Hard News by Russell Brown

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  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Roger Lacey,

    0800 calls can be free depending on whether the account holder wants to pick up the tab or not.

    Which is no doubt why WINZ insist on land lines. A friend up North has this difficulty. He must be available for work ,therefore a landline apparently. Landlines can cost over $500 to connect at the exchange. I've had another friend do that.
    I just fired off an email to Heatley. No doubt like most National MPs, I wont get a response. Heatley, who thought $1000 worth of wine should be on the taxpayers bill.Heatley,who Key had no idea where he was.
    Next up, Welfare this afternoon.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Julie Fairey,

    So depressing. As is HNZ's entire (Ministerially directed) shift in focus from being a social agency to just being a landlord. We have a lot of state housing in Mt Roskill and have tried to initiate some dialogue with HNZ about planning, zoning, etc, in the interests of encouraging developments that meet the needs of as many interested parties as possible. HNZ owns a lot of contiguous sections, especially around Three Kings, and the Puketapapa Local Board wanted to work with them to ensure more re-developments like the one at Ernie Pinches (wide range of housing, focus on creating a community e.g. they planted a fruit tree on each townhouse's lawn, but different trees on each so the neighbours can share fruit etc). But seems anything of that nature is now off the agenda, and they are being funnelled very tightly into Just Being Landlords.

    Puketapapa Mt Roskill, AK… • Since Dec 2007 • 234 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    http://www.hnzc.co.nz/councils-and-community-organisations/community-groups/tamaki-transformation-programme/glen-innes-redevelopment

    The project proposes the redevelopment of 156 properties to create at least 260 new homes, including 78 that Housing New Zealand will own, at least 39 owned by other social or community housing providers, and the remainder for private sale. It also proposes modernising another 40 state houses in northern Glen Innes.

    Not just landlords, partners in property developmental as well as,

    Skills, employment and economic development
    With local redevelopment comes local jobs. There is potential for hundreds of jobs to be generated as a result of the building activity over the next few years. Young people in the area will be encouraged to work and train on these building sites. The focus on education will help equip young people to succeed and have greater workforce choice.

    Big plans, big borrowing.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to merc,

    78 that Housing New Zealand will own,

    So will the rents be market rents? They will have to be, and the argument will be, "necessary to get best value for all the houses being sold."

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    I don't know about rents, though 78 is not a great figure against the total 260 homes. Also, last time they did this, in Remuera in the 90's (used to have streets of state housing stock), total private sales were the rorted norm (pepper-potting abandoned), often in multiples to property developers, who seemed to have fore-knowledge of pending sales.
    There is an agenda here.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Grevers, in reply to DaveC,

    Yeah but will your battery life last for the time you're on hold/trapped in the phone jail?

    New Plymouth • Since Jul 2011 • 143 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Why does this not surprise me?. When will Housing New Zealand be put up for "partial" privatisation? after all it's only a landlord now with no social responsibility.
    The attitude of this bunch of asshats makes me ashamed to be human. The downright dishonesty leaves me slackjawed with astonishment, these rightwing nutjobs are the first to claim Christian values but then will palm off the responsibility of government to the "Faith Based" organisations, the likes of Mr Heatley obviously have no "faith" themselves or they would be petrified of "meeting their maker"

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler,

    I quite like the framing of faith-based organisations as "holistic"; not the first adjective they might want to be associated with...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    260 -78= 182 houses to find. Rent will increase. The goalposts will shift until private developers create a Ghetto Trailer Park because that will be all that is affordable.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    http://www.architecture-archive.auckland.ac.nz/docs/block-digital/2010-Block-Digital-State-Housing.pdf
    An interesting potted history that reminds us of what these late-comers are unwinding. The New Right, they never mention history do they?
    Sofie,

    a Ghetto Trailer Park because that will be all that is affordable.

    Now there's a plan, http://www.interest.co.nz/property/54498/have-your-say-auckland-councillor-who-suggested-creation-trailer-parks-would-help-fix

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Julie Fairey,

    In regard to local job creation - that's one of the things I'd love to talk to HNZ about but they aren't interested in that dialogue sadly. I expect they won't be doing anything directly anyway - it'll be contracted out to companies like Fletchers.

    Puketapapa Mt Roskill, AK… • Since Dec 2007 • 234 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Julie Fairey,

    it’ll be contracted out to companies like Fletchers.

    As with Christchurch.
    Has anybody else noticed how Fletchers shares have been bouncing around lately? An acquaintance told me gleefully a few weeks back that I should get some o’ them thar shares, said they'd be sweet pickin’s in a few days. Sure enough the price went up 13% over three days only to tumble a week or so later, someone is playing monopoly here me thinks.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Brislen, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Sent this to Russell but may as well post it here.

