Trans-Tasman has been leaked copies of the draft 2014 manifestos.

TransTasman has obtained draft manifestos of most of the country’s political parties for Election 2014

National’s is all glossy photos o f John Key, with his most common comment at media briefings, “I wouldn’t want to go into details” emblazoned in Royal Blue.

Labour’s is much larger: “All Our Yesterdays” is a reproduction of Norman Kirk’s much thumbed “little red book” and an even more frequently thumbed copy of Nicky Hager’s “The Hollow Men,” with an inspirational photo of David Cunliffe wearing a miner’s helmet and a sugarbag, gazing into the future and holding a glass of pinot noir.

The Greens have some very serious stuff about eradicating child poverty for Maui dolphins and an intergalactic committee of experts for the eradication of climate change. The Greens have decided the way to stop people thinking they are wacky is to be very boring. They may have over corrected a bit.

We haven’t got anything yet on Peter Dunne, but early intelligence suggests a sort of reverse version of the Greens’ strategy.

Hailing a return to the days of Dick Seddon, NZ First leader Winston Peters is to announce a poll tax for Chinese immigrants.

ACT’s is Jamie Whyte’s written sequel to John Locke’s ‘Two Treatises on Government.’ In keeping with ACT’s philosophy, it is called Half a Treatise on Government.

Not a lot from the Mana-Internet Party yet: policy work thus far consists of a hurried email suggesting grabbing Kim Dotcom’s copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf; getting hold of Karl Marx’s Das Kapital, and “stick the best bits together.”

Heh, not bad,

Stuff reports:

It’s a familiar commuter nightmare for Wellingtonians: your trolley bus becomes detached from its overhead line, and you and everyone in the buses behind you are stuck while the driver gets out and hooks it up again. All that is about to end with the demise of the trolleys in 2017 – but not everyone is happy about the decision to scrap them.

They are expected to be almost five minutes faster during your morning commute and 10 minutes quicker when the roads have cleared at night.

They should leave you breathing air that is almost 40 per cent cleaner in just three short years, and be comfortable, modern, reliable and less of a drain on your pocket as a ratepayer.

They are hybrid diesel-electric buses – and after a near-unanimous vote by Greater Wellington Regional Council on Thursday, they are now the future of public transport in Wellington.

Like most Wellingtonians I have an emotional attachment to the trolleys, but the decision is a sensible one.

National announced at its conference, $212 million of funding for regional and local roads. This is additional funding on top of funding from petrol tax, and road user charges, and comes out of the partial sales of the SOEs. So it is swapping an investment in one type of asset (dams) for an investment in anothe rtype of asset – roading infrastructure.

The 14 roads are:

1. Kawarau Falls Bridge, in Otago
2. Mingha Bluff to Rough Creek realignment, in Canterbury
3. Akerama Curves Realignment and Passing Lane, in Northland
4. State Highway 35 Slow Vehicle Bays, in Gisborne
5. Normanby Overbridge Realignment, in Taranaki.
6. Whirokino Trestle Bridge replacement, in Manawatu/Wanganui
7. Motu Bridge replacement, in Gisborne
8. Opawa and Wairau Bridge replacements, in Marlborough
9. Taramakau Road/Rail Bridge, on the West Coast
10. Loop road north to Smeatons Hill safety improvements, in Northland
11. Mt Messenger and Awakino Gorge Corridor, in Taranaki.
12. Port of Napier access package, in Hawke’s Bay
13. Nelson Southern Link, in Nelson
14. Rotorua Eastern Arterial, in Bay of Plenty.

The first five are to begin construction this year and finish in 2016/17.

The next six to begin construction within three years.

The last three are to complete the design phase.

The Herald reports:

A diplomat accused of a sex crime was ordered out of New Zealand after invoking diplomatic immunity.

Despite attempts by the New Zealand government to haul the man before the courts, his home country refused to waive his immunity.

Under the Vienna Convention, diplomats cannot be arrested or detained in foreign countries.

