A guest post by Assoc Prof Bob Lloyd, director of Energy Studies at Otago University:

I think the time has come to ask, “Just who is crazy when it comes to the arguments for and against exploring for oil off the NZ coast?” The numbers coming from climate change scientists vary from very scary to the “Oh shit it’s too late” variety. The very scary numbers suggest we have around two decades to decarbonise the world’s economy. The “too late” variety come from people like NASA scientist Jim Hansen, who researched the earth’s past climate to obtain a safe CO₂ limit of 350 ppm in the atmosphere. We are now close to 400ppm. Hansen’s numbers suggest we should stop all CO₂ emissions now and sequester carbon by tree planting and burying biomass as carbon in the soil.

To ensure a habitable climate for future humanity and provide energy for our continued social existence we must stop carbon dioxide emissions and start the transition to a sustainable energy economy. With the present (unsustainable) world economy so closely linked to fossil fuel use, it would be very difficult to stop all emissions immediately. Even Jim Hansen realises this. Some years ago he suggested a transition program where developed countries should close down all coal-fired power plants by 2020 and developing countries do the same by 2030. Hansen opposes any further exploration or exploitation of non-conventional hydrocarbons. There is no evidence that his advice is being followed.

I’ve been looking at these problems for years: it has made me very pessimistic. My pessimistic reputation led to a group of university students giving a lecture titled “Cheer up Bob”: they argued that change was possible — and that they were up to the challenge. From this grew a local consortium that wants to prevent exploration for deep sea oil and/or gas by Anadarko and Shell. This oil and gas is not part of the world’s known reserves: by all scientific accounts it cannot be used if we are to keep our climate habitable.

This proactive, enthusiastic Oil Free Seas Flotilla group wants to prevent human distress and suffering. It wants to preserve the earth’s climate for future generations. It wants an orderly transition to sustainable energy sources that don’t emit the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. The group does not want to shut down the world economy by preventing all existing emissions. Members are not protesting the existing extraction of known resources in Taranaki. They realise we need clear market signals that transition from fossil fuels is the only sensible choice. NZ progress depends on our investment in wind energy, solar energy and biomass resources.

The opposition to deep sea oil drilling is not against the use of conventional oil, especially for purposes that don’t emit carbon into the atmosphere. In fact the best use of remaining oil reserves may well be for construction materials, pharmaceuticals, fertiliser production and lubricants. Future generations may disbelievingly ask their parents, “You actually used to burn this valuable stuff?” 

Because natural gas is a lower greenhouse gas emitter than coal by around 50%, the use of gas in power stations is preferable to coal. Yet as world gas use is still increasing, in ten years the emissions reduction will be wiped out. In addition, gas substitution for coal doesn’t focus on a shift to sustainable energy sources in the short time available. Such a substitution also delivers profits to the very companies — such as Anadarko and Shell — that will invest in yet more oil and gas exploration and so again deliver more CO₂ into the atmosphere.  We have to stop the cycle of fossil fuel dependence, not extend it. The gas transition argument is not valid.

So is the protest against oil drilling crazy, or are the people ignoring climate change deluded? New Zealanders must answer this urgent question. Are short term profits for a few worth the incredible risks involved to all?  Vested interests want to continue the status quo, by using all the oil, gas and coal until the earth is wrung dry by fracking, deep sea oil and gas extraction and mining the dirtiest coal. The two thirds or so of existing fossil fuels that cannot (should not) be extracted add up to hundreds of trillions of dollars of profits. But what do profits mean when the earth is uninhabitable? Or more to the point, what do dollars mean when there is nothing to spend them on?

The failure of international climate change negotiations shows that world governments are incapable of acting on this issue. The visible signs of global warming increase every year. Why? Because governments focus on economic growth at all costs and are at the same time subservient to the fossil fuel lobby. Unless the general population of all countries, including NZ, express concern by protesting this insanity, governments will continue not to act.

