New Zealand’s Most Famous Tabloid Editor Said it Does not Exist in the First Place
New Zealand’s last tough-talking Front Page era editor, the late Frank Haden, declared that the press in any official court room or other such tribunal would always emerge much the worse for the experience.
Therefore he stated the press should take every precaution against appearing before such a body for any kind of judgement at all.
The reason for avoiding court rooms and the like he stated was that “the public hates the press.”
This meant in practical terms that those seeking to represent the general public in any deliberations involving the press either separately or collectively would inevitably grasp their opportunity to “savage” the press.
Therefore he stated the press should always avoid, somehow, all such appearances, because it was simply not going to win. It could only come out of the encounter much the worse for it.
The press, insisted Haden, was reluctant to accept the loathing in which it was held and thus found itself before juries and other such panels in the fond and misguided belief that it’s clams would fall on receptive ears.
Instead, the crusty Haden insisted, the officially constituted panel would simply become a lightening rod through which the public hatred of the press would be transmitted.
It is hard not to consider the likelihood that the Haden dictum figured in the twice-declared no by the Commerce Commission to the nation’s two predominant newspaper chains ardently seeking permission to merge.
It is hard too not to entertain the notion that the Commission had no sympathy either for the individuals before them who were advocating the merger.
The two-act episode was a startling re-affirmation of Haden’s Law.
It holds that the press and those who work in it in any appearance before any group formed to represent the common weal, the considered opinion on the public benefit, will simply act as a conductor for the public antipathy to it.
The second part of Haden’s Law can be stated by saying that the only avenue open to the press in this entire matter is to do its utmost to avoid any exposure at all to these constituted courts of public opinion.
Haden’s views were expounded many years ago and were widely heeded at the time if only because of the distressing experience of the industry’s libel lawyers in a string of fixtures.
Since this raffish era and with the disappearance notably of Truth the tabloid tyranny largely subsided.
The institutionalisation of the press through the mandatory university induction process ensured a commonality of voguish opinion and thus stated views.
The era of politesse thus became well established. Gone are the Woodbine-smoking renegades who once inhabited Vulcan Lane and Cuba Street.
In their place are corporate employees nurturing their careers and sharing a similar liberal outlook. They are about as threatening to societal values as the Vienna Boys Choir.
The most interesting element in their newspapers is now the surreal debate over who owns them, and how.
The newspapers management, no longer now “bosses,” have the appearance of well-intentioned pillars of society, doing their best.
But who have been publicly slapped in the face, twice, for subverting society.
SO how did Haden’s Law propounded so long ago, and in an era in which the tabloids were often villainous, now so evidently, re-emerge like a bolt, two bolts, of lightening from the heavens?
Because the two chains in seeking to please everyone, pleased nobody.
The more they sought to personify diversity in all its forms the more constricted they appeared. Their quest for plurality led them to losing their singularity.
In Frank Haden’s era the unbridled cheek of the press meant it was feared and loathed with a sprinkling of respect.
Haden himself was the last practitioner to have worked for all of Australasia’s dynastic publishers – the Fairfax, Packer, and Murdoch families
Today, the corporatist harmonised fashionable wisdom-friendly version has instead inspired an attitude of low-resonating indifference of the type that in turn has inspired two Commerce Commission verdicts in its disfavour .
Even given their joint tendency to treat the world as if it had started this morning, the two chains who are said to be contemplating a return and third match, this time with an appeals court should now heed Frank Haden’s Law.
Stay away from these types of convocations be they judicial or quasi judicial.
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AccorHotels New Zealand announce that Mercure Auckland will rebrand to the Grand Mercure Auckland from June 1, following an extensive NZ$22 million refurbishment, the second Grand Mercure announced this month for the region.
The hotel’s stunning transformation makes it an even more attractive base for exploring the adjacent Britomart precinct and nearby thriving Viaduct Harbour. Boasting 207 guest rooms and suites in total, all room types have been fully refurbished in harmonious textures and botanic shades. A new library, richly decorated with warm gold tones and leather, provides the ideal venue to relax and read from a collection of some of New Zealand’s finest literature. With a variety of indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, the Grand Mercure Auckland offers the largest event space of any hotel in the Britomart area with capacity for 350 cocktail style.
On street level, a new alfresco social eatery has been added, Custom Lane, which transforms from café to bar as day shifts to night, capturing a sense of the lively Britomart through eclectic street art and creative design elements. Take the lift to the hotel’s rooftop Vue Restaurant & Attica Bar, which boasts unobstructed views of Auckland’s skyline and harbour, matched by fine cuisine showcasing New Zealand’s outstanding produce and wines.
AccorHotels’ Senior Vice President Operations, New Zealand, Fiji and French Polynesia, Gillian Millar said: “Following an extensive transformation and the exciting addition of Custom Lane to tap into Britomart’s social scene, Grand Mercure Auckland redefines the upscale brand in Australasia.”
“Grand Mercure is an internationally recognisable brand name in the upscale hotel space, and we saw an opportunity to further leverage the brand’s presence in New Zealand while elevating our guests’ experience.” Grand Mercure Auckland is located at 8 Customs Street, Auckland CBD, New Zealand and joins a network of over 40 Grand Mercure hotels in the Asia-Pacific Region.
Experience the newly rebranded Grand Mercure Auckland from just $204 including breakfast. Read more at http://www.etbtravelnews.global
The wine industry has become the fourteenth industry sector to join the Government Industry Agreement (GIA) biosecurity partnership, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has announced today.
“It’s very good news to have New Zealand Winegrowers working with the Ministry for Primary Industries and other industry partners on biosecurity,” says Mr Guy.
