Cactus Kate

Tweets From NYC

2012-01-27T03:04:00.001+13:00

Real. And an endorsement for the i-phone all at once.

See the Texts from NYC are real after all.

Thankfully Julia Wasn't Wearing Louboutin's

2012-01-27T01:21:00.007+13:00

This is a shot of Julia Gillard being rescued after falling over due to running from the baying mob of heaving pathetic tent-pitching underclass and random shit-stirrers in Australia.

All Tony Abbott said that is was time for a bunch of squatters to leave after FORTY years!! His words were "time to move on". Hardly inflammatory.

Already the underclass and their supporters are spinning like tops through social media.

"We didn't know she was in the building"

"We didn't mean for her to be involved"

Bottom line is this is why there is no such thing as a guaranteed peaceful protest. When you get a mob of people together things are always unpredictable. Their entire purpose is to intimidate in numbers with charging, shouting actions. If you haven't seen one in real life I suggest visiting even a small protest in New Zealand. Here is a report from the Occupy protest that I witnessed. The columnist took poetic license as I maintain that he was in fact the one who baited the crowd.

Sue Bradford for example has mastered the art of being non-intimidating and polite. She even comes over and chats to the various right-wingers around at the time. The rag tag bunch that she leads however have no such grace. Any slight deflection from Sue's command and it would turn into a shit fight.

Today the Aborigine ferals and their masters went out looking for a fight.

Earlier today one of the tent embassy's founders, Michael Anderson, addressed a rally at the site.

"To hell with the government and the courts in this country. You haven't got a high hope to take us on," he said.

"We will force these issues. Too many of our families have suffered for some bastard to get in the road."

These are not peaceful words. No courts, no government so the only words are violent barbaric ones.

They will get zero sympathy in Australia for their thuggish actions. I predict Abbott's polling will go up as he told it like it is. Although Gillard was gracious in ensuring Abbott shared her security detail as shown in this clip.

I am no fan of Julia Gillard but for a woman to be scared of her safety such that she panics and her reasonably flat shoe falls off, is disgusting. I would say the same if it was Helen Clark and I will say it for Gillard.

Update - own goal. It appears one of Gillard's staff tipped off the protestors that Abbott would be in the building, therefore responsible for endangering the Boss if you are not going to blame the ferals outside. Fired. But will they be re-hired later?

Ashleymadison.com Review

2012-01-26T23:10:00.001+13:00

Found this gem of a website Ashleymadison.com which encourages hook-ups for married persons wishing to enjoy casual sex. They came out with a survey in New Zealand about what sort of person cheats.

A reasonable sample survey has given me enough data to comment on what sort of man is a cheater:

National voter - only small sample size here due as I find most too left wing

Owns a PC - most own Apple now. Or are too old to use a computer.

Meat Eater - definitely, vegetarians don't even deserve a wife.

Has a tattoo - only one of those.

Smokes - never gone near a married man who was a smoker.

Christian - as I never discuss religion, pretty hard to tell however none seem too devote else assume they wouldn't come near me.

Fairly inaccurate I would say. Although it has been 18 months or more I think, since I went near a married man so am out of practice somewhat.

Ashleymadison.com doesn't seem to have come to Hong Kong yet. But I tried it for research purposes signing up to the New Zealand site as I am sure many did today.

Conclusion:

Totally fucked up. Sorry, not my thing and I cringed through it. It is like a smorgasbord of persons promoting themselves with complete and utter bullshit. It is worse than the lies someone will spout at a bar. Most people have an ambition ability gap and hello - men without their shirts on as their profile shot....unless you are Sonny Bill, just don't.

Limits? Anything goes....Jesus. Of course it doesn't. And if it does, perhaps not cool.

Swingers. No, there is a difference between someone who doesn't care that their partner is already married and a fucking swinger.

No fun if there is permission granted. Never understood swinging.

"Just an average Kiwi guy" - yeah, who wants to root around on their wife.

"Being a little older, am at a point of life where "it is not all about me". As much if not more pleasure comes with working with a lady to achieve a physical high for her" - yeah, your wife doesn't put out anymore does she? So it really is all about you.

"Older men take more time" - really?

"I live in Auckland but Travel to Napier regular. Want a no strings relationship.Live and work at home so am available during day if interested in just sex. Very up front with what I want.And I think I have as much chance of anyone replying to this add as flying to the moon next week". - at least realistic, although Virgin flies to the moon now.

"Discreet lover" - hello, your picture is on an internet dating site and you claim to be married!!

A BBC? That's like another language. I found a hell of a lot of new acronyms. Didn't understand most of them. Then I put my dirty thoughts cap on and googled and found the real meaning of BBC. Jesus wept. NSA? An Accounting firm where I am from.

Conventional Sex, Light Kinky Fun, Curious - Domination, Fetishes, Spanking, Blindfolding, Experimenting with Tantric Sex, Erotic Tickling, Experimenting with Sex Toys, Threesome, One-Night Stands, Open to Experimentation, Erotic Movies, Aggressiveness, Gentleness, Good with Your Hands, Sensual Massage, Extended Foreplay/Teasing, Likes to Give Oral Sex, Likes to Receive Oral Sex, Lots of Stamina, Kissing, Cuddling & Hugging, Sharing Fantasies, Sex Talk

Looking for discrete fun with those who like a BBC. I can be very unselfish in bed and satisfy you multiple times while holding back. Have a few kamasutra techniques up my sleeve too!

Yeah we get the picture - you are a dirty root bag. If you were a woman you would be called a slut.

The winner goes to the man spiky_one who proclaims "& I like 2 eat pussy". Gee thanks for that.

One man's picture is of his behind with his hand in his pockets wearing suit pants and business shirt.

Some are just confused. Do you drink or not. You can't even tell the truth about that.

Travel, Fine Dining/Candle Lit Dinners, Cooking/Barbequing, Physical Fitness, Cottage Country, Boating, The Outdoors/Nature, Romantic Walks, Long Drives, Wine Tasting, I Do Not Drink, I Am a Social Drinker

What I cannot understand is openly married men using their own pictures! Surely not. I am quite mortified at their stupidity. Ditto picturing yourself in undies in front of the mirror. Bad.

I have never quite understood internet dating/rooting.

Then it happened. As you were all expecting.

I found an ex of mine on it. Who either has the dumbest or most understanding wife in the world. #winning

New Zealand v Hong Kong Residency And Political Paranoia

2012-01-26T01:03:00.014+13:00

I have been following the colourful case of Kim Dotcom from afar and want to deliver a new perspective on it from the screeds already published in New Zealand. I wish to focus on this concept of residency and compare and contrast attitudes in the media and in politics to a case like Kim Dotcom.

I shall start from the premise that Kim is a total utter nutcase. Quite clearly slightly unhinged and eccentric as hell. He lives on another planet and makes Gareth Morgan look like a strong stable quiet individual. However none of the above should affect judgment on this case. Living in a region that is poorly served with legitimately available purchases of songs and DVD's (we have no iTunes or Apple TV devices available and movie releases in the theatre are months behind) I have some sympathy with the services provided by Megaupload to those who used it. If we can't buy it on a timely basis, pirating is the only way you can get your hands on it.

Kim has Hong Kong residency. A subject I know a bit about because next week I have made the seven year mark working in Hong Kong so qualify to apply for a permanent ID card and therefore have the right to live here without requiring a work permit. I will earn mine by physically working from a base here for seven years and being able to prove to authorities I have enough money to support myself and therefore not take welfare, health or education tax dollars. Mine will be a permanent residency.

There is another way to get residency in Hong Kong which I assume Kim took. That of the capital investment entrant scheme. After seven years under this scheme he could apply for what I am doing to gain permanent residency.

The most important here for our discussion is (d) - have no adverse record in both Hong Kong AND country/region or residence. Here is the declaration on the application form which would also include relevant background checks. It covers "elsewhere" so Germany:

Here are the stats on the scheme, most applicants are Chinese and plenty get turned away. Some 23% of the total were declined and 33% of foreign nationals. That is - money alone doesn't buy you a slot.

Applications can be declined without even a reason given. A final test of good character is usual in this and Hong Kong has a procedure here for declining without lawful reason and I guess even appeal.

And lying means the residency disappears.

New Zealand has a similar process of checks on applicants. Added to these checks, Hong Kong already made the checks on Kim Dotcom and he was granted residency here so New Zealand authorities could gain some comfort in that. That is another jurisdiction with a record of declining the applications of 1 in 3 foreign applicants passed him clean with the same background checks.

So the difference in New Zealand and Hong Kong

New Zealand
- sensationalist media coverage
- confusion between tests for OIO and residency
- Labour trying to make political mileage out of it
- NZ First trying to resurrect their support base with it
- calls for an inquiry
- public happy with compliance with US authorities demands
- talks of revoking residency

Hong Kong
- silent politicians
- barely made a ripple in the media
- public couldn't care less
- no one in the media or public has even questioned revoking his residency
- iTunes store doesn't even allow you in HK to legitimately buy music and movies, there is no Apple TV devices available for sale. Television shows are a mile behind the rest of the world and movies are released here months even after New Zealand
- Life goes on

As I have said many times, I do wonder about the health of New Zealand media and political obsession with such sensationalism when 6 nights out of 7 the leading headlines on the nightly news appear to be stories about weather.

And Labour should be a little more humble about the Kim Dotcom case. I recall Bill Liu, Whaleoil's expose, Liu's multiple identities and donations to the Labour Party. So will frontbenchers David Cunliffe and Shane Jones they will never forget Bill Liu. Neither will all Labour MP's old enough to have been around to facilitate the disaster.

Those who live in glasshouses should not be throwing rocks.

Auditors Put An End To Union Lies

2012-01-25T04:16:00.006+13:00

Ports of Auckland Fact Sheet - Ernst and Young

On December 2nd I published these figures after I requested them from Ports of Auckland.

The Stranded cried that the figures are wrong and launched personal attacks behind their shield of anonymity on everyone who dared question their Union mates.

On January 11th I suggested a recount based on Peter Kiely and Mike Williams and Waitakere.

The Ports of Auckland have done better.

Today they published a press release stating that Ernst & Young have audited the figures as correct. Here is the summary.

Team VRWC of Farrar, Whaleoil and myself have been vindicated and The Stranded and their Union mates look like a wet pack of lying sooks spreading misinformation. And still they keep spinning in the face of a big four audit.

Thanks to our team of VRWC blogs doing the job of journalists while our little paid press petals put their feet up in the wet that was the New Zealand summer, Unions can no longer run public misinformation campaigns of propaganda and smear in order to bring the public on their side.

Parsloe is whining that our actions are political, well of course they are bloody political. He's created a political shit storm, tried to bring Labour into it. Funded the Labour Party with his mates, and what does he expect now MUNZ are plain dirty liars? Does he expect the pro-employer hard right (and David Farrar) to sit back and take his shit? The mainstream media have created a gap in the marketplace because they are all still on holiday and we've filled it with facts. Audited facts.

They can no longer paint themselves as the good guys while they hold consumers to ransom. The Union can no longer be trusted with anything they say. MUNZ's credibility is shot and it is clear that the Good Old Boys are trying for one last gasp at workplace power grabbing hold of any politician to the left they can find in a desperate hope one of them will back their cause.

They won't because David Shearer is too smart to back racist, sexist, bully boy liars who are stuck in the past.

The day of racist and sexist Union bully boys running workplaces is firmly over.

What A Grand Idea

2012-01-24T05:40:00.004+13:00

Ms Reuben has given Paula Bennett her best idea yet.

Cut off benefits and give recipients a one way ticket to Australia.

A true win-win. And here for around US$137 for her and smaller for the children.

At just 26, in and out of employment and with a total of four children born into a situation that can be called voluntary poverty, this woman belongs in Australia. A richer country that thanks to an abundance of natural minerals can actually afford to fund this blunt instrument of a woman.

At 26 she has four children, ranging from a 12-year-old down to Te Rawhiti, who is just 13 months. She is in a Family Start programme run by Ngati Hine Health Trust, which invited her and about 80 others to a meeting with Ms Bennett about the green paper on vulnerable children.

Ms Reuben started her full-time role as a baby machine at age 14 by the calculations above. Instead of managing the situation by closing her legs and stopping when realizing any further children would be disadvantaged by her inability to master the Ph D required for modern day contraception, she popped out three more sprogs to a bloke or blokes who appear to have bolted.

Most 26 year olds are a couple of years out of University or Polytech and earning decent money even if they are working in a working class position.

Encourage Ms Reuben over to Australia so she can bludge off her mother and stop the breeding machine lifestyle she has been funded for by Paula Bennett failing to produce the sort of policy that clamps down on this attitude and this lifestyle being funded by people who read my blog.

"My mum is over there. She said there's a job sitting there for me. I've been out to employment before. But when I had to get childcare for my other children I was $40 better off working for a fulltime job, so it was not a win-win situation. It seems like a win-win situation just to go over to Australia, even though I don't want to."

Injured Shag Saved By Family

2012-01-24T05:26:00.003+13:00

Must have been a good shag then.

What I like about this story is that the family spent $2,000 to save the bird by flying it in a helicopter. If it is good enough for Michelle Boag to fly back in one to grab her passport on Waiheke Island I say it is good enough to do it for a shag. Thank God they stepped in else Gareth Morgan would have said he was going to save it, walked past and waited til its health was dire and only funded its funeral.

he injured pied shag was about to die in Sandy Bay, Port Charles, before it was rescued by the Davis family who paid $2000 to fly it to Green Bay's NZ Bird Rescue Trust.

Narelle and Gavin Davis' children, Ellie, 7, and Trent, 11, spotted the bird in front of their Sandy Bay bach three weeks ago.

''It was waddling up the road like a duck.

''He was just really really skinny and small,'' Narelle Davis says.

Lucky Whaleoil didn't see it. If it looked like a duck he would have run it over.

The story gets even better, the family had to save it from a pussy who wanted to have the shag.

'The biggest reason for making that decision was because I saw a cat that had been lurking around under our deck where the shag was and I could only guard him so much,'' she says.

''It was going to be a matter of time before the cat got him and we'd actually fallen in love with him.''

The Davis children have learned the most valuable of lessons.

Daddy's a big softie and if he spends $2,000 on a shag that looks like a duck and had to be saved from pussy they won't have any trouble getting what they want out of him in the future.

How Not To Treat Phoenix Fans

2012-01-24T05:10:00.004+13:00

Gareth Morgan thinks he is a bit of a K1W1 character. Fine, let him loudly shout at the top of his voice that he donates money to charity (despite evidence to the contrary), fund funerals for the homeless and go on expeditions to cold places to ride bikes. Let him sell his business tax free back to a taxpayer funded bank on an undisclosed valuation method, most of it containing his own funds to start with. Let him harp on about bringing in new taxes that he will never actually pay because by then he will be well retired off his son's bright idea. Let him lie about not wanting to own a business because, my God, it has 50 staff to manage because government has created the industry for him.

But when you own a football club and fans are not turning up to games, the last thing you do is make silly threats about moving the games when your most loyal fan base is still turning up.

What a dick.

Owning a football club in New Zealand is somewhat a labour of love, that's why Terry Serepisos did it, he loved the game and knew it was part-charity. Even if it was with someone else's money.

Now we have this loud mouth twat who you cannot call out without one of his cult followers screaming "tall poppy", spitting on Phoenix fans for not making him a return on his coin. Diddums. For a bloke who likes to have a good down-home and down to earth New Zealand reputation, and mouths off at those who he deems under the Book of Gareth to be full of themselves, he is behaving like a spoilt, full of himself dickhead.

Yesterday Mr Morgan said the consortium bailed out the Phoenix with the intention of making it a viable business but that would not be possible if people did not turn up.

Morgan should let them all in for free with the amount of tax free coin he has made from the taxpayer kindly buying his personal fund management business.

I mean for heaven's sake, it is not like he needs the money and he's giving so much of it away so loudly, surely Phoenix fans can benefit without threats made.

He bought in to the Phoenix along with a few other big-swinging dicks in Wellington for his own ego. He can lump it. Quietly.

Don't Mess With The Shock Jock

2012-01-23T23:24:00.002+13:00

"burly female" - You mean a fattie boomsticks Jock?

The case of Kim Dot Com will keep the NBR reporters in bad headlines and shock stories for a good year.

Leaked Labour Camp Schedule

2012-01-20T20:29:00.012+13:00

As part of the Vast Right Wing and Non Labour Left Wing Conspiracy (VRWNLLWC) I bring to you this official schedule for the Labour Summer Camp.

Documents that have been leaked to me however suggest that this schedule is just a front for what is really happening at the Labour Training Camp.

PROGRAMME

THEME: How the F**k Did We Lose So Many Votes To The Hippies?

FRIDAY 20 JANUARY 2012

3.30PM Arrival and time for you to confess and repent swearing on the grave of Michael Joseph Savage with new Dunedin North Labour MP Rev. David Clark if you did indeed split your vote and tick the Hippies.

5.30PM Summer School Opening Address

Jordan Carter - Introduction To The Enemy. Hippies and David P. Farrar

Policy Council Secretary and Representative to New Zealand Council. Labour candidate in 2008 and 2011. Jordan was instrumental in organizing Summer School as an annual event on the Labour calendar since 2003.

In this in-depth speech Jordan will explore the weaknesses and strengths of the two most evil forces against Labour in 2011. The Green Party and David P. Farrar. Jordan knows David P. Farrar better than any Labour Party member and has been chastised internally for hugging the Penguin. However today Jordan shares his decade of knowledge on the most evil force known to New Zealand politics.

5.45PM Housekeeping

Here Charles Chauvel will show you all how to make your bed properly. So you can tell the staff to do it for you later.

6.00PM Dinner

Our scrumptious three course meal will be prepared by in-house Chefs from the Auckland City Mission. Jacinda Ardern, fresh from a refresher course from her two day stint in New York almost a decade ago, will serve your meal. Entertainment from James Sleep and Michael Wood who will share with you the secrets of how to extract funding from your friendly corporate sponsors - the CTU/Maritime Union. Darien Fenton will be putting in a guest appearance showing you how to work a picket line while waiting for a handout.

7.00PM Welfare Reform

We have canned the guest speaker and instead will just watch a re-run of Inside New Zealand documentary commissioned especially for the Labour campaign by our mates.

8.30PM Debrief with David Shearer

David arrives refreshed from his mornings meeting with Garry Parsloe head of our corporate sponsor the Maritime Union and will be available to explain just how he became Leader when the membership really wanted David Cunliffe. It promises to be a stunningly open session where you can learn of David's time in Somalia fighting the evils of poverty by feeding the poor the skins of fresh fruit.

SATURDAY 21 JANUARY 2012

4.30AM Compulsory Bike Ride

Part-time Lower Hutt MP and Professional Cyclist Trevor Mallard will take you all for a compulsory bike ride through the roughest terrain he can find. Those of you who didn't bring bikes and instead took the one hour trip by car, can walk. This carbon friendly trail will show you the sort of discipline our Hippie friends had to win at the 2011 election.

5AM Coping With Loss

David Cunliffe will speak on his time dealing with disappointment. We haven't told him (or Greg Presland) yet but you will all be away biking with Trevor at the same time except those of you in wheelchairs or who are heavily physically impaired.

8.00AM Breakfast

If you still can stand after the compulsory bike ride our esteemed Deputy Leader Grant Robertson will serve you a Blanketman breakfast in honor of his favorite constituent. Just to get you all going for the day on a high.

9.00AM Dead At The Centre: The Third Way and Party Reform

Here Hayden Munro will bore and confuse the shit out of you all so no one will be left believing we can possibly prosper hogging National's centre ground. We are a left-wing party and proud!! Blair's bullshit has been exposed and he uses tax havens. Class traitor!

10.00AM Labour's Organisational Review

Our esteemed President Moira Coatsworth will explain how the Hippies infiltrated our core constituency, stole our donors, votes and volunteers. Input from Clare Curran. With SMOG advice from Darien Fenton. Our guest will be the anonymous authors of The Standard who always have a lot to say on this subject.

10.30AM Morning Tea

Enjoy your smoke while you still can. Discussion on Asset sales where CEO of Port of Tauranga explains how you can sell an asset and end up with way more than when you started. Quick session as we don't want mutiny!

10.45AM Beyond Migration - Multiculturalism in New Zealand

Dr Kathy Smits

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Auckland. Kathy’s research include political theory, identity politics, nationalism, and multiculturalism.

Kathy will explain to us why Labour shed votes to Mana and the Maori Party.

Wai Ho

Activist focussing on the place of minority cultures in New Zealand. Wai is interested in the dynamics of internalised racism, the benefits and harms of playing off “ethnic” versus “indigenous”, and the pitfalls of the model minority myth.

