Free Republic

Thanks.

Just one correction I need to make- the ratio Labour vs National years in power since 1935 is Labour 35 National 40 after I rechecked my tracking of elections. Reasonably close.

To Tennessee Nana

Was reading through the thread (not logged in) and saw your ping- thanks.

This is the proverbial storm in a teacup.

From the article-

That it has rocked NZ with a force three times the power of the Christchurch earthquake is evidence that there is a critical malaise abroad in the country.

These sorts of comments are beginning to sound like a broken record. But very dramatic.

But Henry, in my opinion, has definitely gone too far this time. We are not just talking one isolated event but a number of events accumulating over time. One has only to see the length of time he spent on-air mocking the Delhi chief minister Sheila D****** to understand a check was required. Her name is pronounced Dixit but I will not spell it here because it is rather unfortunate when written in English. Henry was in hysterics over this and made reference to it being appropriate because she was Indian. The last event was the straw that broke the camels back. I don't recall any demonstrations over previous comments of his though. -

This is an interesting take on his persona

The neo-fascists of the left have this country and its culture in a death grip.....

Well, a humorous comment. This person appears to be noted for over-the-top comments in other blogs.

...the stinking propaganda edifice of government owned television and radio must be destroyed.

Sounds pretty violent. TVone and TV2, and the digital-only channels TVNZ6 and TVNZ7 are the only government run stations in NZ. They are guided by a Charter which the public was able to make submissions to when it was set up. Frankly I have no issue with these stations. If someone thinks they churn out propaganda they need to check what they're smoking.

Second, the public education system must be defunded and completely dismantled.

Wonder how this sort of approach would go down in the US. Anarchy anybody?

Fourthly, we must have a Constitution that sets out the basic principles that any free society needs to abide by to live in a civilized manner.

Until NZ becomes a republic, the current Bill of Rights seems to be working OK.

To Ronbo1948

The Left in New Zealand starts a civil war over anti-PC comments made by television personality Paul Henry.

Again very dramatic- worthy of a novel.

One thing is for certain, this story has legs.

I doubt it- already fading from front pages.

Yes, but the real news is that encouraged by our Tea Party many New Zealanders are rising in opposition to the Regime.

Ron- to me at least, this comment doesn't make sense. What regime- the current National government?

...although the opposition in NZ only has the Internet to get out the truth.

The opposition is the left wing. You appear to be back to front here.

Sorry...Paul Henry is the last New Zealand television personality who doesn’t toe the PC line. On Tuesday he made a passing comment where he questioned whether a New Zealander of Indian ancestry was a “true” New Zealander.

Let's agree that the video shows it was more than passing. For enyone wishing to see what actually went down- just go to www.nzherald.co.nz or www.stuff.co.nz and search videos for Paul Henry.

As you say, Kiwi socialism runs deep and the country has become a de facto dictatorship that bans free speech despite the window dressing of democracy.

Thank goodness my on-the-ground experience doesn't match this comment. Ron- I am assuming you are in the States, I sincerely trust your own dictatorship/Marxist regime doesn't make it past the next elections. A socialist country does not, for example, pioneer cost based accounting and budgeting at the government level as NZ did.

I remember the account of a past work colleague holidaying in California, having a quiet drink in a pub there, and as a police officer walked past, casually commenting "That's a big gun" at the sight of his holstered weapon. Result- a night in jail. Now that is a dictatorship.

To katana

They have had the occasional successful Conservative government in power...

Actually, since 1935, the score of years in power is Labour (centre-left) 29 years, National (centre-right and current govt) 40 years.

Kiwis are on a constant PC alert.

Am I? I was not aware of that. Thanks for the heads-up.

To samtheman

Elections are every three years. It is compulsory to register (but not disclose political leanings) but not compulsory to vote.

Medical care- this webpage seems to sum up the situation in NZ quite well

Current centre-right government. No "take-back" required.

New Zealand has a deregulated labour market and unionism is voluntary, governed by the Employment Relations Act 2000. Being voluntary means anyone is also entitled to join or form a Union.

It’s interesting that the Union making a lot of the noise is an Australian one. As Aussie law has no jurisdiction in NZ, Peter Jackson has rightly told them to butt out.

The Screen Actors Guild are rightly calling the Hobbit a non-union production.

http://www.christchurchquakemap.co.nz/

Whoa- hope I haven't struck a nerve here TN.

Maybe you need to go back and read where we were invited guests to hear the PM ..

I checked back, but can see nowhere that you were stated to be invited guests.

Since my familiar experience in New Zealand reaches back 160 years, my world view may not be as clouded by Kumbyah of more recent years as yours appears to be...

Without wishing to embarrass you, but as you raise the point, my ancestors arrived in NZ firstly in 1839, before the Treaty of Waitangi was signed and predating your own forebears landings.

Whereas your interactions appear to be confined to your water dispenser, I spoke to people in the street, stores, libraries, museums etc..

