Category Archives: Peter Dunne

Te Tari Tāke

I meant to vent spleen today re Peter Dunne in his capacity as Associate Minister of Health, but I didn’t get around to it. So let’s have atheist Mark Hubbard venting spleen re Peter Dunne in his capacity as Minister of Revenue instead.

I particularly liked Mark’s post below. He’s since written a couple more on the same theme here and here. Be sure to visit his blog.

Taxing Language: A Question for the Politicians – Fair: What Do You Mean?

Liberty and freedom are two proud words that have been executed – as in ‘taken out’ – from the political lexicon: they were frog marched and stood before a wall of blank minds, then forcibly blindfolded, and shot, with the whimpering staccato of ‘inequality’ and ‘fairness’ resounding over and over. And not only did this atrocity go unreported by journalists in the mainstream media, they were in the firing squad.

Statists of all hues have taken to the word ‘fairness’ with the glee Chris The Fist Trotter has to the use of state violence, in order to make the theft that is compulsory taxation seem a little, well, fairer.

The slanderous union economist, for example, Bill (unfortunately named) Rosenberg, not letting facts get in the way of persecuting a minority, yet again, interrupted his Chardon-day, yesterday, to emote:

“… How many of the rich list pay a fair tax?”

And if Messrs Dunne and English had a blog label cloud pinned to their foreheads, ‘fairness’ would be in a huge font, over-clouding everything else. Just Google ‘fairness’, ‘tax’, and either of their names and you’ll get pages of quotes.

And so my point. I have a simple question for these three men: what does fairness, in relation to taxation, mean? Plus what is a fair amount of tax, please? How do you derive it, both in terms of the amount taken, and morally? Explain it to me, because I truly don’t understand. There is nothing in any of our taxing acts to give any guidance on this, and yet going on your constant utterances, taxpayers are, daily, being crucified on it.

In the first instance I want a generic principle, clear enough to write into tax law, which shouldn’t be too hard, given you write so much law in the fortress of legislation. And secondly, or rather, ‘but’ secondly, to test this law, for once, before foisting it on us, please interpret it, here, in relation to the below three scenarios.

Taxpayer 1:

Single man, twenty three years old, lower order contract worker putting in seventy hour weeks, earned $186,000 last year. He’s doing it hard, on himself, because with cow prices reaching $2,500 his ability to be able to buy his first herd, and so be in a financial position to propose to his girlfriend, and start a family, is looking more and more remote.

Taxpayer 2:

Family, three children at state school, both parents working to bring in a total of $60,000 per annum, only, to the household. They can’t afford a house in the current market, and with the rental squeeze due to government making it unattractive to be a private landlord, they’re having to pay $750 a week rent for a sub-standard house in Auckland, after which, when they pay for the essentials they have no pay left: indeed, all their credit cards are maxed out.

Taxpayer 3:

Family, two children, dad’s a banker, earning $200,000 per annum, mum stays home to look after their new baby, plus their first child has genetic disease meaning he’ll never be able to look after himself, so mum has taken on that job, for life. The couple have paid over half a million dollars over the last two years traveling around the world to see specialists, for operations, and so forth, and have had to re-mortgage their Fendalton home, twice, to the maximum amount possible. Husband is having to put huge hours in to make it all work financially, and with so much stress and little time together, the marriage is floundering.

So, for the statists, surely this should be easy: please write in the comments the interpretation of the tax fairness law you write for us, in relation to these individuals?

Finding it hard? Well, assuming intelligence on your behalf, you should find this impossible. And that’s even before I move to my position on tax which is not to use the word fair, but unjust. I wonder if we should ring Her Majesty for some input, given, in a story as stunning as it was alarming, the UK’s IR, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, expect school children not only to be able to define what is a fair amount of tax, but, taking their state to its Orwellian conclusion, expect them to dob in adults who don’t play fair on a playground where the biggest bully is the state itself. Politicians should at least admit there is nothing ‘fair’ about tax in any of the above instances, or period: tax is an arbitrary imposition of the state, enforced with the full draconian powers of the police state. That’s the truth. Let’s at least acknowledge the implied violence and immoral act on which our society is based, because from that, we may ultimately find a kinder way to live our lives, which would be a society that constitutionally protects the smallest of its minorities: the individual, and particularly from what is now the biggest abuser of an individual’s right to be left alone – the state.

As always, thanks, Mark, for giving your blessing to copying your content here at Eternal Vigilance.

Peter Dunne = EPIC FAIL

Quarter past midnight. Central Wellington. Cosmic Corner is OPEN.

“Do you have any synthetic cannabinoids?”

“Yes.”

“That haven’t been banned yet?”

“Yes. We have …”

Puff is “mellow.”

K2 is “stronger, lasts longer.” Of the two, I’m told K2 is the most popular.

“It’s $30. Two grams.”

“I’ll buy it. Thank you.”

Yes, I know. If I had any sense, I’d smoke cannabis. Not some novel compound with no history of human use sprayed on some unidentified plant material.

