Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: What I saw at the step change.

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  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    However, I don't think you can yet criticise National over this street.

    Oh, yes I can. National chose this street to belittle from Day one of campaigning and then proceeded to use for his advantage, whilst throwing in the token Maori for Waitangi day, all for the express purpose to bolster party image and (what was to be expected) under false pretence.Then excuses this week was 2 Nats offices merged which meant the job for Joan had to go. That was a complete lie.

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

  • George Darroch,

    Anyway, protest is futile theatre -- organisation is where it's at. I just broke a vow of years and joined the Labour party...

    Good luck with that.

    I've seen no indication that the current mob have vision or are susceptible to ideas, despite a good number of worthwhile members - most of whom keep their heads down rather than speak up against awful legislation their party supports.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Craig, a much brighter future to be had.You know what I mean?

    Sofie & George; If I made some grand sociological generalisation based, quite literally, on a twice-weekly drive by you'd tell me to stick my snotty Tory head up my arse and leave it there.

    And you'd be too bloody right.

    BTW, my front garden is letting the whole neighbourhood down and, sooner or later, the body corporate is going to have to swallow hard and get the rather tired and shabby exterior painted. We're tight and I'm just lazy and hate gardening. Otherwise, no other reasonable conclusions to be drawn.

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

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I have mixed feelings about the GST increase. The advantage of GST is that it pretty much catches everyone to a reasonable extent. Yes it's a flat (ish) tax, but at least people that are writing off all their income to trusts or farms or hiding it under the table end up paying some out the other end.

    If they had increased GST, but adjusted all the income tax scales to return that as much as possible, I would have been happy with that. That would have involved reducing all the rates by about 2%? I'm not sure how that would have worked out in terms of the government coffers.

    I can't get up in arms about the property investment market either, my current home just got listed today as I'm moving in with my partner and renting my home out. I think the attraction to NZers isn't so much money, it's the sensible, physical nature of it. In much the same way that our home ownership rate is high, people like to invest in a property that they can rent out and look after themselves. It gives us control over our own situation, we can paint it and do it up and eventually make some money off our weekends and holidays when we sell it. I'd be interested to learn how many rental properties are owned by families, and how many by companies as part of an investment portfolio.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    BTW, my front garden is letting the whole neighbourhood down

    Shame on you! I certainly wont be driving down your street. I'd have to defend your lazy li'l arse. :)

    And another thing, Why put all Maori/English translation through a headphone system, when listening to Parliament TV ? Now us viewers cant hear the English translation for everyone to understand.I guess that is no longer important to the likes of me.

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

  • Sacha,

    Good point, Sofie. Worth raising with the folk who run Parliament tv - maybe a player option that lets you switch between the English or Te Reo audio streams at any time.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Worth raising with the folk who run Parliament tv -

    Why but Sacha, I don't have time ;) I think I will just ignore them. That's probably what is meant to be. The future is soo much brighter already. I think I'll go for a swim in my new pool. :)

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

  • Steve Barnes,

    On the subject of Mining...
    Mine this
    RECENT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AND GRANTED - MINERALS

    Maybe it's just my reading but there has been an awful lot of activity since August.
    Done deal?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Note that a large percetage of the permits are for the West Coast.

    Guess which province is reputed to have 'more land in the Conservation estate than any other province in" ANZ?

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

  • Helen Miller,

    Hi Sofie,
    Just a correction: it was Jacqui Dean Waitaki MP NOT Dr Jackie Blue (who happens to be my sister-in-law).

    Posted at 2:49PM on 10 Feb 10. Report. Permalink.
    Fucking poor people really should keep their houses tidy so they don't offend the eyeballs of passing motorists.
    If Key hadn't of used "average New Zealanders" after abusing them, for his photo ops,and if only Jackie (lying) Blue had never had hired that woman in the first place,and then it must be her own fault when she relied on the training incentive for the course she took up, and then, just maybe she could have been at home tidying up her front yard. Yes, that's it. Stupid obviously dirty woman.Then she better not have kids over 6, oh.... Of course you are right Craig, a much brighter future to be had.You know what I mean?

    Grey Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Indeed, Sofie. Fucking poor people really should keep their houses tidy so they don't offend the eyeballs of passing motorists. That or Melissa Lee should start posting her sociological insights under her own name.

    I'm really not sure what you mean by this.

