d be very worried that the party president openly boasts of taking an MP out.

Hawkins said he had not discussed the selection with Little, who had not spoken to him for two years.

My God. They can’t even pretend to tolerate each other.

He dismissed suggestions, meanwhile, that concerns over his health might be another reason for him to quit Parliament early after winning a place on the Manurewa community board.

“Since I’ve had the stroke, I’ve had deep vein thrombosis, I’m diabetic and I’ve had bowel cancer. None of that’s going to stop me and the engineers aren’t going to stop me.”

George the battler.

Asked why he was opposed to the union Hawkins responded: “If you want to take part in the Labour party you should turn up each month, go to the meetings, have your say. If they did that I would have been happy to support them but that’s not happened.”

The point I made earlier.

Auckland Councillor Jami-Lee Ross has stated:

The Mayor of Auckland has been called on by one of his councillors to return a $3,375 campaign donation back to Auckland ratepayers.

The call comes after recent media reports of a donation to Mayor Len Brown from the Counties Manukau Pacific Trust. The charitable trust has been largely funded in the past by Manukau City ratepayers and continues to receive a $385,000 operating grant each year.

Auckland Councillor Jami-Lee Ross has written to Mr Brown saying he has a “moral obligation” to return $3,375 back to ratepayers. “This donation is highly questionable and, in my view, should never have been made. …

Mr Ross says the Trust’s connection to the city’s ratepayers is too close for it to have engaged in actively supporting election campaigns.

“There are very strong arguments that the donation is in effect public money, if not by definition, then by perception. The Trust’s own financial statements note that the Trust is considered a Council Controlled Entity.

“I have no doubt that the ratepayers of Manukau City would not have expected an organisation that has benefited so generously from Manukau City Council to be contributing to the election campaigns of political candidates. …

“Len Brown has a moral obligation to return the $3,375 back to the people that fund the Counties Manukau Pacific Trust. Doing so would be seen as testament to his honesty and integrity,” says Mr Ross.

The multiple links between the trust and the campaign, with an exchange of personnel, a probably illegal donation, and subsequent board appointments need investigating.

Also there is need of a culture change at the new Auckland Council for refusing to make available the donation and expenses return, unless you physically visit them. They won’t even allow journalists to take a photocopy.

This reinforces my view that the Electoral Commission should be placed in charge of all local body elections also. They have a good commitment to transparency.

The Second Test happened before I was born, but like many Kiwis I have heard the story.

For those who have not, NZ History tells us:

One of the most memorable and poignant moments in New Zealand cricket history occurred on 26 December 1953, just two days after the Tangiwai rail disaster. At the time, the New Zealand team was touring South Africa. The second test, at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, started on 24 December and recommenced, after a day off for Christmas, on Boxing Day. By the time play resumed, reports of the Tangiwai tragedy – at the time the world’s eighth-deadliest rail disaster – had flashed around the world. The news was especially devastating for one of the New Zealand players, fast bowler Bob Blair, who learned that his fiancée, Nerissa Love, was among the 151 victims.

As New Zealand began its first innings on the morning of the 26th, chasing South Africa’s 271, a distraught Blair remained at the team hotel and was not expected to play. On a lively pitch, Bert Sutcliffe and Lawrie Miller were both forced to retire hurt after being hit by bouncers from the fiery fast bowler Neil Adcock; John Reid was struck five times before being dismissed for three. With the visitors reduced to 81 for 6, Sutcliffe returned to the crease, his forehead swathed in bandages. When the ninth wicket fell at 154, however, all of the players began to leave the field. Suddenly the crowd stood in silence as the lone figure of Blair emerged from the tunnel and was greeted by Sutcliffe, who placed a comforting arm around his shoulder. What followed was sensational as the pair smashed 25 runs (including four sixes – three by Sutcliffe and one by Blair) off a single over from South Africa’s Hugh Tayfield.

On Saturday Night I saw the play “The Second Test” at Circa. It was a captivating mixture of comedy, tragedy and drama. Jonathan Brugh is the sole actor, director and writer. He excels in his portrayal not just of Bob Blair, but also finance Nerissa, the legendary Bert Sutcliffe and others. Brugh is a great talent.

The travel by boat over to South Africa features many of the lighter moments, as the team practises on board the boat, losing many balls over-board. But it also serves the purpose of reminding us that in the 1950s you couldn’t just fly another team-mate with 24 hours notice – it took over a month to travel to South Africa from New Zealand.

The revealing of the news of Nerissa’s death is the most sombre moment, and archival radio footage is used to great effect.