Wai will explain why Asians love making and spending money and cannot understand Labour policy or the opposition to the Crafar farm sale.

Neelam Choudary

Needs no introduction. How to catch sleazy Tories in a honey trap. Neelam did more damage to National in the last term than any Labour MP could manage.

12 NOON Lunch

Sandwiches. Suitably bland as we don't want to be seen enjoying ourselves.

Election Vote debrief - discussion on conspiracy of how we ended up on November 26th with the exact same percentage as people in the world who believe that lightsabers in Star Wars are real.

1.30PM The Future of Government

Dr Chris Eichbaum

Deputy Head of the Victoria University School of Government and member of the board of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

Dr Eichbaum will explain why less government in our lives is good for citizens but bad for Labour.

2.30PM Occupy: Symptom of what?

Dr Campbell Jones

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the Univerisity of Auckland and is the spokesperson for Occupy New Zealand.

Dr Jones will explain why only 50 dirty hippies decided to camp at Aotea Square and the Greens and Mana picked up their vote anyway so we shouldn't bother about them. Not even Blanketman wanted to join Occupy.

3.45PM Afternoon Tea

More cigarettes. Spud will be in attendance and deliver a quick session during the break explaining how to use emoticons to say absolutely nothing and irritate Clare Curran all at once. Special use of "lol" explained.

4.15PM Crisis/Opportunity - Labour, climate and the end of environmentalism

Steve Abel

Environmental activist and a singer-songwriter based in Auckland with leading involvement in numerous environmental campaigns.

Steve comes along as an example of what we have to do to pick up the Hippie vote. Paul Watson to join as Special Guest explaining Environmental terrorism and how to scare the voters back to us in removing once and for all the Hippie myth that Green is good.

5.15PM Rebuilding Christchurch

Megan Woods, MP for Wigram.

Megan will speak about Christchurch and the relevance of hope in the rebuilding of our entire electorate organization down there after the decimation on 26th November where even Aaron Gilmore whopped our arse in the Party vote.

6.00PM Dinner - Sausages on BBQ sponsored by The Mad Butcher

Indepth after dinner conversation on "Traitors in the media" featuring John Pagani and Chris Trotter with comparisons to "Thee Who Can't be Named" from the pre 1990 era and Mad Dog Prebble. Guest historian Judith Tizard and Michael Bassett.

Prayers to Dear Former Leader Rt Hon Helen Clark and Skype to NYC. Followed by a bit of social media training to explain the phenomenon of Whaleoil and how to combat him. Alcohol will be provided so please bring a plastic cup.

SUNDAY 22 JANUARY 2012

4.30AM Compulsory Bike Ride - as Saturday

5AM There Is No "I" In Team

David Cunliffe will explain to Greg Presland and Lynn Prentice while you are all on Trevor's compulsory bike ride, that "there is a "me" if you look hard enough". And politics is all about "me". Please note we have not told this trio that you will all be on Trevor's bike ride during this time slot so please - Chatham House rules apply.

8.30AM Breakfast - Sponsored again leftovers from the Mad Butcher

9.30AM Drug laws kill. Why can’t we have better ones?

Nandor Tanczos

We canned the official speaker and Nandor will come and show you all how to roll some good ones. A not to be missed session. By then you will be needing it!

10.30AM Morning Tea

Save your tea bags from yesterday please - think of the planet. And the Labour Party campaign funds.

11.00AM Open leadership selections

Grant Robertson

Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. Grant will speak in favour of reforming the leadership selection process to formally recognise the role of members. Grant will also explain how one day he was firmly behind David Parker and nek minnit, running for David Shearer. Grant will also explain how you can be a part of a failed campaign committee and still end up Deputy Leader with future Leadership ambitions.

Trevor Mallard

Labour MP for Hutt South. Trevor will facilitate a discussion about a new concept - an open leadership selection process, outlining various options and opening the floor to discussion and input from the membership. Trevor will then share some of the secrets in how to roll one leader out and get your own candidate in to keep another out. A not to be missed opportunity to learn the true craft of the leadership coup from the Master.

12 NOON Lunch

Skype to Dear Former Leader in NYC.

1.30PM Closing comments and debrief

Conrad Reyners

Member of the Labour Party Policy Council. Conrad will lead a discussion on how the weekend’s sessions relate, and how they will not affect Labour one little bit in the approaching years as we will continue to use policies of envy and spite.

Ella Hardy

President of Young Labour. Ella will officially close Summer School 2012. That is if Trevor hasn't performed a coup over the weekend and installed his own preferred candidate in the role in which case they will be closing the camp.

Pack up - leave it as you found it. Remove all listening devices and hidden cameras from factional walls and send to Leaders Office for future blackmail attempts.

3.00PM - Depart back to spread the word about Labour Camp

Fenton on Casualisation

2012-01-19T02:24:00.011+13:00

Darien Fenton has true to form, defied David Shearer's directive that Labour would stay out of the POAL v MUNZ fight and posted on Red Alert. I trust she will be disciplined by the Leaders Office as soon as they actually form one. Fran Mold as Head of Media and Comms has a job here that already screams constructive dismissal before it has started looking after the likes of Fenton.

Fenton's post is all over the place, exhibiting no Mantrol. As we have come to expect from Fenton and MUNZ on precisely what the strike is all about. Darting from discussing the sensationalism of privatisation, asset sales and Pike River. But let me pull out her words on one of the many things that the MUNZ argument has switched to and from - "casualisation":

The problem with MUNZ's, Fenton's and the left's argument about casualisation is that right now MUNZ is pursuing a case against POAL in the Employment Court to prevent the Port offering permanent jobs to "lashers".

This is not a joke. They are AGAINST casuals getting permanent jobs. The POAL has proceeded to employ on a permanent basis.

Hang on some may say, is the Union not bravely leading the struggle against "casualisation" along with Third Woman on the Wharf, Helen "Clean Up" Kelly and the left?

You may think so, but not when the Union bullies (mainly old, white crusty's like the charming couple we met yesterday on this blog) have the top jobs and like to take the overtime at their much higher rates rather than allow the lower paid workers to get permanent jobs.

See - it is never quite that straightforward with Union bullies is it Darien? Best you stay out of it then and go back to watching the Mad Butcher specials for some weekend shopping.

There is a reason that David Shearer is in charge. He's actually thought about this, spoke with all sides and decided to stay out of it.

Union Admits It Is Out of Mantrol

2012-01-18T01:56:00.006+13:00

After an onslaught from the crack team of Farrar, Slater and myself - our efforts duly noted by our friends at The Stranded where accusations started flying we were being paid to do such enjoyable work as highlighting the other side of the Union spin, Garry Parsloe has had a moment of extreme clarity.

Garry Parsloe has admitted that it has all unravelled out of Mantrol for his Union. He now stars in his own ad above for a victim of the classic New Zealand bloke syndrome.

"The goal has been lost. We started having some arguments around shuttles," he said.

Far from me to call the male dominated and with it sexist Maritime Union conts and use the term control, I prefer to recognize their man dominated culture and use "mantrol".

The Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Federation of New Zealand says this dispute has escalated to a bitter, acrimonious labour stoush and that the union may be losing sight of the goal

Typical of a left wing campaign, rather like the failed New Zealand Occupy protest that Chris Trotter panned, the Union have lost sight as to what they are even campaigning against or for. What a clusterfuck of the highest order for these rich prick wharfies who have spent the past two week debating and explaining how they don't earn a $91,000 package despite Ports of Auckland management standing behind their claims and releasing details for those who are spending two weeks trying to look poorer than they actually are because you know, super, medical and leave isn't counted because you know, all New Zealander get as generous benefits as we do....

Rather than focusing on their ever changing goals, the left have spent most of their time pissing in the wind about the calculation of the $91,000, trying to smear Farrar's polling company, Slater's income status, handling of my own admission that I have been in the pocket of big business quite happily since 1999 when I entered the workforce. They then moved to attempt to smear Port Boss Tony Gibson's rather unspectacular rumored $750,000 salary and even thinking his wearing a $7,000 Bvlgari watch was relevant. A middle class watch if ever I have seen one. A Bvlgari? For heaven's sake he could at least have bought a gold Rolex or Patek Philippe at an executive level.

Old school lefties like Chris Trotter are having kittens because of this new-age Union lack of solidarity and purpose by his fellow comrades. He is of the kindergarten of thought that says, the Labour Party must support the workers to "balance" this situation so the workers win and wrote an open letter to David Shearer eloquently stating such. Hang on, didn't Trotter also say that David Shearer needs to do things differently?

Shearer would not be doing things differently interfering in a pay dispute. He would be returning Labour to the very old days of being captured by its chief Sugar Daddy's - The Unions. John Pagani described this in more detail the other day.

The "third woman on the Wharf" Helen "clean up" Kelly has been working overtime on strategy and the master plan.

Labour members have already defied the "no political interference while negotiations going on" edict from the top from Shearer, that even Darien Fenton is adhering to. An assorted collection of Labour and Green flunkies, including those double dipping as a Board Member and MP, named and shamed here by Whaleoil produced a meek statement of support for the workers. The worst part for the Union? They could only find 28 Board Members to support their cause!

Parsloe rounds it all off with the most ironic statement of a terrible day for him PR wise in front of the Press which plays right into the hands of right wing bloggers original point about how easy these guys have it.

Parsloe says the strike notice may be withdrawn if the company gives the union time to talk to its workers.

I don't see what Parsloe's issue here is, they've got plenty of time to talk to their workers. Not many work 40 hour weeks.

Meet The Wharfies - Racist and Sexist

2012-01-18T00:19:00.004+13:00

The Stranded has reposted stories of some of the workers who claim to earn under the $91,000 average. This is to be welcomed, some real life case studies of the sort of chaps down their doing good honest half days of work. So Meet the Wharfies.

Now I will let you meet the real culture of the Wharfies they didn't want to share. Stronger Together.

Unless you are from Tuvalu or a woman.

It doesn't take much of a google to see the sort of chaps who work on the Ports of Auckland Wharf. They sure keep the Employment Court amused and busy. The mainstream media briefly touched on the problems late last year when it was buried in election coverage.

This is the case of Andrew Angus and another for Graham "Coach" McKean. Good K1W1 blokes down at the Wharf. Both Senior members of the team.

The net result was that a Judge after meeting them suggested the Human Rights Commission be called in to assist as there was such a problem down at the Wharf.

In two judgments, dealing with bids for interim reinstatement of the two men to their roles, Judge Graeme Colgan, at the Employment Court, said Ports of Auckland needed to “engage external professional advice, the likes of the Human Rights Commission, to deal with the problem”.

Colgan said the circumstances of the dismissals indicated that the “engagement of Tuvaluan stevedores on the Auckland waterfront has been met with a degree of hostility by some members of the existing workforce”.

He said the summary dismissal of Andrew Angus, who wrote the note slipped under the door, and Graham McKean, who wrote the magazine article, had been Ports of Auckland’s “reaction to what it perceives to be racist elements in its workforce”.

Angus slipped this note under the door of a POAL administrator

Then there is "Coach". Coach is/was an executive member of the Local 13, the Auckland local branch of the Maritime Union and has appeared in pickets despite his dismissal. He wrote a column that I link to here with excerpts at [8] and [9].

It raised the ire of many who complained including a Pacific Island worker and others who identified themselves in the details

Coach's defense for re-instatement was that he was acting in the capacity as a Union rep at the time and that if action was to be taken it should be against MUNZ!! Stronger together!!!

After all the article was published in the Union magazine available to some 1,200 members and non-members, edited by the Union itself. They claim they "missed the editing window" of their own publication. Yeah right.

I am unconcerned at the outcome of the pending employment disputes here. I am more concerned at highlighting that even in 2011 the Maritime Union is acting true to form and promoting racist, sexist K1W1 attitudes. That "Coach" was allowed back on the picket line as a representative shows that MUNZ condone his behaviour.

It is little wonder that the third woman on the Wharf Helen Kelly and the Labour Party hierarchy are hesitant to get right in behind the Maritime Union on this one. The underlying culture is still stuck in 1951 and not one person has defended the Union record from my post the other day.

I would stick a bounty on anyone sending Whaleoil and myself a picture of David Shearer shaking hands with this prehistoric creature called "Coach" to start with.

It will be a PR disaster for anyone seen hugging this lot.

Inequality and Poverty Debate - Winging It Like The Left

2012-01-17T00:03:00.018+13:00

Fresh from his wife committing political suicide within the Labour Party, John Pagani gave us another breath-taking piece of cut-paste analysis this weekend where he tried unsuccessfully to frame the debate around inequality and poverty by doing what Josie told Labour not to do, be - gloomy, look backwards and fail to be aspirational.

So tonight I prepare especially for John a post about inequality and poverty written in a current left-wing style with a right wing base of myself so he can see how ridiculous the debate from the left looks currently in addressing poverty. The left are becoming poverty junkies. Inducing themselves with tales of woe and destitution all for their own political gain.

Paganiland - The Country

Paganiland is a country of 1,000 people. The median income is $5,000,000 per annum mainly from shareholding and investing. Of the 1,000 people many are members of the top 10 of the NBR Rich List families and then there is me, the Union leader if you like of the rest who work for them as I have done since 1999 - I am poor. I am not on the NBR Rich List. The Greens called for a Poor List. I would be number one on that.

The New Zealand measure of poverty means I earn far less than 60% of the median income of Paganiland. I am broke and angry despite working 60 hours a week.

And not going to take their shit anymore.

I live in a country with great inequality and poverty, it depresses me so much that I am deciding to get together with the few other poor in Paganiland and protest against the 1%. Those rich bastards who don't deserve their wealth, who have oppressed me and my people for centuries slaving off my labour.

Despite earning close to $1,000,000 per annum which everyone overseas says is heaps of money, I am poor. I feel poor even though I received more money last year than ever, the increases were inflationary as everyone received the same rises so I am no better off. I will now give you examples.

Housing

I cannot afford to buy a house in a modest neighborhood. They cost $1,000,000 on average and I can't afford one up on a nice hill and it is my dream to. Everyone should be able to own their own home, it is a Paganiland tradition. The rich should be taxed on their capital gains and monies redistributed to me so I can put a deposit down to buy a home. Yes, that would be fair as their speculation is stopping me from obtaining a fair price for my first home. I can't even dream of buying a bach for the weekends. In the meantime I would like a housing supplement to tide me over. Or a free one from these guys.

Food

I should be able to go out for lunch every day and have a drink and smoke cigarettes. I feel poor if I don't. After all the evil rich have got me addicted to such substances it is their fault. I could also do with free healthcare, because I am paying for that through my taxes. I shouldn't have to buy a private insurance policy and as I am the working poor I deserve to be seen when I show up and not have paying patients jump ahead of me just because they are richer and more fortunate than I am.

People say I cannot afford food at the local supermarket so should have to travel into the Labourland, the neighbouring country, to the markets. This is a complete disgrace. It is a hassle and 20 kms out of my way to travel there and the market isn't as nice as the shops in Paganiland and the people are unfriendly and look strange. I have plenty of time to do so but don't see why I should have to grow my own vegetables when the rich people of Paganiland don't. I want to shop at their supermarkets where I know the prices are higher but it is my right to buy local.

Transport

I also think a boat would be quite nice. John Spencer has a $75 million one, why can't I? And also want an Aston Martin. Everyone drives a nice car and I have to have one as well otherwise I will be sad and turn to a life of crime climbing in their windows at night. Colin Giltrap should be made to help the poor damn it and offer cheap car finance.

I cannot afford a Gulfstream like Peter Jackson has. Everyone needs a plane and damn it I don't see why the government cannot get me one of them as well. I will protest for the plane as well. Or a helicopter. I mean why can't everyone have one of those? The Vela Family have one.

Rent

I rent a building from Sir Robert Jones to run my consultancy business to the rich pricks. He's got 250 other tenants in his commercial properties so he should provide me with the tenancy for my business for free. Damn it I am working harder than all these privileged pricks who sit around all day doing bloody nothing. I deserve it.

Education & Health

The kids of the poor can't just go to any school, they have to go to the school here. However being poor they don't fit in as I can't afford to buy them Louis Vuitton school bags, i-pads and the latest shoes. They are depressed, feel displaced and I blame their learning deficiencies on that. If you don't have a University degree I mean you won't ever make any money right Sam Morgan?

Savings & Immigration

When there is spare money I want to treat myself and fly overseas. I mean John Key goes all the time, why can't I? I have elderly relatives overseas and I want them to come and visit me and eventually settle in Paganiland where the healthcare is better and the country safer than places like Labourland. Why can't they? I will protest that as well. After all it is owed to me. I built this damn country.

Privilege

I mean these rich pricks aren't even that smart. They are just selling junk to poor people. They have never had it so easy. It is all a Jewish conspiracy . All a risk-free total fluke. They don't even make anything. They never give anything back to those of us poorer. They are such awful bastards who never smile. They never started at the bottom, it was all get rich quick stuff.

Voting

I will vote for the political party that gives ME the most. As the working poor, I cannot afford to live the lifestyle of these people I am surrounded by and I will make someone suffer. I will vote for the politicians who make me feel the poorest and then offer me the most while punishing these bastards for treating me so badly in Paganiland.

I am poor damn it and I am not going to take their shit anymore!!

That's it we will Occupy land at Britomart to teach that bastard Peter Cooper a lesson and set up site like these chaps have

Then make him pay for all the damage while we drink his bars dry.

Plan!!

Faux Poverty - The Poverty Junkie

2012-01-16T23:51:00.008+13:00

Labour are crying over not being invited to the table for the Ministerial Committee set up to look yet again at why there is "child poverty".

Jacinda "Kim Kardashian" Ardern, a veteran of a short working holiday in a New York soup kitchen because she couldn't get a work permit in the USA as she had no skill they needed in a hurry, dedicated her first press release as Labour Welfare Spokesperson, to crying why she isn't in on the committee.

The simple answer is Tariana Turia is more important than she and her Labour Party mates are. Who had nine years to call a Committee on the subject.

All children are of course poor so right away framing of the debate is wrong. Children do not own anything. It is their parents who are responsible for the child. The parents are the ones having children into poverty. Too many children creates poverty because children are expensive. Having another child when you already have five does not assist an already hopeless situation.

Poverty debates are flawed to start with in New Zealand. And it can be represented as such. If Labour want to start this fight instead of backing workers who earn $91,000 per annum on a sexist Unionised wharf, those of us on the right will fight them. And we will be joined by those non-traditional political parties supportive of the right like the Maori Party who in Whanau Ora, have at least come up with some solution, albeit one that will lead to more welfare fraud. At least they have more thoughts than Labour's = more money, more bureaucrats, bottomless pit with no accountability.

Politicians wishing to score points from wallowing in this concept of faux poverty based on worst case scenarios such as the tragic tale of Blanketman and generalizations based around a no-fault no responsibility welfare state, now have a new name.

Poverty Junkies.

They mainline on tales of poverty, they get off on tales of poverty, they profit on tales of poverty. Quite simply they cannot exist without poverty.

Ding Dong....

2012-01-15T16:24:00.005+13:00

Finally Bryce Johns has given Pork Chop a DCM (don't come Monday).

As for the "New Position" - well she's hardly going to be threatening Brian Fallow's analytics on the economy is she or anywhere else in the "serious adults" section. Where on earth will they put her in the paper? Another boring media column maybe?

No this is just a polite easing out of Glucina altogether so she doesn't crack the shits completely at the paper and enter into yet more vexatious litigation that she and her family are famous for.

I wouldn't be surprised if part of the deal was that Glucina herself was allowed to write the piece today in HoS. It doesn't read like it came from anywhere but.

For only Glucina could have us want to believe that she was "moving up".

Lets hope SPY is reborn into something clever and witty with Norrie Montgomery's beautiful pictures rather than what it became - a nasty, dirty section of the paper where Glucina was given free license to victimize anyone who dared cross her. The net result was that she would rarely attend the functions she reported on and wrote the whole column from home while stuffing her face with cheese and sausage rolls.

Madonna Liberates Women From The Kitchen

2012-01-14T21:54:00.003+13:00

I doubt there is a better role model for battered women everywhere than Madonna.

In an interview on U.S. TV network ABC, she was asked: 'What was the last meal you cooked entirely by yourself?' She replied: 'I don't think I've ever cooked a meal entirely by myself.'

My nannies cook, my housekeeper cooks, the drivers cook, everybody cooks.' Asked if she can cook anything at all, Madonna said: 'No! But I do everything else! Do I have to do everything?

Cooking really is now a man's job.

Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Celebrity Chef shows everywhere have all shown us that women do not belong in the kitchen.

Time to move out of it and let men cook.

