You do already, more or less.

To start with there is (and can only be) one distribution network. At any given time, there is an optimal set of power stations…

Gordon Campbell's latest article says the energy SOEs just had a big surge in capital investment – the profits of which will now be privatised…

I'm not sure how happily the two can co-exist, given that government suppliers can leverage government support to…

I never said it made them more efficient, just…

It's the old campaign game of "Hide the Weasel".

Never complain, never explain.
Henry Ford

No, but they may have a sort of fast-ish broader bandie thingy, that we may have had for them…

Establish 10 companies in New Zealand. Each company is a separate entity. Each company has a board of directors who happen to all be the same people. The companies have zero assets. Each company borrows money from an overseas investor to buy shares…

I can answer that one. It means nothing. If 10 guys who are all mates get 4.9% each, that means that 49% is owned by something that works like a single entity, no matter what the theoretical limits on individual power are. There is…

Or maybe a panda eats, shoots and leaves?

Campbell has written a follow up analysis of the asset sale: it is truly worrying reading and I completely agree with you that even National, if they had not locked themselves and their credibility into this policy, would be having a serious rethink of…

And then you go and spoil it all by saying…

I believe you'll find our various international trade agreements complicate the situation, but wasn't there a case involving minority shareholders in Air NZ?

I believe that's not true – I asked that previously on here and Graeme said that wasn't the case.

I wouldn't mind some selling of our energy…

+ razor wire installers + concrete wall contractors + security personnel

'Cannabis legislation is a human rights issue. ACT believes that the State should not interfere with the informed choices…

now only refers to what we pay

ooo goody can we also have a slippery slope argument as well.

It's a frigging meeting between two politicians that was staged event from go to…

Not that I’m defending asset sales, but I don’t think they are planning on actually shipping the power stations overseas.No, just…

That would be an editor with a spine would it?

Yup, it's down to the big boyz or it won't happen. Which…

I stand corrected. Good. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10768152

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.…

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…

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…

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…

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…

mission achieved

Unless the quantum superposition of the privacy of the conversation collapses by someone just hardening up and posting it in its naked glory.

I agree, but those reports were likely to contain commercial detail, not overall policy 'reasoning'.

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…

Fair argument. Shame TVNZ waited so long before doing any story at all.

Asset sales…

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 ...

"Commercial sensitivity. We could tell you, but then we'd have to kill you."

In other words, cargo cultism as I mentioned above.

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.

so long as it's not coal dust...

It would be rather difficult to do so. But they can still gather dust, as happened with Telecom when Ameritech & Bell Atlantic owned it.

you and your fancy evidence-based policy

Not that I'm defending asset sales, but I don't think they are planning on actually shipping the power stations overseas.

Good description of haplessly hands-off Maurice Williamson.

They're all regarded by analysts as well-managed so there won't actually be any improvement through private ownership. Except to the wealth of those who…

I still think selling Telecom was the correct thing to do. Telecommunications needed a market.

The problem was National being played for complete and utter rubes by the people who did…

Joyce is a very good campaign manager. If only Labour had taken that more seriously for the last few years. Hoping they can pull something off this week, but polls still suggest that's unlikely.

One of the economic commentators (Rod Oram?) pointed out some time ago that the TradeMe float would actually be competing for the same local investors, thus depressing the value of the SOE shares.

Power companies have been accused of profiteering from the coldest winter for 30 years after a surge in corporate profits.

ScottishPower, which has…

Well, the government seems to consider running a bar an essential function of state.

That's it for me as well. There are assets a government develops (because nobody else will) that in the end can and should be managed privately. There are examples of such things all over the world. At…

Yes, in theory, it's doable. If we owned massive state assets in high fashion retailing,…

It's hard to see how the Greens would go to the right, when they could form a government…

It's not that they want to sell, it's what they want to sell.
Our power…

And I’ve long been opposed to TVNZ being sold, but increasingly I’m tempted to think…

Personally I'm happy with the government selling assets – we should be flexible and be willing to sell something…

It will be interesting to watch. particularly when it comes to the sale of Solid Energy. I doubt that the Greens see it as their most favourite state asset but would they sit by and see if being sold off…

I think you've taken the…

I actually only asked one question, and yes, it was about whether they would choose to have an early election, rather than about whether they would be forced out of government by a no-confidence vote (an interesting question in its own right).…

Picking a question out of the sustained sneer, if any Government loses a confidence vote and is unable to pass…

More like model minoritarian I think, where you can call yourself 'one of us' if you have a big fat chequebook in your pocket, or if you otherwise send your kid to one of the snob schools.

No mostly at the image of them throwing a live hand grenade onto a school bus. I don’t like the comment. Being a racist doesn’t make you a child killer and you have been defending the ACT party who have Dr Don as their leader.

Peters representing a party…

:)

OK, he's a good technocrat, never doubted that, but I'm one of those people who harps on about principle and vision in a serious tone. Get me revved up and I'll talk about metaphysics as if…

In the early eighties, Renault and Citroen researched responses to "one-box" cars, that is, small city cars that were more like miniature vans rather than conventional hatchbacks (engine compartment as a "box" out front, passenger and luggage as a…

Not so. Smart enough to have pulled off the China FTA amongst other things.

He's just not so good at presenting (though it sounds like I have something to look forward to on that front when I rewind the…

Hmmm.

If I may be adventurous... while the 'worm" is supposedly a vulgar, trivial thing, if it makes strong movements, perhaps it represents then the impulses that drive the floating voter?

Hence, while, as I've said, "objectively", the Teapot…

=
will bomb a schoolbus

Oh, and big fucking widdums to his "I don't want my children dating white people" arse too. If you don't get why I find that absolutely contemptible, I'll show you my parents wedding photo some time. And no, Sacha,…

Most of us learn at a pretty young age that saying "but he did" in no way excuses your own behaviour.

