General Debate 2 June 2014

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Chuck Bird

I see a couple judges get made dames. Like MPs they should not get honours. They get paid well enough. They already have hugely inflated egos and unlike MPs they are accountable to no one. I just heard on talkback last night that a HC judge has granted a peadophile permanent name surpression as it might upset his pregnant wife.
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June 2, 2014 8:10am
kowtow

Sports personalities likewise.
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June 2, 2014 8:36am
Keeping Stock

Best Queen’s Birthday Weekend weather in living memory? It’s frosty here again this morning, but it’s going to be another glorious day.
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June 2, 2014 8:38am
dog_eat_dog

Yea man screw anything too blue collar for my personal tastes, I bet that Michael Jones guy is a real jerk when he’s not on a rugby field.
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June 2, 2014 8:41am
trout

For us cricket tragics the T20 format must now be forever tainted by the prospect of match fixing. The other night I watched Brendon McCallum kill the Chennai Kings chances in the IPL playoffs single handed. First off all he ran out Raina (on 100+ and looking to win the game for Chennai), then he scored 11 runs off 16 balls, then ran himself out. Incompetent, or deliberate, who knows?
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June 2, 2014 8:42am
flipper

Armstrong is at his worst in the Herald this morning, elevating the silly greens (more correctly red melons) to major political party status “whose time has come.” Many might think that this latest effort by him, especially as it follows his disastrous pre poll result piece last week, are simply the writings of the demented – or have been written to editorial prescription.

With the persistently high polling in favour of National, and the equally persistent low results for Labour, the bunch of left wing would-be intellectual scribblers that comprise the Parliamentary Press Gallery in 2014, and the equally (often worse) deluded academic “experts” (Robinson excluded), frustrated by their inability to detect the continuing anti-left political ground swell, it is probably no wonder that they act as green shills. Almost to the last, they persist in worshiping the false god that is the IPCC and its lies. Now they trumpet a carbon tax that will, they say, benefit “every one” by about $300 pa – apart from the industry that under-pins our economy. That their policy was announced to howls that lifted the roof is indicative of their economic illiteracy.

If, by some mischance, the greens and all the other left wing nutters are in the position to determine the composition of the Executive post September 20, then God help New Zealand. That mob will ensure that our economic recovery is cremated, and that we join the ranks of the PIGS (since expanded to include Australia, US, UK and France).
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June 2, 2014 8:43am
kowtow

How much coverage will this get compared to the recent California stabbings involving a Hollywood celebrity’s mentally ill son.

How’s multiculturalism ,integration and the religion of peace going?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/10868197/French-police-arrest-Syria-Jihadist-over-Brussels-Jewish-Museum-murders.html
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June 2, 2014 8:45am
dog_eat_dog

I agree Trout, and I can’t help but think the NZers, while probably doing something stupid, are useful idiots for the ICC. The ICC gets to look like it actually cares about match fixing, without touching their precious golden goose in India where the corruption is actually being financed from.
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June 2, 2014 8:57am
deadrightkev

So Justin Bieber has been caught telling racist jokes on video.

Does anyone think he will get the same way over the top treatment as Donald Sterling the former owner of the clippers? Maybe banned from attending the Oscars or something?

I wont hold my breath.
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June 2, 2014 9:01am
Southern Raider

Kowtow they had it coming to them. Reid will more than agree that Israelis can never be classed as innocents. /s
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June 2, 2014 9:02am
igm

Flipper: If Armstrong were a sportsman he would not be averse to taking a bribe. He, along with the rest of his ilk, are not journalists, they are messengers of the left, and overpaid. These left-wing scum he adores would have NZ in a worse economic state than Greece in a matter of weeks. They would not need to worry about carbon taxes and overseas house buyers, the market, and overseas investment, would stop immediately; anyone with brains pulling their capital out of the country as it would be worth nothing. Many of my associates have contingencies in place regarding business and investments, not wanting to go through another term of interference, and incompetence by fiscally dyslexic, envious losers.
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June 2, 2014 9:03am
hj

Ed Miliband is under increasing pressure to take a harder line on immigration after a backbench revolt over Europe’s open borders.

//
George Osborne has jumped on Labour’s refusal to back the target as evidence that the party has not changed and would allow more immigrants into Britain than the Tories.

The pressure from within his own party on immigration comes after Labour was beaten into second place by UKIP in last month’s European elections.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2645295/Get-tough-immigration-Labour-MPs-urge-Ed-Miliband-listen-voter-fury-EU-migrants.html#ixzz33QJ5k5DG
Our Labour very confusing and racist
http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/labour-s-immigration-policy-confusing-hooton-video-5987497

even though

The Reserve Bank wants the Government to think about managing the inflow of immigrants with the state of the economic cycle in mind.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10747202
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June 2, 2014 9:05am
hj

The Reserve Bank wants the Government to think about managing the inflow of immigrants with the state of the economic cycle in mind.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10747202
………
Mathew Hooten called that “the politics of hate” [and bad for the construction money -money -money- Donald Trump sector of the economy]
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June 2, 2014 9:15am
peterwn

Cynically, one could argue that Armstrong is right. If Labour polls 24%, Greens 15%, Mana/Internet 4%, Winston 7%, Maori 4% then the non-Labour left parties could gang up against Labour and demand the opposition leadership and force other concessions from Labour.
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June 2, 2014 9:15am
Other_Andy

kowtow says:

“How’s multiculturalism ,integration and the religion of peace going?”

