Politics Daily

New Zealand Politics Daily is taking  a break.

I don’t have the time or inclination to provide the same service of a reasonably comprehensive list of links to news stories and blog posts on issues of the day.

However, I’m willing to start with a few and invite anyone who has read anything I’ve missed to add a link to it in a comment.

I won’t pretend to be balanced – there will be more links to blogs of a bluer hue. Anyone who wants the red and green end of the spectrum better represented is welcome to leave links.

(I do realise I did a Politics Daily post this morning, but think it works better in the afternoon so this is a catch-up for today and tomorrow’s will be about this time).

John Key

John Key – PM to lead Pacific Mission to Samoa, Tonga and Niue

Vernon Small @ Dominion Post – Key gets specific about Pacific

IMP

John Armstrong @ NZ Herald – Internet Mana best taken seriously

Christ Trotter @ Bowalley Road – Authoritarian Labour: Why Kelvin Davis Needs To STFU – Right Now!

Chris Keall @ NBR – Cunliffe: no pre-election deals; insider: deals under the radar

TV3 – $3M funding will make votes count – Harre

Tracy Watkins @ Dominion Post –  Internet-Mana creates a crowded Left

John Roughan @ NZ Herald – Oldies after the youth vote

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – “Mana” Cartoon of the Day – 31 May 2014

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – The GIMPs revisited – by Curly Sue

David Farrar @ Kiwiblog – The ABC faction say no to a Mana-Dotcom alliance

Cameron Slater @ whale Oil – First sign of trouble between Internet and Mana

Cameron Slater @ wahle Oil – What does Labour think of the Internet Mana Party?

Cameron Slater @ whale Oil – Cartoon of the day

Ele Ludemann @ Homepaddock – Too hard, too early

Pete George @ Your NZ – Greed for power versus democracy

Bryce Edwards @ NZ Herald – The Morality of the Dotcom-Harawira-Harré deal

Peter O’Neill @ Timaru Herald – A marriage made in . . . ?

Nelson Mail – Preposterous pairing could be brilliant

Immigration

Tracy Watkins @ Dominion Post – NZ now the ‘lucky country’

Matthew Hooton @ NBR Cunliffe tries out the politics of hate; the surprising truth about our migrant mix

Michael Cummings @ Manawatu Standard –  Immigration issue fraught with risk

Martin van Beynen @ The Press – Racist rage shakes political landscape

MONORAIL

NZ Herald – Fiordland monorail rejection right

Nelson Mail – No surprise monorail plan derailed

Green Party

Isaac Davison @ NZ Herald – Greens focus on teens

David Farrar @ Kiwiblog – Greens promising an extra $280 million a year of health spending

Other

Mary Holm @ NZ Herald – Bill English’s balancing act on the level

Edward A Hudson@ NBR – Government interference: how much it costs

Stephen Mills – The deal with the Conservatives?

Dominion Post – Today in politics

The Nationa @ TV3 –  Lisa Owen interviews Nick Smith

The Nation @ TV3 – Lisa Owen interviews Labour’s Housing spokesman Phil Twyford

Judith Collins – Diverse Bananas, Global Dragons conference

Word of the day

Sesquipedality – using, or given to using, long words; an instance or condition of being sesquipedalian.

Rural round-up

Lower forecast still good – Hugh Stringleman:

Fonterra’s confident opening forecast of $7 a kilogram of milksolids for the new season has equal upside and downside in volatile times for world prices and the New Zealand dollar, chairman John Wilson says.

Many uncertainties meant the only thing Fonterra could predict was that the 2014-15 season wouldn’t end on $7, he joked.

“The best way we can serve our farmers in the pre-season is by giving the most accurate forecasts.”

The market realities included considerable volatility in world prices, high NZ dollar exchange rates, and potential for big milk production increases in Europe and the United States, he said.

That said, Fonterra surprised market commentators with its opening price because some were picking $6.50 or less. . .

Wool stands up well when the heat goes on – Alan Williams:

People going to see I’m Loving Wool at Auckland’s Britomart as part of Wool Week were shown how wool can’t be set on fire.

Shearer and showman Billy the Sheep Man – also known as Billy Black – set an oxy-acetylene torch to the fabric to show bystanders its inflammability. 

He also showed how easy it was to set fire to a synthetic fabric.

“The blowtorch was really good,” Primary Wool Co-operative (PWC) chairman Bay de Lautour said. 

“It showed up wool’s fire-resistant qualities and we need to do more on that to show how safe woollen children’s wear is.” . . .

The reasoning behind my micro dairy business – Milking on the Moove:

In the next 2 months, I’ll begin milking a small herd of 15 cows. I’ll sell the milk direct to the public. I’ll milk my herd on leased lifestyle blocks, using my mobile cowshed.

In my last blog post I outlined 5 points that I wanted to achieve with my new business.

• Create a truly environmentally sustainable dairy business
• Create farming opportunities for young people that also provided a great lifestyle
• Keep control of the value chain
• Offer real unaltered whole milk to the public
• Concentrate on building a brand rather than owning land

It’s taken a few years of thinking about the issues and I wanted to briefly outline how I have come to settle on my current system. . .

He has a  quick video of the mobile cowshed.

Overseas experience to boost foot and mouth preparedness:

A team of vets and animal industry representatives are heading to Nepal next week for first-hand experience in dealing with foot and mouth disease (FMD), Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says.

