DISAPPEARING MAN

Goff looked pale on TVNZ tonight. He is fighting for political relevancy and even his speech that took him to the bottom of the bait barrel of politics has not made a wit of difference.

He is slowly disappearing.....
















In contrast to this man....

HONE LOOKING HUMBLE

We would not have believed it but Hone Harawira looked pretty contrite on TV tonight but the TVNZ Colman Brunton poll would indicate that most people have had enough of the grumpy radical from the far north. 61% of Maori thought what he said was racist and 69% of the general population saying he should leave parliament.

The poll seems to reflect the mood of the nation that we perceive. That the country wants builders not wreckers. It's time to get stuck in and sort shit, not whinge and moan. And its time for Maori and Pakeha to take personal responsibility for their lives. It is an underpinning tenet of both the National and Maori Party.

While we think that the road back to redemption wont be easy, Hone will be back. We hope he does some work and becomes part of a team, both the smaller team of the Maori Party and the larger team of Government.

We are still more aggrieved about his arrogant , owe me a living crap in Europe than the racist comments. He needs to apologise for that in a meaningful way let alone anything else. He should be, above all a roll model to his people. He is not.

More than anything he needs to do some stuff. We have heard much from Hone of the Hot Air of the north. What we really need to see, if he is allowed to come back is some action that will help turn the tide for Maori.

In short he needs to do stuff.

MORE GOLD

NZ SECOND ON MEDAL TABLE AT WORLD TAEKWON-DO CHAMPS IN ARGENTINA

New Zealand has added three golds to its medal haul making it No 2 on the medal table of 60 countries at the Taekwon-Do Federation World Championships in Argentina.

With one day of competition to go, Argentina leads the medal hunt with New Zealand second, followed by Germany.

Taekwon-Do, which has its origins in Korea, is the most popular form of martial arts in the world with an estimated 180 million practitioners of the sport.

The New Zealand team now has eight Golds, six Silver and eight Bronze medals.

Team star Carl van Roon, of Auckland, won his Gold medal in the Senior Male Speciality division, making him fourth time consecutive World Champion in the division, while Luke Thompson, also of Auckland, clinched a Gold, making him second-time consecutive World Champion in the Senior Male Individual Power division. The last Gold medal was won by Stuart Maden, of Wellington, in the Junior Male Power competition.

Silver medals come from the SPARC-sponsored Auckland -based athletes Mark Trotter and Luke Thompson in the Senior Male Pre-arranged Sparring competition and Jeremy Hannah, of Auckland, in the Junior Male Heavyweight Sparring Division.

The third Silver was taken out by Kristy Leong in the Junior Female Power division while the last of the Silver Medals was won by SPARC-sponsored Carl van Roon in the Senior Male Heavyweight Sparring competition.

Bronze medals were won by Aucklanders Carolina Dillen in the Senior Female Lightweight Sparring Division and Courtney Meleisea in the Junior Female Heavyweight Sparring Division.

Mark Trotter won a Bronze medal in the Senior Male Micro Weight Sparring division and Amanda Clealand secured a Bronze in her Senior Female Power division. Anna Yates, of Palmerston North, won her bronze medal in the Junior Female Power division.

The four-day event has drawn over 800 competitors with large teams from the United States, England, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Germany and Poland.

The World Championships will be held in Wellington from the 10 – 13 March 2011.

“The excellent performances by the Kiwi team will make us very competitive on home soil in 2011,” says 2011 World Champs Organising Chairman Nick Lourantos.

SISTERS DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES

In a curious way we find ourselves deeply entertained by Cactus's nomination for the Madame Cliqout business woman of the year.

We spent most of yesterday with the previous winner Julie Christie, who was out flatmate and classmate of the 1979 Wellington Polytechnic Journalism Course. She was New
Zealands inaugural winner of the award and she surely deserved it.

However our bright flower of youth has surely wilted, as last night some of our class, who had not seen each other for 30 years, mistook the glamourous Julie for me. Ahh those wasted wanton nights of the past have taken their toll on Busted Blondes fair countenance. Where as hard work, and its rewards now shine from Julies. Dam it. And today Christie herself is in the news.

It is a prestigious award

Anyway, we are delighted that Cactus nominated Lisa Lewis for the award. We have always been fans of legalised prostitution. It provides a safety valve in society.

And Lewis has glamourised the profession and has willingly promoted herself and her work earning top dollar for her services as well. She knows the value in looking after her assets and is prepared to invest some capital in plant renewal. AKA a bit of gravity defying silicon in her rack. And knows the value of maintenance - keeping everything in top order with a exercise regime that requires considerable discipline.