Very well thanks.
~~Colonisation~~ Immigration is going swimmingly, praise allah.
One refugee and we can get another 20 in on ‘family reunification’
With all the niqabs and burqas, downtown Auckland, West Auckland and Hamilton are starting to look more and more like the middle east.
Kiwis will be integrated.
Sharia will be implemented slowly.
We are on the way as all kiwis are now all eating (unlabeled) halal food now with the proceeds of certification going to dawa.
Allāhu Akbar!
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June 2, 2014 9:15am
Left Right and Centre

I was jumping up and down about the tourist that ran a stop sign resulting in three deaths . . .

Until I remembered that I blew through an intersection stop sign in 2011 – no different. I would liken the sickening feeling as it happens to – say – if you lost your brakes. I was fortunate to be alone at the intersection. On the other side I stopped and was frozen wide-eyed staring off in horror at the unforgiveable lapse of concentration. I can’t remember exactly how long I stopped for but I needed a while to re-set.
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June 2, 2014 9:26am
hj

A “booming” Asian population will “transform” politics.
WW2 was about an attempt by Germany/ Japan to “transform” politics.
Maori not as convinced as everyone else that it is win -win.
http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/booming-asian-population-transform-politics-video-5987490

Vancouver’s experience is probably like Canada’s on the whole. Trudeau brought in multiculturalism by federal directive in the 70s (“Although there are two founding peoples there is no founding culture…” and that mirrored Laurier before him…) Then in 1982, multiculturalism was enshrined in the Charter. Then in the mid-80s a Conservative PM enacted the “Multiculturalism Act”.
Now in Canada’s large cities it’s somewhat amusing to hear people speaking English. Fourth generation Canadians are seen as an amusing relic. Do you eat roasts? Do your parents wear sweaters to dinner and talk about classical music, ha ha ha?
The reality is that in NZ, the hegemony of Anglo Saxon culture refuses to die. The Interfaith dialogue was a fantastic example of that. Also, we never had (much) immigration from Central, Eastern or Southern Europe. We still treat South Africans and Pomps as “one of us”.

http://publicaddress.net/speaker/what-diversity-dividend/
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June 2, 2014 9:26am
Keeping Stock

Give it up hj; you lost any moral high ground when you claimed that immigration was worse that your hero’s disgraceful “Jimmy Savile” smear, which he refuses to repeat outside the House because he’s get his arse sued.
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June 2, 2014 9:33am
kowtow

Prisoner swap deal.

The deserter was told by the Special Forces men ‘We’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

Some pretty serious war criminals were released by Obama in the deal. How many innocent lives ,including those tasked to look for the deserter, was/is the Commander in Chief prepared to risk in order for him to have a photo op,along with a Muslim prayer, in the Rose Garden?
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June 2, 2014 9:34am
OneTrack

“Until I remembered that I blew through an intersection stop sign in 2011”

Yep, there seems to be a lot of shock horror about tourists, and whats the government going to do about it, but we seem to manage to have a lot of the same sort of accidents without tourists being involved.
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June 2, 2014 9:34am
kowtow

Keeping Stock

Immigration must be debated.And the electorate must be allowed to decide. It’s too late when it’s too late. That must be the lesson from Europe.(if it was ever needed)
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June 2, 2014 9:36am
Pete George

peterwn – even if Labour holdnm on to their current 30%-ish and cobble together a coalition it will be very difficult for them to be a strong influence. Politics is a numbers game and their numbers are looking weak.

And it’s quite possible their vote could collapse. The main factor in their favour is the (lack of) quality of the alternatives on the left and in the centre.
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June 2, 2014 9:37am
OneTrack

peterwn – “Cynically, one could argue that Armstrong is right. …”

I am even more cynical. If the Green/Internet/Labour/Winston hydra gets in, irrespective of their relative votes, the incompetence of the Labour leadership means that the Greens will be in the driving seat and easily push the coalition of the envious to do what they want. Especially if Norman and Turei are co-Deputy Prime Ministers.

Carbon tax? Of course Russel, whatever you want.
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June 2, 2014 9:39am
kowtow

One track

The ACC and police management fixation with exceeding the speed limit is a farce.More time and effort needs to be focussed on general driving behaviour.
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June 2, 2014 9:41am
Pete George

The problem with immigration, and the problem Cunliffe has got himself into, is that the key numbers are not controllable or easily changeable.

Cunliffe has said he won’t change immigration refuge commitments or on family grounds. He can’t change how many New Zealanders stay or come back. About all that’s left to play with is immigrants with skills we need here.

