Peter Bale - Cheif Executive of The Centre for Public Integrity

Posted 16th July 2016 to Saturday Morning Show Radio New Zealand National

Hi Mark & Kim..
You are really getting into the big stuff this morning on the Importance of Honesty in the Media and Civilization
I have been watching the rise of Political Comedians in the USA and I Wonder if they are filling a void caused by a boated overbearing & joyless political System
That expects us all to fall in line like Robots. I am glad that that portion of the Media is trying to call bullshit on this nonsense despite it difficulty to view in New Zealand.

I have to ask Why Larry Wilmore is not Screened on Maori Television ? Perhaps his way of looking at life might help people understand just how the USA effects every minority in the
World ...

Your Discussion about Women Screenwriters & Producers is topical not just with Ghost Busters but the Latest FARGO TV series showing some interesting background plot devices with women .

Also There was a Ironic ending where the Gangsters of Old cashed in their guns to become ruthless businessmen  which raises the question about what effect that move has had on our civilization !

NZ Tourism Bubble - Blame the Airlines

 Posted 26th July 2016 to Nine to Noon Radio New Zealand 

The Problem we have with Tourism is too many Airline Seats dumping masses of people on a Small Population.

We are not geared up for unregulated Chaos every time the Dollar is cheap , Either regulate the Flow or
Put a Massive Landing Tax to sort out the scroungers from the proper tourists .

Our Tourism Minister is asleep at the wheel...

America's Dark side - the Hillary Saga

Posted 22nd July 2016 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper.

 Watching the unfolding Political circus that is the Presidential Election Cycle in the United States these days it is interesting how 2 lone Candidates one on each side discovered the NEED to be the Voice of the People and not a Pontiff.
Donald the Trumpf Managed to get to be a contender for Tyrant in-chief but Senator Bernie Sanders Got Sent to political Bakersfield By Hillary.

This unfortunately leaves "people power" with Trump as their only champion.
America is Great already in military and financial power. What Trump is selling is Make America FEARED again. Just What that entails is truly Chilling.

Hillary is not a bad Leader but she has put the World in a difficult position to get her foot in the Presidential Door, as a rite and not a Privilege.

Thank You Hillary for Giving the World’s Worst Businessman the moral high ground. I can only hope they are never going to give you a Darwin Award for services to Humanity. 

NZ's Tourism Bubble - Queenstown's Soul

Posted 19th July 2016 to the Mountain scene Newspaper Queenstown NZ

It is nice to see a discussion about Future Tourism from David Kennedy in the Mountain Scene.
There is indeed a lot to talk about to ramp up production yet there is sadness that Global Tourism
That we don’t address. In 1964 when the First Jet Airliners opened up New Zealand to the World the World was
A different place, travel brought you to different Cultures and unknown places People noticed you if you where a tourist
They would want to talk to you as an ambassador of another country.

Over the decades now things have changed. Globalization and Modern Communications combined with budget air travel
has made the World a lot more generic, smaller, financially tighter for Tourism and way-more fickle!

The Idea of growth to is under review to as climate degradation action means action must be taken in the next few years

Sadly Queenstown is an aberration, a bubble caused by an insane financial system. It is no longer unique, and if Rational People Rule the World
Queenstown will need a Total re-think to survive at all. You might need to find your SOUL again!

The Fate of Invercargill - Future Shocks

Posted 17th July 2016 to the Southland Express Newspaper Invercargill NZ.

Dear Southland Express,
It is topical now that Invercargill has got a real problem with it’s future
Ask the Boys at GNS and Climate Scientists and they agree that The City is simply built in the wrong place.

It is sad to say there is No financial model that says it is feasible to get it up to scratch for what lies in store.

Perhaps it might be prudent to start on a totally New CBD in another location  and leave the Historic Town Centre alone
Much like the did in Oamaru.

One Great Enclosed Shopping Mall  somewhere inland would fit the needs of the 21st century better than trying to shoe-horn it into the
Context of the 19th ?

Climate Change and Subduction Zones are real albeit future problems, but that being said it is not the 19th Century anymore, we don’t need to live by the waters edge
If we need to ship goods and people. 

NZs Tourists Bubble - Milford Sound

Posted 17 July 2016 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ

As a tax payer I would like to point out that our taxes are being used badly when it comes to Milford Sound.
I fail to see why we are subsidizing the Boat Operators by supplying unnecessary Campsites at Cascade Creek just to fill the early boats.

Time was the Late boats where the budget cruises and that meant it was Ideal to stay in Te Anau to do a Milford cruise at leisure.

If DOC HQ  wants to take pressure off the National Park Camp sites they should start running their own budget cruises after 3pm
At least until the current glitch of ultra cheep airfares stops the tsunami of free campers from washing up in our Resorts.

