New Zealand Report – Evening Report

NZ Report: Govt Intends To Toughen Up On Encrypted Communications + The Elusive Taylor Swift

Selwyn Manning — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 20:30:09 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning joins Australia’s radio FiveAA.com.au breakfast team to deliver New Zealand Report: This week – The New Zealand Government intends to toughen up on encrypted communications + The Elusive Taylor Swift – Recorded Live on 25/11/15.

New Zealand’s National-led Government looks set to further tighten the country’s security intelligence laws in the aftermath of the November 13 terror attacks in Paris. Yesterday (Tuesday) the Prime Minister John Key said there were 40 New Zealanders currently on a special anti-terrorism target list and at least two individuals are currently under 24 hour surveillance by the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) and Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB). Key said all 40 individuals on the watch-list are on the “periphery of Islamic State”. He told Radio New Zealand: “One or two of them are quite threatening individuals but I hasten to say people should take some confidence from the fact that they’re under 24-hour surveillance so their capacity to do a lot is limited.” Immediately after the Paris terror attacks John Key and the SIS and GCSB Minister, Chris Finlayson both indicated a concern that new encryption communications software made it possible for terrorists and criminals to communicate and plan strikes within the dark web. Finlayson hinted that the Government is looking to make it unlawful for people in New Zealand to use encryption without ensuring the Government’s spooks have a means of deciphering the communications. Currently, all ISPs in New Zealand must provide the Government’s spooks with de-encryption keys to any private or protected communication platforms. But there is no law preventing individuals from using high-encryption software like Tor and Tails. QUIRKY NEWS: On a lighter note, the biggest mystery in New Zealand this week is: Taylor Swift, where the bloody hell are ya? Media and fans have been out trying to hunt down the American superstar after rumours began circulating that she was spotted at an Auckland west coast ocean beach, and also that she is here filming a new music video. The news of the century was confirmed by a local soap opera actor who bumped into Swift when exiting the toilet on a flight from LA to Auckland. Ido Dent told Television New Zealand: “Yeah, had a good chat to her on the plane outside the lavatory. She’s definitely here.”

New Zealand Report broadcasts live on Australia’s radio FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.

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New Zealand Report: Political Stoush Erupts In Parliament After PM’s Body Guard Fends Off Labour MP

Selwyn Manning — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 21:07:09 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning joins Australia’s FiveAA.com.au breakfast team to deliver his NZ Report bulletin. [caption id="attachment_183" align="alignleft" width="150"] Selwyn Manning, editor.[/caption] New Zealand Report This week: A political stoush erupted in the New Zealand Parliament yesterday after the Prime Minister John Key’s body guard pushed Labour MP Kelvin Davis after Davis accused John Key of being gutless over his handling of Kiwis detained by Australia at Christmas Island. Later, inside the debating chamber, John Key accused Labour of sticking up for rapists, murderers, sex offenders. The comment caused a mass walkout of Parliament by Labour MPs. – Recorded live on 11/11/15 Report: A political slouch erupted yesterday after a high profile Labour MP was fended off by one of the Prime Minister John Key’s body guards. John Key was making his way to Parliament’s debating chamber when Kelvin Davis, Labour’s corrections spokesperson, stepped toward him and accused him of being ‘gutless’ over failing to get a result over Kiwis being detained by Australia at Christmas Island. When Davis stepped toward the Prime Minister, John Key ignored him and passed without hindrance, but not before Davis said: Prime Minister you are gutless over the 501s. At that moment, the Diplomatic Protection Squad body guard pushed Davis toward a wall. Davis was not complaining. His point was made. And he said the body guard’s fend-off was less impressive than the under-9s junior rugby team. But Key was steaming, and shortly after in Parliament he accused the Labour Party of being on the side of rapists, murderers and child molesters. The allegation caused a mass walkout of Labour MPs from Parliament. The theatre underscores how the politicians are playing this issue. Key wants the detainees to be labeled as murderers, rapists, and child sex offenders. While Labour is attempting to expose John Key’s inability to resolve the deportation issue when he met with Malcolm Turnbull two weeks ago. Neither party wants the deportees in New Zealand but both parties realise Australia will not relent over the policy. New Zealand Report broadcasts live on Australian radio FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.]]>

New Zealand Report: All Blacks Return To Huge Haka + Kiwis Say Yes to NZ-Bred Melbourne Cup Win + NZvAU Cricket

Selwyn Manning — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 20:48:00 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning joins Australia’s radio FiveAA.com.au breakfast team with Dave Penberthy and Will Goodings to deliver New Zealand Report.

This week’s New Zealand Report: The Rugby World Champions the All Blacks return to New Zealand with a huge Haka by Air New Zealand staff on the tarmac of Auckland International Airport + Kiwis are celebrating the NZ-bred Melbourne Cup win by Prince of Penzance by woman jockey Michelle Payne + NZ’s Black Caps are preparing to front-up against Australia in a test Cricket series opener at the Gabba – NZ Report was recorded live on 4/11/15.