“This field training is part of a newly signed agreement with Australia to cooperate and work together on preparedness for this disease,” Mr Guy says.

“While both countries are determined that it never enters our borders, we still need to be prepared and work on our readiness and capacity.

“Everyone knows that an outbreak would have major impacts on our valuable livestock industries, disrupting our exports and trading reputation. It would be devastating for farming families, rural businesses and communities. . .

Govt Inquiry into WPC to conclude in November 2014:

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye said today that they have received a letter from the Chair of the Government Inquiry into the Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC) Contamination Incident, advising that:

“The Inquiry has considered the time that will be needed to report, taking into account the work already undertaken by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Fonterra investigations, the number and nature of the issues arising from the Terms of Reference; the number of participants; volume of material; and the need for fairness to all participants.

Our preliminary advice has been that 6 -9 months would be an appropriate estimate. However, conscious of the need to resolve matters promptly, and in anticipation of full cooperation from all participants, the Inquiry’s present estimate is that it will require until Friday 28 November 2014 (6 months) to present its final report. Participants with whom the Inquiry has consulted have accepted this is a realistic estimate.” . . .

Addressing the big issues at our High Country Conference:

Federated Farmers will be addressing the big issues at their High Country Conference next week in Queenstown.

“We will be talking about what it means to be a ‘Good Neighbour’, and what it means in achieving positive outcomes,” says Chas Todhunter, Federated Farmers High Country Spokesperson.

“We are pleased that we have both sides of the political spectrum speaking, with Eugenie Sage, Green Party spokesperson on the Environment, Conservation, Water and Local Government, and Hon. Jo Goodhew, Associate Primary Industries Minister, both attending. I would expect there will be a lengthy question time from our delegates. . .

New programme set to transform hill country farms:

A new Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) programme focussed on transforming hill country farms is formally underway, after this week’s contract signing between the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and industry co-investor Ravensdown.

Announced in principle in June last year, the Pioneering to Precision: Application of Fertiliser in Hill Country PGP programme is a seven-year programme that aims to improve hill country sheep and beef farming productivity and protect the environment through more efficient and more precise use of fertiliser. 

By doing this, the programme will improve the profitability of hill country farming and generate earnings of $120 million per annum by 2030 from additional exports of meat and wool. . .

Dairy Awards Help 7000 Entrants:

About 7000 entries have been received in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, since the New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year competition began 25 years ago.

“It’s a pretty impressive number. When we started to look at the figures and add up those that have entered over the years we were really surprised,” national convenor Chris Keeping says.

“What is also true is that the number of people involved or touched by the awards is many more times that.”

Mrs Keeping says many of the entries received were from couples and they were supported by farm owners, farm staff and families. Sponsors have also played a significant role in the awards programme with sponsor representatives from throughout the country backing the awards and encouraging clients to participate. . .

50 MPI officers swoop on rock lobster black market:

Fifty Ministry for Primary Industry (MPI) compliance officers wrapped up an undercover operation today that targeted recreational fishers catching and selling rock lobster (crayfish) in the South Island.

The operation was focused on activities in the Kaikoura area but also included the Christchurch and Marlborough/Nelson areas.

It is illegal to sell your recreational fishing catch with a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. . . .

Saturday’s smiles

A chicken walked into the library, went up to the circulation desk and said, “Book, book, book, boook”.

The librarian handed the chicken a book. It tucked it under his wing and ran out. A while later, the chicken ran back in, threw the first book into the return bin, went back to the librarian and said: “book, book, book, book, boook”. Again the librarian gave it a book, and the chicken ran out.

Within a few minutes, the chicken was back, returned the book and started all over again: “Boook, book, book book boook”. The librarian gave her yet a third book, but this time she follows the chicken.

It ran down the street, through the park and down to the riverbank.

There, sitting on a lily pad was a big, green frog.

The chicken held up the book and showed it to the frog, saying: “Book, book, book, boook”.

The frog blinked, and croaked: “reddit, reddit, reddit”.

10/10

10/10 in the Herald’s politics quiz

Too hard, too early

Laila Harre has political experience but Chris Keall thinks she has let her enthusiasm get away of her:

Yesterday, I praised Laila Harre’s strategic nous. I spoke too soon.

It looks like she has gone too hard, too early and too publicly, painting Mr Cunliffe into a corner where he had little choice but to back his man in Te Tai Tokerau (naturally, Labour leader maintains it was never in doubt). . .

Hone Harawira holding Te Tai Tokerau is essential to the Internet Mana Party’s plans.

IMP is unlikely to win any other seats or get at least 5% of the vote.

Cunliffe’s view isn’t clear but Labour’s candidate in the seat, Kelvin Davis,  is definite that he wants to win the seat.

In a tweet that’s now been deleted he said:

Bro, I think of the people of Te Tai Tokerau, not Sergeant Shultz.

 He has the support of others in caucus:

The good old days, when political parties formed from movements. Now all it takes is a couple of million and some unprincipled sellouts.

— Chris Hipkins (@chrishipkins) May 29, 2014

Phil Goff is also with him, Kiwiblog (at the link above) has a Facebook post from him:

Goff says (correctly) Dotcom is trying to buy the political system. His Facebook post also appears to have now been deleted, so it looks like the leadership is trying to whip the caucus into line and stop them criticising the Mana-Dotcom Alliance. Because the more they criticise it, the harder it is for Cunliffe not to rule them out of a coalition.

