Sack more of them National!

I don't cry tears for unemployed bureaucrats. Neither should you.

You don't spend 3 or so years at University to become a local or national government bureaucrat and if you do aim for that sort of mediocrity, then I bet you're the type of person who was bullied a lot as a child or didn't get enough hugs and love. Boo hoo.

Labours 9 years in power gave people like you hope that there would be a meaningless job waiting for you in Wellington.
Labour spent millions leasing and refurbishing new buildings so that you could sit there and become a drain on our economy while hard working people paid their taxes. The unions took advantage of this and aggressively wormed their way into these offices, using the extra money pouring in to gain strength. These unions could use this money to campaign 24/7 for Labour at election time while also paying for people to blog full time attacking their opponents. Labour would reward employees in the public sector with bonuses if they were members of a union - at the expense of their non union colleagues and of course the TAXPAYER who fund these bonuses.

Why did funding to unions go up under Labour with schemes like Employment Relations Education Contestable Fund which sent millions to unions such as the CTU, NDU, EPMU, SFWU? It is a simple case of Labour feathering their own nests and rewarding their buddies... and by employing more of these mindless drones in Wellington, the unions could continue this shambolic attack on the taxpayers.

National are doing the right thing by shedding many of these from Government departments. While they could hack away at it faster, National have the right idea about ending the aspiring career bureaucrat aspirations for the few, for the benefit of the many - who are the long suffering taxpayers if you were wondering.

Grant Robertson - the Labour 'whistle blower' (is that what Labour calls it now?) is labelling this as huge cuts to essential services but I struggle to see what is essentially trimming what is an already bloated civil service. You would never see the private sector behaving like this - but then again, this is why many Government departments contract to private consultants as they will mainly cut out the bullshit and do their job.

Robertson should front up and tell the taxpayers how many more tens if not hundreds of millions Labour spent on their public service splurge over their 9 years in power and explain now why they seem keen to want to replicate it again.

As for National... you don't get that many pats on the back on this blog.. but keep up the good work!

Full story here.

President of AOC or AOC President

I didn't want to bring this up, but as it is public knowledge - if you read Salient or if you accidentally stumble across his blog, but Rick "My argument is so powerful" Giles is still claiming to be the President of ACT on Campus (AOC).

But is he?

Not according to any of the AOC membership. Not according to the ACT Party. Not according to the past membership of AOC of which I was a part of.

So who recognises Rick Giles as AOC President? Apparently, it's all in his head. He has even dismissed the entire current AOC executive under his orders and intends on staying on as president.

I have some suggestions to Rick - before you destroy AOC because you cannot get a basic grip on reality. Leave.

If you want to be President of AOC I have some other suggestions for you:

AOC - Adelaide Ornithologists Club I'm sure Adelaide needs another bird watcher.

AOC - Albanian Orthodox Church. because I'm sure they'd appreciate somebody with a god complex like you have.

or perhaps the Aliança Operário-Camponesa now known as the Worker-Peasant Alliance which is the front of the Communist Party of Portugal. Their leader Eduíno Gomes, quite like Rick Giles, left the Communist Party of Portugal (Marxist-Leninist) and set up his own Communist Party but called it the Communist Party of Portugal (Marxist–Leninist)(1974) so maybe Rick could call his new organisation ACT on Campus 2010... or better still, get out of student politics altogether.

Disclosure - I am speaking on my own behalf and not on behalf of anybody in ACT or ACT on Campus. This is purely my grumpy and tired rant at somebody who seems hell bent on ruining an organisation I have been a part of since 1995.

Where is the line Rodney?

Dear Mr Hide;

You promised so much prior to the last election, you made noises about "keeping the government honest", hell, I even remember you being what I thought at the time to be genuinely pissed off at the way the National Socialist party cast aside Sir Roger so causally.

So far I have seen bugger all of you keeping them honest, indeed, you have been fairly silent on all matters that have nothing to do with the Auckland super city (which those of us who live outside of Auckland and who voted for you could not care less about).

You stood up in the house last week in support of Sir Rogers bill but the reality is that was nothing but window dressing.

So Rodney, what is the bottom line for you?, what is the deal breaker? from where I stand you have let the Nat's.....

1 Raise taxes
2 Enforce a ETS on us
3 Refuse to support the return of youth rates
4 Sign the treaty on indigenous rights
5 Hand the seabed and foreshore over to Maori
6 Create a welfare system exclusively for one race of people with tax payer money.

