Posts by Mikaere Curtis

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  • Legal Beagle: MMP Review - The Proposals,

    then the overhang rule should be changed so that parties that earn less than the party vote threshold (whatever that is) don’t cause overhang.

    Have I misunderstood this change, or does this mean that the Maori Party, who have never received a single seat from list votes, will lose any electorate seats that are in excess of their party vote ?

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report

  • Hard News: It's not funny because it's…,

    Go Julie Anne ! In the first video she holds Brownlee to task over what is clearly an ideological road-building programme. My take on the RONS is that they are there to improve property values and lifestyle options for those that have the money to invest in lifestyle blocks.

    In the second video, she extends her herself into the territory of being a high-performing "Shadow Minister". This is exactly what the Greens need to prove we are ready to govern. I'm keen to see what else Julie Anne is going to deliver.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report

  • Speaker: The Voyage: On Interpreting and…,

    Maybe so, but the Crafar Farms sale to a large international company is more to do with developing a trading relationship based on mutual trust. Sorry if that doesn’t fit with your narrative.

    How about we develop a trading relationship based on mutual benefit instead of this one-sided arrangement ? Why should we allow foreign investments that are not beneficial to our economy ?

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report

  • Hard News: Disrupting the Television,

    I’m guessing there is some kind of perfect storm there with the targeted audience also being the one most likely to have the knowledge and skills to download it.

    It also happens to have excellent talent, high production values and cracking plot-lines.

    I watch it on Soho via MySky, it's just easier that way. I'm assuming there will be other good shows on Soho (e.g. Strikeback), so I'm happy to pay the fee. Sure, I'd like more competition in this area to drive down prices, but I'm glad that I'm financially supporting this very fine TV series.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report

  • Hard News: #JohnDotBanks and all, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    And this.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report

  • Hard News: #JohnDotBanks and all, in reply to Hebe,

    The problem is more with both National and Labour still operating as near as they can to first-past-the-post governments so as not to allow smaller parties a voice.

    Speaking as a Green member, I can assure you that the problem with National is that their policies are typically diametrically opposed to Green policies; any overlap in policy is vanishingly small compared to the wider policy programme being delivered by National.

    Labour, OTOH, have been adopting Green policies for a while now, so I see a lot more chance of entering a coalition with Labour in 2014.

    Until then, a nobbled National government is about the best we can hope for. Still, that's better than the status quo.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: MMP Review #1: The Party…, in reply to Just thinking,

    Which nutters do you want ot of the Greens?

    This meme is a result of the MSM to paint greens as fringe and weird. As soon as you discount greens as being secret-agenda-driven, tree-hugging eco-extemists, the sooner you can ignore the fundamental green message that actions have consequences and maybe we should reduce the negative consequences by altering our actions.

    Anyway, Green Party policies are developed by the members, which means any nuttiness gets moderated out pretty quickly. And since the Green Party MPs are obliged to support policy, what you get is moderated, cohesive parliamentary objectives.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: MMP Review #1: The Party…, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    Good God, what were they trying to install ?

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report

  • Hard News: The Golden Mile,

    I work in Albert St, so spend a bit of time in Queen St during business hours. The impression I get is that the change in retail focus and size is partly in response to the domiciliary demographic in the CBD; lots of food compared to when I was at Auckland Uni 25 years ago.

    I like what is happening down towards the waterfront, it has an affable zeitgeist.

    To me, Newmarket has always had a gentrified feel, the kind of place you go to purchase a really special wedding gift (The Poi Room, I’m looking at you), or some other high end retail item. I’ve never understood how Queen St could be realistically compared to this.

    I am also interested to see how things change after we install the CBD rail loop. A station at Aotea Square will do wonders for local retail, methinks.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: MMP Review #1: The Party…,

    On current voting numbers and assuming 120 seats allocated by the modified Sainte Laguë method, the absence of a vote threshold would give a first seat in the House to every party recording around 25,000 votes.

    Actually, it is around half this. In 1999, United NZ would have attained a seat with only 11065 votes, and last year the ALCP would have done the same with only 11738 seats.

    With no threshold, you'd probably see more parties with a specific focus (e.g. ALCP), but I think the electorate would be able to sort out the ones that were worth keeping.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report

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