That's exactly what I'd call Winston Peters – zero sum. And after twenty five years of unmitigated contempt for the man, martinb might want to pull up his fainting couch because I've said a lot worse about the man and don't intend to…

Oh, bless. You know something, Martin, you might want to check out the racist, immigrant-bashing swill I linked to in my post today. Here's all one of Winston's little hench-things had to say:

Anne Martin, the Warkworth Grey…

I know Maori party are claiming the same thing-'we're not in government', but if you're Foreign minister sitting around the cabinet table it's semantics surely? Important semantics maybe, but definitely part of the governing arrangement.

Wow, that's quite a casual slander there.…

Given that the original is supposed to be a surreal fantastical farce, the scary thing was how little the original text needed…

Peter Dunne would
make a great White Rarebit...

...nonetheless, very nice work Mr Lock...

PS: this page of Tenniel's picture sources is interesting stuff...

There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Currency Trader and the Bankster were having tea at it: a Donmouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and…

you mean, will he wait that long?
if either of them still have a political career after the weekend

Ha ha. Yeah, you can't help feeling a little sorry for Don, in that he's a bit like Lord Grantham in Downton…

Brash is experiencing a dipolar moment:
a loss of magnetism and a dip/flip in the polls
he is facing resistance and is phasing out...
(possibly due to personal/physical thickness)

'Accentuate the positive'

It seemed apt. If not ACT.

Just like UF = Peter Dunne and Progressives = Jim

In the latter case, the party has disappeared with its leader (they aren't contesting this election, though they do have a ghostly website). I fully expect that when Peters and Dunne give it up[, their party…

Yeah it is. The celebrities get paid more.

Yeah, well... there's a lot of it about.

Key: "in terms of the wage gap, that's narrowed". "We look at after tax terms, and in the three years we've been in Government we've grown those (after tax) wages by 10% (while in) Australia it's 6%."

Quite – and really if I was forced to choose who to ask to hold a pinless hand grenade, I’d pick Turei and Norman in a heart murmur. Peters and Harawira would throw it in a…

20 mins, listening options.

Certainly sounded less agitated. And finally knew the figure he's been asked about 3 times in 3 days. You'd think his campaign team might have made sure he was prepared after the first time. Or after that dreadful performance in…

Government's only have to resign if they are defeated on a confidence/supply issue. If Key can't pass the Murray McCully Enabling Act (version 2) then he won't have to call an election – doing so would be a political decision.

Both parties have struggled for continuity. NZ First has actually only been in government once, and Peters did end that relationship after National replaced Bolger with Shipley in the midst of a term. Act hasn't done that.

But…

How the media could deal with lies might even…

Infinitely more stable than New Zealand First. Sorry, needs to be said even if it's not a terribly high bar to clear.

If he means, he’s got a pretty good understanding of those laws, I think the rest of the interview demonstrates that he’s wrong.

It was worse than that, really, because…

It's not necessary to do that. It would be unprofessional and ungracious.

All it needs is for a a reporter to ask a question of the order of "Prime Minister, would you say the…

[[http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/6002192/Thief-to-hand-herself-in-after-police-fail-to-act|Thief to hand herself in after police fail…

This leaves the morning show for topical events like the Prime Minister running away from questioning, and saying his principled stand against airing accidentally taped conversations is not…

So I can only re-link to this
May have to get this printed off and put on my wall. The distracting colours will keep…

Key as he has for the past 3 years fronting for the tough interviews. More kids t-shirts to sign, then off for a round of mini golf probably. Working all hours of the day.

@RB Snap I'm a day late, you've already got there.

Paul Holmes, the man entrusted…

I also thought it…

Yes. In the last few days as I've watched the dummy-spit, I've become more and more convinced that he's interested in doing the job well, and proving that he can be a…

whereas Key is an uneducated compassionless predator-

he sure as shit doesnt have ANZ's interests at heart,

Fuck off to Hawai'i John Key – hope the natives eat…

Next you'll be telling me you're brown or something.

I could say something, but I'd probably regret it.

interesting to hear TV3 saying Radio Live
bosses wouldn't talk to them...
but...

Here's hoping the vile little prick is hot on Mr Henry's heels to Australia soon. Must still need some shoeshine boys in Kalgoorlie..

It's a Hooton Nanny party.

The one where he told listeners to shoot journalists? I think the Crimes Act, Sections 306 & 307 come to mind. That man is well an truly an unhinged Glenn Beck type.

Turns…

Dialled back from the earlier emphatic pronouncements.

PAUL Anyway, the week just gone – good week?

JOHN Oh, look, it’s another week, anyway. Let’s put it in those terms. Election campaigns are always a bit quirky, but the one thing…

It's in their interests to stay silent. And no one is making them do otherwise.

56% good grief. Everyone who's ever reached such lofty heights as deputy assistant treasurer of the Taumaranui branch of the National Party will become an MP.

This is called the "Gilbert Myles" syndrome for those who remember 1990-

This column is strategic advice for centre-left voters only.

Right wing readers should obey John Key's edict on private political conversations. So please turn the page.

and ends thus:

Thankfully, the other side won't know…

Hooten on the other hand..

A fresh poll supports Key's decision to refuse permission to publish, with 44 per cent of people backing his stance. Thirty-three per cent of the 1200 people polled thought he should grant publication.

National Party insider…

I recall saying here some days ago when this thing first blew up that starving campaign oxygen was not in Labour's favour.

I don’t lament the lack of policy-focused coverage in the media too loudly because…