The Wairarapa is getting popular with big names
Filed under: Life in New Zealand, NZIS & Immigration issues
It turns out that James Cameron has bought two large plots of land near lake Wairarapa, after getting consent through the Overseas Investment Office.
I have to admit to finding that a little bit exciting.
Apparently according to the article, he and his family are going to be living permanently in New Zealand after setting it up as a farm.
”James F Cameron and his family intend to reside indefinitely in New Zealand and are acquiring the property to reside on and operate as a working farm,”
I do kinda hope that doesn’t mean he’s going to give up making movies, though personally I don’t really want to see Avatar 2&3 in yet more 3D. Peter Jackson also has his main pile in the Wairarapa – near Masterton.
There are a couple of issues here – that I am sure we won’t get any answers to but here goes anyway:
1/ There’s a loud (very loud) hoo hah going on in New Zealand at the moment because a Chinese company is buying up the Crafar Farms (had to be sold as they went into receivership). It seems James Cameron alone is buying about 15% of the amount of farm land involved in that deal, and so far not a whimper about “selling New Zealand to foreigners”.
Personally I don’t think its a big deal either way – but I do dislike the hypocrisy when people scream at selling land to the Chinese, but couldn’t care less when selling it to non-Asians.
2/ Of personal interest – what are the Immigration issues – you cant just buy a farm and have the right to live in New Zealand indefinitely. It doesn’t work like that. People buying farms generally do so under a business visa, and you have to have experience in that business. Is this another investor category?
Its important because the Overseas Investment Office is nothing to do with immigration – so its a whole other ball game.
Either way, I wish them the best of luck and a warm welcome to the Wairarapa. It is a wonderful place, and I for one don’t blame anyone for wanting to live there.
“Occupy Wellington” Finally leaves the Civic Square
To be fair – Occupy Wellington actually left the square ages ago, after the “protest” was pretty much hijacked by people who were homeless, and had their own agendas. There have been accusations of violence and threats which tore the original protest apart and they left and went “somewhere”. Leaving one “full time protester” Benjamin Easton, who doesn’t have a job because he believes that protesting on behalf of the people of Wellington is a full time job for which we should happily pay him via taxes and benefits. The rest of the people left there were reported to be homeless people. But eventually, the council found it’s balls and has removed them. Why it took them so long is a question that has so far not been aswered.
The comments in the Dom Post over the past months have shown time and again that the 99% refuse to be represented by these people, which generally ended up with some of them accusing those of us who do not support them of being blinded by the massive “conspiracy”, and just being too stupid to know we are being lied to.
The “protesters” also believe that the Bill of Rights gave them the right to camp and protest. It doesn’t. It worries me how many people in New Zealand think the bill of rights has any power. Humph. It doesn’t give me the right to pass on information and advice – even though it says it does. Its as useless and a paper condom.
For me, I have never had any time for the Occupy protests in New Zealand, which seem to have absolutely no idea what they were going on about, and every week there was a new “protest of the moment”. The sad thing is that the Occupy Movement is something I had respect for. Some of the things that the American Occupiers have been doing are worth looking at and respecting.
But New Zealand isn’t America, and we have not had the same issues. Here the protests has been more about green / socialist politics. Not about the banks throwing people out of houses after conning them into taking out mortgages they couldn’t possibly afford, and then leaving the homes empty. We don’t have banks taking walloping bonuses while bankrupting businesses and homeowners. We do have an issue with Council bosses taking huge pay rises while forcing people to pay higher rates bills at a time when there is no extra money. But the “protestors” did nothing about that. The people did.
And for me – the worst thing is that despite the overwhelming “green” political stance, they have destroyed a wonderful green area in the city. Their “right” to protest outweighed the rights of everyone in Wellington to sit out on the City to the Sea Bridge and enjoy the view and turned a beautiful area into a square of mud. Not very environmentally conscious.
At least now I can go back to walking over the City to the Sea Bridge. The last time I did it was pretty intimidating, so I have avoided it ever since and walk around.
An ode to Bacon.
I love Bacon.
