John Keys; Fools Rush In Now That The Election's Won

With the elections won and a youthful cabinet line up ready to go, our popular PM turns his attention to the Middle East minefields of Iraq and Syria. After equivocating before the election he is now brave enough to suggest that the nation sends the SAS to Iraq to identify targets for the planes circling above ISIL. We have all been disgusted and morikarika at the beheadings of British and US personnel captured by these fanatics in black. How dare they murder westerners. However, we haven't seen any beheadings of Syrians and Iraqis which are numberless. We certainly don't know their names and this is our PM's problem. He, like us is responding to these TV shows put on by ISIL for the expressed purpose of racking us up and drawing us into their fanatical vision. Meanwhile Iraq with all its resources and help can't stop ISIL. Thanks to western intervention, corruption and stupidity, Iraq is so dysfunctional that ISIL is an hour from their capital. 

What targets can our SAS identify that an Iraqi can't do better? Isn't the PM grandstanding prior to a big hui of nations and to impress the UN in order to get a temporary seat on the Security Council? Wouldn't it make more sense to send medical and aid teams to assist refugees streaming into Turkey? Doesn't a military involvement make us a target internationally? Will the PM be accountable  for any military misadventures?

There are more questions than answers. However it is obvious that the west has failed dismally in anything it has done in the Middle East and is seen as having a double standard with regards to democracy in its application of foreign policy for example re the oil rich Saudi Arabia and its horrible application of Sharia law.

But that's just my opinion.

      National Wins-Labour's Worst Election

Since 1922.

It's been a weird campaign compared to the last 10; dirty politics, Nicky Hager's book, Cameron Slater and his pal Judith Collins, the spy saga claiming that the NSA is collecting everything on the internet and telecom including this blog, Dot.com's moment of truth which boosted National's support even more, and so on. In fact Labour came out of this election squeaky clean but thoroughly defeated. The Greens fared better but still got it's support pruned. 

The stats that were not available on our screen on the night were the proportion of those eligible to vote who actually voted. As it turns out 77+% voted which was better than 2011 (74+%) but it wasn't high which partially accounts for Labour's poor result. Still there are 300,000 specials yet to be counted and there may be a slight improvement to the losers' results. 

Labour did have one great result. Maori voters in the Maori electorates did heed one Labour message which was to vote positive. They now have 6 of the 7 seats.  It looks as though Maori have forgotten the FS&SBed Act which caused the biggest hikoi to parliament and formed the Maori Party, not to mention the market economics of Rogernomics that was introduced overnight and gutted the industries and jobs that employed thousands of Maori. Te Ururoa Flavell and the Maori Party did win Waiariki but again Labour's Waititi came second ahead of  Internet-Mana. This achievement in all 7 Maori seats was in spite of what seems to be an even lower turnout than the general seats. Saddest of all was the loss of Hone Harawira in Taitokerau to Kelvin Davis. I voted for Te Ururoa in Waiariki and the Maori Party. 

Well so much for the brief analysis. In the next parliament, the six Maori members in the Labour Caucus must play hardball. Nanaia Mahuta and Rino Tirikatene deserve a place on the front bench and spokes people of Maori Affairs, and other portfolios. They must not be treated like Helen Clark's Shrek The Sheep but must have a strong voice in policy and strategy. They can even work openly and collaborate with Te Ururoa on projects like Whanau Ora. They could also contribute a thing or two to their party about how to win votes. 

Is It Curtains for John Keys, Putin, And Iraq?

The PM:

Personally I don't think the PM is done for. It.s been a shaky few days  no doubt. But if their propaganda (eg adverts) is anything to go by their backwards rowing skiff should get there before the row boat; but only just. It will be heavy with Cameron Slater, but lighter after Judith Collins was dropped into the water. She's still swimming to the bank and spluttering revenge. The well mantra-ed "Left wing conspiracy" is no longer believed and one does not have to be left to believe Nicky Hager. However I think the Nats will get enough support to form a govt. with any centre-right friends they still have.

