Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: Good on ya, Paula

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  • Islander,

    The strangeness for me (in both those instances) is - 'they' dont seem
    to realise humanity is way waaay bigger than them. 'They' think their way of being and behaving is not only lasting & righteous ( & proper )
    but eternal & ever more shall be so.
    Well, havoc's coming and so is change - slow slow do grind the social mills, but they grind -and they tend to grind the fatty parasitic infestations into an oily gruel first...*
    Cheers!


    *Feeds the omnivorous sharks of evolution eh-

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

  • Paul Williams,

    The Minister has the right to see any information she wishes about her portfolio.

    I don't think that's correct James (but stand to be corrected). Some information collected by her agency will not necessarily be information the Minister automatically has a right too. Other's will be more expert than me, but my recollection of the Privacy Act is that information is provided for a purpose and can be accessed for that purpose and not others. That being case, information not provided or needed for the performance of Ministerial duties, and the payment of a particular benefit is not likely to be a matter of Ministerial discretion, ought not be accessible by the Minister.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • David Ritchie,

    Because everyone who attends a private school is a dirty rich prick, right Idiot?

    Not necessarily. But thanks to the recent increase in funding, private schools are funded with 3x more public money per student, per year, than public schools. Why?

    Since Nov 2006 • 166 posts Report

  • David Ritchie,

    Note that it can't really be argued that private schools repay X amount of their funding in income tax, since so many of them are actually run by charitable trusts.

    Since Nov 2006 • 166 posts Report

  • Idiot Savant,

    Note that it can't really be argued that private schools repay X amount of their funding in income tax, since so many of them are actually run by charitable trusts.

    Snobbery, like prize money for rich horse owners, apparently being a "charitable purpose".

    The UK has the right idea on this: forcing those schools to actually behave like the charities they claim to be, and devote a significant portion of their space to the education of the poor and deserving. And oh, how they squeal about it.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Paul Litterick,

    Having worked for a Minister here and several in the UK, I think it very unlikely that Bennett would have direct access to the information. Rather, she would ask one of her staff (who probably would be a party hack) who would ask the office of the WINZ CEO, which probably would ask a regional office. Since there are many people on the WINZ database, it would probably take some effort to identify the right 'clients.'

    Several people would have been involved. There might well have been some resistance from the professional staff of WINZ to providing the political staff of the Minister with this information. My point is that anyone making OIA requests should ask both the Minister and WINZ. There might be some interesting dots to join.

    Happy hunting.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report

  • Tony Parker,

    Yes I saw that too.I am glad JC said it was stingy in light of the private schools getting 35 mil, and this was only 2.5 to keep the status quo and only 33 mil to bring all other schools in line with these about to be cut.This is truly cruel. WTF! Good on ya Tolley .

    As a state school teacher who sees a battle ahead just to maintain things the way they are this really pissed me off. If you go to the MoE site you will see their reasoning was...

    It is also designed to make private schools more affordable to more parents. By increasing the overall subsidy, the desired outcome is for private schools to reduce their fees resulting in an increase in enrolments

    yet the day after the budget the head of the Independent School's Association said on radio that they were grateful for the dosh but would not be reducing their fees.
    Why can't the arguement about night schools (Most people who attend these can afford to pay for them) also be applied to Independent schools.

    Napier • Since Nov 2008 • 232 posts Report

  • JoJo,

    My point is that anyone making OIA requests should ask both the Minister and WINZ. There might be some interesting dots to join.

    And if this was a Ministerial request that went through MSD (and not just PB's staff looking stuff up on a computer in her office), explicitly ask for deleted draft versions of any documents relating to the matter. There's often interesting stuff in them there drafts...

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 95 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    As a sidebar, am I the only person crossing my fingers (and everything else) that Philip Field is going to hear the words 'guilty' thirty four times?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Apologies if it's been pointed out already, but it was pretty selfless of David Garrett to deflect attention from Bennett by being an even bigger douche, wasn't it?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    Things I have gathered from National this week:

    1. We're going to sell off most of our strategic assets if the price is high enough.
    2. We have no idea what we're talking about when it comes to emissions.
    3. We are happy to release private information to the press if you disagree with us.
    4. Disabled kids? Fuck 'em!
    5. Privatising schools? Rad idea!
    6. Night school classes and help for studying solo parents? Fuck 'em!
    7. And finally: don't say anything negative about future plans in your industry, lest your employment prospects somehow become narrower.

    But woo woo cycleway!

