Oravida/Collins
Justice Minister Judith Collins went to China last year and she did a promotional visit to the Shanghai offices of Oravida, a company directed by her husband. She went with the NZ Ambassador and they sampled products etc. Although the right commentariat - and Collins and the PM - are trying to dismiss this as normal practice, it is precisely this sort of conflict of interest that clipped Richard Worth and pitched Pansy Wong out of the executive and out of parliament - and for good reason. Collins - and the PM - seem intent on bluffing their way through, pretending it's kosher. Far from.
Having looked at Oravida and found that the directors are Chinese names and that the ownership structure is a long worm ending up in a law firm's nominee company, how does anyone know who owns this company? It is being referred to as a NZ company, but maybe in registration only. Ownership by Chinese donating their way into NZ residency doesn't make for much of a NZ company - no matter how many iconic Maori words they appropriate for the purpose when naming their opaque shelf companies. It is clipping the ticket and controlling distribution channels of NZ products, but it is controlled by Chinese nationals as far as I can tell.
If NZ nationals got residency in China and set up a company to get Chinese goods into NZ and distribute them in NZ we would call it a NZ company, so on that basis I would call Oravida a Chinese company. I note that Finlayson in answering a question today in parliament described it only as having NZ interests and stressed the products rather than calling it a NZ company, which made his claim that all Collins was doing was being 'a loyal New Zealander' a bit rich. Creamy rich. Frank Macskasy has posted in some detail on the connection with this company, the Crafar farms and the National Party.
If NZ nationals got residency in China and set up a company to get Chinese goods into NZ and distribute them in NZ we would call it a NZ company, so on that basis I would call Oravida a Chinese company. I note that Finlayson in answering a question today in parliament described it only as having NZ interests and stressed the products rather than calling it a NZ company, which made his claim that all Collins was doing was being 'a loyal New Zealander' a bit rich. Creamy rich. Frank Macskasy has posted in some detail on the connection with this company, the Crafar farms and the National Party.
If the Chinese Minister of Justice visited a company in Auckland where his wife was a director and that company had donated 56,000 yuan to his party and the visit was designed to promote the company and it's products... that visit would be called an act of corruption. That would be obvious to the average NZer. But the same situation with Collins and her connections exists now as exists in that hypothetical situation and the average NZer, certainly the average National Party supporter, just doesn't want to believe that such a flagrant, obvious conflict of interest exists... when it so obviously exists.
The PM is saying - at the moment - there was "no commercial value" in the visit... when we all know there is no purpose to a visit like that at all unless there is commercial value. It's all about commerce.
The invitation to attend was only extended because Collins' husband is on the board, and the only reason he's on the board is because she is a Cabinet Minister. It's influence and political power. NZ, China, the world - everyone understands how crony capitalism works.
If the NZ Cabinet Manual allows this to happen then what does that say about the NZ government? If you are senior enough (Paula Bennett and her WINZ complainant privacy breaches, Bill English and his housing rort) then you are protected from the usual rules (which apply strictly to lower-ranked members of the Executive like: Richard Worth, Phil Heatley, Pansy Wong) and these senior Cabinet Ministers can flout them without censure.
Two Cabinet Ministers so far under John Key have misused their Ministerial positions to advantage the business interests of their husbands in the People's Republic of China. The deep links within government to China is such a 'third world' look. It says we are for sale and that they, the Ministers, are for sale also.
The exploitation mentality of the 21st century colonialist fits the weak constitutional situation in NZ. It's so very easy to sell it all off. The current crop of Pakeha rulers are selling the land and natural resources and infrastructure and pretty much everything, including citizenship, off to the Chinese. They sold it off so cheaply because they have no national consciousness. The land to them is potential money and a transferable security and the NZ government made it that way so it could be sold off to foreigners. History will say as much, but the future will never appreciate just how blithelyit occurred.
What a dreadful place NZ is. We shall be glad to be rid of it.
The PM is saying - at the moment - there was "no commercial value" in the visit... when we all know there is no purpose to a visit like that at all unless there is commercial value. It's all about commerce.
The invitation to attend was only extended because Collins' husband is on the board, and the only reason he's on the board is because she is a Cabinet Minister. It's influence and political power. NZ, China, the world - everyone understands how crony capitalism works.
If the NZ Cabinet Manual allows this to happen then what does that say about the NZ government? If you are senior enough (Paula Bennett and her WINZ complainant privacy breaches, Bill English and his housing rort) then you are protected from the usual rules (which apply strictly to lower-ranked members of the Executive like: Richard Worth, Phil Heatley, Pansy Wong) and these senior Cabinet Ministers can flout them without censure.
Two Cabinet Ministers so far under John Key have misused their Ministerial positions to advantage the business interests of their husbands in the People's Republic of China. The deep links within government to China is such a 'third world' look. It says we are for sale and that they, the Ministers, are for sale also.
The exploitation mentality of the 21st century colonialist fits the weak constitutional situation in NZ. It's so very easy to sell it all off. The current crop of Pakeha rulers are selling the land and natural resources and infrastructure and pretty much everything, including citizenship, off to the Chinese. They sold it off so cheaply because they have no national consciousness. The land to them is potential money and a transferable security and the NZ government made it that way so it could be sold off to foreigners. History will say as much, but the future will never appreciate just how blithelyit occurred.
What a dreadful place NZ is. We shall be glad to be rid of it.
posted by Tim Selwyn @ 10:39 pm
2 comments
2 Comments:
"No commercial value"?!
Only the Mendacious Mr Key could utter such bullcrap and not be challenged by the msm on it.
Calling Mr Gowwwwwer!! If you can pull yourself away from David Cunliffe long enough, wanna check out Dear Leader? Or is the government of no interest to TV3?
If corruption exists as a smell only - that is sufficient where public persons are involved to request the Attorney-General to demand disclosure of the owners and the details (full details) of the Chinese official Collins had a dinner with. China is presently on a hunt for corruptions. Dinners with officials are out of order and can be the very circumstances for PRC to investigate. Why is so many people too scared to push the red button?
Post a Comment
<< Home