Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Show some decency

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  • BenWilson,

    I'm personally resigned to the fact that even if National were toppled from power in a few weeks that this will still be a land of pointless drug prohibition, and crippling student debt, and that won't change any time soon under Labour. I'm not happy about it. But I'd be a whole lot more happy about it than National getting in again.

    ETA: Damn, this post crossed the page boundary. It's in reference to the last one on the previous page.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hilary Stace, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Katherine Rich was on Nigel Latta's investigation into sugar on TV1 last night. Familiar lines now - attack the international academic expert, and then put it all down to individual responsibility and choice.

    (It was the first of the Latta series I have seen and I was quite impressed although perhaps too many rotten teeth extractions from 2 year olds and amputated limbs in the dialysis unit. )

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to BenWilson,

    But I’d be a whole lot more happy about it than National getting in again.

    And that's the 'nub' of it!

    I'm happy with 'Factory settings' until someone finds the manual and gets it properly tuned again.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to BenWilson,

    they could also be saying that they’re resigned to it.

    Or they just don't believe it.
    If you trust Key, and he keeps saying 'yes we talk to bloggers' as if that's all it amounts to, and 'left-wing smear campaign' - maybe that's all it takes. Seems to be the end of the story for many.
    The other refrain is 'I'm tired of it'. That's harder for me to fathom, because it's a half- acknowledgement there's 'something to see here'. But let's not talk about it because it's- nasty? boring? difficult? clashes with my other beliefs?
    I find myself looking sideways at these people.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • Konrad Kurta,

    A close family member lost most of her retirement savings in Hanover. To think that as she was staring down the barrel of an extra ten years at work, these guys were trying to undermine an investigation into how it happened... To say it makes my blood boil doesn't really do it justice.

    South Korea • Since Dec 2012 • 43 posts Report

  • nzlemming,

    New Roy Morgan poll

    National (45%) down after ‘Dirty Politics’ revelations, but Labour (26%) also loses support while Greens surge to 16% – highest since April 2012. Conservative Party at record high 3.5%

    Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows a sharp decline in support for National (45%, down 3%) following the revelations of Nicky Hager’s ‘Dirty Politics’ and a similar gain in support for a potential Labour/Greens alliance (42%, up 3%). However, the gain in support has come entirely from a rise in support for the Greens (16%, up 4.5%) – now at their highest since April 2012, while potential governing partners Labour’s support has declined to 26% (down 1.5%) just over two weeks before the New Zealand Election on September 20.

    Support for Key’s Coalition partners has fallen slightly overall with the Maori Party 0.5% (down 0.5%), Act NZ (1%, up 0.5%) and United Future 0% (down 0.5%). Potential ‘king-makers’ NZ First looks set to return to Parliament with 6% (down 0.5%), while the Internet-Mana Party alliance has declined to 1% (down 1.5%). Support for the Conservative Party of NZ has climbed to 3.5% (up 2.5% and the highest ever recorded) and support for Independent/ Others is 1% (unchanged).

    And

    Electors were asked: “If a New Zealand Election were held today which party would receive your party vote?” This latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll on voting intention was conducted by telephone – both landline and mobile telephone, with a NZ wide cross-section of 762 electors from August 18-31, 2014. Of all electors surveyed 3.5% (down 3%) didn’t name a party.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to nzlemming,

    Labour (26%) also loses support

    I'm bloody close to (returning to) voting Labour. The one thing that sticks in my craw? Labour's pledge to get rid of the 'coat-tailing' provision.
    I know it's unpopular. I'd prefer a much lower (2% or less) threshold - swap 'coat-tailing' for that, any day. I know it's unlikely to get passed by a Labour-led coalition.
    But it's still a promise to (try to) give us a less democratic government, made for shallow populism. I can't vote for that.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • tussock,

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10421329

    A little 2007 history, as the post-87 stock market controls basically worked, the crooks all fled to the private finance industry. As a broad hint, when "everyone knows" how good some investment or another is, sell it. Faith and promise is absolutely lethal.

    Cambell Live running stories about the dairy boom? Sell the farm. Wall-to-wall adds for great returns on investment? Divest. Waiter at lunch chatting about the stock market? Sell your stocks. Newspaper article about a company's bright future? It will crash.

    No one tells you if they're onto a good thing. They don't talk to the press about it. They just sit on it and keep the return for themselves. Telling people about real profits floods the market with new capital and destroys profitability. People who tell you how awesome something is going to be, they are confidence men. Thieves. All of them.


    Want to know if a business is worth investing in? Walk in on a Tuesday afternoon and check if they've got any customers at all. If the business is some complex financial structure that's hard to explain and doesn't actually sell anything? Don't put your money in it. People getting around "building society" laws by calling themselves a "finance company"? No.

    Since Nov 2006 • 611 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Is there a stage when you move past anger to sadness?

    Yes, when justice is served. Even though people are guilty of horrendous things it is sad to see them go down, they could have been good people in different circumstances.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • A C Young, in reply to tussock,

    Cambell Live running stories about the dairy boom? Sell the farm. Wall-to-wall adds for great returns on investment? Divest. Waiter at lunch chatting about the stock market? Sell your stocks. Newspaper article about a company's bright future? It will crash.

    This is part of the reason I have not been particularly keen to get into the housing market for the last 3 years.

    Wellington • Since Feb 2011 • 35 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to tussock,

    A little 2007 history, as the post-87 stock market controls basically worked, the crooks all fled to the private finance industry.

