I see that the media have finally shown some interest in policy direction and in particular that of National as an opposition party. Page 8 Horowhenua Mail Oct 4th. No attention paid to policy direction of the government. 

The last paragraph states that come 2020 National is going to have to restock it’s policy cupboard. No body is likely to vote for the same. 

Remember late last year in my post of the time, I commented on a statement by the past Minister of Treaty Settlements , Finlayson. That there was cross party consciences on the process.. Well Maori are well in control, or the people using Maori cultural concerns are , so no change to direction of Govt of this time. As I said in my last post it is going to take a happening of, or of such monumental proportions and driven by people of much greater intelligence and political determination than will ever be accorded to John and I. In past months we saw 2 high profile and successful business men question the settlement process and then disappear. Who will it be.? If nobody steps up to the plate then we are in for a 100 years of darkness. Yes the giant leap backwards.

This last week 14th-19th October ,maverick National Party elected member was full of it in the media. And not getting any comfort from his evidence and or assertions about National Party leader Simon Bridges. Now I do not give a toss how much Minister Bridges spent on his NZ wide meet the people trip. If Ex Minister Lee’s Ross  had have blown the whistle on the horrendous nonsense that is going on within Govt Ministry’s then he would have captured my attention. Lets face it being in the “inner circle” he most certainly no’s what is really going on. Then on Friday morning the 19th I catch a news flash. Minister or ex minister Lee’s Ross taken into “Care” by the police. Just what does that mean? Was he about to or was the Political circus within Parliament so concerned about what he might spit out next, that he was exited from the public eye? Has he become a political prisoner never to be heard from again? One must have to wonder. After all some body was to be interviewed that night on the 7.00 pm show’s about a subject of such constitutional importance that the public must no of it. Unfortunately I was away from home and thus missed it. My wife sudjested that somebody was about to try and convince NZers that the world was flat. Will have to research back media programmes. Will be interesting will it not. Then on Monday morning he is released, and now he wants to go back into the fold. Oh my god. Sorry man, but you are a gone burger to my mind, unless you have signed a confidentiality agreement to keep your mouth shut in exchange for another term or 10. 

My readers are probably wondering why I rely on media reports for comment. It is because the media are obviously feed the relevant info on regional council policy and the objectives sought by ?? Govt agencies of course, mostly the Ministry’s of the Environment, Justice and Conservation. After all agenda items say nothing of any substance, and if you request a recording ,well as I no, god only no’s what you will get, FACT.  I see that Minister Parker has appointed a lawyer and a planner to help Horizons Regional Council sought out its planning mess.. And a mess it is. Bought on a hapless few by their own indirect conflict of interest. That is that they deliberately manipulated the planning process to achieve the court out come that they and their political masters sought. Fact.

Well back to Carbon, and the carbon market. Oh my god. This is going to cost consumers dearly. No wonder Jacinda and her band of merry Mc Gullicuddy party members are not up grading the  Otaki to Levin section of SH1. Plus they are putting a pedestrian crossing across it a few meters north of the current round about at the nth end of Otaki.  Yep they are hard out saving the planet??? and bugger the consumer. Here it is on my OMF report. Carbon Fund. A invitation to participate in a initial Public Offering. They are seeking investors for. The Fund can buy and sell carbon credits in NZ and off shore. Issue of climate change is at the fore front of their thinking. I have reported before that it is speculators driving the market, not actual supply and demand. If as suggested in OMF’s news letters then consumers are going to be in for a horrible time cost wise and thus are not likely to be able to afford the fuel or food for that matter ,thus certainly not travel any distance in a private motor vehicle. Thus maybe it is the Labour Govts assumption that highways and bi ways will become of lessor importance.

Whilst living in Taumarunui, and as I have reported in past posts, Maori participants or should I say 1 member and I had a discussion, about this subject. He made the statement that all he could see coming out of the carbon market was a few very very rich people, and a lot of very very poor people. I should have questioned him more on the subject. I, as I described in my last, post think Maori are to be the major beneficiary’s of the market, and maybe they will be. But those participating in the market as share holders in the Carbon Fund could well be to. I am reluctant to invest in a contrived scheme designed primarily for achieving the outcomes desired. Not because of any market driven developed what ever, free of political enticements. To my mind it is doomed to failure. But then again Govt has big pockets and a big PR machine. But me, I wonder how the market, world wide, will survive that rebalancing of the world economy many commentators are predicting. Or for that matter what may come after.

Lets look at Comvita. You no. Once was the darling of land use change, producing that wonderful medicine, Manuka honey. Seems the market is not so wonderful any more and their share price is in the pitts. $6. Having slumped 30% this year. pg 8 Farmers Weekly 22 Oct 2018. Talk of new strategy’s, splitting into 2, poor harvests, competition in markets, a shift to temporary labour contracts and a take over bid. So much of all the talk of Manuka being the new wonder economy for Rural NZ. Land use change. Will the carbon Fund go the same way? pg 18 Farmers Weekly oct 22.

The Forestry Owners and others as reported in previous posts are going hard out to convince Govt that timber, carbon and manuka are the way of the future for NZ economy and world standing. The protagonists seem to have accepted the word “Methane” but still maintain it is harmful to the plant and needs to be included in the emission trading scheme. There on pg7 Rural News 23rd oct 2018, professor Frame of Victoria University says NZ needs a reduction of only 0.3% annually to ensure this gas no longer contributes to climate temperature warming. He states that going any further could have the opposite effect and cause global cooling. He states that “I think people in NZ forget that carbon is the main event for reducing global warming.” The conversation about Methane is tied up with a lot of other issues, and these people want advance their interests one way or another. I have been saying it.