He says he wants a steady, predictable and controlled level of net immigration but there’s no way he can make that happen.
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June 2, 2014 9:43am
MT_Tinman

Trouty, To call yourself a T20 tragic is just sad.

if you watch, let alone follow, the T20 candyfloss crap you deserve everything you get.
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June 2, 2014 9:44am
flipper

igm (1,140 comments) says:

June 2nd, 2014 at 9:03 am

Flipper: If Armstrong were a sportsman he would not be averse …..
****

I would never accuse J Armstrong of being L Armstrong in disguise. 🙂 But at times I believe his medical condition is getting worse, or that he has not taken his medication.

The potted puff CV at the foot of his Herald column is a succinct illustration of the problems that today bedevil a once excellent newspaper ….
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June 2, 2014 9:46am
All_on_Red

Kowtow
“Some pretty serious war criminals were released by Obama in the deal”
Shame they didn’t do a Breaking Bad and send them on their way after a nice cup of Ricin tea!
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June 2, 2014 9:46am
MT_Tinman

Dog_eat_dog 08:27. I fear you are correct.

Stick to Test cricket – India are no bloody good at it so it remains (now Hansie has gone) as pure as any sport.
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June 2, 2014 9:47am
wreck1080

it seems many honours are just given to people for doing their jobs.

I reckon they should be awarded for ‘beyond the call of duty’ stuff.
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June 2, 2014 9:47am
MT_Tinman

Sorry Trout, the “y” was a typo.
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June 2, 2014 9:48am
kowtow

More news in about the successful integration of immigrants and the religion of peace in Londonistan.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10867666/Stolen-election-in-the-heart-of-London.html
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June 2, 2014 9:52am
jcuknz

On the question of road safety .. in my view driving is a full time job and I deplore the modern sealed box with radio blaring or music machine distracting the driver. Years ago I organised a music source “to keep myself awake on long trips into the night after working a normal day” … it didn’t help one bit and was a distraction from staying on the road … so my car radio very rarely gets used. Maybe women can multitask but males ? I think not.
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June 2, 2014 9:53am
hj

NZ First leader Sir Winston Peters has been interviewed by detectives investigating allegations Brendan Horan took money from his late mother’s bank account.

It came as Tauranga police confirmed they had stepped up their inquiry into Horan.

Police began assessing the claims after the case was referred to them by the Serious Fraud Office in January. “This assessment is complete and has now moved to an investigation phase being led by Tauranga Criminal Investigation Branch,” a Bay of Plenty police spokeswoman said.

Peters refused to discuss his police interview, stating he didn’t want to “waste his time” on Horan.

Horan, who was on holiday in the Gold Coast, yesterday said he “wouldn’t have a clue” where the investigation is at.

“It just goes on and on and on,” he said. “I’ve been asking the police to hurry up. It’s vexatious. I want to know why they’re wasting time. It’s not getting in the way for me.”

Horan denies the allegations and said he looked forward to clearing his name. Peters kicked Horan out of NZ First when news of the allegations broke last year. Horan became an independent MP and will stand in the September election.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11265426

I thought Nationals mole was cleared?
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June 2, 2014 9:55am
MT_Tinman

OneTrack (2,226 comments) says:
June 2nd, 2014 at 9:34 am
“Until I remembered that I blew through an intersection stop sign in 2011″

Yep, there seems to be a lot of shock horror about tourists, and whats the government going to do about it, but we seem to manage to have a lot of the same sort of accidents without tourists being involved.

I agree.

Keep the tourists.

You’d make the roads far safer by permanently disqualifying from driving fat women and tattooed idiots with dogs in their car and making driving a vehicle with anything hanging from the rear view mirror an instant corporal offence (1st offence) and a capital offence if repeated.
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June 2, 2014 9:59am
Southern Raider

It looks like you old bastards aren’t going to be targeted by Harre as IP voters.

I got told last week that the youth hipsters denote sarcasm by putting a “/s” after a comment.

Obviously this got missed on all of you 🙂
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June 2, 2014 9:59am
Paulus

I thought that in the Horan situation an independent family audit was found exonerating Horan from Winston’s allegations.
The Audit was put forward by the aggrieved family members and found nothing – so what goes –
I suppose Winston and Horan are from different Maori tribes which requires Utu somewhere pre the 1840 love in.
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June 2, 2014 10:03am
hj

Pete George
About all that’s left to play with is immigrants with skills we need here.
……….

Immigration creates it’s own demand for “needed skills”

Only a small proportion of existing migrants address specific skill needs. While it is
difficult to be certain about counterfactuals, key skills shortages could still be addressed
with substantially lower immigration. With lower immigration, labour market flexibility and
possible offsets from reduced emigration would likely play a greater role in addressing
51
skills pressures.