I’ll be very very interested to see a poll in Te Tai Tokerau. I’m not sure voters there will be any more keen on Kim Dotcom purchasing a political party, than these Labour MPs are. David can win the seat by just campaigning on this issue. The question is – will he be allowed to? . .

If the IMP could increase the votes for the left it would be in Labour’s short-term interests to throw the seat to Harawira.

But votes gained by IMP are likely to come from within the left and even if they come from previous non-voters the idea of  a weak Labour supported by the GIMPs (Green and IMP) is highly likely to scare at least of many voters towards National.

And Labour’s chances of leading a stable government in the medium to long term would be greater without the hard left marriage of convenience that is the IMP.

Crowd sourcing politics daily

New Zealand Politics Daily is taking  a break.

I don’t have the time or inclination to provide the same service of a reasonably comprehensive list of links to news stories and blog posts on issues of the day.

However, I’m willing to start with a few and invite anyone who has read anything I’ve missed to add a link to it in a comment.

I won’t pretend to be balanced – there will be more links to blogs of a bluer hue. Anyone who wants the red and green end of the spectrum better represented is welcome to leave links.

Internet Mana Party

Duncan Garner @ Radio Live – Party for sale – Internet-Mana is a sham and a rort

Toby Manhire @ NZ Herald – Thoughts on a strange union

Inventory2 @ Keeping Stock – We can’t help but wonder . . .

Inventory2 @ Keeping Stock Of David and the GIMPs

Chris Bramwell @ RadioNZ – Power play

Claire Trevett @ NZ Herald – PM accuses Dotcom of trying to ‘buy influence’

Cameron Slater @ Whaleoil – Laila Harre not “Kim Dotcom’s political puppet”

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil – Who is Laila Harre?

Lindsay Mitchell – Why Internet/Mana should be taken seriously

Patrick Gower @ TV3 – Davis ‘not running to come second’ – Labour

Dan Satherley @ TV3 – Labour’s loss is minor parties’ gain – Ross

Gravedodger @ No Minister – Couldn’t Make this stuff Up. Could you?

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – First Gower now Garner

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – Tweet of the Day – 30 May 2014

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – Scary, scary, scary…

Karl du Fresne – Mana ties knot with eye on cash

Tracy Watkins – Internet leans to Left with Laila in charge

Gordon Campbell @ Scoop – On the rise of Laila Harré

Danyl Mclauchlan @ Dim Post – Uncertainty and the Internet Party

Bryce Edwards @ Liberation – Cartoons and photos of the new Internet Mana Party

The Press – Politics deserves better than this

Dominion Post – Harre breathes life into contest

Vernon Small @ Stuff – Political pre-nup has clues to motivation

Chris Trotter @ Bowalley Road – L’État c’est Sue

Monorail decision

ODT – Erring on the side of nature

Southland times – Whose was the one-track mind?

David Farrar @ Kiwiblog – I thought National stood for development and jobs

Employment law

Shawn McAvinue @ ODT –  Snow days issue under new safety law

Simon Bridges – Fortnightly Minimum Wage Order made

Labour Party

Cameron Slater @ Whaleoil – How the unions help Labour campaign

RadioNZ – Labour’s immigration cap ‘bad politics’

Green Party

Isaac Davison @ NZ Herald – Greens eye up their Cabinet jobs

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil Greens counting chickens before they hatch

John Banks

NZ High Court – Judgment on TV3 Coverage in John Banks Trial

David Farrar @ Kiwiblog – The Banks Trial

Housing

Nick Smith – Building consent figures continue to rise

Nick Smith – Latest figures show good progress in Auckland

10-year passports

Claire Trevett @ NZ Herald – Return to 10-year passports on the cards

Other

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – Photo of the day 30 May 2014

Stuff – Today in Politics

Victoria University –  ‘No contest’ election could lead to fewer young voters

 

On the move again

The 2013/14 dairy season ends today and the new season starts tomorrow which makes this Gypsy weekend.

Dairy farms supplying export milk have dried off their cows and hundreds of people, their household goods and stock are on the move from one farm to another.

Some are taking promotion – taking on a sharemilking or management position for the first time and moving another step towards farm ownership or whatever other goal they might be saving.

Some will be taking on their own farm for the first time.

All will be looking forward to the next few weeks when they don’t have to get up early to milk the cows.

The change of jobs, farms and homes means big changes for those involved and the communities they leave and to which they go.

Some country schools can have more than a third of their pupils come and go.

That can be highly disruptive but a local principal says he’s noticed more families trying to stay within the school catchment area when they change farms so while their children might move home they don’t change schools.

It’s also the time of year when people get out their lists of things-to-do when it’s not so busy on the farm.

Experience would suggest that’s done more in hope than expectation.

1. 

Saturday soapbox

Saturday’s soapbox is yours to use as you will – within the bounds of decency and absence of defamation. You’re welcome to look back or forward, discuss issues of the moment, to pontificate, ponder or point us to something of interest, to educate, elucidate or entertain, amuse, bemuse or simply muse.

May 31 in history

1279 BC – Rameses II (The Great) (19th dynasty) became pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.

526  A an earthquake in Antioch, Turkey, killed 250,000.

1223 Mongol invasion of the Cumans: Battle of the Kalka River – Mongol armies of Genghis Khan led by Subutai defeated Kievan Rus and Cumans.

