General Debate 3 April 2011 Add this story to Scoopit!.

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  1. Nookin (1,867) Says:

    One minute we see this
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4841776/Backlash-at-Keys-instructions-on-bullying

    And then we see what some schools are really doing to stamp out bullying

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4841773/Accused-teacher-granted-secrecy

  2. medusa (37) Says:

    *Yawns* goodmorning all

  3. reid (10,688) Says:

    NASA agrees sun influences climate. Or do they.

    The Green Regulation machine

  4. XChequer (339) Says:

    Coffee anyone?

  5. XChequer (339) Says:

    Holy Crap Reid! – show that to Ken Ring

  6. Sofia (263) Says:

    “A teacher accused of abusing and confining preschoolers has negotiated an exit that does not let her school tell prospective employers about the allegations.”
    The full, rather disturbing story is here –
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4841773/Accused-teacher-granted-secrecy

    So the offending teacher walks away with a clean record –
    The head teacher said Child, Youth and Family and Ministry of Education became involved, with the ministry telling her to suspend the teacher or they would shut the school down.
    But the ministry has refused to step in and prevent the teacher from walking away with effectively a clean record.

    To counter this situation I would recommend all preschools, when they interview prospective employees, give them a written statement that says -

    “Attached is a Sunday Star Times article of April 3, 2011.
    If it is subsequently found you are the subject of this article and have not disclosed that in this interview, you will be instantly dismissed and reparation will be sort.”

  7. Pete George (13,379) Says:

    Are the media now going to speculate on the private lives of all politicians like this?

    Politician linked to Knox’s longtime love

    Should politicians start a website speculating on the private lives of journalists, so we can judge whether what they report is credible or hypocritical?

  8. Nookin (1,867) Says:

    Two posts at 8.17 and two at 8.18. Using Ken Rings compelling logic I will use these combos to take the $32m next week.
    Well done India. A great final but when do we get to see the naked model?

  9. reid (10,688) Says:

    Gravity involvement in earthquakes being investigated by “the Ferrarri of space-probes.”

    Nah. Can’t be. It’s total bollocks right? The scientists say it has NO influence, so it can’t be true. Fucking morons. Don’t they know anything?!

  10. hj (2,280) Says:

    According to The Press Hendersen and his associates can access the red zone any time day or night: they have a “note”. John Butterfield was allowed in using a crane to get his keys. As a past South Island president of the Property Council quipped about funds going to officials “It goes on pretty much everywhere of course ” “We got you in; you get us in”??? :shock:

  11. Inventory2 (7,651) Says:

    Congratulations India; worthy world champions. But is India’s dominance of world cricket, both on the field and in the boardroom necessarily a good thing?

    http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2011/04/dream-final-dream-game-dream-result.html

  12. hj (2,280) Says:

    “In spite of numerous requests, I continue to be denied access on the grounds of safety. Therefore, I wonder how Mr Dave Henderson is allowed to enter the red zone. He and his friends seem to have free access … by presenting a piece of paper at the cordon gate.

    “I have been told that they have access to all parts of the red zone at whatever hour of day or night they choose.

    “Perhaps you can enlighten me and other business owners who believe we have greater cause and entitlement to accessing our businesses?”
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4840012/Access-to-red-zone-infuriates

    Doesn’t bode well for (citizens) policy input??

  13. hj (2,280) Says:

    Who funds National? :!:
    Wot PR company? :?:

  14. Pete George (13,379) Says:

    The scientists say it has NO influence

    False. The scientists know gravity has an influence, but they believe it is minor, and it is impossible to predict the location, severity or timing.

    Unless they can find a way of knowing, for example, how gravity managed to target Fiji a couple of days ago, sans full moon, to cause the 6.4 followed a couple of hours by a 5.4 they had there.

  15. reid (10,688) Says:

    All of the old-timers knew that subprime mortgages were what we called neutron loans — they killed the people and left the houses.” – Louis S. Barnes, 58, a partner at Boulder West, a mortgage banking firm in Lafayette, Colo

  16. Chicken Little (758) Says:

    Reid – Have you seen this?

    Prof Courtilliot talks about why Nick Smith and this National Govt owe us an apology and a refund.

  17. gravedodger (1,064) Says:

    @ Pete George 08 28, That is really bottom of sewer maintenance collateral.
    I am left wondering if the complete tosser who wrote that has any comprehension of the devastation that a stroke or any other brain trauma has on those who are left to pick up the pieces from such incidents. I have no knowledge of Knox’s degree of disability but it is irrelevant and if his partner wishes to have a bit of normality and chooses to accompany David Parker not only does she have every right to do so but also deserves to enjoy the privacy of doing so. Any relationship issues are completely irrelevant. Most loving intelligent people I know would not want a partner left with a severely disabled partner to share the devastated world of Brain damage full time and would hope the survivor could enjoy at least some of the good things that the victim is denied.
    Who in their right mind would buy a rag that has so little compassion and exhibits such desperation to sell copy.
    Did the insensitive POS who wrote that and those who allowed its publication Identify themselves, I think not.

