Politics Daily: Ports of Auckland fall out

Did the Auckland Council cause the current ports dispute?

There is much debate around what role, if any, the council should take during the stoush but Bernard Orsman cites ports expert David Wigmore’s view that the council demand for the ports company to double its dividend from 6 to 12% over 5 years is the underlying cause of friction - see: Expert says council is behind wharf strife http://bit.ly/xvSX55.

This is an example of how calls for politicians to ‘stay out’ of the dispute ignore the reality that political decisions have already had an impact. John Pagani reiterates his call http://bit.ly/wpYrtY for politicians to keep out of industrial conflicts. Pagani’s claim that Len Brown has only encouraged the parties involved to resolve the conflict, without getting into the substance, is questionable given Brown’s comments a few days ago that work practices needed to change to achieve the double dividend target.

Fran O’Sullivan criticises the mayor for having anything to say at all on the matter, pointing out that the ports company structure was set up to minimize political involvement - see: Weigh anchor and let them get on with it http://bit.ly/xoxDtp.

As the fundamental structure of the company is being decided, it is legitimate to ask if the owners of the Ports of Auckland – i.e. the council – can and should maintain a hands-off attitude.

Longtime Labour stalwart Robert Winter thinks that not only should the council be up front but that the wider implications require David Shearer and Labour to ‘step up and come out swinging on this issue.’ He sees this as ‘potentially, the defining first moment for Labour under Mr Shearer, and we look for clear leadership on what is now a matter of principle’ – see: Not just a question for Mr Brown. Where are Mr Shearer and Labour? http://bit.ly/w4qAoj

As TVNZ reports, the dispute is now ‘very serious’ and both the union and the port company are set on increasingly risky courses of action – see: Risky for Ports to replace striking wharfies – expert http://bit.ly/zwlzbB. By the time it’s over, sitting on the sidelines may not be an option for anyone.

A must read article today is Keith Ng’s Association of Community Retailers. Again. http://bit.ly/yjjpxx Ng scolds the media for having goldfish-like memories as they continue to give credibility to the Association of Community Retailers – an organisation that Ng and Rory McKinnon exposed nearly two years ago as little more than a front for the tobacco industry. Run by Glenn Inwood, who also runs PR for the Japanese whalers, the ACR follows a well-established PR technique used by tobacco companies around the world. If there is a battle between PR and good journalism then this article is depressing evidence that PR is winning hands down.

Over the Christmas break there were quite a few reviews of politics in 2011 – mostly pretty negative. To help get the last year in perspective you could read Tracy Watkins http://bit.ly/uZOzd2, Matt McCarten http://bit.ly/wrvtJi, Billie Jordan http://bit.ly/AlpS15, Fran O’Sullivan http://bit.ly/yjxbtP and Cameron Slater http://bit.ly/x8KDPG.

Ports of Auckland dispute

Bernard Orsman (Herald): Expert says council is behind wharf strife http://bit.ly/xvSX55
TVNZ: Risky for Ports to replace striking wharfies – expert http://bit.ly/zwlzbB
Jenny Keown (Stuff): Ports contractors plan progressing http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/6235539/Ports-contractors-plan-progressing
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Weigh anchor and let them get on with it http://bit.ly/xoxDtp
John Pagani (Stuff): Politicians must stay out of Auckland Port dispute http://bit.ly/wpYrtY
Sarah Harvey (Auckland Now): Port stoush 'could push rates up' http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/6232057/Port-stoush-could-push-rates-up
Robert Winter (Idle Thoughts): Not just a question for Mr Brown. Where are Mr Shearer and Labour? http://bit.ly/w4qAoj
Christine Linnell (Herald): Port is 'creating a monster' - striking workers http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10777840
Herald: Striking port workers consult lawyers http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10777777
TVNZ: The ins and outs of the Ports of Auckland dispute http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/ins-and-outs-ports-auckland-dispute-4681730
No Right Turn: What the Ports of Auckland dispute is about http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-ports-of-auckland-dispute-is-about.htm
James Henderson (Standard): Port’s paid propagandist says cut workers’ pay http://thestandard.org.nz/ports-paid-propagandist-says-cut-workers-pay/

Food Regulation

RNZ: Nutrition policy favours food industry, study finds http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/95644/nutrition-policy-favours-food-industry,-study-finds
Joe Bennett: Food Bill contents enough to turn your stomach http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/joe-bennett/6237818/Food-Bill-contents-enough-to-turn-your-stomach

MFAT job cuts

RNZ: Diplomat warns MFAT job cuts risks Security Council seat http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/95697/diplomat-warns-mfat-job-cuts-risks-security-council-seat
Denis Welch (Opposable thumb): M without the fat http://oppthumb.blogspot.com/2012/01/m-without-fat.html

Skynet

Waikato Times: Editorial - Skynet could metastasise http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/opinion/editorials/6239013/Editorial-Skynet-could-metastasise
Gareth Hughes (Frogblog): More problems with Skynet http://blog.greens.org.nz/2012/01/10/more-problems-with-skynet/
David Farrar (Stuff): Don't make Kiwis wait http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/blogs/david-farrar-by-the-numbers/6235873/Don-t-make-Kiwis-wait

Christchurch

Newswire/RadioLIVE: Reports of quake anniversary holiday incorrect http://www.3news.co.nz/Reports-of-quake-anniversary-holiday-incorrect/tabid/423/articleID/238654/Default.aspx
Herald/APNZ: Govt not considering quake public holiday http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10777787
Southland Times: Editorial - Dunedin overtures crudely timed http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/opinion/6235056/Editorial-Dunedin-overtures-crudely-timed

2011 in review

Tracy Watkins (Stuff): The political breakdown of 2011 http://bit.ly/uZOzd2
Fairfax: Political pundits win a few, lose a few http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6203472/Political-pundits-win-a-few-lose-a-few
Matt McCarten (Herald): New Year resolutions don't always go to plan http://bit.ly/wrvtJi
Billie Jordan: Top 30 NZ PR Disasters of 2011 http://bit.ly/AlpS15
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Heroes and others from a testing year http://bit.ly/yjxbtP
Stuff: Slip-ups, wit make one-liners of year http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6192781/Slip-ups-wit-make-one-liners-of-year
Michael Dickison (Herald): Key, Banks share top in cringe-factor survey http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10775669
Cameron Slater (Whaleoil): Whaleoil awards http://bit.ly/x8KDPG

Other

Keith Ng (Public Address): Association of Community Retailers. Again. http://bit.ly/yjjpxx
The Standard: Job system & RA in need of reform, not benefits http://thestandard.org.nz/job-system-ra-in-need-of-refrom-not-benefits/
Jessica Tasman-Jones: Plans to spread Occupy camps across Auckland http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6238266/Plans-to-spread-Occupy-camps-across-Auckland
Jessica Tasman-Jones: Destiny Church denies charter school move http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/6238268/Destiny-Church-denies-charter-school-move
David Kennedy (Local Bodies): NZ Report Card Reveals Much http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2012/01/nz-report-card-reveals-much.html
RNZ: Poor housing takes wider toll on families http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/95679/poor-housing-takes-wider-toll-on-families
RNZ: Refuge calls for more affordable social housing http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/95669/refuge-calls-for-more-affordable-social-housing
Robert Ayson (Herald): We must be canny when US calls http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10777848
RNZ: NZ to look at relationship with Myanmar http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/95662/nz-to-look-at-relationship-with-myanmar