President Putin of Russia:

Russia is on the border of Ukraine's civil war whose armies both have Russian weapons. Both the Kiev Govt. and the East Ukraine Russian speaking rebels have won some and lost some but like all wars the first corpse is the truth as each side accuses the other of atrocities. Russia is being accused of entering the war on behalf of their Russian speaking whanaunga and maps, and photos galore are shown on TV to produce "proof." I even saw a CNN TV journalist saying that Russian heavy tanks were  "over there" as he pointed. However for some reason he didn't have a camera man with the ability to point the camera "over there." Other photos showed tanks and vehicles that were actually on Russian soil. The 10 Russian border patrol soldiers who wandered into Ukraine in the dark were released. It certainly isn't curtains for Putin and Russia whose western and European enemies miss the cold war and the iron curtain. That has been replaced by new NATO partners on Russia's border and US Military bases. Also any more economic sanctions by the EU will boomerang. EU producers who sold their produce to Russia are now dumping it in their city centres in protest. 

Iraq?

This country's full of disasters. First it was Saddam Hussein who ruled as a dictator and subjugated every religious, tribal and ethnic group in Iraq. His rule was bloody. Along comes Hop-a-long Bush and his side kick Blair who claim that there are weapons of mass destruction in Saddam's arsenal. That excuse turns to regime change with a blood bath of mainly civilians in a shock and awe overkill. Trying to install a democratic govt with a selected PM doesn't work either in a country that knew only dictatorship and sectarian, tribal and ethnic rivalry. The US and Britain walk out after billions spent on security and military contractors and eyes firmly on Iraq oil. The army and police they leave behind can't control the almost daily bombings, the Shia PM can't get on with the Sunnis, and the ISIS takes over much of North Iraq as the Iraqi Army runs  back to Bagdad leaving their weapons behind for ISIS.  It looks like curtains for Iraq as a nation that existed under Saddam. The outcome will take years but the catalyst was Bush's and Blair's intervention.

The Political Debate: Or Vote For Me Because..........

The Debate:

I missed half of the great debate last night between Cunnliffe and Keys but what I heard was not well controlled by Hoskings. I confess at the outset that I do have a biass towards Cunnliffe and Labour, and I did think that his telling remark to finish off the debate was that National is the past and Labour is the future. After 6 years of borrowing Keys promises a small surplus and repayment of debt. Labour had 9 years of surpluses. They repayed debt only to see National's borrowing for a "rockstar economy." Their rowing advert shows the rowers with their backs to the future and their faces to the past. But that's just my opinion.

Maori Debate:

I liked the Taihauaru debate of the candidates and yes, McKenzie fared better in that one for the Maori Party. However I suspect that Tariana Turia's legacy still reverberates. McKenzie will reap the benefit of that. It's similar to that of Rino Tirikatene the sitting MP  for Te Tai Tonga who is part of the Tirikatene legacy going back to Sir Eruera Tirikatene and his daughter Whetu. Rino will win again. I felt aroha for Georgina Beyer who I thought was a good Labour MP but she stood out in the debate compared to the rest. She had to explain why she was forced by party discipline to vote for the FS&SB Bill. Had all the Maori MPs representing Maori seats voted against that legislation the outcome would have been different.

The Polls:

I have given up on these  and the only one that will count will be election day. I can't assess their accuracy. Surely pollsters samples are based on access to subjects (why am I not rung up by them and not by somebody who wants to sell me something?) which cohort of the population, where they live, etc etc.  The biggest factor in the election is the turnout on the day. A 90% plus turn out will see a Labour led government. We used to have those in the past. A low turn out will see the forces of the right supported by Cameron Slater the winners. However, e hoa ma, HAERE KI TE POOTI.

Oops:

Judith Collins is gone by lunch time! My lunch time that is. I had that at 1.30pm. I don't know what the reason was but looks like it was one email too many. She didn't help matters with her arrogant smarts and simply bad, bad, attitude. To make matters worse she and some followers were planning to replace Key with her. For goodness sake, even National doesn't deserve that. Anyway good riddance and so far it's the best policy National has announce in this election campaign so far.

Can We Talk Policy, Please?

