Posts by Gareth Ward
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OnPoint: Budget 2013: Bringing Down the…,
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Resumption of contribution to the NZ Super Fund has been delayed, again.
Booo. And frustratingly that seems to have widespread political support...
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The provision that allows SkyCity to sue for compensation if gambling legislation changes in 35 YEARS time is the most outrageous. Doesn't bode well for this Government's TPPA stance does it?
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Hard News: Competing for Auckland, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
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He can't run for council or government as he isn't a citizen.
Can't run for Mayor, can't be spied on by our (formerly) foreign intelligence agencies... the poor man is in purgatory
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Hard News: Friday Music: No longer…,
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TuneIn
Love TuneIn - and it's not just mobile. The new stereo setup at my place doesn't have a tuner in it anymore, all radio off that interwebs thing even when it's local - I find I tend to start on the local stations then end up listening to some random French soul station or the like...
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Hard News: Dressing for the Road,
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Been considering an urbany commutery type bike for a while now, my ride to town is short and downhill-to-flat (via a ferry) and the return home has a brief but steep enough haul up from the ferry. Question for you urban cycley types - how realistic are the three-speed hubs in Auckland? Linus Roadsters etc look lovely but the price differences to go from single-speed (not me)/3-speed up to 8-speed shifters seems kinda not insignificant...
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NBR's headline is (I suspect, unwittingly) damning: Thatcher on par with Churchill, says Monckton
#MoncktonLive(btw, thanks for putting me on to that via Twitter last night Mr Brown)
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Hard News: Done like a dinner, in reply to Bart Janssen,
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Without having looked too closely at the economics, I agree with you - I wouldn't subsidise the smelter to any huge degree. It should be left to fail if it can't land a commercial - not political - deal with Meridian. But to be honest, that kinda feels like where we're at - a basic subsidy was offered, rejected and the Govt seems to have left it at that for now...
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Hard News: Done like a dinner, in reply to BenWilson,
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I'm not hopeful, though.
Yes I'm having to fight my own pessimism here!
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Hard News: Done like a dinner,
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But Bart my point is the Govt has to get involved REGARDLESS of their ownership of Meridian. Even if Meridian had already been sold off the Govt should be assessing short term subsidies for such a large part of our national economy. The loss of Tiwai is more about foreign exchange earnings and regional employment than it is about propping up power generator valuations - all things the Govt absolutely should be keeping an eye on.
I guess I'm still unclear on what people think the Govt should have done differently? -
Hard News: Done like a dinner,
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I don't follow sorry Ben - are we saying the negotiation is valid but they haven't done a good job of it? How do we know? All I've seen is a loose statement from Key that the Govt would have provided short-term subsidies to the smelter to keep it open but no more, Rio have refused that and are now back to a commercial discussion with their power supplier? Sounds like we've played a fairly decent negotiating line there...
And personally I have zero interest in my Government entering the aluminium smelting industry.Again though, if pressure then goes on Meridian to commercially subsidise wider economic benefits then that's terrible governance (and would of course dilute the value in the sale as well). Or if the Govt ups it's subsidy offer beyond what it normally would consider prudent... And while I have a dread feeling that could very well happen with this crowd, there is no evidence of it occuring.