The man, who was employed at a high commission in Wellington, was arrested by police after an attack on a 21-year-old in her Wellington home last month. He had followed the woman home.

Police told the Herald on Sunday they had sufficient evidence to charge him with assault with intent to rape, but had let him go as he was not able to be prosecuted under New Zealand law. He had also been charged with burglary.

It is understood the man — who was aged in his 30s and had interim name suppression — refused to give a DNA sample.

He had full diplomatic immunity, and left New Zealand.

As he will not be facing trial, surely the name suppression should now lapse.

And is there a reason the country he represents can not be named? It is a high commission, so that narrows it down to the Commonwealth.

The Herald reports:

Millionaire businessman Donghua Liu has hired a high-profile Queen’s Counsel to deal with any legal action from the Labour Party.

Aucklander Paul Davison, QC, is heading a team of advisers for Liu reviewing the property developer’s records following the comments of David Cunliffe this week.

The Weekend Herald understands this includes more than 30 photographs taken over 18 months linking Liu to Labour, including a fundraiser at an Auckland restaurant and a trip to China, where he hosted a Cabinet minister in 2007.

Labour may regret threatening Liu and the Herald with their lawyers!

This week is R:

Regulations govern conduct and a well-regulated society is a well-ordered and civil society.  But bring up the topic of government regulation and expect passionately polarised responses for or against more rules or less red tape.

Government regulation can be particularly controversial when the community is deeply divided over some regulatory choice that must be made, such as the rules affecting abortion, compulsory military service at the time of the Vietnam War, or to allow or ban the Springbok tour in 1961.  But a prime role of government is to find a response that best preserves community peace and cohesion.  A society without government regulation is a fantasy.

More generally, government laws and regulations can displace, for better or for worse, rules in privately-agreed arrangements for regulating conduct, such as employment agreements, school rules and rules governing gated communities.  They can similarly displace long-accepted common law rules.

Government regulations are sometimes categorised as social (eg abortion laws), environmental, or economic.  Views about their desirability differ, particularly through time.  A major change in recent decades in New Zealand, and elsewhere, has been a rise in restrictive environmental regulation offset by major economic de-regulation.

Today much government economic regulation is ostensibly aimed at stopping businesses from exploiting or misleading suppliers, employees, customers and investors.  Yet economic research finds that businesses may support some of this regulation, perhaps judging that it most hurts competitors.  For example, the regulation of quality can raise costs disproportionately for SMEs, hurting consumers overall.  Economists call this the capture theory of regulation.  However, the theory may not explain regulations that are opposed by business.

Another proposition is that governments care not one fig about interest group pressures or contributions to political campaigns, but regulate solely for the benefit of the wider community.  This is called the public interest theory of regulation.  A major regulatory textbook dryly observes that a large amount of evidence refutes this naïve proposition.

In contrast, the mainstream economic theory of regulation proposes that interest groups lobby for changes in regulations that will particularly benefit them and politicians respond rationally to these demand since they want to get re-elected.  Political parties merely differ with respect to their favoured constituencies and ideologies.  Outcomes can be difficult to predict since they depend on the voting balance between contending considerations, but the national interest is not centre stage.

Whether a particular regulation does best serve the overall community can be difficult to determine.  Economists use cost-benefit analysis for this purpose, but it has well-known limitations.  Any analysis should anticipate the Law of Unintended Consequences – the adage that intervention in a complex system commonly creates unanticipated, often undesirable, outcomes.

Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa has created a fart bomb generator, where you can add farts to any Youtube video.

It’s a fun way to draw attention to a serious cause – getting people to get tested for bowel cancer once they turn 50.

I’ve had fun adding some bombs to a few Parliamentary videos 🙂

Inventory at Keeping Stock has the latest example of a Labour MP mocking a National MP over their mental health. They used to do this a lot, until they got shamed into stopping, but Clayton Cosgrove is back at it again.

The Herald reports:

Public transport bosses in Auckland spent $356,000 to improve their public image – even as they lined up a special shuttle so staff don’t have to travel on buses and trains.