More over, Lewis has taken the shame away for her job, she has helped give it a friendly face. She has turned prostitution into another suburban service like a dairy.

You go to the dairy to get milk. You go to Lisa to get milked.

Lewis also understands and uses marketing to great effect. She seizes every opportunity she can to promote her product.

Seriously though whats the difference in the way Lewis uses her assets as compared to someone like Nicky Watson or Charlotte Dawson?

We say that she is an admirable choice. So we salute Cactus for taking the initiative to nominate her and we salute Lisa for being a good nominee.

GOLD!

NZ TEAM WINS 5 GOLD MEDALS AT TAEKWON-DO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ARGENTINA

New Zealand has kicked off the first day of the ITF X Junior World and the XVI Senior World Taekwon-Do Championship at Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires) Argentina, winning 5 Gold, 3 Silver and 3 Bronze medals.

Aucklander Jeremy Hannah, was the first of the New Zealand team to take out gold winning the Junior Males 3rd Dan Patterns division.

SPARC sponsored Aucklanders Carolina Dillen and Mark Trotter were also in the medals with Dillen winning New Zealand's second gold medal in the Seniors Womens 1st Dan Patterns. Trotter secured a Silver medal in the Senior Mens 4th to 6th Dan Patterns division.

The team also struck gold with Chris Broughton from Auckland winning the Senior Mens Ist Dan Patterns division.

Aramai Tahau from Levin won the Junior Mens Individual Speciality competition while the last gold medal for the day was won by the Junior Womens Team in the Team Pattern division.

Wellingtonian Richie Lavin, another SPARC sponsored athlete won bronze in his Senior Males 3rd Dan Patterns division.

Mathew Davey from Auckland claimed silver in the Senior Mens 2nd Dan Patterns division and the last of the silver medals was won by Shane Black from Tauranga in the Junior Mens Speciality division.

Bronze medals were won by both Phillipa Henry from Whangarei in the Junior Womens 1st Degree Patterns division and Melissa Timperley for the Junior Womens Specialty.

The 4 day event has drawn over 800 competitors with large teams from the United States, England, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Germany and Poland.

New Zealand is hosting the ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships in Wellington from the 10^th to the 13^th March in 2011 and is expecting over 600 competitors from 60 Countries.

The 2011 Taekwon-Do New Zealand promotional team has set-up a stand at the Argentina Taekwon-Do World Championships to promote New Zealand in conjunction with Tourism New Zealand, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and Wellington City Council Events.

Chairman Nick Lourantos says:

" I'm absolutely blown away by the support shown by Wellington City Council, Tourism New Zealand and NZ Trade & Enterprise. It's great what happens when the Government and sport work together to promote our great country and what it has to offer the world.

"We have been promoting New Zealand as a place to come and play as well as a place to do business with. We have been gathering registrations for the 2011 Championships with amazing interest for ongoing holidaying in New Zealand.

“So far most interest has come from the United States, The Netherlands and Canadian delegations. They want to know more and the stand has whetted their appetite to come and visit New Zealand.”

LOBSTER AND LOBBYISTS

Tonight we went to one of the premium events of the Wellington Xmas calendar, the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Annual Christmas do. It used to be held at the Tug Boat and it was famous for some very very long nights studded with raucous behaviour and that was just the knights and the Ministers.

Tonights affair was at Mac's Brewery in the function room. While 30 percent of those who were there were old friends and familiar faces - over 16 years the human landscape has changed a bit.

They no longer have a top journalism prize, which in its day was the richest in the country at $12,000 in travel. ( We won it once) We suggest that maybe they award a prize to the most interesting blog!

There were fewer shiny arses , fewer lawyers, accountants, and more iwi reps at this years party.

And in an old and fine tradition the taxi drivers,who cart the out of towners from the airport to meetings, quaffed beer alongside knights and captains of industry..

So overall it was a good do.

And in a long tradition crayfish was served and continued to be served until no-one could eat another half tail. This year everyone was talking about the meaty ice clams , the latest new shell fish.