I am not alone in my views. Another group, Wise Response, is a raft of prominent New Zealanders from a wide range of professions and backgrounds. It’s calling for a cross-party risk assessment of how best to future-proof New Zealand against the climate, energy and financial challenges posed by our fossil fuel dependent society. Wise Response will present a submission to Parliament in April. When their team arrives at the Beehive, they will have the future of all New Zealanders in mind: regardless of political persuasion.

Kiwiblog is generally happy to run occasional guest posts to air different points of views.

Bob Lloyd is with Wise Response.

Stuff reports:

He repeated his claim that it would be represented in Parliament, whether or not it achieved the 5 per cent MMP threshold for list seats, because a sitting electorate MP would join.

He would not name the person or say which party he or she represented, because of a confidentiality agreement, but it was not Harawira. The MP’s name would be revealed in June.

There are 70 electorate MPs. 42 in National, 22 in Labour, three in Maori Party, and one each in ACT, United Future and Mana. He says it is not Harawira. Well with respect, I’d say the claim is bullshit, and designed to make them seem relevant and undo the damage done from his vow to wind up the party and endorse another if not at 5%.

Banks is not standing again, and neither is Sharples nor Turia. None would be interested anyway, and no way Peter Dunne would do that. Flavell is co-leader of Maori Party and not going to defect to the guy seeking to do a deal with Hone.

So that leaves National and Labour. Dotcom hates John Key and National so it won’t be a National MP. So that leaves the 22 Labour MPs. I know some of them don’t like their leader, but none of them are going to jump ship to Dotcom – for the very simple reason they’d lose their seat. All but a few MPs win their seats because of their party, not because of them.

I guarantee you come June, they will announce the MP has decided not to join. Dotcom has a history of making fantastical claims, and without proof, they should be pretty much ignored.

Stuff reports:

Government claims that last year’s America’s Cup campaign has paid for itself more than twice over have been criticised by the Taxpayers’ Union.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce yesterday released an independent report into the “direct and indirect benefits” of entering the high-speed yachting regatta.

“From a $36m taxpayer investment, the evaluation shows an estimated positive impact of $87m to the New Zealand economy,” Joyce said.

However, Taxpayers’ Union executive director Jordan Williams said there was no reason to celebrate the funding of a sport for rich men.

“The analysis is based on the questionable assumption that private money would not have flowed into Team New Zealand without taxpayers coughing up,” he said.

Do you think the funding of Team New Zealand is a good economic decision?

Yesterday’s Emmerson cartoon. Very funny.

Seven Sharp had the great idea that as Kim Dotcom has started his own political party, and wants to basically pick the next Prime Minister, they’d ask him a few very simple and basic questions about the NZ political system. You can watch it here.

Here’s what he could and could not answer:

• No of MPs in Parliament – no idea
• No of parties in Parliament – 10 – wrong (8)
• Deputy Leader of Labour – Grant Robertson – wrong (David Parker)
• Deputy Leader of National – Bill English – right
• Most right party in Parliament – National – wrong (ACT)
• Most left party in Parliament – Mana – right
• 2nd on Mana’s list – no idea
• Most important NZ election in last 30 years – no idea

Also stay on for the segment at the end with Mike Hosking relating the phone calls he gets from Dotcom!

Yes that is frost on the ground. We left at 8.30 am and it was freezing – almost literally. Around 1 degree and it was nasty. My fingers were frozen and the wind bites through the jacket. The first 4 kms or so was very unenjoyable. But fortunately both the air warmed up, as did we. Next time I’m wearing full polar gloves, not fingerless gloves!

Well above the river.

And then closer to the river.

Then we hit some nice open country. We had 42 kms to cover in the final day but had to do it in three hours to make the shuttle so had one brief stop in Hyde only.

Once the day warmed up, it became easily the best of the days. Lovely sunshine, mainly downhill or flat and stunning scenic views.

We stopped to celebrate having done 150 kms. Yay.

