Tuesday, September 26, 2006

exclusive nonsesnse

What I don't get about the the Exclusive Brethren's exemption to labour laws is this:

If you run a business in New Zealand, it's safe to assume that you're going to have contact with people who you disagree with politically and religiously. Some of your employees and contractors will hold different beliefs, the employees of your suppliers are bound to be of different faiths - especially if you source raw materials offshore (i.e. China) - AND they're going to change as people leave. Customers in particular - regardless of whether you are a wholesaler or retailer - are going to be varied to a very strong degree.

So it's fine for the Church to insist that it's members not associate with outsiders, that they lobby (to outsiders) for laws allow for them to be treated above the law, but if they need to make money, all that doesn't matter. Preventing your followers from accessing modern civilisation while engaging in capitalist behaviour for the benefit of the Church is on par with with the plight of North Korea's citizens and the indulgences of Kim Jong-il.

I don't believe that the EB's pleas to get Union officials off their workplaces is about remaining separated from others. Sue Bradford quoted someone from the EB in her speech in favour of the law (Hat tip: RB):

Separation is maintained from all groups, unions or associations of a business, shareholding, property, political, pleasure, social, medical, or superannuational (sic) nature. We have found in Jesus a satisfaction nothing in this passing world can compare with. Additionally, we are also governed by the scriptures as to employing or being employed. There is special concern to maintain inviolate the direct employer to employee relationship.
Which is to say: our employee's aren't allowed to join unions, which of course would be illegal even for the EB. But for employees of small and medium businesses, it's extremely difficult to join a union. Mostly because unions don't have the resource to bargain collective agreements for a handfull of employees - compare Progressive stores (one company, unions are involved) to Foodstuffs stores (many owner operated companies, little union involvement) .

The EB isn't an organisation that has the betterment of it's members at it's core (see RB again), it's an organisation devoted to power, money and control of it's members. They're not in the politics game to protect their right to practice their religion. They're in it to advance their cult.

Section 24 of the ERA needs to be repealed - not becuase Labour wants to hit back at the EB - but because no group should be exempt from the law because of their beleifs.

marfat et prieur

Today the Supreme Court rejected a vexatious leave to appeal an Appeal Court decision bought by Alain Marfat and Dominique Prieur to prevent TVNZ from screening footage they recorded of the pair pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Fernando Pereira. The Supreme Court in delivering its verdict was very unimpressed in the appeal, summarising that

We have not been satisfied that this is a proper case to be heard by this Court, directed as it is to a discretionary decision which has already been reviewed and confirmed by the Court of Appeal. The decision below turned upon a balancing exercise that involved the application of settled criteria to the particular facts. This is a very unusual case, which, an appeal on the merits having been heard and determined by the Court of Appeal, no longer raises any question of general or public importance. We are satisfied that we would not be assisted on the question of leave by having an oral hearing. We are also far from persuaded that the Courts below have erred in their assessment, let alone that it is arguable that they were plainly wrong.
Which is the correct decision. That someone who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter (and being responsible for the attempted murder of 11 others, not to mention terrorism) can claim any rights to privacy is idiocy. I'd accept their augment if they were innocent - but to commit an act of espionage against a country whose only crime was to allow freedom of expression of its citizens and visitors is reprehensible. The pair - while possibly being only accessories to the crime - served only 2 years out of a 17 year sentence thanks to a UN negotiated release.

They got off light.

The least they can do is stop complaining. Ultimately Marfat or Prieur were not responsible for the decision to attack the Rainbow Warrior, but their Government. Their ludicrous action formed part of our history, and that is the most important reason why we should see those tapes.

The Supreme Court was right in dismissing the leave to appeal, which I feel is an example of the robustness of the newly formed institution. It's fantastic that their cases and decisions are available for anyone who cares to look. To have the Privy Council decide cases of national importance for New Zealand is silly today. I'm glad that they're getting a new building, and pleased that the plans are to create an impressive building to serve as the symbol of the institution as in other countries.

