Friday, July 13, 2012

The Maori Council in the Waitangi Tribunal has been the dominating theme this week.

They want a halt to the SOE IPO until water issues are resolved.

There have been some interesting developments today.

It seems that the Maori Council might be saying they don't own the water. That's good because I think they would be a bit deluded if they really thought they owned the water. The line that is being thrown around now is that it’s about water rights. Whatever, it’s still about the money.

The PM called it early - he said the Tribunal was not binding and that nobody owned the water. The PM is 100 percent correct. This didn't stop the Maori Party packing having a hissy fit; something about the comments being insulting.

This is all a charade of course. Maori are out to get a generous deal with the SOE's or water preferably both.

It seems that the Government is actually about to oblige Maori too.

The fact that Maori are attempting to screw a deal by using the SOE sale as a bargaining tool was somehow turned into the "race card" by Tariana Turia. She reckons that the PM’s comments have given permission for the nation to attack Maori.

Well actually no it’s created legitimate debate about the Maori agenda in all of this.

SBW

Sonny Bill Williams dumps NZ rugby for a stint in Japan and then back to league in the NRL.

The reaction has been quite extraordinary. Its like he's betrayed rugby. Like he's a sports mercenary who has no loyalty.

SBW is certainly a polarising figure with rugby fans for some reason.

Fact is, he is in a business, it may be playing sport but make no mistake its a business decision. That business doesn't last forever.

He is a marketable commodity I suppose and his talents are portable.

If he gets offered megabucks what do the knockers expect him to do? What, decline so he can wear an All Black jersey? You've gotta be kidding me!

OTHER MATTERS

Opposition political parties claim that the Government is setting up KiwiRail to be privatised. I wish that was the case but unfortunately for Labour and the Greens their claims are simply disingenuous.

The Save the Christchurch Cathedral carries on in their relentless pursuit of restoring the Cathedral. There is still the not insignificant matter of the $100 cost plus that it’s actually the Anglican Church's decision.

Dotcom says he will voluntarily return to the US to face charges on one condition: he gets access to his bank accounts. Here's the thing: Why would authorities give him access to his hundreds of millions when it’s those funds that are the subject of the charges?

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