The marketing campaign came with the introduction of the new electric trains and was also intended to encourage people to “give the trains a go”.

It was revealed this week Auckland Transport has set up a regular private shuttle service to move staff between its Henderson headquarters and its central Auckland waterfront office.

The shuttle was intended as a time-saving measure for staff, but attracted criticism from public transport advocates because it leaves from and arrives at the same places used by the slower public transport options.

The $356,000 spending on the April campaign came as the shuttle service was being prepared for launch. The documents, released to the Taxpayers’ Union, show the campaign was intended to “increase positive perceptions towards Auckland Transport and our breakthrough projects”.

I’d rather they spend their money on actual trains, rather than on PR about the trains!

Life is pretty gear when you get handpicked to lead a multi-millionaire’s pet political party. Michelle Hewitson reveals:

She looked swish in the Internet Party official pics and I wondered whether she’d also been seeing a stylist but she said, no, she just “did a big shop”. Where did she do her big shop? “At Smith & Caughey’s.” Good heavens. Who paid? Dotcom? “Um, I’m being paid for the work that I’m doing.” I hope she spent a lot of Dotcom’s money. How much did she spend? “Oh, look, I don’t want to go into that. It’s expensive looking nice. You know. I’ve spent very little on clothes over the years.”

I wonder what other perks of the job she gets? Does Uncle Kim also give her a car?

She says Dotcom’s values are “aligned” to her own, but really? I asked if he was left-wing now — he did give 50 grand to the right-winger John Banks’ mayoral campaign — and she said she doesn’t go around asking people whether they’re left or right and he says he’s neither, he’s “up”.

Anyway, his wealth is okay because he made it as an entrepreneur and “I do think there’s a very big difference between the kind of person who’s climbed the corporate ladder to the top of the bank, making several million dollars a year off shareholders and workers … ” She said she wasn’t suggesting Dotcom’s money was made in an honourable way and John Key’s wasn’t. “No. But now that you mention it … “

What twisted values. She suggests that Dotcom made his money honourably despite being a convicted criminal, and facing extradition, while she regards someone who makes money for a corporate as somehow being an exploiter of shareholders and workers.

 was busy biting my tongue at the time. I’d had to put the recorder back on because she’d made me turn them both off and refused to say Another Word until they were. This was over an innocent comment made by the press sec, which I agreed not to mention because it was, honestly, of so little consequence, in my view, that it doesn’t require mentioning.

But, kaboom, a tremendous fuss blew up and I’m buggered if I know how it all came to be my fault. We might have got to some questions more to her liking if not for this carry-on. But by then we were all entirely fed up which each other — at least I was — and there was little point in going on.

Sounds like Harre is getting pretty brittle. She thinks she can accept Dotcom’s money, effectively be his paid advocate, yet not answer questions about him. Doesn’t work like that.

It’s not their fault. They have been conditioned by colonial oppression to be unable to resist the advertising, which of course must be banned.

The Rotorua Daily Post editorial:

Labour candidate Tamati Coffey no doubt learned a few lessons about politics and the importance of perception this week.

The former TV presenter organised a protest at Simon Bridges’ Tauranga office on Saturday asking for immediate action to ban oil and gas exploration in the West Coast Marine Mammal Sanctuary.

He said at the time the protest was not linked to the Labour Party and was a personal crusade. That point, understandably, was lost on many.

Those who gathered for the protest also appear to have been confused because many displayed their political affiliations.

A few days after the protest, Labour leader David Cunliffe said the party actually approved of oil exploration in the sanctuary if it was done responsibly.

In the wake of the statement, Mr Coffey said he stood by his protest “100 per cent”, but did appear to soften his stance to toe the party line.

On Saturday, he was calling for a ban on drilling within the sanctuary. Now he says he and Mr Cunliffe are “on the same page” in regard to oil exploration in the sanctuary – requiring the industry to have to prove it would cause no harm to the Maui’s dolphin before any new consents would be granted.

