Hot for Nanny

"Labour leader Phil Goff has has accused the Prime Minister of taking a Nanny State approach to young beneficiaries in the Government's youth welfare policy announced at the National party's annual conference on Sunday." - Radio NZ

Phil Goff is right that this is a "nanny state" approach and that the National Party is hypocritical after using the "nanny state" label against the Labour Party ( & the Green Party) during the last term of their government. In this case however New Zealand should be hot for nanny.

Brunette says :

"So congratulations to National for tackling the tough and arguably the most important welfare reforms first. It sends a strong message to the electorate - that National cares enough about the future of everyone in New Zealand to make some unpalatable decisions that the left have never had the balls to make." - Brunette

"Between 8500 and 13,500 16 and 17-year-olds are not in education, training, or work at any one time; 90 per cent of these people will go onto a benefit once they turn 18, and around 1600 are already on a special benefit for 16 and 17 year olds." - NZ Herald

If a 17 year old is not in education, training or work then they are going nowhere. Society cannot afford to have members who are not contributing and these individuals deserve better.

PAPERS START CONVERSATIONS?

We have been doing some more thinking about the #woopwoop story

This is a very good example of the changing face of the media. While one would have expected hard news to be the foundation of a Monday morning front page lead of a National Daily, they have picked up on a story that is not earth shattering, its not a game changer or critical information. Its really not all that relevant. But it is a topic that will provoke conversations. It will polarise opinion and we think that after today woopwoop as a phrase, will have considerably more usage.

Papers have joined the social media game. The sad part is that good hard investigative life changing informative news is getting less and less common, both in the digtal media and the traditional media space.

Another example of the convergence of the various media channels and another step towards cloudnews.

A CRAP DECISION

Nothing more be said really.

AND THE AWARD FOR THE PUBLIC SERVANT WHO GETS THIS GOVERMENT - GOES TO

Al Morrison - for showing that there is life after being a lefty. His column in the Herald today, defending the Departments decision to allow a business selling refreshments near one of the country's most popular attractions clearly shows that Morrison both wants and should have a good future with the National government.

However we reckon he should allow the sale of ice creams as they are soooo quintessentially kiwi..

It would only be another baby blue step to the right Al - take it... go on .... and remember the scenery is much better on the right.....

HERALD'S BLOGGER OF WEEK

Apparently we are the Herald on Sundays Blogger of the Week with our stuff on the Whaling issue. Thanks for that. However if one more person rings or txts or emails that our spelling is crap we shall be very annoyed. We know we cant spell. The late Garry Ward's wife Mary Mountier even gave me a book to improve the level of grammar on the blog.

Interestingly, in our past, we have won prizes for our spelling excellence. As we got older it just got worser.

Anyway thanks for the congrats and all that...

POWER TO THE FLAG

We can never work out how some symbols can cause such angst.

Take the growing issue around the Maori flag. It is interesting that Shane Jones is so angry about it. Then Shane is not noted for his ability to unite people so this is a perfect platform for him to hand down his thunderous protestations in an effort to cause cracks in the Maori Party's bedrock.

The right and the left are condemning it for different reasons. While Maori say that it is not representative of all Maori, others say that we are one nation and only need one flag.
We can see from Australia's history that their indigenous flag had an uncomfortable birth but it is now well recognised and accepted. Who will ever forget Cathy Freeman as she wrapped herself in the flag of her people on the international sports stage?

Its simple fluttering on civic buildings has not cause the racial disharmony that was first predicted.

So what was the flags genesis? Take this comment from one of the flags designers Linda Munn.

Giving Maori a voice was the flag's purpose and it annoys her that in two decades it has been usurped by some groups who remain angry with the world, Ms Munn said.

"We used it on passive hikoi. Tino rangatiratanga is about empowerment, not walking around with a big chip on your shoulder.

"I've seen it used in situations where the underlying theme is of wanting to go and bash Pakeha. We never wanted anything to do with violence."

Still, she's proud that the flag will get a new lease of life - it's always given her the "warm fuzzies", she said. "Especially when you're overseas, it's good to feel you belong to a place.

"The tino rangatiratanga flag is a symbol for another generation. It's funny how symbols bring people together and I hope that people will see it in a positive light."

It is understood 80 per cent of Maori who attended hui throughout the country backed the flag. As well as the harbour bridge, it could also fly from more government buildings and Premier House, the Prime Minister's Wellington residence.

So what is this new flag to us? It is a symbol of empowerment, the reflection of the ability to have some control and say over ones life. In a way it represents of one of the core tenants of Whanau Ora which is giving Maori the ability to make decisions for themselves rather than leave the state to make decisions for them.