The last two weeks reminds me of the time when I was a new activist in the Labour Party. I went to my first Annual Conference and although I was a branch secretary of a general electorate, I became a member of the Maori Policy Committee of the party. I assumed that the whole purpose of the committee was like the name said; POLICY. Instead the meetings for three nights resulted in a wrangle over who should be the new Chair person because the current one was in South Africa on behalf of the NZ Rugby Union! Those of us who were new to "politics" were stunned. However, on the last night at midnight we finally got to write policy for the Conference that morning. It took us one hour.

Now forget the hornets nest disturbed by Hager and Slater and korero policy, all be it briefly;

Tax: No civilised society can survive without a fair tax system. Increase income taxes for those who can afford more and decrease taxes for those well under the average income. Stop tax avoidance and close those loop holes. There should be no income tax for those under $20k especially if the GST is to be retained at 15%. There has to be a capital gains tax. Also profits made in NZ should have an extra tax before they are remitted off shore. Don't let profits from overseas investment leave without a substantial royalty for NZ.

Education: NZ has had for most of the last century, a well funded, and egalitarian education system. My experience as a teacher is that smaller classes results in better education outcomes at all levels. The learning and teaching process enables more participation of learners and those with learning difficulties are best taught in smaller classes.  It pays at teen age levels to go from fundamental and generic knowledge and skills to vocational and tertiary skills and experience.  However, a learners future is not only to get a job. History, (including the Treaty of Waitangi and Land Wars of the 19th Cebtury), politics, civics, culture, languages and media are also part of an adult future.

Health: NZ has a well developed health system of private and public provision; We should continue with what we have done well and focus more on the health of babies, children and youth as well as the old. Certain diseases should be targeted especially as they effect those in poverty, and as obesity proliferates, measures to combat it should be a higb priority. 

Employment: It's not enough to blame off shore market forces for pricing us out of jobs. It shouldn't stop us from achieving full employment again; We must add value to raw materials like logs,  dairy products and any other of our agricultural and forestry products. Also it's a no brainer if we build our own railway rolling stock instead of buying cheap Chinese ones that break down. Adding value increases the number of jobs. Innovations in technology, science and transport should also create more jobs.  The retention of state assets also are more likely to generate employment than privatizing them.

The Economy: Free trade is all very well if it applies to all our trading partners; The market is largely a failure and has resulted in a huge awning gap between rich and poor. There's no question about that. However to redress the balance requires an economic rather than only a fiscal redistribution of wealth. We must diversify our economy and open overseas markets especially those that have barriers to our products. Also its no use gambling on striking oil, gas or some other get rich quick product from the ground or sea bed. It's better to diversify what we grow on the land. 

These are just some thoughts about policy from the top of my head as the election approaches. Don't forget. Look at the policies leaders and parties are presenting. Vote for the policies you agree with as well as the parties and leaders. But VOTE anyway.

Dirty Politics; Is There Any Other Kind?

As my mate on facebook (Gavin) says; "Dirty Politics is old crap." After watching the PM squirm nightly on TV about whether he actually got the letter from the SIS Director about Goff's communication with the SIS which was passed on to the Big Boy Slater or whether his office wallars got it, is almost as good as Coronation St. if you are not a fanatical Nat. The substance is long forgotten but I still remember the Ena Sharples of politics; Rob Muldoon. Gav; the difference is the internet politics of today. The two Big Boys (Slater and Kim) can apparently either hack other people's emails or develop some nasties based on them and actually get some other people to give them money for it. 

Nicky Hager has done in this book what he did in "The Hollow Men;" tell us how modern communications in secret, political spins and strategies especially of the right from the US has impacted on the political scene. Frankly, it's very cynical stuff and the values base derived from the gutter. This is not a left wing conspiracy as the PM mantras. It's simply investigative journalism in a democracy. I have yet to get a copy of the book but if "The Hollow Men" is anything to go by........That book's references were also full of emails.

If you are a politician then power is all important. You get that by persuading as many as possible to vote for you and your particular ideology and interests you have in common with others in an organised party. Or maybe you simply have a lust for power or a genuine urge to serve your fellow citizens. If you want political office bad enough then you need advisors and strategists. When they play dirty they are doing it for you and the cause. How much of it sticks to you is your problem, Mr. Keys.

