Three Times Not Out...If You're Bro Royalty

King and Son Co.Ltd.: such regal bearing!

Korotangi Paki appeared in the Auckland District Court this week on charges of drink-driving, two counts of burglary and one of theft (the last three while on bail).
If this 19yr.old had been anyone else, he'd have been nailed.
But daddy is the maori king, King Tuheitia, so Judge Philippa Cunningham jumped through PC hoops and granted him a conditional discharge without conviction.
Immediately a public backlash began: a Stuff.co.nz on-line public

opinion poll says it all...
According to his lawyer, Paki could only succeed his ailing father to the throne if he had a clean record, so Madam Judge ruled the impact of a conviction would exceed the gravity of the offending.
Outside court, the family's representative Tuku Morgan (yes, he who spent $4,000 of Aotearoa TV's bucks on undies for himself in 1997!!) said the judge's decision had been a victory for maori and recognition of their unique culture: "The judge has recognised a very important and compelling cultural difference; that he is entwined in a succession process that one day will give rise to a new head of the kingdom, and his opportunity should not be in any way shape or form minimised or compromised."
University of Auckland law professor and author of Criminal Procedure in NZ Bill Hodge says that argument is bollocks: "That is up to the Maori authorities in question, not a matter of New Zealand law and to that extent is one law for common people and another law for royalty."
Paki has exploited his supposed royal status and culture to trick the judge into discharging him without conviction. What kind of message does this send to other NZers, of ANY ethnicity?
And quite frankly, as the judge obviously bought into this holier-than-thou royalty rubbish without adherence to the laws of this land (where ONE law is meant to fit ALL), what does this say about her??!!

McCully's Mob Muddles It Up

The story breaks: an overseas official invokes diplomatic immunity and escapes NZ, after alleged sexual assault.
The nation's journos splutter indignantly: Name him! Shame him! Bring him back!
Questions are raised: Who IS he? Which country? What exactly IS diplomatic immunity?
Facts emerge: he is Muhammad Rizalman bin Ismail, a Malaysian diplo. And his country says no way will it waive immunity – tough luck, NZ!
But then it all gets a bit murky…
PM Johnno Key says he wants Ismail in a kiwi court. The military-ruled Malaysia is reported as saying it would only allow that if Ismail's life would be safe in NZ (Ha! Pot, meet kettle!!!) Then as the world's media vultures circle a potential diplomatic incident, Malaysia says: hang on, we did NOT say anything of the sort. We've been totally co-operative! WTF???
Well, it seems our Dept of Foreign Affairs, balliwick of Muddling Murray McCully, got itself befuddled with we-said/they-said, and didn't even tell the Minister about the situation! Comms confusion in the Ministry resulting in a total SNAFU!

Womble in the headlights

McCully: "We apologise for a performance that was below the standard expected of the Foreign Ministry."
So will Ismail face the music in NZ? Don't hold your breath. Tough luck for the alleged rape victim, eh!
But to blame the cock-up on a staff member who was out of communications reach when the shit hit the fan is pathetic! Where were the back-ups, safeguards, systems? This is after all McCully's baby, his people, his RESPONSIBILITY.
Like multiple times in the past when this womble has dropped the ball, McCully should be publically humiliated and put on notice to pull his department's socks up…or else. The buck stops with him.
But will this happen? Of course not.
It is after all, General Election Countdown time…

UPDATE: 05 July 2014 - Malaysia WILL send the miscreant back for trial in NZ...and Muddling McCully told to 'suck it up' and apologise to Malaysia. Miracles DO happen!

Voters Want Maui's Dolphin Saved

There are only 55 Maui's dolphins left. Less than five dozen!!!
We WILL see this critically-endangered subspecies become extinct in our lifetime - probably within the next DECADE - unless our politicians act NOW.

Mallard's completely QUACKERS!

And yet, in the countdown to this year's election, Labour's Hutt South MP Trevor Mallard continues to push a flakey dream that the long-extinct moa can be brought back to life through DNA technology, and become a tourist attraction!
Mallard says moa could return to the Rimutaka Forest Park (in his electorate): "It would certainly give us international focus and frankly I can't think of a better place."
His leader David Cunliffe: "It's not official Party policy."
But Mallard's absolutely serious that New Zealand should be taking advantage of science as it develops...with provisos: "I only want the small moa. I don't want 240kg ones, 3.5 metres tall. I'd like ones that I could pat on the head."
Riiiiiiiiight. So Mallard wants some sort of cute feathered pet, with no true intent to save a species! This may explain the dire plight of the world's smallest dolphin, on our own doorstep. Mallard was at one time the Minister for the Environment: he could have made a difference. Now instead he wants to re-birth a bloody giant chicken!
A World Wildlife Foundation poll by Colman Brunton found 60% of NZ voters would be more likely to vote for a political party that expanded a ban on set and trawl nets to cover the entire area that Maui's dolphin live in.
Election Day is 20 September...just a thought.