As a kid I really liked Guy Fawkes night. Dad and his mates would organise a bonfire and beers, Mum and her mates did the kai and all of us kids had great fun letting off crackers and rockets, a fair few of which have subsequently been banned.
Politics had their part to play in this with that shocker Muldoon passing a law to ban skyrockets in response to a petition from some ill advised concerned mother worried that every year or so some dopey kid looked into the beer bottle as the rocket came charging out. That law was interfering with natural selection. If that kid hadn't copped the skyrocket it would have no doubt grown into a dangerous driver. All right don't get too excited, but who raises kids that would do that!
Anyhow my point is that with all the relative danger of dads on the booze, bonfires without permits, rockets available, there were relatively few serious injuries or schools burned down. Compare that to these nanny state days when sales are limited, skyrockets banned, rules for Africa, stern Ministers threatening us with tennis balls and Fire chiefs admonishing us, yet the statistics of letter boxes blown up, fireworks dopily thrown into shops or at people, and all the paraphernalia of appalling behaviour things have got worse.
Banning fireworks won't help. These are aimed at the same people who regularly pull up the nice native plants on our subdivisions, spray badly spelled graffiti on our walls, pull down anything they can topple, burn rubber on our roads, all generally while tanked on alcopops.
We're not going to ban native plants or walls, so we need to have a look at why this is happening.
No personal responsibility coupled with alcopops too readily available is certainly one of the leading reasons. Progressively more non achievement orientated schooling hasn't helped and removing the old whack around the ears of those acting stupidly removes the one thing the aggrieved party had left as a way to at least vent their displeasure.
I watched Guy Fawkes this year from the balcony of a multi storey apartment building in Auckland and it was a wonderful sight with flashes of bright colour bursting across the night sky and the joyful sound of kids in the park over the road enjoying the fun of fireworks.
Before the usual curmudgeons complain and call for bans, we should all look at the wider problem of poor behaviour that goes on all year long and just gets more press on Guy Fawkes night. If we could stop graffiti, thoughtless damage and theft we wouldn't need to ban anything.
Wayne Brown
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Monday, November 06, 2006
Is Consultation the New F-Word?
These days it’s hard to do anything worthwhile without consulting, and even when you are involved in a confidential process like a closed bid, outsiders still think you should have consulted.
Does so much consulting mean that people really are sharing information by listening, or are they just consulting because it’s now mandatory?
Who are you supposed to consult with is one of the big questions. In Resource Management Act matters, many applicants are shocked by the long list they receive from the local council of people and groups with whom they are required to consult, especially for something small that only their neighbour (who doesn’t mind) can see.
Finding these groups is the next hurdle. Many Iwi groups have found the need to be on the council list, often as a way to register their existence for status elsewhere in some unrelated process. Various representatives appear on behalf of groups who subsequently deny them status. The official addresses of Iwi representatives can often be in other provinces and hearings within these groups are usually private without input from the applicant. The same goes for trade groups that may hold status within the process.
Usually consultation focuses on some detail of a proposal so that the big picture, which may affect thousands is missed. Recently in the Far North a footbridge became the cause celebre and the focus of a strong local protest, yet the footbridge seems just like a small extra in a huge development with prominent concrete buildings on the skyline above.
What were they not consulted about, all of the development or just a bridge on a highway, like so many others that we’ ve never been consulted about? How many people feel left out because nobody has ever consulted them over any bridge anywhere. I’ve never been asked but never felt left out.
Look at the need for a new Transpower electricity line into Auckland. This has been needed for decades but somehow they never got around to it while they waited for embedded generation to arrive in Auckland and save them. Sadly that technology is still coming. Meantime Waikato dairy farmers have become a wealthy bunch not scared of using expensive lawyers to keep the long needed line at bay.
So everyone is told to consult. Not surprisingly most consultation takes place in the Waikato with the same dairy farmers who will be well compensated for any land affected. How many Aucklanders who need the power have been consulted with? Try and find them. You won’t. You see they just aren’t worth consulting with. We know they need power but it’s not so personal to them and they don’t get compensated for lack of supply now, so why worry into the future.
Hence a few who will be compensated get loads of consultation, but the many who will not be compensated for missing out on power in the future get none. They probably don’t know, but later on many will care. It seems a bit lop sided to me.
Consultation is called for loudly by anyone who misses out in some form of selection process, especially those who thought they had an automatic right to win. They immediately consult their mates to get writing to the decision makers for a change of heart, as they must have it wrong. Why was there a selection? Usually because a term or contract is finished! Don’t people know what finished means? Start again, not just carry on!
