Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Birth of the Nasty

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  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    Talking with such leaders it was apparent that they believe the public service is ill-equipped to provide Key's Cabinet with the strong intellectual leadership now required to ensure skilful responses as the crisis morphs into different phases.

    This might make a little more sense if huge chunks of the private sector weren't currently being saved from financial oblivion by the public service, after years of staggering incompetence.

    If Key looks to 'corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, lawyers and accountants' for his intellectual leadership we'll be lucky to have running water in three years.

    Key seems a lot more pragmatic than that, but I find it astonishing that people like O'Sullivan still think that the corporate world is run by awesome genius's with magical powers. Does she even read her own newspaper?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Raymond A Francis,

    Danyl, so which large chunks of the private sector in New Zealand are being saved by the "public service"?

    And Russell the "honeymmon" is called that for a reason...not much news actually but it would be nice if some with a left leaning just got used to the fact that national won...get your head around that and then start pointing out their mistakes

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    When do you think the Herald is going to get over this thing with Labour?

    Er, never. It's a Tory paper, like the UK Sun and Daily Telegraph. Only thing is, the poms have a choice of buying the Guardian or Mirror. We don't. I haven't bought a paper in over a year and either get my news online or in cafes.

    so which large chunks of the private sector in New Zealand are being saved by the "public service"?

    Um, Air NZ and all the banks? And the construction industry?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    Danyl, so which large chunks of the private sector in New Zealand are being saved by the "public service"?

    Domestically (to their credit) the government have just let all the failed finance and investment companies die - but I've lost count of how many times the taxpayer has bailed out BNZ, we bought Air New Zealand on the brink of insolvency and just guaranteed the deposits of every bank in the country.

    You might not have heard, but internationally much of the worlds financial and investment companies have been nationalised in the last few months, and many of the largest auto and media companies in the world are on the verge of bankruptcy.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    Have just had a look through the Order Paper and the motion to establish the ETS select committee is in there with the suggested terms of reference - nothing about reviewing the science of climate change so that's a good thing at least. Perhaps "Don't be a Rodney" had an impact after all?
    The review does seem to be weighted to the "but we can't afford it" side of things though...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    Re climate change

    Can anyone point me to some data to refute this idea I heard from a friend that...
    "predicted changes [in climate] for new Zealand would all be good for our agricultural and horticultural industries"

    I guess the thinking is if it gets warmer in NZ our crops will grow better. The question I have is "will it in fact get warmer or just get wilder?"

    As for warm weather helping crops I can pretty much refute that on my own since yes you get better crop growth for some crops but you get lousy fruit set and likely also get more pest problems.

    cheers
    Bart

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • David Ritchie,

    And Russell the "honeymmon" is called that for a reason

    Putative answer #1: Yes, because the father of the bride traditionally provided the groom with mead for the month immediately following the wedding.

    Putative answer #2: it's not as if the Herald has only been fawning over Key since the election -- but it's ever since Brash bailed. That's quite a while to be all loved up.

    Since Nov 2006 • 166 posts Report Reply

  • Stuart Coats,

    He was clearly in his element, speaking as he does best without prepared notes and obviously on top of his material.

    I thought the problems in the elction campaign came when Key spoke without prepared notes? Or am I confusing him with our new Speaker of the House?
    I also find it no surprise that Key is making the economy priotiry 1, 2 and 3. It's his specialist area, so it's kinda like Graham Henry making coaching the All Blacks his 1, 2 and 3 priority.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 192 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    And just another question regarding the ETS.

    Does someone know whether this is a well thought out scheme? I believe we need to do something but some things I've heard about it second hand suggest that while the idea is good the implementation of the ETS is not so good.

    The example I heard was that if you had an hectare of forest (planted before 1990) you could never convert it to anything else eg high value dairy, without paying a huge cost. Even if you planted two hectares of forest elsewhere to replace the one you converted.

    I could try and read the act myself but I was hoping for a TLDR version :).

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Herald tells us that "[t]he Government will introduce legislation this week that is likely to include a change to Kiwisaver policy to help low income workers..."

    Wow. How awesomely progressive of them, helping low-income workers by shifting wealth upwards a bit more slowly than they'd previously planned, because the inequities of that plan were just too obvious.

    Meanwhile, IRD: Tax system under pressure from rich avoiding tax.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    And Russell the "honeymmon" is called that for a reason...not much news actually but it would be nice if some with a left leaning just got used to the fact that national won...get your head around that and then start pointing out their mistakes.

    Eh? Where's the part where I didn't acknowledge that National won? I'm pretty sure I've said repeatedly that Key has performed well. My point was merely that both the laudatory articles and the Standardistas' sniping are essentially marking time.

    But I have been struck by the persistent anger of the winning side's supporters since the election. Some of the Act people have seemed angrier than when they were out in the cold. It will be interesting to see when the Herald's editorial voice gets over it too.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    Actually, The Herald isn't really a TORY paper. it is the mouthpiece of the Auckland business elite. They tend to range from tribal National to monster raving looney ACT in their views. As a group they seem to be largely made up of shiney pants shysters with a sense of entitlement that would make the Thai PAD proud.

    The idea of a straw man golden past seems to be part of part of the regular diet in the media in these days of cheap op-ed.

    I get the feeling the one free pass the public are going to give National is this pre-christmas sitting of parliament. From January on, anymore displays of seat warming rather than doing the job will be punished in the polls.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen,

    "predicted changes [in climate] for new Zealand would all be good for our agricultural and horticultural industries"

    Too lazy to point to data, but the east coast will get drier (not so good), and the west will be wetter (meh). Warm temps good for grass growth/dairy farmers in Taranaki, Waikato, Southland etc though. Probably some issues with pests, as the winters won't necessarily kill annoying bugs any more.

