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Speaker: ACTA: Don't sell us down the river

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  • 81stcolumn,

    Peter -

    These two threads here and here contain some significant and informed debate on the topic you have raised. In particular it is worth reading entries from Don Christie, Islander, Simon Grigg and Mark Harris (apologies to other great contributors). Some of the early pages are very good indeed. I would avoid the majority of posts from the imfamous Robbery and my good self.

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    Probably true for wider Labour but for Tizard there was a lot of criticism in her Auckland central seat. One chain email that I've seen about her and Section 92A/C leading up to the 2008 election picked up nearly one thousand email addresses, so it probably went much further.

    Judith lost the seat because of boundary changes, demographic changes and an overall swing to National. Claiming that copyright was an issue is further proof that geeks like fantasy.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    With piracy threatening the industry, it is much harder to attract money for riskier films. Hollywood Studios have closed down a lot of their independent arms and moved into the blockbusters. Independent cinema is dying rather than somehow being liberated.

    Peter: To be honest, I keep hearing that and it never sounds anything less than self-serving. I find it rather hard to reconcile how 'piracy' is destroying some of the largest media corporations on Earth, while it seems there's never been more people putting down cash at cinema ticket offices.

    Dare I say it, but could it be within the realms of possibility that studios are re-structuring or shuttering their "independent arms" (though there's many an industry watcher who'd ask whether "indie" has been anything more than a marketing category for years) because too many films just haven't performed.

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

  • Russell Clarke,

    Claiming that copyright was an issue is further proof that geeks like fantasy.

    I know she lost at least one vote on that basis. I'd be very surprised if there weren't more out there. Every one is significant in our glorious democracy, no?

    -36.76, 174.61 or thereab… • Since Nov 2006 • 164 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I know she lost at least one vote on that basis. I'd be very surprised if there weren't more out there. Every one is significant in our glorious democracy, no?

    Yes and no there, Russell. Since we have a secret ballot and ban exit polls, it's a bit hard to make assumptions about voter intentions. I have a friend who works in the IT industry and was severely underwhelmed by Tizzard's handling of the S. 92 legislation, but unless he was seriously bullshitting me I'd assume he's telling the truth when he said that wasn't the tipping point that made him vote for Nikki Kaye.

    I know more people who said even if they didn't vote for her, she ran an energetic and effective old school "kiss every hand. shake every baby -- or vice versa" ground campaign. Don't knock it -- Phil Twyford might have gotten his arse handed to him on a plate over here in the North Shore, and I don't think Labour had it on any reality-based list of winnable seats. But he was still doing the hard yards, and it does matter.

    Seriously, I don't think S.92 was the tipping point for Tizzard, any more than the so-called "anti-smacking" law was the reason Labour lost the election (no matter how much the usual suspects would like you to believe otherwise). Really don't think single issues have that simple an influence.

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

  • Sacha,

    Without endorsing Harawira's behaviour or his party's political acumen for one moment, I note more bluster and distortion from the cheeky whitie himself. Poor dear either does not grasp that racism involves power or is salving his conscience by denying it.

    The thing about the whole Hone Harawira business is the double standard.
    ...
    No credible party can keep within itself an MP who describes white people as motherf*****s and rapists.

    No doubt channelling talkback and Tauranga sentiments all too well.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Poor dear

    Ugggh! You could have warned us Sacha. Shouldn't you be on a plane somewhere?

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

  • Sacha,

    Deported for my sins..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    Poor dear either does not grasp that racism involves power...

    Harawira has power. He is an MP, at least for the time being.

    Racisim is racism. It is not something that only Whitey can do. Harawira is a racist.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    The short version is that any industry that tries to survive by fighting its consumers is doing something wrong. Adapt or die, it's that simple. If you can't adapt, die and let something else take your place. Who laments the demise of the village blacksmith or the local saddler as a consequence of the arrival of the automobile? Were we to transplant current attitudes to change the early 1900s, we'd be stuck with horses and carts courtesy of legislative fiat.

    Whenever I hear this argument formulated in this particular way, I swear to God I fel like donating money to Sony.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Harawira has power. He is an MP,

    He is a popular MP in Tai Tokerau. well known for his particular form and loved.He has always made it clear he ain't happy with the colonisers and is probably gaining traction amongst his people that he represents just by being there and not kissing his Co leaders.I wouldn't be surprised if his stance is seen as principled, much like Tariana was seen to be when she left Labour and formed her own Party because she disagreed with Helen and the Party at the time.Innit?

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

  • Paul Litterick,

    Sofie, the colonisers are all dead. And I don't think people see Turia as principled; she went off in a huff because she could not get her way.