Employment matters require more careful consulting when it is going wrong, than when all is OK and consultations seem just like normal chatting. Consult widely, slowly and with the benefit of legal advice here! Some consultation!
Consultation is reaching fever pitch in Kerikeri as vocal sports group loudly consult at or to the rather low profile proponents of passive recreation, (whatever that is) who want to change the status of the town’s domain. Consultation will end up in this case in an undignified race to get the most bits of paper signed.
Is there a winner in this? Not likely but someone still might get to do something, somewhere. Scary, eh!
WAYNE BROWN
Does so much consulting mean that people really are sharing information by listening, or are they just consulting because it’s now mandatory?
Who are you supposed to consult with is one of the big questions. In Resource Management Act matters, many applicants are shocked by the long list they receive from the local council of people and groups with whom they are required to consult, especially for something small that only their neighbour (who doesn’t mind) can see.
Finding these groups is the next hurdle. Many Iwi groups have found the need to be on the council list, often as a way to register their existence for status elsewhere in some unrelated process. Various representatives appear on behalf of groups who subsequently deny them status. The official addresses of Iwi representatives can often be in other provinces and hearings within these groups are usually private without input from the applicant. The same goes for trade groups that may hold status within the process.
Usually consultation focuses on some detail of a proposal so that the big picture, which may affect thousands is missed. Recently in the Far North a footbridge became the cause celebre and the focus of a strong local protest, yet the footbridge seems just like a small extra in a huge development with prominent concrete buildings on the skyline above.
What were they not consulted about, all of the development or just a bridge on a highway, like so many others that we’ ve never been consulted about? How many people feel left out because nobody has ever consulted them over any bridge anywhere. I’ve never been asked but never felt left out.
Look at the need for a new Transpower electricity line into Auckland. This has been needed for decades but somehow they never got around to it while they waited for embedded generation to arrive in Auckland and save them. Sadly that technology is still coming. Meantime Waikato dairy farmers have become a wealthy bunch not scared of using expensive lawyers to keep the long needed line at bay.
So everyone is told to consult. Not surprisingly most consultation takes place in the Waikato with the same dairy farmers who will be well compensated for any land affected. How many Aucklanders who need the power have been consulted with? Try and find them. You won’t. You see they just aren’t worth consulting with. We know they need power but it’s not so personal to them and they don’t get compensated for lack of supply now, so why worry into the future.
Hence a few who will be compensated get loads of consultation, but the many who will not be compensated for missing out on power in the future get none. They probably don’t know, but later on many will care. It seems a bit lop sided to me.
Consultation is called for loudly by anyone who misses out in some form of selection process, especially those who thought they had an automatic right to win. They immediately consult their mates to get writing to the decision makers for a change of heart, as they must have it wrong. Why was there a selection? Usually because a term or contract is finished! Don’t people know what finished means? Start again, not just carry on!
Employment matters require more careful consulting when it is going wrong, than when all is OK and consultations seem just like normal chatting. Consult widely, slowly and with the benefit of legal advice here! Some consultation!
Consultation is reaching fever pitch in Kerikeri as vocal sports group loudly consult at or to the rather low profile proponents of passive recreation, (whatever that is) who want to change the status of the town’s domain. Consultation will end up in this case in an undignified race to get the most bits of paper signed.
Is there a winner in this? Not likely but someone still might get to do something, somewhere. Scary, eh!
WAYNE BROWN
Fancy A new Ethnicity?
Amongst the mountain of earnest reading presented to health board members one finds the occasional gem of entertaining nonsense carefully bound and prepared at great taxpayer expense from one of those towers of politically correct policy production in Wellington.
One such classic arrived last week from Ministry of Health entitled importantly "Ethnicity Data, Protocols for the Health and Disability Sector." Normally reading these is like eating Weetbix without milk, but I had nothing else to read on a recent plane trip and started browsing. The booklet asks "What is ethnicity?" and I thought this might be interesting.
As a person cast into the role of NZ European or Pakeha without ever being asked, I’ve always felt a bit grumpy about my ethnicity choices, or lack of them. I have no relations in Europe and cannot stay there for other than a holiday, not that I really want to. Genetically I’m a bit of a mongrel with bits of folklore about ancestors arriving via Australia, some from France and a rumoured Scottish connection. I generally feel like a Kiwi but disappointingly note that Kiwi is missing from the 450 options offered in the booklet.
