This must be the craziest of 'moves' in the KDC saga---Hone and Kim?---- yeah right!

Is this the 'Mother of all conspiracy theories?---Kim Dot Com in league with Hone Harawira? Is Hone so broke and short of allies (more likely --cash!) that he would throw his hat into the ring with King Dot Kong?---oops!---slipped! It is so unbelievable that it could be true. My source for such an outrageous statement?---why---good old ZB talkback this afternoon. Really---I nearly ran off the road. There seems to be no end to the various machinations of power-seeking methods for this man---KDC, I'm talking  about. Apparently there is some obscure rule around MMP that allows for KDC to be a 'component' section,' of Hone's party, thereby allowing for some of KDC's cronies to enter Parliament, because we all know that he his kingly self can not. Damn---he must be desperate. I can't wait to see the next candidate, head covered in military camouflage, entering the magnificent 'rented' palatial lodgings of the king maker! Maybe the Dear Leader of the Conservative Party will regurgitate enough bile in order to make the journey! Wonders never cease. At this rate of visitations, we may even see the Taliban creeping across the front lawn of the 'big house.'. Watch out for  the site of KDC sporting a long black beard. Hey---has JK been there yet?
www.authorneilcoleman.com
 

Lorde laughs off extreme reaction from USA church--the 'hater church' that says 'their' God hates faggots.'

Why would we be surprised that the very same church that preaches hate and intolerance would come out and ask people to picket Lorde’s concerts? The church has been in the limelight quite a lot re its unique approach to religion as they see it. They are whacky, exclusively hateful and hardly represent anything other than the Taliban of Christianity. If anything, they have only increased the likelihood of increased audiences at Lorde’s concert and for that she is indeed grateful. Go for it, Lorde---we are most proud of you and the openness you ‘preach. Their version of ‘God’ is one that makes a mockery of ‘religion.’

www.authorneilcoleman (Website will be up and running once a few more ‘tweaks’ (not twerks) have been added.

China New Zealand trade: like our dependency on the 'Mother Country,' years ago, minus the 'ideological differences.'

Cast your minds back the ‘good old days,’ when New Zealand traded with Britain in a manner that had us almost hog-tied to the point that if Britain swerved in any way, we went along with ‘her.’ Our fortunes were strongly linked with those of Britain. Remember the phrase ; ‘Where Britain goes, we go,’ a position that took us to two World Wars,’ and one that the UK hardly takes into account in our modern day relationship. When the UK took itself into the ‘Common Market and closely aligned itself with Europe, the writing was on the wall and New Zealand rapidly realized that diversifying our trading partners was an essential fact of life in the new world. To a great extent we have succeeded in breaking that old economic partnership and the UK is now one of many trading partners. The relationship is relatively healthy and a two way one.

Other markets have also become important to us and we now trade with a huge number of countries. We produce a wider range of goods for the world, but it must be said that we are still a predominantly primary producer of goods, that thankfully represent choices that the world really needs, like ‘protein.’

With the growth and resurgence of the massive Chinese market, things have taken a different turn for New Zealand; almost one that resembles in some ways the old relationship we had with Britain, minus a few cultural factors and that of shared history. To some in New Zealand this new relationship is fraught with hooks; the main one being perceptions of human rights abuse from the top heavy Chinese Communist Party. New Zealand has for many years put its hand up, albeit a small one, for the rights of individuals and groups to have access to freedom of expression. That is something that is held very highly here, but one that is difficult to export to other societies, where other forces are more values; namely that of the access to food, housing and employment. If the later are delivered, then such lofty ideals that we often espouse, are seen as secondary to the reality of ‘survival.

My website is down---but that is part of the plan.

Look out for my new-look website---any day now. The old one has gone and that is part of the relaunch of my books in a much improved form. This journey has been a long expensive one, much like the one for my bariatric surgery---both of which are very much--'less is more,' in nature. I am less but oh so much more and the books have also had the knife taken to them. Once the new site is up, please share it with your circles and friends.
 

Labour in deep trouble as polls send it a message! (Election 2014, part 5)

Way back in the late 90’s Helen Clark was languishing in the opinion polls. She went as low a single digit figures and many wrote her off. The same is happening to the present leader of the Labour Party. Can he build the figures and gain the momentum needed to cross the line in the September elections?

Times are different and if ‘perception,’ rules the waves, then the answer is clearly---NO! If the majority of New Zealanders feel that they are doing ‘OK,’ and the figures re our economy are going in the right direction, for ‘most’ of New Zealanders, then Labour has a very difficult task re convincing the voters that it is time to change the governbmnet. Many of the issues that opposition parties bring up just don’t resonate worth enough NZers to bring about a change. That may sound defeatist to many of the people who read my blogs or follow me on Facebook, but present a more believable argument!

Most NZers do not think about politics every day and they generally steer well clear of divisive commentary unless they are directly affected. Sure they chuck in their bit when politics comes up at the break times in their workplaces or at parties and other gatherings, but for the most part, if they have a job (that’s most of us) are able to afford their mortgage or rent and have a little over (that is a diminishing number) then they ‘get on with life.’

Come election time, it is the perception of how they are doing that feeds into who they will vote for. It has always been far more difficult for the Labour Party and more recently the Labour Party/ Green alliance to gather in enough support to go beyond about 45% support. It seems that National has for a long time been able to keep a level of support that nears the high 40%. It is hard to put ones finger on why this is so. Simple analysis of the election results of the last 80 years will show that National has generally maintained a level of support that brings it across the line re holding Government. It is only when Labour has a charismatic leader or the economy is hurting ‘enough’ people and   there are other issues that ‘damage’ National, that Labour is able to form a Government. Holding power for more than one election cycle has also been difficult for Labour and the three examples of when they have gone beyond a single cycle speaks much.