Maybe the common people on the street outside New World are not as rosy glassed toffee nosed as their “betters” in your intellectual acquantaince...

Sad you make such assumptions on myself. But I forgive you :)

I wasn't taught at school any of the Maori things you mentioned, and no, I don't feel less educated for it. One or two songs and that was it.

Now, as for your second post above to me, I find what you are trying to say somewhat confusing. You will note if you read back that I didn't call you a leftie, only your family. And that conclusion is clear from your own comments. So I am a little puzzled as to your reaction there and the reference to an old post in which I was referring to Hillary Clinton who indeed made the comment "We’re going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.”

Kid? Thanks Nana :)

Take care.

TN

New Zealanders dont tend to have much patriotic fight in them...

Guess I'm only thankful I don't share your view.

When I went there in 1978 it was about 20 years behind times and ignorant of what was going on in the world...

New Zealanders are apparently the first or second most-traveled people in the world per capita.

A TV in every lounge.... gives most people a good world view I think- even those in your own country.... or maybe not, as I think many Americans have no perception of the greater world outside their own country, which, to a degree, I think, is understandable, considering the size of the US, and how that most news there would be US-centric. Guess that's why Hollywood movies put "London, England" and "Rome, Italy" etc for titles in films instead of "London" and "Rome" that anyone outside of the US would understand.

Personally I never felt any need or desire to listen to Helen Clark in person when she was PM, even at the 150th year celebrations. Would you listen to Obama in person? Perhaps you would. Sounds to me like your family are all lefties.

BTW In Dec 2000 many people in NZ were pulling for Algore to win...including members of my own family...

Ah, they are.

She said something and I commented..(as an American feels free to do) My sister shushed me and told me that I couldnt give my opinions in public..

I have no restrictions giving my opinion in public. I notice that the Maoris next to you at the time - would giggle and laugh hysterically...She repeated it several times and she had to have heard their response... had no problems giving their views.

The Maori I learnt in school was not the Maori she was speaking.

Were you raised on the East Coast?

My school years would have been contemporary to yours but I do not recall any Maori being offered as a language to learn at that time.

sfUK

It isn’t the country I grew up in and frankly it is lost for good.

Not a chance.

All the world has changed since our childhoods, and, I would surmise, no country for the better- not the US, not the UK. The best good change in NZ, in the political sense in recent times, was Labour being removed from power at the election in 2008. Good also to see that this change was replicated in the UK, but a shame that the Aussies don't appear to have replaced their socialist government.

Three more years of hard Labor for them it seems.

Contrary to your experience, in my workplace, I have not met one person who has expressed any exuberance for Obama. Thinking about it, I have not met anybody anywhere in NZ who has said anything positive about Obama at all. Totally different experience to your own.

Glad to hear you still like to visit your birthplace.

Struck 30km west of Christchurch in Darfield

No deaths reported but some injuries

Felt widely over the South Island but not the North Island (I live in the North Island)

Didn't even know that NZ was in Afghanistan.Given its left wing, anti American government I just assumed they weren't.

Permit me to update you a little.... That left wing "anti American government" was removed from office in the last general elections, held in November 2008. A centre-right government is in power led by PM John Key.

Here's hoping your left wing, anti American government will follow suit and be a one term regime and be replaced with Republican majorities and President.

Thanks for the kind comments to the families from yourself and all. I can only hope the family know that others across the oceans feel their pain. We feel the same way concerning your fallen and others taking part in the fight for freedom.

Naturalman1975- Thanks for your postings.

Reading the item in the link you posted, I can’t help but see the bizarreness in the political situation vis-a-vis NZ/US of that time given NZ’s SAS deployment to Afghanistan in 2001.

It's good to hear that some Kiwis are still valourous enough to serve, even if they have to serve in the British army.

Makes me wonder why he didn't stay in the NZ army if he wanted Afghan experience .....

LOL! My d-i-l is a Kiwi. Contrary to popular opinion, Kiwis are prohibited from doing just about everything, including working for a living, ....become very much a socialist welfare state, .....

Dunno about that. I see you live in a socialist state with a communist president and I see my country has a conservative govt. As at February 2010 your country has 10.4% unemployed and mine has 7.3%. It seems your country is doing far better at prohibiting people from working than mine.

...twisting your opponent's arguments...

Without you being more clearer, the implication from your words was that a flavour of Socialism was brought through into the new Government- hence my comment. Sorry you describe yourself as an opponent .... perhaps you have revealed a little more than you intended there...

I said "The socialists were booted out at the last election..." and in the next sentence you said "This would be news to John Key..." You should have left the socialist bit out so no linkage would be there. No twisting of your comments occurred. I recognise English is not your first language.

And I don't think you have refued (sic) my argument...

Your "argument" here, is, as you say, based on personal workplace experience. My workplace experience was the opposite of yours. When I stated during discussion at my work, for example, that the Iraq war was over (early last year), no-one objected. But I wouldn't attempt to portray that as "proof" of anything. Stating that you have a percentage "proof" based on your workplace experience doesn't seem to hold water.