So what is ethnicity defined as, and I quote. "A social grouping whose members have one or more of the following four characteristics:-
They share a sense of common rights.
They claim a common and distinctive history and destiny.
They possess one or more dimensions of collective cultural individuality.
They feel a sense of unique collective solidarity."
Reading on they add that, and I quote. " Ethnicity is self perceived so the person concerned should identify their ethnic affiliation wherever feasible. A person can belong to more than one ethnic group. The ethnicities with which a person identifies can change over time".
Wow! This is a heady brew of options. Kiwi is not on the list and I’m definitely not European. They’re all immigrants who share different speech from me and also share and maintain the right to return to Europe and to pass that right on to their children.
So back to the definition. What special group best defines my shared sense of common rights, history, cultural individuality and collective solidarity?
To help me in this choice of self perceived ethnicity the booklet lists sport, style of clothing, patterns of work and events as cultural factors. Where is race, I ponder only to be told that race as a social construct has been discredited. I’m not sure if Maori know that, but then that is their self perceived problem.
On thinking it through, it dawns on me now that my ethnicity is Surfer. At last I feel I have a home. I can now experience what Tariana terms "indigenaity" and I like it. Surfers do share a common history tracing our story back to the Polynesian wave riders of Raiatea and Hawaii, through recent developments from Duke Kahanamoku’s World tour in the early twentieth century, to the Californian surf renaissance of the sixties and on to the current global surf culture.
Surfers have lead musical styles at times and we definitely dress differently. It is interesting to note that our leading ethnic clothing suppliers, such as Quiksilver and Billabong are now among the largest listed clothing companies on the planet. I’m a proud shareholder in our own brand of ethnic clothing, Coastlines, which is selling well in over 45 NZ surf shops (or cultural centres) and the label is heading offshore in what we planned as a business expansion, but which I now more clearly self perceive as a form of emigration of our cultural roots.
Every surfer will tell you that "only a surfer knows the feeling" and that when we meet in other countries, we are linked by a form of global tribal custom. Like all the great ethnicities, there are occasional turf wars over access rights to surf breaks and many of these precede recent interest in foreshore claims by Maori. I look forward to the government debating our customary rights to the Raglan surf break in recognition of the Raglan Boardriders club shed erected in the 1950s and subsequently burnt down by another self perceived ethnicity.
I must say it is very empowering to express my dismay at the cultural affront to the surfer ethnic group from the appropriation of our cultural language by the world wide web. We were not consulted before everyone started " surfing" the web. This insult to our indigenaity can only be righted by a full and final settlement which we reserve the right to relitigate in the future.
I do not hold out hope of our grievance being solved, nor do I hold out much hope for a Ministry of Health, which prints such drivel as this booklet. No doubt ethnicities such as golfer, teacher and all the regular religions will suddenly self perceive into existence to join the Destiny Church in its march to take over NZ. I noted recently while flying back from LA that they have taken over first class so that’s a start for a new ethnicity.
One such classic arrived last week from Ministry of Health entitled importantly "Ethnicity Data, Protocols for the Health and Disability Sector." Normally reading these is like eating Weetbix without milk, but I had nothing else to read on a recent plane trip and started browsing. The booklet asks "What is ethnicity?" and I thought this might be interesting.
As a person cast into the role of NZ European or Pakeha without ever being asked, I’ve always felt a bit grumpy about my ethnicity choices, or lack of them. I have no relations in Europe and cannot stay there for other than a holiday, not that I really want to. Genetically I’m a bit of a mongrel with bits of folklore about ancestors arriving via Australia, some from France and a rumoured Scottish connection. I generally feel like a Kiwi but disappointingly note that Kiwi is missing from the 450 options offered in the booklet.
So what is ethnicity defined as, and I quote. "A social grouping whose members have one or more of the following four characteristics:-
They share a sense of common rights.
They claim a common and distinctive history and destiny.
They possess one or more dimensions of collective cultural individuality.
They feel a sense of unique collective solidarity."
Reading on they add that, and I quote. " Ethnicity is self perceived so the person concerned should identify their ethnic affiliation wherever feasible. A person can belong to more than one ethnic group. The ethnicities with which a person identifies can change over time".
Wow! This is a heady brew of options. Kiwi is not on the list and I’m definitely not European. They’re all immigrants who share different speech from me and also share and maintain the right to return to Europe and to pass that right on to their children.
So back to the definition. What special group best defines my shared sense of common rights, history, cultural individuality and collective solidarity?