......all without so much as a whimper.

At what stage Rodney do you rediscover your integrity, at what stage do you remember the promises you made to the people who voted for you?, at what stage do you give up the baubles that you seem to so enjoy and start being what you said you were going to be?

Your inaction can only leave me thinking that the ACT party is dead, it seems you are more interested in being the member for Epsom than you are about the party, given the poll ratings it sure seems that way.
If that is your decision then that is fine, but please, how about fucking well letting us know next time, that way some of us can then start to pressure the National socialists into standing a candidate against you who has a pulse, and therefore, a chance of winning.

An amazing talent and an outstanding lady.

As a rule I do not have a lot of time for the "arts and culture" set, I see most of them as parasites who think they are owed a living by the tax payer.

Most of them produce crap that the public do not want to purchase, despite this they somehow manage to convince a few intellectual snobs in high places that their "work" has some artistic merit and is worthy of public funding.

Then there are people like Lindsay Mitchell http://lindsaymitchell.blogspot.com/

Most of you will know Lindsay as the nations foremost welfare commentator and many of you will also know of her outstanding ability as an artist.

What people like me (who have no real interest in arts and culture) do not know is just how bloody good she is, Lindsay recently offered to paint something for me that is very dear to my heart, she did this of her own free will, today I received that painting, it is simply outstanding.

From what I know of Lindsay she is not one of the arty set who believes in, or relies on, tax payer hand outs, she survives on her fantastic ability, artists like her deserve our support.

Lindsay has not asked me to post this, nor does she know I have done so, I urge any of you who are thinking of commissioning a piece to get in contact with her, you will not be disappointed.

Pasta is good for you??

As this link has been sent around a little bit, here is a little musical interlude to calm you down before you read this post (if you are actyally reading it that is...)






The Maori Party think so and want to cut GST for certain food items because Rahui Katene thinks the following are "healthy foods":

• Fruit and vegetables (including fresh, frozen, canned and dried):
• Breads and cereals (including all bread, grains, rice and pasta):
• Milk and milk products (including cheese, yoghurt and plain milk, but excluding ice cream, cream products, condensed and flavoured milk):
• Lean meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes

Say what?

Do you think the Nats would stoop low enough to give this bill the time of day? Think very carefully before saying no!

By saying that, I am sure the Green Party would be pretty happy to throw their hats into the ring for this one! Why do our politicians want to regulate food consumption? It's mental!

Cactus Kate and Whale Oil also have a few things to say about this... of course :)

Stupid Journalism

The Guardian have dropped the ball again, this time calling Czech President Vaclav Klaus and his ODS (Občanská demokratická strana) Party extreme because Klaus openly questions global warming and the climate change agenda.

They lump them together with Latvia's Fatherland and Freedom party who attend ceremonies for the Latvian legion of the Waffen-SS and deceased Polish President Lech Kaczynski who have questionable policies on gay rights.

Who are the Guardian trying to fool? Why turn a story on how the Torys are trying to enlighten their not so liberal EU friends into a hate attack on Czech president Klaus?

Story here.

We care... pity about the others..

Sir Roger gives one hell of a speech. Not only to National, but to Labour, the Greens and the Maori Party. Still happy to vote for these others?



Really?

Still happy you voted National?

Really??

Come back to ACT, you won't regret it. We still believe in low taxes and smaller government. We don't support apartheid and tokenism. Sure we have had a few bumps along the way but the core principles are still there.

National wouldn't roll over if ACT had 10 MPs. They certainly would sit up and listen if ACT had 15 MPs. The right in New Zealand have sat back patiently for too long for the Nats to show leadership and we have nothing to show for it.

It's all getting a little silly. Sooner rather than later Labour will be rejuvenated and will get back in power. It won't matter if they are as out of touch as they are now - the public will get sick of the lack of leadership from the Nats and not one scandal will be enough to bring Labour back in and no doubt a very grumpy Winston Peters.

Here is the best way to stop the madness....
If you rejoin ACT or are keen to join us for the first time... we welcome you!

Update...

REALLY?? You sure??

Scandals - Labour 1 - National 0

Ian Wishart has put together a highly enjoyable article involving some incredible allegations about Labour MPs and their rather interesting habits/perversions with a 14 year old boy. It's remarkable and in my opinion should be made into a play using taxpayers funds, not to mention a film.... it would be the new Hollow Men, only with more accuracy.

I'm sure, just like Labour like to throw a few tax dollars at the arts, the Nats would be happy to throw a few bones at a Wishard produced Labour bonerfest.

