Andrew Dickens Afternoons

Venezuela. What a basket case. Blessed with oil, a nice climate, fertile earth and insanely attractive citizens it has somehow over five years managed to collapse to a hyper inflation ravaged wildland with starving children and widespread unrest.
So the guy who runs the place is President Maduro who took over in a dodgy election from Hugo Chavez after Chavez died of cancer. A former bus driver and trade union official he had been groomed for power by the ailing Chavez. But after Hugo died Maduro has used every trick in the book to stay in power and as he plays his games the economy has collapsed
Now the US and more than 20 other countries have recognised the opposition leader  as interim president. On Saturday several European countries including Spain, Germany, France and the UK said they would recognise the opposition leader as president if elections were not called within eight days.
So our government has refused to join the pile on. They’ve criticised the elections but as Winston Peters says "It is not New Zealand's practice to make statements of recognition of Governments, Venezuela needs to decide its future through free and fair elections."
The government is getting stick for this. For sitting on the fence. But I think he has a point. With so many nations asserting their sovereignty these days, whether it be over immigration policies or Brexit or pulling out of UN organisations, you have to ask if it is a little rich to trample all over another country’s sovereignty.
As someone said yesterday imagine if Venezuela turned around and demanded Britain honour Brexit within 8 days. We’d all die laughing. 
Plus the question has to be asked as to what the answer to Venezuela’s woes really are.
President Maduro says Donald Trump hates him and he’s not wrong because all you need to have done is watch Fox News for the past 5 years. Venezuela has been branded in the rightist media as the example of what happens when socialism goes wrong.  And that feeling has spread with many people in this country prone to saying that Jacinda will take us down Venezuela’s route.
Unfortunately however Venezuela is not socialist. They say they are as it plays well in South America but they’re not about redistribution of wealth.They’re about acquiring it for the ruling elite. They’re not about the rights of the workers. That’s why the workers are starving.
They’re a criminal feudalism. A corrupt plutocracy. A political mafia held up and supported by the military heads who are also on the money grab. No wonder Russia and Putin loves them. It’s like looking in a mirror.
And guess what. The so called opposition leader that all these nations are scrambling to support is just as bad as the guys in charge. He’s never been elected. He’s a leader of a party that’s part of a coalition that agreed on a rotating leadership and so as soon as he got in charge he saw his chance.
So Venezuela is a criminal mess and not democratically fixable. The recognising of the opposition leader is virtue signalling writ large by nations. I don’t mind that we didn’t join in.
Which would all be fine but Venezuela has oil which makes them valuable. Which is why the United States is moving 5000 troops into Colombia. A military intervention looks more likely every day.

So has anyone seen the Prime Minister lately? If anyone sees Jacinda Ardern in the flesh, could you please contact authorities so we can return her to the people.
This is an observation that has been brewing for a while. In fact Chris Trotter, a lefty, first wrote about it in the middle of December.
But it wasn’t until today that I finally thought this is getting weird.
Every Tuesday since Helen Clark’s day the Prime Minister has done the rounds of media in the morning. On ZB that means 7.35am for 10 minutes and we have a quick recap of the issues of the week and where the government is at.
But we haven’t had one this year. Firstly she was on holiday for ages, which I didn’t resent because she does have a child under one who hasn’t seen a lot of her Mum. Then last week the PM was in Davos Switzerland but apparently was unable to use a phone.
The suspicion is rising that Jacinda Ardern likes to be a spokesperson for a government and a figurehead for the world but when it comes down to the nitty gritty of being a leader the job is a little difficult.
Chris Trotter last December noted the number of times that Jacinda Ardern seemed to be sidelined by her ministers seemingly making decisions without her knowing. Phil Twyford in particular seemed to change policies at a whim and when the Prime Minister was asked she seemed often unaware.
Looking back at the last three Prime Ministers we’ve had; Clark, Key and English, none would ever tolerate finding out about policy from the news media. And if they did butts would be kicked.
There is also the unwillingness to discipline the miscreants. Claire Curran took an age to be told off. Meka Whaitiri. Ian Lees Galloway.
Then there is the plethora of working groups. At first I was tolerant but now the whole thing seems to be taking an age. Other people are charged with doing the thinking rather than the government.
There appears to be a leadership vacuum.
The Prime Minister we have seems happiest when selling other people’s ideas and I’m starting to wonder what her ideas are.
And further to that there’s the fear that she might not have any ideas at all.

