Announce protest actions, general chit chat or give your opinion on issues we haven’t covered for the day.
Moderation rules are more lenient for this section, but try and play nicely.
Of course NZ has tumbled in global corruption rankings
Come on NZ – no one honestly thought we would keep our position as the least corrupt country on the planet after Key’s term did they?
I get you all love Key, his laid back casual anti-intellectualism keeps the scary cultural soy lattes at bay and in a land of smiling zombies getting angry at the facts is akin to farting in church. The acquiescence to Key however has come at a cost.
Let’s be clear. Key’s Government is one of the worst civil rights eroders and abusers of political power we’ve seen since the Waterfront lockouts.
Look at what Key has done.
He green lighted a war when he said he wouldn’t before the election.
He passed law under urgency with only a 1 vote majority to allow state agencies to mass surveillance.
He gave Police retrospective laws that made their illegal spying legal.
He passed the Search and Surveillance Bill that expanded massive spying powers for state organisations.
He gave the SIS 24 hour warrantless searches.
He was running a dirty ops team out of his office.
He is mates with a far right hate speech merchant.
His office colluded with the SIS to smear Phil Goff before the 2011 election.
You simply can’t abuse political power in the manner Key has and not expect us to tumble in global perceptions of corruption.
Labour say no to TPPA
It’s been finally confirmed, Labour will say no to the TPPA.
They have avoided getting sucked into Matthew Hooton spin that siding with Jane Kelsey is akin to fringe politics like mass surveillance that no one supposedly cares about.
In part it was the hundreds of arguments that have been put up showing how destructive the TPPA is, but the biggest component was a combination of a titanic idelogical battle behind the scenes and deep seated public opinion turning against the TPPA.
The real deal of getting Labour to this point was a behind the scenes fight with the right wing of the Party inside Caucus. They feared waking the sleeping dogs of free market arguments that had torn the party in two in the 80s. The real turn around came after Little went to America and spoke privately with many Democrats who were deeply against TPPA. Hearing their points of view and speaking to experts outside the Government PR spin drs created a resolution within Little that was cemented into place at their recent private retreat at the beginning of the week.
Even the Right within Labour acknowledged that this deal was unlike any ‘free trade’ deal before it and would absolutely stump any future Government from passing legislation based on their own policies.
Goff is making his stand, but he needs Labour backing to win the Mayoralty so crossing the floor might be a bit too far, and there are plenty of new young up and comers who could stand in Mt Albert.
The other reason Labour have solidified their position is because of the private polling. Key is talking up conflict and spoiling for a fight on the 4th and at Waitangi because polling is telling him that the country is deeply set against the TPPA. What National are attempting to manufacture is the same game plan they used with mass surveillance and dirty politics.
Most NZers were completely against the GCSB gaining mass surveillance powers and dirty politics, but by playing to the nations anti-intellectualism and need to be part of the flock, Key was able to paint those asking questions as agitators and communist conspirators. He used the same tactic against Labour by screaming they supported rapists and murderers when they asked questions about NZers human rights.
When caught abusing political power, Key’s response is always to bellow abuse at his enemies and paint them as extreme. That’s what Key is doing now with the protest against the TPPA and Key is having to stoop once again to these tactics because their polling is telling them most NZers are completely against the this forced trade deal.
Labour may have been late to the fight, but they are here. Little will rob Key of any symbolism in a Parliamentary vote, this is Key’s turd sandwich and Labour don’t want a bite of it.
Labour nails TPPA colours to the mast just in time
Labour’s unequivocal opposition to the TPPA will please the rank-and-file of the party whose desire for autonomy and authenticity was so clearly evident at its conference last year.
Leading the charge at the Conference were the combined forces of Young Labour branches from around the country who made it clear that their agenda, terrifying though it was for some, had groundswell from within the Party.
But first some background. Many of us who’d battled in the List selection or in ‘take-one-for-the-team’ electorates, there had been a lot of frustration with sticking to the “Vote Positive” script we were required to follow. What was Labour’s stand on deep sea oil drilling? Never mind that, let’s sing Kum Ba Yah for Warm Dry Homes really loudly. All together now….On election day, it was clear that few wanted to hold hands and sing along.