They are spectacular but they were served badly, they were overcooked and over seasoned. These are a delicate fish and they deserve the loving attention of a top chef. And while the crayfish was perfectly cooked, it should never, ever be served with the gut cord still attached. The Maori seafood industry , like the NZ seafood industry should always remember to showcase their product in the best possible way. While to most of the attendees it was good tucker - it was not fine food - and it is fine food that out nation should always produce everywhere, everytime to everybody. It is after all the raison d'etre of the industry

It was also not a good night to be a white chocolate ( Ngai Tahu chick) from the deep south. The ETS has created a division we hoped wouldn't be too deep - but it is. There were definite barbs about the fat rich Ngai Tahu from the deep south. ( we admit to being a bit porky and Ngai Tahu but we are not rich)
There is a definite anger about the deal that really only delivers benefits to a favoured few. So while there are still disparities between Maori and Pakeha, there is a growing disparity within Maoridom as well and it has caused anger and resentment. It will become a bigger issue as the details and their impact become apparent.

It was also the night to say goodbye to a knight - Archie Taiaroa, one of the finest gentlemen we have known. He is a quiet, man, humble, wise and gracious. He will be missed. The affable Ngahiwi Tomoana is taking over and although he has big shoes to fill he will do a fine job.

LEAVE PLUNKET ALONE

While we sort of get why Sean Plunket didn't win his case about being untreated fairly re his employment dispute with RNZ on a purist point, we are wondering why Commie Radio is so hell bent on denying their star the right to freedom of speech. Now we get it that Plunkets contract does indeed mean the RNZ essentially owns him by denying him the right to an opinion. However this last wee debacle should have the Minister of Broadcasting twitching his eyebrows.
The gig that Plunket is guesting at is a minor affair in the scheme of things... So we want to know does this mean that the big guy shouldn't have a face book page or indeed offer his opinion at any lunch either..

Its time RNZ realised that they may have a legal case but the moral case is making them a laughing stock.

No-one really listens to RNZ for anything other than Plunket. Love him or hate him , he is the only reason people tune in.

ROTTON FRUIT

This is a face we reckon you wont see around parliament much any more. The fuzzy kiwifruit look alike , Tony Gibbs who represents Turners and Growers is getting the cold shoulder on the hill after it turn out that he was willing to sacrifice the reputation of NZ Trade to get his own way on domestic soil.

At the very least it was an arsewipe of a thing to do. At worse, some could call it a treasonous play.

So we wonder how long it will be before he decides on a career change.

OKAY - POM POMS AT THE READY

Right we are back to cheer leading for the Nats and of course the Maori party.
the ETS is now bedded in and we cant change that so its time to get on with life.

Now in the past parliament is pretty slow to get up and going in the New Year. Not this time. The Ministerial offices are under starters orders to be at work shiny faced, hanky in the pocket and clean undies on - on the 6th of January.....

There are a few mumbles and grumbles from the hill but not near as loud from govt lackeys who realise that the traditional two weeks of long lunches and early finishes are are thing of the past.

Well done them we say. There is a lot to get done.

ITS URGENT - REALLY.

The Aussie Rock says this is funny... He is right it is..

HOT STUFF

We are still pondering the ETS deal. Never ever before have we seen right wing commentators to a man and woman be so universal in their critical condemnation of a political decision.

And that criticism also extends to the venal play by Ngai Tahu which has seen them " secure" the planting rights to about 30,000ha of unused DOC land in the South Island to plant native forests.. They can claim the carbon credits for what they plant but they have to manage the forests and they have to plant them as well. We reckon analysis further down the track will show its the most crap deal any iwi has ever signed up to.

And a good Maori mate reckons the fellas who are taking the free trip to the Climate Change talks in Copenhagen as part of the Maori Party deal look like - quote, " house niggers"

Tough term but apt.

We wonder if ace guitarist and songster Tim Groser has been practicing Ten Guitars for the trip with the bro's. Or maybe he will get everyone singing " Hot Stuff"
Or maybe Burning down the house.


We think that Nick Smith is actually the fall guy in all this. We reckon there will be a big dip in the polls as the public comes to grips with the ETS and its ramifications.
Smith is Keys sacrificial lamb. He gets the shit job of shoving through all the unpopular legislation like climate change and ACC and then we reckon that Key will cut him lose and demote him as a succour to an angry public. The result - a bounce back in the polls.

Did we say that? Nah must have been a flight of fancy -too much red wine. Key is way too nice to do that to Smith- isn't he?

We not to sure if we want to laugh or cry....

MELTING POT

We are heading up to parliament tomorrow for a bit of a do. We have been invited by the most unlikely of people - It's a leaving do for a good bugger who is loved and admired by many. We met him once, we have followed the same kaupapa around some issues and we have many friends in common. Those friends are definitely more red that blue but politics does not divide us.

We will go because the events of the last few days have us wanting answers and some korero with those who can shed some light on the dark decisions made in the name of climate change.