RUDD IS KING OF RAT SHAGGING

Yip, Kevin Rudd is well on his way to helping Julia Gillard lose the Australian election. He has been chucked a small bone by the UN and its become big news. And he is hogging the precious media attention away from Gillard.

His new job is all about global sustainability - So far all he has shown is a committment to sustaining a revenge campaign....

His hatred knows no bounds...

MOST CONTROVERSIAL TV ITEM IN AUSSIE

LABIAPLASTY HUNGRY BEAST: EP 14 from Hungry Beast on Vimeo.

And apparently Kevin Rudd is keen to see it.

We think its a legitimate issue.

And it was sensitively handled. Hope it screen here .

BITS AND BOBS

We have been enjoying some wild and wicked weather in Tauranga where the Aussie Rock has a bit of a bach near the beach at the Mount.

When it was fine it was splendid but the torrential rain out did the sunbeams today. For all that Tauranga and the Mount are wonderful places to visit.

We are now back in Wellington and are off to Zico's with Spaz and his angel wife.

So we have had a quick scoot round the blogs and MacDoctor has the funniest post on Sue Bradfords departure from the Greens. We agree with his sentiments entirely.

And the Australian is breathless in their admiration for Key's decision to appear on Letterman. We initially thought it was dumb. But as someone who has lived in the USA pointed out, Key's self effacing corniness would have gone down a treat there. Its their sort of humour. However we also agree with Fran O'Sullivan - we cannot lose sight of the serious stuff either. Perhaps an armchair interview on Close Up, or even the Sunday programme to talk about the serious stuff and why it matters to New Zealanders. It would be good to give it some context that a quick flick on the 6pm news cant give.


And are we the only person who is going to fess up and say they dont understand what the hell John Key's comments about having the loosest slot machines really means?

NZ guzumped by Aussie on World stage

Our boy is off to the US of A for a some serious discussions on matters of great importance to our nation.

While it is clear that Kevin Rudd is seeing his trip as a chance to promote Aussie as the must stop on the investment train, Key's trip has a wider focus. In fact it seems to have many foci. We have him on Letterman, at the behest of the Tourism Board, which is a very risky move,due to the piss taking nature of the programme. But the exposure is gold.

Then the focus for Key is very much on diplomatic relations with a raft of smaller countries Turkey, the Netherlands, Israel, Chile, Norway and Rwanda. And he is also going to have a hui with Helen about matters of Aid.

Now this is all good stuff but it contrasts with Australia and Rudd who is clearly on a focussed mission to get big dollars down under. He wants Australia to be a lightening rod for international investors.

We as a nation have always spurned other peoples money as somehow being something that is not good. Aussie on the other hand embraces it.

While Key’s programme in USA is interesting its all about being best friends with a whole heap of nations looking for best friends. Rudd on the other hand, is opening the door to investors to help his country build on its already impressive financial position.

We don’t get many opportunities in this environment and seriously folks – Keys agenda looks a bit lightweight and doesn’t look like we are serious about doing the stuff that will help grow the economy.

We really only need to look across the Tasman to see how it should be done.

BEWDY!

While we are doing out bit for closer economic relationships by sleeping every nite with a South Australian, we are delighted to see that it will soon be quick as - to visit Aussie.

And of course it will be easier for Aussies to visit us and that's good for tourism. It will also mean some savings at the border - and that's a good thing for both our economies. We have more in common than we have differences.

However we never ever want NZ to adopt the famed Aussie delicacy and culinary icon - the pie floater.

Barffff....

RUDD FOLLOWS KEY

Now there was a bit of talk a few weeks back of Key stealing ideas from Rudd.

However today our Aussie mates have borrowed one of our best ideas and called it their own.

They have largely replicated Steven Joyces forward thinking broadband proposal

Good Stuff

RUDD FINANCIAL TICKLER

ATO letter_1

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Research tax australia

JOHN KEY GETS MORE INTERNATIONAL PLAUDITS

The Australian has a great column on the business nous of three world leaders - John Key, Kevin Rudd and Obama. She reckons Key has got it sorted. she even thinks that he should have a place at the hallowed table of G20.

She has picked up on the factthat Key is the only one who understands commercial realities because he is the only one of the three who has any real business experience.

Heres an excerpt from Jane Albrechtsen.

Key, on the other hand, understands what is needed to make businesses hum: lower taxes, smarter regulation and a flexible labour market. He has recognised that a one-off sugar hit - or cash splash - won’t help business employ people for any longer than it takes to spend the cash. Permanent tax cuts help business employ more staff - permanently.

He told The Wall Street Journal’s Mary Kissel a few weeks back that he is determined to stop the slide that has seen NZ fall to the bottom half on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s per-capita gross domestic product rankings. “We have been on a slippery slope ... so we need to lift those per capita wages, and the only way to really do that is through productivity growth driving efficiency in the country.” Key is cutting taxes, reforming regulations that inhibited foreign capital and tackling environmental legislation that has been misused by green groups to stop private sector investment. Oh, and he is undertaking a line-by-line review of every government department as part of his Government’s commitment to capping spending.

No wonder Key is the odd man out. And it is a shame that NZ will not be attending the G20 meeting in London next month, the latest effort by world leaders to confront the global financial crisis. Spend big and all will be in order is Obama’s resounding theme. It’s all stimulus this and stimulus that. Is it too much to hope that G stands for growth, not group-think?

We agree - they only problem is that its going to take a year or two to see who was right. Key, Rudd or Obama. Our money is still on Key.

SUMMIT OF SUMMITS

While all eyes here have been on the recent economic summit in NZ, another arguably more important summit has been held on the other side of the world. The heads of government from the EU's 27 member countries met but instead of the focus being on the points of agreement it was a summit that gave clarity to the growing divide between rich and poor and probably east and west. The UK guardian calls it the European Faultline.

This is what the Guardian says the summit exposed.

• Protectionism versus free-traders: French-led campaign to save French and European industries and jobs opposed by Britain, Germany, central Europe, and the European commission.
• East versus west: fears of financial collapse in parts of central Europe could trigger bigger banks meltdown in Austria, Italy or Sweden.
• Euro currency countries versus the rest: non-single currency countries worried that crisis rescue policies are being skewed towards helping the eurozone.

At a time when the politicians of the EU nations should be working together, they are instead protecting their own countries which some commentators fear could lead to the breakdown of the union.

It is a good thing that John Key is talking to Kevin Rudd. We need to draw strength from our nearest nation and while the EU may break apart our future may well rest with solidarity with our closest neighbour.

ITS TOUGH AT THE TOP

Kevin Rudd is ripping through his staff as he beds down his newish govt. Ouch.

We are not expecting John Key to do the same. He has a good mix of old campaigners and bright young things amoung his team - And Tories always have a better work ethic than socialists. They work hard and play hard , while lefty lackys say pay us more and we might work a little harder but we will want time in lieu, childcare, a taxi home and a meal allowance.