“It means we can work together on preventing, managing and responding to the most important risks like Pierce’s Disease and Brown Marmorated Stink Bug.
“This shows the wine industry takes biosecurity seriously and wants to work collaboratively with MPI on preparedness and responses.
“As the recent Biosecurity 2025 Direction Statement outlines, biosecurity is a shared responsibility. We need everyone working together sharing their expertise and experience.
“Last week I was proud to announce an $18 million boost to biosecurity in Budget 2017, meaning the total biosecurity budget is now just under a quarter of a billion – the highest ever.”
The signing of the agreement was attended by Mr Guy at a ceremony in Parliament tonight.
New Zealand’s wine exports are worth around $1.6 billion a year.
Other signatories to the GIA include:
| A Beehive release || May 30, 2017 |||
New Zealand’s financial system remains sound and the risks facing the system have reduced in the past six months, Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler said today when releasing the Bank’s May Financial Stability Report.
“The outlook for the global economy has been improving but global political and policy uncertainty remains elevated and debt burdens are high in a number of countries. A sharp reversal in risk sentiment could lead to higher funding costs for New Zealand banks and an increase in domestic borrowing costs. New Zealand’s banks are vulnerable to these risks because of their increasing reliance on offshore funding for credit growth,” Mr Wheeler said.
“House price growth has slowed in the past eight months, in response to tighter loan-to-value ratio (LVR) restrictions, and a more general tightening in credit and affordability pressures in parts of the country. While residential building activity has continued to increase, the rate of house building remains insufficient to meet rapid population growth and the existing housing shortage. House prices remain elevated relative to incomes and rents, and any resurgence would be of concern.
“Dairy prices have recovered significantly in the past 12 months, and the majority of dairy farms are likely to have returned to profitability in the 2016/17 season. However, parts of the dairy sector are carrying excessive debt burdens, and remain vulnerable to a fall in income or an increase in costs. Banks should continue to closely monitor and maintain full provisioning against lending to high risk farms,” he said.
Deputy Governor Grant Spencer said “The banking system maintains strong capital and funding buffers, and profitability remains robust. The banking system appears to be operating efficiently when compared with other OECD countries, based on metrics such as cost-to-income ratios, non-performing loans and interest rate spreads.
“Banks have generally tightened credit conditions in light of funding constraints and the increasing risks around housing. Banks are seeking to reduce their reliance on offshore funding and have raised deposit rates. The Reserve Bank supports a cautious approach to managing foreign debt, in light of lessons learned in the GFC.
“While the LVR restrictions have increased the banks’ resilience to any fall in house prices, a significant share of housing loans are being made at high debt-to-income (DTI) ratios. Such borrowers tend to be more vulnerable to any increase in interest rates or declines in income. The Reserve Bank will soon release a consultation paper proposing the addition of DTI restrictions to our macro-prudential toolkit.
“The Reserve Bank is making progress on a number of other initiatives. A review of bank capital requirements is underway and we recently released an issues paper on the intended scope of the review. We recently concluded a review of the outsourcing policy for registered banks, and the Bank and other agencies are assessing the recommendations from the International Monetary Fund’s recent (FSAP) review of New Zealand’s financial system.”
More information: Financial Stability Report
| A RBNZ release || May 31, 2017
This year's top carpentry apprentice slogged through four years of university before he realised he was never going to get the job he wanted, where he wanted it writes Alexia Russell in Newsroom today.
Chris McLean took up the tools instead and couldn't be happier about his future in construction. Now he is trying to get school leavers to take a step back before applying for their student loan, asking them to spend 10 minutes on the Government's job website researching their future.
| Read the full story on Newsroom || May 31, 2017 |||
UK Women in Engineering Day goes international
Full PACER Plus details released show benefits to NZ and Pacific
NZ business confidence rises in May, along with expectations for profit, pricing and inflation
Auckland University gets share of $215m investment deal for commercialisation
Global GPS tracker latest venture from social entrepreneur Derek Handley
New Zealand Energy Corp announces Q1 2017 Results and details of AGM
To quote 'Sailing Prof' Mark Orams from is article in the NZHerald today, "Team NZ will likely be holding back some "kit" - but all teams are limited in new equipment. They are only permitted a total of four foils (and two matching spares). The main wing, hulls and the jibs (small triangular front sail) are identical on all boats.
Rudders, fairings and the "aero-package" offer potential for change. Aerodynamic and hydrodynamic drag is a big deal, so additional fairings or configurations to reduce drag could be an option, he wrote."
So what is aerodynamic and hydrodynamic drag? Thats not a question that this writer can answer so a quick Google search came up with:
The aerodynamic or hydrodynamic lift is a force perpendicular to the movement of the fluid. It is created by the suction in a negative pressure zone, formed on top of the profile designed for this purpose. It depends on the displaced mass of fluid. - http://www.mecaflux.com/en/portance.htm - for the full article
and/or
Aerodynamic/Hydrodynamic Drag - A Unit: Dynamics (Forces) & GravitationUnderstand and correctly use the term “drag” when it refers to an object that is slowed down by a fluid.
Visit http://www.mrbigler.com/moodle/pluginfile.php/10258/mod_resource/content/1/269_page_Notes-AP-Physics-1-2016-17.pdf to view the complete unit
By the way the Google search threw up 317,000 results so within there should be enough tinformation to answer most questions on how the present lot of America Cup AC50's work. Or just ask any sailor that you sppot hanging around the Team New Zealand shed on the waterfront; there must be some left on home duties.
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242