...And Ultimately getting washed down the Eglinton River in the next big flood at Cascade Creek Like the one that saw Ngai Tahu pack it in.

Some Fiordland History Recalled

Posted 12 July 2016 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ

I am trying to see if we can entwine some of our unique Local History along the Cycle Trail From Te Anau to Manapouri
And there are some names that might need to be included that are not enshrined by the New Zealand Geographic Board on the Maps.
Run-holder Freeman Jackson who owned the Balloon Loop Homestead and Sheep Run is obvious as is Elizabeth Bowes–Lyon the reason Queens Reach was named.

There where a lot of smaller players on the Upper Waiau and Cycle route as well a few tragedies  I dare say Wilson Campbell, Richard Henry,
And the Explorers Charles Nairn and William Stephen came this way in 1852 Guided by George and Rawiri from Riverton who stopped on the River to do some Fishing for Eels
En route to a camp where the Dam is today.

David Comer made the River well known to movie-goers this century by borrowing it for the Lord of the Rings Trilogy of Films.
Ted Roberts dreamed of a Steam railway along the Shore from the town to the Dam. Wilson Campbell dreamed of a New Zealand Disneyland and Frana Cardno dreamed of a Te Papa type Museum
Near the trail head  And the dream Township of Murikura somehow became the Te Anau Golf Club.

At the Manapouri end Les Hutchins dreamed of building a Boat Marina at Supply Bay and Christine Sheard dreamed of a Tea Rooms at View Hill,  (a hill mentioned in Maori Folklore) that for some reason aligns with the Summit of the Monument Summit over at Hope Arm.   And there are more names from Stage Coaches, Road Building and Power Projects now all but forgotten.

So if anyone remembers the people that where part of this route it would be good to hear about them.

A E Nicholson.

Southland Times Needs a Makeover

Posted 9th July 2016 to the Southland Times Newspaper

Dear Natasha,
Your Paper is "striking out" on Progressive Liberal Feedback, you forget too much Public oppion is never a bad thing.

Newspapers NEED to be the Moderate Voice of Reason  for their communities  to bridge the different factions of the community they represent.

The Internet is not a good place for Community Discussion of opposing points of view.
If you fail as an editor in this area then you do all your staff a disservice.

Journalism use to be a profession. but too many have sold out.

That is the real DOWNFALL of the Print Media  not Google or Apple

Your Industry has a Demon and it's name is Murdoch..

What about injustice ? Your staff act like they have been feed emotion suppressing drugs.

(From the Odentroll Dispatch)

Fiordland's South Westland Wilderness Area

Posted 7th July 2016 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

 I recall writing many letters over the Years about the desire to go beyond the Hollyford Road into the wild untamed lands North of Milford Sound
I think I started around 1979 and ever since have been watching many people wanting to civilize the wilderness between Fiordland and South Westland
But as the World is constantly regretting the violation of wilderness for money yet there are many here that are ready to cash it in without hesitation.

The Thought that Wilderness is somehow of no value is perplexing, Especially as such places seem to define what it is to be a New Zealander. not economics.

That being said I could understand the desire to extend the Hollyford Road as far as the Highly Scenic shores of Lake Alabaster or maybe even Lake McKerrow
Though I would recommend it for be used for permitted or service vehicle and of course PUSHBIKES, sort of like the Wilmot Pass Road. That would give the Hollyford road a proper destination and take some pressure off Milford Sound.

If we in Southland really wants something nice for Southland  that is actually in reach, maybe we could aim for this easy goal and let South Westland sort it’s own tourism problems out.

Te Anau's Playground - Fiordland National Park

Posted 29th June 2016 to the Southland Advocate Newspaper Te Anau.

Dear Advocate:
The Grand Opening for the first leg of the Te Anau to Manapouri cycle trail shows that the People of the Te Anau Basin would like to go out and enjoy the Conservation Estate.

At the Moment though Cyclists can not cross the line of the National Park Boundary in lieu of Departmental Review..

Here is a though.. maybe the Department can make a dispensation for the people of the basin to have special status in all the National Park Land on the East of the Upper Waiau River
And South of the Eglinton River.. After All, It is our back Yard.  So why cant it be our play ground as well?

Still It was good to see Todd Barclay and Garry Tong came to support our community effort Cycle Trial,  uniquely well constructed and under budget with no money from Central Government
or even a wink from our cycle-trail loving Prime Minister.

The opening event  was a great moment for me as I had been suggesting Cycle-ways in the Park since the 1980s.
It also goes to show expensive over long Cycle trail are not needed if you have a lot of cool scenery and landforms in one small area.