I just love Central Otago views and you soak them up so much more when cycling through them than driving through them. Superb.

Just to prove I was on the trip also!

The memorial for the train disaster in 1943 near Hyde.

This was rather cool. At first I thought they might be statues as they looked so still and just standing guard. But eventually they flew off.

The last few kms are very straight, and fast.

More great scenery.

These km markers from the original rail line were very useful as you got to know where each town is in relation to them. The end at Middlemarch is at 64.

Often when cycling along, I reflected how amazing a train journey along here would have been.

Middlemarch has a few remains from the train line.

Yay, at the end. We ended up cycling 172 kms in 48 hours! As one of our party only started taking up cycling six weeks ago (and me only three months ago) this was a very good effort.

Then we had a shuttle bus take us back to Queenstown where we once again enjoyed great views, and excellent wind and tapas at Eichhardts.

Despite some challenging conditions, absolutely loved doing the Rail Trail, and already planning the next trail. For those thinking of doing it also, here’s some advice.

1. Do it in at least three nights, not two. It is hard going, unless you are an experienced cyclist. Almost everyone we met on the trail was surprised at the distances we were trying to do each day, and it left less time for entertainment
2. Make sure you have really really warm gear, no matter how sunny the day looks, but also ability to strip off if you get too hot.
3. Consider getting plastic bags to wear over your sock or shoes, in case it rains. Cycling in wet shoes and sock for five hours is not so much fun.
4. Stay in Clyde the night before if possible so you have an early start on Day 1
5. Have your valuables such as cameras and phones in a plastic bag in case it rains as panniers get soaked.
6. While only a 2% slope, be prepared for it to be a long slog up.
7. Don’t believe people who say it is all downhill after the highest point. It is mainly flat and downhill, but still has a few sections with an uphill gradient
8. Try and stay at Muddy River Creek in Lauder and Kokonga Lodge if you can, with perhaps a night in Wedderburn between.
9. Definitely do the alternate route of the river trail to Alexandra in the morning, even though it is longer.
10. Trail Journeys were very good on customer service and helpfulness, but their administration was a bit loose as the booking for a shuttle back to Clyde was wrong. So double check all the bookings, but the staff were good sorting the problems out.
11. Definitely go do it – the scenery is amazing, and far better than photos can portray.

NZTA have published a list of the top 100 high risk intersections.

Wellington’s most dangerous intersection is only at 32 nationally – SH1 and Victoria Street at the Inner City Bypass.

Next at 43 is corner of Courtenay Place and Taranaki Street.

86 is corner of Ghuznee Street and Cuba Street.

Overall pretty good for a major city.

Maryan Street has done a release stating:

The absence of New Zealand from a world map that formed the backdrop for a leaders’ photocall at The Hague Nuclear Security Summit pretty much nails John Key’s contribution to disarmament, Labour’s Disarmament spokesperson Maryan Street says.

Some Italian graphic designer didn’t include NZ in a pixellated map of the world at the summit, and Labour thinks this is basically the fault of John Key!

Do they really think this wins them votes?

Stats NZ reports:

Exports of primary products led the rise in total goods exports in February 2014, Statistics New Zealand said today. This includes rises for milk powder, logs, and sheepmeat exports.

The value of exported goods rose $663 million (17 percent) to $4.6 billion in February 2014, compared with February 2013. …

The trade balance for February 2014 was a surplus of $818 million (18 percent of exports). This is the highest-ever trade surplus for any February month and compares with a surplus of $432 million (11 percent of exports) in February 2013.

Not bad. Look at the last six years or so here.

Seasonally adjusted imports are at much the same level as 2008, while exports are around $7 billion a year higher.

Richard Prebble writes in The Letter:

Maybe the Fairfax media is right that ACT will do exceptionally well. In the Herald poll ACT has gone from zero to .8%. As a percentage increase that is an infinite increase. Projected forward at that rate of increase ACT could govern alone. That statement is no sillier than the commentary the Herald has run on its poll. We are not trumpeting ACT’s spectacular rise because the margin for error in the poll is 3.5%. so ACT might already be on 3%.