Some say it is the Maori Party flag. We dont see it that way - rather its a flag that the party identifies as reflective of the empowerment they seek for their constituents. And to them that flag must also represent the political journey they have taken from no say to a big say from to a place in the second row of the political machine to sitting on the political paepae where decisions are made.


Our existing flag has never united us as a nation. Our colonial relationship with England is an uneasy one and our nations flag is more representative of England than us. The fact that every few years we try and replace it says much about its lack of universal appeal.

We say good on the Maori Party for getting the flag recognised and good on John Key for supporting it. Recognising that this was a big thing for his coalition partners shows his ability to unite and shape our nation.

BROWNMAIL - A FISCALLY F**KED ENVELOPE

For some reason we couldn't sleep last night and instead of counting sheep - we resorted to counting trees.

Now we said that there was no way we were going to blog about Ngai Tahu and associated iwi sneaking around in back rooms trying to work out a deal with the government for support for the ETS.

But this issue is too big.

Once New Zealand mums and dads people cotton to the basic premise - hand outs for noisy Maori - there will be a public outcry.

We have in the past suggested that Ngai Tahu needs to get out of grievance mode and get on with doing good works and making money with what they have.
In other words they have had their settlement, its up to them now to show their beneficiaries and indeed the rest of New Zealand that they can add value to their assets.

National is in thrall of the global green chalice. An ETS scheme...

So Ngai Tahu, who has a bevy of lawyers, who after a decade know how to press government buttons - raises the spectre of legal action.

National folds and tries to work out a deal that will placate them and buy their support. So they chuck them a bone in the shape of unused Doc land where they can plant a few beech trees and claim the carbon credits.. Which is fine, plant trees , sell the credits, bank the money, live off the interest..

Looks good. Apart from the fact that there is no way that the trees can be cut down without incurring a liability. They have to buy back the credits. so a contingent liability exists and according to Smith in Fran O'sullivans excellent column on the issue, iwi will own that liability.
So its a crap deal.

Based on a weak kneed government that wants to sip from the Green Cup so its willing to sell its soul.

And an iwi that rather than concentrating on becoming a business with dividends for beneficiaries goes back again to the biggest trough of all - free government money.

Its a deal not available to other foresters, so it is race based. As Fran so rightly puts it - its brownmail. We reckon that term will become part of the NZ lexicon.

We are ashamed of our iwi for being so venal. If they had joined the pre 1990 forest lobbyists and fought to keep those forests out of the ETS, there would not have been an issue and that deal would have benefited all Maori, not just a few iwi, who are being manipulated by their lawyers for a very short term gain.

SOLOMON'S A PUSSY

Who would have believed it ? ( well us for starters....) Mark Solomon is doing all he can to delay the inevitable - reports the NZ Herald today being voted out by his own runanga which means he would not only lose the title of Kaiwhakahaere( chair) but he would also lose his seat at the ruling table.
It is disgraceful that he has not promoted an election and fought it like a man.

Again he has fallen short of what is required of a leader.

We have also considered that the Ngai Tahu voting system is nothing ( sorry mum) but a cluster fuck... It gives too much power to too few for too long.

It has ended up this way because the incumbents will normally be the ones to benefit from confusion..

Hopefully this time round we will have a ruling council we can be proud of.

PUBLIC SECTOR FREEZE

We are delighted to hear that the government is going to put a freeze on state sector pay packets. ( And that includes firemen who are just public servants with cool trucks) About time and we also like the idea of tidying up the backroom that houses the machinery of government. Duplication and waste still abound. The idea of warehousing the myriad of 0800 numbers across the state sector is a smart one. and purchasing is another area that could be vastly improved.

We know that the general populace wants to see a leaner public service - it is still a fat and ponderous and often unfocused beast.

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.

THE POWER OF BLOGS

Well they apparently do work as marketing tools.

The Little sis of BB - the pod princess known as Lambcut organised a wee soiree for the Rural Women of NZ -with guest speaker Fran O'Sullivan and her take on blogs.

It was expected to be a small function - its grown a bit - so much so the venue has now changed - to one of our favourite bars - D4...

The power of new media - its seems.

You are invited to the next breakfast meeting of the RWNZ Wellington Network Group, to be held on Tuesday 29 September. Please feel free to pass this message onto your staff and colleagues.

Speaker: Fran O’Sullivan

Topic: An Accidental Empire: The Rise of Political Blogging and its Effect on Conventional Media.

RWNZ is delighted to have special guest Fran O’Sullivan - a columnist for the New Zealand Herald - speaking at this month’s breakfast meeting on the rise of political blogging. Fran's expertise is in politics and business. She was labelled a "right-wing blogger" by Helen Clark - but has yet to launch her own blog.

Time: 7.15am – 8.15 a.m.