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As New Zealanders across the country get out and enjoy a variety of music festival, the question around drug testing rears its head once again.
Aucklanders today got to enjoy all that Laneway Festival had to offer, while One Love took over Tauranga this weekend.
While most are there to enjoy the music, the festivals have turned into political fodder as the debate rages about whether drug testing should be legalised.
Andrew Dickens says that while he has no issues with drugs such as marijuana, he finds pills such as ecstasy "evil chemistry" and should not be encouraged.
"This is not organic. As soon as someone starts talking about LSDs, MDMAs, popping pills, it gives me these heebie-jebbies. I've never done it, never will." 
However, he feels that people don't deserve to die over mistakes. 
Talkback callers were divided over the matter, with a mix of support for the move while others were strongly against. 
Caller Tom says that the performers should have to be tested as well, as they promote drug culture. 
While Dagan points out that there is a lot more information about drugs out there that makes them a lot safer. 
LISTEN TO THE TALKBACK ABOVE

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Ever wanted to live in an Italian village? This may be your opportunity. 
Airbnb wants to send four people to the small village of Grottole for three months later this year, in an effort to boost tourism. 
The site wants to send four people to live in the hilltop village, and will give them US$1,000 a month to spend on food and wine.
The catch? It's not quite a free holiday, as the move is part of an effort to help revitalise the town and others throughout the Italian countryside.
Currently, only 300 people live in Grottole, which has 600 empty houses. The abandoned feel is due to the mass exodus of young people heading to the bigger cities to find work. 
The four lucky people sent to the town will participate in traditional activities, such as harvesting honey and making olive oil and pasta.

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A new year and new aspirations.
It seems as though this week has been the week that players announce they’re in the game for local and national electoral responsibilities.
Local body elections are in October of this year and the national elections are in November of next year and now people are putting their hands up.
John Tamihere, the past Labour Minister, talkback host and rabble-rouser has put his name forward for Auckland Mayor, along with an unlikely running mate, Christine Fletcher.
I spent some time wondering why Christine, from the genteel East, would go for a backyard brawler from the West and it appears it’s because a backyard brawler is exactly the person she thinks Auckland needs.
Certainly, a number of commentators have said that Phil Goff is too much of a politician to be a great mayor. He’s the sort of guy that wants everyone to like him. JT doesn’t give a jot if you like him or not. He just wants to get stuff done.
There’s at least one thing that he’s got right and that’s reigning in the bureaucrats. Rodney Hide’s creation of what is known as Council Controlled Organisations was one of the strangest mind melts ever. Simply because it’s so hard for the Council to control or direct the organisations. Leaving unelected and unaccountable invisible men and women to determine the direction of our biggest city.
Meanwhile, on a National level, there are movements afoot.
One is a blue-green party possibly headed by Vernon Tava, a political commentator who has been with the Greens and flirted with National. The idea behind a blue-green party is to appeal to the people who aren’t socialists but are concerned about the environment. The thought is that it would provide a coalition partner for National.
I’m not sure it would work though. The party would struggle to get to the 5 per cent threshold and the voters it might attract are more likely to come from National. After all, there are already two green parties in New Zealand, the Greens and Labour, and green voters haven’t been crying out for a drier economic policy.
The other is a new conservative party and the former rugby and league chief, Davis Moffett is involved. David is one of those old fashioned conservatives. The ones who think that socialism, identity politics and feminism is dragging us into an abyss.
A party like that could weaken New Zealand First and so I think it has more of a chance than the blue greens.
I’ve always thought a conservative party is a goer but too many have hitched themselves to a religious horse. And one thing that conservatives have always struggled with is, knowing what they stand for. By that I mean they vociferously know what they don’t like and who they don’t like.
They’re a little too defined by their enemies which means they get a little lost when asked for leadership.
But we will see
What I do like is that Vernon, and JT and David are standing up and getting involved and that’s a good thing.