Big Changes coming. pg 1 Farmers Weekly oct 15th. 2018. Govt last week released its Essential Fresh Water, Healthy water, fairly allocated. How to improve fresh water quality within 5 years. . It singles out winter grazing, hill country cropping, feed lots and nutrient use as the problem. Farmer reps are responding saying it will mean cutting livestock numbers.. Total Ag Waikato director Rob Mc Nab says the new Fresh Waters Leaders Group members B & Lamb farmer council member Greame Gleeson,, Land Corp rep, Alison Dewes,  B & L policy man Corina Jordan and Synlate founder John Penno gives him confidence solutions will be practical ?? Read the full list of panel members.  I have expressed my view of the first 3 organizations, or member before. Sorry John but I recon you are out numbered. Mc Nab urges farmers to participate in the fresh water debate, as regulations will influence agriculture for generations to come. But true to form Beef and lamb chair Mr. Morrison says the sector shares the Govt goal and has target of  every farmer having a Farm plan by 2021. Dairy NZ CEO Tim Macky also supports the Govt ,encouraging restoration of wet lands and tree planting. Have I not said before. 100 years of darkness. On pg 4 same mag Canterbury University political scientist Bronwyn Hayward says inequity of rural sector methane targets has been acknowledged by the Intergovernmental panel on climate change.  The report says methane needs to be cut by 35% in just 12 yrs. Best practice can only achieve 6%. The panel is aware of the impact on rural communities. The reduction can only be achieved by reducing livestock., and have a significant impact on farm profitability.   Have looked at sustainable options for communities. Tourism?  I recognized all this 11 years ago. I wrote about it in the Farmers weekly of the time. 3 articles. That propelled me into Regional Council. But after, nothing happened and people forgot. But here it is. Ms Haywards states. Those Farming people who have made major life investments will need our support. How? pg 8 Armageddon- Its no exaggeration. It is all unlawful. The abuse of law is horrendous. And councilors in Local Govt can stop it. The Local Govt Act. sec 10. Local and democratic decision making fore by and on behalf of our selves and our communities. sec 12 Status and powers. Each local authority is a body corporate in perpetuity, responsible for the powers bestowed upon it by this act and any other applicable Act. Unless of course it is transferred.Which of course in most case’s has not happened. Reference Property Rights in NZ appeal to the High Court  PRINZ verse Horizons Regional Council. The then Minister of Conservations own submission to the environment court on the Bio-diversity provisions of Horizons One Plan, She states Horizons have assumed to roles and functions of District Councils and she is happy. We used it in the High Court Appeal. Ko’s decided there was a overlap of functions. The Appeal PRINZ took to High Court was really about who controlled the use and development of LAND. Ko’s ruled that because sec 30 RMA says Regional Council Control the use of Land that therefore is a overlap. This is interesting because that argument did not come up in court. Sec 30 is silent on any regulatory function . That is because sec 31 is quite clear. District councils control the use and effects of the development of LAND. Unless it is transferred.

Page 7 same mag has some interesting stuff on urban development and water quality. Titled Few Details. on Fresh Water restoration. And re read my immediate past blogs. The crap just keeps on coming. But I am really keen to see how Horizons Nutrient and Discharges Plan works out. What with a special planner and a lawyer one must say that it will be interesting.

There it is on page 13 same mag. Meat Industry Association : Govt a risk to the meat sector. NZ Govts determination to make NZ carbon neutral  is concerning.  Putting agriculture into the emissions trading scheme is a blunt instrument putting the sector at risk. And do nothing to reduce NZ emissions. There it is. The Mc Gillicuddy party is well in control. The giant step backwards.

Over the years I have been critical of Governance of Local Govt. I have also been critical of staff conduct. I have made the statement to any body who will listen that Governance is a real problem in every form of decision making body where a negative decision can be made to achieved the out comes desired by The MC Gillicuddy party . Or Government of the day. For the party is not a bunch of hippy pot smoking drop kicks wearing beads and long hair. No they have transformed themselves into party members, that are very nice easy to talk to credible sounding persons. Well dressed and educated. They have worked their way into the afore mentioned and are seeking out the out comes they desire. They come from several walks of life ,religious, green and socialists. To prove my point here on pg 13 Rural News Oct 2 2018 Fonterra candidate Trevor Hamilton describes Fonterra clones as to blame for the organizations poor financial performance. I see Fonterra’s share price is down to $4.80 Was up around $7 a year or 2 ago. Cloned Governance is the prob. That is the way they elect its board. Existing directors effectively select those they want on the board. Fonterra has stopped debate. They do not want it. And they do not want to be challenged. Thus there is no management accountability.  He goes on to ask. Please explain to me the essence of good governance.

Well this is all music to my ears.  I have seen it all in Local Govt. I have reports on it in this Blog. Trevor you are not alone in your assumptions. I have recorded my experience. It is rife in all forms of governance. It is driven from with Central Govt. I believe it started to influence way back in 1975, with the introduction of the “Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.” But how are we to turn it around. These people are entrenched in governance. They have the populous so hard at it just trying to keep their heads above water financially that they just cannot be bothered to sit up and take notice of what is really going on. They are pissed off and are easy meat for every populous policy or fad that comes along. All referred to in this post.

A big post. Bye for now