Friday, September 22, 2006

now with even more smut

This has to be the most bizarre month in NZ politics this century. Corruption, corrosion, the Brash affair, Peter Davis possibly kissing another man, Exclusive Brethren and screeds and screeds of nasty comments posted to blogs. It's enough to turn you off politics altogether.

Tonight on Campbell Live, private investigator Wayne Idour reversed his previous assertion that he hadn't been hired by the EB to poke around the Labour party. By proxy, he had - his interview with John Campbell corrected his error. Which wasn't much of a surprise - that the EB are a devious sect with little scruples in trying to sway elections they don't even vote in isn't shocking news to the public.

The interview did have two very interesting revelations though. First, that the EB member who ultimately hired Idour was responsible for leaking information on David Benson-Pope and David Parker. Moreover Idour and other private investigators he was working with have gathered dirt - possibly even evidence of illegal activity - on senior members of the Labour party including Michael Cullen and Helen Clark, in addition to 'information' about Peter Davis.

Secondly, Idour claimed that a "representative or supporter of the Labour Party" (Campbell's words) had instigated a PI to dig dirt on Don Brash and John Key - including rifling through Brash's trash.

I wish I had reason to disbelieve Idour, but it seems unlikely. *sigh* The PM has denied this, of course, but judging from what she said to Russel Brown at the Silver Scrolls on Wednesday I'm not so sure:

I said hello to her as she left.
"Interesting week in politics," I said.
"There's more to come," she said.
I don't doubt it.
Neither do I.

So it's going to get worse before it gets better. If it ever gets better. Nobody has lost their job yet - either from pushing scandal or being the scandal, but I suspect that's what it'll take before it winds up.

Keith Ng has a brilliant interview with Rodney Hide and Russel Norman around the issue. Worth a look.

Friday, September 15, 2006

a few things

So I was going to post a long post, but got caught up transferring to blogger in beta, and only have a few moments before leaving for work. Don't know if it's any good yet, but I'm sure I'll know soon enough.

I did discover that there were comments waiting for moderation that I didn't know about - so I'm not rude - just didn't realise that my settings were wrong (you can now comment without me having to moderate)

In good news, the shop floor workers at Prog's seem to have a decent deal on the table, but the distribution workers remain locked out.

I wasn't impressed by this fuss, but I have to say it was a mistake for Brash to announce that he was having time off. Leaders can't hide in times of crisis, no matter how unfair the crisis is in the first place.

And Brian Rudman is changing his tune about the mega city concept.

Monday, September 04, 2006

one city to rule them all

There is considerable momentum - apparently - among Aucklanders to merge their local bodies into one Super City, able to rival international wonder cities like Brisbane in stature and forward planning. Brian Rudman (or at least his sub-editor) goes as far as saying that the proposal is so good that nobody will have a bad word to say against it. Well yes, you got some, but not others.

Well, for starter's I'm not keen on Secret Plans being hatched by people I didn't get the chance to vote for, let alone the one who I voted against. Secondly, amalgamation isn't something to dream up and go running to the government in order to make it happen - I want to see options, and I want to vote on it. I'm also keenly suspicious that the four old men who hatched the plot didn't take the time to have a chat to their counterparts in the Rodney, Papakura or Franklin districts, let alone talk to the Auckland Regional Council about their ideas.

I'm confident in predicting that the 4-way tryst had come up with one of two bad plans:

#1: Combining Auckland, North Shore, Manakau and Waitakere Cities and leaving the rest up to themselves. Leaving the 3 small councils out in the cold is silly. Rodney and Papakura won't be districts much longer - leaving two small cities latched upon one very large one will create social and infrastructure deficits that will spark the need for further amalgamation down the track. Pitting SuperAuckland against the Auckland Region will also create political headaches, most likely having the City constantly whinge about not needing the hang on regions and wanting to go on it's own.

