Giving credit where it's due

The latest Private Word from the Privacy Commissioner spends a good deal of time explaining the benefits of the new Credit Reporting Privacy Code.

The big bonus for consumercitizens is that it makes access to their personal credit records free. Previously, credit agencies such as Baycorp Advantage charged $15 for people to find out whether their credit records were accurate. A clear, fast and effective complaints process must be in place by April 1st this year also.

By April 2006, disputed debts will have to be flagged, pro-active checking to ensure accurate records matched to the correct people and audits to ensure unauthorised access to credit information is curtailed.

This is a good step towards levelling that most treacherous of playing fields, the debt-market.

Talking to Bob

The BBC are very embarrassed at being turned down for an interview with a famous musician. They emailled the Marley Foundation requesting an interview with Bob, only to be told he had died in 1981.

"The Marley Foundation have been extremely good humoured about this and we have apologised for the error," said the BBC.

Sunday drivers

Will the record-breaking cost of petrol put an end to that Kiwi icon, the Sunday driver?

The P in Kapiti

Tim Hume writes in the SST that Seven senior Satan's Slaves, including the sergeant-at-arms and the president, have quit over the gang's involvement with P. Detective Ross McKay of Paraparaumu police said police intelligence indicated the row within the Slaves mirrored divisions emerging in gangs nationwide.

I was told a story a couple of years ago when I was living in Orkland. I cannot tell how much truth there is in it, but here's how it went:

There was once a gang that sold P. Some of the members of this gang took a fondness to getting high on their supply. One night at a party surrounded by their whanau, a member took enough P to make him God.

"I am invincible!" he roared. To prove it, he punched a plate glass ranch slider, badly cutting himself in the process. "I am invincible!" he roared again and took a shard of glass, repeatedly stabbing himself in the chest. Needless to say, both he and the party died.

The word went out to the gang. Get clean. We don't need this shit.

Dry rot

NZ's smartest socialist Chris Trotter has an excellent appraisal of the John Banks/Act thing in The Independent:

"ACT's membership base contains some of the best- informed and highly motivated political activists in the country. They are unlikely to respond positively to their party being over-run by a mob of witless knuckle-draggers."

The DomPost also has a good article covering Mark Blumsky's campaign launch (offline edition A10). With PR like this, it is no surprise Boo-Boo has moved up the Party List. I've never voted National, but I'd consider voting for Blumsky.

Nation of narks

University researchers are haunting Wellington bars on behalf of the police and ACC. With neither the consent of bar owners nor the patrons they observe, the researchers fill in forms from observing patrons' reactions before and after police visits. The aim is to reduce crime and alcohol-related injuries.

"Some bars are trying to make out that we're jumping on people that are having a great night. That's just not the case. We're trying to make the town safer," said Wellington liquor licensing sergeant Grant Verner.

Yeah Right.

In Turangi, locals have had a gutsful of drug dealers and are dobbing them in to the police on a regular basis. It's not paranoia when everyone is out to get you. The police chief, Senior Sergeant Dennis Murphy, said his staff were seeing a link between drug dealing and property offending such as burglary. The crimes were "overlapping".

I'll save the police a lot of research cash and drop a hint. What's the difference between owing a drug dealer money and owing a car dealer money?

Moore! Moore!

Alan Moore, half-blind half-deaf former LSD salesman and graphic novel god, is getting two of his most influential books put to celluloid.

Watchmen is in pre-production and Empire has a good taste of what to expect with director Paul Greengrass at the helm. Greengrass, director of Bloody Sunday and The Bourne Supremacy, promises to keep the dense symbolism and dark political allegory true to Alan Moore's original vision. John Cusack is rumoured to play Nite Owl Dan Dreiberg.

I'm amazed someone is trying to cram it all into a feature-length movie. I had imagined it as a mini-series. If you haven't read the graphic novel yet, I strongly urge you to track it down.

Dystopian nightmare V for Vendetta is currently filming. With a screenplay co-written by the Wachowski Brothers, this tale of totalitarian control freaks facing an unstoppable terrorist hero is just what is needed to alleviate the post-millenial tension.

Politics will never be the same.

Attack of the vanilla people

Wanganui mayor Michael Laws has put the town on the media map in a way Chas Poynter never did with Moutua Gardens. Laws has provoked controversy on Frontseat over the Sarjeant Gallery, legal action with native loggers on national news, and annoyed people in Reality TV-land on Celebrity Treasure Island. Now a handful of concerned do-gooders have taken a complaint about the him to the Wanganui Council.

