Public Address - Cracker (Home)

All Aboard! | May 06, 2008 15:19

So it doesn't matter if we own our own power network, electricity is so Twentieth Century anyway… nothing says "progress" like locomotives.

And why is it Michael Cullen keeps saying we have no money for this, no money for that (and by that I mean 'tax cuts'), we've got to tighten our belts and so on, then he forks out 2/3 of a billion dollars for some trains? I guess it's no fun having the tracks if you can't play with the engines.

(And it's not surprising so many in the media have used the 'train set' analogy. Can't you just picture Dr C sitting on the ground in one of those train driver caps? Awww)

It was interesting to hear one member of the public on the telly, being asked what she thought, and saying "I think it's a good idea, because I don't think the tracks have been looked after well at all". Yes, well unfortunately the tracks are owned by the Government, have been since 2004.

Much has been made of the fact that John Key has now said he won't sell any state owned assets in the first term, and that Cullen has now somehow tricked him into including the railways (which English had previously said he'd re-sell). I guess it's fair enough that Key might not have thought that in these tough times the Government would actually be acquiring new assets. But it'll teach Key not to make open ended promises in future.

I know rail is generally regarded as one of the more environmentally-friendly methods of transportation, but I wish that if the Government was going to ease the pressure on households, it wouldn't do it by backing out on its commitments to the environment. Yes people are hurting, but if we're going to chuck away anything, can it not be the Planet please? We kinda need that one. Fast forward to this blog in 2050:

Cheese on Toast | May 06, 2008 13:25
Damian Christie – Cracker with Attitude
So, I notice that due to the Positive Feedback effect of greenhouse gases, much of our planet has now been reduced to molten lava. Not surprisingly, the rapid increase in temperature has played havoc with the train tracks, which fortunately, we still own, and seem increasingly relevant in this day and age of instant teleportation. Oh well, at least a block of Tasty Cheddar is still within reach of the ordinary family.

I've been wondering about this for a while, but can someone please tell me, aside from 900 jobs (which is no small fry, but still), what exactly do we get out of Comalco? Overseas owned, I'd be interested to know how much tax they pay here, but whatever, they use 15% of the country's power! That's more than everyone else put together, or something. Well maybe not, but they're definitely the single biggest consumer of power.

So do we really need them? Unemployment's low at the moment, life in Bluff can't be that great anyway, are you sure these 900 people can't take one for the (hot-water-using, long-shower-loving) team?

Finally, after about 9 months of planning, travelling the world and writing, my piece for North & South on sustainable energy and going "off the grid" (set in Timaru, Afghanistan and Pakistan) is out late this week. Please check it out if you can, I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. (And thanks again to the Asia NZ Foundation for getting me there.)

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Labour Weekend | Apr 15, 2008 13:25

You'd think by now Mike Williams would know his stuff. He's the longest serving Labour Party President, and has been the man at the top during the party's halcyon years.

But anyone who agrees handing out IRD pamphlets is a good way of winning votes, man… I don't know what they do to pass those long winter evenings where you come from Mike, but I bet it ain't reading tax department literature.

A little later, Helen Clark was on the news talking about taking that idea and throwing it off the 9th floor of the Beehive. Did she mean the idea, or Williams? I know I'm a geek, but given how much Williams looks like the Evil Galactic Emperor, it's hard not to picture that scene from Jedi, when Vader picks the Emperor up, and tosses him into the Death Star's reactor below…

(Mike Williams, L; Evil Galactic Emperor, R)

Talking about the stymied plan, John Key points out –with no hint of irony– that people would be disgusted if they thought parties were using taxpayer funds for "their own self-promotion and re-election"? Um, isn't that exactly what happens, by law, each year?

I don't know anyone can really be surprised to hear that some businesses are screwing employees out of pay rises to compensate for the introduction of Kiwisaver. It's a pretty simple equation really. It's the same maths that mean rising petrol prices pushes the cost of food up, or the new holiday pay legislation means a flat white on Anzac Day costs $4.20 instead of $3.50. Something's gotta give, and if it can be avoided, it won't be the employer's bottom line.