Labour’s policy on deep sea oil drilling, as just one example, requiring complete safety before they’d support it was interpreted by many as lacking authenticity. Behind the scenes it was said that such drilling could never be proven to be safe, so, effectively, the answer was that Labour opposed it. The equivocating vagueness no doubt reflected a desire to tread carefully given the clear competing interests of, say, miners and drillers and those who think we’ve got enough our planet’s blue eyes brown. But there comes a point where treading carefully becomes insincere pussyfooting; a most unattractive look.
Looking at the electorally battered attendees a year later at the Conference in Palmerston North there were notable absences, but the faithful returned, some minus an eye, some with a limp, some with their tails up and others desperately looking for a reason to go on. Or perhaps just go.
There was less hype with this conference. The new leader mixed easily with his charges in sharp contrast to the sycophantic selfie-seeking swarms that buzzed around the previous papa bear. It seemed the earthy goodness had returned and from it flourished a speech which one observer said represented the very best and worst of the party.
“We built state houses and we banned nuclear ships,” she said from the podium, her clenched fists raised in front of her. Bosoms swelled with pride as they remembered the best and, then, the worst, as they were reminded that the speaker had effectively lost her seat in Parliament during the list selection process.
And yet, despite the hurt that many felt about this, the grace and humour with which the speech was delivered reminded all that this was a tough game and that the show must go on.
One did not have to look far to see signs of vigorous new growth within the party. Earlier in the day sector meeting had been well covered by well-organised younger party members. Despite opposition from the more conservative, by the end of the day, they had remits which had to go to the conference floor.
They’d already been in trouble after getting a controversial remit for transgender health care through at regional level. Now it was going to the floor at the National Conference which would vote on whether it went forward to the policy committee.
Not content with that, they pushed through similar remits to decriminalise cannabis, decriminalise abortion and to partially decriminalise all drugs adopt a Portuguese-style model of drug harm reduction.
Indeed some were very concerned about these bold remits. It would be better to get into power, get a Law Commission report and then blame it when the new law was made. The youngsters were unconvinced. They wanted to nail their authentic colours unmistakably to their mast.
They saw straight answers on straight issues as having more political benefit than the evident obfuscation their seniors think they’re so slick at.
The youngsters needed to pull their silly little heads in and get real said one. Another noted that these issues were important because the young people said so. That was reason enough, given that these folk would, she hoped, be there to look after the aged. What do we want our bums wiped with, she asked, three-ply or sandpaper?
Meanwhile, some were concerned about how the conference or the press would handle the remits if they were voted in or, worse, voted down. A portable defibrillator on standby wasn’t needed, but some seemed short of breath.
One said to the other, “Yes, I know. We’re in imminent danger of appearing like a dynamic, progressive party where the voices of young people are heard. Imagine if we had a policy to decriminalise pot. All those dirty hippies who decamped to the Greens might come back and stink up our tent with their dreadlocks and goatswool socks. No, we couldn’t have that.”
They needn’t have worried. With the controversial remits wrapped up in a euphemistic “catch all” remit going to up, the words decriminalise were never uttered on the conference floor and the catch all remit was voted up. It went off for consideration at the policy committee which some have likened to something like a cross between the Tardis and the Bermuda Triangle.
With 140 policies advanced at the last election, there’s no doubt that it’s able to produce more than its outside dimensions would seem to indicate. And while rumours about it being the final resting place of Jimmy Hoffer are said to have no foundation, there’s no doubt that a lot of things have gone there and never been seen again.
There will no doubt be attempts to dilute or slow the significant social agenda pushed by the young, but the reality is there is a tide against prohibition within the party based not just on pragmatism but body autonomy.
The evident goodwill at the conference showed as delegates raced through the adoption of various remits. Although time was allowed for people to speak for and against them, a growing chorus began calling “aye” the moment a remit was read out. Undeterred, some speakers still queued to speak on no-brainer remits and met again with a chorus of “ayes” wrapped around the clear cry of “Jesus, just take me now.”
And then in a flash it was over, early, and there was left to do was drink to the success of the conference and the secure knowledge for many that their kids wouldn’t be shipping them off to an old folks home on the South side of Enderby Island. And for those who wondered if they would ever get anywhere within Labour the knowing looks among them indicated they now knew the Party was going somewhere with them.