Apparently, Michael Laws needs to bland down a lot. Mrs Calder, for instance, didn't like it when Michael Laws said all journalists like getting pissed. Well Mrs Calder, show me a journalist who doesn't like to get pissed and you might get a bit more credibility.

The six whingeing wet blankets (Valerie Calder, Jay Kuten, Carol Webb, William Pearce, Matt Dutton and Warwick Chapman FYI) will have a hard time trying to show Laws breached the code and brought the city into disrepute. If anything, I bet tourism's up in the city with out-of-towners (such as journalists) coming to see what all the fuss is about.

Meanwhile in Christchurch, around 120 people concerned people picketed an appropriately-named nos shop called Weirdos. Christchurch City Councillors Helen Broughton and Bob Shearing spoke to the crowd. Hornby High School principal Andy Kai Fong summed up the crowd's feeling by saying that while he had not seen a large amount of evidence of nos use among students, he was sure it was happening.

Senior Sergeant Peter Laloli said people taking the substances were causing social problems in Christchurch and stretching police resources. What? All of them?

The shop has taken an interesting step in taking a trespass notice out against the police. Apart from begging the question of who the hell is going to enforce the ban, the move is the first of what I suspect will be a trend.

Chairman Jim's Supplementary Order Paper before the Health select committee seeks to introduce a new, empty schedule for drugs. He has made it clear that he would like some regulation on party pills, nos, butane, and air freshener. Maximum stock levels of these substances will be set in a way even alcohol outlets aren't.

The SOP increases police powers dramatically, allowing them guaranteed access to any property that stocks anything in the empty schedule, providing it is not a dwelling-house. It will allow them to search and seize property and financial records without warrants or evidence of a crime.

What if the dairies, petrol stations, supermarkets and head shops served trespass notices on police to stem this draconian power? What would happen if bar owners served trespass notices on the Health department smokefree police? What if every landowner took trespass notices out against every single bureaucrat and official currently allowed by right onto private property? What a great way to start a written constitution!

There's something about Christchurch. Maybe it's because it's the home of the country's highest per capita Prozac prescriptions and liquor licences. Perhaps it's because it's the home of the Chairman Jim Party. Whatever it is, there is one more reason to look askance at those particular Mainlanders; paedophile Graham Capill, formerly leader of the Christian Heritage Party and police court prosecutor. I bet he'll find jail an interesting role reversal.

Queenstown doesn't fare much better, with Lakes District Councillor Wayne McKeague going to court on child porn charges. Faced with such deviant competition, Michael Laws has no chance of being found guilty of bringing the council into disrepute. In fact, Laws scores only 6.9 on the goNZometer, 0.8 points below Tim Shadbolt.

Waitakere mayor Bob Harvey is off the charts. His cunning plan of an Orkland Lord Mayor to lobby Wellington is not a bad idea. If anything, his scheme doesn't go far enough. I think everyone would be much happier if Orkland became a federal state in what I like to call the Federation of New Zealand Independent Enclosures (FoNZIE). Orkland, like Christchurch, is a law unto itself, and it's time this was recognised.

Hunter's legacy

Hunter S Thompson, sinner and saint of 20th Century literature, blew his brains out while talking with his wife on the phone a few weeks' ago. I hope his wish to have his ashes scattered by being shot out of a cannon comes to pass.

Hunter had been making plans with his wife, Anita, to set up the Hunter S Thompson Foundation. It will be dedicated to helping people in the prison system "who shouldn't be there."

Too fucked to fuck

Recent research has uncovered the high cost of not enough sleep; bad sex and dangerous driving. Pity the poor buggers who only get five hours' sleep a night ;-)

More puke

Not content with slurring one person under parliamentary privelege, Winston P accuses the entire Act party as defenders of "paedophilia behaviour and paedophiles in New Zealand."

As an Act (and Labour) party member, this stunt is getting a little out of hand. I do not like being accused of supporting paedophiles. As someone who has been sexually assaulted as a child, I find Winston P's comments more than a little distasteful.

After much sound and fury, Winston P withdrew and apologised to Act MPs. I doubt he will apologise to the rest of the membership.

It's a pity his father didn't withdraw and apologise in time. It would have saved everyone a lot of bother.

Question Time today:

Rt Hon Winston Peters: Has the Minister received any information
or reports that in this House there is a political party that
seems to be a defender of paedophilia behaviour and paedophiles
in New Zealand?

