Posts by Richard Llewellyn
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I vote for "rotation" as the word of the year.
Heh - I'm completely with you Andy, although my particular gripe was with that other horrible 'r' word, 'reconditioning' - i.e, having the best people for a particular job, and not letting them do it.
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Its not one word, but I'm amazed how quickly 'its Business Time' has entered the common lexicon (courtesy of Flight of the Concords).
Even heard the CEO of a prominent corporate using it in a public forum recently - I'm sure Jemaine and Brett would have giggled.
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I think the core concern is that the PPP structure may not be an optimal form of procurement.
I don't have any idealogical preference/resistance for PPP, however if infrastructure is required, and public sector is unable/unwilling to adequately fund it, then engaging with the private sector to some degree is presumably the only option left.
As we all know, NZ - particularly Auckland - is in massive infrastructure deficit. It seems apparent - thankfully- that the argument has moved well beyond the 'we won't work with the private sector' to 'how best can we work with the private sector or capital markets to deliver the best outcome'. It sounds promising.
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While Craig is right in that symbolic gestures won't necessarily have the impact on indigenous life that genuine policy and action might, there is simply no denying in Australia the power of this particular symbolic gesture, a power which has only grown exponentially over the time that the Rodent has flatly refused to make it. Bring it on.
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While I am a late-comer to Flying Nun (not being seduced into it until Vic Orientation circa 1984 and the arrival into my life of a madman from Christchurch who seemed to have a divine mission to spread the word) I am certainly not immune to the golden hue of musical memory.
Certainly I find it very hard to listen to the Fits Melt, or some of the Bats brand of jingly jangly without a broad smile. And going back even further I was indoctrinated into Herbs and Taj Mahal by some of my school-mates and have very fond memories of backyard singalongs with everyone singing away to 'Dragons & Demons' at the top of their voice, long-neck in hand.
That said, I find it hard to go past a much more recent album for my golden moment. If NZ is ever looking for a new national anthem, Trinity Roots 'Home, Land, & Sea' should be a prime candidate. Capping off a beautiful album, I found the title song an emotional open arms welcome home to NZ music after decades away.
In comparison to the sometimes (ok, maybe often) blunt instrument of Australian pub rock, or the bland domestic pop constructed for an american or british audience (i.e Savage Attack), I was struck by the genuine power and beauty of the Roots, that, to me at least, seemed so totally lacking in artifice or pretension, and so completely honest and fresh. My first taste of the so-called new Wellington sound, and I fell in love.
Seeing them play the album at one of their last appearances on a BDO back stage was a personal musical highlight - sun going down, a bunch of musicians who really looked like they knew the significance of the moment and were loving every moment. Pure gold.
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there was some kerfuffle a few years back about howard's lying ways, and someone (i genuinely forget who) referred to him as "a lying rodent".
caused quite a chuckle at the tibby household, let me tell you
Yes, a priceless moment in Aussie politics - I can't remember who it was either - and it meant that we had the additional pleasure of seeing Howard being dogged for at least one, if not two, general election campaigns by a person in a Giant Rat suit. Direct democracy in action (except for when the Big Rat was shepherded away by security people).
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There seems to be a few comments about Howard's appearance ('rodent", "small").
Heh - despite what you may have thought, the oft used 'rodent' moniker does not refer to the mans appearance, but his track-record of political behaviour. Stemming from widely held observations of sheer bastardry and 'rat-cunning'.
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Can't say I'm sorry to see The Rodent leave - he has left more than a few morally repugnant stains on the Aussie national conscience that will take a while to fade.
Interesting how Howard, in that last 12 months at least, lost his golden touch with regards to 'middle' Australia. Really, Rudd only had to present a half-way credible alternative and a small target for possible wedges, and the swelling electorate disenchantment with 'Honest' John did the rest.
Hopefully all his various ugly henchmen (Abbot, Ruddock - who I presume is still alive? - and Alexander face-begging-to-be-slapped Downer) will get swamped in the Liberal party rethink.
My favourite campaign moments; the excruciating interview in the Lodge as Howard and Costello tryed in vain to pretend to like each other, with Costello gritting his teeth as he had his tummy rubbed by his Master, and the disastrous dirty-tricks intervention of Jackie Kelly's hubbie. Campaign gold.
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Congrats on your new CEO status, or as Geoff Ross might put it, Chief Blogger Bloke:)
I'd be really curious to know about the conversation with the good Dr Skilling and the other prominent CEO's on NZ ICT infrastructure (shame about those Chatham House rules). It would be reassuring to know that there is a high degree of consensus amongst business, industry, and politicos around what our future infrastructure will look like, and - more importantly - who is going to pay for it.
Great to see something decent in the Boiler Room this time - last few years have been missing on that front.
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And somehow, I don't think the police will be paying any compensation for that. Ruin people's lives, walk away laughing - it's OK if you wear a uniform.
Just to provide a counter-argument here, there was insufficient evidence presented to the courts to convict Clint Rickards of rape. Should those accusing him of rape be required to compensate him? I sure as hell don't think so, and I'm not sure I'd rather be a high-profile rapist for life than a high-profile terrorist.
Just to jump in at this point, I managed to have dinner in Wellington last Saturday with a couple of old mates who are policemen (one maori, one pakeha), and the subjects of Clint Rickards and Tame Iti came up.
On the former - "lying bastard giving the rest of us a bad name - pleading poverty on 60 minutes sticks in the craw when he still draws in his $250k a year salary, drives his new car, and has all his legal fees paid by police trust - how can he look at himself in the mirror and call himself a cop?"
On the latter - "The police wouldn't have been doing their job if they didn't investigate - obviously the decision to apply the terrorism law rather than a firearm law is the real point of contention and thats an important question - but hell, you couldn't convince me that the outcome of getting those arms off the street isn't a good thing, and anyone who stockpiles weapons like that needs to be watched."