A new year and new aspirations.
It seems as though this week has been the week that players announce they’re in the game for local and national electoral responsibilities.
Local body elections are in October of this year and the national elections are in November of next year and now people are putting their hands up.
John Tamihere, the past Labour Minister, talkback host and rabble-rouser has put his name forward for Auckland Mayor, along with an unlikely running mate, Christine Fletcher.
I spent some time wondering why Christine, from the genteel East, would go for a backyard brawler from the West and it appears it’s because a backyard brawler is exactly the person she thinks Auckland needs.
Certainly, a number of commentators have said that Phil Goff is too much of a politician to be a great mayor. He’s the sort of guy that wants everyone to like him. JT doesn’t give a jot if you like him or not. He just wants to get stuff done.
There’s at least one thing that he’s got right and that’s reigning in the bureaucrats. Rodney Hide’s creation of what is known as Council Controlled Organisations was one of the strangest mind melts ever. Simply because it’s so hard for the Council to control or direct the organisations. Leaving unelected and unaccountable invisible men and women to determine the direction of our biggest city.
Meanwhile, on a National level, there are movements afoot.
One is a blue-green party possibly headed by Vernon Tava, a political commentator who has been with the Greens and flirted with National. The idea behind a blue-green party is to appeal to the people who aren’t socialists but are concerned about the environment. The thought is that it would provide a coalition partner for National.
I’m not sure it would work though. The party would struggle to get to the 5 per cent threshold and the voters it might attract are more likely to come from National. After all, there are already two green parties in New Zealand, the Greens and Labour, and green voters haven’t been crying out for a drier economic policy.
The other is a new conservative party and the former rugby and league chief, Davis Moffett is involved. David is one of those old fashioned conservatives. The ones who think that socialism, identity politics and feminism is dragging us into an abyss.
A party like that could weaken New Zealand First and so I think it has more of a chance than the blue greens.
I’ve always thought a conservative party is a goer but too many have hitched themselves to a religious horse. And one thing that conservatives have always struggled with is, knowing what they stand for. By that I mean they vociferously know what they don’t like and who they don’t like.
They’re a little too defined by their enemies which means they get a little lost when asked for leadership.
But we will see
What I do like is that Vernon, and JT and David are standing up and getting involved and that’s a good thing.

A Kiwi woman shared an inspirational message about promoting positive body image after some men "pointed and laughed" at her when she took her sarong off at Mt Maunganui Beach.
Shelly Proebstel, from Waipa, posted to Facebook on her page Bald and Beautiful what happened and then listed reasons why people are insecure about their bodies.


Shelly Proebstel said that for a split-second after the incident she thought about covering up, but then reminded herself about what she learnt from her journey. Photo / Bald and Beautiful Faceboook