    Thanks a bunch, Time For The Other Lot to Have a Go voters.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Raymond A Francis,

    I think the Minister should apologise

    Just because Labour used to do this sort of thing using either the udisclosed leak or in Trevor Mallard case Parlimentary privlage to expose peoples lives doesn.t make it right
    I am sure Russell was horrified by that and said so at the time
    I see a report today that Labour had already exposed one of these women's income while they were in power, that still does not make it right

    Unfortuntly this will all be forgotten in the uproar about MPs travell which is going to be disclosed today

    But lets not allow Ministers of the crown the power to silence people by disclosing things that are not in the public domain

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie,

    . . . am I the only person . . .

    Oh you're special all right, no doubt about that. Field's sanctimonious religious posturing has already damned him as a card-carrying scoundrel, and Clark's failure to cut him loose the moment he started to stink is a blot on her career.

    Regarding the near-hopelessly constipated court system that's relegated Field's case to relative obscurity, will the Urewera accused live long enough to come to trial?

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Kerry Weston,

    You are so depressingly right, Danielle.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report

  • Raymond A Francis,

    I can't not reply to Danielle
    1. National have said endlessly that they will not sell assets this election cycle
    2. Who siad we will be a carbon nuetral, hint she runs the UN now
    3 & 7. Been done before....NOT THAT MAKES IT RIGHT
    4.Times are tough where is money best spent, I know it is hard and I know it is tough but that what happens when the money tree ceases to work
    And so it goes, SORRY but that is how it is

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    4.Times are tough where is money best spent, I know it is hard and I know it is tough but that what happens when the money tree ceases to work

    Yes, better give money to private schools than provide for disabled kids. You're all class.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Oh you're special all right, no doubt about that.

    Um, OK... hey, I'm just pleasantly surprised that anyone knows the damn thing is happening when really important stuff -- like a contractor doing his job in Dargaville near an ATM -- is considered infinitely more important news. And kind of sad to see Field's brief trashing the witnesses -- hardly enthusiastic, to put it politely -- as little more than liars who would pretty much say anything the Crown coached them to. Yes, everyone accused of a crime is entitled to a vigorous defence but do they have to be such douche-nozzles about it?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    Field's sanctimonious religious posturing has already damned him as a card-carrying scoundrel, and Clark's failure to cut him loose the moment he started to stink is a blot on her career.

    Privately she probably would have given him the boot at the first opportunity, if it wouldn't have led to a hung parliament.

    Yes, better give money to private schools than provide for disabled kids. You're all class.

    Subsidising the next generation of the Old Boys Network since...

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

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    4.Times are tough where is money best spent, I know it is hard and I know it is tough but that what happens when the money tree ceases to work

    And who cut the tree down eh?How dare the disabled get in the way,there are plans afoot right? It's such a bright future for everyone yeah? Y'know survival of the fittest an'all.Let's trust the banker.Wont sell assets.What are our schools if not assets?

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

  • Joe Wylie,

    And so it goes, SORRY but that is how it is

    SORRY? So it's all your fault then? Why you little prick . . . :)

    Privately she probably would have given him the boot at the first opportunity, if it wouldn't have led to a hung parliament.

    Yeah . . . it did puzzle me at the time that National didn't go much harder on the Field thing. They seemed to be playing some kind of give 'em enough rope strategy, rather than going in with everything they had - and a bit that they didn't - as they did with Benson-Pope.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Andy Fraser,

    4.Times are tough where is money best spent, I know it is hard and I know it is tough but that what happens when the money tree ceases to work

    Worked ok for the tax cuts, mostly for the rich.
    Priorities again.

    Invercargill • Since Jun 2009 • 33 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    Danielle, add to the list.

    8. National and ACT support slavery.

    I mean that. There are millions of slaves in the world today, and if you refuse to take concrete actions to help stop it when you have the choice, you're supporting that.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Privately she probably would have given him the boot at the first opportunity, if it wouldn't have led to a hung parliament.

    You're seriously suggesting that without Field the Government was seriously at risk of losing confidence and supply -- don't think the Greens would have let that happen, somehow. I do agree Clark was in an invidious position, but I suspect it was more about being disinclined to "hand a scalp" to the Opposition or risk alienating PIs in the party than any genuine threat to the Government.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    am I the only person crossing my fingers (and everything else) that Philip Field is going to hear the words 'guilty' thirty four times?

    Which charge is it you want him acquitted of?

    Is it okay if not is some of the "guilty"s are preceded by "not"s?

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    8. National and ACT support slavery.

    I mean that. There are millions of slaves in the world today, and if you refuse to take concrete actions to help stop it when you have the choice, you're supporting that.

    Oh, balls. Seriously. Put up a workable and enforceable law that's actually going to do a damn thing to end slavery, and I'll grant the point. Until then, I'll suggest you take your seat because the theatre is about to start.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

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