By the way, there's an election soon. My young brother used to say to me; "I don't care who you vote for as long as it's Labour." I did too for many years and was for a while an active member. That changed under "Rogernomics" and his Act Party mates. I have never missed an election since I was old enough to vote. It's more important that we vote rather than which party we vote for. It's not easy to scrutinize all policy offers or know about costs etc. I suggest that you at least look at education, health, and employment policies. And spare a thought for young and old. While global economic developments have a huge impact on NZ's economy, parties must not use that as an excuse. Rogernomics opened us up to every hiccup from London, the EU and Wall St. We are NOT a rock star economy. We were once in the top 5 and NO; we are not growing faster than any OECD nation because we have a lot of catching up to do. We are in serious debt. Na reira kaua e wareware. Haere ki te pooti.

Kia Ora: Nihao

In spite of the road closure at Brinderwyn on SH1 Northland I managed to get home to Haititaimarangai Marae on Friday 25th July for a Kaumatua Lunch organised by Keri-Ngawai and a wananga on the following Saturday:

First the Lunch-Hakari: I thought I was late for the hakari but Timoti Hetaraka the Minita, kai korero and MC was just winding up as I walked into the whare at the end of the whakangahau. It was great to see Dr Bruce Gregory our former MP for Tai Tokerau. The last time I saw him in our whare was the week after he was elected and Sir Graham Latimer got his knighthood. They both attended that meeting and I can't remember what it was for. Dr. Gregory was the MP who promoted the bill which saw Te Reo Maori becoming an official language of NZ. Great also to see Myra Berghan and so many others. The whare was full and so was the wharekai later. Nga mihi ki nga ringa wera me nga kai mahi ki roto i te kauta.

The Wananga: This was in the form of four workshops discussing the pluses and minuses of the developments proposed at Carrington Farms Ltd by the new owners with regards to the impacts in terms of: Economic, Cultural, Social, and Environmental. Each of the four groups circulated until all topics were discussed and the leaders recorded the feed back and presented it at the end. This is a good wananga or hui format mainly because everyone has a say or an input. It's not the usual hui format where a few speakers can dominate and the flow of ideas are therefore restricted. Briefly some questions and comments arose:

Economic Impacts: Will employment opportunities increase? Obviously yes and the new owners have already put full and part time workers on contracts which didn't happen before. The Chinese owners can do what the previous owners couldn't which is to increase the numbers of its golfing tourists from China. This will provide employment as the numbers of acomodation units increases. However, are these jobs sustainable? Also will workers be replaced by Chinese workers? What will be the impact on the local and national economy?

Cultural Impacts: Will the Carrington Resort and property be covered with Chinese signs? My group thought that any signs should be in Te Reo, English and Chinese. To what extent will the immediate community be affected by the presence of  new people in terms of tikanga? Will they bring in Maori artifacts made in China? Will there be opportunities for the tangata whenua arts and crafts to be made, displayed and sold by the resort?

Social Impacts: Will there be opportunities for social interaction with these tourists and in what form? 

Environmental Impacts: Will the new developments intrude on the local landscape and affect the ecology, such as waterways, the water quality, native or indigenous plants and animals, etc? What will the impact of many more tourists have on Karikari, Tokerau, Merita and other beaches? What about our local fishery? Will golfing tourists have time for fishing? Will they raid our kai moana?

There are many more thoughts, concerns and questions expressed at the wananga. Most of us were expressing ideals rather than realities which is fine. There's time for us to work out the realities. For example how good were we at looking after our environment before one Chinaman or woman set foot on the old Parakerake Block that our tupuna sold in 1868? I urge our steering committee of Simon, Trevor, Hori, and Karena to establish a list of provisos which the new owners would need to meet before Haititaimarangai Marae people will support any change in resource consents already granted. We also reserve the right to invite any other Ngati Kahu Marae to lend their support if we need it. However we deal with Carrington Farms under our own mana whenua which is Te Whanau Moana and more specifically Te Rorohuri or the descendants of Te Pari who traditionally had the mana of that whenua.

Naku na Atihana.