"To the guys who pointed and laughed when I took my sarong off today at Mt Maunganui Beach, bearing my soul (my bikini body) to the world, I just want to say (excuse my language but) f*** you!," she wrote.
"It's because of dickheads like you that people are so incredibly insecure about their body image.
Callers to the Andrew Dickens Show shared there experiences of body shaming, with many asking the question why people feel the need to judge what others look like.
One woman said throughout her childhood, she had been made fun of and constantly reminded to eat more food as she was underweight.
"When I was growing up as a kid, I used to be very, very skinny. As you get older, too many people seem to judge, but you learn to get over it and not worry what other people think. It would be boring if everybody was the same size."
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Numbers - they get you every time.
The problem with numbers is that they don’t fudge.They’re definite. Exact. Numbers don’t lie. But people lie.People fudge. People lie about numbers. People fudge numbers. But numbers are the truth. 
Which is why any politician worth their weight in gold, which is an inexact number, will avoid them at any cost.
It’s a lesson this government fails to learn. The numbers have been causing all sorts of bother this parliamentary term.
This is obviously the very hard lesson Phil Twyford has learnt this week, as the numbers came to bite him on the bum.
There’s no doubt that New Zealand doesn’t have enough housing stock.  There was always doubt as to whether the government should become a private housing developer. 
Nothing wrong with running a social housing programme, but KiwiBuild was always to supplement the private market. There was always uncertainty as to what affordable means. But all that was debatable and defendable.
But as soon as Phil Twyford started putting numbers on it he drew a big target on his back. He promised 100,000 houses in 10 years and 1000 houses in the first year. And so the numbers have spoken and the project is failing and the government looks stupid. As Mr Twyford crumbled yesterday, his leader, the Prime Minister, was shining on the world stage. But not in the media in New Zealand. She must be ropable.
But this government does it every time. Julie Anne Genter announces road safety improvements but she ties it to a zero road toll slogan. Which will never happen. She will fail.
The Finance Minister is also fond of imposing numbers on fluid targets. His commitment to debt reduction and the 20 per cent target or instance. It’s meant for some accounting jiggery-pokery around core Crown Debt and various SOEs borrowing, while pretending not to be the government. Now there’s nothing out of the ordinary about that. Other governments have done it. But the imposition of such a definite, arbitrary target on the debt levels caught them out.
They’ve done it with immigration numbers where apparently we’re aiming for 30,000. Considering our skilled labour shortages that will never happen, again giving the government’s opponents ammunition.
It’s like our idealist politicians pluck numbers out of the air to make catchy slogans that are divorced from reality. 
I think there’s a political lesson here for this government. Watch the numbers or your number's up.

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Andrew Dickens has exposed fellow ZB host Larry Williams and political editor Barry Soper as Lime e-scooter enthusiasts.
The two were spotted by ZB staff zooming about Auckland's CBD during the break, and reportedly were big fans.
Andrew confronted Barry about the incident, and how the two left their wives behind.
"You were supposed to double the wives, but you and Larry left them behind!"
Barry admits that got "so excited by it". 
"Larry was such a curmudgeon when it came to Lime scooters., he didn't wasnt to have anything to do with them. But by the end of the day, did he enjoy them?"
Barry says that he can see a time where congestion forces more people onto transport initiatives like this.
It comes after Mike Hosking last year admitted his enjoyment for the e-scooters after taking one for a test spin. 
Larry has not yet commented on his newfound love for the Lime. 
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There are hopes the public will opt for sustainable alternatives, as the country sits on the edge of a gas shortage.
It comes as Genesis Energy reaches a five-year high in coal burning.
READ MORE: Coal burning increases as NZ faces gas shortage
The company says it's due to low hydro storage, plant outages and the bleak outlook of longer term gas supplies because of the government's offshore exploration ban.
Talkback callers to the Andrew Dickens Afternoons Show were mostly in favour of using solar panels. With the price decreasing of installing and operating solar panels, many have taken the opportunity to upgrade.
Barbara told Andrew Dickens she had recently installed them, but she wasn't in favour of the government subsidising the product.
"I don’t think it is a good idea for the government to subsidise, and this is coming from someone who has installed solar panels. I put them in 6 months ago, and I love it, but its all about how you use it. You have to use the power during the daytime when you are at home."
John says there are some real issues with the peak demand with using solar power, and he believes there is still much work to be done before it can become accessible and worthwhile for everyone.
"The consumers will just end up having to pay more in the long run. There is still a lot more work and infrastructure which needs to be implemented."
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