Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: It's not funny because it's our money

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  • Sacha, in reply to mic weevil,

    oh I'd say Labour are noticing, wouldn't you? :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Sacha,

    oh I'd say Labour are noticing, wouldn't you? :)

    FWIW, I'm Labour member and am very impressed by a number of the Greens. Very.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Hopefully enjoying from a safe distance, whatever that might be. Hope to hell they know what they’re doing, because sometimes they don’t.

    Which also reminds me of this gem:

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Lyndon Hood,

    One of these days people will notice that the Greens are an exceptionally competent party.

    In many respects that seems to be the government's concern. I'm trying to recall a response to the Greens from National this term that hasn't been dismissive contempt.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report

  • Tamara,

    I'm feeling pretty smug that I voted for Julie Genter as electorate MP right about now.

    New Zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 115 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Hebe,

    Work is not steady -- gaps of a week or two at times. He is not paid for down times, supplies his own tools, works on contract, self-employed so he covers all taxes, ACC etc. He's not getting rich, sometimes he's not getting by.

    That is par for the course as afar as any "construction" related enterprise is concerned

    Withthe manner matters are set up in Chch Fletchers will do really well out of it - perhaps even at the expense of everybody esle.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to DexterX,

    Withthe manner matters are set up in Chch Fletchers will do really well out of it – perhaps even at the expense of everybody esle.

    EQR is ordering five million litres of paint. All Resene Quarter-Tea I guess. Let's paint the town beige.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Hebe,

    The problem with "governance" in NZ is that there are no degrees of separation - that an entity can own and control all aspects of a "chain".

    The country is locked up in a series of monopolies and duopolies.

    The only “free” market in NZ is the “wage market” and you could consider this to be in essence a slave market for most – when one sets the average wage against the cost of living.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • merc, in reply to DexterX,

    The only “free” market in NZ is the “wage market” and you could consider this to be in essence a slave market for most – when one sets the average wage against the cost of living.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/7342404/Airport-directors-fees-take-off
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/7342565/Sales-bonus-share-retreat-amid-speculation
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/7339554/Lets-get-on-with-mixed-ownership
    The elephant in the corner of the room - share holding Ministers.
    http://www.ask.com/web?l=dis&o=102866cr&qsrc=2869&gct=kwd&q=share%20holding%20Ministers,nz

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to merc,

    What is the Shareholding Minister Link meant to be taken "us" to.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • merc, in reply to DexterX,

    A collection of exactly what a share holding Minister does and who they report to and who reports to them and well, how that may affect the sharemarket - in the case of the Helen Clark bailout of Air New Zealand, a very tricky role to be in.
    No journalist will touch it because it is obviously a role that encourages insider trading, by definition - except here in NZ, where that sort of thing is OK, because our sharemarket is not well legislated.
    http://www.sharechat.co.nz/article/ed279114/air-nz-insider-trading-request-denied.html

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to merc,

    except here in NZ, where that sort of thing is OK, because our sharemarket is not well legislated.

    The situation in 2002 was rather different WRT insider trading than it is now. Labour tightened up the rules somewhat. The bigger challenge is the resourcing of the watchdog, which National are, naturally, not keen on maintaining - as is the case with every other watchdog.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • merc, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    Good point, however the NZ sharemarket is known internationally as being somewhat unusual. Telecom would be an interesting case study.
    The Govt. that legislates profit for you, can legislate that profit away too. Key is running dangerously close to the wind, as Clark did with Air NZ shares (she recommended publicly that people buy them prior to announcing the bailout) with his promotional antics, in my view.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to merc,

    Sorry meant to say "taking" us to - thanks for the reply.

    NZ has not been well served by either Labour or the Nats - hence the emphasis on shades of green.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • merc, in reply to DexterX,

    NZ has not been well served by either Labour or the Nats...

    You're welcome, it pays to keep me focussed. The really interesting thing concerning both parties and their actions verses their ideologies, is the sharemarket (the actual entity). Nothing proves to me more their real colours than the embodiment of their ideological market focus than the actual sharemarket and their physical involvement in it.
    I could argue that the notion that the sharemarket exists in a bubble is patently invalid. Equally if you are a Govt. that consistently overspends and borrows and is in desperate need of capital, after property, the sharemarket is it.
    The only question for Govt's is, how do we control it? The second question we should ask is, why are they not telling us of the risks involved?
    The time has moved on, the electoral system has not kept pace.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    And while Key and pals are salivating over the sale of our Genertailiers…
    NZ can’t afford a NZ$3.5bn broadband ’white elephant’

    When you’re forking out NZ$1.5 billion on ultra-fast broadband (UFB) you should want to ensure that enough people will buy it.

    Earlier this week, Orcon admitted that so few were signing up to UFB and that the company is reduced to giving it away.

    In recent months, the state-owned ISP has rolled out UFB to 45,000 homes, but fewer than 200 have signed up for it.

    These guys couldn’t run a cake stall.

    When the government plans to spend NZ$120 million to sell shares in state-owned energy companies, you might think that it would see the wisdom in using some taxpayer-funded campaigns to promote UFB as well. Instead, our ICT Minister Amy Adams said that she will leave the marketing of UFB to the ISPs and other retailers, themselves.

    Can't they start by selling something that needs selling?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • merc, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    It's not their spending, it's the way they are spending.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Whilst on the subject…
    Chattanooga Claims America’s Fastest Broadband Service

    Chattanooga now calls itself The Gig City — in reference to the fiber-to-the-home network built across 600 square miles of Chattanooga and surrounding Hamilton County. Up to 1 gigabit per second service now is available to all businesses, residences, and public and private institutions.

    Yes, in the land of the “Free” Socialism rears its battered head and delivers Municipal Broadband.

    The roots of Chattanooga’s superfast network begin at the downtown headquarters of the Electric Power Board (EPB). As its name implies, the municipally owned utility company delivers electricity to the community. In 2007, the EPB began planning for a fiber network, seeing it as a way to improve the electric grid’s reliability.

    Now there's an idea. Reinstate the Power Boards.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • merc, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Now there's an idea. Reinstate the Power Boards.

    And public libraries with computers hooked up to the innertoobz for free, with book loaning for free and no overdue fees or any fees at all, with digitized archives...oh wait, that's not only crazy talk it's anti-TPPT (or whateva the thing is named).

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    And while Key and pals are salivating over the sale of our Genertailiers…
    NZ can’t afford a NZ$3.5bn broadband ’white elephant’

    I think by definition it can't be a white elephant -- fibre in the ground is fibre in the ground -- but they certainly haven't done a great job of getting the public interested.

    Of course, it might have helped had the government taken even remotely seriously the Commerce Commission's concerns about demand-side problem. But, of course, that would have meant upsetting Sky Television.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I think by definition it can’t be a white elephant –

    Like Duh. t would have to be an Elephant… and white.

    that would have meant upsetting Sky Television.

    Well, they certainly pissed me off.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Russell Brown,

    But, of course, that would have meant upsetting Sky Television.

    If they're not upset enough, here's how you can help.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Russell Brown,

    coming of adage...

    fibre in the ground is fibre in the ground

    Hmmm... Bet that looks great in Latin...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    OK, so I checked:
    fibre in humus est fibre in humus
    filling, tasty, but maybe not that stirring...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

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