To help me in this choice of self perceived ethnicity the booklet lists sport, style of clothing, patterns of work and events as cultural factors. Where is race, I ponder only to be told that race as a social construct has been discredited. I’m not sure if Maori know that, but then that is their self perceived problem.
On thinking it through, it dawns on me now that my ethnicity is Surfer. At last I feel I have a home. I can now experience what Tariana terms "indigenaity" and I like it. Surfers do share a common history tracing our story back to the Polynesian wave riders of Raiatea and Hawaii, through recent developments from Duke Kahanamoku’s World tour in the early twentieth century, to the Californian surf renaissance of the sixties and on to the current global surf culture.
Surfers have lead musical styles at times and we definitely dress differently. It is interesting to note that our leading ethnic clothing suppliers, such as Quiksilver and Billabong are now among the largest listed clothing companies on the planet. I’m a proud shareholder in our own brand of ethnic clothing, Coastlines, which is selling well in over 45 NZ surf shops (or cultural centres) and the label is heading offshore in what we planned as a business expansion, but which I now more clearly self perceive as a form of emigration of our cultural roots.
Every surfer will tell you that "only a surfer knows the feeling" and that when we meet in other countries, we are linked by a form of global tribal custom. Like all the great ethnicities, there are occasional turf wars over access rights to surf breaks and many of these precede recent interest in foreshore claims by Maori. I look forward to the government debating our customary rights to the Raglan surf break in recognition of the Raglan Boardriders club shed erected in the 1950s and subsequently burnt down by another self perceived ethnicity.
I must say it is very empowering to express my dismay at the cultural affront to the surfer ethnic group from the appropriation of our cultural language by the world wide web. We were not consulted before everyone started " surfing" the web. This insult to our indigenaity can only be righted by a full and final settlement which we reserve the right to relitigate in the future.
I do not hold out hope of our grievance being solved, nor do I hold out much hope for a Ministry of Health, which prints such drivel as this booklet. No doubt ethnicities such as golfer, teacher and all the regular religions will suddenly self perceive into existence to join the Destiny Church in its march to take over NZ. I noted recently while flying back from LA that they have taken over first class so that’s a start for a new ethnicity.
Free the Cottonwool Kids
The "fun-less cult of over safety" story that brought strongly positive support from readers, has been echoed by the recent Metro article about over protected city kids.
The damage to these kids and our society from this cosseting is wider than was suspected.
The obvious signs of child obesity from lack of the exercise that formerly would have come from riding the bike or walking to school is only the tip of the iceberg. The hopeless jamming of city streets before and after school as anxious mums deliver precious kids is causing central government to commit to spending vast sums on roading infrastructure to solve a problem that disappears during school holidays.
This irrational protection from supposed ‘stranger danger" is not based on any statistical analysis of the actual danger. It is so rare for children to get into trouble from these "bogeyman" people that each case still achieves celebrity status.
The real worry to thinking Kiwis is what sort of adults these "cottonwool kids" will become.
First obvious result will be increasing the already wide gap between city kids and their more relaxed and worldly country cousins, who still enjoy the freedoms of the ability to roam, get wet and dirty, and know a wider cross-section of society than the repeated sameness of the socio-economic base of the surrounding suburb.
The career choices of these cosseted kids is likely to be narrow and risk averse, probably reflected in yet more lawyers, town planners and accountants, the very same non productive professions that have brought on so many of the idiotically protective rules and behaviours.
The country needs to export more and more if we are ever to get out of the cycle of continuing foreign currency deficits. We need to be producing risk takers, people with verve and enterprise and it is hard to see how kids who are never let out of their parents sight can grow up to embrace this sort of culture.
Anyone who has headed offshore, not for a holiday, but to export will know how hard it is to break through. You have to meet strangers, not only on our streets, but on theirs and it takes courage and determination. These are not character traits that usually develop later in life, but are developed from those who show early signs of such individuality. We need kids who question the restrictions placed on them by well intentioned but ill advised parents.
We need to foster the creators, and that doesn’t just mean the arts, which have so many champions these days. It means the creators of new ways of making, delivering and selling products and services. These require stretch target thinking rather than risk averse thinking.
We will need new leaders to come through with a wide view of life and its possibilities and it’s hard to see the city kids growing into such leaders unless we actively expose them to the thrill of the bumps of life.
A little more honesty from parents as to why the kids live such protected lives is worth having. The idea that they have moved to the city for the kid’s education sounds better than what is often the truth that the family is in the city to improve the parent’s job opportunities.
