Nothing quite sez Rich Man’s Conference than this event
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As reported on Radio NZ’s ‘Morning Report‘ this morning (22 February), ACT’s 2013 Annual Conference kicks off today.
Part of the Conference will be held on Alan Gibb’s farm-estate at Kaukapakapa, about 50kms north of Auckland,
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An Annual Conference on an isolated, private property, belong to one of New Zealand’s richest men; Alan Gibbs.
Gibbs – worth an estimated $420 million according to a NBR report - spends most of his time in London. This doesn’t seem to stop him from influencing politics in this country.
Holding a conference on Gibbs’ private property, away from any urban centre does hold several benefits.
Firstly, attendees can marvel and appreciate Gibbs’ very private art collection,
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And secondly, there’s a low-to-zero risk of pesky demonstrators turning up, protesting at the neo-liberal policies that have been in effect for 30 years.
After all, having a bunch of poor folk turning up to a predominantly Rich White Men’s (there appear to be no women or Maori speakers at the Conference) political party, to protest policies which have increased poverty and widened the income/wealth gap, is probably not a good look.
The question I always ask myself, though is, are they locking us out? Or are we locking them in?
Meanwhile, the sell-off of the people’s assets to wealthy men like Alan Gibbs, and others like him (aka, the One Percenters), continues,
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References
Radio NZ audio report: ACT meets at weekend for annual conference
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Will Banksey be flying in by helicopter or will the big fat German be giving him a lift?? Haha!
Heh heh heh… Ask Bank afterwards.
Hang on. No. He will have forgotten by then…
Love the cartoon says a lot eh.
Some $250million was taken by Gibbs when he sold telecom for 40% of its actual value. The moment he was paid he left the country. No need to pay tax on your income eh. Living as he does between countries he can avoid all taxes. Faye and richwhite did the same. Between them they took some $500 million as commissions. So Gibbs collects art with seed money taken from the tax payer. I don’t know why he is so admired. He has a 1000 acre farm that he mows with six giant tractors every week, reported the herald journalist with breathless admiration. What a tosser.