Heads Up

A little birdy has told me there is more from Ian Wishart over the donations for passports scandal that Labour has been involved in and the mainstream media has pretty much ignored and misreported.

Unless Wisharts new stuff is a knockout blow, I doubt whether mainstream media will show it the due attention it clearly deserves.

I think it is probably due to lack of resources and or priorities. The mainstream seem to be too busy following leaders around while they kiss babies, waiting for Saint Helen to get angry or Winston Peters mouthing off by being a racist pig for political mileage.  

Investigative Journalism seems to be something left to the "fringe" these days and while Ian Wishart is one of the best at it, he sometimes gets it wrong.

I guess Journos too have become rather blase' about the corruption of the incumbent Government.

Perhaps its supporters have as well.

How bloody sad.

c Political Animal 2008

Come and knock on my door

I just wonder out loud to nobody particular, if National or any other party are so desperate to get their feet on the parliamentary carpet then why haven't seen any knocking on my door?

As much as I loath most pollies, it takes balls to knock on someones door not knowing the political persuasion of the occupant or if you are a National Party campaigning in Otara, not knowing if you will get lynched.

Anyone coming to my door with their brand of politics gets my respect, Labour, NZ First, the Greens, and Labour will eventually get the bums rush they deserve but I will listen and debate, that is what politics should be all about.

If you are a political party wanting to sway swinging voters(not voters who swing) the personal touch is a very good way of making peoples minds up.

It is also cheap and doesn't breach the Electoral Finance Act if one has gone over budget.

It works for Rodney Hide in Epsom.

Im still waiting.

c Political Animal 2008

Government survey extends nanny State further

Are Helen Clark and her Labour Government "Mugabe like", as the Maori Party contends she is?

You decide:

Statistics NZ has been labelled threatening and heavy-handed by one respondent, who was sent a highlighted copy of the Statistics Act penalties schedule when he complained and tried to quit.

In 2002, 22,000 people were randomly selected to take part in the Statistics NZ Survey of Family, Income and Employment.

Wairarapa graphic artist Alistair Hughes has taken part for six years, but he and his wife asked to be excused last year as they thought the survey had become an offensive invasion of privacy. They were asked detailed questions relating to their income and expenditure, personal health and what surgery they might have had.

Statistics NZ wrote back telling Mr Hughes he was legally obliged to complete the survey, "though it is important we gain the cooperation of all those selected to take part", the letter said.

The highlighted penalty schedule was attached.

Standard of living manager Andrea Blackburn said though some people were reluctant to take part in the survey, they eventually agreed and there had been no prosecutions to date.

"Most people are willing to complete surveys once their value to New Zealand is explained," she said.

The survey is the first nationally representative, long-term study done in New Zealand. It was done randomly to ensure an even spread of respondents.

Mrs Blackburn said the data provided a valuable picture of changes in Kiwis' economic wellbeing. It was used to plan a range of issues - from retirement planning and programmes that helped move people into work, to determining levels of support for families and children.

"Used to plan a range of issues"?

When did anything the Government "plan" go right

Standard of living manager Andrea Blackburn said though some people were reluctant to take part in the survey, they eventually agreed and there had been no prosecutions to date.

Stuff.co.nz

New Zealand has a "standard of living" manager?  WTF?

I wonder Andrea if a criminal prosecution and a large fine might have something to do with the zero prosecution rate.

This is the sort of nonsense we can do without, an extension of nanny State that serves no purpose and clearly hasn't been of any benefit so far as the results of the survey seem to have led to increased welfare, poorer education, increases in crime, a crumbling health system and a whole lot of other government planning stuff that simply doesn't work.

It does work well in one of its key objectives though.

It interferes in peoples lives where government is not wanted or needed.

c Political Animal 2008

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TV3, 60 Minutes, Owen Glenn Doco, Monday 20 October 2008

An interesting TV3 60 Minutes segment on Monday 20 October 2008 is the story of Owen Glenn, and some more input on donations to New Zealand First and the Labour Party and his regret at doing so.

Reporter Karen McCarthy meets the man who donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to New Zealand political parties, and then regretted every cent.

This is Owen Glenn as you have never seen him before. He is having fun handing out his money, sunning himself on an exclusive Fijian Island with his gorgeous entourage and talking about his life.

Why does he want to donate so much of his wealth? How rich is he anyway? What kind of happiness does extreme money bring? And is he as lonely as he sometimes looks?

TV3.co.nz

A timely reminder of how low the present caretaker Government, the Labour Party are, and just one of the scandals they have been involved in this year, the latest one being the donation for passport saga.

c Political Animal 2008