Sexist MUNZ Keeps Blokes Only Club

2012-01-12T00:52:00.021+13:00

A commenter on The Stranded started this argument to which I responded:

Frank Macskasy is well known on the net. I will leave it to readers to look him up. But he's the sort of "cook your own fucking eggs" comrade who likes to put women in their place and remind them how they got to where they are. Oops you know because he doesn't mean offence and all.

Frank however does raise one good point. What have Unions done for women?

Let me tell you what MUNZ (Maritime Union of New Zealand) have done for women down at the Ports of Auckland.

Place barriers in front of them.

I reference an article in December for which Pressdisplay has the print only section here with this addition in the print version.

POAL want to hire more female stevedores stating they are suited to the part-time "casual"nature of the work the POAL wish to promote in terms of flexibility. In the article it states there is only ONE female wharfie out of 300.

I have had it confirmed today there are in fact TWO female stevedores in a staff of 212 (.9%). Across the POAL the proportion of women is around 10%. No big business would ever get away with such imbalance in gender statistics.

What makes the job unappealing to women currently is the Union insisting that "lashing" is a core function of the stevedores and where they have to start training. This is an example of lashing.

Of course the LAST thing the blokes on the wharf want are chicks working alongside them. No more titty talk during breaks. It is all testosterone and backs to the wall stuff down on the wharf. Imagine what would happen if an openly homosexual man turned up applying for a job? Or a current stevedore was known to secretly have a history in such?

The Union is effectively keeping highly paid and lucrative stevedoring, a good k1w1 blokes only zone.

Even the MUNZ National Officials and Staff is a cock-fest. In Auckland a lady gets to run the office. That's it.

Strange then that a woman Helen "Clean-up" Kelly has been called into help the inept MUNZ and President Garry Parsloe. Even left winger Mickey Savage has called MUNZ's PR efforts "poor".

Clean-up Kelly you will all recall is a Hobbit Hater in her prior existence. Yet she is now effectively both in cricketing terms and in reality the "third woman on the Wharf" coming in where MUNZ blokes have cocked-up everything in the slips.

Clean-up is spinning like a top on that most social of mediums - Facebook. And a massive material dump of silliness that mainstream media ignored because it was TL;DR (too long didn't read).

The question I ask of Helen "Clean Up" Kelly is:

How can she defend a Union in a dispute where less than 1% of the workforce are female and it is the Union itself through restrictive practices that are impeding the progress of employing more women?

So the answer to Frank Macskasy on what has the Maritime Union done for women?

Stuff all.

I can't wait until Darien Fenton chirps up and defends this Union.

The Stranded Jumping The Shark

2012-01-12T00:20:00.009+13:00

We have all suspected The Stranded are a ragtag bunch of randoms all with access to various usernames such as Zetetic and Eddie.

They are now just jumping the shark completely.

In the space of a few posts this week they

- Have accused Trevor Mallard and John Pagani of being in on some sort of conspiracy. Remember these guys are on THEIR side!

- Have accused John Pagani of being on the Labour Party payroll throughout when Pagani has denied this.

- Attacked Clare Curran often viciously for an open comms policy.

- Accused Whaleoil of receiving $10,000 to run PR for Ports of Auckland. More nonsense.
- Whaleoil and I of "union bashing" like it is a bad thing and supposed to somehow end the argument. That's about as silly as Whale and I accusing pinkos of bashing the wealthy. It is their bread and butter to want to tax the rich.

- Published several "updates" based on their bullshit being disproven, when they should have been apologies and corrections.

- Tried to spin lines for Helen Kelly from her Facebook for the ineffective MUNZ.

- Accuse me of publishing a figure as a "sub-contractor" for the Whaleoil. Then when I state how stupid this argument is, attack me for publishing figures I asked for.

- Accuse a leak and conspiracy when I published POAL figures on the $91k average pay when it was very clear to readers of the blog I instigated the whole thing by merely asking POAL (and several business reporters I know) for the figure. What a journalist would have done.

- POAL state the number was actually public before I received it anyway. The Standard still do not accept the figures directly from the POAL and are entering into an asymmetrical war really with themselves to talk about it.

- Allow comments through from their comrades that are blatantly sexist yet censor others. I will cover these in another post.

When a blog unsuccessfully attacks on a conspiracy basis Whaleoil and myself on the right and then to the left Mallard, Curran and Pagani - and we have all spent time successfully refuting all conspiracy theories as nonsensical.

You have to ask - do The Stranded have any credibility left as a blog?

The new leadership of Labour could do nothing better than to ensure that no Labour staffers are involved in authoring, associated with or handing information to such a rag tag discredited anonymous unaccountable blog. The only reason the posters are anonymous is to protect their employment. Lynn has been clear about this. Which is code for they all have political positions and shouldn't be blogging in the first instance, least of all attacking their mates on the left.

The same goes for The Greens if Mallard's claim as to the identity of Zetetic is correct. To do this both organizations will have to find out who is authoring the sort of posts above under anonymous pen names and staining the left with inaccuracy, conspiracy and attacking even their own with lies.

Kind of ironic really The Stranded takes so many pot shots at Red Alert.

Air NZ G-String Haka This Year?

2012-01-11T02:58:00.005+13:00

Last time Air New Zealand won Airline of the Year Award Rob Fyfe stripped his shirt off and did the haka. A nation cheered.

We wonder how he is going to beat that this year as Air New Zealand have won the award again. Well done to the airline.

Women and gay men of New Zealand are however waiting.

I suggest the same but in more revealing bottom outfits. A G-string perhaps?

Pope More A Risk To Us All Than Gays

2012-01-11T02:26:00.003+13:00

I am not into religion. All of it. And do not enter long-winded discussion with anyone about religion because it bores me.

Religion is more of a danger to the world than anything. Most wars and conflict in the world have somewhere originated because of belief in fairies at the bottom of the garden. Everyone seems to be arguing over what sort of fairies there are.

If I have to choose a fairies I believe there is more chance of Smurfs existing than God.

So when the tax avoiding patron and protector of all things kiddie fiddling in the Vatican, called "The Pope" has a go at homosexual people for somehow being a threat to the "future of humanity itself", you really only have to laugh.

I couldn't care less if homosexuals wish to be formally married or adopt or have children. It makes absolutely no difference in my life, yet allowing these actions makes all the difference in theirs to be recognised as human beings. Weasel titles to get around upsetting twats like the Pope such as "civil union ceremony" are utter crap. Marriage can be non-denominational and it should be called that, given status of and relationships between same-sex couples treated equally to those of others.

There are 1.2 billion catholics in the world.

No one likes to undermine the Pope, everyone jumps not to attack the silly old twat, but make excuses for the Head Honcho's silly claims.

Alex Greenwich, from Australian Marriage Equality, said same-sex marriage would strengthen, rather than undermine, families.

''The Pope's comments are not reflective of the entire Christian or Catholic community, many of whom support marriage equality based on their Christian values of love, family and fairness,'' he said.

That's all very nice but The Pope isn't just a random member of the Catholic community he is the representative of the whole outfit There is no excuse for his words, he meant what he said.

I don't know why a homosexual person would ever consider themselves to be Catholic after listening in this day and age to such garbage. If a leader of a political party gave The Pope's speech, homosexuals and their supporters would walk out en masse. But The Pope always seems to get a leave pass perhaps because he sells the nonsense of an afterlife.

Time to roll the Vatican and redistribute all of their enormous illiquid wealth and power. After all the Pope keeps bitching about inequality as well so he's just as hypocritical in that regard.

Emotional Abuse Worse Than The Physical

2012-01-08T20:48:00.005+13:00

There was an awful lot of hand wringing, wailing and writing in 2011 about the horrific levels of physical abuse of children by the feral heaving pathetic underclass. Hand wringing because no one has yet to have the guts to place the blame with the random thugs killing SOCK (some other c**** kids) than sharing therefore devolving responsibility among the entire country.

I want to kick off 2012 by referring to a problem inter-related but just as large if not larger in New Zealand and something I'm pretty sure we've all either seen or been subjected to.

Emotional abuse.

The Handmirror team have covered this over the years and I agree with a lot of what they say from the female point of being abused.

Emotional abuse isn't reported as is an horrific physical beating of a woman or kiddie with an instant death resulting. But it is definitely more prevalent and just as damaging. It isn't a lower class, race or low incomed phenomenon either. Not all emotional abuse leads to physical poundings but all physical poundings seem to start with continuous emotional put-downs. It is statistically difficult to measure emotional abuse but we all can spot it when we see it in others.

It isn't just men dishing out this abuse, women are capable of doing it as well. But the victims are almost always children and the weak who can't stick up for themselves, whom more often than not are women.

Examples include:

- telling children they aren't good enough, ugly, fat, questioning their sexuality, worthlessness, a "mistake" or unwanted.

- continually favouring one child over others in the same family or "blended" family.

- children dishing out the same on weaker siblings and the parents not intervening.

- revealing to kids they're adopted as a weapon of punishment when they've behaved badly.

- a loveless marriage where parents are more like flatmates than role models for what a functioning marriage should be about.

- having a "band-aid" baby in one last attempt to save a relationship.

- telling a woman she's ugly, fat, worthless, pressuring her into weird sexual acts, threatening pets as retribution, telling her she's sexually undesirable, looking at and comparing her to other women.

- telling a man he's not earning enough, ugly, fat, lazy, impotent, too busy at work to care about kids, withholding custody and using kids as a pawn.

We aren't talking about one awful comment or action here.

Repeat this behaviour over and over even in little subtle jabs and the damage done is far worse than simply taking to a family member with a stick or belt.

Plenty of the most beaten of victims are better off dead than in their current state as they are not living. They are barely existing as functional adults or children.

I know of females who are otherwise successful intelligent high earning and achieving members of society putting up with some of the above. They are the sort of people you wouldn't think would take to being abused at this mental level. Yet they put up with it. They don't have to. No one is forcing them to stay.

I've seen their Partners, who are supposed to be the number one best friend and often father of their kids, subject them to abuse where they question their own worth. I cringe when I see the hate in the abusers eyes where even there are witnesses to their abhorrent behaviour. Say anything and you cease to be on the guest list. But it is very hard to sit there quietly listening to the mental warfare. I don't want to watch it.

I've seen unstable women behave as badly towards my male friends. Men deal with it differently and usually suffer in relative silence but when a woman emotionally blackmails a man by threatening to commit suicide if he leaves her, the sort of mind games at that level is hopeless to comprehend and impossible to counter. When she's flaunting the fact she's rooting around on him when he isn't there, flirting with his friends, loudly saying his appendage isn't big enough, sexual performance isn't good enough or he doesn't have a high enough income while she spends all his money. All designed to emasculate his existence and control him from a woman's position of physical weakness.

I first encountered being told around age 10 I couldn't do something because I was a girl, when being spoken to by a mother of a then friend. She was trying to put me off going to law school. I still remember it so it did affect me, however I looked at her rather sad existence and didn't take her words seriously. I wondered how my then friend coped living with that. She didn't really, I expressed that her mother was a nutter therefore ending our friendship and last I heard she didn't even make University even though she was academically very capable to.

Since then I have laughed off many attempts to play mind-games with me. Whether it be career wise, academically or on a personal level and usually the only reason because I'm a girl. There's only one response and it is unprintable. Then carrying on with what you intended anyway.

The first and only time a boyfriend upset me with a derogatory comment I didn't even talk back, I threw all his clothes off the fourth floor balcony at Princes Wharf into the street, waited til he went to retrieve them then chucked his cellphone at him gloriously hitting him smack in the middle of his head. I didn't see the point of subsidising him to hang around if he wasn't going to at least be pleasant.

This is the only appropriate response when you have such poison on your own team if they are family or not - cut them out of your life. A "no dickheads" rule. There's too many external enemies trying to chop you down out there, having one living with you or purporting to be on your side cannot be tolerated. I don't understand why there isn't a zero tolerance policy towards emotional abuse.

Because at the end of the day it affects the children watching it far more than adults. Children can't get up and leave. They've no choice in the matter. No adult related or not has the right to talk to a kid in an attempt of limiting their dreams or ambitions. Life will do that well enough for them eventually.

A child will then normalise the abusive behaviour in terms of men talking to women the same despicable way their father does, or women blackmailing men the way their mother does. They treate their weaker siblings with the same contempt. The cycle never gets broken.

A then female friend of mine spoke in front of her daughter that she shouldn't worry about her grades as she was just as dumb (as her mother was). The child was 9 at the time. I don't even want to think of the damage caused to that child by hearing that.

I've been around when an emotionally abusive father and mother making jokes about how their very sensitive son needed to lose weight knowing he was in the next room. I found him sobbing later in the toilet. His response since seems to have been to go eat more donuts.

On the purely evil emotional level I've known of deadbeat Dads unsuccessfully harassing mistresses into abortions and pretend to then be an advocate for solo Mums against the "evils" proposed by the likes of Paula Bennett. The most disgusting sort of hypocrite as they've damaged more lives than any proponent of controlling the welfare state will. Heaven help them when that child finds out the truth as to how little his or her father wanted them to be born.

I suspect the reason the ferals and lower class don't leave emotionally abusive relationships is that they have absolutely no self-esteem to cope with even the thought of living alone.

Educated men and women have no such excuse. If "education is empowerment" as the chest-beating slogans say surely leaving these abusive, vile relationships is the only acceptable answer and staying in them merely means in a twisted fucked up way the victim is enjoying the fighting.

On the plus side I am privileged enough to know a few of the loveliest, most perfectly matched couples whom I am good friends with both parties and enjoy their company. Often these couples have had a couple of relationship false starts and haven't settled for making the same errors again.

But too often I see too many couples who would be better off a million miles apart with the sniping, bitching and abuse they subject each other and their kids too. Often in front of other people. That's not the sort of love to aspire to.

It is not normal to fight like this in a relationship, it's not healthy and watching it is not entertaining. It's just sad and desperately pathetic. Mainly for the kids but everyone notices it even if the couple believe a blind eye is being turned.

If there is to be handwringing concern over physical violence on a select few kiddies of the feral heaving pathetic underclass, there should be far more concern about the emotional health of a far larger subset of kiddies subjected to continual negative emotional abuse as discussed here. And that of men and women in these emotionally abusive relationships.

Too many teens are taking depression meds these days or receiving counselling for depression. How many of these children are not actually ill requiring these meds but have instead "just" been subjected to a lifetime growing up of emotional abuse leading to tragic outcomes such as attempted suicides? Or worse?

Once again it is a matter of individual responsibility not to be in an emotionally abusive relationship and therefore enabling another to be able to carry out this abuse.

It doesn't take money or government intervention to be positive and encouraging to your partner and kids. Anyone can do it. It doesn't need a whole government department to solve.

In fact being caring and pleasant to those you live with and purport to be supporting through life is one of the few things that money can't actually buy.

Chinese Women Say No To Broken Arses

2012-01-08T18:11:00.004+13:00

For years, Mainland China have favored boys to girls. Their one child policy made sure of that. The consequence however is now what New Zealand women can only dream of - a woman drought.

This will lead to excellent opportunities for women on the Mainland. As a result, they are raising the bar and not accepting broken arse men into their lives. It will also mean a one strike policy of tolerance of dickheads.

80 percent of Mainland women would not even consider going out with a man who earns less than 4,000 Yuan (NZ816) a month. Their benchmark is 10,000 Yuan (NZ1666) a month which is more than twice the average income in Beijing. One of the wealthiest parts of China.

68 percent of Mainland women would not marry a man who didn't own his own home. This may disqualify the average New Zealand welfare beneficiary from being a suitable husband for the Chinese woman, however his income wouldn't. New Zealand's welfare system means most pull more in total benefits than twice the average income in Beijing.

To put the Mainland women and their stand into perspective. The average NZ income is around $55,000. Meaning if the Chinese rules were applied in New Zealand most New Zealand men wouldn't get a look in until they earned around $110,000. A penny for your thoughts boys.

New Zealand Order of What?

2011-12-31T21:11:00.006+13:00

Well done to unusual arty farty simplistic Maori Painter Ralph Hotere at age 80 and in ailing health, for joining such a prestigious list of New Zealanders including not one, not two but five ex-politicians (Jonathan Hunt of all people...) and a trade Union leader.

If this is our best people, then I don't want to see the reserve bench any time soon.

The only thing that can make this group worse would be the addition of Phil Goff.

I mean it could happen, Mike Moore was only PM for two months and Don McKinnon never made it that far and there are two vacancies.

{Shudder}.

Any self respecting New Zealander should refuse the award until the list is cleaned up.

Curious Forewoman

2011-12-31T18:30:00.005+13:00

Just finished reading a very curious interview with Diane Foreman who wins a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

The fact that her personal relationships have been the subject of much media speculation is another example of the struggle women in business face, she said.

"A male in my position would have never had the same attention, that's why it's hard for women. I've had some wonderful people in my life ... but if I was a man no one [in the media] would be very interested."

Nonsense. Being in the paper for relationships (friendships or otherwise) with Don Brash or Paul Henry doesn't make it "hard for women" in business. Other than the obvious, everyone questioning your judgment and good taste.

If a businessman was in a relationship with a similarly high profile New Zealand woman they too would receive exactly the same level of interest. They would and do feature in the very same section of the gossip pages. That they are usually blagging a secretary and not a high profile woman with a Type A personality, means they get less coverage, however it is still the same issues faced by them.

"In New Zealand it's a very small society so people tend to want to appoint who they know. So it's people they went to school with, people they play golf with, and as a woman often you don't fall into that group so you've got to do it from the outside."

More nonsense. New Zealand isn't alone in this. In any case Foreman didn't do it from the outside, her start in business was given to her by her former husband in a family business. So I have no idea what grounds she is talking from when she brings this up.

I enjoy reading about Diane Foreman's success since she was brought into Trigon and when she makes positive comments about what she has achieved. I was also surprised to see she is 51 years old as she definitely never looks it. I enjoy far less reading such utter dribble about how hard she perceives she has it, which only serves to paint her as something I am sure she is not.

Foreman is someone who is never going to come across well talking about women's issues in business. She would be best served to stick to what she's good at - cutting deals, and leaving the PR and media management of her personal and professional life to a team of professionals.

In any case she deserves the recognition of her achievement in the NY Honours List.

Man of the Year 2011 - John Key

2011-12-30T02:20:00.007+13:00

In six elections that I have been eligible to, I am yet to vote for National but I came the closest this year.

What started off as a bland career by a bland suited Banker, has turned into the creation of a necessary populist political phenom.

The term "populist" is a derisory highly insulting one in politics. However as the centre right struggles in an increasingly tepid environment where MMP odds are firmly stacked against it with the potential in buy-a-vote welfare politics by the growing class of net beneficiaries, Key is a stand out.

Union stalwart and Labour insider Mike Williams stated this week the "what if" we (Labour) scored just a couple of percent more list vote.

"What if's" in politics are an hilarious waste of time spoken only of by losers.

Populism isn't a dirty word when you are winning. And every day a Labour MP sits in the House opposite John Key they are reminded of that. They lost because they aren't as popular.

John Key wins my Man of the Year this year as almost singlehandedly he has stopped;

- Capital Gains Tax and with it all Gareth Morgan and Bernard Hickey's bat shit silly ideas

- increasing PAYE rates

- ridiculous GST exemptions

- expansion of Welfare for Families and the welfare state

- most importantly massive blowouts in government expenditure a Labour led coalition would have demanded

- excessive Treaty white guilt payments accompanying a Labour led coalition

- "buy-a-vote" policy from the left

At least for another three years.

Richie McCaw only led consistently the best team in the world to win the RWC on one foot with his fourth choice playmaker. Key's achievements are larger as the stakes are much higher and task more difficult.

National didn't need more of an election strategy than "politics is a team game, everyone shut up so John Key can speak". And he did.

The first time I saw Key's political ability up close was at the surprise party thrown after the botched ACT coup for the outgoing Leader. He did everything more than right that night. Key was magnificent, humble, funny and eloquent. And in all honesty probably had at least half the room list voting National by the end of the night.

Thank God John Key is a populist. The alternative was Don Brash.

He stands solely on principles. He stood this time for 1% of the vote as they weren't principles anyone seemed to connect with.

Principles without political power is a luxury only the richest man can afford. On the right we expect our politicians to have principles and somehow maintain the popularity to have power. We like to think we act purely on principles and criticize each other when we don't act purely. The Libertarianz are the grandest example of this behaviour and 1,405 people voted for them. Power and keeping the left from power are the only important matters.

John Key understands politics, he understands polls, coalitions and MMP. He also understands strategy and knows winning is everything. Thank God for that because very few on the centre-right have worked it out.