1578  Martin Frobisher sailed from Harwich,  to Frobisher Bay, Canada, eventually to mine fool’s gold, used to pave streets in London.

1669   Samuel Pepys recorded the last event in his diary.

1678  The Godiva procession through Coventry began.

1759  The Province of Pennsylvania banned all theatre productions.

1775  American Revolution: The Mecklenburg Resolutions adopted in the Province of North Carolina.

1790 Alferez Manuel Quimper explored the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

1790 – The United States enacted its first copyright statute, the Copyright Act of 1790.

1813  Lawson, Blaxland and Wentworth, reached Mount Blaxland, effectively marking the end of a route across the Blue Mountains.

1819 Walt Whitman, American poet, was born (d. 1892).

1859  The clock tower at the Houses of Parliament, which houses Big Ben, started keeping time.

1862  American Civil War Peninsula Campaign: Battle of Seven Pines or (Battle of Fair Oaks) – Confederate forces under Joseph E. Johnston & G. W. Smith engaged Union forces under George B. McClellan outside Richmond, Virginia.

1864 American Civil War Overland Campaign: Battle of Cold Harbor – The Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee engaged the Army of the Potomac under Ulysses S. Grant & George G. Meade.

1866  In the Fenian Invasion of Canada, John O’Neill led 850 Fenian raiders across the Niagara Riveras part of an effort to  free Ireland from the English.

1872 Heath Robinson, English cartoonist, was born (d. 1944).

1884 Arrival at Plymouth of Tawhiao,  Maori king, to claim protection of Queen Victoria.

1889 – Johnstown Flood: Over 2,200 people died after a dam break sent a 60-foot (18-meter) wall of water over the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

1898 Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, American clergyman, was born (d. 1993).

1902 The Treaty of Vereeniging ended the second Boer War war and ensured British control of South Africa.

1910 Creation of the Union of South Africa.

1911  The ocean liner R.M.S. Titanic was launched.

1916  World War I: Battle of Jutland – The British Grand Fleet under the command of Sir John Jellicoe & Sir David Beatty engaged the Kaiserliche Marine under the command of Reinhard Scheer & Franz von Hipper in the largest naval battle of the war, which proved indecisive.

1921 Tulsa Race Riot: A civil unrest in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the official death toll was 39, but recent investigations suggest the actual toll was much higher.

1923 Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, was born (d. 2005).

1924  The Soviet Union signed an agreement with the Peking government, referring to Outer Mongolia as an “integral part of the Republic of China”, whose “sovereignty” therein the Soviet Union promised to respect.

1927  The last Ford Model T rolled off the assembly line after a production run of 15,007,003 vehicles.

1930 Clint Eastwood, American film director and actor, was born.

1935  A 7.7 Mw earthquake destroyed Quetta, Pakistan,: 40,000 dead.

1935 Jim Bolger, 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand, was born.

1938 Peter Yarrow, American folk singer (Peter, Paul and Mary), was born.

1939 Terry Waite, British humanitarian, was born.

1941  A Luftwaffe air raid in Dublin claimed 38 lives.

1942 World War II: Imperial Japanese Navy midget submarines began a series of attacks on Sydney.

1943  Zoot Suit Riots began.

1961 Republic of South Africa created.

1962 The West Indies Federation dissolved.

1962  Adolf Eichmann was hanged in Israel.

1965 Brooke Shields, American actress and supermodel, was born.

1967 Phil Keoghan, New Zealand-born US televison personality, was born.

1970  The Ancash earthquake caused a landslide that buried the town of Yungay, Peru; more than 47,000 people were killed.

1971  In accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 1968, observation of Memorial Day occurs on the last Monday in May for the first time, rather than on the traditional Memorial Day of May 30.

1973  The United States Senate voted to cut off funding for the bombing of Khmer Rouge targets within Cambodia, hastening the end of the Cambodian Civil War.

1975 Mona Blades, an 18 year-old htich hiker disappeared, after last being seen in an orange Datsun.

1977  The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System completed.

1981  Burning of Jaffna library, Sri Lanka.

1985 Forty-one tornadoes hit Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, leaving 76 dead.

1989 – A group of six members of the guerrilla group Revolutionary Movement Tupac Amaru (MRTA) of Peru, shot dead eight transsexuals, in the city of Tarapoto

1991 – Bicesse Accords in Angola laid out a transition to multi-party democracy under the supervision of the United Nations’ UNAVEM II mission.

2005 – Vanity Fair revealed that Mark Felt was Deep Throat

2010 – In international waters, armed Shayetet 13 commandos, intending to force the flotilla to anchor at the Ashdod port, boarded ships trying to break the ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip, resulting in 9 civilian deaths.

2013 – The asteroid 1998 QE2 and its moon made their closest approach to Earth for the next two centuries.

2013 – An EF5 tornado devastated El Reno, Oklahoma, killing nine people, becoming the widest tornado in recorded history, with an astounding diameter of 2.6 miles (4.2 km).

Sourced from NZ History Online & Wikipedia

Word of the day

Démenti – an act or instance of contradicting something, a denial or contradiction; an official contradiction of a published statement; an official denial by a government of actions, aims, etc., ascribed to it.

Rural round-up

AgResearch makes changes to Invermay plans –  Vaughan Elder:

AgResearch has made some changes to its plan to slash jobs at Invermay, but the majority of staff will still be moving north to Lincoln.

