Posts by Alfie
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Toby Manhire on the ailing Rock Star economy and the TPPA.
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Polity: Too much to swallow on the TPP, in reply to Roger Lacey,
Sadly, I think that it will end up being signed no matter what in order to satisfy the egos of our negotiators.
And there are some big egos to fill. How many tens of millions did this government spend to secure the presidency of the Security Council? McCully has stated that he wants to solve the middle-east crisis during his whole one month tenure. Maybe in his spare time he'll find a cure for the common cold and come up with a solution to climate change. Or maybe not.
We've been told that this is a prestigious role which brings honour upon our small country. But to put this in perspective, our time in the big seat was preceded by Lithuania and Malaysia, and we'll be followed by Nigeria and Russia. Russia FFS!
Prestigious indeed! But only for one or two egos.
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Polity: Too much to swallow on the TPP, in reply to izogi,
Yes it’s good and I don’t personally think there’s necessarily been a lack of MSM journos being concerned about the TPPA. But at the same time it’s getting hidden and obscured behind the magazine-style priorities...
Case in point... the main Herald headline at the moment is a story about Max Key and his rich mates' party lifestyle.
I wonder how that tale will sit with the average Nat voter? To me it suggests poor parenting and a inflated sense of entitlement from those who play no useful role in society... sort of like currency traders, for example.
In the Herald's favour, they also have a front page story by Dita de Boni which is critical of the TPPA.
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Polity: Too much to swallow on the TPP, in reply to izogi,
I've found one relevant headline on the front page of Stuff today -- Dairy deal 'disastrous' as TPP talks near end -- which reveals an unlikely ally for those opposed to the secretive and treacherous TPPA agreement.
Unlike the great unwashed, Federated Farmers dairy industry chairman Andrew Hoggard has a fair idea of what's being discussed, having spoken with New Zealand negotiators in Hawaii. He says the US, Canada and Japan are refusing to open up their protected dairy industries, a stance he desribes as "disastrous". Quelle horreur!
While this could be written off as self-interest from our dairy industry, it's unusual to see a MSM story which is actually critical of the TPPA.
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Colin Craig is at it again issuing legal threats against an odd group of people. Or should that be a group of odd people?
Colin Craig is seeking compensation for alleged defamatory comments made by the "dirty politics brigade".
At a press conference this afternoon, the former Conservative leader said he was suing Jordan Williams, John Stringer and Cameron Slater for $300,000, $600,000 and $650,000 respectively.
Mr Craig said that formal claims were being prepared and would be served to the three in question within the next 48 hours.
Craig believes there was a conspiracy to remove him as leader of the Conservative Party and also blames the three named persons for the Conservative Party's "poor result at the last election."
Odd. I thought they polled a lot better than most people expected.
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Polity: Too much to swallow on the TPP, in reply to ,
Don't get me started on the price of milk.
I've been saving this Tremain cartoon for the right moment. ;-)
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Emerson in the Herald.
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The UK papers are reporting claims from Transparency International that UK property purchases via shell companies are being used to move corrupt money around the world. Cameron has finally promised to introduce a central public land registry of foreign companies which would detail which land they own.
David Cameron will promise to act against corrupt foreigners who buy up luxury properties in the UK using secretive holding companies to hide their “dirty money”.
The prime minister will use a visit to Singapore to make an anti-corruption speech on Tuesday in which he will express concern that some properties, mainly in London, “are being bought by people overseas through anonymous shell companies, some with plundered or laundered cash”.
Drawing on proposals advanced by campaign group Transparency International, Cameron will set out his determination to ensure that “the UK must not become a safe haven for corrupt money from around the world”.
That will make NZ an even bigger target for laundering your dirty millions.
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Polity: Too much to swallow on the TPP, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,
WTF?
Pure Yes Minister -- apart from the fact that it's not funny.
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Amazingly, Anne Tolley maintains that Serco could be considered to deliver social services.
"If they can deliver great results for people, why not?".
Why not indeed! After all, Serco now has experience of providing "service" to one deprived section of our society. And really... what sort of country would we be if we let mere corporate incompetence and the odd death get in the way?
