Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Reputation and remuneration

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  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Hey, I could do that. Gizza Job!

    It only pays half the daily rate that Shipley trousers on the CERA review panel.

    Doctor Smith (it's so Lost in Space) has an apparently smiley-friendly Facebook page, but the wet work is carried out by a functionary who's given to phrases like "Oho, so you're of the left-wing persuasion!"
    A request to meet over a cup of tea results in instant unfriending.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    It only pays half the daily rate that Shipley trousers on the CERA review panel.

    Mearly 5 times the minimum wage, poor dear.

    From the Drinnan article...

    Government intervention into commercial markets first came to public attention with the largely opaque deal with Warner Bros studios to secure production for Sir Peter Jackson's The Hobbit, with John Key negotiating industrial law change and a $20 million sweetener, on top of the $100 million subsidy.

    Last year it was revealed the Government had extended a loan so that several radio stations could pay off their payment to the Crown for radio frequencies.

    The treatment being metered out to TVNZ by Sky City is appalling, it's like your neighbour getting planning permission to build over your house because he knows a dodgy guy on the council who wants to get rid of you too.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Ross Mason,

    There have been no approaches to TVNZ about purchasing that land since June 2011 because negotiations on the proposed convention centre are continuing, including on the design and size of the building

    Yes. You see we will wait until we have designed it, the gummint will see the plans 'overlay' into TVNZ and they will then see we just need that little weeny piece.

    This will happen within minutes of TV7 being shutdown. Well, I mean to say, it will be obvious that that weeny space is now surplus to requirements.

    Oh..and how many extra pokies and tables will we be putting in???

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Ross Mason,

    Auckland really needs some quality planning initiatves - I would rather a convetion centre was developed on the waterfront that creates a space with a focus of beauty for all.

    Sky City requries more space for a convention centre and the addition of more pokie machines so TVNZ goes sideways whilst its hands tied behind its back.

    The Sky City Precinct is god ugly - I am not in favour of it getting bigger and uglier - getting in and out off it is painful and unsightly. It is an ugly box which an equally ugly art deco ciggy stand rises out of.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • DexterX,

    Without putting too much spin on it - I find my self asking in terms of harm minimisation, what ever that is, are casinos a better environment to leave your kids in the car rather than a super market car park?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10789904

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • merc,

    No convention centre ever produced anything useful to a city that I can think of, including coin.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to merc,

    Not wrong, merc-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to merc,

    No convention centre ever produced anything useful to a city that I can think of, including coin.

    We already gotsum, why we need more is beyond me.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • llew 40, in reply to merc,

    Sorry don't quite understand the logic. Would not a large number of international delegates, here to attend large international conferences that Auckland and NZ as yet does not have appropriate sized facilities to host, all spending plenty per day on goods and services and various businesses in Auckland, and going back to fheir country to advocate for visiting NZ, be good for the city?

    Since May 2009 • 9 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to llew 40,

    How many can we hypothetically not facilitate hypothetically and hypothetically would be here from where again? Why are the ones we got not big enough. I mean cant we have 2 smaller conferences instead of one super one and wont these delegates still spend the same amount of plenty per day? Or is that a bit much to be hosting more than 1 per year? Actually we as a country are pretty good at smaller things. We have many Small businesses in Auckland. They maybe could manage a few rather than one super duper conference..... ;)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • llew 40,

    Heh, maybe, just wanted to respond to any narrative that large conferences, per se, are a bad bad thing. If NZ is serious about better living standards, education, health, gap between rich and poor etc, then economic input from visitor industry will be a huge part of being able to afford it, and conference sector is one of the highest value tourism sectors. Big conferences by international standards are around 1500 plus (in Melbourne they can accommodate 5000 plus). As far as I know Auckland can only do 1500 or so in one place (Ellerslie) but might be able to bigger numbers spread across a few venues. Problem is that conference organisers prefer single sites so usually take the conference elsewhere (i.e offshore). The many small NZ businesses that feed off that conference industry in turn suffer. I haven't seen the actual business case, but I am told that a larger conference centre is expected to deliver a number of big events and conferences that would not have otherwise come. How many? Don't know.