Invermay staff, along with those affected by planned restructuring at AgResearch’s other campuses, learnt their fate today, with the organisation making a final announcement – as signalled in today’s Otago Daily Times.

There were some changes made to its plans for the Invermay campus, with three deer researchers no longer relocating to Lincoln and the creation of two new science roles. . .

Give AgResearch a chance:

Federated Farmers understands that with any major decision there will be concern, however, it is asking people to look at the best strategic outcome for New Zealand agricultural science.  Above all, to give AgResearch the chance to reform itself as a 21^st Century Crown Research Institute.

“I think farmers should welcome the way AgResearch has listened to reason because Invermay’s future has been enhanced over the original proposals,” says Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers Food Production Sciences spokesperson.

“There have been some regional gains for those in the south and north, with the Invermay and Ballantrae hill country farms being kept for sheep, beef and deer research.  Invermay will clearly become the centre for deer research.

“We must remember that this restructure is not this year, next year or even the year after.  We are talking 2017 and while one out of every four scientific or technician roles will be asked to relocate, that means 75 percent will not. . . .

DINZ welcomes finalisation of AgResearch’s Future Footprint:

Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) has welcomed announcements, made today by AgResearch, finalising the shape of its ‘Future Footprint’ restructuring.

DINZ Deputy Chair, Jerry Bell, said that it is important that the plan is now finalised, giving certainty to the staff who will be affected, and DINZ was satisfied that the final changes to ‘Future Footprint’ were significant and a good outcome for both Invermay and the deer industry.

“While we accepted the strategic rationale for Future Footprint, we have been concerned throughout that such strategic change can be very disruptive and can contribute to a loss of important people. In that context, it’s great to draw a line under the process.” . .

Consultation on the sale of raw milk to consumers:

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is asking for public feedback on options for the sale of raw milk to consumers.

MPI’s deputy director general Deborah Roche says any changes would need to balance people’s desire to buy and drink raw milk with the requirement that food safety risks are properly dealt with.

“It’s clear that there is still a demand for raw milk and that more and different options for its sale need to be considered. It’s important people have the opportunity to comment on this matter so that MPI can consider all viewpoints before making any recommendations for change. I would encourage anyone that has an interest in raw milk sales to consumers to have their say,” Ms Roche says. . .

New president for Federated Farmers Marlborough:

Federated Farmers would like to welcome our new Marlborough provincial president, Greg Harris, who is replacing Gary Barnett, following their Annual General Meeting.

“Greg has been a part of Federated Farmers for 20 years and is well versed on the issues surrounding the Marlborough region, having stepped up from the provinces’ Meat & Fibre Chairperson role,” says Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers National President.

“I would like to thank outgoing provincial president, Gary Barnett for his service to the province and Federated Farmers; he has been an integral part of the Federation.

“We are in a year of change within the Federation, with leadership changes throughout the organisation both nationally and provincially, Greg is an incredibly passionate advocate for the farming community and I know he will do a fantastic job,” said Mr Wills. . .

Rabobank recruits new animal proteins analyst:

Rabobank welcomes new-comer Angus Gidley-Baird, appointed as a senior animal proteins analyst to cover the sheep and beef sectors, joining the bank’s Australia & New Zealand Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory division.

General manager of Rabobank’s Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory Luke
Chandler said Angus’ appointment brought to the team a great depth of agricultural knowledge, as well as mainstream political and economic policy awareness.

“Angus’ entire career has been spent in agribusiness and throughout this time, he has gained a very strong foundation in the sorts of issues impacting farmers and industry stakeholders all the way through the supply chain,” Mr Chandler said. . .

Orange roughy ecolabel to assist exports:

Sealord has welcomed the next step in the journey to have New Zealand orange roughy globally recognised as a sustainable seafood choice.

Three of the main orange roughy fisheries have been submitted for assessment by the Marine Stewardship Council to verify if they can carry the world’s best known marine ecolabel.

New Zealand’s quota management system has allowed industry and government to work together to achieve this and Sealord Fishing General Manager, Doug Paulin, says that MSC certification will provide an additional assurance to customers.
“Globally, New Zealand seafood has a great reputation and Sealord customers will be supportive of this new measure to show retailers and customers alike orange roughy is a sustainable choice,” said Paulin. . .

Boutique Wine Festival Brings the Best of New Zealand to Auckland:

After a successful launch in 2013, the second annual New Zealand Boutique Wine Festival is set to return to Auckland’s Imperial Building on Sunday 15 June 2014.

This year’s festival will see 21 boutique vineyards from around New Zealand showcasing more than 200 wines across a huge range of varietals, creating a one-of-a-kind cellar door experience.

Throughout the day, event attendees will be able to explore wines from different regions, enjoy fantastic food and wine pairings, great live music, and participate in blind tasting seminars throughout the day. . .

Friday’s answers

Thursday’s questions were:

1. Who said: I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. ?

2. What is an Ailurophile?

3. Where would you find the glabella?

glabella

glabella

4. What would you do with a froe.

5.  What is an aquaggaswack?

Points for answers:

Andrei and Alwyn got 3.

Gravedodger gets a thank you.

David top scored with 4.

J Bloggs got 3 and PDM got a smile.

 

Answers follow the break:

1. Maya Angelou

2. Cat lover.

3. On the face between the eyebrows.

4. Use it with a mallet to split timber, to make planks, wooden shingles, or kindling.

5. a musical instrument featuring pot lids hanging on five separate strings – sometimes with other things  a cymbal, jingle bells, and a cowbell with clacker.