This feeling was evident at Young Labour’s summer school in the Waitakeres last weekend. They’re still flushed with pride at not only getting these remits through, but gaining unanimous support when it went to the floor at the Conference.
Astonishingly the press hasn’t picked up on these bold policy initiatives. When just one of these controversial remits made it through at regional level (transgender healthcare), it must have been a slow time for news for it reverberated around the media for weeks. When it was adopted at national level, there wasn’t a peep.
But the influence of Young Labour is perhaps evident in other and more important ways from an electoral perspective. Taking a clear, unequivocal, authentic stand is admired by those who are attracted to principles. Autonomy and freedom from interference by others are almost universal values within this country. It’s nice to see Labour representing them.
The 0.004% Mandate: Why opponents of the TPPA should boycott Real Choice’s “blockade” on 4 February
A GROUP calling itself “Real Choice” has announced its intention to “blockade” the Sky City complex on Thursday, 4 February 2016. It’s chances of doing this are, of course, zero. Unless several thousand Real Choice supporters have been knocking themselves out in a network of hidden “Non-Violent Direct Action (NVDA) training camps (at the same time as the riot squads have been doing their “Public Order Training”) the group’s planned blockade will not progress beyond the first Police skirmish-line.
Real Choice’s stated intention of “shutting down the surrounding area and stopping entry by blocking some surrounding roads – effectively creating a TPPA free zone” completely ignores the fact that the signing of the TPPA, featuring the representatives of twelve nations, is already the subject of a major security operation. The idea that anyone is going to be permitted to block roads or stop entry is simply delusional.
Forewarned of Real Choice’s intentions, preventative measures will already be underway. Police Intelligence will have supplied the security operation’s commander with the names and photographs of Real Choice’s principal operatives and their movements will be closely monitored from now until next Thursday.
Real Choice’s very public threats will also, very likely, have prompted the acquisition of interception warrants by the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) who will, doubtless, be liaising with their colleagues at the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) to set up comprehensive real-time surveillance of Real Choice’s members.
This will be done not because the group represents an actual threat to the signing ceremony, but simply because, through its actions, Real Choice has provided New Zealand’s security apparatus with a golden opportunity to “test drive” its new powers and resources. (Always assuming that Real Choice is not what’s known as a “false flag” operation: a group set up by the security services themselves to establish a case for government to give them even more powers and resources!)
Real or fake, Real Choice has delivered to John Key exactly what he was hoping for by staging the TPPA signing ceremony at Sky City. In doing so it has placed at jeopardy all of the work done by Jane Kelsey and Barry Coates at “It’s Our Future”. Entirely parasitic to the mass movement others have created, this tiny group has embarked on a course of action that threatens to undermine what tens-of-thousands of New Zealanders have researched, argued, organised and marched for.
Real Action, which began its life as the equally ineffectual “Show Us Ya Text”, claims to be acting in the name of democracy. It’s website describes itself as “a group of citizens who believe in democracy and think everyday Kiwis should have a say on the TPPA.” Quite what it thought “everyday Kiwis” were doing last night in the Auckland Town Hall; or last August, when close to 30,000 of them participated in nationwide demonstrations; one can only imagine.
To most people, what It’s Our Future has been doing for the past four years is the very essence of democracy. The fact that, last night, it had assembled representatives of the Parliamentary Opposition on the Town Hall stage, and that, together, those politicians had signalled the prospect of a new coalition government putting an end to New Zealand’s participation in the TPPA in 2017, surely indicates that democracy is in absolutely no need of Real Choice’s “assistance”.
Real Choice, however, could use a lesson or two in exactly what democracy is and isn’t. Last November, for example, the group set up an online “referendum” to determine whether or not New Zealand should ratify the TPPA. The voting period extended from 23-30 November and, according to the website, 12,070 voted. Of these 11,731 (97%) voted against ratification. That was enough for the boys and girls at Real Choice – the people had spoken!
The people? Really? No. What they attracted were 12,070 votes out of an electorate numbering (at the 2014 General Election) 2,416,479 electors. In other words, Real Choice’s referendum (of which most of the country was entirely unaware) canvassed the opinion of just 0.004% of the voting public. And from this infinitesimal sample it now claims a mandate to shut down central Auckland! If there wasn’t so much at stake it would be funny.