  18. Pete George (13,379) Says:

    According to Espiner crime has dropped by 25% over the past 15 years.

    Has the highlighting and sensationalising of crime by the media gone up by 50%?

  19. reid (10,688) Says:

    CL thanks for that – am listening to him know.

    Interesting insight into Berkshire Hathoway, you have to wonder what his heir was thinking, he’s resigned due to insider-trading suspicions. The article implies he identified a prospect by after buying shares he met with the CEO and took the information to Buffett who warmed to the idea. So they guy had $10m in the company, so why didn’t he just sell them before the Berkshire purchase was announced? Duh. I think I’d rather resign in disgrace from the alternative prospect of driving Berkshire Hathoway into the future.

    Crikey.

    Maybe he just didn’t realise the SEC tracks those sorts of things???

  20. XChequer (339) Says:

    HJ – that old chestnut, eh

  21. Rodders (1,452) Says:

    Indeed. Straight from the NZ First instruction manual on big business conspiracy theories.

  22. reid (10,688) Says:

    That is really bottom of sewer maintenance collateral.

    I don’t really agree, gd. I know what you’re saying, and of course we all understand the human aspects, but I think on balance, knowing about such a relationship with a politician is fair game. A politician fronts to the people as a person and we the voters IMO, are entitled to know what that person is like, in private. That’s part of the price for wanting to be a politician, it’s a clause in the social contract that they have, with us.

    That doesn’t mean the public is entitled to peer into the bedroom and know every little intimate detail and of course I’m not saying that. It’s just that we are entitled in general terms things to information on things like have they a criminal record, are they married, if so to whom, do they have children if so how many, what is their occupation, what is their sexual orientation, are they being unfaithful to their spouse?

    All those questions IMO is part of the social contract they have with us. If they don’t like that, then don’t stand in the first place.

  23. Pauleastbay (2,226) Says:

    Totally agree with you Gravegodger, it was a waspish article insinuating that she had buggered off leaving a stroke victim to take up with a politician.

    And apart from her obvious lack of taste she is entitled to move on in her life.

    A very nasty bit of writing

  24. reid (10,688) Says:

    If anyone who reads the bit in my 9:19 about knowing their sexual orientation and thinks, like toad, I’m being homophobic, let me just forestall that by saying that gay people themselves constantly complain that sexual orientation should be treated just like something completely innocuous like the colour of someone’s eyes. Who cares, they say all the time, whether or not we are gay? I quite agree with them, and personally, that’s why I think one’s sexual orientation should NOT be considered a matter of privacy but merely a matter of public record like one’s eye colour. And if someone gets offended with that, why I’m just agreeing with what the gays themselves are saying, so what’s the problem.

    Paul, why aren’t the public entitled to know of matters which portray a politicians character when they relate to matters of integrity and if marital fidelity isn’t one of those then what is?

  25. Maggie (674) Says:

    A candidate’s sexual orientation and faithfulness should be public knowledge? Why?

    If a politician condemns homosexuality and then cruises at night to pick up boys., or preaches on family values but cheats on his partner, then that information is relevant. But if not, it is nobody’s business but his own and that of his family.

  26. tristanb (820) Says:

    Did the insensitive POS who wrote that and those who allowed its publication Identify themselves, I think not.

    The byline says Kathryn Powley wrote it. But really, who cares. She pads the last half of the story by copy/pasting basic information, with a link to the Stroke Foundation to be “socially responsible”.

    When I think of political journos I think of a pig-faced South African who married a red-faced croaky alkie to better her career, and so he can enjoy sex with someone young enough to be his daughter. Imagine if a politician did that!

  27. Luc Hansen (3,850) Says:

    I never thought I would say this, but I agree with gravedodger! And I, myself, have been through an experience similar to Ward’s.

    I am disgusted that a supposedly major rag would publish such salacious stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with anyone but the people involved.

    But I suppose the voyeurs will be getting their rocks off.

  28. Manolo (6,513) Says:

    The Weekly Standard rebukes the lazy Messiah:

    http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/commander-hiding_556148.html

    Commander-In-Hiding

    President Obama isn’t quite in hibernation. But he’s saying less, proposing less, appearing in public less, doing less, interacting with Congress less, plugging his health care plan less, and singling out a Republican demon less. It took two years and the harsh rejection of a midterm election for Obama to figure out what shouldn’t have been a secret: The magic of the presidency declines with overindulgence.

    It must have been a blow to Obama’s ego to be told he’d be wise to slack off a bit. Obama is enormously self-confident, especially about his skill as a political performer and orator. Who wouldn’t be after being called eloquent and inspiring so many times during the 2008 presidential campaign?

  29. Pauleastbay (2,226) Says:

    Reid,

    as much as I loath Labour MP’s ( in their public persona),- who they have as companions ( consensual companions) is none of my business.

    If Parker’s marriage has broken up and this woman’s relationship is dysfunctional because of illness, I struggle to see why its anyone’s business.

    Chris Knox was (is?) a very talented musician, – would this have been news if his relationship sans stroke had broken up?