[51
Relatively little is known about the extent to which immigration, internal migration and emigration are causally linked, and this would be an interesting area for further research, although it is difficult to obtain data about emigrants once they have left the country. While overall, immigration and emigration are both strongly related to the business cycle, the recent experience of Auckland, which attracts a disproportionate share of immigrants but also experiences net outward internal migration, suggests displacement is possible. ]
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/research-policy/wp/2014/14-10
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June 2, 2014 10:08am
Manolo

Where are the costings behind the radical Green’s carbon tax? In their zeal to send us back to the Dar Ages the comrades appear to offer new taxes and a much higher cost of living.

Will someone ask the communist Norman on this matter? Will the left-wing MSM take him to task?
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June 2, 2014 10:09am
Pete George

I can imagine that many Mana Party members will be happy to see Laile Harre leading the Internet party, but what do Internet Party members think of last week’s political announcements?

The IP is supposed to be based on democratic principles. Candidate selection meetings have been held around the country.

What input did members have on the Mana deal and the appointment of Harre?
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June 2, 2014 10:13am
hj

I have noted with growing despair the xenophobia which is becoming a political commonplace this election cycle. On the left it’s about house prices.* But this post is not about racism; it’s about development.

O.k people can’t be the problem so there must be a solution:

Diversification and specialisation
The object of a regional development policy must be to promote structural change, to create industries and communities that are sustainable in their own right — neither transient nor exhaustible, and which attract people whose commitment is likewise neither transient nor exhaustible. These jobs need to go beyond the traditional churn industries like tourism, hospitality and service; though, of course, these jobs will be needed, they should be incidental to development, not its purpose. They need to be high-value and export-led — unlike, for example, our timber industry, and our wool industry. One of our key advantages here is our reputation for being clean and green — demand for premium food, the safety and quality of which can be assured, and including organic and sustainably-produced, is likely to grow strongly and we seem ill-prepared to meet this opportunity, as just one example. Another example is the potential of Māori business, which is as yet terribly underutilised.

http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2014/05/the-housing-problem-isnt-a-housing-problem-its-a-regional-development-problem/

I remember driving a truck, when something difficult needed unloading someone would suggest a sky hook.
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June 2, 2014 10:20am
smttc

@hj 9.55am, I don’t believe the dirty deal has come along yet which requires Winston Peters to be knighted and referred to as “Sir”. Or was that a Freudian slip on your part?
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June 2, 2014 10:22am
Southern Raider

Selection of Harre seems to me to have Hones fingerprints all over it. Basically we will do a deal with you .Com but all candidates and the leader need to be able to seamlessly integrate into Mana once the IP falls apart
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June 2, 2014 10:22am
Manolo

Wet or dry, hot or cold, stormy or calm, AGW is responsible for everything:
http://news.msn.co.nz/worldnews/8853718/wetter-uk-summers-due-to-global-warming
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June 2, 2014 10:31am
All_on_Red

Manolo
And those Koch brothers. Is there anything they can’t do either?
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June 2, 2014 10:33am
Pete George

Southern Raider – it’s certainly looking a bit like that. It will be interesting to see what the IP candidate list looks like. Candidates are supposed to be member selected but with final say from the board. It doesn’t look like members had much if any say in the number one candidate.
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June 2, 2014 10:38am
Nukuleka

I see that RNZ news this morning is presenting as ‘news’ the fact that one Lucy Lawless supports the Greens’ Carbon Tax. Not news, surely, given her propensity for silly and pointless Greeny publicity stunts- it would be a better news to ask her whether she got to the conference on her bike in order to minimise her carbon footprint and if not why not. Hypocrisy seems to be ok if it’s from the left, as we have seen this past week from the likes of John Minto et al cosying up for financial reasons to the Internet Party’s Sergeant Schultz.

On a more minor RNZ matter. Why is it that when the great and gracious Roger Federer loses in 5 sets at the French Open to an ill-tempered brat does RNZ have to inform us that he was ‘dumped’ from the Grand Slam. I loathe this type of jockspeak from our publicly-funded radio network. It’s tacky.
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June 2, 2014 10:40am
Manolo

Another follower of the religion of peace, another Islamic savage:
A French former jihadist volunteer in Syria has been arrested over last week’s deadly shooting at the Jewish Museum in Brussels.

Police found a Kalashnikov rifle and a handgun similar to the ones used in the attack in the bag of Mehdi Nemmouche, a 29-year-old French citizen, when he stepped off a bus in Marseille on Friday after an overnight trip from Brussels.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/10868197/French-police-arrest-Syria-Jihadist-over-Brussels-Jewish-Museum-murders.html
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June 2, 2014 11:02am
Southern Raider

The women who drove the wrong way down the southern motorway last week and killed an innocent lady needs to be charged with murder. There is no other rational charge for driving that distance in the fast lane towards oncoming traffic. It wasn’t a dark country road, 20 cars had to avoid her and were flashing their lights but she kept driving.