Then you have the second test itself. The scene in the hospital as Sutcliffe nurses himself back to health with some whiskey gets good laughs, and his return to the crease is seen as an act of heroism – but one that pales into insignificance as what they think is the last wicket falls, and the amazement as Bob Blair enters the grounds.

“Out of the gloomy tunnel beneath the stand, into the clean white sunlight, Blair walked slowly, fumbling with his gloves, and as a man the spectators in the huge stand stood for him, stood in complete and poignant silence. Grown men, among them the New Zealanders in the pavilion and the South Africans on the field, shed tears at this moving moment, and they were not ashamed.” R.T. Brittenden

It is not a fairytale ending, as NZ still lose the test, but Blair’s decision to play remains a symbol of dedication and courage.

At 85 minutes it is a fairly short play, a must see for cricket fans, and an engaging piece of drama that anyone can appreciate.

Sarah Harvey at Stuff reports:

Former Wellington Chamber of Commerce chief executive, diplomat and Government adviser Charles Finny has been named by WikiLeaks as the United States’ top Kiwi contact.

But Mr Finny denied being a spy and said the “key contact” mentions were flattering. He is quoted often in the US diplomatic cables controversially made public by website WikiLeaks, and in a cable from May 19, 2006, was singled out as a “close [US] embassy contact”.

“I am regularly talking to embassies, high commissions and journalists in New Zealand and around the world, in areas where I have expertise,” Mr Finny said. …

Mr Finny said he often saw important embassy contacts at functions in Wellington.

“You see them at cocktail parties, you have lunches occasionally and sometimes they formally call on you … once every four or five months. But you would probably see them once a week at cocktail parties.

If talking to embassy staff makes you a spy, then I’m a spy for the US, UK, and Australian Governments, plus the European Union.

Part of the job of embassy staff is to gain better understanding of NZ domestic and foreign policy. They do that by chatting to a variety of people. As Charles’ says, mainly at functions, but sometimes also over a meal.

Tim Donoghue at the Dom Post reports:

Air New Zealand is removing a scene from its in-flight safety video after complaints from members of the gay community.

The offending scene depicts a coy All Black Richard Kahui turning down an opportunity to peck the cheek of gay Air New Zealand flight attendant Will Coxhead.

Operations and safety manager David Morgan said among the complaints was a suggestion from a professor that the video could lead to gay male suicides.

It could also lead to a plane crashing as enraged militants blow up the plane in protest.

Captain Morgan said the video Crazy About Rugby, involving members of the All Black squad and with coach Graham Henry and captain Richie McCaw filmed in the cockpit, had been a phenomenal success.

“When we created this video and discussed the scene featuring a gay male flight attendant and a rugby player with key stakeholders, including a number of the gay community, we received none of the feedback we have in the past week,” Mr Morgan said.

“The scene was not something that we, the people we tested the scene with, or indeed the participants in the scene, viewed as distasteful or likely to cause concern.”

You’d have to be bloody precious to take offence.

The adverse reaction to the scene had shocked the Air New Zealand flight attendant in the safety briefing, Mr Coxhead.

“I’m absolutely gutted that a couple of people in the gay community have ruined this for everyone else.

“I’m proud to be gay, proud to be an Air New Zealander and extremely proud of my role in the safety video. Obviously there are some people in the gay community that can be a little precious and need to lighten up.”

Hear hear.

The Government has announced that Telecom has won most of the remaining areas for fibre to the home rollout. This includes Auckland and Wellington, but in Christchurch and Dunedin the local lines companies are still  in the running, with both them and Telecom proceeding to negotiations.

This is pretty exciting, as it means Telecom will structurally separate, with Chorus becoming a standalone telecommunications infrastructure company. This will be the most important change in the telco sector for a generation. The details of how the separation occurs will be crucial in determining how beneficial this is.

Vector will feel hard done by, but that is the nature of a tender process. Their involvement has probably meant the bid by Telecom is significantly better for taxpayers than would otherwise have been the case.

Telecom will be pleased to have won the bulk of the country, but not be that happy that they may not end up with Christchurch and Dunedin – they’ll need sharp pencils.

So the overall picture is:

* Hamilton, Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Tokoroa, Tauranga, New Plymouth, Hawera & Wanganui – WEL Networks
* Whangarei – Northpower
* Dunedin – Aurora Energy
* Christchurch, Rangiora – Enable or Telecom
* Timaru – Alpine Energy or Telecom
* Elsewhere – Telecom

NZPA report:

A police officer thought it was all over as he lay curled up in a ball by the side of the road while being slashed by a machete in a frenzied attack last night.

Senior Constable Bruce Mellor remains in a serious but stable condition after undergoing surgery in Palmerston North Hospital late last night to treat lacerations to his face, head and body after the brutal attack north of Taihape around 6.20am.