That isn’t right. It is a common mistake.

The margin of error normally quoted in a poll is the maximum margin for a result of 50%. It is far less for smaller results such as 0.8%. In fact a 0.8% result for a poll of 1,000 has a margin of error of 0.6% so the 95% confidence range is 0.2% to 1.4%.

Evan at a 99.999999% confidence interval the margin of error for 0.8% is only 1.7%. There is no way at all ACT can be at 3%, just on sampling variation.

Steve Braunias at Metro interviews Colin Craig. Some interesting aspects:

• Recently lost 30 kgs
• Ran an accountancy firm when he was 23
• Daughter is home schooled
• Met his wife in the Auckland University quad
• Shops for specials at Pak N Save and $2 shop
• As a kid negotiated with his father for pocket money to be increased from $1 to $1.50 a week
• Wrote poetry at school
• Likes scifi and fantasy books such as Prince of Thorns
• Once took part in the Diplomacy (board game) world championships

The Herald reports:

Hamilton council faces legal action if it decides to reinstate fluoride to the city’s water supply today.

It is expected Hamilton City Council will follow a referendum which showed residents want reinstatement, despite half of the councillors voting fluoride out of the water last year.

Today’s vote was deferred until the council knew the outcome of legal action by the New Health group against South Taranaki District Council for adding fluoride to drinking water in Waverley and Patea.

New Health argued that adding fluoride breached people’s right under the Bill of Rights Act to refuse medical treatment.

Earlier this month, High Court judge Rodney Hansen ruled South Taranaki had the legal power to fluoridate the water, but yesterday, New Health filed a notice of appeal in the Court of Appeal against the decision.

Now, Safe Water Alternative New Zealand (Swanz) has put Hamilton City Council on notice of a judicial review if it decides in favour of fluoridating tap water again.

Fine. They’ve lost once in court, and they’ll lose again.

The warning comes as the 13-strong council decides on the results of the non-binding referendum, in which 66 per cent of the 37,276 voters supported fluoridation.

Swanz co-ordinator Trevor Crosbie said the council was obligated under the Local Government Act to consult the public on the significant issue before making a decision.

They have. It’s called a referendum.

The Press reports:

The controversial $230 million Haast-Hollyford toll road is gaining momentum with its international investors visiting the West Coast this week to meet community leaders.

However, plans to apply for resource consent were on hold until a dispute was resolved over claims that part of the 136 kilometre proposed route was a paper road that officials illegally removed from maps nearly 40 years ago.

Two representatives from Australian-registered investment company JCP gave a breakdown of the road’s financial projections at a meeting at West Coast Regional Council yesterday.

John Lunbeck, a San Francisco-based JCP partner, said the new route would meet rapidly growing demand for access to South Island’s wilderness.

Its total cost was expected to be “no more than $230 million” but extra funding was available.

The toll fee would start at $35 per traveller, almost double the previously suggested $20 a head, and would generate about $30m in the first year, based on predictions of 800,000 to 900,000 travellers. That toll would increase by $5 every five years for 30 years and traffic was expected to grow by 6 per cent annually.

Haast Hollyford Highway chairman Durham Havill, a former Westland mayor and the road’s strongest proponent, told the meeting that the road would have huge benefits for the West Coast and Southland.

It would double West Coast tourism, provide 1500 construction jobs over its four-year build, shave 355 kilometres and four to five hours off the trip between Haast and Milford Sound and offer a new South Island tourist loop, he said.

I’d pay $35 for that in a second. Compare that to not spending five hours in a car – very cheap.

3 News reports:

Internet millionaire and alleged cyber-pirate Kim Dotcom has admitted owning one of the rarest pieces of Nazi memorabilia in existence.

