PENNY BRIGHT’S COLUMN ~ 22 June 2011

1

Would John Key stand to personally profit

from open cast coal-mining on  the West Coast of  New Zealand,

given his shareholding in the Bank of America?

(Check out Bathurst Resources Ltd!)

www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5171922/Pike-River-mine-would-be-illegal-in-Australia-Key

Pike River mine ‘would be illegal in Australia’ – Key

KATE CHAPMAN LATEST:

Prime Minister John Key has defended his claims that the Pike River coal mine would be illegal in Australia.

The comment has sparked a backlash from Labour leader Phil Goff who has described it as ”an unbelievable about-face”.

The Australian newspaper reported that Key had yesterday “vowed that there would be changes to mining safety laws”.

He told the newspaper the Pike River mine, which was a single-entry uphill mine, “couldn’t have been constructed in Australia” because it would have been “illegal”.

“There will be changes in New Zealand,” Key said.

………………………

But, in an apparent departure from his comments at the time of the disaster, Key conceded that the mine could not have been operational in Australia.

In November last year, however, he said:

“I have no reason to believe that New Zealand safety standards are any less than Australia’s.”

Key has this afternoon landed in Wellington after a short trip to Canberra and Sydney. He will face questions over the comments when Parliament sits this afternoon.

Already, Goff has said the “sudden change in his position” is “quite incredible”. “Just a month ago he publicly condemned a union representative for questioning safety at the mine, accusing her of being ‘churlish and insensitive’,”

Goff said. “He also said it was ‘dangerous’ to raise concerns about safety issues when the Royal Commission of Inquiry was still under way.

Yet he is now making similar claims himself while the Commission is still under way.

” If there was any new evidence about serious safety issues in New Zealand’s mines, there should be immediate action to address those concerns, Goff said.

The Royal Commission is currently receiving written submissions and open hearings will recommence in July. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The NZ TVNZ Sunday Programme on 12 June 2011  exposed very clearly significant safety problems with Pike River Mine.

tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/disturbing-questions-pike-river-mine-part-1-15-04-video-4222074

tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/disturbing-questions-pike-river-mine-part-2-8-34-video-4222107

Seems that ‘whistleblower’ (‘Dr Jacob Cohen’ ) was correct about the serious safety concerns at the Pike River Mine.

What else …………….?

www.scribd.com/doc/47745564/Murder-at-Pike-River-Mine-SECOND-EDITION-With-Postscript

Check out Chapter 9, pg 38,

“SECRET PLAN TO OPEN UP PARKS TO OPEN CAST MINING: BATHURST RESOURCES and  L&M COAL”

Check out Bathurst Resources Ltd, the company which is currently applying for a resource consent for open-cast coal mining in Buller, on the NZ West Coast.

See ‘Resource Consent Process’ 7 June 2011

“Buller Coal Resource Consent Application Public Hearing Commences”

www.bathurstresources.com/Investor-Information/Announcements/2011-ASX-Announcements

Who is a substantial shareholder in Bathurst Resources Ltd?

See April 29 2011 ‘Changes in substantial ownership’

The Bank of America has voting power of 7.50% in Bathurst Resources Ltd.

Remember?

John Key is a shareholder in the Bank of America.

www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/FinInterests/8/c/3/00CLOOCMPPFinInterests20101-Register-of-Pecuniary-Interests-of-Members.htm (See pg 36)

So – would John Key stand to personally profit from open cast coal-mining in New Zealand , given his shareholding in the Bank of America?

Arguably – YES.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How is it that a NZ Prime Minister is allowed to own shares in any company?

Here is a New Zealand ‘CORRUPTION REALITY CHECK’.

NZ is ‘perceived’ to be the ‘least corrupt country in the world’ (along with Singapore and Denmark) according to Transparency International’s 2010  ‘Corruption Perception Index’.
https://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2010

However – NZ’s ‘corruption REALITY’ is actually somewhat different.

If NZ is indeed one of the three ‘least corrupt’ countries in the world – then arguably – we should be the most ‘transparent’?


Here are some quite specific points which clearly identify where NZ lacks genuine transparency.

