[John Z]

You know about push and pull factors, don't you?

Well, from the moment we decided to emigrate to NZ, and NZ decided they would love to have us, I started to let go of the push factors and concentrate on the pull factors.

Who would believe then that the push factors became bigger and bigger. And today it reached the top.

I'll try to keep a very long story short. It started about 7 years ago.
We had a 1841 mansion in the centre of a small town on a beautifull location. Next to our house was a 1639 farm, but the owners didn't have the money to restaure it. In secret they sold it to real-estate agent who saw how immensely good our restaurationproject on the mansion had worked. He thought: if I build an appartmentcomplex next to it I can sell a lot of expensive appartments. He had friends in the local council who helped him to get a permission to tear the 1639 farm down and get a building permission for an out-of-proportion big appartmentcomplex.

I protested in any way I could think of, made a special-edition newspaer with friends to inform the society, nothing helped. My lawyer send in the protest 1 day too late etc. etc., so I had no case.

Then I had 2 new lawyers, one for a case against the government (corrupt permission etc.) and one against the buildingcompany who caused mayor damage to the house. Damage I had warned them (and the local council)that would come if they were going to build the way they planned.

Again time went on and the appartmentbuilding was being built. We moved to the other side of the country. After a year the mansion was badly vandalised, another year later again. We found evidence who these people were (adults!) and showed it to the police. We had their names and from local citizens heard that they were "friends" with (building-)criminals. The police said they'd have detectives research it.

Nothing happened.

After I filed a complaint another 6 months went by. Then there was an official report stating all kinds of lies. Everything that was incorrect in the report was in favour of "a building company", the real estate agent and their friends in the council. Then my first thoughts of emigration appeared.

Today I got a letter from my lawyer. We had a buildingexpert draw up a report on the cause of the damage to our house. I know it sounds absurd, but this report left out all the details that would make our case. But instead that my lawyer would protest, she wrote today that she believes everything that is in that report, despite the proof I've shown her of the essential left-outs by the so called buildingspecialist.

Within Dutch-law I can ask another building-specialist, but the costs are getting out of hand. The judge has seen this report and my lawyer (suddenly) says we don't have a case.

I'm dumbsmacked. I was prepared to fight, I was prepared to go deep, to go intense. I was prepared. I was so well prepared!

Because this has been going on for the last 7-8 years I got a bit used to this kind of dissapointment. I learned to deal with it in a way that it doesn't influence my family (too much...).

So, here's the big question(s) for you:

What do you think of corruption in NZ?
It probably is there, but how?
Does it influence your lives as concerned citizens?
How do/did you prevent getting involved?

Another person today told me that people like me, who go out a lot, who get (socially) involved a lot, who "know" a lot, more often stumble over corruption than the average person. It bothers me now and would love to hear your NZ stories to the subject.

Thanks a lot,
John Z

[AlexUK]

But unfortunatly thats how the world works, the building company no doubt paid several people to get that done which made them look the other way to your protests.

[holland]

John Z,

Cant comment on NZ as I am not there yet...but my heart goes out to yu after reading your story, how frustrating, absolutely terrible, I can only imagine how disheartened and cross you are.

J x

[stejude]

Mate, there is corruption in any country in any walk of life. The thing is how you deal with it. The world is far from perfect, and the Uk and NZ will have its fair share of corrupt people always out for the quick buck. I can undrstand your frustration.

[swissmissdesigner]

Mate, there is corruption in any country in any walk of life. The thing is how you deal with it. The world is far from perfect, and the Uk and NZ will have its fair share of corrupt people always out for the quick buck. I can undrstand your frustration.

I agree with you stejude. How sad is that, but is true!
John: keep chin up, you did your best.
cheers

anna

[ruthyroo]

Working in local govt in NZ I can certainly say there are plenty jobs for the boys when it comes to awarding contracts and the like, and strong local 'networks' (probably revolving around the rugby club rather than the golf course) exist that see certain individuals finding it easier to get certain projects on the go than others might find it. NZ is a small country, with small, tight and longstanding social circles that exist even in the big cities. NZ also has a long tradition of 'mateship' that translates to 'cronyism' for the more cynical among us. People in NZ are the same as people everywhere John, it's you that has to find a way of coping with that, not expecting NZ to be different in any way or you will be disappointed. Walking away when you've had a gutsful (or peferably before then) and putting your own mental health first would be my way of dealing with it. But your signature doesn't imply you would find that easy!