    Parker’s marriage has broken up,- always sad,- but why should he stay married and both of them be unhappy because of his choosen job as a public trougher.

    There is no display of hypocrisy here, two adults hooked up due to PERSONAL circumstances.

    I don’t know why David Parker’s relationship ended, but reading your comment you are presuming that it was because of something he did, I don’t know, presume you don’t either, but even I did its none of my business.

    Now if he is known to be doing dodgy stuff in his public life, pillory the prick.

    I am very close to agreeing with Maggie here on something and its making feel a tad uncomfortable,, the worlds gone mad

  30. Gooner (995) Says:

    Tizard to announce any minute now…..cannot wait!

    Little stands aside and is now subservient to Goff, and now Tizard to give Goff a headache?

  31. reid (10,688) Says:

    But if not, it is nobody’s business but his own and that of his family.

    No, that’s crap. Regardless of a politician’s policy platforms, the fact they are a politician means they are saying to the people: I have integrity and you are right to trust me to make the right decisions on your behalf.

    If someone has a skeleton in their closet that is pertinent to making a decision on their integrity, I AM entitled to know it.

    As I said, if a politician doesn’t like that, then just don’t stand in the first place.

  32. hj (2,280) Says:

    Decision to hold judge-only trial in Urewera case to go to appeal
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4521030/Decision-to-hold-judge-only-trial-in-Urewera-case-to-go-to-appeal
    Criticism of judge-only trial in Urewera case
    “Do we really want to risk the judiciary being subject to a similar insensitivity charges, when the trial could be heard by 12 people from all walks of life and probably different cultures?”
    http://blog.greens.org.nz/2011/04/02/criticism-of-judge-only-trial-in-urewera-case/

  33. Gooner (995) Says:

    Here we go………………..she’s not coming back!!!!!!

  34. adze (1,377) Says:

    She’s doing a Winston Peters and giving a 10 minute speech before saying whether she’ll come back. I dislike her already.

  35. Gooner (995) Says:

    She said “my going back is an attack on MMP!!!

    What????

  36. Gooner (995) Says:

    She’s now defending the list process, but isn’t going back.

    She implied Goff is a bully.

  37. Gooner (995) Says:

    Can Labour win?

    Didn’t answer it.

  38. hj (2,280) Says:

    “As someone quite rightly put it last night….’if not one talks, everyone walks’. ”
    http://newzeal.blogspot.com/2007/12/evidence-of-green-partyanarchist.html

  39. Rodders (1,452) Says:

    Judith just demonstrated why Labour don’t want her back. It’s all about her !

    She just gave an utterly self-indulgent speech from the throne.

  40. Gooner (995) Says:

    Phil told her she was welomce back…..but sounded like he was chewing dead rats when he said it!!

    Whoa, she doesn’t like Goff.

    Mind you, neither does 95% of the population.

  41. Yeti (64) Says:

    The T-Bomb failed to detonate.

    She sounded bitter. No love lost between her and Goof. Who’s coming in? Will it be Lousia?

    What’s with the bullying thing?

  42. Gooner (995) Says:

    Labour’s anti-democratic ideals show up again. Party officials bully the next person on the list. The next 4 will similarly be bullied by Goff and his bullies so Louisa Wall comes in.

  43. Rodders (1,452) Says:

    “She sounded bitter”

    If she is anything like her father, she will never let a grudge go. That is how she sounded (her humility = zero.)

  44. Yeti (64) Says:

    The new party president just said it. They want someone young. It’s Lousia. It’s a done deal

  45. Gooner (995) Says:

    Labulliesour.

  46. reid (10,688) Says:

    Paul, the integrity issue in this particular case for me, is this. A politician feels able to have an affair with someone else’s spouse.

    Now to me, if I love someone else who is married, then I won’t do anything about that unless and until that other person’s marriage becomes undone through no cause of any action on my part. If that means my love remains unrequited, then so be it.

    I realise other’s mileage possibly varies on this but that is my ethical stance on this all-too common human situation and to me it penetrates to the heart of someone’s character for it shows the extent to which one is prepared to override another’s interests (the spouse of their lover), to requite their own. I want to know how far a person is prepared to go to do that, when I vote for my local MP.

  47. Gooner (995) Says:

    So Labour proves the democratic views of the country mean nothing. It’s all about what Goff and his bullies want.

    Goff = bully.

  48. Gooner (995) Says:

    Labour officials = bullies.

  49. Yeti (64) Says:

    Gooner – is it Goff or Little that wants Wall? I thought that Lousia Wall was a union nominee so that’d be a Little team player?

  50. 3-coil (1,098) Says:

    We, the voters, are entitled to know how senior MP David Parker and the Labour Party (the Government in waiting?) treat their loyal supporters such as Chris Knox and his family. It is an early warning of what their attitude will be to the country if they were to get back in power.

    If Knox, who recently wrote a (admittedly nauseating) campaign song for his beloved Labour Party, is happy to also donate his spouse to the cause – more fool him. If he is not happy, and feels he has been fucked over by the party he supports, the public deserve to know that Labour show no loyalty to their staunchest supporters let alone their dumb voters.