    Auckland • Since Apr 2008 • 47 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    It's a brilliant theory. Indeed, to find comparable brutishness in the House, one needs to go all the way back to … the Prime Minister immediately preceding Lange.

    And he's been gone for a generation, so when are we getting over that? As for the Moyle Affair -- well, Muldoon was fucking vile. But Moyle wasn't exactly blameless either. If you're going to treat Parliament like a dogfight, then it's a little rich to cry foul when the bitch you've been baiting for hours decides to take your throat out.

    Having said that, I don't think you can blame MMP for the likes of Winston Peters, Trevor Mallard et. al. Rat-bastards are going to take up residence in the nearest sewer no matter how they're elected.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    "...But I have been struck by the persistent anger of the winning side's supporters since the election...."

    The online crazies from the right have had nine years to convince themselves New Zealand is a corrupt cesspit in dire need of their version of de-Nazification. Anything less is proof that the canker of socialist corruption is running even deeper than their considerable imaginations feared... Actually, they are a lot like the Obama conspiracy theorists really.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Putative answer #2: it's not as if the Herald has only been fawning over Key since the election -- but it's ever since Brash bailed. That's quite a while to be all loved up.

    And we're off into the Twilight Zone... Who exactly has had their lips permanently wrapped around John Key's member? Audrey Young -- whose blog debut memorably called Key a liar for accusing her of fabricating quotes? John Armstrong? And how soon we forget when Fran O'Sullivan was calling him "Helen Key in drag" which I'm reasonably sure wasn't intended as a compliment.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    *sigh* Helen Clark in drag...

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Raymond A Francis,

    I think it will be interesting to see how the new Speaker manages thing, will he fall back to that much detested quiz master manner of old or what
    I must admit being very dissapointed on our last Speaker but who would want the job, it is hardly surprising that they mostly need to be dragged screaming to the chair

    And yes I am more that aware that the worlds cock ups are being propped up by governments I just not aware of much being done here except the guaranteed the deposits of some banks (at some cost to them)
    All the rest are very old news, the BNZ was first propped up first 100 years ago?

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report Reply

  • 81stcolumn,

    RE: NZHerald

    It's a Tory paper, like the UK Sun and Daily Telegraph. Only thing is, the poms have a choice of buying the Guardian or Mirror. We don't. I haven't bought a paper in over a year and either get my news online or in cafes.

    The London Times is also Tory but I look forward to reading that..conclusion I'm with Craig on this one the herald is for the most part s**t.

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

  • Public Servant on a tea-break.,

    I don't want to be rude, but I have to ask: If you guys don't like 'Granny herald', how about not linking to its articles?

    Or before you link, ask yourself 'Should I be creating traffic for the newspaper that thinks Garth George's opinion is worth publishing?' The herald sales your eyeballs to its advertisers, every view on its site is worth money to it.

    If you see something really annoying on the site, cut and paste a paragraph or two into your comment.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

  • Rik,

    OK so it may have started with Muldoon, could have been even earlier. But I think the Herald has hit the nail on the head - things really had got out of hand and question time had just become an embarrassment.

    I have to say I am just loving all this. Don't worry - Labour will be back one day! It's part of the yin and yang of life.

    Possibly Helen won't be back though...boo hoo!

    Since Jun 2007 • 130 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    And we're off into the Twilight Zone... Who exactly has had their lips permanently wrapped around John Key's member? Audrey Young -- whose blog debut memorably called Key a liar for accusing her of fabricating quotes? John Armstrong? And how soon we forget when Fran O'Sullivan was calling him "Helen Key in drag" which I'm reasonably sure wasn't intended as a compliment.

    I disagree though I accept that there's been some strong criticism of him from time to time.

    The overwhelming direction of stories and editorial comment has been highly partisan, as partisan as I recall the Sunday Star (Times?) was in 1999 in the few months preceding Labour's win. I don't think it's healthy but I think it's close to established practice now. I won't claim to completely understand the new press business model but clearly it requires less critical and more sensationalist reporting and Key's good copy.

    I respect Young but not O'Sullivan. I don't really know Armstrong's work well enough to comment. Regardless, my exclusively online digestion of the NZH has been high-calorie-Key for well over a year.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    Rik:

    My prediction is you'll be seeing Helen Clark again... in about 15 years as the first president of the Repulbic of Aotearoa!!

    Muhahahahahahahaha!

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    Can anyone point me to some data to refute this idea I heard from a friend that...
    "predicted changes [in climate] for new Zealand would all be good for our agricultural and horticultural industries"

    Yes: every report on climate change impacts ever produced in New Zealand. For example, the EcoClimate Report (summary here). Short version: bits of NZ will indeed get warmer, but that's not entirely a good thing. Other bits will get wetter, while a big chunk will get a lot dryer. The whole east coast drying up and blowing away is not "good" by any measure (particularly for the dairy farms they're now sticking there. But those fools are our major contributor to the problem, so I guess they have no-one to blame but themselves...)

    You might also be interested in the MfE reports Climate Change: Likely Impacts on New Zealand Agriculture and Climate change impacts in New Zealand, or the NIWA report on Changes in drought risk with climate change.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    Actually, they are a lot like the Obama conspiracy theorists really.

    They parallel the netroots who now fear that Obama will not be progressive enough. There and here the people who see themselves as "core support" have difficulty accepting that they won't get everything they want and so shout alot.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

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