Hard News: A week being a long time in politics
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merc, in reply to
Good point, what will be the incentives for power company owners to diversify, invest in alternate power. This is where the competitive, leave it to the market ideology fails, because you know, profit doesn't need to invent it own demise.
Govt. must take the lead in incentivising innovation, specifically energy generation, hell we all do. The share market model is also broken, just saying.
Sacha you are right, governance is the need, not being players. Radically I don't like the tax system we have that rewards depreciating assets, just one of my things. -
Kumara Republic, in reply to
it’s the opposite of ambitious that local investors need corporate welfare to provide a safe investment, but proper market governance is not something any politician is offering.
In other words, cargo cultism as I mentioned above.
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Now with the just -made-up-this-hour policy from Key that they will limit overseas shareholders to 10%, I have to ask. What is the point of flogging them off?
It must be purely ideological. -
merc, in reply to
Cargo cultism in part yes, but the fact remains successive Govts chop and change their policy focus like the wind and I would like to see us having more ability to keep them steady. The political switch and bait show is way too costly both economically and socially for our leaders to constantly play at...making it new!
Hamish, I have darker thoughts. -
Now with the just -made-up-this-hour policy from Key that they will limit overseas shareholders to 10%, I have to ask. What is the point of flogging them off?
It must be purely ideological. -
merc,
Hatip No Right Turn, http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2011/11/this-is-why-we-have-oia.html
Why would Key block the OIA request? If what I suspect is going on, this could be very, very damning.
Later, oh I see he is blocking it because it would affect the money he gets for selling if he was to tell us why he is actually selling, hmmmmm the Trader in him. I say any deal that you cannot talk about is a private conversation, oh that's right, he is Prime Minister.
This smells real bad. -
Kumara Republic, in reply to
Why would Key block the OIA request? If what I suspect is going on, this could be very, very damning.
"Commercial sensitivity. We could tell you, but then we'd have to kill you."
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Bart Janssen, in reply to
limit overseas shareholders to 10%
No they will limit individual shareholder to 10%.
The logic being that each 9.99% shareholder will be independent of the other shareholders
as opposed to being dummy companies with shared directors and the same financial backing
no that would never happen ...
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merc, in reply to
I wish it was that ;-) His not telling is not legal (I wish), is undemocratic (remember us John!) and his not taking Treasury advice, and taking private oral advice (I can smell the agenda on his breath), either the work of a fool or a charlatan...or both.
Asset sales information held back
A significant amount of information is being held back from the public about this asset sales programme. In fact five official reports on asset sales policy are being kept secret.
The Ombudsman has made an official ruling that the Government was right to refuse the release of these papers.
The ruling says it is too early in the sales process, and if the information got out now it could affect the amount of money gained from these assets.
The ruling also says the negative economic impact of that could be significant given the total asset sales price is expected to be between $5 billion and $7 billion.
ONE News has argued that people need this information to judge whether the asset sales policy stacks up, given they are about to go to the polls in a few days' time.
The Ombudsman will hear ONE News' final case tomorrow and make a final ruling probably by Thursday. That would leave one day for this to be debated before people go to the polls to vote on Saturday.
http://tvnz.co.nz/election-2011/ombudsman-called-in-over-asset-sales-secrets-4559548
This is not the work of an honest plan, why the rush? -
The plaintiffs application, for a declaration of the discussion between the Prime Minister, the Hon, John Key, and the ACT Party candidate for Epsom, John Banks, at the Urban Cafe on the 11th November 2011 was not a "private conversation" as defined in S216A of the Crimes Act 1961, is declined
Parse that and stay fashionable.
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Sacha, in reply to
The existence of considerable prep work for asset sales has not been a secret from the opposition. Nor the media. Just the public.
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Sacha, in reply to
if the information got out now it could affect the amount of money gained from these assets.
Fair argument. Shame TVNZ waited so long before doing any story at all.
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merc, in reply to
We have been well served ;-) Oh and I don't think it is a fair argument at all, the right that we the voters need to know why the sales must be enacted in order to make an informed vote, overrides the outcome of said sales, in my view. Because, since when in NZ legislation does it say the market must rule?
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Rich Lock, in reply to
Parse that and stay fashionable.
From the Stuff article:
Chief High Court judge Justice Helen Winkelmann delivered her decision today saying she declined to make the declaration as it would amount to a "mini-trial" in advance of a police investigation into the matter.
The application has been declined, but that doesn't actually amount to a decalaration that says that the conversation was private.
What it effectively means is that any sort of resolution won't happen before Saturday.
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Sacha, in reply to
the voters need to know why the sales must be enacted in order to make an informed vote
I agree, but those reports were likely to contain commercial detail, not overall policy 'reasoning'.
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BenWilson, in reply to
What it effectively means is that any sort of resolution won't happen before Saturday.
Unless the quantum superposition of the privacy of the conversation collapses by someone just hardening up and posting it in its naked glory.
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Sacha, in reply to
What it effectively means is that any sort of resolution won't happen before Saturday
mission achieved
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If it was an honest attempt by Key et al we should have been kept up to date all the way through. Most people would accept that there would be some details that couldn't be made public but if this really is the pot of gold that we are being told that it is then I think we are owed the courtesy of being informed.
I hope that the real government of NZ is being consulted. Will no one think of Warner Brothers!?!?!? -
Terry Baucher, in reply to
Unless the quantum superposition of the privacy of the conversation collapses by someone just hardening up and posting it in its naked glory.
THis is the bit that gets me: it's a scoop in the truest sense of the term yet the HoS asks permission? Whatever happened to "publish and be damned"? Can you imagine the British or Aussie press being so pusillanimous in a similar situation? It's a political meeting held in full view to decide who gets to control $75 billion a year in spending and that's private? WOnder who it was who didn't include a "public interest" defence?
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Sacha, in reply to
the Australian finance industry has already had its palm crossed with gold
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Rich Lock, in reply to
Unless the quantum superposition of the privacy of the conversation collapses by someone just hardening up and posting it in its naked glory.
Unless one or more of the mainstream media outlets grow a pair and do exactly that, I doubt it'll make a difference.
I'd guess not all that high a percentage of the population would actively seek out a recording or transcript hosted offshore, but it's hard to avoid if it's leading the 6.00 news or printed on the front page.
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Craig Ranapia, in reply to
Whatever happened to “publish and be damned”?
I've got a suggestion - the next time you want to be brave with other people's reputations and livelihoods put your money where your mouth is. And, quite frankly, do think "publish and damn the consequences" is a big part of what's wrong with tabloid media culture in the UK?
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I'd guess not all that high a percentage of the population would actively seek out a recording or transcript hosted offshore
Interesting point, especially when you consider TV3's link to Fairfax and that the HoS has overseas owners. I would have though it would be a simple matter for the transcript to "accidentally" appear overseas.
The other point that comes to mind is when are the Police going to execute their search warrants? Or is that also something that will be resolved after the weekend?
The cynic in me says that no-one in the media wants to press the matter either because they're owned by the Govt (RNZ and TVNZ) or have been bailed out by the Govt (Mediaworks) or just don't want to get offside (HoS). Dispiriting, really particularly as I'm pretty certain what's on the tapes is mostly petty gossip.
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Terry Baucher, in reply to
OK Craig, just how do I publish and be damned when I don't have the tape or the transcripts?
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And, quite frankly, do think “publish and damn the consequences” is a big part of what’s wrong with tabloid media culture in the UK?
The key word there is "tabloid" and I'd agree with you that there's a problem in the UK but that's not the issue at hand here. You'll also recall that the lawyer for Milly Dowler's family thought any comparison was wrong.
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