  51. Gooner (995) Says:

    I don’t care Yeti. All I know is the people don’t want her because they didn’t give enough party votes to get her in.

    But Labour don’t care what the people voted for; and the current heirarchy don’t care for the list process that took place in 2008.

  52. Pauleastbay (2,226) Says:

    Reid

    If Chris Knox is in vegetative state, and sadly it sounds like he is- what then ? anyhooooooooo………………….this will just fuck the thread with religion so no point in carrying on,

    Judith and Labour are much more fun,, all parties are supposedly concious there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  53. Pete George (13,379) Says:

    Little publicly said the next five on the list should get out of his way so his choice, Walls (who failed at the last election) gets back in. He’s probably thinking about bolstering his numbers in the leadership coup attempt in 2013 (I can’t see him getting in straight after the election – if he gets in – so I presume he will compete against the next Labour leader.

  54. Sofia (263) Says:

    So she says she has reasons to return: unfinished business, the salary, supporting colleagues in their first opposition election, offering institutional knowledge and support. Acting as camp mother, essentially … and to “stick it up them”.
    Stick it up who? Phil Goff?
    “I was actually thinking of David Farrar and Cameron Slater, et al. ..” she says. “I don’t think it’s a particularly worthy thing to say, but I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t.”

    So Farrar and Slater have been influential in foisting on Labour the one person they have so obviously dreaded, showing them up as failing to have ‘new blood’ – a person journalists observe is –
    “Lazy. Ineffectual. Would attend the opening of an envelope. Effete heir to a political dynasty, elevated into Parliament and a ministerial post purely because of her family’s friendship with Helen Clark.”

    When was the last time anyone caused Labour to do so much damage to themselves … eh?
    Oh … not since Darren Hughes? … that long ago? … OK

  55. Rodders (1,452) Says:

    Who will miss Judith’s valedictory speech?

  56. Sofia (263) Says:

    LATEST: Former Labour MP Judith Tizard has announced her decision not to return to Parliament.

    Ms Tizard told TVNZ’s Q+A this morning she had decided not to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Darren Hughes.

    She said the debate had become too personal and she was standing aside for the good of the Labour Party.

    Oh dear … what a bugger!

  57. Richard Hurst (610) Says:

    Yes, party lists are meaningless to voters because A) they so often get changed at a whim within the party, B)Most voters have no idea who is on any given party list C) Most voters couldn’t give a monkeys arse what rank list members are even if they knew who was on the list. Only if the media draw attention to a particular person on a list do most people become aware of who is on it.

  58. Gooner (995) Says:

    Another bad week for the Labour Party.

    The week that bullying made the headlines in the worst possible way, and Tizard confirms it is alive and well in the ranks of Labour.

    She confesses to being bullied to stand aside. She implies the next four will be bullied also.

    Very, very anti-democratic from the social democrats.

    What a joke.

    This is bad for Phil Goff.

  59. kowtow (1,842) Says:

    Some thoughtful comment here by Mark Steyn,who was himself put on trial in Canada,about the Andrew Bolt trial in Australia.
    Any one who considers freedom of speech to be important should acquaint themselves with the case.

    Interesting how both TV1 and 3 news last night had the cheek to blame the Florida pastor for the savage murders of the UN personnel in Afghanistan. Personally I would blame the perpetrators and the violent nature of the ‘religion of peace’.

    http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/263716/difference-degree-mark-steyn

  60. reid (10,688) Says:

    LATEST: Former Labour MP Judith Tizard has announced her decision not to return to Parliament.

    Ms Tizard told TVNZ’s Q+A this morning she had decided not to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Darren Hughes.

    She said the debate had become too personal and she was standing aside for the good of the Labour Party.

    Ms Tizard made it clear she had struggled with the decision and – in a clear swipe at former Labour Party president Andrew Little – defended the right of list candidates to take up a seat without being “bullied” by “unelected” party officials.

    But the debate had become a personal one about her and her returning would have armed the opponents of MMP.

    Mr Little had called for Ms Tizard and four other candidates on Labour’s list to stand aside for rising star Louisa Wall.

    Ms Tizard said Labour leader Phil Goff had not asked her to stand aside but had sounded like he was “chewing dead rats” when he told her she would be welcome if she decided to return.

    Ms Tizard – who was a Labour MP for nearly two decades – also took a swipe at Mr Goff’s leadership, suggesting it was time for both him and the Labour caucus to consider whether it had a chance of winning the next election with him at the helm.

    Crikey, lots of bitter venom there, isn’t there. I really like it when she says she’s stepping aside to avoid arming the opponents of MMP. Just exactly what do you think list manipulation like what’s going to happen, is going to do there, Judith? Shame really. I was looking forward to the show, over the next little while.