It’s proving to be a week of top sport celebrations with the Aussie-trained-owned New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred horse, Prince of Penzance, winning the Melbourne Cup. News of Michelle Payne becoming the first woman to win the Cup led national news reports here in NZ, with Kiwis celebrating at having bred the winning outsider. Prince of Penzance was bought for $50,000 back here at the Karaka Sales in New Zealand. Prince of Penzance was bred by John Thompson of MataMata about two hours south/east of Auckland who remembers POP was “a confident young fella” when being raised at his stud. Thompson said he has a couple of mares to breed this week so will put off celebrating for a month or two. New Zealand has also been celebrating third place winner Criterion, the horse owned by Kiwi Sir Owen Glenn. And the All Blacks return to New Zealand today (Wednesday) with around 100 thousand people expected to crowd into Auckland’s CBD to welcome the team (and the cup) home. The All Blacks will begin touring the Webb Ellis Trophy around the country over the next few weeks. And then there’s the Cricket. New Zealand’s Black Caps team has been acclimatising in Brisbane in preparation for the first Australia V NZ test match at the Gabba which begins on Thursday. The test series should sort out the Australasian pecking order after both the Kiwis and Aussies failed to knock the English off their test Cricket perch in 2015. Let the sledging begin! New Zealand Report broadcasts live on Australia’s radio FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.]]>

New Zealand Report: Rugby World Cup All Blacks V Wallabies Final This Sunday Morning

Selwyn Manning — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:44:49 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning joins Australia’s radio FiveAA breakfast team to deliver New Zealand Report, this week they dig into the form of Rugby World Cup finalists the All Blacks and the Wallabies – Recorded live on 28/10/15.

This has got to be the perfect outcome of the month-long Rugby World Cup tournament, with both the All Blacks and the Wallabies in the final. Consider this… there have been three major World Cups in 2015. Crick, Netball and Rugby. Australia and New Zealand have been in all the finals. Maybe this is New Zealand’s time to shine 🙂 It’s a statement on how good southern hemisphere Rugby is that all four teams in the semi finals were from below the equator: Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Predictably the All Blacks V Spring Boks game was as they say, a real nail biter with the Spring Boks ahead at half time, and the All Blacks finishing the game with two tries, two conversions, and a drop goal to mount a two point 20-18 lead. The South Africans failed to score a try but booted their way into contention, capitalising on the All Blacks high penalty rate. And that penalty rate is the biggest problem with this All Black team. No one from the New Zealand team has really explained why the All Blacks have been giving away so many penalty goal opportunities to their opponents. It was a concerning pattern in the pool games, and it nearly lost the All Blacks a shot at the final when the Spring Boks exploited this weakness when in All Blacks territory. But the All Blacks are on form now, they are fast and probably the finest pack in the World Cup. And they are peaking at the right time. The All Blacks also have shown they do have the ability to shape the game-play and tactics to counter any opposition. Australia, while having outplayed all opponents so far in the World Cup, showed a few signs of being battle-weary last weekend. But then again, the Wallabies fired up and delivered when they needed to against a passionate Argentina on Monday morning. And you guys have amazing depth. Both the Wallabies and the All Blacks substitution-bench is arguably as good as the starting players and certainly better than most other opponents in this World Cup. Now everyone is focussing on Sunday morning’s final. The pundits this side of the ditch are predicting a fabulous game. It’s Australia and NZ’s opportunity to really show the northern hemisphere how this game should be played. No team in the world can play like our two countries. And both sides always turn it up a notch when that Trans-Tasman rivalry kicks in.

For the record, the NZHerald is ranking the top players as follows: (ref. NZ Herald) 1. Richie McCaw (All Blacks captain, Flanker) 2. Dan Carter (All Blacks first five) 3. David Pocock (Wallabies number 8) – The punters say your guy is unstoppable and will be key to creating a Wallabies win. The ABs will mark him totally. 4. Nigel Owens (the Referee from Wales). He is said to be the best ref in the game. 5. Bernard Foley ( Wallabies first five, solid goal kicker and a real revelation that is seriously concerning for the All Blacks camp) 6. Scott Sio (Wallabies prop. He’s a powerhouse and the All Blacks are watching carefully to see if he is match fit from injury) 7. Ben Smith (All Blacks fullback, this guy is world class under a high ball and in the kick-and-chase phase of the game) 8. Ma’a Nonu and Sunny Bill Williams (All Blacks second five players. These two world class players share the game with Nonu doing the damage in the first half and SBW coming in off the bench, injecting power into the centre-and-backline in the second half) 9. Matt Giteau (Wallabies second five, he has built huge respect on this side of the ditch especially through this World Cup tournament. The punters say he’s got the smarts to really turn the game) 10. Beaded Barrett – All Blacks utility, Barrett has intuition and superb handling skills in a fast passed game, injecting real energy into the phase play.