#2: Put the whole lot together, the four Cities, three Districts and one Region to create BehemothAuckland, dwarfing any local authority in the land, creating a unique system of government that will rival the power of Parliament. Auckland could demand a greter influence over how the Government spends it's money Which, I'm sure National supporters will think a good idea now - but they'd rue the day that a Labour-run BehemothAuckland pits itself against a National Government especially on issues of social policy. It might be good for Auckland - may possibly reverse Auckland's stunnning voter apathy - , but it won't be good for the country to have a a City-State battling the nation constantly.

But my biggest problem is the argument that Auckland can't move forward with the issues with a fragmented local body structure. Firstly, demanding major upheaval in in government because of an inability to sit around and agree isn't a good enough reason. Secondly, having different voices of leadership serving their community isn't a bad thing. If Dick Hubbard and Mike Lee have different opinions on how to do something, the better off we all are. Do your job, talk to each other and find a way forward.

And certainly don't assume that the best way forward is to amalgamate to quash dissention and make decisions in secret.

battle wages on for distribution workers

It's been 11 days since industrial action between Progressive Enterprises their distribution workers started. 11 days without pay, 11 days with no end in sight.

And people are starting to notice their supermarket shelves are starting to empty, which is seeming to be a justifiable hassle rather than massive disruption. For now. It's likely that shoppers tensions will become higher as it becomes impossible to shop at Progs stores. Who shoppers blame in the long run will make or break the worker's demands for a national collective agreement, increased entitlements and an 8% pay rise.

Progressive for it's part is trying to focus attention on what it desribes as

unreasonable union demands [and remaining] committed to the lowest prices possible
in posters throughout the store. The NDU claims that Progs is leading a war of misinformation and acting illegally by replacing the function of their members by getting suppliers that usually deliver their goods via the DC to deliver direct into store. The union received a setback this afternoon, with Employment Court Judge Colgan ruling that PEL can continue with direct to store deliveries until a hearing next week. A press release from the worker's unions the NDU and EMPU this afternoon said:
"The judgment confirms the basic principle of the section that people can not be engaged to do the work of the locked out workers," [NDU National Secretary Laila Harre] said. "The Judge has acknowledged that evidence establishing who engaged who would be difficult for unions to gather in these circumstances. However he commented that with documentary disclosure before the trial the facts will be able to be established with a greater degree of certainty... This employer does not want to negotiate a solution, it wants to win. It wants to win by forcing these workers to accept its demands through the brutal economic weapon of the lockout. The company's Australasian owners are powerful and have shown that they are prepared to invest heavily to get their way. It's time for the rest of us to show that we support the right of low paid workers to bargain and we can do that by making sure their rent is paid and their families are fed."

The union will launch an 0900 number "0900 LOCK OUT" (0900 5625 688) tomorrow morning to enable members of the public to make donations.

It looks like both the union movement is digging it's heels in too. Tony Milne has claim's that Progressive is offering 3%, and a reduction in entitlements, which (as he points out) isn't really a pay rise at all. Worse still, the Manawatu Standard has report's of non union workers being offered a pay raise, while Progressive Enterprises Managing Director claiming on Checkpoint that at least 30 union members have quit the NDU and returned to work on individual contracts, with Harre disputing the figure - only 20 workers crossed the picket line in Palmerston North, returning to work because of financial hardship.

This report cites a Prog's insider in saying that sales were only down 5%, and stock levels down 6%. So I guess there's still plenty of stuff you don't want to buy there.

No Right Turn has ways to punish Prog's, and help the union workers (possibly made redundant by the 0900 number above)

Speaking of misinformation, just to make the whole thing even more confusing the New Zealand Herald is trying it's best to get things wrong. Today:
Foodstuffs managing director Tony McNeil said there had been a slight increase in custom at the group's supermarkets, which include New World and Foodtown.
and yesterday:
A shortage of Coca-Cola and other soft drinks
Even though Coca-Cola has always delivered their soft drinks directly into store. That one ain't the fault of the locked out workers.