 *Publication confirmed

Datageddon on Radio New Zealand

Posted 30th June 2016 to the Nine to Noon Program Radio NZ

 Hi Kathryn & co

Interesting Programs this Morning with Richard Watson & Robbie Allen
You Should Watch the USA TV Series “Silicon Valley” a comedic look at how the World of Tech Operates..

Also they mention “Datageddon” as a point in which all the Crap we store in the “Cloud” becomes to expensive to store and we physically cant build enough server farms to store it all..

BTW there is some evidence Youtube was doing some culling this month they seem to hit a few Liberal Progressive Channels which might we a worry for Robbie...

The News Blackout on Bernie Sanders Rallies seems to be a part of this mess in some ways...  But we didn’t expect a Google subsidiary to be in on it. 

Queenstown NZ Mayor bid 2016

Posted 28th June 2016 to the Mountain Scene Newspaper Queenstown NZ

 Jim Bolt For Mayor?
I like Jim he has a load of energy and cleverness but where is the heart? He spoke in Te Anau and said Queenstown was a terrible place when he first arrived there
But now it is wonderful thanks to Businessmen and Loads of Money. Really Jim?

Many Southlanders think Queenstown is a heartless gawd awful mess because everyone there is stabbing their neighbor in the back for a buck.
Jim is right Prosperity is nice but it has to be equitable  or it all goes to custard..

And as one of your readers pointed out development should be done the Swiss way..with attention to detail and feeling.

Any chance we can get a candidate from the Green Party... you know...  Someone with Heart...

Politics of Youtube Questioned

Posted 28th of June 2016 to This Way up Radio New Zealand National

 Hi guys

BTW this Month Youtube has been culling progressive rationalist Channels..
Odentroll, TheGetRealGuy, TeeVeeNZ all wiped off the net.
They had been around for over ten Years and one specialized in immortalizing landmark Radio NZ broadcasts
And adding humorous pictures and showing rare old NZBC clips.

Sad loss for NZ

Has Bernie Sanders spooked team Google ? What is going down ? 

Pressure on NZs Mental Health Services

Posted 7th June 2016 to Nine to Noon Radio New Zealand National.

 Dear Kathryn:
The problem with prolonged exposure to right wing Government like we have in NZ is that they
basically hate you if you are not capable of working hard and paying more taxes, so we live under a veil of fear, fear
that should we fall down we will be crushed under the feet of an uncaring World. It seriously makes some people wonder why they
where brought into existence in the first place. No one in a fragile mental state should have to live under such conditions.

Misery is no objective for an enlightened society.

I am afraid that if your not a Celebrity or a person of means then John Key and his party simply Hate you, as neglect is a form of hate.

There is one solution that if you ARE hated you should be allowed to HATE them Back... Especially at the next election !
and our media should respect descent not fear it.

 

Fututre of New Zealands National Parks Service

Posted 24th of June 2016

 In response to your page on trying times for the Department of Conservation..
Yes Maggie Berry has got a job to do and Minister in Charge..
Unfortunately Private Enterprise in a small country such as NZ is in no position to deal with a tourism blow out
And for good or for worse the Department of Conservation is the only Government Agency that has a structure to deal with
Our Tourism Problems. But they have not recruited the people they need to make it work. They need a different breed.. The kind of people that they usually avoid .
Cleaver Ambitious, Creative people to Work in synergy with our preservationists and Greenies .
One thing is Clear the Status Quo is not working. I say the Government not only has to let D.O.C. Keep more of it’s earnings to maintain itself but give bonuses for its best people

And fill in the Gaps that private enterprise will never take a risk on.  We have plenty of campsites in Fiordland for example but almost no new DOC infrastructure for anything else.
They are not actively Showcasing their product at all. And can no until the Minister gives them some oxygen  Queenstown Says it will Take 10 Years to build up it Hotel Capacity  to
Keep up with demand if they can afford the land. And all the scenic real-estate has been given to DOC.  

 

Wikipedia Volunteers need thanks

Posted to 19th May to Jesse Mulligan Radio New Zealand Afternoons

 Jessie,
 I Love that the Department on Conservation is setting up a team to Catalog NZs indigenous Fauna
I try to Volunteer some of my spare time to getting more of Fiordland National Park on the Internet.
I have added to Wikipedia in the past but it is awkward for one with limited resources as you need reference details from actual Published Material
And supply your own photographs put into pubic dominion, if you have news cutting with no date they are not useable.. And most modern news print is about sensation and not boring facts or History.
Also Journalist can speculate and get printed but that is not a tool one can use on Wikipedia.

Still, Good on all the Volunteers that keep this grand Idea of Communal Knowledge alive  you deserve some kind acknowledgement..