7 more reasons to vote National

Another seven reasons to vote National:

. . . if Greens are part of the government and portfolios are divided proportionally, they could expect to have up to seven ministers. . .

The Greens want significant portfolios in three areas – economic, social issues and environment. . .

And here’s another reason to vote National:

Greens planning for 7 ministers in any left-wing coalition. Surely Dotcom would want a few slots for his $4 million http://t.co/qvxRE8PlOb

— Steven Joyce (@stevenljoyce) May 29, 2014

 

Left’s getting crowded

National has been a victim of its own success as its popularity makes it difficult for potential coalition partners to gain traction.

Labour has the opposite problem, the left’s getting crowded and the Internet Mana Party has added to the crowd on the far left:

Although the IMP’s aim is to get rid of National, it is competing with other parties trying to do the same thing and the Green Party is most at risk.

. . . Ms Harre has been a Labour Party member, a founding member of the New Labour Party, an Alliance Party MP and was a Green Party staff member up until last December.

She has most recently worked for the Council for Trade Unions on their get out and vote campaign – experience she will take to her new role.

Ms Harre says getting young people to vote is a key reason she is returning to politics.

That puts her and her new party in direct competition with the Greens for that vote. Every election campaign the Greens run their own Get Out The Vote campaign, and their support base has always included a lot of young people.

The slick branding of the Internet Party, and the cult status of Kim Dotcom, must surely have some appeal to the voters that both parties want.

When asked for comment on Ms Harre taking on the Internet Party leadership, Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei was diplomatic, saying Ms Harre could do what she liked and that the Greens are focussed on their own party.

But there will be some nervousness within the Green Party ranks about Internet-Mana eating into their party vote. . .

The Internet-Mana alliance poses a threat to at least part of their support, and they’re disappointed at Ms Harre’s decision to opt to stand for a rival political party. . .

Once more the Green party is a victim of its radical left agenda.

If it was strong on environmental issues but moderate on social and economic ones it would be in a powerful position in the middle of the political spectrum able to work with National or labour.

But its radical policies put it at the far left where it’s now got another competitor.

The flipside is that she also has experience of being part of a political alliance which spectacularly blew itself apart; she admitted to Mary Wilson on Radio New Zealand’s Checkpoint programme that alliances can be tricky things.

However, she says she and her new colleague, Mana leader Hone Harawira, have a strong mutual respect for each other. That may be so but there is a third person in the relationship – Mr Dotcom.

Ms Harre says she initially turned the job down but a meeting with Mr Dotcom made her rethink her decision.

She says she already had an impression of Mr Dotcom as a thoughtful, intelligent man and meeting him confirmed that. She insists she has no view on the fact that he is wanted in the United States on piracy charges.

It’s hard to believe someone with strong opinions like hers has no view on this and it calls into question her principles and judgement.

This is where the credibility of the new political vehicle falls down. It looks too obviously like a marriage of convenience. Mr Dotcom wants to bring Prime Minister John Key down, the Mana Movement needs resources and Ms Harre has unfinished business in politics. . .

Mr Key says Mr Dotcom is using the vehicle of the Internet Party and MMP to get a few MPs into Parliament so they can overturn his extradition charges, and he believes New Zealanders will see through that.

Mr Key continues to paint Labour and the Greens as the radical far-left opposition, and the addition of the Internet-Mana Party, will just add more fuel to those accusations.

What it does mean for the left, even though there’s likely to be some shifting around of support, is that there is the potential for a Labour-Green-Internet-Mana block to present a Government in waiting. . .

To oust National there’s no point swapping votes round the left. They have to grow the left block.

That is very hard to do from the far left and the addition of the IMP – and thought of David and the GIMPs – could well do the opposite.

It could  scare people from the right of Labour and centre over to National.

Pigging out on chocolate

Cadbury ran foul of its customers a few years ago by putting palm oil in its chocolate.

Now it’s courting controversy over the news that some traces of pig fat have been found in its chocolate in Malaysia:

Cadbury Indonesia has ensured that none of its products in Indonesia contains pig fat. The statement came after Cadbury Malaysia had withdrawn two chocolate products namely Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut and Cadbury Dairy Milk Roast Almond as the two contain porcine or pig fat. . .

I’m not reassured by the statement there’s no pig fat in Indonesian chocolate because it suggests there is pig fat in chocolate elsewhere and that could include New Zealand.

I don’t have a religious objection to pig fat but it’s not what I expect – or want – in chocolate which I thought still had a glass and a half of full cream milk.

If if does, it brings a new, and unwelcome, meaning to the phrase pigging out on chocolate.

Compulsion not democratic

Justice Minister Judith Collins says compulsory voting doesn’t feel democratic:

Justice Minister Judith Collins has dismissed the idea of making voting compulsory in order to get people to the ballot box.

Speaking at a conference at Parliament on improving voter turnout on Thursday, Ms Collins said she wasn’t keen on following Australia’s example to compel people to enrol and vote.

“It doesn’t feel democratic to me to do that. It feels democratic to me and part of our Kiwi ethos that we can’t force someone to want to vote.”

Quite.

If we’re free to vote we must also be free to not vote.

Ms Collins said she would prefer to encourage people to vote by telling them why it’s important to use their democratic voice. . .

Education is a much better way than compulsion to encourage not just voting but informed voting.