    Nobody pays to make 0800 calls in NZ but the organisation you're calling pays to receive them.
    Some companies do indeed block mobiles from calling their 0800 number (mobiles are luxury items, remember, not low-cost options for those that don't have the credit rating/wherewithal to pay for a landline) primarily because they cost four times the price of a similar call from a landline.

    All of which points to the big problem here - don't you WANT more engagement with your key stakeholders?


    (got to speak like that with govt departments/corporates as that's their language)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell, in reply to James Butler,

    I quite like the framing of faith-based organisations as "holistic"; not the first adjective they might want to be associated with...

    perhaps "holystic" then?

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Paul Campbell,

    perhaps “holystic” then?

    Perhaps replace the 't' with a 'k' at the end of 'holysic' ? I know a lot of good stuff is done by religious organisations but the underlying ethos is always the same.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • bmk, in reply to Paul Brislen,

    (mobiles are luxury items, remember, not low-cost options for those that don't have the credit rating/wherewithal to pay for a landline)

    For some low-income people mobiles are definitely cheaper as they have no line rental attached (say a pre-pay mobile user). For the half the cost of a land line monthly rental they can already make numerous calls.

    Since Jun 2010 • 327 posts Report Reply

  • Morgan Nichol,

    I just wish I didn't know they'd continue to find new and ever more creative ways to disappoint us. It's such a dark feeling, knowing that our government are composed of a bunch of complete meatheads, totally compulsive about following their ideology, even when by their own measures they're pushing failed ideas.

    I feel so powerless. Voting isn't enough.

    I try to talk about it on the internet, but my audience is naturally composed of people who already agree with me. So how do we get rid of these fucksticks? How do we convince the people who vote for these complete failures that they should rethink their choices without seeming like we're criticising them rather than merely hoping they'll make better informed choices in the future?

    Of course a big part of this is by shining light on these toads in the media, but our media seems so badly broken. So we need to fix it, but how do we fix our media when the most effective parts of it are completely owned by the bad guys? I do what I can with my little corner of the internet, but it's such a small corner.

    So depressing.

    Auckland CBD • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Brislen, in reply to bmk,

    Yes, I was expressing sarcasm at the view (widely held in some circles).

    My apologies - dryness doesn't always translate. I shall use more smiley faces. ;-)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • bmk, in reply to Paul Brislen,

    My apologies - dryness doesn't always translate. I shall use more smiley faces. ;-)

    Sorry not to pick it up - I've just heard people earnestly express this view before and my brain isn't the sharpest by 4pm.

    Since Jun 2010 • 327 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Paul Brislen,

    Yes, I was expressing sarcasm at the view (widely held in some circles).

    Aw, I knew what you were saying.

    My apologies – dryness doesn’t always translate. I shall use more smiley faces. ;-)

    But that's like putting a "satire" straphead on a satirical column :-)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler,

    And the other shoe drops.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd, in reply to Morgan Nichol,

    I try to talk about it on the internet, but my audience is naturally composed of people who already agree with me.

    We all have to find other places to talk about it. Preferably with people who are kinda on the fence, never thought about things, blah blah. And then we have to make the transition from talking to doing, finding likeminded people and co-operating to get the right people, whoever you think they are, elected, and to meanwhile shame the meatheads into blunting the worst parts of their plans.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Morgan Nichol,

    So how do we get rid of these fucksticks?

    If there was a viable alternative at the recent election, the govt would have changed. Help build that alternative now rather than focus on those who are willing to passively support a re-run of hateful 90s neoliberalism. It doesn't have to take another 3 years to bring about a change, either. This govt only has a tiny majority and few allies.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Paul Brislen,

    Yes, I was expressing sarcasm at the view (widely held in some circles).

    I got ya. Sad too is an email gets completely ignored and I remember that I am supposed to get a response within 3 weeks . Still waiting to hear from Judith Collins. This Government just ignores what it doesn't want to hear ,has a team to feed misinformation, has no facts to back up anything they say, and plainly just has no empathy and what is expressed is carefully stage managed bullshit.
    Anyone else would have been better than Key Inc and really we need to email the likes of Peter Dunne, and the Maori party constantly, because Key Inc is pointless. Remember, Peter Dunne wants to save TVNZ 7.He could be the camel.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    And posting on Danyl’s blog, my graphical homage to Jonathan Swift seems to have thrown a hungry cat among the trolling pigeons...

    "And worse, this deliberate diversion of abuse was in relation to a link on the thread to a sickening, disgraceful image relating to children that I spoke up against."

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

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