New Zealand's Infrastructure Crisis

In 2011, New Zealand is hosting the Rugby World Cup - There is expected to be thousands of tourist descent on New Zealand, pushing infrastructure, especially Aucklands, to breaking point.

However, in 2013, New Zealand will co-host the Cricket World Cup. If the Rugby World Cup was an infrastructure crisis that we need to plan to avoid, then the Cricket World Cup is a total nightmare.

Consider this:

Rugby is a major sport in:

Country	Population
Australia	20 Million
United Kingdom	60 Million
Ireland	4 Million
France	64 Million
Italy	59 Million
Romania	22 Million
Argentina	40 Million
South Africa	47 Million
New Zealand	4 Million
Total	320 Million

Cricket is a major sport in:

Country	Population
Australia	20 Million
United Kingdom	60 Million
Carribean Nations	7 Million
Pakistan	164 Million
India	1,103 Million
Sri Lanka	21 Million
Bangladesh	142 Million
South Africa	47 Million
New Zealand	4 Million
Total	1,568 Million

While rugby playing nations are generally wealthier than most cricket playing nations, the massive size (and growing) of the middle class in India (and to a lesser degree in the other Asian nations) gives a large number of people the means to attend the World Cup in New Zealand.

If we are going to build enough infrastructure to host the Rugby World Cup we may just find ourselves with insufficient traffic and tourist infrastructure only two years later.

I would suggest that NZ Soccer not bid for the Football World Cup anytime soon.

Ridding Fundamentalism is a Good Cause

Germany minus Aryan Fundamentalism = Prosperous Germany.

Japan minus Imperialist Fundamentalism = Prosperous Japan.

Eastern Europe minus Communist Fundamentalism = Prosperous Eastern Europe.

China minus Mao-ist Fundamentalism = Prosperous China.

India minus Planning Fundamentalism = Prosperous India.

So, Middle East minus Fundamentalism = presumably, a prosperous Middle East.

Commenting on this Blog

Okay, I should explain why I asked someone to stop posting comments on this blog.

'Strong-Light' posted a comment on my recent post about why I thought Israel was justified in attacking Hizbollah in Lebanon. He didn't understand my post and accused me of not supporting Israel's right of self-defence, but supporting bombing Lebanon to ensure political popularity for the governing party in Israel.

He then continued to (either maliciously, or ignorantly) place taunting comments not related to the thesis of my arguement. If 'Strong-Light' commented why I was wrong and why Israel was not right to attack Hizbollah targets in Lebanon I would've been happy to take those comments on board - instead, he called my analogy "counter-factual" and "disingenous". Not harsh words, but they code for "You are a Liar".

'Strong Light' had also previously accused me of using "'womens rights' only when it provides [ME] with a mechanism to make another dig at Maori" - in other words, called me both sexist and racist.

I pay for the hosting and bandwidth on this site - I post to this blog for various reasons - because I have a bee in my bonnet, or because I want people I know what is happening in my life, or because I've found something I want to share. Constructive comments are always welcome.

I don't pay for this blog to be insulted - and if you don't like it, you can click "Next Blog" and go somewhere else.

Observations from the National Party Conference

1. If a well known party member and blogger wants to go to conference, he should pay the registration fee - not register as 'Media' and go for free.
2. If a former (female) MP is going to dinner with three men while the All Blacks are playing, and the bar has a big screen, she should not expect much conversation from them.
3. The CTU and National Front protesting together - politics does make for strange bedfellows.
4. An effective protest is one that goes to the actual building the target of your protest is at - not the one across the road.
5. An effective protest also doesn't pack up and go after 10 minutes.
6. No matter how many times you explain that there are four delegates from your electorate, when word gets out there is only one delegate the entire conference thinks there is only one.
6. Everyone likes the Caaar.

Favourite Part of Don Brash's speech

Have just returned from the National Party Conference - here's my favourite part of Don Brash's speech from this morning:

"Just this week we've had the latest chapter in the Taito Phillip Field saga.

I don't intend to dwell on this today.

I simply make the point that New Zealand politics has been free of corruption for many decades in a way that's almost unique in the world.

And now we have a Prime Minister who;ll turn a blind eye to allegations of serious corruption; who'll actually contrive to ensure that allegations of corruption against a member of her Government are not investigated because holding the baubles of office has become more important to her than the preservation of the integrity of public life in this country."

Pretty damning statement on Helen Clark - will be interesting to hear her response.