    Since May 2009 • 9 posts Report

  • merc, in reply to llew 40,

    Not so much, and yes i worked in an industry that filled those places. Bad water and stale mints, plenty of booze and nothing achieved.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to DexterX,

    are casinos a better environment to leave your kids in the car rather than a super market car park?

    jonkey thinks so apparently and I wondered how he had reached that conclusion.
    I wonder if that is because we don't want those dole bludgers wasting their money on food, we would rather they went gambling and helping our mates at Sky City

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • llew 40,

    Ah, so your criticism is not so much about the economic benefits (or lack thereof) but about the desperately dull experience of attending or working on conferences and other talkfests? Can't disagree with you on that one (if in my overly literal way I've understood you right)

    Since May 2009 • 9 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to merc,

    filled those places. Bad water and stale mints, plenty of booze and nothing achieved.

    The only reason those places have to be big is not for the number of people but the size of them. I have seen those movies about large Americans attending conferences and the motivation for attending seems to be to behave badly and cheat on their wives. I thought that was what Wellington was for.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Or is that a bit much to be hosting more than 1 per year? Actually we as a country are pretty good at smaller things. We have many Small businesses in Auckland. They maybe could manage a few rather than one super duper conference….. ;)

    If you could get even 2-3 capacity events a year, a bigger conference centre would be great for the city. Conference centres do break down to smaller spaces, so it's just more space for local events.

    My concerns are:

    (a) The government buying it by loosening social legislation around pokies seriously sucks.

    (b) Please tell me it's going to be better built than the Sky City conference centre, which is a piece-of-shit building with terrible air-conditioning.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Russell Brown,

    (c) Seriously, leave TVNZ alone you bastards. I, for one, don't wan't to see Russell begging on the street come July.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Absolutely seconded. The ability to host super-conferences is one thing. Doing so by cronyism and anti-competitive practices is quite another.

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

  • Steve Barnes,

    What's it all aboot eh?
    I was in two minds as to where to post this. The right hand one thought here would be good.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • ScottY,

    A large conference venue would be good for the local economy. That said, I'm not comfortable with the deal being done between the Govt and Sky City. Gambling has a massive social cost.

    If my experience of large conferences is anything to go by, the Govt will also need to amend the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, to allow for the making of that much conference coffee.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report

  • merc, in reply to llew 40,

    Pretty much :-) All the economic goods in the world can't compete with experience.
    Oh and it's funny, NACT like privatism for some things and statism for others.
    Any fool can see gambling is their thing, not conferences.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to merc,

    No convention centre ever produced anything useful to a city that I can think of, including coin.

    Really? You might want to try making that argument in San Diego -- because the 100,000+ geeks who pour in the San Diego Convention Center for Comic-Con sure seem to produce an awful lot of value for the city's hoteliers, restaurants and public transit.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to ScottY,

    A large conference venue would be good for the local economy. That said, I'm not comfortable with the deal being done between the Govt and Sky City. Gambling has a massive social cost.

    This is precisely my view.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    You seriously think 100,ooo people of any interest group are actually EVER going to come to any kind of convention here EVER?

    I think the phrase used to be "Get real,"

    I think the phrase now is, "In a pig's arse."

    The bottom ground of the conversation is always HERE-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to merc,

    Any fool can see gambling is their thing, not conferences.

    A bunch of things are their thing, really. The main hotel and Sky City Grand, the various ballrooms and conference rooms at each of them, the bars and restaurants – and the substantial telecommunications revenue from the tower.

    And, of course, several different layers of gambling services. They’re making promises on the conference side to try and win favours on the gambling side, because one has broader economic appeal and the other is a giant suckhole.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

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