The broader anti-TPPA movement can be assured, however, that there’s at least one person who is laughing his head off.
John Key.
New Asia Pacific Report website takes off
David Robie also blogs at Cafe Pacific
Report from Pacific Media Watch:
An enterprising new media collaboration between a journalism centre and an independent news organisation took off Thursday night in a bid to bolster Asia Pacific news and analysis in New Zealand.
Asia Pacific Report will feature news reports and features from student journalists on a postgraduate Asia Pacific studies course at Auckland University of Technology and a network of contributing academics and journalists around the region.
The new website, to be launched by Pacific Cooperation Foundation CEO Laulu Mac Leauanae, is a result of a collaboration between Evening Report owner and editor Selwyn Manning and AUT’s Pacific Media Centre director Professor David Robie.
“This will be a fresh ‘Pacific voice’ in the media. A series of excellent, in-depth stories are being filed by our students and collaborating journalists and they deserve a digital showcase for their award-winning work,” says Dr Robie.
“AsiaPacificReport.nz will be a stimulating and challenging new source of news and current affairs available to the public. And with our Creative Commons licence policy it will be available for the regional Pacific media to tap into.”
Over the past three years Manning’s company, Multimedia Investments Ltd, has successfully launched Evening Report, The Daily Blog, 36th-Parallel.com, Newskitchen.eu, de.Newskitchen.eu, ForeignAffairs.co.nz and LiveNews.co.nz as independent media outlets, and has provided the springboard, inspiration and technical support for the AsiaPacificReport.nz venture.
He says AsiaPacificReport.nz seamlessly displays all forms of digital reportage and analysis in an easy to navigate design. It was built from the ground up with convergence in mind and its content logic accentuates the strengths of Pacific Media Centre’s editorial policy and course outputs.
Significant reach
“Multimedia Investments will provide significant reach for the PMC’s reportage and analysis.
“It will enable the publishing of AsiaPacificReport.nz’s content into global media outlets, including Dow Jones Factiva, Lexis Nexis, Moreover, and Acquire Media.
“We look forward to launching Asia Pacific Report and are confident it will be a significant outlet and a reliable source for public discourse and debate within the Asia Pacific region,” Manning says.
Dr Robie says objectives of the website include:
• An independent Asia-Pacific voice telling the “untold” stories
• An educational media resource boosting the quality of regional reporting
• Addressing issues of equity and justice
• Providing Asia-Pacific journalism internships as a professional development opportunity
Manning, a former chair of the PMC Advisory Board, and Dr Robie previously collaborated with the Pacific Scoop venture, founded in 2009.
A 15 min documentary, The PMC Project, by Pacific Media Watch journalist Alistar Kata will also be screened.
NOW LIVE: AUT Pacific Media Centre launches AsiaPacificReport.nz news website
Key’s Slate of the Nation Speech
Key’s state of the nation was more a checklist of new outrages he intends to get away with than new visions or ideas. He’s currently so popular he could have announced that he’s banning all trains and he’d still win by a sizable majority.
More privatisation into CYFs, state housing and prisons combined with MORE (you read that right) MORE powers to the Police, GCSB and SIS.
Yes. More.
He goes onto explain the 3 magic beans he and Groser have managed to get for the TPPA will be amazing for NZ. Crowd is deathly silent.
He then promised to make Auckland wait 2 years instead of 4 years for a Central Rail Link. Clearly the Government have been convinced that gentrifying public transport will keep the middle classes happy while the poor get squeezed off being able to afford using it at all. So a win win for National.
He spent most of state of the nation speech promising to build bridges to everyone except the poor, the hungry and the desperate.
Usual dross served up with a thin promise of trains. Few media will even notice Key wants to expand more surveillance powers and headlines will focus on the window dressing.
Job done, middle NZ won’t even blink thinking that looming light in the tunnel is the new City Rail Link.
Whaleoil throws wobbly on Social Media over Police decision to back down over illegal Hager raids
The great man is down – but could he be out…of NZ?
Cameron Slater has taken to social media to throw a tantrum over Police decision to not appeal to the High Court their illegal and politically motivated raid of investigative journalist Nicky Hager.