Venue: D4 on Featherston Street

Level 1, 143 Featherston St,

PO Box 5815,

Central Wellington

Breakfast: There is no charge for attending RWNZ breakfast meetings. A D4 Breakfast Special costing $12 has been arranged for this occasion. The Special includes bacon, a choice of eggs on toast, and tea or coffee and juice. Or, you can order a continental breakfast with jam and marmalade served with juice, tea or coffee for $12. If you have a little more time, you may wish to order from any of the full range of dishes available on D4’s superb breakfast menu which can be viewed at www.d4.co.nz/menu

Please RSVP to Noeline Holt: noeline.holt@ruralwomen.org.nz

or

Tracy Galland: tracygalland@xtra.co.nz

INVITATION TO BLOGGERS AND BLOG LOVERS

We will be attending this - its guaranteed to be fascinating, fun and informative. Fran is one of the few journalists who was quick to understand the power of blogs. She is simply one of the finest columnists this country has, and her influence is legend.

And its free!

Anyway the Rural women are welcoming anyone who is interested in attending. Just email your acceptance as per the emails below.

You are invited to the next breakfast meeting of the RWNZ Wellington
Network Group, to be held on Tuesday 29 September. Please tell your friends
and colleagues.


Speaker: Fran O'Sullivan

Topic: An Accidental Empire: The Rise of Political Blogging and its
Effect on Conventional Media.

RWNZ is delighted to have special guest Fran O'Sullivan - a columnist for
the New Zealand Herald - speaking at this month's breakfast meeting on the
rise of political blogging. Fran's expertise is in politics and business.
She was labelled a "right-wing blogger" by Helen Clark - but has yet to
launch her own blog.

Time: 7.15am - 8.15 a.m.
Venue: Horticulture New Zealand Boardroom
Level 2 Huddart Parker Building Post Office Square
(opposite Queen's Wharf)
Central Wellington


Breakfast: There is no charge for attending RWNZ breakfast meetings. There is a café on the ground floor or the French Coffee cart in square if you
want to purchase food or coffee. Coffee is also provided at the meeting.

Please RSVP to Noeline Holt: noeline.holt@ruralwomen.org.nz

or

Tracy Galland: tracygalland@xtra.co.nz

ITS NOT GOOD ENGLISH

We know that a few sub editors would love to get hold of Busted Blonde and strangle her for showing the English language such disrespect. We knew that our disregard of the apostrophe irks some of our senior readers and they are not too fond of our bad language either.
But we have decided that we might try and clean up our act a bit after we got a signed copy of Your Joking by Mary Mountier, the lovely wife of the irascible Garry Ward.

It really is a very good, well written mini tome on punctuation.

It was given to us by Spaz, who is a bit of a pedant which is odd because he is an Aussie.

So we are taking the hint. We are going to try and get our apostrophe's right now.

WELLINGTON TOPS IN NZ DINING

The elegant and sumptuous Logan Brown has taken out the supreme award in the Cuisine Magazine NZ restaurant of the year competition.
We dined there a couple of months back among a glittering bunch with a common interest in politics.

We adored the paua ravioli, which we consider one of the most sublime dishes we have had anywhere. And the wild boar pie is a bloody good 'un.

Anyway we are delighted that yet again Wellington reigns supreme in the dining stakes.

Logan Brown fare is quintessential kiwi food done with unfailing flair and style and the emphasis is always on taste.

Al Brown and Steve Logan should get a New Years honour for services to the development of iconic kiwi food. And of course they also developed the great Hunger for the Wild programme.

HEADHUNTERS ARE RAPISTS.

The sad story of Millie Elders fall from grace from P is a wake up call for all New Zealanders that we must renew any efforts to reduce this social plague on so many houses.

The saddest part of this story is not that she is facing jail or that her father is no longer talking to her, it is that she is in the thrall of the Headhunters. These arseholes have infiltrated the top end of Auckland society whose populus also thirst for this drug. In fact it is clear to see that this gang of bad bad men are now part of what would once be seen as the Auckland establishment.

Every third celebrity kid is on P and undoubtedly it is because they are being fed the drug by the gang. The gang members and their ilk are now fashionable accessories at all the best parties. They have been legitimised. And Aucklanders who have the wit, will and station should stop legitimising the Headhunters and others of their ilk by shunning them.

It is time for the police to go to war and we mean that in the most literal sense. Headhunters are little more than paedophiles preying on the young, their gratification coming from the power they have over their victims and the money they get in return for P.

These drug paedophiles should be treated the same as their sexually deviant cousins. Their drug crimes just as odious as baby rape. These crimes against some of our brightest and best strips innocence , just the same. Leaving the victims spent shells, scared forever.

If you have worked with those who have been raped and those who are under the spell of drugs you see in their eyes the face of the same ugly demon.