And then there’s the rivalry. Over here, Kiwis love to see our Aussie counterparts having a go. The NZ Herald has reported how the Aussie tabloid The Daily Telegraph headlined its front page calling the All Black Captain Richie McCaw, “The Richety Grub!” The Daily Telegraph said, this guy has been bugging Australia for years! (ref. NZ Herald ) Over here this man is God, even the Prime Minister wants him on his National Party team and keeps offering him Knighthoods. To date, McCaw says no to both. It’s going to be a great game!

New Zealand Report is broadcast live weekly on Australia’s radio FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.

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New Zealand Report: National Still Strong In Third Term Polls + PM Key’s Bizarre Hauraki Interview

Selwyn Manning — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 20:38:50 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning joins Australia’s radio FiveAA breakfast team to discuss how the National Party is still strong in third term polls + PM Key’s Bizarre Radio Hauraki Interview – Recorded LIVE on 21/10/15.

ITEM ONE: Political Polls The latest political Colmar Brunton poll was released this week showing the John Key led Government well ahead of its political opponents. Of those polled, 47 percent would vote for the ruling National Party if a general election was held now. That’s down 2 points since the poll in April. 31 percent said they would vote for the Labour Party. That’s a flat-lining result, the same as in April. 12 percent said thy would vote for the Green Party. That’s up 3 percent since April. 9 percent said they would vote for the centrist nationalistic New Zealand First Party, That’s up 2 percent since April. The Government’s support parties hardly registered in the poll, with only 1 percent for the Maori Party, and ACT, and, United Future not even making 0.2 percent combined! And there’s a bit of gloom out there… 45 percent of those polled expect the economy to deteriorate over the next year, while only 33 percent expected the economy to improve. The poll indicates that the opposition parties have closed the gap on the Nationals. If the poll result matched a general election a Centre-centre-left coalition of Labour, Greens, NZ First would have 62 seats in a 122 seat house. Despite this, 40 percent of those polled want John Key as their prime minister. Labour leader Andrew Little only had the support of 8 percent of those polled, which raises the question, why are so many Labour voters opposed to Little being prime minister. He is equal to New Zealand First’s leader Winston Peters who was tipped as the most preferred prime minister by 8 percent of those polled. ITEM TWO: John Key’s Bizarre Radio Hauraki Interview So why, after eight years in office, is John Key one of the most popular prime ministers New Zealand has ever had? Some say it is because he avoids serious debate, refuses to be interviewed by critical journalists, preferring the company of comedy bulletins like this interview this week on Auckland’s Radio Hauraki. For the interview, the Kiwi Prime Minister joined Matt, Jeremy & Laura on the Hauraki Breakfast to go through the infamous ‘Thank You For Your Honesty’ questions… including his honest answers about whether the Virgin Mary was a virgin, whether he shaves his public hair, and whether he has ever taken a dick pick… Before we play the clip, note this is actually… really the Prime Minister and that the clip went viral… even ending up on the popular John Oliver show in the USA. [ http://www.hauraki.co.nz/video/hauraki-tv/john-key-thank-you-for-your-honesty/ ] Well, perhaps that’s why Kiwis love or hate this guy. So if Malcolm Turnbull becomes too serious for you all to handle, look across the ditch and let John Key entertain you. Hmmm, or perhaps don’t.

New Zealand Report broadcasts live on Wednesdays on Australia’s FiveAA.com and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.

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New Zealand Report: Key Turnbull Leadership Meeting Could Be Tense + A Australia V NZ RWC Final?

Selwyn Manning — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 20:42:42 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning joins Australia’s FiveAA breakfast team to deliver New Zealand Report. This week the John Key Malcolm Turnbull leadership meeting, scheduled for this weekend, is likely to be tense + Could a Australia V NZ Rugby World Cup final be shaping up? – Recorded live on 14/10/15.

ITEM ONE – Australia – New Zealand Political Relations Malcolm Turnbull will be in New Zealand late this week for his first prime minister to prime minister meeting with his Kiwi counterpart John Key. John Key is being pressured to seek agreement from Turnbull to stop New Zealanders from being detained in detention centres in Australia and Christmas Island. According to Government figures around 200 Kiwis are currently detained on deportation orders, their special visas revoked because they may have cumulatively served more than 12 months in prison over their lifetimes. John Key raised the issue with Australia’s foreign minister Julie Bishop in New York early this month. At the time he said his message to Bishop was blunt and that he would raise concerns directly with Turnbull. But now Key appears less focussed. He faced pressure in Parliament on Tuesday with the Labour Party demanding he place… concerns for the detained Kiwis … at the top of his list, of issues to discuss. This issue has descended into a political stoush, with Key calling his rivals Australia’s “lap dogs”. In reply, Key said to Labour: “It is just frankly a little bit rich getting lectured by the leader of the opposition when they were the government that signed New Zealanders up to worse rates, and like a lap dog accepted it for seven years and did nothing about it.” Malcolm Turnbull and his wife will dine with Key and his wife on Friday evening before formal Trans-Tasman leadership talks on Saturday. ITEM TWO: Rugby World Cup New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup pundits are ranking the Wallabies ahead of the All Blacks to win the Rugby World Cup final. And it could yet be a Australia V New Zealand final scheduled to play at Twickenham in London on October 31. For that to happen, Australia needs to beat Scotland in the quarter finals on Sunday, and either Ireland or Argentina in the semis. To get into the finals the All Blacks need to beat France in Cardiff on Saturday, and either South Africa or Wales in the semis. The All Blacks easy pool games have left pundits unconvinced they are in top form, while Australia’s dominating game in the ‘pool of death’ has placed it at the top of the New Zealand Herald’s ranking table. It states it is impossible to drop Australia down from the number one spot even though Australia eased off the peddle in the Wallabies V Wales game (15 – 6) last weekend. It’s getting exciting up there.

