Litigation Conversations

Two minor parties contesting the election in New Zealand this year have already started scrapping.  Colin Craig, as the NZ Conservative Party Leader, is threatening take Russell Norman, the Green Party's co-leader, to court over comments Norman made about Craig's attitude toward women and homosexuals at "The Big Gay Out". Craig is demanding that Norman offer a retraction or risk being sued.

Russell Norman is not backing down and so the ball is now in Colin Craig's court now for him to decide if he wants a lawyer as doubles partner to take on the Greens. Colin Craig has already got retractions from a satirist and others in the past, but this time he is taking on a feisty and canny politician and the litigation in my opinion will backfire on him if he goes ahead. The publicity will highlight even more the personal and historical prejudices of Colin Craig, that today look dated and out of sync with our modern liberal society. If he sues, he will be the one to be damned.

More Ugly Aussies

According to New Zealand Labour MP Shane Jones, an Aussie owned supermarket is at it again, this time giving Kiwi suppliers a hard time in their own country. On this occasion, he claims they are demanding suppliers pay cash for low and loss making lines in their NZ shops - and if they refuse, then Countdown supermarkets will not stock their products.

The Commerce Commission has agreed to look into it, but I would be surprised if the accusations did not have some truth in them. Supermarkets generally are said to be using their market dominance to squeeze suppliers to the brink of bankruptcy on both sides of the Tasman. Thank God for the Farmers Markets that are popping up all over the country. Food processors however, have yet to do the same - now there is a new business opportunity idea worth having a crack at.

Borderline Aussie Rules

New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, has been having meetings with our Australian cuzzy's Prime Minister, Tony Abbot. Momentous matters discussed that featured in the headlines were - Australian supermarkets taking NZ stock off their shelves to support local producers and Kiwis living in Australia who pay taxes but get almost none of the government assistance Aussie citizens do.

John Key appeared to score a small victory for students who have long term resident Kiwi parents in Australia - they will now get the same benefits other Australian students have. I believe this was a remnant of a policy of the previous Australian Government led by Julia Gillard, but I did hear Key mention that.

Baby Bonus Bidders

The bidding to entice voters in NZ has begun. Few people would disagree with the motivation of Labour's plans to give young parents assistance to raise their children - especially those on benefits and the thousands more  described as the working poor. However, it remains to be seen if any policies also come to light which will raise real incomes from work for low income earners and allow a parent to stay at home if they choose to.

International Cricket Buyout Attempt

Australia, the U.K. and India are hatching plans to take over the International Cricket Council and no doubt this will have a detrimental effect on smaller countries like New Zealand. This strategy will also do little to spread and increase the popularity of the sport across the World in my opinion, as the big three cement in their current status in international Cricket.

Small, new and prospective cricket playing countries will struggle to attract players if this comes to pass, which is a shame and I suspect commercial interests are driving the changes. Cricket is a sport after all and not primarily a commercial enterprise. The big three cricketing countries just might bowl over the goose that lays the golden egg and there are no winners if cricket suffers a decline elsewhere because that is where the future of the sport's survival will be decided in the long run.

He Aint Heavy

Queensland Fruit Fly Found In NZ

The recent trapping of one male Queensland Fruit Fly in Whangarei has caused a lot of anxiety in NZ. The insects have the potential to devastate our horticultural crops and home orchards. This fly munches its way thru' fresh fruit and if more are found, then the whole of Whangarei will be quarantined and sprayed with insecticide by  air.