Our Civel Rights Should Not Be At Risk

This was published as a letter in the New Zealand Herald Wednesday 26 September ,2012 titled Civil Liberties At Stake



The bungling or whatever it is   by the Government Foreign Agency is
not acceptable in our democracy. ‘Mr Dotcom’s business which was a
legal entity under New Zealand law is now unable to operate.  He has
lost substantial sums of money. The police actions in storming his
home and also his civil rights have been rights interfered with to a
degree that is frightening.
In 1974 our then Prime minster Norman Kirk stood up to the security
intelligence Service (The SIS }  and stopped  them bugging people
homes . He warned about the about the coming computer age and wanted
safeguards introduced to protect New Zealanders from possible
intrusion by the state or security agencies into our lives.  Kirk was
correct.
Twenty seven thousand citizens marched in the streets of Wellington in
1977 against proposals that would put our rights  at risk.  We need at
this time an unequivocal statement from our government that our
citizens (Dotcom is one too) be they rich or poor, Maori or Pakeha
will be protected from the excess that have been dealt to Dotcom and
his family

. Mr Key says that the since he has been Primeminster the GCSB has
actually thoroughly professionally and within the law. The grounds for
this inquiry must be wider than the security agencies would  want to
ensure that the public as much as the Primeminster can have confidence
that our rights’ are secure.     Dotcom and his family are entitled to
such an enquiry and also an apology.

In The National Interest

Investors, share brokers and writers have all raised concerns about
the Haier bid for Fisher and Paykel. One prominent writer /economist
has even suggested a joint venture with a majority share holding
remaining here.

Sentiment and emotion have no economic reason usually but in the case
of F& P they do.

This company is an icon that we are all proud of.  Fisher and Paykel
is a first choice or option for most kiwis.

The increasingly wide kiwi diaspora is keen not only to talk this
company up but to show their dish draw dishwasher to their neighbours
in Brooklyn or Paddington. What better symbol of both our industrial
heritage and modern know how is there?

.
The brand, the innovation and the underlying financial value and F&P
shows the world of what we can do and achieve. Also that New Zealand
is not only dairy farms, film sets and beautiful scenery.

Government should and many others do act in the national interest.
It is in the national interest for F&P to remain in majority kiwi
ownership. To ensure this happens the government could instruct the
ACC board to take a strategic shareholding in F&P.  This would be
publicly popular and also caste the ACC board in favourable light.

Three Lamps Ponsonby

The return of these lamps to Ponsonby is fantastic news.

It has been long awaited and would not of happened with out the generosity of the Cossar family as reported but also the efforts  of former Western Bays Community Board member  Bruce Kilminster who tirelessly pursed all options to get the Three Lamps back into their rightful place.Tricia Reade continued his fine efforts and she was able to bring the final negotiations to an ultimately successful conclusion. 

 Our ever increasing diaspora are  returning to the cities and towns  of their birth  often with mokapuna seeking to find where their forbears came from.  Film productions  are also seeking locations will find the return  Three Lamps most  satisfying  .They are a  wonderful  addiction to the historic neighbourhods of Freemens Bay and Ponsonby where people can connect with their soul.

Heritage buildings, street scape, including furnishings and  lighting are also  important .With the reinstatement  of the Three Lamps , the poll and foundations one would expect  be of the same style and standard .

To complete the picture the streetlights  around There Lamps should  complement and the undergrounding  of cables and telegraph wires should happen simultaneously .When this has been completed the Waitamata Board can congratulate themselves on a another  job well done. This will also help local retail and other commercial business. 

The Angels Share at the Auckland International Film Festival

 Today at the Civic Theatre  we were treated to another  Ken  Loach human masterpiece .

 Robbie and a few losers who a met on a PD program thru Harry their warden   discover a taste for and enjoyment of malt whiskey  .


Through whiskey  they turn their life around .

The film is both  emotional draining and humorous .I am sipping a Glenlivet as I write this post

Enough said , get tickets , and  enjoy  The Angels Share     

Blast Pat Hanly -The Painter and his Protests

At the Voyager National Maritime Museum Auckland

Add caption

Symonds Street Cemetry Should be Auckland's Pioneer Park

This letter was published in the New Zealand Herald on Wednesday 18 July 2012.







Brian Rudman's suggestion about cemetery the  is meritorious and should be given full consideration by Auckland Council and even central government .Hobson and others buried  there are nationally important and their graves and contribution to New Zealand are surely worthy of a national contribution .

New Zealanders make  trips to the birth places of our forbears .The kiwi diaspora is large and growing.  Many of them  come back to New Zealand often with mokapuna who want to know where their parents and grandparents were born or grew up .This is a natural human wish and we should do all to make this a wonderful, educational discovery and connection for them .

The population of the Waitemata will continue to increase and demand for green space is endemic .Three schools already use the Domain . Myers ,Albert ,Western , Tole and   Grey Lynn parks are working at over capacity.
 The cemetery can help alleviate this pressure and also has some of the best ozone in the city .We should also provide  scented gardens for those whose eyesight  is impaired.
The unsafe area where security guards are scared to venture needs to be addressed .
Most  of these people have mental health  issues which are hidden in the fumes of various addictions. They are worthy of compassion, we should not  drive them to the edge of town but work with the social agencies to get the best possible outcome for them too.

Auckland Thespians come out for Gay Rights

At Maidment theatre last night some of Auckland  liberal community turned out in force.

 Sequined   drag queens, twenty three  actors including Robyn Malcolm and Peter Elliot,  fag hags, stars,  singers,politicians  including Labour MP Jacinda Adern  all celebrated this victory and in questions and answers  after the show reflected on the New Zealand situation .In common cause they drank fine  wine and mineral water.

A proposal known as   Proposition 8 galvanized the social liberals and gay community of America  to defeat this legislation   banning  gay marriage . This play is about the  successful court case led by lawyers Ted Owens and David Boise to the  the American Supreme Court ruled that proposition 8 was unconstitutional .



  Buckwheat  and Tess Tickle doing their bits for gay rights


In the United States prominent actors including  George Clooney ,Brad Pitt and Jamie Lee Curtis have acted in this play. The leading New Zealand actors who  also  taken up the call should be recognized..   All power to them



  It was a full house and the writer was unable to get tickets .