New Zealand Report broadcasts live weekly on Wednesdays on Australia’s radio FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz, LiveNews.co.nz, and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.

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New Zealand Report: Maori Concerned Over TPPA Permiting Open Buy-Up of NZ Land

Selwyn Manning — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 20:10:47 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning delivers NZ Report to Australia’s radio FiveAA.com.au. This week: Maori Concerned Over TPPA permitting foreign buy-up of prime New Zealand land + Sheep Milk boon industry looms – Recorded live on 9/10/15.

ITEM ONE

Maori Concerned Over TPPA Permitting Buy-Up of Land (ref. http://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2015/10/08/tpp-may-affect-maori-land-interests/ )

Senior Labour Party MP and close relative to the Maori King, Nanaia Mahuta, is calling on Maori Party MPs to front up and explain why the Government’s Trans Pacific Partnership negotiators have failed to restrict foreign buyers of New Zealand land.

The Maori Party is part of the National led Government coalition, and, Nanaia Mahuta is largely supported by one of New Zealand’s largest, wealthiest, and strongest tribes, the Tainui Iwi.

Maori are divided over the TPPA, especially since details began to emerge this week revealing how New Zealand’s TPPA negotiators had agreed to permit foreign buyers – or those originating from Trans Pacific Partnership countries – the right to purchase land or housing blocks of up to $200 million each… before having to seek the approval of the Overseas Investment Office.

On Thursday Nanaia Mahuta said Australia’s TPPA negotiators managed to secure Australia’s right to restrict foreign buyers of Australian homes.

Likewise, Malaysian negotiators secured an agreement that permits Malaysia to ban foreign ownership of affordable housing.

Compare this to New Zealand. Before the TPP negotiations, any foreign purchases of housing or land blocks, valued at $100 million, first required the consent of the Overseas Investment Office and the approval of a minister of the Crown.

The Government’s negotiators caved in on that point, and have allowed that cap to rise to $200 million.

Maori groups have already taken the Government to court over the TPPA. It is facing a legal challenge in the Maori rights court, the Waitangi Tribunal. It appears more litigation is coming.

Yesterday, Mahuta said, the Government has negotiated away our rights to protect our land.

For its part, the National -led Government has stated it has got the best TPP deal possible. Prime Minister John Key said: “As a country, we won’t get rich selling things to ourselves. Instead, we need to sell more of our products and services to customers around the world, and TPP helps makes that happen.”

ITEM TWO:

Sheep to the Rescue (ref. http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/sheep/72382854/investment-could-turn-sheep-milking-into-nzs-next-billion-dollar-industry )

And while the Government failed to negotiate a good deal for Kiwi dairy farmers, some of New Zealand’s state-owned farms have found solace in the knowledge… that if you look after that special relationship between Kiwis and Sheep, then, great rewards will flow.

This story shows there’s more to sheep than just wool and mutton.

The state owned Spring Sheep farm near Taupo has started milking its 3500 sheep. Apparently, sheep milk could be, according to the Government’s Landcorp spokesperson Nick Gowland, a billion dollar industry in ten years.

So the dairy cow’s loss is the milking ewe’s bonus. There’s happy days ahead.

And that news has certainly got the government and some farmers rubbing their hands together.

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New Zealand Report: Justin Bieber Gives Endorsement For Current Flag

Selwyn Manning — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 21:27:49 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning delivers his New Zealand Report to Australia’s radio FiveAA.com.au breakfast team. This week: Justin Bieber Gives Endorsement For Current Flag – Recorded live on 2/10/15.

U.S. performer Justin Bieber is in Auckland and during a radio interview urged Kiwis not to change our flag. In November New Zealanders get to vote in a referendum on whether the old southern cross and Union Jack flag should be ditched and replaced with one of five new designs. After checking out the options, Bieber said: “Are you guys not confident in your flag? It looks fine to me.” And in a gesture perhaps to reinforce his sincerity, and before heading off to go bungy jumping and skydiving, a fairly friendly Justin Bieber handed over a signed pair of underpants. Apparently the Calvin Klein briefs will be given away via the radio station’s Facebook page today. Goodness has been restored to the world.

New Zealand Report broadcasts live weekly on Australia’s FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.