Truly – it is the food of the gods, and should really be classed as a food group all on its own, along with coffee and chocolate. It’s a low-carbers dream, even if we don’t actually eat a ton of it at every meal as some suggest. And bacon has had a huge resurgence in popularity over the past few years, possibly because so many low-carbers are seen guiltlessly tucking into a breakfast of it rather than trying to eat a bowlful of straw and dust covered in milk without gagging. And because less and less people are buying into the nonsense that saturated fat will kill you.
It has become so popular you can get bacon flavour toothpaste, soap, and chocolate. (really want to try that if it comes in Sugar Free!)
I have just gone 2 weeks without eating any bacon. Actually coffee too but that probably deserves a blog all of it’s own for the sheer improbability of it all.
Anyway – in celebration of the food that can turn Vegetarians into carnivores – here is the Bacon Song.
Genius !
Vintage Hairstyling in Wellington @ Wildilocks
If you love vintage style – clothes, make-up, hair – then you need to check out Emily Belle at Wildilocks on Cuba St.
Wildilocks are also based in Perth and Melbourne if you are interested, and will be doing the hair for a photoshoot for Illamasqua makeup – the stuff I spent a small fortune on while I was in Melbourne recently.
I picked up a deal on the Treat Me website, so got what I consider to be a bloody good deal, but having now tried it – this is one deal that will actually lead to more spending. Bad for my sanity allowance, but I guess good for Wildilocks. Now I am still going to Calibre for my haircuts, but Emily knows her stuff when it comes to vintage. We had a lovely chat (when I wasn’t dozing off because I find having my hair done quite relaxing). Not only that, but while the Wildilocks site has some How to Tutorials, Emily has her own on You Tube at MissEmilyBelle.
Anyway, from the back and sides (my photos really didnt come out that well) – here is what I ended up with:
I already had the outfit – a dress purchased off Trade Me from Artman. Ive just bought a wide red belt and bolero jacket from Pagani to do with it. Cos I am not as slim as the dummy in this picture and I need some help lol.
Either way – it was a fabulous treat, and we topped it off with dinner at Arbitrageur – becuase we felt like it!
Dwarf Tossing in New Zealand? REALLY???
The wonderful Peter Dinklage won a Golden Globe (and an Emmy) for his role as Tyrion Lannister in Game Of Thrones. Imho one of the best TV series ever filmed – but then I happen to rather like the books it’s based on.
In his acceptance speech, he talks about Martin Henderson and tells people to Google him.
So – Who is Martin Henderson?
Martin is a Dwarf living in the UK. He was attacked outside a bar in Somerset, by being picked up and thrown to the ground by a drunk.
So what does this have to do with New Zealand.
Well, it seems that Martin believes (as do the UK press) that the attack was “inspired” by reports that during the Rugby World Cup, the England Rugby team visited the Altitude Bar in Queenstown during its “Mad Midget Weekend” and watched a Dwarf Tossing Contest.
Let’s just say that again.
The Altitude Bar in Queenstown hosted a Dwarf Tossing Contest.
WTF????
(Sorry mum – but I really can’t think of anything else to say there!)
Why haven’t I blogged about that before?
Because let’s face it – I am really disgusted that any bar anywhere thinks that’s a “cool thing to do”. Well because all we heard about that bar over here was that Mike Bloody Tindall snogged some bint who wasn’t his wife. No mention that I recall of the England Team watching dwarfs gets tossed around like sacks of crap.
Moreover – what would happen if that was a “Maori Tossing Contest” or even a “Mad Maori Weekend”. There would be hell to pay – but laugh at some really short people being thrown around in a Queenstown – fine – no worries.
Now there’s really no way of telling if the attack on Martin was in any way “inspired” by a bunch of overpaid over-egoed rugby players or a crass and repulsive bar that should be closed for cruelty. But it does really piss me off that New Zealand allowed this to occur in the first place. The people who own and run that bar are sick in the head.
Also, as Hubby has just pointed out – the Security Guard who release footage of Mike Tindalls snog-fest did so because he was a “Christian” and Tindall’s behaviour offended his sensibilities as a christian and a royalist. But he’s fine with little people being chucked about for fun and entertainment? Seriously? Priorities mate – in the wrong sodding order.
Don’t we have enough violence in New Zealand? We all wring our hands at the continuing violence against children here who are tortured an killed. Now OK – Adult Dwarfs are not children, and presumably the ones involved in this event were willing participants – but can we really be surprised at a culture of violence when this is the kind of “entertainment” available?