I have a sinking feeling however that the judiciary will give her 6 months home detention and 1 year lose of licence.
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June 2, 2014 11:09am
Other_Andy

Manolo says:

Wetter UK summers due to global warming.
http://news.msn.co.nz/worldnews/8853718/wetter-uk-summers-due-to-global-warming

If that doesn’t work we are confident that summers in the UK in the medium term will become drier and hotter.

Despite recent gloomy summers and suggestions of more to come, most climate scientists are confident that summers in the medium term will become drier and hotter.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jul/10/droughts-hot-dry-summers-england

Britain warned of more droughts caused by climate change and growing population
Droughts will increase across Europe by the end of this century, risking “considerable impacts on society, the environment and the economy”, EU scientists warn
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/10562148/Britain-warned-of-more-droughts-caused-by-climate-change-and-growing-population.html

You want hot? We have papers and articles to prove we are right.
You want cold? We have papers and articles to prove we are right.
You want dry? We have papers and articles to prove we are right.
You want wet? We have papers and articles to prove we are right.
No matter what, we are ALWAYS right and we are all going to die*.

* unless you pay me huge sums of money (Indulgences for mother Gaia) in the form of taxes or research grants
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June 2, 2014 11:16am
Pete George

All Internet Party members could be made members of the Mana Party.

The Mana and Internet Parties have a component party agreement so they can stand on a joint party list.

The Internet Party executive committee could “arrange for membership in a party of which the Internet Party is a component party to be extended to members of the Internet Party, whether automatically, or otherwise.”

Powers and Limitations of the Executive Committee

8.21.4.Enter into arrangements, including component party arrangements, with other parties; to allow the Internet Party to become a component party of another party, or to allow other parties to become component parties of the Internet Party; to agree to extend membership of the Internet Party to members of component parties of the Internet Party, or to arrange for membership in a party of which the Internet Party is a component party to be extended to members of the Internet Party, whether automatically, or otherwise.

https://internet.org.nz/rules

An odd form of democracy.
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June 2, 2014 11:34am
cricko

” A Progressive is what happens when a Liberal goes bad.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXW-Ezs7fRo

Why are we unable to learn from others mistakes ?

Complete this sentence, ‘Muslim immigrants are good for New Zealand because…….’
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June 2, 2014 11:38am
Judith

@ kowtow (7,051 comments) says:
June 2nd, 2014 at 9:36 am

The thing is with the immigration debate, is that those who benefit most from the status quo, have learned to use the taunt of ‘racism’ to quell any opposition. No one likes being accused of being racist, so they immediately shut up – and those in favour win by default.

You are right – the matter needs to be discussed for what it is, for what New Zealanders want/expect, and then the lines drawn to decide immigration rates etc.

I fear that the way it is being discussed at present, will simply mean it becomes a matter of ‘the election results are a referendum of immigration’ – and that is not on – not until all the facts/stats are in, and the matter is discussed a hell of a lot better than simply name calling. Each party needs to make their policy very clear – so that people who think immigration matters, can vote accordingly.
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June 2, 2014 11:50am
Judith

@ Southern Raider (1,442 comments) says:
June 2nd, 2014 at 11:09 am

There is no other rational ….

If rationality played any part in this sad incident, the woman that was killed would still be alive.
Clearly the woman that drove on the wrong side of the motorway was not acting rationally. Although she might have made an initial mistake – any rational person would have pulled over and corrected that error. Obviously there was more going on.

To continue to drive was a deliberate act of violence – and needs to be treated accordingly – if a psyche report is required, then so be it.
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June 2, 2014 11:56am
Judith

@ Paulus (2,392 comments) says:
June 2nd, 2014 at 10:03 am

If an audit had found there was no wrong doing, the Serious Fraud Office would not still be investigating it. In order for them to act, there had to be some suggestion above Winston’s fantasizing. The SFO would not have picked up the case on a whim. They may decide there is nothing to answer to as such, but there would have been enough substance to raise suspicion.
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June 2, 2014 12:01pm
Judith

@ Pete George (22,041 comments) says:
June 2nd, 2014 at 9:43 am

He says he wants a steady, predictable and controlled level of net immigration but there’s no way he can make that happen.

And yet other countries, such as the USA seem to have found a way to make immigration controllable. Whilst the family thing is worrying, if when you assess the initial applicant, as per qualifications etc, they are asked of their family situation and the possibility of them being joined by family members, the application can be refused at that point.

I took what Cunliffe said to mean that they would not be limiting those that are already here – and wish to import their families, but that future immigration would be stricker?

Personally I would support someone that had the guts to say ” if you leave your country and come here – you leave your family behind – don’t expect to bring them over later unless you are prepared to pay for ALL their expenses’. If a person is not able to be self sufficient – we don’t want them, regardless of what tax their son/daughter might be paying. We have enough Kiwi Hanger-ons.
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June 2, 2014 12:11pm
Viking2

ahh the chinese are buying all our houses.
Well?