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New Zealand Report: Goff For Mayor + Kiwis Deported to Christmas Is + Tuatapere is Sausage Town

Selwyn Manning — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 21:38:52 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning joins Australia’s radio FiveAA breakfast team to deliver this week’s New Zealand Report. This week: Phil Goff For Mayor + Breaking News Kiwis Deported to Christmas Is + Tuatapere Is Sausage Town – Recorded live on 25/09/15.

ITEM ONE Candidates for the Auckland Mayoralty Begin Positioning – Former Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff has given the strongest indication yet that he will run for the Auckland super city mayoralty. Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city with over a third of the population living within its territorial boundaries. It’s population is similar to Adelaide’s with over 1.2 million people. Since 2012, overseas migration to Auckland has expanded by 56,000. High population growth has placed a burden on its infrastructure, its residential housing market, and the city’s debt burden has sky rocketed. Phil Goff said this week that Aucklanders can expect an announcement from him before the end of the year. He also reportedly told the New Zealand Herald “it is likely I will put my name forward”. As a young politician, Phil Goff was a minister in the David Lange Labour Government, and was a senior minister in the Helen Clark Labour Government, holding significant portfolios, including the Foreign Affairs portfolio at the time Alexander Downer was his Australian counterpart. Goff also held trade and Justice portfolios. He took over as Labour Party leader when Helen Clark resigned from the position in 2008. The Auckland City incumbent, Mayor Len Brown, was supported by Labour during his campaigns for the mayoralty in 2010 and 2013. But the party distanced itself from Brown, the disgraced mayor, after it was revealed in 2013 he had been having an affair with a young woman and had used the mayoral chambers, the Ngati Whatua room (a sacred civic room at the Auckland Town Hall), Auckland hotels, and other locations for sexual encounters. Since then, Brown has been relegated to lame duck status. He refused to resign over the revelations. Early polls suggest Phil Goff would be a front-runner. He has a reputation as a strong credible leader, and, as a more centrist positioned Labour minister, is believed he will be able to broker and deliver both economic and social progress in this city. Centre-right factions within the city have yet to put forward a candidate that would be able to foot it against Goff. 2016 should be an interesting super city election year. ITEM TWO Breaking News – Radio New Zealand is reporting how Australia has been deporting New Zealand citizens to Christmas Island. The issue has become a Government to Government issue after 20 NZ citizens living in Australia were deported to the notorious detention camp in the last few days. For more, see Radio New Zealand article: Detaining Kiwis in Australia ‘displays contempt’ ITEM THREE (ref. http://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/72189867/Giant-sausage-gifted-to-Southland-town ) A town in the south of New Zealand’s South Island became relatively famous this week, after receiving a giant sausage. Apparently, it’s all about being associated with something. For example, Auckland is the city of sails, Paeroa is famous in Paeroa for mounting a giant a L&P lemonade bottle in the main street, and Tuatapere in Southland is now known as the sausage town. Tuatapere earned the honour after a radio competition asked its nationwide audience which small town should get a monument. Tuatapere won. Awhile back, its people had erected a big sign stating: Tuatapere, New Zealand’s Sausage Capital. To honour the town, radio ZM had a 3m-long sausage made in Auckland. The giant sausage was then transported from Auckland all the way south, across the Cook Strait by ferry, and down into the deep south. On receiving the big sausage, the town celebrated by cooking up 16 kilograms of sausages. Apparently, the chilli chocolate sausage was a favourite.

New Zealand Report broadcasts live on FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.

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Radio: NZ Report Chinese Move To Buy Prime Farm Block Blocked + Dunedin’s Cannabis Museum Has Guests!

Selwyn Manning — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 22:02:28 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning delivers his New Zealand Report to Australia’s radio FiveAA.com.au. This week: Chinese Move To Buy Prime Farm Block Blocked + Dunedin’s Cannabis Museum Has Guests – Recorded live on 18/09/15.

ITEM ONE Foreign Bid Farm: The National led Government has for the first time rejected a major bid by a Chinese company to purchase a large farming block in the Central North Island. Pure 100 Farm applied in 2014 to the Government’s Overseas Investment Office to buy Lochinver Station near Taupo for $88 million. The 13,800 hectare farm is considered prime farming real estate. The Overseas Investment Office initially authorised the purchase, but Associate Minister of Finance Paula Bennett this week rejected the purchase, stating there was no significant benefit to New Zealand should the sale to go ahead. Pure 100 Farm is a subsidiary of the China-based Shangahai Pengxin company. In February Shangahai Pengxin stated it planned to double its $500 million investment in New Zealand-based farm assets, within the next five years. The current owners of Lochinver Station are angry. Stevenson Group’s chief executive Mark Franklin told media on Wednesday: “We are concerned that this process has taken 14 months with the end result that we have been deprived of our property rights to sell to the highest value bidder for some vague national benefit which has not been defined.” There has been much public angst about foreigners buying up significant blocks of New Zealand land. And the Government faced strong condemnation in 2012 when it approved the sale of a network of land (known as the Crafer Farms) to Shangahai Pengxin. But Bennett rejected suggestions the sale was blocked because the buyers were Chinese. She told the New Zealand Herald: “I’m not going out there and deciding who buys land on the basis of their surname.” Bennett added that one of the reasons for declining the sale was the low number of extra jobs it would provide. ITEM TWO A Night You May Not Remember: A night at the (cannabis) museum (ref. Stuff.co.nz includes image plus video) If you are looking for a holiday you may possibly forget, consider checking in to Whakamana, the Dunedin-based cannabis museum, which is now listing its guestroom on AirBnB. The museum is promoting its enterprise in a rather laid back manner, describing its accommodation as having an “awesome queen bed with reading lamps, a bit of closet space, plenty of electricity outlets… and a few houseplants.” Curator Abe Gray told Fairfax’s Stuff website he couldn’t help people ‘score’ but he could take interested people on custom tours, to certain scenic locations … which include the pro-cannabis law reform protests at the University of Otago.

