Abel Tasman National Park's Awaroa Inlet, is currently up for grabs for $2 million. Supplied 25th January 2016 and used with the permission of Bayleys NZH 26Jan16 - The privately owned b
Abel Tasman National Park's Awaroa Inlet, is currently up for grabs for $2 million. Supplied 25th January 2016 and used with the permission of Bayleys NZH 26Jan16 - The privately owned b
Opinion
Listen to Larry Williams now on Newstalk ZB, 4pm to 7pm. Today he looks at Gareth Morgan's cunning plan, the SAS' role against Isis, the maths professor's residency and dealing with 'morons' who flee police.
It turns out that Gareth Morgan was having a laugh at the Abel Tasman beach campaign.
Morgan offered to top up the Givealittle funds but attached conditions like exclusive rights, which he now says was a cunning scheme to help push up donations.
His cunning plan was to fire upthe anti-Gareth crowd.
It was always a weird offer. Certainly it appeared opportunistic, like he had spied an opportunity to get the property at a discount price.
The anti-Gareth faction was aghast. They were going to pull their pledges. But Morgan worked them into a frenzy and in came the pledges, they poured in and Morgan is laughing.
I think Morgan's intent was always to retain public access, but i'm not convinced that will happen.
Competing tenders know roughly what the "public" bid is: $2 million.
But the property was sold eight years ago for $2 million - surely it is worth more now considering the profile it has had.
It has been reported that the owner has debt obligations to a bank of far in excess of $2 million. I don't like the public's chances.
SAS not paid to sleep
The Prime Minister's rejection of a direct request from the United States to provide SAS troops in the Middle East is the wrong call.
Sure, our troops are training Iraqis and that's all fine - even though the Iraqis seem to do a runner when they are confronted by the enemy.
If we really want to defeat Isis, we have to play a more active role with our allies. That might not be in Iraq, it might be in Syria or Libya, but the SAS should be there.
It's notable that other countries have accepted the US' request.
We have to help the coalition fight Isis and that means the SAS being involved.
Strategic analyst Paul Buchanan told me that he believes the SAS is already in Iraq, but under the radar. If that is the case, the Prime Minister is playing a game of smoke and mirrors, and it will backfire.
The SAS trains day in, day out, to go into combat with the likes of Isis. Its soldiers sign up to defend our country. Isis is a threat to our country. I'd bet the house that the SAS is peeved off at the Government's decision.
As a taxpayer, i don't see the point in paying the SAS to lie in their bunks in Papakura.
Immigration NZ is right
The flak Immigration NZ is receiving after refusing residency to Professor Dimitri Leeman's is uncalled for.
The professor's stepson, Peter, has autism and is disabled, and the expert specialists reports was "he needs continuous, structured, residential care".
He needs to be institutionalised and we don't have that facility here, according to the professor.
All countries have strict health requirements for residency, New Zealand is no different, so the correct decision was made.
The Government wants to increase penalties to six months' mandatory driver licence disqualification for a first offence, one year for a second offence, two years for a third or subsequent offence. It wants mandatory vehicle confiscation for second and subsequent offences within a four-year period.
It looks a wimpish plan.
Giving law breakers who endanger public lives chance after chance after chance is running away from the problem.
Police Minister Judith Collins is onto it, sort of: she's suggested crushing the cars of those caught fleeing the cops.
But "Crusher Collins'" plan is bound to be riddled with out clauses too.
Let's try this: first offence crushed car plus life time disqualification - let's see how that travels.