On the eve of the launch of his Internet Party, Dotcom has confirmed he purchased one of the first copies of Adolf Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf, signed by the man who went on to establish the Third Reich.

It is one thing to read Mein Kampf. It is widely available. But to buy a rare first edition personally signed by Hitler is incredibly suspect, and very bad taste when done by someone of German nationality. To do a comparison, could you imagine a Cambodian buying an signed copy of the memoirs of Pol Pot?

“Let me make absolutely clear – I’m not buying into the Nazi ideology,” says Dotcom. “I’m totally against what the Nazis did. I did buy a cigar holder off Churchill and a pen off Stalin.”

There’s a big difference between a pen and the book which was used at motivation for genocide of around six million Jews.

Whale Oil has more details:

On May 21 2011 Alex Mardikian sat down for breakfast with Kim Dotcom in Spain. …

Dotcom asked what Mardikian thought about the fact he now owned a book written by “the greatest German who has ever lived”.

This is an on the record statement from Mr Mardikian. I am sure it is denied, but then you have to judge the motives of the two parties. What reason would Mardikian have to invent such a quote? Not hard to think of the reason you would deny it.

But there is more:

Further investigations by WOBH have revealed that not only does Kim Dotcom own a signed and autographed copy of Mein Kampf, one of the rarest copies on the market, but he also possesses other Nazi memorabilia.

One item is a Nazi flag, that until recently was displayed in the cellar of his mansion at Coatesville.

This presumably can be substantiated also. It either was or was displayed.

The flag was given to him on his birthday in 2011 by one of his guests at his birthday party.

At the time of the birthday and the gift Kim Dotcom exclaimed to all in attendance that this was “the best present he had ever been given”.

He profusely thanked the guest repeating over and over how happy he was to have received the flag. Again his closest confidantes remonstrated with Dotcom over the flag and he shrugged off the criticism by claiming it was all a big joke.

There were lots of guests at that party I assume, so again should be easy to verify if this is correct or not.

WOBH can confirm that the flag is still in the possession of Dotcom because in the days after the raids two staff were tidying up ahead of the arrival of John Campbell and his cameras. They were going to tour the mansion for a soft piece on the aftermath of the raid.

Those two staff thought, rightly, that the flag wouldn’t look good on television and so folded it up and put it away for safe keeping in some boxes also stored in the cellar.

One former staff member spoken to by WOBH (who wishes to remain anonymous due to ongoing threats from Dotcom) in our ongoing investigations of the REAL secret life of Kim Dotcom has told us that regularly, at dinner, Nazi salutes would be made and Nazi chants like “Heil Hitler”  and “Sieg Heil” were made, especially if the guests were mainly German.

The former staff member is unnamed, and again it is he said vs he said but what is the chance that both Mr Mardikian and the former staff member are both making it up, especially when combined with the fact that Dotcom did buy a signed copy of Mein Kampf and did keep and display a Nazi flag given to him?

Will this be enough to scare Hone Hawarira off the Dotcom Party? I don’t think so. The only demand Mana have made of Dotcom is that he agree to vote to get rid of National if they get MPs in Parliament. Of course the aim of the party is to get rid of National, as they want a sycophantic Government to replace them that will decline Dotcom’s extradition if the  courts find the extradition order is valid. So I am sure the Dotcom Party will in turn soon declare they are committed to getting rid of National, and then we’ll see how much control Hone has over Mana and can he get them to agree to an effective merger.

UPDATE: Tim Fookes at Newstalk ZB writes:

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to own war memorabilia , nothing at all, a lot of people would have war medals and the likes.

But in my opinion, there’s something quite despicable about wanting to own items belonging to the enemy, and in this case one of the most revolting excuses for a human being ever to walk on this earth, Adolf Hitler.

There’s something abhorrent about having a desire to own something as offensive to so many people, as Mein Kampf, and not only own it, but get a signed copy.

