Featuring the podcast of our weekly Hoon, hosted by Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale, with Robert Patman and Helen Clark on Aukus II; plus Ngāti Toa CEO Helmut Modlik on opposing Fast-track
Today I feel vindicated in my position by Helen Clark and Robert Patman on last nights 'Hoon'. However, I still can't see the material difference between their consternation regarding NZ being cajoled into supporting U.S. / UK against China, and the practical outcome of hostility towards Russia that has been ongoing since 1991, except the US doesn't have a 'tool' such as NATO in the region, and haven't found a country with conditions that both facilitate a 'cassus belli', and a leadership / population foolish enough to be tricked into a proxy war. It must break Washington's cold black hearts that India and China, who have historic enmity over border disputes, similar size populations and are both nuclear-armed states, now find themselves united in common cause, along with Russia, by BRICS membership and bilateral agreement to trade in their own currencies.
However, there must be hundreds of thousands of persons of recent Chinese ancestry in Australia and New Zealand. Maybe if our governments encourage a race-war against Chinese migrants on the basis that they are 'disloyal' https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/chinese-rate-loyalty-to-homeland-highly/CURNIDON5GJ6YLQ5ELQIMHV22U/ then China will respond militarily to 'protect its people', and we can have our very own proxy war?
As our successive governments (also two cheeks, but of a different bum to the US) continue to create division in society and fail to prepare for climate change and other upcoming challenges, our country becomes weaker and more vulnerable to the possibility of becoming a pawn to outside interests.
"...also two cheeks, but of a different bum to the US". So true. Whereas the duopoly in the US now represents, broadly speaking. financial and industrial corporate capital, here and in the UK it represents the administration and corporate capital respectively. The commonality is that in neither case are workers or small-to-medium domestic businesses represented, despite making-up the vast majority of the population. Political parties around the world have been entirely captured by minority special interests. Surely there is room for a party that represents the majority interest? Why are emergent new parties either absent, or fail to point-out this obvious truth?
Good point. I'm pretty sure that kind of elite capture is universal though, regardless of whether it serves the financial ecosphere of the US dollar or not.
Going back to my first comment though, my immediate concern is that the dollar-zone is the most geopolitically dangerous because it's the most stressed by the emergence of bilateral trading in non-dollar currencies. Regardless of the fact that it is to some extent a self-inflicted wound caused by US and its allies-particularly the UK- behaving very badly on the world stage, removing regimes for ostensibly humanitarian reasons when the actual 'cassus belli' was threat to the primacy of the dollar. Think Saddam Hussein's plan to trade Iraqi oil in Euros, Gaddafi's plan to launch an 'African Gold Dinar' for pan-African trade. Those very actions taken to bolster the dollar as have in fact taught the world that reliance on the dollar is unwise and to seek alternative arrangements.
The USA, as issuer of the global reserve currency, has the most to lose because of the money generated by the US bonds it issues. This has enabled the US to 'live beyond its means' on the world stage for the last 80 years more or less because expanding world trade has meant that new bond issuance has covered the cost of maturing bonds and much more besides. Now imagine the process in reverse. Bilateral trade in local currency means less demand for bonds, US cannot raise enough to cover the payout on maturing bonds, let alone to uphold its superpower largesse. It is left with no choice but to inflate its way out of the vast debt or to default.
Those countries that hold very large amounts of US debt in relation to the size of their economies are also prone to collaboration in whatever lunatic military adventurism the US devises to defy the emergent new economic order.
A very good way to force the USA and its sworn allies to the international negotiating table is to refuse to countenance military adventurism.
I agree. Military adventurism is a term that makes me smile. I doubt it has the same effect on its victims though. I think we in the West should be more wary of the positive words we use to portray our traditional “allies” in stark contrast to how we describe those who are not. It is very unfair and breeds great resentment. I do like the term but know I shouldn’t.
Twenty years ago John Ralston Saul wrote about the collapse in practice of globalism. He had a chapter on New Zealsnds adjustment under Labour led by Helen. He had a chapter in the rise of "negative nationalism" in the wake of neoliberalism. It's all come true sadly.