If Peter Dunne had any sense—or even an iota of compassion—he’d legalise cannabis. As a recreational drug user, I have choices. Medicinal cannabis users do not. I’m sick of Dunne, and I’m sick of his gang of thugs who are now actively persecuting members of the medicinal cannabis support group Green Cross, including Billy McKee and Stephen McIntyre (recently deceased).

Just go the hell away, Peter Dunne. Now. And don’t fucking come back.

[Cross-posted to SOLO.]

Hot lesbians

Mulholland Drive is back! Mulholland Drive is …

Politics, Art and Faith from a Kiwi in the Heart of Texas

… and Fox News foxes.

Back in the day, Blair Mulholland was NZ’s best pro-freedom blogger. Not only that, of course, but Mulholland Drive used to feature pictures of Naomi Watts and Laura Harring from the David Lynch movie of the same name.

But the real reason I like Blair’s blog is political not pictorial. It’s that his views almost always align with my own. In other words, he’s almost always right. Take, for example, his views on Peter Dunne.

I am not remotely jealous of Mr Dunne … I would rather spend three years in parliament, achieve sweeping reform, then lose, than do nothing but warm a seat for nearly thirty years. Give me a career like David Garrett’s any day over Dunne’s. He has no principles or morals, and I have plenty of both. I win, he loses.

Actually, Ohariu and New Zealand lose more. Dunne represents everything that is wrong with the current state of New Zealand politics. No risk-taking, no innovation, no principles, no love of freedom. Just a desire for more control and a pompous, sneering contempt for the average New Zealander.

I couldn’t put it any better than that.

This garbage is not worth replying to

On 11 August 2003, Greg Soar, Coordinator of the GreenCross Medicinal Cannabis Support Group, sent a letter to United Future MP Judy Turner.

He cc:ed his letter to United Future MPs Peter Dunne, Paul Adams, Gordon Copeland, Marc Alexander, Bernie Ogilvy, Murray Smith and Larry Baldock.

From: gc soar [mailto:gcsoar@ihug.co.nz]
Sent: Monday, 11 August 2003 10:13 a.m.
To: Judy Turner
Cc: Peter Dunne; Paul Adams; Judy Turner; Gordon Copeland; Marc Alexander; Bernie Ogilvy; Murray Smith; Larry Baldock
Subject: Medicinal Cannabis – from a dying person
Importance: High

Greg Soar
Coordinator
GreenCross Medicinal Cannabis Support Group of NZ Inc.
P O Box 27 209
Mt Roskill
Auckland 1004

11th Aug 2003

Judy Turner
United Future Health Spokesperson
Parliament Buildings
Wellington.

Dear Ms Turner,

GreenCross has been in contact with UF regarding medicinal cannabis since late 2002. We met with Paul Adams in March 2003 to provide evidence from our doctors and other sources attesting that cannabis is helping our health problems. Mr. Adams chose to insist cannabis once damaged someone and would never change his mind about cannabis / medicine. He was so emphatic about not changing his mind he repeated himself three times during the conversation. This is very far from taking the time to examine proper evidence. When I pointed out people were suffering and dying Mr. Adams stated ” don’t be so dramatic there are other things you can use”.

My dear friend Evan Clive Shephard lived with HIV. He was so sick when he took his medications. Severe nausea to the point he couldn’t eat. His life was one long nausea session. More than once I was with him in public when he suffered severe diahorrea resulting in extreme embarrassment. Evan smoked cannabis when he could obtain some. It stopped his severe nausea dead in its tracks. No prescribed medications were able to do this. Unfortunately for Evan he could not afford cannabis so mostly went without. The medications were so nasty he chose a better life not taking the meds realising his time would be shorter but at least more enjoyable. Evans immune system depleted so badly due to his inability to stomach HIV medications he began to have lesions form in his brain. Toxoplasmosis is a nasty virus. My dear friend Evan lost his ability to talk, then his ability to walk and finall

I myself have the same nasty effects and currently my HIV medications are failing due to inability to stomach them. My cd 4 count is down to 54 and my viral load sits at 4.2 . I am afraid to say that I am losing the battle for the reasons stated. I would be willing to try Marinol at this point but my own specialist told me that at a conference he recently attended that to many people report an acute high. My specialists name is Dr Rick Franklin of the Auckland Sexual Health clinic and you may indeed check with him as to what I have said regarding Marinol.

If United Future and / or Paul adams are aware of these ” other drugs” we can use then why have we not been told what they are? GreenCross made several phone calls to Mr. Adams offices over the six months since the meeting only to never be given the courtesy of a response let alone an answer. Our members are upset Mr. Adams knows of medication better than cannabis yet makes us suffer by not informing us of what they are. We can only conclude one of the following.

1. Paul Adams / United Future does not want to help us. 2. Paul adams / United Future was wrong about the other drugs and should therefore reconsider the statement and opinions on medicinal cannabis.

Could United Future please supply us the names of these drugs or apologise to our members. We wish to work with United Future on this issue and an apology or drug naming would serve to placate some of our members who suffer daily.

During the meeting with Paul Adams I felt he was genuinely surprised when told that the sick are not medicating but actually going without. Too many people especially MP s seem to be of the impression we can have cannabis already albeit illegally. This is not true due to the cost. The sick are often on benefits and cannot afford $150.00 per week to medicate with. The prohibition of medicinal cannabis really does cause suffering.