Altitude Bar – Queenstown. Bunch of bloody morons. Just don’t go there.
To end on a more positive note – here is a you tube clip someone has done of Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones as a “Buddy Movie”. And good on Peter Dinklage for highlighting the problem.
Twilight at the waterfront
Sometimes you just need to take a walk.
Sad weekend for Wellington and the Wairarapa :(
This is a hard blog to write. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to blog about this at all.
On Saturday morning, there was a ballooning accident in Carterton and 11 people died.
Hot Air Ballooning over the Wairarapa is one of the many things I hope to do someday. We have done it from Christchurch when we came here on our Honeymoon – and have beautiful memories of it. And watching the balloons from our house, or on the way to the train station in the morning is a stunning sight.
Hy heart goes out to the people left heartbroken by this.
I am not linking to any news stories about this as I have found them to be quite revolting in their need to be as sensationalist as possible. The reporting has literally turned my stomach.
When a $68k a year pay rise is just sick and twisted.
Tony Maryatt, the CEO of Christchurch City Council received a $68k pay rise just before Christmas. Backdated to July. His salary was already $470k a year – which is bloody high as it is. But now it will be almost $540k a year.
(Our prime minister gets paid $411k by way of comparison)
He believes the work he had to do over the past year means he deserves it. The council agreed, all voting in favour of this extravagance – citing “market rates” and “performance” as reasons why this is a perfectly acceptable move.
Don’t get me wrong – a lot of people have had to do enormous levels of work to deal with the aftermath of the earthquake. When I think of the effort the Student Volunteer Army have done for example – they easily deserve to get paid way more than $68k a year each. They however do not get paid. They get off their arses and dig people out of yet more liquefaction, they don’t stop and they are truly remarkable people that I find awe inspiring.
But what sort of shitty human being takes a$68k pay rise while the city he runs in left in ruins, when the people who still have to pay the rates that cover the cost of his salary have no homes to live in, have no jobs, and in some cases lost their families? When the council could not afford to pay for all streets (let alone all households) to have a portaloo to crap in? Yet apparently said council (who will actually get a reduced rates intake because people have left the area) can somehow afford $68k to remunerate the chief exec because he had to work a few weekends and hes “stuffed”.
The CEO of the council got paid to do a job. He got paid a lot of money to do that job. Yes the job got more difficult, and the poor guy did have to apparently work 9 weekends without a break. Diddums. I daresay it was not an easy job – and a thankless one at that. It’s a lot less thankless than the lives of people who lost their jobs.
What sort of shitty human being then tries to justify it on the basis that he had to work a couple of extra weekends? The people who are being forced to pay that salary have had to work a damn site harder than that Mr Marryatt. Some of your “employers” (the people you are supposed to work for and pay your salary) ahve lost everything, and yet you got to go on a nice holiday, while they sat amongst mud, rubble and infrastructure that is still wholly inadequate.
There is NO justification for this. “Market Rates”, “Targets”, “Performance” are just bullshit words spouted by people trying desperately to deal with the fact that they have been found to be morally repugnant greedy little scrotes using their positions to pay themselves more money because they can.
For crying out loud – most people in New Zealand haven’t had a pay rise in years anyway. Do they work less hard? Are they less tired? Do they not have to work weekends?
And when fronting up to the cameras – can’t this guy at least afford to wear a suit and bloody tie? You are a chief exec paid a huge amount of money- you can afford to look like you are a chief exec being paid an awful lot of money. At least pretend to have some damn respect!
I dread to think what this guy will be paid when it gets round to the time of actually having to rebuild the city.
Bloody tosser.
Selection of comments at the Press Here – worth a read.
7 years ago
I was throwing myself off the Auckland SkyTower as a way of marking my new life in New Zealand.
Avalon’s Year In Status 2011
We have now (mostly) enjoyed 7 whole years of life in New Zealand. We have lots of ups and lots of downs. We have met new firends and new arseholes. We have had joy and sadness.
But I would make the move again in a heartbeat!
So here for some end of year humour, courtesy of My Year in Status on Facebook – is a snapshot of the last years Facebook statuses.
Avalon’s Guide On Facebook
-