Key was already thinking how to cut Don Brash's throat well before the tea tapes. He knew that ACT with Hide was a different partner than ACT with the man he'd already knifed in his career, Don Brash. A wounded man looking now for revenge on Key who started his reign as ACT leader criticizing him. Key had seen Brash's callous disregard for strategy, political nous and cunning as a player in his axing of Hide without bringing the Party with him, or even some outside help to run it. A coup without an army. He'd seen Brash lose an election for National, he'd seen his lack of ability to play the public and incompetence and sloppiness dealing with media and staff. His lack of ability to take advice and play on the team.

If Key was still a banker and he took on a team of employees with Brash in it, the first for the pink slip would be Brash as despite his measurable intellect he was otherwise a liability.

Key knew Brash would cut off his nose to spite his face and attempt to destroy not only Key but the centre-right with it.

I am sure being stuck with co-coup plotter John Banks wasn't Plan A, B or C for Key but it is rumoured that together with Banks he plotted rolling Brash even before the tea tapes. The only matter was the timing.

In the last fortnight of the campaign Key looked almost physically out for the count. Like a banker working 20 hours a day on an international deal for weeks on end. But somehow he hung on and was still doing the business at the National Party function election night at 1am, photos, talking, thanking those who had assisted the Party.

Key's only mistake was his very late endorsement of changing MMP to SM. Even then I have confidence that Key, the politician, will rectify Simon Power's ineptness and come up with something to give him and the National Party a chance at a third term.

So he's in Hawaii? Good job. Having a nice holiday with his family away from New Zealand voters haranguing him. They had long enough to do that on the election campaign.

Key damn well deserves a holiday for saving New Zealand for at least three more years from a Labour let government. His job now is to come back and scheme up a way to keep it all this way past 2014 and with it ensure National and the centre-right do not suffer the same fate Helen Clark and Labour have.

Christmas in Hong Kong

2011-12-24T22:43:00.005+13:00

Many people ask me what Hong Kong does at Christmas time.

We have the least stressful Christmas Day imaginable. Everything remains open and we all go out to restaurants to Christmas Day Lunch and/or Dinner. Same for Boxing Day. It is important to book such places around a month in advance as competition for the best venues is fierce.

Someone else cooks.
Someone else cleans.

Bliss.

I have had some bizarre Christmas Days overseas. None more so than being the guest of a certain gentleman at his house only to have his ex-wife turn up and aggressively take over the kitchen. The other guests expected a floor show to commence in a battle between old and new. I couldn't look a gift horse in the mouth and simply exited the kitchen with everyone else and let her spend the entire day sweating over the oven. Cooking and cleaning on Christmas Day looks far too hard to contemplate.

Merry Christmas to everyone in New Zealand planning to cook and clean tomorrow as you wonder how next year you can delegate such functions to someone else.

The Pricks for 2011 - Blog Awards

2011-12-22T23:28:00.009+13:00

I think I missed these last year due to lack of interest (mine), but there has been so much going on this year we will relaunch with the awarding of my (sometimes) annual Prick(le)s awarded for excellence in the below fields.

The Unfortunate Prick Award for Being So Close - The Labour Party

Everyone forgets in the mull-up that Labour were just two seats away from having a clear centre-left coalition stopping asset sales, bring in CGT and tinkering while Rome burns on fruit and veges. Despite hemorrhaging vote to the Greens this would not have made a difference to Phil Goff's chance of being PM thanks to the stupidity of MMP. I was at the Nats election night parties in 2008 and 2011 and they were very different. The 2011 party was not one of joy, it was one of relief. If you had wanted to punish Labour you couldn't do so more than having them come this close.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Prick Award for Staff Management - Adam "Five Fingers" Feeley

Not only did Five Fingers pinch the Gosset with all the drama going with that, the incident brought out one of the most curious cases of 2011, that of Anita Killeen. Whom we are meant to believe fucked up her highly promising and high-flying professional life to get back professionally at Five Fingers. In the middle of all this Five Fingers had time to not advance much in the Hanover case, oversaw the death of Allan Hubbard and lead to Whaleoil's tipline being busier than ever with allegations of his curious behaviour.

The Limp Panty Waisting Prick Award for Being a Limp Panty Waisting Editor - David Kemeys

Not content with running a shit as dull paper the SST (aka slowly sinking tabloid) into the ground, Kemes was the idiot who showed mercurial Steve Braunias the door and made life impossible for Jonathan Marshall after he had the temerity to strongly investigate Kings College drunkards at After Ball Parties and Darren Hughes after his sleep-over at Annette's.

The Busiest Prick Award for Political Repeating - Garner and Gower tied

The terrible two-some burst their loads at each other in the final weeks of the campaign with Teagate competing to see who could test the law first by baiting Winston Peters. Like some cheap double act at a strip club as a pairing they are too much. One needs to go. With Gower's terrible whinging at ACT/United and National deals he never balanced it with the horror show of Green candidates such as Denise Roche actively backing her Labour opponent in the seat. Garner is credited by many as the reason Winston is back. Thanks Dunc.

The Impotent Prick Award for Worst Performance In An Election Campaign - National's Creative Team

Shocking. Labour had the best creative team and didn't win as they had the least charismatic Leader but National's creative work was appalling. They need to be outed and disciplined within the advertising industry.

The Smallest Prick Award for Political Silliness - Don Brash

Not content with sticking to rooting unsuitable women, Don switched to do so to an entire political party with 15 years of history and multi-millions invested in it. Good luck getting back with the Missus after that clusterfuck.

The Elephant Prick Award for Common Sense - Barry Colman

Colman had the balls to stand up and poo poo the myth of inequality back in July. The exploitation of this myth was then compounded by the Labour Party and left politicians all year. The voters spoke, National was returned as they still outweighed buy-a-vote policy favourites from the welfarists. How long net beneficiaries can stay the voting minority however is anyone's guess.

The Loudest Prick Award for Blatant Continual Shit Stirring - Whaleoil

There is too much material to list here. No one on the internet in New Zealand politics is louder, ruder or often more tongue in cheek hypocritical than the Whale. Only Whaleoil can hurl abuse at the Labour Party then call them "nasty" when they hurl shit and abuse back. Between breaking many stories this year and being the cause of Union strikes, Whale has exceeded expectations from even his friends and allies for being completely and utterly outrageous in the wooden spooning of shit.

The Disappearing Prick Award for blogging underachievement - David Farrar

David? Where art thou David? If your face was full up in a pile of muff we may have forgiven you but you have been largely absent this year with other stuff on your mind. We end the year with pictures from Safari in Africa. By far David's best series of posts of the year after some short spurts post election. A much larger effort is required in 2012 from our Jedi Grand Master Yoga.

"The Supreme Prick" Blog and Bloggers of the Year - Red Alert(ers)

They won this one off me back in 2009 and not much has changed since then. In terms of New Zealand political blogs it provides the best commentary because it is coming straight from the horse's mouth (oops did I really say that?).

Red Alert has become so successful that it has collected many critics. Often the harshest from those within Labour who do not think MP's should interact in the fashion they do on the site and through social media. Grasping at straws some grumpy old commentators believe Red Alert puts voters off Labour and their MP's shouldn't be on twitter.

Nonsense. Having a hapless goober of a communicator as a Leader and a policy platform that the heaving pathetic underclass usually voting Labour or did not understand put them off in 2011. And it will continue to put them off in 2012 because that hasn't changed either.

Red Alert has developed into a must read as the ultimate opposition blog. Labour people read it in their community in a different way than the VRWC view it. I read it as some would a daily affirmation. A motivational tool as to why I need to work even harder to oppose everything they stand for.

However it remains New Zealand's best political blog which should evolve further in 2012 down whatever path its team chooses it.

The Desperate Tactics of the FMA

2011-12-22T04:04:00.011+13:00

Hughes still making it up as he goes along

Fran O'Sullivan has pushed the buttons of FMA Head Sean Hughes to get some answers on the Hanover Finance investigation in a classic pre-Christmas PR dump from the Authority similar to last years freeze order.

O'Sullivan's column today raises more questions than it answered. A brief fact summary follows from her material:

- The FMA has cancelled Xmas leave so Hanover charges can be laid in the first two months of 2012.
- Prior to even laying charges, the FMA has come out pre-Xmas and said it would against directors and promoters.
- O'Sullivan concludes (and we can only assume because she has been told by Hughes) that the FMA now wishes to cut a settlement deal with the Hanover directors and promoters.
- Hughes has stated the Hanover scenario is NOT "talking about wanton reckless misconduct".
- Greg Muir speaking for Hanover suggests the FMA has all the material it requires to show directors acted within the law. Hughes responds by saying the FMA is NOT "alleging intentional or reckless misconduct". Just that the "prospectus and advertising portrayed a rosier picture than the true scenario".
- The FMA are making these representations to keep the freeze order on over Xmas.
- The SFO is yet to conclude its investigation into Hanover involving related party transactions.

Here are my thoughts on the piece by O'Sullivan. And I number them for simplicity's sake. I also note that O'Sullivan's piece is the first by a journalist on this stage of developments. I am not suggesting she is doing anything other than what is her job, that is she is well within her rights to publish the piece, which was a good one.

But looking at Sean Hughes' conduct:

1. What the hell is the head of the FMA doing speaking to a journalist while a formal and serious, and very public investigation is still in progress?

2. Do the Hanover parties even know the possible charges they possible could be charged with? I assume not if the charges have not been laid yet. How consistent is this with natural justice?

3. What kind of outfit threatens to charge persons after more than a one year investigation without detailing precisely what they are being charged with? And does so through probably the most senior and respected business journalist in New Zealand?

4. If the conduct is not intentional, reckless or wanton then what was it? It is starting to all look a bit limp dick when it comes down to the effect of advertising and a prospectus that very few Ma and Pa investors even read cover to cover.

5. What relationship has the purposive placement of this information in the public domain by the FMA got to do with Winkelmann J's demands that the FMA show that they are nearing the end of their investigation?

6. If Richard Long is to be charged for apparently inducing person's into investing in Hanover, will the NZ Herald also be charged for running the $2 million of advertisements in their paper saying same? Just asking given the FMA picked the Herald to run this story through. If Long goes down then surely so does APN. Long probably convinced more people to sign up to Hanover than Hotchin, Watson or any Hanover official.

7. Again despite O'Sullivan publishing the standard 16,000 investors of $500 million of losses, the FMA investigation to begin with did not relate to anything like this figure, it is for a specific time period based on a prospectus in December 2007. That is what the freeze order on Hotchin was for. Apparently now Hughes is looking at a wider time frame but details are vague.

The FMA has fed this information to the media on purpose in a far more blatant manner than their usual under-handed fashion of a "leak" (wink wink).

It all leads to the conclusion that the FMA are after a settlement with Hanover before this even makes a court room much to the teary eyes over at NBR in Jock Anderson who wants to sex this baby up.

Such a tactic in law is not one of a confident party with a bullet proof case. The FMA need Hotchin's scalp and those involved in Hanover in a far uglier fashion than a cash settlement. The FMA have sunk to such depths that they are willing to use the media to put information into the public about more than just the bare bones of progress of an investigation while it is still occurring.

That the FMA has now dragged all the other directors and even possibly those down to Richard Long into the debacle, tells me that the emphasis is not so much on Hotchin anymore but the entire outfit including auditors because they cannot nail Hotchin's backside hard enough to any wall. The asset freeze remember was restricted solely to his assets as though he was carrying the baby for the entire loss allegedly due to technical prospectus violations. You know, prospectuses that every Ma and Pa investor read from cover to cover and base their decisions on. Yeah right.

If you were advising Hotchin and Hanover in a legal capacity right now you would be taking that eventual meeting with the FMA with a large grain of salt from the "get fucked" shaker and taking your chances in court. If there was any behaviour that was so very bad the head of the FMA would not be eliminating intentional or reckless conduct from the charges before they have even been laid. At present anything looks very technical and with it shakier than Christchurch.

Playing Politics

2011-12-22T03:47:00.004+13:00

David Shearer gave an awfully boring and poorly delivered speech in Parliament today. He showed that he didn't just need Brian Edwards but he also needed a crack committee assisting of Judy Callingham, Bill Ralston, Janet Wilson, Michelle Boag, Matthew Hooton, Sean Plunket, Greg Ward, Mark Unsworth, Barrie Saunders, Roger Sowry and Deborah Pead.

John Key then slowly got up and destroyed him.

In a performance that showed confidence, style, humour and wit, Key was showing that not only he was the Master of Ceremonies, he was Langesque in delivery, timing and draw.

Straight away the Labour Party spin machine was on high.

They had no choice than to forget Key had already outlined his government's direction, ideas and mandate. They focused on the tagline that Key was being mean to Shearer and this was unfair. Words of the pathetic playing for the sympathy vote. Key, a politician, was apparently politicking instead of discussing the important issues of the day. Forgetting he already had in his lengthy speech humiliated David Shearer and Labour's campaign in the process.

And how did Labour MP's communicate in unison their disgust in John Key demoralising David Shearer with this alleged "abuse"?

Their boo boys and girls all jumped on twitter and started abusing John Key.

Pot Kettle Red?

David Shearer is just tits in the House. The House is now dominated by John Key, Steven Joyce, Winston Peters and Trevor Mallard with cameo's from John Banks, Gerry Brownlee with David Cunliffe to follow when he is allowed off the leash.

Continue with today's form and it will be three loooooong years for the Shearer.

Even a Backbench MP in Alfred Ngaro outshone Shearer today.

McCully & New Zealand's Most Expensive Rental

2011-12-20T03:22:00.006+13:00

What do you get for $NZ500,000 a year in rent?

Westpac's George Frazis was living in allegedly Auckland's most expensive rental property at NZ$3,400 per week (NZ$176,800 per annum) for a whopping 1,417 square meters.

However I've found New Zealand's most expensive rental at 3 times the price of that and a fraction of the size and worse still you are all paying for it.

I was at Intermediate School when Murray McCully was elected to Parliament. He's as cunning as they come. If someone was to write a guide to OIA's, McCully and his Charlie Wilson's War Room would be at the top of the list of obstinate fools who use every trick in the book not to hand out information.

I never ask a question of an MP I do not already know the answer to. Because it is in their DNA to lie or at the very kindest block the truth.

So when I OIA'ed McCully's office regarding the rent of the house of the NZ Consulate-General in Hong Kong I had a reasonable idea what the answer should be. Hong Kong rents are as readily available on the google search as stocks on the exchange. Landlords in this town are proud to show off what their properties can be rented out for.

The NZ Consulate-General to Hong Kong lives at this address
House 2, Duplex 1A, Mountain Court, No 11 Plantation Road, The Peak

Here is the building profile with some absolutely beautiful shots.

All NZ expats know this as we are invited up there for piss ups, usually at times where it is impossible to make it and/or the invite includes children. Google and you can find some of these invitations.

The Peak has some of the most expensive real estate in the world. To even rent a shoebox up there you need to have a seriously large housing allowance from your employer and I know of few executive level contracts left with such a luxury. And even then the issue with its beauty is practicality. Try getting up or down at "peak" hours through the windy road and you will see why anyone needing to work normal office hours probably shouldn't and can't afford to live there.

So bless little ole New Zealand, we've had a "flat" up there since 2005 according to Muzza. My early days in Hong Kong when rents I guess were comparably "reasonable". It has a dual purpose of hosting a few parties and guests. But really I ask in the scheme of things in this day and age, is it really appropriate? Could the Consulate-General, a diplomatic posting where we have had very average people hold the position, not live in more modest and appropriate lodging and whenever there is a function, premises not rented in an office or plush hotel?

The NZ Consulate-General and Trade & Enterprise already have an office in Hong Kong in the Wan Chai office commercial area. The NZ Chamber of Commerce already have an office in Hong Kong also located in Kowloon.

How much is this all costing for heaven's sake and are these office not performing most of the same function but dipping out of different troughs? There is some discussion about having 40 staff involved. What on earth are they doing? Or are they just having a good old time over here? The Brits left here in 1997 so all this diplomatic excess is meant to be well over.

Here is the bio of the newbie Consulate-General Robert Kaiwai:

Mr Kaiwai is currently serving as High Commissioner in Tarawa and Ambassador to Palau, Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. Previously, he has held various senior roles including Deputy Director in the Middle East and Africa Division, and has been seconded to the Ministry for the Environment leading a senior policy team developing New Zealand’s climate change policy.

Has the "flat" resulted in New Zealand business doing more business because of its opulence? I could understand if it was a critical business networking tool but the previous and past Consulate-General's haven't exactly been known as gateways to China. For a start they've been a European woman and Maori man. Surely MFAT has a New Zealand born or educated Chinese person by now to fill the role? A fluent Mandarin or Cantonese speaker?

I could understand the expenditure if we were trying to recruit a business networker of real quality. But instead we get a man who up until a few months ago was posted to a set of bongo bongo Islands with the population of less than a few apartment buildings in Hong Kong? Come on. I'm sure he's a lovely bloke as all diplomats have to be but China and Hong Kong deserve a bit better in terms of status. At present the Consulate-General's reputation doesn't match the opulence of the lodgings at all.

I found examples of the rent in the building here (divide by 6 for the NZ$ amount):

3,760 sq ft for HK$280,000 per month
2,171 sq ft for HK$155,000 per month
4,183 sq ft for HK$275,000 per month
(exclusive of massive management fees and rates that tenants pay in HK directly)

Anyway, you get the picture . The NZ Consulate-General has a duplex in the larger size range I imagine is more represented by the 3,000+ sq ft range (as opposed to 1,417 square metres for Auckland's most expensive rental).

According to McCully the house has been rented since 2005. This being the case a standard lease would see it renewed every two years so it was up for renewal this year.

SL6.1-copie11121409361

McCully claims commercial sensitivity for not releasing how much this rent costs. But as you can see on google it doesn't matter. The answer is a shit load and it would make most New Zealanders, even those in the 1% blush.

I don't know anyone in Hong Kong, even wealthy clients who pay this much rent.

The brilliance of McCully lies in the last paragraph. He knows the answer looks ugly if he gave you the number, he's taunted you by not giving it to you as he hides behind the skirt of a strict interpretation of the law and possible scenario. But then for those charmable bimbos or men in awe of the McCully, he makes it sound like he's actually listened to you and is concerned about the answer that he cannot give you.

Masterful.

The problem for McCully is that by now not giving me the answer I can tell the story based on the numbers I have dug up and call it New Zealand's most expensive rental from probably one of the best diplomatic troughs around these days Hong Kong and China.

If I was actually a journalist and not a blogger, I would have the time to now follow up precisely the value of renting a "flat" that even the richest New Zealanders would not be able to afford (we are talking ball park Hong Kong current market value of NZ$40,000 per month here so NZ$480,000 p.a) and whether New Zealand through its former nice but average and new Consulate-General are using the expenditure to provide the sort of return it would need to justify investment in a city such as Hong Kong which is increasingly becoming critical along with China to the success of the New Zealand economy.

I could also call the real estate firm renting out the above apartments in the same building and find out from them what House 2, Duplex 1A is renting for. It would not take much to get the estimate from the agent based on the big mouths in the industry.

It is time McCully asked his charges just what New Zealand taxpayers are paying for and the return on this astronomical expenditure. How are the KPI's going and how deep has the diplomatic trough here become?

Phil Goff may also like to ask the question, problem is in 2005 he was the Minister in charge and probably started the rorting himself and if made Ambassador to China basing himself in Hong Kong and taking over this relative palace may be part of the grand plan.

David Shearer And His Women Problems

2011-12-19T01:07:00.013+13:00

The biggest story this week in the run up to Christmas will be David Shearer's first defining moment - naming his front bench.

Shearer looks like the kind of guy who has never considered himself to have women problems. I doubt he's looked twice at any woman other than his wife. This week though he has to look closely at many. He has the impossible mission of keeping the women of the Labour Party happy in his front bench selections. There will be tears, there will be tantrums. He will be a lucky man if he comes out of it alive given the parameters of my analysis.

Leading political commentator and blogging machine David Farrar has had a go picking the Labour front bench in his popular Stuff column.

The automatic first four picks seem to be Shearer, Robertson, Parker and Cunliffe. Farrar then picks Little, Twyford, Sepuloni (RIP), O'Connor and then a toss up for a Maori/Hapless place between Jones, Chauvel and Mahuta. I agreed more with Farrar's picks than any as they were the most merit based with little regard for quotas. When Sepuloni was actually an MP last week I rate her venom as first-rate if she could have increased her accuracy having 6+ foot of intimidating Carmel on that front bench would have made an impact.

Vernon Small has had a go as well in his less popular Stuff column.

He picks Shearer, Robertson, Parker, Ardern, Jones, Twyford, Sio and Cunliffe if he wanted in.