Tough but right

The Environment Court is taking unprecedented action against a Marlborough dairy farmer who’s been warned he could lose the right to farm.

Philip Woolley has repeatedly had enforcement action taken against him for environmental breaches at farms he owns in Nelson and Marlborough.

Recently Mr Woolley was fined $38,000 and sentenced to two months home detention for driving a tractor through a protected wetland on one of his farms in 2010.

Jackie St John, a resource management lawyer with Anderson Lloyd Lawyers, said the Environment Court has had enough of Mr Woolley’s failure to comply with effluent rules at his Awarua farm at Tuamarina and in April brought in strict new conditions. . .

Accidents happen and some leniency could be expected for them.

But repeated breaches aren’t accidents and no-one can expect leniency for them.

“So what it’s done is it’s ordered that an entirely new effluent system be approved and installed on the farm by the 30th of July of this year. It’s also ordered there be no restocking of the farm for the 2014/15 milking season until this new effluent system is put in place and that has reasonably significant implications for Mr Woolley,” Ms St John said.

Ms St John said if improvements are not made further action is possible.

“It could take an even further step and order the farm to be de-stocked or alternatively even to cancel the farm’s resource consent entirely. Which would mean the operation as a whole would need to cease.”

She said cancelling the farm’s resource consent is quite unprecedented. . . .

That would be tough but it would also be right.

This sort of behaviour causes environmental harm, and  unfairly damages the reputation of dairying.

 

Crowd sourcing Politics Daily

New Zealand Politics Daily is taking  a break.

I don’t have the time or inclination to provide the same service of a reasonably comprehensive list of links to news stories and blog posts on issues of the day.

However, I’m willing to start with a few and invite anyone who has read anything I’ve missed to add a link to it in a comment.

I won’t pretend to be balanced – there will be more links to blogs of a bluer hue. Anyone who wants the red and green end of the spectrum better represented is welcome to leave links.

Immigration

Dominion Post – Immigrants aren’t scapegoats

Brian Rudman @ the NZ Herald – Cunliffe should leave migrant-bashing to Peters

Peter Dunne – Who is a migrant?

John Armstrong – Cunliffe’s bark more poodle than pit-bull

Internet Mana Party

David Farrar @ Kiwiblog – Dotcom spending $4 million to try and change the Government

Claire Trevett @ The NZ Herald – Political prenup as Harawira weds sugar daddy

Claire Trevett @ The NZ Herald – DPM accuses Dotcom of trying to buy influence

Matthew Beveridge – Laila Harre

The Veteran @ No Minister – C’mon National – think laterally

Gravedodger @ No Minister – The Dance Of The Increasingly Desperate

Dominion Post – Marriage unlikely to last

Laura Walters, Stacey Kirk & Michael Fox @ Stuff – Harre confirmed as Internet Party leader

ODT – Marriage of Convenience

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – Emmerson on hood ornaments

Ele Ludemann @ Homepaddock – Recycled poli to lead IM party

Chris Trotter @ Bowalley Road – Game-Changer: Laila Harre Accepts The Leadership Of The Internet Party.

Danyl Mclauchlan @ Dim Post – Thoughts on Laila Harre and the Internet Party

Danyl Mclauchlan @ Dim Post – All in the game

Patrick Gower –  Hone and Dotcom’s grubby deal

Cameron Slater @ Whaleoil –  Internet Party admits they own Harawira

Tim Watkin @ Pundit – How the path to election victory might go through the Maori seats

Maori Party –   Dotcom minions in Parliament? Not for northern Maori voters

The Civilian – Internet Party warns that new leader Laila Harré has gained ‘a lot of weight’ and is now German

Monorail

Michael Fox @ the Southland Times – $240 million Fiordland monorail rejected

ODT – Fiordland monorail plan rejected

 

Paid Parental Leave

Simon Wong @ TV3 – Maori Party apologies for parental leave ‘mistake’

Claire Trevett @ The NZ Herald – Maori Party changes vote on paid parental leave bill

Other

David Farrar @ Kiwiblog – Minimum wage incomes

Stephen Stratford @ Quote Unquote – Wintec Press Club: Duncan Garner edition

Parliament Today – Questions & Answers

Cameron Slater @ Whaleoil –  $147,800 plus expenses and she goes to Twitter for advice?

TV3 – Labour reveals Tamaki Makaurau nominations

Taxpayers’ Union – Select Committee backs Taxpayers’ Union call for 10 year passport

Judith Collins – 154 more families to stay safe@home

Matt Nolan @ The Visible Hand – New Zealand’s labour market recovery in ‘ONE CHART’

TV3 – Peters continues to deny misuse of funds

May 30 in history

70 Siege of Jerusalem: Titus and his Roman legions breached the Second Wall of Jerusalem. The Jewish defenders retreated to the First Wall. The Romans built a circumvallation, all trees within fifteen kilometres were cut down.

1416 The Council of Constance, called by the Emperor Sigismund, a supporter of Antipope John XXIII, burned Jerome of Prague following a trial for heresy.

1431  Hundred Years’ War: 19-year-old Joan of Arc was burned at the stake by an English-dominated tribunal. Because of this the Catholic Church remember this day as the celebration of Saint Joan of Arc.

1434  Hussite Wars (Bohemian Wars): Battle of Lipany – effectively ending the war, Utraquist forces led by Diviš Bořek of Miletínek defeated and almost annihilated Taborite forces led by Prokop the Great.