Excellent podcast. Hadn't thought about the ramifications of Biden's announcement in terms of the WTO. Thinking about Fast Track Bill and the fact that 9 of the Pūtiki Protectors have been in court this week with Maia Weiss receiving a verdict today finding her guilty of 3 counts of Wilful Trespass at Kennedy Point (Pūtiki Bay) Marina and 8 others in court. I think they should get a medal not a conviction in their incredible work to try and protect the most significant Kororā colony in the Hauraki Gulf. I managed to get to court for one day and was so impressed with the testimony of Kathryn Ngapo and Penguin experts John Cochrane. Extraordinary the judge called the penguins property?? Anyway it's one to keep an eye on. And let me remind any filmmaker out there..... this marina has the first floating carpark in NZ, a sheep called Multi went to Parliament with a petition signed by thousands of people on Waiheke, 25 cops turned up for 25 rocks as nannies knitted on those same rocks, and security guards with balaclavas threatened young women as they swam in the ocean. And we all asked instead for more housing, not a bloody private marina in a quiet bay. Futher the lawyer who represented the island against a marina development in Matiatia wrote a book with a judge about winning RMA cases in the environment court and is now the executive of this new marina. Honestly can someone do a docu drama about it cause it's mad, bad and rather unbelievable.
Thank you sooo much for this. Bernard you are a star with the Kaka. It is a very very important instrument in my opinion, especially now. May I clarify one point in the podcast- Helen at 14.57 mins on the transcript stated China was our largest trading partner with 26% of our trade and about twice as much as Australia, and this seems about right, but Bernard mentioned Australia was our largest trading partner at 19.53 mins in. I may have misinterpreted the context but had to ask. Bernard may have meant in the context of our usual allies.
Very good interview with Helen Clark. She is the ultimate pragmatist and as so, her opinions and knowledge of NZ’s position in the world are probably the best we can listen to and hopefully take advice from. Thanks also to Robert Patman who each week gives his perspective on world politics; he is also voice to be listened to. Amazing Hoon program, thanks to all
That was a quality Hoon around with good korero from distinguished guests. ✊🏽
Amazing Hoon - huge thanks to all of you. Well done! 👏
Superb Hoon .. Robert , Helen and Helmut .. 20/10 guests .👏👏👍
Yesterday I wrote a fairly long comment regarding a 'gift post' from 'The Atlantic'. https://open.substack.com/pub/thekaka/p/bernards-dawn-chorus-and-pick-n-mix-6fc?r=cfkw4&utm_campaign=comment-list-share-cta&utm_medium=web&comments=true&commentId=56487460
Today I feel vindicated in my position by Helen Clark and Robert Patman on last nights 'Hoon'. However, I still can't see the material difference between their consternation regarding NZ being cajoled into supporting U.S. / UK against China, and the practical outcome of hostility towards Russia that has been ongoing since 1991, except the US doesn't have a 'tool' such as NATO in the region, and haven't found a country with conditions that both facilitate a 'cassus belli', and a leadership / population foolish enough to be tricked into a proxy war. It must break Washington's cold black hearts that India and China, who have historic enmity over border disputes, similar size populations and are both nuclear-armed states, now find themselves united in common cause, along with Russia, by BRICS membership and bilateral agreement to trade in their own currencies.
However, there must be hundreds of thousands of persons of recent Chinese ancestry in Australia and New Zealand. Maybe if our governments encourage a race-war against Chinese migrants on the basis that they are 'disloyal' https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/chinese-rate-loyalty-to-homeland-highly/CURNIDON5GJ6YLQ5ELQIMHV22U/ then China will respond militarily to 'protect its people', and we can have our very own proxy war?
As our successive governments (also two cheeks, but of a different bum to the US) continue to create division in society and fail to prepare for climate change and other upcoming challenges, our country becomes weaker and more vulnerable to the possibility of becoming a pawn to outside interests.
"...also two cheeks, but of a different bum to the US". So true. Whereas the duopoly in the US now represents, broadly speaking. financial and industrial corporate capital, here and in the UK it represents the administration and corporate capital respectively. The commonality is that in neither case are workers or small-to-medium domestic businesses represented, despite making-up the vast majority of the population. Political parties around the world have been entirely captured by minority special interests. Surely there is room for a party that represents the majority interest? Why are emergent new parties either absent, or fail to point-out this obvious truth?
Is it really a worldwide thing though or just a Western world thing?
Good point. I'm pretty sure that kind of elite capture is universal though, regardless of whether it serves the financial ecosphere of the US dollar or not.