As you are aware the Health Select Committee into cannabis recommends the use of medicinal cannabis. Again I have been receiving a flood of calls from our members [ membership means a registered medical practitioner has signed forms attesting the benefits of cannabis]. All of them have been in regard to your press statements along the lines of those mostly wanting medicinal cannabis are the social pro legalisers. This is offensive to those of us who face death and depleted quality of life from severe illness and who have doctors backing medicinal cannabis use but are left to go without the product for lack of ability to afford black market prices. Will you please inform our members as to how you arrived at such a conclusion.

We are all decent members of this society and deserve to be heard. In a press statement dated Aug 5 2003 you asserted cannabis use leads to methamphetimine use. This is not true and there are both international and local studies debunking the long held gateway theory. We feel that you have deliberately mislead the house.

GreenCross Medicinal Cannabis Support Group formally ask that you honour your role as an MP and apologise immediately for your attempt to mislead the house and members of New Zealand society. Education and advancement in social / medical policy can only be based upon truths. Anything less is indeed a crime.

Finally could United Future give their response to the fact doctors are signing forms attesting to the benefit of cannabis for their patient. Put this in context with your comments about the proponents of medicinal cannabis being pro legalisers and I am sure even you must admit why we feel so offended and utterly devalued of any worth.

I repeat that GreenCross Medicinal Cannabis support group wish to work with United Future on the issue and look forward to open and honest dialogue. Our members will not however sit quietly by when contemporary propaganda is exercised.

Sincerely

Greg Soar

On 22 August 2003, Greg Soar received a one line reply from Peter Dunne.

This garbage is not worth replying to

Hon Peter Dunne
MP for Ohariu Belmont
Leader, United Future

UNITED FUTURE – FOCUSING ON FAMILIES

More information at www.unitedfuture.org.nz

If you’ve got nothing nice to say …

… don’t say anything at all.

That was my mother’s advice (and her mother’s before that). It’s good advice.

In a recent comment, my co-blogger Tim had this to say

The Randoids are so foolish as to forget that when Welfareism is overthrown that Fraternal Charity must step up to the plate… That Freedom can only flourish when you have caring communities whom ‘love their neighbors as themselves’… are rich in charitable deeds and good works and have a sense of civic duty. This is the glue of society.

This is a very important point. It’s one reason among many why Christianity does a better job than Objectivism of providing libertarianism with a philosophical and practical underpinning. And it’s on the topic of charity that I found something nice to say about Peter Dunne. Actually, I’ll let Peter speak for himself.

OK, now to flush the Dunney!

Why I am a libertarian

Because

A person can not consistently argue for personal liberties and at the same time be opposed to economic liberty.

[F]or those who can not reconcile the idea that someone who advocates free market capitalism also supports decriminalizing cannabis, consider this – both are expressions of the rights of individuals to live their lives as they see fit. No one else owns your life or what you do with it. That applies equally to the drugs you take and to the productive labour you choose to engage in – and the subsequent disposal of all wealth thus produced.

Read more here.

Vote Sean Fitzpatrick – Ohariu 2011

I’m standing as the ALCP candidate for the Mana Electorate in this years’s General Election. Expect an official announcement soon.

Meanwhile, friend and fellow freedom fighter Sean Fitzpatrick has officially announced his candidacy for the Ohariu electorate.

Sean Fitzpatrick to be Libertarianz Candidate in Ohariu
Friday, 30 September 2011, 4:52 pm
Press Release: Libertarianz Party

Sean Fitzpatrick to Stand as Libertarianz Candidate in Ohariu

Libertarianz Deputy Leader, Sean Fitzpatrick, has officially announced his candidacy for the Ohariu electorate in this year’s general election.

As an alternative to power lusting professional politicians, Mr. Fitzpatrick will be contesting the electorate this November to serve the interests of individual voters themselves rather than serve the interests of a political party.

“While the authoritarian Greens are willing to back anti free speech campaigner Chuck Chauvel and the ‘cling to power at all cost’ Nats are willing to support Peter ‘I need Ohariu more than it needs me’ Dunne, Libertarianz wants to give voters a real alternative,” Fitzpatrick says.

“I am the only candidate who believes individuals are best qualified to run their own lives. Every other candidate either thinks people are too dumb to make their own decisions or simply views them as a tool to wrangle a political career.”

“Many people are struggling to find work and the national debt is worsening by the day. It is becoming increasingly urgent for politicians to get out of the way of the people who are the real source of economic growth: ordinary, hard working kiwis. These are the folk who care a lot more about their bank balance, their health care, their kid’s education and their own future prospects than any pack of politicians ever could.”

Mr. Fitzpatrick was the Libertarianz candidate in the Mana by-election in 2010. A professional martial arts instructor, he runs a highly successful full time school in Wellington.

For more information, see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:

Sean Fitzpatrick
Libertarianz Deputy Leader
Ohariu Candidate
Phone: 021 1699 281
Email: sean.fitzpatrick@libertarianz.org.nz
Website: http://seanfitzpatrickonline.com

Libertarianz: More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz

Go, Sean!