Some of our country towns have excellent schools. Take a look at Kerikeri with one of the best state high schools experiencing all the zoning problems of Auckland Grammar and the town also boasts a challenger for NZ’s best private school, being Springbank College.
Kids emerging from such schools have experienced more freedom and been exposed to a wider cross-section of humanity than their city counterparts. They emerge as well off academically but more street wise and economically engaged. The old trip to the country needs reinstating. School swaps between town and country, and holiday swaps will do a power of good. Could this be a more worthy set of good works than what our service clubs currently get up to?
It is not surprising that our better rugby teams are coming more and more from that part of society that hasn’t had the financial luxury of cotton-wooling the kids. The rewards for these risk takers often way outweigh the supposed dangers of injury.
President Bush rattles on aimlessly about freedom. Let’s give our kids some!
WAYNE BROWN
The damage to these kids and our society from this cosseting is wider than was suspected.
The obvious signs of child obesity from lack of the exercise that formerly would have come from riding the bike or walking to school is only the tip of the iceberg. The hopeless jamming of city streets before and after school as anxious mums deliver precious kids is causing central government to commit to spending vast sums on roading infrastructure to solve a problem that disappears during school holidays.
This irrational protection from supposed ‘stranger danger" is not based on any statistical analysis of the actual danger. It is so rare for children to get into trouble from these "bogeyman" people that each case still achieves celebrity status.
The real worry to thinking Kiwis is what sort of adults these "cottonwool kids" will become.
First obvious result will be increasing the already wide gap between city kids and their more relaxed and worldly country cousins, who still enjoy the freedoms of the ability to roam, get wet and dirty, and know a wider cross-section of society than the repeated sameness of the socio-economic base of the surrounding suburb.
The career choices of these cosseted kids is likely to be narrow and risk averse, probably reflected in yet more lawyers, town planners and accountants, the very same non productive professions that have brought on so many of the idiotically protective rules and behaviours.
The country needs to export more and more if we are ever to get out of the cycle of continuing foreign currency deficits. We need to be producing risk takers, people with verve and enterprise and it is hard to see how kids who are never let out of their parents sight can grow up to embrace this sort of culture.
Anyone who has headed offshore, not for a holiday, but to export will know how hard it is to break through. You have to meet strangers, not only on our streets, but on theirs and it takes courage and determination. These are not character traits that usually develop later in life, but are developed from those who show early signs of such individuality. We need kids who question the restrictions placed on them by well intentioned but ill advised parents.
We need to foster the creators, and that doesn’t just mean the arts, which have so many champions these days. It means the creators of new ways of making, delivering and selling products and services. These require stretch target thinking rather than risk averse thinking.
We will need new leaders to come through with a wide view of life and its possibilities and it’s hard to see the city kids growing into such leaders unless we actively expose them to the thrill of the bumps of life.
A little more honesty from parents as to why the kids live such protected lives is worth having. The idea that they have moved to the city for the kid’s education sounds better than what is often the truth that the family is in the city to improve the parent’s job opportunities.
Some of our country towns have excellent schools. Take a look at Kerikeri with one of the best state high schools experiencing all the zoning problems of Auckland Grammar and the town also boasts a challenger for NZ’s best private school, being Springbank College.
Kids emerging from such schools have experienced more freedom and been exposed to a wider cross-section of humanity than their city counterparts. They emerge as well off academically but more street wise and economically engaged. The old trip to the country needs reinstating. School swaps between town and country, and holiday swaps will do a power of good. Could this be a more worthy set of good works than what our service clubs currently get up to?
It is not surprising that our better rugby teams are coming more and more from that part of society that hasn’t had the financial luxury of cotton-wooling the kids. The rewards for these risk takers often way outweigh the supposed dangers of injury.
President Bush rattles on aimlessly about freedom. Let’s give our kids some!
WAYNE BROWN
Exporters Needed - Apply Within. Some help with tax and marketing may be offered!
NZ’s dreadfully low export income as a percentage of total economic activity just has to be boosted. Aussie exports are nearly three times higher as a percentage of GDP than ours. It appears that most political parties accept that exports need boosting, but although many politicians want to do the right thing, there is debate about what that right thing should be.
Realistically the Government doesn’t have that many levers but it is pleasing to see that they are thinking about using some of them, albeit a bit tentatively. To get more exports you have to do something different to encourage those that can export to do so, as more of the same policies will only leave us with more of our poor export performance.
Not everyone can respond to the call for more income earned offshore, but as one who can, I can report that incentives do work. I just love it (not) when some suit from one of the big accounting firms, screams "return to Muldoonism" when some form of tax incentive for export income is announced, especially as the suit is normally used to charging outrageously for his time with no offshore income risk at all.
