Politics Daily

14/06/2014

This is an attempt to replace Dr Bryce Edwards’ daily political round-up while he’s taking a break. I’m not pretending to be balanced. While I link to a range of news stories, the blogs I link to are usually from the centre to the bluer end of the political spectrum or the more reasonable or witty bits of the pink to red end. You’re welcome to leave links to other news and blogs in comments.

Election

David Farrar @ Kiwiblog –

Brook Sabin @ TV3 – Paul Goldsmith ‘concentrating on party votes’

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – What the 2014 General Election is all about…

Hamish Rutherford @ Stuff – Bays may be Craig’s best hope of a seat

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil – With friends like the Conservative Party, who needs enemies?

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil – No cup of tea needed – ACT gifted Epsom

Pete George @ YourNZ – Key on possible election alliances

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil – So, the whole police force will vote National, that much is clear

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil – In business? Hate provisional tax? Vote National

Pete George @ YourNZ – Three MPs for Te Tai Tokerau?

Lindsay Mitchell – Red Alert not so alert

John Armstrong @ NZ Herald – Key’s big treble gamble

Fran O’Sullivan @ NZ Herald – PM must think on what really matters

Trade

Wayne Mapp @ Pundit – Free Trade – the end of the cosy arrangement?

Beehive

Nikki Kay – Support for young environmental leaders

Jo Good hew – Protecting your future made easier

Team NZ

Dana Johannsen @ NZ Herald – Team NZ sailing close to wind: Joyce

David FaRRAR @ Kiwiblog – The Government should say no to more money for Team NZ

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil – “Sail for the Dole” scheme running out of money

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – Enough is enough

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – Dalton’s audition for a Tui ad

Labour

Chris Trotter @ Bowalley Road – Gut Reactions

Waikato Times – Hipkins misses the mark

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – The Waikato Times on Hipkins’ “epic fail”

David Farrar @ Kiwiblog – A rare letter from the Chief District Court Judge

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – No by-election for Epsom

David Farrar @ Kiwiblog – Cunliffe on Iraq

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil – Another David Cunliffe “on the hoof” policy revealed

Valedictories

NZ Herald – Keep farewell speeches for deserving MPs only

David Farrar @ Kiwiblog – A silly editorial

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil – One of the, erm, dumber Herald editorials?

Local Government

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil – Adams muscles up, rips up Len’s unitary plan

Other

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – Wally of the Week – 13 June 2014

Inventory 2 @ Keeping Stock – Quote of the Day – 13 June 2014

David Farrar @ Kiwiblog – Maybe Lyons should stand for Labour?

 

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil – If the PM is tainted then so is the Queen

Cameron Slater @ Whale Oil – The nasty left, always rewriting history

 


Word of the day

14/06/2014

Furfuraceous – made of or covered with scaly particles, such as dandruff; of or resembling bran, powdered with bran-like particles; composed of small scales; denoting a form of desquamation; scurfy.


Rural round-up

14/06/2014

Integrated agri-food value chains – Keith Woodford:

Many New Zealand agri-food companies are still struggling to understand the global shift to integrated agri-food value chains. This move has been playing out most spectacularly in the infant formula industry, where the small companies have been badly caught out, but the trend is much broader than that.

A key driver is the need to have food safety systems in place that span from consumers back to producers. It is not simply a case of the food having to be safe, it is also a case of there being a transparent evidential trail. Food testing is just a small part of this system.
A major focus has to be on overall business systems that react to first stage mistakes before they compound into major events. It was just such a failure to react to the warning signals that led Fonterra down a shambolic path with the botulism scare in 2013.

There is also a key idea relating to provenance. Consumers not only want to know that something is safe; they also want to know that they are buying is what they think they are buying, and that the brand is genuine. . .

Milk spill stopper wins innovation award – Jamie Small:

The dragons have chosen, and another farm invention is one step closer to commercial success.

For the second year running, Fieldays had its own Dragons Den-style competition for agricultural innovations.