    I visited McGehan Close at the time of the original stories (the Herald was going all street-of-shame nutso) and was quite surprised at how well-maintained the street and the public housing it contained was.

    As I said, I've been riding through it fairly regularly lately (on my bike, it's not somewhere you'd pass in a car) and it does look rougher now. You'll just have to trust me on that.

    You bagged NZEI for making political capital out of children in another thread this week. That's exactly what Key did with Aroha then, with bells on. It seems inconsistent that you wouldn't think he had some criticism coming now.

    The irony of Key's saintly visit to McGehan Close was that until the day, he appeared to think it was in South Auckland, to judge by his bFM interview that week.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    ...his bFM interview that week.

    No John Key BFM interview this week, Mr Havoc played Jon Bonjovi instead, I'm not sure which I dislike the most but Jon Bonjovi sure makes sense sometimes.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    I'm really not sure what you mean by this.

    I am relieved I am not the only one.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    Jon Bonjovi sure makes sense sometimes

    Tommy used to work on the docks. Union's been on strike, he's down on his luck. It's tough, so tough.

    Words of wisdom for these troubled economic times.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • David Slack,

    This sounds like fun. Just grabbing at random from the canon:

    Babe I got something to say to you
    I ain't got the winning ticket
    Not the one that's gonna pull us through
    No one said that it'd be easy
    Let your old man take you home
    But know that if you walk out on me that darling
    I'd be gone

    Devonport • Since Nov 2006 • 599 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    You can see the glass half-empty
    You can see the glass half-full
    But all I see are shattered dreams
    Around this neighborhood

    Incidentally, is 'full' supposed to rhyme with 'hood'?

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    The irony of Key's saintly visit to McGehan Close was that until the day, he appeared to think it was in South Auckland, to judge by his bFM interview that week.

    This is what really pisses me off most about the SuperCity. Manukau is soon to be gone, and then we'll forever be condemned to be known as South Auckland, with all the baggage that implies.

    Is Key out of touch? I don't know. But he should watch out that he stays in touch with all sections of New Zealand society. Helen Clark patronised (in both senses) all sections of society with some dexterity for most of her time in office, and any political leader in NZ would do well to learn from her performance in this area.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    But know that if you walk out on me that darling
    I'd be gone

    That sounds a bit like "Nah, you didn't dump me, I dumped you"
    Wonder if we will hear JK say "You didn't vote me out, I just didn't want to be Prime Minister anymore"
    I guess if you're "Ambitious for New Zealand" and you get New Zealand, what's left to do? go back to Money Laundering?... sorry I meant Currency Trading.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    John Key's love, is like bad medicine.
    Bad Medicine ain't what we need.

    Shake that tax system up, just like a bad medicine.
    You ain't the politician that can cure society's disease.

    We ain't got a fever, got a permanent disease
    It'll take more than a PM to prescribe a remedy
    you got lots of money but that isn't what we need
    Gonna take more than a shot to get this poison out of me

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    John Key's love, is like bad medicine.

    That's the track Mikey said he'd play next week if JK is, again, a no show.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Alien Lizard (anag),

    Songs in the Life of Key...

    Incidentally, is 'full' supposed to rhyme with 'hood'?

    I have a vision...
    a world of hope
    a world with a...
    hood full o' dreams

    The Arrrgh Complex • Since Jan 2010 • 158 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    .Hi Sofie,
    Just a correction: it was Jacqui Dean Waitaki MP NOT Dr Jackie Blue (who happens to be my sister-in-law).

    She wasn't re-employed because Blue merged her office with Lotu-Iiga, and didn't need to rehire staff.

    Struggle Street
    Julie Fairey seems to agree also

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

  • Helen Miller,

    .Hi Sofie,
    Just a correction: it was Jacqui Dean Waitaki MP NOT Dr Jackie Blue (who happens to be my sister-in-law).
    She wasn't re-employed because Blue merged her office with Lotu-Iiga, and didn't need to rehire staff.
    Struggle Street
    Julie Fairey seems to agree also

    oops, I stand corrected Sofie. Thank you for the background details. And apologies for impugning Jacqui Dean MP's reputation.

    Grey Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Back at mining, We are not alone

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

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Now it appears John Key has shares in a Uranium Mining company in Australia. Hope that's no conflict of interest. Unlike others

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

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