Why Israel is right to bomb Lebanon

Imagine, if you will, there was a group of Anti-Australian Rebels living in Fiordland. These rebels were launching unguided rockets into Melbourne and Sydney, indescriminately maiming and killing. Occasionally, they were launching raids and kidnapping Australian citizens. (Okay, you have to ignore the obvious logisitical problems here.)

The New Zealand Government is doing nothing to close down the rebels, or stop the supply of weapons and money from other Anti-Australian Governments and supporters in the South Pacific.

If you were Prime Minister of Australia, would you:

A. Sit on your hands, engage in dialogue hoping for a peaceful resolution while the attacks continue.
B. Bomb the rebels bases and try to cut off all supply routes to the rebels.

If you answered A, then imagine what your political opponents would campaign on at the next election. And you know they would win.

Fire Field!

If a banker was approached to help a family facing a mortgagee sale, then proceed to purchase the house off them - they would be fired. It's a clear conflict of interest and obviously taking advantage of a situation.

So, when an MP is approached to help a family facing a mortgagee sale, then purchased the house off them, you get a half million dollar report saying it could look like a conflict of interest but it isn't and the MP didn't actually take advantage of the situation.

Politicians then wonder why they're as trusted as used car salesmen.

Bush and Blair Overheard

Adam Boulton has a transcript of a private conversation between George W Bush and Tony Blair discussing trade, sweaters and the mid-east. It's very candid.

In it you hear Bush promising to send Condi Rice to try and calm things down in Israel and Lebanon, them wishing that a Palestinian state is brought about peacefully and Iraq goes the right way, Blair promises he will do some ground work to help pave the way and they agree to pressure Syria "to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit".

Read it.

Ben Elton - Get a Grip!

Our friend Richard organised a night out at Ben Elton's new show - Get a Grip.

It's a great show, Ben Elton's on stage for two and a half hours and takes some telling shots at the modern trend of refusing to believe in the patently obvious but to accept the impossible as being plausible, how you and your kids (barely) survive living in the same home for twenty years, and then explain once and for all why we should all be monarchists.

So thank you Richard for the great night, and happy birthday as well!

What can you buy for 5c nowadays?

I've got the bargain of the century - yesterday, while pondering the quickest and cheapest way to get from Budapest to Dubrovnik (two days travel by bus or train) I checked out a few airline websites and found one called SkyEurope.

I ended up booking a flight from Bratislava (capital of Slovakia and about three hours by train from Budapest) to Dubrovnik (about 600km as the crow flys) for the grand total of 1 Slovak Crown - a fraction over 5 cents New Zealand. With taxes and airport charges the total cost is about NZ$30.

And I can't see the hooks - there is a 20Kg baggage allowance and the seat is decribed as 'confirmed'. I know the seating is on a first onboard, best seated basis but I'm travelling by myself so any seat will do. All the planes are modern 737 jets.

Now I am wondering why a flight from Wellington to Christchurch costs $100 each way.

Robson on National

Matt Robson's latest newsletter shows a fascination (or an obsession) with the National Party.

He claims that the Nats:

• Can't agree on leadership
• Can't agree on policy
• Can't agree on drug policy
• Can't agree on alcohol age policy
• And so on ...

Of course, we all know that the Progressive Party has the most united caucus in Parliament.

But then, that's the difference between being a Party with almost 50 MPs and thousands of members and having a solitary MP and not having any members to distribute leaflets.

In fact, if the Progressive Party can't find a dozen or so people in Auckland (remember that's home to a third of the population of New Zealand) to support a candidate in a by-election you really must question whether they have the required 500 members nationwide to be legally registered as a party.

Retirement of Jim Sutton

Wainuiomata-based Labour List MP Jim Sutton is to retire from Parliament as part of Labour's 'refresh' to help it keep power at the next election. While I have no strong feelings against Jim Sutton, or his replacement Charles Chauvel, I find it a curious decision.

The support that Labour lost at the last election was primarily the conservative rural and provincial vote it had managed to pick up off National in 1999 and 2002. It already picked up some of the urban, liberal, socialist vote off the Greens at the last election.

So dumping a farmer who was respected for his work as a Minister in trade and rural affairs for an urban lawyer (although a very sucessful one) seems counter-intuitive to me.

Fiat Haka Ad

Italian 'Haka Ad' upsets some Maori, Government officials calling it "culturally insensitive".

And in other news, the Dolmio Pasta Sauce Ads are to be banned as they contain references to Italian culture to sell prepared sauces for cooking Italian food.