The joint initiative, run by Fieldays and Hamilton business incubator Soda Inc, selected nine innovators from a pool of 20 to present their gadgets to a panel of experienced investors and business leaders.

The top prize, Most Viable Business, went to Pahiatua couple Graeme and Alison Franklin with the DTexH2o. . . .

Primary Industry’s outlook good:

Federated Farmers believes the ‘2014 Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries’, released by the Ministry for Primary Industries, shows a promising future for the New Zealand economy thanks to kiwi farmers.

“This report shows an increase of 16.3 percent in primary sector exports, to $37.7b on the previous year, which translates to increased farmgate incomes of 22 percent and an increase in off farm spending of 11 percent,” says Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers National President.

“These statistics remind us of the importance of exports to New Zealand, in particular the impact on farmgate incomes and spending on farm inputs, which has a direct influence on rural and provincial economies. . . .

Applauding the night away: superb exporters win top recognition:

Spectacular export growth of hundreds of chicken and turkey products has won Tegel Foods the Supreme Award in the 2014 Air New Zealand Cargo Export NZ Auckland export awards.

Prime Minister John Key presented the award last night at the Langham hotel in Auckland also attended by Auckland Mayor Len Brown and ‘Minister for Business’, Steven Joyce.

The judges said Tegel has been an iconic brand in New Zealand for more than 50 years and began developing export markets 11 years ago. . . .

Fonterra slapped with $150,000 fine over NZX disclosure – Suze Metherell:

(BusinessDesk) – The New Zealand Markets Disciplinary Tribunal has fined Fonterra Cooperative Group $150,000 for breaching continuous disclosure requirements to the NZX during the dairy manufacturer and exporter’s botulism false alarm last August.

Auckland-based Fonterra undertook a world wide recall after it quarantined several batches of whey protein concentrate last August on concern it was contaminated with a potentially dangerous strain of clostridium bacteria, capable of causing botulism. The strain was ultimately shown to be harmless. . . .

Boys from the farm turn on the charm – Libby Wilson:

Fieldays’ rural bachelor contestants have done the hard yards in the leadup to their event.

The eight eligible blokes chased sheep, shot clay targets, and went zorbing on their journey from Auckland to Mystery Creek.

And the action continued yesterday, with fencing, speed-dating and cooking.

Yesterday morning they faced questions from Waikato women.

It seems ladies into a romantic but rural first anniversary picnic would be a good match with Wanganui’s Fraser Laird, 26. “I’ve got some back paddocks at the back of the farm. It’s got a bloody good view. Serious,” he said. . . .

Farmers encouraged to embrace technology – Susie Nordqvis:

Accounting firm Xero is laying down a challenge to farmers this week’s Fieldays: start embracing technology and innovation to maximise profits and grow the economy.

The innovation hub at Fieldays is not quite Dragon’s Den, but it is a sure fire way of fast-tracking participants onto the national stage.

“We have developed an ice maker that makes a slurry and you can reduce milk from 32degC down to 5degC in three seconds,” says innovation den participant Richard Upperton.

Xero says if more people followed Mr Upperton’s lead then the economy would be in better shape. . .

New Zealanders and shearing – Ali Ikram:

Sheep outnumber New Zealanders seven to one. 

They’re crucial to our economy and they get a bad wrap when it comes to their intelligence.

But there was one question we desperately wanted answered – as New Zealanders, can we all shear a sheep?

Is it innate in us – a birth-right?

Or are there some born and bred in cities who simply can’t shear, no matter what? . . .


Saturday’s smiles

14/06/2014

A minister was driving down a country road when he saw a young farmer struggling to load hay back onto a cart after it had fallen off.

“You look hot, my son,” the minister said, “why don’t you rest a moment, and I’ll give you a hand.”

“No thanks,” said the young man.

“My father wouldn’t like it.”

“Don’t be silly,” the minister said. “Everyone is entitled to a break. Come and have a drink of water.”

Again the young man protested that his father would be upset.