Madam SPEAKER: The Minister has no responsibility for another
party.

Hon Richard Prebble: The matter does not settle there. Mr Peters is making a serious slur on parliamentarians. That is most certainly out of order, and if he was suggesting that I am defending paedophilia he is most certainly mistaken. I require him to withdraw and apologise for that very serious slur. It is all right for Mr Peters, and we cannot stop him from slandering anyone outside this House, but under our rules he cannot slander a member of this House.

Rt Hon Winston Peters: First of all, the caucus of the ACT party is not a party—or anything like it, apparently. Secondly, I was prepared to allow that Rodney Hide had made a serious mistake
in helping someone who walked into his office, or had others walk into his office seeking an MP's assistance, and I am still prepared to. But when some member of Parliament rises, knowing that the evidence that is out now clearly points to such a person, then I resent in any way, shape, or form that it is me who is guilty of a breach of privilege, or has in any way offended the rules of Parliament.

Hon Richard Prebble: It is all very well for Mr Peters now to refer to some other MP. The person who asked the question was myself, and I take very deep offence at Mr Peters' statement. I was seeking clarification as to whether any crime had been committed, and as far as I can tell no crime has been committed and no evidence has been given of it. So I am now being slurred as being a defender of paedophilia, and I take very great exception to that. Mr Peters may make it his practice to slander people outside this House and may get popular support for doing so, but he may not do it to MPs. I am asking you, Madam Speaker, now that I have been so slurred by Mr Peters, to require him to withdraw and apologise, even though he has great difficulty in admitting that he has made mistakes.

Madam SPEAKER: I think I have heard sufficient argument on this. Obviously the question when it was first asked was out of order. Members know that they should not imply infamous or damaging conduct on other members. If the member did imply such conduct then he should either deny he was making that allegation or he should withdraw and apologise.

Rt Hon Winston Peters: I wish to raise a point of clarification for you to make on this judgment, and it concerns an event. I referred to a political party that stood, to a man and a woman, and cheered Mr Jim Peron just 2 weeks ago at its annual conference. I referred to a political party. I did not refer to anybody in this House, and Hansard will disclose that.

Madam SPEAKER: However, a member felt that the inference was to that particular member, so is the member denying that there was any such inference to an individual member?

Rt Hon Winston Peters: I am saying that my reference was to a political party. The specific details are of a political party, after the matter had been raised in this House, cheering, to a man and a woman, at its last annual general meeting, one Jim Peron.

Madam SPEAKER: Is the member saying, and I ask this for the last time—[Interruption] The member has taken exception to what was a serious allegation, from which a reasonable inference could have been taken, even though reference was made generally. I am asking the member, for the last time, either to withdraw and apologise or to state that no such inference was applied to an individual member.

Rt Hon Winston Peters: I wish to make it very clear to you that a political party—and a parliamentary party—[Interruption] No, I am not going to apologise.

Hon Richard Prebble: Of course you are.

Rt Hon Winston Peters: No, I am not. I am not going to apologise for accusing a political party—and I have given the House evidence for it—of being a defender of a paedophile.

Madam SPEAKER: The member is not going to withdraw and apologise. Are you denying then that the implication was that individual members of that party were supporters of paedophiles?

Rt Hon Winston Peters: Well, obviously. I referred to a political party. But no one in this House can demand that because I referred to his or her party I therefore referred to that member.

Stephen Franks: Mr Peters said that the ACT party, to a man and a woman, stood and applauded Mr Peron. That is untrue for a start; I was there. He has included me in his inference, and I demand that he withdraw and apologise to me, for a start.

Madam SPEAKER: I refer members to Speaker's ruling 47/4, for those who are interested in these matters, and I know that those who are participating in this matter are interested: 'It has
traditionally been ruled that it is perfectly in order for members to say that the Government or a member has been influenced by somebody outside Parliament or has had advice from somebody outside Parliament. It is not in order to say that the Government or a member has been dominated by, has received instructions from, has received directions from, or has been dictated to by somebody outside Parliament.' That was the implication. Would the member then please withdraw and apologise.

Rt Hon Winston Peters: I will not, because I have made it very clear where my allegation lay, and with respect that Speaker's ruling covers no such thing; there is no reference to this matter
at all.

Madam SPEAKER: I refer the member, then, to Speaker's ruling 47/1.

