How do you know that you are persona-non-grata with the Labour Party?

When you go to the Library and find the Labour Party Hutt 2020 Mayoral Candidate is there at a book launch. And he keeps staring at you with a look that would kill a weaker man.

An idea for a new flag

Okay, it borrows heavily from the Canadian design, but it keeps the features of the existing flag while making it distinctive from the Australian.

The Union Jack is dropped, but replaced by the red on the left representing the British influence in creating New Zealand. The Red on the right represents Maori, and their influence in creating New Zealand. In the middle is the Southern Cross, which is also vaguely the shape of New Zealand on a 'sea' of blue, representing New Zealand.



I don't claim this as an original design, it's one I've liked since first seeing it in the late 1980's. One lone campaigner at that time wanted to change the flag for the Sesqui-centennial anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The colours and what they represent are what I remember as his discription.

God Save the Queen (and King, and King ...)

New Zealand's 100th anniversary of it's independence from Britain is a good as time as any to debate whether or not we should be a republic. It's one of those debates where both sides have equally valid points, but no common ground. It's a credit to both sides that the debate is usually about ideas, rather than personalities.

The main reason I'm not for not wanting a President of the Republic of New Zealand is that anyone who wants the job, is clearly not suitable for it! Believe it or not, we are lucky enough to have a Head of State who cannot use any of their powers - because using them would mean they would no longer be Head of State.

I do accept that a New Zealand Republic is inevitable, given the changing ethnic make of New Zealand away from immigrants from other former British colonies. And if we do it before Australia then it will royally piss them off!

And anyone who thinks the British Royal Family are a waste of space should remind themselves that the current bunch are nothing compared to the goings-on with the Tudors. If we were to have a President (even ceremonial) you can impeach as many as you like, but you'll never get one that's perfect!

Picture of Michael Stripping

Did you think I was going to publish something else?

Kissing Test

The girls think they're going to be kissing hunky guys while blindfolded - you can probably guess what happens next!

Raising the Driving Age

When I was a fifteen year old, the proposal to introduce a graduated license meant there was a rush of friends who sat their drivers license. (I left it until I was seventeen and had to go through the compulsory 6 months as a Learner, then 18 months as Restricted.) No doubt there will be a rush of 15 year olds now getting a license now as Parliament is set to debate a law raising the driving age.

Overall, I agree with the intent if the proposed bill. However, I share the concern of some that the bill is harsher on rural residents who don't have the public transport options of city dwellers, and sometimes need to operate tractors and vehicles on public roads to complete work on the farm.

A sensible compromise would be to allow Police Officers the discretion to allow 15 year olds to apply for a license. Police guidelines would set out the character required to obtain the waiver, and it could only be given when the officer knew the applicant was sensible enough to not be a danger on the road. This would make it difficult for urban kids to get a license as the only ones the Police will know will generally be the ones that are in trouble. But a rural officer will know everyone in their district - so will be more likely to be able to grant the waiver.

Keep the World Cup at 20 Teams

The IRB are wanting to avoid mismatches like the All Blacks vs Portugal Game by limiting the number of teams in the World Cup to 16. This was done in the first three World Cups, then a five pools of four (with a repecharge system for the second placed teams to go into the quarterfinals), and finally the four pools of five.

While the All Blacks pool is the most mismatched, with no team likely to get within forty points of NZ, I'm sure that Portugal and Romania are delighted to be drawn into it. For them, the honour is in playing the legendary team of Rugby - similar to the hype of the All Whites playing a friendly against Brazil before last years Soccer World Cup.

While I'm sure that Christian Ronaldo or the Portugese Soccer League dominated the sports sections in Lisbon over the weekend, there would have been a write-up about the brave, amatuer Portugese taking on the All Blacks.

Also, the 'minnows' have surprised. Fiji made the quarterfinals (and should have beaten France to make the semifinals) in 1987 at the expense of Argentina. Similarly, Canada and Samoa making the quarterfinals of the 1991 World Cup has elevated those teams to creditbility and they regularly play tier one teams throughout the world.

So keep the tournament at 20 teams - it will eventually pay off, and then the tournament may have to be 24 teams!

Dirty Poll II

Now I'm actually angry about this. Steven Lulich, the Labour Party Hutt 2020 chair is making a perfectly legitmate 'expose' on my current National Party position. (Although I have only been Secretary of Rimutaka for 18 months, so how I could identify myself as being such when I last wrote a letter almost two years ago.) And it's not as if I've ever hidden from my affiliation to the National Party.

But then he reveals that his response to my letter was to come and case my home, and he includes enough information about my home to make it very easy for any passers-by to identify.

I do note that I have the moral victory here - Steven Lulich doesn't address any of the massive costs I identified.

Dirty Pool I

Hutt 2020 (or the Labour Party) are up to their old tricks again. Suspected rigging polls before, this email turned up in my inbox today:



The email says the poll was neck and neck when sent, now the Labour Hutt 2020 candidate (who is also Luamanuvao Winnie Laban's brother) is well ahead.

As you can see, the email was sent from the domain winnie.org.nz - a website paid for by the Parliamentary Service (therefore the taxpayer).

RWC North vs. South

One week into the World Cup and the results have shown that the Southern Hemisphere reigns supreme. There are eight Southern Hemisphere teams: Argentina; Australia; Fiji; Namibia; New Zealand; Samoa; South Africa; and Tonga. So far, North vs South results have been:

Fra. 13 vs Arg. 17.
Ita. 14 vs NZ. 76.
Ire. 32 vs Nam. 17. (Only Sthn team to lose against a Nthn Team)
Grg. 3 vs Arg. 33.
USA. 15 vs Tng. 25.
Jap. 31 vs Fij. 35.
Eng. 0 vs SA. 35.