1536  Henry VIII of England married Jane Seymour, a lady-in-waiting to his first two wives.

1539 Hernando de Soto landed at Tampa Bay, Florida,  with 600 soldiers with the goal of finding gold.

1574  Henry III became King of France.

1588 The last ship of the Spanish Armada set sail from Lisbon heading for the English Channel.

1635  Thirty Years’ War: the Peace of Prague (1635) was signed.

1642  From this date all honours granted by Charles I were retrospectively annulled by Parliament.

1757 Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, was born (d. 1844).

1806 Andrew Jackson killed Charles Dickinson in a duel after Dickinson had accused Jackson’s wife of bigamy.

1814 Napoleonic Wars: War of the Sixth Coalition – the Treaty of Paris (1814) was signed returning French borders to their 1792 extent.

1819 – William McMurdo, English general, was born (d. 1894).

1832  The Rideau Canal in eastern Ontario opened.

1842  John Francis attempted to murder Queen Victoria as she drove down Constitution Hill with Prince Albert.

1845 – Amadeo I, King of Spain, was born (d. 1890).

1846 Peter Carl Fabergé, Russian goldsmith and jeweller, was born (d. 1920).

1854 The Kansas-Nebraska Act became law establishing the US territories of Nebraska and Kansas.

1859 Westminster’s Big Ben rang for the first time in London.

1862 – Mirza Alakbar Sabir, Azerbaijani philosopher and poet, was born (d. 1911).

1868  Decoration Day (the predecessor of the modern “Memorial Day) was observed in the United States for the first time (By “Commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic” John A. Logan‘s proclamation on May 5).

1871  The Paris Commune fell.

1876  Ottoman sultan Abd-ul-Aziz was deposed and succeeded by his nephew Murat V.

1879 New York City’s Gilmores Garden was renamed Madison Square Garden by William Henry Vanderbilt and opened to the public at 26th Street and Madison Avenue.

1883  A rumour that the Brooklyn Bridge was going to collapse causes a stampede that crushes twelve people.

1901 – A 10-man Royal Commission reported unanimously that New Zealand should not become a state of the Commonwealth of Australia.

1909 – Benny Goodman, American clarinet player, songwriter, and bandleader, was born (d. 1986).

1911  At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the first Indianapolis 500 ended with Ray Harroun in his Marmon Wasp becoming the first winner of the 500-mile auto race.

1913  First Balkan War: the Treaty of London, 1913 is signed ending the war. Albania becomes an independent nation.

1914  The new and then largest Cunard ocean liner RMS Aquitania, 45,647 tons, set sails on her maiden voyage from Liverpool, England to New York City.

1915  The East Indiaman ship Arniston was wrecked during a storm at Waenhuiskrans, the loss of 372 lives.

1917  Alexander I became king of Greece.

1919 – René Barrientos, Bolivian army officer and politician, 55th President of Bolivia, was born. (d. 1969).

1922  In Washington, D.C. the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated.

1941  World War II: Manolis Glezos and Apostolos Santas climb on the Athenian Acropolis, tear down the Nazi swastika and replace it with the Greek flag.

1942  World War II: 1000 British bombers launched a 90-minute attack on Cologne, Germany.

1948  A dike along the flooding Columbia River broke, obliterating Vanport, Oregon within minutes. Fifteen people die and tens of thousands are left homeless.

1955 Topper Headon, British musician (The Clash), was born.

1958  Memorial Day: the remains of two unidentified American servicemen, killed in action during World War II and the Korean War respectively, were buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

1959  The Auckland Harbour Bridge, crossing the Waitemata Harbour was officially opened by Governor-General Lord Cobham.

1961  Long time Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo was assassinated in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

1962 Kevin Eastman, American comic book creator (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), was born.

1963  A protest against pro-Catholic discrimination during the Buddhist crisis was held outside South Vietnam’s National Assembly, the first open demonstration during the eight-year rule of Ngo Dinh Diem.

1966 Former Congolese Prime Minister Evariste Kimba and several other politicians are publicly executed in Kinshasa on the orders of President Joseph Mobutu.

1967 Daredevil Evel Knievel jumped his motorcycle over 16 cars lined up in a row.

1967  The Nigerian Eastern Region declared independence as the Republic of Biafra, sparking a civil war.

1971 Mariner 9 was launched to map 70% of the surface, and to study temporal changes in the atmosphere and surface, of Mars.

1972 The Angry Brigade went on trial over a series of 25 bombings throughout Britain.

1972  In Tel Aviv members of the Japanese Red Army carried out the Lod Airport Massacre, killing 24 people and injuring 78 others.

1989  Tiananmen Square protests of 1989: the 33-foot high “Goddess of Democracy” statue was unveiled in Tiananmen Square by student demonstrators.

1998  A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit northern Afghanistan, killing up to 5,000.

2002– 272 days after the September 11 attacks, closing ceremonies were held for the clean up/recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site in New York City.

2003 – Depayin massacre: at least 70 people associated with the National League for Democracy were killed by government-sponsored mob in Burma. Aung San Suu Kyi fled the scene, but was arrested soon afterwards.

2012 – Former Liberian president Charles Taylor was sentenced to 50 years in prison for his role in atrocities committed during the Sierra Leone Civil War.

2013 – – Nigeria passed a law banning same-sex marriage.

Sourced from NZ History Online & Wikipedia