New Zealand Report broadcasts live on FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.

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New Zealand Report: Reserve Bank Forces Interest Rates Down + Papakura Geyser Blasts Into Life

Selwyn Manning — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 21:30:30 +0000

FiveAA Australia’s breakfast show hosts Dave Penberthy, Mark Aiston, and Jane Reilly.[/caption] New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning delivers his New Zealand Report bulletin to FiveAA.com.au’s breakfast team Dave Penberthy, Mark Aiston, and Jane Reilly. This week they discuss how the Reserve Bank of NZ has forced interest rates and the currency down + Rotorua’s Papakura Geyser blasts into life – Recorded live on 11/09/15. ITEM ONE: (ref. EveningReport.nz) While Australia’s Labor Force figures pushed up your dollar yesterday, New Zealand’s dollar fell sharply after the NZ Reserve Bank forced interest rates down. And while economists see our two currencies as joined at the hip, the Kiwi is sinking faster against the US – giving some extra returns to cash-strapped farmers and perhaps an affordable holiday destination for Australians. Last night the Bank of New Zealand was offering NZ$107.05 for AU$100.00 – (which isn’t too bad considering how much you dish out for one US dollar). It has been a tight-rope walk for the Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler. By forcing interest rates down, it risks overcooking an already hot Auckland residential housing market. But the risks associated with doing nothing, and permitting the NZ Dollar to remain overvalued, would likely drive thousands of dairy farmers into insolvency, and the country into recession. Yesterday Wheeler said: “Domestically, the economy is adjusting to the sharp decline in export prices, and the consequent fall in the exchange rate. Activity has also slowed due to the plateauing of construction activity in Canterbury, and a weakening in business and consumer confidence.” So the Reserve Bank, rather than the Finance Minister, is returning New Zealand to an export-led environment, making it less dependent on domestic consumption… which raises the question: was it wise for the National-led Government to hike up GST to 15%? I can see government cuts to social spending on the horizon. ITEM TWO: (ref. NZHerald) And if you think New Zealand isn’t hot enough for a holiday, check this out. After 35 years of being considered dormant, Rotorua’s Papakura Geyser blasted into life this week. The geyser was once a grand tourist attraction, but around 1979 it began to fizzle out, relegating itself to a mere boiling mud pool. No longer… Staff at the Te Puia Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley in Rotorua say ole Papakura has awoken and is now shooting steam and boiling water up to 4 metres high. Actually, before heading to Rotorua, it might pay to check your insurance policy… Only last week an unknown sleeping geyser woke up and blasted a huge hole out of the side of a road. In a brilliant quote of stating the obvious, Volcano specialist Brad Scott said: “It is early days in our scientific investigation of these developments, but the geyser has clearly entered phase two of its recovery.”

New Zealand Report broadcasts live weekly on FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.

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Radio: New Zealand Report – Maori Party Accuses Govt of being Slum-Landlord + Complaint Against Witch-Doctor

Selwyn Manning — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 21:34:48 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning joins FiveAA’s breakfast team Jane Reilly, Dave Penberthy and Mark Aiston to deliver New Zealand Report. This week: Maori Party Accuses Government of being Slum-Landlord + Complaint Against Witch-Doctor Ads – Recorded live on 28/08/15. Opening video image: Mouldy State Houses – Image courtesy of Lauren Baker Radio New Zealand.