(Prepared by Penny Bright – for Transparency International 14th Conference 7/11/2010
IACC ID D – 1198 https://waterpressure.wordpress.com (waterpressure@gmail.com)”

(I distributed this to about 400 of the 1200 delegates from 135 different countries represented, and got the contact details of a number of international experts from different areas in the anti-corruption field.    A VERY worthwhile event.)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CORRUPTION REALITY CHECKLIST – NEW ZEALAND

1. Has NZ ratified the UN Convention Against Corruption? ……… NO

2. Does NZ have an independent anti-corruption body tasked with educating the public and PREVENTING corruption? ……. NO

3. Do NZ’s laws ensure transparency in the funding of candidates for elected public office and political parties at central government level? …………………. NO

4. Do NZ Members of Parliament have a ‘Code of Conduct’? NO

5. Do NZ Local Govt elected reps have a ‘Code of Conduct’? ……. YES

6. Is it an offence for NZ Local Govt elected reps to breach the ‘Code of Conduct’? NO

7. Is there a lawful requirement for a publicly-available ‘Register of Interests’ for NZ Local Govt elected reps? …………………NO

8. Is there a lawful requirement for a publicly-available ‘Register of Interests’ for NZ Central Govt staff responsible for procurement? ……………… NO

9. Is there a lawful requirement for a publicly-available ‘Register of Interests’ for NZ Local Govt staff responsible for procurement? ………. NO

10. Is there a lawful requirement for details of ‘contracts issued’ – including the name of the contractor; scope, term and value of the contract to be published in NZ Central Govt Public Sector, and Local Govt (Council) Annual Reports so that they are available for public scrutiny?……. NO

11. Is it a lawful requirement that a ‘cost-benefit analysis’ of NZ Central Govt public finances be undertaken to substantiate that private procurement of public services previously provided ‘in-house’ is cost-effective for the public majority? ………NO

12. Is it a lawful requirement that a ‘cost-benefit analysis’ of NZ Local Govt public finances be undertaken to substantiate that private procurement of public services previously provided ‘in-house’ is cost-effective for the public majority? ………NO

13. Does NZ have a legally-enforcable ‘Code of Conduct’ for members of the NZ Judiciary? ……NO

14. Are all NZ Court proceedings recorded, and audio records made available to parties who request them?……………NO

15. Is there a lawful requirement for a publicly-available NZ Judicial ‘Register of Interests’? …. NO

16. Is there a lawful requirement for a publicly-available NZ ‘Register of Lobbyists’ at Central Govt Ministerial level? ………… NO

17. Is there a legal requirement at NZ Central and Local Govt level for a ‘post-separation employment quarantine ‘ period’ from the time officials leave the public service to take up a similar role in the private sector?………………NO

18. Is it a lawful requirement that it is only a binding vote of the public majority that can determine whether public assets held at NZ Central Govt or Local Govt level are sold; or long-term leased via Public-Private –Partnerships? …………………. NO

19. Is it unlawful in NZ for politicians to knowingly misrepresent their policies prior to election at central or local government level? …………………………. NO

20. Do NZ laws promote and protect individuals, NGOs and community-based organisations who are ‘whistleblowing’ against ‘conflicts of interest’ and corrupt practices at central and local govt level and within the judiciary? ……………………………. NO

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FURTHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT NZ PRIME MINISTER JOHN KEY:

Actions that I have taken as an ‘anti-corruption campaigner’.

‘Is John Key shonky?’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFTYZVQo-A8

Will John Key Profit From NZ Foreign Debt? MR NEWS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXwNoaOpDMw

Penny Bright

Media Spokesperson

Water Pressure Group

Judicially recognised ‘Public Watchdog’ on Metrowater, water and Auckland regional governance matters.

Anti-corruption campaigner’

Attendee: Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference (APSACC) 2009 (Brisbane, Australia)

Attendee: Transparency International 14th Anti-Corruption Conference 2010 (Bangkok, Thailand)

Auckland Mayoral candidate 2010

Botany by-election candidate 2011

Howick Ward (Auckland Council) by-election candidate 2011

waterpressure.wordpress.com

waterpressure@gmail.com

Ph 00 64 09 846 9825

 

 

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One thought on “PENNY BRIGHT’S COLUMN ~ 22 June 2011

  1. AWESOME READING; THANKYOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON EVERYTHING,I LOST MY 21YR OLD SON ZEN AT PIKE,;AND IT IS MORE OBVIOUS NOW ALL WERE MURDERED AT THAT MINE;REGARDS LAWRIE

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