Back in the early nineties, my engineering firm won the design of the precast panels at the prestigious Hong Kong Jockey Club and with it some follow up work in mainland China in the early days when such work was a risk to get paid. Various government agencies such as Tradenz applauded us but could offer nothing in the way of encouragement for this extra risk, no payment guarantee system or tax incentive was on offer, so we pulled back to make easier money from the busy home market where we could at least knock on the door of any dodgy payer.
If the government of the time had really valued that offshore income over locally earned income then they would have done something about it. Well, maybe the low export receipts and our high external trade deficit may mean that now they will.
If there is a greater value to NZ to have income earned offshore either by exporting real goods or intellectual property, then that income should receive a tax benefit to encourage business to move that way. That’s what the high growth countries like Ireland have been doing.
Similarly it’s about time our exporters got the same level of marketing support that our competitors do. Just show up at a trade fair and look at the flash displays of our Aussie competitors. A quick chat reveals that they get a one for one subsidy for these costs, and what do we get? Up till now the answer is bugger-all.
In theory there is a fund somewhere at NZ Trade and Enterprise but it has always been given out before the year even begins. Imagine if welfare was like that! "Sorry there’s no more money for the DPB this year because last year’s pregnancies were greater than expected and used it all up."
If it makes sense to help export marketing to get more export income then there shouldn’t be a limit to it. In the real world more selling investment means more sales and therefore more income! If the first dollar invested in offshore marketing support makes sense, then so will the last. This policy should be applauded. This is not welfare, which is often described as social investment. If it works the government will receive more overall tax anyway – Win/win.
While they are at it, a payment guarantee system and use of government funds as the working capital part of a high growth export strategy will not only speed up export growth but also earn good economic returns to the government. Not a subsidy, just good investment in Kiwi export growt! Surely this is better for us than sending our superannuation dollars away to grow American companies. Another win/win and we need every one of them we can get.
WAYNE BROWN
Realistically the Government doesn’t have that many levers but it is pleasing to see that they are thinking about using some of them, albeit a bit tentatively. To get more exports you have to do something different to encourage those that can export to do so, as more of the same policies will only leave us with more of our poor export performance.
Not everyone can respond to the call for more income earned offshore, but as one who can, I can report that incentives do work. I just love it (not) when some suit from one of the big accounting firms, screams "return to Muldoonism" when some form of tax incentive for export income is announced, especially as the suit is normally used to charging outrageously for his time with no offshore income risk at all.
Back in the early nineties, my engineering firm won the design of the precast panels at the prestigious Hong Kong Jockey Club and with it some follow up work in mainland China in the early days when such work was a risk to get paid. Various government agencies such as Tradenz applauded us but could offer nothing in the way of encouragement for this extra risk, no payment guarantee system or tax incentive was on offer, so we pulled back to make easier money from the busy home market where we could at least knock on the door of any dodgy payer.
If the government of the time had really valued that offshore income over locally earned income then they would have done something about it. Well, maybe the low export receipts and our high external trade deficit may mean that now they will.
If there is a greater value to NZ to have income earned offshore either by exporting real goods or intellectual property, then that income should receive a tax benefit to encourage business to move that way. That’s what the high growth countries like Ireland have been doing.
Similarly it’s about time our exporters got the same level of marketing support that our competitors do. Just show up at a trade fair and look at the flash displays of our Aussie competitors. A quick chat reveals that they get a one for one subsidy for these costs, and what do we get? Up till now the answer is bugger-all.
In theory there is a fund somewhere at NZ Trade and Enterprise but it has always been given out before the year even begins. Imagine if welfare was like that! "Sorry there’s no more money for the DPB this year because last year’s pregnancies were greater than expected and used it all up."
If it makes sense to help export marketing to get more export income then there shouldn’t be a limit to it. In the real world more selling investment means more sales and therefore more income! If the first dollar invested in offshore marketing support makes sense, then so will the last. This policy should be applauded. This is not welfare, which is often described as social investment. If it works the government will receive more overall tax anyway – Win/win.
While they are at it, a payment guarantee system and use of government funds as the working capital part of a high growth export strategy will not only speed up export growth but also earn good economic returns to the government. Not a subsidy, just good investment in Kiwi export growt! Surely this is better for us than sending our superannuation dollars away to grow American companies. Another win/win and we need every one of them we can get.
