NZ’s “rock star” economy:

21 Responses to NZ’s “rock star” economy:

1. The Gantt Guy says:

   August 13, 2015 at 09:39

   You don’t need headlines, mate. Just walk down any street in Auckland. The entire place reeks of cognitive dissonance.

   Anyone who thinks New Zealand – led by Auckland – isn’t just as fucked as the rest of the Western world, simply hasn’t been paying attention.
2. The Gantt Guy says:

   August 13, 2015 at 09:47

   Continuing …

   I think that Herald article clearly articulates everything – EVERYTHING – wrong with New Zealand, and is epitomised in the following excerpt:

   “The results show 75 per cent want to see the Government formulate a Plan B in case the dairy slump continues. Eighty per cent want diversification of the economy accelerated.”

   (emphasis mine)

   These are the top dogs in New Zealand’s 110 largest companies. They have the ability, connections, power and money to do exactly what they’re sitting on their collective(ist) thumbs whining for the government to do.

   You want to know why New Zealand is a low-skill, low-wage socialist paradise which, absent the sale of dairy products to China would be completely bankrupt? Look no further than our “business” “leaders”.

   /vomit
   • Wombat says:

     August 13, 2015 at 17:51

     “They have the ability, connections, power and money to do exactly what they’re sitting on their collective(ist) thumbs whining for the government to do.”

     They are all too familiar with tall poppy syndrome.

     You spend 100 mil upgrading for tomorrow and you competitor will undercut you today. Then, tomorrow, when you’re competitor, is on the back foot, they’ll cry poor and hold a knife to their worker’s throats.

     The government will dump a ton of cash at their door to win the next election.

     So no, they understand that we no longer live in a free market capitalist society, and they’d be fools to operate any other way.
3. Warren Tooley says:

   August 13, 2015 at 10:32

   Well Gantt, in my world, a country isn’t rich if it can only export dairy products. A country is rich when it is able to produce a number of things at a competitive price. The exchange rate has gone down, so this is the time to export more. So when will people hop to it? Do you see that? No you see whining and people looking to the government.

   And more government spending on borrowed money won’t help. More money available to private enterprise for tools, equipment and machinery, is what will actually make a difference.
   • The Gantt Guy says:

     August 13, 2015 at 15:43

     NZ never had a “rock star” economy. It was never a healthy, wealthy economy. It was made to appear so on a comparison basis with other economies which were in the process of imploding, and off the back of selling unrefined, unimproved raw materials to China, unrefined, unimpeded immigration (from nations with no cultural ties to ours) and an unprecedented residential real estate boom (bubble?).

     Australia found out the hard way the folly and fragility of that economy, when China 4 years ago stopped buying what they dug out of the ground. The writing was on the wall for NZ then, but of course as the party was still in full swing, the NZ economy was “different” (because while Aussie’s wealth was built on digging stuff out of the ground, ours is built on digging stuff out of cows, or some other such science).

     And please don’t get me started on the insanity of borrowing ourselves into debt slavery, in order to pay for welfare!
     • Warren Tooley says:

       August 13, 2015 at 17:29

       Yes Gantt, that’s sort of what I’ve been trying to explain to someone at my church. I’ve tried to explain to them, that if we want to get ahead, we need to do better than have 5% of us farm, and the rest provide a service to our farmers.

       They said oh that’s not necessary we are #1, and those who are struggling can go on a benefit and sell on trademe. So I explained that the only reason we aren’t doing too bad, is we aren’t doing to bad compared to other countries that are in deep doo doo. This person works for CYFs, so you can see how they have a different idea.

       And I think we are or at least were in agreement with the ‘crowd out effect’ of pointless borrowing. That if we want to be rich we need to get our machinery, equipment and tools all up to scratch, and then we can get rich, as our exchange rate is pretty low to what it was before, so this should be seen as a golden opportunity.
4. Brown says:

   August 13, 2015 at 12:02

   Management has become a tool for mismanagement.

   Look at SOE’s like Solid Energy, Kiwirail etc… While the market has created serious challenges much of the turmoil apparent in these businesses is the result of inept management under the watch of inept politicians.

   Fonterra is just as bad – millions paid to a top executive who has no real solutions when it gets tough and can suddenly save millions by laying off a bunch of managers on huge money.