Apart from the stupidity of saying one must prove no harm (you can’t generally prove a negative), Labour’s policy is now much the same as National’s. Coffey led a protest against Simon Bridges, and then had his own leader pull the rug out from under him.

The Telegraph reports:

One of Greenpeace’s most senior executives commutes 250 miles to work by plane, despite the environmental group’s campaign to curb air travel, it has emerged.

Once again, it is do as we say, not do as we do.

The flights, at 250 euros for a round trip, are funded by Greenpeace, despite its campaign to curb “the growth in aviation”, which it says “is ruining our chances of stopping dangerous climate change”.

The Herald quiz is here.

Circulating by e-mail.

Christoper Snowden writes how in 2005 Bhutan banned tobacco sales:

Bhutan’s government enforced the tobacco ban with remorseless vigour using the full apparatus of a despotic state. Nevertheless, a 2011 study found a thriving black market and widespread tobacco use in all its forms.

Prohibition failed with alcohol. It has failed with drugs. It has failed for several thousand years with prostitution. Yet some people think prohibition will succeed with tobacco!

The PM of Bhutan said in 2012:

the simple fact that prohibition has never worked and will not work. That’s why a black market quickly (and effectively) established itself in spite of the draconian provisions of the existing Act. That’s why, in the year since the Tobacco Control Act came into effect, many people took their chances despite the stiff sentences in it. Of the many, 84 people got caught. And of them, 39 people have already been sent to jail. 

So they jailed people for selling tobacco, yet it still didn’t work.

Bhutan’s second parliament is likely to set the history of ‘ban lift’ as it takes steps to do so one after another. Very recently the country lifted ban on import of furniture [!!! – CJS] and alcohol.

Now the country’s Upper House resolves that ban on import of tobacco must end. In a majority resolution on Monday (3 February 2014), the house said ban on import and sale of tobacco products must end to control the black market.

The Herald editorial:

It is common in election years for political parties under pressure to attempt to shoot the messenger. In 2005, the Herald was stridently criticised and accused of bias by National supporters for our reportage of Dr Don Brash and the Exclusive Brethren. In 2008 it was the turn of Winston Peters and his New Zealand First people to call for resignations of the editor and political editor for the inconvenient revelation of funding from millionaire Owen Glenn, despite his “No” sign. Last election it was National partisans again, livid at the Herald on Sunday and Herald for John Key and John Banks talking openly before a microphone accidentally left on their “cup of tea” table in a cafe.

This year it is the turn of Labour and its leader, David Cunliffe, incensed at reporting on the donations to the party and its MPs by the controversial Chinese migrant Donghua Liu — and that party’s connections to him.

When you upset everyone equally, you’re probably doing fine.

I would dispute however that the microphone was accidentally left there, but that is ancient history.

Investigations editor Jared Savage began his reports in March on Donghua Liu and the circumstances of his being granted citizenship. The focus then was on Liu’s donations to National after his citizenship was approved by a National minister against official advice. Savage then revealed Liu had been charged with domestic violence, followed by the revelation that National’s Maurice Williamson intervened in Liu’s case by contacting the police — which led to Williamson’s resignation as minister and criticism from some in National of the Herald’s story.

Savage then learned Liu had made donations to Labour as well in 2007, the party claiming no record of such funding. 

This is what is hilarious with the people suggesting the Herald is trying to smear Labour. The story was a story about National, and damaging to National. It just happens that Labour waded in and got all sanctimonious, and then it transpired that they had also been advocating for Liu, and accepting donations from him. It was luck, not planning, that the story ended up biting them.

The core issue remains, however: At a minimum, removing Mr Barker’s China trip and a donation to a rowing club the MP’s daughter belonged to, Labour faces Liu’s claim that he made $38,000 in donations to the party and anonymously through MPs.

Yep. And where did the money go. Hopefully we will find out in time.

Stuff reports:

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett admits the Government “took a punt” on sweeping welfare reforms targeting youth, relying on little more than common sense.