    I suspect Harawira is being pushed out of his party because they are a bunch of brown tories who are concerned with the corporate interests of the iwi, while he has support among Maori without money.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Sofie, the colonisers are all dead.

    I know and let's face it, the English are over the Romans.:)
    Hey I wish the humans would all get along.
    Still Paul, most of Maori are without money, but yes I agree 'bunch of brown tories...iwi.'

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

  • giovanni tiso,

    I suspect Harawira is being pushed out of his party because they are a bunch of brown tories who are concerned with the corporate interests of the iwi, while he has support among Maori without money.

    Not sure if I'd express it quite so crudely, but I do wonder if it's the message that is being sent. I thought the "we can't control him" comments of the last few days have been quite telling too.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    "we can't control him"

    That seemed like a red rag to a bull to me.Especially holding court for the media this week with the Party legal beagle at side.

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

  • Paul Litterick,

    The Maori Party voted against Maori interests in the ACC legislation and against the interests of the human race in the matter of the ETS. Despite these and other instances, a lot of people on the Left seem to have some difficulty in grasping that the Maori Party is not on our side. It is not even on the side of Maori. It represents itself and its backers.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    It represents itself and its backers.

    Absolutely. Plus Hone represents himself and his backers which he happily boasts.

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

  • Matthew Poole,

    Whenever I hear this argument formulated in this particular way, I swear to God I fel like donating money to Sony.

    Gio, why is the analogy so awful? Seriously, when cars came along, blacksmiths became the first mechanics. There was a change required in order to make money from the new technology, at the expense of the old. The movie and recording industries are fighting tooth-and-nail to avoid having to make that massive leap forward, instead being dragged kicking and screaming into the digital age. And they're fighting their customers every step of the way.
    Does it really offend you that much to see people point out that fighting against those who consume your services is a flashing neon sign that you're not getting the message?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Does it really offend you that much to see people point out that fighting against those who consume your services is a flashing neon sign that you're not getting the message?

    It takes me back to the Mark Harris experience on the copyrights thread. "Adapt or die" is just so self serving and narrow-minded it honestly makes me root for the publishers and the recording industry, which is hardly my standard setting. But we've been over this so many times in the thread that wouldn't die, I'm just going to refer you to that.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Without endorsing Harawira's behaviour or his party's political acumen for one moment, I note more bluster and distortion from the cheeky whitie himself. Poor dear either does not grasp that racism involves power or is salving his conscience by denying it.

    Ah yes, well sorry for sounding like a broken record but I'm kind of surprised that I seem to be the only person calling him out for the bullshit rape analogy. I guess that's a much easier rhetorical trope to trot out when you're speaking from a position of MALE PRIVILEGE, and have the media squeeing over your every idiocy like a pack of toddlers on a play date with The Wiggles.

    And if you want to talk about media racism (or simple class condescension, perhaps), I'm going to make it my mission to life to donkey punch the next blogger or columnist who trots out the line that Hone is getting unfairly beaten up for talking the way so many Maaris do among themselves. Yeah, "motherfucker" is a term of endearment used on a daily basis among my whanau. But I guess us brown trash can't be expected to talk proper, when we're not schooling the bitch on the proper way to prepare eggs.

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

  • Matthew Poole,

    Gio, supposedly we live in a free market economy. The US is also, supposedly, a free market economy. The market is speaking, but the media industry would rather take the time-honoured approach of shooting the messenger.
    Just as I wish that Rodney or someone would tell Infratil to suck it up and accept that the market has spoken, I want our elected overlords to tell RIANZ et al that the market is speaking and it would behove the media players to stop their bleating and listen.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Yeah, I love it when we let the market decide things. Thinking about the value of creators and editors and publishers and their contribution to society is just so damn hard, who needs that shit.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Thinking about the value of creators and editors and publishers and their contribution to society is just so damn hard, who needs that shit.

    I agree with you up to a point, but I'm still scratching my head how ACTA is going to improve the position of "creators".

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

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Gio, why is the analogy so awful?

    Because as you point out it's a right-wing free market argument for change. It's the first owners of cars turning up on the doorsteps of black smiths and going "haha you're fucked now matey, adapt or die."

    The idea that technology should always rule the decisions that a community makes doesn't sit well with everyone. People want to have a say in how technology impacts upon our world, they're just tools after all.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I agree with you up to a point, but I'm still scratching my head how ACTA is going to improve the position of "creators".

    That's the same point up to which I agree. Obviously those considerations have nothing to do with letting the market decide things though.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

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