ITEM ONE The co-leader of the Maori Party has delivered a stinging attack on the National-led Government, criticising it as a “slum landlord”. Marama Fox – whose political party actually props up the Government with a confidence and supply agreement – said Thursday that until the Government brings its state housing stock up to liveable standards it is “the biggest slumlords of this country”. A recent study of state houses found over 95 per cent of state owned homes would fail a warrant of fitness. The findings back up news of a surge in hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses that have driven even large hospitals, like Auckland City Hospital, to operate beyond capacity. A pattern has been in evidence where children and the elderly living in state houses have fallen ill due to damp, drafty, mouldy, and at times toxic living conditions. Last year the coroner found the death of an Auckland toddler, Emma-Lita Bourne, was “entirely possible” that the cold, damp, state house where her family lived had contributed to her death. And UNICEF’s Deborah Morris Travers – who was once our youngest ever government minister as Minister of Youth Affairs in the National-New Zealand First coalition between 1996-99 – said yesterday: “With outgoings for rental housing costs at a historic high, families up and down the country are struggling to provide even minimum shelter to their children.” She added: “Likewise, when housing is of such poor quality that it makes children sick, it breaches their right to the highest attainable standard of health.” Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox said: “The standard of rental housing in this country is appalling and our children are getting sick, and we cannot afford to let that happen.” However, the Prime Minister John Key said in Parliament on Wednesday that the Government had insulated 280,000 homes, 48,000 of which were state houses. He added that the Government had spent $30m providing heating and housing, and was spending $300m a year maintaining homes. The politics of this issue suggests the Government is attempting to avoid state houses becoming subject to a warrant of fitness. It appears committed to minimising maintenance costs prior to offloading thousands more state homes onto private ‘social housing’ providers. ITEM TWO A complaint has been laid with the Advertising Standards Authority after it was revealed “witch doctors” healers and astrologers had been charging fortune seekers thousands of dollars for promises of prosperity and a fabulous love-life! It may surprise few to know, nothing tangible resulted from the promises. A former Fijian newspaper publisher, Ranjit Singh, has laid a formal complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority over the ads placed in the Indian Newslink newspaper, the Fairfax-owned Manukau Courier, and on Apna TV. According to Mr Singh the adverts claimed to provide lifelong protection and even a solution to Lucky Lotto! Unfortunately it does sound too good to be true. New Zealand Report broadcasts live on FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz, LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz. –]]>

Radio: New Zealand Report – National led Govt Surges in Poll + Rugby World Cup HQ a Stinker!

Selwyn Manning — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 21:35:40 +0000

FiveAA Australia’s breakfast show hosts Dave Penberthy, Mark Aiston, and Jane Reilly.[/caption]New Zealand Report: Evening Report.nz’s Selwyn Manning joins FiveAA.com.au’s Dave Penberthy, Mark Aiston and Alex Ward to deliver New Zealand Report. This week: National led Govt Surges in Poll + Rugby World Cup HQ Twickenham is labeled a Stinker! – Recorded live on 21/08/15. ITEM ONE Political Poll The John Key led National Government has pulled ahead of its opponents in the latest Roy Morgan Poll, despite months of a sinking commodity markets and governance scandals. The Nationals have notched up 50.5 percent support of those polled. That’s a lift of 7.5 percent support since early July. The Labour Party has sunk down to just 27 percent, a drop of five percentage points, while the Green Party also shed 2 percent sinking to 11 percent. The centrist New Zealand First party was reasonably steady on 8 percent. The balance of support is distributed among the minor parties that largely support the government. The poll result comes as a surprise, especially considering the third term National Government does appear weak, bereft of ideas, and without solutions. Its legislative agenda has largely stalled. And, the Nationals have made an art form out of being a hands off government. That’s especially true regarding the bloated Auckland housing market, the collapse of the dairy farming sector, the insolvency of once profitable state owned enterprises. When it is hands on, it is flogging off thousands of state houses, dishing out millions to a wealthy Saudi businessman, buying up New York real estate, and schmoozing some elements of the media with the best smile money can buy. And then there’s the seriously weird health and safety legislation that the Nationals have put before the House. It ranks industries on a scale of how dangerous they are, and according to the Government, worm farms rank as more dangerous than dairy farms, cattle and sheep farms – that despite the latter group representing a third of workplace deaths in New Zealand. But despite all of that, the Prime Minister’s popular appeal remains supreme. It goes to show, voters need a strong opposition before they decide to exorcise us all of the John Key magic. ITEM TWO Rugby World Cup If the Trans-Tasman rivalry in sport leaves an occasional bad taste in your mouth, spare a thought for what’s in store for players and spectators at the Rugby World Cup. Media reports here in NZ suggest England’s Rugby World Cup HQ, Twickenham, is a real stinker… Literally. Apparently, attempts to sweeten up the London suburb’s sewage processing plant are failing to get rid of an awful pong. The plant neighbours the park. It processes the sewage of around two million Londoners. While players and spectators from all over the world are preparing to descend on Twickenham, the locals have taken to calling the park Stinkenham! Despite all that, it’s shaping up as a great tournament, especially if the Wallabies and the All Blacks get to eyeball each other in another World Cup final. New Zealand Report broadcasts live on FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz. –]]>

NZ Report: Solid Energy Placed Into Voluntary Administration + Rugby: All Eyes on Quade Cooper

Selwyn Manning — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 21:33:30 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning joins Jane Reilly, Dave Penberthy and Mark Aiston on Australia’s Five AA breakfast show to discuss: Solid Energy Placed Into Voluntary Administration + All Eyes on Quade Cooper – Recorded live on 14/08/15.