The champ is a wee bit down in the mouth about the decision. He states on Facebook…
Then the Police ring me and tell me that they aren’t going to appeal the High Court ruling in the Hager case. So the lefty cunts who stole my data, and tried to steal an election all get away with their criminality.
…well, that’s not completely true there big Cam. The cops over reached, deceived a judge and are going to have to cough up a lot of compensation to Nicky for breaching his rights as a journalist. You don’t get the same treatment because your hate spite isn’t journalism and as such can’t get that sort of protection because your actions and abuses of political power were in the public interest. That it’s been a year and you still can’t sort that simple truth out yet doesn’t help your case.
The great voice of the misunderstood white right bloke goes on..
They say they are pursuing other avenues, but yet again Nicky Hager has laundered stolen goods, made plenty of money and tried to influence an election…with zero consequences.
…umm, Cam, when the SIS and PMs Office colluded to leak you information months before the 2011 election, that was an attempt to influence an election. Telling the truth about you and what you were secretly doing with the Government is called ‘journalism’, not laundering stolen good.
The helmsman of mayhem and chaos continues…
It is days like this that you really question whether or not karma exists…or why you even bother doing what you do. Still there is much to be thankful for.
…Oh Cam, if the true weight of all the terrible spite and political sadism you spread has somehow managed to connect with what ever stunted sense of conscience you have left and is making you doubt doing what you do, can I help by suggesting you should definitely listen to those voices.
The great man then leaves us with this terrible warning…
Despite everything I still think I am very blessed and lucky to live in this country…though I’m not sure how long can bothered living here anymore. I might just go back to my place of birth (Fiji) or live somewhere totally different…like Israel….because New Zealand really doesn’t feel like home sometimes.
…back to the military dictatorship in Fiji or the apartheid state of Israel? Oh he teases us! Surely Mr Slater wouldn’t want to skip the country just as the Matt Blomfield and Colin Craig defamation cases are so close to resolution?
I think we should start a givealittle fund to help Cam and his family move far far away.
TPPA march will be inclusive of all – It’s Our Future
It’s Our Future will hold a march down Queen St on Thursday 4th February. It will be loud, colourful, family-friendly and inclusive of all those who oppose the signing of the TPPA. It will be a symbol of the massive public opposition to the Key government signing the TPPA.
“Hosting the signing of the TPPA at Sky City just before Waitangi Day is a calculated move by the government, presumably with the goal of inciting violence and attempting to discredit the huge campaign against the TPPA”, says spokesperson for Its Our Future, Barry Coates.
“The Key government could have chosen a venue that would have been easy to secure and less of a symbolic target,” Coates said. “By announcing riot training for police, specifically targeted at the Sky City signing, the government has ramped up the level of provocation to opponents of the deal.”
“It’s Our Future, the network organising the main campaign against the TPPA, is not buying into the government’s game plan. We will hold a loud and passionate march down Queen St on 4 February 2016 continuing our kaupapa of family-friendly protest and non-violence.”
“We expect thousands of Kiwis who oppose the signing of the TPPA to join the march, even though it’s a weekday”, Barry Coates said. “Some will join us on their lunchtime break, while others are planning to travel across New Zealand to express their anger over the government’s arrogant and undemocratic actions.”
“The government’s choice of the Sky City as a venue has rekindled anger over the sweetheart deal that gave the casino rights to build a convention centre and slashed restrictions on gambling in 2013. Part of the contract allows it to exclude guests the government objects to.”
The choice of 4 February as the date to sign the TPPA, which takes away sovereignty and undermines the Treaty of Waitangi, is also a snub to the birth of an independent nation that we celebrate two days later on Waitangi Day. The Crown has put its commitments to foreign states and investors before addressing its failure to deliver on its Treaty of Waitangi obligations.
“The government has misrepresented TPPA opponents as a fringe element. But those who reject the deal are not a small minority. A TV3/Reid Research poll in November made it clear that a majority of the New Zealand public don’t want the TPPA,” commented Barry Coates.
“We assert our rights to non-violent protest against the TPPA.”
Taxpayers’ Union Applauds Green Party Proposal
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the proposal from Green Party co-leader, Metiria Turei, in her state of the nation speech today for a policy costing unit inside Treasury that would independently cost the policies of political parties.
Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says “We agree with the Greens that an independent office to cost political promises would be good for democracy and public policy debates. While our preference is to have the office as one of Parliament, rather than Treasury, the Green’s policy has real merit.”
“Seldom does the Taxpayers’ Union call for new spending of taxpayers’ money but here we think the benefits to transparency and democracy far outweigh the cost.”
“This tool would make it harder for politicians to make up expensive policy on the hoof with taxpayers bearing the costs of the wish-lists. It would likely prevent the fiasco we saw with the Northland by-election bribes.”
During the 2015 general election, and the Northland by-election the Taxpayers’ Union commissioned independent economic advice on the cost of each major political party’s election manifesto and included it in an election “Bribe-O-Meter”.
ANZASW Opposes TPPA
The Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) is opposed to the impending signing of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement on the 4th of February in Auckland, New Zealand.
The concerns surrounding the TPP and its potential as a catalyst for social and human rights injustices have led the ANZASW to look closely at this trade agreement.
There are a number of areas for concern – namely, the disempowering nature of this agreement; the fact that many basic human rights will be taken away; the Investor State Dispute Settlements process (ISDS); lack of any Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIA) and the secrecy surrounding the negotiations.
Lives of millions of the most marginalised of this earth may be severely affected if this agreement is allowed to become law. The United Nations expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order said, ‘it has been argued that ISDS tilts the playing field away from democratic accountability, favouring “big business” over the rights and interests of labourers and consumers’ (United Nations, 2015, para. 11).
As with the Public Health Association of New Zealand (PHA), the ANZASW, amongst other things, is concerned with the potential for currently available pharmaceuticals to become out of reach of many New Zealanders as a consequence of rising costs.
As members of the New Zealand Social Work Community it is our obligation to agitate against systems (both locally and internationally) that work against the basic human rights of the marginalised – our clients. Only through this work can we highlight the injustices, educate our fellow citizens to the discrimination being lavished across sectors of the population, and hopefully one day live in a world where every human being is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.
The ANZASW asks the New Zealand Government to listen to its citizens and delay the signing of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement at least until all interested parties have had a chance to clearly understand the impacts to New Zealanders of what has been agreed to.
TheDailyBlog.nz Top 5 News Headlines Wednesday 27th January 2016
5:
Grand Jury Probing Planned Parenthood Instead Indicts 2 Anti-Abortion Activists
In a surprising reversal, a grand jury that was tasked with investigating Planned Parenthood has instead indicted two anti-abortion activists who filmed undercover and highly edited videos of Planned Parenthood officials. The grand jury had been set up to investigate allegations that Planned Parenthood sells fetal tissue, a claim the organization has repeatedly denied. But on Monday, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson instead announced anti-abortion activist David Daleiden had been indicted on a felony charge of tampering with a government record and a misdemeanor charge related to the purchase of human organs. David Daleiden is the director of the anti-abortion group the Center for Medical Progress. He pretended to be a biotechnology representative to record covertly the videos of Planned Parenthood officials explaining how they share fetal tissue with researchers. The videos were then highly edited to suggest falsely the tissue is sold for profit, not shared. Sandra Merritt, another employee of the Center for Medical Progress, was also indicted on a charge of tampering with a governmental record. Planned Parenthood Executive Vice President Dawn Laguens spoke about the indictments.
Dawn Laguens: “At Planned Parenthood, we were always very confident that the grand jury would find no wrongdoing by Planned Parenthood. But the indictment today begins to unravel the criminal lengths that David Daleiden and the so-called Center for Medical Progress went to to perpetrate this fraud. And I think there will be more charges to come in the future.”
Democracy Now
4:
Report: Warming Seas Expanding Twice as Fast as Previously Thought
A new study suggests that warmer water temperatures are causing the seas to expand twice as fast as previously thought, leading to greater sea level rise. The study analyzed more than a decade of satellite data. It was published in the peer-reviewed Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study also found sea level rise varied by location, with the Philippines experiencing sea level rise at five times the average global rate.
Democracy Now
3:
Danish parliament approves plan to seize assets from refugees
European states have reacted in some of the most drastic ways yet to the continent’s biggest migration crisis since the second world war, with Denmarkenacting a law that allows police to seize refugees’ assets.