I initially thought this was a little too outrageous to believe, but that was until at least 2 Labour MPs (and an ex MP) got caught out fibbing to Wishart. Whale Oil summed it all up quite nicely, as did Cactus Kate - over the sheer stupidity of those involved.

Jevan has even replied on Whales blog and he is deadly serious about all the allegations he has made... I only feel it's my duty as a Kiwi to repeat a few of them...

* Tim Barnett telling Jevan about Helen Clarks lesbianism.
* Tim Barnett hitting on a young teenage boy
* Chris Carter interfering with CYFS to allow Jevan out of their care
* Michael Cullen smoking weed (unlikely)
* Labour Youth members being fat and smelly (VERY likely)

Bugger it, the whole story is great so best you get a copy of Investigate and see for yourself.

Sunday silliness..

David Bain is broke... diddums. He will be seking legal aid to make his compensation bid as well. Funnily enough, nobody seems to want to give him a job. I can imagine how he'd try and "negotiate" a pay rise...

Why didn't Bains spend all that cash he got from his supporters on sometjing wiser than a trip to Europe. And why would he go to Edinburgh - which is very similar to Dunedin? Surely he'd have preferred a place with sun for a holiday...

Peter Williams QC however said the classic line...

he had met Bain, who had struck him as "a person who impresses". "He's modest, very polite. If he keeps trying and does whatever's right, eventually the doors will open. He's never committed an offence. Let's face it, he's innocent."

Err.. yes he did! The case didn't prove he was innocent. Pretty dumb thing to say from a QC.

Season over.. but who is happy?

The English Premiership Season is all but over. For football purists it hasn't been a good season. Arsenal has not pulled off the shock Premiership victory despite flashes of brilliance, Liverpool has struggled all season and even Manchester United have suffered... and the teams that are showing promise are there through virtue of having cash rich owners.. we're talking Man City and Chelski.

Manchester City would have won this season if they didn't draw all the games they did, in fact they would be nicely clear on top. Chelski on the other hand are also not too shy about running up huge losses in pursuit of victory. These two teams combined are overvaluing players (City - Roque Santa Cruz - 17.5m, Emmanuel Adebayor 25m, Kolo Touré 14m) which of course distorts the market for other teams.

Will people be excited by Chelski winning the Premiership? Probably not. We all know that Chelski was already an above average team before the billions poured in from Russia - but without the money, they would be hard pressed to fight for 4th place.

Liverpool still could win the Europa Cup - but who really thinks that is a good result for a team that won't even be top 5/6 in the Premiership - and who have struggled in Europe all season. Even Fulham have performed with more class this season, capped off with a fantastic resuly smashing Juventus 4-1 on their way to the Europa league semi final. Manchester United have missed Ronaldo - but will recover next season if they can get one or two players in who can fit into their squad properly - Antonio Valencia is one example of buying smart. However both teams can be hamstrung if the financial tide goes against them.

For Arsenal there are other pressures. We have money to spend and if the rumours are true, our debt is being repaid quicker than expected meaning soon all gate returns and profits will go directly towards player purchases... meaning Arsenal would have the capacity to outbid almost everybody in Europe, except Chelski and City. I have 100% trust in Wenger to do whats best for Arsenal - and the talent available in the squad is very good. BUT, we need to add a few players to it. We need a worldclass goalkeeper, another defender who has experience and a midfielder to help feed Arshavin and complement Fabregas. We have Marouane Chamakh coming over in the new season who could be brilliant, but we will still need to strengthen up front as well.

What do you all think?

An audience with Steven

Last Tuesday night the phone rang fairly late in the Bruv household, I was tempted to let the bloody thing ring as I am somewhat a slave to the phone during my working day, however, when one has elderly parents who do not live in the same town or city as you then it pays to be on the safe side and answer the bloody thing.

Thankfully it was not our lawyer telling me I had just inherited their "fortune" rather the voice on the other end of the phone belonged to a local member of the National party.

She is a nice old duck and the first person I ever met during my brief foray into local party politics four or five years ago, anyway, clearly this lady (a genuine blue rinse cheer leader for the Nat's) had been on the Gins for the better part of the evening, she went on to tell me that she was calling to remind me of the AGM for our local branch of the National party this Saturday afternoon, and, that should I wish I could bring a plate along at 12.30 so I could share in a lunch, after that (at 1.00pm) the AGM would start and that at the conclusion we would be addressed by the Rt Hon Steven Joyce MP.

I reminded her that I had not been a member of the National party since the day after Neville Key did a deal with the she beast over the anti smacking bill and that I was not aware that non members could attend the AGM, "oh don't worry about that Bruv,you can always join up again when we elect you onto the committee" she replied.

My natural, and initial reaction was, and almost always would be to say in a very polite fashion "no fucking chance", however, the devilish side of me took over, "you did say that Steven Joyce will be there did you not?" was my response.

"Yesh" she replied (having topped up her Gin) "we are all looking forward to that, so can we expect to see you there Bruv"?

"Oh yes" I said, "I would not miss it for the world".

Thoughts of this AGM have filled my mind for the last few days, I checked with a very well connected blogger about filing a motion of no confidence in John Key and his government at this meeting but that well connected blogger tells me that I have to be a party member to do something like that.
Given that there is no way on this earth that the Nat's are ever going to get one more cent out of me that option is a obvious no goer.

So, I am left with an audience with Steven, of course there are many things that I would love to tackle Joyce about but I know that he will not let me badger him for the two or three hours (short of taking him hostage at the end of a very large gun) it would take to go through the long list of back downs and broken promises of the Key government, hence I am left with one or possibly two points that I can have a crack at the man about.

My question is this, of this list what should I have a go at him about?

1. Breaking the tax cuts promise but keeping every other promise made to swing and Labour voters?
2. Borrowing 1 billion dollars a month and not making any real attempt to cut govt spending?
3. The continuing financial rape of the middle class?
4. The seabed and foreshore back down?
5. Cuddling up to an openly racist party?
6. The dirty stinking ETS?
7. ACC increases in place of tax cuts?
8. Giving Cullen a top job?
9. The continuing rort of the tax payer by MP's?
10. Being Labour lite?

I think I will go with the ETS, but I am not sure what the other topic should be.

Funny Girls

The Hand Mirror are upset about John Key.

Well, we saw that coming, but yet their 32 reasons (that they took from Facebook) are typically leftist silliness and irrelevance. It's always fun to fisk it though :)

1 Let junk food back into school tuck shops

Instead of kids sneaking out to these shops at lunch time, after school and parents sneaking junk food into schools for their kids. Changing this nanny state policy was a brilliant masterstroke - parents know best, and teachers can do their jobs again!

2: Stop the phasing out of inefficient incandescent light bulbs

*sigh* More meddling in our own homes....

3: Introduce a 90 day "probation period" for employees

But of course any policy that employers like, the left will be against. If we didn't increase the minimum wages then youth employment would be up. John hasn't gone far enough on this one!

4. Abandon minimum fuel economy standards for cars

More important things to get your knickers in a twist about.

5: Abandon the commission to equalise wages between sexes for the same job

If Labour couldn't achieve this in 9 years under Herr Helen then what did this commission actually do? How much did this commission cost?

6: End local democracy in the Auckland Region.

Impossible to prove - just a not too sly dig at Rodney!

7: Cut funding for adult education night classes just as a recession is taking hold

Now people will have to pay for their basket weaving and language classes themselves. I'd prefer money was spent on schools and not hobbies.

8: Increase funding for private schools.

Yeah, because everybody is clamouring to go to public schools! Sure private schools should be able to fund themselves, but I have a suspicion this complaint is more ideological than anything else.

9: Introduce "3 strikes" legislation, proved worldwide to actually worsen crime rates

Proven where? Is the Hand Mirror against harsh penalties for repeat rapists and murderers?

10: Change New Zealand's stance on whaling without consulting the country

Just like Labour did with smacking. Whales are freaking animals!

11: Put the issue of climate change on the back burner indefinitely

Why? John Key seems to be interested in climate change, despite the popular momentum for it waning.

12: Rort the ministerial expenses system and get away with it.

Just wait for Labours expenses to come out from their last term. Sure two wrongs don't make a right, but this is very hypocritical.

13: Appoint Christine Rankin to the Children's Commission

Because she doesn't support Labour amongst other things....

14: 'Streamline' the RMA to allow for unfettered development.

Proof? The RMA is a disaster, any attempt to fix or eliminate it is welcomed!

15: Lift the ban on new thermal (coal and gas) electricity generation.

Because we can all survive on Jennette Fitzsimmons wind turbines :)

16: Repeal the biofuels sales obligation.

No comment, I don't know what they are on about.

17: Refer to coal as 'sexy.'

It can be very sexy girls. China love it. Once you go black you'll never go back :)

18: Abandon the TVNZ charter

Thank god. It didn't improve the quality whatsoever.

19: Propose to open up conservation land for mining

Ignoring the fact that Labour are also very enthusiastic mining supporters...sigh.

20: Introduce national educational standards in primary schools despite all the international research indicating they are a bad idea.

And yet these tests are still popular with parents. Parents want to see results from sending their kids to their left wing brainwashers/teachers.

21: Propose cutbacks to the National Radio network and commercialisation of the Concert Programme

Been a long time coming! Why should taxpayers fund state radio? NZ have a shedload of private stations that all do a good job.

22: Raise GST to 15% while at the same time cutting the top tax rate

Half correct. Raising GST is dumb, but Labour don't support cutting it themselves. Nor are Labour being honest about their "Axe the Tax" campaign as they don't want to axe any taxes. Cutting the top tax rate is a good idea, Labour have overtaxes middle and high income earners for too long, tax relief is welcome!

23: Proposed extensions to the 90 day probation period so that large companies will also have the ability to sack employers without giving reason.

Hysterical.

24: Choose not to introduce a capital gains tax on people with investment properties, therefore continuing the absurd growth in house prices and rentals. (Offset this loss of potential revenue with an increase in GST & cutbacks on all of the above)

25: Halve the effectiveness of the Kiwisaver scheme byreducing employer contributions from 4 to 2%

During the recession employers need as much help as they can. You already want them to increase wages and not have flexibility with employing the right people. Are you the enemy of employers or just being deliberately difficult?

26: Appoint Rodney Hide as minister of local government

He is doing a tough job and for one man, he's doing a great job. Funny that the only people getting upset are primarily whiny lefties who have some sort of paranoia that they will lose their democracy.

27: Plan to cut 700 teaching positions from NZ secondary schools

I didn't see this. Why?

28: Pass legislation to bulldoze parts of Mt Albert to build a new motorway.

What was Labours proposal for this motorway again? *cough*

29: Prepare ACC for privatisation.

You're right! John has been dithering on this for too long! Hurry up and privatise it already!

30: Take a party who only got 2.2% of the vote as a coalition partner and let them call the tune.

It's called MMP and you guys loved supporting it when it was going your way. Funny you never said this when Jim Anderton was getting policy concessions from Labour. ACT are being an effective coalition party and a far sight better than your dirty arrangements with Winston Peters.

31. Amalgamate government departments (resulting in job losses), and claim it's to "improve services" rather than just to save money.

What is better? Bloated government departments or streamlined services? Damn right John should be slashing these departments after the excesses of Labour. Improved services will be a result of these departments being focuses on results and not covering their asses.

32 increased the quota for the endangered bluefin tuna"

Nom nom nom.


No apologies girls, John Key is not perfect but these are all reactionary and hysterical. You seem more focused on spending more money and pushing the pain onto employers and the wealthy - all of whom were pounded by the previous Government. Wealth creation is not created by the state or by stealing more and more from the workers.

Game off!

Plenty of sulking from the French git tonight.

Bye, bye Gooners!

If you ever doubted the left are scum...

The click on this link.

http://www.thestandard.org.nz/keys-promises-on-crime/#comments

And have a read of the comments, they are nothing but scum.

Leadership "crisis" ??

I don't know what is going on at ACT HQ, but if you believe the media, Heather Roy is twiddling away at a fake moustache plotting the downfall of Rodney Hide while Sir Roger is the wily coyote looking to end Rodneys leadership with elaborate planning and total backfiring.

I don't buy it. When you have Deborah Coddington talking about it as well you just want to scream, pot kettle black at her. I don't recall anything she did that cemented her place as an ACT MP that made a difference. Is the media that bored that they seem to want to start pulling imaginary rabbits out of hats?

ACT are having a few issues because they have never been in this position before so they need to grow and learn to adapt to being in a coalition Government. It is incredibly hard to sit with Nats who change their idealogcal position every 3 years, who pretend to be right wing but are just conservative populists who support/oppose lower taxes, school choice, freedom of association whenever they feel like it. ACT have stood for policies that are not popular with the left w(h)ingers and for years have been painted by the media as radicals and out of touch. I totally believe that the media have this wrong too. Sure there are personalities in every political party, but this is going a little too far.

And as for the Co-leader proposal. Stupid stupid stupid.

Rick Giles explains Earth Hour....

And the best of the rest...