   Zonation made a good point a couple of days ago – look after the morals and social cohesion and the money will come. The west has abandoned morals and wonders why things are going to hell in a handcart.
   • The Gantt Guy says:

     August 13, 2015 at 15:47

     I was visiting at an organisation just this week that epitomises exactly the problem you describe. They’re on their 4th CEO in 5 years, currently have a new (acting) CEO, a new CIO, new CFO. They’ve committed to $90 million of capital spend this year but don’t have enough people or facilities to spend anything like that amount. Operating at optimum, I estimated they could get to about $35 million of that $90, but of course they’re not operating at optimum because it’s government and there’s no profit motive, and no incentive to be good, so rather than deliver $90 million of capital improvement, based on the current trajectory, they’ll deliver $28-32 million.

     In the private sector, even the most passive of shareholders would be asking the board for answers (if not resignations!). But of course, because it’s government and “only” taxpayers’ money, nobody raises a squeak.
     • Darin says:

       August 13, 2015 at 16:20

       Have you noticed what I have over the past decade that even private sector corporations are behaving more and more like the government?No one is ever to blame for anything,no one is ever held accountable and even the smallest decision has to be made by no less than four levels of management.

       I had a job held up for three days recently because that’s how long it took to get approval for a change in vendor for a lousy 5 gallon bucket of paint.If it had been something critical to the product being made I could see the delay,but this was just some safety blue industrial paint going on some piping on a water tower.
       • Warren Tooley says:

         August 13, 2015 at 23:36

         Darin I discovered an answer to this years ago. The law system is kabalistic. You make a claim against somebody, and if their is no objection, your claim is correct, it stands as truth. But if the person denies it, then they are only guilty if you can prove it. For instance an unrebuffed affidavit stands as truth in commerce. If I send an affidavit saying you owe me $1,000 and you don’t rebuff it, you owe me $1,000, just as well I don’t know your address, lol.

         So suppose I sell you a burger, and you get sick. If I admit to it, I lose my licence to cook burgers. Since you can’t prove it, I keep my license. With customer service the code is 3 things.

         1. Never admit the company is in the wrong
         2. If the company is in the wrong blame it on a trainee, or someone as contractor to the company.
         3. Always do something for the customer, to get them distracted from the company’s error.

         And what I find over and over again, is they never focus on what caused the problem, they always, always focus on what will make you happy. Even when working for focus on the family NZ they taught something similiar, no they didn’t say to deny, but they taught the things you don’t say as it could get the company in trouble.

         For instance somebody wanted deliverance from their sin. I couldn’t tell them who to see. I was told if we recommend a counsellor for instance and they don’t stand for what we stand, by recommending them, it counts as if they are a part of the company no you can’t do that.

         So again, this is why company’s are bureaucratic. But I play that at their own game. Hyundai did a degrading ad, I knew they would play around if I complained, so I said I’m not doing business with you for 10 years, no matter what, and here’s why. Sure enough they found excuses. And that’s when I said I knew you’d do that, I knew you’d make excuses so no business with you for 10 years. And after that the ads from Hyundai were uplifting to men and women.

         Then their’s all these silly regulations so that’s probably part of it.
5. Darin says:

   August 13, 2015 at 16:11

   If you haven’t seen it yet,checkout Milton Friedman and the lesson of the Pencil.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ERbC7JyCfU

   No manufacturer or industry exists as an island unto itself.Almost every product of human endeavor that exists is part of a huge interconnected web.If one small part is removed from that web the effects ripple all across the whole web.

   I used to think these leftist idiots didn’t understand this concept and I still believe the rank and file kool aid drinkers don’t.However the leadership knows full well the result and they use it was a weapon to wage economic and societal destruction.

   Closing down the Pencil factory doesn’t just end the jobs of the Pencil factory workers.It affects the lives and lively hoods of every business and worker in the supply chain.Much of the damage has already been done in the manufacturing sector and that is why they moved to the banks.The small community banks expecially,the reason being,now they control the capital.Choke off the capital lending institutions and you choke off small business and prevent them from growing and employing more people.
   • KG says:

     August 13, 2015 at 16:32

     The Marxist war on capitalism. And they’re winning.
     • Pascal says:

       August 14, 2015 at 16:11

       The Weather Underground of Bill Ayers was previously called the Weathermen (of SDS I think). They took their name from the Dylan song line “It doesn’t take a weatherman/to know which way the wind blows.”