WAYNE BROWN
Border Patrol
Given recent events at British Airports it is not surprising that we are all thinking about border issues and the rapid invasion of security into our travelling experiences.
I travel a fair bit on business and you can tell a fair bit about a country from the experience at the border.
The Yanks are fully paranoid and have been since 9/11 with levels about to rise off the scale again. No doubt they will have groups deep in the Department of Homeland Security plotting ways to ruin our freedom to travel about our own country back here and we will have border staff just waiting to pick up on the latest shoe X-ray technology. Sensible travellers will wear jandals at airports from now on.
What really is our biggest border risk? Probably it’s Asian bird flu, but we don’t seem to do much about that. On leaving or entering China everyone has their temperature read digitally as you cross the border. Those with a high temperature are checked by a doctor to see if bird flu really is the problem. Seems sensible to me and it is done with little disruption, so what do we do?
We greet our visitors and returning exporters from China with dogs!
Ambling towards the immigration line, following the long haul back from Hong Kong earlier this year an official Fido leapt at my trouser pocket excitedly. Before I could boot the damn thing off, I’m lead off to where the Mr Bigs get interviewed. A long wait ensued interspersed with detailed examination of my pockets, wallet and carry on bag, all the while being badgered by the tattooed Pom in the Customs uniform who is absolutely sure he’s nailed another Mr Big.
"You’re nervous", he accused me, mistaking growing anger for fear, although the discussion with a large burly fellow Customs official about rectal searching did induce a slight tremor.
"The dog has been known to be wrong", I was told in the same tone that a Tui’s advert might be related. I was never told what I was suspected of having, but I can assure readers that international business is quite hard enough without contemplating carting illegal substances across a border.
What was the driver of this behaviour? Well, apparently this fellow had been star of some reality border show that I hadn’ t seen, which must have disappointed him. Eventually in the absence of anything illegal, (not because it was hidden, but because it didn’t exist), I was allowed to collect my possessions which were thoroughly X-rayed, still without result and join my business partner who had been waiting an hour and a half for me, wondering what the heck has happened.
Customs lodge a report on each of these events, so I asked if I was to be stopped every time in the future. No reply, so I sought a copy of the report under the Official Information Act.
This reveals yet another area of over-employment curtesy of the taxpayer. Weeks later the Customs report appears with some lines blocked out. Why? Nothing happened!
Yet another group of officials are now needed. The Privacy Commissioner’s Office eventually respond weeks later, telling me that they cannot utilise email as it might not protect my privacy, and the amended Customs report arrives but still with one line hidden by thick black ink, apparently to avoid prejudicing any future court action! The lines that have been unblocked don’t really say much either, so I’m mystified by the purpose of the report, nor do I know what special border warning status, if any, that I now have.
The really odd thing is that I was a bit worried about the bird flu thing, but due to Customs dragging me out of the process I missed the Ag and Fish guys. You see, while wandering around the old part of a Chinese town we rounded a corner in a lane to find ourselves in the duck market! Obviously no transfer of disease occurred as I’m still well.
The Custom officer told me he was protecting my children! What from? If they were really worried out drugs and my kids, why not close down the P labs known to exist in the North. If it was marijuana he was worried about, that’s grown in Northland. No need to go to China.
I travel a fair bit on business and you can tell a fair bit about a country from the experience at the border.
The Yanks are fully paranoid and have been since 9/11 with levels about to rise off the scale again. No doubt they will have groups deep in the Department of Homeland Security plotting ways to ruin our freedom to travel about our own country back here and we will have border staff just waiting to pick up on the latest shoe X-ray technology. Sensible travellers will wear jandals at airports from now on.
What really is our biggest border risk? Probably it’s Asian bird flu, but we don’t seem to do much about that. On leaving or entering China everyone has their temperature read digitally as you cross the border. Those with a high temperature are checked by a doctor to see if bird flu really is the problem. Seems sensible to me and it is done with little disruption, so what do we do?
We greet our visitors and returning exporters from China with dogs!
Ambling towards the immigration line, following the long haul back from Hong Kong earlier this year an official Fido leapt at my trouser pocket excitedly. Before I could boot the damn thing off, I’m lead off to where the Mr Bigs get interviewed. A long wait ensued interspersed with detailed examination of my pockets, wallet and carry on bag, all the while being badgered by the tattooed Pom in the Customs uniform who is absolutely sure he’s nailed another Mr Big.
"You’re nervous", he accused me, mistaking growing anger for fear, although the discussion with a large burly fellow Customs official about rectal searching did induce a slight tremor.