Other Stuff picks are Shearer, Robertson, Ardern, Parker, Jones, Cosgrove and a choice for the last spots from Cunliffe, Mahuta, Dyson or Maryan Street.

You see the issue though? A dearth of women.

For the first time in memory, National has a far more awesome line-up of heavily promoted and portfolioed women than Labour does. At 5,7 and 9. Try these three versus any Labour women. Then add in Amy Adams as well who is capable of holding her own.

If you want to renew your front bench as Shearer promised you cannot go back to the Helen Clark years where the likes of Dyson, Dalziel, Street and King were Minister either. This whole renewal and fresh faces that has been sold on his leadership bid has seen Shearer capable of only picking women from the "new era". The list is quite laughable when you see their National counterparts.

You have to look at Moroney, Mackey, Ardern, Mahuta, Fenton, Curran, Wall and Woods.

Fenton was made whip and Curran Secretary so that leaves just the others for a fresh look

Moroney, Mahuta, Mackey, Ardern, Wall and Woods.

All of whom wouldn't hold their own vs newly promoted Amy Adams let alone Crusher, Parata and even Bennett.

We all know what will happen, despite The Standard commenters now even admitting she hasn't actually won anything yet, Kim Kardashian Ardern will be selected because she looks good on a billboard and she will probably get King's role of opposing Bennett where her sole idea will revolve around giving beneficiaries more and more taxpayer money. Only she will fail to be half as good as King even still is now so King will end up babysitting her.

But that leaves really the need for one more female spot if we look at the Farrar school of gender balance even. Mahuta was Cunliffe's running mate after having made but a ripple in the massive 15 years she's been an MP with just one term as a Minister, Shearer would rather extract his own front tooth than choose Moroney in the front bench, Mackey was rumoured to be doing Cunliffe's numbers with Chauvel so already backs losers, Woods is fresh off the boat and Wall hasn't been around long enough. Interestingly I think Wall has the brightest future amongst the lot. She hates losing and, is extremely competitive and once she gains institutional knowledge of Parliament will be useful.

Being named on Labour's front bench however is kind of like climbing your way to the top of the class but in the bottom stream of Auckland Grammar. Made worse now because all the older kids have been ruled ineligible to compete. I doubt any female will be given a grunty portfolio either requiring any real application. As was discussed on Red Alert this week, many Cabinet positions aren't really of any use and I bet if the author applied his ideas further he would name the female dominated positions as being central in his attack.

Labour in just one electoral cycle has gone from a Party dominated by women under the H1 and H2 regime, to a Party now destined to be run by men where women simply make up the numbers, and most likely now the tea.

Shearer will be racking his brain right now trying to get the balance right, knowing full well that King, Dyson, Street and Dalziel are light years more capable in any portfolio he gives them than any of the "talent" emerging under the Labour renewal process. Leaving them in the Backbenches may very well be his downfall.

National have a caucus of 59, a huge Backbench of their own and many MP's bored enough to deem heckling the hapless newbies a competitive sport.

It is going to be very embarrassing for Labour when the likes of King, Dyson, Street, Dalziel, Mallard, Goff and maybe even Cunliffe have to step up and save those who replaced them from making tits of themselves in the House and in their portfolios knowing they are all still better than the newbies. A few of those named will serve their final years in long careers hand holding inferior replacements knowing they were actually only one seat away from victory and a place opposite where they are now, sitting in a Cabinet reliving their glory days under Clark.

Seeing how Mr Peacekeeper deals with keeping the oldies happy enough to babysit their replacements for three years, spinning recycled hacks above them as "renewal" and handles the classic pinko gender and race balance issues in his rankings will be the best show in town this week.

Bring out the popcorn.

David Parker is C***Struck

2011-12-17T20:40:00.010+13:00

Fran O'Sullivan turns the tables on David Parker today in a beauty of a column outlining the preamble to David Shearer's leadership charge.

Usually male commentators accuse women of behaving like silly little girls over men. The politically experienced O'Sullivan has obviously seen something we haven't in eliminating David Parker as suitable from all adult-like activity because he has the hots for a chick (or as Whale colloquially terms "cunt struck"). I mean he was spoken of as a leadership contender and favourite in ABC (Anyone But Cunliffe) and then rolled over, had his tummy tickled and let his flatmate David Shearer have a shot at being the next PM easily enough. The fire may very well be gone. O'Sullivan calls being in love "a condition". Maybe it is and she is right.

Today Shearer, Robertson and other allies will be determining the final caucus lineup. They face a problem in that Parker does not have Cunliffe's killer instincts. He is not as respected in the business community. Parker is also in love with a new partner; a condition which does not easily lend itself to "putting on a hard hat" and venomously taking it to National on a daily basis.

Parker needs to snap out of this condition immediately. A good dose of cold-water over Christmas and New Year. And we don't mean the kind of playful fun above.

Asking his missus to marry him and the let down that "peak love" brings, would probably be cold-water enough to turn him back to the reality of a hard hat as O'Sullivan describes above. His current hat appears to be hard for all the wrong reasons.

New Zealand Lawyers Suffer Most In Low Wage Economy

2011-12-17T03:18:00.011+13:00

During many discussions I have with New Zealanders there is a general theme of hating on lawyers. I find this interesting as usually it comes down to just two things - the moaner has had a bad experience with being over-billed or a lawyer appearing to have stuffed up something crucial in their life, whether it be a divorce proceeding, employment settlement or litigation.

There is a perception that lawyers over-charge and are all earning squillions of dollars.

May I introduce to you a survey that should change your perception immediately about how minted lawyers actually are and how perhaps the bank owns more of his house or car than your lawyer does.

I will try and explain in more details the length of study and hours that a New Zealand lawyer works. Most students these days do five years at High School at a high enough level to get an A Bursary to qualify for the LLB course, five years at University hitting grades high enough to get into Law School 1 and complete conjoint degrees. That is ten years of top-achieving study right there.

They then have a bar admission course. Lawyers are then measured in worth on billable hours. It is not uncommon to work 1,700+ billable hours in a year at a junior level and keep that going through to Partner. I did it a couple of years and it close to killed me shocking me into thinking there must be an easier way to earn a living than working in New Zealand for slave wages ruining my eyes staring at paper.

Using crude maths, that means 36 hours per week for 47 weeks so around 7 hours a day. Administration work (filing, billing, photocopying, some background work, staff training, conferences, professional development hours, reading) is not billable therefore to reach the 7 hours a day you are looking at maybe working on average 9 hours a day working also a Saturday. This doesn't include readings and all the crap you have to take home at the weekend to keep up with the changes in the law. That 9+ hours of work a day isn't easy sitting at your desk stuff. It is concentrated reading, analyzing, interpretation and often precision writing. It is being interrupted and having to start again, over and over again. It is signing out documents with liability attached knowing that one mistake and it is all over. Law also is quite hard. It can be in areas like tax and commercial, very complex and academically challenging.

Momentum carried out a survey with around 1,100 responses or around 10% of the profession between years 1-9. If I was eligible to participate in this survey working in New Zealand I would be a year 10 so only just outside the bounds of those surveyed. According to the experts after years 10 salaries are a lot more stable in terms of pay rises, from what I have seen as well in New Zealand this is true. Another note of despair in the labour market.

Let us start at the bottom. Lawyers with 1-9 years experience working at large firms and then small firms

If you can't score a job at a "large firm" you are looking at a graduate at teachers wages aren't you? Hell even an unqualified stevedore earns $91,480 with five weeks annual leave, free medical insurance for their whole family and limited hours to sometimes just 26 hours for the 40 hours paid.

Lets say you enter private practice here is what you can expect to earn with 10+ years experience.

And here is the "money" end of the profession - Partners and Directors. Ignore the $700k as that will be a Partner at a Bell Gully/Russell McVeagh outfit and look at the median and average earnings of a Partner. The average is $NZ186,800 and the median just $NZ158,000. Salaried Partners (which many are these days as the oldies are the ones with the equity deals) are on a whole lot less.

The full survey is here. The summary is here. These figures are absolute motivational gold for expat professional workers as with a 33% tax rate and these sorts of wages there is no reason whatsoever financially to return to New Zealand and for young lawyers there should be motivational reason enough why after 3 or 4 years at a New Zealand firm you should get the hell out and don't go back until the situation improves. Have a look at what the role models in the industry receive - the Partners.

And before I get a rash of comments surrounding how "high" these wages are, lawyers were the smartest kids in your class next to the ones that ended up at medical school. The teachers told the smartest kids in the class they should be lawyers. Lawyers are by definition more responsible than other members of society not having bar admission and rules and regulations thrust upon them. Yes, in other words, we should be paid more than most of you in salaried jobs but I bet if these figures are to go by that in terms of professions, law is mid-range in income.

The low pay rates I hazard a guess are attributable to law schools flooding themselves with graduates creating what Whaleoil calls unaffectionately "flea lawyers". While I don't often agree with whom he is giving the tag to, (among them QC's and poor old blogger MickeySavage), flea lawyers are sub-lawyers in the profession who might as well refer their clients on to howtolaw.co.nz such is the quality of their advice or more importantly, their advocacy skills and mongrel to actually win for their clients.

Demand and supply has pushed the prices down to affordable levels. However even Partners seem to not be making the cream on the top if the average equity partner (as in has their own money and risk in the firm's success) doesn't even get near $200k per annum.

I mean even a backbench MP with no qualifications, life experience or straight out of University with just a BA having never read a statute in their life earns $141,800+a tax free allowance of $16,100+$25k in after tax pension contributions +$1k phone allowance which puts them ahead of the majority of equity partners, all those in the private practice with 10+ years experience and all lawyers who responded with 1-9 years experience.

Little wonder so many lawyers want to become MP's - the MP's earn more money.

Something is amiss as to why lawyers aren't getting paid or earning the sort of money they deserve or indeed require to live reasonable debt-free lifestyles.

I suggest New Zealand lawyers are just tits at negotiating their pay rates or their clients are New Zealand firms too small to pay decent charge-out rates in the first place. Or is it something else?

Face of The Day

2011-12-15T04:48:00.003+13:00

Better than the ones on Whaleoil because I want one of these one day.

Spotted this Chow Chow dog in the street and had to get a shot. The correct translation is "puffy lion dog" but the Chinese kiddies all seem to scream out bear when they see it as in teddy bear I guess.

What I like about the Chow Chow is that they are aggressive in nature and I have seen some even take to kiddies who charge at them to try and touch them.

This fella was chained inside the car so he was as close to me as he could be.

Play It Again David - Labour and ACT

2011-12-14T19:19:00.013+13:00

Back in the dark days of ACT I made several observations about excuses for failure and mood at the time of the failure:

- constant talk of re-inventing our image and never actually doing so
- grasping at straws by saying we didn't suck so much in Auckland as the rest of the country
- blaming the media for not giving us good coverage
- constant policy over personality discussions
- a divisive primary style election of the Leader
- members allowed to have a say but a higher power over-ruling them
- tantrums by MPs when they are forced to leave
- TLDR (too long didn't read) advertisements and brochures
- a call for more women to be promoted despite there being precious few available
- infighting between factions at senior levels about things other than policy direction
- a hatred of all things National Party rather than worrying about our own game
- references back to our own David (Lange) and Douglas all the time and glory years
- 1980's key figures running the party in an old style FPP way rather than MMP
- the deepest darkest influence in Roger Douglas still hanging around like a warlord in wait

Well low and behold one looks at The Standard (currently the best show in town in the comments section), Red Alert and the outbursts from various MP's post election and I can see the same thing has happened to Labour. Only Roger is Helen. Her influence shown with all this fresh young talent merely being puppet staffers from her regime. They aren't fresh at all.

They are Helengnomes. Indoctrinated prototypes who think working for an MP gives you enough experience to be a well- rounded one. Whaleoil profiled them here.

There's no excuse for failure in politics. You lose when more people like the other guy than like you. You have to get over that and try again next time.

Labour have a growing electorate of welfare dependent clowns who not only want welfare for themselves but their children and their grandchildren. Labour have to outbid Mana and Greens to get these clowns to vote for them but they know where they are and have to go sign them up. Cunners knew this when he was pitching to this audience off the back of the truck in Avondale.

How Labour can miss out on leading the next government in 2014 is beyond me. Even though John Key and National were at their most popular in history, Labour only missed by one seat this time on forming a government despite crashing and burning their own Party, the vote went to their junior coalition partner. National did very little to promote the anti-MMP campaign. And are now stuck with the system that is inherently bias against those paying for all the welfare promises.

Yet Labour threw out their Leader, ran a Primary for a new one and aren't finished yet chucking the baby out with the bath water by biffing out all the oldies and simply replacing them with less talented and remarkable new Helengnomes. I mean really who can say Ardern (dropped 9.4% party vote and lost seat despite Greens helping her) Hipkins (least he won his seat) and Robertson (complete focus on winning seat and came 3rd in party vote) are the new Goff, King and Mallard? And this is somehow evolution for the Party? At least King, Goff and Mallard had jobs and some life experience outside Parliament before super gluing their backsides to the institution.

The Helengnomes are humorless, talentless generalists, privileged and lacking in life experience party hacks to the outside world. And that's before they even got selected in safe seats or in on the favored positions on the list.

In the meantime those who should be there as Labour's future to appeal to middle progressive working New Zealand like Davis and Nash, are sitting at home on their backsides contemplating what they did wrong.

Not signing up to be a Helengnome pretty much sums it up.

Keep up the entertainment is all I can say.

#Open Labour Tells Us Cunliffe Members Favourite

2011-12-11T23:48:00.007+13:00

The Standard has done #Open Labour a huge favour. Forget Red Alert, the best commentary on the leadership race is in the comments on their blog post today titled "Sunday Afternoon Poetry". Poetry it is:

Jacinda "Kim Kardashian" Ardern going against the wishes of her Auckland Central electorate

The new MP's (Hipkins, Robertson, Ardern) are not embracing change in the Party and appear to be with the old guard (Goff, King etc) in supporting Shearer

David Shearer has snubbed The Standard and hasn't even sent in his pitch as the other candidates have done

The members can't see why Cunliffe is allegedly so unpopular with the caucus.

It's going to end in tears. Get out the popcorn.

The Standard Call It For Cunliffe

2011-12-11T19:19:00.011+13:00

The Standard are about to have a meltdown this week.

I predict David Shearer is about to win the Labour leadership battle based on caucus support. But for once I agree with The Standard, it should be Cunliffe and it sounds like he is very much the members' choice as well. The Standard won't be enjoying the result when Shearer is named leader. They may pretend to be happy but all have with due respect to them, gone out on a limb and actually taken sides in the debate.

The latest post invited comments from those just in from the Auckland Leader travelling circus.

It sounded like Cunliffe and Mahuta owned yet another meeting and were clearly the more impressive of the options against Robertson and Shearer. This is an excellent quality comment that attempted to summarize the situation:

I have enjoyed watching the Labour party debate this contest in public. No way on earth has it been healthy for them so it has warmed the right quite nicely heading into summer. In one corner Cunliffe, the man who was chosen to front the cornerstone CGT policy and he did a pretty brilliant job. Shame for them the voters thought the policy was tits, but his performance in explaining the policy in the video campaign was flawless. He is a man who I guess thinks he has done everything he has to in order to be named Leader.

Shearer on the other hand is a poor red man's Smile and Wave. And there is nothing wrong with that but the man lacks substance for sure and simply parrots out he's the good guy solely because he worked for a good whack of US tax free dollars for the UN. He clearly lacks political judgment, no easier example being on the Sunday after the election turning up to Matthew Hooton's now infamous corporate BBQ.

Just like Goff, Shearer can't answer the hard economic questions. Neither can Robertson. Both have a far too generalized skill set for the job of the next three years which is to undermine National's performance with respect to economic issues. Labour need to choose Cunliffe to fight this battle because he is the only one in the front bench with the economic mongrel to do it. Parker is a woose and chickened out of the Leadership race, he doesn't have the metal to attack National.

Every day in the House Labour have to get up and in the face of Key, Joyce and English and torment them. They have to hit them intelligently and on hard facts. The global environment will no doubt be deteriorating and Labour need to capitalize on this and chip away at National's timid approach to dealing with the issues. Having show-pony, party careerist, economic lightweights hogging the majority of the action up front will not help them.

They need to develop a front bench of economic brain power and hard hitting capability regardless of who is Leader. They don't have room for pretty girls and boy flakes or children. Labour's newbies are without business experience or suitably impressive academic credentials to compensate, most are simply party hacks coming through the ranks of Young Labour and student/unions. Cunliffe is smart enough to know this and despite his call for renewal he will also know he needs his heavy hitting sledge team of oldies with him.

Sadly for both him and Shearer there isn't much left to choose from. The best heavy hitting sledge machines are Mallard, Cunliffe, Jones and King. In that order. There is then a huge void. Shearer in battling Cunliffe as he has will surely not have the full support of Cunliffe in doing this if he wins as Cunners will have a tanty at the dirty tricks involved in the merging of the Parker/Shearer ticket. He will have to turn to Parker in the Finance portfolio. Parker is a poor substitute for Cunliffe in my view for that role.

Labour's trouble is what to do with Cunliffe when Shearer wins. He wants the job as Leader. He has patiently waited to go for the role. He is rumored to be disliked within the caucus and if he loses to a man who just smiles, waves and hasn't even served a full term in Parliament yet, yes, that is proof his colleagues dislike him. With his experience and skills he deserves a turn but as we all know in life you don't always get what you deserve.

You get what you are good enough to take. Lets see if Cunliffe is. In the meantime when Shearer gets the nod. Watch Robertson.

The Remuera Rooter

2011-12-09T21:23:00.005+13:00

Parnell had a Panther, it seems Remuera has tried to outdo its less expensive neighbour yet again and has invented a much friendlier consensual rooter in the Remuera Rooter.

Tennis in the 80's was a hip sport. The roll call of a tennis club in Auckland looked more like that of the Rich List. My family partook in the recreational sport and selected members of it were pretty good. I recall many trips to Auckland to the various clubs and thought on leaving how nice the places were compared to our facilities. Even some astroturf envy developed. My writings on tennis are numerous. I hate it as a sport. Playing it is pedantic, watching is as painful as removing glass from your foot with tweezers. It's not so much a sport but a bad excuse to stand in a searing heat when you'd be better served staying in a bar.

But enter the Remuera Rooter. He is making tennis 80's sexy again.

What makes this story broken by Whaleoil so fabulous is that it is entirely believable. The Remuera Rackets Club was in the 80's the place to be. Hotties everywhere it stunk of a mixture of testosterone with admired female form. The Club went into a wee decline over the years as tennis took a backseat to the 87 crash and a new culture in New Zealand where you had to actually turn up to work. Going to "The Club" was not billable anymore.

I see this leaked anonymous letter from an aggrieved patron as the most clever sports marketing ploy I have seen in many years. Every sports club lacks female members and what better way to increase the populous than get it out there that the men at the Club are as hot as a rotisserie and hornier than the Parnell Rose Gardens? I may even look at joining myself when I am back next if the coaching staff are anything to go by. It seems a more interesting option than foreign membership to the Northern Club.

The letter itself reeks of a man who hasn't satisfied his lady since Jim Bolger was Prime Minister. I mean really what sort of man complains in a letter about another man prolifically rooting around at a sports club? I thought such activity was compulsory and graded. Every sport has them - rooters. Even politics. Every sport has people attracted to the particular activity based on their chances of getting a leg over. How else do all MP's seem to have not only official partners but lines of groupies willing to shag even the most heinous of them? Sport is sexy.

While men have voracious sexual appetites with or without multiple partners, the female is wired as such that if her box is being wrecked morning and/or night, a daytime rest and recovery is required, not being served by the local professional. It takes far more unhappiness for a woman to cheat on her husband than the other way around. Women for some reason have a conscience about it or perhaps a deep financial interest to keep their knickers on. The Remuera Rooter seems to melt this conscience away to remove the panties with his endless charms, ball machine and firm backhand. Bringing back the ADIDAS motto - all day I dream about sex.

This publicity as well as being a recruitment drive serves as a huge wake-up call for Remuera men that it is not good enough to get up at 6am, have a shower, get changed and go to your fancy job in the city and look at the Secretary or Juniors titties all day hoping one Christmas Party you can slide one in, followed by being fed when you get home with a 3 course dinner and pretending to be too tired at 9pm to engage in a bit of spank the married mank.

For God's sake men, root your wife. Wake her up before 6am and give her one before you even shave and then go to work, do it again after dinner. Perhaps even thank her for cooking dinner and apologise for not rooting her enough until in a fit of men-o-pause she begs you to stop.

If you don't do this it seems that the Remuera Rooter will service her for you as there's a gap in the market well short of the baseline.