It speaks volumes about Kim Dotcom, or let’s quit calling him that, let’s call him by his real name Kim Schmitz.

Because he is German and appears in stark contrast to most Germans I’ve ever met who are ashamed beyond words about the behaviour of Hitler and his supporter. …

It may not just be that, there are reports circulating that he owns a Nazi flag and other memorabilia too, which poses the prospect that he could be a Nazi sympathiser.

With the launch today of the Internet Party, I’d hope New Zealanders will turn their back on Kim Dotcom in our droves and tell him ‘we don’t want you here, you are offensive’.

I hope that will happen, sadly though, I think he’ll get naive supporters who thinks what he’s doing is shaking the system, sticking the finger to the government, there will be that fringe element of support he’ll get.

You may say I’m overreacting, but I cannot believe he has the nerve to sit there smirking away as he admits he owns that book.

The apologists for Dotcom on this one will end up embarrassed, as more comes out.

Started off around 9 am and popped into the cafe at Lauder to get some food to eat while cycling as 21 kms to the next cafe.

A rare bridge that is curved!

The view from the bridge.

At times the scenery looks like you are in the US West. On the first day we saw an actual cowboy – well a guy on a horse with cowboy hat and neckerchief. I observed this section would be ideal for an ambush by Indians!

This is the former campsite of the tunnel makers.

And the first of two tunnels. You are advised to use a torch and to walk through. I did neither 🙂

It is a bit scary in the middle, as you really can’t see anything but a distant light and if one did ride into the wall it would be very painful!

After this it started to rain and rain heavily. We got soaked. Even worse it was raining from above and below. In the stretch before Oturehua it was basically a five km long puddle, which with no mudguards just sprayed water upwards non stop. My feet got drenched.

We had an early lunch at Oturehua. The plan was to lunch at Wedderburn but we needed hot soup and pasta now. Dried off slightly, and then headed back onto the trail with it raining even harder. Fair to say we’re all wet, cold and a bit miserable.

But then after half an hour or so, the rain (mainly) stopped. This was very welcome!

Those old bridges are like human vibrators. Very jarring as you go over them, but fun.

A cute tint cottage in the trees.

And finally after a long slog up the hill, we’re at the highest point. There’s snow on the hills in the distance and it is damn cold.

Downhills are fun! Less so on gravel. When doing 30 km/hr you really don’t want to fall onto gravel. Luckily I didn’t, but one close skid.

We stopped in Wedderburn for a drink at the pub and warmed up some more. We’re all still pretty cold so we decided that would be our last stop and just do the final 31 kms to Kokonga in one go.

Don’t think I’ll swim in that one.

Finally got to the very welcoming Kokonga Lodge.Peter Jackson stayed here when filming, and you can see why. Superb food and hospitality and a great fireplace.

In the shower my ankles were itching madly. Finally worked out it wasn’t craft insect bites, but the legs thawing out!

Had a very nice dinner, but was so exhausted I fell asleep at 9 pm. It was a hard 64 kms of riding with the weather, and we had a head on wind for the last 5 kms.

The final day is just 42 kms, but we have to be at Middlemarch by midday so an early start.

The Guardian reports:

Labor, which suffered a swing against it of about 9.5% to leave it with 27.4% of the vote, has also pointed to voter dissatisfaction with the power-sharing arrangement in Tasmania.

The federal opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said Labor’s formal relationship with the Greens was marked down by Tasmanian voters. Shorten said he could “foresee no set of circumstances that in the event that Labor was elected to government nationally, that we would go into a formal alliance with the Greens”. 

That’s a very strong statement, but reflects how deeply unpopular the alliance in Tasmania was.

A reader has sent in this design for a new flag. It’s, umm, very memorable. He explains it represents NZ with:

• Mountains to the sea
• Fertile land
• Birds
• Happy people
• Beaches
• Fish

Would be amusing to have as our flag just for the looks at Olympic Games when it goes up the flagpole for a medal!