Going back to my first comment though, my immediate concern is that the dollar-zone is the most geopolitically dangerous because it's the most stressed by the emergence of bilateral trading in non-dollar currencies. Regardless of the fact that it is to some extent a self-inflicted wound caused by US and its allies-particularly the UK- behaving very badly on the world stage, removing regimes for ostensibly humanitarian reasons when the actual 'cassus belli' was threat to the primacy of the dollar. Think Saddam Hussein's plan to trade Iraqi oil in Euros, Gaddafi's plan to launch an 'African Gold Dinar' for pan-African trade. Those very actions taken to bolster the dollar as have in fact taught the world that reliance on the dollar is unwise and to seek alternative arrangements.
The USA, as issuer of the global reserve currency, has the most to lose because of the money generated by the US bonds it issues. This has enabled the US to 'live beyond its means' on the world stage for the last 80 years more or less because expanding world trade has meant that new bond issuance has covered the cost of maturing bonds and much more besides. Now imagine the process in reverse. Bilateral trade in local currency means less demand for bonds, US cannot raise enough to cover the payout on maturing bonds, let alone to uphold its superpower largesse. It is left with no choice but to inflate its way out of the vast debt or to default.
Those countries that hold very large amounts of US debt in relation to the size of their economies are also prone to collaboration in whatever lunatic military adventurism the US devises to defy the emergent new economic order.
A very good way to force the USA and its sworn allies to the international negotiating table is to refuse to countenance military adventurism.
I agree. Military adventurism is a term that makes me smile. I doubt it has the same effect on its victims though. I think we in the West should be more wary of the positive words we use to portray our traditional “allies” in stark contrast to how we describe those who are not. It is very unfair and breeds great resentment. I do like the term but know I shouldn’t.
Feeling a little less despondent listening to Helmut ... Bring on our young ones ..👍
💯
Twenty years ago John Ralston Saul wrote about the collapse in practice of globalism. He had a chapter on New Zealsnds adjustment under Labour led by Helen. He had a chapter in the rise of "negative nationalism" in the wake of neoliberalism. It's all come true sadly.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ralston_Saul#The_Collapse_of_Globalism
Thanks Bernard. Appreciate what you do
Fantastic Hoon this week!
That was a cracker. Want to hear more of Helen and and Robert together and bring back Helmut also, he was brilliant!
Excellent podcast. Hadn't thought about the ramifications of Biden's announcement in terms of the WTO. Thinking about Fast Track Bill and the fact that 9 of the Pūtiki Protectors have been in court this week with Maia Weiss receiving a verdict today finding her guilty of 3 counts of Wilful Trespass at Kennedy Point (Pūtiki Bay) Marina and 8 others in court. I think they should get a medal not a conviction in their incredible work to try and protect the most significant Kororā colony in the Hauraki Gulf. I managed to get to court for one day and was so impressed with the testimony of Kathryn Ngapo and Penguin experts John Cochrane. Extraordinary the judge called the penguins property?? Anyway it's one to keep an eye on. And let me remind any filmmaker out there..... this marina has the first floating carpark in NZ, a sheep called Multi went to Parliament with a petition signed by thousands of people on Waiheke, 25 cops turned up for 25 rocks as nannies knitted on those same rocks, and security guards with balaclavas threatened young women as they swam in the ocean. And we all asked instead for more housing, not a bloody private marina in a quiet bay. Futher the lawyer who represented the island against a marina development in Matiatia wrote a book with a judge about winning RMA cases in the environment court and is now the executive of this new marina. Honestly can someone do a docu drama about it cause it's mad, bad and rather unbelievable.
Thank you sooo much for this. Bernard you are a star with the Kaka. It is a very very important instrument in my opinion, especially now. May I clarify one point in the podcast- Helen at 14.57 mins on the transcript stated China was our largest trading partner with 26% of our trade and about twice as much as Australia, and this seems about right, but Bernard mentioned Australia was our largest trading partner at 19.53 mins in. I may have misinterpreted the context but had to ask. Bernard may have meant in the context of our usual allies.
Very good interview with Helen Clark. She is the ultimate pragmatist and as so, her opinions and knowledge of NZ’s position in the world are probably the best we can listen to and hopefully take advice from. Thanks also to Robert Patman who each week gives his perspective on world politics; he is also voice to be listened to. Amazing Hoon program, thanks to all
Came here for Helen.
Stayed for Helmut.
He was absolutely fantastic. Someone convince him to become a politician or at the bare minimum get his own podcast!!