Losing his patience, the minister said, “Your father must be a real slave driver. Tell me where I can find him and I’ll give him a piece of my mind!”

“Well,” replied the young farmer, “he’s under the load of hay.”


Seriously good cheese

14/06/2014

One of North Otago’s gems:


New course but still wrong owner

14/06/2014

Landcorp CEO Steven Carden is charting a new course for the company:

In his keynote address at the Agricultural Communicator of the Year Awards last night in Hamilton, Mr Carden said that state owned enterprise Landcorp would be focusing on driving a lean commercial operation, benchmarked against the best farmers across the country

“First and foremost, Landcorp must strive to be the best performing large-scale farming business in the country. Second, we are growing our connections with our customers and their customers. That means working with other farmers who are interested in supplying to particular customers in markets around the world,” he said.

The company’s plans include growing its number of farming partnerships through being the preferred partner for iwi farming interests and other investors. Landcorp would be looking to use existing partnerships with iwi in the Far North and the Hauraki as models for the future.

Farming new products such as sheep milk are also being explored, as will greater use of technology to drive precision farming. Landcorp’s recent adoption of Farm IQ’s farm management system throughout its 137 farms will help the company drive a new level of precision around animal performance. It will also be a key tool in minimising its environmental impact.

Mr Carden said that Landcorp would draw from its own proud history of transforming agricultural land to transform New Zealand farming. He said that Landcorp has some incredible staff throughout the country and that his job is to tap into their passion for Landcorp to drive improvement in New Zealand farming.

“The whole company is full of energy to improve our performance by being safer, more efficient and more productive farmers. We want to demonstrate that profitable and environmentally responsible farming go hand in hand.

“We want all New Zealanders to see how good farming is for our country, and especially for young people to see farming as a career where they can be part of something vitally important to the future of New Zealand.

“Our goals are ambitious, and we won’t always get it right, but we’ll always front up and share with the industry and all New Zealanders the places we are finding success, as well as where we still need to do better,” he said. . . .

It’s difficult to argue with most of that.

But there I still ahve a major problem with Landcorp – tying up the billions of dollars the company is worth in farms is not the best use of public money.


Wills Ag Communciator of the Year

14/06/2014

Federated Farmers’ president Bruce Wills is the 2014 Landcorp Agricultural Communicator of the Year.

 . . .In the three years he has led Federated Farmers, Bruce has been an outstanding communicator, successfully representing the interests of farmers with his open, friendly and enthusiastic manner, helped by his willingness to listen to people.

Ahead of several other very worthy recipients, Bruce was selected by an independent panel of judges to receive this prestigious award, announced at an awards dinner in Hamilton last night.

Bruce farms with his brother at Te Pohue, on a sheep and beef operation carrying 7500 stock units. The farm is 1134 hectares, of which 800 hectares are farmed and the balance is in trees and 110 hectares which are protected through the QEII National Trust. He left a career in rural banking after 20 years to return to the family farm and has invested heavily in the long-term sustainability of the farm.

In its 28th year, the Landcorp Agricultural Communicator of the Year Award is administered by the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators, and recognises excellence in communicating agricultural issues, events or information.

 Regarded as the premier award for agricultural communicators, it is also the most valuable prize on offer. Landcorp provides a prize of $2500, which is part of a funding package of $7500 in sponsorship for the Guild. The additional funding assists with administration costs, including the Awards dinner.

Bruce was also presented with a greenstone and timber trophy, which features a roll call of previous winners engraved on the back.

Guild President Graeme Peters said Bruce is a very worthy recipient of this year’s award.

“He is widely respected for his role in bridging the gap between rural and urban people, and has spent countless hours talking not only farmers to but also urban people, selling the importance of agriculture to New Zealand’s economy.

“His communication skills at all levels and covering all aspects of rural life are recognised by this award.”

Federated Farmers has had a much improved public profile under Wills’ leadership thanks in no part to his willingness and ability to communicate clearly and honestly.