Rather than have David Farrar formulate your political thinking for you, think for yourself.

Another thing is watch out for the deep skepticism towards free market solutions.

Through the 80's and the 90's, successive New Zealand Governments sold off everything that wasn't nailed down. "Nearly $20 billion worth of state assets were sold by National and Labour between 1988 and 1999" (Ref. TVNZ March 24, 2008).

And this selling off, of course, was started by the left wing Labour Government of 1984.... Rogernomics at full speed. Why? Well, the private sector can run traditional Government assets better, or so the thinking went. Since then, Air New Zealand has acquired the NZ Govt as the biggest shareholder to stop it crashing, and NZRail was also bought back by the Govt. The BNZ should never have been sold to offshore interests- for one the name- it's not NZ's Bank. It's someone else's. A shareholder buyout limited to local interest would have made more sense to me. Likewise, the prevailing Govt wisdom was that the Energy infrastructure would be better run by private sector interests- of course, one expected result was cheaper energy. Yeah Right, as a Tui billboard would say. The energy sectors demonstrated reluctance to put money into infrastructure, in spite of the RMA fiasco, hasn't helped as well.

Even though I don't support the ideals of Jim A, his bringing Kiwibank into existence as an SOE was a good move, IMO. Kiwibank always leads the other Banks in lowering it's mortgage rates, as well as having lower rates. I see today their floating is 5.99%, not matched by anyone else. Ah, the advantage of local funding. At the least it is helping to keep the overseas Banks honest. Call me patriotic.

Listing here of NZ Government assets sold to 1999. Don't those socialists know that's not socialism?

As you are a more recent immigrant from Hong Kong, I can understand Joel that you do not have a first hand historical grasp of New Zealand society.

There are all shades of talk back on NZ radio. Even you can have your say. Talk back was on-air when I was a child in the 50’s.

It would be news to John Key if you or anyone considered him a Socialist. His Government is made up of right of center elements.

My experience in the workplace is the opposite of yours. Perhaps you need to be less confrontational. Maybe that is the Hong Kong way of doing things?

bgill

New Zealand will soon be over-populated.

In a country only a little bigger than Great Britain and with around 4.2 million people, I don't think do.

SMARTY

Does NZ have a ‘Radio Free America’ operating?

If you mean talk back radio - yes, been running for decades, just as in your country.

ozark hilljilly

But isn’t NZ just as socialist as any other civilized part of the globe?

The socialists were booted out at the last election Nov 08. New Zealand is now one of only two Conservative countries in the English speaking world.

Little Ray- ditto

FJB2

So it’s an example that you can come back from Socialist control? Interesting.

Ah, the benefits of free and fair elections. Your turn's coming.

edweena- Your quoted story relates to the previous Government. One of the first things the incoming Conservative Government did was fund Herceptin for a year for each course, a campaign promise. See here

Sounds like Rush has done his homework. He would be very welcome.

I think that pic shows what is really an "extreme makeover".

Wonder if the same person programed the GPS/Auto pilot as the one that crashed in Antarctica.

Apparently in the Erebus situation, someone corrected a GPS anomoly that pilots had been taking into account up to then (2 degrees?) without passing on the correction update to the pilots.

The two German pilots in this accident had been piloting the aircraft during a handover back to Air New Zealand after the end of lease by the German company from ANZ. The ANZ staff on board (including one CAA inspector) were proving the aircraft before accepting it back from lease.

John Key is conservative National Party- equivalent to your Republican party.

The Maori Party will not hold the balance of power here. Key does not need them in coalition to govern. But he has indicated he will discuss things with them, but again, he does not need them to govern (they ended up with 5 seats). He will, however, be bringing Act and United Future in with him to complete a centre-right setup.

But on the global english-speaking scene this result makes for a very interesting picture for the political landscape-

UK .. Socialist
Australia .. Socialist
USA .. Socialist

New Zealand .. Conservative
Canada .. Conservative

Hmmmm... New Zealand only has only two native fruit bats but they appear to be rare. I have never seen one and don't know of anyone who has. Little is known about them as they seem to be few in number. I would guess many that live here would be surprised to know that there are even bats in NZ. Apparently, also, early Maoris in NZ associated them with death so would never have kept them as pets.

I think your link is referring to the Tasmanian (as distinct from Tanzanian) fruit bat (1200 miles across the ocean over in Australia).

Amazingly, they’re very friendly, and the Maori used to keep them as pets.

I think both the Tanzanians and the Maoris would be surprised to find they shared any history LOL.

Perhaps some tongue-in-cheek in your post. :)

Why do so many Kiwis hate Yanks so much?

As a Kiwi I can assure you this is a myth, just as "All Americans love America" is a myth.

A survey was done in NZ at the beginning of last year which found that 40% of New Zealanders wanted closer ties with the US, and that's not "keeping the status quo", but- closer ties.

Good to see this co-operation in the skies.