We want girls like Millie to grow up good. Not growing up believing that the very men who fed her the stuff that fried her brain are her saviours. We owe it to her and the growing legions of good kids to come, to stamp out the Headhunters and brand them the evil soul sucking bastards they are.

Bugger charities like Kidscan - this is the cause that New Zealand celebrities should be supporting without question. It should have been the cause for the Telethon and the Government should backed it up with tougher legislation not food parcels.

So, we want a taskforce of old gang members who have turned their backs against the old ways, Heads of Police, Social Welfare, TPK, and legislators to write rules to break the back of this growing social pestilence.


However we disagree with Paul Holmes. He should always leave the door open for his daughter. She needs to know she is still loved and she can still come home. He should, even in her darkest hour, never stop talking to her, making sure she can always find her way, as its going to be a hell of a long road for her to travel on her own with the demons on her back .

KIDSCAN CHARITY STILL UNDER FIRE

And rightly so - There needs to be an inquiry into this. We still want to see the justification for sayin that 10,000 kids need shoes and raincoats. And what are they feeding them ? Is is healthy or low grade junk food from sponsors who see it as a marketing opportunity for their kids.

Well done the Herald for keeping the pressure on


We will too - We just think that charities need to operate with more transparency.

UBER FEMS FEEL FRANS FROST AND NATS GET A BOLLOCKING

There have been some very interesting permutations of the bizfeminist movement over the years and Fran O'Sullivans column today looks at a new breed who are being championed by the acidic Mai Chen.

She also chastises National for not doing more to level up the playing field for women who want power and influence.

Its an interesting and insightful look into the changed psyche of the bizfem pack.

This pack is loaded with no nonense women who seem to use testosterone as a perfume. We have a couple of mates who attend these functions and for them they see it as a fast ticket to the boardrooms of the nation.

They interestingly, appear over feminised - they spend way more on their appearance than your average Sally sheila. They are actually fluffy -all false nails, botox, silk and Jimmy Choos. It's as, though this uberfemininity is their badge of honour. But they seem to think they gain their strength from the collective. Sad that in this day and age we still have to, as women, think we have to hunt in a pack to get anywhere.

BILL LIU - WHO ARE YOU?

This morning the Herald harks with the voice of an avenging angel as it reports on the curious case of Bill Liu ,the man with one face but many names.

We have covered this story often after it first saw the light of day in Investigate Magazine.

We are interested that Jones, who is central to this story because he signed off Lius passport as this extract from an earlier story in the Herald indicates, is not mentioned until the tail end paragraphs of today's Herald story. What does that mean?

Mr Cunliffe would not discuss the case when approached by the Herald before the election but later, under the Official Information Act, the Department of Labour released to the Herald the following passage from Mr Cunliffe's decision: "I have decided that the most appropriate route for this case at this time is for it to continue to be assessed by BSG [Border Security Group - includes fraud and compliance units] as a potential prosecution file. I do not discount the possibility of reconsidering it in the future."

A source close to Mr Cunliffe told the Herald that the minister had erred on the side of natural justice for Mr Liu but was "somewhat surprised" when Mr Jones (delegating for the Internal Affairs minister of the time, Rick Barker), granted Mr Liu citizenship without first discussing it with Mr Cunliffe.

So maybe there are some legal threats floating around. Anyway we reckon that this story still has quite a bit to play out yet.

All very fishy really.......

OF POLAR BEARS AND BACTERIA BINS, AND FAILED MISSIONS

We have already expressed some measure of joy at Key's announcement that " Hug a Polar Bear" programmes exhalted by the last government are for the chop. And Patrick Gower has a story in the Herald on Mission on Mission off, a health campaign administered by SPARC

Its has a website funded to the tune of $3.9 million.. They claim to have had 90,000 visitors - hell we have had 100,000 visitors to Roarprawn in less than seven months and it cost us nothing to set up.

What a bloody crock. We are glad that it is going but seriously someone should be looking at why it cost that much to build and administer.

We are hoping that we can get our rubbish tins back as well. If its good enough for the hamsters on the hill its good enough for us. We are waiting patiently for an email saying we can bif our desktop bacteria bin.

Commonsense reigns supreme.

Another excellent start to the day...

SENSIBLE ANALYSIS ON FONTERRA

Finally, we get a good meaty piece on the Fonterra accounts and half year announcement from Fran O'Sullivan in the NZ Herald. She also reinforces the view of the NBR the the PR around the half year announcement was very badly handled.

Fran leads with the fact that there has been a drop in revenue. And she focused in on the large milk mountains that Fonterra has warehoused around the country . But overall her tone is cautiously optimistic - noting that Ferrier has managed a reduction in operating expenses and that despite all the payout to farmers has been maintained at $5.10.