The vote in the Danish parliament on Tuesday, which followed similar moves in Switzerland and southern Germany, came as central European leaders amplified calls to seal the borders of the Balkans, a move that would risk trapping thousands of asylum seekers in Greece.
Under the new Danish law, police will be allowed to search asylum seekers on arrival in the country and confiscate any non-essential items worth more than 10,000 kroner (£1,000) that have no sentimental value to their owner.
The Guardian
2:
UN chief and Israeli PM trade barbs over settlements
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reacted angrily to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s comments about Israeli settlements, accusing the UN chief of “encouraging terror”.
Speaking at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East in New York on Tuesday, Ban criticised Israel over reports it was planning to build “150 new homes in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank”.
“These provocative acts are bound to increase the growth of settler populations, further heighten tensions and undermine any prospects for a political road ahead,” he said.
Ban went on to say that Palestinian frustration is growing and that, “as oppressed peoples have demonstrated throughout the ages, it is human nature to react to occupation, which often serves as a potent incubator of hate and extremism”.
Aljazeera
1:
Hillary Clinton Doing Back-to-Back Finance Industry Fundraisers Just Before Iowa
Despite being dogged with questions about her ties to Wall Street, Hillary Clinton will take a detour from the campaign trail in Iowa to do back-to-back finance industry fundraisers in other states later this week.
Clinton will appear in Philadelphia at a “gala” fund-raiser hosted by executives at Franklin Square Capital Partners, a $17 billion investment fund. Rocker Bon Jovi will reportedly play an acoustic set for “friends” who pledge $1,000 and hosts who bundle up to $27,000.
The Philadelphia Inquirer notes that “Franklin Square employs Ivy League-educated money managers and salespeople with experience at big Wall Street firms – plus four personal trainers and a dietitian to keep staff happy and productive amid the gym, yoga and nap rooms, Sol LeWitt art installations, and fancy cafeteria.”
Clinton will then head to New York City, where she will speak at a lunchtime “Conversations With Hillary” fund-raiser. This one is co-hosted by Matt Mallow, a senior managing director and general counsel at BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management firm. As we’ve reported before, having a conversation with Hillary is not cheap.
BlackRock’s ties to Clinton go particularly deep: Cheryl Mills, one of Clinton’s closest advisors at the State Department, sits on BlackRock’s board, and perhaps not surprisingly, Clinton’s plans for the industry align with the company’s financial strategy.
As David Dayen wrote for The Intercept, the company “buys and holds most of its investments, meaning that any policy punishing short-term capital gains and rewarding longer-term strategies would personally benefit the firm….You could see Clinton’s proposals [to limit high-frequency trading] as clearing much of the competition to BlackRock’s asset management business.”
While Clinton certainly has an interest in raising money for her campaign, the organizers are banking on less government regulations in the future.
The Intercept
Last nights TPPA meeting
Last nights TPPA meeting was incredible and sobering.
The level of bullshit the Government have used to cover over what the TPPA is really about and the ludicrous ways they’ve measured the economic impacts for NZ have never been so vigorously argued than last night.
The page views for the live stream were in the tens of thousands.
If you had viewed the discussion, you would have heard things never discussed by the mainstream media.
Like the GCSB mass surveillance, the issue of the TPPA isn’t left or right. No one wins by allowing the Government to sign us up to a deal that creates a De facto upper chamber to our Parliament which is controlled by American Corporations.
The economic gains are an illusion. The protections to our environment are a lie. The ability for Maori to uphold the Treaty has been terminally weakened. We will have to pay more for our medicines. We open ourselves up to be manipulated by American Corporations.
There’s nothing in this deal that benefits anyone other than the already wealthy. It locks NZ into being a garden for America’s food chain, which is fine for Farmers and the National Party, but kinda screws the rest of us.
The talking schedule continues around the country, if you have the opportunity to go and hear, you simply must.
The next protest action is 4th February.
The video of last nights discussion will be posted here shortly.
The Daily Blog Open Mic – Wednesday 27th January 2016
Announce protest actions, general chit chat or give your opinion on issues we haven’t covered for the day.
Moderation rules are more lenient for this section, but try and play nicely.