5. A piece of the puzzle
As we all know, there is a serious lack of data about “Chinese ownership” of our housing, code for how much of our residential housing stock is owned by foreigners. The Government released some data from IRD records on ownership of rental properties and although it was the latest available, like all IRD data it is not current. But it did not suggest the proportion is high.

There will be many pieces to understanding this puzzle and without them those passionate about the subject will seize of anecdotes to bolster their (generally anti-foreigners-from-non-western-countries) argument.

To add to the factual data, we asked Auckland Council to search their rating records and tell us how many ownership or billing addresses were outside New Zealand. The answer is 1.8% over all types of rated property; raw land, rural, industrial, commercial and residential. We appreciated their reply. This is a summary of the data they supplied:

It is certainly no conclusive answer to the issue. But in the absence of proper details which we urgently need to start collecting, it is another of the available data to add to the mix. But those who think we are being over-run by foreign ownership of our land might want to be prepared for some future proper statistics not backing up their position (just as the LINZ-OIO data detail doesn’t).

http://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/70198/mondays-top-10-digital-george-carlin-dilbert-and-more
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June 2, 2014 12:11pm
cricko

kowtow @ 9.36
Judith @ 11.50

It is probably already too late for a discussion on immigration as it pertains to muslim immigration.

The progressives will sabotage any such discussion.

See my effort @ 11.38 as to how they will do it.
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June 2, 2014 12:20pm
Judith

@ cricko (29 comments) says:
June 2nd, 2014 at 12:20 pm

Hmmm, food for thought. I find it all quite disturbing – and yet people, because of their various political agendas refuse to see it.
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June 2, 2014 12:31pm
cricko

Tell me again, how many muslims with N.Z. passports have now been trained in Yemen ?
How many are currently in Syria ?

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.596616

Read the 7th paragraph of this report if you read nothing else and gain an insight into
what is comming down the track for us.

And still, we import more and more muslims every day, why ?
What do we have to gain from importing muslims ?

Surely there is one Progressive reading this who is game to answer .
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June 2, 2014 1:04pm
stephieboy

I wonder if Redbaiter and the Con party will make thw pre Maori White Celtic civilization a mandatory part of the Eductional curriculum , not forgetting other associated lunacy like chem trails, the Apollo moon landing hoax etc.
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June 2, 2014 1:13pm
Left Right and Centre

I’ve never wanted to add tobacco to my porridge . . .

. . . However, there is more than one factor associated with Britain’s obesity problem, so the comparison to tobacco is not particularly helpful. Unlike tobacco, it is possible to consume moderate amounts of sugar within a healthy balanced diet.

Well said British NHS website.
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June 2, 2014 1:26pm
cricko

Well done Your Majesty.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2644946/Queens-Speech-include-plans-tough-crackdown-estimated-400-extremists-British-links-whove-travelled-war-Syria.html

Meanwhile in N.Z. if our SIS even so much as monitors muslims going to Yemen to be trained or Syria to fight we hear howls of
outrage about how their ‘rights’ are being infringed.
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June 2, 2014 2:06pm
marcw

I wonder if the Frenchman arrested for allegedly murdering 3 people in Belgium in a jihad terrorist attack will, if he is found guilty, elect to receive an appropriate Sharia Law sentence? Yeah right!
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June 2, 2014 2:51pm
Redbaiter

Kiwiblog’s resident commies need to check out this picture. It answers one of their dumbest questions re big govt.

https://twitter.com/Sebastian_JKT/status/471930282946224128/photo/1
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June 2, 2014 3:03pm
altiora

@Chuck Bird: I can tell you that Glazebrook J would be earning far far more in private practice as a Tax Law partner than she is now as a judge. The title was seen as part of the remuneration package for judges, many of whom had to sacrifice much of their income as a result of being on the Bench. Otherwise no top flight lawyer would want to become an appeal judge.
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June 2, 2014 3:20pm
Reid

It is certainly no conclusive answer to the issue. But in the absence of proper details which we urgently need to start collecting, it is another of the available data to add to the mix. But those who think we are being over-run by foreign ownership of our land might want to be prepared for some future proper statistics not backing up their position (just as the LINZ-OIO data detail doesn’t).

WTF is wrong with dummies like Bernard Hickey who does economics for a living that he can’t get this simple fact through his thick skull. It’s not foreign residents that are the only source of the heat in the market, they are minor compared to the following source. It’s the number of foreigners with money who are granted residence each and every year who chose to settle and buy property in Akld that is the major source of the heat. There are other sources as well, like the numbers of foreign students on student visas who buy property in Akld. But all the rest are minor compared to the Permanent Residence figure.

Therefore, duh, you’re never going to discover anything meaningful by searching for the numbers of non-residents who own property. That’s a red herring and you woulda thought someone who does economics for a living like Bernard Hickey might have a clue, but apparently not.

The title was seen as part of the remuneration package for judges, many of whom had to sacrifice much of their income as a result of being on the Bench.