"The dog has been known to be wrong", I was told in the same tone that a Tui’s advert might be related. I was never told what I was suspected of having, but I can assure readers that international business is quite hard enough without contemplating carting illegal substances across a border.
What was the driver of this behaviour? Well, apparently this fellow had been star of some reality border show that I hadn’ t seen, which must have disappointed him. Eventually in the absence of anything illegal, (not because it was hidden, but because it didn’t exist), I was allowed to collect my possessions which were thoroughly X-rayed, still without result and join my business partner who had been waiting an hour and a half for me, wondering what the heck has happened.
Customs lodge a report on each of these events, so I asked if I was to be stopped every time in the future. No reply, so I sought a copy of the report under the Official Information Act.
This reveals yet another area of over-employment curtesy of the taxpayer. Weeks later the Customs report appears with some lines blocked out. Why? Nothing happened!
Yet another group of officials are now needed. The Privacy Commissioner’s Office eventually respond weeks later, telling me that they cannot utilise email as it might not protect my privacy, and the amended Customs report arrives but still with one line hidden by thick black ink, apparently to avoid prejudicing any future court action! The lines that have been unblocked don’t really say much either, so I’m mystified by the purpose of the report, nor do I know what special border warning status, if any, that I now have.
The really odd thing is that I was a bit worried about the bird flu thing, but due to Customs dragging me out of the process I missed the Ag and Fish guys. You see, while wandering around the old part of a Chinese town we rounded a corner in a lane to find ourselves in the duck market! Obviously no transfer of disease occurred as I’m still well.
The Custom officer told me he was protecting my children! What from? If they were really worried out drugs and my kids, why not close down the P labs known to exist in the North. If it was marijuana he was worried about, that’s grown in Northland. No need to go to China.
Last message (in print) for a while
This page is being lost in the new Star Times format and with it goes my opportunity to address you, dear readers, on the eclectic range of subjects that I have enjoyed sharing with you over the last couple of years.
I have made a few predictions in that time and a number have come to pass. Notably:-
Wayne Brown
I have made a few predictions in that time and a number have come to pass. Notably:-
- Bush’s unwise invasion of Iraq has brought tears and has punctured USA’s reputation as a formidable fighting force that could change regimes worldwide whenever it felt like it, but now their army of pizza workers has been exposed by rag tag zealots.
- As predicted Helen Clark’s steely resolve just prevailed over Don Brash’s election challenge, however we might still get the tax cuts.
- The rise of the wrong people in the electricity industry did result in power outages with Transpower pipping Vector at the post for the bad service award. I didn’t give the date but did get right the predicted power failure.
- The USA free trade agreement with Australia is proving to be as sad for the Aussies as predicted. Hopefully Winstone will drop just enough clangers to ensure we don’t get one with the Yanks either.
- The China free trade agreement still appears to be progressing and this will turn out well for NZ if it is completed soon, before others force the Chinese to hold back concessions to NZ.
- The convergence of telecommunications, TV, media and entertainment coupled with the growth of broadband in speed and reach will throw up some winners and losers. We really need to think smartly as a nation and in each region to make sure we end up on the right side of the digital divide.
- Auckland will struggle to be one city as various interests promote their own survival in the name of consolidation. Is the call for a Lord Mayor a return to mediaeval titles? Who will be the court jester? Unfortunately there are more qualified applicants for jester! Perhaps if the regional city is too hard, then perhaps a trial step would be to have just one health board for Auckland. The lab worker protests certainly think there is only one DHB now, being only interested in protesting at ADHB even though their problem is with a regional contract.
- Helen Clark will get some sort of international role, if only to show up how far Blair has fallen from his Iraqi errors.
- xtra.co.nz will actually get control of Spam so we can be relieved of unwanted Goldmark Industry and Viagra offers
- The NPC rugby gets better and professional players actually learn to pass and catch the ball in the way that amateurs mastered years ago.
- Regional NZ leadership lifts its performance so rural dwellers aren’t left behind in the internet and infrastructure rush. This might require a drongo clean-out at local body election time next year.
- The crash of 2007 turns out to be a soft landing when all that foreign debt gets renewed next year and with it those fixed mortgage rates get changed.
- The Government drives its SOEs to perform as well as Temasek does for the Singaporean Government
- Some of the smarter younger MPs in all parties start to emerge from behind the busy second string duds that have been there for so long,
- And finally we learn to get on better with each other, lose weight, get fit and stop hurting kids. (Will they ever find the Kahui killers?)
Wayne Brown
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