He’s given praise when and where it’s due but has also been willing to accept criticism without being defensive.

He has been a strong advocate for farmers, farming and wider rural issues and has earned this recognition.

 

 

 


Parmjeet Parmar Nat caniddate for Mt Roskill

14/06/2014

National Party members have selected Dr Parmjeet Parmar as their candidate for the Mt Roskill electorate.

“Parmjeet is an exceptional candidate. She has a genuine connection to the community and truly represents the people of Mt Roskill. I know she will apply her skills to work tirelessly for them in a National-led Government,” said Northern Regional Chair Andrew Hunt.

Dr Parmar said she felt privileged to be chosen to contest the seat.

“It’s a great honour to be selected as National’s candidate for Mt Roskill,” said Dr Parmar.

“Mt Roskill communities are making real strides under John Key’s National-led Government. We’re seeing a stronger economy with more jobs, better public services in health and education, and safer communities with crime at a 35-year low.

“I’m looking forward to getting out and about to engage with voters because Mt Roskill deserves a strong voice in Parliament and another strong, stable National Government.”

Biographical Notes – Dr Parmjeet Parmar

Dr Parmjeet Parmar is a scientist, businesswoman, broadcaster and community advocate with over 20 years professional experience.

She was born in India and migrated to New Zealand in 1995. A proud mother of two, she lives in Auckland with her husband Ravinder.

Dr Parmar holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Auckland, as well as Bachelor and Masters degrees in Biochemistry from the University of Pune in India.

More recently, Dr Parmar has been the Operations Director of her family’s Auckland-based Kiwi Empire Confectionery, a confectionery and natural health product manufacturing enterprise. She knows first-hand the challenges running a small business brings.

Naturally community-minded, Dr Parmar currently serves as a Families Commissioner, Community Representative on the Film and Video Labelling Body, and as Chair of the NZ Sikh Women’s Association.

Dr Parmar will stand down from her position on the Families Commission effective immediately to campaign.

She has committed to move into the electorate if elected.

National has again selected a very able candidate who has a varied background and many skills which would make her an asset in parliament.

Mt Roskill is another previously red electorate that is now more purple.

Phil Goff holds the seat, winning 57.15% of the votes cast, but Labour got only 43.61% of the party vote, not much ahead of National which attracted 39.53%.


Saturday soapbox

14/06/2014

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.

Danny Lee Silk's photo.


June 14 in history

14/06/2014

1158 – Munich was founded by Henry the Lion on the banks of the river Isar.

1216 – First Barons’ War: Prince Louis of France captured the city of Winchester and soon conquered over half of the Kingdom of England.

1276 – While taking exile in Fuzhou in southern China, away from the advancing Mongol invaders, the remnants of the Song Dynasty court held the coronation ceremony for the young prince Zhao Shi, making him Emperor Duanzong of Song.

1287 Kublai Khan defeated the force of Nayan and other traditionalist Borjigin princes in East Mongolia and Manchuria.

1381 Richard II met leaders of Peasants’ Revolt on Blackheath. The Tower of London was stormed by rebels who entered without resistance.

1645 English Civil War: Battle of Naseby – 12,000 Royalist forces were beaten by 15,000 Parliamentarian soldiers.

1648 Margaret Jones is hanged in Boston for witchcraft in the first such execution for the Massachusetts colony.

1775 American Revolutionary War: the Continental Army was established by the Continental Congress, marking the birth of the United States Army.

1777 The Stars and Stripes was adopted by Congress as the Flag of the United States.

1789 Mutiny on the Bounty: Bounty mutiny survivors including Captain William Bligh and 18 others reached Timor after a nearly 7,400 km (4,000-mile) journey in an open boat.

1789 – Whiskey distilled from maize was first produced by American clergyman the Rev Elijah Craig. It was named Bourbon because Rev Craig lived in Bourbon County, Kentucky.

1800 The French Army of First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Marengo in Northern Italy and re-conquered Italy.