ITEM ONE SOE Solid Energy One of the New Zealand Government’s state owned enterprises, Solid Energy, has gone into voluntary administration. The move comes after a collapse of global coal prices and poor governance decisions drove the company into insolvency. Solid Energy was once the poster company of profitable state enterprises. But yesterday (Thursday) Finance Minister Bill English said: “The international coal price has fallen from over $320 USD per tonne in 2011 to around $85 USD per tonne now… This means there is no prospect of Solid being in a position to repay or refinance its bank debt, or invest for the future.” In the last three years Solid Energy has accumulated a mountain of debt topping out at $305 million. It has done so despite the Government supporting the company with $250 million of taxpayer funds, By placing the company into voluntary administration, the board avoids being forced into liquidation or having creditors force it into receivership. The mines will continue to operate and miners have been guaranteed work for a further five weeks. It’s a temporary move. In mid September creditors will decide whether to freeze demands on the company. If they do, the Finance a Minister said Solid Energy will exit voluntary administration and undertake “an orderly sell-down of its assets over the next two and a half years”. ITEM TWO All Blacks V Wallabies (part II). Last Saturday’s win by the Wallabies against the All Blacks was a punch in the eye for the world champs. But pundits over this side of the ditch largely agreed was a well timed wake up call. This Saturday, at Eden Park, the All Blacks get to a chance to reclaim their reputation. The last time the Wallabies beat the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland was way back in 1986 when the flamboyant Alan Jones was the Wallabies coach. And when the Wallabies sing Advance Australia Fare in the Eden Park cauldron on Saturday, all Kiwi eyes will be on a guy called Quade Cooper, the Wallaby fly-half who grew up in the New Zealand forestry town of Tokoroa. The guy is a Rugby star, especially when the forward pack is making ground. The word is if Cooper can perform under the glare of the Eden Park crowd, he will be included in the Wallaby World Cup squad. If he doesn’t, he won’t, and Alan Jones’ 29 year record will remain unbroken!

New Zealand Report: Business Confidence The Highs and Lows + All Blacks V Wallabies Can the Aussies Beat the World Champs?

Selwyn Manning — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 21:33:31 +0000

New Zealand Report: Selwyn Manning joins FiveAA’s breakfast hosts Jane Reilly, Dave Penberthy and Mark Aiston to deliver the week’s New Zealand Report. This bulletin: Business Confidence and the state of the economy, the highs and lows + Sport… All Blacks V Wallabies square off this Saturday. Can the Aussies Beat the Rugby world champions? – Recorded live on 7/08/15. ITEM ONE New Zealand Economy: (Ref. https://eveningreport.nz/2015/08/06/confidence-survey-results-august-2015/ ) New Zealand’s economic environment is transitioning away from a reliance on the dominant dairy sector. The Bank of New Zealand’s chief economist Tony Alexander has produced analysis detailing how businesses and services that remain reliant on the country’s dairy sector are struggling, while those aligned to construction, horticulture, ICT, and some service sectors are doing well. The business confidence survey reveals: House construction is “very strong and rising” in Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga… Skilled labour is however in short supply. While the property development sector is booming, and there are signs this month that the rocketing house values in Auckland are spilling over into other regions. Horticulture is also booming especially with pipfruit, Kiwifruit, avocadoes, so is the wine export industry, which is very buoyant due to high demand in offshore markets and a lower New Zealand dollar. While beef, lamb, venison and bee farmers are doing ok, dairy farmers, especially share-milkers, are struggling with many fearing insolvency. Their situation worsened this week after global milk commodity prices collapsed further. Pastures are also drier than normal for this time of year. It appears the impact of El Niño is in evidence and is causing farmers to cut back on stock numbers. Forestry is struggling. The Bank of New Zealand confidence survey also revealed a downturn in the wider farming service sector. “Capital spending is falling away rapidly.” There has been a noted downturn in the sales of tractors, farm bikes, and farm machinery. Manufacturing in the value added sectors is doing very well. ITEM TWO Rugby: If you are keen on sport, or even enjoy the Haka, then check out the All Blacks V Wallabies on Saturday evening in Sydney. It doesn’t get better than this. The two teams are polishing up their form in preparation for the Rugby World Cup… Set to begin next month in England. The All Blacks are the current world champions of course, and hold the Bledisloe Cup which the All Blacks and the Wallabies have battled over for decades. Some pundits here insist the Wallabies are going to win on Saturday. And it is the first time Australia will start with its two star open side flankers David Pocock and Michael Hooper. That has got us Kiwis a bit worried. But the All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says: “Whilst that gives (the Wallabies) strength in some areas it probably weakens them in others.” Players to watch: All Black Dan Carter, the world class act in the number 10 jersey, will play his last game in the black jersey in Australia. All Black Nehe Milner-Skudder. A powerhouse. Wallabies Israel Folau, pundits here say Australia’s fullback is the best all round athlete in international rugby.

New Zealand Report broadcasts live weekly on Australia’s FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.

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