The present leader of the Labour Party has a huge hill to climb and it doesn’t help his cause that he has a more ‘in your face,’ high ranking ‘contender to the throne,’ snapping at his heels. Shane Jones may be capable of drawing in ‘Middle NZ’ and that is what Labour needs to do in order to break the National grip on power. Political expediency versus genuine political debate and honesty are very much opposing forces, if one wants to win an election.

Sadly the later do not always win.

www.authorneilcoleman.com

Southland to have referendum on 'going it alone' from New Zealand!

We should have seen this one coming; especially given the impetus provided by the Crimean/Ukraine fiasco. In the case of Southland, the embryo rests with an ex Aucklander; namely Tim ‘concrete mixer,’ Shadbolt or to some, the ‘Bullshit and jellybeans’ man.

Southland has always been a bit ‘different’ from the rest of NZ; it even has its very own accent, one more akin to our cousins across the ‘ditch,’ yes---Australia. Don’t tell Southlanders that of course, but they have yet to get computers down there, so I should be fairly safe. Any

Hate mail’ will need to be delivered by ‘pigeon post,’ and the prospect of crossing the Cook Strait should be enough to protect me from that and then of course they have to fly over the ‘shooter’ in the Waikato, another region seriously looking at ‘self-rule.’

There is an impediment to the aspirations of Southland and that is the position that Stewart Island may play in the final outcome. There is a strong Nationalistic movement there that is closely allied to ‘Wellington,’ mainly a dependence on the subsidies they need to keep access to their capital---Oban. Only last week it was reported that ‘secrete training’ is taking place in the bush, led by ‘forces unknown,’ but possibly linked to similar groups from the East Coast of the North Island.

Publicity has been very one-sided re access to information about the background to this long running ‘dispute.’ Since ‘local forces took over two radio stations and the technical institute became the main hub for Television news reports, anyone trying to adhere to alternate views, has been effectively silenced.

Who is financing this movement? Have you not noticed the huge increase in the price of Bluff Oysters? (Another reason for Stewart Islander to be a little irate ad they claim that they are the real origin of these delectable little taste bombs!) Along with a surcharge, illegally imposed by the local regional authority over products from the Bluff Smelter and other ‘add-ons’ to rates, there has been a significant amount of money raised for the Southlanders’ cause.

Have you not noticed the ‘unofficial border control’ as you enter the Southland region? Sure, you may have been fooled into thinking that it is just a bunch of farmers or hunters, observing your every move as you cross into Southland ‘proper,’ along with their vast collection of ‘munitions.’

Time will tell if this movement gathers momentum. It is hard to gauge if the bulk of Southlanders supports the friends of Tim. They need to speak up and we shall do our very best to try to understand them. New Zealand must stay united and to those who would impose their ‘foreign views’ on this proud nation, should be aware of the depth of New Zealand’s nationalistic fervour. It is time to stand up and be counted! Southlanders—we really do love you, so don’t despair. Keep rolling your  ‘Rs’---it’s delightfully OK.

www.authorneilcoleman.com

Let us have a level playing field re foreigners buying our houses and farms. Reciprocity!

New Zealand First is bound to make this an election issue. I do not know if 'foreign' (that includes Australia, and not just China!) buyers make it harder for NZ citizens and residents from buying a home by forcing up the prices, but if it does then we need to look at what other countries do. Can NZers buy property in China or other countries? The answer is simple---"if we can buy property overseas as non-residents of that country, then they can do the same here. If not---you know the answer.  Read on. Anne's article makes for some interesting reading.

www.authorneilcoleman.com

Anne Gibson

Anne Gibson is the Property editor of the NZ Herald

• @Anne Gibson

Chinese snap up more Kiwi properties

2:51 PM Monday Mar 17, 2014

More New Zealand houses are being sold to people who live in China, according to real estate agents.
Tony Alexander, BNZ chief economist, said the latest BNZ-REINZ Residential Market Survey showed a quarter of all houses or apartments sold to foreigners were going to the Chinese.
"Whereas last year in March, 15 per cent of dwelling sales to people offshore were to people in China and in May 20 per cent, this March, the proportion is 25 per cent. So a rising proportion of sales going offshore are to people in China of which about 41 per cent are considered as likely to shift to New Zealand," Alexander said. Agents said of all the sales they handle, 6.4 per cent are to people who live overseas.
He has previously advocated that New Zealand should adopt Australia's more restrictive approach to foreigners buying houses.
Australia, Britain, Singapore, Hong Kong and Canada all have measures to defend their housing stock against foreign buyers.
In Australia, foreigners can build only new homes, not buy existing ones, he said.

When it comes to a multi-unit complex like an apartment block, they can buy only 50 per cent.
New Zealand should mimic the system so new house supply rises while foreigners are deterred from driving up prices in already overheated places like Auckland, Mr Alexander says.
The Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa, which has its headquarters in Christchurch, has long campaigned against foreigners buying businesses and property here.
They claim it is against our national interest and is doing damage to the economy.
The Labour Party wants to discourage foreign buyers but Barfoot & Thompson managing director Peter Thompson has expressed doubts about that.
Countries which banned foreign investors did not enjoy lower house prices and New Zealand did not have to follow other countries on the issue, he says.
Read the full report here: