OnPoint by Keith Ng

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OnPoint: Gotcha?

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  • Idiot Savant,

    When you reveal who leaked the emails to Nicky Hager, I shall show you the papers to Gotcha! Deal?"

    Because obviously, Keith knows who the ninjas are.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Dave Patrick,

    Ninjas stole Don Brash's emails? Wow, no wonder the police couldn't find any evidence of wrong-doing, the ninjas were just too cool for them.

    Rangiora, Te Wai Pounamu • Since Nov 2006 • 261 posts Report

  • Steve Parks,

    Which begs the question...

    Raises the question.

    (yeah, I'm that guy.)

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report

  • Joshua Drummond,

    This is awesome. Kate, for posterity - why on earth would you register in Belize? It seems like an awful run-around for a little blogsite. I hope you can log into PA System soon, because it's a little weird seeing Keith respond to his own comments. Also, with regard to " it's little wonder you are 6 writers down on the list behind Russell Brown" - I don't think that, um, means a thing?

    Since Nov 2006 • 119 posts Report

  • Steve Parks,

    Exactly, Joshua. I don't think where you are listed means much. Otherwise, why the hell would Damien Christie be second??

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report

  • ScottY,

    New Zealand is technically an "offshore" jurisdiction (you can google that for research as well) and has an offshore industry right in your own back-yard. It too has companies and trusts that are used for offshore structuring by NZ non-residents. There's nothing spookier than a non-NZ resident using a Belize coy than a NZ one.

    I suspect Kate is being disingenuous. Most offshore residents don't use NZ entities to structure their affairs unless there is some NZ connection, such as property or assets in NZ. NZ is not expecially known for its favourable tax treatment of offshore residents.

    And Belize is a well-known tax haven.

    Anyway, it's fun to speculate, though I understand why Kate thinks it's none of our business.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report

  • Steve Parks,

    Darn, if I'm gonna be a smart ass to someone, I should at least spell their name correctly. "Damian".

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report

  • Keith Ng,

    From Cactus Kate:

    "Why Belize?

    "Same reason why everyone shopped at The Warehouse for your CD instead of the old Sounds....cost and simplicity.

    The government fee per annum is only $US100 and unlike NZ companies there's minimal administration required so no additional cost.

    So yes, like everything in life, it all comes back to money."

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 543 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Lester Freamon would be proud.

    Let's not go nuts here.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Keith Ng,

    Incidentally, the PA blog rankings are based on time served on PA. The only way to move up is... well, same rules as Highlander. You'd think that would be easy with journos, but you'd be wrong. Oh so wrong.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 543 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    Working out the best place to register your blog is clearly a lot simpler than registering at PAS.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • ScottY,

    unlike NZ companies there's minimal administration required so no additional cost

    It is dirt cheap to set a company up in NZ (NZ$160 all up in fees). And the cost to maintain a company in NZ is nothing, as all you have to do is file an annual return each year. Everything is online. We're one of the easiest places in the world to do business.

    Kate may be referring to financial reporting obligations, but even then they're minimal to non-existent for small NZ registered companies owned by offshore residents.

    So again very intriguing. And again really none of our business. But isn't it fun to speculate?

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report

  • Joshua Drummond,

    "Same reason why everyone shopped at The Warehouse for your CD instead of the old Sounds....cost and simplicity.
    The government fee per annum is only $US100 and unlike NZ companies there's minimal administration required so no additional cost.

    I might be comparing apples with oranges, but the Companies Office tells me that it only costs NZ$160 to register a company in NZ. It's not like it costs you anything after that, unless you're counting stuff like taxes. So (assuming the "government fee" is analogous to the registration fee here,) by paying US$100... well, that works out to about NZ$148.20 at current exchange rates. So you've saved... twelve bucks. Wow. Not to mention if it's an annual fee it's actually costing you more to be a registered company in Belize than it would here. As for "minimal administration required" - it really isn't that hard to administer an NZ company for the purposes of the Companies Office. Being solvent and filing annual returns as well as director details etc just isn't that hard. To complete the CD analogy, from the information you've provided here, it's rather as if instead of shopping at Sounds or the Warehouse, I arranged for pirated CDs to be imported from Afghanistan. It really does seem like far too much trouble.

    Since Nov 2006 • 119 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Why do I have serious problems giving a damn about anything to do with Cameron Slater this side of him breaking into the house and raping my cat? It's like watching a drag remake of Repulsion, with Whale Oily in the Catherine Deneuve role.

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

  • Joshua Drummond,

    well, same rules as Highlander. You'd think that would be easy with journos, but you'd be wrong. Oh so wrong.

    Man, if I had a dollar for every time I'd dreamed of decapitating Keith and gaining his mutant fisking powers, I'd be able to register a company in Belize and pay for it for at least a couple of years.

    Since Nov 2006 • 119 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell,

    I have to agree with Scott and Joshua - I've had companies in California and now NZ - NZ is the easiest, cheapest place to deal with - PAYE is a great example - takes me 10 minutes a month, most of which is finding the checkbook GST another 10 every 2 months - in CA I had to file with the IRS, the CA Franchise Tax Board and the CA State board of Equalization - I would spend days a year dealing with red tape - and of course total marginal rates are higher there too. NZ red tape is wonderfully non-existant.

    It may be that this is may just be simply a case of the right actually believing their own propaganda and going off and doing something stupidly complex as a result.

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • Rich Lock,

    Same reason why everyone shopped at The Warehouse for your CD

    Did I miss something? When did Keith release a CD?

    I'm imagining cover versions of old classics in the same style as William Shatner covering Elton John's 'Rocket Man'.

    Rrrrrrocket. Maan.

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

  • Don Christie,

    I think it is on topic to mention the fact that the Burning Man feastival is being live streamed by O'Reilly's.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • Don Christie,

    and, it's night time in the US desert right now, a good time for viewing.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell,

    well a small corner of it is being streamed .... communications a BM is a controversial issue this year - someone installed a cell tower nearby and now everyone's tweeting .... other's are threatening to destroy every cell-phone on sight ..... the burners I hangout with on line have started a "Wall of Shame" lambasting those who communicate back from the playa

    BTW this is probably a slightly better link: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/burningman-live - best time to look is NZ mornings for playa daylight

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • Don Christie,

    So, Kate is demonstating a woeful lack of knowledge about arranging company affairs in NZ. I thought she was an expert in this stuff?

    Oh well, there is always the "great cuisine of Belize" excuse to fall back on.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • Keith Ng,

    Schedule of fees for Orion:

    Incorporation of IBC's with Standard Authorized Capital of USD$50,000 or Less: USD$700

    Annual Renewal Fee: USD$400

    --

    Just sayin'.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 543 posts Report

  • Don Christie,

    Hah, that's great feedback Paul. An your link trumps my one.

    But now I feel guilty, am I ruining the authenticity of Burning Man by viewing online?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    Which, um, leaves tax and secrecy.

    Or it's a publicity stunt. Which is working. Which one would motivate Slater more? Publicity, avoiding 4/5 fuckall tax, or keeping a secret (which he has told everyone to look into)? As he's a full-time shit-stirrer, my money's on publicity. Perhaps Kate was going to Belize for a holiday anyway, wanted some practice at setting up a shonky international organization, and managed to find some completely lame use for it, which she appears to be dissociating from even now. Perhaps the invitation to the blogosphere to look into it is really just a lazy person's way of finding out what can be hidden in this manner. Perhaps perhaps perhaps.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell,

    well BM has this whole "No spectators" ethic going on - you're supposed to take part, not just watch - bring your giant unworkable sculpture of a body part (or broken chandelier on the plane from NZ and erect it on the playa so that it blows away as soon as the wind comes up ....

    OK I'm being a bit facetious - really I'm more jealous, here I am on a biz trip to the US (SF even) and most of my burner friends went off to the playa 2 days ago leaving me staring deadlines in the face - in the past I've managed to swing a week on the playa at the end of a trip - but this time there's no way .... maybe next year ....

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

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