  61. hj (2,280) Says:

    Keith Lockes friends:
    “I would feel more comfortable in the company of those arrested in the raids than I would among some of my fellow MP’s in Parliament”.
    http://www.youtube.com/v/lyCA_h3pkgk
    http://blog.greens.org.nz/2011/04/02/criticism-of-judge-only-trial-in-urewera-case/

    What the bugs revealed
    The Dominion Post | Wednesday, 14 November 2007

    Suspect tells another it would be good to kill Pakeha to get trainees used to killing. Also suggests making their own tracer ammunition and using tungsten projectiles to go through a “cop vest” and through “his f…… mate”.
    Bug in vehicle, recorded April 6, 2007.
    “Get someone to assassinate the prime minister, the new one, next year’s one. Just been in office five days, bang … Yeah. John Key … just drop a bomb … Just wait till he visits somewhere and just blow them … They won’t even find you.”
    Two suspects in bugged vehicle, August 17, 2007.
    “They want to start blowing shit up. You know, they want to blow up power plants, gas plants, Telecom, petrol f…… places and shit like that.”
    Two suspects in bugged vehicle, June 23, 2007.
    “You know like the IRA in England … it’s gonna happen here … I’m ready to die, mate. I’m gonna hurt this country, I’ve had a gutsful … I wanna leave this planet making sure that I’ve done a f…… huge amount of harm to this country.”
    Suspect recorded on bugged phone, May 26, 2006.
    “It’d have to be a, some sort of f……, sudden f……, because what it’ll do, it’ll come down on the thinking of the people, they’ll think it’s al Qaeda … It’s gotta be sudden and it’s gotta be brutal.”
    Other suspect says: “Don’t piss around with cities or doing the bush thing … just go to Parliament.”
    Two suspects in bugged vehicle, August 17, 2007.
    “I heard you talking about the napalm shit.”
    Response from unknown man: “I’ll make some and bring some next time round, show everyone how to make it.”
    Conversation in bugged vehicle, September 16, 2007.
    “No, I’m teaming up with the Maoris, we have to … I’ll come and see ya, I can’t f…… take the white man on without the c…s … I’m declaring war on this country.”
    Bugged cellphone, May 22, 2007.
    “Tuhoe wouldn’t have popular support for a bombing campaign in New Zealand.”
    Reply: “It would in Tuhoe though … What about if we did a bombing campaign that blew up Waihopai spy base, power dams, gas facilities, TV stations and radios … It’s a strategy that’s gonna be f…… urban warfare. We are training in the wrong place.”
    First speaker: “What’s going to be the strategy?”
    Reply: “Strategy will divide, will divide Aotearoa … extreme violence and extreme f…… actions too.”
    Two suspects in bugged vehicle, June 23, 2007.
    “I cut down all of my work, right down. Ah, I’m only focusing to go to war.”
    Bugged suspect, April 26, 2007.
    “There’s nothing in this country can stop you once you got it, you can kill anybody you want. They’ll never be able to find you.”
    Suspect talking in bugged vehicle about asking for sniper’s rifle, August 16, 2007.
    “Wait till bullets start going through people, that’s f…… horrible … Wait till your mate’s head gets blown off because someone dobbed us in and we get f…… shot at.”
    Suspect in bugged sleeping room, June 23, 2007.
    “There’s about 10 manuals … There’s the al Qaeda manual and that’s f…… good. That’s right up to date.”
    Later another suspect says: “That last exercise was a bit freaky for me, having a gun in my back.”
    Response: “High level of secrecy, we needed, you know, we need to test people.”
    Bugged training camp room, June 23, 2007.
    Suspect X tells Suspect Y he is tired of playing games. Suspect Y says they need good planning so they don’t die on the first day. Both worry about the enemy within their ranks and talk about needing 20 small squads, such as in Iraq, carrying out their own missions.
    Bugged vehicle, April 4, 2007.

    http://www.webcitation.org/5TKxD2fdq

  62. thedavincimode (3,064) Says:

    Maggie

    “A candidate’s sexual orientation and faithfulness should be public knowledge? Why?

    If a politician condemns homosexuality and then cruises at night to pick up boys., or preaches on family values but cheats on his partner, then that information is relevant. But if not, it is nobody’s business but his own and that of his family.”

    Correct.

    Reid, just don’t agree. You’re actually advocating big brother invasion of privacy. If a candidate chooses not to disclose every element of their personal life that you require to be satisfied as to their integrity, then you have the democratic right to not vote for that candidate. Your entitlement to vote doesn’t carry an entitlement to have some intimate knowledge of the private lives of candidates. As voters we are reliant upon the vetting processes of the parties and if they get that wrong then they answer for that at the hustings (as parties will this year).

  63. reid (10,688) Says:

    This is bad for Phil Goff.

    Very bad Gooner. Blue State Digital will be working overtime.

    Your entitlement to vote doesn’t carry an entitlement to have some intimate knowledge of the private lives of candidates.

    Yes it does, dvm, when that relates to matters of character and integrity, just like in any other area. We are entitled to know if someone is dishonest in the commercial field, why is sexual deceit any different? Deceit is deceit.

    Anyway have to go, will pick up in 4-5 hours

  64. joana (1,255) Says:

    hj
    What business does the serial borrower , Dave Henderson have in the CBD anyway? He owes money to so many ChCh business people. This must be extremely insulting and worrying to them.