[zardell]

Walking away when you've had a gutsful (or peferably before then) and putting your own mental health first would be my way of dealing with it.



Mine too.......:nice1

Julie

xx

[John Z]

Thank you all for your response and support!

I had prepared another post, but I felt it didn't make sense anymore. Why?

Because in the meantime I saw "Zeitgeist". The Zeitgeist movie is/was so overwhelming and related to the subject that it says all there is to say to it.
The movie takes 2 hours, is in 3 parts. The first part was the least impressive, related to the role of religion, but nevertheless interesting. The rest of the movie, well I knew many if not most of it, but seeing someone putting it in one film is just overwhelming. And still is after 2 days. Michael Moore "square".

I'll post a link if you're interested:

http://video.google.nl/videoplay?docid=5547481422995115331&q=zeitgeist&total=1100&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

[constablechuck]

This arose as a quotation by Lord Acton in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887:

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."


In my 9 months here in NZ I've found that the government is for the most part transparent, although I'm sure every government even NZ has some corruption.

In the U.S. special interests groups openly buy and sell politicians, if you want to influence government decisions you must have the money to pay for it, ie: campaign contributions will buy you the sympathetic ear of a politician or other official, give a favor get a favor ect...

I was a public official and I was disgusted by some of the things I saw.

I think NZ has more than it's share of private companies that take advantage of consumers, the WOF required for most cars every six months is almost a license to steal for some repair shops, some of the finance companies are like loan sharks with the type of fees and interest they charge.

[jspokes]

Hey John

If there was ever some evidence to put your mind at ease this is it!

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_budget_story_skin/881874

Remember reading about this a few months ago and for me at least this was another tick in the box for NZ...

As an ex brit myself I can completly sympathise with your sentiments

Hope your decisions fall easily

[John Z]

:cheers I'm so glad to see such positive news! :cheers

Thanks a lot jon & jo!

Cheers, John Z

[katiejay]

John - if they make you angry, they have conquered you. Maybe resistance IS futile, but you don't have to care....They can't take your passion.

[John Z]

Thank you Katiejay,

many, if not most people, tell me it's useless to go against "these things". But if everybody does that, if everybody get's into that state of numbness, they have us where they want us. Then we're just cattle, then we're just the slaves who produce the wealth of their silly "lives".

It seems like I've lost something between NZ$ 100.000,= and NZ$ 200.000,=, apart from the time it took the last 7 years into all procedures. I would have loved to spend the money on my family, they deserve it. I'm so glad that we (my wife and I) decided to go no matter the house is sold or not, because I've seen too much. From local councils to the national government I've seen, experienced the corruption in our society. I'm even surprised that the Netherlands are still ranked 8th place. From what I've seen corruption is the "vehicle" that keeps things moving, especially where it concerns the building and real estate industry. (And don't even let me start on the mobile-phone networks...)

My personal dossier looks as if it is over 1000 pages, well worth writing a book, but then again, on the one hand it would (maybe) produce some money and therapy, but on the other hand I would have to go through it all again.

So, how hard it probably will be, I will have to learn to forget about it all. I know I'm lucky to have the choice of moving to NZ, and "they" do not.

Cheers, John Z.

[katiejay]

Ok, here's a compromise...write a book exposing the corruption, write articles for newspapers, radio, anyone who has an interest in these sorts of things. Think about what would hurt these people the most - their money - how can you affect their profit - how about negative publicity? Sorry if you've tried this already, but you are clearly not going down without a fight, and good on you for that. If it makes you some money in the process, fantastic - you might get some of what you lost back. I'm told, and believe, writing about your experiences is cathartic - so use it as therapy. It won't do you any harm, and you might get more out of it than you imagined! You pretty much have to make a nuisance of yourself these days to get any kind of fair judgment, but if it helps you, then go for it - you'll be helping others at the same time. You could also start a forum for others in the same boat - I doubt you're the only one this organisation has mown down. Maybe if you all stand together you'll have more strength to go against the big boys. It's been done before, but you have to be brave, and prepared for alot of sleepless nights - but from what you've said, nothing you haven't been through already! I hope you beat them.......:clap

[John Z]

You know what Katiejay?

From the moment we're a little settled I'll find me a nice hill and think it over.

But, then again, I may just think nothing at all. Hm, I like that picture.

#"Day after day, alone on a hill..."# ;)

[katiejay]

NZ has a neat little trick of making us forget everything outside - s'nice in that bubble! Good luck, John :)