Labour Does The Numbers

2011-12-04T21:21:00.002+13:00

Whaleoil has outdone the 1st XV I did for Cunners and produced this just in from his tipline of exclusive coverage inside the Labour caucus engine room.

Doing Cunners' Numbers Cont....

2011-12-04T17:08:00.003+13:00

Yesterday we fed the forwards.

Today we will look at the backs. They seem split 3-3-1.

9. Mallard - Shearer. Allegedly former Team Parker. Hasn't lasted as long as he has without being able to pick the winner at any point in time. Threw in some confusion today toying with HoS reporter he may be in the race. Confused political guesser Bryce Edwards suggests he is named interim leader.

10. Moroney - Unknown as everything she touches turns to clay. Would either want her on their side?

11. Chauvel - Cunliffe as he's so self-interested that it is better for him to clean out the forwards.

12. Mahuta - Cunliffe as he's smart enough to have offered her baubles.

13. Ardern - Shearer. Allegedly in Team Parker to start with. No seat so would be looking to pick up the pieces in Mt Roskill, Rongotai or even after shafting Cunliffe in New Lynn. For sale as Kardashian is as ambitious and slippery as a whore in a brothel wresting for a dropped gold coin.

14. Robertson - Shearer at present but allegedly bolted from Team Parker so vote is light and for sale. Same features as Kardashian.

15. Little - Cunliffe and I base this on Little thinking it is easier to roll him and Shearer not supporting the leftist funders of Little.

Coddington on Men

2011-12-04T15:41:00.003+13:00

Deborah Coddington has had a go at a young hotel worker who was allegedly harassed by members of the Rugby World Cup England team. Putting the right or wrong of that to one side let us look at the pearls of wisdom from DC:

English players behaved like prats and Newton enjoyed the attention until it became more than serious flirting.
Then she saw there might be money in it after the apology she received was not "good enough".
Oh, grow up and dry your eyes. Sharpen your tongue and smile, Newton, if you want to deal with men in the real world. They are simple creatures; easily tamed.
Let this be a lesson to any other minx wanting to try it on. Hopefully, Haskell's action might give them pause, because nasty games like this can ruin reputations.
The entire incident reflects badly on both sexes. Men behaving badly, and making women look pathetic.
Annabel Newton, you let the side down

Shame Annabel Newton didn't have a Parliamentary Security Guard at her disposal to run to nor could the man be "easily tamed" by writing to him and engineering the plastering of the letter all over the front pages of the paper. Or allegedly obtaining then acting on advice from the Diplomatic Protection Squad.

That's how a real lady would have handled it.

Peters A Kept Man

2011-12-04T12:12:00.008+13:00

I had to have a giggle when I read of Winston Peters new life. As sexist as it may be, I always giggle when men are living off the proceeds of a woman. It's very emasculating for them. To balance matters I groan when I see women living off men but that seems to be the norm even nowadays.

Winston Peters on the balcony of his home in St Marys Bay, Auckland, the morning after last month's election.

"His" home? You are having a laugh! When women are pictured on the balcony of their wealthier partners home the media never state "her home". All of a sudden Winnie is granted enough success in his life to own a multi-million dollar home. Surely she made him sign a defacto property agreement when he moved in or chucked the mansion in a trust.

Mr Peters has an enviable life. He and his glamorous and successful partner, Jan Trotman, the former managing director of pharmaceuticals company Janssen-Cilag, live in a beautiful house in St Marys Bay, Auckland, with their chocolate labrador, Bella.

The three-level home, which boasts a swim-jet pool and bar facilities, was bought for $2.25 million in 2008 and has expansive views of Waitemata Harbour.

On what planet could Winston Peters own a $2.25 million home (based on 2008 valuation)? I doubt very much Winnie even "owns" the dog, let alone participated in purchase of the house.

If he has come into some money perhaps he could pay back the $158,000 owed to the taxpayer.

Else I think the media need to start giving credit where it is due that Winston is returning to the tit of the taxpayer rather then living off the tit of his wealthier and far more successful female partner.

He really should be renamed Mr Jan Trotman 66, Kept Man of St Marys Bay.

Cunliffe Owns Shearer Again

2011-12-04T11:35:00.005+13:00

Shearer is turning into a dog on the telly. Cunliffe has now owned him in a second debate. Cunliffe is getting a wee bit of mongrel that is required. Labour's caucus must be getting as confused as the rest of us as to whom is the best man for the job. Shearer can't even name Labour's Climate Change Spokesperson. I can't either but Cunliffe can. Shearer also thinks Labour's rank and file members and their meetings are boring.

In the meantime people are excited about Shearer's humanitarian background. Cunliffe should be quick to point out, a job he was paid a small fortune for out of UN coffers.

Labour's elongated leadership battle is a fabulous example of why these things should not be played out in public.

Cunliffe is simply looking like the man who wants the job more.

Doing Cunner's Numbers

2011-12-03T14:18:00.007+13:00

Let us take the forward pack of the Labour Party list and do the numbers for Cunners. It is not looking good for him.

1. Goff - Shearer because that's his mate. Allegedly abandoned Team Parker.

2. King - Shearer because Cunners has promised a clean out. Allegedly abandoned Team Parker.

3. Cunliffe - Cunliffe as it has always been.

4. Parker - Shearer because he's a member of ABC (anyone but Cunliffe). Even abandoned his own Team Parker.

5. Dyson - Shearer because Cunners has promised a clean out.

6. Horomia - Cunliffe because Nanaia said so and she's da' Boss. Abandoned Team Jones.

7. Street - Cunliffe if he promises her a slot like Nanaia.

8. Cosgrove - Shearer because he's a bloke.

The issue Shearer then has is he has the support of 5 of the top 8 on the list and he will have to axe all of them. Some whom have switched from Team Parker.

Cunners is the only one with a sustainable plan for renewal. Everyone from 9 down should be voting for Cunners. Can't see where they are coming from otherwise.

Attacking Banks For Winning

2011-12-03T13:10:00.013+13:00

I have been asked why in my NBR article, that I didn't include Stephen Whittington in the text alongside the likes of David Seymour, as the future of the Party.

The Herald answered this for me.

I heard rumors Whittington mouthed off on election night about John Banks. I ignored that and thought better of him. It seems to have in hindsight been true. Whittington campaigned alongside John Banks in ACT knowing all about his history, was happy to take the upside of Banks, yet launched an instantaneous pre-prepared attack on him that night:

While the situation with John Banks is not ideal for an ACT purist, attacking Banks himself is a silly exercise. Even politically naive when Banks himself is negotiating an agreement with John Key and National that would see him supporting National Party policy regardless of his own political views.

Of more concern accusing Banks of being "economically ignorant" is just priceless coming from the mouth of a manchild who is still at the stage of mastering the photocopying as a graduate at a law firm. A graduate who himself is so practically economically capable that he doesn't even cash a cheque in time:

When John Banks was 25 years old he was well on his way working his way up through business from the bottom up to earn his millions. He may not have been near a University or an Economics textbook or 15th best speaker in the world* but he deserves more respect than to have such pseudo-intellectual snobbery chucked at him when he's yet to even finish negotiations with John Key.

Whittington is a Sir Roger Douglas stooge promoted on Sir Roger's word ahead of far more loyal and long-time servants to the Party who were a few places on the list below him. Douglas been at the forefront of bringing in Don Brash, the supposed Party saviour who turned a coup into a tits coup. Barely with the Party a Pariamentary term, Whittington diddled around deciding whether he would stand for the Party and now he's spat on them by mouthing off. At number seven on the list he would have only made it to Parliament if ACT could break the 5% threshold. Given at the time of the list selection there realistically was only a very small hope in hell that number seven had that chance, it should be Brash he launched the broadside at for his failure, not Banks for doing his job and actually being on message the whole campaign in winning the seat with his team in Epsom.

Touted as a massive vote winner among young, liberal and hipster in Wellington, Whittington managed to poll just 360 Party Votes for ACT in Wellington Central and 317 votes for himself. Heather Roy pulled 1,628 for ACT and 922 for herself in 2008. Roy therefore outpolled Whittington on party votes 4.5 times. When ACT in 2008 scored 3.65% of the vote to 2011 when they got 1.07%. Whittington therefore proportionally underachieved on Roy and ACT's 2008 effort.

It is pretty clear for ACT members and supporters.

If you don't like where ACT is headed, stay around and be constructive and work with John Banks and support the Board in doing so.

Or just piss off.

* doesn't include Obama

Cunliffe Leading From Front

2011-12-03T13:05:00.002+13:00

My VRWC colleagues think that David Cunliffe was somehow doing something wrong ripping shit out of John Key and National here.

I don't.

Cunners is merely leading from the front with the sort of mongrel that Labour now actually require if they are to clean out all the front bench and have a chance in 2014. Shearer is pandering to the strategic power of age and now tainted with the fact that he will have to knife them in the back for their support.

Cunners is promising to knife them in the front which is always far more honest.

Tamihere v Mahuta

2011-12-02T23:42:00.002+13:00

Nothing is better than watching a good scrap.

And no race does scrapping better in New Zealand than Maori. When they are fighting each other everyone else should duck for cover.

John Tamihere (aka JT) tried to be clever in attacking Nanaia Mahuta. Mahuta has a reputation for being a slow moving born-to-rule slug. Her political career has been marred by underachievement followed by personal tragedy to a small hiatus due to the birth of her child. JT has a reputation for being a mercurially talented but loose talkback boofhead.

Thanks to JT she's now lost that rep and is in the game. With a "cop this beatch". Good on her.

''The only thing she's lacking is she doesn't have a limp. Then he would have got the disabled [vote] too. That's the truth of it and that's the way it smacked as soon as I saw it.''
Ms Mahuta said those comments smacked of sexism.
"John's comments show male parochialism is alive and well in Maoridom... If John Tamihere thinks that Maori women should be in the home cooking kai, then he's wrong.
"I would advise him to stick to his knitting. He's a failed politician who is never making it back in, and it's a bit rich for him to advise Labour on its leadership team."

It is about bloody time Mahuta smartened her act up and delivered on her name that gets her everywhere in life. Telling a sexist to combine sex and travel is an awesome start.

Cunliffe may just be smarter than the average bear for selecting her as his running mate.

Robertson Chickens Out?

2011-12-02T10:14:00.003+13:00

Never trust a turn-coat.

David Parker can mark down Grant Robertson as a traitor if the NZ Herald is to be believed this morning.

Every day this "leadership" race drags out is a day it hurts Labour and their future together as these stories (true or not) gather force.

Long may it continue.....

Dirty Rich Prick Wharfies

2011-12-02T09:53:00.002+13:00

Background Detail

· Ports of Auckland’s offer to staff involved rolling over the existing CA with no changes to terms and conditions, a commitment to work collaborative with staff and the union on a range of performance initiatives, and a range of major concession:

o No redundancies as a result of these initiatives during the term of the agreement

o No further contracting out of labour during the term of the agreement

o A 2.5% pay increase

o A $200 signing bonus in lieu of back-pay.

· The union claims that hourly rates are higher for IEAs.

o Some of the hourly rates in the IEAs are higher. This reflects greater flexibility in working hours under IEAs and the lack of other benefits which appear in the Collective Agreement

o The overall employment cost is similar

o There are only seven stevedores on IEAs out of a total of more than 300.

· The union objects to the past out-sourcing of shuttle work formerly performed by union employees

o Ports of Auckland underwent a fair and comprehensive consultation process prior to introducing this contract in 2010

o Only four union members’ jobs were displaced and of these all were offered redeployment to other roles within the Port; one accepted redeployment and three took up voluntary redundancy.

· POAL has generous wage and benefit packages for staff under the Collective Agreement. For the year ended 30 June 2011:

o Average wage for a full time stevedore at POAL was $91,480

o Average wage for a part time stevedore at POAL was $65,518

o 53% of full time stevedores (123 individuals) earned over $80,000

o 28% (43 individuals) earned over $100,000 with the highest earner making $122,000

· POAL provides:

o Southern Cross medical insurance for the employee and family

o Sick leave of up to 15 days per annum accumulating to 45 days over three years

o Fully paid in house training (no student loans required) to become a lasher, straddle and crane driver

o Five weeks annual leave for shift workers

· Embedded inflexibilities and old-fashioned work practices mean that labour utilisation at POAL is approx. 65% compared to approx. 80% at Port of Tauranga:

o POAL’s crane drivers and deck foremen work on average 5.33 hours for every 8 paid

o Straddle drivers work an average 6 hours out of every 8 paid

o One recent example: stevedores worked 2 hours on an overtime shift but were paid for the whole 8 hour shift.

Unions Stealing Christmas

2011-12-02T01:43:00.004+13:00

Union Shame

The union is striking over two key issues - the port's decision to take contractor roles off four of its members, and the suspicion that seven workers on independent employment contracts are being given union-type benefits.

"These are terms and conditions that we've fought for over a number of years," said Findlay.

"We don't feel it's right that they can just come along, rip them out, and offer them as a better package to these other blokes."

What are the wages and hours of the wharfs nowadays?

We must have a wee dig to work these pertinent questions out. I shall revert back when I am shown the money.

Update - money was shown see above post.

Parker Pulls Out

2011-12-02T01:13:00.002+13:00

I sincerely hope that there are other reasons for David Parker pulling out of the Labour leadership race than the Sunday papers were going to give him another going over with respect to his relationship with his current partner.

We've already all been subjected to the story and it would be a disgrace that they trawled back through that ground. Parker appears honest about what happened. The motives for publishing more crap about his personal life would need to be questioned as to how f***ing low the Sunday papers had sunk. And which slimy faction or politically motivated persons were shopping such bullshit.

The story came out conveniently last time precisely when there were rumors he was making moves on Goff's leadership.

He's seeing the ex-partner of a New Zealand icon who writes music and is ill. So what? He seems to still be into her and you can't help that sometimes.

I haven't read it but apparently in the great work of fiction called The Bible, there is a part apparently that says Let thee without sin cast the first stone.

And you sure as fuck do not find those without sin in a tabloid newsroom.

Curious and Curiouser

2011-12-01T11:20:00.004+13:00

I can only think of one reason a woman could possibly go quite this psycho and risk everything to get back at a man.

Ms Killeen is facing four charges under the Crimes Act relating to accessing the SFO’s computer systems, modifying an email, and distributing the modified email to newsrooms at the National Business Review and the New Zealand Herald.

The charges allege she created a forged email, purporting to be from SFO chief executive Adam Feeley, and intended for it to be acted on as if genuine. Last week Police served search warrants on the NBR and the New Zealand Herald.

Judge Fitzgerald ruled Ms Killeen was to be remanded at large, but was required to surrender her passport and travel documents by Friday.

The case raises several questions:

1. The underlying culture in the SFO.

2. If the accused is found guilty, whether she has performed similar acts in relation to short-cutting prosecutions in the past?

3. What Adam Feeley did to the accused to make her act quite so psycho?

I would have thought the SFO and Feeley wouldn't want this going near a court room. The only possible answers are just not that pretty for them regardless of how you look at it.

NBR Opinion

2011-12-01T11:15:00.002+13:00

I was asked just after the weekend to do a piece for the NBR on the aftermath of the election for ACT. You can read it here.

I think they are getting pieces about the other political parties as well.

Shearer Class

2011-12-01T11:11:00.002+13:00

Wonder who Shearer thinks in his caucus is pants and shouldn't be an MP then if Davis and Nash should be?

Thoughts on Labour Leadership

2011-11-30T22:41:00.003+13:00

If Labour don't want David Shearer I suggest ACT just buy him. We sure as hell didn't spend the coin on good advertising.

Labour May Just Owe Tizard An Apology

2011-11-28T14:30:00.009+13:00

Labour's Kim Kardashian is turning into a Glue pony.

The publicity machine has been cranked up yet again around Labour's Kim Kardashian. Apparently she slashed Nikki Kaye's majority and performed brilliantly in Auckland Central. So much so that she's been touted already as front-bench material in a Labour reshuffle.

But really, did she do so well on Saturday?? Let me debunk yet another myth about Labour's prize trophy girl.

Based on election night results we can already compare how their rising star performed compared with Judith Tizard, a woman whom Labour threw to the hounds by talking her out of returning on the list and relegating her with derogatory remarks.

In 2008 the vote count with a 1,497 majority in favour of Nikki Kaye was as follows

Kaye 14,677 or 42.91%

Tizard 13,180 or 38.53%

Roche 4,592 or 13.43%

And list vote

National 14,112 or 40.08%

Labour 12,166 or 34.55%

Greens 5,446 or 15.47%

In 2011 the vote count on election night with a 535 majority was:

Kaye 12,358 or 45.17%

Ardern 11,823 or 43.21%

Roche 2,188 or 8%

And list vote

National 11,754 or 42.96%

Labour 7,125 or 26.04%

Greens 6,024 or 22.02%

Nikki Kaye actually increased her percentage share of the electorate vote in Auckland Central despite the Green's Denise Roche pleading on television and all over the electorate in an MMP dirty deal for their supporters to vote for Ardern in 2011. And Ardern herself sending this out stating that there are "only two candidates in Auckland Central asking for your electorate vote". Kaye also increased National's share of the list vote. Whereas Ardern barely scratched to match Labour's total percentage.

In 2008 the Greens didn't openly assist at all and Tizard was allegedly deserted by her own supporters but with specials to count, Tizard is outpolling on raw numbers against Ardern 13,180 to 11,823. Even if on specials Ardern passes this mark it is quite clear the vote swapping that was orchestrated in the Labour-Greens dirty deal. Kaye has kicked her arse all over the electorate.

Of more importance, Ardern, in an effort to win the seat for herself by co-operation with the Greens oversaw a disastrous plummet in Labour list vote from Tizard's 12,166 (34.55%) to Ardern's 7,125 (26.04%). Such tactics nationwide of candidate over party largely attributed to Labour not picking up extra MP's and pressuring the National lead.

Labour therefore owe Judith Tizard a huge apology.

If their own rising star in Ardern with a hand of the Greens cannot beat Tizard's last performance in 2008 it tells you that the only difference between the two Labour ladies is good publicity and a hell of a lot of window dressing from adoring colleagues and party hacks.

Under closer analysis I can conclude once again that Labour's Kim Kardashian is underperforming, over-rated and being pumped as the future of the Labour Party when in fact she's just very average and no Helen Clark that's for sure.

She's not even a Judy T on this racing form.

Ardern's best hope is to secure Phil Goff's seat nomination in Mt Roskill or even go bludge Rongotai off soon departing Deputy Leader Annette King.

Or in a miraculous turnaround on the special votes.

Doing worse than Judith Tizard in a seat is not career enhancing.

Line In Sand on Asset Sales

2011-11-28T13:37:00.002+13:00

The Maori Party look set to do a deal with National to support them on the grounds of preferential treatment for Iwi groups to buy into pending asset sales. You know, the same Maori Party that campaigned against asset sales.

Personally I think it is great Maori wish to buy into these assets with money they sponged out of Treaty Settlements, but they can wait in bloody line like everyone else and stop blackmailing National into supporting them for a pay-off for their mates.

And perhaps use the dividends from these assets to, oh I don't know, actually pay out to their people so they can all rely less on the taxpayer for more welfare.

Tariana Turia is reported as saying:

Iwi want to be "major players" if the new National Government goes through with its planned state asset sales, Maori Party leader Tariana Turia says

Imagine the outcry if John Banks and ACT went in with this attitude:

Alan Gibbs, Michael Friedlander and Sir Michael Fay wished to be "major players" if the new National Government goes through with its planned state asset sales, Act Party Parliamentary leader John Banks says

Labour Auckland Central Roll Out The Big Guns

2011-11-24T06:17:00.004+13:00

Jacinda "Kim Kardashian" Ardern is really bringing out the big guns in the final week of the campaign.

Clearly super confident of victory she has now allowed this random woman on the far left of this snap to slap a rosette on and walk around the electorate campaigning like it's 2008 all over again.

Anyone recognise her?

2011 Youth Candidate Review - Greens

2011-11-24T01:36:00.014+13:00

The Greens are not a political party they are an international marketing brand. It would be like I guess Apple standing in election worldwide. I treat them as such. With suspicion that no one is as clean, green or as mean as others think they are. I missed profiling James Shaw, as I was too exhausted after the research on the two ladies. In consolation for him I will acknowledge he is one of the better looking male candidates on the campaign trail.

Ironically these two young Greenies are probably going to all be elected on the list ahead of the three young Union plants from Labour, making the compare and contrast even more interesting to complete.

Holly Walker

Holly has one of the best online presences of all the young candidates and therefore has a far better chance of a favourable review if the material isn't too nutty. Which while I am a little bit sick in my mouth when she starts talking about her rather distorted view of the "evil" of inequality blinded by her own start in life, she is not a complete tree-hugging nutter. She also has an excellent sense of humour for a pinko.