  65. tvb (2,637) Says:

    Tizard stages a publicity stunt to get a few things across about her beliefs and left her announcement until she could get a few things in. I suspect health played a decisive part – her battle with hepititis seems a very grim one. But she got a few things in, realised she wasn’t wanted, then went on about the valedictory. She did not get one because she LOST her seat. Had she got the message and retired, she would have got one. She is a very self centered person.

  66. Inky_the_Red (595) Says:

    Henderson is friends including Bob Parker (who insisted the CCC buy properties from Henderson) and Rodney Hide (who wrote a book portraying Henderson as a victim) so of course he gets priviledges that ordinary business people don’t get.

  67. joana (1,255) Says:

    Bibles are confiscated and destroyed every day of the week in Middle Eastern and other muslim countries. No one is murdered in retaliation. Why do we have soldiers in Afghanistan? Why are Afghans allowed to live here? The men hassle other lapsed or ex muslims living here trying to make the women wear headscarves and their sons long sleeved shirts. Those who are working are usually still on benefits as well so the whole thing is an endless rip off.
    How much of the defense budget is spent on Afghanistan each year? How can this be justified?

  68. Radman (121) Says:

    I was in the backbencher pub on Wednesday for *that* programme. I heard Heather Roy say that she would welcome Phil Goff as leader of Act for the day. I thought that was a weird statement to make. Considering Goff is now a publically declared bully would Roy still work with him?

  69. joana (1,255) Says:

    Inky…….. he used to donate to the Act Party..that would have been someone elses money of course…but he was also in some group linked to scientology..I cannot recall the name of it..Some other CHCh person probably knows about this.

  70. mjwilknz (602) Says:

    Is anyone else amazed that at Obama’s latest pronouncements on our ‘green future’ (NZ Herald: Obama’s green plan for future), which will have reduced reliance on fossil fuels, when we look to be heading for a world of battery powered engines without government intervention, anyway (The Economist: In search of the perfect battery)?

  71. Inky_the_Red (595) Says:

    joana,

    Personally I quite like Dave Henderson, When I compare him to fellow members of Zenith Applied Philosophy i have met (like former Act President Trevor Loudon) he seems quite normal and a lot less stressed.

    I know he donated to Act. To be fair though he also offered to fund me in the past. I have never taken any money from him (The only time I ever stood for public office I funded it myself)

    I would hope that funding Act would not be a reason to let him in the CBD

  72. joana (1,255) Says:

    Other peoples money usually does take stress away Inky..I don’t know him personally..I just felt sorry for the Chch people he owed money to. Also, a relation was involved in a big battle with him over water down in the Gibston Valley..He acquired ”water rights” as part of his nearby development. Not sure what the outcome was with this.

  73. Inky_the_Red (595) Says:

    Liking a person is no reason to Trust someone. Where I can talk to Dave in a friendly manner I have never trusted him

  74. Gooner (995) Says:

    Another? crisis looming. Add this to our unsustainable superannuation bill, our unaffordable health system, and our shocking debt problem. We really need tough decisions made in the very near future. Does anyone in the current parliament have the gonads to make them?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10716795

    Money quotes:

    Auckland is facing a major housing crisis if current development trends continue.

    Local officials predict that, at the current rate of development, there will be a shortage of 50,000 homes in 30 years – equivalent to all the homes in Hamilton.

    Lisa Phillips, director of property strategy company Erskine+Owen, said Auckland would be at capacity in 15 years, and some areas could be full in as little as seven years.

    “The concern is how we’re going to address this,” she said.

    Many people would be forced into terraced housing and apartments, causing flow-on effects for housing costs.

    “Prices will surge as more and more people compete for an ever-dwindling supply of dwellings,” said Phillips.

    What has Red Len done?

    Brown said the first thing he did in council was to halt the sale of council housing stock and he had already announced plans to clear the red tape for people wanting to build new houses.

    One can only shake one’s head in wide amazement at that statement. First, retaining the housing stock means developers cannot get that land to build more houses. Second, the red tape is not just the problem; it’s the development levies and associated council fees that are leading to unaffordable housing for Auckland.

    Another example of why politicians are the problem, and rarely the solution.

  75. Inky_the_Red (595) Says:

    I am not sure if land supply is genuine. I have read that lots of land (and can’t find the link and admit it may have been referring to Wellington) is kept back by developers to keep the price of sections high.

    A challenge for our elected representative is to ensure that land approved for housing is used for that purpose in a timely manner.

    At the same time there is a need for social housing so both central government and local government must ensure there are stocks. If either sell houses they must purchase replacement housing.

  76. Pauleastbay (2,226) Says:

    Na Inky, much better for politicians to take away most of the incentives for professional private landlords to invest in property to provide housing, much better to have an absolute goose like Brown open his trap.

    Its really great that len is holding onto the council flats in Greys Ave, so future generations of meth cooks and junkies have some where to camp. Those flats would not be out of place in any third world country.