Is it still the case Judges’ salaries are tax free? That automatically increases them by 33%, doesn’t it. I also have to say, that since law isn’t rocket science, if your average 20 year legal veteran is earning many times a judge’s salary, they’re not worth the fees they charge.
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June 2, 2014 4:24pm
stephieboy

Redbaiter, is it true that Martin Doutre is going to make Collin and you honoury Celtic Whites.?
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June 2, 2014 6:03pm
mikenmild

A history of the world from student exam bloopers:
The inhabitants of Egypt were called mummies. They lived in the Sarah Dessert and traveled by Camelot. The climate of the Sarah is such that the inhabitants have to live elsewhere, so certain areas of the dessert are cul- tivated by irritation. The Egyptians built the Pyramids in the shape of a huge triangular cube. The Pramids are a range of mountains between France and Spain.

The Bible is full of interesting caricatures. In the first book of the Bible, Guinesses, Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree. One of their children, Cain, asked “Am I my brother’s son?” God asked Abraham to sacrifice Issac on Mount Montezuma. Jacob, son of Issac, stole his brother’s birthmark. Jacob was a partiarch who brought up his twelve sons to be partiarchs, but they did not take to it. One of Jacob’s sons, Joseph, gave refuse to the Israelites.

Pharaoh forced the Hebrew slaves to make bread without straw. Moses led them to the Red Sea, where they made unleavened bread, which is bread made without any ingredients. Afterwards, Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten commandments. David was a Hebrew king skilled at playing the liar. He fougth with the Philatelists, a race of people who lived in Biblical times. Solomon, one of David’s sons, had 500 wives and 500 porcupines.

Without the Greeks, we wouldn’t have history. The Greeks invented three kinds of columns – Corinthian, Doric and Ironic. They also had myths. A myth is a female moth. One myth says that the mother of Achilles dipped him in the River Stynx until he became intolerable. Achilles appears in “The Illiad”, by Homer. Homer also wrote the “Oddity”, in which Penelope was the last hardship that Ulysses endured on his journey. Actually, Homer was not written by Homer but by another man of that name.

Socrates was a famous Greek teacher who went around giving people advice. They killed him. Socrates died from an overdose of wedlock.

In the Olympic Games, Greeks ran races, jumped, hurled the biscuits, and threw the java. The reward to the victor was a coral wreath. The government of Athen was democratic because the people took the law into their own hands. There were no wars in Greece, as the mountains were so high that they couldn’t climb over to see what their neighbors were doing. When they fought the Parisians, the Greeks were outnumbered because the Persians had more men.

Eventually, the Ramons conquered the Geeks. History call people Romans because they never stayed in one place for very long. At Roman banquets, the guests wore garlic in their hair. Julius Caesar extinguished himself on the battlefields of Gaul. The Ides of March killed him because they thought he was going to be made king. Nero was a cruel tyrany who would torture his poor subjects by playing the fiddle to them.

Then came the Middle Ages. King Alfred conquered the Dames, King Arthur lived in the Age of Shivery, King Harlod mustarded his troops before the Battle of Hastings, Joan of Arc was cannonized by George Bernard Shaw, and the victims of the Black Death grew boobs on their necks. Finally, the Magna Carta provided that no free man should be hanged twice for the same offense.

In midevil times most of the people were alliterate. The greatest writer of the time was Chaucer, who wrote many poems and verse and also wrote liter- ature. Another tale tells of William Tell, who shot an arrow through an apple while standing on his son’s head.

The Renaissance was an age in which more individuals felt the value of their human being. Martin Luther was nailed to the church door at Wittenberg for selling papal indulgences. He died a horrible death, being excommunicated by a bull. It was the painter Donatello’s interest in the female nude that made him the father of the Renaissance. It was an age of great inventions and discoveries. Gutenberg invented the Bible. Sir Walter Raleigh is a historical figure because he invented cigarettes. Another important invention was the circulation of blood. Sir Francis Drake circumcised the world with a 100-foot clipper.

The government of England was a limited mockery. Henry VIII found walking difficult because he had an abbess on his knee. Queen Elizabeth was the “Vir- gin Queen.” As a queen she was a success. When Elizabeth exposed herself be- fore her troops, they all shouted “hurrah.” Then her navy went out and defeated the Spanish Armadillo.

The greatest writer of the Renaissance was William Shakespear. Shakespear never made much money and is famous only because of his plays. He lived in Windsor with his merry wives, writing tragedies, comedies and errors. In one of Shakespear’s famous plays, Hamlet rations out his situation by relieving himself in a long soliloquy. In another, Lady Macbeth tries to convince Mac- beth to kill the King by attacking his manhood. Romeo and Juliet are an example of a heroic couplet. Writing at the same time as Shakespear was Miquel Cervantes. He wrote “Donkey Hote”. The next great author was John Milton. Milton wrote “Paradise Lost.” Then his wife dies and he wrote “Paradise Regained.”