Holly has worked in a disciplined fashion on twitter and Facebook and has disclosed her CV in full on the Green's website. Bless her, she even survived and thrived in an interview with Bryce Edwards, one of the dullest men on You Tube stuttering through yet another interview.

The measure of how nice Holly Walker really is can be found in evidence that she's even been kind to Ducky in Hutt South.

At age 29 Holly has completed a BA in English and Politics and trotted off to Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship. She is also like Stephen Whittington a champion debater. Quite why she achieved the heights of that and accepted a lowly job working for scum list MP's as political and media advisor you would have to ask her. Remembering until recently at her list position of number 12 there wasn't a chance she would be in Parliament at all.

Holly is the perfect Green MP. So politically correct she had a civil union because her gay friends could not legally get married. The nice, smiling, grating academic over-achiever who has all the tools to actually perform something commercially but never will because she thinks it is all absolutely horrifying. After a couple of hours of background completed, I describe her as a non-commercial Theresa Gattung in geek chic. Interestingly Holly wears a greenstone dangly piece from her neck. I was given the same at a friend's wedding for attending. I pulled it apart trying to take the attachment off the cord and ruined it so it sits cordless in my drawer. Holly's seems to have fared better.

Holly's Oxford thesis addressed the 'Closing the Gaps' Maori development policy in New Zealand 1999-2001 and her focus is on inequality and indigenous development. Yawn.

I wanted to watch Backbenches Hutt South before I completed this review but it isn't available overseas for me to view yet. Instead I had to watch Edwards' full interview and block out his gnawing stuttering and tsking. And I watched all the interview to see how long it took me before I was sick of Holly. She has a nice voice, good tone and unlike many young candidates, doesn't speak down to people so I was able to my surprise get through the entire thing. She just needed to put the damn coffee down. What was that about?

The audience took her down on GST (Greens don't want it removed) but the Greens wanted free tertiary fees which is always now treated with suspicion and contempt by everyone who actually has had to pay them. A student with a BA then addressed the elephant in the room that his BA was bloody useless. She didn't answer that well.

Like a good leftie, Holly simply agreed with every suggestion to spend money, give more to "poor" people and that there needed to be more debate. She may be on the Labour CGT "Expert panel" at this rate.

In Simon Wilson's words, I get the feeling this girl would talk the back off the bus before "Kim Kardashian" Ardern and Nikki Kaye even boarded it. She is way cooler than both as she brews her own beer. Like David Seymour building his own car, that makes her stand out as far more useful than the average pollie.

But for all the Oxford study she had to ask what the difference between legalisation and decriminalisation of drugs. A little face palm. Even Nandor knows that.

Should she be an MP? Ideally needs to go get a real job first however her current position says to be she doesn't wish to do anything else but work in politics. She is no worse in that regard than any in Labour and of far better academic stock than Kim Kardashian. As a centre-left MP she ticks all the boxes. From my perspective I wished she would use that brain for something commercially viable. I would vote for her to be on the list of a centre-right political party if she was right wing. In other words she has potential if you could reprogram her bleeding heart brain.

Could she be an MP? Easily. The horrid grating inequality thrashing is dull and boring which means she's the perfect little card carrying pinko. Her rejection of fifth form economics puts her in line to be the Greens Finance Spokeswoman.

Will she be an MP? I think so as the Greens will crack 10%. Thinking positively, if Holly gets in a whole host of Labour MP's will not and given the lack of talent in the young Labour blood "coming" though in 2011 it is just as well really.

You get the feeling though Holly wants to change the world. Someone needs to quickly tell her this will not happen so she avoids disappointment.

Julie Anne Genter

Julie Anne is almost 32 years old and born in Minnesota. She went to UC Berkeley for a BA and published a paper on the (wait for it) "philosophical justification for affirmative action". Her other academics include CIEP Political Theory & Economics, IEP, Paris; Sciences Po Scholar; Master of Planning Practice, University of Auckland (1st class); UofA Masters Scholar.

Reading her CV that is available online, I get the underlying feeling that this is the Green candidate who wants to blow up cars and give New Zealand the largest white elephant of a public transport system it can. I shudder what she would do in Auckland if let loose to have tea with Len Brown.

Julie Anne is also photographed wearing what looks like Maori designed neckwear and has an atrocious habit of (in John Ansell's words) "Maorification" of everything. Calling herself "Ngati Pakeha". but being a white American chick with a thick accent, this comes off as well try-hard.

Julie Anne has just a few years in the workforce but like Holly has ended up an advisor to the Green Party. It looks as though they rely on her for advice regarding Transport, Energy and Climate Change and the RMA.

She does however fit the stereotype for a Greenie as a certified yoga teacher with an interest in different styles of dance (West African, modern) who is in to painting, drawing, and gardening.

Should she be an MP? An American Greenie dictator of the New Zealand public transport system? I think not.

Could she be an MP? Bit of a one-trick pony in a farm facing the ETS really. It is bad enough having an Australian as the co-Leader, and now the Greens are foisting a Yank on the House of Representatives?

Will she be an MP? I hope so for no other reason than at number 13 on the Greens list it would mean Labour would have had an atrocious night and there will be blood on the floor.

Tomorrow (or Friday depending on my flying time and availability) - the minor rabble - NZ First, Mana and Maori.

2011 Youth Candidate Review - Labour

2011-11-24T01:08:00.001+13:00

Deborah Mahuta-Coyle

Today it is the turn of the pinkos to suffer trial by CV. Let me start with number 26 on the Labour list Deborah Mahuta-Coyle. I did not even have to get the A grade insults out here because the pinkos seem to have already given her the glad eye, and it is not pretty.

Deborah until three months ago worked in the Goffice (apparently hasn't been removed from the staff list) and has been told to take one for the team, travel no doubt on the taxpayers tit and stand against the unmovable Simon Bridges in Tauranga. Bridges is not concerned enough to even engage her publicly and one can understand why he is not bothering.

Mahuta-Coyle is on the list ahead of Stuart Nash, Clare Curran, Brendon Burns, Chris Hipkins, David Shearer, Steve Chadwick and Phil Twyford. General consensus online seems to be that this has opened more than a few mouths wide in horror. The Unions rated her on their wishlist of candidates as 4th behind Little, Wood and Mika.

On the Own our Future page Deborah claims:

I’m 30 and my husband and I are looking to buy our first house – and if it wasn’t for Kiwisaver it would be an impossibility. This is a reality for many Kiwis our age and it doesn’t seem right.

I put my hand up to stand in Tauranga because I believe Tauranga needs better, fairer representation in Parliament. An MP who will work hard to represent the interests of those living in Merivale and those in Mt Maunganui.

The poor Dear at age 30 cannot afford a house? Really? Most legal and accounting professionals at that age cannot do likewise! Mahuta-Coyle really is pandering to the Labour "eat the rich" electorate here by the display of faux poverty. She works in the Goffice and would be in the top tax bracket for heaven's sake probably pushing $100k as an over-inflated Wellington salary. If she can't afford a house on her own income that's a failure of her own let alone the wage of the male partner with it. Kiwisaver should have nothing to do with it. Pretending to be poor to appeal to "youff" and underclass just isn't cool anymore. The competition with the Mana Party is too tough.

Even Dim Post can see the silliness of rejuvenating the Labour Party with a Goff staffer and carpet-bagging her to Tauranga.

Maui Street was less charitable

Mahuta is one of Goff’s press secretaries. One would think association with the incompetent Goffice would be a liability. It really is indicative of the poisonous patronage that pervades the Labour Party. Around a month ago I attended one of the local list selections here in Wellington. Obviously Mahuta was speaking. My impressions of her were less than flattering. Her speech was not notable in any way, she displayed no great insight, the speech itself was hardly rhetorically remarkable and I sensed an air of arrogance about her. In my opinion Josie Pagani, Michael Bott, Jordan Carter and Rino Tirikatene were far superior. According to the local members Mahuta, despite possessing no qualifications like intellect or character, was guaranteed a high placing by virtue of her position in the party.

It is a bit pre-emptive to have a Wiki when Labour need 30% for her to get there but "Debs" seems full of confidence so I will advertise her as already there.

"Debs" has already got herself into trouble on Twitter for her a false sledge on Clare Robinson “just take your national party rosette out of your pocket and slap it on your forehead.”. Lets hope regardless of the election result, she takes over Red Alert from Clare Curran and provides the second part of a Mah(d) and Mallard comedy duo. Curran is the only Labourite strong enough to stop Mallard from gaining all permission access on Red Alert to go nuclear. Mahuta at 5 foot tall would not cope.

I could not find much of a CV online, just a Herald interview that noted she graduated (surprisingly) in the entirely safe subjects of Politics and Maori from Victoria University and has worked inside the Labour Party for ten years for Goff, Clark and Horomia. At the age of 30 and a third of her life, this firmly makes her a party hack. A party hack who will die in the ditch with Goff, this piece of political judgment:

On why its policies seem popular, but not the leader: "We need to do better [as a party]. And when the campaign starts proper, he'll connect with more Kiwis."

Phil Goff is doing many things this campaign but connecting is not one of them.

Should she be an MP? Of course not. Mahuta-Coyle joins a long list of Labour staffers who think they can be MP's. Not many have done anything else but leave University and work in the Party.

Could she be an MP? For Labour, of course. She's a perfect candidate. Academically better qualified than Kim Kardashian who has slipped her way up to number 13 on the Labour List, Mahuta-Coyle is also Tainui and a female that gives her as many points as all of Stuart Nash's degrees and work experience combined.

Will she be an MP? Here is hoping not as it would mean Labour would have polled 30-33% on Saturday. I predict she will be miraculously "re-appointed" in the Opposition Leaders office working from Monday for Labour's next leader.

Michael Wood

We will start with Michael's most fabulous claim to fame the attempting banning of Penis lollies.

At number 32 on the list his Union mates have failed him a tad as Labour would need to poll around 32% to get him in.

Wood, 31 years old from FINSEC was rated second behind Andrew Little as the Union's choice. I don't quite know why, he seems as far removed from a Union Man traditionally as one could get.

As an observer by far the best thing Michael has ever done in his life was marrying a woman far smarter and more politically astute than he is as she is picking Labour to lose three key electorates. Wood is also somewhat unique in that he is one of the only men I have read of in politics who does something called splitting childcare. That is, he works part-time to look after the kiddies. I cannot imagine "Iron" Mike Williams and his bovver boy mates ever sanctioning that.

Despite being the whipping boy to stand and fail in safe National seats, Wood seems to be a genuinely nice man who I have known of since University days. With his child minding duties he should be winning all those silly polls as to which politician would you leave your kiddies with? Wood doesn't trumpet a great academic record, sporting prowess or anything really. He doesn't have to, he's a Unionist.

Wood also has a track record of saving wounded animals on the campaign trail. Just yesterday Facebook recorded him rescuing a poor little Duck from near disaster when attacked by a cheeky darky gull.

Should he be an MP? No worse than other young Labour candidates with Union backgrounds. Fails the white male test for advancement in the Labour Party even if he shares child care. I suggest he contact Paul Foster-Bell so he can find some Tangata Whenua somewhere.

Could he be an MP? Not this time and if he stands and fails in too many other elections and by-elections he will inherit the strong taint of being a perennial loser. Timing is important in politics and now is not the time.

Will he be an MP? Not this time. But eventually the Union will push with their cash and he will be in an electable list position.

Jerome Mika

Mika is an EPMU bitch make no mistake about that. His candidate page is full of idealistic waffle and weasel words and should have been ripped apart by Labour's Comms team and rewritten as it tells us absolutely nothing about him. At number 36 on the Labour list he needs 34% to have a look in so his wiki is premature as well.

Mika lost out to Louisa Wall in the safe Labour seat of Manurewa in a classic Labour Union shitfight.

A bit like Union Hollow Man Wood, there is nothing really available about Mika online but loads of pictures of him rubbing shoulders with everyone in the Island community he can find including All Blacks, rugby players and everything blokey. Mika looks happy, smiley and a leg-opener for Phil Goff into the Island communities, an organiser of his community carrying the clipboard to sign-up voters and members.

If Mika was a skinny white boy he would be Michael Wood.

Should he be an MP? Of course not. JAFU (Just Another F***ing Unionist). Hasn't achieved anything of note outside of "community work" which as so many then end up doing he is leveraging a political career of the back of.

Could he be an MP? Unionist + Labour Party + Islander + hangs out with rugby stars = A shoo in ....for Labour eventually.

Will he be an MP? Not this time. At number on the list 36 he needs a 34% poll for Labour on Saturday. Thanks to the Greens this will not happen.

2011 Youth Candidate Review - ACT and National

2011-11-23T01:38:00.011+13:00

(pictures will be inserted when blogger behaves itself)

David Seymour

If David makes it to Parliament on Saturday night he will become the first new entrant who has come through ACT on Campus (now termed "the Killer Bees") right through the ranks of the Party. Generally perceived as an extreme self-promoter (sending Board members atrociously large amounts of material all about himself before the list selection) David ranked his achievements and future at the tender age of around 28 as somewhere up there with a combination of a Nobel winning economist, Pulitzer Prize Winning author and coach of the All Blacks. Problem with David is that he doesn't need to go to these extremes because he had a track record in the Party that was going to eventually mean he was always going to make it.

David was educated in New Zealand as he will tell you at Auckland Grammar then went to Auckland University to complete a BE in Electrical Engineering and a BA in Philosophy. Light on work experience and opportunity in New Zealand he commendably shot off to Canada to work for a "think tank" for a few years doing god knows what, and is currently hedging his bets as one would being an ACT candidate, and is officially on sabbatical. Can 28 year olds even have one of those?

David built his own car. Not many candidates standing for Parliament in 2011 can claim they would have the first clue how to do that. That makes him slightly cooler than the other kids.

My original impression of David is that was is need of a good trip to Vegas, whereby he would ideally meet some hookers Hangover style in a hot tub and spend three days in a coke-induced stuper before returning to real life whereby he would take himself a little less seriously. I still have that impression. He is a young face, but more representative of the uptight sort of youth you would find still living at home with their parents. You could imagine David in a bar talking the varnish off the bar stool at 2am about Hayek and Von Mises than actually enjoying his free time chasing tail.

All this aside in Auckland Central against Nikki Kaye and Jacinda "Kim Kardashian" Ardern, two slightly older candidates and sitting MP's, Seymour looks like and is a star. His performance in the Auckland Central Back Benches debate in front of a hostile crowd and next to three often screaming estrogen-filled comparatively empty vessels, was superb. He isn't afraid to heckle and stick it to the opposition getting the best hit of the night landing square on Ardern about her links to Morrinsville. One observation I will make from the clips I have seen is that Seymour needs to dumb down his messages especially about Economics, so the 99% have a hope in hell of what he is talking about. Especially at his age where he just looks like a smart arse. Once he manages this and gets more experience and confidence in being less serious about himself, he may develop the charisma and personality required to lead the Party. Which is where I see him heading.

Should he be an MP? No not yet, too young, stiff and inexperienced. Ideally send him back off overseas to come back in ten years. I have no idea what Seymour earned in Canada but I hazard a guess in his career right now he would be getting a substantial payrise to enter politics. Meaning by my radar he's not ready for it.
Could he be an MP? Definitely yes. He ranks as far better than anyone his own age or the younger candidates from the 2008 intake. Wouldn't let anyone down in ACT who has supported him.
Will he be an MP? Maybe. If ACT are stuck on four MP's on election night, Don would do the Party and New Zealand a favour for the future by pissing off to Washington or Singapore and letting Seymour through from the List at number 5.

Stephen Whittington

Stephen has the dubious honour of working as basically Sir Roger Douglas' PA but only well after Roger was cool and able to do cool stuff. In that time no doubt he would have been ordered to draft all sorts of daft arse policy, the culmination of not stopping Roger in his tracks being around 17 pages of nonsense too close to the election that never made it past the cutting floor as Roger went back to the future and wanted an asset tax.

Whittington went to Victoria University and completed an LLB (Hons) and a BA in Latin and headed to Russell McFactory to work in the tax law team whereby he is destined for a life as a bitch killing himself in the vagaries of New Zealand tax law before turning into a zombie and becoming Manager then either escaping Alcatraz by moving overseas or becoming Partner and wedded to "the Firm". Whittington has instead in a politically charged process of internal law firm politics, potentially poked that career by declaring publicly his political stripes and standing for a Party at one stage that has been on .7%.

Whittington is obviously, like all these kiddie candidates, academically extremely bright but at age 25 I cannot find being debated to about employment law, welfare, foreign policy actually all that credible. His main achievement outside of being at the embryonic stage of this tax law path to doom, is as a debating champion. Fine. But it is wearing thin top advertise yourself as in 2009 "the 15th best speaker in the world". Not one journalist has asked if this includes or excludes Obama least of all worked out how the claim is measured. His performances on television have been good but listening to him he needs to remember he is speaking to people and not constantly in a debating contest. It is all too intense. Debating is one thing but in a Party of a few MP's your time in the debating chamber on your feet is limited. Whittington appeals to his loud debating University mates who can't shut up about anything, let alone how good their boy is. He may very well be in the future.

That's about all I can write about Whittington because there isn't anything else. It is not indictment on his intellect or achievements to date. It is just that he is 25 years old, preppy and like Seymour, has absolutely no edges or mongrel yet to him to cling to that make him stand out as interesting.

Should he be an MP? Far too young, no. Especially as in his career right now he would be getting a substantial payrise to enter politics. Meaning he's not ready for it.
Could he be an MP? Yes. Again he compares favourably to other 25 year olds and the 2008 intake.
Will he be an MP? No. Not with ACT's likely election night score. Took a big one for the team as he's put himself out as a candidate, scored the black mark in his political neutrality profession test and had stuff all chance of making it to Parliament. Either blind faith or very poor judgment listening to Roger and Don that they would manage 15% vote.

Simon O'Connor

Simon O'Connor is the ultimate accidental candidate. His candidate profile on the National Party website is here. Pulled in a bizarre fashion from a standing list of prospects after the tragic early demise of Allan Peachey, I ask has there ever been a luckier potential politician than O'Connor? In the seat of Tamaki he could last longer than Muldoon's 31 years without any of the passion, experience, gifted skill or bastardly charm that Sir Rob possessed.

Whaleoil pointed O'Connor out to me crossing the street outside the National Party campaign opening. The men he was with looked more the candidate than he did. A mild, non-descript, bland skinny man indeed. I have a rule in life never to trust skinny, runty men. It usually means they are vegetarian and all vegetarians are shifty in nature. And they are usually long-distance runners to stay that thin. Which means they wear split shorts. A pet hate of mine up there with Bob Jones and his aversion to sunglasses on heads.

O'Connor was a list candidate for National in 2008. How did we all miss that? He lost to a far superior candidate well-rounded Sam Lotu-liga in Maungakiekie where he is alleged to have run dirty tricks in his attempt to be selected. Whaleoil profiled O'Connor during the Tamaki selection.

Apparently O'Connor is a "long time National loyalist" and a "stalwart". He's my age for heaven's sake. How can you be a stalwart? I tried to trace O'Connor's working career and started with his current job as a "Contracts Manager for Southern Cross Health Society" and then his previous very vague "several roles within the Ministry of Social Development".

O'Connor looks like the sort of person who has trained his whole life and never actually practised anything. He is alleged to have four degrees which in itself shows the lack of confidence and over-compensation to actually achieve anything outside the safe confines of the University moss for fear of being under-qualified when dealing with adults. I mean who on earth needs four degrees when their aim always has been to be an MP or otherwise snot grovel their way through the National Party and its connections? O'Connor even trained as a Priest and then never went through with that either.

Should he be an MP? No, non-descript, trained in everything achieved in nothing. A stereotypical middle-manager.
Could he be an MP? Of course. And he will be as dull and grating as a church service on a Sunday with a hangover.
Will he be an MP? Unfortunately definitely. Landed with his bottie on one of the safest National seats in the country.

I promised Scott Simpson but Whaleoil told me I would be kicked out of the VRWC for even mentioning his old bones so instead I have:

Paul Foster-Bell

Foster-Bell has gained somewhat of a cult following in Wellington Central with his doppleganger Grant Robertson. A difficult looking, esoteric man who cannot decide which parent he wishes to represent in his surname, he holds a Degree in Archaeology and a Diploma of Business. Such a background will really only make him perfect for removing the Labour Party front bench from the rubble on Sunday and studying their dinosaur-like bones before selling them to offshore museums to the highest bidders through his diplomatic connections.