    They also make great viewing for international and national visitors staying at the Duxton Hotel, much better Auckland rate payers to keep throwing money at these rat traps, good on ya Len, you plonker

    Theres plenty of land, just keep councils out of things and it will be taken care of

  77. Gooner (995) Says:

    @ Inky,

    I am not sure if land supply is genuine. I have read that lots of land (and can’t find the link and admit it may have been referring to Wellington) is kept back by developers to keep the price of sections high.

    That cannot be true as it means by landbanking, developers can control the supply of land, and thereby the market. There are not enough developers left, and too much land for this to work from an economics perspective. It’s the same argument that all the mortgagee sales would collapse house prices, when the reality is the market is much larger than that, and a few mortgagee sales cannot affect the overall price that much.

  78. Inventory2 (7,651) Says:

    hj asks

    Who funds National?
    Wot PR company?

    hj; that’s the LAST thing that an acolyte of Winston Peters ought to be asking. Remember Owen Glenn? Remember the Spencer Trust? Remember Winston Peters being censured by the last Parliament for KNOWINGLY misleading the House over NZ First’s funding?

    NZ First supporters might have memory problems; most New Zealanders remember well.

    PS: When’s Winston going to pay the $158k back?

  79. backster (1,491) Says:

    PETE G “Unless they can find a way of knowing, for example, how gravity managed to target Fiji a couple of days ago, sans full moon, to cause the 6.4 followed a couple of hours by a 5.4 they had there.”
    Ken Ring does maintain that major events occur within a couple of days of Perigree or Apogee. The 6.4 was 31st Mar Apogee 9am 2nd April. The previous Fiji Quake 21st Feb so prediction same as for CHCH 22nd Feb.

  80. Bryla (263) Says:

    I see where the Fukushima reactor complex now has a SAFE crack in a concrete pit containing highly radioctive SAFE water which is leaking SAFELY out to sea. Moreover the very SAFE repairs and cooling of the fuel rods is expected to take many SAFE years. Perhaps even a century of SAFE emergency management. It looks like Hurf Durf and I were conservative in our estimate, and we must now declare nuclear power to be 500% SAFE, and Plutonium good for growing children. Communist Green scaremongers fuck off for the cretins U R.

  81. Johnboy (8,097) Says:

    You are quite right Bryla.

    Curtis ( my hero :) ) would never have trusted the Japanese with nuclear technology unless he had arranged the delivery himself.

  82. reid (10,688) Says:

    Right now, there is a huge market for fail-over power generators in Japan, for buildings and everything else.

  83. Johnboy (8,097) Says:

    Good G_d reid. I never realised things were so bad.

    Smelting your own iron ore over the peat powered blast furnace to make the nails to build your own hovel is starting to look damned attractive.

    I must check to see if joining the Greenies gets me a discount on peat. :)

  84. Komata (603) Says:

    JB

    Re: ‘ I must check to see if joining the Greenies gets me a discount on peat’

    NO WAY sir – for the Greens its all about PROTECTING the environment and loving ‘Mother Gaia’ so by using peat you are cutting into the old (evidently helpless) dear and that, to the Green mind , would NEVER do. How dare you use peat for your own selfish needs to try to keep warm and cook your food.

    No doubt Locke, Norman and Delahunty will picket outside your home (and perhaps even try to give you a flag . . . ) in protest at your uncaring actions – after all, by cutting peat you are sure to have killed MILLIONS of helpless microbes.

    Thought ypu might like to know . . .

  85. Johnboy (8,097) Says:

    “No doubt Locke, Norman and Delahunty will picket outside your home ”

    That’s a bloody frightening scenario Komata.

    I might settle for Kedgley fancying to picket me. :)

  86. reid (10,688) Says:

    Smelting your own iron ore over the peat powered blast furnace to make the nails to build your own hovel is starting to look damned attractive.

    Yes unfortunately Mao tried that but for some reason the steel produced by the local village smelting operation wasn’t exactly the right stuff for the great leap forward, so learning from history perhaps we’d better just abandon steel altogether and just use something green, like our own excrement, to hold our hovels together.

    Let’s hope they think of some excrement-processing techniques between now and when their policies begin to take effect. I bet they don’t, they’ll be too focused on how to get the national radio network up and running so we can all hear the Leader’s speeches.

  87. Hurf Durf (2,855) Says:

    I see where the Fukushima reactor complex now has a SAFE crack in a concrete pit containing highly radioctive SAFE water which is leaking SAFELY out to sea.

    Oh no, the Pacific Ocean. I guess no one will ever be able to go near it again. Or maybe it’s a drip of piss in a lagoon of excretia (see Pacific Garbage Patch) like Tony Hayward rightly said about last year’s oil spill before the ecotards had a cry about it. I still haven’t seen any of your kind apologise to him for that, by the way. It’s funny how Greenpeace are still pushing the IT COULD STILL BE WORSE THAN CHERNOBYL canard, even though no one’s buying it.

    Prosperity involves manageable risk, chuck. Maybe someone will take the risk to build a time machine so people like you can piss off back to the clean and green Dark Ages and leave the rest of us alone.