Or perhaps the Italians aren't that petty and small-minded.

Choosing a name

One of the hardest things a couple will ever confront when having a baby is agreeing on names. You have to choose a name that doesn't offend anyone in the family, give favouritism to anyone in the family, and (most importantly) also a name that the child won't ever be disappointed with using.

So, Chaucey and I sat down on the weekend and discussed names. We agreed:

• No repeats - so Michael the Second and Chaucey Jnr are out.
• No American Footballers - like Chad, Tyrone and Bradley.
• No drinks - like Chardonnay, Alize, Martini and Margarita.
• No stripper names - Crystal, Chanel and Destiny.
• No car names - Ford, Mercedes, Porsche.
• No super trendy names - Dylan, Shiloh, Zahara.
• No surnames - Thompson, Wilson, MacGyver.
• No voweless names - Vyvvyn, Yyn.
• No grandmother names - Gertrude, Ethel and Alva.
• No names that only Celebrities can get away with, no matter how big a fan I am of magician/comedian/political commentator Penn Jillette. (His daughter is Moxie Crimefighter and his newborn son is Zoltan - which is both his wifes maiden name and the name of Dracula's dog in the novel.)
• No names already in use by members of the family.
• No names that just don't suit the surname - Vladim and Kohkaylcomest (yes - we found that name on a baby name website)
• No town names - Brooklyn, Alexandra and Hamilton
• For obvious reasons - Alice and Alison
• No weird characer names from our favourite books - Zaphod, Sabriel, Herminone, Frodo.

So after all that we were left with a very short shortlist. And we've chosen a boy name and a girl name. But if you want to find out what they are you'll just have to be patient.

Of course, we could always change our mind.

A Great Debate

Yesterday, former Labour MP John Tamihere argued that benefits should no longer be administered by a Government Agency, but by the voluntary sector who already work to improve the lives of poor people. He suggested that Maori beneficaries should be administered by the National Urban Maori Authority, and that the Salvation Army, Presbyterian Support Services and similar agencies could also work in the area.

Now the Salvation Army has commented on Tamihere's suggestion saying there should be a debate.

I think Tamihere's suggestion is a real step in the right direction. The agencies he has mentioned, plus the others like them, would do a fabulous job of distributing benefits as they will ensure that Michael Savage's description of his social security system as "Applied Christianity" is kept true - providing a hand to those in need during hard times and having direct access to other programmes to help move them out of dependency.

The best thing about Tamihere's model is that the agencies that care about people are working with beneficiaries - not a faceless Government bureaucracy that tries to spend as little as possible to avoid political embarassment.

World Cup Update

Okay, I've stopped sulking over the Czech's early withdrawl. Possibly because in the office sweepstake I've got Germany and Italy and Chaucey's got Portugal.

I've looked at my picks from last month - I got 13 out of 16 in the round of 16, but none of the semifinalists. Considering I picked the Portugese to win last time, and France to win the time before (at least I got that one right) I'm going to stick to not picking winners of sporting competitions. (Labour could stop doing it for business - they're as good at it as I am at soccer.)

And I've decided that instead of a Penalty Shootout the captains should have a game of 'Rock-Paper-Scissors' to decide tied games - it's only slightly more farcical than the penalty shoot out.

Finally, Juan should have been sent off as he was only ever going for the player, not the ball. But Brazil lost anyway, so there is some natural justice.

Union Can't have it's Cake and Eat It

Rail and Maritime Union workers who maintain tracks are taking industrial action against their employer, Government owned OnTrack. The industrial action is having a flow on effect to train operator Toll Rail who are reducing services to lesson the risk of damaging the tracks. Toll have also rostered at least some of it's casual staff (who collect tickets on peak commuter trains) off as there is now enough permanent staff to cover all services.

The action is being taken to achieve parity with Toll Rail workers who are apparently doing work requiring the same skill level. And if they worked for Toll Rail they might have a claim of pay parity as Toll would be discriminating if the skill levels were equal. (I have no idea if they are or not.)

All the rail maintenance crews all worked for Toll Rail until the Union sucessfully campaigned to "Take Back the Track" - where they called for ownership and maintenance by the Government. So, after sucessfully being separated from Toll Rail, the Unions are arguing that they should be paid the same as Toll Rail, who may decide to pay above the market rate to retain it's staff from other industries.

How long before we see the RMTU campaigning to "Let Toll Buy the Track"!