The funniest thing about Paul is that he claims to be of "English, Scots and Maori descent". I don't quite know where the Maori comes in. Perhaps his mother talked to one in 1972 while bringing the washing in? The least funny thing is he spent seven years working for MFAT. And he is a "Blue Green" which means he believes in the lunatic carbon trading scheme and hugs Nick Smith at random.

Foster-Bell comes across as a member of the "cultural elite" but then there is a weird gap from his A Bursary in 1994 from Whangarei Boys High to his graduation in 2004 with a BA. Didn't Marc Ellis finish his degree quicker than that? Somehow he's then jumped in 2008-09 to being bright enough to attend Oxford. But not so bright that he's poked his diplomatic record by standing for National without a decent list spot.

Should he be an MP? Not for National no.
Could he be an MP? Wellington Central already have a pet MP who is used to sucking off the taxpayers tit in Robertson, they don't need another almost identical but for the blue rosette.
Will he be an MP? At number 57 he is one below Paul Quinn which says what the Party hierarchy think of him. However if there is a giant mudslide all over Labour, he will get in. I don't know the precise numbers required but according to Pollster Farrar if National get 65 seats Foster-Bell will get there. Good luck to him because if they poll that high, none of us in the VRWC will actually mind.

Tomorrow - Labour and the Greens.

Rena Penguins Released

2011-11-23T01:24:00.000+13:00

Cute aren't they?

Lets hope the @dpfdpf's stay well away from the @whaleoil

2011 Election - Youth Candidates

2011-11-22T03:50:00.008+13:00

I promised a series on the young candidates at the election and I shall deliver with two or three plucked from each of the Nats, Labour, ACT, Greens and well are there any elsewhere?

There's no more obvious place to start than the ones I know most of, in ACT and David Seymour and Stephen Whittington.

So they can have a wet one in anticipation and send me their best bios (like Aaron Gilmore did in 2008) I will pluck from the Nats the new Tamaki candidate Simon O'Connor and Scott Simpson, while Scott is not young I previewed most of the 2008 intake for National last time and Jami-Lee Ross is so good he doesn't provide any amusement.

From Labour I will take rising stars Annette King and Parekura Horomia, no just joking, we have to go down to Deborah Mahuta-Coyle at 26, Michael Wood at number 32 and Jerome Mika at number 34 to find any even marginally electable new youth at all. I previewed the possibles last time in 2008 and none have improved in those three years to warrant a review of my comments last time. I missed "Smile and Cave", Labour's Kim Kardashian the first time but have reviewed her recently.

The Greens are the most fun so I shall take Holly Walker at number 12 and Julie Anne Genter at number 13 and James Shaw for good measure at number 15.

They've no chance of electing any youth at all in NZ First from their Lions/Rotary/Mason/Head Hunter line-up but a closer look at their token Chinese candidate Jerry Ho at number 15 is too delicious to pass up. And Ben Craven at number 14.

Mana have a token non-recycled protester radical hack in Misty Harrison at number 5 on their list. With a rap sheet "24 year old from Wanganui who grew up learning the Maori language and tikanga through Kohanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa Maori and Kura Maori (bilingual) and who is today studying for a Masters in Maori Law and Philosophy at Te Wananga o Raukawa" how the hell could I resist that? Red rag to a Cactus stuff really.

The Maori Party don't have a succession plan post the aging and slow moving Kaumatua Sharples and Turia. They have few younger candidates but this one is right out of brain-washed activist school and funded by the taxpayer from cradle to well past her first job, part English, Kaapua Smith.

I will not pretend I am not entirely bias in reviewing these young candidates.

I don't think any of them should be in Parliament at all until they have achieved something independently notable in their lives than just their University degree and a post graduate diploma in political shit stirring of their various colours paid for the taxpayer. A few have been staffers. Therefore lowering themselves to the worst job there is - actually working for MP's. They've watched how to put their snouts in the trough from the very best. We cannot therefore expect them to behave any better than their Masters. Many are on the Treaty Gravy Train. I will call that out.

But with the likes of Jacinda Ardern, Simon Bridges, Gareth Hughes, Chris Hipkins and well Paul Quinn in Parliament, the barrier has been well lowered to provide representation for every brand of academic and career underachievement and disappointment.

There is precious little critical analysis by mainstream media of potential candidates. I will judge this crop harshly but always fairly. I will read between the lines and rip all their CV's apart layer by layer and show you what they've actually managed and compare it to what they claim they have. No PR, no media manager, no requests for interviews as MSM have to complete as a courtesy.

Raw and blogged.

Would These Children Have Survived In Japan, Sweden or the Czech Republic?

2011-11-22T01:50:00.008+13:00

Mitchell on Child Poverty sensationalism

Lindsay tells it like it is:

More than 100 New Zealand children who died last year would probably have survived had they lived in Japan, Sweden or the Czech Republic, a new documentary shows.

But not if they had lived in Australia, the United Kingdom or Canada which all cluster around similar infant mortality rates as New Zealand.

Canada 5.2
NZ 4.8
United Kingdom 4.6
Australia 4.1

Of course these children may have survived in Japan, Sweden or the Czech Republic as in New Zealand they are just SOCK (some other c**** kids) to the feral heaving pathetic underclass who stay in their mother's state house. That has nothing to do with the country and everything to do with the parentage. Let me remind you of just some of their faces.

Killed by their own family. Not by any government.

Lindsay then goes on to talk about what causes the diseases this whino Bryan Bruce is sooking about in the upcoming campaign statement for Labour:

These unhealthy environments are often due to nobody taking responsibility for safe standards of hygiene and cleanliness. Mould can be cleaned from walls; floors that babies and toddlers crawl on can be vacuumed and mopped; food refuse can be removed rather than left to rot and attract flies and maggots. Overcrowding is frequently a symptom of choice. Choosing to share accommodation to reap more income and choosing to have children.

That's right, the heaving pathetic underclass are too lazy and inept to clean the state house you have paid for them to squat in. They would rather live in squalid conditions than take some pride and keep their living space clean. I look forward to watching the campaign statement for the left and commenting on the footage inside homes that many middle responsible New Zealanders could not afford, yet are required to pay for so these ferals can spread more of their filth.

I remind you of a post I composed in July which outlined the real competition for New Zealand's heaving pathetic underclass is not the rich or middle classes in New Zealand it is Asia. The post examined why if you can't make it in New Zealand there's no chance in hell you would survive in countries with people more desperate and motivated than you are.

Put simply Asia's poor and desperate are better than the poor and hopeless in New Zealand. They work harder, they have aspiration and desire to do better than they are. They are superior in every regard.

If New Zealand's worst ever were shipped to Japan, Sweden or the Czech Republic they wouldn't survive in their current state. They'd be swiftly kicked into shape by locals not used to harbouring such woeful ineptness. The kids would be removed from their woeful parents immediately and placed in homes better able to look after them.

I did a quick google of health services available in Porirua.

Compass Primary Health Care

Children in New Zealand are entitled to free basic oral health services from birth to 17 years of age, until their 18th birthday. It’s important to enrol your child as early as possible into the service, so that you can arrange the first check-up. Your child’s first visit will usually be between their 1st and 2nd birthdays.

Services for Maori

Services for Pacific Health

Capital Coast

In Wellington, fees for the under 6s have been reduced significantly. Most Urgent GP/ primary care after hours services will treat you even if you can’t pay at the time.

Maori Services C&C DHB

A full directory written in PC gobbly gook especially for Maori and Pacific Islanders. Whanau Ora is mentioned numerous times. None of these services look expensive because no Maori or Pacific person would use them. Most look free.

For heaven's sake, you can lead a horse to water, if it won't drink then how on earth is it the responsibility of anyone else but those individuals concerned? I am sure there are many more services available in the Porirua area available to Maori and Pacific people all at no cost to the recipient. Maori services have existed for years, Whanau Ora and the Maori Party have become intimately involved in this.

Are you telling me that the Maori Party have achieved nothing to get word out to their people these services are available? Of course they have. Are you telling me that after the multi-millions sometimes billions in Treaty Settlement money that Maori haven't funded their own health services and support in communities? Of course they have. Maori community leaders must be pulling their hair out that their people aren't even clued up enough to know where to go when they are providing the services.

That these children may be dying of diseases from the third world when there is first world medicine and practitioners available says more about the quality of the pathetic nag being led to the water than the water provided.

Labour's Death Wish

2011-11-20T19:31:00.015+13:00

Is this a hoax?

Labour have stooped to a new low here. In terms of cruel and heartless it's about a 11 out of 10 even on my very high scale. It is also total bullshit. An upset reader scanned it in for the Whaleoil tipline and in the process has shone a whole load of light on the nastiness of this Labour campaign.

This brochure firstly is cataclysmic in vileness for its "Under National you won't be around to celebrate her first birthday". Which has instant thoughts of the reader:

- dying
- separating from their spouse

Imagine reading this if your partner has just died before the kiddie turned one?

The slogan "Vote to keep families together" is even worse. Welfare does anything but.

And lets think from a working parents perspective, if the child has a party during the day they miss the bloody party don't they as they are WORKING? Imagine picking this out of the letterbox when you know you will miss their birthday as you are working as most parents are. Like they should be guilty for not being there. Beneficiaries are of course special as they couldn't possibly be asked to be working parents could they?

It is also complete bullshit that National policy would require a return to work the child is one. It is actually five years old. And only part-time work. Labour may wish to read the extract here.

This leaflet is targeted at the solo parent instilling fear that they would have to under National go back to work and therefore miss the child's first birthday. It also has ransom type font introducing Labour's promises.

Not to forget that most working women actually return to work once they've had a child within the year.

The bigger nonsense is because children's birthday parties are usually held at weekends anyway. How many friends does a one year old actually have for heaven's sake? None. Their parents have friends and they all are invited over for a meaningless party for a child who has no idea what the drunk adults are celebrating. I know about these parties because I am invited to plenty and avoid them like the plague. These parties are only held during the day if all the mothers are beneficiaries because again, all the invitees are at work.

This idea could only have come from a male as I even deem it too offensive to run as an attack ad. I refuse to believe a woman would endorse this as a brochure acceptable in an election campaign.

It is far worse than the aggressive CTU ad I blogged of the other day.

Let us know from which Labour male creative pit of darkness this came from so he can face the wrath of angry Mummies who will without a doubt hate this brochure

It is right up there with the false eviction notices sent to state house tenants to scare the elderly and intellectually handicapped in 2005.

Britain's Working Class Ain't Working

2011-11-20T00:33:00.004+13:00

Britain has a million young unemployed between ages 16-24.

It really seems to be their own fault however. Here is an excellent essay in the Daily Mail outlining the problems of Britain 2011. Basically the working classes have turned into lazy slobs and politicians have forced young people into higher education at Universities where subjects are best taught in apprenticeships.

The author notes other countries where the thickos are shipped off to technical schools.

The Education fallacy reigns in New Zealand as well. Thousands of young New Zealanders are given the false hope of highly paid promising careers in entirely useless subjects at University and Polytechnics. Britain is an excellent example of what this false hope brings.

And employers everywhere are quite categoric as to why this is happening: British employees, they say, are lazy. They turn up their noses at manual jobs, or any work they consider too menial for them, whereas Poles and other Eastern Europeans are only too willing to work all hours and turn their hand to anything.

No politician dares to tell the truth to the million unemployed young people, and the millions more ‘students’ who hope to be employed when their studies are complete.

HOS Sensationalism AGAIN

2011-11-18T05:38:00.002+13:00

Game changer?

Their own bloody poll has National increasing! Notice how they won't round 49.89 percent up to 49.9. Hehe. Bitches.

National 49.89 per cent (up 0.4),
Labour 29.1 (up 0.4),
Greens 12.6 (no change),
Act 1.7 (up 0.2),
NZF 4.9 (up 1.2)
Maori Party 0.7 (up 0.2),
Conservatives 0.6 (down 0.4),
Mana Party 0.4 (down 0.4),
United Future 0.1 (down 0.6).

All this poll proves is how important that Epsom vote for John Banks and return ACT as a coalition partner for National. And how Ohariu voters need to do the same with Peter Dunne.

The alternative is a now higher chance of Winston.

Lies, More Lies and Statistics

2011-11-18T05:10:00.002+13:00

Another beat-up about income inequality in the Dom Post using hopelessly out of date data in a terribly written piece slanted at electioneering. It looks like it has been written by an Occupy protester it is that bad.

The report's 2004 data – the latest available – reveals the richest 10 per cent collectively possess $128 billion in wealth, with median individual wealth of $255,000. In contrast, the poorest 10 per cent collectively possess $17.2b, with median individual wealth of $3200. While the richest 1 per cent held 16.4 per cent of the country's net wealth, the poorest 50 per cent owned just 5.2 per cent.

And more inaccuracy:

Disparities have plateaued since 2000, largely thanks to Working for Families tax credits, bigger pay packets for middle and low-income earners and declining investment returns for the rich.

But the gap between rich and poor still ranked ninth worst in the developed world in 2008.

So it's improved? How did they measure this in 2008 when the last statistics were accumulated in 2004?

And a ridiculous example of a net beneficiary who "earns" $25,000, lives in a state house and will probably be pulling more WFF credits than she earns. These are not mentioned.

Hang about? 2004? Wasn't that while Labour were in government? Five years of them?

Yawn. As I posted this week, do we really care that there is an income and wealth gap? It is a necessary feature in an aspirational economy.

Tea Tapes

2011-11-18T04:48:00.004+13:00

Come on, we all know what is on the tapes. Today Winston blubbed out the following:

1. "Don's a strange fellow"
2. "agh yes we've been down that road before"
3. "Winston's supporters are dying off"

Shit, the same conversation has been had among ACT members recently and National ones for years. Leading political commentator David Farrar has been overheard stating number 3 in analysis of NZ First. It's a running joke up and down the country that Don is strange, Key knifed him once and would wish it to happen again and Winston's supporters are ancient.

Game changing? Hardly. It's all a bit dull now. The two John's weren't even on a manly boozer, they were sitting drinking bloody tea.

As for shifty looking Bradley Ambrose nee White

Is that a Burberry print chav hat?
Another reason he should be mocked mercilessly.

CTU Use New Campaign KFC Tactics

2011-11-18T01:03:00.008+13:00

Labour are well known in their history for busing in voters and handing out KFC.

This election Labour sponsor, Helen Kelly's wealthy Council of Trade Unions has poured members funds into a series of advertisements targeted at their voting pool. The under class and lower wealth classes of New Zealand.

Not one European male, Asian or Indian, professional male or female of any race, not one well dressed or attractive model. All have been dressed and constructed in a way to look as underclass and needy as they could.

Sunglasses, gansta headgear, shaved female head, hats on sideways or backwards, threatening positions with knives for heavens sake, tatts, hoodies, earrings, nose rings, absolutely shameless use of kiddies as vanity props and skateboards.

None would be ACT or National voters, or even United Future or baseline NZ First.

They are all made to look on DPB or other welfare or to be in low paid work such that they are not net taxpayers.

Labour MP's have been plugging the ads on social media today.

This is an ad for Labour which will backfire I think as the models have been made to look so desperate and pathetic that it will attract Mana and Green voters to the booth instead. They are specifically worded to incite hatred against those who these voting groups currently believe to be more powerful than they are and lead by link straight to the enrollment pages. The models used are made to look as threatening as possible to the middle and upper wealth classes. A few there basically look ready to rob your house or steal your kid's cellphone.

The authorisation statements do not specifically show who is funding the advertisement or their motives. I believe they are so inciting in their imagery against the centre-right parties that they should come off Labour, Mana, Maori Party and Greens funding in equal proportions.

A classic example of nasty politics of division from a nasty Union for a nasty Party.

CUBS - Cashed Up Bogans

2011-11-18T00:35:00.003+13:00

If ever there was an article that showed the worth to New Zealand of mining then this is it.

Where drop-out losers can pull A$200,000 a year.

Then go out and SPEND it all.

The heavily tattooed Mr. Dinnison, who started in the mines seven years ago earning $100,000, owns a sky-blue 2009 Chevy Ute, which cost $55,000 before a $16,000 engine enhancement, and a $44,000 custom motorcycle. The price tag on his chihuahua, Dexter, which yaps at his feet: $1,200.

A chihuahua? The gayest of all dogs.

The average salary in the Australian mining industry was about 108,000 Australian dollars, or about US$110,000, in 2010, which includes some part-time and lower-skilled workers and is well above the A$66,594 average for all Australians, according to the Australian government's Bureau of Statistics.

How many bogans and with it low-skilled Maori, would not like to be earning that sort of coin?

Behind every man there has to be a thinking woman and it sounds like this CUB has one:

Lina Mitchell, his 28-year-old fiancée, said she is committed to teaching Mr. Dinnison how to manage his money. "The miners will spend the money on cars, bikes, parties," she said. Mr. Dinnison, meanwhile, said he is committed to mining. "I'm qualified enough now that I'll always have a job," he said. "Without mining, I'd be an auto mechanic making $600 a week. I love mining, mate."

Bless.....the stupid and their money will always be parted and with it stimulate massive economic growth.

Labour are whinging and bitching about low wages in New Zealand yet have come up with zero solutions that would not be inflationary and therefore hurt the very people it is meant to help. Here is a solution.

Drill baby drill.

Twitter Links

2011-11-17T04:09:00.007+13:00

The highlight of the political debates this election is when supporters of all participants (and critics) jump on twitter and have a tweet war. Many a time it is better than the debate itself.

I call on all Labour and National supporters to arm themselves for all out tweet war in debates between now and election night. Make it special.

Twitter I have found is effective for two things

- sledging (debate fodder, abuse to and from MP's, political opponents, Quade Cooper etc..)
- linking content back to blog and website feeds

Masters of sledging are of course Whaleoil, Duck and Tau Henare. I can give it a good nudge as well as can Lew. Then there is Dim Post, but he's a bit tweet lame. This young fellow can give it a good nudge, Jabba can as well as Keeping Stock. Stuart Nash started in a promising fashion but then got a bit hot under the collar and pulled back.

Tweeting is the modern day equivalent in politics of heckling at political meetings. The best part is you don't have to listen to boring long speeches from drones as they can only use 140 characters. And you can do it 24/7 at them from your desk, your home or mobile on your phone. Especially if you have an all-you-can-eat data plan (or your boss or the taxpayer pays the bill). And media can participate as well and often do. Twitter in many ways has turned political discourse into online meetings and then onto an interactive online war game once everyone is involved.

To those not interested in politics it must be horrifying all the carnage witnessed. But like all good gamers, it will not deter those who know what it is really about. Scoring.

All politicians should be made to tweet and I relish the chance we will get if Andrew Williams is elected an MP for NZ First and a techie introduces him to tweeting. Please.....Please......

The best parody twitter account by far is Dr Brash. I have no idea who is doing it but chocolate fish to the reporter who can track the offender down. Steve Braunias is a lazy but when on, brilliant tweeter, Bill Ralston likewise. Jonathan Marshall will be one to watch. John Campbell tweets, Heather du Plessis-Allan is a cheeky tweet, Paddy Gower is of course a deceitful bastard on twitter. There's a whole heap of repeaters on twitter but like their sub-editors when mentioning blogs, I can't be bothered linking to them.

I am linking Cameron M Caldwell here who will have far more attention than he deserves now for being caught tweeting about underpant purchases and sending tweets to his missus when she is in the next room and he is in the mancave.

Of the sports stars you can get your Sonny Bill fill here as well as Piri Weepu and Cory Jane. Even better is Mrs Cory Jane is also on and has to watch as her husband is drooled over by infantile girls. She doesn't take any shit. With respect to sports commentators, try Carebear who is hilarious, not to be confused with Sweary the Bear. And Richard Boock who is a screaming Labour loving pinko, but concentrate on his sports tweets instead.

General tweetists I enjoy are Rachel Goodchild, Unpcnzcougar, RGTP The Pork and Boganette.

The full list of those I follow is here for you all to copy. I prefer to keep the numbers down so my feed isn't clogged so I have a barrier to entry of quality over quantity.

NO to Movember

2011-11-17T03:10:00.006+13:00

Movember is just awful. I still recall the horror when Whale went Chopper Reid on us in the midst of his depression and grew the most frightful "thing" on his face. Thank God Spanish Bride has more control over matters this year and Whale has all his mind on the election.

New Zealand men should just raise funds by blackmailing their wives and partners into giving them money for fear they will grow mo's and beards in November.

Here is the usually cute, cuddly Scotty Stevenson with a full un'.

And Richie McCaw is now about a 2/10 with that on his lip.

Actually it could be good therapy for women.

If you've just parted company with a bloke, ask him to grow a mo' so you don't miss him in the slightest. If he will not do that for you, get a picture of him and photoshop a moustache on it and look at it every day until you are cured. It would hasten the one month turnaround for sure.