But a new report appears to have validated that gamble, showing significant inroads have been made toward breaking the cycle of welfare dependency.

Ministry of Social Development figures released yesterday showed 16 and 17-year-olds on a benefit accounted for 70 per cent of the ministry’s future welfare liability.

By June 30 last year, that welfare liability was $76.5 billion, $7.4b lower than forecast, with $4.4b of the savings directly related to the reforms.

Hopefully that is just the start. The benefits from having a young person spend most of their life in work, rather than on welfare, is immense.

Just 18 months in, the Youth Services Programme has already seen a reduced risk of long-term benefit dependency among participants.

Most youth in the programme were also achieving at least NCEA Level 2 and had “improved social outcomes” for them and their children.

Ministry figures show that of those receiving the Youth Payment, 38 per cent were victims of domestic violence, 76 per cent had suffered emotional neglect and 5 per cent were either homeless or victims of sexual abuse.

“These are in general difficult and challenging young people,” Bennett said.

“You do not go and seek state support financially at 16 and 17 if you have had a blessed life in a warm loving environment, that’s been nurturing and had education as one of the foremost things of importance.”

And this has not been about just work testing people. It has been about investing money to help them get skills, get training, and have a pathway into work. It’s about spending money in the short-term to save in the long-term.

The Herald reports:

An investigation into irregularities within the Dunedin City Council’s Citifleet and Citipark departments is examining the disappearance of dozens of council vehicles, it has been confirmed.

The Otago Daily Times has learnt the probe was looking into claims a significant number of vehicles – possibly approaching 100 – had been sold, and some of the proceeds pocketed, over the past decade.

The council was said to have 205 vehicles, together worth about $1.9 million, in 2011, but there is confusion about how many were sold, and how many replaced, since as far back as 2001, the ODT understands.

The council was understood to have found a sizeable discrepancy between the number of vehicles bought and sold, and the number still owned by the organisation, after examining its records earlier this year.

This should not be able to occur. Checking assets against the fixed asset schedule should be part of the annual audit. There is a serious problem with their controls, if they can lose perhaps a few dozen cars and not notice!

Audrey Young reports:

Charlene Reid is what you might call a rockstar among teachers.

It’s not what she would call herself.

She is just getting on with it at what used to be an ordinary school in the Bronx district of New York where she is Head of School.

But she is being noticed for the results being achieved there.

It’s a charter school, privately run but publicly funded, and fees cannot be charged to the parents. …

In state-wide testing, it was ranked the highest K-8 charter school in New York state and fourth among all.

The other top five were schools for gifted and talented or specialty schools that can choose their students. At BCSE they don’t. Anyone from the local area gets precedence. If there are 60 applicants from the area, they get automatic entry; if there is more, there is a ballot. About 10 per cent of the students have special needs.

Isn’t that a stunning result. Up in the top five with schools restricted to gifted students, and they’re in the Bronx and have 10% special needs students.

Having high expectations, said Reid, was a big feature of her school’s success.

“Expectation, confidence and attitude that you can deliver. I don’t think any teacher goes into the classroom saying they want a kid to fail. I think what happens is that you don’t know how to get a child to learn, then it is very difficult to look at yourself and say ‘I’m the reason why’.

“What we’ve done here at BCSE is we have pointed the finger at ourselves and said if it is not working, it’s our fault. It’s nobody else’s fault. We took this job on. We are educators.

“We are going to figure it out. We are adults. There is no way you should blame a child who has only been on this Earth 60 months if they can’t read or they can’t write or that they’re poor or their parents were educated or they live in a particular environment.

This is what I find so appalling by the apologists for poor performance on the left. Their worldview is that poor achievement is all about the family’s income, and that you shouldn’t expect students from poor backgrounds to be able to achieve at the highest level. The bigotry of low expectations.

This principal shows what you can achieve when you don’t buy into that.

Photo by Scott Hammond/Fairfax.

Enter your captions below. As always they should be funny, not nasty.