Hon Richard Prebble: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. We have here deliberate defiance of the Speakership. Just asking Mr Peters to withdraw so that he can make some TV stunt is not
sufficient. I believe he should be named. I take very great exception to what Mr Peters is saying. I say to you that, in my case—because I can speak only for myself—what he is saying is totally untrue.

Rt Hon Winston Peters: If Mr Prebble and Mr Franks are offended by what I have said, then I apologise personally to those two members.

Madam SPEAKER: The member has apologised. We will now move on to the next question.

Rodney Hide: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I, too, am offended by the Rt Hon Winston Peters' implication in what he said. I think you were right the first time you ruled—that
he should withdraw and apologise totally.

Madam SPEAKER: Would the member withdraw and apologise to all members of the ACT party in the House whom he was referring to in that statement.

Rt Hon Winston Peters: I withdraw and apologise to all those members, whether or not they stood in support of Jim Peron.

Madam SPEAKER: No; does the member withdraw and apologise?

Rt Hon Winston Peters: I withdraw and apologise.

Wrong number

My, my. Isn't this Electoral Commission pizza grab making interesting stories. It seems the Labour Party Creative Accounting division may have over-stretched themselves. The membership figure of 48,609 given to the Commission has been ridiculed down to a more credible 10,000. Jonathan Milne also reckons the Maori Party membership is higher than Labour's. Too right. Blood is thicker than any union official.

Good on Whig for keeping it real with the tally. Idiot/Savant, does Labour's quintuple-counting inaccuracies count as fraud or is misleading the Commission and the public all par for the course?

Full circle

There was a framed copy of a cheque on the wall of Dad's office. It was a Bank of New Zealand cheque dated 1974 and was made out for around $500,000. The year before ACC began, my father had won a record personal damages suit on behalf of a client. It was a relatively straight-forward case. Someone was negligent. A victim appealed to the court for redress. They got it.

Skip forward to today, and you wonder how much has changed. For starters, everyone pays. Every business and employee pays ACC levies. Every car user pays with petrol and licence ACC levies. These levies go up and down not based solely on claims, but largely due to fluctuations in ACC's investments.

We pay for squadrons of Health and Safety Inspectors to ensure the risk of anything bad happening is minimised, yet bad things continue to happen. Layer upon layer of bureaucratic tissue paper is added and then we wonder why we're so goddamn low in productivity. Even the Greens are bitching about stupid red tape.

ACC, like Inland Revenue, prides itself on Scottish miserliness. Like WINZ staff, the sheer quantity of cash proves too tempting for some ACC workers, namely Jeff Chapman and Gavin Robins. Then lawyers such as John Miller are in court on behalf of clients stonewalled by ACC's reluctance to compensate. Taking ACC to court is a growth industry.

How much has changed? Well, it's the same beginning and ending with a sackload of expensive crap in the middle.

Good call

Both the judge and jury should be congratulated for a wise verdict in the Dixon "nutjob" trial.

Blaming P for Dixon's rampage is like blaming God for Brian Tamaki. The judge put it legal-speak by directing the jury that "the consumption of P on its own, even if it induces psychosis, is not enough to amount to insanity for the purposes of our Crimes Act."

As an old girlfriend said to me, it's not what you've got it's what you do with it. Role models such as Darren McDonald have shown that P is a relatively harmless stimulant (in a public safety way) if used by reasonable people. People who have a violent reaction to the drug should be monitored.

The black market is unmonitored. It will sell to anyone with the cash. From a public safety side of things, wouldn't it be worthwhile considering some rules to ensure someone doesn't feed the animals?

The toleration and trust that the Needle Exchange Program fostered amongst junkies has helped prevent illness and death. Even drug czar "Chairman Jim" has acknowledged the good work done. The concept could be expanded to include all things where risks are accepted and medication is observed. This is why bars and casinos have licences. Regulation provides a code that someone on site is held accountable for.

The Greens have released a Drug Policy that could provide an open and honest look at everything from alcohol to acid, methamphetamine to caffeine. Act, the Liberal Party, have yet to provide a better alternative. This is surprising given some truck drivers smoke P for professional reasons.

Passive Internet Dating

If any single Wellington women read this blog, please take note:

Your Seduction Style: Ideal Lover

You seduce people by tapping into their dreams and desires. And because of this sensitivity, you can be the ideal lover for anyone you seek. You are a shapeshifter - bringing romance, adventure, spirituality to relationships. It all depends on who your with, and what their vision of a perfect relationship is.

What Is Your Seduction Style?

I've always thought that you've got to know a bit about their head if you both want to screw their brains out.