1807 Emperor Napoleon I’s French Grande Armee defeated the Russian Army at the Battle of Friedland ending the War of the Fourth Coalition.

1811 Harriet Beecher Stowe, American author, was born (d. 1896).

1821 Badi VII, king of Sennar, surrendered his throne and realm to Ismail Pasha, general of the Ottoman Empire, ending the existence of that Sudanese kingdom.

1822 Charles Babbage proposed a difference engine in a paper to the Royal Astronomical Society entitled “Note on the application of machinery to the computation of astronomical and mathematical tables”.

1839 Henley Royal Regatta: the village of Henley staged its first Regatta.

1846 Bear Flag Revolt began – Anglo settlers in Sonoma, California, staredt a rebellion against Mexico and proclaimed the California Republic.

1863 American Civil War: Battle of Second Winchester – a Union garrison was defeated by the Army of Northern Virginia.

1863 Second Assault on the Confederate works at the Siege of Port Hudson during the American Civil War.

1864 Alois Alzheimer, German physician, was born (d. 1915).

1872 Trade unions were legalised in Canada.

1900 Hawaii became a United States territory.

1900 The Reichstag approved a second law that allowed the expansion of the German navy.

1907 Nicolas Bentley, British writer and illustrator, was born (d. 1978).

1907 Norway adopted female suffrage.

1909 Burl Ives, American musician, was born (d. 1995).

1919 John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown left St. John’s, Newfoundland on the first nonstop transatlantic flight

1928 Ernesto “Che” Guevara, Marxist Revolutionary, was born (d. 1967).

1929 Cy Coleman, American composer, was born (d. 2004).

1937 – U. S. House of Representatives passed the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act.

1936 Renaldo “Obie” Benson, singer (The Four Tops), was born (d. 2005).

1938 Action Comics issue one was released, introducing Superman.

1940 World War II: Paris fell under German occupation, and Allied forces retreat.

1940 The Soviet Union presented an ultimatum to Lithuania resulting in Lithuanian loss of independence

1940 A group of 728 Polish political prisoners from Tarnów become the first inmates of the Auschwitz concentration camp.

1941 June deportation, the first major wave of Soviet mass deportations and murder of Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians, began.

1942 Anne Frank began to keep a diary.

1946 Donald Trump, American businessman and entrepreneur, was born.

1949 – Alan White, British drummer (Yes), was born.

1950 Rowan Williams, 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, was born.

1951 UNIVAC I was dedicated by U.S. Census Bureau.

1952 The keel was laid for the nuclear submarine USS Nautilus.

1954 U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill into law that places the words “under God” into the United States’ Pledge of Allegiance.

1959 A group of Dominican exiles with leftist tendencies that departed from Cuba landed in the Dominican Republic with the intent of deposing Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina. All but four were killed and/or executed by Trujillo’s army

1961 Boy George, British singer (Culture Club), was born,

1962 – The European Space Research Organisation was established in Paris.

1962 The New Mexico Supreme Court in the case of Montoya v. Bolack, 70 N.M. 196, prohibits state and local governments from denying Indians the right to vote because they live on a reservation.

1966 The Vatican announced the abolition of the Index Librorum Prohibitorum (index of prohibited books), which was originally instituted in 1557.

1967 Mariner 5 was launched toward Venus.

1976 The trial began at Oxford Crown Court of Donald Neilson, the killer known as the Black Panther.

1982 The Falklands War ended: Argentine forces in the capital Stanley unconditionally surrendered to British forces.

1984 Robert Muldoon called a snap election.

Muldoon calls snap election

1985 TWA Flight 847 was hijacked by Hezbollah shortly after take-off from Athens.

1990 Miners from Jiu Valley were called to Bucharest by President Ion Iliescu to quell demonstrations in University Square by anti-government protesters.

2001 China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan form the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

2002 – Near-Earth asteroid 2002 MN missed the Earth by 75,000 miles (121,000 km), about one-third of the distance between the Earth and the Moon.

Sourced from NZ History Online & Wikipedia.