Public Address

Capture: Auckland Festival of Photography

A photoblog — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:45:00 +1200

The Auckland Festival of Photography kicks off on May 30 and runs until June 21. With three weeks of events and exhibitions across more than 75 venues, there is no way we can touch on everything that is happening - but below are some brief details of some of the exhibitions, images and events that have caught our attention. For more details about what's on and where, go to the Auckland Festival of Photography website.

Nikon Auckland Photo Day 2013
On Saturday 8 June participants are invited to capture and submit images that reflect their Auckland. Nikon are offering three…

OnPoint: What Andrew Geddis Said, But Shorter and With More Swearing

Keith Ng — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:37:00 +1200

During the Budget lock-up last week, an old hand from one of the law firms said that I should ask Bill English about all the legislation that was going to get rushed through immediately after the Budget. I gathered, from what he told me, that a lot of bills got passed in the wake of the Budget with very little scrutiny.
Well. This happened:

You're looking at the Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) for the Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill. Basically, the courts said that the Government had to pay family members who looked after people with disabilities (because not…

Hard News: A Golden Age for the Arts?

Russell Brown — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:27:00 +1200

This seems to be a bit of a week for government ministers being snippy on the socials. On the heels of Judith Collins unloading on her critics on Twitter comes this today from arts minister Chris Finlayson:

Admit it, @grantrobertson1, this is a golden age for the arts in New Zealand. Your sniping is #tragic #jealous
— Chris Finlayson (@chrisfinlayson) May 17, 2013

His tweet was in reply to this one from Labour deputy leader Grant Robertson:

not a peep from @chrisfinlayson on Arts in #Budget today.Not surprising when you see cuts for MCH, public bcstg, regional museums and more
— Grant…

Hard News: Friday Music: In the neighbourhood

Russell Brown — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:00 +1200

Last week, I saw Lawrence Arabia play solo on a Tuesday night. This week I saw SJD play solo on a Wednesday. And I didn't have to go into the CBD or stay up stupidly late to do it. I could really get to like this neighbourhood gigs thing.
Sean James Donnelly didn't just play solo -- he's been doing that since Elastic Wasteland came out -- but unplugged. It was intriguing to hear 'Superman You're Crying' (which he's been playing lately as a techno track) strummed out on acoustic guitar. He tried out two new songs (one of which,…

OnPoint: Budget 2013: Bringing Down the House (Prices), but not really

Keith Ng — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:52:00 +1200

Update: Tool is live!
"On track to surplus"
That's not really true. Revenue projections are down on the 2012 Budget, and the Government would be in deficit - except they cut the Operating Allowance for Budget 2014 by $200m.
I had a crack at Bill English about this during the lock-up; his argument was that money is money - I might as well be saying that of *anything* that saved the government more than $75m, and claim that the government only did that because it would bring them over the threshold.
The difference with changing the Operating Allowance is that…

Notes & Queries: In The Face of Global Terror: 9/11 Cakes, Costumes and Lego

David Herkt — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:15:00 +1200

Like almost everyone in the Western world, I remember 9/11 vividly. I woke in the morning to the rolling TV coverage and the collapse of the Twin Towers on repeat. Terrorism met the Age of Spectacle in a purpose-planned event.
Part of the reaction came from unexpected areas. There were 9/11 jokes circulating within the US by the 12th September 2001 and recorded on a Dutch website by the 13th. There were howls of outrage when an American comedian tried a 9/11 gag a month later at a Friar’s Club celebrity roast for Hugh Hefner. “Too soon,” members of the…

Legal Beagle: On Consensus

Graeme Edgeler — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:20:00 +1200

It appears that there will be no major changes to our MMP system before the next election.
I'm okay with that. While I support each of the recommendations in isolation (I think the 5% threshold is too high, and the one-seat rule gives unequal power to arbitrary groups of voters), I also recognise that not everyone agrees with me. Just because I think the recommendations would be an improvement over the status quo doesn't mean they should be enacted. The referendum set up a process by which there would be a review, but how should you have voted if you…

Hard News: SpinCity

Russell Brown — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:26:00 +1200

As part of the deal with the government announced this morning, SkyCity will -- along with a range of other concessions and favours -- be allowed to install 230 more pokie machines in exchange for building and operating an international convention centre alongside its present casino site.
I'm pretty sure the number of new pokies is no accident. It's the exact same number granted when Sky City built its existing convention centre in Federal Street Street in 2001. Similarly, Sky was then granted permission for another 12 gaming tables, and this time it's 11. David Farrar has pounced on the…

Hard News: Media3: Parliament Live

Russell Brown — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:30:00 +1200

I doubt that anyone would have anticipated that one of 2013's television hits would have been captured by the cameras of Parliament TV, yet that is what happened. In concert with a level of social media chatter usually reserved for TV talent quests and major sporting events, the final reading of the Marriage Amendment Bill played out last month as a surprising feel-good live broadcast event.
The waiata was heard around the world, and Maurice Williamson became, as had Chris Auchinvole at the bill's previous reading, an unlikely star.
The seeds for that prime-time spectacle lie in the regular coverage…

Legal Beagle: $420,259.33

Graeme Edgeler — Mon, 13 May 2013 07:30:00 +1200

On 9 May 2013, the Labour Party Secretary filed a donation return with the Electoral Commission, in respect of four payments it received via The Public Trust, from the Estate of Brian James Dalley:
$411,500.00 received on 23 April 2012, $7,250.00 received on 2 May 2012, $1,282.50 received on 24 July 2012, and $226.83 received on 27 July 2012.
Section 210C of the Electoral Act 1993 requires a party secretary to file a donation return within 10 working days of receipt of a donation if that donation exceeds $30,000, or if that donation, together with any other donations (that haven't…