    Classic.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • CJM,

    Dita de Boni trying valiantly to prick the inane 'balanced' don't-rock-the-boat ethos over at RNZ on the panel today. She's a lonely voice at the Herald and I have quite a bit of respect for her.
    John Bishop blathering on and on with the same tired mantra about the Hager 'stolen' information…christ he's boring!

    Auckland • Since Aug 2014 • 107 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to CJM,

    ...christ he’s boring

    I thought it a bit rich when
    Bishop called Hager 'pious'...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • SteveH, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    Or they just don’t believe it.
    If you trust Key, and he keeps saying ‘yes we talk to bloggers’ as if that’s all it amounts to, and ‘left-wing smear campaign’ – maybe that’s all it takes. Seems to be the end of the story for many.
    The other refrain is ‘I’m tired of it’. That’s harder for me to fathom, because it’s a half- acknowledgement there’s ‘something to see here’. But let’s not talk about it because it’s- nasty? boring? difficult? clashes with my other beliefs?

    I have a couple of right-leaning friends who just seem to want to ignore it all. I'm sure at least one of them would be all over it if it were a Labour government involved with a blogger doing this shit. They do seem to buy the line that Hager is a left-wing conspiracy theorist but the main one I hear is "everyone does it". Yet they don't actually want to look at it closely enough to even identify what it is that they claim everyone does. I suspect they know that if they actually examine the evidence they'll have to admit that it is a serious problem for National so they're indulging in a degree of willful ignorance. There is definitely some interesting psychology going on.

    Since Sep 2009 • 444 posts Report

  • Jack Harrison,

    Hanover sponsored the state news. The ad was read by trusted state newsman
    Richard Long. The ads main selling point was Hanover had been around for a long time and weathered all economic conditions.

    Hanover is now just another example of our poor/incompetent/corrupt financial capitalism. National will never be able to prepare this because to them deep down Hotchins is just unlucky rather than the obvious shyster his company front was.I honestly feel sick about how many savings were lost.

    wellington • Since Aug 2014 • 296 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    When justice is served...

    Do you have a recipe that serves 4 million?

    <aside>
    I hadn't realised that Judith Collins' husband's company, Oravida, is also donkey deep in exporting rare swamp kauri logs...

    listen to mp3 here

    read here

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • SteveH, in reply to nzlemming,

    National (45%) down after ‘Dirty Politics’ revelations

    If National's internal polling matches this (and Collins' falling on her sword suggests it does) Key might have to widen the scope of the inquiry to be seen to be doing something.

    Since Sep 2009 • 444 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to SteveH,

    If National’s internal polling matches this (and Collins’ falling on her sword suggests it does) Key might have to widen the scope of the inquiry to be seen to be doing something.

    You don’t think the sudden talk of $10, no $20 or no- maybe $30 a week! tax cut! and for the plebs! is a coincidence?
    A few months back, English said tax cuts were unlikely, and if they did happen, would be small.
    Now there’s a billion or several being dangled. Show us the money, Mr Key!
    If the Roy Morgan is anywhere near close, no seats for the conservatives looks very costly for National.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Do you have a recipe that serves 4 million?

    Why yes I do.
    First peel 4 million onions, watch the people cry.
    On the kauri log thing, I mentioned that months back and was ignored.....
    Ignored I tell you. :-[

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to BenWilson,

    they could also be saying that they’re resigned to it.

    Aye that they could. But being resigned to having your party corrupted by some seriously selfish individuals isn't all that flash a position either.

    I get that Key and his cronies don't really represent most National party members let alone their voters but that doesn't excuse giving them power.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • SteveH, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    You don’t think the sudden talk of $10, no $20 or no- maybe $30 a week! tax cut! and for the plebs! is a coincidence?
    A few months back, English said tax cuts were unlikely, and if they did happen, would be small.
    Now there’s a billion or several being dangled. Show us the money, Mr Key!

    I don't think $10 or $20 or even $30 per week is going to buy off many people who have a strong moral revulsion to the behavior of Slater et al. I hope people also realise that any tax cuts will have to be offset by reduced spending or tax increases elsewhere (c.f. the last time Key graced us with tax cuts and then promptly raised the GST rate). Government debt has already more than doubled under this government and they've repeatedly promised balanced budgets.

    I do find the hypocrisy of painting the left as prone to fiscally irresponsible handouts and then hinting at tax cuts quite stunning.

    Since Sep 2009 • 444 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Jack Harrison,

    the obvious shyster

    Can we avoid that word, please? It's caused enough trouble already this election. First time round I found it very hard to believe that anybody would not have known it's an anti-semitic slur, it caused enough fuss back then I don't see how anybody has any excuse to be using it now.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • Richard Aston, in reply to SteveH,

    There is definitely some interesting psychology going on.

    You bet !
    Willful ignorance and denial have been part of the human story forever.
    Fear turns our eyes away from abuse and dis-ease
    As Bruce Springsteen sang
    Fear, its a powerful thing. It will turn heart black you can trust

    Northland • Since Nov 2006 • 510 posts Report

  • A C Young, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    an we avoid that word, please? It's caused enough trouble already this election. First time round I found it very hard to believe that anybody would not have known it's an anti-semitic slur, it caused enough fuss back then I don't see how anybody has any excuse to be using it now.

    According to wikipedia at least, it's probably not anti-semitic in origin
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shyster

    It is close enough to genuinely anti-semitic slurs that it is probably not a good idea to use ( like niggardly).

    Wellington • Since Feb 2011 • 35 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to A C Young,

    You're right, I suspect. It was a very similar-sounding word of Shakespearean origin that caused the earlier bother, wasn't it? Sorry.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

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