It is disappointing to learn that some employers are already pushing down wages, especially as there's a tax credit to offset at least part of their contribution for the first two years. But rest assured, as the employer contribution rises to 4% over the next few years, wages will drop (or at least not rise by as much as they might). Businesses aren't just going to take a 4% hit on their wage bill because the Government tells them to.

So which are the "large New Zealand companies"? Mallard said on Campbell he won't name names until he's had a chat with the CEOs concerned, in case there's been some oversight, or it's all the fault of some minion. Which means he'll never name names, because any CEO worth his/her salt will say "that's right Trev, there's clearly been some oversight, and/or it's all the fault of some minion". But someone with more time on their hands than me should really keep on top of that one.

(The sometime-libertarian in me does find it ironic the Government is complaining about businesses trying to rip off employees, just because they're trying to avoid the extra costs the Government has arbitrarily dumped on their lap)

Trevor Mallard says he'll consider legislating so businesses can't avoid the contributions in such a manner. Unless he also legislates a compulsory annual wage increase, there's going to be a fairly major loophole.

Finally, this might have been doing the rounds, but I haven't seen it anywhere else yet:

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| Apr 15, 2008 13:17

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Slipping into Darkness | Apr 09, 2008 10:17

You know it's time to give up blogging when (a) you've started almost every blog in recent memory with "it's been a while since my last post, because"; (b) your desktop is littered with half-finished thoughts that someone else at Public Address got to first; (c) you realise that despite all Russell's early assurances, bloggers don't "get all the babes".

And to be fair, it's been six years. I am, if memory serves, the only remaining founding member of Public Address other than Russell. It's been a good innings.

You don't think I'm leaving though? Course not. If I did Russell would end up acting like Martin Phillips when he became the only original Chill, and we don't want that. And it's election year; things are just starting to get good.

No, the last month or so has been a bit busy behind-the-scenes here, that's all. A move to Auckland (and to the only babe this blogger needs), a change from full-time employment to fuller-time freelancing, including work on not one but two brand new TV shows, both of which premiered last week. One was Russell's, (I'm in the credits there somewhere, I assume), the other, which I'm more involved in, is Back Benches, a political panel show filmed live each week at the Backbencher pub. Both are on TVNZ7.

Both shows managed their first eps very well, especially considering neither host had ever done it before – even after four years of working in telly, the idea of fronting half an hour live (Back Benches is live, Media 7 is 'as live') is a scary prospect. And I respect Russell and Wallace Chapman for handling their debuts so well. Importantly, I think as both hosts grow into their roles and the shows find their natural rhythm, both are only going to get better and better, becoming a staple of the media diet heading up to the election and beyond.

And while I'd encourage everyone to get Freeview boxes, I understand it's not realistic for everyone, particularly if you already have one of those other digital boxes on your TV. But that's what the Interweb is for, and both our shows are available there, gratis. Personally I'm waiting for the Freeview PVR boxes before saying goodbye to the Sky subscription (I seem to only use my MySky to record free-to-air channels).

Some of you will have also picked up that I've been co-hosting Public Address Radio on Radio Live for the last few weeks, which has been great fun, and something I look forward to doing more of now I'm back in town. As much as I enjoyed certain aspects of living in Wellington, I have to say the opportunities in Auckland are such that the streets are paved, if not with gold (especially not at current prices), then pork bellies, or milk powder, or some tangible commodity. And thanks to a friend with a new boat, I've been able to bring home fresh Snapper more than once since making the move.

Still, the end of daylight savings (to which every clock/computer/phone I own has adjusted itself automatically, but on different days) means a halt to the after-work fishing, diving and general hunter-gathering. The weather might be warmer up here, but dark is still dark.

Now I've realised I'm not about to starve (or worse still, get a real job) I'm a little more relaxed. More relaxed means more free time, which should mean more blogging (especially with the end of the fishing and diving). Don't be surprised if the next blog begins "It's been a while since my last post." But be assured it won't be my last.

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