Mr Mellor stopped a red Mazda 323 hatchback after police received reports about the northbound car driving erratically.

It appeared Mr Mellor got the driver’s details and was returning to his car to do a radio check when he was attacked from behind with a machete, Detective Inspector Chris Bensemann said.

Police Minister Judith Collins, who visited Mr Mellor in Palmerston North Hospital this morning, told NZPA she had never seen such horrific injuries.

“It was a frenzied attack and he has sickening injuries, I’ve never seen so many staples in one place, it’s unbelievable.”

Two youths, aged 14 and 18, have been charged with assault, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and attempted arson and police were considering laying further charges.

Those had better be holding charges. Hacking at someone with a machete is attempted murder in my book, and it seems a miracle Senior Constable Mellor survived.

John Carter’s retirement at the 2011 election, means his prized Northland seat is up for grabs, and with a 10,000+ majoirty in the electorate vote and 9,000+ in the party vote, you would expect a lot of interest in the National nomination.

And so it is. My spies report that even though nominations will not open until the 11th of March next year, there are already 12 known candidates. Three of them have publicly declared – Mike Sabin, Grant McCallum and Mark Tan. Six other men, and three women are also known to be intending to stand. By March, the numbers may hit 15 or even 20.

Northland has the highest membership of any electorate for National – around 1,800 people, and with a contested selection could rise to over 3,000. All 12 prospective candidates live in the electorate.

The likely date for the selection is on the 30th of April. Prior to that the pre-selection committee will have what could be a very tough job of whittling the field down to five candidates.

Mike Sabin is a former Police Detective and now a expert on Methamphetamine and drug policy.

Grant McCallum is a farmer and long-serving activist and officer for National – he is currently on the Board of Directiors, which indicates considerable grass-roots support.

Mark Tan is a local teacher who has impressed a few people as a “dark horse” to watch.

It will be a very interesting race to watch. The winner is likely to have a long parliamentary career. They will also have almost impossibly large boots to fill as a local MP.

What do you do when it is 11.45 pm at night, and you suddenly find out you have to give a speech on a Customs bill. The MP for Tauranga did well in the circumstances!

Former Australian Foreign Minister wasn’t always the most diplomatic of people, in private. This is seen in one cable where he is discussing North Korea with the Americans:

Downer and Madden compared their personal experiences in Pyongyang, with Downer calling the DPRK capital “”pathetic”" with its darkened streets, cracked pavements and unmowed grass. LaPorte concurred that the DPRK infrastructure, including the power grid and rail lines, was decrepit. In closing, Downer remarked, “”let the whole place go to s–t, that’s the best thing that could happen.”" Speaking off the top of his head, he added that aid should not be given that would prop up the infrastructure. If U.S. officials wanted to hear the “”bleeding hearts”" view of “”peace and love”" with respect to North Korea, Downer joked, they only had to visit his colleagues in New Zealand.

Heh. This was in 2005.

News just broken on Twitter. Louisa Wall has won the nomination for Manurewa, which makes it a victory for the Service and Food Workers Union over the EPMU.

Labour supporters will be relieved that a by-election has been averted.

Personally I think it is a pretty good choice. Louisa performed pretty well in the last term of Parliament for a rookie MP, and I think she’ll have a successful career as MP for Manurewa. If she doesn’t piss her colleagues off, she should become a Minister in the next Labour Government.

Attention will not shift to Te Atatu selection next weekend. Wall’s victory here should help Twyford win the nomination. If Wall had lost out here, then there would have been more pressure to select a female candidate such as Kate Sutton.

TV3 just broadcast their final political poll of the year. The TV3 poll is the one that was the most accurate in the 2008 election.

The % vote and seats are:

• National 55.5%, 68 (+10)
• Labour 31.2%, 39 (-4)
• Greens 7.3%, 9 (nc)
• Maori 1.7%, 5 (nc)
• ACT 1.3%, 2 (-3)
• United 0.1%, 1 (nc)

The Preferred PM race has got tight again. Goff led Clark by 5.1% in October but in December the gap has closed to just 1.5%. Of course Clark has not been an MP for the last 18 months. Key is 47.3% ahead as Preferred PM

In terms of approval ratings Key has a net positive rating of +65.1% and Goff has a net negative rating of -8.6%. Only 11% of all voterss said Key is doing a poor job.

The 24% lead National has over Labour is unprecedented two years into a first term. The comparisons are:

• Dec 1986 – Govt lead was 12%
• Dec 1992 – Govt trailed by 7%
• Dec 2001 – Govt lead was 6%

National MPs are genuinely concerned that Labour may roll Goff. It is not probable, but this is the danger period from now until Feb 2011.