  88. RRM (4,639) Says:

    A superb alternative review of the movie JAWS:

    http://denialdepot.blogspot.com/2010/11/jaws-movie-review.html

  89. cha (1,406) Says:

    With only two nuclear power plants nation wide complying with fire regulations industry risk management doesn’t look to be too crash hot Hurf.

  90. Hurf Durf (2,855) Says:

    Brian Till is a Research Fellow with the American Strategy Program of the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C.

    Brian, Bryan. What’s the big difference between a vowel and a consonant anyway?

  91. publicwatchdog (977) Says:

    The public’s right to trial by jury, and the public’s right to know when the public’s right to trial by jury is being denied?

    People know about this case? In the Wellington High Court – tomorrow – Monday 4 April 2011:

    The NZ Solicitor-General David Collins QC is trying to jail Vince Siemer for the FORTH time – for ‘contempt of Court’.

    Vince Siemer has defended the public’ right to know that Winkelman J claimed Kiwis called upon to serve as jurors could not be relied upon to use proper reasoning processes, by making public this ‘Court Order’ of Winkelman J.

    Barrister Tony Ellis, is defending kiwisfirst publisher Vince Siemer in a prosecution where Solicitor General David Collins seeks Siemer’s imprisonment for publishing an order where Winkelman J claimed Kiwis called upon to serve as jurors could not be relied upon to use proper reasoning processes.

    Pre-trial applications will be heard 4-5 April 2011 before a full bench in the Wellington High Court.

    “Justice Winkelmann Admits to Rubber Stamping Suppression Orders

    24 March 2011
    Whether it is streamlined efficiency or a blatant violation of the elementary requirement that public court proceedings be public, Chief High Court Judge Helen Winkelmann’s associate Brent Scott admitted this week that standard suppression wording was put on the cover page of all Winkelmann J’s rulings in the R v Bailey proceedings as a matter of routine. Bailey concerns the prosecution of 18 accused variously charged with gang, drug and weapons charges. It is the subject of an open Unitied Nations Human Rights complaint and destined to be the most expensive prosecution in New Zealand’s history.

    The revelation came to light as a result of an interrogatory question by Barrister Tony Ellis, who is defending kiwisfirst publisher Vince Siemer in a prosecution where Solicitor General David Collins seeks Siemer’s imprisonment for publishing an order where Winkelman J claimed Kiwis called upon to serve as jurors could not be relied upon to use proper reasoning processes.”

    For more information – check out the website of this, in my opinion, leading ‘Judicial Public Watchdog’ – Vince Siemer.

    http://www.kiwisfirst.co.nz

    Penny Bright
    http://waterpressure.wordpress.com

  92. Rodders (1,452) Says:

    Penny, now that we are in the General Debate, I would appreciate your feedback on that NZ First Flyer.
    Thank you.

  93. alex Masterley (957) Says:

    So Vince is likely to go back into the bin eh?
    He and Trevor Rogers will make a great pair.

  94. Nookin (1,867) Says:

    It is entirely possible that the Court’s reasoning involves the admissibility of prejudicial evidence that the Court does not want published until the trial when. It is not at all unusual for pretrial ruling.s to be supressed — it happened in Bain

  95. Viking2 (6,771) Says:

    Apparently teachers have their own rules.

    Principal entitled to express view: Teachers Council
    SAM MCKNIGHT
    Last updated 05:00 04/04/2011

    A complaint against an Invercargill principal who compared Education Minister Anne Tolley with Hitler has been investigated by the Teachers Council, which says she is entitled to her opinion.

    She said: “And the MOE attack schools deferring setting targets, that’s a constructive response? Excuse me Minister Hitler? Am I in Germany? Is this the end of self-managing schools? read Kelvin Smythes latest blog, he is a true hero! (sic)”.

    However the response has outraged Mr Shierlaw.

    “The Employment Court has upheld dismissals brought on by employees putting derogatory comments on Facebook.”

    Ms Campbell was effectively an employee of Ms Tolley and the same standards should apply, he said.

    All the council said in its response was that Ms Campbell was entitled to freedom of speech, Mr Shierlaw said.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/4843025/Principal-entitled-to-express-view-Teachers-Council

  96. joana (1,255) Says:

    In today’s herald , there is an article re all the other nuclear facilities around the world which are at risk of Tsunami or earthquake damage.

  97. adze (1,377) Says:

    Wonder who the green mole was who ‘accidentally’ released National’s draft energy policy? :p

  98. joana (1,255) Says:

    In Australia…Jihad against ”cow worshippers” [muslims call Hindus cow worshippers ] leaves interfaith outreach in tatters.
    In Sydneys Occupied Terrortories , Hindus offer prayers for peace after gun shot attacks on a temple.
    Australia’s eldest Hindu temple , the Sri Mandir in Auburn , is under seige and its devotees are gripped by fear.
    Winds of Jihad
    This is the kind of ”harmony” we have to look forward to in NZ. Religion of peace..yeah right.

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