By: Larry Williams | Wednesday, May 02, 2012

-LIQOUR LAWS-

The Alcohol Reform Bill will go back to Parliament with a number of changes.

This will be a conscience vote.

The purchasing age will most likely go to 20; drinking in a bar will be 18; and teenagers under 18 will need the express consent of their parents or guardians to have a drink. Not sure how that will work or how it will be policed. But it’s just irresponsible to be plying youngsters with alcohol. Indeed, I don't know why they don't have a legal drinking age.

Dairies and convenience stores won't be able to sell liquor and local bodies will have more control over licensing outlets. This seems reasonable as there's been a proliferation of booze outlets out there in the community.

What the politicians should do but won't is lower the drink driving limit. They justify this on the statistics. Our limit is higher than most developed countries.

On balance though, it’s a tweaking of the law that was overdue.

-POLITICAL DONATIONS-

The Banks donation issue I don't think passes the sniff test.

Banks is right – There’s a perception that he was obfuscating. That's because he was. There is so much running around this donation and the lobbying that make his answers look implausible.

The public will make their own judgement but I don't see that favouring Banks.

More importantly what needs to be dealt with is anonymous political donations.

The law MUST be changed and right now. It MUST be tightened.

When you give a donation you do it for a reason. Mr Dotcom is a fine example of this. He wanted to buy a mansion and he wanted residency. Banks was doing some of his bartering. As Fran O'Sullivan said in today's Herald, "It was obvious Dotcom believed Banks could deliver the result he wanted.”

Interesting though that Banks spurned Dotcom when he was in prison wanting help.

There is a perception that politicians can be bought so that has to be closed.

I see no logical reason for the continuation of anonymous donations.

-STUDENT LOANS-

The Government's clampdown on interest free student loans is nothing more than tinkering around the edges.

At least the PM is upfront about the fact that this policy is not great economics but good politics.

It’s neither. It’s dumb politics because it's a cost the country cannot afford. The policy requires the taxpayer to write off 45c for every dollar loaned. Crazy stuff and I note Labour is even moaning about the students having to pay a bit more back in repayments.

It looks like students will have to pay back at a rate of 11% or 12% in the dollar instead of 10%. The students are bitching saying it’s like a tax increase, like PAYE. This is nonsense. It’s ignorance.

-WAYNE SMITH-

Smith will stay here and coach for now. He has spurned an offer from England.

He could possibly take the Blues next year, which would be interesting.

He's a wonderful coach and the Blues will need one to turn the franchise around.

-JOHN WRIGHT-

A Stuff poll shows that over 92% think that John Wright’s departure as coach of the Black Caps is a disaster for NZ Cricket.

I don't think there is any question NZ Cricket has made a huge cock up here.

Nobody in their right mind could claim that Wright isn't a very good coach.

There was obviously a train wreck in the making with Wright and the Aussie John Buchanan.

The loser is NZ cricket.