A video from Vanguard Military School, one of the new charter schools. Doesn’t look like their students have an obesity problem!

Dr Jarrod Gilbert writes:

Out went the old school chief executive Barry Mathews and in came Ray Smith, a man with a ton of bureaucratic experience but none in corrections, and it was the latter that served him well. He has been bold and acted in ways that only the naïve can: unhampered by past failures or concerns. 

Suddenly we are focusing on trying to turn around the lives of prisoners. In short, we are helping them and not just housing them. The culture shift that this requires inside prison walls is one I could not have believed if not for seeing it with my own eyes. The fear, of course, is that all of this will be seen as going soft on crime. And will the electorate support that when for years it has been told ‘lock ‘em up’ is the answer?

Smith is not some mad maverick acting alone, his bravery reflects that of his minister and the government. Smith is overseeing a policy of reducing reoffending by 25 percent over five years. Those aren’t just statistics. Every person who doesn’t reoffend means at least one less victim of crime. 

Former Labour Party President Mike Williams, now with the Howard League for Penal Reform, says Anne Tolley is the best Corrections Minister NZ has had.

This will be one of the interesting elements of this election. What part will crime and justice policy play? Can the National Party, who has done so incredibly well in this area, convince the people that this U-turn is actually in everybody’s interests?

Here’s were I disagree. I don’t think a focus on rehabilitation and a tough line on criminals who do keep reoffending is contradictory or a u-turn. You rehabilitate those you can, and lock up those you can’t.

News.com.au reports:

He then lied to the nation — under parliamentary privilege — falsely claiming the charges against him were the work of vicious enemies out to cause his downfall.

But the sum total of disgraced former Labor MP Craig Thomson’s dirty deeds and deceit added up to just three months in jail yesterday — of which he served just two hours in the lock-up before being granted bail ahead of an appeal.

Thomson, 49, was given a 12-month prison sentence, but nine-months was suspended over two years.

That’s a light sentence, especially compared to what Taito Philip Field got.

The NZ Herald editorial:

That scenario was confirmed yesterday by Mr Harawira’s press secretary, who said the two parties would not merge but would share a list. The outcome, said Jevan Goulter on Facebook, could be two or three Mana MPs, “and we remain our own party”. It is almost superfluous to say that this would represent a new low in the defilement of MMP.

Two parties with little in common aside from an antipathy to John Key and covert surveillance would be guilty of a new level of cynicism based solely on mutual benefit. For Mana, there would be the prospect of boosted funding and a higher profile during the election campaign; for the Internet Party, a representation in Parliament that it could never achieve on its own.

One has to be careful about gaming the system too much. For example over the years several have suggested National split into two parties – one that stands list only and one electorate only, wit the outcome being National gets an overhang of around 40 seats and Government. But that has never been seriously contemplated as voters would backlash against such a manipulation.

The basic incompatibility of the two has been enunciated by Sue Bradford, the former Green MP who joined Mana in 2011 on the basis that it stood for self-determination and for all people on low or no incomes. She said she found it astonishing that the idea was even being considered. What Kim Dotcom stood for, said Ms Bradford, was “the antithesis of what Mana is about to me”. In her view, some people within Mana were looking for a shortcut to build the party, “but there aren’t any shortcuts to building a credible party or movement”.

Maybe if Hone turned up to Parliament more often, they’d get more publicity and profile?

The Dom Post reports:

Zealandia will become little more than a “cat food factory” unless something is done about wandering felines, the Wellington City Council has been told.

Hearings began today for submissions into the council’s draft annual plan, with philanthropist and anti-cat campaigner Gareth Morgan among the first to address councillors.

He advocated councils making micro-chipping mandatory for cats to determine ownership, so un-owned cats could be “zipped” and any pets caught wandering could be returned for a fee. There should also be a 24-hour curfew on cats, with them only allowed out on leashes.

Yes, cats only allowed outside on leashes. I can see that happening – not.