The Southern Hemisphere are 7-1 ahead. With New Zealand playing Portugal, and Australia playing Wales I can't see that being anything other than 9-1 by the end of the weekend. (I hope that Wales win, but they've fallen a long way in the past two years and I can't see it happening.)

The two most interesting games coming up will be England vs Samoa and Ireland vs Argentina. Samoa are not the worst team, and have a style of rugby that can unsettle. If they play to their potential they will beat England and knock them out of the cup. And Argentina are showing that they are the best of the non Tri-Nations/6 Nations teams and have shown the skill and confidence that will help them win.

Lay off TV3!

If TV3 are prosecuted for showing ads during Sunday Morning Rugby Matches there will be two consequences:

• Future Rugby Games (or any major sporting events) in that timeslot will be only shown on Pay TV.
• Future Rugby Games (or any major sporting events) in that timeslot will be delayed and shown after midday.

Neither will benefit regular New Zealanders.

The Minister for Culture and Heritage should tell her department to pull there heads in.

Why did the SIS change its mind?

If Ahmed Zaoui wasn't in danger of being murdered before, he certainly is now. His tactit admission that his former associates were at least under-desirable, if not actual terrorists, can leave me to draw one conclusion - He's turned against them and provided intelligence information to the SIS (and therefore to other friendly Governments) about them.

UPDATE: Looks like I was right to make the assumption.

I told you so ...

The Phoenix stink. (So do the 'Auckland' Warriors.)

Lions are now third. And the All Blacks crushed Italy.

Michael the Handyman

Anyone who knows me will probably guess that of all the things I'm good at, handyman is not one of them. So, I've taken up the challenge this week of redoecorating the Laundry/2nd bathroom with some trepidation.

I've just finished applying the second coat of ceiling paint. And followed that up with installing a gate to stop Bevan from crawling into the kitchen where he can get into mischeif with cat biscuits or opening cupboards.

I've actually done a good job of both!

Next, I've got to paint all the trim in the Laundry/2nd bathroom and strip the (very dated) wallpaper so I can paint the walls.

An idea worth debating

Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro's proposal that all families are screened before babies are taken home from hospital has some merit, but is so over the top to be not taken seriously. Only a minority of homes are unsafe for children to be bought up in, so screening all is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Far better would be following up on reports where there is suspicion over the environment - Steven Williams and Blair Williams were both known to CYFS, as were the Kahui's - instead of making social workers make quick checks which will probably mean reports are based on the socio-economic status of families, than actually risk.

More training for health workers, Police and Plunket on how to spot abuse; and more importantly how to report it so it will be actioned appropriately. A publicity campaign with how neighbours and families can do the same would be good as well.

Kiro's idea of better screening of families when they are in contact with health professionals while a baby is worthwhile. But her ideas for making checks mandatory for all should not be followed up.

Greenpeace endorses a Candidate!

Struggling through the Waiwhetu Stream floodwaters on 16 Feb 2004 (between Helen Clark and the Policeman) is Rose Thomas, a Lower Hutt Mayoral Candidate and the National Party Candidate for Hutt South at the last election.

Does that count as an endorsement? (And would either Greenpeace or Rose appreciate that endoresement?)

Enforce the Law

I don't envy the Police when they have to intervene in family disputes. They end up trying not to take sides and hoping that everyone will eventually cool down without any arrests.

Now the Police are stuck between two family groups over the hijacking burial of a the body of a man by his extended family at a marae in the Bay of Plenty after his immediate family decide that he was to be buried in Christchurch.

In the case of the late James Takamore, the law is clear. It is the decision of the immediate family that over-rules any decision that his extended family have taken. Unless Mr Takamore specified in his will that he wanted to be buried at Kutarere Marae (and I can't believe a court order preventing his burial, or the subsequent exhumation order would be issued if it was so specified) then his wife should have the final say on his burial place.

That the Police are sitting on their hands over this is only adding to his immediate families anguish - they have been unable to have a funeral or access a burial plot to greive at. (And good on Ms Clarke for not fighting this battle in the media.)

The Police should simply advise the elders at the Marae that they will enforce the exhumation order, and that any person who resists the exhumation will be arrested for obstruction.

The Simpsons/Star Wars

This just made me mad!

I read the story of Tracy Goodman's trial being delayed and felt nothing but anger. Everyone involved agrees that Goodman's incarcaration at the local Police Station is "not good enough" but instead sit around finger pointing at each other.

I agree with the sentiment that Tracy Goodman should not be kept in the Wanganui Police cells with the light on overnight. I'm not some redneck who thinks an imprisoned person should be ill-treated.Prisoners are punished by the depravation of liberty, not by using low-level torture techniques. (Nor should prisons be anything but safe and dull - no gyms, no tv, bland food, but that's not my point.)

The family of Mona Morriss was also be wondering why so much time is being taken on determining where Goodman sleeps, instead of establishing whether she is guilty or not guilty of killing Mrs Morriss.

As Corrections, Courts and Police can't co-ordinate keeping a prisoner in a cell, the whole trial could be postponed for longer - costing more than if a private contractor was used to transport Goodman from Palmerston North each day.

Let him stay

Normally, I wouldn't take the side of Refugee claimants who are protesting. But Ali Reza Panah's commitment to his hunger strike makes me think that he really does have a genuine fear if he is returned to Iran. As Mr Panah would prefer to die by starvation than return to Iran it is the humanatarian thing to let him stay.

He has the support of his local church, and he has no criminal convictions in other countries. (Unlike that other famous refuge seeker in NZ). I would think that Mr Panah could make a reasonable go of living in NZ without needing extra support from the Government.

I know it's easy to fall for a sob story, but lets at least give him a two year visa so he can prove that he can make a go of being a sucessful New Zealander.