       Sounds like you see that their determination was far and away better than those they sought to enslave. But hoss: let’s wait for the fat lady to sing.
       • Pascal says:

         August 14, 2015 at 20:21

         Yes, The Weathermen was an offshoot from SDS, and the name was inspired by the song. Verified (By wiki? Hah! Or at least equally misinformed) here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subterranean_Homesick_Blues
     • The Gantt Guy says:

       August 14, 2015 at 21:39

       You almost sound like you haven’t yet realised they won, long ago.

       All that remains now is for the system they’ve created to collapse under its own weight.
6. Ronbo says:

   August 14, 2015 at 00:28

   SPEAKING OF IMMIGRATION, CRUSADERS….Legal and illegal…

   I think the formerly Free Republic of America is the chart topper: ALMOST 43 MILLION IMMIGRANTS – WITH MEXICO LEADING THE PACK…AS OF THIS MORNING ONE-FOURTH OF MEXICO IS IN AMERICA.

   This 13% is of our population and unlike the traditional hard working immigrants of the 1800s and early 1900s – these newbees are – out to put gently? FUCKING STUPID AND UNEDUCATED SOCIALIST PARASITES LOOKING FOR FREE FOOD, HOUSING AND MEDICAL CARE!!!

   Also, RUMOR control has it that a judge in Mexico before they sentence a murderer to life imprisonment gives them 72 hours to go “El Norte” and stay there…These scumbags go to one of the many sanctuary cities like San Francisco – where they murder nice young blond Anglo English speaking women…because they are what they are.

   ….and the Left wonders why Trump is so popular!

   In fact, ANY presidential candidate is almost certain to be elected in 2016 if they promise one thing – and one thing only – REBUILD THE BERLIN WALL BETWEEN THE USA AND MEXICO – AND MAN IT WITH BORDER GUARDS WITH SHOOT-TO-KILL ORDERS!
   • Ronbo says:

     August 14, 2015 at 00:30

     LINK: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/caramba-record-42.1-million-immigrants-in-u.s.-mexicans-drive-latest-surge/article/2570114
     • Ronbo says:

       August 14, 2015 at 00:45

       The Big News this morning in the Former Free Republic of America – It would appear the dread Hildabeast – that’s “Hilliary Clintion” to those of you from Rio Linda, California – is going to be facing criminal charges and a prison sentence for having classified information on her private server.

       Yes, Crusaders, it’s looking like Obama has done thrown the Hildabeast under the bus…as is well known Obama HATES both Clintons with a passion. Internet Rumor Central has it on good authority that Traditional Clinton Hatred is one reason – but the primary motive is that the emails have stuff on them relating to The Magic Negro, which is a Big No-No in the dictatorship – SO THE HILDABEAST HAS TO GO DOWN IN FLAMES!

       …and there is reason Number Three – according to Internet Rumor Control Central – “Hair Plugs” Biden – the V.P. – wants to be Prez and Obama wants him to be The Prez, so that the Obama Regime gets a third and fourth term, as “Hair Plugs” Biden is a proven loyal lackey of The Magic Negro and The Democommie Party.
       • Darin says:

         August 14, 2015 at 02:37

         Obama needs to take Hillary out of the bid for the WH.

         He wants no viable competition around when the takeover begins.

         On the bright side Crazy Bernie Sanders is ahead of her in the polls and four of the top five Republicans beat Sanders by a 8-10% margin.
         • Pascal says:

           August 14, 2015 at 16:17

           Ah, now I see. And I see Ronbo gets it too.

           Now if only we can find a way to regain control of the GOP from the GOPe. Try and convince voters to ignore all the talking heads at Fox and use their own heads. The next candidate has to be the antidote to Obama, not the “one who can beat Hillary.”

           However — does anyone know how Mugabe stayed on in shared power after the last elections? Mugabe’s forces went so far as to burn his opponent’s wife alive and they still did the “shared” deal. I’m bringing that up in deference to all Crusaders who have decided that election no longer matter. You all have a point.
7. Ronbo says:

   August 14, 2015 at 13:54

   The Democommie Bench for prez in 2016 is looking stupid, socialist and OLD!

   Yeah, Crazy OLD Bernie and Crazy OLD Biden – and a Crazy OLD Fake Indian.