Foreign exchange fixing “as bad” as Libor
Something that doesn’t seem to have hit the newspapers here, but may turn out to have been significantly affecting little ol’ NZ is […]
Polity: Moral mandates in Europe
Rob Salmond at Polity highlights John Key’s naivety in politics. It isn’t hard because he is a poor amateur and largely unskilled. If he ever raised his eyes from golf and photo-ops for long enough to exercise his brain, then he could look at the governments of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
Open mike 10/02/2014
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Key’s transparent gerrymander
For John Key, MMP stands for “Manipulate Members of Parliament”. Senior journalists are beginning to call him on the games he’s playing, and good on them; gerrymander entered the New Zealand political lexicon at Key’s press conference this week. Key wants to push the issues away till closer to the election, when he’ll know what his polling is telling him – I hope the gallery don’t let him.
Damien Grant thinks tax fraudsters are more worthy than beneficiary fraudsters
Damien Grant has argued in the latest Herald that those convicted of tax evasion should be treated more leniently than those convicted of beneficiary fraud even though an average tax fraud case resulting in jail may involve eleven times as much money. Obviously wealthy people are somehow better …
5 Eyes’ cyberwarfare: Snowden
Leaked by Edward Snowden, a GCHQ slideshow for a secret spy conference. It outlines methods of cyber warfare and propaganda circulation. Mainly aimed at non-5 Eyes’ countries, the methods include infiltrating blogs, DOS attacks, propaganda via social media & manipulating journalists.
Open mike 09/02/2014
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It’s past time for fair employment laws
After David Cunliffe’s state of the nation speech at the end of January, the spotlight was, appropriately, on the big policy announcement he […]
A glorious waste of money for the titillation of perverts
The fiasco of the wet dick and the perverts shuddered to a conclusion yesterday with the direct bill of around $250,000. Len Brown was strong-armed into paying $40,000 for the audit which turned up nothing much except that his wife brought a lot of hotel nights. Questions remain about who was responsible for the waste caused by the lack of scoping of the external audit. Looks like dirty politics at the ratepayers expense.
Play it again John
John Key has welcomed Tony Abbott’s confirmation that Australia would extend access to students under the Higher Education Loan Program to long-term New Zealand residents in Australia. But this policy was announced eight months ago.
Open mike 08/02/2014
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just a voice
Brief occasional updates were requested on the public meetings being held in Dunedin. I’ll be straight up about this. I’m not altogether comfortable about submitting these posts because some readers might see the meetings as being synonymous with me. They’re not. But since I’m the only person with posting rights and because it wouldn’t be be appropriate to post an opinion under ‘notices and features’…
How to replace Tony Abbott with cats
Tired of seeing Tony Abbott’s mug in web pages on Australian politics? Well help may be just around the corner …
NZ Herald watch – history repeats
The NZ Herald has a long history of opposing Maori resistance and supporting colonisation. It has always been right wing with a strong commercial focus & MO. Yesterday it censored news of Waitangi Day protests. Today an editorial spins in slippery style, for the Govt’s failing PowerCo sales.
Open mike 07/02/2014
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Geoff Bertram on single-buyer for electricity
Economist Dr Geoff Bertram will analyse prospects for the single-buyer model for electricity on Tuesday 11 February in Wellington. Bertram has come under personal attack from the Electricity Authority for his analysis of price rises for power consumers. Fairfax analyst Chalkie calls the Authority’s report a “clever fallacious and deceptive.. politically led effort to discredit the Labour/Green single buyer policy.” Extraordinary. All welcome – register with the Fabians.
Some thoughts on Waitangi Day
Some thoughts on the nature of the Treaty of Waitangi and the need to continue with the treaty settlement process.
Tuwhera mike 06/02/2014
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Australian hissy fit at supermarkets
Australia again. I wish they would adopt an honourable and fair stance to New Zealand instead of using us whenever they want to gain advantage for themselves or throw a hissy fit. Now they are discriminating against our food exports in two large supermarkets, one of which has a large store ownership here.
Waldegrave responds to ‘Living Wage’ critique
Charles Waldegrave has slammed Brian Scott’s critique of the method used to calculate the Living Wage in New Zealand. He shows Scott’s critique, and that of the Treasury, lack an informed understanding of the definition of a living wage and confuse market wage rates and welfare transfers. The living wage level was set at $18.40 per hour in February 2013. Scott’s paper has been given prominence on Kiwiblog 3 January 2014
Myths of Waitangi Day – & Hikoi
The ratings driven MSM beat up dramas and conflict in relation to Waitangi Day – they continue to circulate myths about the Day. Morgan Godfery has blogged about those myths. Meanwhile, the hikoi to protect our seas and land continues. [update: Rachel Smalley]
Open mike 05/02/2014
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Key tells untruth about Waitangi – TV3 “dishonest” story coming up?
John Key was caught out today alleging that Governor General Jerry Mateparae was jostled at Waitangi, a claim that Mateparae disputed. I wonder how TV3 will handle this?
National’s policy working – under-employment at record high
Roy Morgan survey reports New Zealand under-employment – those working part-time but looking for more work – has jumped to a record high 11.3% (up 2.7%). Simon Bridges’ policies to create precarious employment seem to be working.
Send gummy bears to your representatives
Last night Lyn was regaling me with an advertisement on amazon for a 5 pound bag of “Haribo Classic Sugar Free Gummy Bears” with its 643 product evaluations. In this fine example of online consumerism, all appeared to agree that these really were some of the tastiest snacks around. In fact they were so good that many were suggesting that they got sent to all members of congress. Should we do the same for MPs? Then they might get the concept behind food labelling
Here’s an idea! Clean energy…
Anadarko fails to find commercially viable oil in Taranaki, and is now moving on to waste even more time, money and resources in the Canterbury basin. This is a big fail for John Key’s casino capitalist, speculative economic policy. And a fail for NZ’s people and environment. [update: Hikoi]
Sea Shepherd v the Institute of Cretinous Research
The Sea Shepherd fleet and the Japanese Whaling fleet are again engaged in battle on the south seas over the right to kill whales. The Institute for Cetacean Research’s spokesperson Glenn Inwood has claimed that the Sea Shepherd is totally in the wrong and the Japanese are completely within their rights. But how credible is this?
Open mike 04/02/2014
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Polity: National hypocrisy about hypocrisy
Somehow questions about how Metiria Turei wearing clothes from expensively ravaged visage of Judith Collins seem somewhat hypocritical. But Polity politely asks the second obvious question…
UN to NZ Human Rights – ‘can do better’
A draft UN report on human rights shows NZ has been slacking off. The government is glossing over its failings: eg on domestic violence, child protection, poverty, ethnic inequalities, discrimination, disability rights, government abuse of urgency. Collins focuses on punishment, surveillance.
Dear RadioNZ – the largest party does not necessarily win the election
Radio New Zealand this morning keeps saying that National could “win” the election but struggle to form a Government. This statement suggests that the Country’s foremost current affairs radio station may be struggling with the concept of MMP.
Open mike 03/02/2014
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Latest TV3 poll
Details of tonight’s “game changer” TV3 poll are out.
National’s election year strategy and designer jackets
National’s attacks on Metiria Turei appear to me as being deliberate and programmed rather than an inconsequential argument on the cost of designer jackets.
Open mike 02/02/2014
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John Key: telling it like it isn’t
John Key says that the Greens make personal attacks: calling for ministers to be sacked. This is hardly a diversionary personal attack unlike the nastiest of Key’s cheap point scoring . The Greens “go hard” in focusing on relevant issues: public transport, environment, poverty & inequality gap.