During the Renaissance America began. Christopher Columbus was a great navigator who discovered America while cursing about the Atlantic. His ships were called the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Fe. Later the Pilgrims crossed the Ocean, and the was called the Pilgrim’s Progress. When they landed at Plymouth Rock, they were greeted by Indians, who came down the hill rolling their was hoops before them. The Indian squabs carried porposies on their back. Many of the Indian heroes were killed, along with their cabooses, which proved very fatal to them. The winter of 1620 was a hard one for the settlers. Many people died and many babies were born. Captain John Smith was responsible for all this.

One of the causes of the Revolutionary Wars was the English put tacks in their tea. Also, the colonists would send their pacels through the post with- out stamps. During the War, Red Coats and Paul Revere was throwing balls over stone walls. The dogs were barking and the peacocks crowing. Finally, the colonists won the War and no longer had to pay for taxis.

Delegates from the original thirteen states formed the Contented Congress. Thomas Jefferson, a Virgin, and Benjamin Franklin were two singers of the Declaration of Independence. Franklin had gone to Boston carrying all his clothes in his pocket and a loaf of bread under each arm. He invented elec- tricity by rubbing cats backwards and declared “a horse divided against itself cannot stand.” Franklin died in 1790 and is still dead.

George Washington married Matha Curtis and in due time became the Father of Our Country. Them the Constitution of the United States was adopted to secure domestic hostility. Under the Constitution the people enjoyed the right to keep bare arms.

Abraham Lincoln became America’s greatest Precedent. Lincoln’s mother died in infancy, and he was born in a log cabin which he built with his own hands. When Lincoln was President, he wore only a tall silk hat. He said, “In onion there is strength.” Abraham Lincoln write the Gettysburg address while traveling from Washington to Gettysburg on the back of an envelope. He also signed the Emasculation Proclamation, and the Fourteenth Amendment gave the ex-Negroes citizenship. But the Clue Clux Clan would torcher and lynch the ex-Negroes and other innocent victims. On the night of April 14, 1865, Lincoln went to the theater and got shot in his seat by one of the actors in a moving picture show. The believed assinator was John Wilkes Booth, a sup- posedl insane actor. This ruined Booth’s career.

Meanwhile in Europe, the enlightenment was a reasonable time. Voltare invented electricity and also wrote a book called “Candy”. Gravity was invented by Issac Walton. It is chiefly noticeable in the Autumn, when the apples are flaling off the trees.

Bach was the most famous composer in the world, and so was Handel. Handel was half German, half Italian and half English. He was very large. Bach died from 1750 to the present. Beethoven wrote music even though he was deaf. He was so deaf he wrote loud music. He took long walks in the forest even when everyone was calling for him. Beethoven expired in 1827 and later died for this.

France was in a very serious state. The French Revolution was accomplished before it happened. The Marseillaise was the theme song of the French Revolu- tion, and it catapulted into Napoleon. During the Napoleonic Wars, the crowned heads of Europe were trembling in their shoes. Then the Spanish gorrilas came down from the hills and nipped at Napoleon’s flanks. Napoleon became ill with bladder problems and was very tense and unrestrained. He wanted an heir to inheret his power, but since Josephine was a baroness, she couldn’t bear him any children.

The sun never set on the British Empire because the British Empire is in the East and the sun sets in the West. Queen Victoria was the longest queen. She sat on a thorn for 63 years. He reclining years and finally the end of her life were exemplatory of a great personality. Her death was the final event which ended her reign.

The nineteenth century was a time of many great inventions and thoughts. The invention of the steamboat caused a network of rivers to spring up. Cyrus McCormick invented the McCormick Raper, which did the work of a hundred men. Samuel Morse invented a code for telepathy. Louis Pastuer discovered a cure for rabbis. Charles Darwin was a naturailst who wrote the “Organ of the Species”. Madman Curie discovered radium. And Karl Marx became one of the Marx Brothers.

The First World War, cause by the assignation of the Arch-Duck by a surf, ushered in a new error in the anals of human history.
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June 2, 2014 6:54pm
nasska

Are you certain they’ve been made by students Mike. They read more like some of the better thought out comments from over at ‘The Standard’. 🙂
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June 2, 2014 7:01pm
mikenmild

Allegedly by students, nasska. But it’s the internet so anything’s possible.
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June 2, 2014 7:08pm
nasska

A famous art collector is walking through the city when he
notices a mangy cat lapping milk from a saucer in the
doorway of a deli and he does a double-take. He recognizes
that the saucer is extremely old and very valuable, so he
walks casually into the store and offers to buy the cat for
two dollars.

The store owner replies “I’m sorry, but the cat isn’t for sale.

The collector says “Please, I need a hungry cat around
the house to catch mice. I’ll pay you twenty dollars for
that cat.”

The owner says “Sold,” and hands over the cat.

The collector continues, “Hey, for the twenty bucks I wonder
if you could throw in that old saucer. The cat’s used to it and
it’ll save me from having to get a dish.”

And the owner says, “Sorry buddy, but that’s my lucky saucer.
So far this week I’ve sold sixty-eight stray cats!”
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June 2, 2014 8:00pm

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